THE
DISCIPLES OF CHRIST

By
ALONZO W. FORTUNE

Pastor, Central Christian Church
Lexington, Kentucky

 

      Most of the religious bodies originated in Europe and were transplanted in America. The Disciples of Christ had their origin in the pioneer life of America, and they followed the pioneer movement across the continent. As would be expected, most of their strength is west of the section where they had their beginning.

      There were similar religious movements in different parts of the country at the beginning of the nineteenth century. Two of these were merged in the communion known as the Disciples of Christ. The main movement had its origin in western Pennsylvania under the leadership of the Campbells. Their experiences in Europe had prepared them for the part they were to have in the religious life of the New World.

      Thomas Campbell, a minister in the Anti-Burgher division of the Seceder branch of the Presbyterian Church in Ireland, came to America in 1807, and was assigned to a parish with headquarters at Washington, Pennsylvania. Before [3] leaving Ireland he had been one of the leaders in an attempt to unite the Burghers and the anti-Burghers, hence he was prepared for the task that was awaiting him. Shortly after entering upon his duties he was invited to make a preaching expedition through a sparsely settled section and administer the communion. He found the people without any spiritual oversight. In his preaching he deplored the divisions in the church which resulted in this condition, and he administered the communion to those who were not members of his particular branch of the church.

      Because he had "failed to inculcate strict adherence to the church standard and usages" he was censured by his presbytery. He appealed to the Synod in a remarkable letter in which he declared that he had done "none other things than those which our divine Lord and his holy apostles have taught and enjoined to be spoken and done by his ministering servants." Although the Synod set aside the vote of censure because of irregularities in the proceedings it was held that there were "sufficient grounds to infer censure."

      Thomas Campbell was thus left under suspicion in a sectarian environment [4] which made it difficult, if not impossible, for him to continue as a minister in the Presbyterian Church. After some bitter experiences and much deliberation he served notice on the Synod that he was withdrawing all ministerial connection with it. That was a serious step for a minister in a new country who was expecting the early arrival of the other members of his family. He continued to preach on an independent basis, holding meetings in barns, groves and private houses. The meetings were attended by members of various communions who were interested in his plea for Christian liberty and union. At a meeting of sympathizers to discuss future plans Thomas Campbell announced as his slogan: "Where the Scriptures speak, we speak; where the Scriptures are silent, we are silent."

      Thomas Campbell and those who were in sympathy with him decided at a meeting August 17, 1809, to form an organization to promote their ideals. This organization was designated as "The Christian Association of Washington." Two important steps were taken at this meeting. A committee of twenty-one members was appointed to confer with Thomas [5] Campbell in regard to future plans, and it was decided to erect a simple building to centralize their efforts. This log building, about three miles from Mt. Pleasant on the road leading to Washington, became the cradle of the movement.

      The Declaration and Address was the document prepared by Thomas Campbell at the request of the Committee appointed at the meeting August 17th. This document, which was read at a meeting September 7, 1809, was unanimously approved and ordered to be printed. This is not only the most important document of the Disciples, but it is one of the great documents of the church.

      The purpose of The Christian Association of Washington was to promote Christian unity in that pioneer section which, because of the divisions in the church, was "destitute of a gospel ministry." They encouraged the "formation of similar associations." The Declaration and Address was in reality their constitution, indicating their purpose and plan. It declared that the church is "essentially, intentionally, and constitutionally one," and that this unity can be restored by abandoning creeds and confessions of faith and returning to the New [6] Testament. There have been many conferences unity during recent years, but it is doubtful whether there has been a better program suggested than the one in the Declaration and Address.

      Alexander Campbell and the rest of the family landed in America on September 29, 1809, and reached Washington, Pennsylvania, on the 28th of October. He was at this time 21 years of age, and since his father had left for America he had passed through experiences which made him sympathetic with what his father was attempting to do. When he had read the proof sheets of the Declaration and Address he felt that he could commit his life to the program that was outlined.

      Things do not always turn out as planned. The spirit of sectarianism was too strong in this pioneer section for this plan for unity to be generally received. Although they stated in the Declaration and Address that "this Society by no means considers itself a church," the Christian Association of Washington virtually became a church. Its purpose was to get members of the regular churches to join the Association to promote the spirit of unity in that pioneer section. It was found, however, that members of the [7] Association did not have regular church connection. The feeling that they should be a part of the church led them to apply to the Synod of Pittsburgh for membership. When that was denied they organized themselves into an independent church, known as the Brush Run Church.

