Early Stone-Campbell Leaders Sectarians?

[Lee Freeman]

Do these sound like the statements of sectarians?

The scriptures will never keep together in union, and fellowship members who have not the spirit of the scriptures, which spirit is love, peace, unity, forbearance, and cheerful obedience. This is the spirit of the great Head of the body. I blush for my fellows, who hold up the Bible as the bond of union yet make their opinions it tests of fellowship; who plead for union of all-Christians; yet refuse fellowship with such as dissent from their notions. Vain men! Their zeal is not according to knowledge, nor is their spirit that of Christ. There is a day not far ahead which will declare it. Such antisectarian sectarians are doing more mischief to the cause, and advancement of truth, the unity of Christians, and the salvation of the world, than all the skeptics in the world. In fact, they make skeptics. (Barton W. Stone, "Remarks," Christian Messenger, August 1835, p. 180).


It is, to us, a pleasing consideration that all the churches of Christ, which mutually acknowledge each other as such, are not only agreed in the great doctrines of faith and holiness; but are also materially agreed, as to the positive ordinances of Gospel institution; so that our differences, at most, are about the things in which the kingdom of God does not consist, that is, about matters of private opinion, or human invention. What a pity, that the kingdom of God should be divided about such things!! (T. Campbell, the "Declaration and Address," 1809)


That as it is not necessary that persons should have a particular knowledge or distinct apprehension of all Divinely-revealed truths in order to entitle them to a place in the Church; neither should they, for this purpose, be required to make a profession more extensive than their knowledge; but that, on the contrary, their having a due measure of Scriptural self-knowledge respecting their lost and perishing condition by nature and practice, and of the way of salvation through Jesus Christ, accompanied with a profession of their faith in and obedience to him, in all things, according to his word, is all that is absolutely necessary to qualify them for admission into the church. (Thomas Campbell from the Declaration & Address, quoted by Alexander Campbell in Memoirs of Elder Thomas Campbell, pp. 49-50)




The one fact is, that Jesus the Nazarene is the Messiah. The evidence upon which it is to be believed is the testimony of twelve men, confirmed by prophecy, miracles, and spiritual gifts. The one institution is baptism into the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Every such person is a christian [sic] in the fullest sense of the word, the moment he has believed this one fact, upon the above evidence, and has submitted to the above mentioned institution; and whether he believes the five points condemned or the five points approved by the synod of Dort, is not so much as to be asked of him; whether he holds any of the views of the Calvinists or Arminians, Presbyterians, Episcopalians, Methodists, Baptists, or Quakers, is never once to be asked of such a person, in order to admission into the christian [sic] community, called the church. (A. Campbell, "The Foundation of Hope and of Christian Union," Christian Baptist, April 5, 1824)

The Saviour expressly declared to Peter, that upon this fact that he was the Messiah, the Son of God, he would build his church; and Paul has expressly declared, that "other foundation can no man lay (for ecclesiastical union) than that Jesus is the Christ." The point is proved that we have assumed, and this proved, every thing is established requisite to the union of all christians [sic] upon a proper basis. Every sectarian scheme falls before it, and on this principle alone can the whole church of Christ be built. We are aware of many objections to this grand scheme, revealed by God, to establish righteousness, peace, and harmony among men; but we know of none that weighs a grain of sand against it. We shall meet them all (Deo volente) in due time and place. (A. Campbell, “The Foundation of Hope and of Christian Union,” Christian Baptist No. 5, April, 1824)


DEAR BROTHER--FOR such I recognize you, notwithstanding the varieties of opinion which you express on some topics, on which we might never agree. But if we should not, as not unity of opinion, but unity of faith, is the only true bond of christian [sic] union, I will esteem and love you, as I do every man, of whatever name, who believes sincerely that Jesus is the Messiah, and hopes in his salvation. And as to the evidence of this belief and hope, I know of none more decisive than an unfeigned obedience, and willingness to submit to the authority of the Great King. (A. Campbell, "A Reply to the Above" [Campbell's response to German Baptist Jake Hostetter, whose association of Dunkard churches united with Campbell's churches in 1828], CB, March 6, 1826; Hostetter had asked Campbell about foot-washing, the holy kiss and frequency of communion, expressing slightly different views than Campbell)


This plan of making our own nest, and fluttering over our own brood; of building our own tent, and of confining all goodness and grace to our noble selves and the "elect few" who are like us, is the quintessence of sublimated pharisaism. . . . To lock ourselves up in the bandbox of our own little circle; to associate with a few units, tens, or hundreds, as the pure church, as the elect, is real Protestant monkery, it is evangelical nunnery. (A. Campbell, "To an independent Baptist," CB May 1, 1826)


