D. N. Jackson
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Doss Nathan Jackson (July 14, 1895 – November 29, 1968) was a
Baptist Baptists form a major branch of Protestantism distinguished by baptizing professing Christian believers only (believer's baptism), and doing so by complete immersion. Baptist churches also generally subscribe to the doctrines of soul compete ...
pastor A pastor (abbreviated as "Pr" or "Ptr" , or "Ps" ) is the leader of a Christian congregation who also gives advice and counsel to people from the community or congregation. In Lutheranism, Catholicism, Eastern Orthodoxy, Oriental Orthodoxy and ...
from the United States who was fundamental in the founding of the North American Baptist Association (now the Baptist Missionary Association of America). He was a debater and conference speaker, publisher and a prolific writer of
Christian Christians () are people who follow or adhere to Christianity, a monotheistic Abrahamic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus Christ. The words ''Christ'' and ''Christian'' derive from the Koine Greek title ''Christós'' (Χρι ...
literature and theological works including ''Studies in Baptist Doctrine and History''.


Biography

Jackson was the son of James Ferguson and Josephine (Bridges) Jackson and the youngest of twelve children. In 1918 he was married to Erma Oretus Gilbert, the daughter of Dr. C. A. Gilbert, The Business Manager of the Baptist Sunday School Committee in Texarkana, Arkansas. Dr. and Mrs. Jackson had three children: Dr. Tillman Sherron (T.S.) Jackson, Carroll F. Jackson and Mrs. Ermagene (Jean) S.T. Sullivan. His denominational work began in 1918 when, as a 23-year-old pastor, the
General Association of Baptists Though the annual meeting of this group is denominated The General Association of The Baptists, they are most widely known as the Kindred Associations of Baptists. Other names associated with these churches are the Baptist Church of Christ, ''Th ...
in the United States of America elected him editor-in-chief of the Baptist Sunday School Committee. C. A. Gilbert, who became Jackson's father-in-law the same year, was elected business manager at the same meeting. A movement began to unify various state and regional associations of missionary Baptists into a national association – a scope which the General Association apparently never enjoyed. The result of the movement was the forming of the American Baptist Association in 1924. Jackson served on the committee which drafted the constitution for the new Baptist association. He was the ABA president from 1935 to 1937 and held the position of editor-in-chief from 1924 to 1942. Jackson and his then friend Ben M. Bogard claimed that the Darwinian
theory of evolution Evolution is change in the heritable characteristics of biological populations over successive generations. These characteristics are the expressions of genes, which are passed on from parent to offspring during reproduction. Variation t ...
had contributed to the moral decline of the United States and caused discouraged persons to embrace
atheism Atheism, in the broadest sense, is an absence of belief in the existence of deities. Less broadly, atheism is a rejection of the belief that any deities exist. In an even narrower sense, atheism is specifically the position that there no d ...
and Bolshevism. Accordingly, in 1926, Bogard and Jackson joined to pen ''Evolution: Unscientific and Unscriptural.'' Bogard and Jackson subsequently broke fellowship when C. A. Gilbert, the chairman of the Missionary Baptist Sunday School Committee, was blamed for a deficit. For a decade Bogard tried to remove Jackson's father-in-law as the committee chairman. In 1950, Jackson left the Missionary Baptist denomination and started the Baptist Missionary Association of America, formerly the North American Baptist Association. Jackson, however, was never the president of the Baptist Missionary Association of America, but he was elected one of two vice-presidents in 1955, and was given the honor of preaching the annual message on two occasions. In 1951, Jackson preached the annual message for the association meeting in
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,
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, while his friend, Gerald D. Kellar presided. Jackson also drafted the original Doctrinal Statement of the association. and served as the first promotional secretary.


