BX 7323 .J37 1886 Jarrel, W. A. 1849-1927. "The gospel in water," or Campbellism Digitized by tlie Internet Arcliive in 2014 https://arcliive.org/details/gospelinwaterorcOOjarr REV. W. A. [ARREL. 'tHE GOSPEL IN WATER." V JUL 1929 CAMPBELLISmo.o.s..j EXPOSITION AND EEFUTATION OF CAMPBELLISM, AND AN EXPOSITION AND A VINDICATION OF THE GOSPEL AND THE NEW TESTAMENT CHUKCH. By EEV. W. a. JARREL, "For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: It is the gift of God: not of works. "—CHRIST, through Paul. Eph. 2: 8, 9. "But though we, or an angelfrom heaven, preach any other gespel unto you than that which we have preached unto you, iet liimbe accursed."— Gal. 1: 8. For sale by GRAVES & MAHAFFY, Publishers and Printers, 356 Main Street, Memphis, Tcnn. Entered According to Act of Congress, in the year 1886, by REV. W. A. JARREL, in the oflSce of the Librarian of Congress, at Washington. All rights reserved. introduction: Alexander Campbell wrote : "I am bold, therefore, to affirm, that every one who, in the belief of what the Apostle spoke, was immersed, did, in the very in- stant in which he was put under the water receive the forgiveness of his sins and the gift of the Holy Spirit. If so, then who will not concur with me in saying that Christian immersion is the gospel in Avater." — Chris- tian Baptist, p. 417. As this is the summum bonum of Campbelliam it stands as the title to this book. That there are Christian people in Campbellite churches the author rejoices to know. But this is due to the gospel as preached by other than Campbellites, as to the gospel as preached by only a very few preachers, who, though among Camp- bellites, are not of them, or, to reading the Bible or the gospel in some other non-Campbellite book. The comparatively few Christians who are in Campbellite churches ought to immediately withdraw from them and enter the New Testament Church. Campbellism, in its fundamentals, is, to-day, as anti- scriptural as it was in the days of A. Campbell. iv INTRODUCTION. Though the author has written this book in only pity and love he is certain that the Campbellite pulpit and the Campbellite press and some of the Campbell- ite laymen, will find the dictionaries unable to supply them with terms of denunciation. He can but reply: "Am I therefore your enemy, because I tell you the truth?" "For if I yet pleased men, I should not be the servant of Christ."— Gal. 4:16; 1:10. Campbellism, having no Scriptural support, adopts denunciation. All who have exposed Campbellism have suffered denunciatory persecution. Dr. Jeter, for exposing Campbellism, was thus denounced by A. Campbell: "There are not a few things in science, learning, and in religion, which Mr. Jeter will not un- derstand till he get another head or heart. We are, indeed, sorry for his sake, that we cannot create the one or the other." "He has too recklessly dealt in assertions, and even criticisms, for which he is not qualified, either by nature, by grace, or by education." "Judge of the fidelity, honesty, or capacity of Mr. Jeter." — Campbellism Re-Examined, pp. 7, 9. As to Dr. A. P. Williams' Book on Campbellism, Mr. Lard wrote : "Allow me to warn all our brethren against either buying or reading a certain cold, mean book purported to have been written by one A. P. INTRODUCTION. V Williams, of Missouri. It is a sin to encourage the book, and no credit to any one to notice the man." — Ray-Lucas Debate, p. 225. Not having time to count the denunciations and vul- garisms in Hand's so-called reply to Dr. Ray, I quote from another revie\yer of it: "The word falsehood, false or falsely is used 54 times. The word lie or liar is used 10 times. And then many of the following classic ( ! ) expressions have been often repeated : 'Virus of vindictive misrepresentation,' 'enormity of his iniquity,' 'slanderous thing,' 'monstrosity,' 'iniqui- tous concern,' . . . 'satanic paternity,' 'the devil's Text Book,' 'unblushing falsehoods,' . . .'whopper,' . . . 'unmitigated falsehoods made of whole cloth,' 'base slander,' . . . 'buzzards' glory,' 'carrion,' 'tit- bits of carrion,' 'genuine carrion,' 'choice bits of car- rion,' 'rich banquet of carrion,' 'as basely false and slanderous as the devil could desire," 'etc. As exam- ples, see pp. 4, 5, 6, 11, 12, 13, 14, 78, 87, 245, of Text Book Exposed.'' All this and much more of the same kind, in a volume of but 245 pages ! In my hearing, Mr. T. W. Caskey, a leading Camp- bellite preacher, publicly denounced the "Text Book" as being fuller of "lies" than any book he "ever saw." vi INTRODUCTION. S:iid the Apostolic Times : ' ' The right way to deal with Ray is to exhibit to the people, where he makes a noise, the meanness of his character, as shown by the contents of his book." — Apost. Times, Nov. 18, 1869 — quoted in Ray-Lucas Debate, p. 224. For an article, in The Standard, of Chicago, on Campbellism, G. S. Bailey, D. D., was denounced by The Standard, of Cincinnati. So has Prof. Whitsitt, of the Southern Baptist The- ological Seminary, been denounced, by Campbellites, for proving that Campbellism is Mormonism. No one who, by voice or pen, has exposed Camp- bellism, has escaped tliis persecution. This is but an acknowledgment that Campbellism is indefensible. It illustrates that "as then he that was born after the flesh persecuted him that was born after the Spirit." — Gal. 4:29. May we have the grace to pray: "Father forgive them ; for they know not what they do." — Luke 23 :34. This book is not designed to do the hopeles:iscmsion, pp. 78, 79. Kitto : "That it" — baptism — "is a direct instrument of grace ; the application of the water to the person b}' a properly qualified functionary, being regarded as the appointed vehicle bt/ which God bestows regenera- ting grace upon men. This is the Romanist and An- glo-Catholic view."-fyc. Biblical Lit., in the Graves Campbell Debate, p. 79. "According to some sections of the Christian Church . the change" — regeneration — "is inseparably involved with Christian baptism in all cases ; while others do not acknowledge any essential connection between baptism and regeneration. In the view of the former, baptism constitutes always a real point of transition, from the natural to the spiritual life. The grace of baptism is the grace of regeneration ; the laver of baptism is the laver of regeneration, not merely in va\y formal sense, but in a real and living sense — or at least so that every baptized person — has already become a Christian truly, although he may fall CAMPBELLITE CHURCH. 13 from the grace thot he has received ... In the view of others regeneration is a special, conscious process" — what Baptists term a "heart felt"' change, "heart felt religion" — which takes place independently of baptism, or of any other outward ceremony. It im- plies a sensible experience" — so often ridiculed by Campbellites — an awakening whereby men come to see the evil of sin, and the divine displeasure against sin, and through the Holy Spirit are born agahi, put away their former evil life, and begin to live a new divine life ; and man^^ Christians have spoken with the rapt- ure of this experience" — reader have you? — *'of its thoroughness, its suddenness, its immediateness." — Universal Knoivledge , vol. 12, p. 208. (All the above italics mine). As to mere water regenerating, as Dr. Hibbard, a standard Methodist writer, remarks: "No one ever believed that baptism or the outward washing, regen- erates ; but only that a person is regenerated at bap- tism, and that regeneration is a necessary part of the sacrament, of which baptism is the other part . The question is. Has God appointed that regeneration should ordinarily accompany baptism?" — Hibbard on Baptism , Part I, p. 279. (My italics . ) These writers agree that baptismal regeneration does not mean that water alone regenerates, but that it is a condition of a means by Avhich God regener- ates. In this they rightly define baptismal regenera- tion. 14 ORIGIN OF THE William Norton, of England, therefore rightly says, of my last quotation from the Presb. Cat., "Except as to the intention of the administrator, this is precisely the doctrine of Rome." Summers says: "The Re- formers varied very little from the teaching of Rome on this subject." — On Bap. p. 128. Fairbairn : "Baptism is spoken of as a saving, in consequence of its being a purifying ordinance. . . . This is virtually admitted by Steiger who .... is obliged to regard the water as the instrumental means of salvation." — Typology, by Fairbairn, vol. l,p. 274. "Christian Baptism ... is designed to bring the individual that receives it under those vital influences that purge away the corruption of a fleshly nature, and cause the seed of the divine life to take root and grow for the occupation of a better inheri- tance."— idem, p. 64. Speaking of the "transmis- sion of grace, necessary to effect the requisite change," Fairbairn says, of baptism: "It exhibits that grace . . and makes the subject of the ordi- nance bound to use it for the accomplishment of the proper end." — idem, p. 315. W. C. Davis, in his "Lectures on Pauls' Ep. to the Romans, with Critical Notes and Observations," "published by the Gen. Conv. of the Independent Presb. Church, Charles- ton, S. C, says : "Some think that all infants dying in infancy will be saved. But this notion is totally unfounded, and has no support in the Word of God . . . God has CAMPBELLITE CHURCH. 15 never promised a single saving blessing to an unbe- liever or his children, and there is no ground to hope for what God has never promised to grant." — pp.29'2, 293, quoted by D. iShaver, D. D., in Tex. Baptist Herald. This is but the logical deduction from all the Pres- byterian talk about baptism bringing the child into God's covenant, and al)()ut Baptists neglecting their children by not sprinkling them. So Dr. Charles Hodge says : "Infants have always been baptized for the remission of sin, and men have ever been regarded by the Church as born in sin." — Sytitematic Theol. hy Hodge, vol. 2, p 191, quoted by J. It. Graves, LL D. The Heidelburg Cat., on the basis of the father of the Presbyterian Church — John Calvin, — adopted in 1652, which is the standard of the Dutch and German Keformed Churches of Europe, and its "use," "so re- cently as 1870," "authorized" by the Presbyterian Church of the United States." — See Sc/ta f Herzog Ency. vol. 2, p. 960 — teaches baptismal regeneration. In J 863 its adoption was celebrated and a handsome centenary edition of it published in this country, suit- ably edited by prominent divines, with an elaborate historical introduction. After laboring, throughout 100 pages of the Introduction to this Cat., to prove that baptismal regeneration with the instruction there- with connected, form the very basis of Christianity, they say : "The Heidlel)erg Cat., is constructed on this scheme 16 ORIGIN OF THE of Christianity altogether . . . It is not intelligi- ble on any other ground ; and with the giving way, accordingl}^ of the old belief in baptismal grace and educational religion, we find that it has, in fact, lost its hold upon the practice of our modern churches altogether."— P^j. 112, 113. "The Baptist principle, as it may be called, has en- tered widely into their theology and church life, bring- ing them to make large concessions practically to the unchurchly spirit around them ; so that they find it hard to bear up against its assumptions and preten- sions, and are more and more in danger always of being swept away from their ancient moorings, and driven forth into the open sea of spiritualistic fanati- cism and unbelief. Tliis," they go on to say, "un- questionably is the great reason why in certain quar- ters within these communions" — they mention the various Pedo-rantist bodies of the country — "such small stress has come to be laid on infant baptism." — p. 115. A little farther on, returning to their lamentation over the giving away of baptismal regeneration, etc. : "We are surrounded now, as we have just seen, with a Avholly different practice, which is the fruit and evi- dence of a wholly different faith. What that faith is, or rather what it is not, has been mentioned alread}^ in general terms. It is the absence of all belief in that side of Christianity, which is represented to us in the idea of the Church as being in aiiy way the organ and CAJMPBELLITE CHURCH. 17 medium of grace for the childrea of men. In this respect our modern sects ure all of one mind They are all of them thus constitutionally Baptistic ;t having no power to see in the church, membership of infants and young children t anything more than an empty form, and never daring to make any practice earnest with the thought of their sanctification to God."— P^?. 118, 119. A physician, in the Examiner, of N. Y., quoted from an article, by Rev. R. H. Lunde, M. A., in the Sundaij Magazine, of INIarch, 1867, edited by the late Dr. Guthrie, entitled, "The Crown Without the Conflict, Musings on the Death of Children:" "In reference to the children of the ungodly dying in childhood. Scripture, for wise reasons, has not bro- ken silence, and however strong the grounds of hope may seem to be, Ave will go no farther than the record of the written word — we too will keep silence. But as regards the children of Christian parents cut off in infancy, the same infallible word does warrant us to speak with confidence." Presbyterians know their children saved because t Doubtless much more so than formerly. But Baptists vs. Campbellites and Pedo-raiitists have yet much ground to fight over before this is wholly true — before baptismal regeneration is wholly abandoned by them. X In ron^ard to the membprship of "young children," these writers misapprehend the imsition of P.aiilists. While rejecting infant baptism, Bapti-t^ iM li. vr in the l)aptism and the Church membership of all •■youiiu,' etiiUIrcif which are of sufficient age to repent and believe, and w hich have done so. 18 ORIGIN OF THE they have been sprinkled into the covenant. This same physician says : '•I have observed in the case of infants who are sick and apparently abont to die 'nnchristened,' that the parents, whether professing Christians or not, are powerfully impressed with the belief that the ceremo- ny is in some undefined way connected with their child's salvation — hence they rush off for a minister who performs the ceremony to please the anxious par- ents. ... I remember once, during the preva- lence of a very fatal epidemic of scarlet-fever, meet- ing a Presbyterian clergyman on the road, who told me that so many children Avere dying from the fever that he had been around among the families under his charge baptizing — 'just,' said he, 'as you would go around vaccinating them during tlie appearance of small-pox.' " A Baltimore correspondent of the Wester7i Recor- der, of Louisville, wrote : "A Presbyterian mother of this city lost a child with scarlet fever. It had never been 'baptized.' She was sorely troubled that it died without 'baptism.' In a few days another child was taken sick with the same disease. She sent immediately for her minister, a distinguished divine, to baptize it. He said to her, 'If I baptize this child, and thus relieve your fears about its salvation, where is the soul of the other child that was not baptized? If my church forces me to do it, I will either join the Catholic church, that believes CAJIPBELLITE CHURCH. 19 baptism to be ii saving ordinance, or join the Baptist Church, where they baptize none but those they believe ai-e sa^'ed.' " I do not say that Presbyterians generally believe, fully, in baptismal regeneration. Some do not, in the least, believe in it. But their Confessions and Cate- chisms teach it, and a large number of their standard writers teach and believe it. In a paper, read before the Freeport Presbytery, of Illinois, ibout ten 3^ears ago, signed by the Committee of the Presbytery —viz., Rev. Ben.'E. S. Ely, E. A. Elfeld, Mead Holmes — and published in The Interior, I find : "Baptismal regeneration . . . sometimes found in churches which repudiate the doctrine." To prove that a church repudiates Ijaptismal regeneration, whose Confessions, Catechisms, al)lest writers, in some wa}^ openly, avowedly, or in ambiguous terras, teach it, would certainly lie a rare feat of logic. This Com- mittee farther says : "The truth is that with many who disavow their belief in bajitismal regeneration there still exists a supen^dition or social influence leading them to desire that their children may be baptized." (^ly italics.) In Ihe Gospel in Ezekiel, Dr. Guthrie, one of the greatest Presbterian writers, says : "Prone as we of Scotland are to boast that oui fathers, with Knox at their head, came forth from Rome with less of her old superstition than most other churches, t to what else than some lingering t Here, the Doctor honestly acknowledges that the Pr :'#bvte- rian and all other Churches, which comeTfrom ••Mother Kouks" set lip to housekeeping with some of the furnituie which they brought with them when they set up for themselves. 20 ORIGIN OF THE remains of Popery can we ascribe the extreme anxiety which some parents show to have baptism administered to a dying child ? Does not this looli like a rag of the old faith? It smells of the sepulchre. ... Is there not reason to suspect that, at the root of this anxious and unnecessary haste, there lies some lurking feeling that baptism, if not essentinl, is at least ser- viceable to salvation, and has connection, near or remote, with regeneration or remission of sins?" — Quoted by J. li. Graves, LL.D. William Anderson, LL.D., one of the ablest of recent Presbyterian writers, says: "There is yet dctectal)lc among our Presbyterian population an im- pure leaven of the superstition of waler-baptisra sanc- tification." — Anderson on Regeneration, p. 25. Coming from the Presbyterian Church, we canf therefore, readily see how Stonism taught baptismal regeneration. Stonism inherited baptismal regenera- tion by the very influence by which the sixteenth century Reformers inherited it from the Romish Church. When Stonism originated, the Presbyterian Church held much more tenaciously to its standards than it now does. Baptists have, since that, so far taught Presbyterians the doctrine of justification by % I have, in this chapter, devoted much space to this point, for the reason that the Campbells, as well as Stone, came from the Presbyterian Church, and from it inherited the doctrine of baj>- tisniai rciicneration, as much as .Stone did. It explains the ori- gin of baptismal regeneration, so tenaciously held by Campbell- ism. CAMPBELLITE CHURCH. 21 faith alone, that any split off from them now would not be so liliely to believe in baptismal reseneration. Mr. Stone abandoned baptismal regeneration for infants, but retained it for adults. Says Mr. Stone, of A Campbell : "I saw no distinctive feature between the doctrine he preached and the doctrine we had preached for many years, except on baptism for the remission of sins. Even this I had once received and ta2ight, as before stated, but had strangely let it go from my mind" — this statement shows that Mr. Stone did not see it in the Bible, as he would not have forgotten it, had it been there — "till brother Campbell revived it afresh. "i(/e of B. W. Stone, hy Mathes, p. 29 . On the previous page, Mr. Stone says, of this doc- trine : "Into the .s^iVzV of the doctrine I was never fully led, until it was revived by brother Alexander Campbell, some years after." (My italics in both quotations). Thus, from the Romish Church, through the Presbyterian Church, Stonism inherited baptismal regeneration. Second. Stonism' abandoned some of the great funda- mental truths held hij the Presbyterian Church, and substitut3d infidelity for them. (1) Saj^s Mr. Stone : "My own views of the Son of God are that he did not begin to exist 1820 years ago,- nor did he exist from eternity." — Life of B. W. Stone, by Mathes, p. 66. "All must acknowledge that the only true God can not suffer ; for he was as happy during the suffering 22 OKIGIN OF THE of Jesus, as lie had bacn from eternity. I ask, who suffered on the cross?" — Iihin , p. 03. Of the divine attrii)utes Mr. Stone says: "But we ascribe them to him because tlie Father dwells in him." — Idem, j). 81. As well ascril)e them to any Christian, shice Paul says that the Christian is "the temple of God." 1 Cor., 3: 16, 17. Mr. Stone, while claiming to ])elieve in the divinity of Christ, admitted that he did not l)c- lieve the common doctrine of llis Deity. He admits : "We have also been charged with denying the Son of God; or in other words, his divinity." — Idem, p. 58. This denial he disclaims ; then utters such blasphem- ous utterances as above quoted ! On p. 82, Stone says: "The common prejudice of education may bear hard against s(jme of these sentiments." Other denominations, whose doctrine on the person of Christ, he ridiculed, have never, on this, been called in question by any true, evangelical Christian. How can Stone's and theirs both be right? If the Christian world is "sound" on the Deity of Christ, Stonism was certainly "unsound." The above utterances can be made by no true Christian. Hence, on John 17 :5, Stone says: "The person praying was not the very God." — Idem, p. 68. (2.) Denying the Deity of the Son of God, Mr. Stone repudiated the Atonement. Stone says: "The views many of us have on this doctrine subjected us to more reproach than anything else." — Idem, p. 85. "If all our iniquities were im- puted to Christ and borne away by him ; and if he CAMPBELLITE CHURCH. 23 suffered the punishment due to our sins, then the Avhole world are freed from all punishment " — Idem, p. 102 — commenting on Isa. 53. After perverting, in the Unitarian manner, a large number of Scrip- tures, teaching the Atonement, he says : "Surely from none of these cases can the doctrines of the imputa- tion of sin, and vicarious punishment be deduced.'' — Idem, p. 103. "I have often wondered why divines, leaving the ])lain explanation of Isa. 53, as given by Christ and his Apostles, are yet continually pressing this chapter in sup[)ort of the imputation of sin and of vicarious punishment."^ — Idnn, p. 107. "On the satisfaction of Christ:" "This scheme appears to me to be unscrii)tu)al, or not fomid in the Bible. It is never said that the blood of Jesus Christ did satisfy God's law or justice, or that it was ever designed to satisfy them." — p. 119. "The imputed righteous- ness of Christ is not once named in the Bible." Page 127. "The notion of the law being made infinite wns introduced to prove that sin was an in- finite evil." — Idem, p. 132. "That Jesus was the substitute, the fedei-al head, the representative of mankind, is often asserted, hut never proved from the Bible. These names, nor their ideas attached to them by scholastic divines, I have not found in that book." — Idem p. 141. See, in refutf'tion of such statements : Isa. 63; Heb. 9:14; 13:12; 10:10; 1 John 1:7; Eev. 1:5; 1 Pet. 2:24; John 1:29; Rom. 10:4; 5 :19 ; Gal. 3:13; 1 Cor. (3 :20 ; 7 :23. Passim. The 24 ORIGIN OF THE denial of the Atonement is the concomitant of the de- nial of the deity of Christ. AVherever the one doc- trine is denied, the other is, most always, cither denied or doul^ted. These being the core and essence of the Bible, their denial is infidelity : and the more to be dreaded infidelity when held under the garb of Christianity. Stealing the "livery of the court of heaven" to serve the Devil in, is nothing to wink at. In allusion to Christ, in his character as God, and as suffering as our vicarious substitute, Paul said: "If any man love not the Lord, let him be anathema." — 1 Cor. IG :22. (3). Stonism denied the doctrine of hu- man dejiravity, as taught in the Bible. Says Mr. Stone : "But it is warmly contended that a sinner cannot believe, because he is spiritu.dly dead. The meaning of the doctrine is that a sinner must be quickened or made spiritually alive 1)cfore he can believe. The Bible toaclies (hat this is as opposite to the truth as light is to darkness." — Idr/u, ]'>. 147. This Campbellite error is refuted in Cliap. 11 of this l)0()k. (4). Stonism denied that faith is the "gift of God," and held "that testimony alone produ- ces Scriptural faith."— M w, P. 149 to 143. (5). Stonism denied that the Spirit of God regenerates, produces repentance, faith — the new life. He says : "As faith precedes the receiving of the Spirit, by us, it necessarily follows that it precedes the operation of the Spirit in us." — Idem, p. 144. He denies repu- CAMPBELLITE CHURCH. 25 diating the doctrine of the operation of the Spirit — jes, denies it, emphatically, in the very face of such statements us the aI)ove ! Bat, then, as now, Chris- tians understood him to repudiate the operation of the Spirit. For he says: "We have been frequently charged with denying the o[)erations of the Spirit." — Idem, p. 142. How, in the name of all reason, can a reasonable man, denjnng the Scriptural doctrines of human depravdty, the infinite nature of the divine law, the atonement. Deity redeeming us, see any necessity for the Spirit to regenerate the soul? ]f the law is not infinite, if man is l>ut partly depraved, needing no vicarious Savior, he certainly, as little, needs the Spirit to create him anew in Christ Jesus. See chap- ters 16 and 17, of this book. ((i). Stonism repudi- ated any formal or written Confession of what we be- lieve, as a help to unity, and a preventive of error im- posing on us. Mr. Stone said: "We have neither made nor adopted an}^ P^n'ty creed ; bat have taken the Bible as our standard." — Idem, p. 158. Holding all these errors, it looks very much like they had taken, in trath, the Bible as their "standard" !( ?j See refuta- tion of this deceptive pretense in Chap. 33, of this l)()ok. (7). Stonism took the name "Christian " as the distinguishing name of the Cliurch. He says: "We have taken the name Christians . . There are party names too many in the world." — P. 159. See Chap. 5, of this book, for refutation and expose of this. (8), By taking that name Stonism designed 26 ORIGIN OF THE to unite the Christian world. He says: "Our very profession is leveled at the destruction of party ism, as the bane of Christianity."— /Jem, j)p 157—160, 332, 334. [9]. Stonism built itself upon the common foundation of sects, viz. : the apostasy and harlotry of tlie Blessed Bride of Christ— the Church of Christ. Said Stone : "By a comparison of the present state of Chris- tianity with what it once was, all are brought to the conviction that we are yet in the apostacy — under the reign of the man of sin — 3'^et in Babylon, — yet in the wilderness."— /(7r«i, Pp. 259, 332. See Life and Times of Elder Ruben Ross, p. 241 , for more testi- mony on origin of Stonism. For refutation of this, see chapter 10, of this book. Third. Stonism was the beginning of the Camp- bellite Church, Says J. M. Mathes : '*The writings of Father Stone, constituted, so far as we know, the first pub- lic documents written since the commencement of the Protestant Reformation, in favor of the name 'Chris- tian' as the Scriptural designation for all the disciples of Christ, and the union of all Christians upon the Bible alone to the exclusion of all party names, hu- man creeds and confessions of faith." — Idem, pp. 5,6. Mr. Wilmeth, editor of the ^'■Christian Preacher, in his debate with D. B. Ray, said : "Barton W- Stone began this work before Alexander Campbell was heard of." To make this statement more evident, that CAJIPBELLITE CHURCH. 27 Stone was the originator of the Canipbellite Church, no comment is necessary. Section II. Work of (lie Campbells in originat- ing the Oamphellite Clinrch. 1. Says Prof. E. Eiehardson, of Bethany College, a leading Campbellite : "The religious society . . . designated in differ- ent sections, as 'Baptists,' 'Reformed Baptists,' 'Re- formers,' or 'Campbellites,' had its origin in an ef- fort made a few years since, to effect a union of the jiious of all parties. . . This was at first proposed by Thos. Campbell, who had been a minister of high standing in the 'Secession' branch of the Presbyte- rian church, in the north of Ireland." — Relig. De- nom. p 224, imhlished by Desilver. Says A. Campbell : "The first piece that was writ- ten on the subject of the great position appeared from the pen of Thomas Campbell, Senior, in the year Christian System, by A. Campbell, p. 8. 2. The work of Thos. Campbell, was taken up and completed by his son, A. Campbell. Of A. Campl)ell : "He was educated at the University of Glasgow, and came to America as a licentiate of the Seceder Church of Scotland. His father, a minister of the same denomination, had been for years settled in "Western Pennsylvania. Young Campbell had ex- pected opposition to his changed views in theology, but found his father altered and liberalized. Under him he continued his studies and preached his 28 ORIGIN OF THE first sermon July 15, 1810. He rapidly became wide- ly popular. Many regarded the views of both father and son as both novel and objectionable ; hence the'y and the few who first sided with them formed an iso- lated congregation, called 'The Christian Association,' organized as the 'Brush Run Church,' with Thomas Campbell (1763-1854) the father, as its Elder, several deacons, and Alexander Campbell as its licensed preacher." — Schaff-Herzog Ency., vol. 1, p 377. Says Frederick D. Power, a leading Campbellite preacher, and pastor of the Campbellite Church at Washington, D. C, at the time of President Garfield's death: "In 1811 he" — A. Campbell — "publicly ad- vocated the principles already stated, and had organ- ized the first regular organization at Brush Run,Penn., May 4, 1811, with thirty members." — Idem, p. 644. In his speech, at the "unveiling of the bust" of A. Campbell the late Hon. Jeremiah Black, Ex-Attorney General of the U. S., a Campbellite, says of A.Camp- bell: "The little band of disciples gathered around him at first, and whom the world, in derision, called by his name." Mr. Charles V. Segar says : " Alexander Campbell soon became chiefly and prominently known as the rec- ognizedof a new religious movement. Out of this movement has grown a people, who choose to call themselves Clu'istians or Disciples. — Segar s Life of Alex. Campbell, p. 25. — quoted by American Baptist Flag. CAMPBELLITE CHURCH. 29 In 1847, A. Campbell carried to Europe an introduc- tion from Henry Clay, which reads : "Dr. Campbell is among the most eminent citizens of the United States, distinguished for his great learn- ing and ability, for his successful devotion to the education of youth, for his piety and ns the head and founder of one of the most important religious com- munities in the United States." — Memoirs of Mr. Campbell, vol. 2, p. 548 — quoted by American Bap- tist Flag. In a series of lectures on Campbellism, delivered by Eld. T. P. Haley, pastor of the first Campbellite Church of St. Louis, — about eight years ago — delivered in his own church, Ave read : "The term Campbellism in this lecture is therefore used to indicate the 'views,' 'the teachings,' or the 'system of doctrine, or the body of divinity first promulgated in the United States by the Campbells, Thomas and Alexander, father and son." After giving an account, too lengthy to give here, of the Thomas Campbell experience in the Presby- terian Church, Mr. Haley says: "Mr. Campbell there- fore proposed a special meeting. . . . The time appointed having arrived, there was a very general assemblage at the place designated." After telling how Mr. Campbell enunciated the new doctrines, which he says, "to many was a new revelation," Mr, Haley says: "They had thus a well defined basis of action. , . It was from the moment that these significant words 30 ORIGIN OF THE were uttered and accepted that the more intelligent ever afterwards dated the formal commencement of the cuiTent reformation, which has been styled Camp- bellism. . . . Thus stood the monument when Alexander Campbell, son of Thomars Campbell, arrived in this country, in the year of our Lord, 1809. . . . After a most careful examination of the principles . . . he gave them his hearty approval, and entei'ed, with all his rare ability, side by side with his father, in their promulgation and defense. Both members of the Presbyterian Church, and accepting, in the main, the doctrines of the confession.'" — Just where they got baptismal regeneration, and some other errors, — "they did not at this time entertain the remotest idea that their principles would lead them to a renunciation of Presbyterianism, much less result in the establishment of another religious body in this country." — from the Daily Globe-Democrat. (All the italics in the pre- ceding quotations are mine.) 3. Alexander Campbell, having taken up, and com- pleted the work of building the Campbellite Church, from the foundation as laid by his father, Thomas Campbell, is universally regarded by all honest, intelligent i)eople, as the father, founder or originator, of the Cami)l>ellitc Church. The testimonies, just quoted, clearly establish this. Hence all honest men, who know the facts, speak of Alexander Campbell as the founder of the Campbellite Church. As a few illustrations: "Mrs. Alexander Campbell, widow of CAMPBELLITE CHURCH. 31 the divine, ivho founded the Church of the Disci- ples, resides at Wheeling, and is over eighty years old. — Frank Leslie's Sunday Magazine, for Feb. 1884 — quotedhy Am. Bap. Flag. The weekly Inter- Ocean, of March, 1S82, of a Mrs. Thompson, says : "She is the daughter of Alexander Campbell, the founder of the religious denomination bearing his name." — quoted by Atn. Bap. Flag. The same pa- per quotes the JV. Y. I'imes: "There has been in ses- sion here this week the General Missionary Society of the Christian or Disciple Church. This sect was founded by Alexander Campbell. His widow was present at the meeting and the general figure of inter- est. . . Mrs. Campbell, though eighty years old, is still vigorous."