USA > Ohio > Early history of the Disciples in the Western Reserve, Ohio : with biographical sketches of the principal agents in their religious movement > Part 10
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He was constant in prayer. He maintained worship daily in his family. His wife frequently heard him in prayer when he thought himself secluded. He often prayed in his house after the family had retired.
He was abundant in labors. He saved not himself, that he might serve the Lord and bless his family. No man need be more tender or amiable in his home. He rode sometimes from New Lisbon home, a distance of about forty miles, after meeting, reaching home past midnight. He was very feeble a year or more before his decease. In the fall of 1846 a cough settled on his lungs, which never left him. June 10, 1847, in the calmest repose in Jesus, he gave his spirit to his God. He was a most agreeable, companionable man, 'easy and fluent in conversation, mirthful at times, but never trifling. His preaching was more exhortational than argumentative. Frequently his whole audience were in tears, while his own came unbid- den, and fell as the rain on roses. He moved amidst new converts. His persuasive appeals to the converted to manifest in their conduct their new life in Christ were most earnest and effective. A godly man with scarce a foil in the bright picture of his life.
At one time he visited a fellow-member of the church, and the conversation turned on the design of baptism as set forth in Acts ii : 38; that it is to put the believing, penitent sinner in possession of the
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joys of pardon through the divine promise. The man could not be persuaded to accept the testimony of the Holy Scripture, and he replied : "You may bring as many Scriptures to prove it as you please, I will not believe it." Bosworth turned away, sad to see men hopelessly wedded to their views and traditions, be- yond recovery by the power of the word of God.
Once a Baptist minister paraded himself in front of him, prepared to take notes of his sermon, prob- ably expecting to intimidate the preacher. Bosworth felt a fresh inspiration, and being a clear and rapid speaker, he gave forth his discourse in such copious fullness, the minister failed to keep in sight of him. After the meeting, being asked to show his notes, he turned away, saying, "they are very general, not very plain !"
Though the church in Braceville was originally Baptist in name, its creed was not held rigidly. Love prevailed over law, and the Bible eventually superseded the Confession of Faith. In the discus- sions which resulted in the displacement of all doc- trinal dogmas as grounds of Christian fellowship, this brotherhood bore a leading part. They formally organized as Christians, March 20, 1828, declaring the Holy Scriptures sufficient for all purposes of faith and practice. Their number was then twenty- eight. Marcus Bosworth was appointed the over- seer. The church in Braceville was probably the first on the Western Reserve, which formally adopted this divine platform as their only basis. It was in- creased by twelve conversions at that time.
From this time till the fall of 1839, when they completed the meeting-house at Newton Falls, the
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church met at different places, mostly in school- houses. Bro. Osborne soon removed to Warren, but other help was not wanting, and all the pro- claimers gathered in souls to God in this enterpris- ing church. Yet Bro. M. Bosworth was their con- stant reliance, who, with all his travels abroad preaching, did far more to sustain the church than any other man.
Amos Clark served as overseer along with Bro. Bosworth ; Joel Bradford also. Henry Harsh and Be- noni Johnson were early deacons.
When the congregation established itself in their new house at the falls, they procured more constant preaching, and increased in numbers and in com- mand of the public ear.
MEMOIR OF JACOB OSBORNE.
His birth dates with the birth of the nineteenth cen- tury. His parents lived near Trenton, New Jersey. They were of the Baptist order. His mother was a very pious and active Christian. Early in life their son Jacob was awakened to a sense of his sinful state, and finding hope, he was baptized, and almost immediately entered the min- istry. He was licensed to preach when only nineteen years of age. His pure life, reserved, winning manners, devotion to study, and unvarying attentions to the offices of religion, awakened great hopes of his future usefulness. In person, rather tall, very erect, comely of form and countenance, a voice not strong, but clear and very at- tractive.
