Category Archives: Books

Friday Freebie

Last week’s Friday Freebie was so well-received that we’ve decided to do it again (and we might even make this a regular feature).

Today’s special freebie is…

The Sabbath or the Lord’s Day, Which?
By D.R. Dungan.

David Roberts Dungan was a preacher/teacher/writer in the late 1800s/early 1900s.  His book on Hermeneutics is still the standard on Biblical Interpretation in most preaching schools and Christian colleges.  His novel On the Rock was reprinted several times and was that generation’s Muscle and a Shovel.

Today’s free book was written to answer the question about whether the church is commanded to meet on the Sabbath or the first day of the week.  Dungan approaches the topic with a level head and an open Bible, and deals with every claim that the Sabbath-keepers produced.  When you finish this book, you will have no doubt as to the answer to the question: The Sabbath or the Lord’s Day?

Just like all of our other books, this one has undergone updating in spelling, correction of typos, and a complete reformatting to make it much easier on the eyes.  We hope you will find it useful.

Chapters

 

PART ONE:

  1. The Statement of the Question.
  2. Reasons for Keeping the Sabbath Examined Upon the Hypothesis of a Pre-Mosaic Requirement
  3. To Whom was the Law of the Sabbath Given?
  4. Was the Law of the Sabbath Perpetuated in Christ?
  5. Is the Decalogue Yet Binding?
  6. The Law, of Which the Sabbath was a Part, was Done Away in Christ.
  7. The Conclusion of Part First: The Law Containing the Sabbath Having Passed Away, The Sabbath Itself has no More Claim upon Christians than any other Feature of the Law Given to Israel at Mt. Sinai.

PART TWO:

  1. The Source of Knowledge.
  2. The View Entertained by Christians in General.
  3. Unfair Methods of Advancing the Cause of the Sabbath, and of Opposing the Lord’s Day.
  4. History Shows that the Lord’s Day, or First Day of the Week, has been Regarded as a Sacred Day in All Ages of the Church.
  5. The Teaching of the Scriptures Respecting the Day on Which Christians Should Meet for Worship.
  6. How the Apostles Understood the Subject of the Lord’s Day.

Download it by clicking here (or right-clicking here and choosing “save link as”): Dungan – Sabbath or Lords Day

Friday Freebie!

The past few weeks have been busy, and we’ve been on a somewhat erratic schedule with posting articles and such.  For that, we apologize.  We hope today’s post makes up for it.

Lord willing, we will be able to have several of these “Friday Freebie” posts this year.

Today’s Freebie is…

The Christian System by Alexander Campbell

This 447-page book is Campbell’s contribution to the world of systematic theology.  We’ve taken the time to correct and update spelling, adding bold font to set apart headings, changing ALL CAPS into bold font, setting apart quotations and several other small formatting changes to make this book more visually appealing.

The download link is at the bottom of this post, but before we get there, here’s the contents of this excellent book:

Part I: The Christian System.

  1. The Universe.
  2. The Bible.
  3. God.
  4. The Son of God.
  5. The Spirit of God.
  6. Man as He Was.
  7. Man as He Is.
  8. The Purposes of God Concerning Man.
  9. Religion for Man, Not Man for Religion.
  10. Sacrifice for Sin.
  11. The Attributes of a True Sin-Offering.
  12. Christ: the Light of the World.
  13. The Lordship of the Messiah.
  14. Faith in Christ.
  15. Repentance.
  16. Baptism.
    1. Of The Action of Baptism.
    2. The Subject of Baptism.
    3. The Meaning of Baptism.
  17. The Christian Confession of Faith.
  18. Conversion and Regeneration.
  19. Christians are Persons Pardoned, Justified, Sanctified, Adopted, and Saved.
  20. The Gift of the Holy Spirit.
  21. The Christian Hope.
  22. The Doom of the Wicked.
  23. Summary of the Christian System of Facts.
  24. The Body of Christ.
  25. The Christian Ministry.
  26. The Christian Discipline.
  27. Expediency.
  28. Heresy.

Part II: Foundation of Christian Union.

  1. Fact.
  2. Testimony.
  3. Faith.
  4. Confirmation of the Testimony.
  5. Fundamental Fact.
  6. Purity of Speech.

Part III: Kingdom of Heaven.

GENERAL ESSAYS. 171

  1. Patriarchal Age of the World.
    1. Abraham.
    2. Two Promises?
    3. Covenant of Circumcision.
    4. Sinaitic Covenant.
    5. Two Seeds.
    6. The Blessings of Abraham.
  2. The Jewish Institution.
  3. The Kingdom of Heaven.
    1. The Elements of a Kingdom.
    2. The Name.
    3. Constitution.
    4. The King.
    5. The Subjects of the Kingdom.
    6. The Laws of the Kingdom.
    7. The Territory of the Kingdom.
    8. Manner and Customs of the Kingdom.
    9. Induction into the Kingdom of Heaven.
  4. The Coming of the Kingdom.
    1. The Ascension of the Messiah.
    2. Coronation of the Messiah.
    3. Present Administration of the Kingdom of Heaven.

Part IV: Remission of Sins.

