Two-seedism of Daniel Parker

Not sure if we have had a post on this topic. If not, I will rectify that. (If so, I will duplicate!)

Daniel Parker (1781-1844) figured prominently in the early history of the American "missions/anti-missions" controversy, and was also a pioneer who helped open the Texas frontier. He wrote A Public Address to the Baptist Society on the Principle and Practice of the Baptist Board of Foreign Missions on the missions controversy. His Pilgrim Regular Baptist Church of the Predestinarian Faith and Order still exists as the oldest Baptist church in the state of Texas. He is remembered for formulating and promoting a religious idea often known as "Two-seedism," which is now most often viewed as a religious curiosity. For a time it was quite a source of dissension among "anti-mission" Baptists in the United States.

"In brief, he taught that God had an external seed, and the devil an external seed; and that God gave to Adam a seed which we call the body; that our bodies which we inherit from Adam are simply houses for God's and the devil's children to live in. When we die, if God's eternal seed is in us it returns to him; but if the devil's seed it returns to him, while the body returns to dust never to be resurrected." (From J. H. Grime, History of Middle Tennessee Baptists, 1902)

"Come, my reader, let us reason together a moment. You may think my doctrine wretched -- but think again, is it scripturally and experimentally reasonable to believe, but that there are sinners lost? Are these lost sinners the creatures of God by creation? Is it not more reasonable to believe they have sprung from Satan, than from the Divine Being? As I think you believe me, that God never created any one for destruction, is it not more to the glory and honor of God, to believe that he will punish Satan in his own seed., than in beings, which he himself had made, and Satan had got possession of? Does God Possess more love and mercy than wisdom and power? Does, he, as God, want to save more than he will or can save? How can these things be, and he be a God of infinite power and wisdom? Think of these things, and if they fail to bring you to this truth, then I request you to answer, at least in your own mind, these questions I have proposed, with the evidence that have produced, satisfactorily, in another way; for they all mean something, and the truth is what we ought to know and practice. Perhaps you are ready to inquire, what benefit can arise from the belief of this, should it be a truth? I answer, truth exalts the Divine Being, humbles his saints, and defies the enemies of God. And amongst all the truths that appear, this is best calculated to answer and defeat the Arminian errors, and Universalian false basis. Establish the saints, and prevent controversy, as far as it is believed, while, instead of its preventing saints from preaching to, and praying for sinners, if it is believed aright, stimulates them to their duty." -- Parker in Views on the Two Seeds (originally typed by Ben H. Irwin, and made available courtesy of Tom Adams and Hoyt Sparks)

Daniel Parker organized the Pilgrim Predestinarian Regular Baptist Church in 1833 in Illinois -- because Roman Catholicism was the only religion in Mexico (of which Texas was a part). Afterward they moved to Texas as a church. Pilgrim Church still exists today, near Elkhart, Texas. It no longer holds Parker’s "Two-Seed" doctrine. It is an Absolute Predestinarian Primitive Baptist Church. (The Two-Seed doctrine seems pretty esoteric to me -- almost like you have to be initiated to understand it. In my opinion, much of this developed after the death of Parker.)

J. M. Carroll declared that Daniel Parker's ministry "left a mighty impress on East Texas" -- whether one was Missionary Baptist or Anti-Missionary Baptist. He noted, "And as a result of these various services, over this large territory, [Parker & Pilgrim] organized, through its own efforts, nine new churches. How many churches in Texas, country or city, can show such a record?" (Another writer, W. T. Parmer, credited 11 churches to Parker rather than 9.) Parker's name seems eternally tied to "anti-missions." Nevertheless, he was an indefatigable worker, a preacher, pastor, theologian, author and publisher. Parker personally planted churches in at least three states. He served a legislator in Illinois and, very briefly, in Texas. (In the Republic of Texas he was unable to fulfill his duties, because at the time Texas did not allow ministers to serve in the Legislature and he was refused the seat to which he was elected.)

For history of Parker's Pilgrim Church, see The Records of an early Texas Baptist church (minutes of the Pilgrim Church 1833-1847).

 

Rob, Daniel probably did not "escape" in the sense you mean it. He was not living at Fort Parker.

I haven't read Empire of the Summer Moon. Frontier Religion and Frontier Blood are two other good books on the Parker family.

 

Probably in actual sequence of events the "hypercalvinism" existed first, with the "two-seed" doctrine being a justification for it.