HE town of Washington, in which Thomas Campbell and his family now sojourned, was, at that time, a small place, containing only about five hundred inhabitants. Many of the dwelling-houses, like those in the country around, were built of logs, notched and fitted near the ends, the interspaces being filled in with mortar and other materials. There were some comfortable frame buildings, however, and one or two of more substantial appearance, built of stone. The town stood on a rising ground at the upper part of the valley of Chartiers. It was placed, indeed, near the sources of several streams which run in different directions--as the Chartiers Creek, which flows toward the north; Ten-mile, which pursues an eastward course, and falls into the Monongahela ten miles above Brownsville, whence its name; Buffalo, which directs its swift and clear current to the W. N. W. and empties into the Ohio, at Wellsburg, about twenty-eight miles distant. The town being thus near the summit-level of the streams, the hills around it are comparatively low, and the country gently undulating. As we follow the descending waters, the hills and upland region, which, in reality, preserve pretty much the same general level, seem gradually to become higher, so that by the time [247] we approach the Ohio river, their sides, growing more and more precipitous, rise to a height of four or five hundred feet. These steep declivities enclose the fertile valleys through which the larger streams wind in graceful curves. Into these wider valleys small rivulets pour their limpid waters, issuing at short intervals, upon each side, from deep ravines formed by steep hill-sides. which closely approach each other, and down which the waters of the springs, with which the upland is abundantly supplied, fall from rock to rock in miniature cascades. Upon the upland, not immediately bordering upon the streams, the country is rolling, having the same general elevation, above which, however, the summit of a hill occasionally lifts itself as though to afford to lovers of beautiful landscapes most delightful views of a country covered for many miles with rich pasturage, with grazing herds or flocks, fruitful grain-fields, orchards, gardens, and farm-houses; while, upon the steeper sides of the valleys, still remain the ancient forest growths of oak and ash, walnut, hickory and maple. Frequently, as the traveler passes along the roads upon the upland, he sees suddenly, from some dividing ridge, charming valleys stretching away for miles with their green meadows, rich fields of corn and sparkling streamlets. At other times, as he advances, he admires with delight, in the distance, the ever-varying line of the horizon, which, on all sides, is formed by the summits of remote ridges and elevations, sometimes conical in form, but mostly defined by various arcs of circles as regularly drawn as if a pair of compasses had traced the lines upon the sky. Everywhere around him he sees lands abounding in lime and all the necessary elements of fertility, and producing, upon even the highest summits, abundant crops of all [248] the cereal grains. To enhance the natural resources of this picturesque country, its hills conceal immense deposits of bituminous coal, which the descending streams here and there expose, and which, along the sides of the valleys within five miles of Washington, and thence to the Ohio river, are conveniently reached by level adits.

      Such, for nearly two hundred miles west of the Alleghanies, is the general character of this region, especially of that portion of it lying along the Monongahela and Ohio--a region whose healthfulness is unsurpassed by that of any country in the world, and one which was always admired and loved by Alexander Campbell above all the countries he had ever seen; and to which, as his permanent home, he always returned with renewed pleasure from all the various tours and travels of his future life. At the time of his arrival at Washington, however, this region was by no means so extensively cleared and improved as at present. Thick forests then concealed the green and graceful slopes of the slow-rising hills, which, immediately below Washington, now so charmingly enclose the Valley of Chartiers, as, with its rich alluvial bottoms, it stretches away toward the north, opening into the valley of the Ohio river, three miles below Pittsburg. Even in many of the cultivated fields, the erect, decaying trunks of the girdled forest trees then deformed the landscape, while the elegant brick farm-houses, with their numerous white outbuildings, and other improvements, which now impart so much cheerfulness and beauty, were wanting. Alexander was, nevertheless, greatly delighted with the general features of the country, and rejoiced to find himself so agreeably placed, and so providentially brought to harmonize and [249] co-operate with his revered father in the great work he had undertaken.

