Highlights in Restoration History . . .

ALEXANDER CAMPBELL'S FAVORITE SCRIPTURES

Even though young Alexander Campbell had been a close student of the Bible since boyhood, he did not preach his first sermon until he was well into his 22nd year. But once he started he never let up. He gave 106 public addresses his first year. Having never spent a day in bed sick until he took to bed to die in his 78th year, he kept up an incredible schedule of speaking engagements over a span of 56 years.

Only a few weeks before he died he gave his last public discourse in the old Bethany Church of Christ, which still stands and has recently been restored and renovated, and it can be seen by those who visit Bethany. His last sermon was on the majesty and glory of Christ as set forth in Eph. 1, which was one of his lifelong themes. His biographer, Robert Richardson, says this was one of the most interesting and animated discourses of his life, dwelling in the most eloquent terms upon the "spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ." Even though he was now aged and ill, in that moment he returned to his old self as he spoke of the divine purposes being fulfilled in Christ.

His first sermon, which was on July 15, 1810, was in a grove on a farm near Washington, Pa., and his text was Mt. 7:24-27, which begins with: "Whosoever heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them, I will liken him unto a wise man, which built his house upon a rock." He stood behind a makeshift stand, and even though this was his first sermon he exhibited those qualities that were to mark his preaching for more than a half century: unaffected simplicity, a clear and commanding voice, the power of generalization, taking wide and expanded views. Even when Mr. Campbell spoke for an hour or more and sometimes with great intensity and animation, he almost never gave the slightest gesture and seldom moved from his tracks. And in this first sermon he did what became habitual with him: fixed the audience's attention upon the great truths of Scripture and yet pointed to the practical lessons inherent in those truths.

Campbell's first sermon reveals that he was never a "boy" preacher or even an "adolescent" preacher. He was born full grown or nearly so. The response of his audience, who were seated on planks or on the grass, was one of wonderment, that a man so young and inexperienced should be so able. The older folk whispered to each other in subdued tones, "Why, this is a better preacher than his father!"

A week later he gave his second sermon on a theme that he would emphasize all his life, Christian unity, based on Gal. 3:27-28:

For as many of you as have been baptized into Christ have put on Christ. There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither bond nor free, there is neither male nor female: for ye are all one in Christ Jesus.

He observed that believers in Christ are members of the same body, branches in the same vine, and stones in the same building. He pointed to the folly of sectarianism and urged oneness in Christ.

These first sermons were written out in full and memorized, a practice that did not long continue. However, Mr. Campbell never used notes and always drew upon a reservoir of knowledge that appeared to be both effortless and limitless.

A week later he spoke on Mt. 16:26: "For what is a man profited if he shall gain the whole world and lose his own soul? or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul?" On and on it went, not only on Sundays, but once he began his travels he would speak daily, sometimes twice a day. Beside his public presentations would be several hours of conversations in various homes. Evening service was usually "at candlelighting time," which left the long evenings for teaching in family circles, which usually included visitors that had come from a distance to hear Alexander Campbell.

Dr. Richardson now and again reveals the favorite texts that Campbell used both in his public discourses and private conversations. Here are some of them:

And I saw a great white throne, and him that sat on it, from whose face the earth and the heaven fled away; and there was no place for them. (Rev. 20:11)

Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter. Fear God and keep his commandments, for this is the whole duty of man. (Ecc. 12:13)

Search the Scriptures, for in them you think you have eternal life, and they are they which testify of me. (Jn. 5:39)

Behold, I stand at the door and knock: if any man hear my voice and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me. (Rev. 3:20)

For in Jesus Christ neither circumcision availeth anything, nor uncircumcision, but faith that worketh by love. (Gal. 5:6)

How shall we escape if we neglect so great salvation. (Heb. 2:3)

To be carnally minded is death; but to be spiritually minded is life and peace. (Rom. 8:6)