! At the laying of the corner stone of the "Garfield Memorial Church," Mr. Hinsdale, the President of Hiram College, Ohio — Campbellite, as reported in the Globe-Democrat, "then delivered an address of great length, giving the history of the Christian Church, (Campbellite) from the organiza- tion, at Washington, Pa., by Thos. Campbell, father of Alex. Campbell, to the present time." "John Burns has brought out a fine book, 'The Home Life and Keminiscences of Alex. Campbell.' Campbell was the founder of the denomination known by his name, and also as Christians and Disciples." — Globe-Demo- crat. [My italics]. t An able writer, commenting on this, well says : "As this wo- man was the second wife of the father of the Campl)ellite Church she may he regarded as the step-mother of that Church." 32 ORIGIN OF THE Webster's Unabridged Dictionary: — "Campbellite— [From the Rev. Alex. Campbell, of Virginia.] (Eccl. Hist.) One of a sect . . who considers all other Christians as having departed from the simplicity of the Gospel." See Jeter on Camphellism, p. 16, etc; Life and Times of Elder Reuben Ross, pp. 359 — 3(52. For farther illustrations upon this point see chap. 2. I have, seemingly, — to some — multiplied, to a need- less extent, the testimonies and the illustrations to Alexander Campbell being the founder of the Camp- bellite Church. But, I have done so, because some Campbellites are ever ready to deny that Alexander Campbell is the father of their church. They deny it because its admission exposes tlie absurdity of the Camp- bellite statement, that the Caiii})bellite Church was "organized on the day of Pentecost." At the same time, to not deny it, is to admit the Campbellite Church 1800 years too young to be the Christian Church. Its admission, also, })roves the Campbellite Church is not the Christian Church, inasmuch as the Christian Church was founded by Jesus Christ, not by A. Camp- bell. CAJIPBELLITE CHURCH. 33 CHAPTEK II. HISTORY OF THE ORIGIN OF CAMPBELLISM. CONTINUED. Section I. The Campbells began and carried forward their neio Church, on nearly all the same princi- ples and the same profession with which B. W. Stone began and carried on his. The origin and the foundation of the new Church of the Campbells are : 1. Baptismal regeneration. 2. Denial of the Scriptural doctrine of human depravity. 3. Denial of the Scriptural doctrine of the Spirit of God regenerating the soul. 4. Denial of faith as "a gift of God." 5. Repudiating Confessions of Faith. 6. Taking certain true or imaginary Scriptural names for the Church, as a means of uniting all pro- fessors of Christianity into one Church, and as making it a true Church. 7. The common foundation of sect builders, viz : the assumed harlotry or apostasy of the blessed Bride of Christ — the Church of Christ. 8. As to the position of the sect of Campbell on the Deity of Christ and the Atonement, it is such a con^ 34 ORIGIN OF THE ^ trovertcd question as to what it does believe, that I leave that for another connection. 9. Lilve Stonism, CampbcUism came out from the Presbyterian Church. 10. Like Stonism, CampbcUism began with infant and adult rantism.f Says Mr. Campbell: "Infant baptism and infant sprinkling, with all infantile imbecility, immediately expired in our minds . . This foundation of the Pedobaptist temple being instantly destroyed, the whole edifice leaning upon it become aheap of ruins." Christian System pp. 9, 10. So Mr. Haley says of the Campbells : "Both members of the Presbyterian Church, and accepting in the main the doctrines of the confession, they did not, at this time, seem to entertain the remotest idea that their principles Avould lead them to the renunciation of Presbyterianism." — In Globe-Demo- crat. As the nine points, above enumerated, are to supply the })rincipal subjects for notice in this book, I have not deemed it expedient to here supply the proof that they were and are the doctrines of CampbcUism, as begun by the Campbells. In the chapters devoted to them the reader will find the most overwhelming proof that they were the doctrines of the Campbells, and are the doctrines of the Campbellite Church. tFrom rantismos ( ^auna/uof:) sprinkling. CAMPBELLITE CHURCH. 35 Section II. 1. The Campbellite Church began as a mere experiment and project. Says A. Campbell : "None of us, who got up or sus- tained that project, was then aware what havoc that said principle, if faithfully applied, would have made of our views and practices on various points. When wo take a close retrospective view of the last thirty years ... we know not how to express our astonishment better than," etc., — Christian System, p. 6. (My italics.) Webster defines "project" : "That Avhich is pro- jected or designed ; a scheme ; a design ; something in- tended or devised ; a contrivance. An idle scheme ; a design not practicable ; as, a man given to projects." Crabb, one of the highest authorities upon the En- glish language, says: "A project consists most in speculation." — Eng. Synonyms. Webster: "An in- genious man has many projects, but if governed by sound sense will be slow in forming them into de- signs."— Die. Rogers: "In the various projects designed for human happiness, devised by human rea- son, there appeared inconsistencies not to be recon- ciled."— Idem. Whichever sense Mr. Campbell used the word "project" is equally fatal to the claims of the Campbellite Church, that it is the Christian Church. If in the better sense, surely it is fatal to the claim ; since the Christian Church was never '■'■got wp" by man, and is not a human "scheme," "design," "con- trivance." Whichever sense Mr. Campbell intended \ 36 ORIGIN or THE for "project," it is certainly true of the Campbellite Cliurcli ill both senses. Mr. Campbell proceeds : "The application of the principle already stated trimmed us so naked that we strongly inclined to suspect its fal- lacy"— By the way, docs not this look very much like the pretension of Campb(41ism, that it is guided by the Bible, is true? — "and had well-nigh abandoned it as a deceitful speculation." Reader, let me stop and ask you, before God : Do you think the Church of Jesus Christ originated in this manner? Mr. Campbell con- tinues : '■'■Time, however, that great teacher," — all this time, Mr. Campbell was profesaing to be guided by the Bible as his teacher! — "and experience, that great critic, have fully assured us that the principle is a sal- utary one ; and that, although we seemingly lose much by its application, our loss consists only in barren ojnn- io7is, fruitless speculations, and useless traditions'* — a glorious (?) origin for the Christian Church ! — "that only cumber the ground and check the word, so that it is in a good measure unfruitful We were not, indeed, at first apprised of the havoc which our principles would make upon our opinions Hence, since we put to sea on board this bottom, ive have been compelled to throw overboard some opinions once as dear to us as they now are to those who never thought of the difference between principle and opin- ion."— Christian System, pp. 7, 9. 2. The Campbellite Church began with infant- rantism. Says A. Campbell, of its history: "Infant CAJIPBELLITE CHUECH. 37 baptism and infant sprinkling, with all infantile imbe- cility, immediately expired in our minds." — Christian System, pp. 9, 10. 3. The Cainphellite Church began with ^Hnfantile imbecility'''' — ivhatever that may be. See last quota- tion. 4. The Gampbellite Church began with "fruitless speculations," "barren opinions" and xiseless tradi- tions."— Alex. Campbell's words, quoted under point "1" — above. Whatever may have been the vagaries of the early Christian disciples, pray, where is the record of Jesus Christ having begun His Church with infant rantism, or infant baptism, either, — with "infantile imbecility," with "fruitless speculations," "barren opinions," "useless traditions"and as a "project" and an "experi- ment' ' ? 5. The Gampbellite Church began with the "foun- dation of the Pedobaptist temple," and was, finally, built of much of its material, gathered by its founders, from "the ruins." Says Alexander Campbell : "This foundation of the Pedobaptist temple being instantly destroyed, the whole edifice leaning upon it became a heap of ruins. "We explored the ruins with great assiduity, and col- lected from them all the materials that could be work- ed into the Christian temple."— Christian System p. 10. (My italics.) Baptismal regeneration, taking the gov- ernment of the Church out of the hands of the peo- 38 ORIGIN or THE pie, etc., I will prove — see chaps. 12 and 30 of this book,— were some of the materials "worked into" Campbellism. How the Campbells could have imag- ined,or their followers can imagine a Church, with such an origin, the Church of Christ, can be accounted for only by the certain fact that their pretension, that they take the Bible as their rule of faith and practice, is a delusion. No wonder Alex. Campbell wrote that they were "strongly inclined to suspect its fallacy and had well nigh abandoned it as a deceitful speculation." — Idem, p. 7. When the Campbells were building Campbellism what a pity they had not abandoned the work, to be really guided by the Bible words : "For other foundation can no man lay than that which is laid'" — 1800 years before the Campbells undertook to build the temple of God — "which is Jesus Christ;" "if any man shall add unto them God shall add unto him the plagues which are written in this book." — 1 Cor. 3:11 ; Rev. 22: 18. 6. TIte Camphellite Church began with repudiat- ing and scoffing at Bible Societies, Missionary Socie- ties, Edticational Societies, Tract Societies, Sunday- schools, etc., and with teaching men to live unto them- selves. Says Mr. Jeter: "When Mr. Campbell commenced his Reformation he found various benevolent or relig- ious associations in existence, having for their object the diffusion of Divine truth and the extension of the kingdom of the Messiah. Among these institutions CAMPBELL ITE CHURCH. 39 we may mention Mission, Bible, Tract, and Educa- tional Societies and Sunday-schools, whose titles indi- cate, with sufficient precision, to the common reader, their respective spheres of operation. The objects contemplated by these associations were of the highest importance, and appealed most powerfully to the sym- pathies and liberality of the pious. It were uncandid to deny that they originated with wise and good men, in the love of the truth, and in an earnest desire to pro- mote the salvation of sinners, and the glory of the Redeemer, that they were sustained by the generous sacrifices, fervent prayers, and self-denying, and, in some cases, heroic labors of their friends ; and that they have been successful in a measure, corresponding with these toils and sacrifices, and adapted to inspire the gratitude for the past, and confidence in regard to the future. . . Mr. Campbell commenced his edi- torial career with pretty strong opposition to those re- ligious enterprises." — Jeter on OamjihelUsm, j). 44. Says Alex. Campbell : "The success of all modern missionaries is in accordance with these facts. They have, in some instances, succeeded in persuading some individuals to put on a sectarian profession of Chris- tianity. As the different philosophers, in ancient na- tions, succeeded in persuading a few discijiles to their respective systems, each new one making inroads upon his predecessors, so have the modern missionaries suc- ceeded in making a few proselytes to their systems, from amongst the disciples of the different pagan sys- 40 ORIGIN OF THE terns of theology. " — Christian Baptist, pp. 14, 15. This is, substantially, the outcry of avowed infidels against missions. Hence Jeter says of Campbell : "Whatever was published in infidel or semi-infidel papers in disparagement of missionaries was promptly transferred to the columns of the Christian Baptist — Campbell's organ — without comment, or with appro- bation ; while allusions to the self-denials, toils, suffer- ings and successes of missionaries were studiously omitted. Mr.Campbell's chief instrument in opposing Christian missions and promoting his Reformation was caricaturing — an art, for which his genius peculiarly him." — Jeter on Camphellism, p. 48. I copy a specimen of A. Campbell's "caricaturing" of missions, which will show that Mr. Jeter did not use too strong language : "What charity, what lawless charity, would it require to believe that a Reverend Divine, for instance, coming to Pittsburgh, some time since, under the character of a missionary, and after 'preaching four sermons' of scholastic divinity to a few women and children in the remote corners of the city, called on the treasurer of the missionary fund of that place, and actually drew forty dollars for the four sermons : I say, what law- less charity would it require to consider such a man a servant of Jesus Christ, possessed by the spirit of Paul, Peter, or any of the true missionaries ! ! . . . Ten dollars for a sermon one hour long ! preached to the heathen in the city of Pittsburgh, by a regularly CAMPBELLITE CHtTRCH. 41 educated, pious, missionary!! How many widow's mites, how many hard earned charities, were swallowed up in one hour by this gormandizer ! J Tell it not in Gath. Publish it not in the streets of Askelon. 'But,' says an apologist, 'it took the good man a week to study it ; besides he gave them prayers into the bargain.' A week to study a sermon! for a graduate of a college too ! ! ^Vhy, his sermon was not worth a cent ! There is not a lawyer in Pittsburgh who could not prepare an orthodox sermon in a week, and deliver it handsomely, too, for ten dollars. From the prayers and sermons of such missionaries may the pagans be long preserved. . . . Indeed, I think we have few men of any information who Avould come forward openly to defend the plan of saving the world by means of money and science ; of converting pagans by funds raised indirectly from spinning wheels, fruit stalls, corn fields, melon patches, potato lots, rags, children's play things, and religious newspapers, consecrated to missionary purposes ; and from funds raised directly by begging from everybody, of every creed and of no creed whatever. By sending men out to preach begging sermons, and to tell the people of A's mission- ary patch of potatoes producing twice as much per acre, as those destined for himself and children ; of B's uncommon crop of missionary wheat, a part of which he covetously alieniated from the missionary to himself, and as a judgment upon him, his cow broke into his barn and ate of it till she killed herself ; of 42 ORIGIN OF TIIE E's missionary sheep having each yeaned him two lambs apiece, while his own only yeaned him one apiece ; and a variety of other miracles wrought in favor of the missionary fund." — Christian Baptist, pp 53, 54. "Our objection to the missionary plan originated in a conviction that it is unauthorized by the New Testa- ment ; and that in many instances it is a system of iniquitous peculation and speculation." — Idem, p. 53. "An attempt to convert Pagans and Mahometans to believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God and the sent of the Father, until Christians are united, is also an attempt to frustrate the prayer of the Messiah, to sul)vert his throne and government. "/cZem, p. 135. "The bil)lc, then, gives us no idea of a missionary without the power of working miracles. Miracles and missionaries arc inseparably connected in the New Testament." — /cZc???, p. 15. "I honestly confess that the popular clergy and their schemes appear to me fraught with mischief" — what every infidel lecturer and paper of our land say and have said for years, so far as our temporal interests are concerned "to the temporal and eternal interests of men. . . . The bil)le cannot be disseminated without their popular appendages, and if cliildren are taught to read in their Sunday S(;hools, their jjockets must be filled with re- ligious tracts, the object of which is either directly or indirectly to bring them under the domination of some creed or sect. Even the distribution of the Bible to CAIMPBELLITE CHURCH. 43 the poor must be followed up with those tracts, as if the bible dare not be trusted in the hands of a lay- man"— Mr. Campbell seems to have overlooked this when he sent out his publications ! — "without a priest or his representative at his elbow. It is on this ac- count that I have, for some time, viewed both 'bible societies' and 'Sunday Schools' as a sort of recruiting establishments, to fill up the ranks of those sects which take the lead in them. It is true that we rejoice to see the bible" — These small b's to Bible and Bible Socie- ties are Mr. Campbell's — "spread and the poor taught to read by those means ; but notwithstanding this we ought not, as we conceive, to suffer the policy of nian}^ engao-ed therein to pass unnoticed, or to refrain fi-om putting those on their guard who are likely to be caught by the 'slight of men and cunning craftiness." — Idem, p. 80. In the early period of Campbell's Church building. Colleges came in for their share of his abuse. He said : "The Baptists, too, have got their schools, their Colleges and their Gamaliels, too — and by the magic of these marks of the heast, they claim homage and re- spect, and dispute the high places with those very Rabbis whose fathers were wont to grin at their futh- crs.'"— Quoted on p.M5 of Jeter on CamjyheUism, from. Mill. Ilarh., vol. 1, p. 15. A few years after this the founder of the Campbellite Church took "the mark of the beasf'upon himself, by being placed at the head of Bethany College. 44 ORIGIN OF THE The result of this warfare on all good institutions was to create and foster covetousness and wither the influences of Church work to an extent that only the Great Day can reveal. A correspondent of Mr. Campbeirs paper writes him : "My dear sir, you have begun wrong, if your ob- ject is reformation. Never attack the principle which multiplies the number of Bibles, or which promotes the preaching of the gospel or the support of it, if you desii-e Christianity to prevail. As I informed yov when here, I repeat it again, your opposition to a preached gospel, to the preachers and Bible Societies, secures to you the concurrence of the covetous, the ig- norant, the prayerless and the Christless CJiristian. These are not the expressions of one who has any interest in defending the kingdom of the clergy, or the hireling system, but of one who, like yourself, has been provi- dentially thrown into the possession of a competency of the good things of this world. I am as anxious as you can be for the correction of all errors, but in mak- ing the correction, or in arriving at it — spare, I be- seech you, ihegraiid means that God has employed and is still using for extending Christ's kingdom — I mean a 2)^'eached gospel." — Cliristian Baptist, p)- 70. (My Italics.) Said the editor — D. S. Burnet — in his "Pi'eface to the Eighth Edition" of the Christian Baptist : "Sometimes the institutions" — as noticed in the preceding — ^^them- selves confounded with such abuses, shared in their CAMPBELLITE CHUUCII. 45 general condemnation, and the position of many of our Churches ivas quite equivocal on the whole subject of general organizations for Bible and missionary/ pur- jioses. . . . But the feeling on this subject has been modified for the better. We now have our bible, missionary and tract institutions, and Brother Camp- bell himself has accepted the presidency of one of them. With very little exception our brethi'en are warmly advocating and aiding to sustain them." — (My Italics.) To some extent Mr. Burnet is correct in his statement, that the Carapbellite Church has aljandoned the ground which its founder at tirst occupied. But their denomination, to-day, is nearly split by two par- ties ; one of which proposes to repudiate Campbellism, indorse the terrible (?) institutions which Mr. Camp- bell so maligned ; the other of which proposes to stand by the old Campbcllite banner. Thus, the American Christian Hevieiv bewails the Campbellite times : "Little did this great reformer" — Mr. Campbell — "dream that in less than one decade after his demise there would be found in existence eight, distinct and separate missionary organizations, operating independ- ently of the Church of Jesus Christ, and hooting at the idea of Scriptural authority for maintaining such insti- tutions, and that a 'Ministerial Association,' separate and apart from the common membership of the Church, would be found in nearly every C'ongressional district in some five or six states ; to say nothing of Sunday School Institutes, separate and apart from the Church, 46 ORIGIN or THE and run in the interests of a select few of self-ap- pointed officers, who, in the name of the Church would seek to make merchandise of the gospel of the Son of God ! It is getting to be an alarming fact that the congregations which refuse to come under the lash of society managers are proscribed as 'anti-mis- sionary,' and reproached as mean and gingerly. Let it be understood, far and near, that the A. C. Re- view stands on the old ground, where the fathers of this Reformation stood." The paper, just quoted, was the organ of Benjamin Franklin — the great Camp- bellite "champion"— during his life time; and it is one of the oldest and most influential of Campbellite papers. The explanation of the whole of it, I think, is : At the beginning of his new clmrch Mr. Campbell found every good institution under the control of other de- nominations. They, therefore, were a great hindrance to his "project." He, therefore, made war ou them, intending, as soon as he could, to have such institu- tions in his own Church. But, when he was able to build them up he found that many of his people re- fused to abandon their founder's first teaching. To this was due the fact that Mr. Campbell's College — Bethany — came near being financially crushed, after his death. There may have been still another object in Mr. Campbell's opposition to these institutions. That was, to draw after him the covetous of the differ- ent denominations ; as many of them would gladly CAMPBELLITE CHURCH. 47 accept a Church which was likely to cost them little or nothing.! What may be the doubtful position of the Camp- bcDite Church, as to Mr. Campbell's opposition to Bi- ble, Missionary, Tract and other Societies, I do not say. But, I have written what I have written, upon this point, for but one end, viz., to show the character of the founder of the Campbellite Church and of its beginning. If a stream cannot rise above its fountain, I ask, can an institution Avith such a founder and such a beginning be the "Christian Church?" Does its origin, in this regard, look like the origin of the New Testament Church? Who will deny that Christ's words, "Ye shall know them by their fruits" — Matt. 7:15-18 — are applicable to the beginning of Camp- bellisni, as the answer as to its claims that it is the "Christian Church?" tDoubtless, many of Mr. Campbell's "Baptist"' couverts were so obtaiued. In that respect Mr. Cam]ibell was a blessiiij^ to the Baptist Chiiroh, as the onl}^ pity is. that all such do not go to some new sect, or let God convert them. So far as Baptists were influenced by Mr. Campbell's opposition to these institutions, he was a banc to them. 48 ORIGIN or THE CHAPTER in. HISTORY OF THE CAMPBELLITE CHURCH CONTINUED. In this Chapter 1 will notice only the relation of the Campbells' new Church, in its early history, to the Baptist Church. 1. In Chapter II, we saw that the Campbells were Scotch Presbyterians — the "blue stocking" ones at that. A. Campbell says : "I commenced my career in this country under the conviction that nothing that was not as old as the New Testament should be made an article of faith, a rule of practice, or a term of com- munion amongst Christians. In conformity to the grand principle .... I was led to question the claims of infant sprinkling, and was, after a long, seri- ous and prayerful examination, led to solicit immersion on a profession of my faith, when I scarce knew a Baptist from Washington to the Ohio, in the immedi- ate region of my labors, and when I did not hioiv that any friend or relation on earth would concur with me." — Christian Baptist, p. 92. Mr. Campbell's eagerness to set himself forth as such a bold, disinter- ested seeker for truth led him to make an eiToneous statement, in the italicised words (my italics), as the same eagerness led him into innumerable erroneous principles, avowals and professions, during his whole CAMPBELLITE CHURCH. 49 career. For Prof. R. Richardson, of Bethany College, one of Mr. Campbell's ecclesiastical sons, writes that at the time he sought immersion: "Upon stating to his oldest sister his conclusions, and his intention to comply loith xohat he conceived to he the requisitions of the gospel, she informed him that her convictions and intentions had for some time been the same; and, upon stating the matter to their father, he proposed that they should send for a Baptist preacher, and attend upon the ministration of the ordinance in the immedi- ate region of their labors." — Religious Denom.p. 226. (My italics.) This error, in Mr. Campbell's state- ment, is of no significance, save as showing the tend- ency in Mr. Campbell to make extravagant assertions, especially when they would enhance his own cause or honor ; and which shows that we can hardly credit his claims to be the founder of the Church of Christ. Mr. Campbell continues : "I was accordingly baptised by Elder Matthias Luse, who was accompanied by Elder Henry Sjicars, on the 12th day of June, 1812." — Christian Baptist, p. 92. Mr. Campbell omits, in this connection, to state that, near two years before, the Campbells had organized a new Church. Prof. Richardson says : "An application was made to the pious of all parties in the vicinit}^ and a 'declaration and address drawn up and printed,' in which all were invited to form a union upon the principles. ... A considerable number of individuals responded to this appeal, and a 50 OUIGIN OF THE congregation was nnmediatelt/ organized upon Brush Run, in Washington County, on the 7th of September, 1810, where a house of worship was erected, and where ministeiial duties Avere performed conjointly by T. Campbell and his son Alexander, who had been duly ordained pastors of the Church." — Religious Denom. p. 225. In his lectures on Campbellism, "Elder T. P. Haley," pastor, a few years ago, in St. Louis, gives the satne facts, but dates the same organization in 1809, instead of in 1810, as Mr. Eichardson does. — Globe-Democrat. Mr. Frederick D. Powers, the Carapbellite pastor at Washington, at the time of President Garfield's death, dates the organization of this sect, "May 4, 1811, with thirty-one members" — Scliaff-Herzog Ency.^j). 644. Whichever of these three dates is the true one matters not, since the three agree in dating the organization of the first Campbellite Church before Mr. Campbell's baptism. The Schaff-Herzog Ency., p. 377, agrees with tlie three in dating the founding of Mr. Camp- bell's Church before he was baptized by Eld. Luse ; and Mr. Jeter's statement admits of no other mean- ing.— Jeter on Campbellism, p. 16. This, Professor Richardson says, "was the humble origin of a refor- mation, now widely extended." — Relig. Denom., p. 225. We thus see that Campbellism originated from Prcsbyterianism ; that its origin is in no way, of the Baptist Church. CAMPBELLITE CHURCH. 51 The Campbellites were then so far from being Bap- tists that A. Campbell says : "I did not, at tirst, con- template forming any connexion with the Regular Baptist Association called the 'Red Stone,* as the per- fect independency of the Church and the pernicious tendency of human creeds and terms of communion were subjects to me of greatest concern." — Christian Baptist, p. 92. "But scarcely had I begun to make sermons when I discovered that the religion of the New Testament was one thing, and that of any sect which I knew ^vas another." — Christian Baptist, p. 664. As he called the Baptists a "sect," of course he could never have been a Baptist. "When pressed by some influential Baptists in the cit}-^ of New York and Philadelphia, in the A'ear 1816" — four years after his baptism, and three years after he had united with the "Red Stone Association" — "to settle in one of those cities, I declined the friendly offers and kind persuasions . . alleging that I could not take the charge of any church in those cities,because I did not think that they would submit to the government of Jesus Christ, or to the primitive order of things." Christian Bajjtist, p. 664. Prof. Richardson sajs they were "disinclined to a combination \\ith any re- ligious party." — RtJig. Denom., p. 226. Mr. Fan- ning, a leading Campbellite, editor of the Gospel Ad- vocate, in a sketch of A. Campbell's biography, says : "As intimated, he fraternized with the Baptists for quite a numlier of years ; l)ut while he was among 52 ORIGIN OF THE them it scarcely could be said that he was one of them," — Gospel Advocate, 1866, p. 453, quoted. 2. The Camphellite Church uniting xDith the Red Stone Baptist Association. That A. Campbell, as a condition to his baptism, gave Eld. Luse some reason to believe he intended to live the Baptist or New Tes- tament faith, is probable. The Baptists, then, being fully as strict — if not stricter — as they now are, it is much more probable that Mr. Campbell profesrsed, or made believe he professed, the Baptist faith, than that Elders Luse and Spear sanctioned his baptism to preach and live Campbellism, Mr. Campbell's course, in uniting with the "Red Stone" Baptist Association, makes this more than probable. Mr. Campbell says: "As a mere spectator I did, however, visit the Red Stone Association in the fall of 1812. After a more particular acquaintance with some of the members and ministers of that connex- ion, the Church at Brush Run did finally agree to miite with that Association on the ground that no terms of communion other than the Holy Scriptures should be re(|uircd. On this ground, after present- ing a wi^tten DECLARATION OF OUR BELIEF ( alwayS distinguishing betwixt making a declaration of our faith for the satisfaction of othei's, and binding that declaration on others as a term of communion,) we united with the Red Stone Association in the fall of 1813. " — Christian Baptist, p. 92. (Capital letters mine.) CAJtPBELLITE CHURCH. 53 So, Mr. Jeter says : "Presenting a written declara- tion of their faith, they were received in the fall of 1813." — Jeter on Camphellism, p. 16. Now, bait noted : Baptist Churches have never professed any other terms of communion than those of the New Tes- tament ; have never baptized into any other than the New Testament faith ; have never professed any other than the Bible alone, as their only "rule of faith and practice," and have ever held that creeds and confes- sions are to be used only for the purpose "of making a declaration of our faith for the satisfaction of others, "f Hence, Mr. Campbeirs Church was received into the Red Stone Association '■'■after presenting a icritten dec- laration of our belief — his own words — just as all other churches are received into Baptist Associations. As no Church can unite Avith a Baptist Association without "presenting a written declaration of our be- lief," Mr. Campbell's Church was required to present one. As to what that "written declaration of our be- lief " was, the very fact of its being necessary, before he could unite with the Association, is sufficient evi- dence that it impressed the Association as a sound Baptist "declaration of our belief." The Associa- tion, as do all Baptist Associations, required the "dec- laration" for no other purpose than to guard itself against receiving into its body a heretical Church. Mr. Campbell's Campbellite Church, therefore, be- t The reader is requested to tiirn to Chapter 33, of this book, where he w ill find this overwhelmiugly proved. 54 ORIGIN OF THU yoiul .1 reasonable doubt, united with the Red Stone Association, pretending that it was a sound Baptist Church. 3. The Campbellite Cliurch excluded from Baptist fellowship. Paul said: "Because of cei-tain false brethren piiv- ily brought in, who come in privily to spy out our liberty which we have in Christ Jesus, that they might bring us into bondage." — Gal. 2:4. Jude said: "There are certain men crept in privily." — Jude 4, In the "1" part of this Chapter we saw that the Campbells were far from being Baptists ; that they were only wandering stars from the Presbyterian firm- ament. In the "2" part of this Chapter we have seen that, on a Baptist "declaration of our faith" they "crept" into the Rod Stone Baptist Association. In "1" of this Chapter, we saw that Mr. Campbell says that after he had united with the Red Stone Associa- tion, he declined calls from Baptist Churches in Phila- delphia and New York, bccaii.se he was not a Baptist. So, it is clear that he and his Church presented ?l Bap- list "declaration of our faith, "and united with a Bap- tist Associntion while they were CamjjhcUites! Say.s Prof. Richardson: "For though disinclined to a C()ni1)inatiou with any party, kno\vn as such, they deemed tlic principle of the Baptists /oi'omWe re/or- mation and religious freedom, and believed that they had it in their power to preserve their independence as a Church, and the integrity .of the principles of their CAMPBELLITE CHURCH. 55 first organization, a connexion with the Baptists would afford them a more extended field of usefidness. Ac- cordingly, ill the fall of 1813, they were received into the Red Stone Association." — Relig. Denom, p. 226. ( My italics. ) Says Mr. Campbell : "When we drew up our pros- pectus for our tirst publication, we headed it the 'Christian,' and had it not been that we found our- selves anticipated (?) we should have adhered to the title. I hesitated between the title 'Baptist Christian' and 'Christian Baptist,' and on suggesting my embar- rassment to a friend, who has since given himself due credit for the hint as an original idea, he thought the latter, [Christian Baptist] was a better passport to favor than either of the others. We never fully ap- proved, but from expediency adopted it.'''' — Mill.Harb. N. 8.vo\. 