  1. Proposition 1. Converts were called Pardoned.
  2. Proposition 2. Converts were called Justified.
  3. Proposition 3. Converts were called Sanctified.
  4. Proposition 4. Converts were called Reconciled to God.
  5. Proposition 5. Converts were said to be Adopted into the Family of God.
  6. Proposition 6. Converts were to consider themselves Saved.
  7. Proposition 7. A change of views must come before a change in state–and they are not the same thing.
  8. Proposition 8. The Gospel has a command in it, and thus must be obeyed.
  9. Proposition 9. Only an action resulting from our faith can change our state.
  10. Proposition 10. Immersion and the Washing of Regeneration are the same thing.
  11. Proposition 11. The early Christian writers uniformly connect immersion to Regeneration and Remission of Sins.
    1. Barnabas.
    2. Clement and Hermas.
    3. Testimony of Dr. W. Wall, Author of the History of Infant Baptism.
    4. Justin Martyr.
    5. Tertullian.
    6. Origen.
    7. Cyprian.
  12. Proposition 12.  Even the denominational creeds agree to this, though they won’t carry it out in practice.
    1. Episcopalian.
    2. Presbyterian.
    3. Methodist.
    4. Baptist.
  13. Objections.
  14. Recapitulation.
  15. Conclusion.
  16. Effects of Modern Christianity.
  17. Immersion Not a Mere Bodily Act.
  18. Justification Ascribed to Seven Causes.
  19. Peter in Jerusalem, Paul in Philippi, Reconciled.

Part V: Regeneration.

  1. Regeneration.
    1. Repentance.
    2. Reformation.
    3. Regeneration.
  2. The Bath of Regeneration.
    1. New Birth.
    2. Renewing of the Holy Spirit.
  3. The New Life.
  4. Physical Regeneration.
  5. The Use of the Theory of Regeneration.
  6. The Regeneration of the Church.
  7. The Regeneration of the World.
    1. Regeneration of the Heavens and the Earth.
  8. A Word to the Moral Regenerators of Any Age.

Part VI: Breaking the Loaf.

  1. Proposition 1 – There is a house on earth, called the house of God.
  2. Proposition 2 – In the house of God there is always the table of the Lord.
  3. Proposition 3 – On the Lord’s table there is of necessity but one loaf.
  4. Proposition 4 – All Christians are members of the house or family of God, are called and constituted a holy and a royal priesthood, and may, therefore bless God for the Lord’s table, its loaf, and cup–approach it without fear and partake of it with joy as often as they please, in remembrance of the death of their Lord and Savior.
  5. Proposition 5 – The one loaf must be broken before the saints feast upon it, which has obtained for this institution the name of “breaking the loaf.”
  6. Proposition 6 – The breaking of the loaf and the drinking of the cup are commemorative of the Lord’s death.
  7. Proposition 7 – The breaking of the one loaf, and the joint participation of the cup of the Lord, in commemoration of the Lord’s death, usually called “the Lord’s Supper,” is an instituted part of the worship and edification of all Christian congregations in all their stated meetings.
  8. Objections Considered.

Part VII: Concluding Addresses.

  1. ADDRESS TO THE CITIZENS OF THE KINGDOM.
  2. A WORD TO FRIENDLY ALIENS.
  3. ADDRESS TO BELLIGERENT ALIENS.

We truly hope you find this book to be useful and worth the time to read!

Campbell, Alexander – The Christian System

Tracing the Restoration Movement (1809-1904)

“Thus saith the Lord” was the cry of the men who preached the ancient gospel.  Their dream was the union of all the religious groups on the foundation of the Bible.  Leaving denominational names, creeds, and doctrines behind, these brave souls went back to the Scriptures and followed only what they could find in its pages.

But not everyone was happy with going back to the Bible.  The brave men of the Restoration Movement had to withstand attacks from denominationalists determined to hold on to their traditions.  Even worse, they had to withstand attacks from their own brethren who thought union was more important than obedience to God’s commands.

This book traces the rise of the “Reformers” of the 1800s, and strikingly illustrates the animosity, sadness, and division that arose when brethren refused to be bound by a “thus saith the Lord.”

DisciplesofChristFRONT COVER

This book was originally penned in 1905, but has undergone a massive overhaul to make it more accurate, more relevant, and more understandable.  Footnotes have been added when needed, and a brand-new final chapter has been added.

If you’re interested in the Restoration Movement, and you want a book that helps you understand the who, when, where, why, and how of it, this is the one.

You can purchase the book through Amazon in print ($9.49) or in Kindle format ($3.99) by clicking here.

Or you can purchase it through us in print ($8.99) or as an eBook (pdf) file ($3.99) by clicking here.

We know you will find it interesting!

The Herrin Massacre

Since being a small child, I have had a love of history. Though several years have elapsed since that time, the desire to learn about the past and better understand it has not diminished. I was raised in “Bloody Williamson,” in Southern Illinois, though by the time I came around, that nickname had faded from the memory of most.

The local history that I happened to catch while growing up mostly consisted of the mobster who had somehow–years after his death–become a “cool” anti-hero, Charlie Birger. And even at that, the details were limited to the fact that he was a gun-toting guy who fought against the KKK, and who was later hanged, uttering the final words, “It’s a beautiful world.”

The coal mines in southern Illinois, during my youth, still employed a large number of people—all of them union men. Perhaps this is why we never heard many details of the infamous “Herrin Massacre” that took place in 1922, even though it was front page news nationwide for several weeks in cities like Boston, New York, Philadelphia, and Chicago.

