a-study-of-church-history-restoration-movement

A study of Church History/Restoration Movement An Introduction: The Greatness of the Movement to Restore Original Christianity! Churches of Christ are part of a great religious movement launched on the North American Continent in the early 1800s, to restore the pure Christianity of the first century The pioneers of this movement made it their aim to go back to the Bible for their faith, worship and practice To maintain the Restoration commitment in our day, we must remind ourselves of what it was To properly appreciate it, we must know wherein it was great The first clearly discernible call here, in America, to go back to Bible was heard among the Methodists Jams O’Kelly led a revolt against bishop Francis Asbury’s autocratic rule At a meeting at the old Lebanon Church in Surry County, VA, on August 4, 1794, Rice Haggard, with Bible in hand, challenged his brethren thusly: “Brethren, this is a sufficient rule of faith and practice By it we are told that the disciples were called Christians, and I move that henceforth and forever the followers of Christ be known as Christians simply” A Brother Hafferty then moved that they take the Bible as their only creed From that meeting came, “Five Cardinal Principles of the Christian Church:” The Lord Jesus Christ as the only Head of the Church The name Christian to the exclusion of all party and sectarian names The Holy Bible our only creed, and a sufficient rule of faith and practice Christian character the only test of church fellowship and membership The right of private judgment and liberty of conscience the privilege and duty of all (W E McClenny, Life of Rev James O’Kelly, p 111) Shortly thereafter in 1803, a similar back to the Bible movement emerged among the Baptists of New England The principal leaders were Drs Abner Jones and Elias Smith Smith wrote: “When our number was some short of twenty, we agreed to consider ourselves a Church of Christ, owning him as our only Master, Lord and Lawgiver, and we agreed to consider ourselves Christians, without the addition of any unscriptural name” (Elias Smith, Life and Conversion of Elias Smith, pp 313314) About the same time, in Century Kentucky a group of dissident preachers broke with the Presbyterian Church They first organized themselves as the Springfield Presbytery of the Presbyterian Church After further study of the Scriptures they met and resolved to dissolve their presbytery They framed a document entitled, “Last Will and Testament.” Among its remarkable items are the following: “We will, that this body die, be dissolved, and sink into union with the Body of Christ at large; for there is but one Body ” “We will, that our power of making laws for the government of the church and executing them by delegated authority forever cease; that the people may have free course to the Bible ” “We will, that the Church of Christ resume her native right of internal government ” “ We will, that the people henceforth take the Bible as the only sure guide to heaven ”On June 28, 1804, the Will was signed by Robert Marshall, John Dunlavy, Richard McNemar, John Thompson, David Purviance, and B W Stone In 1809 Thomas Campbell, a Presbyterian immigrant preacher from Northern Ireland, broke with his church and issued a Declaration and Address of the Christian Association of Washington, Pennsylvania Among Campbell’s declarations were the following: “That the Church of Christ is essentially, intentionally and constitutionally one.” “That the Bible is the only rule of faith and practice for Christians.” “That the Old and New Testaments alone contain the authoritative constitution of the Church of Christ.” “That no human authority has power to amend or change the original constitution and laws of the church.” “That faith in Jesus Christ as the Son of God is a sufficient profession to entitle a man or woman to become a member of the Church of Christ.” “That division among Christians is anti-Christian, anti-scriptural, unnatural, and to be abhorred.” “That neglect of the revealed will of God and the introduction of human innovations are and have been the causes of all the corruptions and divisions that have ever taken place in the church ” “That all that is necessary to secure the highest state of purity and perfection in the church is to restore the original ordinances and constitution as exhibited in the New Testament.” These men thought not to found a new denomination, rather they worked to restore the original church of the Bible to its pristine purity The goal of Restoration is great because it is a commitment to reproduce the original Christianity of the first century God designed and Jesus built the church exactly as they wanted it (Matt 16:18) When changes were imposed on the church they were always destructive, never beneficial Like a masterpiece of art, we would restore the Lords’s church to its original state of existence In the words of the prophet, “thou shalt be called The repairer of the breach, The restorer of paths to dwell in” (Is 58:12) The Restoration Movement is great because it is a non-denominational effort, dedicated to serving in a nonsectarian way Jesus built but one church (Matt 16:18; I Cor 12:13) It was his dying prayer that his followers be one as were he and his father (John 17:20-21) Denominational division is soundly condemned in Scripture Paul besought the Corinthians “that there be no divisions among them” (I Cor 1:10) He labeled as immature and carnal those who denominated themselves as followers of Peter, Apollos and Paul (I Cor 3:1-4) Even those most deeply involved in denominationalism concede the undesirable nature of that system Our movement is great because it is a “back to the Bible “ movement Catholicism has elevated tradition, the decisions of councils and declarations of popes above the Bible Liberal Protestantism has attacked the Bible as unreliable and irrelevant Evangelical churches give lip service to believing the Scripture, while placing their creeds and subjective experiences about it in practice We exalt God’s Word above all creeds and philosophies of men We speak as the oracles of God (I Pet 4:11) The God-breathed Word is profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for instruction which is in righteousness: that the man of God may be complete ” (II Tim 3:16-17) Furthermore we properly distinguish between the two great covenants While the entire Bible is from God, the words which Christ spoke will judge us in the last day (John 12:48) Because of this truth we not look to Moses or David’s writings for instructions on salvation, worship or practice of our faith The Restoration is great because it is a doctrinal movement Our message is not one of human theology, philosophy, speculation, or experience We seek always to abide in “the doctrine of Christ” (II John 9) We advocate strong, clear Bible preaching Preachers are urged to cite chapters and verses so their hearers can verify for themselves the lesson taught We expect our spokesmen to “preach the Word” (II Tim 4:2) We demand “sound doctrine” from our pulpits (Tit 2:1) Our preachers can generally be distinguished from their denominational counterparts by the “Biblical ring” of their lessons A modern generation must be reminded that all the social activities, marriage enrichment seminars and self-improvement courses will not save a single soul Only by preaching the gospel will sinners be brought to the Savior (Mk 16:15; Rom 1:16) Because it offers a reasonable, common sense approach to religion, the Restoration Movement is great God expects a person to use his head, to think rationally if he would be a Christian Faith comes by hearing the Word of Christ (Rom 10:17) Christianity is not a fuzzy, emotional response to some vague religious impulse; rather it is reasonable Logical and sensible The emotionalism of the old mourner’s bench system, the irrational behavior of the charismatics and the mysticism of the ritualistic churches all give way before the simple truth of our plea (John 8:32) Faith is not foolishness The Restoration plea is great because it is universal both in nature and appeal It alone can bring religious unity to a world torn by sectarian confusion and division Can any man who sincerely loves Christ object to being called a Christian? Visit any minister in your community and inquire of him, “Are you Christian?” I can safely predict a favorable reply But ask the Methodist parson is he is a Baptist? and he will quickly deny it Call him