USA > Ohio > Early history of the Disciples in the Western Reserve, Ohio : with biographical sketches of the principal agents in their religious movement > Part 4
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" In conversation, he expended, perhaps more time and strength than in pulpit discourse. Possessed of a strong social nature, and gifted with rare conversational powers, his delighted visitors hung for hours on the wisdom and eloquence of his lips. We do not compare him with John- son or Coleridge, who, as conversationists won so great a fame. Mr. Campbell conversed on different themes, and to a widely different circle of hearers. But we doubt if any of his age excelled him in capacity to charm and instruct in the social circle. Perhaps more prejudice was dissipated, and more adherents were gained, in these daily conversations, than in his best pulpit efforts.
" It is not designed to enter here on a consideration of the peculiar features of Mr. Campbell's teaching. Briefly, they may be sketched thus :
" Christ, the only Master : involving a rejection of all human names and leaderships in religion. The Bible, the only authoritative book : necessitating a denial of the au- thority of all human creeds. The Church of Christ, as founded by him, and built by the apostles, for a habita- tion of the Spirit, the only divine institution for spiritual ends : logically leading to the repudiation of all sects in religion as unscriptural and dishonoring to the head of the church. Faith in Jesus, as the Christ, the Son of God, and repentance toward God, the only scriptural prerequi- sites to baptism and consequent church-membership : thus dismissing all doctrinal speculation and all theological dogmata, whether true or false, as unworthy to be urged as tests of fitness for membership in the church of Christ. Obedience to the divine commandments, and not correct- ness of opinion, the test of Christian standing. The gospel the essential channel of spiritual influence in con- version ; thus ignoring all reliance on abstract and imme- diate influence of the Holy Spirit, and calling the attention 5
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EARLY HISTORY OF THE DISCIPLES
of inquirers away from dreams, visions, and impressions, which are so liable to deceive, to the living and powerful truths of the gospel, which are reliable, immutable, and eternal. The truth of the gospel, to enlighten ; the love of God in the gospel, to persuade; the ordinances of the gospel, as tests of submission to the divine will ; the prom- ises of ths gospel, as the evidence of pardon and accept- ance ; and the Holy Spirit, in and through all these, ac- complishing his work of enlightening, convincing of sin, guiding the penitent soul to pardon, and bearing witness to the obedient believer, of his adoption into the family of God.
" He was intensely Protestant, steadily cherishing through his life the cardinal principles of what is called evangelical faith and piety-the divinity of Christ, his sac- rificial death, as a sin-offering, and the indwelling of the Holy Spirit in the hearts of believers. A Trinitarian in sentiment, he repudiated the unscriptural technicalities of Trinitarian theology, as involving a mischievous strife of words. A devout believer in the atoning sacrifice of the Lamb of God, he would not teach, as gospel, any theory of atonement. A stout advocate of spiritual influence and special providence, he was the enemy of all theories of abstract spiritual power, as tending to ignore the word of God, and leading to a deceptive trust in psychological pe- culiarities as the voice of the Spirit of God. Sternly op- posed to baptismal regeneration, he still insisted on the baptism of the believing penitent "for the remission of sins." Educated in Calvinism, and always inclining to that school, he was so fearful of the tendency of all specu- lative theology, that it is difficult to trace his own proclivi- ties on these questions anywhere in his voluminous writ- ings. Deeply sympathizing with evangelical Protestantism, in its grand ideas and principles, he nevertheless looked on its present divided and distracted state as evidence that Protestants are only partially rescued from the great
51
IN THE WESTERN RESERVE.
apostasy ; regarded the enforcement of speculative doc- trines and creed authority as the tap-root of sectarianism ; and insisted, through half a century, on the abandonment of party names, leaders, and symbols, to prepare the way for the union of all believers in one body; arguing that thus only have we a right to expect the conversion of the world.' He suffered much unjust reproach for a plea which, just as he was passing away, he saw rising into ex- ceeding interest among all evangelical parties.
" As an educator, he is entitled to the honor of success- fully instituting a college course, with the Bible as a text- book, and as the basis of the entire curriculum of study. He gave the ripest years of his life to the erection and en- dowment of Bethany College, from which hundreds of young men have gone forth, bearing the impress of his spirit, and the molding influence of his noble Christian life.
