History of Feet Washing

There are at least four groups that I failed to mention in my second post - Central Baptists (Primitive Baptist descendants), Duck River and Kindred Associations, Two-Seed-in-the-Spirit Predestinarian Baptists (only 3 churches), and Union Baptists (another Primitive Baptist descendant similar to the Regular Baptists). All these practice feet washing. An interesting article on the subject of feet washing is found in Viewpoints: Georgia Baptist History, Volume 1. The article is titled Feet Washing among Baptists of Georgia (A Study of) by Charles O. Walker.

Bro. Glen, I believe in the practice of feet washing in connection with the communion service. Unfortunately, it is one of the things which the rest of the church must believe also in order for you to practice it. I have observed it with sister churches that practiced it, but no church of which I have been a member or pastor has practiced it. In the first church in which I was pastor/moderator I taught it and was making progress (the older folks remembering fondly its practice in times past). But on an occasion we had a preacher from a sister church that practiced feet washing who was preaching. He attacked them and all churches who did not observe the practice in such an offensive way that he made everyone mad, set back all the teaching I had done, and ruined the possibility of instituting the example in that church. I have always taught that I believe it, but refrain from pushing it if it would cause division in the church - a divided church couldn't practice it anyway.

Clint - The feet washing services in which I have participated are basically the same as that lined out by Jeff, with these possible exceptions: the few remarks by the ministers before the bread, wine, and feet washing were more like mini-sermons, and the members who are washing one another's feet are speaking (blessing, testifying, witnessing, whatever it might be called) to one another (which may be true in Jeff's scenario, though he didn't mention it). This is usually spoken quietly and directed to the person whose feet you are washing. It may be about feet washing itself, humility, or a number of related spiritual topics.

Glen and Jeff may find this especially interesting. Pilgrim (Absolute) Primitive Baptist Church, the oldest Baptist church in Texas, practices communion 3 times a year. They observe feet washing with their summer communion, but have only bread & wine without feet washing in the spring and fall. I don't think this is traditional (none of the other Absoluters they fellowship do it that way), but rather something they have recently developed.

 

EARLY CHURCH

Over the years, I have gleaned odds and ends about feet washing in early church history. They are at best sketchy, and often with little reference as to what kind of churches were practicing it. For example:

Tertullian indicates "feetwashing was practiced in his time, but gives no clue as to by whom or how." - The Mennonite Encyclopedia, Vol. 2, p. 348, c. 1956, Mennonite Publishing House

Practiced in Gaul and Spain in the 3rd & 4th centuries - History of the Church of God by Sylvester & C. B. Hassell, p.845

Feet Washing practiced in Genoa in 660 AD - A Concise History of Baptists by G. H. Orchard, p. 297

Practiced in Gaul, Milan, and Ireland (at time of baptism), but not known in Rome and the East - The Catholic Encyclopedia, Vol. 15, p. 557 c. 1913, The Encyclopedia Press, Inc.

Feet Washing practiced by the Albigenses (after communion service) and Waldenses (washed feet of visiting ministers) - The Mennonite Encyclopedia, Vol. 2, p. 348, c. 1956, Mennonite Publishing House

Feet Washing practiced by the Waldenses, but they did not make it a test of fellowship - The Baptists in All Ages by J. S. Newman, p. 9

CONTINENTAL ANABAPTISTS

Since the feet washing among the continental Anabaptists in fairly well documented, and since many dispute whether they were Baptists, I will pass over them with only a brief quote:

ROMAN CATHOLIC

Clint asked about the Catholic practice. I found this in my file folders on feet washing:

 

IN ENGLAND

It seems that in England washing the saints' feet prevailed more among the General Baptists than the Particular Baptists. As far as I know, it has not remained a practice of any of the indigenous English Baptists (e.g., Baptist Union, Gospel Standard Baptists, Grace Baptists, etc.). I thought it was practiced by the churches of the Old Baptist Union, but did not find it mentioned as I scanned their articles of faith tonight. It may have been imported back to England by American Baptist missionaries from groups that observe the practice.

The Confession to which Goadby refers is evidently:

 

FEET WASHING IN AMERICA

The earliest Baptists in America were Particular Baptists in Rhode Island (1639), though they fairly quickly spawned General Baptists (1652, in the Providence Church) and Seventh-Day Baptists (1671, in the Newport Church). I think it is fair to assume that at least some of the General Baptists from England brought the practice of feet washing with them. But I personally have no documentation on that.

Philadelphia Baptist Association

The oldest surviving Baptist association in America is the Philadelphia Baptist Association, which was organized in 1707. My memory was off a little when I mentioned in my second post that the Philadelphia Baptist Association approved washing the saints' feet. Here are some references.

In 1771, there was a query from the Dividing Creek church relative to feet washing. The Association simply referred them to John 13:1-17 (which in my opinion indicates they were divided on the issue and probably took the easy way out). [p. 119, Minutes of the Philadelphia Baptist Association from 1707 to 1807, reprinted by Baptist Book Trust]

In 1773, the church at Kingwood (N.J., org. 1742) was not agreed on washing the saints' feet and asked the Association's opinion. The Association was not agreed either and replied, we "are not so happy as to be agreed on the point," and did not want to enter into disputes on the subject. Therefore, they recommended unity and love.

In 1792, the subject was again brought up, this time by the West Creek church, which queried, "Is the washing of feet a gospel ordinance?" The Association replied:

Morgan Edwards

Morgan Edwards was born in England in 1722 and came to pastor the church in Philadelphia in 1761. He served as clerk, moderator, evangelist and historian for the Philadelphia Baptist Association. He held to the practice of from 9 to 13 rites, including feet washing.

 

If your "little band" was all one, instead of three, I might consider it. Actually, I have some agreements (and disagreements) with the three major groups of white Primitive Baptists - Old Line (Bradley group & Old School group) and the Absoluters. None of the three would accept me just as I am, and, OF COURSE, I don't think I'm the one who is wrong!

 

Materials Towards a History of the Baptists by Morgan Edwards

Of a number of other Virginia churches, Edwards made note that they admitted the "nine Christian rites", which included feet washing; such as Lower Spotsylvania (p. 54), Upper Spotsylvania (p. 56), Rapid-Ann (p. 59), Buckingham (p. 60), Carters-Run (p. 63), Culpepper (p. 64), Louisa (p. 65), and Stanton (p. 65).

Edwards says the same as above concerning the Regular Baptists of South Carolina (p. 120). He also noted feet washing in the Congaree Association of SC (p. 140ff), and in the Calvinistic Seventh Day Baptist Church at Broad River (p. 153).

The above are from notes I made from Edwards' book, and may not be exact quotes on every occasion.

 

FEET WASHING IN AMERICA

The Separate Baptists
Perhaps the greatest influence historically on feet washing as rite among Baptists in America was the Separate Baptists. They had a great zeal to implement New Testament practice into their everyday lives and the practice of their churches. Though they are probably the most influential group among Baptists in America concerning washing the saints' feet, the practice did not originate with them, as has been incorrectly asserted on several occasions (e.g., see The Apostolic Church (p. 284) by W. E. Paxton, or Footwashing by the Master and by the Saints (p. 39-40) by Elam J. Daniels. Here is a brief reference to the Separate Baptists from Chapter 20 of A Short History of the Baptists by H. C. Vedder:

The Separate Baptists and Feet Washing
I doubt any will deny the existence of feet washing among the Separate Baptists, so I will give only this quote.