3. p. 338 — quoted on page 41 of Text Book on CampheUism. (My Italics. ) Thus it is seen that Mr, Campbell's course, in uniting with the Red Stone Association, proves, and Prof. Richardson says so, it was to give Campbellism a "more extended field of usefulness;" and ia the same spirit, Mr. Campbell named his first publication — as a "passport to favor" — "from expedieucy adopted it." The first Campbellite Church and its founder, there- fore, did not hesitate to profess and adopt views and names which they hated, because they "would afford them a more extended field of usefulness*' and be a better "passport to favor." For exactly the same 56 ORIGIN OF THE designs, Paul and Jude say "false brethren" "crept" into the Baptist Churches of their day. As we could but expect, once among Baptists, Mr. Campbell began to carry out the purpose he had in joining them. Prof. Richardson says : "The novelty of these simple views of Christianity, which Alexander Camp- bell as a messenger of the Church at Brush Run, urged with ability upon the Association, began immediately to excite considerable stir in that body. . . . With more liberal minded Baptists, however, Mr. Camp- bell's views grndually prevailed." Attributing it to "jealousy," Prof. Richardson says, "some leading members of the Red Stone Associ.-ttion" led them to inveigh against his principles as innovating and disorganizing ; and finally created so much dissen- sion in that body, and so much animosity towards the Church at Brush Ran, that the latter, in order to avoid its effects, dismissed about thirty members, including Alexander Campbell, to Wellsl)urg, Virginia, where they were constituted as a new Church, and upon ap- plication, were ndmitted into the Mahoning Associa- tion of Ohio, with some of whose members they had already formed a favorable intimacy." — Rdig. De- nom. p. 227. One, who lived at that time, gives us some wise statements on this matter : — "Admitting the Baptists to be harmless as doves, they certainly were not wise as serpents. For, unlilic the Presbyterians and Seceders, they received them with open arms, and rejoiced, no CAMPBELLITE CHURCH. 57 doubt, at having in their number, those two able preachei-s. But this proved to be a fatal step to them, and was the 'beginning of their end.' 'The fatal ma- chine had entered their city.' Elder A. Campbell soon preached doctrines that sounded strange in their old Baptist cars. By some these new doctrines were approved, by others condemned, and war was inaugu- rated. Those opposed to Elder Cam^jbell's views, at one time thought they had matured a plan to excom- municate him, or throw him overboard, as the fright- ened mariners did Jonah of old, during the storm that threatened them with destruction. But they little knew their man. When they were about to take the vote for this purpose, they found that Jonah had alreadvgone on l)oard another ship tliat was nearbv, — that is, had transferred himself to the Mahoning As- sociation, and thereby having checkmated his adver- saries,as Dr. Richardson says, was out of their jurisdic- tion and still in the Baptist denomination. Still the fight went bravely on among the Eed Stone people, long after their cause had left them, and it continued until scarce a vestige of the Red Stone Association was left." — Life and Times of Elder Reidien Ross, p. 3(54. The peril of the Red Stone Association is a sad re- minder of Paul's "perils among false brethren;" and of his exhortation: "Now we command 3'ou brethren in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that ye with- draw yourselves from every brother that walketh dis- orderly and not after the tradition which they received 58 ORIGIN OF THE from us."— 2 Cor. 11: 26; 2 Thess. 3:6. By his cunning transference of his membership from the Eed Stone Association to the Mahoning, A. Campbell saved himself from receiving the punishment which Paul, in the above quoted Scripture enjoins. But, whether it is not more manly to stand and meet jus- tice than to flee from it, as did Mr, Campbell, I leave to the reader. Prof. Richardson says: "It was but a short time, however, until the abandonment of usages being cher- ished by the Baptists, and the introduction of views and practices not commonly received among them, gave rise to so much umbrage and opposition on the part of the adjoining churches, composing the Bea- Ver (?) Association; that this body were induced, be- ing not a little influenced also by the persevering hos- tility of that of the Red Stone, to denounce as hereti- cal, and exclude from their fellowship, all those churches which had favored the views of the reformers. The schism thus produced was soon extended to Ken- tucky, to eastern Virginia, and, in short, to all those Baptist, churches and associations into which the views of Mr. Cam})bcll had been introduced by his debates and meetings ; the Baptists in all cases separating from their communion all who favored the sentiments of the Disciples." — Religious Denominations, p. 227. Prof. Richardson probably should have said the Dover Association, instead of the Beaver Association. In 1832, the Dover Association — of Va., organized in CAMPBELLITE CHURCH. 59 1788, and was too well established in Bible doctrine to be carried away by Campbellism — met at Four Mile Creek Church, in Henrico County, Va., not far from the city of Richmond. During the session of the Association a committee on Campbellism was appointed, composed of Elders John Kerr, Jas. B. Taylor, Peter Ainslie, J. B. Jeter, and Phillip Montague. The report of this able and judicious committee was adopted by the Association, and approved by the Churches. We quote from the report as follows : "The select committee appointed to consider and report what ought to be done in reference to the new doctrines and practices which have disturbed the peace and harmony of some of the Churches composing this Association; met at the house of Eld. Miles Turpin, and having invited and obtained the aid and counsel of Elders Andrew Broaddus, Eli Ball, John Micou, Wm. Hill, Miles Turpin, and brother Erastus T. Montague, after due deliberation, respectfully report the following preamble and resolution for the consideration and adoption of the Asssociation : 'This Association, having been from its origin, blessed with uninterrupted harmony and a high degree of religious prosperity, has seen with unspeakable regret, within a few years past, the spirit of speculation, controversy and strife, grow- ing up among some of the ministers and churches within its bounds. This unhaijjiy state of things has evidently been produced by the i)rcacliing and writing of Alexander Campbell, and his adherents. After 60 ORIGIN OF THE having deliberately and prayerfully examined the doctrines held and promulgated by them, and waited long to witness their practical influence on the Churches, and upon society in general, we are thorough- ly convinced that they are doctrines not according to godliness, but subversive of the true spirit of the Gospel of Jesus Christ, disorganizing and demoral- izing in their tendency; and, therefore, ought to be disavowed and resisted, by all the lovers of truth and sound piety. It is needless to specify, and refute the errors held and taught by them ; this has been often done, and so often have the doctrines, quoted from their writings, been denied, with the declaration that they have been misrepresented or misunderstood. If after more than seven years' inves- tigation, the most pious and intelligent men in the land are unable to understand what they speak and write, it surely is an evidence of some radical defect in the things taught, or in the mode of teaching them. Their views of sin, faith, repentance, regeneration, baptism, the agency of the Holy Spirit, Church government, the Christian ministry, and the whole scheme of Chris- tian benevolence, are, we believe, contrary to the plain letter and spirit of the New Testament of our Lord and Savior. — Jeter s Camphdli'^m, jW- In the same report, this Committee says: "While they arrogate to themselves the title of Reformers, it is lamentably evident, that no sect in Christendom needs reformation more than they do." p. 95. CAMPBELLITE CHUKCH. 61 The excluding resolution reads as follows : "We, therefore, the assembled ministers and dele- gates of the Dover Association, after much delibera- tion, do hereby affectionately recommend to the Churches in our connection, to separate from their communion all such persons as are promoting contro- versy and discord, under the specious name of 'Eeformers.' " — Jeter on Campbellism., p. 97. The reader, now, has an undeniable history of the relation of the origin of Cam2)bellites to the Baptists. Inasmuch as the early history of the Campbellite Church to the Baptist is so imperfectly understood, I add the following summary : First. The Campbells were born and raised Presby- terians, of the "blue storking" kind. /Second: The Cam2)bells were Pi'csbytci iun i)reachers. Third: The Cami)bells organized Sep. 7, hSlU, or near that time, a disaffected l*res})yterian Church — or a society of disaifected Presbyterians — of thirty members. Fourth. In June, 1812, A. Campbell, as minister of this society, upon a Baptist i)r()fessi()n of faith, was bai)tized by Kid. Mathias Luse, a Baj)tist minister, at which baptism was Eld. Henry Spears, who seems to have been as well satistied with Campbell's soundness as a r)aptist,.as was the administrator. Fifth. Mr. Canii)bell then baptized some, and perhaps all, of his members. /Sixth. Notwithstanding the fact that A. Campbell was not a Baptist in belief, his baptizer, and other Baptists, were led to believe him a Baptist. 62 ORIGIN OF THE Seventh. With this belief, he and his Church were urged to unite with the Red Stone Association. Eighth. In his own language: '■'■After presenting a written declaration of our belief we united with the Red Stone Association in the fall of 1813. — Chris. Bap. 2^-02. (My italics.) Ninth. Inasmuch as the Red Stone Association, in common with other Baptist Associations, required this as a test of New Testament belief, it is certain that Mr. Campbell impressed the Association, in order to his being received, with his Church, into its fellowship, that he was a sound Baptist. Tenth. A. Campbell, Prof. Richardson, and all testi- mony, prove that A. Campbell took this course as "a passport to favor" — because he thought "a connexion with the Bai)tists would afford" Campbellites abetter opi)ortunity of gaining converts to Campbellism. Elev- enth. Campbcllism is an off-shoot from the Presbyterian Church. Twelfth. The Campbells, therefore, neveii WERE BAPTISTS, NEVER MEMBERS OF ANY BAP- TIST CHURCH, and they and their disaffected, apos- tate Presbyterian Church, by such a "declaration" of faith as led the Red Stone Association to believe them sound Baptists, "crept" into their body, "to spy out" their "liberty" "in Christ Jesus." Gal. 3: 4; Jude 4. Thirteenth. Discovering themselves about to be exposed and. excluded from the Red Stone Association, the Campbells hastily fled from its body into the Mahoning Association, where they had succeeded in leading off some from the New Testament faith. CAMPBELLITE CHURCH. 63 Fourteenth. Having thus got a hold among Baptists, like his namesake, Alexander the copper smith, Alex- ander Campbell led off many from the faith. 2 Tim. 4:14-16. Never let it again be said that the Ca^npbelU or Camphellitesioere ever any part of any Baptist or Neio lestament Church. Fifteenth. The only sense, in which the Campbells were "excluded from the Bap- tists" is in the exclusion of their followers from the Dover and other Associations ; the exclusion of their converts — whenever and wherever done — from Baptist Churches. This was, practically , tin exclusion of the Campbells, since it debarred them from couimunion- felloAvship with Baptist Churches which they had ob- tained as apostate Presbyterians, by creeping into the Red Stone Association, with such a "written declara- tion of our belief" as led the honest, unsuspecting souls, composing its body, to think they were I'eceiv- ing to their bosom one "of like faith and order" to their own. Over this exclusion Mr. Campbell poured out his wrath, because it limited his opportunities of destroying the Church of Jesus Christ. Rewrote: "The long agony is over. The Dover Association has assumed the awful responsibility of producing a faction ; consequently a sect. . . . For myself, I feel highly honored in being made the tirst martyr in old Virginia in the present reformation. . . It is the highest I ever expected to enjoy in time." — Mill. Harb. vol. 4. p. 13 — quoted in Jeter on Camp- 64 ORIGIN OF THE belUsm, p. 101. Mr. Campbell did not so highly prize this "honor," when he surreptitiously fled from the Red Stone Association of Va., to the Mahoning Asso- ciation of Ohio ! Or, did he think it was necessary to run off, into Ohio, in order to its being the highest "honor" to be made the "first martyr in old Virginia" in the present Reformation?" CAMPBELLITE CHURCH. 65 CHAPTER IV. HISTORY OF THE CAMPBELLITE CHURCH CONTINUED. MARRIAGE OF STONISM TO CAMPBELLISM. The reader, who has not the history of Stonism most clearly in his mind, is requested to now turn back to Chapter I of this book, and carefully read it. 1. Courtship of Stonism and Campbellism. Says B. W. Stone: "When he (A. Campbell) came into Kentucky I often heard him in public and in private. I was pleased with his manner and matter. I saw no distinctive feature between the doctrine he preached and that which we had preached for many years, except on baptism for remission of sins. Even this I had once received and taught, as before stated, but had strangely let it go from my mind, till Brother Campbell revived it afresh. . . . In a few things I dissented from him, but was agreed to disagree. I will not say there are no faults in Brother Campbell : but there are fewer, perhaps, in him, than any man I know on earth ; and over those few my love would throw a veil and hide them from view forever. I am constrained, and willingly constrained, to acknowledge him the greatest promoter of this reformation of any man living." — Biog. B. W. Stone, by Mathes p. 29. From the language above, it is very certain that Mr. Campbell had wooed and won. 66 ORIGIN OF THE 2, The Marriage. Says J. M. Mathes: "In 1826, Bvo. Stone com- menced the publication of a religious monthly periodi- cal, put uj) in pamphlet form, of twenty-four pages per number, called the '■Christian Messenger.^ It had a good circulation, and no doubt did great good in spreading the knowledge of the truth. At the end of six years, or in 1832, Elder Johnson became co-editor of the Messenger him, and so continued till Mr. Stone removed to Illinois. Just before J. T. Johnson became co-editor of the Messenger with him, a union was effected between the Christians with Bro. Stone, and the reformers, so-called, . . . through the labors of A. Campbell and those with him. They oc- cupied the same foundation, and could not do other- wise than unite together when they came to understand each other. And to cement and make permanent this union, two distinguished Elders were chosen to ride through the Churches and labor together. . . The union has been permanent. Of this union Bro. Stone says : 'They (the Reformers) held the name Christian as sacredly as we did — they were equally averse from making opinions the test of fallowship — and equalh' solicitous for the salvation of souls. This union, irre- spective of reproach, I view as the noblest act of my ''—Biog. B. W. Stone, j^^. 29,30. This was several years after A. Campbell had fled from the Red Stone Association, to save himself from exclusion, and about the time the Dover Association excluded the C.AJNIPBELLITE CHURCH. 67 Campbeilites from its fellowship. One and the same in faith and practice, the marriage of Stonism to Carapbellism was but natural. Mr. Stone, not having the talents and influence of Mr. Campbell, and dying, in twelve years after the marriage, as a natural consequence, the family, pro- ceeding from the union, took the name of Campbellite, from Mr. Campbell. Mr. Stone and his career almost passed out of history, while Mr. Campbell and his career are perpetuated by the family. In our next Chapter, we will see what is the proper name for the family, which has been produced and perpetuated from Campbell. 68 ORIGIN Of TIIE CHAPTER V. THE NAMES, CAMPBELLITE AND CAMPBELLISM, THE ONLY RIGHT NAMES. 1. Said "Elder T. P. Haley," in St. Louis, at the time pastor of the First Campbellite Church there, in a series of lectures on his own Church: "My theme is Campbellism. I make no apology for the use of this term, which may possibly be offensive to some of my hearers, but I present the following ex- planations. It is regarded as altogether proper to de- nominate the views, the teachings, or the system of theology promulgated and defended by John Calvin, of Geneva, as Calvinism. . . . Such was his prominence in developing and giving shape to them as a body of divinity, that it is eminently proper to style them,Calviuisra. It is not offensive to call that system of theology, which antagonizes Calvinism at each of the five points, Arminianism, because James Arminius was most prominent in its promulgation and develop- ment. Lutheranism and Methodism are terms by which we designate the peculiar views respectively of Martin Luther and John Wesley, and the large and respectable bodies that have adopted their views as respectively denominated Lutherans and Methodists. The term Campl)ollism in this lecture is therefore used CAMPBELLITE CHURCH. 69 to indicate the 'views,' 'the teachings,' or the 'system of doctrine' or the body of divinity first promulgated and defended in the United States by the Campbells, Thomas and Alexander, father and son. . . . No name has been more widely known in the country, in religious circles, both in Europe and America, than that for Cami^bell, and no religious movement, since that of John ^Vesley, has produced such a profound impres- sion upon the public as that which these gentlemen inaugurated, and which is commonly known as Campbellism." — Globe Democrat of 1877. ^•xvd Daily Republican, of St. Louis: "Some time since the Republican announced the death of Rev. Mr. Challen, designating him as 'a Campbellite Clerg}Tnan.' The Christian, the recognized organ of the denomination to Avhich he belonged, takes excep- tion to the designation, and says : 'We do not think the Republican intended any disrespect, either to the deceased or to the cause to which he devoted his long and useful life. But it is time that the secular papers of this country knew better than to allude in such terms to a large and respectable religious body, and then at- tempt to justify it on the ground that its readers would not have understood what it meant had it used the name by which they prefer to be distinguished.' "We dislike" — said the Republican, "exceedingly to contra- dict the emphatic assertion of a religious newspaper. Nevertheless, we must venture to affirm that, the people of this country 'do not understand Avhat is meant by 70 ORIGIN OF THE the 'Disciples' or 'Christian Church' when applied to a distinguished religious body, as clearly as they un- derstand the terms 'Methodist,' 'Baptist,' etc. This is not their fault, but the misfortune of the denomina- tion alluded to. We simply state the fact, leaving the explanation and comment to those more interested in an important matter. We doubt whether in any mixed company of ordinary intelligent persons, two out of fifty can be found who linow that the sect founded by Alexander Campbell is called 'Disciples' ; or more than five out of the fifty who know that the sect is also called the 'Christian Church.' In the same company every person will know who and what is meant by 'Methodists' and 'Baptists.' When 'the people of this country' have the knowledge which the Christian credits them with, 'the secular papers of this country' will be glad to use one or the other, or both, of the names the Christian prefers. Until popular knowl- edge reaches this point, the Republican, in common with the rest of 'the secular press,' will have to con- form to popular ignorance. Moreover, we fail to see the slightest disrespect in the word 'Campbellite.' Alexander Campbell was a man of whom any sect may be proud, and he has impressed his individuality so strongly on the organization which owes its origin to him that it is never likely to lose his name. The fol- lowers of John Wesley do not scorn the name of 'Methodists,' though it was at first applied to them in bitter reproach. They have made it not only honora- CAMPBELLITE CHURCH. 71 ble, but illustrious ; and if the religious body which the Christian represents is sensible, it -will profit by then- example." — DaiJtj Rtpubliran of 1877. Crosswell : "The Campbellites are named from Alex. Campbell." — Ency. Relig. Knowledge, p. 462 — quoted. "Disciples of Christ, (Campbellite Baptist.) This body owes its origin to the labors of ^Messrs. Thomas and Alexander Campbell." — Haggenhadi s Hist. Doc. Vol. 2, p. 4-^5— quoted. "Disciples of Christ, commonl}- called Campbellites, from Alexander Campbell, founder of the sect, who seceded from the secession branch of the Presbyterian Church, in "Western Pensylvania, in 1812." — Gorrie's Churches and. /Sects of the U. S. p. 156 — qucAed. IlitchcocV s Anatijsis of tJte Bible says substantially the same. Benedict's History of the Baptists: "I have, in all my narratives, when this people are referred to, styled them Campbellites or Eeformers." p. 916. "Campbellites. . . . Alexander Campbell is the 'recognized head,' of this religious movement. . . . Camjibellism." — Baptist Succession, p. 439. "A religious body. . . . the adherents of Rev. Alexander Campbell. . . . called from their founder, Campbellites." — The late Wm. R. Williams, D.D., of X. Y., Vol. 1, p. 861, of Documentary Hist, of Am. Bible Union. "Campbellites." — Rev. R. S. Duncan, author of History of S. S. 72 ORIGIN OF THE "Campbellites" — A. C. Dayton, The Immersions of Pedobaptists and Campbellites. "Campbellites" — Rev. J. R. Graves, LL.D. — Idem.. "Campbellites." — The Standard, Chicago. "Campbellism," "Campbellites." — Rev. A. P. Wil- liams.— Campbellism Exposed. "Campbellites." — Summers on Baptism, p. 246. "Campbellite." — Rev. W. W. Gardner, Missiles of Truth, p. 7. "The sect of Christians called Disciples or Camp- bellites."— Drs. Elisha Tucker, M, B. Anderson, Heman Lincoln, C. W. Houghton, S. S. Cutting, W. B. Jacobs, Edward Latlirop, Geo. W. Samson, J. M. Lenard, A. D. Gillette, J. C. StocTcbridge, S. F. Smith, in Jeter on Campbellism, p. 5. "The term Campbellism is used in this treatise not as a term of reproach, but of distinction. No other word denotes the system which it is proposed to ex- amine. . . . This system is with great propriety t-ermed Campbellism. — Jeter on Campbellism,}^^. 7, 8. Frederick D. Power, pastor of the Campbellite Church, at Washington, D. C, at the time of President Garfield's death: "iVa?ne. — This religious people, sometimes called 'Campbellites,' or 'Campbellite Bap- tists' " — then he proceeds to try to find names by which they "call themselves." — Schaff-Herzog Ency. Vol. l,p. 644. Prof. R. Richardson, another leading Campbellite, says: "The religious society, whose members prefer CAIVIPBELLITR CHURCH. 73 to be known by the primitive and unsectarian appella- tion of 'Disciples of Christ,' . . . etc., but who are variously designated in different sections as . . . Re- formers or Campbellites." — Relig. Denom. pp. 223, 224. Webster: "Campbellite. [From the Rev. Alex. Campbell of Virginia.] (Eccl. Ilist)." "Campbellism," Rev. N. L. Rice, D.D., '■'■Camp- hellism,'" — a tract published by the Presb. Board of Publication, thus, an approval of the use of the term by the whole Presb. Church, of the Northern States. The authorities for the use of the name, Campbell- ite, are thus made up of the Presidents of Colleges, the Professors in Colleges and Theological Semina- ries, the Dictionary makers, the Church historians, the Encyclopedists, of all denominations, outside of the Campbellite. Not only this; but the secular press, the people generally, and many of the ablest and most candid of the CampheUite denomination, use the names Campbellite, Campbcllism, as perfectly appropriate names. Campbellite is, as the St. Louis Republican says, the only name by which all understand as desig- nating the Campbellite sect. As an illustration : Two men were in Washington, one a Baptist and the other a Campbellite. On Sabbath they agreed to attend one church in the morning, and the other in the evening. With this they set out to find the Campbellite Church. The Campbellite began to inquire for its location. Meeting one man he asked: "Where is the Christian 74 ORIGIN OF THE Church?" Entering the building pointed out, they discovered that it was an Episcopal Church. After going out, the Carapbellite decided to ask for it, by another name, "Where is the Disciples' Church?" greeted a passer-by. The passer-by stopped, studied a few moments, answered: "I do not think there is one by that name in the city." Passing on, they met another very intelligent looking man, of whom the Campellite asked : "Please tell us where the Reform- ers' Church is?" In answer, they were directed to a distant part of the city, only to find the Dutch Re- formed Church. During all this time the Baptist kept feeling: if he would let me ask, I could find it. Finally, after walking themselves nearly down, the Bap- tist says: "There comes a gentleman, let me ask, and I think we will find it." "All right," answered the Campbellitc, who by this time was so nearly tired out as to not be offended at the true name of his Church. "Please tell us where the Campbellite Church is," asked the Baptist of the gentleman. "Right over there, only a block," pointing his finger, "You will find it." After a long, fruitless walk, they, in two minutes, entered the Campbellite Church, to hear the Campellite minister arise, and begin to tell them that the name of their sect is "The Christian Church '" At this, the Baptist gave his Campbellite friend a "punch," in the side, which, the reader may be sure, he was, by this time, prepared to appreciate. The Alabama Baptist, not long ago, well said: CAMPBELLITE CHURCII. 75 "The term Campbellite is definite and establislied. If it were ever a term of reproach it has ceased to be so now among intelligent Christians. And when a l)crson or a people find a name affixed to them by which they are universall}' and unmistakably known, however disagi-eeable it ma}^ have been at the start, they would do well to submit and gracefully bear it. It is often the case that some man becomes the repre- sentative of a cluster of doctrines so personified in him that they cannot be dissevered from his name. ]\Ir. Campbell was such a man, and the so-called 'an- cient gospel' he evolved in a cluster of doctrines. His people should not be ashamed of his great name ; to cast it off is an utter impossibility." 2. The ridicidous absurdities into tohich some Camphellites thrust themselves, in attempting to repudi- ate the names, Campbellite, Campbellism. I say some Campljcllites, for many of the ablest, most candid Camphellites — as I have proved, Willingly recognize the appropriateness of the names. In March, 1882, Kev. WiUiani McNutt, one of the ablest, best of ministers, wrote to the *^^Banner and Gleaner'\' "This day in the town of Blandinsville, McDonough County, 111., the truth forced itself upon a Campbell- ite convention, thirty-two ministers present. A grand convocation of all their ministers in the 'military tract' between the Illinois and the Mississippi rivers, in coun- cil assembled. In regular programme of business Eld. E. J. Lampton, of Camp Point, III., read a paper en- 76 ORIGIN OF THE titled, "The Name of the People of God." The house was crowded. We had a seat near the stand, where we could catch every word, with paper and pencil in hand. The writer of the paper had seen the trouble, and approached the name very cautiously and very faintly made it by inference, said : 'We have manu- factured the name Christian Church.' Eyes were snapping in every direction. One upon another and upon me, and my eyes snapped, too. When the reader had sat down, Eld. F. Walden, of Old Bedford, opened the discussion by asking the reader : 'If a re- porter in Kansas were to ask you what you called j^our name, what would you tell him? Making up Church statistics what name would you give him ?' Here was a dead lock. The whole convention saw it and felt it. A modest l)lush arose on all cheeks as the truth pressed itself home to all, that this child had to be named. Many names were tried, but all were rejected. 'Christian Church' was pronounced unscriptural and sectarian. There was learning and talent in this con- vention. Some two or three colleges were represented by their presidents and professors. The Greek Testa- ment was brou'ght to bear ; but a name for this child could not be found in English or Greek. President F. M. Bruner, Abington, said : 'Any name that would indicate that the Church was of human origin, would be dishonoring.' Elder Pinkerton, of Eureka, said : 'There are several Churches in this place, Methodists, Baptists, and pei-haps Presbyterians. What Church CAMPBELL ITE CHURCH. 77 is this?' A finer blush never sat on the face of a six- teen year okl girl, than played on all faces. While this question was pending, some one pi'oposed the name of 'The Church,' but Eld. Tricket, one of the most scholarly, said : 'That will be arrogant, some may take it, I won't.' Eld. C. H. Caton, of McComb, said, 'We are not back to primitive character. What are we to be called until we get back?' Just as he said that he threw his eyes on me and said, 'Let us quit discussing the name until we get back to primitive character. There sits the Baptist pastor, Elder Mc- Nutt. I have seen him in debate with our brethren on Church identity. I never want to see it again until Ave agree among ourselves ; and then~^he is taking items now (a general laugh, as I sounded it out, yes, I have them.) The adjournment came on, and the child is not yet named. Think of it. Here we are in the Nineteenth Century, and Christ's Church in its in- fancy, laid in the lap of a convention to be named ! ! Oh, my brethren, the Lord can beat us in controversy with the Campbellites. When he has a controversy with men he makes them tell it. Campbellism has found itself 'where tw^o ways meet.' The literature of the world has established the name for them, Camp- belhte. They see the point, and to obscure this hu- man head, or founder, they must go back on Camp- bell and try to place his name on the background. While the spirit of Campbell says, 'Without me ye can do nothing.' " 78 ORIGIN OF THE Many of the Campbellites are as much opposed to other names, which some propose for the Campbellite Church, as others are to "Campbellite." Not long ago, a Mr. Martin wrote in the American Christian Review, a leading Campbellite paper, an article of two and a half columns, on "The Name of the Church." In that he says : "In the Review, of May 18, in refer- ence to a card he had received from Bro. Elmore, says : 'But this card came from the Christian Church. Who can these people be ? f ... I wonder if this is not a 'Disciple Church' ? Can Bros. Martin or Franklin tell? Since the Old Path Guide and the Review have been searching for the Church, maybe they can enlighten us as to these people, and their faith and object?' Just now there is considei'able discussion about the name of the Church, and the above reference to myself will be taken as the occasion for an article on the subject. There is, perhaps, no question about which our jjeople are more divided tlian that of the name . " ( My italics . ) Yet, some of these Cam^jbellites profess great offense at any one who is so simple (?) as to call the child by its father's name ! Mr. Martin continues : "We believe the name a vital question, and yet we tThis reminds one of what Hand says, in his trying to reply to T). B. Kay's "Text Book ou Canipbellism," in reference to its use of tlie name, Canipbellism : "Campbellism. AVhat is it? A myth, ail imai^innry entity, an excogitation of the author of the Text Mook/'—Tc'xt Book Exposed, by G. E. Hand, p. 5. So some other Campbellites, in the same strain, express great wonder as to "what is the Campbellite Church." CAMPBELLITE CHURCH. 79 have come to no (general conclusion as to what the name is." ( My emphasis. ) Verily, if this is the Church of Christ, it is in a lamentable condition! No general agreement upon "a vital question.'" Pray, tell us, if they follow the Bible, why at sea with no guide? Mr. Martin continues : "So divided are we upon this ques- tion that the census takers cannot ascertain %vho we are, what we believe, or our numbers." (My itaMcs.) Why then grow so impatient at what is called the "misrepresentations" of Campbellism? Again, says Mr. Martin: "In Kentucky and in the South we are the Christian Church ; in the West we are the Christian Church and the Church of Christ; in Ohio, Pennsyl- vania and New York, we are the Disciples, and often the Disciple Church ; and in New England we are the Disciples and the Church of Christ. Christian Church is seldom heard among us in New England, because there is another Church more numerous than we are, called by that name." — quoted by Am. Bap. Flag. The Christian Record, of Oct., 18G8, p. 290, edited by J. M. Mathes, a leading Campbellite, says: "But Dr. Merrill makes a false issue with us, by represent- ing us as contending that the proper scriptural designation of the Church is 'Christian Church.' AVho has contended for this. Dr. ? f We know of no well + A vast number of my readers have heard this name often contended for, by Campbellites ; and many Canii)bellite church houses have this name chiseled over their doors. There can be no doubt that Mr. Mathes well knew this, when he thus wrote. Mathes himself had done so. — Biog. B, W. Stone, p. 5. 