That all men err, and, consequently, you and I, is, as you say, a self-evident position, and it is one reason why I never dare impose my inferences or my reasonings and conclusions upon others as terms of christian [sic] communion. Whatever is matter of fact, plain and incontrovertible testimony, is that, and that alone, in which we cannot err--and that only should be made a term of communion. Our safety is in an unerring rule. By that let us walk; and if in any thing we should be otherwise minded, God will teach us, by our own experience, what we fail to learn from precept. (A. Campbell, "Reply to Brother Clack," [Reply to Baptist Bro. Spencer Clack], Millennial Harbinger, April 1, 1830)


Because, mark me closely, I do admit that a person who believes the gospel, and cannot be immersed, may obtain remission. So that I cannot take the affirmative and say remission is absolutely suspended upon being baptized in water. (Alexander Campbell, "Reply to [Baptist Pastor] James Fishback No. I," MH, July 2, 1832)


To require of every such applicant a statement of his views of each and every fact and ordinance in the Christian Institution; or to command a person, without examination, to nullify his former profession and to be baptized for the remission of sins, is, indeed, to paganize all immersed persons, and to place the world, the whole world, Jew, Gentile and Christian, just as it was on the day of Pentecost. (AC, "Reply," MH, 1835)


We have always preached that "he that believes the gospel and is immersed shall be saved." If, then, we must erect a new tribunal to determine the true believers, and the true gospel, and the true baptism, before admission to the Lord's table, we ought to abandon the no-creed system, and make the christian [sic] immersion a church business and have a vote in the church on all the "candidates for immersion."

But I oppose this whole course of procedure, because it is alien to the reformation;--the Bible alone system--and is in fact building again the things which we have been pulling down. It is turning away the ears of the people from the gospel to debates about words. . . (AC, "The Apostolic Advocate," MH, May, 1836)


But who is a Christian? I answer, Every one that believes in his heart that Jesus of Nazareth is the Messiah, the Son of God; repents of his sins, and obeys him in all things according to his measure of knowledge of his will. . . . Should I find a Pedobaptist more intelligent in the Christian Scriptures, more spiritually minded and more devoted to the Lord than a Baptist, or one immersed on a profession of the ancient faith, I could not hesitate a moment in giving the preference of my heart to him that loveth most. Did I act otherwise, I would be a pure sectarian, a Pharisee among Christians. Still I will be asked, How do I know that any one loves my Master but by his obedience to his commandments? I answer, in no other way. But mark, I do not substitute obedience to one commandment, for universal or even for general obedience. And should I see a sectarian Baptist or a Pedobaptist more spiritually minded, more generally conformed to the requisitions of the Messiah, than one who precisely acquiesces with me in the theory or practice of immersion as I teach, doubtless the former, rather than the latter, would have my cordial approbation and love as a Christian. So I judge, and so I feel. It is the image of Christ the Christian looks for and loves; and this does not consist in being exact in a few items, but in general devotion to the whole truth as far as known. . . . There is no occasion, then, for making immersion, on a profession of faith, absolutely essential to a Christian--though it may be greatly essential to his sanctification and comfort. . . . (A Campbell, "Any Christians Among Protestant Parties?," MH, Sept., 1837; Campbell's response to the Lunenburg Letter.)


We speak for ourselves only; and while we are always willing to give a declaration of our faith and knowledge of the Christian system, we firmly protest against dogmatically propounding our own views, or those of any fallible mortal, as a condition or foundation of church union and co-operation. (A. Campbell, Preface to the 2nd ed. of The Christian System, 1839)


We do not suppose all unimmersed persons to be absolute aliens from the family of God--nor are they absolutely excluded from any participation with us in prayer or in the Lord's supper. (Alexander Campbell, "The Christian Magazine," MH, March, 1845) To the idea that Campbell repudiated his views in the Lunenburg Letter, this is eight years after he wrote the response to the Lunenburg Letter.


If he will dogmatize and become a factionist, we reject him--not because of his opinions, but because of his attempting to make a faction, or to lord it over God's heritage. (A. Campbell, commenting on how to deal with heresy)


More below.

Pax.

[Lee Freeman]

About this period the "Evangelical Alliance," designed to promote the union of Christians, attracted much of Mr. Campbell's attention, and was hailed by him with great satisfaction as an indication of the approach of a better era. As to the basis of union which it proposed, he expressed a substantial agreement, though objecting to some of the expressions employed as unscriptural. He pointed out the resemblance of the movement to that of the "Christian Association" in Washington in 1809, which, like the Evangelical Alliance, assumed not the character of a church, but of a society to promote union among Christians, and remarked, at the close of his article:

”I said at the beginning, I say at the close, of my notice of the Evangelical Alliance, that I thank God and take courage at every effort, however imperfect it may be, to open the eyes of the community to the impotency and wickedness of schism, and to impress upon the conscientious and benevolent portion of the Christian profession the excellency, the beauty and the necessity of co-operation in the cause of Christ as prerequisite to the diffusion of Christianity throughout the nations of the earth.

