More Old Hardshell Citations

Here are some other citations from an old Hardshell periodical, from the "Christian doctrinal advocate and spiritual monitor," where the first Hardshells are shown to disagree with today's modern Hardshell body.

"From Brother Jacob Wickizer, Rome, Pa.

Dear Brother Jewett,—Not stopping to apologize, I send you a few thoughts on 2 Thes. ii. 13; where the Apostle breaks out in language like this—

"But we are bound to give thanks to God always for you, Brethren beloved in the Lord, because God hath from the beginning chosen you to salvation through sanctification of the Spirit, and the belief of the Truth."

The TRUTH is that, which every heaven-born soul is made to believe by the operation of the Spirit of God in his experience.

Again, this in not the view of today's Hardshells! How can they claim to be "primitive" when they cannot find their views by any Baptist confession, church, or authorities, prior to the 19th century? And when they cannot even find their extreme view taught by their own "founding fathers" in the beginning of their seceder movement?

"The Lord that Spirit commences his work in the hearts of those, whom God hath from the beginning chosen unto salvation, first, by quickening them; and then he shows them their guilty, lost, helpless condition, by the revelation of his holiness, revealed in the law with the glory and majesty of God, as King. And thus the creature is made, not only to believe, but to realize, and to know, that he is a sinner all over defiled, that his whole head is sick and his whole heart faint. And he sees no way, that God could be just and justify such a polluted wretch, as he sees himself to be; and if he turn his mind to the world, he finds nothing there, that can ease his mind. The sound of the viol, instead of being music, is now grating to his ears. His merry companions are now no more the company, that he desires; no, he would rather be in some lonely place, where he might mourn over his lost and undone situation! And if he turns his thoughts to Heaven, he sees a God of justice, a being to whom all the hosts above delight to pay homage, and cry, "Holy, Holy, Holy is the Lord God,—who is and was and is to come." And feeling no desire, that God should change, even if il were possible,—he exclaims, no, I justly deserve to be banished from the presence of the Lord, and from the glory of his power. He now feels to loathe himself, and to give up till hope; he feels himself to be entirely polluted."

Here is more proof that the first Hardshells believed that regeneration and new birth were not the same, that the one preceded the other. I have shown in other writings, especially in my ongoing book on the Hardshells, that the first generation of Hardshells believed that spiritual birth had stages just like physical birth. They believed that a man was first "regenerated," apart from means and gospel truth, then under conviction of sin, comparable to being in the womb, in darkness, without freedom, and then finally was "born" from the womb, the latter being by the means of gospel truth being believed by the "quickened soul." This is not, of course, the view of today's neo Hardshells.

"The teaching of the Spirit reveals to his mind the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ; teaches him his own poverty and wretchedness. He feels so poor, that he cannot say, that he will wear his own apparel and rat his own bread; no, he looks for it to Him, from whom comes every good and perfect gift. Thus they who are chosen of God &, brought to the belief of the truth, are all taught of God, all drink of the same fountain, rejoice in the same truth and speak the same things, and in short, belong to tho same family." (Nov. 2, 1841. Jacob Wickizer. pg. 146)

"That there should be a New Birth by regeneration, the soul is begotten of God, quickened, by his Spirit brought into labor under the law and heavy laden with sin, enlightened by the Spirit of God to feel the justice of his condemnation; views the mighty contrast between a Holy God and such a hell-deserving sinner, whose every thought, word and deed, is now and ever has been black as the tents of Kedar, a fountain issuing nothing but the most filthy bitter water; finds utter inability to cleanse one drop, or change the spot on his Ethiopian skin, being entirely destitute of any cleansing power or substance. At length, at the end of the law, he ceases from his own works, as God did from his at the creation of the world, and cries, 'Lord, save, or I perish?' Jesus Christ he views as his atonement, and by faith views him as his Lord and his God, the cheifest amongst ten thousands, the one altogether lovely."

This is more evidence of how the first Hardshells held to the view that regeneration was distinct from the new birth, that they believed the new birth to be the same as conversion, and that all the regenerated would be converted by the gospel.

"I am well aware, that the birth is not the origin of the child, neither does it add any new member or physical power to the soul; yet the child by being born, comes to enjoy some new faculties, such as seeing, crying, tasting...all new. I suppose, that I have witnessed thousands of natural births, during the practice of my medical profession; yet in no case have I been ready to believe, that it was never a child until it was born. As before observed, the child is as perfect a child, before it was born, as afterwards, but the birth manifests it to all around; so the 'New Birth' manifests the new-born soul to Israel, and to Israel only."

"I have thus far endeavored to give you my ideas, as to what constitutes regeneration, or the New Birth,—and what is done to an individual experiencing that wonderful change, and in what respect 'the believer or man in Christ is a New Creature.' But to be a little more explicit, I would add, it is 'Christ formed in you the hope of glory'..." (Squier Littell Sr. (Jan. 1842. pg. 147)

This is clear. The first Hardshells believed that all the elect would believe and hear the gospel, that being "taught of God" involved being taught the gospel.

See here