80 informed man among us who contends for any such thing." Again, in the same paper, of Jan., 18G9, p. 44, Mathes said: "There is some little matter in the edi- toi 's ])rospectus that Ave regret to see. . . But we call Bro. INIoore's attention especially to it. It is the following: 'Managing editor, W. T. Moore, pastor of the Walnut Street Christian Church, f Cincinnati.' Where in the New Testament does Bro. W. T. Moore find the Church of Christ called the Christian Church ? Evidently, nowhere. The phrase is unscriptural and sectarian." Eld. A. Martin, then of Centralia, Ills., said: "Christian Church is a misnomer." — Record and Evangelist, June 1, 1876. (I am indebted to Eld. Wm. McNutt, for the last three quotations^. Said Alex. Campbell: "I am bold to affirm, in the face of all criticism, that there is not the least author- ity in the word here used ( Chrematizo) iov concluding that the name Christian came from God, any more than from Antiochus Epiphanes ! This may be too strong for some, who contend that the name Christian is of divine authority, but let them put me to the proof. That it was neither given by dream, oracle, angel, or apostle, is, in my judgment, by far the more probable opinion. If it had been given by the author- ity of the Lord it would not have been delayed for ten years after the day of Pentecost, nor reserved for the tllere is a stiitement, showing that, in Cincinnati, they called it the "Christian Church." This was near where Mathes lived — maybe 100 miles distant. CAIVIPBELLITE CHURCH. 81 city of Antioch to be the pla<-e of its origin. . . . Now let it be remembered, that we have no objection to the name Christian if we only deserve it ; nor pre- dilection for the name disciple, except for its antiquity and modesty; but when it [the name Christian] is plead for as of divine authority, and as the only or most fitting name which can be adopted, we must lift our voice against the imposition and contend for the liberty, where the Lord has left us free." — Mill. Harb, vol. 2, pp. 394, 395. — quoted in Text Book on Camphellism, pip- with all this ridicu- lous confusion al)out the name, Campbellites clami to be the only pure church, the only church that takes the Bible as its only guide ; and some of them become deeply offended because they are not called The Christian Church, but are called by the true name — Campl)ellite ! Would it not be well to consent to our calling the child l>y the name of its father, until they can agree upon some name to submit to us, by which we shall call it? Suppose the church, of the first centu- ry, had wasted its time and strength in such childish contention, as Campbellites waste theirs, in reproach- ing themselves and everybody else, over the name? Who would have blamed the Avorld for rejecting its claims ? 3. The secret of some Campbellites professing great offense at the name Campbellite, and a desire for some name whiah will make their Church a Scriptural Church, 82 ORIGIN or THE a. The more shrewd Campbellites, who are not more conscientious than were the three Hebrew chil- dren, repudiate the name Campbellite, l^ecause it is an implied acknowledgment that the Camp])ellite Church did not originate on the day of Pentecost, but 1800 years since that time. The Jesuits are endeavoring to exclude the history of Roman Catholic persecutions from all new books, written upon history. This done, onl}'^ the few historical students, of future generations, will know of those persecutions ; and they will have little influence over the masses of mankind. So, the shrewd Campbellites, when once they have effaced the name of Campbell from their Church, will be bet- ter able to make the ignorant believe that their Church was originated on the day of Pentecost. Among many Campbellites, there seems to be a tacit agreement to pervert history, by thus changing the date of the origin of the Campbellite Church and the name of its founder, from the nineteenth to the first century, and from Alexander Campbell to Jesus Christ. To ac- complish this, many of their preachers and writers drill their members to feign that they are shamefully insulted, by calling their Church by its projjer name. They are drilled to accuse whoever calls their Church, etc., by its true name of "nicknaming," etc. In this Chapter, I have, certainly, proved that by the name Campbellite, no insult is intended, and that the proper term is used — the term universally recognized, the term sanctioned by Dictionaries, Church historians, CAINrPBELLITE CHURCH. 83 theologians, encyclopedists, and by intelligent, honest Campbellites themselves. The very reason some Campbcllites propose to remove the name of Campbell from their Church is the very reason all Avho love truth and history, should as earnestly endeavor to keep it there, by using the name Campbellite, The use of Campbellite involving truth, history, honesty, protec- tion of the unwary from deception, demands of every one, who loves truth, that nothing prevent him from using the term Campbellite. If any one is justly in- sulted over the term, it is the one who is asked to not UvSe it, since, on the grounds of "charity," "polite- ness," etc., he is asked to thereby give his aid to the Campbellite conspiracy to remove the name of Camp- bell, that the uninformed may be made believe that the Campbellite Church originated in the first century, and that it was originated by Jesus Christ. Charit}^ politeness — they have nothing to do with the use of Campbellite, but history', truth, righteousness only. Were its use a question of charity and politeness, to use it is demonstrated to be charitable and polite, since it is universally used and sanctioned by the very high- est authorities. In the interest of history, truth and righteousness, every one who holds and h)vesthe truth, as a matter of loyalty to conscience, to God, is Scrip- turally bound to use Campbellite for the name of Alexander Campbell's Church. The Apostles did not teach the people that they should not use the term Nicolaitans, lest it should offend the followers of 84 ORIGIN OF THE tNicolaus. Methodists do not object to Wesley's name, Lutherans to Luther's, Presbyterians to Cal- vin's ; and it is very certain that they are much nearer the r>il)U^ than are the Campbellites. That there should be such a scheme to get rid of tho/ac/.s, relative to A. Campbell's founding, etc., of the Campbellite Church, is a sad reflection on human nature. b. Names substituted, by some Campl)cllites, for Campbellite, in the interests of Campbellism. (1) As we have seen, some Campbellites have sub- stituted the name, "Christian," as a designation of their Church. The name is used but three times in the New Testament,— Acts 11 :26 ; 26 :2S ; 1 Pet. 4 :16. "The disciples were called Christians first in Antioch ;" "With but little pursuasion thou would' st fain make me a Christian ;" "If a man suffer as a Christian let him not be ashamed." The name was used only for Christians as individuals ; and as Ave have seen, n(»t as a name for them as an organization, as the Church. See "2," of this Chapter, where Campbellites have been driven to concede this. So, even were the Camp- bellite Church the Bible Church, we have no such a name in the Bible, as "The Christian Church." (2) Other Campbellites propose the name "Disciple Church." But like "The Christian Church" no such name is in the Bible. Both the name "Christian" and fNot named after Deacon Nicolas, bat after a man, named- Nicolaus, who M as their founder. There is no evidence that the Nicolaitans endeavored to cover and pervert truth and history by repudiating their name. — Neander^s Plant. Tr. Chr. Ch.,p. 360. CAMPBELLITE CHURCH. 85 "disciple" are in the Bible; but they are there ap- plied to Christians only individually. Matt. 8:25; 9 :19 ; 27 :7, 13, et mul al. Christians of all denomi- nations use these terms, individually. Campbellites using them for Church, they using them for individ- uals, is but another evidence that Campbellites are far- ther from the Bible than they are. (3) Were the words, "disciple," and "Christians," church-designating terms, no Bible follower could, knowiugly and conscientiously, apply them to the Campbellite Church. First, because the Campbellite Church, being the Church of A. Campbell, is a "dis- ciple" Church of Campbell, and not a "disciple" Church of Christ. Second, were the term "Christian" the designnting term of the Church, no Bible follower could, knowingly and conscientiously, apply it to the Campbellite Church, because it is a Campbellite and not a Christian Church. Also, because the term. Christian, so applied, would misrepresent the posi- tion of the Campbellite Church in regard to the work of the Holy Spirit in salvation. In the Bible, the anointing with oil, sjmibolizcd the Holy Spirit in con- version and sanctification. As Fairbairn remarks : "Old Testament Scripture itself provides us with abundant materials for explaining the import of this action. It expressly connects it with the communica- tion of the Spirit of God ; as in the history of Saul's consecration to the kingly ofBce, to whom it was said by Samuel, after having poured the vial of oil upon 86 ORIGIN OF THE his head, 'And the Spirit of the Lord shall come upon thee.' — 1 Sam. 10:6. And still more exiilicitly iii the case of David is the sign coupled with the thing signified: 'Then Samuel took the horn of oil, and anointed him in the midst of his brethren : and the Spirit of the Lord came upon David from that day forward. But the Spirit of the Lord departed from Saul.' — 2 Chi'on. 13 :14, The gift symbolized by the anointing, having been conferred upon the one, it was necessarily withdrawn from the other. More emphatically, however, than even here, is the connection between the inward rite, and the inward gift, marked in the prophecy of Isaiah, 61 : 1 : 'The Spirit of the Lord God is upon me, because he hath anointed me to preach good tidings,' etc. This passage may be fitly regarded as the con- necting link between the Old and the New Testament usage in the matter. It designated the Savior as the Christ, or Anointed One, and because anointed, filled without measure by the Spirit, that in the plenitude of spiritual grace and blessing He might proceed to the accomplishment of our redemption. ... He was hence said by Peter to have been 'anointed with the Holy Ghost and with power.' Acts 10 : 38. And because believers are spiritually united to Christ, and what He has without measure, also in a measure theirs, they too are said to be 'anointed by God, 'or to have an unction {y^inafm) of the Holy One, which, teacheth them all things' "—2 Cor. 1 : 21 ; 1 John 2 : CAMPBELLITE CHURCH. 87 20. — Typology, vol. 2. p 214. Kristos, (^-^ptaroc:) . rendered Christ is from A;no, (;f/>/i(;) to anoint. The word Christ, therefore, is anglicised, like baptize. Were it translated, we would have Anointed instead of Christ. Kristianos, (Xptanauor) rendered Christian, is from kristos, {-^^peazbr:) Anointed, rendered Christ. The word Christian is anglicised, and rendered, would be, anointed, or partaking of the anointed— of the Spirit, through the Anointed. Distinguished marks of the Campbellite Church, being the repudiation of the Bible doctrines of depravity, of regeneration, of the miraculous power and personal work of the Sj^irit, in regeneration, and the substitution of errors with baptismal regeneration, it is highly improper and a sin to call it by the name Christian, which name can indicate only the belief of the miraculous power and personal presence of the Spirit, as distinguishing Bible Christians. That I do not misrepresent the Campbellite Church upon these points, the reader will see by turning to the Chapters in this book which treat upon them, Chapters II. and XVI. As well demand that sin be called righteousness; darkness, light; Satan, God; as to demand that the Cami^bellite Church be called the Christian Church, or that it be recognized as Christianity. Who believes that loyal Christians would have called the Nicolai- tans by any term, which would commit them to its recognition as an Apostolic Church? Nay, verily: before they would have done so, they would have 88 ORIGIN OF THE sealed the truth by their death. So, by the grace of God, will I do before I will call the Campl)ellite Church by any term which will commit me to its rec- ognition as the Scriptural Chui'ch. I allow the Camp- bellites to call it what they may please to call it ; and ask for others, the same privilege. Never will I be so illiberal as to be offended at any one for refusing to call anything which I believe is Scriptural, by a name which would commit him, against his conscience, to the same belief. (4) But Campbellite controversialists, set on forcing us to recognize, by some name, Campbellism as Scriptural, endeavor to arouse sympathy and preju- dice by saying : "You call Methodists, all others, by the names they desire to be called, but cruelly and illiberally refuse us the same charity and politeness." To this I reply : They are not so demanding and illib- eral as to select a name for themselves which monopo- lizes— as The Christian Church, etc. — the New Testa- ment claim, and forces me, by its use, to thereby recog- nize them as Scriptural. Neither do they deny what all know are their names. 4. Finally: The Christian world has, probably , never witnessed so much absurdity as some Campbel- lites exhibit over the name for their Church. First. Some of them deny their true name, Sec- ond. They have spent many sermons, proving ( ?) themselves the true Church, because they had the name, "The Christian Church." But now they sur- CAMPBELLITR CHURCH. 89 render it as the name. Tliird. They agree among themselves upon no name by which their church shall be called. Fourth. In writing the name upon which a few of them agree, as the name for their Church, they have reduced the quarrel among them- selves over the name to the fine point, as to whether disciple shall be written with a big D, or with a little d. One of the Campbellite papers — the " Texas Christian,'' — says: "We beg leave to enter our pro- test against 'Disciples' with a big D." — quoted from American Baptist Flag. Another Campbellite paper, *'The Christian Messenger," enters the same protest, and adds, any printer who should be guilty of doing so — shall I say guilty of such blasphemy and of the unpardonable sin? — would be put out of its office. The editorial reads : " 'I do not see any good taste in writing the name Disciples with a small d.' — .T. C. Creel, in Old Path Guide. Then you do not see any good taste in tlie New Testament. To write it with a capital D makes us a sect. The Mormons write saints with a capital S., and make themselves a sect. You ought to serve an apprenticeship in a printing office and learn the force of capital letters. In the Messenger office it is equivalent to a discharge for a printer to spell disci- ples with a capital D. It is a capital offense." — Christian Messenger, Dec. 19, 1883. Verily, there must be a wonderful amount of char- ity in Campbellism, to discharge a poor printer, de- 90 ORIGIN OF THE privc him of the means of making bread, clothing, shelter for his wife and little ones, because, forsooth, he happens to spell one of the many names of the Campbell ite Church with a capital D ! ! No wonder the world and Baptists are excoriated so severely because they do not get the Campbellite shibboleth correct, when Campbcllites, themselves, cannot do so. And it "has come to this," that not departure from the Bible, but "a Capital D" — a capital letter " makes" "a sect" ! Mr. Burnett — the editor — had better go as a missionary to the "Mormons" and reduce them from a sect to the Church of Christ, by teaching them to Avrite the name of their church with a little "s, "instead of a big "S." In an editorial, next to the one just quoted — in the same paper — we read : "Three of our papers — the Standard, Evangelist, and Apostolic Times . . . spell disciples wnth a capital D. The Old Path Guide is on the fence. . . . Half the Christian press have not bowed the knee to Baal." This leaves the "tweedlcdecs" and "tweedledums" of the Pharisees, of our Savior's time, in the shade. Fifth. During all this grave and critical time, among Campbcllites, others are expected to be so in- fallible and orthodox upon tlie name for their Church, that woe unto him who should misname, misspell or mispronounce their shibboleth. To. say that Campbell- ites fulminate their reproach and abuse without meas- ure, upon millions of good men and women, because they do not get their shibboleth "right," when they. CAMPBELLITE CHURCH. 91 themselves, are unable to agree upon it, is but weakly stating the case.f "Oh wad some power the giftie gie us, To see oursels as others see us, It wadfrae monie a blunder free us, And foolish notion." "This is the end of the matter ; all hath been heard : fear God and keep his commandments ; for this is the whole duty of man :" — and it is very certain you will then never call a Campbellite Church a Christian Church, or any other name which will be its recogni- tion as the Church of Jesus Christ. t The reader who is not familiar with Campbellism, may think that so much space, as I have given to their name, is as need- lessly given as their "name," confusion abounds. But this is jus- tified by their making the "name" one of their fundamentals, by their misleading many by it, and by the intolerance towards those who refuse to bow the knee to the Baal of Campbellism,by uot calling it other than the Campbellite Church. 92 ORIGIN OF THE CHAPTER VI. THE CAMPBELLITE CHURCH, IN ROUND NUMBERS, IS 1800 YEARS TOO YOUNG TO BE REGARDED AS THE CHURCH OF CHRIST. From Chapters 1 and 2, we have seen that there can be no question that the Campbellite Church origi- nated in the 19th century. Some date the first ex- istence of the Campbellite Church in the Brush Run Church, the organization of which is dated by Prof. Richardson, Sept. 7, 1810. Others place the date at about 1803, when B. W. Stone organized the Stonites into a sect. Others place the oi'ganization of the first Campbellite Church in 1827, when, in the language of the Herzog-Schaff Ency., "the Campbellites were formally excluded" — from the Baptist denomination. — Vol. 1, 2^- 377. Here Ray places the date. — Text Book on Camp., 109. In the sense of separation from the Baptists, 1827 is the date. In the sense of being the first organized Campbellite Clmrch, about 1803 is the date, when B. W. Stone organized it. Viewed as originating with the Campbells, when the Brush Run Church was or- ganized, 1810 is the date. So, from each writer's standpoint, he is correct. But, as I have clearly proved that the first Campbellite Church, of the Stone CAMPBELLITE CHURCH. 93 side, originated in 1803, and from the Campbellite side, in 1810, and that these Churches never professed to be or ceased to be other than Campbellite churches, — except so far as was necessary, for the time being, to creep into the Red Stone Association — it is clear, that we must date the first Campbellite Churches in 1803 and 1810. So far as this point is concerned, it matters not which of these dates we adopt ; for, from chapters 1 and 4, of this book, it is certain that there never was a Campbellite Church before the present century. As Prof. R. Richardson, a leading Camp- bellite writer says, of the origin of the Cami)bellite Church, it "had its origin in an effort made a few years since." — Relig. Denom., p. 224. Inasmuch as it is so universally agreed, that the Christian Church was founded in the first century, I will not here take space to prove it.f Should any one desire proof he will find it in Chap. 10, of this book, on the "setting up of the kingdom," etc. The Church of Christ hav- ing its origin in the first century of the Christian era, we might as well claim that the United States is the Roman Republic, that the world was created, baptism was instituted, that Jesus baptized, that the apostles t Only some Pedo-rantists deny this. I use the name Pedo-rantists — irom {-ac8cov) paidion child and {(lavxiax-f)^,) rantistees a sprinkler — child sprinkler — as there is but little Vcdo-baptism — ivom^Ttatdiov) paidion child and {^anTcaTrj-:) baptistees, immerser — in Ameri- ca. 94 ORIGIN OF THE were commissioned, that the Mosaic law — that the whole of Christianity was instituted in the present cen- tury, as to claim that the Campbellite Church which originated in the present century, is tlie Church which Christ originated in the first century. John Anderson of Kentucky, died in 1823, leaving a large estate. His only heir, his son, Thomas, was born in 1802 and was supposed to be dead, as he had not been beard from for several 3'ears. Two years after John Anderson's death, a man who had but few of the family resem- blances appeared as the heir. No one recognized him. He presented his claim in Court. There it was proved that the claimant was born in 1805 — three years too young to be the heir of John An- derson. The claimant is imprisoned as a base im- l^oster. Yet, here comes the Campbellite Church, 1800 years — instead of only three — too y.,—The Ch, its Polity and Felloivship,p. IS. H. Harvey, D. I>.,— The Ch., p. 26, and "7." Henry M. Dexter, D. D., — Con- gregationaUsin, p. 1 . W.W.Gardner, D. D., — Mis- siles of Truth, pp. 189, 190. William Crowell— Ch. Members' Man., p. 35, express what a Chui'ch is. Art. 13, of the New Hampshire Confession says : "We believe that a visible Church of Christ is a con- gregation of baptized believers, associated by cove- nant in the faith and fellowship of the gospel ; observ- ing the ordmances of Christ ; governed by his laws ; and exercising the gifts, rights, and privileges invested in them by His Word," etc. - Ehklesia {exxlr^aia) occurs 114 times iu the New Testament. In all but three it is rendered Church. In the 111 instances it refers to the Christian institution ; once typicall}^ ( Acts 7 :38) the remaining 110 occur- rences antit^^iicall}'. In 99 instances, by counting, I hnd it denotes local organizations; in 12, by synec- doche, it means all the organizations. It is used by synecdoche in only Matt. 1(5:18; Eph. 9:22; 3:10, 21 ; 5:23, 24, 25, 27, 29, 32; Heb. 12:23, and, pos- sibly, one or two other occurrences. Says E. J. Fish, D. D. : "All investigation concurs 106 ORIGIN OF THE with 'unequivocal uses of the term in pronouncing the actual Church to be a local society and never anything hut a local society.'" — Ecclesiology, p. 114. "The real Church of Christ is a local body, of a definite, doctrinal constitution such as is indispensable to the unity of the Spirit." — Idem, j)- 116. Alluding to its application to all professors, of all creeds, scattered everywhere, as an "invisible," "universal Church," Dr. Fish well says : "Not a single case can be adduced where the loose and extended use of the collective can be adopted without a forced and unnatural interpretation. The New Testament is utterly innocent of the inward con- flict of those theories which adopt both the invisible, or universal, as it is now more commonly called, and the local ideas." — Idnn^j). 102. H. M. Dexter, a Congregationalist, was forced to say: "The weight of New Testament authority, then, seems clearly to decide that the ordinary and natural meaning of zxxlr^aia (ekklesia, rendered Church) is that of a local body of believers." — Congregational- ism, p. 33. Says Ralph \Yardlaw, D. D., a Congregationalist : "Unauthorized uses of the word Church. Under this head, I have first to notice the designations, of which the use is so common, but so vague, — of the Church visible and the Church mystical, or invisible. Were these designations to be found in the New Testament, we should feel ourselves under obligation to examine CA^rPBELLITE CHURCH. 107 and ascertain the sense in which the inspired writers use them. This, however, not being the case, we are under no such obligation." — Congregational Indepen- dency, p. 54. A.Campbell: "The communities collected and set in order by the apostles were called the congregation of (Christ, and all these taken together are sometimes called the kingdom of God." — Christian Si/stem, p. 172. Moses E. Lard, of the difference between the king- dom and the Church : "My brethren make none." — What Baptism is For, Number 3, p. 5. On the same page : "God has not one thing on this earth called his kingdom and another called his Church." That Church refers to a local body, any one can see by such as Matt. 18:17; Acts, 8 :l 9 :3i ; 11:32, 26; 13:1; 14:23,27; 15:3,4,22,41; 16:5; 18:22; Rom. 16: 1,5; 1 Cor. 1 :2; 4:17; 7 :17 ; 11 :16 ;2 Cor. 8 :1 ,18, 19,23,24; 11:8,28; 12:13; Gal. 1:2, 22; Rev. 1: 4 ; 2 :1, 7, 8, 11, 12, 17, 18, 23, 20 ; 3 :1, 6, 7, 13,14, 22 ; 22 :16. A careful comparison of these references will prove that the Church is a local body, administer- ing discipline, etc., known as Church, in any locality and Churches when several are spoken of. Kingdom, in the New Testament, means the aggregate of the Churches, just as any kingdom means the aggregate oft its i)rovinces — or countries of which it is com- t Except that there is no general organization of the Churches hut each is, in organization, independent of every other Church, save as Christ Is King over them all. 108 ORIGIN OF THE posed. A kingdom includes the unorganized part of its geographical territory. In the New Testament, likewise, it may include regenerate persons who have been misled so as to have never united with any of the Churches or organized parts of the kingdom. Such an instance is Rev. 18 :4, where they are exhorted to come out from the Romish Church. But, in no in- stance, either politically or ecclesiastically, can the application of the term to the unorganized localities or parts exclude the organized as necessary to the kingdom. W. M. F. Warren, D. D., President of Boston Uni- versity, Methodist: "The Christian Church is the kingdom of God, viewed in its objective or institu- tional form." — Essay before the N. Y. Prophetic Conference, in 1883. "In an earlier period this kingdom was identified with the Church. . . . The Protestants regarded it . . . as the Christian mstitu- tion of salvation." — Schaff-Herzog Ency., vol. 2, p. 1246. Barnes: The kingdom means "the state of things which the Messiah was to set up — his spiritual reign began in the Church on earth, and completed in heav- en."— On Matt. 3:2. Neander, while stating that the kingdom is used in other sense, — which, by the way, can easily be included in the one he mentions — says: "The idea of the Church of Christ is closely connected in the views of Paul with that of the kingdom of God. " — Planting and Training of the Ghristian CAMPBELLITE CHURCH. 109 Church, p. 455. "At the time of which we are speaking, the Church comprised the whole visible form of the kingdom of God." — Idem, 2^- 458. Andrew Fuller regards the kingdom and the Church indissoluble when he says: "If the nature of Christ's kingdom were placed in those things in which the a[)()stles placed it, the government and discipline of the Church would be considered as vieans not as ends." —Fullers Works, vol. 2, p. 639. G. W. Clarke: "This kingdom, reign, or administra- tion of the Messiah is spiritual in its nature (John 18:3G; Eom. 14:17) and is exercised over and has its seat in the hearts of believers. — Luke 17:21. It exists on earth (Matt. 13: 18, 19, 41, 47) extends to another state of existence (Matt. 13 : 43; 2(j : 29; Phil. 2 : 10, 11) and will be fully consummated in a state of glory. ( 1 Cor. 15 :24; ]\Iatt. 8 :11 ; 2 Pet. 1 : 11.^ It thus embraces the whole mediatorial reign or government of Christ on earth and in heaven, and in- cludes in its subjects all the redeemed, or, as Paul ex- presses it, (Eph. 3:15) 'the whole family in heaven and earth.' Kingdom of heaven and Church are not identical, though inseparately and closely connected. The Churches of Christ are the external manifestations of this kingdom in the world." Com. on Matt. 3.2. In an excellent article in Smith's Bib. Die, vol. 2, pp. 1541-1543, A. Hovey, D. D., Pres. Newton Thcol. Scm. says: "This kingdom, though in its 110 ORIGIN OF THE nature spiritual, was to have, while on earth, the visible form in Christian Churches, and the simple rites belonging to Church life .were to be observed by every loyal subject. Matt. 28:18; John 3:5; Acts 2:38; Luke 21:17; 1 Cor. 11:24. It cannot, how- ever, be said that the New Testament makes the spir- itual kingdom of Christ exactly co-extensive with the visible Church. There are many in the latter who do not belong to the former, (1 John 2:9,) and some, doubtless, in the former, who do not take their place in the latter." (My italics.) Tholuck : "A kingdom of God — that is SiW organic commonwealth." "The New Testament kingdom of God, is both from Avithin and from without, in the individual as in the whole coimnunity ^ " The idea of the kingdom of God ... is an organized com- munity, which has its principle of life in the will of the personal God." Ser. on the Mount, pp. 71, 74. (My italics.) This being the case, evei'ij promise of preservation and perpetuity , made to the kingdom, is a promise to the Churches, of which it is composed. If the king- dom and Church mean only the reign of grace in the heart, as grace had reigned in the heart at least, from the time of Abel, Dan. 2 :44, and Matt. 16 :18, speak- ing of the kingdom and the Church as not built before the New Testament age, would have never been spoken. I will proceed to prove that the Bible promises that the Church should never apostatize. CAMPBELLITE CHUKCH. Ill I. " I will make an everlasting covenant with them, that I ivill not turn away from them to do them good, but I IV ill put my fear in their hearts, that they shall not depart from me.'' — Jer, 32:40. 1. That this refers to the New Testament none will deny. 2. That the Church and the " covenant " sETe indissoluble, will not be denied. 3. That this covenant and its subjects are in contrast with the old covenant and its subjects, is equally evident. From this it follows, that, in- asmuch as its people of the old covenant apostatized, and it and they were repudiated of God, the new cove- nant and the people are everlastingly united to Him. This is positively affirmed : (a) an " everlasting cove- nant ;"(b) "fear in their HEARTS ;"(c) "that they shall NOT DEPART from me" — no departing from God, as under the old covenant, no apostate Israel, hence Church succession. The only possible way to deny that here is a positive promise of Church succession is to affirm that God departs from His people, who do not depart from Him, to affirm that He is unfaithful. II. In the days of these kings shall the God of heaven set up a kingdom which shall never be de- stroyed; and the kingdom shall not l)e left to other people, but it shall break in pieces and consume all these kingdoms, and it shall stand forever." — Dan. 2 :44. 1 . Here God affirms He will set up a kingdom — but one kingdom. 2. This kingdom includes the Church or Churches, as the United States govern- ment includes the State or States. 3. That this king- 112 ORIGIN OF THE dom and this Church or Churches are indivisible, is certain. 4. He affirms this kingdom — His Church — shall not be left to other people ; i. e., under or by the law of the old covenant, the kingdom, because of apostasy, was given to the Gentiles — " other people," but under the law of the new covenant there shall be no apostasy of the Church, so as to cause it to be given to " other people " — to Wesley, Calvin, &c., and their followers. No room here for men to set up Churches of their own on the ground of apostasy. 5. This kingdom " shall never be destroyed." 6. This king- dom " shall stand FOREVER.' ' 7. This kingdom shall be aggressive — " shall break in pieces and consume all ' other kingdoms ' " 8. The days of these kings refer to the days of tlic Ctesars. Tlie only possible way of avoiding this promise of Church succession is to deny that this kingdom and Church are indissoluble. That this denial is vain, is evident, from the facts, that, in tlic New Tcslanicnt the two are never separate, and the promises therein to the one are equally to the other. So writers of all dencnninations hold them one. Here, then, in the Old Testament are the most unequivocal promises of Church succession. IH. " Upon this rock will I build my Cliurch, and the gates of hcH shall not prevail against it.''' — Matt. 16 :18. 1. This is Church, but one kind of Church — a kingdom — not "branches." 2. Christ built His Church. Wesley, Calvin, Campbell, &c., built theirs. He ])uilt it on a sure foundation. Isa. 28 :16 ; Ps. 118 : CAMPBELLITE CHURCH. 113 22 ; Eph. 2 :20 ; 2 Tim. 2 :19. 4. The Church and its foundation are joined indissolubly together by dying love. 5. " The gates of hell shall not prevail against it," — it "shall never be destroyed," but .shall stand forever." Bengel well says: "The Christian Church is like a city without walls, and 3'et the gates of hell, Avhich assail it, shall never prevail." "A most magnificent promise." — Com. in loco. So say Stier, Adam Clarke, Scott, Barnes, G. W. Clarke, Bloomfield, Horsley, Yiti'inga, Olshausen, Doddridge and Lange, et mul al. Has Christ's promise failed? "The rock is not that against which the unseen is not to prevail ; neither has the Church ever become ex- tinct. These we deem gross errors." — Lard's Quar- terly for 1866, p. 309. Mr. Fanning : " The Church was built upon the rock laid in Zion ; that she has withstood the rough waves of eighteen centuries, and thut she will finally triumph over all the princi- palities and powers of earth." — Living Pulpit ,p , 520. David Lipscomb : " God founded a Church that ' will stand forever ;' that the gates of hell shall not pre- vail against." — Gospel Advocate, for 1867 , p. 770. '• True witnesses of Christ never failed from the earth." — Isaac Errett, Walks About Jerusalem, p. 142.^ (The above quotations, from Lard's Quar- t That these Carapbellitcs ami Pedo- raiitists, when they eorae to justify the origin of their Clmrches, say the gates of liell did prevail against the Church, is true. But then they speali from their churches; here they speali from the Bible. 