a Baptist and you will insult him Ours is a universally accepted name Who will oppose calling Bible things by Bible names? This in itself would eliminate most of the confusion in the religious word Who would criticize doing Bible things in Bible ways? Who would condemn preaching the Bible, only the Bible and all of the Bible? Can anyone conceive a better way to serve God than his own divinely appointed way? The plea to restore the ancient faith and practice of the first Christian is great because it is thoroughly Biblical Jeremiah exhorts the people of his day to ask for the “ the old paths” and walk therein (Jer 6:16) King Josiah labored to restore the true worship of Jehovah in Israel (II Kings 22:8; 23:5) Paul exhorts us to hold the pattern of sound words (II Tim 1:13) The author of Hebrews reminds us to build according to the revealed pattern (Heb 8:5) The New Testament is our pattern, and we must conform to its divine standard May we never neglect, forsake or betray that is noble movement of which we are part Let us always labor to restore the ancient church, her doctrine, worship and practice May we pass it on safely to those who come after us A study of Church History/Restoration Movement #1 The Establishment of the Church The Importance of knowing when the church began It is a matter of identity so that one may be able to distinguish it from Old Testament agencies and from religious institutions of modern human origin In order to identify its laws so that one may see when the law governing the church of God went into effect The church was foreshadowed in the Old Testament The Old Testament spoke of those things in the Old Law which were “copies” and “shadows” of “the good things to come” (Hebrews 9:11) "When Christ came as high priest of the good things that are already here, he went through the greater and more perfect tabernacle that is not man-made, that is to say, not a part of this creation." (Hebrews 9:23) "It was necessary, then, for the copies of the heavenly things to be purified with these sacrifices, but the heavenly things themselves with better sacrifices than these." (Hebrews 10:1) "The law is only a shadow of the good things that are coming not the realities themselves For this reason it can never, by the same sacrifices repeated endlessly year after year, make perfect those who draw near to worship." The church was not in existence in Old Testament days Acts 7:38 refers to the host of Jews who were in the wilderness not to the church of Jesus Christ (Matthew 16:18) "And I tell you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of Hades will not overcome it." (Acts 7:38) "He was in the assembly in the desert, with the angel who spoke to him on Mount Sinai, and with our fathers; and he received living words to pass on to us." Old Testament worthies desired to see its time (1 Peter 1:10-12) "Concerning this salvation, the prophets, who spoke of the grace that was to come to you, searched intently and with the greatest care, {11} trying to find out the time and circumstances to which the Spirit of Christ in them was pointing when he predicted the sufferings of Christ and the glories that would follow {12} It was revealed to them that they were not serving themselves but you, when they spoke of the things that have now been told you by those who have preached the gospel to you by the Holy Spirit sent from heaven Even angels long to look into these things." The Establishment of the Church is a subject of prophecy Isaiah 2:1-4 and Micah 4:1-2 both prophesy of its beginning (Isaiah 2:1-4) "This is what Isaiah son of Amoz saw concerning Judah and Jerusalem: {2} In the last days the mountain of the Lord's temple will be established as chief among the mountains; it will be raised above the hills, and all nations will stream to it {3} Many peoples will come and say, "Come, let us go up to the mountain of the LORD, to the house of the God of Jacob He will teach us his ways, so that we may walk in his paths." The law will go out from Zion, the word of the LORD from Jerusalem {4} He will judge between the nations and will settle disputes for many peoples They will beat their swords into plowshares and their spears into pruning hooks Nation will not take up sword against nation, nor will they train for war anymore." (Micah 4:1-2) "In the last days the mountain of the Lord's temple will be established as chief among the mountains; it will be raised above the hills, and peoples will stream to it {2} Many nations will come and say, "Come, let us go up to the mountain of the LORD, to the house of the God of Jacob He will teach us his ways, so that we may walk in his paths." The law will go out from Zion, the word of the LORD from Jerusalem." It was to be established: • In Jerusalem • In the “last days” (the age ushered in by the New Testament is the “last days.” (Acts 2:16-17) "No, this is what was spoken by the prophet Joel: {17} "'In the last days, God says, I will pour out my Spirit on all people Your sons and daughters will prophesy, your young men will see visions, your old men will dream dreams." (Acts 2:16-17) "No, this is what was spoken by the prophet Joel: {17} "'In the last days, God says, I will pour out my Spirit on all people Your sons and daughters will prophesy, your young men will see visions, your old men will dream dreams." (Hebrews 1:1-2) "In the past God spoke to our forefathers through the prophets at many times and in various ways, {2} but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son, whom he appointed heir of all things, and through whom he made the universe." The prophetic dream of Nebuchadnezzar, king of Babylon (604-562 B.C.) indicated the time of its establishment: (Daniel 2:31-35) ""You looked, O king, and there before you stood a large statue an enormous, dazzling statue, awesome in appearance {32} The head of the statue was made of pure gold, its chest and arms of silver, its belly and thighs of bronze, {33} its legs of iron, its feet partly of iron and partly of baked clay {34} While you were watching, a rock was cut out, but not by human hands It struck the statue on its feet of iron and clay and smashed them {35} Then the iron, the clay, the bronze, the silver and the gold were broken to pieces at the same time and became like chaff on a threshing floor in the summer The wind swept them away without leaving a trace But the rock that struck the statue became a huge mountain and filled the whole earth." The four kingdoms of the vision Babylonian, the head of gold The Babylonian Empire fell in 536 B.C Medo-Persian, the breasts and arms of silver Established by Cyrus, king of Persia (538-530 B.C.); it fell in 330 B.C Greek or Macedonian, the torso and thighs of brass Formed by Alexander the Great in 336 B.C after his father, Philip of Macedon, had laid the foundations for it It was divided among Alexander’s generals after his death in 323 B.C Roman, the legs of iron and feet of iron and clay It was established as a world power by Octavius Caesar in 30 B.C “In the days of these kings” (vs 44), therefore, refers to the time of universal empires and “struck the image upon its feet” signifies the establishment of God’s eternal kingdom which would take place after the beginning of the Roman empire and during its existence The New Testament begins its accounts while the Caesars still ruled the world • “In those days John the Baptist came preaching” (Matthew 3:11-12) ""I baptize you with water for repentance But after me will come one who is more powerful than I, whose sandals I am not fit to carry He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and with fire {12} His winnowing fork is in his hand, and he will clear his threshing floor, gathering his wheat into the barn and burning up the chaff with unquenchable fire."" (Luke 3:1-3) "In the fifteenth year of the reign of Tiberius Caesar when Pontius Pilate was governor of Judea, Herod tetrarch of Galilee, his brother Philip tetrarch of Iturea and Traconitis, and Lysanias tetrarch of Abilene {2} during the high priesthood of Annas and Caiaphas, the word of God came to John son of Zechariah in the desert {3} He went into all the country around the Jordan, preaching a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins." • The church was not established by John He preached that the kingdom was “at hand” or approaching (Matt 3:1-2) He was not in the kingdom: (Matthew 11:11) "I tell you the truth: Among those born of women there has not risen anyone greater than John the Baptist; yet