      They still adhered to the principles enunciated in the Declaration and Address after they had changed from the Christian Association of Washington to the Brush Run Church. The New Testament became their guide. The Brush Run Church was organized May 4, 1811, and at this meeting Thomas Campbell was appointed elder, and four deacons were chosen. Shortly after Alexander Campbell was licensed to preach.

      The slogan, "Where the Scriptures speak, we speak," led the Association to a more definite study of the New Testament. It is not surprising that the question of baptism soon became acute. Some of the members of the Association had questioned infant baptism before the Brush Run Church was formed. At the first meeting in the Brush Run Church, June 16, 1811, three people requested [8] immersion. Inasmuch as they had not previously been sprinkled Thomas Campbell baptized them. The birth of Alexander Campbell's first child, March 13, 1812, made the question of infant baptism of vital importance to him. He restudied the whole question and became convinced that infant baptism is without New Testament sanction. He decided that the child should not be sprinkled. This raised a further question in his mind. If infant baptism is without New Testament sanction, then one who was sprinkled in infancy has not been baptized. On June 12, 1812, Thomas and Alexander Campbell, their wives, and three others were immersed by a Baptist preacher in Buffalo Creek on a simple confession of faith in Christ.

      Alexander Campbell seems to have taken the lead from this time. It was not long until most of the members of the Brush Run Church had been immersed, and this brought them favor with the Baptists. Alexander Campbell visited the Redstone Baptist Association shortly after he had been immersed, but was not favorably impressed. During the year, however, he visited among the Baptist churches and formed a more favorable opinion. After [9] much discussion the Brush Run Church made application to the Redstone Association in the autumn of 1813 for admission. They presented a lengthy statement of the conditions under which they would be willing to unite with the Association. They formally accepted the Philadelphia Confession, provided they be allowed to preach and teach whatever they learned from the Holy Scriptures "regardless of any creed or formula in Christendom."

      A majority of the Redstone Association voted to receive the Brush Run Church on the basis of its statement. Some of the ministers protested, insisting that such a course was to invite trouble. There were many fundamental points of difference between the Brush Run Church and the regular Baptist churches, and these were gradually to become more pronounced. In 1816 Alexander Campbell preached his famous Sermon on the Law, in which he maintained that we are under the new covenant, and hence must be guided by the New Testament rather than the Old Testament.

      After Alexander Campbell's marriage to Miss Margaret Brown, her father deeded him a fine farm, which is now the site of Bethany, West Virginia. This provided [10] him a living so that he was free to travel among the churches where he was received with great favor. John Walker, the pastor of the Presbyterian Church of Mount Pleasant, Ohio, had challenged Mr. Birch, who was pastor of the Baptist Church in that place, or any other Baptist preacher, to debate the subject of baptism. Alexander Campbell was urged to accept this challenge, and the debate was held June 19 and 20, 1820. His success in this debate made him many friends among the Baptists especially in the Mahoning Association where the debate was held.

      Because of increased opposition on the part of some of the leaders of the Redstone Association, Alexander Campbell and some others withdrew from the Brush Run Church and established a church in Wellsburg in 1823. This church was received into the Mahoning Association in Ohio. In 1823 Mr. Campbell debated the subject of infant baptism with W. L. Maccalla in Mason County, Kentucky. As a result of this debate his popularity increased, and he was urged to make a tour of the Baptist churches of Kentucky. Thus his influence was extended in those sections where the Disciples were to have the greatest strength when they became separated from the Baptists. [11]

      In 1823 Alexander Campbell began publishing The Christian Baptist which appeared monthly until it was replaced by The Millennial Harbinger in 1830. This publication had wide circulation among the Baptists and won many friends to Mr. Campbell's position. He began a series of articles in the issue of February, 1825, on "A Restoration of the Ancient Order of Things." These articles were continued until there were thirty-two in all, the last appearing in the issue of August, 1829. In these articles he discussed things in the church of his day that should be discarded and changes that should be made, if the church of the New Testament be taken as the standard.

      In connection with these articles in The Christian Baptist there were reports from churches that were endeavoring to restore the ancient order. These articles were an important factor in determining the direction in which the Disciples were to go. It is difficult to say just when the Disciples became an independent communion separate from the Baptists. The separation was gradual, for as these changes were made in churches they ceased to be regular Baptist groups. [12]

      An important contribution to this movement in the Baptist Church was made by Walter Scott. In 1827 he was appointed by the Mahoning Association to evangelize their churches. He discovered what he believed was "the Ancient Gospel" and began preaching it. The elements of the gospel as he preached it were faith, repentance, baptism, the remission of sins, and the gift of the Holy Spirit. This was not only simple, but it appeared to be Biblical and reasonable, and it made a tremendous appeal. In the year before Scott was appointed evangelist there were but 34 additions in all the churches of the Mahoning Association. During the first year that he was evangelist there were 1,000 additions to the churches in this Association. This gospel statement and this evangelistic fervor spread through other associations.

