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In the introduction to the Trail of Blood, it lays out what the writer considered the "true" marks of a genuine New Testament church of Jesus Christ and I can say I agree with them. They are (from http://www.fbinstitute.com/trail/intro.htm):

1. Its Head and Founder--CHRIST. He is the law-giver; the Church is only the executive. (Matt. 16:18; Col. 1:18)

2. Its only rule of faith and practice--THE BIBLE. (II Tim. 3:15-17)

3. Its name--"CHURCH," "CHURCHES." (Matt. 16:18; Rev. 22:16)

4. Its polity--CONGREGATIONAL--all members equal. (Matt. 20:24-28; Matt. 23:5-12)

5. Its members--only saved people. (Eph. 2:21; I Peter 2:5)

6. Its ordinances--BELIEVERS' BAPTISM, FOLLOWED BY THE LORD'S SUPPER. (Matt. 28:19-20)

7. Its officers--PASTORS AND DEACONS. (I Tim. 3:1-16)

8. Its work--getting folks saved, baptizing them (with a baptism that meets all the requirements of God's Word), teaching them ("to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you"). (Matt. 28:16-20)

9. Its financial plan--"Even so (TITHES and OFFERINGS) hath the Lord ordained that they which preach the gospel should live of the gospel," (I Cor. 9:14)

10. Its weapons of warfare--spiritual, not carnal. (II Cor. 10:4; Eph. 6:10-20)

11. Its independence--separation of Church and State. (Matt. 22:21)

In the introduction to the Trail of Blood, it lays out what the writer considered the "true" marks of a genuine New Testament church of Jesus Christ and I can say I agree with them. They are (from http://www.fbinstitute.com/trail/intro.htm):

Now see, That's the kind of thing I am getting at: In perusing the list you provided, one can see the principles that culminated in the formation of the Western brand of religious thought (as opposed to, different than strictly European thought)... To the point of which, it is not only ensconced in religion, but also government, and is undoubtedly imprinted upon the very conscience of the West.

This is often attributed to the Enlightenment and to the Free Masons, and any number of etcetera, but one can catch a whiff of these things in the people who ran contrary to the RCC in her infamous heyday, and all the way along.

There IS something there, just close enough to the surface to be tantalizing...

Another one of those things is the weavers and the dyers guilds... It seems like whenever there is a big movin' and shakin' going on in ancient and medieval Europe, there is almost ALWAYS a weaver or a dyer popping up! Drives me nuts.

So, as I said, while I cannot specifically endorse the Baptist 'Trail of Blood', I can certainly see the bits and pieces they assemble it from, and recognize a subtle something in the patterns produced therein. But it is, so far, beyond the scope of proof.