I have no bias for or against unions. I have several friends who are union men, and I have even been a union man myself at one time. I have nothing against unions, so long as they keep their proper place and they work within the bounds of the law and of fairness. In 1922, the union men in Herrin, Illinois performed a series of acts which cannot be justified or defended by any rational standard of right and wrong.

Recently, I ran across an old brittle copy of a book called “The Herrin Conspiracy,” wherein the details of that horrible event–the Herrin Massacre–were clearly set forth.  The author of that short booklet is unknown, though the information contained is an accurate picture of the events which took place on that day in 1922 when Williamson County earned the name “Bloody Williamson.”

This story makes for an interesting comparison with the Lord’s church.  It shows what can happen when people insist on their “liberties” even in the face of those who have problems with it.  It shows what can happen when leaders ignore their responsibility.  It shows what can happen when people of one community think only of themselves and not at all caring about the welfare of others.

It is a story of conspiracy, of murder, and ultimately a travesty of justice.

This book was written less than six months after the events, and at that point in time, no one had been charged with the murders of around 20 men and the destruction of millions of dollars of equipment.

I have taken the liberty to edit this booklet and have added footnotes to it.  It is an interesting snapshot of the times, and several illustrations can be gleaned from it.

Download it here (FREE) and see what you think.

-Bradley Cobb

The Holy Spirit, Revelation, Restoration, Infant Baptism, and …

There’s a lot to be thankful for–and that’s true all the time!  We’re thankful for you, and the fact that you take the time to read what we’ve posted here.

And now, we’d like to let you know about some things that we’ve been keeping secret!

The Holy Spirit in the Book of Acts

We are over half-way finished writing this book.  It’s been a very rewarding and eye-opening study.  Every passage in the book of Acts that mentions or alludes to the Holy Spirit is examined to see what we can learn about the third person of the Godhead, and how He works.

When keeping all these verses in context, it becomes apparent that several verses have been pulled out of context and used to teach something that they were never intended to teach–even by some of our own good, sound brethren.

Things Which Came to Pass: A Study of Revelation

Over a year ago, well over a thousand hours of work was poured into writing and preaching forty-eight sermons covering the entire book of Revelation.  We are currently in the process of taking those sermon outlines and converting them into a readable book/commentary/study guide so that you can benefit from the study and see what the final book of the Bible meant to the original readers–and what it means to us today.

When preaching these sermons, we also had handouts for the congregation which acted as worksheets to help them see the main points of each section of Revelation.  These handouts (222 pages’ worth) have been collected into a single workbook, and is available here for just $6.99 $5.99 until Christmas!  These workbooks are priced cheap so that any congregations wishing to use them can easily afford to get one for each student.  We know of at least three congregations already who are planning on using this material in the next year.

The David King Collection

You might be asking yourself, “Who is David King?”  But if you were a Christian from England, you’d probably already know the answer to that question.  Many people don’t realize it, but Alexander Campbell worked with David King in a trans-continental way.  In the United States, Campbell was publishing the Millennial Harbinger, while David King was in England publishing the British Millennial Harbinger.

King was a preacher, editor, writer, and debater, yet many Americans haven’t ever been blessed to read his works.  We’re hoping to start the process of remedying that.  We’re just about finished with the final touches of the David King Collection (perhaps the first of multiple volumes, if people want more).  This first collection includes the following:

  • The Primitive Church, the Apostasy, and the Restoration
  • Why Baptize the Little Ones?
  • The History and Mystery of the Christadelphians
  • The Resurrection of Saints and Sinners at the Coming of the Lord

If you’re interested in reading some of these online, we’ve made them available for free at GravelHillchurchofChrist.com.  But for those of you who–like me–would rather hold a real book in your hand, we’re making this available very shortly in paperback!

Scripture Studies, Volumes 1 and 2

Back in 1931 and 1941, Gospel Advocate published two volumes of Scripture Studies, written by S.H. Hall.  These books contained twenty-four lessons each, designed to ground members in the basic truths about the Bible, Jesus, salvation, the church, and fellowship.

These valuable resources have been hard to find for several years, but are now finally back in print–complete with the Cobb Publishing quality you’ve come to know and appreciate.  We’ve made the text easier to read, corrected any mistakes we ran across, and put it all together in one convenient package!

It is a great collection for teaching a Bible class, and your students would benefit from having their own copy of these two classic books in one 362-page collection!  Learn more about it here!

Or, you can read through them at the Gravel Hill website (mentioned above).

So You’re Thinking About Elders

At the request of the elders here, a series of lessons were presented on elders, their responsibilities, their authority, and the qualifications of elders.  It actually ended up covering sixteen weeks, and was very well-received.  We are collecting these sermons and making it into a Bible class book which should be available, Lord willing, by early 2015.

There’s more to come, because this list doesn’t even contain half of the projects currently underway.  But it’s  sampling of some things you can look forward to in the coming months!

Thanks again for reading!

Alexander Campbell: A Collection (Volume 2)

We are proud to announce the latest book from Cobb Publishing is now available!

Campbell(02) FRONT Cover

While about half of the previous volume was about Campbell, with the other half being some of his writings, this volume is almost all him.  There is a very brief biography of Campbell to start off the collection, and then the spotlight shines on Campbell’s pen.

