by John Quincy Adams, originally published in 1854
If one wants to know what it means to be a Baptist, John Quincy Adams’ (a congregationalist turned Baptist minister, not to be confused with second President) book is the place to turn. Charles Spurgeon said it was “the best Manual of Baptist principles he had met” and used this book in his Pastor’s College curriculum. Adams address fundamentals such as the importance of sola Scriptura, believer’s baptism, the separation of the church and state, equality of the saints, and liberty of conscience.
The book is in the public domain and can be downloaded and read here: Baptists, the Only Thorough Religious Reformers
You can download or listen to an audiobook that was computer-generated from the PDF file above.
If you prefer, you can purchase a hard copy from Free Grace Press: Baptists, Thorough Reformers