he who is least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he." The church was not established during the personal ministry of Jesus The church was yet in the future while Jesus was upon the earth The kingdom was “at hand.” (Matthew 10:7) "As you go, preach this message: 'The kingdom of heaven is near.'" (Mark 1:15) ""The time has come," he said "The kingdom of God is near Repent and believe the good news!"" The kingdom had “come near.” (Luke 10:9) "Heal the sick who are there and tell them, 'The kingdom of God is near you.'" He taught His disciples to pray for the coming of the kingdom (Matthew 6:9-10) ""This, then, is how you should pray: "'Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name, {10} your kingdom come, your will be done on earth as it is in heaven." He promised to build His church (Matthew 16:18) "And I tell you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of Hades will not overcome it." His disciples were not in the kingdom (Matthew 18:1-3) "At that time the disciples came to Jesus and asked, "Who is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven?" {2} He called a little child and had him stand among them {3} And he said: "I tell you the truth, unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven." He promised the kingdom would come in that generation (Mark 9:1) "And he said to them, "I tell you the truth, some who are standing here will not taste death before they see the kingdom of God come with power."" The beginning? On the Pentecost following the ascension of Jesus The kingdom was to begin and the law go forth from Jerusalem (Isaiah 2:1-3) "This is what Isaiah son of Amoz saw concerning Judah and Jerusalem: {2} In the last days the mountain of the Lord's temple will be established as chief among the mountains; it will be raised above the hills, and all nations will stream to it {3} Many peoples will come and say, "Come, let us go up to the mountain of the LORD, to the house of the God of Jacob He will teach us his ways, so that we may walk in his paths." The law will go out from Zion, the word of the LORD from Jerusalem." (Luke 24:47) "and repentance and forgiveness of sins will be preached in his name to all nations, beginning at Jerusalem." The law went forth from Jerusalem on the Pentecost following the death, burial, resurrection, and ascension of Jesus Christ: (Acts 2:37-38) "When the people heard this, they were cut to the heart and said to Peter and the other apostles, "Brothers, what shall we do?" {38} Peter replied, "Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins And you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit." That day of Pentecost was the beginning of Christ’s kingdom and church: (Acts 2:1-4) "When the day of Pentecost came, they were all together in one place {2} Suddenly a sound like the blowing of a violent wind came from heaven and filled the whole house where they were sitting {3} They saw what seemed to be tongues of fire that separated and came to rest on each of them {4} All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit enabled them." (Acts 11:15) ""As I began to speak, the Holy Spirit came on them as he had come on us at the beginning." The “power” is evidence the kingdom came on Pentecost The kingdom came with power (Mark 9:1) "And he said to them, "I tell you the truth, some who are standing here will not taste death before they see the kingdom of God come with power."" The power was to come with the Holy Spirit (Acts 1:8) "But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth."" The Holy Spirit came on Pentecost Therefore, the kingdom came on Pentecost (Acts 2:1-4) "When the day of Pentecost came, they were all together in one place {2} Suddenly a sound like the blowing of a violent wind came from heaven and filled the whole house where they were sitting {3} They saw what seemed to be tongues of fire that separated and came to rest on each of them {4} All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit enabled them." The law going forth from Jerusalem is evidence the kingdom came on Pentecost The law was to go forth from Jerusalem (Isaiah 2:1-3) "This is what Isaiah son of Amoz saw concerning Judah and Jerusalem: {2} In the last days the mountain of the Lord's temple will be established as chief among the mountains; it will be raised above the hills, and all nations will stream to it {3} Many peoples will come and say, "Come, let us go up to the mountain of the LORD, to the house of the God of Jacob He will teach us his ways, so that we may walk in his paths." The law will go out from Zion, the word of the LORD from Jerusalem." The apostles were commissioned to preach (Matthew 28:18-20) "Then Jesus came to them and said, "All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me {19} Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, {20} and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age."" (Mark 16:15-16) "He said to them, "Go into all the world and preach the good news to all creation {16} Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved, but whoever does not believe will be condemned." But they had been instructed to wait in Jerusalem for the Holy Spirit to come and guide them before beginning: (Luke 24:49) "I am going to send you what my Father has promised; but stay in the city until you have been clothed with power from on high."" The Spirit came on Pentecost and the preaching of the Gospel, the law of the kingdom, began on Pentecost: (Acts 2:31-38) "Seeing what was ahead, he spoke of the resurrection of the Christ, that he was not abandoned to the grave, nor did his body see decay {32} God has raised this Jesus to life, and we are all witnesses of the fact {33} Exalted to the right hand of God, he has received from the Father the promised Holy Spirit and has poured out what you now see and hear {34} For David did not ascend to heaven, and yet he said, "'The Lord said to my Lord: "Sit at my right hand {35} until I make your enemies a footstool for your feet."' {36} "Therefore let all Israel be assured of this: God has made this Jesus, whom you crucified, both Lord and Christ." {37} When the people heard this, they were cut to the heart and said to Peter and the other apostles, "Brothers, what shall we do?" {38} Peter replied, "Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins And you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit." After that Pentecost, both the church and kingdom were always spoken of as in existence: (Acts 2:47) "praising God and enjoying the favor of all the people And the Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved." (Acts 5:11) "Great fear seized the whole church and all who heard about these events." (Acts 8:1) "And Saul was there, giving approval to his death On that day a great persecution broke out against the church at Jerusalem, and all except the apostles were scattered throughout Judea and Samaria." (Acts 11:22) "News of this reached the ears of the church at Jerusalem, and they sent Barnabas to Antioch." (Acts 13:1) "In the church at Antioch there were prophets and teachers: Barnabas, Simeon called Niger, Lucius of Cyrene, Manaen (who had been brought up with Herod the tetrarch) and Saul." (Acts 14:27) "On arriving there, they gathered the church together and reported all that God had done through them and how he had opened the door of faith to the Gentiles." (Colossians 1:13) "For he has rescued us from the dominion of darkness and brought us into the kingdom of the Son he loves," (Revelation 1:9) "I, John, your brother and companion in the suffering and kingdom and patient endurance that are ours in Jesus, was on the island of Patmos because of the word of God and the testimony of Jesus." A study of Church History/Restoration Movement #2 Church Growth and Apostasy Is it possible to read your Bible, and from your reading, see that in the New Testament there is a Church that Jesus established? Is it possible to see in the Bible, that God set forth His standard of acceptance in salvation, worship, church organization and daily living? Is it possible to follow the teachings of God, revealed in the New Testament, to direct our lives in the same way as He did first century Christians? The answer to all the questions above is a resounding, yes! For since the writing of the New Testament, men and women of all walks of life have studied their Bibles, and seen how one, even to this day, can become a Christian the way those in New Testament times became Christians They have seen how