In this brand-new collection, you can read his famous “Sermon on the Law,” get his thoughts on instrumental music in the church, find out what he has to say about the Bible and capital punishment, and even see his own translation of the book of Acts.  This book contains over 300 pages of material for your enjoyment and edification.

We have spent well over 100 hours in selecting, proofreading, and formatting this book to give you the best possible reading experience.  We believe it was worth the effort, and after seeing it, we think you’ll agree!

Contents

  • Alexander Campbell: Matchless Defender of the Protestant Faith
    By W.L. Hayden
  • Sermon on the Law
  • Life and Death
  • Instrumental Music in Worship
  • Is Capital Punishment Sanctioned by Divine Authority?
  • Confession Unto Salvation
  • The Bible
  • God has Spoken to Man in the Bible
  • Principles of Interpretation
  • Musings on a Christmas Morning
  • Acts of the Apostles (translation)

This book is now available at Amazon.com in print ($9.49) or in Kindle format ($3.99), and if you use Amazon, feel free to go that route.  The direct link to it is here.

However, for the first week (that is, until next Monday), we will be offering a special price of $7.99 for the paperback, and $1.99 for the eBook!  Click here to order it from us directly.

And may your day be full of God’s blessings!

 

Restoration Movement Week – Samuel Rogers

From Sketches of Our Pioneers: a Brief Restoration Movement History.

CHAPTER XIII.
SAMUEL ROGERS.

This faithful servant of the primitive Gos­pel was born in Charlotte County, Virginia, Nov. 6, 1789. His father served through the Revolution and was present at the surrender of Cornwallis at Yorktown. In 1793, the fam­ily moved to central Kentucky, and settled in the forest two miles from Winchester, where they lived until September 1801, when they went to Missouri, known at that time as New Spain. They were four weeks on this journey and lived on venison, buffalo meat, and fish, which they found plentiful in their line of travel. The mother carried her Bible sewed up in a feather bed for fear of the priests. “All that I knew of the Christian religion, until I was grown to the stature of a man.” says Samuel Rogers, “I learned from those two preachers, my mother and the old family Bible which she took to that country in her feather bed.” He had the opportunity of attending school but three months in his life.

In 1809, his father returned to Kentucky, and in 1812 Samuel married Elizabeth Irvin, and soon after, under the preaching of Stone, became a firm believer in Christ, was convicted of sin and immersed. War being declared between England and the United States he volunteered and served throughout the strug­gle. After the war he entered upon the work of the ministry and preached on both sides of the Ohio River from Portsmouth to Cincinnati. In those days it was the current belief that the Lord called men to the ministry in some ex­traordinary way, that he opened a door of ut­terance and put words in the speaker’s mouth, and by a special interposition of power he would furnish his outfit, and direct and sustain him on his way. It is not strange with this faith the preacher would start on a tour of sev­eral months with only “a cut ninepence” in his pocket.

In 1818, he settled in Clinton county, Oh., where John I. Rogers was born January, 1819. Here he organized the Antioch Church and was ordained by two ministers of the Gospel. “Old Sister Worley” he says, “also laid hands on me, and I have always believed that I re­ceived as much spiritual oil from her hands as from the hands of the others.” Under the rules of the “New Lights” he could not bap­tize until this was done. He baptized forty persons at that time and during his ministry over 7,000. Not long after this he made his first preaching tour into Missouri. The coun­try through which he traveled was wild, and often as he camped out in the forest he was awakened by the howl of wild beasts. He saw elk, deer, wolves and bears. He was over­taken by a prairie fire and escaped by firing the grass around him and keeping to the wind­ward of it. He was three months on this tour as an evangelist.

His labors extended now in all directions. He journeyed as far east as Baltimore, where he preached a few discourses and baptized sev­eral persons, and held meetings also in Harford County, Md. This trip must have been a try­ing one for he speaks of his “many privations” and tells how he was forced to sell his Bible and hymn book to pay ferriage and other expenses. On one of these trips he lived for two days and nights on “a few apples,” but he tells us “the truth triumphed gloriously.” He made a half dozen tours through the State of Missouri, and traveled extensively in Kentucky, Indiana, Illinois, Ohio, Pennsylvania and Virginia preaching the Gospel to the people and receiv­ing less than his actual expenses. “Both among our preachers and people,” he says, “there was prevalent a foolish sense of timidity upon the matter of taking up contributions of money for the ambassador of God. The little that we did receive was collected and given to us in a manner so sly and secret that the giver often appeared more like a felon than God’s cheerful giver. When a brother or sister in telling you ‘Good-bye,’ took hold of your hand in a clumsy sort of a way, with their hand half shut and half opened, you might look out for a quarter or a few cut ninepences. I have had money slipped into my vest and pocket, into my pants’ pocket, and in my sack while I was asleep. All this was done that the ministry might not be blamed, and for the purpose of keeping the tell-tale left hand in blissful ignor­ance of what the right had done.”

Rogers first met A. Campbell in 1825 at Wilmington, O. He heard him preach one sermon two hours in length, and afterward had a free and full conversation with him at the home of Jacob Strickle. As he listened to this great teacher, cloud after cloud rolled away from his mind, “letting in upon my soul light, joy, and hope that no tongue can express.” He looked upon Mr. Campbell as a modern Ezra sent to restore the lost law of God to the people. “The reformation,” he says, “had an easy conquest over all our churches, for the reason that they were right constitution­ally; they had taken originally the Bible alone for their rule of faith and practice. This ex­plains the fact of the early triumph of the reformation in the Blue Grass region of Ken­tucky. Stone, and those laboring with him, had constituted churches throughout central and northern Kentucky upon the Bible and the Bible alone, and all these without excep­tion came early into the reformation. Stone’s reformation was the seed bed of the reforma­tion produced by Campbell.”