In 1821, at the age of twenty-one, he entered Mr. Campbell's seminary on Buffalo Creek, Virginia, along with Joseph Freeman, where he remained two years, making most diligent application in his studies. During
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this time he employed his talents preaching in localities within reach of the seminary. Becoming acquainted in the family of the McElroys, Washington County, Pennsyl- vania-a family of marked character for manliness, deci- sion, energy, and promptitude, and for devotion to the principles of religious reform-Mr. Osborne was united in marriage to their sister, Miss Susan McElroy. He was principal of the academy in Wellsburg one year, and preached in that town and vicinity. He came to the Western Reserve, and settled in Hiram, in the fall of 1824. The following year he moved to Braceville. Per- haps Bro. Osborne, more than any other man, prepared the way for the more complete ministration of the gospel which was soon to surprise the churches, and reform their modes of speech and action. He led on biblical investi- gations quite regardless of the dogmata of creeds and conventional forms of speech. He saw clearly the need of an extensive and thorough revision and correction of the terms and phrases, hackneyed and human, in which people were accustomed to talk of conversion and its kin- dred themes, and the substitution for them of the more appropriate and divinely authorized language of the Holy Spirit. In all this he was only abreast, scarcely ahead, of many others. At the request of Bro. Bentley, he removed to Warren early in 1827, and taught the academy for a year, still preaching as his health would permit. He was always present at the association and ministers' meetings, and on all occasions took a part more prominent and in- fluential than is usually assigned to one so young and un- assuming. For his talent, erudition, and zeal, he stood up as a Barnabas, and all heard him with delight.
His health gave way, and in May, 1829, this young, in- fluential, talented, beloved, Christian gentleman, admir- able in all things, in many things a model, fell asleep. His disease was hemorrhage of the lungs. He was only in his twenty-ninth year. He died in Warren.
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CHAPTER VI.
THE CHURCH IN WINDHAM.
T HE church in Windham was formed Tuesday, May 27, 1828. On the Lord's day preceding, eleven members of the Braceville church requested, and obtained dismissal, to join in the new church. They came together under the wise counsels of Elder Thomas Campbell.
They numbered twenty-eight. Brethren Samuel Robbins, Philander Robbins, and David T. Robbins, with their families, Dr. Thomas Wright, and Bro. Streator, were leading members. David Woolcott, and Samuel Robbins were the deacons. Reuben Ferguson was unanimously chosen overseer.
The beginning and progress of the work which led to the establishment of the churches in Braceville and Windham is well told in the diary of Bro. Sam- uel Robbins, of Windham. I append some extracts from it.
Lord's day, Sept. 16, 1827. Mr. Walter Scott preached in the school-house, at the center of Braceville, the first time ; sent by the Mahoning Baptist Association, by the request of the Garrettsville and Braceville Baptist churches. Text : Ist Epistle of John, chap. iii : Ist verse. A good discourse.
Nov. 25, 1827. Deacon Bosworth preached at the cen- ter of Braceville, the first time.
Dec. 2, 1827. Mr. Adamson Bentley and Walter Scott preached in the school-house on Braceville Ridge. Mr. Bentley preached first to a house jammed full-got them
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most all asleep-do not recollect his subject. Then Mr. Walter Scott preached, after reading the second chapter of Acts. Dwelt particularly on apostle Peter using the keys of the kingdom of heaven, delivered to him by the Savior, Matt. xvi: 19. Before he finished his discourse, a good part of the congregation were standing up gazing at the speaker. In his remarks respecting Peter opening the kingdom to the Gentiles, at the house of Cornelius, he said : "Having no more use for the keys, for aught I know, he threw them away."
Dec. 23, 1827. Mr. Osborne preached on the Brace- ville Ridge. He was a good preacher, and a very devo- ted minister.
Jan. 26, 1828. All the Baptist [church] went from Braceville Ridge to Warren, to hear Walter Scott preach ; for they heard he was turning the world upside down.
Feb. 23, 1828. Walter Scott preached on Braceville Ridge. First-rate attention ; do not remember his subject. His main object was to convince the people that God meant what he said in his Word, which caused great excitement among the people in Braceville and Windham ; many sit- ting up all night reading the Scriptures to see if they meant what they said ; which resulted in many immersions. It was a common practice for him to illustrate the five items- viz : Faith, Repentance, Baptism, Remission of Sins, and the Holy Spirit-by holding up his left hand and using his thumb for Faith, and so on; then contrast it with the five points of Calvinism; and thus he made the Scripture or- der of the gospel so plain, that little boys could carry it home. Great excitement wherever he went.
Feb. 23, 1828. Went from the Ridge to Windham. In the evening he spoke in the school-room, near Dr. Thomas Wright's. Father Rudolph and his two sons, John and Zeb, were present. Spoke first-rate. Remarked he was like an eight-day clock-he would speak on Faith, Repentance, Baptism, Remission of Sins, and the gift of
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the Holy Spirit, and wind up! Having a desire to hear him through, David T. Robbins and myself went with Mr. Scott to the hospitable families of the Rudolphs ; staid all night.