      While examining the proof-sheets of the "Declaration and Address," and discussing with his father the matters involved, he was greatly impressed with the importance of the principles laid down, and was at once led to make the inquiry whether, upon these, they would not have to give up infant baptism, and some other practices for which it was alleged express precept and example were wanting. This inquiry would seem to have been suggested by a conversation he had had about this time with Rev. Mr. Riddle of the Presbyterian Union Church. He had met with him accidentally, and the principles of the "Declaration and Address" were introduced and discussed. When he referred to the proposition that "nothing should be required as a matter of faith or duty for which a 'Thus saith the Lord' could not be produced either in express terms or by approved precedent," "Sir," said Mr. Riddle, "these words, however plausible in appearance, are not sound. For if you follow these out, you must become a Baptist." "Why, sir," said Alexander, "is there in the Scriptures no express precept nor precedent for infant baptism?" "Not one, sir," replied the Doctor. Alexander was startled and mortified that he could not produce one; and he immediately requested Mr. Andrew Munro, the principal bookseller of Canonsburg, to furnish him with all the treatises he had in favor of infant baptism. He inquired for no books on the other side, for at this time he had little or no acquaintance with the Baptists, and regarded them as comparatively an ignorant and uneducated people. "He had often read," he says, "Bunyan's Pilgrim's Progress, but at this time did not know that he was a [250] Baptist." It seems to have been soon after this incident that he stated, as above, the same difficulty to his father; but he, to whom it had been previously presented, merely replied in substance as before, "We make our appeal to the law and to the testimony. Whatever is not found therein we must of course abandon." Alexander, however, not liking to remain in a state of incertitude upon the subject, occupied himself, for some time afterward, in examining the claims of infant baptism. He read the Pædobaptist authorities in hopes of being able to justify his predilections, which were still in favor of the practice. In despite, however, of his prejudices, the conviction that it was entirely a human invention gradually strengthened. He felt disgusted with the assumptions and fallacious reasonings of the Pædobaptist writers, and threw them aside, with a faint hope of finding something more convincing in his Greek New Testament. This, however, only made the matter worse, and upon again entering into a conversation with his father on the subject, he found him entirely willing to admit that there were neither "express terms" nor "precedent" to authorize the practice. "But" said he, "as for those who are already members of the Church and participants of the Lord's Supper, I can see no propriety, even if the scriptural evidence for infant baptism be found deficient, in their unchurching or paganizing themselves, or in putting off Christ, merely for the sake of making a new profession; thus going out of the Church merely for the sake of coming in again." He seemed disposed only to concede that they ought not to teach nor practice infant baptism without Divine authority, and that they should preach and practice the apostolic baptism in regard to all who were to make, [251] for the first time, a profession of their faith. Alexander, in deference to his father's views, dismissed the subject for the time, seemingly satisfied with the fallacious reasoning imposed by circumstances, which prevented his father from seeing then the real position which baptism occupies in the Christian economy, and consequently from making, in regard to it, a practical application of his own principles.

      These principles, indeed, as laid down and argued in the "Declaration and Address," then under consideration, were most worthy of attention, and formed a step quite in advance of any religious reformation previously attempted. Commencing with the admitted truth that the gospel was designed to reconcile and unite men to God and to each other, the address proceeded to contemplate the sad divisions that existed, and their baleful effects in the aversions, angry contentions, enmities, excommunications and persecutions which they engendered.

      "What dreary effects;" it remarked, "of those accursed divisions are to be seen, even in this highly favored country, where the sword of the civil magistrate has not as yet learned to serve at the altar! Have we not seen congregations broken to pieces, neighborhoods of professing Christians first thrown into confusion by party contentions, and, in the end, entirely deprived of gospel ordinances; while, in the mean time, large settlements and tracts of country remain to this day destitute of a gospel ministry, many of them in little better than a state of heathenism, the churches being either so weakened by divisions that they cannot send them ministers, or the people so divided among themselves that they will not receive them. Several, at the same time, who live at the door of a preached gospel, dare not in conscience go to hear it, and, of course, enjoy little more advantage in that respect than if living in the midst of heathens." [252]

      After considering these divisions in various lights, as hindering the dispensation of the Lord's Supper; spiritual intercourse among Christians; ministerial labors and the effective exercise of church discipline, as well as tending to promote infidelity, an appeal is made to gospel ministers to become leaders in the endeavor to remedy these evils; and especially is this urged upon those in the United States, as "a country happily exempted from the baneful influence of a civil establishment of any peculiar form of Christianity, and from under the direct influence of an anti-Christian hierarchy." "Can the Lord expect or require," it is demanded, "anything from a people in such unhampered circumstances--from a people so liberally furnished with all means and mercies--than a thorough reformation in all things, civil and religious, according to his word?" The scanty success which, as the writer admits, had heretofore attended efforts at reformation should not, he remarks, be a discouragement. On the contrary, having learned much from the mistakes which prevented the success of others, and enjoying the benefit of the truths they taught, the religious world, he urges, was then better prepared than at any former period for the accomplishment of the desired object. "Neither," he adds, "are we to be discouraged by the greatness of the work, since the cause is the cause of Christ, and the aid and blessing of God are to be expected in the undertaking, in which he also hopes for the concurrence of all his brethren in all the churches." Addressing the latter, he says:

      "Dearly beloved brethren, why should we deem it a thing incredible that the Church of Christ, in this highly favored country, should resume that original unity, peace and purity which belong to its constitution and constitute its glory? [253] Or is there anything that can be justly deemed necessary for this desirable purpose but to conform to the model and adopt the practice of the primitive Church, expressly exhibited in the New Testament? Whatever alterations this might produce in any or in all of the churches, should, we think, neither be deemed inadmissible nor ineligible. Surely such alteration would be every way for the better and not for the worse, unless we should suppose the divinely-inspired rule to be faulty or defective. Were we, then, in our Church constitution and managements, to exhibit a complete conformity to the apostolic Church, would we not be in that respect as perfect as Christ intended we should be? And should not this suffice us?

