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Alexander Campbell Memoirs of Elder Thomas Campbell (1861) |
FAREWELL DISCOURSE OF THOMAS CAMPBELL.
DELIVERED IN BETHANY MEETING-HOUSE, JUNE 1ST, 1851,
IN HIS EIGHTY-EIGHTH YEAR.
WE reserve our remarks on the following discourse to the close of it, leaving the reader to form his own judgment of its contents and its bearings.
"Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind, and thy neighbor as thyself."--MATT. xxii: 37, 40.
BELOVED FRIENDS AND BRETHREN: It has been the affectionate wish of many beloved friends and brethren in Christ, that, in view of the necessity which the infirmity of age and loss of my sight lay upon me to cease from my labors in the public ministry of the word, I should give a farewell discourse to those of my friends and brethren who meet statedly in this place, and with many of whom it has been my distinguished privilege, for many years, to unite in the worship of our adorable heavenly Father. But I have heretofore felt myself discouraged, by my failing capacity, to undertake to perform a task so affectionately urged by you, and on that account, also so much desired by myself. But it has pleased my heavenly Father to bring me hither this morning, the subject of his mercy and the object of his unwearied care, and I am, by his strengthening grace, here to commune with you, as best I can, upon the common duties, [215] privileges, and hopes of the people of God. May the God of all grace give me strength so to do, to the glory of his adorable name!
Here let me observe, that in suitableness to my state of infirmity and age, and this solemn occasion, which we are impressively admonished to consider as the last public service of my long-protracted life, I have felt myself excited to call your attention to the due consideration of the great radical principle of our holy religion, so sententiously and comprehensively set forth by our blessed Lord, in the response which he gave to one of the Pharisees, a teacher of the law, who asked him a question tempting him, saying, "Master, which is the great commandment in the law?"{1} The reply of our blessed Lord to this seemingly perplexing question, is most sententious and comprehensive. It embraces the entire scope and design of all Divine law, and leaves no room either for ignorance or doubt. Listen to his simple, yet all-comprehensive reply: "Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like unto it. Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself. On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets."{2}
My beloved brethren, you will please observe that this answer, apparently so extemporaneous and unpremeditated, is yet so explicit as to leave no room for misapprehension on the part of any, even the most ignorant; so that the wayfaring man, though a simpleton, can practically understand and obey it; and, at the same time, so all-comprehensive, that no thought of the human mind can conceive of any duty which it does not include--for we can do nothing more, either to God or our neighbor, than is required in these words. We are called upon to love God with all our powers, and [216] our neighbors as ourself. On these two commandments, our blessed Savior assures us, hang all the law and the prophets. And it must be so, for we can go no higher in our duty to God, than thus to consecrate our heart, soul, and mind in adoring devotion to him; nor to our neighbor, than to love him as ourself in all things relating to his happiness and wellbeing, both in this life and the life to come.
Here are two objects: 1st. The Author of all being and blessedness calling upon us to love him; upon us, frail and perishing worms of the dust; not to perform some marvelous work; not to offer, upon bloody altars, the cattle upon a thousand hills; not to do painful penance, or torture ourselves with cruel scourgings, and starve ourselves with protracted fastings; but simply to love him with all our heart, and soul, and mind. This is all. To love him, the adorable Father. And who should not love him, who made us all, preserves us all, every moment of our being, and provides for us every blessing that earth can give or heart desire? To love him is all; yet what could we more?--for this includes the second object: the love of our neighbor. Our blessed Lord says the second commandment is like the first, and when we consider the character of our heavenly Father, we see it must be so. He is, essentially and eternally, Love, and he would have his creatures, whom he originally formed in his own likeness and after his own image, to be like him in love. He so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son to die for lost, undone, perishing humanity; and can we love him with all our heart, and soul, and mind, and not love the being for whose salvation he spared not his own Son, but gave him up freely to the death, that they might not perish, but have everlasting life? No, my brethren. Truly is the second commandment like the first, and we must also love our neighbor as ourself. We cannot love God, as required in the commandment, without it.
But you will ask, Who is our neighbor? Our blessed [217] Lord has beautifully and feelingly answered this question in the "parable of the good Samaritan," recorded by Luke.{3} I am sorry I can not read it to you, for it has pleased my merciful heavenly Father--ever blessed be his name--in the wisdom of his Providence, to take from me my sight; but I trust you have your Bibles, and consult them continually, night and day, that you may know the will of him who has so graciously condescended to enlighten us; and that knowing it, you may be found continually walking in his commandments, for they are holy, just, and good.
