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, fraught with many evils. It is anti-Christian, 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 anti-scriptural, as being strictly prohibited by His sovereign authority; a direct violation of His express command. It is anti-natural, as it excites Christians to condemn, 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.

      ^* Declaration and Address, items 7 to 11.

[GPP 138-139]

      "Faith vs. Opinion" was first published in Thomas Campbell's Declaration and Address (Washington, PA: Washington Christian Association, 1809). The electronic version of Propositions 7 through 11 has been produced from Great Pioneer Papers (Rosemead, CA: Old Paths Book Club, ca. 1945), p. 138-139. Thanks to Beaumont Memorial Library, Harding University, for the loan of this book.

      Textual variants from the first edition of the Declaration and Address (1809) to publication of the excerpt in Great Pioneer Papers are as follows:

            Declaration and Address [ Great Pioneer Papers
 -----------------------------------------------------------------------
 p. 138:    yet, as [ yet as
            and of course [ and, of course,
            christian communion: [ Christian communion:
            knowledge: but [ knowledge. But
            that, on the contrary, [ that on the contrary
            thro' Jesus [ through Jesus
            faith in, [ faith in
            obedience to him, [ obedience to Him,
            his word, [ His word,
            his church. [ His church.
            thro' grace, [ through grace,
 p. 139:    among christians [ among Christians
            anti-christian, [ anti-Christian,
            body of Christ; [ body of Christ,
            as if He [ as if he
            wcre divided [ were divided
            against himself, [ against Himself,
            his sovereign [ His sovereign
            his express [ His express
            excites christians [ excites Christians
            contemn, [ condemn,
            That, (in [ That (in
            instances,) [ instances),
            and, (in [ and (in
            others,) [ others),
            term of communion, [ term of communion
            of the church; [ of the church:
 

      Pagination has been represented by placing the page number in brackets following the last complete word on the printed page.

      Addenda and corrigenda are earnestly solicited.

Ernie Stefanik
Derry, PA

Created 12 December 1997.
Updated 8 July 2003.