Collins historical sketches of Kentucky. History of Kentucky: Vol. I, Part 83

Author: Collins, Lewis, 1797-1870. cn; Collins, Richard H., 1824-1889. cn
Publication date: 1874
Publisher: Covington, Ky., Collins & Co.
Number of Pages: 1452

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Influenced by these views, they call themselves Christians, or Disciples of Christ, and feel religiously bound to repudiate all names, that are not applied in the New Testament to those, who " have been baptized into Christ," and have thus "put on Christ." To believe what God says, and to do what he commands, they regard as the sum total of human duty ; nor do they believe that any man is authorized to hope for an admission into the everlasting kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, except as he is using his best powers, day by day, to purify himself from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit, and to perfect holiness in the fear of God. When the believer obeys God's commands, then, but not till then, do they conceive, that he has a right to appropriate God's promises. Consequently, when the penitent believer confesses Christ before men, and from the heart bows to his authority, being baptized in obedience to his command, he has a right to appropriate to himself all those promises that are made to baptized believers as such ; but he has, even then, no right to hope for a continuance of the divine favor, except so far as he makes it the business of his life to know the will of God, and to do that will in all things.

For all purposes of discipline and government, they regard the individual church as the highest, and indeed the only ecclesiastical organization recognized in the New Testament. "As for associations, conferences, conventions, &c., presuming to act under the sanctions of a divine warrant, or claiming to be a court of Jesus Christ, or to decide on any matters of conscience, or to do any act or deed interfering with, or in opposition to, the perfect independenc of each indi- vidual congregation, or at all legislating for the churches in any district of the country,"-they regard it as " altogether foreign to the letter and spirit-to the precepts and examples-to the law and to the testimony of the Christian books." One and all, they profess to be engaged in persevering efforts for the union of all saints, by the restoration of unsectarian Christianity in faith and practice, as it is found, pure and unpolluted, on the pages of the New Testament.

Among the host of worthies, living and dead, who have co-operated hitherto in this grand enterprise, the name of Alexander Campbell stands deservedly pre-eminent. Others may have preceded him, and no doubt did, in repudiating human creeds and adopting the bible as the only and all-sufficient rule of faith and practice; of union, communion, and co-operation among the fol- lowers of the Lamb. Others may have been more successful, and no doubt were, as proclaimers of the Gospel, in making proselytes to the cause, and add- ing members to the various churches. But, as a master spirit, exciting investi- gation, overturning antiquated prejudices, enlightening the master spirits of the age, and setting them to work, each in his own sphere, it is the deliberate opinion of a mighty host, that, in the current reformation of the nineteenth century, Al- exander Campbell has no equal. On this subject the venerable and beloved Barton W. Stone, in 1843, and shortly before his death, remarks-"I will not say there are no faults in brother Campbell ; but that there are fewer, perhaps, in him, than any man I know on earth; and over these few my love would draw a veil, and hide them from view forever. I am constrained, and willingly con- strained to acknowledge him the greatest promoter of this reformation of any man living. The Lord reward him !"

The writer of this article applied to President Campbell for facts and docu- ments, that might furnish the basis of a short biographical sketch, and received for reply the following information-" Averse to autobiography, and to giving a man's biography while living, I have left the task for one who may survive me."

A few leading facts, however, may be noted for the information of the reader. Alexander Campbell was born, about the year 1787 or 8, in the county of Down

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in the north of Ireland, where he spent the first fourteen years of his life, and was then removed to Scotland, the land of his fathers, to complete his education for the Presbyterian ministry. In 1809 he came to America with his father, El- der Thomas Campbell, who is still living. Naturally of an independent and investigating mind, he soon became convinced that infant sprinkling is unscrip- tural, and was forthwith baptized upon a profession of his faith. Prosecuting his inquiries still farther, he soon discovered that he had imbibed many other doctrines unauthorised by the Scriptures, and contrary to them. All such he relinquished without delay, having nobly resolved, that he would sacrifice every thing for the truth, but the truth for nothing.

