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A HISTORY OF THE DISCIPLES of CHRIST IN OHIO
ALANSON WILCOX
Gc 977.1 W64h 1529099
ENEALOGY COLLECTION
ALLEN COUNTY PUBLIC LIBRARY 3 1833 02399 4285
Helen Wach
GENEALOGY 977.1 W64H
HIRAM COLLEGE, HIRAM, OHIO
A History of the Disciples of Christ in Ohio®
BY ALANSON WILCOX
ERRATA
Page 36: Picture of Edwin Wakefield is misnamed; does not belong.
Page 271 : Pictures top row, left to right, should read: 1. Mrs. A. M. Atkinson; 2. Mrs. R. R. Sloan. Second line: 1. Mrs. Lois White Macleod; 2. Mrs. M. M. B. Goodwin.
CINCINNATI THE STANDARD PUBLISHING COMPANY
Copyright, 1918 The Standard Publishing Company
1529099
CONTENTS
PAGE
INTRODUCTION
11
I
THE CHURCH OF CHRIST
13
II
FALLING AWAY
21
III
REFORMERS
28
IV
RESTORATION
MOVEMENT
35
V
THE RESTORATION
MOVEMENT AND THE WEST-
ERN
RESERVE
40
VI
EVANGELISM ON THE WESTERN RESERVE
48
VII
PIONEER MINISTERS OF THE WESTERN RESERVE
57
VIII
THE DOCTRINE THEN AND NOW
64
IX
GREAT LEADERS
67
3
CONTENTS
X
HIRAM COLLEGE 84
XI
A SERMON AND A LIFE
103
XII
IN THE CIVIL WAR
114
XIII
THE FIRST RESTORATION CHURCH IN OHIO ... 121
XIV
IN SOUTHERN OHIO
132
XV
MUSIC
147
XVI
HISTORIC DEDICATION SERMON
DELIVERED BY
J. S. WEST AT LIBERTY CHAPEL, BROWN
Co., O., IN 1874.
158
XVII
HISTORIO DEDICATION SERMON-CONTINUED ... 169 XVIII
1798-WALTER SCOTT-1861
182
XIX
THE RESTORATION IN CINCINNATI.
191
XX
THE "CHRISTIAN STANDARD"
205
4
CONTENTS
XXI
1820-ISAAC ERRETT-1888 209
XXII
THE STANDARD PUBLISHING COMPANY
215
XXIII
MONINGER, DAVIS AND ROWE
224
XXIV
THE FIELD OF LITERATURE
231
XXV
OUR ORGANIZED WORK 237
XXVI
MARY ALICE LYONS
244
XXVII
THE CHURCH AT
HILLSBORO
252
XXVIII
CENTRAL OHIO
255
XXIX
THE OHIO CHRISTIAN MISSIONARY SOCIETY ... 263
XXX
ANNALS OF THE O. C. M. S 275
XXXI
SUNDAY SCHOOLS IN OHIO.
