Dr. JM Carroll's "The Trail of Blood" is a great historical premise concerning the beginnings of the church from "Christ it's founder, till the current day". Written in the early 20th century, Dr. Carroll details the history and plight of TRUE bible believers throughout time. Still as relevant today as it was almost 100 years ago, this timeless classic is a must-have part of any Christian's personal reading collection.
...an important contribution...it is difficult to see how the historical argument could be any better presented than has been done by James McGoldrick.
The Baptist Heritage: Four Century of Baptist Witness H. Leon McBeth's 'The Baptist heritage' is a definitive, fresh interpretation of Baptist history. Based on primary source research, the book combines the best features of chronological and topical history to bring alive the story of Baptists around the world.
CHAPTER 1 THE NEW TESTAMENT CHURCHES. The Great Commission. A Definition of a Church. A Voluntary Association. A Church Not National or General. The Officers of a Church. The Ordinances. The Proper Subjects of Baptism. The Form of Baptism. The Lord’s Supper. The Ordinances as Symbols. The Churches Missionary Bodies. The Continued Existence of the Churches. CHAPTER 2 THE ANCIENT CHURCHES. Early Conditions. Isaac Taylor. Epistola ad Diognetum. The Beginning of Dangerous Heresies. Baptismal Salvation. Metropolitan Bishops. Gregory the Great. The Baptism of Believers. The Fathers. The Early Councils and Infant Baptism. The Baptism of Adults Who Had Christian Parents. The First Law and The First Rule for Infant Baptism. The Testimony of Scholars. The Form of Baptism. Six Rituals on the Subject. The Christian Monuments. The Catacombs. The Baptisteries. Clinic Baptism. Religious Liberty. Tertullian, Justin Martyr and Lactatius. Constantine the Great Issues an Edict. Theodosius the Great Enforces Religion by Law. CHAPTER 3 THE STRUGULE AGAINST CORRUPTION. Incorruptible Churches. The Testimony of Bunsen. The Montanist Churches. The Anabaptism. The Spread of the Movement. The Novatian Churches. Robinson Traces Them to the Reformation. They Were Called Anabaptists. The Donatist Churches. Their Origin. Rejected Infant Baptism. Benedict. Lincoln. Augustine. Liberty of Conscience. Neander. Their Attitude Toward Liberty. Their Protest. CHAPTER 4 THE PAULICIAN AND BOGOMIL CHURCHES. The Sources of Information. The Greeks, The Armenians. "The Key of Truth.". The Apostolic Origin. They Rejected Other Communions. The Story of Constantine. The Connection of the Mohammedans. The Sabians. The Numbers of the Paulicians. Religious Liberty. The Free State of Teprice. Among the Albigenses in France. Persecuted. Conybeare on Baptist Succession. Justin A. Smith. Widely Scattered in Europe. the Paulicians not Manichaeans. Their Doctrines. The Synod of Arras. A Confession of Faith. The Adoptionists. The Form of Baptism. Macarius. The Oriental Church. The Bogomils. Brockett. Their Persecutions. The Form of Baptism. CHAPTER 5 THE ALBIGENSIAN, THE PETROBRUSIAN, THE HENRICIAN, THE ARNOLDIST, AND THE BERENGARLAN CHURCHES. The Origin and Spread of These Churches. Prof. Bury. Their History. Their Good Character. Their Writings Destroyed. They Were Not Manichaeans. Two Classes of Believers. In Southern France. The Crusades Against Them. Their Doctrines. Rejected Infant Baptism. Peter of Bruys. His Opinions. The Petrobrusians Accused of Being Anabaptists. Henry of Lanusanne. His Great Success. Held the Opinions of the Anabaptists. Arnold of Brescia. The Testimony of Otto Freising. The Arnoldist. Berengarius. His Troubled Career. CHAPTER 6 THE WALDENSLAN CHURCHES. The Alps as a Hiding Place. Peter Waldo. The Preaching Tour. Origin of the Waldenses. The Name. Roman Catholic Historians on Their Origin. Rainerio Sacchoni. Preger. The Statement of the Waldenses. The Noble Lessons. The Reformers. Beza. Later Writers. The Special Historians of the Waldenses. Faber. Moreland. Claudius Seisselius on Their Character. Their Manners and Customs. Their Principles. Infant Baptism. Their Change of Views in Regard to the Practice. Adult Baptism. Immersion. CHAPTER 7 THE ORGIN OF THE ANABAPTIST CHURCHES. The Anabaptist Movement. Mosheim. Sir Isaac Newton. Alexander Campbell. Robert Barclay. Von Usinger. Sacchoni. Cardinal Hosius. Luther. Zwingli. Anabaptism no New Thing. They Were Found in Many Lands. Different Leaders. Kinship to The Waldenses. Limborch. Keller. Moeller. Lindsay. The Waldenses and The Anabaptists Found in the Same Places. Waldensian Preachers Found Among the Anabaptists. Points of Agreement. The Anabaptists Claimed a Succession From Earlier Times. The Antiquity of the Netherland Baptists. The Swiss. Moravia. The Picards. Erasmus. Sebastian Frank. Schyn. Abrahamson. Ypeij and Dermout. CHAPTER 8 THE CHARACTOR OF THE ANABAPTISTS. Called by Many