      "It is, to us, a pleasing consideration that all the Churches of Christ which mutually acknowledge each other as such, are not only agreed in the great doctrines of faith and holiness, but are also materially agreed as to the positive ordinances of gospel institution, so that our differences, at most, are about the things in which the kingdom of God does not consist; that is, about matters of private opinion or human invention. What a pity that the kingdom of God should be divided about such things! Who, then, would not be the first among us to give up human inventions in the worship of God, and to cease from imposing his private opinions upon his brethren, that our breaches might thus be healed? Who would not willingly conform to the original pattern laid down in the New Testament for this happy purpose? Our dear brethren of all denominations will please to consider that we have our educational prejudices and particular customs to struggle against as well as they. But this we do sincerely declare, that there is nothing we have hitherto received as matter of faith or practice which is not expressly taught and enjoined in the Word of God, either in express terms or approved precedent, that we would not heartily relinquish, that so we might return to the original constitutional unity of the Christian Church, and in this happy unity enjoy full communion with all our brethren in peace and charity. The like [254] dutiful condescension we candidly expect of all that are seriously impressed with a sense of the duty they owe to God, to each other and to their perishing brethren of mankind. To this we call, we invite our dear brethren of all denominations by all the sacred motives which we have avouched as the impulsive reasons of our thus addressing them.

      "You are all, dear brethren," he continues, "equally included as the objects of our esteem and love. With you all we desire to unite in the bonds of an entire Christian unity--Christ alone being the head, the centre; his word the rule, and explicit belief of and manifest conformity to it in all things, the terms. More than this, you will not require of us, and less we cannot require of you; nor, indeed, can you reasonably suppose any would desire it, for what good purpose would it serve? We dare neither assume nor propose the trite, indefinite distinction between essentials and non-essentials in matters of revealed truth and duty; firmly persuaded that whatever may be their comparative importance, simply considered, the high obligation of the Divine authority revealing or enjoining them renders the belief or performance of them absolutely essential to us, in so far as we know them. And to be ignorant of anything God has revealed can neither be our duty nor our privilege. We humbly presume, then, dear brethren, you will have no relevant objection to meet us upon this ground. And we again beseech you, let it be known that it is the invitation of but few; by your accession we shall be many; and, whether few or many, in the first instance, it is all one with respect to the event which must ultimately await the full information and hearty concurrence of all. Besides, whatever is to be done must begin some time, somewhere; and no matter where, nor by whom, if the Lord puts his hand to the work, it must surely prosper. And has he not been graciously pleased, upon many signal occasions, to bring to pass the greatest events from very small beginnings, and even by means the most unlikely? Duty, then, is ours, but events belong to God."

      After this appeal he insists that the time was [255] appropriate for the undertaking; that Christian union could be accomplished only in one of two ways--either in and through the truth and upon principle, or by compromise and accommodation. In any case, he urges that the effort shall be made, and earnestly entreats ministers to "put their hands to the work, and, like Moses, encourage the people to go forward 'upon the firm ground of obvious truth to unite in the bonds of entire Christian unity.'"

      "To you; said he, "it peculiarly belongs, as the professed and acknowledged leaders of the people, to go before them in this good work, to remove human opinions and the inventions of men out of the way, by carefully separating this chaff from the pure wheat of primary and authentic revelation, casting out that assumed authority, that enacting and decreeing power by which these things have been imposed and established."

      Addressing himself to both ministers and people, he affectionately entreats their concurrence, and advises the formation of societies or associations for consultation in regard to the matter; and again urges all to "resume that precious, dear-bought liberty wherewith Christ has made his people free--liberty from subjection to any authority but his own in matters of religion." He announces that the Christian Association had been formed to promote this end, and to invite others to do the same, and, as the first fruits of its efforts in this direction, he presents for consideration thirteen propositions, which he prefaces with the following very remarkable utterances:

      "Let none imagine that the subjoined propositions are at all intended as an overture toward a new creed or standard for the Church, or as in anywise designed to be made a term [256] of communion; nothing can be further from, our intention. They are merely designed to open up the way, that we may come fairly and firmly to original ground upon clear and certain premises, and take up things just as the apostles left them, that thus, disentangled from the accruing embarrassments of intervening ages, we may stand with evidence upon the same ground on which the Church stood at the beginning."

      Here it was distinctly stated that the object was to "come firmly and fairly to original ground, and take up things just as the apostles left them." In this way, "becoming disentangled from the accruing embarrassments of intervening ages," they could "stand with evidence upon the same ground on which the Church stood at the beginning." Never before had any reformer taken distinctly such ground as this. Never before had any one presumed to pass over so lightly the authorities and usages and decisions of so many intervening centuries. Here, indeed, was the startling proposition to begin anew--to begin at the beginning; to ascend at once to the pure fountain of truth, and to neglect and disregard, as though they had never been, the decrees of Popes, Councils, Synods and Assemblies, and all the traditions and corruptions of an apostate Church. Here was an effort not so much for the reformation of the Church, as was that of Luther and of Calvin, and to a certain extent even that of the Haldanes, but for its complete restoration at once to its pristine purity and perfection. By coming at once to the primitive model and rejecting all human imitations; by submitting implicitly to the Divine authority as plainly expressed in the Scriptures, and by disregarding all the assumptions and dictations of fallible men, it was proposed to form a union upon a basis to which no valid [257] objection could possibly be offered. By this summary method, the Church was to be at once released from the controversies of eighteen centuries, and from the conflicting claims of all pretenders to apostolic thrones, and the primitive gospel of salvation was to be disentangled and disembarrassed from all those corruptions and perversions which had heretofore delayed or arrested its progress.