In allusion to this part of his life, he remarks, in the conclusion of the Chris- tian Baptist-" Having been educated as Presbyterian clergymen generally are, and looking forward to the ministry as both an honorable and useful calling, all my expectations and prospects in future life were, at the age of twenty-one, iden- tified with the office of the ministry. But scarcely had I begun to make sermons, when I discovered that the religion of the New Testament was one thing, and that of any sect which I knew was another. I could not proceed. An unsuccessful effort by my father to reform the presbytery and synod to which he belonged, made me despair of reformation. I gave it up as a hopeless effort, but did not give up speaking in public assemblies upon the great articles of Christian faith and practice. In the hope, the humble hope, of erecting a single congregation, with which I could enjoy the social institutions, I labored. I had not the remotest idea of being able to do more than this ; and, therefore, betook myself to the occupa- tion of a farmer, and for a number of years attended to this profession for a sub- sistence, and labored every Lord's day to separate the truth from the traditions of men, and to persuade men to give up their fables for the truth-with but little success I labored."

In 1816 he was urged by some of the most influential Baptists in New York and Philadelphia, to settle in one of those cities, but declined-alledging in justi- fication of his course, that he did not think the church in either city would sub- mit to the primitive order of things; and rather than produce divisions among them, or adopt their order, he " would live and die in the backwoods."

In August 1823, soon after the Debate with MacCalla, he commenced the pub- lication of the " Christian Baptist," a monthly pamphlet, the design of which was " to restore a pure speech to the people of God-to restore the ancient order of things in the Christian kingdom-to emancipate the conscience from the do- minion of human authority in matters of religion-and to lay a foundation-an imperishable foundation, for the union of all Christians, and for their co-operation in spreading the glorious gospel throughout the world."

In the debate aforesaid, Mr. Campbell contended that " baptism was a divine institution, designed for putting the legitimate subject of it in actual possession of the remission of his sins." In January 1828, he remarks, " It was with much hesitation I presented this view of the subject at that time, because of its perfect novelty. I was then assured of its truth, and. I think, presented sufficient evi- dence of its certainty. But having thought still more closely upon the subject, and having been necessarily called to consider it more fully, as an essential part of the Christian religion, I am still better prepared to develop its import."

From the time of the debate, baptism for the remission of sins seeins to have been but little agitated, if at all publicly, till 1827. In that year Walter Scott and John Secrest began to preach in the bounds of the Mahoning association, Ohio, the apostolic doctrine of remission, recorded in Acts 2d, 38. The effect was astounding to the advocates of the worn-out and powerless systems of human origin. During the last six months of the year, Elder Secrest immersed with his own hands for the remission of sins, " five hundred and thirty persons."

The writer has not the means of ascertaining exactly how many were im- mersed during the year by the pious, indefatigable, and talented Walter Scott. It is certain, however, that he converted and baptized a mighty host-more, per- haps, than any other uninspired man ever did in the same length of time.

The Mahoning association, at their meeting of that year, determined to em- ploy Brother Scott for the whole of his time the next twelve months, preaching and teaching in the bounds of the association. This appointment was highly commended by Bro. Campbell in the " Christian Baptist" for October following.

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The editor remarks, " Brother Walter Scott, who is now in the field, accepted of the appointment ; and few men on this continent understand the ancient order of things better than he. His whole soul is in the work."

The results of this appointment, and the success of the pleadings for the ancient gospel were everywhere triumphant. Soon a host of able advocates in various parts embraced the same views, and began to propagate them with zeal and suc- cess-especially in Kentucky and Ohio. The clergy became alarmed. The work of proscription and anathema commenced; and, in a short time, the advo- cates of the same gospel that was preached by Peter on the day of Pentecost, and by all the apostles, were driven out of. the Baptist communion, and reluc- tantly compelled to establish separate churches, that they might enjoy the lib- erty wherewith Christ had made them free. Sons, whilst they read the record, in a more enlightened and Christian age, will blush for the bigotry and intoler- ance of their sires.

At the completion of the 7th volume of the Christian Baptist, in 1830, the Ed- itor thus writes-" I had but very humble hopes, I can assure the public, the day I wrote the first essay, or the preface for this work, that I could at all succeed in gaining a patient hearing. But I have been entirely disappointed. The success attendant on this effort has produced a hope, which once I dared not entertain, that a blissful revolution can be effected. It has actually begun, and such a one as cannot fail to produce a state of society, far surpassing, in the fruits of right- eousness, and peace, and joy, any result of any religious revolution, since the great apostacy from Christian institutions."