The poor creature whom our Savior introduces to answer the question, "Who is my neighbor?" was in a most deserted and necessitous condition. There was nothing about him to attract the proud, nor to gratify the vanity of such as seek honor one from another; for he had fallen into the hands of thieves, who had stripped him of his clothes, and had beaten him till he was half dead, so that he could promise nothing but trouble and expense to any who would attend to his wants. Accordingly the priest, who, by chance, came down that way, saw him and passed by on the other side; and the Levite, also, when he had looked at him, went on his way. Yet this wretched, naked, half-murdered poor creature was their neighbor; that is, their fellow-creature, made in the same Divine image with themselves, and, therefore, worthy of their sympathy and assistance. Our blessed Savior, by this example, teaches us that every man is our neighbor, no matter how poor, fallen, and wretched he may be; because he is our fellow-creature, he is our neighbor, and we must love him as ourself.
But what does this mean, "We must love our neighbor as ourself?" Our blessed Lord answers this question also, by presenting us with the conduct of the Samaritan, who took care of this unfortunate victim of the avarice and [218] cupidity of the thieves who had robbed and almost murdered him. He tells us that this humane Samaritan "had compassion on him, and went to him, and bound up his wounds, pouring in oil and wine, and set him on his own beast, and brought him to an inn, and took care of him"--providing all things necessary for his comfort and recovery. This was to love him, in the sense of the commandment; and you may perceive, my beloved brethren, that it is no less than to be forthcoming, as far as lies in our power, to every fellow-creature, whom we find suffering under any of the ten thousand ills to which our perishing nature is continually exposed, and to afford them all needed relief which the circumstances will allow. We thus see that the commandment is not only very broad, but also exceedingly plain; and that it is transcendently important is abundantly manifest from the declaration of our Lord, that "On these two hang the law and the prophets." Let us be anxious, therefore, and prayerfully striving continually to bring ourselves under subjection to those two all-comprehensive commandments, and to love our Divine Father with all our heart, and with all our soul, and with all our strength, and with all our mind, and our neighbor as ourself; for if this temper be in us and abound, we shall neither be barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.
But, my brethren, thus to love God and our neighbor, we must be acquainted with their characters and our relations to them. True it is, if we love God as required, we but love Him to whom we are indebted for all that we have and all that we are, and it is, therefore, most reasonable that we should thus love him. Yet as love is not a simple voluntary emotion, but one which can only be excited in the human heart by the presentation of appropriate and worthy objects and the application and use of suitable means, our merciful heavenly Father, in the greatness and fullness of his abounding grace, has freely condescended to furnish us with all [219] things necessary to our own obedience to these two commandments, on which, he declares, hang all the law and the prophets. Now, one thing is certain--we can not love that which we do not know; and, therefore, in order to love God, we must have such a revelation of his adorable character as will captivate the heart and bring our every faculty of soul and body in entire subjection to his will and pleasure. This he has most graciously furnished us, revealing it to us by his word, so that if we avail ourselves of the means, and make ourselves acquainted with all that he has revealed, we shall have everything needed to excite in us the most intense and entire love; for we shall discover, not only that he is infinitely good, lovely, and great, but that he is the Author of our being, the Protector and Preserver of our lives, and the actual Giver of every blessing which we enjoy in time or hope to enjoy in eternity. He feeds us, clothes us, warms us, and leads us safe through dangers innumerable, both seen and unseen; so that the destruction that wasteth at noonday, and the pestilence that walketh by night, do not come nigh us or hurt us.
As, then, to love our heavenly Father as required, it is necessary truly to know his adorable character, and as he has revealed his character to us in his blessed word, we are led, my brethren, to consider the importance of studying the law and the prophets, as well as all things else that it has pleased him, in his infinite mercy, graciously to reveal to us concerning himself and our duty to him; for the end and design of it all is to make us love him as he is, and for what he is--the supreme and eternal Author of all being and blessedness, to whom be glory forever!
It is only from the Divine Book that we can learn what he has done for us, is now doing for us, and will hereafter confer upon us; and it is only by the grateful contemplation of these things, under a realizing sense of our own unworthiness, that we can be continually excited to "love him with all our heart, [220] and soul, and mind, and our neighbor as ourself; on these two hang all the law and the prophets;" and in order to excite in us continually these happy results were they given to us. How all-comprehensive, therefore, the answer of our blessed Savior! since it implies and includes in it all that is necessary either for us to know or do, in order to please him here and enjoy him eternally hereafter.