      The propositions submitted, as embodying the general truths or principles which were to direct and govern this radical and sweeping change in religious affairs, were as follows:

      "Prop. 1. That the Church of Christ upon earth is essentially, intentionally and constitutionally one; consisting of all those in every place that profess their faith in Christ and obedience to him in all things according to the Scriptures, and that manifest the same by their tempers and conduct; and of none else, as none else can be truly and properly called Christians.

      "2. That, although the Church of Christ upon earth must necessarily exist in particular and distinct societies, locally separate one from another, yet there ought to be no schisms, no uncharitable divisions among them. They ought to receive each other, as Christ Jesus hath also received them, to the glory of God. And, for this purpose, they ought all to walk by the same rule; to mind and speak the same things, and to be perfectly joined together in the same mind and in the same judgment.

      "3. That, in order to do this, nothing ought to be inculcated upon Christians as articles of faith, nor required of them as terms of communion, but what is expressly taught and enjoined upon them in the Word of God. Nor ought anything to be admitted as of Divine obligation in their Church constitution and managements, but what is expressly enjoined by the authority of our Lord Jesus Christ and his apostles [258] in the New Testament Church, either in express terms or by approved precedent.

      "4. That although the Scriptures of the Old and New Testaments are inseparably connected, making together but one perfect and entire revelation of the Divine will for the edification and salvation of the Church, and, therefore, in that respect cannot be separated; yet, as to what directly and properly belongs to their immediate object, the New Testament is as perfect a constitution for the worship, discipline and government of the New Testament Church, and as perfect a rule for the particular duties of its members, as the Old Testament was for the worship, discipline and government of the Old Testament Church and the particular duties of its members.

      "5. That with respect to commands and ordinances of our Lord Jesus Christ, where the Scriptures are silent as to the express time or manner of performance, if any such there be, no human authority has power to interfere in order to supply the supposed deficiency by making laws for the Church, nor can anything more be required of Christians in such cases but only that they so observe these commands and ordinances as will evidently answer the declared and obvious ends of their institution. Much less has any human authority power to impose new commands or ordinances upon the Church, which our Lord Jesus Christ has not enjoined. Nothing ought to be received into the faith or worship of the Church, or be made a term of communion among Christians, that is not as old as the New Testament.

      "6. That although inferences and deductions from Scripture premises, when fairly inferred, may be truly called the doctrine of God's holy word, yet are they not formally binding upon the consciences of Christians further than they perceive the connection, and evidently see that they are so, for their faith must not stand in the wisdom of men, but in the power and veracity of God. Therefore no such deductions can be made terms of communion, but do properly belong to the after and progressive edification of the Church. Hence [259] it is evident that no such deductions or inferential truths ought to have any place in the Church's confession.

      "7. That although doctrinal exhibitions of the great system of Divine truths, and defensive testimonies, in opposition to prevailing errors, be highly expedient, and the more full and explicit they be for those purposes the better; yet, as these must be, in a great measure, the effect of human reasoning, and of course must contain many inferential truths, they ought not to be made terms of Christian communion, unless we suppose, what is contrary to fact, that none have a right to the communion of the Church, but such as possess a very clear and decisive judgment, or are come to a very high degree of doctrinal information; whereas the Church from the beginning did, and ever will, consist of little children and young men, as well as fathers.

      "8. That as it is not necessary that persons should have a particular knowledge or distinct apprehension of all Divinely-revealed truths, in order to entitle them to a place in the Church; neither should they, for this purpose, be required to make a profession more extensive than their knowledge; but that, on the contrary, their having a due measure of scriptural self-knowledge respecting their lost and perishing condition by nature and practice, and of the way of salvation through Jesus Christ, accompanied with a profession of their faith in and obedience to him in all things, according to his word, is all that is absolutely necessary to qualify them for admission into his Church.

      "9. That all that are enabled through grace to make such a profession, and to manifest the reality of it in their tempers and conduct, should consider each other as the precious saints of God, should love each other as brethren, children of the same family and Father, temples of the same Spirit, members of the same body, subjects of the same grace, objects of the same Divine love, bought with the same price, and joint-heirs of the same inheritance. Whom God hath thus joined together, no man should dare to put asunder.

      "10. That division among Christians is a horrid evil, [260] fraught with many evils. It is antichristian, as it destroys the visible unity of the body of Christ, as if he were divided against himself, excluding and excommunicating a part of himself. It is antiscriptural, as being strictly prohibited by his sovereign authority, a direct violation of his express command. It is antinatural, as it excites Christians to contemn, to hate and oppose one another, who are bound by the highest and most endearing obligations to love each other as brethren, even as Christ has loved them. In a word, it is productive of confusion and of every evil work.

      "11. That (in some instances) a partial neglect of the expressly revealed will of God, and (in others) an assumed authority for making the approbation of human opinions and human inventions a term of communion, by introducing them into the constitution, faith, or worship of the Church, are, and have been, the immediate, obvious and universally-acknowledged causes of all the corruptions and divisions that ever have taken place in the Church of God.