one can establish the Church of the New Testament and emulate its structure, worship, and activity Someone has rightfully expressed that we should always remember to stop and show appreciation for the bridges we have crossed For the Christian this is especially true! Not only are we to be thankful for the work of the apostles and early church workers in the 1st century A.D., but we should also remember the value of all those since who have directed others to give up the shackles of religious error, only to take on the truth revealed in God's Word Someone has said, “We are standing on the shoulders of giants.” We often take the church for granted An example is found in Lexington, Kentucky; in 1900 it was grounded having many faithful congregations Had a college “College of the Bible” etc In the 1960's Basil and Margie Overton went back into this area once again having to establish N.T Christianity In less than 60 years the area went from faithful to nonexistent The church today can this if we take it for granted We need to study Church History for several reasons Help us learn from the mistakes of the past and avoid them To build upon their successes, so we can grow from them Help us to appreciate God’s Church “RESTORATION” DEFINED When one speaks of a “restoration” plea, several things are implied First, there is the suggestion that there is a divine “pattern” for human conduct Second, God expects conformity to that pattern Third, in the nature of things, rebellious and frail men will digress from that heavenly way Fourth, it is the responsibility of those who revere the Lord’s will to restore, the primitive order, and call their fellows back to the “old paths” (cf Jer 6:16) There are numerous New Testament passages which stress these truths Let us consider a few The early church is clearly a model for us in that it “continued steadfastly in the apostles’ teaching” (Acts 2:42) Why was that an important point for Luke to make if the pattern of the “apostles’ teaching” is irrelevant? Moreover, the multitude of believers “were of one heart and soul” (Acts 4:32), suggesting a unity of practice in their Christian decorum Paul reminded the saints in Rome that they had been made free from sin due to the fact that they had been obedient to a certain “form” [pattern] of teaching (Rom 6:17,18) Can such a passage yield any sense if there is no pattern? The Christians in Rome were admonished to “mark” (be on the look-out for) and turn away from those who were causing divisions “contrary to the teaching” which they had learned (Rom 16:17) If there is no pattern of New Testament doctrine, how could one ever be required to “turn away” from those who not conform to it? The inspired Paul instructed the brethren in Corinth not to go “beyond the things which are written” (1 Cor 4:6 – ASV) This clearly demonstrates that spiritual activity is regulated by the Scriptures The primitive Christians were warned repeatedly about “falling away” from “the faith” (cf Thes 2:3; Tim 4:1ff; Tim 4:1ff) The expression “the faith” has to with a body of doctrinal truth If there is no doctrinal “pattern,” how could one ever “fall away” from the faith? Note also that identifying marks of apostasy went beyond so-called “core” matters, such as the deity of Christ They concerned things like the forbidding marriage and prohibiting certain foods (1 Tim 4:1ff) Paul spoke of the “pattern of sound words” (2 Tim 1:13) which the early Christians were being taught and in which they were to “abide” (2 Tim 3:14) These truths were to be passed on to others (2 Tim 2:2), and men were to be charged not to teach a “different doctrine” (1 Tim 1:3) How in the name of common sense can men read these passages and not know that there is a body of sacred truth with which we must not tamper? The writer of Hebrews affirmed that Moses, in constructing the tabernacle, was warned by God that he must “make all things according to the pattern,” which was shown to him at Horeb (Heb 8:5) Do we, as recipients of the “better covenant” (Heb 7:22; 8:6), sustain a lesser responsibility as we minister to God in his church—of which the tabernacle was but an inferior type (cf Heb 9:1-10)? It is unbelievable that anyone would dare to argue such John unequivocally states that those who go beyond the “teaching of Christ” have no fellowship with God (2 John 9) We may also associate the term with the pleas of the Restoration Movement such as: “Speak where the Bible speaks, be silent where it is silent.” “Do Bible things in Bible ways and call Bible things by Bible names.” “In matters of doctrine unity, in matters of opinion liberty, and in all matters, love.” God has been working toward restoration ever since the garden Paul was involved in restoration hundreds of years before Alexander Campbell was even born As we discuss restoration, we mean as much the restoration of the law under Josiah, as we the restoration of the walls of Jerusalem under Nehemiah Our concept of restoration must be expanded far beyond an American movement of the last two hundred years Ungodly men are always the enemies of the faith and of the peace of the church: (Jude 1:3-4) "Dear friends, although I was very eager to write to you about the salvation we share, I felt I had to write and urge you to contend for the faith that was once for all entrusted to the saints {4} For certain men whose condemnation was written about long ago have secretly slipped in among you They are godless men, who change the grace of our God into a license for immorality and deny Jesus Christ our only Sovereign and Lord." (Jude 1:17-18) "But, dear friends, remember what the apostles of our Lord Jesus Christ foretold {18} They said to you, "In the last times there will be scoffers who will follow their own ungodly desires."" The 18th, 19th, and 20th centuries have been preeminently an age of denominations We need to be clear about what God and the Bible say about the church The Reality of the Church In the city of Jerusalem on the first Pentecost after His ascension, Jesus established the church Acts records the activities that took place on that day and the prophecies which those activities fulfilled Being originally designed by Jesus, the church is, therefore, divinely organized and constituted Since Jesus is its head ((Ephesians 1:22) "And God placed all things under his feet and appointed him to be head over everything for the church,") and chief cornerstone ((Ephesians 2:9-10) "not by works, so that no one can boast {10} For we are God's workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.") …only the characteristics He has set forth for it in His supreme authority are approved of God No authority has been given to any man, body of men, or ecclesiastical body to change any of its features: (Matthew 28:18) "Then Jesus came to them and said, "All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me." Identifying Christ’s church: Designations 10 During his trip to Scotland, word came to him of the tragic death of his young son, Wycliffe He was Campbell’s pick, for he saw in him the future of the reforming movement Wycliffe displayed a brilliant mind Had already memorized much of the N.T and was working on the book of Proverbs Out swimming with friends in Buffalo Creek, just below the house – drowned Friends of A.C said he never recovered from that a Grieved the rest of his life b Resulted in a change in Campbell people could see C He then began accepting some things he had previously rejected Societies a He had taught that societies outside the church were man-made therefore unscriptural b In October, 1849 he was elected the first president of the American Christian Missionary Society He never accepted the instrument in worship a His wife Selena was once asked what Alexander thought of the instrument in worship b Said her husband’s saying for that was, “It sounds like a cowbell in a concert.” c Meaning it didn’t belong there D W.K Pendleton’s became editor of the Millennial Harbinger – 1866-1870 A son-in-law of Campbell’s twice Was guilty of revising Thomas Campbell’s “Declaration And Address” counsel to, “Speak where the Bible speaks and remain silent where the Bible is silent.” a He changed it to: Speak where the Bible speaks, but where the Bible is silent there is liberty b He explained that this was what T.C actually meant c In other words, if the Bible doesn’t condemn it, it is acceptable These views were applied to: a The Society; b Instrumental Music; c Higher Criticism; Of course it opened the doors