291
5
CONTENTS
XXXII
THE SUNDAY SCHOOL CRISIS 299
XXXIII
CANTON AND COLUMBUS. 305
XXXIV
PIONEERS IN NORTHWESTERN OHIO 316
XXXV
MISCELLANEOUS ITEMS OF INTEREST
342
6
ILLUSTRATIONS
PAGE
Hiram College, Hiram, Ohio Frontispiece
Pioneer Preachers of Northern Ohio 34
Pioneer Preachers, Western Reserve 39 Some Ohio Pioneers 47
Sixty Years Ago in Warren 52
Western Reserve Churches and Ministers .. 56
Old Meeting-house, Fredericktown, Ohio. 66
Garfield Monument, Cleveland, Ohio. 77
Western Reserve Eclectic Institute and Prin- cipals of the Institute 83
Hiram College Presidents 86
Miss Almeda Booth of Early Days and Faculty of 1900. 88
Members of Faculty of Hiram College, 1900 and Later 90
M. L. Bates, President, and Trustees of
Hiram College 94
Trustees of Hiram College-Continued. 96
Telescope, Hiram College, Presented by Lathrop Cooley 98 Library and Observatory, Hiram College ... 100 Y. M. C. A. and Y. W. C. A. Building at Hiram College 104
Euclid Avenue Meeting-house, Cleveland,
Ohio
112
7
ILLUSTRATIONS
Some Ohio Preachers 113
Sons of Veterans Who Have Kept the Faith 120 Some Pioneers of the Restoration 131
Parsonage Built for Samuel Rogers 133
Meeting-house, New Antioch, Ohio 133
Ministers of Southern Ohio. 138
Some Present-day Ohio Ministers 142
Southern Ohio Pioneers
146
Central Christian Church, Ninth Street, Cin- cinnati, Ohio 148
Ministers of Cincinnati 151
More Restoration Ministers 157
Pioneer Preachers to Whom Ohio Owes
Much 168
Some Faithful Ministers 180
Pioneers in Southern Ohio 181
Cincinnati Pioneers, Prominent in City and Church 190
Stockholders of the Christian Publishing As- sociation, Cleveland, Ohio, 1866. 204
Officers of The Standard Publishing Com- pany, Organized 1872, in Cincinnati, Ohio 214
The Standard Publishing Company and Its Executive Committee, 1918. 217
Editors and Contributors, Christian Stand- ard 219
Some Standard Contributors 221
Contributors of To-day to Christian Stand- ard 223
8
ILLUSTRATIONS
Bible-school Workers Past and Present,
Standard Series Quarterlies and Peri-
odicals 226
Cincinnati Preachers of Recent Years 233
Leaders in Organized Work. 236
Ohio Women Who Helped to Organize the C. W. B. M. and Gave Aid to Make It a Success 240
Leaders and Helpers, Ohio C. W. B. M., 1917 243 More Restoration Leaders. 259
Secretary and Board of Managers, O. C. M. S., 1917 262
Other Leaders in O. C. M. S. Work 265
Ohio's Good and Faithful Daughters Whose Works Follow Them 271
Prominent Secretaries, O. C. M. S., and
Noted Preachers of Ohio. 274
Mt. Vernon Female Seminary, Conducted by
R. R. Sloan and Mrs. Sloan.
277
Map of Ohio Counties-Number of Churches in Each 282
Ohio Restoration Workers 315 327
A Group of Restoration Leaders 290
Some Ohio Ministers.
Prominent Ohio Disciples 341
Benefactors of the Ohio Work. 346
Tom L. Johnson Monument, Cleveland, Ohio 349
9
INTRODUCTION
HISTORY enriches the mind, gratifics a worthy desire to be informed on past events, enables us to avail ourselves of the experience of our predecessors, informs and regulates our judg- ment, and is profitable for reproof and correc- tion. The earliest records of humanity are found in the sacred Scripture, and for that reason they have a strong claim on our diligent study. Next to inspired history, the deeds of our forefathers should receive our attention. To disciples of Christ a knowledge of our disciple history is desirable. Do the deeds and teaching of the fore- fathers correspond with the Scriptural require- ments? A third generation is now enjoying the results of the faith, practice and trials of the forefathers. Time, culture and science have wrought transformation, but human nature is the same and God's cure for sin is unchanged. Look- ing over the deeds of the forefathers, we can correct our mistakes and hand on to coming generations all they did which was Scriptural.
Many eminent disciples of Ohio have not been noticed in this book for lack of space. Per- haps at our centennial in 1927 some one will write a complete history of disciples in Ohio.
11
r
I THE CHURCH OF CHRIST
THE church of Christ began at nine o'clock in the morning on the day of Pentecost succeed- ing the crucifixion of Christ.
When it is spoken of as a church, Christ is the foundation, and the high priest to officiate for its members. When it is presented as a body, Christ is the head and gives forth its guid- ing principles. When it is represented as a king- dom, Christ is the king to rule in and reign over the subjects.
These are not three different institutions, but are identified as varying views of the same insti- tution. (Col. 1:18-24; Eph. 1:22; 4:15; Matt. 16:15-19; 1 Cor. 3:11.)
The church was built on Christ, not on the person of Christ, but on the truth that represents Him, "that he is the Christ, the Son of God."
