By Carroll Dale Turbeville
“Baptist, that is true Baptist whose lineage comes from Christ, not the Protestants, are NOT Protestants. Baptists did not come out of the Reformation Movement. Baptists came through the Reformation period. Those denominations who trace their roots to the Reformation are considered Protestant because they were a part of the ‘Protest’ movement against the Roman Catholic institution as members. The Baptist churches were never out of nor a part of the Roman Catholic religion. Members of Baptist churches have been Catholic but the churches have not. Historians have written of this fact, ‘ … New Testament or apostolic churches were the ones that existed in the First Century. That they were Baptist is proved in their doctrine and practice. Every doctrine of Baptist is found in the New Testament. Histories by such non-Baptists as Mishiem (Lutheran), Gibbons, Erasmus (Catholic), Schaff (Lutheran), Ridpath (Methodist), Beza (Presbyterian), and others prove that the Christians of the First Century were Baptist. Ridpath even states boldly, ‘In the year 100 all Christians were Baptist.'” (The Door Step Evangel, November 1996)