      "12. That all that is necessary to the highest state of perfection and purity of the Church upon earth is, first, that none be received as members but such as, having that due measure of scriptural self-knowledge described above, do profess their faith in Christ and obedience to him in all things according to the Scriptures; nor, secondly, that any be retained in her communion longer than they continue to manifest the reality of their profession by their temper and conduct. Thirdly, that her ministers, duly and scripturally qualified, inculcate none other things than those very articles of faith and holiness expressly revealed and enjoined in the word of God. Lastly, that in all their administrations they keep close by the observance of all Divine ordinances, after the example of the primitive Church, exhibited in the New Testament, without any additions whatsoever of human opinions or inventions of men.

      "13. Lastly. That if any circumstantial indispensably necessary to the observance of Divine ordinances be not found upon the page of express revelation, such, and such [261] only, as are absolutely necessary for this purpose, should be adopted under the title of human expedients, without any pretense to a more sacred origin, so that any subsequent alteration or difference in the observance of these things might produce no contention or division in the Church."

      After having thus laid down these propositions, their object is declared to be "to prepare the way for a permanent scriptural unity among Christians, by calling up to their consideration fundamental truths, directing their attention to first principles, clearing the way before them, by removing the stumbling-blocks--the rubbish of ages, which has been thrown upon it, and fencing it on each side, that, in advancing toward the desired object, they may not miss the way through mistake or inadvertency, by turning aside to the right hand or to the left."

      It is then left to the religious community to decide how far these propositions go toward answering the avowed intention. If found defective, they are declared to be open to correction and amendment.

      "If we have mistaken the way," it is said, "we shall be glad to be set right; but, if in the mean time, we have been happily led to suggest obvious and undeniable truths which, if adopted and acted upon, would infallibly lead to the desired unity, and secure it when obtained, we hope it will be no objection that they have not proceeded from a General Council.   *     *     *     *     *   We by no means claim the approbation of our brethren as to anything we have suggested for promoting the sacred cause of Christian unity, further than it carries its own evidence along with it; but we humbly claim a fair investigation of the subject, and solicit the assistance of our brethren for carrying into effect what we have thus weakly attempted. It is our consolation, in the mean time. that the desired event, as certain as it will be happy and glorious, admits of no dispute, however we may hesitate or differ about the proper means of promoting it. All we shall venture to say as to this is, that we trust we have taken the [262] proper ground. At least, if we have not, we despair of finding it elsewhere. For, if holding fast in profession and practice whatever is expressly revealed and enjoined in the Divine standard, does not, under the promised influence of the Divine Spirit, prove an adequate basis for promoting and maintaining unity, peace and purity, we utterly despair of attaining those invaluable privileges by adopting the standard of any party." Admitting that to maintain unity and purity was the plausible pretence of the compilers of human systems, these, it is truly affirmed, have answered no such purpose, but "instead of unity and purity we are presented with a catalogue of sects and sectarian systems--each binding its respective party by the most sacred and solemn engagements to continue as it is to the end of the world."

      It would be absurd, therefore, it is alleged, to advocate the cause of unity and at the same time to espouse the interests of any party. The Address concludes with an earnest petition that the Lord might soon open the eyes of his people to see things in the true light, and excite them to come up out of their sectarian confusion, and attain to that unity for which the Saviour prayed, and which could be found in Christ alone.

      This remarkable address was signed by Thomas Campbell and Thomas Acheson, and to it was added a considerable appendix, in which the various points made in the Address were further argued and enforced, and many things were added in order to prevent mistakes and to anticipate misrepresentations. Thus, lest any should suppose that the Christian Association intended to interfere with the peace and order of the settled Churches, or to make inroads upon them, all such intentions were disavowed.

      "We have no nostrum," it is stated, "no peculiar discovery of our own, to propose to fellow-Christians, for the [263] fancied importance of which they should become followers of us. We propose to patronize nothing but the inculcation of the express Word of God, either as to matter of faith or practice; but every one that has a Bible, and can read it, can read this for himself. Therefore, we have nothing new. Neither do we pretend to acknowledge persons to be ministers of Christ, and, at the same time, consider it our duty to forbid or discourage people to go to hear them, merely because they may hold some things disagreeable to us, much less to encourage their people to leave them on that account."

      In regard to what was said in the "Declaration" or constitution of the Society, in respect to the support of such ministers as would conform to the original standard, and reduce to practice the simple, original form of Christianity, it is explained that the principal and proper design with respect to such ministerial assistants was to direct their attention to those places where there was manifest need of their labor, thus disavowing any design of interfering with any existing ministry, established in particular places.

