SIR--IN the numbers of this work already published, we meet with several essays upon the christian religion, all justly tending to enhance its value by pointing out its consummate excellence, and peculiar adaptation to ameliorate, as far as possible in this life, the wretched condition of a guilty, ruined, perishing world; not only, by bringing into view the consoling prospect of a blissful and glorious issue to all our toils and sorrows, by a revelation of good things to come; but, more immediately, by inspiring us with principles, and leading to practices which have a direct tendency to strengthen our minds against the pressure of worldly calamities and guilty fears; filling our hearts with joy and gladness in the apprehended favor and fellowship of God through the Spirit, by the mediation of Jesus Christ. See Hebs. xii. 22-24. I could wish, however, to see those things more distinctly developed, not only by pointing out, as above, the high and distinguishing peculiarities of the christian religion; and by an upright endeavor, to extricate and defend it from the innumerable perversions and abuses, with which it is, and has been corrupted and subverted; as you evidently have been in the habit of doing from the commencement of this work; and which, indeed, appears to be the very design of it; but also by pointing out, and defending as clearly as possible, the religion of christianity, (pardon the expression;) for in this, if I mistake not, the christian religion has suffered most. For what does the Spirit predict, as the combined issue of the evil and perilous times that should come in those last days of the Gospel Dispensation, when the great body of professors should be such as are described in 2d Tim., 3d and 4th chapters--"lovers of pleasure, more than lovers of God,--after their own lusts heaping up to themselves teachers, having itching ears,--turning away their ears from the truth, and being turned to fables,--not" so much as "enduring sound doctrine,--having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof." Mark this--these professors of the christian religion would have a mere form of godliness, instead of the religion--the pure, blissful, and substantial religion of christianity. If you think, sir, the following essay any way conducive to answer the above purposes, and you approve of the sentiments it contains, as I believe you do, please give it an insertion in your useful paper.

      I remain, sir, yours, very respectfully,

T. W.      

[The Christian Baptist, October 4, 1824, p. 98.]

      Thomas Campbell's "To the Editor of the Christian Baptist" was first published in The Christian Baptist, Vol. II, No. 3, October 4, 1824. The electronic version of the letter has been produced from the College Press (1983) reprint of The Christian Baptist, ed. Alexander Campbell (Cincinnati: D. S. Burnet, 1835), p. 98.

      Pagination in the electronic version has been represented by placing the page number in brackets following the last complete word on the printed page. I have let stand variations and inconsistencies in the author's (or editor's) use of italics, capitalization, punctuation, and spelling in the letter.

      Addenda and corrigenda are earnestly solicited.

Ernie Stefanik
Derry, PA

Created 7 January 1998.
Updated 7 July 2003.