In 1830, the Millennial Harbinger was begun, and has continued to be issued monthly down to the present time. These periodicals, aided by several others, and by a numerous host of zealous and indefatigable advocates, have spread the principles of this reformation with a rapidity that has perhaps no parallel in the history of the world, except the progress of primitive Christianity in the times of the apostles. Already do the " Christian Churches" in these United States number, as it is confidently believed, more than 200,000 members ; and the cause is successfully pleaded, not merely in the Canadas, in England, Scotland, and Wales, but also in almost every part of the civilized world.

While A. Campbell was thus laboring in the western part of Virginia, and even before he made his appearance on the public stage, another distinguished actor, impelled by a kindred spirit, was shaking time-honored religious systems to their very center in the heart of Kentucky. I mean that much calumniated, but great and good man

BARTON WARREN STONE.

The subject of this sketch was born in Maryland on the 24th day of Decem- ber, 1772. His father dying while he was very young, his mother in 1779, with a large family of children and servants, moved into what was then called the backwoods of Virginia-Pittsylvania county, near Dan river. Here he went to school for four or five years to an Englishman, named Sommerhays, and was by him pronounced a finished scholar. In February, 1790, he entered a noted acad- emy in Guilford, North Carolina, under the care of Dr. David Caldwell, deter- mined, as he himself says, to " acquire an education, or die in the attempt." His design at that time was to qualify himself for a barrister.

When he first entered the academy, about thirty or more of the students had embraced religion under the labors of James McGready, a Presbyterian preacher of great popularity and zeal. In about a year from this time, after a long and painful " experience," he became a member of the Presbyterian church, and turned his thoughts to the ministry.

In 1793, at the close of his academic course, he commenced the study of di- vinity under the direction of Wm. Hodge, of Orange county, North Carolina. Here Witsius on the Trinity was put into his hands. The metaphysical reason- ings of this author perplexed his mind, and he laid the work aside as unprofitable and unintelligible. He heard of Dr. Watts' treatise on the Glory of Christ; sought after and obtained the work; read it with pleasure, and embraced its views. The venerable Henry Patillo, on whom it devolved, at the next meeting of the Presbytery, to examine the candidates on the subject of theology, had

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himself embraced Watts' views of the Trinity. As might reasonably be expected under such circumstances, the examination on this topic was short, and embra- ced no peculiarities of the system.

In April, 1796, he was licensed by the Orange Presbytery, North Carolina, and shortly afterwards directed his course westward (preaching at various points on the route), to Knoxville and Nashville, in Tennessee, and thence to Bourbon county, Kentucky, where about the close of the year 1796 he settled within the bounds of the congregations of Cane-ridge and Concord. Here he labored with great zeal, acceptance and success; about eighty members having been added to his church in a few months ! !

In the fall of '98, he received a unanimous call from those congregations to become their settled pastor, which call he accepted. A day was set apart by the presbytery of Transylvania for his ordination. Having previously notified the leading members of the presbytery with respect to his difficulties on the subject of the Trinity, also on the doctrines of election, reprobation, and predestination, as taught in the Confession of Faith, when he was asked, "Do you receive and adopt the Confession of Faith, as containing the system of doctrine taught in the Bible ?" he answered aloud, so that the whole congregation might hear-" I do, as far as I see it consistent with the word of God." No objection being made, he was ordained.

Early in 1801, " the Great Revival" commenced in Tennessee, and in the southern part of Kentucky, under the labors of James McGready, and other Pres- byterian ministers. Determined to hear and judge for himself, Barton W. Stone hastened to a great Presbyterian camp-meeting in Logan county, Kentucky, where for the first time he witnessed those strange exercises of falling, jerking, dan- cing, &c.

Filled with the spirit of the revival, he returned to his congregations-related what he had seen and heard, and, with great earnestness and zeal, dwelt on the universality of the gospel, and urged the sinner to believe now, and be saved. The effects were immediate and powerful ; the "exercises" made their appear- ance ; a series of meetings followed ; the work spread in all directions ; multi- tudes united with the different churches ; and, for a time, party creeds, names, and feelings, seemed to be buried in Christian love and union.

The " Great Caneridge Meeting" commenced in August following, and con- tinued some six or seven days. From twenty to thirty thousand were supposed to be collected. Many had come from Ohio, and other remote parts, who, on their return, diffused the spirit in their respective neighborhoods. Methodist and Baptist Preachers united heartily in the work, and the salvation of sinners seemed to be the great object of all.

