THE AUTHOR was induced to undertake the compilation and publication of the following work under the firm conviction that good to the cause of Christ would result from it, and also from the earnest solicitations of many of the old brethren and friends of FATHER STONE, who had long known and loved him. Elder B. W. STONE was a great and good man, always meek and gentle as a child, yet valiant and mighty for the truth.

      Owing to the circumstances that surrounded him when he commenced his career of reformation, he was greatly misunderstood, and misrepresented by his former brethren and others, and even down to the present day, these stale slanders of FATHER STONE are circulated and believed by many! Yet in the midst of all his trials, he was calm and unmoved, and pursued the even tenor of his way, always manifesting the true Christian spirit, his enemies themselves being the Judges.

      It is conceded by our brethren generally, that we all need more of the deep-toned piety which was so conspicuous in the life of ELDER STONE. The writings of FATHER STONE, constituted, so far as we know, the first public documents written since the commencement of the Protestant Reformation, in favor of the name "CHRISTIAN," as the Scriptural designation [v] for all the disciples of Christ, and the union of all Christians upon the Bible alone, to the exclusion of all party names, human creeds and confessions of faith. Early in the present century he preached pretty extensively in Kentucky, and his "Christian Messenger" was pretty generally read in all the Middle and Western States, and made a deep impression upon the public mind.

      But ELDER STONE has long since gone to his reward, and most of his writings are out of print, and can only be found in a scattered form in the libraries of a few of the old veterans who preserved the "Christian Messenger " and some fragments of his other writings. The Author acknowledges his obligations to ELDER THOMAS NESBIT, of Monroe County, Ind., for files of the "Christian Messenger." JUDGE ECKOLS of Greencastle also kindly furnished us some valuable documents.

      Through the kindness of ELDER JOHN ROGERS, of Carlisle, Ky., we have been permitted to make such extracts from his biography of B. W. STONE, in making out our biographical sketch, as we desired. Our materials are therefore ample, and we confidently expect that the book will meet with a hearty reception from all the lovers of pure Christianity, and prove a valuable auxiliary in advancing the cause of Christ.

      The Author became acquainted with the character of ELDER STONE some thirty-five years ago, and at a later period he became personally and intimately acquainted with him, and always loved and admired him for his great devotion to the truth, his child-like simplicity and godly sincerity. He was emphatically a teacher, a fine scholar, a clear-headed and logical reasoner, a sound Bible critic, who dared to teach and maintain what he understood the Scriptures to teach, though all the world should oppose him. [vi]

      On the great subjects of the "divinity of our Lord Jesus Christ," and the "Atonement," he has been greatly misunderstood, and even slandered by his enemies. We have therefore thought proper to publish his "Address," setting forth his views upon these important items of Christian doctrine in his own words, and also his own "synopsis" of his discussion with BRO. CAMPBELL on the subject of the "Atonement," that every reader of the book may be able to do him justice. And while we do not indorse every expression or idea in these documents, we are prepared to say that he was a firm believer in the proper Divinity of Christ, and in the divine efficacy of his atoning blood, to wash us from our sins, to redeem and save all who obey the Gospel.

      FATHER STONE, entered into the Trinitarian Controversy with much zeal, and it would be strange, if in the heat of the controversy, he had written nothing of a speculative character; but in his more mature years, he came to the only correct conclusion upon this and every other subject of controversy, and that was "To always speak of Bible things in Bible language." This is the only safe course.

      And if the publication of this volume shall prove instrumental by the Divine blessing in calling the attention of the Christian brotherhood to the true spirit and practice of pure and undefiled Christianity, as taught and practiced by Christ and his Apostles, and the early Christians, and thus lead them to follow more closely in the footsteps of the Saviour, we shall feel that our labor has not been in vain.

      May the Lord keep us humble and lead us into all truth! Amen.

THE AUTHOR. [vii]      

[WEBWS v-vii]