Education

He received a
Bachelor of Arts Bachelor of arts (BA or AB; from the Latin ', ', or ') is a bachelor's degree awarded for an undergraduate program in the arts, or, in some cases, other disciplines. A Bachelor of Arts degree course is generally completed in three or four years ...
degree from
Jacksonville College Jacksonville College is a private junior college in Jacksonville, Texas. It is the only accredited junior college in Texas that is privately owned and operated, owned by the Baptist Missionary Association of America, with additional financial su ...
in 1917. He later studied at Moody Bible Institute,
Chicago (''City in a Garden''); I Will , image_map = , map_caption = Interactive Map of Chicago , coordinates = , coordinates_footnotes = , subdivision_type = Country , subdivision_name ...
in 1920–21 and did graduate work at
Princeton University Princeton University is a private university, private research university in Princeton, New Jersey. Founded in 1746 in Elizabeth, New Jersey, Elizabeth as the College of New Jersey, Princeton is the List of Colonial Colleges, fourth-oldest ins ...
in 1925–26. Jackson later had a
LLD Legum Doctor (Latin: “teacher of the laws”) (LL.D.) or, in English, Doctor of Laws, is a doctorate-level academic degree in law or an honorary degree, depending on the jurisdiction. The double “L” in the abbreviation#Plural forms, abbrev ...
degree conferred by the
Missionary Baptist College A missionary is a member of a religious group which is sent into an area in order to promote its faith or provide services to people, such as education, literacy, social justice, health care, and economic development.Thomas Hale 'On Being a Mi ...
in Sheridan, Arkansas after which he was known as Dr. Jackson.


Ministry


Pastorates

Dr. Jackson was ordained on September 2, 1913. *First Baptist Church, Jefferson, Texas, 1917–18 *County Avenue Baptist Church, Texarkana, 1918-34 (four years on leave of absence for school studies at Princeton and Chicago)*Organized and pastored Central Baptist Church, Texarkana, 1934–40 *Parkview Baptist Church,
Laurel, Mississippi Laurel is a city in and the second county seat of Jones County, Mississippi, United States. As of the 2020 census, the city had a population of 17,161. It is located northeast of Ellisville, the first county seat, which contains the first coun ...
in 1940 *Malta, Texas *Fulton, Arkansas *Emmanuel Baptist Church, Nashville, Arkansas *Calvary Baptist Church, Fayetteville, Arkansas. *Park Place Baptist Church,
Little Rock, Arkansas (The Little Rock, The "Little Rock") , government_type = council-manager government, Council-manager , leader_title = List of mayors of Little Rock, Arkansas, Mayor , leader_name = Frank Scott Jr. , leader_ ...
, in the fall of 1949 *Berean Baptist Church,
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*Creston Hills Baptist Church,
Jackson, Mississippi Jackson, officially the City of Jackson, is the Capital city, capital of and the List of municipalities in Mississippi, most populous city in the U.S. state of Mississippi. The city is also one of two county seats of Hinds County, Mississippi, ...
*Walston Springs Baptist Church,
Palestine, Texas Palestine ( ) is a city in and the seat of Anderson County in the U.S. state of Texas. It was named for Palestine, Illinois, by preacher Daniel Parker, who had migrated from that town. The city had a 2020 U.S. census population of 18,544, mak ...
*Pine Grove Baptist Church, Diboll, Texas *His last pastorate was First Baptist Church, Mixon, Texas (now called "First Missionary Baptist Church" after a different Baptist group used the name "First Baptist in the town".)


Pedagogy

In 1952 Southeastern Baptist College was organized with Dr. Jackson as its first President. In Arkansas he provided the leadership for purchasing the property for Conway Baptist College, now known as the Central Baptist College, Conway. He served the school's first President also. He played a significant role in the organization and development of the North American Theological Seminary (now Baptist Missionary Association Theological Seminary.) Dr. Jackson was offered a life-time professorship at North American (BMA) Theological Seminary. He became Professor of Theology and Church History and remained with the seminary from 1955 to 1967. He also served as President of Midwestern Baptist College, Oklahoma City from 1967 until his death a year later.


Publishing

He was editor and publisher of the ''American Baptist'', the oldest Baptist paper west of the
Mississippi Mississippi () is a state in the Southeastern region of the United States, bordered to the north by Tennessee; to the east by Alabama; to the south by the Gulf of Mexico; to the southwest by Louisiana; and to the northwest by Arkansas. Miss ...
, from 1934 until his death. The paper was founded in St. Louis in 1875 by D. B. Ray, Sr. Jackson later sold the ''American Baptist'' to a group of BMAA pastors.