About this time, Robert Marshall, John Dunlavy, Richard McNemar, B. W. Stone, and John Thompson, all members of the synod of Kentucky, renounced the dogmas of Calvinism, and taught wherever they went, that Christ died for all -- that the divine testimony was sufficient to produce faith-and that the spirit was received, not in order to faith, but through faith. The sticklers for orthodoxy, seeing the powerful effects of these doctrines, were for a time afraid to oppose. At length the friends of the Confession determined to arrest the progress of these anti-calvinistic doctrines, and put them down. The presbytery of Springfield, in Ohio, first took McNemar under dealings; and from that presbytery the case came before the synod of Lexington, Ky., in September, 1803.

So soon as they discovered, from the tone of the synod, that its decision in McNemar's case would be adverse, the five drew up a protest against the pro- ceedings, and a declaration of their independence, and withdrawal from the juris- diction of that body. Immediately after their withdrawal from the synod, they constituted themselves into a presbytery, which they called the Springfield pres- bytery. They had not, however, worn this name more than one year, before they saw that it savored of a party spirit. With the man-made creeds they threw it overboard, and took the name Christian-the name given to the disciples by di- vine appointment first at Antioch. "From this period " (says Stone), "I date the commencement of that reformation, which has progressed to this day." (1843). Soon after their withdrawal from the synod, they were joined by Matthew Houston and David Purviance.

In 1805, Houston, McNemar, and Dunlavy joined the Shakers; and in 1807

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Marshall and Thompson, after vainly attempting to enslave their associates a second time to a creed, returned back into the bosom of the Presbyterian church. Meanwhile the subject of baptism had begun to arrest the attention of the churches. Many became dissatisfied with their infant sprinkling. The preachers baptized one another, and crowds of the private members came, and were also baptized. The congregations generally submitted to it, and yet the pulpit was silent on the subject.

About the same time, Barton W. Stone and some others began to conclude that baptism was ordained for the remission of sins, and ought to be administered in the name of Jesus Christ to all believing penitents. At a great meeting at Con- cord, he addressed mourners in the words of Peter, (Acts ii, 38), and urged upon them an immediate compliance with the exhortation. He informed us, however," that " into the spirit of the doctrine he was never fully led, until it was revived by Bro. Alexander Campbell some years after."

Although Elder Stone repudiated the orthodox views on the subject of the Trinity, Sonship, and Atonement, he never acknowledged the sentiments with which he was so frequently charged by his opponents And in the latter part of his life, he often regretted that he had allowed himself to be driven in self-defence to speculate on these subjects as much as he had done. In the near prospect of death he averred, that he had never been a Unitarian, and had never regarded Christ as a created being.

He died in the triumphs of faith, on the 9th day of November, 1844, univer- sally beloved and regretted by all who knew him. A worthy Methodist preacher in Jackson, Louisiana, once remarked to the writer of this article, in the presence of two old-school Presbyterian clergymen-" I know Barton W. Stone well, having lived neighbor to him for a considerable time in Tennessee. A lovelier man, or a better Christian, in my judgment, never lived ; and he is no more a Unitarian, than those brethren there are"-addressing himself at the same time to the two preachers. The person who, from a regard to truth and justice, bore this honorable testimony, was Mr. Finley, son of Dr. Finley, (a former president of the University of Georgia), and brother of the Secretary of the American Coloni- zation Society.

Stone justly occupies a high rank as a scholar, a gentleman, and a Christian. In the department of poetry, his talents fitted him to shine, had they been culti- vated. There can hardly be found, in the English language, a lovelier, sweeter hymn, than one from his pen, written during the revivals about the beginning of the present century, and universally admired by the Christian world ever since. Be it known to the orthodox calumniators of Barton W. Stone, and to all men who have souls to feel the power either of religion or of poetry, that he is the author of that soul-inspiring hymn, in which the orthodox world has so greatly delighted for nearly half a century, viz.,

"The Lord is the fountain of goodness and love."