" In estimating the character of this illustrious man, it ought not to be forgotten that he possessed eminently practical talents. He was no recluse, shut out from sym- pathy with the activities of life. He was diligent in busi- ness as well as fervent in spirit, seeking to serve the Lord in the former as religiously as in the latter. He had splendid business capacity, and employed it to great ad- vantage ; so that, while traveling and preaching at his own expense, entertaining generously the throngs that gathered at Bethany, and meeting the constant demands on his purse which every public man of generous nature is plied with, he was still enabled to accumulate considerable wealth. He once told us of his standing at an early day on the site of the present city of Cleveland, when engaged with his father-in-law in locating lands. His quick per- ceptions took in at a glance the advantages of this site, and he urged the propriety of purchasing in a locality which it was evident would one day be a great commercial
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EARLY HISTORY OF THE DISCIPLES
center. His father-in-law did not readily accept the prophecy, and their lands were selected in Holmes County.
" Once only did he venture on the stormy sea of poli- tics. In 1829, at the earnest solicitation of the people of West Virginia, and with a special pledge from his friends that he should not be required to take the stump, he con- sented to be a candidate for a seat in the Virginia Consti- tutional Convention. He was elected. He bore a prom- inent part in the proceedings of that convention, acting on the Judiciary Committee with Chief Justice Marshall, on intimate terms with ex-President Madison, and coming into conflict with John Randolph and other leading minds of Eastern Virginia, in his advocacy of the interests of the western portion of the State. In all this, he never for a moment forfeited the dignity of his character as a Chris- tian minister.
" His reputation was without spot. His bitterest ene- mies failed to find a flaw in his character for truth, integ- rity, and goodness. But to those who knew him well, he was most cheerful, gentle, genial, just, and devout ; and as dearly beloved for his goodness as he was venerated for his greatness. It will ever be remembered to his honor, that with an almost unbounded personal influence over a religious community numbering hundreds of thousands, he never sought the least ecclesiastical control. Although the telegram from Wheeling announcing his death spoke of him as " Bishop Campbell," it will surprise many to learn that he was merely one of the bishops of the congre- gation meeting in Bethany, and that outside of this, he never sought and never exercised, the least ecclesiastical authority.
"For many years he was possessed of the conviction that the year 1866 would exhaust many prophetic dates, and witness great changes in ecclesiastical and spiritual affairs. It is not unpleasant to think that this has become to him the year of years, and to his ransomed spirit will
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IN THE WESTERN RESERVE.
unseal many of the mysteries of apocalyptic visions which, here, even his piercing intellect failed to penetrate.
" He passed away on the Lord's day -- the day in which he so much delighted, to the peace and bliss of an eternal Sabbath. In his later years, the personal dignity and of- ficial relations of the Son of God, was his constant theme of discourse. Who can imagine the reverence and rap- ture that shall fill his spirit when beholding the glory of Immanuel, whom, unseen, he loved so well, and at whose feet he laid, adoringly, the gifts of his nature, and the toils of his life !
" He fell asleep in Jesus, on the 4th of March, 1866, near midnight, at his home in Bethany, West Virginia.
" It was an event not unexpected. Coming 'in a good old age,' when his work was done, and his tired faculties craved rest from the incessant anxiety and toil of half a century ; coming slowly, attended with but little suffering, allowing his last years to be spent pleasantly in the scenes he loved best, and his last hours to be cheered and soothed by the fondest ministrations of conjugal and filial affec- tion, death appeared in a milder form, and granted a gentler descent to the tomb, than is often permitted."
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EARLY HISTORY OF THE DISCIPLES
CHAPTER II.
The Association in New Lisbon, 1827-An evangelist appointed- Biography of Walter Scott-Scott among the churches.
A S at the coming of day, the light springs forth in no one locality, but brightens alike over the whole land ; so, in many places, with no traceable connec- tion, the same investigations were going on, and the same conclusions were reached from the careful study of the New Testament. The style of speech indica- ted the change of thought. Sect language gradually gave place to Scripture terms and phrases, as more appropriate and correct, and authorized by the sanc- tion of the Holy Spirit. Instead of " relating a Chris- tian experience," converts now began to "confess their faith in Christ." Church records assumed the scriptural designation of "disciples." The spirit of research was fully set free. It peered into every thing, to sift out what was erroneous, and to make all things according to the pattern shown by the apostles in the New Testament. Even from the hymns and the prayers were eliminated objectionable terms and forms of speech, carrying in them thoughts and peti- tions unsanctioned by the Word of God. The dia- lect of the Holy Spirit in the language of apostles and prophets, it was urged, must be substituted for the corrupt language of the great apostasy which still pollutes the tongue of Christendom. The reformation must be radical. From the language of the Jews, the language of Ashdod must be expurgated. Thus, many terms that were trite and dear from their fa-
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IN THE WESTERN RESERVE.
miliar association in religious life were objected to as improper, and rejected as misleading.