O, my brethren, how industriously should we study His holy word, and treasure it up in our hearts, as the blessed means under God, of our illumination and sanctification, and ultimate and eternal deliverance from sin, death, and the grave! Our universal attention, with respect to Him, is challenged in the answer of the Savior. There is nothing that relates to his revealed character that must not be considered by us. His character is, indeed, infinite, and none "by searching can find out God" perfectly and completely, and in all his wonderful and adorable attributes. We can, then, only go so far as he has been pleased graciously to reveal himself to our limited powers of apprehension and comprehension. But, my brethren, what a boundless field is open for us here! We have no lack of information to excite us to perpetual praise. May the Lord incline our hearts to reading, meditation, and prayer, that we may exercise ourselves unto godliness, to the glory of his adorable name!
The display of the Divine character, which is made in his word is perfectly overwhelming; for when we consider simply his eternity and his omnipresence, we are lost in wonder and amazement. There was no time when he was not, no place where he is not. From everlasting to everlasting he is the same unchangeable God, who filleth eternity and immensity with his presence; so that if we run our minds back for a hundred million of years, and thence, again, a hundred million times as far, we shall be no nearer the external, self-existent, unoriginated I AM, than when we began; for there was no time in the unimaginable past, nor shall be in [221] the boundless future yet before us, in which God has not been, and shall not be, before and after it all.
And there is no place where he is not. Boundless as is his vast universe, he fills it all; is over it, beneath it, and beyond it, present to every part of it; for it is in and through him that we and all things exist. Astronomers tell us that no less than a hundred million of suns like our own, have been disclosed from the depths of space, and that so far as speculation can reasonably conclude, the most distant star may be as far from the center or the circumference of the universe as is our own planet. Each of these mighty orbs stands or moves, resting upon nothing, at a vast and solitary distance from its nearest neighbor, thus comprehending in their mighty whole a length, and a breadth, and a depth of space in which the finite mind of man is utterly lost. But all this does not bring us to the end of creation; yet God fills it all, infinite in his extension as in his duration. And this Being is our Father! Amazing thought! "Such knowledge is too high for me; it is high, I can not attain unto it." So that we may well exclaim, with the inspired Psalmist, "Whither shall I go from thy Spirit? or whither shall I flee from thy presence? If I ascend up into heaven, thou art there; if I make my abode in hades, behold! thou art there; if I take the wings of the morning and dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea, even there shall thy hand lead me, and thy right hand shall hold me."{4}
But in especial reference to man and our earth, our heavenly Father has revealed himself to us as a Being of the most attractive attributes, calculated to excite us both to fear and love him continually: so that we are not left in darkness and doubt concerning the character of the infinite and eternal Being from whom all things proceed; but, on the contrary, it is our distinguished privilege to know him as he has [222] revealed himself to us in some ten or eleven attributes, in which are summed up the Divine perfections, as displayed in creation, providence, and redemption. It is in these three relations that the infinite Father of us all is perpetually presented to man; and accordingly, it is in these respects that we should consider his greatness, his justice, and his love.
But what do we see displayed on every side, in the wonderful work of creation, but knowledge, wisdom, power, and goodness! These glorious attributes, in infinite perfection and completeness, are everywhere present in all the works of his Almighty hand; so that the more we study the wonderful arrangements of nature, the more are we impressed with the glory of its adorable Author. Vast and innumerable as are the stars of the firmament, he made them all; and wonderful as are the creatures that may inhabit them, he knoweth them all. In wisdom, too, are they ordered, and from the Divine goodness have they proceeded. Thus we see, my beloved brethren, that infinite knowledge and wisdom have directed the omnipotence of Jehovah in the creation of all things, which his adorable goodness moved him to call into being; so that, at the end of the sixth day, we are told that "God saw everything that he had made, and behold it was very good."{5}
But this almighty Being does more than create. He has not launched all these mighty and innumerable works into space and left them to take care of themselves. He still governs and rules over all. He is their Lawgiver, Governor, and Protector. Therefore, in legislation and government, in addition to the four attributes which I have named, as manifested in creation, our heavenly Father presents himself to us in three others, to-wit, justice, truth, and holiness. In each of these he is infinitely perfect, and in harmony with these does he make and apply laws for the government of his [223] creatures; so that we can not only exclaim, with the Psalmist, "O Lord, how manifold are thy works! In wisdom hast thou made them all,"{6} but also, in beholding the displays of his Providence in the guidance and government of the universe, must we testify, with him, that "justice and judgment are the habitation of his throne; mercy and truth go before his face"{7} perpetually. "Who is like unto thee, O Lord, among the gods! Who is like thee, glorious in holiness, fearful in praises, doing wonders!"{8}