to apostasy for the movement V Publications A The Christian Baptist – 1823-1830 B The Millennial Harbinger to his death in 1866 (1830-1870) W.K Pendleton was editor after his death to 1870 VI Note Other Men Influenced By The Campbells A B.F Hall – already mentioned Influential in concreting the teaching of baptism, “for the remission of sin.” Was one who influenced Tolbert Fanning in 1828 to be baptized for the remission of sin B “Raccoon” John Smith Tennessee Baptist Preacher who learned the faith Campbell said of him that he was the only man he knew that an education would have spoiled No Formal Education “Raccoon” from explaining that he was from so far back in the hollar that there was nothing but him and raccoons in there a He once said, “I am John Smith, from Stockton’s Valley In more recent years, I have lived in Wayne, among the rocks and hills of Cumberland Down there, saltpeter cave abound, and raccoons make their homes On that wild frontier we 86 never had good schools, nor many books; consequently, I stand before you to-day a man without an education But, my brethren, even in that ill-favored region, the Lord, in good time, found me He showed me his wondrous grace, and called me to preach the everlasting Gospel of his Son.” Life of Elder John Smith p.115 b The “Raccoon” name caught on A Prominent Figure a In 1827 he baptized 2000 people in Kentucky, nearly that many in 1828 b In January, 1832 when the Stone/Campbell movement came together, it was Smith, representing the Disciples, who extended the “right hand of fellowship” with Stone c It was Smith who was selected to ride with John Rogers to go throughout the region to tell of the coming together of the two groups Note A Couple of Stories Told a He was a Psychologist – He came into a small town to an empty meetinghouse on the outskirts He went in and began preaching to the top of his voice (much ranting and raving) A passer-by stopped and peeked in He hurried back to town to tell everyone a “nut-of-a-preacher” was down at the meeting house preaching with no one there With that the whole town came out to hear him He could get a crowd! b Once a camp meeting was waiting for John Smith to arrive and be the key-note speaker He held back until after dark The people waited He finally stormed in on horseback, grabbed a low limb on a tree and the horse continued on leaving him hanging He cried out while swinging, “Take Heed!” “Take Heed!” – over and over again Finally loosing his grip and falling cried, “LEST YE FALL!” – a good intro to a lesson on Cor 10:12 - A sermon design to dispel “once saved, always saved.” Only God knows what John Smith contributed to the restoration of N.T Christianity C John T Johnson Georgetown, Kentucky Highly educated lawyer and preacher among the Disciples Gave up law and political aspirations to preach He preached for the Disciples in Georgetown, and Stone preached for the Christians He and Stone became friends Was greatly instrumental in bringing the Christian/Disciples movement together on January 1, 1832 Publications – The Gospel Advocate – the forerunner of Fanning’s paper Co-edited the Christian Messenger with Stone in Georgetown D Phillip Slater Fall – from Kentucky In 1826 – a Baptist preacher Came to Nashville and converted nearly a whole Baptist Church to start the N.T church in Nashville – Nearly 200 members into the movement - 1827 a a small group of this number left to start the 1st Baptist Church of Nashville Once he studied Campbell’s teaching, he could see the Bible illuminated and he accepted it Later preached in Louisville, Kentucky doing a great work there His sister, Charlotte, married Tolbert Fanning – December 22, 1836 a She and her brother were born in Brighton, England b She was highly educated, teaching her brother Greek & Latin c Greatly aided her husband, Tolbert, in the work in Nashville E Walter Scott – Very Influential In Spreading the Gospel 87 F Tolbert Fanning – Accompanied Campbell on campaigns, was highly influenced by Campbell, but was willing to confront Campbell when he disagreed G Many others Conclusion – This is but a brief sketch of the lives of Thomas & Alexander Campbell This only scratches the surface of the work and influence they had in their short lives here on this earth #11 Restoration Studies: Raccoon John Smith I Of all the prominent preaches of the early restoration movement in Kentucky, it is probably "Raccoon" John Smith that stand out foremost n our minds His is an interesting story filled with humor and heartbreak He began his religious life as a Baptist and was devout, sincere, and faithful to His Father in Heaven II As Smith's life is studied, there is a tremendous lesson that surfaces Here is a great illustration of one whose love for the Truth was supreme In him we find the epitome of all who have searched for the simplicity of New Testament Christianity Body: I A brief account of Smith's life A Early life Born October 15, 1784 in east Tennessee Parents held to the Philadelphia Confession of Faith and this meant they were Baptists They were thorough-going Calvinists and felt one could not be saved until a mysterious call came from the Holy Spirit They were hard workers and each Sunday set the whole day aside for worship and reading the Bible In pioneer Kentucky, Smith had opportunity for little education The only education he had was a four-month period when a traveling schoolmaster came through his settlement Smith learned to read the Bible and soon was asked to read it at the family devotionals According to Baptist teachings, he waited for God to "call him" to salvation (have an experience) He tried to find God's call in every event Anxiety arose because no call came Finally, he was persuaded that God had called him and on December 26, 1804 he was voted into the Baptist church He wanted to preach and in 1808 was ordained He moved to Huntsville, Alabama during the War of 1812 seeking a greater success as a farmer While there tragedy struck his home two small children were burned alive in the cabin and his wife died with grief He went back to Kentucky B Years of religious change Arriving back in Kentucky, Smith was a beaten man He was invited to attend a Baptist Association meeting at Crab Orchard and was asked to speak Raccoon was poorly attired as 88 he stood to speak His homespun cotton pants were far too short His hat was shapeless, his socks too large for his shrunken ankles and they over his plow shoes His coat was faded and ripped Through his friend's encouragement, Smith resumed his preaching He remarried and began to start over But the deaths of his babies in Huntsville along with the inconsistencies of the Baptist doctrines began to weigh heavily upon his mind a He knew that children were innocent and he rebelled at the idea of their being sinners through Adam as taught by Calvinists b In 1822 he was preaching when suddenly he realized What's the need of urging sinners to repent? If they are elected to salvation, they will be saved If they are predestined to hell, they cannot believe So, why preach? He was too honest to continue preaching, so he sat down after confessing his confusion During this period of questioning, he became aware of The Christian Baptist by Alexander Campbell He eagerly read it but with suspicions, and he carefully compared each issue with Scripture Also, Smith had discussed his question with his wife Together they prayed about the matter and promised God that from then on only the Bible would be studied by them both Over the next three years, Smith came to these conclusions: a Human creeds are wrong and churches ought to reject all of them b Calvinism is the great evil in the doctrine of the Kentucky Baptist churches c He urged ALL to be saved by believing and obeying Christ C Consequences of his changes Once Smith took these positions, he turned squarely against his earlier teachings, parents, and a host of friends Even though he remained a Baptist and sought unity, he was expelled from the Baptist church in 1828 He realized how easy it was to allow religious error to dominate one's life and dictate one's thinking His preaching after these realizations was considered harsh by some, but he was trying to help others find the Truth he had discovered D He preached for the restoration of New Testament Christianity for over 40 years Through his efforts hundreds were immersed, thousands left denominations for New Testament simplicity, and churches after the New Testament order were established throughout Kentucky