When Peter uttered this truth (Matt. 16:16), Christ said, "Thou art Peter [Petros], and upon this rock [petra] I will build my church."
So the church was to be built on the petra, or confession, or truth, that Jesus is the Son of God, and not on Petros. Paul, speaking of the passage of the Israelites through the Red Sea, says: "They were baptized unto Moses in the cloud and in the sea; and did all eat the same spiritual food; and did all drink the same spir- itual drink: for they drank of that spiritual rock [petra] that followed them: and that rock
13
A HISTORY OF THE
[petra] was Christ." This passage expressly states that the petra is Christ. Prospectively Christ says of this divine truth annunciated by Peter, that "the gates of hell shall not prevail against it."
Accordingly Christ died, and on the third day rose from the dead. The gates of hell did not prevail against Him. So He is declared to be "the Son of God with power, according to the Spirit of holiness, by the resurrection from the dead." This great truth standing for Christ is forever established.
It is a tried stone. The prophet says: "Be- hold, I lay in Zion for a foundation a stone, a tried stone, a precious corner stone, a sure foun- dation; he that believeth shall not make haste." Peter applies this prophecy to Christ as follows: "If ye have tasted that the Lord is gracious. To whom coming, as unto a living stone, rejected indeed of men, but with God elect and precious, ye also, as living stones, are built up a spiritual house, an holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices, acceptable to God through Jesus Christ." Because it is contained in Scripture : "Behold, I lay in Zion a chief corner stone, elect, precious : and he that believeth on him shall not be put to shame" (1 Pet. 2:3-6).
In the same chapter Peter refers to Christ as a stone of stumbling, and a rock (petra) of offense. So it is affirmed that Christ is the rock (petra) on which the church is built. When and how was this stone tried?
He came in fulfillment of the prophets and types, and so was tried. He was tried by Satan in three of the strongest temptations: the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eye, and the pride of
14
DISCIPLES OF CHRIST IN OHIO
life; and Christ was victorious. He was tried by death and the grave, and prevailed over them. After these trials He could be laid as a corner stone.
So Peter, on the memorable day of Pentecost, an account of which is found in the second chap- ter of Acts of Apostles, declares that God raised Him from the dead-took Him into heaven, gave Him all power in heaven and earth and made Him both Lord and Christ.
The angels declared that, as He went, so He should come again. The disciples who gazed heavenward lost track of Him. What was done with Him they did not know until the Holy Spirit removed their ignorance by declaring Him Lord and Christ. So no one can believe in Him as Lord but in or by the Holy Spirit.
He came as a spiritual presence as He prom- ised (Matt. 28:20), and has ever been with His true disciples. The coronation and lordship of Jesus were declared by Peter on the memorable Pentecost. The foundation of His church hav- ing been laid, three thousand persons were im- mediately built into the church as living stones. The church, the body of Christ, on that day re- ceived the Holy Spirit and He has dwelt in the body ever since. All who become members of the body have their spirits in some way touched by the Holy Spirit and are made partakers of the divine nature and can never die. They take Christ at His word, and He so declared.
As a kingdom, Christ's reign began in Jeru- salem, and the earthly part of the kingdom is identical with His church, which is His body on earth. The conditions of membership in the church are found in Acts of Apostles as preached
2
15
A HISTORY OF THE
by the inspired apostles Peter and Paul and Spirit-directed evangelists.
There are nine successful cases of conversion recorded in Acts of Apostles. On the Pentecost after the resurrection of Christ (Acts 2), Peter preached the resurrection and coronation of Christ and declared the infallible proofs of His lordship, and commanded the three thousand be- lievers to repent and be baptized for remission of their sins. The heathen jailor, who knew nothing of Christ, was commanded to believe, and then, to produce faith, Paul spake unto him the word of the Lord. This word of the Lord included the command to be baptized; and so straightway, the same hour of the night, he was baptized (Acts 16:33).
Paul, on his way to Damascus to persecute the Christians, met the Lord and became a be- liever. And after three days of praying, Ananias told him to be baptized and wash away his sins. Immediately he obeyed. No person in the apos- tolic age who heard and believed the gospel, ever waited one hour before he was baptized. Paul waited three days before he knew he ought to be baptized (Acts 9).