These seven attributes are displayed in infinite perfection in the creation and providence of God; and if man had not transgressed the Divine law, and, in consequence, fallen under the condemnation of sin and the sentence of death, we could ask for no more. But this, unhappily for us in this world, was not the case. Our first parents ate of the forbidden fruit, and thus sin came into the world, and by sin death; so that the whole creation travaileth and groaneth till now. But our merciful heavenly Father, ever blessed be his name! did not forsake us in our lost, wretched, ruined, and undone condition, but graciously came to our relief; and when there was no eye to pity, nor arm to save, laid help upon one who was mighty--able to save all who come unto God by him.{9} Yes, my brethren, our merciful heavenly Father has graciously provided for us, in the Gospel of his Son, a complete deliverance from the power of sin, death and hell; and in the development of this marvelous and transcendent salvation he reveals himself to us in three other attributes, in a manner that surpasses all human comprehension. These are his love, mercy, and condescension, displayed in the salvation of perishing humanity. And what has God done for man, to save him? Why, my brethren, no less than to give his own Son to die the ignominious death of the cross. Was ever love like this? In [224] him he invested Divinity with humanity, that he might become Immanuel--God in us, and God with us! So "the Word was made flesh and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth."{10}
Thus did our blessed Redeemer divest himself of the glory which he had with the Father "from the beginning of his way, before his works of old,"{11} and in his marvelous condescension, stoop to our vile abode, and take upon himself our degraded humanity, and subject himself to suffering, and neglect, and insult, and cruel and inhuman outrage and torture, and, finally, the terrible and tremendous sufferings of a painful and ignominious death, the accursed death of the cross, and all for us. O! my brethren, well might the sun hide his face from such a spectacle as this! For who is this that the insane rabble are spitting upon, and scourging, and deriding, and torturing, and nailing to the cruel and shameful cross? Who is it that the sun will not look upon, and the earth trembles for? Who is it but the Being that made them!
"O! for such love, let rocks and hills
Their lasting silence break,
And all harmonious human tongues
The Savior's praises speak."Yes, my brethren, it was the Creator of all things who thus suffered. And why did he submit to trials and agonies so tremendous, but for our sins? He died a sacrifice for us, for it is "in him we have redemption, through his blood, even the forgiveness of sins; who is the image of the invisible God, the first-born of every creature; for by him were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers; all things were created by him, and [225] for him; and he is before all things, and by him all things consist. And he is the head of the body, the Church; who is the beginning, the first-born from the dead, that in all things he might have the pre-eminence. For it pleased the Father that in him should all fullness dwell; and having made peace through the blood of his cross, by him to reconcile all things unto himself; by him, I say, whether they be things in earth or things in heaven."{12}
It is clearly apparent, then, my brethren, that our heavenly Father, in his own person and that of his Son, has not only created all things in the universe, and provided for its government and preservation, but that he has also made ample provision for the ultimate and eternal salvation of a large portion of it; so that when we look at our blessed Creator in relation to time, eternity and redemption, we have such a display of his glorious and transcendent attributes of knowledge, wisdom, power, and goodness, in creation; justice, truth, and holiness, in government and legislation; and mercy, condescension, and love, in redemption, as utterly and infinitely exceeds all human comprehension, and overwhelms our souls in admiration, adoration, and praise. For it pleased the Father that our blessed Redeemer should, in all things, have the pre-eminence. Thus Christ is above all created comprehension, infinite and eternal; no time when he was not; no space where he is not; nothing of which he is not the author, and over which he does not preside; for although being "in the form of God, and thinking it not robbery to be equal with God, yet he made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men; and being found in the fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross: Wherefore, God also hath highly exalted him, and given him a name above every name; that at the name [226] of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven and things in earth, and things under the earth; and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father."{13} We are indebted to him for all things, and accountable to him for all things; and thus we see why we should love him, as required, "with all our heart, and mind, and strength, and our neighbor as ourself." In these are absorbed all the law and the prophets. Piety and humanity comprehend our whole duty to God and our neighbor; and in these two our heavenly Father has shown us his will, both in the precepts and example of his Son. We must consecrate ourself, supremely and entirely, to God--body, soul, and spirit--as our most reasonable service, and so love our neighbor as to be forthcoming to him in his necessities, in all respects, as we would have him to do for us, in like circumstances. The Bible requires no more, the law and the prophets teach no more, and God will be pleased with no less.