In 1827 Rogers rode 200 miles on horse­back to Warren, Oh., to attend the Mahoning Association and to meet with Walter Scott and the Campbells and their co-laborers. He be­gan at once to preach these views with great fidelity and power. “I never made a fine ser­mon in my life,” he declared, “but I have preached a great many very fine sermons, yea as powerful sermons as were ever uttered on earth. But all of these fine sermons were borrowed. I borrowed them from Christ and the apostles. They contained the most sublime facts in the universe to be believed, the grand­est commands to be obeyed, and the most precious promises to be enjoyed.”

November 14, 1833, the day after the great “star-shooting,” he started with his family for Indiana. His near neighbors in his new home were Joseph Franklin and wife, who were im­mersed Methodists. He began at once to preach in a school house and among the con­verts was Benjamin Franklin, who became a famous preacher of the primitive Gospel. Seven preachers came out of this meeting. His son, John I. Rogers, was one of them. For five years he labored in Indiana. In 1838 he moved back to Ohio, and in 1840 made his third missionary tour on horseback to Mis­souri. He was the second preacher to carry beyond the Mississippi the doctrine that the Bible and the Bible alone is a sufficient rule of faith and life, Thomas McBride having pre­ceded him.

An idea of his preaching may be gathered from the sketch of a sermon about this time on election, I Pet. 1:1. He showed the election of believers to be according to an arrangement which God had previously made known; that elections in a state are carried on according to the law and the constitution previously ar­ranged and made known, that is, according to the foreknowledge of the framers of the con­stitution; that every man, elected at all, must be elected according to that previous arrange­ment made known and promulgated; that the law clearly defined, first, the character of the person to be elected to office, and secondly, the mode and manner of holding said election. God has made and promulgated such a law for the election of men to a place in the kingdom of Christ; that kingdom was set up on Pente­cost; Peter was the one chosen to publish the law of election and Jerusalem the place and Pentecost the time, and this one at the proper time and place opened the polls, laid down the rules regulating the election, and 3,000 men were elected according to the previous arrangement of God the Father, etc. He de­clared the same law in force today and the polls open, and asked all to come forward who desired to be chosen.

On his fifth tour to Missouri he had a most successful visit to Gasconade County. He tells how the primitive teaching was introduced here. A daughter of James Parsons heard him, was convinced of the truth, and demand­ed baptism at his hands, but her physician prevented her obedience. Later, finding her days were numbered, she desired her father, an unconverted man, to baptize her. He de­clared himself unworthy to perform the sacred rite. She urged him, saying that the validity of the ordinance did not depend on the ad­ministrator. Her family and friends were greatly moved by her dying entreaties. They sent far and near for a preacher, but could find none. Finally, the girl remembered her old colored “mammy” was a pious woman and she called for her and demanded that she should baptize her. The old colored woman con­sented, a bath tub was provided, and Sarah, the believing girl, was immersed, and rejoiced in the Lord. This opened the doors to the hearts of the people, and the Gospel triumphed in all that region. On this tour he associated with him a young man, Winthrop H. Hopson, who became afterward the gifted and eloquent Dr. Hopson, who did such noble service for Christ.

In 1844 Samuel Rogers settled in Carlisle, Ky., where he remained seven years. He continued to travel and preach constantly and in his eighty-fourth year made his last visit to Missouri. His end was full of peace. “I shall greet,” he said, “first of all, my Father, whose hand has led me all the journey through, and my Savior, whose grace has been sufficient for me in every day of trial. And next I shall look around for her whose love and goodness have imposed on me a debt of gratitude to God I can never repay. When we meet shall we not gather up the children and grandchildren and sit down under the shadow of the throne and rest?”

Restoration Movement Week – John T. Johnson

From Sketches of Our Pioneers: a Brief Restoration Movement History.

CHAPTER X.
JOHN T. JOHNSON

The religious movement of the Campbells was not only thoroughly evangelical, but it was intensely evangelistic. One of the best examples of this spirit among the pioneers is the subject of this sketch. He was born in Scott County, Ky., near Georgetown, October 5, 1788. His parents were Virginians and members of the Baptist Church. Kentucky was then a frontier state and Indians were still committing depredations upon the settlers. He received a fair education, completing his studies in Transylvania University. He studied law and practiced for a time. In 1811 he mar­ried Miss Sophia Lewis, a girl of fifteen. In 1813 he served as aid on the staff of Gen. W.H. Harrison and saw active service. After the war he was for several years a member of the Kentucky legislature and in 1820 was elected to congress.

He became a member of the Baptist Church in 1821. Speaking of this he said: “It was a most glorious thing for me. It preserved me from a thousand temptations and kept me a pure man.” “During the years ’29 and ’30,” he says, “the public mind was much excited in regard to what was vulgarly called ‘Campbellism,’ and I resolved to examine it in the light of the Bible. I was won over; my eyes were opened, and I was made perfectly free by the truth, and the debt of gratitude I owe to that man of God, Alexander Campbell, no language can tell.”

