Accordingly, a few days afterward, on the first day of April, 1807, Thomas Campbell, having taken an affecting farewell of his congregation, assembled his own family, to the members of which he delivered [79] able counsels and instructions, after which, amid many prayers and tears, he bade them adieu, and set out with his company for Londonderry, the port from which he had concluded to sail. Hastily viewing the fine harbor, and some other points of interest connected with this ancient city, so celebrated in history for its heroic defence against James the Second, he took occasion, before embarking, to address a letter to his family, the following extract from which will show how highly, above all the things of the present life, he prized their spiritual welfare:

"Come out, my dear son," he wrote, "from the wicked of the world and be separate, and 'touch not the unclean thing,' saith the Lord, 'and I will receive you and will be a Father unto you, and ye shall be my sons and daughters, saith the Lord Almighty.' My dear children, look to this divine direction and promise, and the Lord will be with you and be your God; and 'If God be for us, who can be against us?' Now, if you attend to this, and do really come to and embrace the Lord Jesus for repentance and reformation, you will have good ground of confidence for all things necessary, in his mercy, for your comfort here and your future felicity, that he will make my journey prosperous for deliverance to you and your friends, and that he will not be wroth with me for your sakes. Live to God; be devoted to him in heart, and in all your undertakings. Be a sincere Christian--i. e., imbibe the doctrines, obey the precepts, copy the example, and believe the promises of the gospel. And that you may do so, read it, study it, pray over it, embrace it as your heritage, your portion. Take Christ for your Master, his Word for your instructor, his Spirit for your assistant, interpreter and guide. Be always confirmed in your heart and practice with it. Live by faith in the Lord Jesus Christ, both 'for wisdom, righteousness, sanctification and redemption.' Above all things, attend to this, for without him you can do nothing, either to the glory of God or your own good." [80]

      Such were the affectionate counsels of Thomas Campbell to his family, and especially to his son Alexander, whose appreciation of them may be inferred from the fact that he carefully copied them into his note-book, that he might have them constantly before him. Meanwhile, his father had embarked on the ship Brutus, Captain Craig, master, bound for Philadelphia; and on the eighth of April, 1807, the wind being favorable, the vessel set sail, and passing out of Lough Foyle, rounded Malin-Head, the most northern point of Ireland, where Thomas Campbell gazed for the last time upon his native shores as they faded from his sight in the dim mists of the eastern sky.

[Memoirs of Alexander Campbell, Vol. I, pp. 79-81.]

      The extract of Thomas Campbell's letter to his family (April 1807) was first published in Robert Richardson's Memoirs of Alexander Campbell, Vol. 1 (Philadelphia, PA: J. B. Lippincott, 1871), pp. 80.

      Pagination in the electronic version has been represented by placing the page number in brackets following the last complete word on the printed page. The extract of Thomas Campbell's letter has been set in Century Schoolbook typeface and set off as a block quotation. Robert Richardson's narrative has been included to provide historical context and continuity. I have let stand variations and inconsistencies in the author's use of italics, capitalization, punctuation, and spelling in the letter.

      Addenda and corrigenda are earnestly solicited.

Ernie Stefanik
Derry, PA

Created 9 January 1998.
Updated 8 July 2003.