Now, brethren, I have given you the key and the compend. I can do no more. Whoever has, by studying this blessed book, fallen in love with God, and is doing the things therein commanded, and which are comprehensively summed up in the two great commandments which we have been considering, is on the way to eternal bliss, and he will see in all things nothing but God. If we have any desire to be eternally happy, and to exist for the purpose for which we are made, let us make the contents of the Bible our study night and day, and endeavor, by prayer and meditation, to let its influence dwell upon our hearts perpetually. This is the whole business of life in this world. All else is but preparation for this; for this alone can lead us back to God, the eternal and unwasting Fountain of all being and blessedness. He is both the Author and the Object of the Bible. It has come from him, and is graciously designed to lead us to him; [227] "unto all the riches of the full assurance of understanding, to the acknowledgment of the mystery of God, and of the Father, and of Christ; in whom are hid all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge.{14}
Let us make it our continual study, therefore, to search out its precious contents, that we may know and enjoy him who has created us for his own glory; so that we shall ultimately see him as he is, and be with him where he is, and sit down with him upon the throne of his glory. And this every one shall do, who fulfills these commandments, for on them hang all the law and the prophets: And it is also written,{15} "He that overcometh shall inherit all things, and I will be his God, and he shall be my son;" and "of Him are we in Christ Jesus, who of God is made unto us wisdom, and righteousness, and sanctification, and redemption," so that in all things we are complete in Jesus, glory to his ever-blessed name! This sets man at the head of the whole creation, next to God, where Christ, who has saved us by his death, and now lives to intercede for us perpetually, also sitteth.
My brethren, we are persuaded that our gracious Father, who has done so much for us, will withhold from us no good gift. Yea, he is more willing to give than we are to ask, for he writes and exhorts us to ask. "Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened to you; for every one that asketh receiveth, and he that seeketh findeth, and to him that knocketh it shall be opened. Or what man is there of you whom, if his son ask bread, will give him a stone? or if he ask a fish, will he give him a serpent? If ye, then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children, how much more shall your Father who is in heaven give good gifts to them that ask him?"{16} "All things whatsoever ye shall ask in prayer, believing, ye shall receive."{17} [228]
How rich and precious are these promises of our blessed Lord! But, my brethren, why should we doubt, since we already have the greatest gift--even the Holy Spirit--the Comforter, or Advocate, whom our blessed Savior promised he would send to abide with his disciples forever. And this is "the earnest of our inheritance," given to us who believe in Christ, "in whom, also" says the Apostle Paul, "after that ye believed, ye were sealed with that Holy Spirit of promise, which is the earnest of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession, unto the praise of his glory;"{18} and again, "Know ye not that ye are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you?"{19} Thus, my brethren, we are thoroughly furnished unto every good word and work. God our heavenly Father, hath not withholden from us even his Holy Spirit, a part of the Trinity in Unity; so that Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, are all graciously and mercifully united in providing, procuring, and effecting our salvation. The Holy Spirit, by the law and the prophets, puts us into possession of the salvation provided for us by the Father, in sending his well-beloved and only begotten Son into the world, to die for our sins. It is through the Spirit that we have been furnished with this Divine illumination, and from it alone have we derived all definite and reliable knowledge of the adorable character and attributes of our Creator, of our duties to him, and our own future and everlasting destiny.
O, my brethren, what an exalted position God has placed us in, with respect to his whole creation! He has not only said "He that overcometh shall inherit all things, and I will be his God, and he shall be my son," but our blessed Lord also says, "Behold, I stand at the door and knock; if any man hear my voice and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me. To him that [229] overcometh, will I grant to sit with me on my throne, even as I also overcame, and am set down with my Father on his throne."{20} What is this, my brethren? Did ye hear it? Who says this? The same who said, "Let there be light, and there was light." Yes, it was the Divine word, and let us take heed to its blissful promises. Let us give ourselves up to the word of God, to its guidance, to the diligent study of its blissful contents, to meditation, to prayer, and to the love of God, that we may love him with our whole heart, and soul, and mind, and strength, and our neighbor as ourselves, for this is the sum of the law and the prophets.
These things being so, my beloved brethren, "let us run with diligence the race which is set before us, looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of the faith; who, for the joy that was set before him, endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God."{21} His promises can never fail, for they are sure and steadfast as his unchangeable and eternal nature. Some things he has promised conditionally, but this does not affect his veracity. He is both willing and able to perform all things which he has graciously promised concerning us. Let us, therefore, fall back upon his word, upon the apostles and prophets, Jesus himself being the chief corner-stone, and God himself the author of the whole. For it all rests upon his infallible word, infallible both as respects authority and power, and sooner shall heaven and earth pass away, than one jot or tittle of it fail of its final and complete accomplishment.
We have thus, my beloved brethren, as fully as our time will justify and my failing capacity enables me, pointed out the road which will surely lead us to eternal life. Let us adopt the prescription given us for the way, and exercise ourselves unto godliness night and day, searching the Scriptures continually, that we may come rightly to apprehend and truly [230] to realize the revealed character of our God, and thus fully to enjoy his salvation.