The Samaritans, when they believed Philip preaching the things concerning the kingdom of God, and the name of Jesus Christ, were bap- tized, both men and women (Acts 8:12). Philip preached Jesus to the Ethiopian treasurer of Queen Candace, and the treasurer, when they came to a certain water, said: "What hinders me to be baptized?" The answer is: "If thou believest with all thy heart, thou mayest." He said: "I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God." On this confession Philip baptized .
16
DISCIPLES OF CHRIST IN OHIO
him, and the celebrated convert went on his way rejoicing (Acts 8 : 35-39).
Cornelius was the first Gentile convert. Mir- acles were wrought to satisfy Peter and the Jews that it was right to baptize him. He was a devout, benevolent man and in a place of authority in military affairs, but he was unsaved, according to the new dispensation of God's mercy under Jesus Christ. So he was told words whereby he should be saved. The Holy Spirit baptism was given to him as to the apostles at the beginning of the church, and Jesus was the baptizer. The law of pardon and induction into the kingdom demanded that he should be bap- tized in water. Peter had it revealed to him that in every nation he that feareth God and worketh righteousness is accepted. He was bap- tized and saved from the condemned world (Acts 10 and 11).
Lydia, the seller of purple at Thyatira, at a devotional meeting by the river-side, heard Paul preach, and the Lord opened her heart and she was baptized (Acts 16).
. The Ephesians, having only been baptized unto John's baptism, corrected their mistake and "were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus" (Acts 19). Many of the Corinthians, hearing, believed and were baptized.
All the conditions of church membership are not mentioned in each case of conversion, but all must have heard the gospel, believed, confessed Christ, been baptized, received the remission of their sins and the gift of the Holy Spirit. The creed of the church was Christ, and not a se- lected set of dogmas. Only believers in Christ were baptized. The authority in the church or
17
A HISTORY OF THE
body or kingdom was the authority of Christ. It was transferred to the apostles by Christ under the figure of keys or a throne or in specific instruction (Matt. 16:19; Matt. 19:28; John 20: 21-23; Luke 10:16). The apostolic authority is in the New Testament Scriptures. During the personal ministry of Christ he gave out the gen- eral principles of his kingdom and the great com- mission to his apostles (Matt. 5, 6 and 7; Matt. 28:18-20).
The apostles, as guided by the Holy Spirit, gave the specific instruction in harmony with Christ's commission as to how to come into the kingdom and how to live as loyal subjects. The disciples "continued stedfastly in the apostles' teaching and fellowship, in the breaking of bread and in prayers" (Acts 2:42). The disciples met on the first day of the week to break bread and remember Christ in his sufferings and death and resurrection (Acts 20:7). They made of- ferings on the first day of the week for benevo- lences and for carrying on their work. They did this voluntarily, as the Lord prospered them, and with a cheerful heart (1 Cor. 16:1, 2). They settled their differences by confer- ences under apostolic authority (Acts 15).
The law of expediency was used where there was no direct revelation. The Mosaic law ruled before Christ's law began. Christ honored the law of Moses by living under it, and set it aside when his church began (Eph. 2:15; Col. 2:14; Rom. 10:4). The moral precepts of the Mosaic law are reinforced by apostolic teaching. The law of the Sabbath began after the exodus from Egypt (Deut. 5:15; Ex. 20:10), and was never reinforced by apostolic command.
18
DISCIPLES OF CHRIST IN OHIO
The disciples met on the first day of the week, called the Lord's day, to break bread (Acts 20: 7; 1 Cor. 11). The word of Christ was to dwell in them richly in all wisdom, and they were to teach and admonish one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs. Not only did they set aside the law of Moses, which was to perish, but also the commandments and doctrines of men. They were to draw out of their faith all the Christian graces and virtues, and then an abundant entrance was promised to them into the everlasting kingdom of heaven (2 Pet. 1: 5-11).