Debates

Debates between denominational representatives were popular in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Jackson was widely used as a debater in earlier years, defending the Baptist faith. He is credited with engaging in at least 162 formal debates, mostly with "Christians" (i.e., "Church of Christ"), from 1916 to 1957. Many of them were in Arkansas, Texas and Oklahoma, but he also debated in Mississippi, Missouri, California and Michigan. A partial list includes *Jesse T. Lashlee (Church of Christ); 1916 *W. Curtis Porter (Church of Christ); Monette, Arkansas; 1916; baptism; Porter's 1st debate *J. T. Riley (Reorganized Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints); Tapp school house (near Fisher), Arkansas; January 8-?, 1918; general church; 12 sessions *Thomas Wiley Croom (Church of Christ); County Line, Arkansas; January 1922; apostasy, Holy Spirit, baptism; Croom's first debate *John W. Hedge (Church of Christ); Bearden, Arkansas; 1926 and 127 on the topic of salvation *G. C. Brewer (Church of Christ); Texarkana, _; c 1931 *Glen Earl Green (Church of Christ) *W. L. Oliphant (Church of Christ); Hollis, Oklahoma; 1933 *J. D. Tant (Church of Christ); 5 times including in Texarkana, Texas; fall 1933 *Charles B. Middleton (Church of Christ); 1938 *Jesse Powell (Church of Christ); Jacksonville, Texas; 1938 *Clyde L. Embrey (Church of Christ); Texarkana, Arkansas; c 1938 *George B. Curtis (Church of Christ); Fayetteville, Arkansas; 1938 *Guy N. Woods (Church of Christ); Wellington, Texas; c 1938Woods, Guy N
/ref> *Thomas L. Conner (Church of Christ); Bald Knob, Arkansas, 1939 *Guy N. Woods (Church of Christ); Independence, Texas; c 1939 *W. Curtis Porter (Church of Christ); Rush Springs, Oklahoma; September 1939; their 2nd debate *J. Porter Wilhite (Church of Christ); Burnsville, MS *Leroy Garrett (Church of Christ); 1940 and again in Taylor, Arkansas; 1941 *John O'Dowd (Church of Christ); Sand Flat, Texas; February 11–14, 1941; establishment of Baptist Church *Coleman Overby (Church of Christ); Bearden, Arkansas; 1941 *Clyde L. Embrey (Church of Christ); 1941 *Eugene S. Smith (Church of Christ); written; 1944; depravity & operation of the Spirit. *Thomas L. Conner (Church of Christ); Deering, Missouri; 1944 *Eugene S. Smith (Church of Christ); written; 1945; baptism. *W. Curtis Porter (Church of Christ); Flint, Michigan; September 18–21, 1945; baptism, apostasy; their 3rd debate, and the again in Poplar Bluff, Missouri; May 7-?, 1946 and at St. Louis, Missouri; November 18–21, 1946; baptism, apostasy *Roy E. Cogdill (Church of Christ) twice including in Lufkin, Texas; December 10–13, 1946. *J. Porter Wilhite (Church of Christ); 1947 and again in Laurel, MS; March 1949; establishment of church, baptism *G. C. Brewer (Church of Christ); Fulton, MS; May 9–12, 1950; baptism, apostasy *J. Porter Wilhite (Church of Christ); Burnsville, MS; 1950; establishment of church, baptism *Roy E. Cogdill (Church of Christ); Houston, Texas; March 26–29, 1951 *W. Curtis Porter (Church of Christ); Fulton, MS; June 18–20, 1952; establishment of church, apostasy, faith only *W. Curtis Porter (Church of Christ); Fillmore, Oklahoma; November 4-?, 1952 and in Jonesboro, Arkansas; December 9-?, 1952 *Clyde L. Embrey (Church of Christ); Lucedale, MS; December 6–9, 1955 *John W. Wilson (Church of Christ); Bellflower, California; September 17–20, 1956; baptism, apostasy; Jackson's 161st debate *Guy N. Woods (Church of Christ); Sikeston, Missouri; late August 1957 Jackson also served as moderater for many debates. Two notable ones include: *Harold F. Sharp, Sr vs. Dr. J.E. Cobb at Conway, Arkansas (1954). *
Aimee Semple McPherson Aimee Elizabeth Semple McPherson (née Kennedy; October 9, 1890 – September 27, 1944), also known as Sister Aimee or Sister, was a Canadian Pentecostalism, Pentecostal Evangelism, evangelist and media celebrity in the 1920s and 1930s,Ob ...
vs. Dr. Ben M. Bogard at the McPherson Tabernacle in the city of
North Little Rock North Little Rock is a city in Pulaski County, Arkansas, across the Arkansas from Little Rock in the central part of the state. The population was 64,591 at the 2020 census. In 2019 the estimated population was 65,903, making it the seventh-mo ...
, Pulaski County,
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, on the 22nd day of May, 1934.