Next day, February 24, Lord's day, we all met at the house of Mr. Chapin, who was a Methodist. Mr. Scott spoke on faith to a room crowded full. Dr. Thomas Wright, myself, D. T. Robbins and others, came forward, which excited Mr. Chapin so he got up and opposed. In the evening met at Mr. Rudolph's : a good meeting.
Feb. 25, 1828. Scott preached in the school-house in Garrettsville-more came forward. Agreed to meet the next Wednesday in the school-house near Dr. Wright's, when Scott would preach and immerse the candidates.
On Wednesday, the 27th, almost the whole town came out. Bro. Scott spoke feelingly. Then Dr. Thomas Wright, myself, David T. Robbins and others, nine in all, were immersed. Ice a foot thick. Great excitement among the people, it being the first immersion in Wind- ham. Very cold; though our hearts were warm and re- joicing.
Tuesday, March 4, 1828. Scott again at the same place ; immersed three more.
March 5, 1828. . Preached again; baptized Father Abraham Seymour and three others.
March 10, 1828. Scott went to Braceville. Preached and baptized Philander Robbins and eight others.
Wednesday, March 12, 1828. Bro. Marcus Bosworth preached and baptized three more at the same place. Bro. Scott went home, to Canfield.
Saturday, March 22, 1828. Covenant meeting. It was the custom of the Baptists in those days to tell their ex- perience, to maintain good fellowship with one another, and to be prepared to break the loaf on the Lord's day.
Lord's day, March 23, 1828. We all met in the school- house on Braceville Ridge. Bro. Marcus Bosworth preached
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and broke bread the first time after the preaching of bap- tism for the remission of sins. Joyful meeting.
March 26, 1828. Bro. M. Bosworth preached-im- mersed one; next day, in Braceville, two more, between eleven and twelve o'clock at night.
The diary continues, noting meetings in detail, with additions at nearly every discourse of two or three to ten persons :
"Lord's day, April 27, 1828. Bro. Bosworth preached and immersed seven more, who were added to Braceville church. Bro. Bosworth administered the Lord's Supper the second time ; glorious meeting."
Old customs are slow to yield. Monthly com- munion was still retained.
Elder Thomas Campbell came about this time to the Western Reserve to co-operate in the work. His visit is thus referred to in Bro. Robbin's journal :
"May 1, 1828. Father Thomas Campbell preached in Braceville, and the next day near Dr. Wright's. One im- mersed by Bro. Bosworth."
"May 8, 1828. Father Thomas Campbell preached in Windham. Baptized Bro. Reuben Ferguson and Bro. Baldwin, of Charleston. Same day, Bro. Bosworth im- mersed two."
"May 9, 1828. Father Thomas Campbell preached on Braceville Ridge from Hebrews; subject : Land of Ca- naan."
"May 17, 1828. I went to Warren. Met with them on Lord's day. Up to this date, one hundred 'and thirty had been immersed in Warren; one hundred and five added to the church."
"Lord's day, May 25, 1828. Bro. M. Bosworth preached on the Ridge. Seven united to Braceville church. He administered the Lord's Supper the third time."
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In this manner the work went on through all that region, extending into Nelson, Freedom, Charleston, Hiram, Mantua, and Shalersville.
The church in Windham, like those in Braceville, Garrettsville, and Warren, was in transition. Expir- ing customs die hard. The " experience " and " cov- enant" meetings and monthly communion seasons, as occasions of special " fellowship," lingered for al- most a year in Windham and Braceville. Robbins writes :
"March 22, 1829. Commenced breaking bread every first day of the week. Fourteen added to the church, making in all sixty-five members."
A wise forbearance ruled the church, and they eventually all came to the unity of the faith and prac- tice of the apostolic order.
For many years this church was a shining light. They built a good house at the center of the town, and continued there to worship as late as about the year 1855, when, weakened by removals and other causes, they yielded the ground and ceased to meet as a church. But their works remain. While with sadness they were compelled to abandon the organiza- tion, they count with joy on the good they achieved ; and other regions are made strong by the causes which entailed weakness on the church in Windham.
This church raised up and sent forth two able evan- gelists, Bro. L. P. Streator, long prominent and use- ful, especially in Pennsylvania ; and Bro. Myron J. Streator, whose abundant labors will never be forgot- ten. Both arose in Windham, and by this church re- ceived their first encouragement and sanction as preachers of the gospel.
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ELDER THOMAS CAMPBELL'S VISIT.