      To prevent any alarm at the adoption of a sweeping principle which rendered all creeds and confessions absolutely nugatory, it was stated:

      "As to creeds and confessions, although we may appear to our brethren to oppose them, yet this is to be understood only in so far as they oppose the unity of the Church by containing sentiments not expressly revealed in the Word of God, or, by the way of using them, become the instruments of a human or implicit faith, or oppress the weak of God's heritage. When they are liable to none of these objections we have nothing against them. It is the abuse and not the lawful use of such compilations that we oppose. See Proposition 7. Our intention, therefore, with respect to all the Churches of Christ is perfectly amicable. We heartily wish their reformation, but by no means their hurt or confusion." [264]

      In regard to the charge of an intention to make a new party, it is said:

      "If the Divine word be not the standard of a party, then are we not a party, for we have adopted no other. If to maintain its alone-sufficiency be not a party principle, then we are not a party. If to justify this principle by our practice in making a rule of it, and of it alone, and not of our own opinions, nor of those of others, be not a party principle, then we are not a party. If to propose and practice neither more nor less than it expressly reveals and enjoins be not a partial business, then we are not a party. These are the very sentiments we have approved and recommended, as a Society formed for the express purpose of promoting Christian unity in opposition to a party spirit."

      Not controverting at all the fact that human reason must be exercised in comprehending the Scriptures, the effort is made to draw a distinction between faith and opinion, between an express scriptural declaration and inferences which may be deduced from it. By the latter, were meant such conclusions as were not necessarily involved in the Scripture premises, and which were to be regarded as private opinions and not to be made a rule of faith or duty to any one. In order to obtain the true meaning of Scripture, "the whole revelation was to be taken together, or in its due connection upon every article, and not any detached sentence."

      If, in consequence of allowing thus full freedom of opinion, any should bring forward the charge of latitudinarianism, they are requested to consider whether this charge does not lie against those who add their opinions to the Word of God, rather than against those who insist upon returning to the profession and practice of the primitive Church. A return to the Bible, it is insisted, is the only way to get rid of existing evils. [265]

      "Should it still be urged," it is added, "that this would open a wide door of latitudinarianism, seeing all that profess Christianity profess to receive the Holy Scriptures, and yet differ so widely in their religious sentiments, we say, let them profess what they will, their differences in religious profession and practice originate in their departure from what is expressly revealed and enjoined, and not in their strict and faithful conformity to it, which is the thing we humbly advise for putting an end to these differences. But you may say, Do they not already all agree to the letter, though differing so far in sentiment? However this may be, have they all agreed to make the letter their rule, or, rather, to make it the subject-matter of their profession and practice? Surely not, or else they would all profess and practise the same thing. Is it not as evident as the shining light, that the Scriptures exhibit but one and the selfsame subject-matter of profession and practice at all times and in all places, and that, therefore, to say as it declares and to do as it prescribes in all its holy precepts, its approved and imitable examples, would unite the Christian Church in a holy sameness of profession and practice throughout the whole world? By the Christian Church throughout the world, we mean the aggregate of such professors as we have described in Props. 1 and 8, even all that mutually acknowledge each other as Christians upon the manifest evidence of their faith, holiness and charity, It is such only we intend when we urge the necessity of Christian unity. Had only such been all along recognized as the genuine subjects of our holy religion, there would not, in all probability, have been so much apparent need for human formulas to preserve an external formality of professional unity and soundness in the faith; but artificial and superficial characters need artificial means to train and unite them. A manifest attachment to our Lord Jesus Christ in faith, holiness and charity, was the original criterion of Christian character; the distinguishing badge of our holy profession; the foundation and cement of Christian unity. But now, alas! and long since, an external name, a mere educational formality of sameness in the [266] profession of a certain standard or formula of human fabric, with a very moderate degree of what is called morality, forms the bond and foundation, the root and reason of ecclesiastical unity. Take away from such the technicalities of their profession, the shibboleth of party, and what have they more? What have they left to distinguish and hold them together? As to the Bible, they are little beholden to it; they have learned little from it, they know little about it, and therefore depend as little upon it. Nay, they will even tell you it would be of no use to them without their formula; they could not know a Papist from a Protestant by it; that merely by it they could neither keep the Church nor themselves right for a single week. You might preach to them what you please, they could not distinguish truth from error. Poor people! it is no wonder they are so fond of their formula. Therefore they that exercise authority upon them, and tell them what they are to believe and what they are to do, are called benefactors. These are the reverend and right reverend authors, upon whom they can and do place a more implicit confidence than upon the holy apostles and prophets. These plain, honest, unassuming men, who would never venture to say or do anything in the name of the Lord without an express revelation from heaven, and, therefore, were never distinguished by the venerable title of "Rabbi" or "Reverend," but just simply Paul, John, Thomas, etc.--these were but servants. They did not assume to legislate, and therefore, neither assumed nor received any honorary titles among men, but merely such as were descriptive of their office. And how, we beseech you, shall this gross and prevalent corruption be purged out of the visible professing Church but by a radical reform, but by a returning to the original simplicity, the primitive purity of the Christian institution, and, or course, taking up things just as we find them upon the sacred page? And who is there that knows anything of the present state of the Church who does not perceive that it is greatly overrun with the aforesaid evils? Or who, that reads his Bible, and receives the impressions it must necessarily produce upon the [267] receptive mind by the statements it exhibits, does not perceive that such a state of things is as distinct from genuine Christianity as oil is from water?"

