I call to witness two prominent Baptists to show that King James Onlyism as we know it today is a new doctrine invented by men.
Roy Mason lived from 1894-1978 and he pastored the Brandenburg, Livermore, Sturgis, and Benton Baptist Churches in Kentucky as well as Baptist churches in New Mexico, Oklahoma and Florida. His book “The Church That Jesus Built” is a popular book among Landmark Baptists and was handed to me early in my ministry.
On page 126 of that book, he wrote the following:
“For instance, the English-speaking world is indebted to Baptist for the most accurate version of the Bible that is printed in their tongue. I refer to the American Bible Union Version, which was translated by Baptists.”
T. P. (Thomas Paul) Simmons lived from 1898-1969, and besides being an early editor of The Baptist Examiner, he pastored the Central Baptist Church in Marion, KY, Second Baptist Church in Ashland, KY, First Baptist Church in White Plains, KY and also Mt Pleasant Baptist Church Chesapeake OH. His book A Systematic Study of Bible Doctrine is still a standard among Sovereign Grace Landmark Missionary Baptist Churches. It was one of the first books I received into my library after I was called into the ministry.
In Chapter IV, “Objections to Verbal Inspiration,” it is clear that Brother Simmons was not King James Only preacher. In fact, he wrote “Let no one be disturbed by the fact that translations are not infallible. Our two great English translations (the King James or “Authorized Version” and the American Standard Version of 1901) are good basic translations. Such errors as they contain do not leave any doctrine of the Bible in doubt. Speaking of translations, the author wishes to make it clear that he does not recommend the most recent revision of the Bible under the sponsorship of the International Council of Religious Education, known as the Revised Standard Version. This is manifestly the work of modernists who have done everything they dared to do (and modernists are very daring) to obliterate the deity of Jesus Christ. This translation is neither sound nor scholarly, but is rather a piece of modernistic propaganda.”
Brother Roy Mason and Brother T.P. Simmons were friends with each other. In fact, Brother Mason wrote the introduction to Brother Simmons book. I am not old enough to have ever met either one of them, but long after their death, their books still have an impact on Landmark Baptists.
Their books are still being read, recommended, and used. But neither of them were KJVO. And neither of them tried to hide it. Somewhere something changed among “the brethren.” In fact, if such men were alive today they would be slandered, discredited, and ostracized.
A contemporary equivelent of T.P. Simmons or Roy Mason would not be recommended to preach in Bible Conferences, pastor churches, write articles, etc. that is for sure. And why not? All because he isn’t King James Only. This is not just hypocritical, it is wrong.
I might not agree with every thing Brother Simmons and Brother Mason wrote, but I am glad they had a voice. One of two things happened – either there were no KJVO preachers yet in their times, or the ones who were there were not as extreme as the preachers of our day. I am still looking and I have not found any evidence of KJVO work before the 1960s among Landmark Sovereign Grace Baptists.
King James Onlyism is not part of being obedient to Jude 3. It is not contending for the faith, but rather it is being contentious over tradition….a very recent tradition. And I am thankful for the witness of these two brethren.