Select Writings Volume 2

Samuel Trott

Originally Printed In Embracing a Period from 1832-1862

Posted On July 1, 2016

A compilation of Samuel Trott’s Writings, as selected from the Signs of the Times, the Southern Baptist Messenger & the Christian Doctrinal Advocate, Embracing a period of thirty years. Volume #2.

Samuel Trott {1784 to 1866} was one of the leading Baptist frontier ministers. Along with Gilbert Beebe, he was one the most influential of that group of Particular Baptists which came to be known as “Old School.” Born in Walpole, New Hampshire, in 1784, he first joined a Presbyterian Church and in his own words, became a “pretty strict formalist” and a “legalist.” In time he was persuaded of the ‘truth’ of the Baptist position, and sought out those of like-minded faith, and was consequently baptized by Elder Parkinson of New York, on December 22nd, 1810. In 1816, we find him in Ohio where he taught school and preached. In 1820, he travelled as far west as the Licking Particular Baptist Association, where, after preaching in the home of Elder Ambrose Dudley, he baptized his son, Thomas P. Dudley. Still later, we find him in Virginia, where he served Frying Pan Baptist Church at the Fairfax County Court House. He was a contemporary of Elder Gilbert Beebe and a frequent contributor to the “Signs of the Times.” {An Old School, or Primitive Baptist Periodical that was begun in 1832 by Gilbert Beebe in New Vernon, N. Y.} He also was an author of the Black Rock Address; {which was a manifesto of a meeting that took place in Black Rock, Maryland in May, 1832,} consisting of resolutions against “uniting with worldly societies,” and a declaration of non-fellowship with those who had done so. By “worldly societies” were meant Missionary, Sabbath-school, Bible, Tract, and Temperance Societies, &c., against which those of the Black Rock Meeting protested, as being at that time practiced among the portion of the Baptist denomination which were known as Fullerites. In 1832 he became Pastor at Welsh Tract Church, which is located in New Castle County, Delaware, which was reputedly the oldest Old School Baptist Church in the United States, and the only American Baptist Church that was regularly organized in Europe before immigrating to the United States. He died on October 31, 1866.

This second and final volume of Samuel Trott’s writings, consists of 2 of his larger works that were printed by Gilbert Beebe; one THE IMAGE OF THE BEAST, is an early work that Beebe printed, even before he begun the SIGNS OF THE TIMES, and though mostly prophetic in its scope, it is exceptionally trenchant in laying a foundation for prophetic truth upon which many Predestinarian/Old School Baptists sought to further build upon in years that followed. The other larger work herein included is, A CALM REPLY to Elder John Clark, in which he seeks to establish from Scripture his sentiments concerning such vital truths as the Sonship of Christ, Eternal Vital Union, the New Birth, &c. There are 67 additional articles all taken from the SIGNS OF THE TIMES, THE CHRISTIAN DOCTRINAL ADVOCATE & THE SOUTHERN BAPTIST MESSENGER. To our knowledge these are the only 3 periodicals to which he regularly contributed articles, and if so, I think that with those articles that appeared in VOLUME 1 – all taken from the SIGNS – we, with the completion of this volume have gathered about 90 % of all his writings. There are only a few that we felt for some reason or another {mostly because of repetition} to exclude from this book. Also included are 12 Circular or Corresponding Letters, all from Associational Meetings between the years 1833-1858, of such bodies as the Baltimore Association of Old School Baptists & Delaware Baptist Association, of which Trott himself was Moderator in those years included. These were incorporated into this volume for the simple reason that we personally believe that Trott wrote most, if not all of these letters. Trott’s unique way of setting forth Scripture truth, and the experimental tone that characterized many of his non-controversial writings seem quite evident in most of these letters; and since Trott as Moderator had to have either written, or if not written, at least endorsed the truths contained in these Letters, we thought it would enrich the volume. Trott was the most frequent contributor to the pages of the Signs of the Times in its formative years. His writings are a rich source of information and beliefs of the Old School Baptists of the period. Probably no man, including Elder Beebe, had as much influence on the early Old School churches as did Elder Trott. We bring Trott's writings once again before the “family of faith” because we feel God blessed him with remarkable insights into the teachings of the Word of God, further blessing him to proclaim them boldly, often in the face of fierce opposition. It is abundantly clear from history that he was an uncompromising champion of truth, even to his personal detriment. May God be praised that he did not yield to the forces of compromise and union at any cost, for he was nearly alone at the first in defense of the Gospel of the Grace of God. In this new book we have another voice from the past, telling the same sweet story, and defending the same precious truths we find delightful today. All aim at the same theme, Jesus Christ, the same yesterday, today, and forever, sovereign in all ways; and man, a helpless beggar at best. There is much in this volume for the spiritually discerning reader to feast upon!