He began preaching and sought the refor­mation and enlightenment of the church of which he was a member. As they would not hear him, he, with two others, formed “a con­gregation of God,” February, 1831. He sur­rendered a lucrative law practice and began his career as an advocate of simple New Testa­ment Christianity. At this time in Kentucky there were eight or ten thousand people vari­ously styled “Marshallites,” “Stoneites,” “Schismatics,” but who claimed to be simply Christians, taking the Word of God as their only rule of faith and practice and repudiating all human creeds. He was soon associated with “that eminent man of God,” Barton W. Stone, and became co-editor of his paper, The Christian Messenger, then published at George­town, in 1832, the same year the followers of Stone and Campbell effected a union.

“I was among the first of the reformation in co-operation with Stone,” he tells us, “to suggest and bring about a union between the Christian churches and that large body of Baptists who had abandoned all human isms in religion.” 1833 was a remarkable year in Kentucky. Asiatic cholera swept the state. It was remarkable also for the success of this new plea for the union of Christians and con­version of the world. Thousands were added to the churches. J.T. Johnson was eminently successful. For the first time he extended his labors beyond the borders of the state, vis­iting Walter Scott at Carthage, Oh., and preaching with great power and acceptance to the people. His advocacy of the principles of reform in the Messenger was at the same time forcible and untiring.

In 1834 he closed his connection with the paper, Stone having removed to Illinois, and in the following year he began the publication of the Gospel Advocate. In labors he was every way abundant. He preached constantly and gathered into the churches large numbers of converts. In a meeting of ten days in Sep­tember of this year 135 persons “were im­mersed for the remission of sins.” “There was nothing of excitement peculiar to revivals so called. Nothing was preached to excite the animal feelings. It was the gospel of truth that did the work.”

The cause of liberal education had also a large place in this good man’s affections. Ba­con College, of which Walter Scott was the first president, was founded in 1836 at George­town, afterwards was moved to Harrodsburg and later became Kentucky University. John­son was a fast friend of this institution. His suggestion also that some work should be undertaken for orphan children no doubt had its influence in bringing into exis­tence, through the efforts of Dr. L.L. Pinker­ton, that noble beneficence known as The Mid­way Orphan School.

In the year 1837 he published The Christian, in the editing of which he was assisted by Walter Scott. In a meeting conducted by him in Madison County, Kentucky, about this time, 185 persons obeyed the gospel in three weeks. Two meetings held at Caneridge and North Middletown resulted in 300 accessions. A man of most sanguine and buoyant nature, enthusiastic and unwearying in his labors for the spread of the gospel, he was a wonderful evangelist. He never for one mo­ment doubted the correctness of the great principles he advocated and of their ultimate triumph. He was thoroughly absorbed in the work of converting the world and building up a united church as his master passion. He led thousands to decision for Christ. Some idea of the intense interest in the work of these men may be formed from the character of their meetings. They would speak for hours to audiences that never wearied. His labors were by no means confined to his own state. In 1843 he made a visit to Missouri in company with John Smith, preaching at St. Louis, Palmyra, Hannibal, and other points. In 1845 he made an exten­sive tour in the Southern States, holding meetings in Little Rock, New Orleans, and elsewhere. In 1845 he visited Virginia and labored in Louisa, Caroline and York counties, and in the City of Richmond, meeting with great success.

He was full of the spirit of missions. “The imperious mandate of our King to his apostles,” he declares, “is ‘Go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature.’ The law says the laborer is worthy of his wages. Can we get along without consultation and co-operation? If we can, there is no need of congregations. Every divine dispensation of God’s goodness, Patriarchal, Jewish and Chris­tian, has been distinguished by consultation and co-operation.” He suggested an appor­tionment plan for raising money, that church officers take the list of members and let each member furnish the committee the value of his estate, the committee ascertain at an equal vote what each member has to pay and affix it to his name, and the members be furnished each with a quota in writing.” His idea of the relative importance of the different de­mands upon the benevolence of the church is seen in this illustration: “Let the church de­cide upon the amount that can be raised with­out oppression, say $600. Let this sum be divided according to the magnitude of the objects to be accomplished. For example, expend $225 for preaching at home and the support of the poor, $200 for evangelical oper­ations, $100 for colleges, $75 for the education of beneficiaries.” Such a system as this, if practiced, he thinks would “soon bear the gospel over America and Europe.” He advo­cated the sending of A. Campbell to England and David S. Burnet to the old world.

He was an ardent temperance advocate. Not only was he a total abstainer, but he publicly opposed the making, vending, and using of intoxicants as “Anti-patriotic, Anti- philanthropic, and Anti-Christian.” On this great issue the pioneers were sound. A. Campbell wrote in 1842: “For my own part for more than twenty years I have given my voice against the distillation of ardent spirits at all. I have both thought and said that I knew not how a Christian man could possibly engage in it. And how a Christian man can stand behind the counter, and dose out dam­nation to his neighbors at the rate of four pence a dose, is a mystery to me, greater than any of the seven mysteries of popery. I wish all the preachers who drink morning bitters and juleps would join the temperance society. All persons too should take the vow of total abstinence who habitually or even statedly or at regular intervals, sip, be it ever so little of the baleful cup.”