114 ORIGIN OF THE terly. Gospel Advocate, Living Pulpit, are taken from Ray-Lucas Deb. p. 320.) IV. ^'^ Jesus came and spake unto them, saying, all pawn' is given unto me in heaven and in earth. Go ye, therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost ; teaching them to observe all things Avhat- soever I have commanded you, and lo, I am with you alway, even unto the eud of the world." — iNIatt. 28 :18- 20. 1. Christ promises His presence. 2. His presence is here implied to be the only guarantee of the mis- sion, but the sure one. 3. This promise is to His Church. That this is true, is evident (a) from the commission belonging to the Church;(l)) from baptism etc., all the duty of only the Church. This will hardly be questioned. 4. Christ's promise is to insure that the nations will be taught, baptized, etc. That He has promised to be with His Chuix'h to guarantee the pre- servation of baptism — all things included in the com- mission—is clear. A kingdom without organization — delinite, ascer- tainable laws ; organization, as many loosely try to apply it to the kingdom of Christ, is the creature of the babel of sectarianism. It never did exist, in nature, in politics or in grace ; and never can e.xist. It is twin brother to tlie idea of an invisible Church — as if there were invisible men and Avomen. The only part of the Church which is invisible is the part which has ''crossed over the river." CA^IPBKLLITE CHURCH 115 5. Christ promises His presence always — all the days, jmsas tas luemcras, not leaving a single day for apostas3\ 6. If tliis Church has gone into Babylon He is gone there too, and all are lost — "lo I am with you ahoay even unto the end of the world. Amen." Bcngel says on this : "A continual presence, and one most actuallj'- present." "This promise also belongs to the whole Church." — Com. in loco. Inasnuich as Methodism, Presb3'terianism, Campbellism, etc., are "but of yesterdays" Ihis promise cannot apply to them. On this Sticr says : "He is present with his mighty defense and aid against the gates of hell, which would oppose and hinder His Church in the ex- ecution of His commands." — Com. in loco. So, G. W. Clark, Scott, IMatthew Henry, Barnes, Doddridge, Olshausen, and Adam Clark, et. mid. al. V, '^^For the hnsbandis the head of the ivi/e, even as Christ is the head of the Church : and he is the /Sa- vior of the body . . . Christ also loved the Church, and gave himself for it . . . that He might present it to Himself, a glorious Church, not having sjyot or wrinkle or any such thing, but that it should l)e holy and without blemish.''— Eph. 5:23-29. 1. This is ta- ken from the relation of husband and wife. 2. The husband that docs not use his utmost power to save his wife is an unfaithful husband. 3. Only his lack of power prevents him from saving his Avife. 4. For Christ to not use His utmost power to save His Church would be for Him to be unfaithful to her. 5. Only 116 ORIGIN OF THE by His lack of power can the Church apostatize. 6. But, "all i)o\\er in heaven and in earth" belongs to Him ; therefore the Church is insured forever against a})ostasy. He "gave ^nnseZ/for it," is its Savior 7. An apostate Church is not a "glorious" Church, has spots, vjrinkles, serious Uemislies. 8. But, inas- much as Christ's Church has "?io such thing,'"' His Church shall never apostatize. On this, Adam Clark says, "Christ exercises His authority over the Church so as to save and protect it." — Com. in loco, verses 20 27, Bengel, ]\Iatthe\v Henry and Adam Clark allude to "the different ordinances which lie has appointed ; hence, they agree that the passages speak of the Church organizatio7i — in loco. See IMatt. Henry. VI. Having been ^'■huilt upon the foundation of the ajxtsths and prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the c hief corner stone ; in whom all the building fitly framed (()'je(h( r, growe/h unto a holy temple in the Lord."— Eph. 2:20,21. 1. This building— the church — is ''Htly fratned together.'^ 2. It is framed, joined to its foundation — "/w whom." 3. A Church being framed to the foundation so as to be removed from tlu' fmi luhiiinn is not'-'-fithj framed; the only fitly framing, according to the spirit and the design of Christianity, is that which so frames the Church into its foundation, that it can never be razed by the Devil ; and, thus, Wesleys, Campbells, Calvins left to rebuild it. 4. As it is "fitly framed" into its foundation, if the Devil has pushed it into Baby- CAIVrPBELLlTE CHURCH. 117 Ion, the foundation, too, is gone ; for they are " titly framed together." VII. " IVJterefore we receiving a kingdom which cannot be moved."- -YLob. 12:28. Greenfield, Liddell and Scott define the Greek, " shaken," and the Bible Union and the New Revision render it "shaken" in- stead of " moved." 1. If this kingdom cannot be shaken, surely the Church cannot be pushed from its foundation into Babylon. 2. The Church, then, must ever be faithful to its Husband — Church succession. VIII. Again, Christ is the King of His Church. — Matt. 21 :5. 1. To destroy the kingdom is to destroy the king. 2. If Christ's Church has been destroyed, by apostasy, as King, Clirist is destroyed. 3. But as His Kingship in His Church is essential to save a lost world, if for no other reason. He would preserve His Church from apostasy. 4. In no instance has a King ever lost his Kingship, except by being too weak to save it. 5. But Clirist has " all power;" therefore, He will save His Kingship by saving His Church from apos- tu SA' . IX. Christ is High. Priest" of His Church. — Heb. 10:21. 1. Christ's Priesthood is essentially re- lated to His Church. 2. To destroy His Church is to di^stroy His Priesthood. 3. Inasmuch as He can never permit His Priesthood to be destroyed. He can never permit apostasy to destroy His Church. X. Church succession grows out of the nature of the truth as xised by the Spirit. The truth thus origi- 118 ORIGIN OF THE nated and preserved the apostolic Church. Unless the truth has since lost its power, it has surely preserved the Church from apostasy. The same cause, under like conditions, will always produce the same effect. The truth is like conditioned for all time ; which is only by sinful natui-e and the unchangeable Spirit ; therefore Church succession. XI. Church succession grows out of the mission of the Church. Her mission is to j^reach the gospel to the world, preserve the truth and the ordinances. See Chap. 34, of this book. If the Church were necessary in apostolic times it is necessary " alway, even unto the end. of the world."— Matt. 28 :20. Did not Christ provide for this necessity b}^ providing for Church succession? Or, was there, here, a little omission which Wesley, Calvin, Campbell, etc., provided for? No doctrine of the Bible is more clearly revealed tliiin is the doctrine of Church succession. As easily can one deny the atonement. Convince me that it is false, convince me that tJiere is no Church to-day that has continued from the time of Christ, and you con- vince me the Bil)le is false. Pedo-rantists and Camp- bellites have admitted that Church succession is a Bible doctrine, so clearly is it taught in the Bil)le. Prof. Bannerman, a Pi-esbyterian, says: "There are state- ments in Scripture that seem distinctly to intimate that the Christian Church shall always continue to exist in the world, notwithstanding that all is earthly and hostile around her. He has founded it upon a CAlVrPBELLITE CHURCH. 119 rock ; and the gates of bell shall not prevail against it. . . . That Christ will be with His Church 'alway, even unto the end of the world,' ministering the need- ful support and grace for its permanent existence on earth, we cannot doubt." Tlie Clnirch of Christ, Vol. l,p. 51. "He has left us a promise that the powers of evil shall never finally prevail against or sweep it entirely away ; and as belonging essentially to the due administration of that kingdom, and forming a part of it, the outward dispensation of the oi'dinances and worship in the Church shall never fail." — idem, p. 333. " The ministry, embracing an order of men to discharge its duties, is a standing institution in the Christian Church since its first establishment until now, and Leslie, in his Short Method with the Deists, has fairly and justly appealed to the uninterrupted existence of the office as the standing and permanent monument of the great primary facts of Christianity, and, there- fore, as demonstrative evidence of its truth." — idem, p. 439. In his Letters to Bishop Morris, Eld. J. M. Mathes, a leading Campbellite, adduces the recent origin of the Methodist Church as one evidence that it is not the Church of Christ. He says : " The M. E. Church, as an organism is not old cnf»ugh to be the Church of God."— p. 140. "In the darkest ages of Popery, God never 'left Himself without a witness.' It is true that from the rise of that Anti-christian power till the dawn of the 120 ORIGIN OF THE Eeformation, the people of Christ maybe emphatically denominated a 'little flock,' yet small as their num- ber may appear to have been to the eye of man, and unable as historians may be, to trace with accuracy, the saints of the Most High, amid&t ' a world lying in wick- edness,' it cannot be doubted that even then, there was a remnant, which kept the commandments of God, and the testimony of »Tesus Christ. If God reserved to Himself ' seven thousand in Israel who had not bowed the knee to Baal,' in the reign of idolatrous Ahab, can we suppose, that during any preceding period, His Church has ceased to exist, or that His cause has utterly perished ?" — Hist. Waldenses by the American /S. S. Union, j). 1 . The attempt is made, in two ways, to weaken the force of these Scrijjtures, for the succession of Churches. 1. By resorting to the loose, assumed meaning, of the word Church, as not including organi- zation. But in reply (a) I have shown that the well established use of ekUesia [ixxlvjaia) indicates or- ganization. See the first part of this chapter, (b) No man can show where it ever excludes organization. — Ecdesiolorpj, 2^- 102. (c) There can be no reason assigned why God — if there is such — should care so much for a general, indefinable, intangible, " invisi- ble" body of mCn and women who have no definite places of meeting, definite and tangible objects before it, as to proniise to preserve it, while He cared so little for a special, definable, tangible, visible body of men and CAMPBELLITE CIIL RCH. 121 women with definite places of meeting ami tangible objects before it, as to give it no promise of preser- vation, (d) The preaching, the ordinances, the ad- ministration of discipline — all the work of tlie gospel having been committed, not to a general, indefinable, intangible, invisible body of men and women, with no places of meeting, no objects before them, but to organization, it is clear that, whatever may be promised to a non-organization, the ver}'- mission and the very design of the organization — lead us to expect its preser- vation. AA^hen Paul directed Timothy "how men ought to behave tliemselves in the house of God, which is the Church of the living God, the pillar and ground of the truth,"' — 1 Tim. 3 :15, he spoke of organization with officers — "bishops" and "deacons" — see the context in verses 1-13. The election of officers, the reception, the discipline and exclusion of members, the keeping of the ordinances — everything necessary for the work of the gospel and the salvation of a lost world was committed to " organized churches." Com- pare Matt. 28 :19, 20 ; Acts 1 :26 ; 6 :2, 3, 5 ; 10 :47 ; 15 :22 ; 10 :4 ; Rom. 14 :1 ; 1 Cor. 5 :4, 5 ; 2 Cor. 2 :6 : 1 Cor. 11 :2 ; 2 Thess. 3 :() ; Rev. 2 :14 ; 3:10, in which it will be seen that the Churches elected their ofiic^rs, received, excluded members, preached the gospel, kept everything in order. In Chap. 30 and 34 of this book this is especially set forth. In preaching, baptizing, receiving, excluding, the Churches are the powers through which the King of Zion governs, extends Ilis 122 ORIGIN OF THE empire. A. Campbell, of the Churches, says: " But as these communities possess the oracles of God . . . they are in the records of the kingdom regarded as the only constitutional citizens of the kingdom.''.— Chris. System, p. 1 72. Few deny this necessity for the Churches, until they come to meet the impregnable stronghold of Bible promises of succession, when they disparage them for their own general, intangible, in- visible— I must say it — nothing ; and then they have succession promised to their pet — nothing. Some of them will say : " Yes, we admit, that through all ages there were men and women who held Bible prin- ciples, Bible doctrines, Bible ordinances, etc." Yet, in the next breath, they deny that these were Churches ! Just as if the life, evinced by the maintenance of these " principles, "v these "ordinances" and the "doc- trine " would not maintain the Scriptural Church organization. Where, to-day, find we men and women who maintain Bible principles, Bible ordinances, Bible doctrine, etc., without Scriptui'al organization? In- deed, what is such a life in manifestation but organi- zation and the Avork of organization ? The Scriptures represent the organization as indispensable to the purity, the preservation of the doctrine, the gospel and the ordinances. But, to rob the Church of the promise of l)reservation, it is denied that the Church is necessary to such purposes. WJiat these deniers of succession think the Church was instituted for, would require more than the wisdom of Solomon to telL (2) It is CAHrPBELLTE CHURCH. 123 claimed that the apostasy of some Churches proves the apostasy of all. Excuse me for reducnig the objection to a logical absurdity, in stating it. As well prove that a whole army deserts from some having deserted. As well prove that all the angels apostatized from some having apostatized. As well prove that all the prov- inces of a kingdom have rebelled from some having re- belled. Ther Scriptures speak of some Churches being spewed out, their candlesticks being removed. The Eomish Church is only apostasy. But the promises to the Church, to the kingdom are, that " it shall stand forever," that " the gates of Hades shall not prevail against it." The attempt is, also, made to weaken the statements of commentators, etc., that the Scriptures promise suc- cession. This is done in the same way by which the attempt is made to weaken the direct statements of the Scriptures, viz., by saying that these commentators mean the general, indefinable, intangible, ' -invisible" body of men and women — Church means men and women — with no place of meeting, no objects before it — the "invisible Church." To this I reply : Some of these writers have fallen into the error of speaking of an "invasible Church," but (1)1 have shown that the}' speak of the "visible" Church as being i)rcserved. For example, Adam Clark says, that the Church, of Eph. 5:23-29, is a Church with orfZmances.f (2) But, if tAn invisible Church — if there is such athino-, has neither ordi- nances nor anythiug else. If any passa.i;e, ill tlie Riljlc. Heeiiis to mean an ^'invisible" Church this passage is that one. 124 ORIGIN OF THE every one of these writers understood these promises as applicable to only an "invisible" Church it does not, in the least, weaken their testimony to these prom- ises, guaranteeing Church succession. The promises of succession to a Church are one thing ; what kind of a Church is given these promises, is quite another. I have not quoted some of these writers as defining the Church, to which the promises wei'e given ; but I have quoted them all to prove that the promises clearly leave no ground to doubt that succession, of some kind of a Church, is promised. Having proved that the Churchesf of the New Testament are organizations, to which are committed, the gospel, the doctrine, the or- dinances, the discijiline — that they are tJnis "the house of God, which is the Church of the living God, the PILLAR and the ground of the Truth,^' ( 1 Tim. 3 : 15. ) whoever denies that these are the Church to which the promises of presei'vation are given has his controversy not with me so much as with the King in Zion. t So t "The learned Dr. Owen fully inaintains, that in no approved writer, for two hundred years after Christ, is mention made of any organized, visibly professing Church, except a local congre- gation of Christians."— C/turcA Members' Man., [>. ;5C, by WUUam Vrowell. X That the reader may neither be confused nor think that I am coiifn^cil I w ill state tiiat I use "Church." in the singular, to denote the a,i;uivi;ale of churches. .Iu>t as it is used in Mtt. 16: IS; E])!]. 1 : -'2; (Jol. 1 :ls. It is thus used by synecdoche. and I use '-churches" for tlie indei»endent organizations— the lit- eral churches as in Acts !) ::51 ; 15:41; 10 :5 ; 10 :;^7 ; Kom. 1G;4,1G: 1 Cor. 7;17; 11 :1G: 14: :U; Ki: 1, 19. To say Baptist Church for all Baptist Churclies is correct; so is it to say Baptist church- es. CAMPBELLITE CHURCH. 125 far as the use of their testimony is concerned, it matters not, if these writers believed the Churches of the New Testament are Romish or Mormon cliurches. They agree that whatever the churches of the New Testa- ment are, they are promised succession. And I have proved them to be organizations. I will close this argument with the testimony of one Methodist and two Presbyterian scholars. Adam Clarke: "The Church of the living God. The assembly in which God lives and works each number of which is a living stone, all of whom, properly united among themselves," — this is organization, — "grow up into a holy temple in the Lord." On 1 Tim. 3:15 (My italics. ) Barnes, Presbyterian: "Thus it is with the Church. It is intrusted with the business of maintaining the truth, of defending it from the assaults of error, and of transiniting it to future times. The truth is, in fact, upheld in the world, by the Church. The people of the world feel no interest in defending it, and it is to the Church of Christ that it is owing that it is pre- served and transmitted from age to age . . . Tlte sta- bility of the truth on earth is dependent on the Church . . . Other systems of religion are swept away ; other opinions change; other forms of doctrine vanish; but the knowledge of the great system of redemption is pre- served on earth unshaken, because the Church is preserved and its foundations can not be moved. As certainly as the Church continues to live, so certain 126 ORIGIN or THE will it be that the truth of God will be perpetuated in the world." On 1 Tim. 3:15, quoted by J. R.Graves, LL. D., in Old Laudmarkism,]). 44. As I remarked, it matters not what these writers think was the Church. I quote them, to show that the Scriptures promise succession to the Church, that maintains the preaching, the doctrine, the ordinances, the discipline, etc., whatever that is; and, independ- ently of thostv writers, I prove that Church is local Churches, with organizations. Again, says Bannerman: "The visible Church is Christ's kingdom; and the administration of govern- ment, ordinance, and discipline within it, is but apart of that administration by which He rules over His peo- ple. That kingdom may at different times be more or less manifest to the outward eye and more or less conspicuous in the view of men.f But He has left us a promise that the poAvers of evil shall never finally t Many have, bastilj', concluded that the Church must be cZear?(/ traced, by history, through every age, in order for it tojus- tifial)ly claim to have cxi-iicir. since the apostles' time. But, while till' Si ri|itun s. iiuxt clearly, promise it succession — in the sense of ucvrr ceasing in cxisi, not Apostolic succession which is "a succession of bierarchal bishops," as imagined su(!cessors of the aposihs, they as clearly teach that, to say the least, it sliould lie very diliiciilt to clearly trace it, by history, tbrcMigh rrrrii age. In Kev. 12 :G, the Church is spoken of as liiildeii --ill tiie wilderness" "a thousaud, two hundred three seen- iia\ ^ "--I JC.U yeai-. The Church, thus driven into obscuri- ty, is tliereby so liidilen fi-oni the eye of the uninspired historian that its footsteps are. nece--:! i il \ . in some periods, difticult to trace. The very dllliciilty \\lii( h lii-iorians find, in tracing the Church, in some periods of its history, is an indispensable evi- dence of its being the true Church, and, therefore of its succession. One way, by which we know that the Romish Church is not the CAMPBELLITE CHURCH. 127 prevail against it or sweep it entirely away : and, as be- longing essentially to a due administration of that king- dom, and forming a. part of it, the outward dispensa- tion of ordinances and toorship in the Church shall never fail. * * * There are express announce- ments in Scripture, warranting us to assert that the various institutions and rites that make up the oiittoard provision of government, toorship, ordinance, and dis- cipline in the Church of Christ, should be continued to the end of the ivorld.''' — Idem, pp. 332, 333. On pp. 439, 442; "The ininistr}^ embracing an order of men to discharge its duties, is a standing institution in the Christian Church, since its first estal)- lishment until now ; and Leslie, in his short Method Church of Christ, is the clearness with which it can trace its ex- istence throughout the dark ages. Of course, it tinds ils bc(jia- ning as late as the third cevtury. lint the clearness of its success- ion, in the dark ages, is its cunviction. On the other hand. \\ hat- ever Church can point to any period, since the Apostles" time, back of which it certainly did not exist, and in which it had its origin, is, certainly not the Church of Christ, since it is thi'i rli\ , proved to be of post-Apostolic origin. Xo man can, historically, demonstrate his succession from Adam; 3-et, from Scripture, he cannot doubt that succession. So we know the Church lias a continued existence from the first century. But, as in the case of any man, concerning whom it could be proved that he had an absolute new beginning since Adam, we should be certain that he was not Adam' successor, even though he niiglit clusely or even wholly resemble him, so we are certain that aii\ ( liurch is not the successor of the first century which had a new l)ei;iiiiiiM'4 since that time. So of an oceanic telegraph. AVc canuni see it. or hear it, save at each end. Yet, we know itis contimidu-. as wc see and hear it at one end. No line, having its beginning any- where in the sea, can be a trans-oceanic line. So, no Chuich, having its beginning since the first century, can be the Christian Church. But the Church found in the first century and in any century, since, can but be the Christian Church. 128 ORIGIN OF THE loith the Deists, has fairly and justly appealed to the uninterrupted existence of the office as a standing and permanent monument of the great primary facts of Christianity, and as therefore demonstrative evidence of its truth. . . . There are a number of Scripture declarations that the promises, of the permanence and perpetuity of a ministry in the Church, which have been appropriated and perverted by the advocates of apostolic succession into arguments in favor of the doc- trine. ... In sliort, most of those Scripture state- ments, which aff«)rd us warrant to say that there shall be aCluuch always on this earth, and that the office of minister and pastor is a standing appointment in the Church, have been pressed into the service of the theory, that an apostolical succession in the line of each individual minister is essential to the validity of the ministerial title, t and, as most, if not all, the advo- cates hold essential also to the existence of a Church at all. Now, with regard to such statements of Scrip- ture, it may readily be adiniltcd — nay, it is to be stremioml 1/ affiriiied — that they demonstrate this much, that a Church of Christ, 9H0/'e or less visible , is always to exist on the earth : but this conclusion has notliing to do with apostoliciil succession in the Church, Further still, many of these texts may be held as demonstratimj t Advoo:iti>s for receiving persons into our churches, on alien ininirr.ing uon-apostasj. They do not hesitate to thus speak of the Church ; and to positively contradict Jesus Christ. Thus, more pointedly and flatly, "Elder J. L. Mar- tin, a Canipbcllite preacher and author, on p. 192 of his Voice of the Seven Thunders,'' says: "The Lord save us from trying to go back to trace up a line of succession from the Apostles until now, to prove that Ave are the true Church of Christ, because the Church was lost as an organization. The Church on earth ivas prevailed against.'' Jesus Ciirist : ''The GATES or HELL SHALL NOT PREVAIL AGAIXST IT." Matt. 16:18. Campbellites, in the words of Eld. J. L. Martin: — "The Church on Earth was Prevailed Against." Yet, Campbellites tell us that they are the only ones who folloAV the Bible ! ! I most solemnly avow, in con- sciousness of the presence of the Judge of all the earth, that I would be afraid to so contradict Jesus Christ, lest He would strike me dead. Possibh', these Campbellite leaders have been so engrossed with Campbellisui as to have never studied these Scriptures on Church preservation. For Mr. Hand, a leading Campbellite preacher and author, in his reply to D. B. Ray — a work indorsed, generally, by Campbellites — says : "The Savior never promised to build any Church to withstand the gates of hell. . , It took himself and the mighty power of God to withstand the gates of 142 ORIGIN OF THE hell." "Whoever heard of a Church built to with- stand the gates of hell till Mr. Hay in frantic terror, endeavoring to escape the falling ruins, gets off that romantic flight of the imagination." — Text Booh Ex- posed, pp. 175, 136. We have seen that Stonism, also, said likewise of the Church. Thus, we see that upon one and the same founda- tion with infidels and with innumerable sect builders, rests the Campbellitc Church, — upon "the infidel as- sumption "that the blessed Bride of Christ has proved unfaithful to Him and become an ecclesiastical harlot. Judge, dear reader, with your eye on the bar of God, whether any Church, resting, essentially, on such an assumption, is the Church of Jesus Christ — or, even any part of that Church — whether it is not anti-Chris- tian. CAMPBELLITE CHURCH. 143 CHAPTER X. THE CAMPBELLITE POSITION, AS TO THE TIME WHEN THE GOSPEL WAS FIRST PREACHED, THE KINGDOM FIRST SET UP AND THE CHURCH FIRST BUILT, IS CONTRADICTORY TO THE HOLY SCRIPTURES. I use the expression, " the kingdom first set up and the Church first built," because the Canipl)ellite posi- tion is that the kingdom and the Church were set up in the first century and, having been destroyed, were again set up by Alexander Campbell in the present century. See Chapters 1, 4 and 9. The expression is accommo- dated to the Campbellite assumption, that there were two beginnings of the Church, Scripturally, we should sa,y, " as to the time Avhen the gospel was first jireached and the Church and the kingdom set up." With the above explanations I will proceed. Sec. 1. Camphellites agree that upon the day of Pentecost the gospel was first preached, and that the kingdom and the Church were then first set up. Says Isaac Errett : "This brings us to the day of Pentecost, and its most significant development, as narrated in the second chapter of the Acts of the Apostles. Here we reach our point of rest. Here is the grand culmi- 144 ORIGIN OF THE nation of the scheme of salvation. Here is the setting up of the kingdom. Here is seen the little stone cut out of the mountain which Nebuchadnezzar saw, and which is yet to become a great mountain, and fill the whole earth.' — Elements of the Gospel, p. 40, in Ray -Lucas Deb. ; also Walks About Jeritsalem, p. 35. See Ray-Lucas Deb. Campbellite writers, debaters, spealiers, 1 believe, without exception agree with Mr. Errett. I propose to now demonstrate, from the Bible, that the gospel was preached, the kingdom and the Church were set up before the day of Pentecost. Sec. 2. Wliat the Bible meaiis by the word gospel. Euangelion (e-jayyys/Mi^) rendered gospel is thus de- fined: " Liddell and Scotts' Lex: 'In the Christian sense, the glad tidings.'" Robinson's Lex: "The glad tidings of Christ and His salvation." Bagster's Lex: " Glad tidings, good or joyful news," Matt. 4: 23 ; 9 :35 ; the gospel, doctrines of the gospel : Matt. 26:13; Mark 8:35. Mtton: the preaching of, or in- struction in the gospel." Greenfield's Lex: "Glad tidings, good or joyful news. Matt. 4 :23 ; 9 :35 ; the gospels, doctrines of the gospel, Matt 26 :13 ; Mark 8 : 35 ; mtton, the preaching of, or instruction in the gospel ; meton, a gospel, i. e. the history of the life and instructions of Jesus," Luke 9:6; Acts 14:7; Rom. 1 :15, et al. The word is from euangdizo, {vja)jffz).i!^io) " to bring good news, to announce glad tidings, especially of the gospel of Christ, and all that CA3IPBELLTE CHURCH. 145 pertains to it." ]Suangelistees,{s'jai'Yys?.:(TT7j'^) one who announces glad tidings ; au evangelist, preacher of the gospel, is from euangelizo {e\ja>xxs.U!^u).) Euangelizo in the New Testament, occurs 52 times ; euangelion, 75 times ; euangelistees, 3 times. They signify the same. From these Lexicons — with which all Lexicons agree — it is evident that the gospel ot Christ means the good news of salvation. We may divide this into first, Christ's life ; second, His death ; third. His resur- rection ; fourth. His intercession ; fifth, salvation from sin through His life, death, resurrection and interces- sion. God's love, pardon, justification, adoption, the regenerating, indwelling, preserving Spirit, — all things, in salvation to, and including eternal glory, are in these four elements of Christ's work and preaching. Adam Clarke : " The whole doctrine of Jesus Christ, comprised in the history of His incarnation, miracles, suffering, death, resurrection, ascension, and the mis- sion of the Holy Spirit, by which salvation was pro- cured for a lost Avorld, is expressed by the word eba-jjsXcov {euangelion).'' — Preface to the Gospel of Matthew, p. 31. Sec. 3. The gospel ivas preached in Old Testament times. 1. It was preached in the types of the Old Testament. "For the law having a shadow of good things to come," "which was a figure for the time then present." — Ileb. 10:1; 9:9. 2. The gos- pel was preached in prophecy: — "In that day there shall l)e a fountain opened to the house of David and 146 ORIGIN OF THE to the inhabitants of Jerusalem for sin and for unclean- ness." — Zech. 13:1. Where, in the New Dispensa- tion, is the Gospel preached with more clearness and pathos than it is in Isaiah 53d chapter? Not only was it preached to the Jews, but it was preached, as designed for "all nations." — Isa. 2:2; Psa. 72: 11; Jer. 27:7. But, some one answers: "Yes, but it Avas not the gospel then in operation." I reply: Your objection is far from the truth. God says: "Turn you at my reproof: behold, I will pour out my spirit unto you, I will make known my words unto you." — Prov. 1:23. "Come now and let us reason together, saith the Lord ; though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they be red like crimson they shall be as wool." — Isa. 1:18. "Ho every one that thirsteth, come ye, to the waters, and he that hath no money ; come ye buy and eat ; yea, come buy wine and milk without price. . . . Incline 3'our ear, and come unto me ; hear and your soul shall live . . . Seek ye the Lord while he may bo found, call ye upon him while he is near: Let the wicked forsake his Avay, and the unrighteous man his thoughts ; and let him return unto the Lord, and he will have mercy upon him ; and to our God and he will abundantly pardon. "-Isa. 55 : 1-7. Who preaches the gospel more clearly and sweetly than this? If this is not the blessed gospel, then preachers greatly err in using it in revivals. And, as thousands have been saved by it, thousands have been CA»rPBELLITE CHURCH. 147 saved without the gospel ! The Jews had the same law we have; in type, sacrifices and in such words, as just quoted, they had the gospel. The fifty-first Psalm is as clear a working of the law and the gospel in repentance, faith, etc., as has ever been seen under the New Testament. I should rejoice, if the Camp- bellites, generally, preached and ex/)erzencefZ it. When Nicodemus expressed such ignorance of the workings of the gospel, in begetting us from above — John 3:3- 10 — Jesus did not excuse him on the Campbellite ground, that as the "gospel would not be preached be- fore Pentecost," he could not be expected to know better; but he gave him the scathing rebuke: "Art thou a teacher of Israel and knowest not these things" — a teacher of the workings of the gospel in salvation and yet you know nothing of "these things !" Read the glorious galaxy of those who, having been "redeemed from among men, walked with God," and tell me, ye, who believe that the gospel only "is the power of God unto salvation," if the gospel was not preached before Pentecost ! — Heb. 11. So "the scripture, foreseeing that God Avould justify the Gentiles by faith preached the gospel beforehand unto Abraham . . . So then they which be of faith are blessed with" — that is in the same blessed Savior and by the same blessed Gospel — "the faithful Abraham." — Gal. 3:8. Nothing is clearer than, that in Old Testament times, men were saved with the same gospel, the same salvation with which they are now saved. The reader 148 ORIGIN OF THE will keep in mind the definition of gospel, as quoted from the Lexicons, notice how it applies to Old Testa- times; and remember that Paul, in Gal. 3: 8, uses the very word — proeuangelizomai {npos.uaff£)d!^oiiac, composed of 7:^06 — before — and edayy£?J^(o — I announce good news), for what he uses it in Eom. 1 : 15; ^10:15; 15:20; 1 Cor. 1 : 7 ; 9 : 16, 18 ; 15 : 1, 2 ; Gal. 1:8, 9, 11, 16; Eph. 2. 17. I say the very word, because the New Testament makes no distinction in sense between euangellzo and euangelion — between telling the good news and the good news. Hence, speaking of only the Old Testament, Paul says: "The Holy Scriptures which are able to make thee wise unto salvation . . . and is profitable, for doctrine, for re- proof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness; that the man of God may be perfect, thoroughly fur- nished unto all good works. "~2 Tim. 3:15, 16. Sec. 4. The gospel was preached between the time of the birth of Christ and Pentecost. The nature of John's ministry proves that it was a gospel ministry. 