RESTORATION READINGS

BY

ORAM JACKSON SWINNEY

COPYRIGHT 1949
By
ORAM J. SWINNEY

---

ALL RIGHTS RESERVED

Being a compilation of works from able pens of the last century, and revived for you who neither possess the works from which they are taken nor have access thereto. This is not by any means to be considered exhaustive or complete. It is but a calling up, for profit in study, some things that should never perish from the earth, because they are based on eternal principles and therefore, of interest to every Bible student as well as the casual reader.

--OJS.

January, 1854.

      I have to announce to the friends and to the brethren of the Reformation, the death of the venerable THOMAS CAMPBELL, Sr. He died on the evening of Wednesday, January 4th, having attained to the advanced age of ninety-one years, lacking about a month.

      This event, though in the natural course of things, by no means unexpected, will doubtless awaken, in many a bosom, the deepest emotions and the dearest recollections. Our beloved Father Campbell had been so long and so earnestly devoted to the cause of religious reformation, for which alone he seemed to live and labor, and had made, while thus engaged, so many journeyings through different parts of the United States, that he had formed a very widely extended circle of acquaintances and friends, to whom he was justly endeared, not only by these labors of love, but also by personal qualities so engaging as to command universal love and veneration.

      Never was there an individual who manifested greater reverence for the Word of God, or a truer desire to see it faithfully obeyed. Yet this trust in the Divine word was not with him a mere verbal confidence, a faith or knowledge, like that of some professors, merely intellectual--lexical and grammatical; for never was there one who more fully recognized the spirituality of the gospel, or sought more diligently to impress all around him with the importance of the work of the Holy Spirit in the salvation of the soul. And never was there one who more fully exemplified the doctrine he taught, or whose life was more evidently guided by the teachings of the Spirit, and controlled by the Divine principle of love to God and man. To the faith of Abraham and the piety of Samuel, he added the knowledge, the purity and the warm affections of the Christian, and combined in his deportment a simplicity of manners and a courtesy [23] singularly graceful, with a dignity which inspired respect of all who approached him. Oh, who that has to enjoy the pleasure of his society, can ever forget that countenance of benignity; those thoughtful eyes, beaming with affectionate regard; those venerable silvery locks, smoothly parted, with habitual neatness, upon the high and ample forehead, and contrasting so agreeably with the fresh and lively tints of his complexion; those kindly greetings and inquiries with which he so politely welcomed his friends; or that ready overflow of Christian feeling and instruction which he seemed unable long to repress within a heart filled with love and Divine truth! Oh! thou revered instructor of my early years, beloved guide of my youth, honored counsellor of my manhood, can thy image be over obliterated from my heart! can thy teachings and thy example be ever absent from my remembrance! Oh! how great a blessing it has been to the multitudes, to have been allowed the privilege of contemplating thy character, and of hearing from thy lips words of truth and of grace! What thanks do we not owe to God for so precious an illustration of the power of the gospel, and of the beauty and excellency of the Christian profession!

      From an early period of life until within about seven years, this devoted servant of God was actively engaged in the work of the ministry. He was connected, in his native country of Ireland, with the Covenanters and the Seceders, and continued with the latter some two years after his removal to this country. From this time he gave himself wholly to the cause of Christian union and religious reformation, having become thoroughly disgusted with the party spirit and the religious animosities of the different sects. He seemed to prefer the life of an itinerant, and visited every part of the country where he thought his labors might be useful, delighting to visit occasionally the brethren with whom he previously sojourned. He returned from one of these excursions so late as the summer of 1846; but being greatly exhausted with heat and fatigue, through the solicitation of his friends and relatives, to remain at Bethany, where, under the affectionate care of his son Alexander and the kind and unwearied attentions of his daughter-in-law, Mrs. S. H. Campbell, he has spent his last years in all the happiness and comfort which the infirmities of age permitted him to enjoy. [24]

      From these, indeed, he suffered comparatively but little, if we except the loss of sight, which occurred about five years since, and which debarred him from reading, and visiting his friends--a privation which he deeply felt, but patiently endured. It was his delight, during his blindness, to converse with his former acquaintances; to recite to them various hymns and passages of Scripture, with which his memory was stored, and comment on the sentiments they expressed, or to hear portions of the Scripture read. On one occasion, during this period, through the earnest entreaty of friends who desired once more to hear him from the pulpit, he consented to deliver a farewell address. He preached, accordingly, on the 1st of June, 1851, at Bethany, to a large audience, a last discourse, on the subject of the two great commandments--love to God and love to our neighbor. It was, indeed, a solemn, impressive, and most interesting occasion, the speaker being entirely blind and in his 89th year, yet with mental faculties still active and vigorous.

