FROM

THE

MILLENNIAL HARBINGER:

FOURTH SERIES.

VOL. IV.]	BETHANY, VA. FEBRUARY, 1854.	[NO. II.

      I have to announce to the brethren and friends 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 [117] 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 which 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 warm affections of the Christian, and combined in his deportment a simplicity of manners and a courtesy singularly graceful, with a dignity which inspired respect of all who approached him. Oh, who that has enjoyed 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 ever 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 multitudes, to have been allowed the privilege of contemplating thy character, and of hearing from thy lips words of truth and 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 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 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 revisit occasionally the brethren with whom he had previously sojourned. He returned from one of these excursions so late as the summer of 1846; but being greatly exhausted with heat and fatigue, he was induced, 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.

      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 throughout his illness, manifested the same calm [118] 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: "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."

      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.      

[The Millennial Harbinger, Fourth Series, 4 (February 1854): 117-119.]

      Robert Richardson's Obituary of Thomas Campbell was first published in The Millennial Harbinger, Fourth Series, Vol. 4, No. 2, February 1854. The electronic version of this essay has been produced from the College Press reprint (1976) of The Millennial Harbinger, ed. Alexander Campbell (Bethany, VA: A. Campbell, 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 edition of the first serial publication of the obituary has been produced from text scanned by Colvil Smith and formatted by Ernie Stefanik.

      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 first book appearance in Memoirs of Elder Thomas Campbell are as follows:

   Pages
 MH  / METC    Millennial Harbinger [ Memoirs of Elder Thomas Campbell
 -----------------------------------------------------------------------
 117 / 300:    the Reformation, [ the reformation
               THOMAS CAMPBELL, [ Thomas Campbell,
               bosom, [ bosom
               Word of God, [ word of God,
               word was not [ word was not,
     / 301:    with him [ with him,
 118 /         spirituality of the gospel, [ spirituality of the Gospel,
               the soul. [ the soul;
               And never [ and never
               purity [ purity,
               Oh, who [ ¶ O! who
               society, [ society
               benignity; [ benignity,
               neatness, [ neatness
               instruction [ instruction,
               Oh! thou [ O, thou
               early years, [ early years!
               youth, [ youth!
               counsellor [ counselor
               manhood, [ manhood!
               heart! [ heart?
               remembrance! [ remembrance?
               Oh! how [ O, how
               multitudes, [ multitudes
               power of the gospel, [ power of the Gospel,
     / 302:    five years [ three and a half years
               reading, [ reading
               friends--a privation [ friends; a privation
     / 303:    89th [ eighty-ninth
 119 /         Redeemer, [ Redeemer
               6th [ sixth
               vol. [ volume
               M. H., of the Millennial Harbinger,
               1st series, [ first series,
               faithful heart, [ faithful heart
               connexion-- [ connection--
               worldly care, [ worldly care
               the Word [ the word
               of Life-- [ of life--
               praises of him [ praises of Him
               forever! [ forever.
 

      Addenda and corrigenda are earnestly solicited.

Created 1 July 2000.