1. What he preached. {\) He preached repentance. Matt. 3:1. (2) He preached regeneration and re- pentance as necessary conditions to baptism. "But when he saw many of the Pharisees and Sadducees come to his baptism he said unto them . . . bring forth therefore fruit worthy" — such as prove you have repented — "of repentance."' — Matt. 3: 7,8. Ben- gel comments: iiezdvoca {mctanoya), repentance is an entire change of character, :ind a renunciation of all CAMPBELLITR CHURCH 149 that is evil." — in loco. On verse G : "And were bap- tized of him in Jordan, confessing their sins." Ben- gel comments : "The verb is in the middle voice, — £^o/iohyo6/jiswc, confessing. The preposition eg denotes that they confessed their sins freely and expressly, not merely in the ear of John." Adam Clarke: "Repentance, then, implies that a measure of divine wisdom is communicated to the sinner, and that he thereby becomes Aviso unto salva- tion. That his mind, purposes, opinions are changed ; and that in consequence there is a total change in his conduct." — in. loco. Barnes; "Repentance implies sorrow for past offen- ses (2 Cor. 7 :10) ; a deep sense of the evil of sin as committed against God (Psa. 51 :4) ; and a full pur- pose to turn from transgression and live a holy life. Both John and Christ began their ministry by calling men to repentance." in loco. From Rom. 8 : 5-8 ;3 :- 10-22 ;Gal. 5 :19-24 ; F.ph. 2 :10, we learn that the un- regenerate mind hates God, commits only sin ; and that only a new man will obey God. See Chap. 17, of this book, on Repentance, for an elucidation of this subject. From thos(> Scriptures, it is certain that re- pentance and the ncio life, as the "fruit worthy of repentance," are the consequences of regeneration. Hence, Adam Clarke's comment. It is, therefore, certain, that John baptized only those who had led him to believe they were regenerate. No man can deny this without taking the anti-Bible position, that 150 ORIGIN OF THE the mind that "is enmity against God," which "is not subject to the hiw of God, neither indeed can be," and which "caimot please God," can obey him, by repenting and bringing forth fruit "worthy of repent- ance." See, especially, Rom. 8:7,8. (3) John preached that the Holy Spirit regenerates and sancti- fies. This is certain (a) because the Old Testament preached that. See Gen. 6:3; Isa. 44:3; Ezek. 11: 19; 18:31; Psa. 51:10,11, 12. So clearly was tlie new birth taught, in the Old Testament, that Christ rebuked Nicodemus for not understanding and teach- ing it. The talk about John not teaching "evangeli- cal repentance" presumes him to have been more igno- rant of divine things than were the Jews, under the Old Testament. (b) John's preaching repentance and the new life necessarily implies that he preached the work of the Holy Spirit. Acts 19, instead of proving that John's converts had not received regen- eration and Christian l)aptism, proves the very contra- ry- Sa3^s Farrar : "St. Paul, accordingly questioned them, and finding that they knew little or nothing of the final phase of Jolnis teaching, or of the revelation of Christ, and were ignorant of the very name of the Holy Spirit, he gave them further instruction until they were fitted to receive baptism." — Life ond Work of St. Paul, p. 332, published by I. K, Funk. (My italics. ) How can any man, with Matt. 3:11, — saying nothing CAMPBELLITE CIIURCn. 151 of the fact of the life which Jolin's preaching de- manded and the teaching concerning the Holy Spirit, in the Old Testament, — before his eyes, declare that men claiming to be John's disciples, and who had not even "heard whether there be any Holy Ghost," were His genuine disciples? Hence Farrar truthfully says that " they knew little or nothing of the final phase of Jb/m\s teaching.' ' Baumgarten: " Meyer is doubtless right in his con- jecture that the al>sence of some practice or other in these disciples, specifically befitting Christian faith, astonished Paul." " We can . . . easily conceive it to be possiltle that, in the case of some heathens, who had received the baptism of John at such a distance from its original scene, the element of reference to the coming of the Holy Ghost, which at all events toas contained in it, might easily have been allowed to fall into the background." — Apost. Hist., vol. 2, ]). 266. (My italics.) Thus Baumgarten admits that it is not unlikely that these disciples had been baptized far from where John baptized; and, that, as John's disciples were well instructed concerning the Spirit, these dis- ciples, if they had ever heard of Him, had heard so little that it had made but little impression on their minds. Neander, concerning these disciples: " But as usual with the preparatory manifestations of the kingdom of God," — as much so now — " different effects were pro- 152 ORIGIN OF THE duced according to the different susceptibilities of his hearers. There were those of his disciples, who fol- lowing his directions, attained to a living faith in the Ee- dcenier, and some of whom become apostles ; others only attained a very defective knowledge of the person and doctrine of Christ ; others, again, not imbibing the spirit of their master, held fast their former prejudices " — just as men do now, making false professions — " and assumed a hostile attitude towards Christianity ; prob- ably the first germ of such opposition appeared at this time and from it was formed the sect of the disciples of John, which continued to exist in a later age. These disciples of John, whom Paul met at Ephesus, be- longed to the second of these classes.'" — Planting and Training of the Christian Church, p. 210. From Neander it is very certain that these were the disciples of John, which were anything than the repre- sentatives of the Spirit, the aim and the nature of his ministry. Neander adds: " Whether they had become the disciples of John in Palestine, and received bap- tism from him, or whether they had been won over to his doctrine by means of his disciples in other parts, (which would serve to prove that John's disciples aim- ing at forming a separate community which necessarily would assume a jealous and hostile position towards Christianity in its rapid spread) at all events they . . . considered themselves justified in professing to be Christians, like others." — Idem, p. 210, 211. Bengel: They could not have followed either Moses CAMPBELLITE CHURCH. 153 or John the Baptist, ic 'tthout hearing of the Holy Spirit. . . . Therefore the baptbm of *Johu wu.s most widely propagated, as well as his teaehing ; but, as often hap- pens, ill the case of those more remote and later in point of time, the ordiuanec was administered less purely or less fully. . . . Apollos, on the other hand, who had received the baptism of John, accompanied with full instructions concerning Jesus Christ, was not rebap- tized : Ch. 18:25. Nor were the Apostles rebaptized. For in reality the baptism irhich is mentioned ia Matt. Hi. avdxxviii. was one; otherwise there could not have been the beginningof the gospel in John (^Nlurkl :2, 3,) and the Lord's Supper in Matt. 2G would be older than baptism." — In loco. Taking these men who were so far below, even the Old Testament teaching,as to have never heard" wheth- er there be any Holy Ghost," to represent John's ministry, is not a decent caricatui'e upon his ministry; and it flatly contradicts all that" the gospels record of his ministry. Hence, such testimony, as above, from learned, candid Pedo-baptists. John could no more have preached repentance and the new life without preaching the Holy Spirit, than the prophets, of the Old Testament, or the ministers of the New Testa- ment could have, or can do so. (4) John preached Jesus, (a) "We know this because no one can preach genuine repentance and the new life without preaching the great Author of life. (b) John's consciousness, recorded in ^Nlatt. 3:3, of being the 154 ORIGIX OF THE forerunner of the Messiah, who was to live, to die, to be raised for our justification, makes it certain that he preached Jesus. Verse 3, of Matt. 3, makes it certain that he knew himself to be the fore- runner of the Messiah ; and with such Scriptures as Isa. 9 :6,7; 53d Chap.; Zcch. 13:1; Isa. 4:3, he must have preached Him as the Savioi*. (c) The rec- ord of his preaching is that he preached Jesus, as the object of faith, "I indeed l^aptize you with water unto repentance ; but he that cometh after me is mightier than I, whose shoes I am not worthy to bear ; he shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost and with fire." Matt. 3:12. "John seeth Jesus coming unto him, and saith. Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world! t This is he of whom I said, after me Cometh a man who is before me." — John 1 :29,30. On this Prof. Smeaton rightly says: "If then we put together" the meaning of this testimony of John to Christ, ;is our Savior, "they are these: (1) It was f rod's gracious appointment — 'the Lamb of God; (2) it essentially lay in the vicarious element in the transaction' — it was a l)earing of the sin of others, or of the world ; (.')) it was a bearing or a penal endu- t The Hebrew — nnsa — (xt^j) rendered bear, in all these pass- ages, Ges. Lex. detiues : "Spec, to take away the sin or guilt of any one, that is, to expiate, to make atonement for ... To take upon one's self and bear the punishment of sin." As a con- sequence of l)earing the punishment of sin, it, also, Ges. says, means to carry away.'' In Jno. 1 :29.ii0, it means to bear the punishment, and to Ijear away the sin, see its use in Gen. 4 :13 ; Lev. 1G:22; 17;1G; 20:20; Isa. 53 :u4. CAMPBELLITE CHURCH. 155 ranee; (4) it was sacrificial, being the truth of the shadows in the previous economy ; ( 5 ) it was without nationality." — Smeatonon the Atonement, vol. l,p. 79. See Num. 14 : 34 ; Lev. 5:17; Num. 9:13; 18:22; Lev. 24:15.t Who, now, can preach Jesus better than did John ? So Paul said that John preached, "that they should believe on him which should come after him; that is, on Christ Jesus." — Acts 19 : 4. Eead the whole of John 1 : 15-37 and answer whether if any man more fully now preaches Jesus than did John. As Tholuck — in loco, states, John had been baptizing "for some time," when these words were uttered. And Tholuck calls attention to them as but the voice of his ministry. As to John having been discouraged — Matt. 11:3; Luke 7:18, 20 — and his having not known him — John 1 :31 — we are not to infer from these things that he did not preach Jesus, etc., but that he did not know Him hy natural sight, just as the best Christian now would not know Him. The form of the question: "Ai't thou he that should come or look we for another" — shows that John had knowledge of the Messiah. To preach Jesus implies neither that we know him by nat- ural sight, nor that we do not have times of depression. I will close this part of the argument with a few more Pedo-baptist concessions, on John's ministry. Adam Clarke, on the kingdom of heaven, as preached by John: "The kingdom of heaven is righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Ghost. Now what 156 ORIGIN OP THE can there be more than this in glory ? . . . "The king- dom of heaven is at hand;" referring to the proph- ecy of Dan. 7:13, 14 where the reign of Christ among men is expressly foretold. This phrase and the king- dom of God mean the same thing, viz., the dispensa- tions of infinite mercy, and manifestation of eternal truth of Jesus Christ, producing the true knowledge of God, accompanied with that worship which is pure and holy, worthy of that God who is its institutor and ob- ject."— On Matt. 3:2. Then John's ministry was a gospel ministry. Scott, on "Repentance," in Matt, 3 : "The word rendered repentance implies a total revolu- tion in the mind, a change in the judgment, disposi- tions and affections, another and better bias to the soul. Without it the people could neither understand the nature of the kingdom of heaven, welcome Christ, become his subjects, nor desire salvation." — Comp. Com. on Matt. 3 : "As John required repentance as a condition to his baptism as certain. Lightfoot : "John preached the gospel." — Covip. Com. Dodridge : "This very demand of repentance showed that it was a spiritual kingdom, and that no wicked man, how politic or brave, would possibly be a member of it" — (Joinp. Com. on Mtl 3. Matt. Henry : "John came preaching . . . for by the foolishness of preaching must Christ's kingdom be set up . . . His doctrine Avas repentance . . . This change of mind produces a change of the way" . . CAjMPBELLITE chukch. 157 "They confessed their sins to John," "a general con- fession," "but to God a confession of particular sins. . . . By baptism he obliged them to live a holy life, according to their profession." "He intimated the nature of Christ's kingdom." — Comp. Com.on Matt. 3. J. W. Dale : " The baptism of John 'was the oiiebap- tism in swelling bud, the Holy Spirit and the Lamb of God "within it, not yet unfolded . . . The baptism of Christianity is John's baptism unfolded, revealing the Lamb of God slain and the Holy Ghost sent.'' —Schaff- Herzog, Ency., Art. Bap. (my italics). Dr. Dale uses some expressions Avhich are too strong ; but his words concede that John's baptism and ministry were the one baptism and the one ministi'y. Stier, of the ministry of John and of Jesus : "The mission of the two preachings is ever this, through re- pentance into the kingdom of heaven ! But this inter- nal unity of the law and the gospel the world under- stands not, and therefore rejects both." " We cannot hesitate longer to include the Baptist's term in the new age." — Words of Jesus, Vol. 2, pp. 96, 85. (my italics). Geikie : " John proclaimed the great truth . . . that the kingdom was the reign of Jesus in the soul . . . Repentance Avith John Avas no mere formal con- fession, but a change of mind, a new life for the fu- ture ; and this he so prominently urged that even Jo- sephus, a generation afterwards, makes it a characteris- tic of his preaching . . . John sought to prepare a 158 ORIGIN OF THE people by a moral regeneration of the community . . . The kingdom of God with him was ... a kingdom of righteousness and holiness ... In all cases moral re- generation was the grand aim . . . He proclaimed . . the need of the Holy Spirit to perfect the inner revo- lution ... In the bestowal of this heavenly influ- ence, to carry out the new creation, begun by the for- giveness of sins was summed up John's message . . . He led them in groups into the Jordan, and immersed each singly in the waters, after an earnest and full confession of their sins." — Life of Christ, pp. 280, 282, 283— published by "Am. Book Ex- change." ('my italics). Considering that the gospels give us but a very scanty record of John's ministry, the a evidence that it was the gospel ministry is most ample. As Bannerman says : "With regard to the asswm^- tion that the baptism of John was really given to all applicants, without respect to religious character, there seems no evidence of it in Scripture, but the reverse. We seem to have as good evidence that John demanded a profession of a religious kind from those whom he baptized, as the character of the very brief and scanty narrative which has come down to us of the transac- tion would naturally lead us to expect." — Church of Christ, Vol. l.,p. 61. (my italics). John Calvin, the founder of the Presbyterian Ohurch : "It is also certain that the ministry of John wds precisely the same as that which was afterwards CAMPBELLTE CHURCH. 159 committed to the apostles. For thei7' baptism jvas not different . . . But the sameness of their doctrine shows their baptism to have been the same. John and the Apostles agreed in the same doctrine ; both bap- tized to repentance, both to remission of sins; both baptized in the name of Christ, from whom repentance and remission of sins proceed." — Calvin's Inst. Chr. ReJig., Vol. 2, p. 481— published by the Presb. Board of Pub., Phila. (my italics). "On the other hand," against the Eomish Church, "The Lutheran and Re- formed Confessions asserted the perfect identity of the two forms of baptism, principally on the ground that John had preached the fundamental truths of the gos- gel." — Scha-ff-Herzog Unci/., Art. Bap. II. The New Testament dates the gospel, under the New Dispensation, from the beginning of John's minis- try. " The beginning of the gosi)el of Jesus Christ, the Son of God ; even as it is written in Isaiah, the prophet : Behold I send my messenger before thy face — Who shall prepare thy w ay ; The voice of one crying in the wilderness, Make ye ready the way of the Lord, Make His patiis straight. John came, who baptized in tiie wilderness, and and preached the baptism of repentance unto remission of sins." — Mark 1 :l-4. Commenting on this, the fol- lowing Pedo-baptists say : " The beginning of the gospel applies to John the Baptist." Bengcl, Matt. Henry: "The gospel did not bogm 160 ORIGIN OF THE as soon as the bapti-m of Christ, but half ayear befoi f, when John began to preach the same gospel that Christ afterwards preached, ... In John's preaching and ba|)tizing was the beginning of gospel doctrines and ordinances.'^ Adam Clarke : " It is with the utmost propriety th..t Mark begins the gospel dispensation by the preaching of John the Baptist." Lightfoot : "John preached the gosj)cl, Mark 1:1, 2 ; John 1 :7." (My italics m the above quotations.) Luke says John's mission was, " To give knowledge of salvation unto his people." " /h the remis- sion of their sins." — Luke 1:76-79. Of John's ministry: " The same came for witness, that he might bear witness of the light, that all might believe through Ilim.'^ — John 1:7. On this, Adam Clarke : "lie testified that Jesus was the true light — the true teacher of the way to the kingdom of glory, and the lamb or sacrifice of God which was to bear aw-ay tlie sin of the world, v. 29, and invited men to believe in llim for the remission of their sins, that they might receive the baptism of the Holy Ghost. This was bearing the most direct witness to the light which was now shining in the dark wilderness of Judea ; and from thence shortly to l)e diffused over the whole world." So when a successor to Judas is to be chosen it was said : "Of the men, therefore, which have ac- companied us all the time that the Lord Jesus went in and out among us, beginning from the baptism of CA3IPBELHTE CHURCH. 161 JbAn. "-Acts 1 : 21. fjohn prepared a people, by their conversion and baptism, out of which Jesus organized His Church and called His Ajiostles. How any one can need more evidence to prove that John's ministry was a gospel ministry, than is presented in its nature and in the New Testament dating it as the beginning of the gospel, I cannot conjecture. Should the reader desire more evidence he will see it in the proof that Jesus preached the gospel and that " the kingdom of heaven and the Church were set up before the day of Pentecost;" for as "John's ministry continued over, probably, a year and six months," it continued about one year nfter the ministry of Jesus began — one year contemporary with the ministry of Jesus. — Compare G. W. Clarke's Com. on Matt. 3 ;1 and his Har. p. 252. So that much of the evidence that the kingdom and the Church were in existence during the ministry of Jesus proves that John's was a gospel ministi-y, and a gospel baptism. Indeed, only the "Pharisees and the lawyers rejected" the ministry and the bap- t Humphrey, Kuiuoel, Hackett : '-Xot from the close of the baptism of John since Jesus called the Apostles earlier." — -u loco. Here opo— from — («~o) and meta, of time {titvd)^ in Acts 10 :37. are used : but, as Hackett remarks : "The difference of time not being important he reckons from the close of John";? baptism." "The Savior performed some public acts but did not enter fully on his ministry till John had tinislied his pre[)aratory ministry. The difference of time was so sliirht that it was suf- ficiently exact to make the beginning or the close of the fore- runner's, the starting point in that of Christ." On Acts 1:21; 10;37. 162 ORIGIN OF THE tism of John as a gospel ministry and a gospel bap- tism.— Luke 7 :29,30. The gospel character of John's work cannot be repudiated loithout reptidiating nearly the whole of the first year's ministry of Jesus, which was contemporary with that of John. in. 1. Jesus Christ preached the gospel, (a) Isa. 61 : 1 -3 is a prophecy of the preaching of the gospel by Jesus. Luke 4:10-21 says that he preached "the gospel to the poor," as a fulfillment of Isa. 61:1-3: "This day is this Scripture fulfilled in your ears." (6) The Sermon on the Mount is a gospel as well as a law sermon. If "blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven;" "blessed are they that mourn for they shall be comforted ;" "blessed are the meek for they shall inherit the earth ;" "blessed are they that hunger and thirst after righteousness for they shall be filled," etc., I sa}^ if this is not gos- pel preaching (the reader will remember that gospel is "good news,") there never was gospel preaching. It is a fulfillment of Isa. 61 :l-3. (2) "He taught the i)cople in the temple and preached the gospel.''' Luke 20:1. (3) Jesus said, "thy sins are forgiven." Matt. 9:3. (4) "Daughter, thy faith hath made thee whole ; go in peace." — Luke 8:48. (5) "Her sins Avhich are many are forgiven; for she loved much." — Luke 7:47. Who can preach a better gos- pel than Jesus preached to these poor creatures? (6) "For God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever belicveth on Him, CA^rPBELLITE CHURCH. 163 should not perish, but have everlasting life," etc. John 3:1(). AVho, now, preaches more gospel than this? (7) "What is the parable of the prodigal son, what are those memorable discourses, recorded in John 12th, 13th, 14th, 15th, IGth, 17th Chapters, but the gospel? Where is there a true Christian whose soul has not overflowed with the peace of God, through the gospel, in reading these chapters? The evidence that Jesus jjreached the gospel before Pen- tecost is in every word of Matt., Mark,Luke and John, and much of the Epistles. (8) Asks Paul: "How shall we escape if we neglect so gi-eat a salvation? which having at the first been spoken through the L(.rd," etc. Heb. 2:3. (9) Says Peter: "The word which he sent unto the children of Israel, preaching good tidings of peace % Jesus Christ (he is Lord of all) — that saying ye yourselves knoAV, Avhich was published throughout all Judea, beginning from Gal- ilee, after the haptittm which John preached,''' etc. Acts 10 :37. This is, undeniably, called the gospel, and it was, undeniably, preached before the day of Pentecost. (10) "Repent ye and believe in the gos- })el." ISIark 1 :15. "There is no man that Zfo^A left house or brethren, or sisters, or mother, or father, or children, or lands, for my sake and the gospels' sake." — Mark 10 : 29. "From that time began Jesus to preach gospel,'] and to say, repent ye, for the kingdom of heaven isfat hand."' — Matt. 4 : 17. "He t The very preaching that John preached. — Matt. 3 :1. 164 ORIGIN OF THE departed thence to teach and to preach (Jceerussein — xr]p{ja(j£cv in the New Testament always implies the gospel. See Matt. 3:1; 4:17,23; 9:35; 10:7,27; 24:14; Mark 1:14, 38, 39; Acts 8:5; 9:20: 10:47; 19:13; 1 Cor. 1:23) and to teach in their cities."— Matt. 11:1. (11) Euangelizo (soayyeM^co) and euongelion (^ebay-fsXcov ) occur twenty-three times in the Gospels, making twenty-three times the gospels say that the gospel Avas preached before the da}'^ of Pentecost. Keerussein (^KT^puaasiuyis used for the gospel, in the gospels, twenty-seven times, which with euangelizo and euangeJion make fifty times that the Gospels say the gospel was preached before the day of Pentecost. (12) When Jesus speaks of the gospel, to be preached throughout the whole Christian age. He nowhere intimates that it would be a different gospel from the one that Avas preached by John, His disciples and Himself, before Pentecost, but He says, it would be the same gospel: "And this gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in the whole world for a testimony to all nations ; and then shall the end come." — Matt. 24:14. The Greek, toutou to euan- gelion (^rouroo^To tbayyehov.) Toutou means "this," " this very thing, this same thing." — See all the Lexs. As a demonstrative it points out that the gospel, preached at the time in which He was speaking, was the one for all future. Hence, the marginal rendering to the Revised Version is, " good tidings." Thus, in the very face of Matt., Mark, Luke, John, Acts, CAMPBELLITE CHURCH 165 Hebrews, etc., testifying that Jesus preached the gos- pel, the Campbellites jireach by da}' and by night that the gospel was not preached before Pentecost." "When pressed by the plain statements of Scripture, that the gospel was preached before Pentecost, the Campbellites try to evade it, by saj'ing : " The gospel was not preached in fact before Pentecost." "Where, in the Xew Testament, do they read of any other than a gospel oi fac(, as approved of God? AVere John, Jesus, the Apostles preaching a gospel of fiction? If they say a gospel of type, where do they read of £uch a gosj)el ? The gospel was preached in type before the preaching of Jolm, but it was the gospel in reality, as the saved, of Heb. 11, and in paradise, can testify. Such distinctions, as a gospel of fact and of type, arc as erroneous as to say that a gospel in writing, a gospel verbally, u gospel in ordinances, in life, etc., is not the same gospel. As well say that Jesus in prophecy, Jesus in type, etc. is not the same Jesus which we have ; and thus make two Christs as well as two gos- pels. It is all the one gospel. So it is the same gos- pel for all ages. Hence Paul said, the " gospel " was "preached unto Abraham !" Of course, it is preached with more clearness under the New Dispensation than it was under the Old ; but that no more makes it a dif- ferent gospel than its being preached by one preacher, who preaches it more ably than did another, makes it a different gospel ; or that Jesus, because more clearly preached under the New than under the Old, is a dif- ORIGIN OF THE feront Jesus. And as to its not beiuf^ a gospel until Jesus died and arose, to the one who believed that Jesus would save, before He died, there was as much gospel as to the one who believes since. The past age looked forward to the cross ; the future age looks backward to the cross. But as the cross for the past age is the precious cross, so it is for the future age. Hence, Jesus said : " Your father Aliraham rejoiced to see my day ; and he saw it and was glad." — John 8 :56. With believers of the past age, believers of the present join around the cross, in one unbroken band ; saved by the same God, the same Savior, the same Spirit, in the same way — by the cross. If I am now liberated from a $1000 debt, by a kind friend promising to pny it 20 years from to-day, it is as good news to me as though it were paid. Nothing short of uncertainty can leave me in trouble. So of the gospel. The age, before the cross, was saved because of the promised liquidation of our moral debt ; the age since, because that debt has been paid. Nothing, short of unbelief in the good news, to either age, can leave it in trouble. Ciimpbellism is, therefore, on this point, in contra- diction, not only to the claar record of the Bible, but to common sense. Sec. 5. The kingdom and (he Church were set up before the day of Pentecost. The reader is requested to turn to the first part of Chapter 9, for the meaning of "Church" and "king- dom of heaven." Whatever Scripture speaks of one CAxMrUELLITE CHURCH. 167 impliedly speaks of tlie oLher ; so that, when the exist- ence of the one is proved, the existence of the other is impliedly proved. I. The kingdom is said to have existed before the day of Pentecost. (1) The kingdom of heaven is at hand." — Matt. 3:2. Englke {/jjjr/.s) or in Tisch- endorf's Editio Septima Critica Minor, {rjjjcxzv) is third person, singular, perfect indicative, of engizo (^ejjc'(o), to draw near, to approach. The perfect is used " whenever the past is to be put in relation with the present ; that is when something past is intended to be represented as something just now (in the pres- ent) completed."— T. G>-.,2). 270. The expression, therefore, means that, at that time, the kingdom of heaven was present ; equally excluding the Pedo-baptist notion, of its having been set up, in the Old Testament times, and the Canipbellite, of its being three years — to the Day of Pentecost — distant. John used it with reference to the kingdom which Jesus set up, soon after His baptism. We shall, there- fore, expect to read of the kingdom as existing soon after the beginning of John's ministry. (2) In Matt. 5 :3,10, Jesus speaksof "the poor in spirit, "and "per- secuted," us possessing — "yours is the kingdom of heaven," not shall be — "the kingdom of heaven." (3) "The law and the prophets were until John: from that time the gospel of the kingdom of God is preached, and every man entereth violently into it." — Luke 16 :16. On this, Adam Clarke : " The law and 168 ORIGIN OF THE the prophets continued to be the sole teachers till John came, who first began^to proclaim the glad tidings of the kingdom of God.'' Matt. Plenry : " Since John, the kingdom of God is preached ; a New Testament dispensation. . . , Now that the gospel is preached." " they press M'ith holy violence into the Tcingdom of God.'" — In loco. (My italics.) George Campbell: *' The intention is manifestly to inform us . . . what the manner was in which all who entered obtained ad- mission . ' ' — In loco. (My ital ics . ) Stier : "That was also the glad tidings which John the Baptist announced (Luke 3:18, sL/j^/^-e/./^sro) ; but it is the Lord who first preaches the Gospel of the kingdom, by proclaiming \i% actual existence.'' —Words of Jesus, Vol 1, p. 82. (my italics.) Tholuck : "As ^resen^ the kingdom of God is spoken of in the following passages: Matt, 11:12; 12:28; 16:19; Mark 12:34; Luke 16:16; 17:20,21." — Sermon on the Mount, p. 73. "If I by the Spirit of God cast out devils, then is the kingdom of God come upon you." — Matt, 12:28. Stier : "And now visibly come on the earth in their midst." — Words of Jesus, Vol. 2, p. 142. Geikie; "John alone taught them that the king- dom of God had already come." — Life of Christ, p. 284, 264, so Tholuck, 8chmid, Fritzsche, Bloomfield, et al. (5). "I will give unto thee the keys of the king- dom of heaven." — Matt. 16 : 19. All admit that Peter CAMPBELLITE CHURCH. 169 had the keys before Pentecost, which proves that the kingdom existed before that time. Keys, without a door, without a house to lock, are like the case of the Arkansas cooper, who, in a very hiard time, was asked to make a bung-hole for a barrel, and then, make the barrel for the bung-hole, after the applicant should be able to get the barrel made ! Campbellites have a bung hole before the barrel is made, that is, keys before there is any lock, door or kingdom ! Tholuck, rightly, says that: Matt. 16:19, teaches that the kingdom was present when the keys were given. (6.) "Thou art not far from the kingdom of God." Mark 12:34, G. W. Clarke: "He stood at the very door . . . and needed but the moral disposition to be within it." A. Clarke : "So near the kingdom that he might easily have stepped in." — In L So, Tholuck : (7) "The kingdom of God is within you."— Luke 17:21. Alford, better ; "For behold the kingdom of God is among you." — entos humon (eurbc: oficdv) j Kype, indorsed by A. Clarke : "I proclaim it pub- Uchj and work those miracles which prove the kingdom of God is come." — A. Clarke, in loco. Bloomfield : "Is among you . . . On this inter- t Entos does not always mean within, but, sometimes '■'he.- tween.'^—LiddeU and Scotts* Lex. It certainly means "between," or among here, as this was said to the wicked Pharisees. 170 ORIGIN OF THE pretation, the best commentators are agreed, and adduce examples of this use of eurbc; . . . The kingdom of God has even commenced among you — i. e. in your own country and among your own people." — In loco. So Paulus, Fleck, Bornemann, DeWette, Dod- dridge, Beza, Eaphaelius, et al. Matt. Henry: "You inquire when it" — the king- dom of God — " will come, and are not aware that it is already begun to be set up in the midst of you . . . The gospel is preached, it is confirmed by miracles, it is embraced by multitudes, so that it is in your nation, though not in your hearts." — In loco. So Doddridge, Bloomfield, Tholuck, Olshausen, etc. (8) "But woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites ! because ye shut the kingdom of heaven against men : for ye enter not in yourselves, neither suffer ye them that are entering in to enter." — Matt. 23:13. A. Clarke: "The kingdom here means the gospel of Christ ; the Pharisees would not receive it themselves, and hindered the common people as far as they could." — In loco. Barnes: "Many men . . . about entering into the kingdom of heaven, i. e. the Church — but they prevented it." — la loco. Matt. Henry: "These Scribes and Pharisees were sworn enemies of the gospel of Christ, and conse- ([uently to the salvation of the souls of men ; they did all they could to keep people from believing in Christ, and so entering into His kingdom." — In loco. So CAMPBELLITE CHURCH. 171 Bloomfield, Bengel, Rosenmuller, Olshausen, Dod- dridge, etc. (9) " Jesus saith unto them, verily T say unto you, that the publicans and the harlots go into the kingdom of God before you."