CALL FOR AN EVANGELIST.
.As the Calvinistic theory of conversion began to yield, and it was seen that sinners have something to do in hearing the gospel, that they may believe and be saved, and, also, that the church has in her hands the work of preaching it, the feeling began to take definite form that the time had come to take this re- sponsibility which was devolved upon her by the Lord Jesus, to convert the world through the proclamation of the glad tidings. It was apparent, no less in the wants of the people than in the light of the Sacred Scriptures, that a suitable person should be selected to travel among the churches, to preach the gospel, and to set things in order according to the teachings of the primitive church. So evident had it become that this long neglected duty must be resumed, that a petition to this end was sent to the Mahoning Asso- ciation from the church in Braceville. It was under- stood that the church in Nelson was consulted, and that it concurred in the movement. Mr. Campbell came to this association with the same purpose in his heart. Passing through Steubenville, he called on Walter Scott, principal of the academy in that place, and persuaded him to come to New Lisbon, with the intention of securing his appointment as the evan- gelist of the association.
On this occasion, memorable in history, the asso- ciation met by regular appointment in New Lisbon, Columbiana County, August 23, 1827. Jacob Osborne was moderator, and John Rudolph, Jr., clerk.
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EARLY HISTORY OF THE DISCIPLES
The churches and delegates composing the associ- ation, were as follows :
CHURCHES.
NAMES OF MESSENGERS.
Baptism.
Added by
Letter.
Added by
Dismissed.
Excluded.
Deceased.
Total.
Adamson Bentley ...
Warren
Jacob Smith.
3
I
4
4
2
72
Jacob Drake
Joab Gaskill.
New Lisbon ..
John Campbell
2
I
41
Henry Beck.
Mantua and Hiram.
Zeb. Rudolph
9
26
John Rudolph, Jr ...
Palmyra
...
Noah Davis.
I
3
49
Hubbard
Walter Clark.
I
·
37
Archibald Price
Braceville.
Henry Harsh.
3
2
I
36
Yellow Creek
Thomas Ray.
5
I
2
30
Simon Kelley.
Val. of Achor
John Jackman.
I
2
70
Canfield.
Myron Sacket.
I
I
28
Wellsburg Va
John Brown.
II
5
3
I
I
56
Salem.
Aaron Hise ..
3
4
34
David Gaskill ..
Hartford
No intelligence.
Samuel Hayden.
...
Youngstown ..
Joseph Pearce ..
.....
Southington
No intelligence.
Abijah Sturdevant ..
Randolph.
William Churchill ... No intelligence.
.... .
.....
....
13
Sandy.
Total number.
34
13
14
I3
4
492
·
Jesse Hall.
· ·
. · · ·
Jacob Osborne ..
William McGavern.
..
Arthur Wherry.
David Hays ..
..
Alexander Campbell
Arthur G. Hayden ..
.
Besides these accredited messengers, the following preachers were present, who, by a resolution of the
Darwin Atwater
Stephen Wood.
William Bacon
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IN THE WESTERN RESERVE.
association, were invited to a seat in its counsels : Walter Scott, Samuel Holmes, William West, and Sidney Rigdon.
There were present, also, J. Merrill, John Secrest, and Joseph Gaston, advocates of the gospel among the " Christian " fraternity. These brethren were, by resolution, made equally welcome to the sittings of the association.
The following petition from the church in Brace- ville, Trumbull County, sent by the hand of Bro. Osborne, was received and entertained :
" We wish that this association may take into serious con- sideration the peculiar situation of the churches of the as- sociation, and if it would be a possible thing for an evan- gelical preacher to be employed to travel and teach among the churches, we think that a blessing would follow."
The action of this convention of churches in rela- tion to this subject, is reported as follows :
"Voted, That all the teachers of Christianity present, be a committee to nominate a person to travel and labor among the churches, and to suggest a plan for the support of the person so appointed."