In conclusion, my dear brethren, I can say no more to you, as the last words of a public ministry, protracted, under the merciful care of our heavenly Father, for more than threescore years, in my farewell exhortation to you on earth--I can say no more than what I have already so often urged upon you, "Love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and all thy soul, and all thy mind, and all thy strength, and thy neighbor as thyself," for in so doing, the powers of hell shall not prevail against you. May the Lord God impress these truths upon our hearts, and enable us all, "through faith and patience, to inherit the promises"--keeping us by his power, until it shall please him in his infinite mercy to take us home to himself, to the enjoyment "of the inheritance of the saints of light;" and the praise, honor, and glory of our salvation, be eternally his, through Jesus, world without end. Amen.
{1} Matt. xxii: 36.
{2} Matt. xxii: 37-40.
{3} Luke x: 30-37.
{4} Psalm cxxxix: 6-10.
{5} Gen. i: 31.
{6} Psalm civ: 24.
{7} Psalm lxxxix: 14.
{8} Exod. xv: 11.
{9} Psalm lxxxix: 19; Heb. vii: 25.
{10} John i: 14.
{11} Prov. viii: 22.
{12} Col. i: 14-20.
{13} Phil. ii: 6-11.
{14} Col. ii: 2, 3.
{15} Rev. xxi: 7.
{16} Matt. vii: 7-11.
{17} Matt. xxi: 22.
{18} Eph. i: 13-14.
{19} 1 Cor. iii: 16.
{20} Rev. iii: 20-21.
{21} Heb. xii: 1-2.
The preceding discourse of Father Campbell, reported by Professor Pendleton, is said, by all who heard it, and have since its publication read it, to be a fair and full report of it; almost, if not altogether, verbatim.
The happiness of heaven, according to his conception of it, will essentially consist in loving and in being beloved. The true, the good, and the beautiful are, according to the true genius of human nature, the rudimental elements of the happiness of all rational and spiritual beings. These, indeed, are the essence of human felicity.
Without society, according to all our most vivid conceptions of happiness, there is no such thing. Hence, in the godhead, in JEHOVAH ELOHIM, there must [231] essentially be a plurality of personalities. This is the loftiest and the most aggrandizing theme within the whole circle of human reason, or of human imagination. It is the mightiest, the grandest, and the most aggrandizing theme in creation's broadest, loftiest, and most profound conception. Hence, in harmony with this conception, we are divinely taught, that there are three distinct personalities in Jehovah: THE FATHER, THE WORD, THE HOLY SPIRIT. These three are, and these three alone constitute, one Jehovah.
Christianity, an abstract noun, constitutes the festive theme of the spiritual universe--of the angelic, the seraphic, the cherubic hosts of the heaven of heavens.
This was with Father Campbell a cherished, a darling, a soul-exhilarating, a soul-transporting theme. With him it was, in his old age, more especially after he lost his sight, a continual feast of joy and gladness. Admiration and adoration seemed to be, in the solitude of his blindness, a perennial fountain of "joy unspeakable and full of glory."
He was, indeed, in continual communion with God. I have stood by him, and sat by him, when he was unconscious of my presence. He was then breathing out, at intervals, his supplications, his admirations, his glorifications of the heavenly Father, as in a rapture of delight, exhibiting, as it seemed to me, an ecstasy of joy.
He frequently repeated to himself, in a low tone of voice, portions of psalms and hymns, unconscious of any one being present in his chamber. His usual chorus, at intervals, was, "Glory to God."
Thus did he gradually pass away. And as the sun often grows larger at his setting, so did his faith, and [232] hope, and joy, and peace abound till he gently breathed out his spirit into the arms of his adored and adorable Redeemer.
It was generally expected by the auditory addressed in his valedictory sermon, that he would give a summary history of his life and labors. But in his habitual diffidence or aversion to speak of himself, of his labors, or of his success, be entirely lost sight of himself and of his labors, and concentrated his own mind, and that of his auditory, on the summary of the constitution of the universe, presented in the two great commandments on which rested the law and the prophets.
While constitutionally disposed to generalize and to exhibit very summary and concentrated views of all the great themes of the Christian Scriptures and the Christian institution, he, from a profound sense of duty to the great masses that frequent the places of Christian worship, forgot not the necessity and importance of occasionally going into the most minute details of Christian duties and Christian enjoyments.
Rightly dividing the Divine oracles was with him a paramount duty, devolving upon all who sought either to convert sinners or to enlighten the Christian Church. This course or method of dispensing the Gospel and its institutions, was with him of paramount importance, and essential to the conversion of the world and the edification of the Church of God. On this principle and view he conducted his public ministrations during the largest portion of his Christian ministry. The result was that his congregation was the most Intelligent and the most exemplary in the Presbytery to which it belonged.