Campbell eventually became critical of "textuary preaching," which usually meant that a sermon was based upon a single text, and turned more to expository presentations, which in this case usually involved an entire chapter. He had his favorite chapters, such as 1 Cor. 13, from which he would discourse for three hours, an hour each on faith, hope, and love! Another was Hebrews 11, which served as the basis for an extensive treatment on the nature of faith. Hebrews 1 was another, which allowed him to teach on the covenants, one of his constant themes. In Eph. 4 he would discourse on "The Seven Unities" and John 3 was his basis for "The Philanthropy of God," another constant theme, the one he presented in the House of Representatives in 1850. Col. 3 and 1 Tim. 4 he also often treated, the latter as the basis for a presentation on reformation.

His favorite chapter may well have been Malachi 4, which was the basis for "The Sun of Righteousness," a discourse he delivered repeatedly during his many travels, its emphasis being on verse 2: "But unto you that fear my name shall the Sun of righteousness arise with healing in his wings." This enabled him to do two things that he delighted in: extol Jesus Christ as the Lord of glory and the Sun of righteousness, and to distinguish between the dispensations in which God has revealed himself to human kind.

There was first the starlight age, he would note, the patriarchal age in which God's revelation was restricted to some heads of clans. The likes of Enoch walked with God in this age. Then came the moonlight age or the age of Moses and the prophets, when there was much more light given, such as Micah 6:8: "He hath showed thee, O man, what is good; and what the Lord requires of thee, but to do justly, and to love mercy, and to walk humbly with thy God?" Then came for a moment the twilight age, the age of John the Baptist, who announced the coming kingdom and the Lamb of God who would take away the sins of the world.

Then at last as the sun rises beyond the eastern hills, there came the ultimate Light into the world, the Sun of righteousness with healing in its wings, the new and final dispensation, the Christian faith with its new commandments, new ordinances, new promises, and a new covenant, all centered in Jesus Christ.

It was the kind of thing brother Campbell loved to do. He would range at large in the Scriptures in distinguishing between Moses and Christ, the old and new covenants, and in urging upon his audiences "the ancient faith." He was a teacher extraordinary. While he frequently baptized, he never considered himself an evangelist, explaining in an article on one occasion why he was not. He was a teacher of the Scriptures. He almost never (maybe never) referred to his presentations as preaching. They were always discourses! This is consistent with the distinction he always drew between preaching and teaching and between the gospel of Christ and the apostles' doctrine.

Richardson assures us that Campbell was unerringly committed to his purpose before an audience. No jokes, no levity, no personal references, no nonsense. He took his hearers on an exciting and adventurous journey, opening up the Scriptures as they had never seen them before. Raccoon John Smith, for one, who heard him in an hour and a half discourse on the two covenants in Gal. 4, and supposed it had been only 30 minutes until he looked at his watch, said afterward that Campbell had done more in opening up the Scriptures to him than all the preaching that he had heard up to that time.

His biographer also tells us that Campbell was not controversial in the pulpit. He did not respond to critics; he did not "skin the sects" or ever condemn any denomination; he did not argue about points of doctrine; he never indulged in personal criticism. He reserved controversial subjects for the social circle, and as an editor he would engage his critics and press doctrinal issues. But in his public discourses he confined himself to teaching the Scriptures and addressing the great issues and great truths of the Christian faith. And this he did in most every kind of church, in court houses, in open groves, in private homes, in schools, in railway terminals, in legislative chambers.

In his Alexander Campbell As A Preacher, Archibald McLean caught the spirit of Campbell as a preacher as well as anyone has:

He saw in Christ, and in Christ alone, the one true rallying-point for all believers. In his preaching he sought to exalt Christ; this was his sole and supreme aim. He held him up as the only Savior and rightful Lord of all men, and urged them to pay the most punctilious regard to all His precepts and ordinances. Among his favorite themes were these: the coronation of Christ; the mystery of godliness; the glory and dignity of the Christ; the riches of the saints. On no other subject was he so eloquent and grand and enrapturing as on the glories, the majesty and superhuman dignity of Christ Jesus.

—the Editor