The preachers present composing this committee, were the following : Adamson Bentley, Joab Gaskill, Jacob Osborne, A. Campbell, Abijah Sturdevant, Wal- ter Scott, Samuel Holmes, William West, Sidney Rigdon, J. Merrill, John Secrest, Joseph Gaston- twelve ; besides, Darwin Atwater, Zeb. Rudolph, and John Jackman, who soon after became prominent as teachers of the gospel. Let us now hear their unan- imous report :
" The committee, to which was referred the nomination
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EARLY HISTORY OF THE DISCIPLES
of a person to labor among the churches, and to recom- mend a plan for his support, reported as follows :
"I. That Bro. Walter Scott is a suitable person for the task, and that he is willing, provided the association con- cur in his appointment, to devote his whole energies to the work.
" 2. That voluntary and liberal contributions be recom- mended to the churches for creating a fund for his support.
"3. That at the discretion of Bro. Scott, as far as re- spects time and place, four quarterly meetings for public worship, be held in the bounds of the association this year ; and at these meetings such contributions as have been made, in the churches in those vicinities, be handed over to Bro. Scott, and an account be kept of the same to be produced at the next association ; also, that at any time and in any church, when and where Bro. Scott may be la- boring, any contributions made to him shall be accounted for to the next association.
"Voted, That the above report, in all its items, be adopted."
These men were devoutly in earnest in their pur- pose. An extract from the records is instructive on this point :
" Met Lord's day at sunrise, in the Baptist meeting- house, for prayer and praise, and continued till eight o'clock."
They were not sleepy drones. The morning sun, at his rising, found them assembled in prayer. Three hours and more they lifted to the Mercy-seat their suppliant appeals, while praises went to the third heaven from souls all dewy with the morning grace, which came plentifully upon them. Great and glori- ous epochs in the kingdom are the birth of great prayer.
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IN THE WESTERN RESERVE.
" Met again in the Presbyterian meeting-house, Lisbon, where, after public worship, Bro. Jacob Osborne delivered a discourse, Heb. Ist chapter. He was followed by Bro. A. Campbell, who delivered a discourse on Good Works, predicated upon the last paragraph of the Sermon on the Mount, and the conclusion of Matt. 25th chapter.
" After a recess of a few minutes, and the immersion of some disciples in the creek, the brethren met at the Bap- tist meeting house and broke bread, after which they dis- persed, much comforted and edified by the exercises of the day."
This association deserves much more than a pass- ing notice. It was the first ecclesiastical body in modern times, which, transcending the limits of its own constitutional prerogatives, initiated a movement exactly conformed to the word of God, and utterly dis- entangled from all sectarian restraints. Let us pause to consider its action :
I. The association threw open its doors, and brought in, as a composite element, disciples of Christ, ministers of another ecclesiastical connection, making these ministers fully equal in its action ; thus setting aside its denominational character, and standing on the broad, firm charter of the Christian religion alone. These men were of the " Christian connec- tion," and the most that was known of either party re- specting the other was that each respectively was zeal- ously, and conscientiously engaged in preaching the gospel as he best understood it. Here was a practical exhibition of the union of Christians for a common purpose.
2. Here was the appointment of an evangelist in the pure New Testament idea of that official minister,
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EARLY HISTORY OF THE DISCIPLES
by the concurrent action of the ministry of a given district of country. In this it took upon itself the new duty of establishing and regulating an evangeli- cal agency, or ministry.
3. This association, like all others, had restricted its action to sundry ecclesiastical matters, making no pro- vision for evangelical operations. Its duty was mainly the care of churches, responding to questions, and hearing cases of appeal ; affairs which churches can manage more successfully at home. This association assumed a new power, and with this higher preroga- tive, entered upon the discharge of a far higher and wider responsibility. And what was it ? Simply to re- vive the work laid by divine authority upon its hand at the beginning, to "preach the gospel to every creature." This pure, simple, most significant act was here for the first time performed by a body of churches assem- bled in delegate capacity. The selection of an evan- gelist to travel among the congregations of a given district, clothing him with power to set things in order, to preach the gospel, and by every means to promote the work of Christ, deserves the clearest and most em- phatic statement as a direct, practical measure in re- storing the apostolic order to the world.
4. No one church assumed the grave responsibil- ity of selecting, authorizing, and sending forth an evangelist. The suggestion for such an appointment, while coming from one of the churches, at the instance of a wise preacher among them, was, by the associa- tion, wisely and properly referred to the ministers of the gospel for full consideration and final action. And their action in the premises, duly taken and de-
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IN THE WESTERN RESERVE.
clared, received the cordial indorsement and acquies- cence of all the churches represented.