But this course of public instruction, strange to tell, [233] generated, more or less, an invidious hostility on the part of some of his copresbyters, both in this country and in Europe, and finally induced him to withdraw from every form of Presbyterianism, and to attempt the founding of a community upon the exclusive foundation of the apostles and divinely inspired pastors and teachers. So commenced the present plea for the current reformation. We have, indeed, carried it out beyond the area of his first contemplation; but he, however, finally acquiesced in every particular characteristic of its present attitude and bearing. [234]
[METC 215-234]
PUBLICATION HISTORY AND COLLATION
The "Farewell Discourse of Thomas Campbell" was first published in Millennial Harbinger, 4 (Fourth Series), No. 3, March 1854, pp. 133-145. Its first book appearance was in Alexander Campbell's Memoirs of Elder Thomas Campbell (Cincinnati, OH: H. S. Bosworth 1861), pp. 215-231. The following apparatus details the textual variants from the first serial publication to the first book appearance of the discourse. W. K. Pendleton's note concerning the preparation of the text is not reprinted in Memoirs of Elder Thomas Campbell. In the apparatus, a paragraph sign (¶) indicates the beginning of a new paragraph.
Pages in
MH / METC Millennial Harbinger [ Memoirs of Elder Thomas Campbell
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133 / 215 FAREWELL DISCOURSE OF ELDER THOS. CAMPBELL, [ FAREWELL
DISCOURSE OF THOMAS CAMPBELL.
Delivered June 1st, 1851. [ DELIVERED IN BETHANY MEETING-HOUSE,
JUNE 1ST, 1851, IN HIS EIGHTY-EIGHTIETH YEAR.
Thou shalt [ "Thou shalt
thyself.--Matt. xxii. 37-40. [ thyself."--MATT. xxii: 37, 40.
of the Word [ of the word,
134 / account, also, so [ account, also so
/ 216 all divine law, [ all Divine law,
yet all comprehensive [ yet all-comprehensive
reply:--"Thou [ reply: "Thou
so all comprehensive [ so all-comprehensive
/ 217 blessed Saviour [ blessed Savior
soul and mind, [ soul, and mind
to Him,--nor [ to him; nor
well being, [ wellbeing,
Matt. xxii. 36. [ Matt. xxii: 36.
Matt. xxii. 37-40. [ Matt. xxii: 37-40.
135 / objects--1st. [ objects: 1st.
love Him; [ love him;
love Him--the [ love him, the
love Him, who [ love him, who
love Him is all; [ love him is all;
the 2d object--the love [ the second object: the love
like him in Love. [ like him in love.
/ 218 "Parable [ "parable
recorded by Luke. [ recorded by Luke.*
cannot read [ can not read
just and good. [ just, and good.
our Saviour [ our Savior
Luke xx. 30-37. [ Luke x: 30-37.
136 / creature, was [ creature was
divine image [ Divine image
blessed Saviour, [ blessed Savior,
/ 219 thieves, who [ thieves who
Samaritan, "had [ Samaritan "had
to him and bound [ to him, and bound
beast and brought [ beast, and brought
to an Inn [ to an inn
important, is [ important is
Love our Divine [ love our Divine
means;--our [ means, our
fulness of his [ fullness of his
137 / 220 we cannot love [ we can not love
This He [ This he
every thing needed [ everything needed
entire love, for [ entire love; for
lovely and great, [ lovely, and great,
protector and preserver [ Protector and Preserver
actual giver [ actual Giver
unseen--so [ unseen; so
noon-day [ noonday
adorable character; and [ adorable character, and
make us love Him [ make us love him
glory forever! As, [ glory forever! ¶ As,
us--is now doing for us--and [ us, is now doing for us, and
to "Love [ to "love
/ 221 ourself. On [ ourself; on
results, were [ results were
blessed Saviour! [ blessed Savior!
hereafter. Oh, my [ hereafter. ¶ O, my
his holy word, [ His holy word,
and the grave. [ and the grave!
attention with [ attention, with
of the Saviour. [ of the Savior.
revealed character, that [ revealed character that
138 / for us here. [ for us here!
meditation and prayer, [ meditation, and prayer,
in his word, is [ in his word is
was not--no place [ was not, no place
hundred millions [ hundred million
of years--and [ of years, and
/ 222 all--is over it--beneath [ all; is over it, beneath
beyond it--present [ beyond it, present
part of it, for [ part of it; for
tell us, that no [ tell us that no
the centre [ the center
universe, as is [ universe as is
space, in which [ space in which
all--infinite [ all, infinite
I cannot attain [ I can not attain
unto it:"--so [ unto it." So
exclaim with [ exclaim, with
Psalmist--"Whither [ Psalmist, "Whither
abode in hell, [ abode in hades,
behold, thou [ behold! thou
Ps. cxxxix. 6-10. [ Psalm cxxxix: 6-10.