      Should any object that this proposed literal conformity to the Scripture alone would not secure complete unanimity of sentiment, this is freely admitted; but it is answered that entire unanimity in opinion is neither possible nor desirable in this imperfect state, nor was it indeed ever contemplated by the Author of Christianity, as the exhortations to mutual forbearance in the Scriptures themselves attest. The same objection would lie equally against any creed or human expedient that has been or can be devised, as is abundantly proved by the fact that no such unanimity has ever existed amongst professors of the same creed. But to hold fast that "form of sound words" given in the Divine standard, while it could never result in those destructive consequences which have attended human expedients, would be amply sufficient to "produce all the unity of sentiment necessary to a life of faith and holiness, as well as to preserve the faith and worship of the Church as pure from mixture and error as the Lord intended, or as the present imperfect state of his people can possibly admit." Not at all asserting that human standards are intentionally set up in competition with the Bible or in opposition to it, but considering them as human expedients designed to secure that unity and purity which the Bible alone was supposed insufficient to effect, it is urged that creeds have not prevented divisions, and that, so far from having any tendency to heal, they only serve to perpetuate them. And as to securing purity of doctrine, history attests that Arians, Socinians, Arminians, Calvinists, Antinomians have all existed under the Westminster Confession, [268] the Athanasian Creed or the Articles of the Church of England.

      "Will any one say," it is asked, "that a person might not with equal ease, honesty and consistency, be an Arian or a Socinian in his heart while subscribing the Westminster Confession or the Athanasian Creed, as while making his unqualified profession to believe everything that the Scriptures declare concerning Christ?--to put all that confidence in him, and to ascribe all that glory, honor, thanksgiving and praise to him professed and ascribed to him in the Divine word? If you say not, it follows, of undeniable consequence, that the wisdom of men, in those compilations, has effected what the Divine wisdom either could not, would not, or did not do in that all-perfect and glorious revelation of his will contained in the Holy Scriptures. Happy emendation! Blessed expedient! Happy indeed, for the Church that Athanasius arose in the fourth century to perfect what the holy apostles and prophets had left in such a crude and unfinished state! But if, after all, the Divine wisdom did not think proper to do anything more, or anything else, than is already done in the sacred oracles, to settle and determine those important points, who can say that he determined such a thing should be done afterward? Or has he any where given us any intimation of such an intention?"

      Lest any should suppose that it was designed to undervalue or reject the writings of great and good men upon the subject of religion, occasion is taken to confine the question to human standards as "designed to be subscribed or solemnly acknowledged for the preservation of unity and purity," and to say that "it by no means applies to the many excellent performances for the elucidation of Scripture and the defence of divinely-revealed truths. These, we hope, according to their respective merit, we as highly esteem and as thankfully receive as our brethren." In this [269] connection, the following striking and characteristic passage occurs:

      "Is it not worthy of remark that of whatever use other books may be to direct and lead us to the Bible, or to prepare and assist us to understand it, yet the Bible never directs us to any book but itself? When we come forward, then, as Christians, to be received by the Church, which, properly speaking, has but one book, "for to it were committed the oracles of God," let us hear of none else. Is it not upon the credible profession of our faith in and obedience to its Divine contents, that the Church is bound to receive applicants for admission? And does not the profession of our faith and obedience necessarily presuppose a knowledge of the dictates we profess to believe and obey?   *     *     *     *     *   In the case then before us, that is, examination for church membership, let the question no longer be, What does any human system say of the primitive or present state of man? Of the person, offices and relations of Christ, etc., etc.? Or of this, that, and the other duty? But, What says the Bible? Were this mode of procedure adopted, how much better acquainted with their Bibles would Christians be! What an important alteration would it also make in the education of youth! Would it not lay all candidates for admission into the Church under the happy necessity of becoming particularly acquainted with the Holy Scriptures? Whereas, according to the present practice, thousands know little about them. One thing still remains that may appear matter of difficulty or objection to some, namely, that such a close adherence to the express letter of the Divine Word, as we seem to propose for the restoration and maintenance of Christian unity, would not only interfere with the free communication of our sentiments one to another upon religious subjects, but must, of course, also necessarily interfere with the public preaching and expounding of the Scriptures for the edification of the Church. Such as feel disposed to make this objection should justly consider that one of a similar nature, and quite as plausible, [270] might be made to the adoption of human standards, especially when made, as some of them confessedly are, the standard for all matters of doctrine, worship, discipline and government. In such a case it might, with as much justice, at least, be objected to the adopters: You have now no more use for the Bible; you have got another book, which you have adopted as a standard for all religious purposes; you have no further use for explaining the Scriptures, either as to matters of faith or duty, for this you have confessedly done already in your standard, wherein you have determined all matters of this nature. You also profess to hold fast the form of sound words, which you have thus adopted, and therefore you must never open your mouth upon any subject in any other terms than those of your standard. In the mean time, would any one of the parties, which has thus adopted its respective standard, consider any of these charges just? If not, let them do as they would be done by. We must confess, however, that for our part, we cannot see how, with any shadow of consistency, some of them can clear themselves, especially of the first; that is to say, if words have any determinate meaning; for certainly it would appear almost, if not altogether incontrovertible, that a book adopted by any party as its standard for all matters of doctrine, worship, discipline and government, must be considered as the Bible of that party. And after all that can be said in favor of such a performance, be it called Bible, standard, or what it may, it is neither anything more nor better than the judgment or opinion of the party composing or adopting it, and, therefore, wants the sanction of a Divine authority, except in the opinion of the party which has thus adopted it. But can the opinion of any party, be it ever so respectable, give the stamp of a Divine authority to its judgments? If not, then every human standard is deficient in this leading, all-important and indispensable property of a rule or standard for the doctrine, worship, discipline and government of the Church of God."