II From his life there are three points upon which we should focus From these facts, hopefully we will gain encouragement to pursue the simplicity of New Testament Christianity A His honesty regarding the Scriptures As he came to know the Truth of the New Testament, he did not try to rationalize his not doing it He did not close his eyes to God's commands If the Scriptures said one thing and he was not doing it, he changed his life He did not try to change the Scriptures! His desire is stated well in Psalms 119:33,34 Honesty compelled him to turn from those he loved most so he could be acceptable with God (Mt 10:37-38) B His uncompromising convictions He was convinced that Scripture was right If so, he MUST follow Scripture without any change Soon after Smith began preaching New Testament Christianity, his friends urged him to cease or else his denomination would become upset and not pay him Smith said, "Conscience is an article that I have never yet brought into market; but should I offer it for sale, Montgomery County, with all its land and houses, would not be enough to buy it." 89 He could not refrain from opposing teaching that stood in the way of lost souls which he believed Calvinism did "He was fearless, positive, humorous, and uncompromising in his presentation of the Truth He had strong convictions that money, position, or prestige could not buy." Such is in harmony with God's Will (2 Ti 4:2; Co 15:58) C His supreme goal of unity He was one of the major movers in getting the unity of the Stone and Campbell groups in 1831 "Let us, then my brethren, be no longer Campbellites or Stoneites, New Lights or Old Lights, or any other kind of lights; but let us come to the Bible and to the Bible alone, as the only book in the world that can give us all the light we need." (From unity meeting of 1831) Such a goal is Scriptural (1 Co 1:10) Conclusion: I As you survey this man, you are awed at his fearless independence and watch with profound admiration his zeal at persuading stubborn subjects of the King of Kings He loved the Lord and the cause of truth and everything else good and noble and pure with a heart that had no limits He was a good man, a noble man, and a courageous man II On the Lord's Day, February 9, 1868, Smith arose to go to church and preach It was an unusually cold day He walked home from church, his body of 84 years shivering in the cold For the next three weeks he lay sick and passed in death on Friday, February 28, 1868 III The week after Smith's death, a letter was written by a good friend which contained this paragraph "Last week our venerable John Smith was brought here from Mexico, Missouri and planted in our cemetery, a beautiful spot to lay until our Lord comes He was with one of his daughters in Mexico He was in his 84th year and was seriously ill for only a few days He was not only a good, but an extraordinary man What he knew to be truth he would preach anywhere and insist upon it No man in Kentucky or the West has been more efficient for Christ than John Smith In 1827 he immersed 700 persons God has greatly blessed his ministry since he became an advocate for the whole truth." 90 #12 Growth & Departures Introduction A The Stone and Campbell movements between 1828 and 1832 are moving closer and closer together B Campbell, by 1830 had distanced himself from the Baptists C Both have come to accept baptism for the remission of sins D Unity is on its way I Leading Up To Unity in 1832 A Stone meets Campbell in Georgetown, Kentucky 1824 They agreed that sectarianism was anti-Christian All Christians should be united in one body Taught that creeds and confessions were the strong props of sectarianism Evidence of Scripture was sufficient to produce faith Both accept baptism for remission of sins Both reject all names but Christian B Stone Befriends John T Johnson in 1831 Johnson preaches for Disciples Church in Georgetown, KY Stone preaches for Christian Church in Georgetown, KY Both work tirelessly to unite both groups C Christmas, 1831 = The Meeting Of The Minds Met on Sunday and arranged to meet each day of the week leading to the New Year's Day Additional preachers involved were: John Rogers & "Raccoon" John Smith 91 Met at the Oldham Cotton Factory, 168 N Broadway Georgetown (Today a Civics Center) Speeches were spontaneous, (no agenda) John Smith was the first to speak: a “Let us, then my brethren, be no longer Campbellites or Stoneites, New Lights or Old Lights, or any other kind of lights, but let us come to the Bible and to the Bible alone, as the only book in the world that can give us all the light we need.” D On New Years Day, 1832: John Smith & Barton Stone extend the right hand of fellowship and with it two separate movements become one II The Spreading Of Good News A John Rogers and John Smith are selected to go throughout the country for one year to tell the churches of the unity of the new movement All churches contribute to the financial need of both men and their families J.T Johnson is selected to hold the purse and distribute the funds B Success Is Experienced III Some Highlights over the next few years A In 1835 "The Disciple's Hymn Book" is distributed Bearing the names of B.W Stone, A Campbell, Walter Scott, & J.T Johnson C 1836 - Bacon College begins with Walter Scott as first president Georgetown, Kentucky J.T Johnson was Vice-President Walter Scott spoke on the opening day of the school, returned home and never returned to the campus Moves to Harrodsburg in 1839 a Because of Financial difficulties b Building erected July 29, 1839 College closes June 14, 1850 due to financial problems D Defunct Bacon College Becomes Kentucky University J.B Bowman and others secure a new charter from the Kentucky Legislature to begin a new University on the old Bacon College Campus, 1858 Kentucky University opens September 19, 1859 a Robert Milligan of Bethany College elected 1st president 1) Later president of the College of the Bible 2) Writer of GA commentary on the book of Hebrews Main building burns February 16, 1864 Transylvania College in Lexington, now defunct offers the campus to Kentucky University and approved by legislative act February 28, 1865 E 1841 - Campbell Begins Bethany College under direction of A Campbell F 1844 - B.W Stone dies in Saturday, November 1844 at 4:00 a.m in Hannibal, Missouri Later re-buried at Cane Ridge, Kentucky IV Digression Begins With The American Christian Missionary Society in 1849 A Annual meetings of church leaders caused them to plan works of outreach People wanted to work outside of the church (congregationally) Pooled money from different churches could insure more work B A society was developed to evangelism 92 Met for four day beginning October 23, 1849 in Cincinnati at Christian Chapel, cnr Of Walnut and 8th St A Campbell was not in attendance due to sickness W.K Pendleton comes in his place 156 delegates in attendance Alexander Campbell elected the first president with 23 vice-presidents of which included: D.S Burnett, Walter Scott, T.M Allen, W.K Pendleton, John T Johnson, Tolbert Fanning Two secretaries and a treasurer (Jesse B Ferguson) C Campbell's Involvement Is Mixed Before its existence he didn't support it Just before it came together he spoke in favor of it Was the first president of it, but very low key David Lipscomb's later surmising: a In A.C's old age he allowed younger men sway his judgment b Remember the 1847 visit to Scotland and the events that took place there, the arrest, the death of Wycliffe at home, the illness, etc caused some to say that A.C was never the same when he returned home c T Fanning related a visit made to A.C after the society was formed He said, " he stated that he was shocked to find his (Campbell's) mind was so shaken that he could, with difficulty, keep it on one subject; that he could converse in general terms on things he had studied in the past, but that all power of close, connected reasoning was gone; that he had to be continually prompted to keep up an ordinary conversation." D Some who early on supported the Society later opposed it as being unscriptural Jesse B Ferguson, Nashville, editor of the Christian Magazine recorded at the close of 1849 a number of write-in comments against the Society James M Mathis, editor of The Christian Record, in Indiana said, "A missionary society was formed for the spread of the gospel in our own and foreign lands This is quite an important measure We have always been in favor of sending the gospel to the destitute at home