Preaching

through his preaching ministry Dr. Jackson was able to see many lives changed and many professions of faith, but on one Easter morning his ministry produced a new response. The words that flowed from that pulpit on that Resurrection Sunday caused Luther G. Presley to pick up a pen and compose, "I'll Have A New Life" after he heard a sermon by Dr. D.N. Jackson.


Theology

Perpetuity of the church is a doctrine which is cherished by Missionary Baptists. By perpetuity is meant that there has never been a day since Christ founded His church when there was no scriptural church upon earth. The church shall continue in existence until He shall come again. Church "succession" is another term which denotes perpetuity, implying that churches have succeeded in all ages the one founded by Christ. Baptists believe in a succession of churches---not of the apostles, as taught by the Roman doctrine of ‘apostolic succession.
Baptism is one way of making a confession of faith in Christ. Scriptural baptism is performed by the authority of the triune God (Matthew 28:19-20). No one without baptism is qualified for membership in a church, but baptism does not wholly qualify him. It is the ceremonial qualification he is required to meet. It is the first act of Christian obedience after one's profession, although one may have the opportunity to witness for Christ as Saviour before he is baptized.D. N. Jackson, ''Baptist Doctrines and History'', Baptist Publications Committee,
Little Rock, Arkansas (The Little Rock, The "Little Rock") , government_type = council-manager government, Council-manager , leader_title = List of mayors of Little Rock, Arkansas, Mayor , leader_name = Frank Scott Jr. , leader_ ...
p. 35


Publications

Dr. Jackson was a prolific writer of books, pamphlets, tracts, news articles and study courses. *''The Doctrine of Divine Election: Calvinism and Arminianism Examined'' *''Jackson-Smith debate: The plan of salvation'' *''Are We Missionary Baptists?'' Laurel, Mississippi.: American Baptist Publishing Company, n.d. *''The Lord's Supper: A Sermon Preached at the Race Street Baptist Church, Searcy, Arkansas, February 3, 1935.'' Texarkana, Texas-Arkansas: D. N. Jackson, n.d. *''Studies in Baptist Church Doctrines and History''. Little Rock, Arkansas: Baptist Publications Committee, n.d. *''Ten Reasons Why I Am a Baptist''. 2d. Ed. Memphis, Tennessee, and Little Rock, Arkansas: American Baptist Publishing Company, n.d. *''Conventionism Refuted'', with Bogard, Ben M.; Ballard, L. S.; Matheny, M.P., Texarkana, Arkansas-Texas: Baptist Sunday School Committee, 1927. *''The Cogdill-Jackson Debate'' 1949 *''The Roger Williams Memorial'' *''Evolution, Unscientific and Unscriptural. A Short Treatise on the Philosophy of Evolution'' *''National Danger in Roman Catholicism'' *''Fifty-two New Testament Lessons'' *''Speaking in Tongues'' 1941 *''Holy Ghost Baptism'' 1940 *''Are we Missionary Baptists?: The identity of the original Missionary Baptists shown by true facts'' 1970 *''Baptist Searchlight'' *''Baptist Claims Vindicated'' *''National Danger in Catholicism'' 1928 *''Woman's Sphere and Function'' *''Baptist Young People's Manual'' *''The Lord's Supper'' *''Our Travels to the Holy Land'' *''The Lakeland Review: A True Account of What Happened at Lakeland, Florida, April 19, 20, 1950''


References


The Encyclopedia of Religious Debates
* Baptist Progress, Vol. 54 No.45, December 5, 1968; Vol. 56 No. 3, January 23, 1969. * "Central Baptist College, Our History - Our Purpose", Central Baptist College (website

accessed June 13, 2002). * D. N. Jackson, Studies in Baptist Doctrines and History, (Little Rock: Baptist Publications Committee, 1974 (revised)). * John W. Duggar, The Baptist Missionary Association of America 1950–1986, (Texarkana: Baptist Publishing House, 1988). * Kenneth Vanderslice, ed., B.M.A.A. Directory and Handbook 2000/2001, (Tomball, Texas: Baptist News Service, 2001). * Thomas N. Thrasher, Sr., "Debate Listings: J", The Encyclopedia of Religious Debates, (website

accessed June 13, 2002). * William Jennings Burgess, Brother Burgess - An Autobiography, (Little Rock: Baptist Publications Committee, 1975). {{DEFAULTSORT:Jackson, D. N. 1895 births 1968 deaths American Baptist theologians Critics of the Catholic Church American Christian creationists People from Jackson County, Arkansas Baptists from Arkansas 20th-century Baptist ministers from the United States