John T. Johnson fell asleep in Christ on December 18, 1856, at Lexington, Mo., where he was in the midst of a successful protracted meeting. His remains were taken to Lexing­ton, Ky. Thus he fell in the ranks. His whole life for a quarter of a century was a series of protracted meetings. In labors he was as constant as Wesley. A man of delicate frame yet of great endurance and intense en­thusiasm, he rested best when most laboriously and successfully engaged in the great work to which he had devoted his life. A man of apostolic zeal and fervor he was an evangelist of evangelists.

Restoration Movement Week – Thomas Campbell

From Sketches of Our Pioneers: a Brief Restoration Movement History.

CHAPTER III.
THOMAS CAMPBELL

Thomas, father of Alexander Campbell, was born in County Down, in the north of Ireland, Feb. 1, 1763. He was very devout from his youth. His father belonged to the Church of England and was determined, as he was accustomed to say, “to serve God according to Act of Parliament,” but the son was led to prefer the Church of the Secession and early inclined to enter its ministry. He entered the University of Glasgow and com­pleted the literary course of three years, and received his theological training in the Divin­ity School at Whitburn. June, 1787, he mar­ried Jane Corneigle.

After his graduation, Thomas Campbell gave himself to teaching and preaching. In 1798 he accepted the care of a church at Rich Hill, in County Armagh, not far from the town of Newry, within sight of Lough Neagh, and in one of the most beautiful regions of Ireland. Here the youthful days of Alexan­der were spent. The home was a model Chris­tian home. Father and mother were Bible-reading, praying, godly people. Regular Scriptural instruction and worship were pur­sued in the household, and Thomas Campbell sought to introduce the same practice into every home. He was a diligent and faithful pastor. In addition to his ordinary visits, he made a regular tour of his parish twice a year in company with one or more of his elders, inquiring into the state of religion in every home, catechizing the children, examining the older members of the family upon the Bible readings, praying with them, and giving such instructions and admonitions as seemed neces­sary.

As a preacher he had fine talents and his evident earnestness and personal piety gave great weight to his teachings. The salary of Seceder ministers averaged about $250 a year, and, while the Campbells lived on a farm, they found themselves unable to keep the family on their small income. When Alexander was seventeen, Thomas Campbell opened a school near Rich Hill, associating his son with him in its management. After several years spent in teaching, the excessive labor in dis­charging the duties of both church and school began to tell seriously upon Thomas Camp­bell’s health. Physicians advised an entire change of life and such relief as a sea voyage might afford. At length it was decided that Alexander should take entire charge of the school and on April 1, 1807, the father started for America, reaching Philadelphia after a sail of thirty-five days. The Anti-Burgher Synod of North America was in session there, re­ceived him very cordially, and commended him to the Presbytery of Chartiers in Wash­ington County, Pa., where he again took up the work of the ministry.

The spirit of sectarianism was very bitter in this region. Different branches of the Pres­byterian faith would have no fellowship with each other. Mr. Campbell deplored these differences and permitted members of other Presbyterian churches to partake of the Lord’s Supper with his people, and was arraigned be­fore the Presbytery for failing to inculcate strict adherence to the church standards. His pleadings in behalf of Christian liberty and fraternity were in vain; they censured him.

He appealed to the Synod and they released him from the censure. Such was the feeling toward him, however, that he finally with­drew from the Synod. He continued to preach in groves and private houses and to plead openly for Christian liberality and union upon the Word of God, and the people thronged to hear him. He found many pious and intelli­gent Christians who, like himself, were dis­satisfied with existing religious parties, the intolerance and sectarianism of the times, and inclined to accept the Bible as their supreme guide. A special meeting was appointed at the house of Abraham Altars, where Thomas Campbell declared his conviction that the sacred Word was all-sufficient and alone sufficient as a basis of union and Christian co­operation. He urged the entire abandonment of everything in religion for which there could not be produced a divine warrant, and an­nounced the sentiment “Where the Scriptures speak, we speak; where the Scriptures are silent, we are silent.”

“The Christian Association of Washington” was formed Aug. 17, 1809, and the Declara­tion and Address issued September 8, 1809. These marked the beginning of the movement which today enrolls a following of millions. At this time Alexander and the other members of Thomas Campbell’s family joined him in the New World. A church was organized on the basis of the principles expressed in the Declaration and Address at Brush Run, which in 1811 became a congregation of im­mersed believers and united with the Redstone Baptist Association.

Thomas Campbell moved to Cambridge, Oh., in 1813 and opened a school. Two years after, he went to Pittsburg and engaged in preach­ing and teaching. In the fall of 1812 he removed to Newport, Kentucky and for a time taught an academy at Burlington, returning in 1819 to Washington County, Pa. He found but little progress had been made in the work of reform during his absence. The struggle between sectarianism and the principles of the Declaration and Address was strong and bitter. His son Alexander was now leading the movement. With the publication of the Christian Baptist the principles made great strides. Thomas Campbell made frequent tours, preaching in Western Pennsylvania and the Western Reserve of Ohio, and, while over­shadowed in the later development of the cause he pleaded by his more gifted son, his counsels were always potent and his labors untiring and successful.

On the 4th of January, 1854, the long and useful life of this saintly man ended at Bethany. He continued until eighty-three years of age his work of itinerating among the churches. His last sermon was preached in his eighty- ninth year within a few weeks of his death.