      The gap was widening and the separation was taking place. Whole churches accepted the reformations advocated, and churches were divided over these issues. The Beaver Association of Pennsylvania at the meeting in August, 1829, passed a resolution condemning the errors of Alexander Campbell and his followers, stipulating eight of these. This association [13] also passed a resolution disfellowshipping the Mahoning Association for departing from Baptist usage. At the meeting of the Tate's Creek Association in Kentucky in June, 1830, ten Baptist Churches excluded the other sixteen. The Beaver charges were adopted, and four additional errors were condemned. Thus the separation continued in churches and in associations.

      In 1804, three years before Thomas Campbell came to this country, Barton W. Stone and those who were associated with him led a movement in Kentucky for Christian unity. This movement centered in the log meetinghouse at Cane Ridge, which is in splendid preservation at the present time. Here was held the famous revival in 1801. In this revival and in the meetings that followed Stone and his associates preached some things that were not in harmony with the Westminster Confession of Faith. Charges were brought against them before the Synod, which met in Lexington in September, 1803. When it was evident that the decision of the Synod would be against them Barton Stone and four others presented a protest and withdrew from their [14] jurisdiction. They organized themselves into a new presbytery which they designated as "Springfield." It soon became evident that they would not be permitted to remain in the Presbyterian Church, hence they launched an independent movement. On June 28, 1804, they issued The Last Will And Testament of The Springfield Presbytery, which is one of the important documents of the Christian Church. The spirit of this document is much like that of the Declaration and Address. It is a plea for unity by returning to the Bible as the guide in religion.

      This movement developed in a manner very similar to the one led by the Campbells. Mr. Stone and most of the Cane Ridge members were immersed, as they became convinced that immersion was the baptism of the early church. That practice spread rapidly in the other churches. In 1826 Mr. Stone began publishing The Christian Messenger, a monthly publication which promoted his ideals. This marked a rapid increase in the adherents to his cause.

      When the Christians, as the adherents of the Stone movement were called, and the Disciples, the adherents of the movement led by the Campbells, came in close [15] contact they realized that they had a common purpose and were moving in the same direction. Conferences were held in Georgetown, Kentucky, and at Lexington at the close of 1831 and the beginning of 1832. These conferences were attended by leaders of both groups, and plans were formulated to unite congregations. As the result of these Conferences and the continued efforts of the leaders of both groups many of the Christians united with the Disciples. Many of them, however, continued as a separate body which recently became affiliated with the Congregationalists.

      The influence of Alexander Campbell in the Mahoning Association was such that all the churches and most of the members were in agreement with him. Inasmuch as they had been disfellowshipped by the regular Baptists, at the meeting in 1830 the Mahoning Association was disbanded as an "Association" and was transformed into a "Yearly Meeting." This became the model for the "Reformed Baptists" in other sections, as they were sometimes called. These yearly meetings were an important factor in uniting these [16] churches that had been excluded by the Baptists.

      In 1830 Alexander Campbell discontinued The Christian Baptist and began the publication of The Millennial Harbinger. This was an important factor in binding these churches into a Brotherhood and in giving direction to them. Preachers and laymen looked to the editor and contributors of this magazine for leadership. There were many sectional publications which exerted a wide influence, not only in winning adherents to their cause, but keeping the forces united.

      While the Disciples had no written creed, or formulated system of doctrine, to which they adhered, they were in general agreement as to what constituted "The Ancient Order of Things" and "The Gospel Restored." They preached these things and practiced them in their churches. In their "yearly meetings" they preached these fundamental things which made them a distinct people.

      The Disciple were united in things which they opposed. They were united in their opposition to sectarianism, to creeds and to sectarian designation of churches. They were united in their opposition to [17] practices in the church which were not in harmony with the teachings of the New Testament. They expressed that opposition and declared their willingness to defend it in public discussion. Perhaps these early Disciples were more united in faith and practice without a creed than they would have been if they had attempted a creedal definition.

      In his opposition to the ecclesiasticism of the time Alexander Campbell published in the earlier issues of The Christian Baptist some articles against organizations in the church which have been a stumbling block to many. He changed his attitude, but some Disciples have insisted on following him as he stated himself in The Christian Baptist. The main body of the Disciples have developed in their organization to meet needs and changing conditions.