”The Reformation for which we plead grew out of a conviction of the enormous evils of schism and partyism, and the first article ever printed by any of the co-operants in the present effort was upon the subject of the necessity, practicability and excellency of Christian union and communion, in order to the purification and extension of the Christian profession. The abjuration of human creeds as roots of bitterness and apples of discord, as the permanent causes of all sectarianism, was set forth as a preliminary step to the purification of the Church and the conversion of the world. The restoration of a pure speech, or the giving of Bible names to Bible ideas, followed in its train, and from these standing-points we have been led step by step to our present position, each one of the prime movers adding to the common stock something of importance, until matters have issued in one of the most extensive moral and ecclesiastical movements and revolutions of the present age.” (A. Campbell's views on the Evangelical Alliance, from Robert Richardson’s Memoirs of Alexander Campbell, Volume II, Chapter XVII)


Were we, indeed, asked to define theoretically, in terms the most brief and expressive the reformation which we urge, we should denominate it-A generalization of Christianity. It is in this character that it presents a basis of Christian union. It is in this point that it lays aside the differences; the peculiarities; the distinctions, which disunite and mark out sects; and retains the agreements, the universalities, the identities which secure harmony and peace.  . . . (Robert Richardsomn, "Reformation No. IV, MH, Sept., 1847)


Some weeks ago the Christian Standard said those who are engaged in the current reformation and commonly known as “disciples of Christ,” or “Christians,” do not, in the aggregate, make up, or constitute, the church of Christ. It is marvelous what a great commotion such an innocent-looking little statement has produced. . . .

There are many who have been scripturally baptized and are living godly lives who are not counted with us. There are such persons in the Baptist Church, the Methodist Church, and in many other churches. Therefore, the Standard concludes we are not the church of Christ. The reasoning is good, the definitions seem correct, and the Standard, I think, is right. The question of apostasy enters into this problem. Men and churches apostatize. We do not know exactly the point  at which God ceases to recognize a man as a Christian because of apostasy. We know Christians can apostatize, and we know God does not recognize apostates as Christians. The same is true of churches. What was the church of Christ while Paul lived ceased to be the church of Christ because of apostasy in the centuries after. But to determine the exact time when the Lord ceased to recognize it as the church of Christ because of apostasy would be impossible. God only knows that time. No church is any time wholly free from apostasy. The mystery of iniquity is continually working in all churches. That God does bear with evil doers and continue to recognize a church as a church of Christ after it has committed some very grave errors, the Bible clearly teaches. That such errors, if persisted in and increased, will carry the church beyond the limits of God’s forbearance and cause him to cease to recognize it as a church of Christ, is also clearly taught. But the exact point it ceases to be a church of Christ because of apostasy no man can tell. From this point of view, therefore, it would be impossible to say, “we as a people” compose the church of Christ. Many who yet remain among us as a people may have long since passed the limit of God’s forbearance by apostasy. The safer plan, therefore, is for every man to “fear God and keep his commandments.” (FD Srygley, "The Current Reformation not the Church", Gospel Advocate, 1889)


It is wrong to make anything a condition of fellowship which is not essential to salvation. We draw the line here. That which will damn a soul and separate us in the next world should divide us in this; nothing else should. (FD Srygley, "We Ought to Agree Among Ourselves," GA, 1889)


I do not pitch into my brethren who do not do exactly as I do, or understand everything just as I do, for two reasons: 1. I can understand how it is possible for them to act correctly and still not always do exactly as I do. 2. I love my brethren, and, long, long ago solemly resolved never to go to war with them, or, rather, against them. It seems to suit some good brethren to dispute with each other; but it does not suit me. - (TB Larimore, ca. 1897)


When Bro. [Enos] Campbell took my confession on my twenty-first birthday, he questioned me relative to none of these "matters now retarding the progress of the cause of Christ." While thousands have stood before me, hand in mine, and made the "good confession," I have never questioned one of them about these "matters." Shall I now renounce and disfellowship all of those who do not understand these things exactly as I understand them? They may refuse to recognise or fellowship or affiliate with ME; but I will NEVER refuse to recognise or fellowship or affiliate with them-NEVER.- (TB Larimore, ca. 1897)


Pax.