26 • THE DISTINCTIVE BAPTIST WHY popular and useful little book from the pen of the venerable Dr. Pendleton, “Three Reasons Why I am a Baptist?” A truce to all these brethren, honored and beloved as they are; but in the statement of the fundamental distinction of their denomination they need to go deeper and lay bare the broader foundation that the full truth may be known. AT THE VERY BASE. The fundamental principle of the Baptists is their belief in the supreme authority and absolute sufficiency