— Matt. 21:31. Barnes Go uito the kingdom of God. Become Christians, or more readily follow the Savior . . . Publicans and harlots heard him, and became righteous, but they did not." — Inloco, Matt. Henry: ""When they saw the publicans and harlots go before them into the kingdom of God, they did not afterwards repent and believe." — In loco. So Doddridge, Olshausen, et ah (10) " He that is but little in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he. And from the days of John the Baptist until now the kingdom of heaven suf- fereth violence, and the men of violence take it by force. For all the prophets and the law prophesied tre is no suflieient ground for dissenting from their opinion. — (ics. concedes; "Jlost understand by it the Messiah; who is called DI^E^nC' prince of peace. — Isa. 9:5; though they differ in explaining the single words." — See Couants' Geu. ; Mess, of Jesus by Frey ; Smith s Bib. Die, Ges. Lex. 176 ORIGIN OF THE Luke 2 :l-7 ; whence Julian, the Apostate, unwittingly objected to his title of Christ or King, that he was born a subject of Coesar." (about as good an objection to his then being king as that of the CainiDl)ellites. ) "About eleven years after Judea was made a Roman province, attached to Syria on the deposal and banish- ment of Archelaus, the son of Herod the Great, for maladministration . . . henceforth Judea Avas gov- erned by a Roman deputy, and the judicial power of life and death taken away from the Jews — John 18:31. Their ecclesiastical polity ceased with the destruction of their city and temple by the Romans, A. D. 70." — in loco. Keith, of about the time of the birth of Christ: " A king then reigned over the Jews in their own land, they were governed b}^ their own laws and the comicil of their nation exercised its authority and power. Be- fore that period the other tribes were extinct, or dis- persed among the nations. Judah alone remained, and the last sceptre in Israel had not then departed from it . . . During tlie twelfth year of 'the age of Christ,' Archelaus, the king, was dethroned and banished. Ca- ponius was appointed procurator, and the kingdom of Judea, the last remnant of the greatness of Israel, was debased into a part of the province of Syria. The sceptre was smitten from the hand of the tribe of Ju- dah."— Keith's Ev. of Proph., p. 28 : Gen. by Con- ant, p. 201 , Grotius, et mul. ai.f t Because some professed Christians, through auxiety to seem CAMPBELLITE CHURCH. 177 2. After prophesying the passing away of the Baby- lonian, the J\Icdo-Persian, the Grecian and the Roman kingdoms, Dan. said : "And in the days of those kings shall the God of heaven set up a kingdom which shall never be destroyed," etc. — Dan. 2 : 44. In the days of the four kingdoms just spoken of. — Dan. 7: 17— the kingdom of heaven was to be set up. — A . Clarke, hi loco. That this prophecj'' was to be f ultilled in the days of the Caesars is a conceded fact. The St. Louis C/ir. Adv., of April 11 , 1877, said: " This view is in harmony with the teachings of the best expositors to whose works we have had access. AVe remember only two or three exceptions. A priest, of the order of Jesuits, published near the beginning of the present century . . . and one or two other^i, of some note" have given a different interpretation to this. " But the great mass of writers. Catholic and Protestant, early and late, have accepted this, nor do we see how they could have done otherwise." At what time, in the first century, was this kingdom sot up ? ( 1 ) Luke tells us that the first proclamation of His kingdom was made in the fifteenth year of Tiberius Caesar, by a commis- sioned officer of the King — Johnthc Baptist. "--Luke 3 : 22. (2) Mark informs usthatthis proclamation Avas "the beginning of the gospel " dispensation. — Mark 1 : 1-3. (3) Matthew says that John, in that proclamation, proclaimed that "the long expected kingdom was at more than "free from prejudice," have joined infidels vs., this prophecy, I have treated it at this length. 178 ORIGIN OF THE hand''' — then present. See, especially, beginning of "4," in this Chapter. (4) Mai. 3:1 says, referring to this officer: "Behold I will send my messenger, and he shall prepare the way before me, and the Lord whom ye seek shall come suddenly to His temple." See A. Clarke, in loco. Pithom, ( DiNns ) rendered sud- denly, indicates the setting up of the kingdom immedi- ately after the beginning of John's ministry. (5) To the same point, Isaiah : "The voiceof him that crieth in the wilderness. Prepare ye the way of the Lord, make straight in the desert a highway for our God." Isa. 40:3, quoted by the officer, in Matt. 3 :3. (6) As A. Clarke comments : " The idea is taken from the prac- tice of eastern monarchs, Avho, whenever they entered upon an expedition, or took a journey, especially through desert and unpracticed countries, sent harbin- gers before them to prepare all things for their passes, to level the ways and to remove all impediments." In loco. The harbingers did not go before and prepare the way years before the King was ready to enter, or entered upon his march; but the king immediately came after the harbinger. Hence John did not say "repent" for the kingdom of heaven will come about three years from now, but "repent for the kingdom of heaven is at hand " — has approached and only wait- ing for a, regenerate people to be organized into the kingdom. John prepared the way for the great King of Zion, " by a moral regeneration of the community." — Geikie's Life of Christ, p. 281 . See Section 4, of CAMPBELLITE CHURCH. 179 this Chapter. "When the way was prepared, or a people prepared to be organized into tlie kingdom and the Church, nothing was in the way of the King's coming. 2. As a matter of history, we find the kingdom in existence very early in the ministry of Jesus, and about one year before John closed his ministry. (Ij. We have seen there were the subjects — regenerate peo- ple. (2). That they were baptized with Christian baptism. (3). That they preached, baptized, received the Supper, had the government of the Church and all things concerning the great commission — of Matt. 28: 16-20 — committed to them before the day of Pente- cost. (4). That Jesus was regarded, by both friends and enemies and by Himself, as their King before the day of Pentecost. (5). That there was the territory — the world — before the day of Pentecost. Thus, the disciples, in obedience to the voice, "hear ye him," as my Son and King, whose right it is to be heard. — Matt. 17:5, — the people whom John had pre- pared were serving Him in His Kingdom. We find, even, such particulars in operation concerning the kingdom and the Church, as the laws of Church discipline, for private difficulties. — Read Matt. 18 : 15-20. OBJECTION. Before proceeding farther, an objection, from Matt. 16:18, had as Avell be answered. The Campbellite ob- jects that Jesus said: "I ^v^U''' — n the future — 180 ORIGIN OF THE "build my Church." In reply, 1st, to make this mean build, in the sense of found or organize a Church, would make it contradict the overwhelming testimony, that it and the kingdom were in existence when those words were spoken, 2nd. Were it ad- mitted that "will build" means to found and organize a Church, it would not, therefrom, follow that this would not be done before the day of Penteco.st. For about October, following the June, Avhen this was spoken, we find the Church in existence, with govern- ment for settling private difficulties. Compare G. W. Clarke's liar. pp. 271, 272, 273. Tims, we can admit that it means to found the Church, and then it affords the Campbcllite position, that the Church was organized on the day of Pentecost, neither favor nor pit}'. 3d. But it is to be understood in the sense of adding to and establishing. Oilcodomeso {oiyf^ouotir^ato) rendered " I will build;" is first person, singular, fu- ture indicative, active voice, oi oikodonieo (ocyoooriicu) Defining it in the sense of build from the foundation, the following Lexicons also define it — Bagster's : "To embellish, and amplify a building . . . establish . . . to make spiritual advancement, to be edified.' Greenfield's: "To build up . . . establish, Matt. lG-1 8 . . . to add to, augment, cause to increase." Eobin- son's: "To build up, to establish, to confirm, spoken of the Christian Church and its members, who are thus compared to a building, a temple of God, erected upon the only foundation, Jesus Christ, and ever built CAMPBELLITE CHURCH. 181 up progressively and unceiisingly, more and more upon the foundation." Liddcll and Scotts' : "To edify." The word occurs 38 times iii the New Testament ; and in Acts 9:31; 1 Cor. 8:1, 10; 10 :23 ; 14 :4, 17 ; 1 Thess. 5:11 undoubtedly means to add to what is in existence. Oilcodomee (ocxodotirj) which occurs 18 times in the New Testament for "building," is often used to strengthen or increase what is built up. See Rom. 14:19; 15:2; 1 Cor. 14 : 3, 5, 12, 26 ; 2 Cor. 10:8; 12:19; 13:10; Eph. 4:12, IG, 29. So Green- field's Lex. interprets "will bnild." Matt, Henry: "The Church in this Avorld is but in the forming." — in 1. Stler : "Opposed to this building, at this time still lying in the future, which the promised (oaooou/jCJio) (oiJcodomceso) from the founding to the finishing is ever being fulfilled (for until the descent of the key- stone from heaven, chap. 21:4) the building is not fin- ished, Eph. 2:21, 22 ; 1 Pet. 2 : 5— opposed to it the prophetic glan.ce of Christ sees fierce assaults against it and conflict with it, and the house or kingdom, " etc. Words of Jesus, Vol 2. p. 321. I think, when these exegetes interpret build, to be a promise of Christ to edify, increase, add to His Church — existing when He spoke — during all the New Dispensation, they arc right. Having answered the objection : — 3. There are stronger reasons for believing thirt the Church and the kingdom were organized, immediately 182 ORIGIN OF THE after the temptation — Matt. 4th — and at Bethany or Bethabara — than for believing that it was organized at any other time. These reasons are : ( 1 ) As John had prepared the way for the King, by preparing a people, we would, naturally, expect Ilim to organize His king- dom at the beginning of His ministry. (2). In John 1:35-51, we read of what looks very much like Jesus gathering around Him His Church, (See Robinson's Greek and Clarks' English Harmonies.) Ekklesia (exx/r/^ma), means called out — that is, God's Church is called out from others. In Matt. 18 :20, Jesus speaking of the Church, said: "Where two or three are gathered together [it is not the middle voice — gathered themselves together ; but it is the perfect passive participle — {awrj [liuoc) in my name, there am I in the mid«t of them." See Eph. 1:18-23; where God fills His Church. "Those three already formed the Christian Church." — Dr. Smith's N. T. Hist.,2K 208. W. W. Gardner, D. D. : "And here and now in some rude hut on the banks of the Jordan, was Christ's first and model Church constituted, of these three pious fishermen, A. D. 30." Missiles of Truth p, 213. From this time, onward, Jesus, with His disci- ples attended the marriage, at Cana, in Galilee — John 2:1-11 — ; next, visits Capernaum; — John 2:12 — next, attends the passover and drives the traders from the temple. — John 2 :13-35; next, i? visited by Nico- demus — John 3:1-21; next, leaves Jerusalem, re- mains in Judea, exercising his ministry and making ca:mpbellite church. 183 disciples — John 3 :22-24 — next, departs into Galilee — Matt. 4:12; Mark 1 :14 ; Luke 4 :14 ; John 4:1-4; on his arrival there enters upon His public ministry — Matt. 4:17; Mark 1 :14,15 ; Luke 4 : 14, 15 ; John 4 : 43-4G — See the Harmonies of Robinson and G. TT. Clarke. Bishop Pearce thinks this arrival in Galileet was about one year after His baptism. We are not to understand that Jesus"had not been preaching, since organizing His Church ; but, that, hitherto, His preach- ing had not been so public and constant as now." — Matt. Henry, on Matt. 4:17. In these disciples (a) accompanying Him in His ministry, from the first, (b) in their baptizing — John 4 :1 — 3. — we have farther confirmation that they constituted the Church and the kingdom, at its beginning. How many other disciples had united with the new Chiu-ch the record docs not inform us; but, probably several others. Speaking of John 1:45,40, Tholuck says: "Philip who had now attached himself to the little society.'" "This first gathering.'''' (Mj^ italics.) John Calvin speaks of verse 51, as designating "something permanent in his kingdom — quod semper e.vfare dehehat in ejus, regno . . . For the kingdom of God . . . has been in Christ tndi/ opened-regnum Dei, vere in Christo fuit.''' in Tholuck, on John 1-52. Reuss : "The kingdom of God which Jesus wished to realize began with his personal appearance on the tThis was His second visit to Galilee after His baptism. — John 2:1. 184 ORIGIN OF THE world's theatre; his advent, and the advent of the kingdom are one and the same thing." — Hist, de la Theol. Chr.l. 190-~quotedhy Dr. Hovey,in Smith's Bib. Die, vol. 2, p. 1442. Stler, speaking of tlie period when Jesus began His more active ministry in Galilee. — Matt. 4:23 — says: " The Lord first preaches the Gospel of the kingdom by proclaiming its actual existence.'' — Words of Jesus, vol. 1, p. 48. But, if it was not organized, at the time, mentioned in John 1 : 35-51, when was it organ- ized? On the next page Stier remarks : •' Now begins the last speaking of God by His Son (Heb. 1:2) the Gospel, which henceforth is to be preached in all •the world till the end cometh." — Matt. 24 :14. That there is no other period that has as probable a date for the setting up of the kingdom, as the one first pointed out, I am fully satisfied. With not near the certainty can the time and the, place of the giving of the Sermon on the Mount, f or the time of the birth of Christ be established. I make this statement, because, with their usual candor (?) and logic (?) Campbellites are prone to infer that the kingdom and the Church were set up on the d;iy of Pentecost, simjily because it is not possible to demonstrate, beyond cavil, the very t Thus, Pearson and ITnt?, place the birth of Christ B.C.I; Scaliger, B. C. 2 : Baronius, Calvisius and Paulus, B. C, 3; Lamy, Beugel, Auger, Wieseler and Greswell, B. C. 4; Usher and Pe- tavius, B. C. 5; and Ideler and Sanclemente. B. C. 7. Greswell, G. W. Clarke, Alexander, Whitby, Doddridge, et ol. say that the Sermon on the Mount is not that of Luke G : on the other hand, Tholuck, Robinson and the majority of the best and ablest har- monists say the two discourses are identical. CAMPBELLITE CHURCH. 185 day that thoy were set up ! As well cl liiii that the birlh of Christ and the Sermon on the IMount arc to 1)6 dated on the day of Pentecost, simply because their exact time cannot be proved beyond controversy ! That some Campbellite has never claimed Christ was born on the day of Pentecost, and that He then delivered the Sermon on the Mount is rather strange. It is well to here remark that the kingdom and the Church, at the beginning wei-e not complete or fully developed. Thus, the apostles (a) were not made apostles until some time after the founding of the kingdom and the Church.— Matt. 10 :1 (b) The Supper was not instituted and given to the Church until just before His crucifixion, (c) The institution of the deaconship took place after the day of Pente- cost, (d) The calling of the thirteenth apostlef did not take place until about one year after the day of Pentecost. (See, farther on, in this Chapter, on the growth of the Cluirc-h and kingdom.) Of course, these t Some have denierl that !Mattliias was an apostle, olaimiiis: tliat the action, recorded ia Acts 1 :2;5-2G was premature and un- authorized. But, (1) the record says that the Churcli attributed liis call to God, " whom thou hast chosen."' — ^Vcts 2 :81. (2) Had the action been a mistake, it would have been corrected when the outpouring of the Sjjirit took place. The correction of so great an error would not, probably, have been left unrecorded. (3) Verse 2G tells us that he " was [numherpd o'v^xazziln/ipiadrj llesychius. Bagster, Ei)l)inson, Liddell and Scott and Hackett agree means to reckon. — that is, aft rr ward reckoned] with the eleven apostles." (4) llarly tradition would not have it, had he not been an apostle, that he iireached tite gos- pel and suffered martyrdom in Ethiopia or Cappadocia; nor could there have been aa Apocryphal gospel under 186 ORIGIN OF THE. additions to the kingdom and the Church, no more prove tliat, before tliey were added, the Church and the kingdom did not exist, than did additions to the Armenian Government prove it non-existent until they were added. The additions prove the previous exist- ence of the kingdom and the Church, as 3'ou cannot add to or complete what has no existence. Thus, the notion that there was no Church before the day of Pentecost, involves the absurdity of baptism and the Supper being given to initiate into, and feed when in there, members into the Church, before there was a Church. 4. Church meetings. Church officers, Church govern- ment. Church ordinances before the day of Pentecost. From the time of the organization of His Church, Jesus took His disciples with Him, to train them, etc., during about the first year of His ministry. No doubt that, during this time, He taught them much concerning the nature and the laws of His kingdom. A little over one year after the institution of the kingdom and the Church, not long after Jesus went, his name or •• Traditions of Matthias."' These early traditions, etc., can 1)1- aecomited for only upon the supposition that Matthias \\as universally recognized, in the early Church, as an apostle. (5) A. L'larke,"De^\'ette, Matt. Ileury, Baumgarten, Guericke. all writers, I believe, of great ability and research, recognize Mat- thias as an apostle. (()) As to the objection,f rom only 12 being mentioned in Rev. 21 :14, as Guericke remarks, only 12 are there- in mentioned, to correspond to the 12 thrones mentioned in Matt. 19 :28 : Luke 22 :30. Paul was not chosen in the place of Judas, or as one of the original apostles. l)ut as the one, 'born out of due time.' — 1 Cor. 15:8 — and, especially, and pre-eminently, as the " apostle to the Gentiles." — Rom. 11 :13. CAIIPBELLITE CHURCH 187 the second time, into Galilee, and as soon as they were prepared to receive it, He gave to His Church its gi-and Magna Charta, for all time — the Sermon on the Mount, in Matt, the 5th, 6th and 7th chapters. Matt. 5 :1 — " And seeing the multitudes, he went up into the mountain :" (1) We have seen that about one year before this sermon was given, the Church was organized. (2) Matt. 4 :23, 24 is conclusive evidence that the Church is now in existence ; for Jesus cast out demons, and Luke tells us that Jesus said: " If I by the finger of God cast out devils then " — already here — " the kingdom of God come upon you." — Luke 11 :21. (3.) Yerse one implies that the disciples were the Church. Alford : "The disciples in the wider sense, including those of the Apostles already called, and all who had, either for a longer or a shorter time, attached themselves to Him as hearers, . . . The dis- course was spoken directly to the disciples,'' etc. (My italics.) (4) They are called the Church — " the light of the world." — Matt. 5 :14. Notice : — not lights of the world, as it would be, had they been spoken to as isolated, individually or unorganized; but light, that is, one light. They are the light, because, as the Church, they reflect " the true Light which lighteth every man that cometh into the Avorld." — John 1 :9. The Churches are "the . . . golden candlesticks." — Eev. 1:20. Asa candlestick is put " on the stand." — ^latt. 5 :15 — so is the Church set before the world. V. 16. (5) They are culled a "city." Webster de- 188 ORIGIN OF THE fines a " city :" " The citizens united in a communitij. ... A corporate town, governed by a mayor and alderman." (]My italirs.) The word rendered city — polis — {ixoXc::.) Liddell and Scott's Lex: — "The state ... a free state, a ropulilic . . . state affairs, government ... a state or commonwealth as such, a town, a village." Politees (7ro^./r;yc) citizen, ^w?(;7pt;o, {^KoXneuco^ to be a citizen, politeunia (^-olcTfJim ) the ad- ministration of a commonwealth, a community, com- monwealth, politeia (TroXiziia) are of the same family an polis, here rendered city. They, clearly, mean an organization, community. They can never nican a mob, or an unorganized number of individuals. The multitudes, of v. 1, could not have been called any kind of a city. As a city, a citizen, etc. can mean only organization Jesus designated His disciples, the kingdom, the Church. (6) Hence, in verse 3, He told them, that as citizens, they owned the kingdom ; and, in V. 9, He told them, that as citizens, composing the kingdom, the hatred to it would fall upon them. (7) Tholuck well says: " Now Christ, in full conscious- ness, of His Messiahship, declares that the kingdom of God, which men expected should come with Him, was really pire sent. — Ser. on the Mount, p. 73. The Sermon on the Mount was so appropriate to only the Church and the kingdom that Tholuck ob- serves: "The object of our Lord," in that sermon, " was to exhibit Himself as the Fulfiller of the law, and to enunciate the Magna Charfa of the neio king- CAMPBELLITE CHURCH. 189 dom! — Idem, J). 14. Alford ; " The Divine Prophet oiiens His mouth in ?ct discourse, and gives forth the charter law of His Kingdom of Heaven." — How to Study the New Test., vol. l,p. 59. On Matt. G :33, Stier remarks: He "assures us of the descent of heaven to earth in that kingdom, which is already/ (•07ne, and is open to violent entr.ince." — Words of JesKS, vol. 1, p. 264. On pp. 310, 318, Stier calls the Sermon on the Mount, " the sermon for the Church," " the sermon to the Church," as distinguished from " the mass of the people," called the multitudes. Tho- luck says : **Thi& has been acknowledged in recent times as the purpose of the Sermon on the Mount by men of all parties, — by Neander and b}' Baur, b}' Delitzsch and ;Meyer, by Ebrard, and by Koestlin and Ewald." — Set', on the Mount, p. 15. Tholuck divides ]Matt. 5:3-16 into " Conditions of membership in the king- dom."— p. 17. t So clearly does the Sermon on the Mount speak of the kingdom and the Church, as exist- ing, when it Avas spoken, that some great scholars, overlooking the force of John 1 : 35-51, the probability of the kingdom and the Church beginning with the ministry of Jesus, and the gospel history, from John 1 : 34-51, to Matt. 5, have concluded that the Church was instituted at the calling of the disciples out from tlie mulitude, to deliver to them their Magna Charfa. Thus T. D. Woolsey, D. D., ex-President of Yale t These ^reat scholars had not learned to sit at the feet of A. Campbell, instead of at the feet of Jesus. 190 ORIGIN OF THE -Gollege, says: "The night, it would appear, was spent in prayer. The ensuing morning He organized His Church, by appointing the twelve apostles, and perhaps delivered the Sermon on the Mount during the same day." — Religion of the Present ayid of the Future, p. 42. Geike : " The choice of the twelve apostles and tiae Sermon on the Mount makes a turning point in the public life of Jesus. A crisis in the development of His work had arrived. He had, till now, taken no steps towards a formal and open separation from Judaism, but bad contented Himself with gathering converts, whom He left to follow the new life He taught, without any organization or a distinct commun- ion. . . . The choice of the twelve and the Sermon on the Mount were the final and distinct proclamation of His new position. The apostles must have seemed, to a Jew, the twelve patriarchs of a new spiritual Israel, to be substituted for the Old, the heads of the new tribes to be gathered by their teaching, as the future people of God. The old skins had pi'oved unfit for the new wine ; henceforth new skins must be provided : new forms for a new faith. The society thus organ- ized needed a promulgation of the laws under which it was to live, and this it received in the Sermon on the Mount." This new Church and kingdom Geike calls "the Christian republic in the relation of its citizens to each other, a kingdom in their relations to Jesus." —Life of Christ, 2)p, 418, 419. CAMPBELLITE CHURCH. 191 Oil p. 523: — "The very foundation of the new society was in itself a breaking away from the estab- lit?hed theocracy." On p. 527 : "The new kingdom was in the heart ; in the loving sonship of the Father in heaven and all outward observances had value only as expressions of their tender relationship." These eloquent words, nearly all, well apply to the time I have pointed out, when the Church was institu- ted. Sec. III. Church Meetings. This calling aside the Church, and giving them their JSIagua Charfa, is the(l) tirst recorded Church meeting of the little band, t Just before this meeting Jesus spent the night in prayer and called His twelve Apostles. In the meeting He ordained them, gave them their com- mission and charge, and sent them into their works. — Robinson's Greek Harmony; Matt. 10:2-4; Mark 3:13-19; Luke 6:12-19. As the Church was now prepared to receive its Magna Charta, "The choice of the twelve, by our Lord, as His ministers and witnesses, furnished an appropriate occasion for this public declaration, resi)ecting the spiritual nature cf His kingdom and the life and character required of tA Church meeting is a meeting of the members of he rhurcli, for either worship, instruction only, or for "busiiie>s." or for both together. Some of the best Churches never have - separate business meetings," but transact their business in the prayer meetings An excellent plan. The Church meetings, in the gos- pels, combined preaching, prayer, business 192 OKIGIN OF THE those who would become His true followers." — Robin- son's Greek Har, 192. Dr. Smith: " In this assembly on the shores of the hike of Galilee we see at length all the elements of a visible Church of Christ separated from the world ; and now He proceeds to provide the teachers who Avere to guide thcin and the doctrines which they were to teach and the people to receive." — iV. T. Hist., pj). 255, 256. This was the next year after the Church was insti- tuted. The (2) next especially important meeting, which is on record, is recorded in Matt. 9:35-38; 10:1:1-5; 11:1; Mark (') :G-13 ; Luke d Robinson' s Greek Har., I) 64. This was His "third circuit in Galilee." This was some time — perhaps a year — after the twelve were made apostles. — Robinson's and Claries Har- monies. At this meeting, Jesus gave the apostles power over demons, diseases and commissioned them to preach the gospel, and sent them forth without His company. The (3) next Church meeting recorded occurred when the twelve returned and reported to Him. — Mark (5 : 30-44 ; Matt. 14:1 3-21 ; Luke 9 : 10-1 7 ; John 6:1-14. Doubtless a very important meeting. The (4) next recorded Church meeting is on the occasion when Christ gave them the especial sermon, to guard them against the influence of the Pharisees. — Matt. 16 : 4-12 ; Mark 8 :13-21. The (5) next recorded meeting was Avhen they especially professed their clear insight CAMPBELLTE CHURCH. 193 into the character of the Redeemer ; and, when He told them that the gates of hades should not prevail against the new kingdom and the new Church. — Matt. 16 :13-20 ; Mark 8 :27-30 ; Luke 9 :18-21. One of the- most important meetings in the history of tlie Church. This is the first time it is recorded that the little band had the term, ekklesia (^exxlr^aia) Church, applied to them. The (6) next Church meetinji; was for teaching them the great principles of solf-dcnial, the worth of the soul. His coming in glory and the increased power of the kingdom.— Matt. Ki :21-28 ; Mark 8 :31 ; 9 :1 ; Luke 9 : 2 2-2 7. The (7) next Church meeting was immediately following the previous one, called to especially reveal to them His death and resurrection. — Matt. 7:13; Mark 9:2-13; Luke 9:28-36. At this meeting of the disciples were Peter, James and John ; of the unseen world were present " Moses and Elias." Only Peter, James and John were there, because they only were sufficiently spiritually minded for that meet- ing. As it often is now with our Church meetings, they were the "chosen" of the "called." Matt. 20 :16; (Matt. 18 :19, 20.) The (8) next Church meet- ing was called to again reveal and to more deeply im- press the teaching of the last meeting. — Matt. 1 7 :2: 23 ; Mark 9 : 30-32 ; Luke 9 :43-45. To clearly receive the doctrine of His crucifixion was most difficult for these disciples. The (9) next Church meeting was for teaching them the much needed lesson, that Christianity does not abrogate the claims of human government. — 194 ORIGIN OF THE Matt. 17 :24-27 ; Mark 9 :33. The ^^10) next Church meeting was to teach them the much needed lessons of humility, to caution them against casting stumbling- blocks in the way of converted young children. f At this meeting He revealed to them a very important principle and law of Church government, namely, that with the Church is all Church government, and how this government is to settle personal difficulties. — Matt. 18:1-14; 18:15-20; Mark 9:33-50; Luke 9: 46-50. At this meeting He, also, taught them that there is no limit to personal forgiveness. I say per- sonal forgiveness, because this is often perverted into keeping bad men in the Church, who, by " whining confessions," continue in the Church while persisting in their sin. It refers to only personal matters. The (11) next Church meeting was to send forth "the Seventy" to preach, cast out demons and heal the sick.— Luke 10 : 1-1 6. The (12) next Church meeting was to hear the report which the Seventy made, on their return.— Luke 10 :17-24. The (13) next Church meetuig was to teach the disciples how to pray. — Luke 11 :13. I cannot notice all the recorded Church meetings, which were held l)efore the day of Pentecost, but pass to notice the most important ones, iu the latter part of Christ's history on earth. The (14) next one, which I notice, is the one in which Jesus instituted the Supper, and committed it to His t A lesson, in our times, sadly needed. CASrPBELLITE CHURCH. 195 Church.— Matt. 26 :26-29 ; Mark 14 :22-25 : Luke 22 ^ 19,20; 1 Cor. 11 :23-2(), and quotes: " In the midst of the Church will I sing praise." — Hcb. 2:12. Ben- gel, Adam Clarke, Matt. Heurj — all commentators — I believe, refer this to Christ. ]\Iatt. Henry also says : " In this Psalm it was foretold that Christ should have a Church, a congregation in the world. To these He would declare His Father's name." — In loco. As G. "W. Clarke comments: "This is the only recorded in- stance of singing by Jesus Christ and His disciples " —On Matt. 26 :30. It is therefore, from David's and Paul's words, certain that Jesus and His disciples, here, partook of the Supper and sung in the Church. Previous to this, baptism was the only ordinance which the Church possessed. It initiated regenerate persons into the Church. But, now, as they are to soon more clearly understand the Cross of Christ, the Supper is given, to teach them that the}' live by re- peatedly^ eating the Bread of life ; Judas, having gone out, between the Passover and the Holy Supper. — John 13 :27-30 — at this meeting Jesus delivered to His Church the 14th, the 15th, the 16th of John, and uttered the 17th Chapter as His parting prayer for them. The (15) next Church meeting was on the evening next after His insurrection. — Mark 16 :14 ; Luke 24 : 36-49 ; John 20 : 19-25 ; 1 Cor. 15 :5. At Ihis meeting were present only ten of the apostles — Thomas being 196 OKIGIN OF THE ^bsent.t At this meeting He revived the faith and the hope of His Church. The (1<3) next Church meeting was on the next Sabbath, or first day evening. — John 20 ;26-29. At this meeting Thomas was present and was revived. The (17) next Church meeting was at the sea of Gahlee, for the purpose of restoring Peter to His apostleship and the confidence of all his breth- ren.—Matt. 28:16; John 21:1:23. The (18) next meeting was on a mountain, in Galilee, at which there were 500 Church members present. That meeting was to enlarge their commission, from the Jews to " all the world." — (Compare Matt. 10:5, 6 ; 28 :19 ; Mark 16 :15, 16 ; ) Matt. 28 : 16-^0 ; Mark 16 : 15-18; 1 Cor. 15:6. (G. W. Clarke's Harmony.) Jerusalem was probably the location of the Church if it then had any location. But the Church was made up of disciples from Judea, Galilee, and may be, of Samaria. " This meeting was, by special appointment of our Lord Himself, in a country where He had labored the most and had the most disciples, and where so large a number of them could be most easily gathered. ... It is also reasonable to suppose that the message from the angels, regarding the appearance in Galilee, (Matt. 28:7; Mark 16:7,) was regarded as applying to the whole discipleship, and had led the t Paul speaks of the apostles by the usual appellation of the twelve, 1 Cor. 15 :5 : Matthew, Mark and Lnke here speak of them as the eleven. Yet, on this particular occasion, only ten were present. See John 20 :24." — liobinson^s Greek liar. p. 233. CAMPBELLITE CHURCH. 197 brethren, generally, to go to Galilee, and. await the public manifestation of their Lord. ... It was fitting, also, that the great and last commission should be thus publicly given. This is the view of the best recent commentators and the majority of harmonists." — G. W. Clarice s Har. p. 319. (19) "While He may have met the Church between the time when He enlarged the commission and the time of His ascension, the last time, He is clearly recorded to have met them, was when at Bethany or Olivet (Bethany being situated on the eastern slope of the Mount of Olives, Luke uses Bethany and the Mount of Olives, interch:ingcal)ly,) whence He ascended. At this meeting. He appointed the ten day's prayer meet- ing of the Church, Avhich was, consequently, followed by the outpouring of the Spirit, on the day of Pente- cost.