From Ray’s Baptist Succession, 27th edition, Revised 1912.
The following characteristic features have distinguished Baptists from all others through past ages.
1. The Baptists as a church, recognize Jesus Christ alone as their founder and head.
2. The Baptists regard the Bible alone as containing their rule for faith and practice.
3. The Baptists perpetuate the Bible order of commandment; repentance, faith, baptism, and the Lord’s Supper.
4. Baptists immerse, or bury with Christ in baptism, only those who profess to be dead to, or freed from, sin.
5. Baptists recognize equal rights or privileges in the execution of the laws of the kingdom of Jesus Christ.
6. Baptists observe the Lord’s Supper at His table in His kingdom.
7. Baptists have never persecuted others; but have, themselves, always been peculiarly persecuted and everywhere spoken against.
There is no existing leading denomination except the Baptists, which holds any one of these peculiarities. They are therefore Baptist peculiarities. We are not contending for the succession of the name “Baptist,” but for the perpetuity of the church of Christ, which is now called “The Baptist Church.” Baptists have never been sticklers about their name. They have been called by a multitude of names by their enemies. Even the name Baptist was not assumed by them. On this point Joseph Belcher remarks: “The name of Baptist originated, not with the party so-called, but with their opponents. Formerly they were called Anabaptists, or rebaptiszers, which they rejected as involving what they deemed as a misrepresentation; because in their view, none are baptized but the parties mentioned mentioned in the scriptural law relating to the subject, and to whom it is administered in the only prescribed mode.” Religious Denom. pg. 42. But as the name Baptist is not a misrepresentation, we raise no objection to it. The first administrator of baptism was called the Baptist by inspiration; and as Baptist churches administer the same ordinance through their ministers, therefore it is proper to call them Baptist Churches.