139 / as a being [ as a Being
/ 223 Creation, Providence and Redemption. [ creation, providence,
and redemption.
power and goodness! [ power, and goodness!
every where present [ everywhere present
so that at the end [ so that, at the end
every thing that he [ everything that he
into space, and [ into space and
lawgiver, governor and protector. [ Lawgiver, Governor, and
Protector.
manifested in Creation, [ manifested in creation,
others--to wit, [ others, to-wit:
perfect; and [ perfect, and
/ 224 so that we can, not [ so that we can not
exclaim with [ exclaim, with
that "Justice [ that "justice
Gen. i. 31. [ Gen. i: 31.
140 / Ps. cix. 24. [ Ps. civ: 24.
perfection, in [ perfection in
name, did [ name! did
gospel of his Son, [ Gospel of his Son,
salvation, he [ salvation he
Love, Mercy, and Condescension, [ love, mercy, and
condescension,
for man to save [ for man, to save
Son, to die [ Son to die
like this! [ like this?
/ 225 Emmanuel-- [ Immanuel--
torture; and finally, [ torture, and, finally,
Oh! my brethren, [ O! my brethren,
Psal. lxxxix. 14. [ Psalm lxxxix: 14.
Exo. xv. 11. [ Exod. xv. 11.
Psal. lxxxix. 19, Heb. vii. 25. [ Psalm lxxxix: 19;
Heb. vii: 25.
Jno. i. 14. [ John i: 14.
Prov. viii. 22. [ Prov. viii: 22.
141 / look upon and [ look upon, and
trembles for! [ trembles for?
the being that made [ the Being that made
Oh! for such [ O! for such
Saviour's praises [ Savior's praises
suffered; and [ suffered. And
for our sins! [ for our sins?
first born of every [ first-born of every
in heaven and [ in heaven, and
or powers, all [ or powers; all
by him and for him; [ by him, and for him;
/ 226 the church; [ the Church;
all fulness [ all fullness
power and goodness, [ power, and goodness,
truth and holiness, [ truth, and holiness,
condescension and love, [ condescension, and love,
adoration and praise. [ adoration, and praise.
comprehension--infinite [ comprehension, infinite
eternal--no [ eternal; no
was not--not [ was not; no
is not;--nothing [ is not; nothing
Coll. i. 14-20. [ Col. i: 14-20.
142 / 227 love him as [ love him, as
these two, our [ these two our
body, soul and [ body, soul, and
spirit, as [ spirit--as
to God--the eternal [ to God, the eternal
unwasting fountain [ unwasting Fountain
lead us to him-- [ lead us to him;
Phill. ii. 6-11. [ Phil. ii: 6-11.
Coll. xi. 2-3 [ Col. ii: 2, 3.
Rev. xxi. 7. [ Rev. xxi: 7.
143 / 228 be my Son:" And [ be my son;" and
Jesus--glory [ Jesus, glory
ever blessed name! [ ever-blessed name!
also sitteth. My [ also sitteth. ¶ My
invites and exhorts [ writes and exhorts
of you, whom if [ of you whom, if
in heaven, give good [ in heaven give good
/ 229 our blessed Saviour [ our blessed Savior
holy spirit of promise, [ Holy Spirit of promise,
Son and Holy Spirit [ Son, and Holy Spirit
well beloved [ well-beloved
divine illumination, [ Divine illumination,
Matt. vii. 7-11. [ Matt. vii: 7-11.
Matt. xxi. 22. [ Matt. xxi: 22.
Ep. i. 13-14. [ Eph. i: 13-14.
1 Cor. iii. 16. [ 1 Cor. iii: 16.
144 / Oh, my brethren, [ O, my brethren,
said, "He [ said "He
be his God, and he [ be his God and he
be my Son," [ be my son,"
come in to him and [ come in to him, and
/ 230 divine word, [ Divine word,
brethren, "Let [ brethren, "let
effect his veracity. [ affect his veracity.
Apostles and Prophets, [ apostles and prophets,
corner stone, [ corner-stone,
infallible word--infallible [ infallible word, infallible
Rev. iii. 20-21. [ Rev. iii: 20-21.
Heb. xii. 1-2. [ Heb. xii: 1-2.
/ 231 three score years, [ threescore years,
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