      That is true in the local churches. At first a well-organized church consisted of elders and deacons, as it was in the New Testament. Gradually other officers were added as there was need, and the administrative board of an aggressive church at the present time is quite different from [18] at it was in 1830. There were no auxiliary organizations in the churches of 1830. It was not long until Sunday schools were formed, and other organizations were added as there was a felt need. In the churches of the present there are church schools, Christian Endeavor Societies, Missionary Societies, ladies' aids, men's clubs, forums, boy scouts, girl scouts, and various other organizations.

      A general organization began to develop almost as soon as the Disciples were a distinct communion. At first there was the yearly meeting when members of various churches came together for inspiration and fellowship. Then the churches of counties and districts cooperated in evangelistic efforts. Before 1850 some of the states had formed organizations and were holding conventions. The first general organization was the American Christian Bible Society, which was formed in 1845. The American Christian Missionary Society was organized in 1849 by a convention of delegates from the churches which was held in Cincinnati. For the specific task of foreign missionary work the Christian Woman's Board of Missions was organized in 1874, and the Foreign Christian Missionary Society in 1875. [19] Other societies were constituted as needs were recognized, the most important being the National Benevolent Association, the Church Extension Board, the Board of Ministerial Relief, the Board of Education, the Board of Temperance and Social Welfare, and the Association for the Promotion of Christian Unity.

      In response to a growing feeling for closer unity in the work of the church most of these Boards were merged in The United Christian Missionary Society in 1919. It was found after a time that too many interests were included in the one organization, and in 1933 the Board of Church Extension and the National Benevolent Association were separated from The United Christian Missionary Society. At the present time most of the organizations that look to the churches for support share in Unified Promotion.

      There has been wonderful development in the ministry of the Disciples. At first practically all the ministers were farmers or were engaged in some other business. Very few of them had special training for the ministry. Colleges were started and some Biblical courses were included. [20] Bacon College was the first, founded in 1836. This was followed by Bethany in 1840 and Hiram in 1850. During the next half-century several other colleges were established in sections where the Disciples were strong. Some of these have been discontinued, and some of them have become strong institutions. Until very recently most of the Disciple ministers received their training in these colleges which had in their curricula some special course for ministers.

      The College of the Bible in Lexington, founded in 1865, was the first institution of the Disciples designated especially for ministers. This was followed by other institutions of a similar character. Some of these have been accredited as seminaries of first rank. Many of the Disciple ministers after college graduation have received further training in these or other seminaries.

      There has been a marked development in the worship of the Disciples. This is manifest in the type of architecture that is coming into favor. It is manifest in the dignified manner in which baptism and the Lord's Supper are administered. The pipe organ and the choir, and even paid singers are taken for granted. Vestments [21] for the choir, and even for the minister are gaining in favor. The service is more ritualistic than formerly.

      The Disciples have developed in their efforts toward union. While they still insist that unity can only come through a return to the simplicity of the New Testament, they gladly cooperate in union enterprises. They cooperate with the Federal Council of the Churches of Christ in America, the World Council of Churches, and other interdenominational movements. Several Disciples are leaders in interdenominational enterprises.

      According to the 1940 Year Book the Disciples have throughout the world 8,924 churches with a membership of 1,829,465. The total offerings of these churches in addition to what was given for self-maintenance from July 1, 1939, to June 30, 1940, was $4,044,650.95. The two leading publishing houses of the Disciples are The Christian Board of Publication in St. Louis, Missouri, and The Christian Standard in Cincinnati, Ohio. [22]

[TDOC-AW1 1-22.]

ALONZO W. FORTUNE

      The electronic version of Alonzo W. Fortune's "The Disciples of Christ" has been produced from the pamphlet issued by The United Christian Missionary Society in Indianapolis, Indiana. Although no date of publication appears on the title or copyright pages, internal evidence (p. 22) suggests a publication date of 1941. According to Claude E. Spencer's An Author Catalog of Disciples of Christ and Related Religious Groups (Canton, MO: Disciples of Christ Historical Society, 1946), a dated edition was also issued by the publisher's Committee on War Services in 1943.

      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 have been offered for misspellings and other accidental corruptions. Emendations are as follows:

            Printed Text [ Electronic Text
 -----------------------------------------------------------------------
 p. 17:     of The Millenial [ of The Millennial
 

      Addenda and corrigenda are earnestly solicited.

Ernie Stefanik
Derry, PA

Created 4 September 2003.