Thanks Brother Ross!

My dear friend and collaborator on this book, Brother Bob Ross of Pilgrim Publications, Pasadena, Texas, has written the following in regard to my series on "Gill and the Hardshells."

DR. JOHN GILL VINDICATED OF HARDSHELLISM
BY BROTHER STEPHEN GARRETT [12/13--2007]

"Probably the most thorough study and research of the view of Dr. John Gill (1697-1771) on the doctrine of Regeneration, or the New Birth, has been done by Brother Stephen Garrett of Monroe, North Carolina.

Brother Garrett is currently posting his articles on the following website:

http://baptistgadfly.blogspot.com/

See chapters 58 onward.

For years, the Primitive Baptists (or Hardshells) have erroneously tried to align Dr. Gill in their camp of "regeneration" apart from the means of the Word as the instrumentality, and modern "Reformed" Hybrid Calvinists have tried to align Gill with the pedobaptist "born again before faith" notion. Brother Garrett has delved into Gill's works in such an extensive manner that he has forever jettisoned both of these misrepresentations of the famous Baptist pastor and writer of 18th century England.

Both the Hardshells and the Hybrids share the attribute of quoting Dr. Gill in a piecemeal manner, stopping short in their use of his materials in order to leave the desired impression. Brother Garrett demonstrates that this is no way to arrive at a proper understanding of Dr. Gill, and is not an intelligent and honest approach.

We highly recommend Brother Garrett's work; those interested in arriving at a proper understanding of Dr. Gill will profit immensely from the materials accumulated by Stephen. Furthermore, there is no person living today, to our knowledge, who is more informed on the history and teachings of Hardshells than Brother Garrett, who himself was a Primitive Baptist minister for fifteen years and whose father is still an "Old School" Hardshell minister."

I appreciate deeply this endorsement from Brother Ross. Brother Ross has himself written much on the Hardshell Baptists in his series "History and Heresies of Hardshellism." He has also shared books and information with me, as I have with him. I highly recommend Brother Ross, whom I have mentioned and cited frequently in this work. He is a great defender of the Baptist faith, especially as it was believed and practiced by that "prince of preachers," the beloved Charles Spurgeon.

This is not mutual flattery. Brother Ross and I are simply acknowledging our collaboration and agreement on this topic.

He has left periodic comments as I have written chapters and I do hope to continue to hear from him in the future.

Again, thanks much Brother Bob!