and abroad; but our own plan was to all this through the church, as such." Benjamin Franklin, editor of the American Christian Review originally supported it, but in later years opposed it Jacob Creath, Jr opposed it from almost the beginning J.T Johnson supported it to just before his death Tolbert Fanning and Granville Lipscomb began the Gospel Advocate in 1855 coming out strongly against the Society E Early Work of The A.C.M.S The first foreign mission point was Jerusalem James Turner Barkley selected to be the first missionary a He was a one-time owner of Monticello, six years after T Jefferson died b In 1850 selected to go Jerusalem c Arrived in Jerusalem Feb 10, 1851 d Left to return during the summer of 1854 e Not much accomplished while there African Work in 1853 93 a Alexander Cross, a black slave-preacher from Kentucky selected b Departed from Baltimore November 5, 1853 c Arrived in January, 1854 in Monrovia d Two months spent in preparation to preach e Warned before departure to be careful in the hot African sun f He took very little heed to the warning g While on a fourteen-mile boat ride up the St Paul's river, got sun stroke In a few days got a fever and died h Never preached a sermon Other works developed over the next few year leading up to the Civil War in 1861 a J.O Beardslee to Jamaica Jan 20, 1858 b W.W Eaton to Nova Scotia, 1858 c John O'Kane to Kansas, 1859 The Civil War separated brethren, disallowing involvement by southern brethren a Probably the chief reason southern churches move away from supporting the society V The Introduction of Instruments of Music A Scattered reports of the introduction of the instrument were reported as early as 1851 Aylette Raines recorded in his diary that a Brother Saunders wanted to introduce it at Millersburg, KY but he bitterly opposed it, April, 1851 B In the early 1850's discussion in Journals became prevalent Many wrote in requesting studies on the instrument of music J.B Henshall in Ecclesiastical Reformer, wrote against its introduction by saying that those wanting to introduce it were "worldly minded." A Campbell in an article in the Millennial Harbinger, October, 1851 said, " I presume, to all spiritually-minded Christians such aids would be as a cow bell in a concert." C Ben Franklin wrote against it in 1860 by saying that it would be only permissible if a church or preacher had lost the Spirit of Christ and were trying to become a fashionable society rather than the church of the Bible L.L Pinkerton of Midway, KY responded that as far as he was aware the church at Midway where he preached was the only one of his knowledge where the instrument had been successfully introduced D Instruments At Midway Christian Church, Kentucky Added because of the deplorable singing Pinkerton did not originate the idea of introducing the instrument He did say the singing, "scare even the rats from worship." At first they met in the home of some brethren on Saturday night for practice, to get the right pitch Before long one of the sisters was accompanying the singing with playing the melodeon The group noted how the accompaniment helped the singing, and so decided to use it at worship the following Sunday Thompson Parrish played the instrument at the Sunday service Three Melodeons 94 a Initially, Adam Hibler, one of the elders, late one night helped his slave, Reuben, through the window to remove it from the building With an axe they chopped it up in a thousand pieces on the church’s front lawn b Another was purchased Adam Hibler again, sneaking over late at night, sent his slave, Reuben in to get the Melodeon It was passed through the window, placed on his wagon, taken home and hidden in his barn c Another was purchased, but later was destroyed as the building burned around the turn of the 20th century Some years ago, the stolen melodeon was found and placed in the library at Midway College where it sits on display to this day E Opposition Increased As Its Use Spread 1864 - J.W McGarvey wrote against it in the Millennial Harbinger 1864 - Moses Lard addressed it in Lard's Quarterly, Vol #3 (March Issue) VI The Church During The Civil War A Many lost their faith B Many enlisted in the military C Preachers were amazingly silent on the subject of war and slavery Many of them joined the military for both sides Garfield in the north Dr Winthrop Hartly Hopson & Benjamin Franklin Hall, Alvinzi Thomas, and others joined the south as chaplains D It was difficult to find people who would come to hear the gospel preached J.H Dunn & John Taylor helped maintain churches in Alabama Nathan W Smith & Dr Daniel Hook helped maintain churches in Georgia The Lipscomb brothers, R.B Trimble, J.J Trott, W.D Carnes, W.C Huffman and others helped maintain churches in Tennessee E A number of the journals ceased publication during the war F The Biggest Wedge that took place during the Civil War between brethren in the North and Brethren in the south was when the Missionary Society officially condemned the South Southern churches were appalled VII After The War A Many of the issues that were at the forefront before the war were picked up again B The Gospel Advocate began again in 1866 with Tolbert Fanning and David Lipscomb as co-editors initially focusing on a Christian’s involvement in Civil Affairs C Over the next forty years, the development of the Society and the introduction of the instrument further splintered the church of Christ By 1884 the Church of Christ and the Christian Church were separate entities Lines had been drawn by many Not until the 1906 U.S Census we see the complete separation of the two movements recognized by the government D Alexander Campbell dies March 4, 1866 at home in Bethany, West Virginia VIII Further Splintering In The Christian Church A The College of the Bible J.W McGarvey, long time teacher and administrator in the College of The Bible 95 Fought many battles to preserve the truth a Since its inception with the University of Kentucky in 1869 b Confrontations with Regent John Bowman led to McGarvey's dismissal as teacher in September, 1873 c Reappointed 1874 d Pulled away and started a new College of the Bible In July, 1877 e Returned to U.K campus June 11, 1878 f In 1895 McGarvey is made President of the College of the Bible and served until his death in 1911 After his death in 1911, Hall Laurie Calhoun, groomed by McGarvey for this position, took the presidency temporarily Major controversy in March, 1917 over Higher Criticism a Liberal, German influenced, interpretation of Bible and how it came into existence b Teaching of evolution by some of the teachers such as E.E Snoddy, A.W Fortune c Unwillingness of President Henry H Crossfield to take a stand d H.L Calhoun fights the battle of his life: preserving truth and fighting against the liberals College of the Bible goes into apostasy over Higher Criticism Conclusion A Three things that destroyed the unity of the Restoration Movement: The Introduction of the American Christian Missionary Society The Introduction of the instrument of music into the worship assembly The religious institutions went off into Higher Criticism B Lessons to be learned The Bible is clear in its authority for worship and godly living The Restoration Movement is the United States is movement that deserves continuous effort to promote The men and women who sacrificed were not perfect and are not honored in any area where they may have failed They are honored in their attempts, no matter how successful, in moving men back to the Bible as their authority of faith and religion Great Women of the Restoration Movement The contributions of women to the carrying out of the Great Commission is sometimes sadly overlooked What would the history of the RM look like without its women? The influence and efforts of women to bring about changes in the lives of individuals through the knowledge of the gospel of Jesus has been greatly felt and should be acknowledged, recorded and remembered Kind and benevolent acts have been done through their work that have forever changed the course of this nation because of women There have been loving and devoted wives, such as Elizabeth Rogers, who have borne the business of raising children and running the day to day activities of home life while their preaching husbands spent months away preaching and planting churches There have been women, such as Charlotte Fall Fanning, who have actively pursued the education of young women to help train them for successful life Women such as