It is difficult, after the lapse of forty-five years, to realize the commotion consequent on the first work of Scott and his associates. So novel, so bold, and to the candid listeners, so plain and scriptural! The euthusiasm was unbounded. The " zeal," though usually guided by knowledge, sometimes overstepped the limits of prudence ; yet it is surprising so few errors became incorporated in the teaching, and that the work was marred by so few cases of indiscretion. The interest in the public mind had swelled to a tor- rent, whose impetuous rush bore away all before it.
News of all that was going on was constantly trans- mitted to Bethany, and Mr. Campbell, whose careful and sagacious eye surveyed the movement in all di- rections with the mind of a general, had some fear lest the impulsive zeal of his ardent and able friend Scott might, in this quarter, wreck the vessel of re- formation. At his instance, his father, the venerable Thomas Campbell, saddled his favorite sorrel, and made an extensive tour of these battle-fields. He visited first, New Lisbon, then Fairfield, Warren, Braceville, Windham, Mantua, Mentor, and other places. Nothing could have been more opportune ; just such a man was needed ; and none who never saw him can well appreciate the great effect of the presence, counsels, and addresses of this noblest of men. Uniting the simplicity of a child with the dig- nity of a senator, agreeable almost to playfulness, with a piety so pure, sweet, and unostentatious as to command the respect and admiration of all around him, the newly forming churches felt in his presence
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..
the timely aid, encouragement, and counsel which could be imparted by no other one so well. His fame and abilities as a scholar and as a speaker, drew large audiences. Seeing the work before him to be but an advance step in the great plea of the restora- tion which he had himself initiated and advocated twenty years before, after examining the ground with his usual caution and candor, he gave to it his full sanction, and entered upon its advocacy with all his great influence and powers. Soon after his arrival on the ground, he wrote to his son Alexander from New Lisbon, under date of April 9th, 1828, as follows :
" I perceive that theory and practice in religion, as well® as in other things, are matters of distinct consideration.
· · We have spoken and published many things cor- rectly concerning the ancient gospel-its simplicity and perfect adaptation to the present state of mankind, for the benign and gracious purposes of its immediate relief and complete salvation-but I must confess, that, in respect of the direct exhibition and application of it for that blessed purpose, I am at present, for the first time, upon the ground where the thing has appeared to be practically exhibited to the proper purpose. 'Compel them to come,' saith the Lord, ' that my house may be filled.'
" Mr Scott has made a bold push to accomplish this ob- ject, by simply and boldly stating the ancient gospel and insisting upon it ; and then by putting the question gen- erally and particularly to males and females, old and young : Will you come to Christ and be baptized for the remission of your sins and the gift of the Holy Spirit? Don't you believe this blessed gospel ? Then come away, etc., etc. This elicits a personal conversation ; some con- fess faith in the testimony-beg time to think ; others con- sent-give their hands to be baptized as soon as conven-
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ient; others debate the matter friendly ; some go straight to the water, be it day or night; and, upon the whole, none appear offended."
He spent the month of May, (1828), in Braceville, Windham, and that region, adding strength and mem- bers to the cause, and teaching piety and pure relig- ion from house to house. He preached in Windham, Lord's day, the 8th of May, and baptized Rev. Reu- ben Ferguson, a Methodist preacher of great moral worth, who began immediately to preach the faith as proclaimed by the apostles at the beginning.
The travels of Elder Campbell were very extensive, and his labors abundant. He visited Chardon, Ham- den, and Huntsburg; the latter of which were new and weak churches. He was among the infant churches like Barnabas of the apostolic days. No record can convey a proximate estimate of the blessings of his presence and labors at this juncture. There was probably no man within the reformation who pos- · sessed such authority of personal influence ; of noble mien and manly form ; grave and serene of counte- nance ; courtly in manners, his discourses always re- ligious and instructive, he impressed his hearers always favorably and permanently. The young dis- ciples and inexperienced preachers, who were now springing up, needed such a model; and it was delightful to see the quiet and profound deference yielded to him wherever he came.
It was during this period of his travels on the Wes- tern Reserve that he fell in with Aylett Raines. Bro. Raines may tell his impressions in his own words :
" Not long after this period I made the acquaintance of Bro. Thomas Campbell. He interested himself in my
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favor, and had me travel and preach with him several months. This I view as a merciful interposition of my Heavenly Father. By day and by night, publicly and from house to house, he was my teacher. I feel that I was greatly benefited, but how much I can never tell. Not only by word, but by example, he deeply impressed my warm and susceptible heart. He was, emphatically, a godly man. He was greatly addicted to private devotions. Often have I seen him, when he had no reason to believe that any eye saw him but that eye before which all things are naked and open, in his closet, prostrate on his face, pouring out his soul in prayer to God. I thank God that I ever made the acquaintance of that great and good man ; and I look forward with bright and cheering anticipations when we may meet to part no more, in the brighter and better world."