When the first church at Jerusalem was dis- persed they went everywhere preaching the Word, making believers, planting churches and doing the will of God. That is what Christ came for, to do the will of God (Heb. 10). The early Christians took God, in Christ, at His word, and were guided by His will. As to good works, they were careful to maintain them, and the apostles gave the superintendency of this over to deacons (Acts 6). Paul made collections for the Jerusalem poor. The early disciples cared for exposed children, and widows over seventy years old (1 Tim. 5). Here is warrant for orphanages and homes for the aged.
All the primitive disciples were missionary in spirit and practice. Paul was the most abundant in labors. He went forth from Anti- och, the first church where Jews and Gen- tiles were associated together. He planted churches in many of the principal cities of west- ern Asia and eastern Europe. He wrote many letters to churches and individuals. His labors and influence have had more to do in the shap-
19
A HISTORY OF THE
ing of the history of Christian nations than those of any man that ever figured in the affairs of the world.
The leaders in the original church were apos- tles, prophets, evangelists, elders, deacons and various classes of helpers. Apostles must have seen the Christ before and after his resurrec- tion. There were twelve of them (Matt. 10:2- 4). Judas Iscariot fell away by betraying the Lord. Paul took his place by the call of Christ (Acts 9). Matthias was selected by eleven apos- tles to fill the vacancy, without Christ's authority and before the Holy Spirit came to them.
Prophets assisted the apostles in starting and establishing the kingdom. Evangelists continue as preachers so long as the whole world has not been reached. Bishops, elders or overseers pre- sided over the spiritual interests of congrega- tions. Deacons attended to the finances and be- nevolences of the church. Any Christian may help carry out the will and purpose of Christ, as the circumstances may demand, but, that order may be maintained in the Lord's work, evangelists, elders and deacons are authorized leaders. Individually, the disciples are called Christians, saints, brethren; and, in a collective capacity, church of Christ or church of God.
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DISCIPLES OF CHRIST IN OHIO
II FALLING AWAY
T HERE came a falling away from apostolic teaching and practice. It commenced in the time of the apostles. The letters to the Gala- tians and Hebrews give such indications. In the second letter to the Thessalonians this falling away is positively mentioned, and it is stated that the mystery had already begun (2 Thess. 2: 3-10). Judaizing teachers, as in the time of Christ, had made void the law of God by their traditions. Specially was this true after Con- stantine, in A. D. 311-327, adopted Christianity as the religion of the Roman Empire. Persecu- tions against Christians had largely ceased. But when emperor and political leaders began to inject heathen customs and legislate for the church, the beautiful simplicity of original Chris- tianity was perverted.
In the original churches there were elders, or bishops and deacons, connected with each con- gregation. At the close of the second century a change had commenced. The jurisdiction of bishops had begun to extend over dependent churches in the neighborhood of the towns and cities. They began to place themselves above the "laity" and grew into a distinct order. The bishop, in a large city, acquired a precedence over other churches in the same district and
21
A HISTORY OF THE
thus the metropolitan system grew up. A higher grade of eminence was accorded to the bishops and churches of the principal cities. Then the bishops of principal cities began to claim pre- eminence; and when the seat of empire was transferred from Rome to Constantinople, there came up a controversy as to pre-eminence that divided the church, and so we have the eastern Greek Catholic Church and the western Roman Catholic Church.
These churches alternately excluded each other from time to time, till the
division was permanent. The western church continued to observe the Lord's Supper every first day of the week for about three hundred years. The Greeks kept up this custom for
about seven hundred years. Clinical baptisms (so called) and sprinkling water on babies for baptism were gradually introduced till popes and councils in 1311 usurped the authority of Christ and legalized sprinkling as baptism in the western or Roman Catholic Church. The eastern church adhered to immersion, but fell away from believers' baptism to baptizing in- fants and from Christ's command to trine im- mersion.
Following, now, the western church, all kinds of innovations were rapidly introduced till there is in the so-called Roman Catholic Church little semblance to the New Testament church. It is a religion made up of Jewish rites, heathen superstitions, traditions and political intrigues. In the so-called church they have holy water, the fast of Lent, monastic vows, priestly vest- ments and the sign of the cross, praying for the dead, purgatory and paschal candles, invocation of saints, images and extreme unction, sacrifices
22
DISCIPLES OF CHRIST IN OHIO
for the dead, wax candles, the real presence, compulsory celibacy, assumption of temporal power, canonization of saints, redemption of penances, monasticism, auricular confessions, elevation of the host, Bible forbidden to laity, indulgences, rosary of the Virgin Mary, sale of indulgences, Papal usurpation, priest drinking the wine instead of the people, infant baptism, sprinkling water instead of immersion, Papal primacy, tradition superior to the Scriptures.