A short account of the union between Stone's friends and those of Alexander Campbell, in 1832, shall close this hasty and imperfect sketch. In 1843, B.W. Stone writes thus :- " I saw no distinctive feature between the doctrine he (A. Campbell) preached, and that which we had preached for many years, except on baptism for the remission of sins. Even this I had once received and taught, as before stated, but had strangely let it go from my mind, till Brother Campbell revived it afresh. * * " He boldly determined to take the Bible alone * for his standard of faith and practice, to the exclusion of all other books as au- thoritative. He argued that the Bible presented sufficient evidence of its truth to sinners, to enable them to believe it, and sufficient motives to induce them to obey it-that until they believed and obeyed the gospel, in vain they expected salva- tion, pardon, and the Holy Spirit-that now is the accepted time, and now is the day of salvation."

" These truths we had proclaimed and reiterated through the length and breadth of the land, from the press and from the pulpit, many years before A. Campbell · and his associates came upon the stage, as aids of the good cause. Their aid gave a new impetus to the reformation which was in progress, especially among the Baptists in Kentucky ; and the doctrines spread and greatly increased in the west. The only distinguishing doctrine between us and them was, that they

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preached baptism for remission of sins to believing penitents. This doctrine had not generally obtained amongst us, though some few had received it, and prac- tised accordingly. They insisted also on weekly communion, which we had neglected." * * *

" Among others of the Baptists who received, and zealously advocated the teaching of A. Campbell, was John T. Johnson, than whom there is not a better man. We lived together in Georgetown, had labored and worshipped together. I We plainly saw, that we were on the same foundation, in the same spirit. and preached the same gospel. We agreed to unite our energies to effect a union be- tween our different societies. This was easily effected in Kentucky ; and in order to confirm this union, we became co-editors of the Christian Messenger. This union, I have no doubt, would have been as easily effected in other states as in Kentucky, had not there been a few ignorant, headstrong bigots on both sides, who were more influenced to retain and augment their party, than to save the world by uniting according to the prayer of Jesus."

The biographer of Elder Stone informs us, that the union was consummated in the following manner :

"A meeting of four days was held at Georgetown, embracing the Christmas of 1831, and another at Lexington of the same length, embracing the New Year's day of 1832. The writer had the happiness to be in attendance at both these meetings.

"At these meetings the principles of our union were fully canvassed, which were such as we have stated. We solemnly pledged ourselves to one another before God, to abandon all speculations, especially on the Trinity, and kindred subjects, and to be content with the plain declarations of scripture on those top- ics, on which there had been so much worse than useless controversy. Elder John Smith and the writer were appointed by the churches, as evangelists to ride in this section of Kentucky, to promote this good work. In that capacity we served the churches three years. Thousands of converts to the good cause was the result of the union and co-operation of the churches, and their many evangel- ists during that period."

For further information, the reader is referred to the Christian Baptist ; to the Biographies of Elder. Barton W. Stone and Elder John T. Johnson, both by Elder John Rogers, and to that of Elder John Smith, by John Augustus Williams. See, also, the Census Statistics on the next page, 432.

Elder JOHN T. JOHNSON, eighth child of Col. Robert Johnson, was born at the Great Crossings, Scott co., Ky., Oct. 5, 1788, and died at Lexington, Mo., Dec. 17, 1856-aged 68; was well educated; studied law, and practiced ; volunteer aid to Gen. Harrison, and at the battle of May 5, 1813, near Fort Meigs, had his horse shot under him; represented Scott county in the Ky. legislature, 1814, '15, '17 and '18, and again in 1828; member of congress four years, 1821-25; a judge of the " new court of appeals," for nine months from Dec. 20, 1826; joined the Baptist church in 1821; in 1831 embraced the principles of the Reformation, and began preaching; in 1832, was co- editor of the Christian Messenger (see above), in 1835, of the Gospel Adro- cate, and in 1837, of The Christian ; aided in establishing at Georgetown, in Nov., 1836, Bacon College-now Kentucky University (see p. 185). He was an eloquent and faithful preacher, and received over 3,000 persons to the church. His ministerial labors were mainly, if not always, gratuitous.

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Collins historical sketches of Kentucky. History of Kentucky: Vol. I, Part 83

Author: Collins, Lewis, 1797-1870. cn; Collins, Richard H., 1824-1889. cn Publication date: 1874 Publisher: Covington, Ky., Collins & Co. Number of Pages: 1452

Author: Collins, Lewis, 1797-1870. cn; Collins, Richard H., 1824-1889. cn
Publication date: 1874
Publisher: Covington, Ky., Collins & Co.
Number of Pages: 1452