SKETCH OF A. RAINES.
This gifted man, destined to rise to a conspicuous place in the advocacy of the gospel, was born near Fredericks- burg, Spottsylvania County, Virginia, in the year 1797. At the age of four years, he was led up by his father to the altar, where Parson Boggs "christened " him after the forms of the Episcopal church. It was done amidst many tears from the young "convert," but they were neither tears of joy nor penitence, but of fear and appre- hension of something awful about to be done to him, in opposition to which his whole nature was roused. But his pious parents, in fulfillment of obligations which they conceived were resting upon them from the vows assumed at his " baptism"-but which, with far more truth, they were under merely as parents-trained him in the princi- ples and paths of strict morality. The pious culture thus obtained, especially from his most excellent Christian mother, was of immeasurable advantage to him. He ever bore toward them the profoundest gratitude for their
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faithful guardianship. From Virginia his parents emi- grated, when he was fourteen, to Jefferson County, Ken- tucky. Hearing different "orders" of preaching, often contradictory, and presuming, as many do, that the Bible sanctions all, he became skeptical. The reading of Paine's Age of Reason filled him with doubt, and flushed him with conceit. But his mother's pious instructions held him, and finally gained the mastery. He went into Indiana, and engaged in teaching, near Fredonia. His employers being Restorationists, he fell into discussions with them. He felt himself foiled in these contests. Winchester's " Dialogues on Universal Restoration " com- pleted the work, and he came out a thorough and sincere convert to that speculative scheme.
New emotions filled his breast. He obtained the com- mon " evidence " of genuine conversion. He writes :
" I got religion. The sky appeared to be bluer, the leaves looked greener, and the birds sang more sweetly than ever before. I underwent a great moral change. There was much of the love of God in it. Shrouded as I was in error, yet there were apertures through which the love of God passed into my heart, and made me inexpress- ibly happy."
Persuaded that the numerous friends of Bro. Raines will be delighted with his own statement of his experi- ences, I continue the recital from his own graphic pen :
" I now commenced the study of the Scriptures in good earnest, and after two years commenced preaching. This, of course, provoked great opposition, and I had a number of debates. In these, one sectarianism was arrayed against another ; and those that came plunging and crashing against mine seemed so very frail, and made so feeble a defense, as rather to confirm me in my errors. I preached Res- torationism five years. A part of the time I taught school, but the last two years of the five I traveled at large. The expiration of this term brought me to the
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Western Reserve, where Bro. Scott and others were preaching the ancient gospel. Hundreds were being bap- tized. Much interest had been awakened in behalf of the gospel, and bitter was the opposition which had been enlisted against it. Misrepresentations-not to use a harsher term-were as numerous as blackbirds in August, and these too, very often by those who professed to be ' embassadors for Christ,' and who said they were 'the called of God, as was Aaron.' 'Just say you believe, and let a preacher dip you, and there could be no scriptural doubt of reaching-no matter what the life might be sub- sequently-the heavenly inheritance.' It was strange to me then, and yet passing strange, that good people, when under the dominion of religious prejudice, falsify at a most alarming and extravagant rate. They say that they are 'new creatures;' but if they are, I can not perceive that the new creature is, in this respect, any better than the old !
" After a few weeks I concluded to hear Bro. Scott for myself. He was to speak at night at Bro. Robbins', in the town of Windham, near where I was at that time so- journing. One object that I had in view was to bring Bro. Scott into a debate; for among other things that I had heard, I had been told that he was a very bold man, and at the close of his discourses he challenged objectors to make known their objections. Here, thought I, will be a good opportunity for me ! and hence I let a number of my brethren know that I intended to oppose him. Well, we assembled, a compact congregation. Bro. Scott, after sing- ing and prayer, read first Cor. first chapter. He preached it through, not forgetting to state and defend what he styled the six points of the gospel. I was greatly sur- prised. But when he called for objections I was con- founded. I could see the heads of my brethren moving to the right and left, in the crowd, expecting to see me rise to my feet. But they didn't see me rise ! The reason was, I felt certain that if I opposed Bro. Scott I would
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