Bishop Newton observes: "The foundation of papacy was laid, indeed, in the Apostles' days, but the superstructure was raised by degrees, and several ages passed before the building was completed, and the mansion was revealed in full perfection."
Costerus, a popular writer of his day, says: "The excellency of the unwritten word doth far surpass the Scripture, which the apostles left us in parchments: the one is written by the finger of God, the other by the pen of apostles. The Scripture is a dead letter, written on paper or parchment, which may be razed or wrested at pleasure, but tradition is written in men's hearts, which can not be altered.
"The Scripture is like a scabbard that will receive any sword, either leaden or wooden or brazen, and suffereth itself to be drawn by any interpretation. Tradition retains the true sword in the scabbard; that is, the true sense of the Scripture in the sheath of the letter. The Scrip- tures do not contain clearly all the mysteries of religion, for they were not given to that end to prescribe an actual form of faith; but tradition contains in it all truth, it comprehends all the mysteries of faith, and all the estate of the
23
A HISTORY OF THE
Christian religion, and resolves all doubts which may arise concerning faith; and from hence it will follow that tradition is the interpreter of all Scriptures, the judge of all controversies, the removal of all errors, and from whose judgment we ought not to appeal to any other judge; yes, rather, all judges are bound to regard and fol- low this judgment." These tradition teachers are constantly advocating their theory.
"The barriers of the ancient simplicity and truth," says Mosheim, "being once violated, the state of theology waxed worse and worse; and the amount of the impure and superstitious ad- ditions to the religion of Christ is almost in- credible. The controversial theologians of the East continued to darken the great doctrines of revelation by the most subtle distinctions, and I know not what philosophical jargon. Those who instructed the people at large made it their sole care to imbue them more and more with ig- norance, superstition, reverence for the clergy, and admiration of empty ceremonies; and to divest them of all sense and knowledge of true piety. Nor is this strange, for the blind-that is, for the most part grossly ignorant and thoughtless-were the leaders of the blind. The summary, it may be stated, led to pray to saints and worship their images; which trusted to relics to remove defects of body and soul; which relied upon the fires of purgatory to remove sin, and on purchased prayers to remove purgatory. Which found cleansing efficacy everywhere but in the despised blood of Christ, and even em- ployed oil taken from sepulchral lamps of mar- tyrs for the purpose-which subverted all things with tradition."
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DISCIPLES OF CHRIST IN OHIO
The falling away is also covered in the Scrip- tures by the expression going "into the wilder- ness." They started in the apostolic age and reached the wilderness in A. D. 666. From that date the Papacy was in full swing. Some of the things listed as against them in this chapter were concocted and introduced later than A. D. 666. When will they all cease?
That the church fell away from apostolic teaching and practice, and went into the wilder- ness, is evident. It will be remembered that, when the Israelites were rescued from Egyptian bondage, they came to Mt. Sinai in fifty days, and Moses, as mediator, received for them the law of the Lord. They pledged themselves to obey the law. They were soon instructed to send spies into the proposed promised land. All of the spies, except Caleb and Joshua, reported that it would be impossible to take the land. The people. also murmured, and distrusted the leader- ship of the Almighty, and were compelled to wander in the wilderness forty years. All the men of Israel who were over twenty years of age when they left Egypt, perished, except Caleb and Joshua (Num. 14: 30). The Lord predicted this forty years' wandering in the wilderness. This suggests to the minds of some that he had predicted the duration of the church wandering in its wilderness. P. Y. Pendleton, in his book "The Great Demonstration," declares that "the Lord tells us several times that the wandering will last 1,260 prophetic days or years. The count for these years begins at the appointed time (Dan. 11:29), which is A. D. 666, and they end in A. D. 1926. The first time these years are given is in Daniel, and the words are about
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