ELECTROTYPED, PRINTED AND BOUND BY GAY BROTHERS & CO., 27 BARCLAY STREET, NEW YORK.

      The designation by which this body have chosen to be known is that of disciples. They regard the title "Campbellite Baptists," as a reproach; for, though Rev. Alexander Campbell was their founder, they claim to be the restorers of "Primitive Christianity," and hence object to denominating a church by any other designation than is found in Scripture. The followers of Christ having been termed disciples, they have chosen this as their appellative; sometimes, we believe, they employ the phrase "the Church of the Disciples." They are by far the largest body (after the Regular Baptists,) in America. They have had a rapid growth, and in many sections of the United States, and in parts of the British Provinces, they are now numerous and influential. It is common to cite the growth of the Methodist Episcopal body as most surprising in its rapidity, but we think It probable that a careful comparison of statistics would show no less rapidity, if, indeed, not much greater, in the progress of the Disciples, who from a feeble origin, far within the lifetime of many now living, have become strong--in some sections almost controlling. [502]

      The character and life of a man who possessed the mental abilities,

Rev. Alexander Campbell.

and force of character to originate, organize and establish such a monument as this, and whose followers in a few years after his death number hundreds of thousands, are worthy of study. His memoir has recently been issued in two large volumes, and will well repay perusal.

      A brief sketch of this eminent man is all our limits allow; he was of Scotch-Presbyterian education, and parentage. His father, Rev. Thos. Campbell, had long been a Minister of high standing in the "Secession" branch of the Presbyterian Church, in the North of Ireland, who, with his family, emigrated to this country early in the beginning of the present century. His liberal views soon rendered him the object of persecution among his Presbyterian brethren, for which reason he encountered much opposition. He was at one time formally arraigned before an ecclesiastical tribunal of his brethren, on the charge of heresy. His fundamental position, while yet in connection with the Presbyterians, was, that the divisions existing among Christians were caused by a want of conformity to Scripture, and that the true and certain way to insure such unity, was to cast aside all creeds, and follow only the teachings of the Bible. The more rigorously he advocated his peculiar views, the stronger the opposition to him became, until on September 7th, 1810, he and his family and a considerable number of others, who had imbibed his sentiments, separated from the Presbyterians, and organized a church at Brush Run, in Washington County, Pennsylvania, where a house of worship was erected. Of this church, Rev. Thos. Campbell and his son, Alexander, became joint pastors. In this church much devotion was manifest, and perfect concord prevailed; at length a subject of difficulty presented itself--a member raised the question "Is infant-baptism Scriptural;" Mr. Campbell and his son entered into the discussion occasioned by this query, and having been educated in its belief, undertook the defence of "Infant Baptism." The result of the investigation was, that they both, and many members of the Brush Run Church, were convinced not only that Infant Baptism was without Bible authority, but that Immersion alone was Scriptural Baptism. They, at the conclusion of the investigation, were Baptists.

      True to their convictions they became Baptists; and on the 12th of June, 1812, were immersed by Rev. Mr. Luce, and forming a Baptist church, were admitted, in the fall of 1813, into the Redstone Baptist Association. About this time Rev. Alexander Campbell comes prominently into notice. He was educated at Glasgow University in Scotland, and was, from a student, eminent for energy of character, brilliancy of talents, and love of learning, together with a wonderful ability in debate. He first attracted attention by a speech in the Redstone Baptist Association in defending the position that "no terms of communion should be required other than the Holy Scriptures required." He subsequently became famous as a debater. Perhaps America never saw his superior in this. He loved what he regarded truth, and brought to its defence rare abilities, wide reading, and much learning. A debate with Rev. J. Walker, in Mount Pleasant, Ohio, on [503] the subject of baptism, raised him high in the estimation of Baptists, and gave wide celebrity to his talents and knowledge for the first time. Three years after he held a debate with Rev. Mr. McCalla, of the Presbyterian Church, in Washington, Kentucky, Which contributed largely to increase his fame and extend his influence among the Baptists. Beside these, he held other debates in the course of his remarkable career. The two most prominent being those with Rev. Mr. Purcell, now Archbishop of Cincinnati, Ohio, on the Romish question, and with Rev. Dr. N. L. Rice, at Lexington, Kentucky, on the subject of baptism. Mr. Campbell having at this time founded, and being in the zenith of his leadership of that large body whose history we are tracing. This was one of the most noted of his numerous encounters with theological opponents, while his opponent, Dr. Rice, was one of the ablest disputants the Presbyterian Church in America ever produced. Henry Clay, the great statesman of Kentucky, presided at this debate, and thousands gathered to hear it.

      From the time of his union with the Baptists in 1812, and especially

Origin.

his speech before the Redstone Association, it was evident that while he was in his views essentially a most decided Baptist, yet he was not, on some points, in full sympathy. Those points he pressed. Perhaps his growing popularity, and his remarkable abilities made him an object of jealousy with some, and thus caused his points of dissent to be magnified beyond their true value.

