Please Note: These historical documents may or may not represent the current position of Free Will Baptists on any given issue. Many files are Adobe Acrobat (pdf) files. They are quite large and may take a long time to download. For ease of viewing, download only the files in which you are interested and read them at your leisure.
Herald of Gospel Liberty (1808-1809)
Edited and published by Elias Smith (who eventually became Unitarian in theology), the Herald of Gospel Liberty was among the first Christian periodicals (newspapers) published in the United States. While Free Will Baptists did not publish the paper, it was widely circulated among Free Will Baptists and featured occasional articles by leaders among Free Will Baptists.
A Religious Magazine (1811-1813; 1820-1822)
A Religious Magazine was published by Reverend John Buzzell. Only two volumes of this publication were printed, and these were printed almost ten years apart. Includes denominational, biographical, and historical information.
The Religious Informer (1823-1825)
This semi-monthly pamphlet was published by Reverend Ebenezer Chase and contain the earliest reports of the quarterly meetings for the Randall Movement of Free Will Baptists. (Note: this digital archive contains three full years of periodicals in a single file, making the file quite large. Please be patient.)
The Register (1825-1908)
First issued in 1825, The Freewill Baptist Register was originally written and published by Reverend Samuel Burbank. By 1828, however, the Register had become denominational property and was published by book agent, Reverend David Marks.
The Free-Will Baptist Magazine (1826, Vol. 1, Issue 1)
Published in Providence, Rhode Island, by the elders of the Rhode Island Quarterly Meeting.
The Morning Star (1826-1911)
The Morning Star is among the most important northern Freewill Baptist publications to consult for a broad historical perspective on the growth and development of the denomination. Contains doctrinal discussions; social issues including temperance and anti-slavery; reports of abolition efforts by Freewill Baptists and others; reports from Freewill Baptist missionaries; national and international religious news; editorials; vast biographical and historical information; and correspondence (including interaction between Free Will Baptists in the North and South).
The Freewill Baptist Quarterly (1853-1869)
The Quarterly presented a yearly compilation of essays on issues of interest to the denomination, from theology and history to missions, church organization, Sunday school, and education, among others. Published first by the Freewill Baptist Printing Establishment (1839-1841) and later in Providence, Rhode Island, by “an association” (1853-1869).
The Missionary Helper (1878-1919)
The Free Baptist Women’s Missionary Society was organized in 1873. The Missionary Helper was established to fill a need to voice the work of women of the denomination. Founder Marilla Marks Brewster remained the publisher and editor for nine years, at which time the denomination assumed publication.