“I never knew a man, in all my acquaint­ance with men,” wrote his son, “of whom it could have been said with more assurance that he ‘walked with God.’”

Restoration Movement Week – Barton W. Stone (part 2)

From Sketches of Our Pioneers: a Brief Restoration Movement History.

CHAPTER II.
BARTON W. STONE

(Continued)

July 2, 1801, B. W. Stone married Miss Elizabeth Campbell, a pious woman. In August of the same year came the great meet­ing at Caneridge. “The roads,” he tells us, “were crowded with wagons, carriages, horsemen and footmen, moving to the solemn camp.” The number was estimated as be­tween twenty and thirty thousand. Method­ists and Baptists united with them in these meetings. The services continued six or seven days until provisions gave out. There were many conversions. Most remarkable bodily agitations were seen here. Some with a pierc­ing scream would fall like a log and appear dead for an hour at a time and awake crying for mercy. Others would be seized with “the jerks,” sometimes the head alone being af­fected, jerking backward and forward or from side to side so quickly the features could not be distinguished, or moving backward and forward till the head would almost touch the floor. Wicked people cursing “the jerks” would be seized with this exercise. Sometimes the jerks would cease and they would begin to dance, praying and praising as they moved until they fell exhausted. Barking would also at times accompany this strange affection, and at other times loud, hearty laughter. The subject of these curious agitations would be solemn and his laughter or actions would im­press others with the deepest solemnity. It was indescribable. The running exercise was another of these manifestations when, through fear, persons would run until they fell. Some indulged in a peculiar singing, the sound is­suing not from the lips but from the breast, and the music was described as heavenly.

Stone was employed day and night, preach­ing, singing, praying and visiting, until his lungs failed him and he felt that his end was near. His special associates at this time were Richard McNemar, John Thompson, John Dunlavey, Robert Marshall and David Purviance. The distinguishing doctrine they preached was that God loved the world—the whole world—and sent his Son to save men on condition that they believed on him; that the gospel was the means of salvation, but to be effectual must be believed and obeyed by the sinner; that God required men to believe and had given sufficient evidence in his Word to produce faith; that sinners were capable of un­derstanding and believing the testimony and acting upon it by coming to Christ and obey­ing him, and from him obtaining salvation and the Holy Spirit. They urged the sinner to believe now and to receive salvation, that in vain they looked for the Spirit to be given to them while remaining in unbelief. God was willing to save now, and no previous qualifica­tion was required as necessary to come to Christ.

This teaching aroused the sticklers for or­thodoxy, and they cried, “The confession is in danger!” The matter came before the Synod of Kentucky, at Lexington, which re­sulted in the suspension of Stone and his co-­laborers. They were bitterly assailed on all sides. Stone called together his congregations and stated he could no longer conscientiously preach the doctrines of the Presbyterian Church, but would henceforward labor to extend the Redeemer’s kingdom irrespective of party, and dissolved his connection with them. At this time, also, he emancipated his slaves and retired to his farm. He continued preaching, however, night and day. He concluded to throw all creeds overboard and to take the name “Christian.”

In 1804 he had become disturbed on the question of baptism and was immersed, and came also to feel that baptism was for the remis­sion of sins when Acts 2:38 occurred to him while mourners were gathered at the altar and were being prayed for. But for the full Scriptural views of the design of baptism he acknowledges his indebtedness to Alexander Campbell. In the winter of 1809 his only son died, and in May following his wife died also, leaving four daughters. In 1811 he married again, a cousin of his first wife. About this time A. Campbell visited Kentucky. He saw no distinction between Campbell’s teaching and that he had preached for years except on the doctrine of baptism for the remission of sins, and the practice of weekly communion. He did not think Mr. Campbell sufficiently explicit on the influ­ences of the Holy Spirit. In 1831 special meetings were held in Georgetown and Lexing­ton, and a union between the followers of Stone and Campbell was readily secured.

In 1826, Stone began the publication of the Christian Messenger. John T. Johnson was associated with him. The work went forward with great success, and A. Campbell’s visits to the state gave it renewed impetus. In 1834, Stone moved to Jacksonville, Ill. In 1841 he was stricken with paralysis, still he made preaching tours into Ohio, Indiana and Ken­tucky. He died at Hannibal, Mo., in 1844.

Some years ago I visited the old Caneridge meeting-house. It was here this great and good man instituted, in the face of great opposition, a church on the Bible alone, and in harmony with Christ the great head of the church. And in pursuance of apostolic example, it was called the “Christian Church” or “Church of Christ.” And here on the 28th of June, 1804, he proclaimed to the church and to the world, that he took from that day forward and forever the Bible alone as his rule of faith and practice, to the exclusion of all human creeds, confessions, and disciplines, and the name Christian to the exclusion of all, sectarian or denominational names.

The union of Christians on Christ’s own terms was nearest and dearest to the heart of Stone. For forty years most sincerely, indus­triously, consistently, and successfully he ad­vocated this doctrine. He loved the church of God, and wished to see it harmonized. He loved the world lying in wickedness, and longed to see the church united that the world might be converted. Hence when the Campbells came forward to advocate the return to primi­tive Christianity in faith and practice, laying down the simple terms of Christian union as found in the Scriptures, and sanctioned by common sense, Stone and his co-workers hailed them at once as brethren and fellow laborers in the gospel.