5. But, further, the association bound its evangelist by no doctrinal restrictions or limitations. No creed basis, no confession of doctrines, no articles of belief : he was simply to "preach the word."
This was a bold and untried step. It was a long step toward Mount Zion. But it was a safe step, as the Scriptures can lead no one astray ; and, also, it was the only method of bringing about the restoration of original Christianity in fact, in faith, and in form, in letter, in spirit, and in practice.
BIOGRAPHY OF WALTER SCOTT.
Walter Scott was born in Moffat, Dumfriesshire, Scot- land, October 31, 1796. His father, John Scott, a gen- tleman of fine culture, was a professor of music. His mother, Mary Innes Scott, was a person of most pure life, and eminently religious. They had ten children, five sons and five daughters ; Walter was the sixth child.
A remarkable providence is related as occurring in connection with the death of his parents. His father went to the town of Annan on business of his profession, and died there suddenly. Mrs. Scott was so deeply affected . by the intelligence of his demise, that she died immedi- ately, and was buried with him in the same grave.
He had a maternal uncle in the custom-house, in the city of New York, who held his situation for thirty years under all the changes of administration. The death of this man was also remarkable. He died on his knees while in prayer.
The Scott family were all strict members of the Kirk of Scotland. Walter Scott early displayed the fine qualities of character for which he afterwards became conspicuous.
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EARLY HISTORY OF THE DISCIPLES
He was intellectual, sensitive, tender-hearted, and pious. He was educated in the University of Edinburgh.
A characteristic incident is related concerning him which occurred while he was pursuing his collegiate studies. When about sixteen he walked out one evening into the city, and not returning as soon as his parents expected, at a late hour they sent his older brother James in search of him. James explored the city diligently, but failed to find him till long after midnight. He found him in the midst of a crowd singing the popular Scottish airs, collecting mon- ey in this way for a poor blind beggar. When accosted by his brother, he seemed not aware of the lateness of the hour, so completely was his young and benevolent heart in- terested in procuring relief for the needy man.
On invitation of his uncle in New York, George Innes, Esq., he crossed the ocean. He resided awhile in his un- cle's family, and also, for a time, taught a classical school on Long Island. With the spirit of adventure, common to the young, he came to Pittsburgh, crossing the mountains afoot in company with a young companion. He soon made the acquaintance of a fellow-countryman, Mr. George For- rester, in whose family he found a welcome and for consid- erable time a home. Mr. Forrester was a preacher of the Haldanean school, who had prepared for the ministry in the institution established in Scotland by the celebrated Robert and James Alexander Haldane, for educating young men for the preaching of the gospel. He was conducting a school, and also preaching to a small membership whom he had collected together. The friendly hearts of these men, as well as the tie of nationality, created a warm attachment between them. Mr. Scott was here invited to the examina- tion of the claims of pedobaptism, in which he had been trained up. He had too much reverence for the authority of God's Word to resist its teaching ; so after a full search for scriptural authority for this practice of his church, and finding none, he abandoned it as a defenseless relic of the
63
IN THE WESTERN RESERVE.
Papacy ; and, accordingly, was immersed by his friend Mr. Forrester.
The new views which presented themselves to him by this new search of the Holy Scriptures, and the fresh in- terest awakened by them in a mind naturally inquisitive and greatly devoted to religious pursuits, give him a pow- erful impulse to farther scriptural investigations. He rap- idly outstripped his teachers. He was not long in acquir- ing a wonderful store of knowledge of the Christian relig- ion. He opened a classical and English high school ; but the duties of that profession, a profession in which he was eminently successful, did not interfere with his assiduous prosecution of the systematic study of the Bible.
About this time, at one of Mr. Campbell's visits to the city of Pittsburgh, he and Mr. Scott became personally acquainted. By reputation they were not strangers. These men discovered in each other so many admirable and bril- liant qualities of character, intellectual and social, that a lasting friendship was formed between them. This coales- cence of feeling, however, was quite as much the result of the coincidence of their conclusions on great scriptural themes ; their agreement in the power of the gospel to re- cover Christendom from its numberless sects and divisions ; and to restore the unity of the " faith once delivered to the saints." From that day they were mutual co-operants in the common cause of re-proclaiming to the world the gos- pel as it began in Jerusalem on the first Pentecost after the Lord's ascension.
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