      Against the anticipated charge of substituting a vague and indefinite approbation of the Scriptures "for a strictly [271] defined creed," it is urged that "a union in truth is all that is desired, and that truth unquestionably is something certain and definite, and already made sufficiently clear in the word of God, the way of salvation being a plain way, very far remote from logical subtleties and metaphysical speculations. An intelligent profession of faith in Christ and obedience to him in all things according to the Scriptures, manifested in a temper and conduct conformed thereto, are to be the criteria of Christian character, and all such persons are to receive each other as brethren, and carefully to preserve the unity of the spirit in the bond of peace."

      Finally, in closing these explanations and argumentations, the regret is expressed for "the necessity of approaching so near the borders of controversy, in briefly attempting to answer objections which we plainly foresaw would, through mistake or prejudice, be made against our proceedings, controversy making no part of our intended plan. But such objections and surmises having already reached our ears from different quarters, we thought it necessary to attend to them, that, by so doing, we might not only prevent mistakes, but also save our friends from entering into verbal disputes to remove them, and thus prevent as much as possible that most unhappy of all practices sanctioned by the plausible pretence of zeal for the truth--religious controversy among professors. We would, therefore, humbly advise our friends to concur with us in our professed and sincere intention to avoid this evil practice."

      The pamphlet then concludes with a few extracts from authors of standing in relation to the sad effects of divisions.

      Such is a brief analysis of this remarkable document, which occupies fifty-four closely-printed pages, and which merits particular attention, not only on its own account, but because it laid the foundation for the most important and extended religious reformation of modern times. It is as remarkable for the affectionate and [272] Christian spirit which it manifests in an age of bitter religious controversy, as for the clearness with which the true basis of Christian union is defined, and the conclusiveness of the arguments by which it is sustained. It takes a complete survey of the whole subject, and anticipates, in its exhaustive details, every phase which the question afterward assumed during the years of discussion that ensued. So fully and so kindly was every possible objection considered and refuted, that no attempt was ever made by the opposers of the proposed movement to controvert directly a single position which it contained. The ministers of the different parties around, to whom copies were sent, received them apparently with silent acquiescence as to the principles laid down, not a single one of them venturing a public reply, though earnestly and repeatedly invited to consider carefully the propositions submitted, and to make any corrections or amendments which might occur to them, and assured that all objections presented in writing would be "thankfully received and seriously considered with all due attention." That a publication which boldly asserted principles necessarily involving a complete change in the whole framework of religious society, should have been allowed thus to pass unchallenged by the clergy, is certainly a remarkable circumstance, and can be explained only upon the ground either that the publication itself afforded no vulnerable point of attack, or that the affectionate manner and humble Christian spirit in which the subject was discussed disarmed resentment.

      To all the propositions and reasonings of this Address Alexander Campbell gave at once his hearty approbation, as they expressed most clearly the convictions to which he had himself been brought by his experience [273] and observation in Scotland, and his reflections upon the state of religious society at large. Captivated by its clear and decisive presentations of duty, and the noble Christian enterprise to which it invited, he at once, though unprovided with worldly property, and aware that the proposed reformation would, in all probability, provoke the hostility of the religious parties, resolved to consecrate his life to the advocacy of the principles which it presented. Accordingly, when, soon afterward, his father took occasion to inquire as to his arrangements for the future, he at once informed him that he had determined to devote himself to the dissemination and support of the principles and views presented in the "Declaration and Address." So impressed was he with a conscientious sense of duty in regard to the choice he had thus made, that when, about this time, very soon after his arrival at Washington, Lawyer Mountain, of Pittsburg, who had formed his acquaintance and was much impressed with his attainments and abilities, urged him to take charge of an academy of which he was a principal trustee, offering him $1000 a year, which was at that time a large salary, and laying before him various other inducements both present and prospective,¹ he declined the flattering offer, giving as his reason that as he felt himself conscientiously bound to do everything in his power, through the Divine [275] assistance, to promote the proposed reformation, and could not accomplish both objects, he must decline taking charge of the seminary. His father, greatly delighted with the pious zeal and resolution of his son, immediately desired him to "divest himself of all earthly concerns, to retire to his chamber, to take up the Divine Book, and to make it the subject of his study for at least six months." When his son further informed him that in devoting himself to the ministry he had firmly resolved never to receive any compensation for his labors, his father remarked, "Upon these principles, my dear son, I fear you will have to wear many a ragged coat." With all his parental partiality, he had as yet a very imperfect conception of that indomitable energy, and that remarkable ability in the management of affairs which enabled the son, while laboring incessantly in his ministerial calling, not only to maintain himself in independent circumstances, but to provide for his revered father during the years of his decline, the abundant comforts of a happy home. [275]

[MAC1 247-275]