Emma Page Larimore, who was not only known for her encouragement to T.B Larimore in his senior years as his second wife, but excelled in writing for publications and was an author of children's 96 literature as well as biographical information There were wealthy benefactors, such as Emily H Tubman, who through their blessed fortunes blessed churches, evangelists, schools, and missionaries through financial assistance Where possible the pictures of graves of wives of restoration leaders, as well as their influence has been added to this website on the page dedicated to their husbands Though some are listed on this page, not all the women on this site will be listed here Documentation of the acts and lives of women in the RM is scarce, but efforts are being made to record and give tribute to their efforts This page is dedicated to these women in hopes that greater awareness of their commitments will be remembered Richard McNemar The Last Will and Testament of Springfield Presbytery (1808) FROM HERALD OF GOSPEL LIBERTY BY ELIAS SMITH NO ] THURSDAY EVENING, SEPTEMBER 1, 1808 [ VOL "FROM REALMS FAR DISTANT, AND FROM CLIMES UNKNOWN: WE MAKE THE KNOWLEDGE OF OUR KING YOU OWN." R E L I G I O U S I N T E L L I G E N C E Revival of Religion and Reformation in Kentucky Within seven years past, there has been the greatest out-pouring of the spirit of God, in Kentucky, Tennessee, and the adjacent parts, even known since the settlement of North-America It has been extended not only to the conversion of Atheists, Deists, and men of wretched characters, of every rank, from the highest to the lowest: but it has produced a reformation in those who had formerly professed religion under the fashionable party names now contended for in the world It is our design in future numbers, to give the readers an account of the beginning and progress of the revival, and, the view those reformed ministers and churches have of the church of Christ, as described in the new testament 97 Those men have agreed to give up all the party names and rules made by men, and to name the name of Christ, and walk by his rule, which is the New Testament The Presbyterians of Springfield have dissolved the Presbyterian body, and have given an account of it to the public in the following singular curious will; called, "The last will and testament of SPRINGFIELD PRESBYTERY The Presbytery of Springfield, sitting at Caneridge, in the county of Bourbon, being through a gracious Providence, in more than ordinary bodily health, growing in strength and size daily, and in perfect soundness and composure of mind; but knowing that it is appointed for all delegated bodies once to die and considering that the life of every such body is very uncertain, make and ordain this our Last Will and Testament, in manner and form following, viz: Imprimis We will that this body die, be dissolved, and sink into union with the Body of Christ at large: for there is but one body and one spirit, even as we are called in one hope of our calling Item We will, that our name of distinction, with its Reverend title, be forgotten, that there be but one Lord over God's heritage, and his name one Item We will, that our power of making laws for the government of the church, and executing them by delegated authority, forever cease; that, the people may have free course to the Bible, and adopt the law of the spirit of life in Christ Jesus Item We will, that candidates for the Gospel ministry henceforth study the holy scriptures with fervent prayer, and obtain license from God to preach the simple Gospel with the Holy Ghost sent down from heaven, without any mixture of philosophy, vain deceit, [2] traditions of men, the rudiments of the world And let none henceforth take this honor to himself, but he that is called of God, as was Aaron Item We will, that the church of Christ assume her native right of internal government try her candidates for the ministry, as to their soundness in the faith, acquaintance with experimental religion, gravity and aptness to teach; and admit no other proof of their authority, but Christ speaking in them We will that the church of Christ look up to the Lord of the harvest to send forth labourers into his harvest; and that she resume her primitive right of trying those who say they are Apostles, and are not Item We will, that each particular church, as a body, actuated by the same spirit, choose her own preacher, and support him by a free will offering without written call or subscription admit members remove offences; and never henceforth delegate her right of government to any man or set of men whatever Item We will, that the people henceforth take the Bible as the only sure guide to heaven; and as many as are offended with other books, which stand in competition with it, may cast them into the fire if they choose: for it is better to enter into life having one book, than having many to be cast into hell Item We will, that preachers and people, cultivate a spirit of mutual forbearance, pray more and dispute less; and while they behold the signs of the times, look up and confidently expect that redemption draweth nigh Item We will, that our weak brethren, who may have been wishing to make the Presbytery of Springfield their king, and wot not what is now become of it, betake themselves to the rock of ages, and follow Jesus for the future Item We will, that the Synod of Kentucky examine every member, who may be suspected of having departed from the Confession of faith, and suspend every such suspected heretic immediately; in order that the oppressed may go free, and taste the sweets of Gospel liberty Item We will, that Ja -, the author of two letters lately published in Lexington, be encouraged in his zeal to destroy partyism We will, moreover, that our past conduct be examined 98 into by all who may have correct information; but let foreigners beware of speaking evil of things which they know not Item Finally we will, that all our sister bodies, read their Bibles carefully, that they may see their fate there determined, and prepare for death before it is too late Springfield Presbytery, (L S.) June 28th, 1804 ROBERT MARSHALL, } JOHN DUNLAVY, RICHARD M'NEMAR, Witnesses B W STONE, JOHN THOMPSON, DAVID PURVIANCE [Herald of Gospel Liberty (September 1, 1808): 2-3.] ABOUT THE ELECTRONIC EDITION The publication of Richard McNemar's "Last Will and Testament of Springfield Presbytery" in The Herald of Gospel Liberty (Vol 1, No 1, 1808, pp 2-3) is the first known serial publication of the document McNemar not Barton W Stone is identified as the author by John Marshall (one of the six signers of the document) in his A Brief Historical Account of the Newlight Church (1811): When we first existed as a church, we had the Presbyterial form of government But Richard M'Nemar, that eccentric genius, who was then believed by most of us to possess a high degree of piety, power, and great light in religion, took it into his head that our existence in a formal body, as a Presbytery, was contrary to scripture that our bond of union was a carnal bond that we ought to be united by no bond but Christian love and that this delegated body stood full in the way of Christ, and the progress of the revival; which revival would run like fire in dry stubble, if our Presbytery was out of the way With these enchanting views, and others as visionary and vain, he prepared a piece at home, and brought it to the last meeting of our Presbytery held at Caneridge, Bourbon County, Kentucky, June, 1804, entitled, "The Last Will and Testament of Springfield Presbytery." None of us had the least thought of such a thing when we came to that meeting; and when it was proposed, we had many objections against dissolving our Presbytery But, after being together several days, those enthusiastic fancies so far gained the ascendency over our judgment, that we consented to subscribe the obnoxious instrument Pagination in the electronic version has been represented by placing the page number in brackets following the last complete word on the printed page Inconsistencies in spelling, capitalization, punctuation, and typography have been retained; however, corrections for misspellings and other accidental corruptions have been offered Emendations are as follows: Printed Text [ Electronic Text p 2: to to the lowest: [ to the lowest: p 3: chuse [ choose chuse: [ choose: redemptioh [ redemption Spring-field [ Springfield Richard McNemar The Last Will and Testament of Springfield Presbytery (1808) 99 100