      His health continued good until within some three weeks of his decease, when he became affected with a severe inflammatory affection of the mouth, which induced great debility and loss of appetite. Under these circumstances, he became gradually weaker, but without suffering acute pain, and at length expired so gently that it was scarcely possible to distinguish the moment when he ceased to breathe, having through his illness, manifested the same calm confidence in God and humble reliance upon his Divine Redeemer, which had ever characterized his life. He was buried on Friday, January 6th, by the side of his beloved consort, agreeably to the wish expressed in his affectionate notice of her death, contained in a letter to his daughter Alicia, and published in 1835, in the 6th vol. M. H., 1st series, page 284, where he says: (Note: See previous obit for this.)

      I have given the above details, as I know they will be most acceptable to many friends at a distance, who have long known and loved the deceased. May we all contemplate with profit this peaceful end of a life spent in the service of God, and follow his faith, considering the end of his conversation--Jesus Christ, the same yesterday, to-day, and forever!

R. R. [25]      

[RR 23-25]

      Robert Richardson's Obituary of Thomas Campbell was first published in The Millennial Harbinger, Fourth Series, Vol. 4, No. 2, February 1854, pp. 117-119. The obituary's publication in "Obituary Notices" in Memoirs of Elder Thomas Campbell by Alexander Campbell (Cincinnati, OH: H. S. Bosworth, 1861, pp. 300-303) constitutes it first book appearance. It was reprinted as "Death of Thomas Campbell, Sr." in Restoration Readings, ed. Oram Jackson Swinney ([Kansas City, MO: Old Paths Book Club,] 1949, pp. 23-25). The electronic text was prepared from a copy of Restoration Readings held by Hiram College Library. Thanks to Adams Memorial Library for arranging this interlibrary loan.

      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.

      Variants in the text from the first periodical publication in The Millennial Harbinger to the reprinting in Restoration Readings are as follows:

   Pages
 MH  / RR   Millennial Harbinger [ Restoration Readings
 -----------------------------------------------------------------------
 117 / 23:  OBITUARY NOTICES. [ Death of Thomas Campbell, Sr.
               [ January, 1854.
            to the brethren and friends [ to the friends and to the 
               brethren
            THOMAS CAMPBELL, [ THOMAS CAMPBELL,
 118 /      doctrine which he taught, [ doctrine he taught,
     / 24:  has to enjoy [ has enjoyed
            and warm [ and the warm
            over obliterated [ ever obliterated
            to multitudes, [ to the multitudes
            and grace! [ and of grace!
            and Seceders, [ and the Seceders
            and religious animosities [ and the religious animosities
            to revisit [ to visit
            he had previously [ he previously
            fatigue, he was induced, through [ fatigue, through
            Alexander, and [ Alexander and
     / 25:  having [ having,
            throughout his [ through his
 119 /      "And now, dear daughter, what remains for me, thus bereft of
               my endearing attached companion, from whose loving,
               faithful heart, I am persuaded I was not absent a single
               day of our fifty years' connexion--yes, what now remains
               for me, without any worldly care, or particular object of
               worldly attachment, but with renewed energy, with
               redoubled diligence, as the Lord may be graciously
               pleased to enable, to sound abroad the Word of
               Life--the praises of him who has called us out of
               darkness into his marvellous light; and at last, if it be
               the will of God, to have my mortal remains deposited
               alongside of your beloved mother's." [ (Note: See
               previous obit for this.)
 

      Addenda and corrigenda are earnestly solicited.

Ernie Stefanik
373 Wilson Street
Derry, PA 15627-9770
e_stefanik@msn.com

Created 30 June 2000.