      The chief point of dissent is on the design of baptism. The Baptists

Peculiarity.

require of all candidates for admission into their churches the relation of what they term "Christian experience." That is, they require a statement in evidence of the power the truth in which belief has been avowed has had upon the heart, as an indispensable condition to baptism. The Disciples oppose this as unscriptural, and refer to the confession of the Eunuch (Acts viii, 37,) as all we are to demand. Like Baptists, they do not require submission to a creed as a condition of membership. They, however, attribute to the act of immersion an effect Baptists will not allow, and which, in the judgment of the latter, is regarded as akin, if not identical, with the ritualistic theory of baptismal regeneration. We will, however, give their peculiar conception of the efficacy of baptism in their own language. "No one is taught to expect the reception of that heavenly monitor and comforter (the Holy Spirit) as a resident in his heart until he obeys the Gospel. Thus, while they proclaim faith and repentance, or faith and a change of heart, as preparatory to immersion, remission of sins, and the gift of the Holy Spirit, they say to all penitents, or all those who believe and repent of their sins, as Peter said to the first audience addressed, after the Holy Spirit was bestowed after the glorification of Jesus, 'Be Immersed every one of you, in the name of the Lord Jesus, for the remission of sins, and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.'"

      Baptism, they teach, is designed to introduce the subjects of it into the participation of the blessings of the death and resurrection of Christ, [504] who died for our sins, and rose again for our justification. But it has no abstract efficacy without previous faith in the blood of Christ, and deep and unfeigned repentance before God; neither immersion in water nor any other action can secure to us the blessings of peace and pardon. It can merit nothing; still to the believing penitent it is the means of receiving a formal, distinct, and specific absolution, or release from guilt. Formed for a new state, by faith and repentance, the believer enjoys its heavenly adaptations the moment he enters the Kingdom, by being baptized in the name of Christ. The waters of Baptism, in connection with the death of Jesus, afford him as great an assurance of safety, as did their type, the waters of the Red Sea, to redeemed Israelites, when they engulphed Pharaoh and his hosts. Thus we are taught, that penitent believers are born the children of God by baptism; that salvation is connected with baptism when accompanied by faith, that remission of sins is to be enjoyed by baptism, through the blood of Christ; that persons having previously believed and repented, wash away their sins in baptism, calling on the name of the Lord; that men are saved by baptism, in connection with the renewing of the Holy Spirit; and, that the answer of a good conscience is obtained in Baptism through the resurrection of Jesus Christ.^*

      They call Bible things by Bible names. This has led to the calumny that they have been exposed to, of denying the Divinity of Jesus Christ, and of the Holy Spirit. They will not use the current Theological technicalities as applied to the Godhead. They repudiate the terms "trinity," "eternal generation," "eternal filiation," "eternally begotten," "co-essential and consubstantial," and all others of a like character. But they are believers in the Trinity, and with the exception of their peculiar and seemingly mystical conceptions on the design of baptism are orthodox. Their statements on this subject are the chief cause of their denominational severance from Baptists.

      Recent movements in the Western States, where they are numerous, look towards their future identification with the great Baptist body. Whether such a consummation be reached or not, it is certain, from the account we have given of them, there are points of union, while the ground of disagreement and separation is mainly on the effect of Baptism--Baptists denying baptismal regeneration, and regarding all statements in definition of its effects implying baptismal regeneration as dangerous.

      The strength of this body is found in Western Pennsylvania, in Kentucky, in Virginia, and in the Western and Northwestern States. They are found in the British Provinces, and have Missions in the Holy Land; Dr. Barclay, author of the "City of the Great King," is their Missionary at Jerusalem. They have 5,000 Churches, 45,000 Ministers, and 500,000 members.

      Rev. A. Campbell, in the incipiency of the formation of this body,

Institutions and Periodicals.

and founded the Christian Harbinger. The Quarterly issued at Cincinnati, under their auspices, is one of the ablest [505] in the United States. Besides, they publish several weeklies, and minor periodicals. They have a College at Bethany, Va., among the best in our country, and other institutions of minor grade, but popular, at other points. The Homestead of Henry Clay, in Kentucky, is owned by them. Here, they have laid the foundations of a first-class College.

[HRW 502-506]

      William Burder, et. al.'s "Campbellite Baptists, or Disciples" was published in his A History of All Religions of the World: Doctrinal, Statistical, and Biographical (New York, NY: Gay Brothers and Company, 1883), pp. 502-506. The electronic text has been produced from a copy of the book held by St. Vincent College Library.

      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.

      Addenda and corrigenda are earnestly solicited.

Ernie Stefanik
373 Wilson Street
Derry, PA 15627-9770
724.694.8602
stefanik@westol.com

Created 20 December 1998.