RESTORATION
AND REFORMATION
Thomas
Campbell, son of Archibald Campbell, was born in 1763. Although born in
Newry, Ireland, he was the son of Scottish immigrants. This may have helped
him to decide to attend school at the University of Glasgow. The 18th
century has been designated the golden age of Scottish thought. Thomas
graduated with honors. He then enrolled in the Anti-Burgher School of the
Seceder Presbyterian Church. When he finished he returned to Ireland where
he began to teach school.
While
teaching at Ballymena, near the shores of Loch Neagh, he met and married
Jane Corneigle. She was a descendant of a French Huguenot family. Their
first son was born September 12, 1788. They named him Alexander. When
Alexander was 18, the father decided to come to America. This was on
doctor's orders. He arrived in May of 1807. He was well received by the Chartiers Presbytery. But on a trip north he made a serious mistake. He was
called upon to administer the Lord's Supper. He expressed regret at the
existing divisions. He urged all who were present to take of the bread and
cup when offered. For this he was eventually forced out of the presbytery.
He
gathered a group at the home of Abraham Altars, who was not a member of any
sect but was interested in what Mr. Campbell was doing. As Campbell led in
prayer stillness prevailed. He began to speak to them. When he finished he
announced the principle upon which they would proceed, which was,
"Where the Scriptures speak we speak; where the Scriptures are silent,
we are silent."
The
neighbors decided to erect a plain building in which to meet. This they did
about three miles from Mt. Pleasant. Campbell preached here regularly. He
stayed in an attic bedroom in the home of a Dr. Welch. It was here that he
wrote the Declaration and Address. When he read it at a special meeting in the
home of Jacob Donaldson, Sept. 7, 1809, it was unanimously approved.
The
Washington Association had been formed and met every Lord's Day. It was
composed of persons of various sects. It was specifically said that they did
not intend to form a church. They selected 21 of their number to meet and
confer with Mr. Campbell to determine the proper means to carry into effect
the ends of their association.
Campbell
stated in the document, "We beg leave to assure our brethren, that we
have no intention to interfere, either directly, or indirectly, with the
peace and order of the settled churches, by directing any ministerial
assistance with which the Lord may be pleased to favor us, to make inroads
upon such; or by endeavoring to erect churches out of churches
to distract and divide congregations."
In
the first paragraph of his enunciation of principles Mr. Campbell wrote:
"The Church of Christ on earth is essentially, intentionally and
constitutionally one." He believed that, while at heart he was a
Presbyterian. It was several years later that he said very plainly, but
humbly, "I have been a Calvinist all of my life, and I expect to remain
a Calvinist until I die." He believed firmly in allowing everyone who
loved the Bible and read it and formed conclusions about it, to show their
faith as conscience dictated. He would discuss its meaning with anyone. But
he would not cast them out if they differed with his own conclusions.
The
Declaration and Address played the same part as did the Institutes
of John Calvin or the writings of Martin Luther. All three were written
by honest men. This is evident in that the first two fled for their lives.
All of them were expressions of what the three men thought the Bible had
revealed to them. All of them contained some error. Neither was intended as
a substitute for the Bible, and neither was a new production in exactitude
of the apostolic way.
I
am confident Mr. Campbell suffered inward pangs when he saw the gradual
growth and development into a church, and witnessed the debates that
resulted from it. But the second generation is unlike the first. The initial
ones may drink from the stream which knows no pollution. The next are forced
to quaff waters that are filled with defilement of men's thinking. By 1889 a
man stood up in Illinois and declared that brotherhood would no longer be
recognized with those who used choirs or salaried ministers. This opened the
way for new divisions over almost anything imaginable.
We
are forced to agree that all of the schism resulted from the thinking done
by men — many of them uneducated, many virtually illiterate. Factions were
formed; parties multiplied. A golden dream went glimmering. What caused its
dissipation? Certainly it was not to reinforce error but to try to recapture
truth. But it seemed to be overlooked that powerful writers may be without
perfect knowledge. The attempt to bind human deductions upon those who are
not ready for them always results in untimely divisions.
Mr.
Campbell wisely pleaded for reformation rather than restoration. The
difference between the two is at once apparent. Reformation deals with
present conditions. One looks at the believers before him and resolves to
improve their lot and to implement their state. Restoration looks backward
at a previous condition and seeks to recapture it for the present. It would
be impossible to restore the New Testament ekklesia. The word
"church" is not a translation of it. It is an English word from a
wholly different background. In the translation which Alexander Campbell
brought over to this country (which was the work of George Campbell, James
Macknight and Phillip Doddridge) the word "church" does not
appear. A note tells why.