—Luke 24 :49-53 ; Acts 1 :4-14. Of the many Church meetings between the organi- zation of the Church and the ascension, I have now no- ticed nineteen. We have seen that there were meetings for preaching to only the Church, for prayer, for business, such as appointing Church officers, insti- tuting the Holy Supper, giving the commission to preach and enlarging that commission, so that it is world wide.t t Let it not be overlooked that it is not necessary to know the exact date of the organization of the Church and the kingdom, or to discover a Church meeting before the day of Pentecost, to overthrow the Campbellite notion of " no gospel, no C hurch, no kingdom before the day of Pentecost." To overthrow the Camp- 198 ORIGIN OF THE Sec. VIII. Hie different comings of the kingdom with explanation of the Scriptures over which Camp- bellites stumble. There are three classes of Scriptures, one of which speaks of the kingdom, as existing before the day of Pentecost, one of which speaks of it, as coming on the day of Pentecost, the other of which speaks of the kingdom, as coming when Jesus returns the second time. The first of these three classes, we have noticed. That class of Scriptures, as we have seen, most clearly speaks of the kingdom as having already come, in the sense of having been " set up," organized or insti- tuted.—Dan. 2:44; Matt. 11:28; 12:28; 16:19; 23: 13; 21:31; Mark 12 :34 ; Luke 16 :16 : 17:20, 21; Matt. 18:17. In the Bil)le there is no intimation of another kingdom to succeed this one ; but the very contrary is stated — that it is " an everlasting king- dom " and that " it shall stand forever." — Dan. 7 :27; 2 :44. We are, therefore, certain that the Scriptures which speak of the kingdom as to come, on the day of Pentecost, and at the second coming, do not speak of its coming in the same sense in which they speak of it bellite notion, all that was necessary, was to show that God's own word says that the gospel w;is preached and that there were a kingdom and a Churi'li iu pxislcticc l)efore the day of Pentecost. In Sections 3, 4 and of this ( iKipli r. I have met this necessity with irresistible evideiu-c — save lo those wlio " have closed their eyes" to the truth. Yet, so clearly hjnc I ])rov('d tlie date of the organization of the Church and traced it- incctin^s liefoie the day of Pentecost, that it writes over t'aiuphi llisin Hi'lshazzar s doom: "Thou art weighed in the balances and art found wanting." CAMPBELLITE CHURCH. 199 as having previously come. The Scriptures cannot con- tradict themselves. The following are the Scriptures which the Campbellites pervert, to prove their notion of "no gospel, no kingdom, no Church before the day of Pentecost."— Mark 9:1; 15:43; Luke 23:51; John 7 :39. The following are some of the Scriptures which are used, by others, to prove th:it there has been no king- dom set up and that there will be no kingdom set up till Jesus' second coming :— Matt. C :10 ; Matt. 19 :28 ; 25:34; 1 Cor. 15:50: 2 Tim. 4:1 ; Rev. 12:10; 20:4. According to their method of testing the Scriptures, the Campbellites take the few passages, of the second class, and Avith their Campbellite "pestle" "bray" them in the Campbellite "mortar." (Prov.- 27 :22. ) Though, in debates, I have often presented the other Scriptures to the Campbellites to harmonize with their notions, and have read — tiguratively speaking — cart loads of their books and have heard them preach ad infinitum, I cannot remember an instance of a Camp- bellite attempting to harmonize the few Scriptures which they quote with the two other classes. The fool proved by the Bible that there " is no God," by leaving out " the fool hath said." (Psa. 14 :1.) By leaving out the Scriptures, which tell us the kingdom was in existence before the day of Pentecott, and that it is to come at the Second Advent, Campbellites, to prove their notion, that there was no kingdom before the day of Pentecost, employ the same method. 200 ORIGIN OF THE I now call your atteutiou to the meaning and the harmony between the three classes of Scriptures, re- ferred to, which speak of the coming of the kingdom. 1. We have seen that the first class can be understood in no other sense than that the kingdom was set up, during the personal or earthly ministry of Jesus. 2. The meaning of the second class, John 7 :39 is a parallel to John 16 :8-ll ; Matt.3 : 11 ; Joel 2 : 28-32, et al. These Scriptures speak of the "baptism of the Spirit," of His inspvH7ig the servants of God, of His miracu- lous power, and, also, of His inspiring, exclu- sively of the miraculous power. His people with greater spirituality and power than was tiie char- acteristic of the Old Testament age. But, were we to adopt the Campbellite method, we would make them contradict numerous other Scriptures, by teaching that the Holy Spirit was not in the world, regene- rating, preserving, etc., before the day of Pentecost. See Gen. 0:3; Isa. 44:3; Ezck. 11:19; 18:31; Psa. 51:10, 11, 12, where it is clearly taught that the Spirit was in the world from the earliest times. Acts 1 :8 is the key to the Spirit's purpose to come on the day of Pentecost. He was to give the Church greater power than it previously did or could possess; and was to carry the arrow of conviction to the heart with greater power than had ever before been known — John 16 :8-ll. In the apostles' lives, before Pente- cost, contrasted with their lives after that : in the power with which the word reached the heart, on Pentecost, CAMPBELLITE CIIURCII. 201 contrasted with its previous power ; in the influence of tlie gospel before Pentecost, conti-asted Avith its influ- ence after Pentecost, wc have the giving of the Spirit, the coming of the ah'cady existing kingdom clearly illus- trated. On Pentecost, weak, fearing apostles, jealous, proud, slow of understanding, slow of believing apos- tles, become strong, brave, loving, humble, ready of understanding and belief. The infant Church has be- come a Samson. Men whose hearts turned from the gospel preached by Christ and Ilis apostles, to crucify Him, now joyfully accept the blessed gospel of the Son of God, By one sermon, by Peter, probably more w^ere saved than by the three years' work of John, Christ and His apostles. German skepticism admits that something must have occurred between the night in which Peter was scared into denymg his Master with curses, and between the time in which he bravely and faithfully faced the crucifiers, with their hands dripping with the blood of the Son of God, and charged their guilt upon them in no smooth and sugared terms. — Acts 2:23, 36. Paulus, a German skeptical writer, says: " If we take in, with a historic glance, the ac- count of the origin of Christianity, from the last even- ing of the life of Jesus to the end of the fifty days that followed, it is undeniable that in this brief interval something of an extraordinary character, in inspiring their courage must have occurred to have brought the apostles, who timorously fled on that night, who were in the last degree desticute of self-reliance and help- 202 ORIGIN OF THE less, to the point at which they stood, when exalted above all fear of death in the presence of the judges of the murdered Jesus, judges exasperated to the last degree, they exclaimed, " we ought to obey God rather than men." — Komm. vol. 3, p. 867 — in Tholuclc on John, p. 40r). "Something extraordinary," says Strauss, another German skej^tical writer, " must have occurred." — Vol. 2, p. 631, 4th Ed. in Tholuck's Com. on John, p. 40h. This is "the coming of the kingdom."— Mark 15 :9 ; 9 :1 ; " the kingdom of God came toith power ;" the beginning of the fulfillment of all those Scriptures which speak of the Holy Spirit as not yet given, as to come, etc., etc. In the Spirit's consecrating God's people, converting sinners with greater power and effectiveness, than He did under the Old Disprnsation, we have the characteristic of the New Testament age. 3. The tueayiing of the third class of Scriptures — the class which speaks of the kingdom as yet to come. Were I to adopt the Campbellite method of racking Holy Scripture, I would, by this class of Scriptures prove that God has no kingdom and that He will have none before the Second Advent. — Matt. 6 :10; 19 :23; 25 :34 ; 1 Cor. 15 :50 ; 2 Tim. 4:1; Rev. 12 :10 ; 20 :4. Inasmuch as other Scriptures teach that the kingdom was " set up," while Jesus was on earth, we must look for the coming of the kingdom, as prophesied in these Scriptures, in a different sense than the sense of, to begin to exist. The Scriptures supply us with a ready CAMPBELLITE CIIURCII. 203 interpretation of these passages. We have seen that the coming of the kingdom " with power," on Pente- cost, was prophesied as though it were to then begin to exist ; while, at the same time, the Scriptures phxinly tell us that it was in existence at the time of the prophecy. From this we infer that there is a develop- ment of the kingdom. This inference is confirmed by the Scripture. Daniel prophesied that " it shall break in pieces and consume all these kingdoms;" that from a little stone " it became a great mountain and filled the whole earth."— Dan. 2:44,35. Our Lord likened it to a grain of mustard seed, " which in- deed is less than all seeds ; but when it is grown it is greater than the herbs, and becometh a tree, so that the birds of the heaven come and lodge in the branches thereof;" to " leaven, which a woman took and hid n three measm-es of meal, till it was all leavened." — Matt. 13 :31-33. As the kingdom received a new ^Dower and momen- tum, on Pentecost, so, when Jesus comes again, it will receive yet greater power and momentum. Then Satan will be bound, the righteous dead raised, the throne of David restored, the Spirit given, as He was never before given, and the Jews converted. " He shall judge thy i^eople with righteousness, And thy poor with judgment, He shall judge the poor of thy people, He shall save the children of the needy, And shall break in pieces the oppressor, They shall fear thee while the sun endureth, And so long as the moon, throughout all generations." 204 ORIGIN OF THE "For tlie earth shall be full of the knowledge of the Lord, as the waters cover the sea." — Psa. 72 : 3-5 ; Isa. 11 :9 ; Eev. 20 :l-5 ; Rom. 11 : 25-32 ; Luke 21 : 24 ; Isa. 11:10-12 ; Ezek. 3G :24-28 ; Micah 3 : 12 ; 4:1, 2 : Isa. 60 ; Zoch. 8 :20-23 ; 12 :9-l4 ; Isa. 2 : 2, 3 ; 8:22, 23 ; 32:13-17; 59:20; Acts 15 :16,17 ; Amos 9:11,12. This kingdom, being an everlasting kingdom, is to continue to develop until it reaches absolute perfection. Thus, we see tliat the kingdom was "set up" while Christ was on earth ; tliat it receives such wonderful power on Pentecost, and then again, at the return of our Lord, that it is, figuratively, said to have comef Objections. There are four objections which Campbellites here offer, calling for notice. 1. The parable of the pounds is used, by the Camp- bellites, to prove that there was no kingdom before the day of Pentecost.— Luke 19:11-27. Their argu- ment is: The nobleman is Jesus, who went into heaven, for His kingdom and returned with it on the day of Pentecost. — Hay-Lucas Deb. p. 19. My first reply to this argument is, that it throws suspicion upon the position which it is used to prove, in that it is a resort to a parable as proof. Says Trench: "The parables may not be first sources of doctrine. Doctrines otherwise and already grounded tCampbellites cannot take advantage of this and repl.y: "After all, the kingdom did come on the day of Pentecost."' For, their doctrine is, not that the kingdom came with new power, at that time, but that it then came in the sense of b' ginning to exist. CAMPBELLITE CHURCH. 205 may be illustrated, or indeed, farther confirmed by them ; but it is not allowable to constitute doctrine, first, by thoir aid. They may be the outward orna- mental fringe but not the main texture of the proof. For from the literal to the figurative, from the clearer to the moi-e ol)scure, has ever been recognized as the law of Scripture interpretation. This rule, however, lias often been forgotten and controversialists lool'ing around for arguments from which to sustain sonieweaA; position, one for which the}'^ can find no other support in Scripture, often invent for themselves support in these."— T'^■c^/(:■/^ on Parables, \). 39. Trench i)r()ceeds to show how the Eomanists and the early heretics resorted to the parables for support: — "IreufEus is continually compelled to vindicate the par- ables against them, and to rescue them from the ex- treme abuse to which they submitted them . . . Ter- tulliau has the same conflict to maintain. The whole scheme of the Gnostics was a great floating cloud- palace, the figment of their own brain, having no coun- terpart in the actual world of realities . . . They found no difficulty ... in forcing the parables to be upon theirf side." — Idem, pp. 41, 42. If there were any plaiu"thus saith the Lord," to support this Camp- tAs illustrations of this perversion of the parables, witness the use of the parable of the wicked husbandmeu, in support infant baptism ; the parable of the tares, to prove that wicked men ought not to be excluded from the Church; the i)arable of the prodigal son to ijrove that we were born children of God, pure, etc. 206 ORIGIN OF THE hollite position, they would «ot have to make the re- sort of the early heretics, Eomanists and other Pedo- baptists their rock of defense. Second. Were parables proof, the parable is, posi- tively, the death of the notion for which it is brayed into the Campbcllite mortar. 1. In explaining this parable,Trench says : "In the great Roman Empire, wherein the senate of Rome, and afterwards its emi)erors, though not kings themselves, yet made and unmade kings, such a circumstance as that which serves for the ground-work of this parable can have been of no unfrequent occurrence. Thus Herod the Great .... flying to Rome before Antig- onus was there declared by the senate, king of the Jews. In like manner his son Archelaus The kingdom which this nobleman goes to receive can scarcely be as some understand it, another kingdom, at a distance from the laud of his birth There can hardly then be any question but that the kingdom which he goes to receive, is not another, but that very same of which he himself was a citizen." — On Para- bles, pp. All , 418. (2) Jesus, having been born king— Matt. 2:2; 27 : 11, 12, 29, 30 ; John 19:21 — the parable does not illustrate Him as becoming a king, and as becoming possesser of His kingdom but it illustrates only] the refusal of the Jews to acknowledge tLet him who proposes to make parables illustrate by each of their particulars, study out (1) A\ hat«( ;i (2) what pounds, instead of yards, mean. Perhaps, some Campbellite doctrine may be forced out of these statements. As well make them prove some- thing, as to make (Jhrist a private citizen, from the nobleman. CAMPBELLTE CHURCH. 207 Him as the King. This is farther confirmed by the fact, that at the very time Avhen He spoke the parable, He was rebuking the Jews for their ^jresent actions, in rejecting Him as King. — Luke 19:14-27. (3) The fact is, the Jews, at the time He spoke the parable , re- jected Him ; but they accepted Him on the day of Pentecost.— Acts 2:41; 4:4; 6:7. On Acts 4 :l-22 Baumgartcn says : — "On the day of Pentecost the wanton mockery of a few was overcome and put to silence by Peter coming forward. We nnist, there- fore, regard what is here related as the first positive act of hostility which the Church had to experience. It is clearly in this light that our narrative places the matter." — Apost. Hist. vol. J, p. 90; so, G. W. Clarke's Har. of Acts, p. 155. Some put this first opposition into the next year after Pentecost. G. W. Clarke places it the Oct. next after May, whenr the Pentecost was had. — G. W. Clarke's Har. of Acts, p. 155. (4) It was, beyond doubt, sufiiciently long after Pentecost to show that the rejection of Jesus was neither on Pentecost, when He came in power and when Campbellites say He came to receive His king- dom, nor near Pentecost. (5) To harmonize the parable with Campl)ellism we should, therefore, have to make it read that the nobleman was rejected at the time he went to receive the kingdom, instead of when he returned!! (6) The Campbellites overlook that the parable states that Jesus was King, before He went, that He was King while gone, and that He 208 ORIGIN OF THE was King on His return. As King, He divided the pounds ; as serving the King, or rejecting Ilim they used the pounds; and as King, when He returns, He rewards His servants. He did reign in thus deal- ing with His servants: — "Howbeit these mine ene- mies, who would not that I should reign over them, bring hither, and slay them before me." — Luke 19: 27. Let it not be overlooked, that rejecting His reign was in not rightly using tlie trust ; that that was while He was gone ; and, that, therefore, wJ die gone His reign was acknowledged by those who used well the pounds. 2. The second objection, to the position that the kingdom was set up before Pentecost, is that "Jesus was crowned at His ascension." From this it is argued that He was not previously King. But, first, such an infei-ence contradicts the Scriptures which call Him King, and which say that He set up His kingdom before the time of His ascension. Second, the inference does not follow from the premise. James H of England, took the throne in February 6th, delivered his royal proclamation and was crowned the twenty-third of the following April. Macaulay' s Hist. Eng., vol. pp. 130, 140. WiUiam, Prince of Orange, was declared King, February 6th, soon after that took the throne and was crowned the following April 14th — idem vol. 2, p. 192, vol. 3, p. 36. Through fear of the Nihilists, the present Enipeior of Russia reigned a long time l)ef<)re he was crowned. This argument, by which Campbellites exclude Jesus from his own king- CAMPBELLITE CHURCH. 209 dom and His own throne, for nearly three years, would exclude these kings from their kingdom and throne. Kings are not crowned to make them kings ; but they are crowned because they are kings. Coronation is but the "act or solemnity of crowning a sovei'eign.'" Webster'' s Unabridned Die. If crowning constituted a king, Gladstone might be made king. Like baptism, Campbcllites have this matter reversed, — that is, as they baptize a man to make him a child of God, in- stead of because he is one, they would crown men to make them kings, instead of because they are kings. But, with them it is "anything" to rule Jesus out of His own kingdom and from His own throne, for the sake of their Pentecost notion. 3. From Heb. 9:1G,17, it is argued that tlie death of Jesus must have occurred before the gospel was preached, men were saved, the kingdom and the Church were set up. In reply, first, this inference would make this Scripture positively contradict the many Scriptures which unequivocally inform us that the very reverse is true. Second, Scott, Adam Clarke, Faljer, Scholefield, Ebrard, Perowne, rightly make diatheekee (^dcadrjxr^) mean "covenant" instead of testament. Thus it corresponds to berilh ( nna ) the Old Testament word for covenant. The passage says that the death of Jesus was necessary to render the New Covenant a saving covenant. Both past and present, they were saved by his death. Save here, the Bible Union and tlic Revised Versions render dia- 210 ORIGIN OF THE theekee covenant — they should have done so here. Third. If it means testament, Jesus attended to His business Avhile hving; when dead His will went into force. While living lie certainly administered His affairs as well as they are administered after His death. While living, He preached the Gospel, saved men; setup His Church. Who, but Campbcllites, ever thought a King must die before he could pardon rebels, have, and rule a kingdom ! ! 4. Tke fourth objection to the position that the kingdom was not set up before the day of Pentecost is made up of perversions of Tsa. 2:2,3; Micah, 4:1,2; Luke 2A -AQ,^! .—Ray- Lucas Debate, 2)- H. Says Mr. Lucas: "These [)rophecies thus present especially this truth : that the time will come when the house of the Lord, or the Church of the living God shall be established, looking to the future ; and when established, the law shall go forth of Zion, and the word of the Lord from Jerusalem , . . . Jerusalem is the place whence the law shall start, the })roclaniation of the kingdom of Jesus Christ shall be made, is clearly presented in tiiese passages. But in connection. . . . 'Thus it is written, and thus it be- hooved Christ to suffer, and to risi; from the dead the third day : And that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in his name among all nations, be- ginning at Jerusalem.' " — Ray-Lucas Debate, p. 12. The sum of the Campbellite argument is that Jeru- salem was the location of the first Church ; that the Apostles were to wait there for the "promise" of the Spirit and from there go out into all the world, to CAMPBELLITE CHURCH. 211 preach. In reply to this, first, to make these Scrip- tures mean that there was no gospel, no Church, no kingdom, no King before Pentecost is to make them positively conti'adict the statements of the Scripture, to the contrar3\ Second, there is not one word in them about the kingdom and the Church being on Pen- tecost set up. Third, they say that the gospel, in the last days, should take the Church at Jerusalem as its starting po\\\t, for all the world, — "that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in his name among all nations, heginning'' — that is beginning to preach it among a7? nations — "at Jerusalem." "We have seen that through the name of Jesus they were saved in the Old Dispensation ; that — John 1 : 29 — John and the apostles, preached this blessed name — the gospel before Pentecost ; that men were sa\ ed before Pente- cost ; that of these saved, the kingdom and the Church were organized before Pentecost. No man who knows anything of the Scriptures can, honestly, deny that l^ersons in the Old Dispensation were saved ; and that they were saved between that time and Pentecost : nor, can he, any nearer, deny that they were all saved through the name of Jesus — "for neither is tliere sal- vation in any name under heaven, that is given among men, wherein we must be saved;" "and in none other is there salvation." Acts 4: 12. But, before Pentecost the gospel was for the Jews only. The Commission, to preach the gospel, w^hen first given by Jesus to His disciples, w'as in contrast to the commis- 212 ORIGIN OF THE sion, Avhen enlarged, to go forth from Jerusalem. The Commission was first : "Go not into any way of the Gentiles, and enter not into any city of the Samaritans ; but go ye rather to the lost sheep of the house of Israel." Matt. 10 :5, 6. The same commission, after the resurrection, was en- larged so as to read : "Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to the ivliole creation;" "Go ye, therefore, make disciples of all the nations." Mark 16 :15 ; INIatt. 28 :1<). Before Pentecost : preach, bap- tize only among the Jews ; after Pentecost, beginnmg at Jerusalem, it is: preach, baptize among r/?rnations — "repentance and remission of sins should be preached among all nations, beginning at Jerusalem." But, in the name of all reason and exegesis, how can any one make this mean that there was no gospel, no remis- sion of sins, no church, no kingdom, no King, before the gospel began at Jerusalem, as the gospel for the "whole creation ?" This Campbellite argument is a sophism, called by works on logic an ignoratio elenchi — a misaprehension of the question ; an argument of a nature to estal)lish some other point, foreign to the question in debate. It is of the kind of argument, by Avhieh Alfred the Great would be proved a scholar, bv proving that he founded the University of O.xford, or that Mohammedans are Christians, because they do not believe in the use of intoxicating liquors. In other words, the passages prove that the law and the gospel, under the commission, as enlarged, were to go forth in- CAMPBELLITE CHURCH 213 to all tlie world, from Jerusalem, which Baptists have ever firmly believed ; but that has nothing to do with the debated question, as to whether the gospel was pre- viously preached, the kingdom and the church pre- viously ins-titutcd, and Jesus previously King. But, fourth, I must modify what I have just said, so far as to call attention to the fact that these Scriptures not only do not imply any setting up of a kingdom and a church on Pentecost and a new gospel, but tliey imply the very contrary. Pray, let some Campbcllite tell us how the law coukl go forth from Zion, in Jerusalem, when there was no Zion there? If no gospel before Pentecost, where are the members who are to consti- tute such a Zion, such a kingdom, and to preach the gospel when the Spirit is poured out? WJio had the covimission of Mark Ifi, and Matthew 28, if there were no Zion at that time? Sec. IX. I will close this chapter by adding to the above argument, viz., the record, in the first and the second ciiapters of Acts, contains not the least intima- tion of the constitution of the Church and the king- dom on Pentecost, but it plainly tells us the contrary. Let some Camp])cllite point to the verse, in either of these chapters, that records the setting up of the kingdom and the Church at that time ! Instead of anything of the kind, a, Acts 1 to 2 : 1 finds a Church already existing, engaged in prayer, a Church doing business, by electing an apostle, h. Acts 2. finds a Church preaching the gospel, baptizing members into 214 ORIGIN OF THE its fellowship. See, especially, verses 38, 41-47. Says Baumgarten : "It is said 'thoy wore added,' we must no doubt regard the original hand of disci- ])les as the staMo and pernianout foundation It is from this })()int of view that the newly received are described to us. Siii< o, from the small beginning, the am-ndil 1/ felt itself suddenly advanced to so extra- ordinary cn/arf/onent. . . . The original form of the assevihli/ of disciples was that of one family .... By the inspii'ation of the Holy Spirit this form of the coiiniiuii it 1/ was fully confirmed and ronseci-afed.'" — Apost. Hist. vol. l,pp- 71, 72. (My italics). Neander, speaking of the one hundred and twenty, of Acts 1:15: "not the sum total of the whole Chris- tian Church," by which he impliedlj^ states there was a Church before Pentecost. — Planting and Training of the Christian Church, p. 43; also p. 6. Bengel, on Acts 2 :41 : "About three thousand are said to have been added to the 120, though so much smaller a number, because the 120, as few as they were, nevertheless constituted the original head and body of believers. So in verse 47, the Lord added to the Church about three thousand." Isaac Errett has quoted Neander, to prove that the Church was founded on Pentecost. But Neander says nothing of the kind, in the quotation which Mr. Errett has made ; nor docs he say so anywhere. Besides, the quotation I have made from him, above, on page 6 of the same work, he says : "It is true that Christ, during his ministry on earth, laid the foundation of the outward structure of the CAMPRELLITE CHURCH. 215 Church; lie thtn formed that covimiinity, that spirit- ual Theocracy , wiiosc menibers were held together by- faith in, and confession of, Him as their theocratic King." Mr. Errett and his In-ethren, in citing church histo- rians, on this point, misapprehend their meaning as much as they misapprehend the meaning of the Scrip- tures. Several Chui-ch histoi'ians speak of the birth- day of the Church as having been on Pentecost. But they seem to do so just as the class of Scriptures do, upon which Campbellites, on this point, rely. Thus, Guericke saj's : "Pentecost became the birth- day of the Church, whose memhcrs were now gathered in large mimherf-.'" -Guericle's Ch. ITist. vol. Up.61 . (My italics.) But, if the Church was founded at that time, how could Guericke speaks of \i previously having "members" — "whose members?" Evidently, he means that it then came with power, though al- ready existing. So Neander, after recognizing the ex- istence of the Church before Pentecost, says : "It is because that great event so prefigured and prepared for, was accomplished at the time of the first Pentecost celebrated by the disciples after the Savior's departure, that this feast is of so great significance, as marking the commencement of the Apf)stolic Church, for here it first made its oufwai-d manifestation accord- ing to its inner nature.'' Plantina and Training of the Ckr. Ch.,p. 7. In other words, Neander says that some Church his- toriana speak of the birth of the Church at that time, 21G ORIGIN OF THE not to exclude its previous existence, but to mark the new life which it then received and impressed on the world. Thus, Mosheiin, as another example, speaks of the Church as having its birth on Pentecost, after having, on the previous page, recognized its existence as "the assembly" "there present," by "a plurality of voices" electing Matthias. I have given this notice of the testimony of Church historians, for the reason that Canipbellites as wildly misconstrue them and make them contradict themselves and each other, as they do the Holy Scriptures, In the same way, they misconstrue the testimony of Com- mentators. Another word: — Should it be said that Acts 2 :41 "does not mean added to the Church," I ask, then, baptized into what ? Verses 42, 46 and 47 speak of those of verse 41 piivtaking of the Supper, and other acts of Church life. No one denies that verse 47 states that they were added to the Church : yet, the Sinaitic, the Vatican, and the Alexandrine MSS. — the three oldest and best MSS. — omit "the Church." And, says Adam Clarke, also, "by B. C. C y.at. juaz ijfupa^ yevr^raio l^tot; aozao e-c zr^z T'^C — who is pure BIBLE OX DEPRAVITY. 225 from corruption? Not one, although he had lived but one day upon tlie earth. t How sadly true that Adam's disobedience — '•Brought death into the world, and all our woe, With loss of Eden, till one greater 'Man Eestore us, and regain the blissful seat! (2.) "For vain man is void of understanding. Yea, man is 6o?'n as wild ass's colt." — Job 11:12. The wild ass (xns — pere) was swifter thau the fleetest horse, taller, better formed than the domestic ass, was of a reddish color, wild and untamable, living in the t This- doctrine is fatal to either baptism or rantism of infants. Presbyterian notions of infants being holy because their parents are holy, is manifestly unseriptural and dangerous. Besides, it involves the self-evident absurdity of the children of believers being born blessed little angels, and the children of unbelievers born cursed little demons. These notions also contradict chap, vi. sec. 3, of the Presb. Confession of Faith: Our first parents '•being the root of all mankind . . . the same death in sin and corrupted nature conveyed to all their iiosfcrity, descending from them by ordinary generatioi.."" The Mitli. Discipline: '•We hold that all children""— a little more merciful than the Presbyterians, who regard only the children of believers born little angels — ,"by virtue of the unconditional benefits of the atonement, are members of the kingdom of God, and therefore graciously entitled to baptism."' Discip. M- E Church, North, sec. 48. This positively contradicts Art. VII. of the Meth. Arti- cles of Religion : '-Original sin . . is the corruption of the na- ture of every man that naturally is engendered of the offspring of Adam."' Also Sec. 481 — the ritual for infant rantism : "Forasmuch as all men are conceived and born in sin . . I beseech you to call upon God the Father, through our Lord Jesus Christ, that having of his bounteous mercy, redeemed this child by the blood of his Son, he will grant that lie, hdng ba 'tizedwitk wa'er may also be baptized with the Holy Ghost." etc. Again: " Wash him and sam tUy //iwjjthat he being saved by thy grace, may be received into Christ's Holy Ch\u-ch."' (My italics). The Rit- ual of the M.E. Church, South, differs from the above. by reading: "that he being delivered from thy w rath" instead of '-that he being saved by thy grace." Art. Vll of Religion is the same in 226 CAMPBELLISM REJECTS THE ivilderness. — Ges. Lex. and Smith's Bib. Die. Job likens man's nature, at the time of his birth, to the wild ass. He likens him thus because no amount of discipline and education can make him morally good — only God's almighty power can tame man, by the new creation. Yauladh (n^J^) means to "beget," "to bear, to bring forth, to deliver a woman." — Ges. Lex. Hence, the Hebrew expresses the two-fold fact that man is l)oth begotten and born with a wild ass's nature. "Behold I was shapen in iniquity, both the North and the South Methodist Churches. The M. E. Church, South, does uot contain sec. 48, of the North Church. The late Dr. Whedon, probably the ablest Theologian of Metho- dism, said : '-Nor is there any more absurdity in the infant being regenerate between conception and birth than in his being de- praved at conception, or between conception and birth.'" — Meth. uorterly Bcvieio, Jan. 1872. The Western Chriatian Advocate ot ov. 26, 1873, commenting on these words, says: "The editor thus states the theory of infant baptism, which in his opinion, most nearly accords with our best standards : 'Infants are to be baptized because under the atonement they are born regener- ate.' '" Of this regeneration, the editor of the Western Chris- tian Advocate, in the same editorial, proceeds: "According to our best theological writers, and, in their opinion, according to Scripture teaching, it is prior to physical birth, and forth- with upon the new personality before brought into exist- ence and into the moral government of God."' But this con- tradicts Art. VH of tlie Methodist religion ; and, also, the Ritual, which prays that the infant, "being baptized with water may also be baptized with the Holy Ghost."' It also contradicts John Wesley, who says : "If infants are guilty of original sin, then they are the proper subjects of baptism ; seeing, in the or- dinary way, they can not be saved, unless this be washed away by baptism. . . Infants need to be washed from original sin; therefore they are the proper subjects of baptism."— Docirina; Tractii. pp. 251. 252. -Published hy Lane and Scott, Meth B»ok House, 1850. Whatever way our Pedo-rantist friends attempt to patch up this matter it is "hopelessly confused and self-con- tradictory. BIBLE ON DEPRAVITY. 227 And in sin did my mother conceive me." — Ps. 51 :5. Yaukam (Dn')» rendered "conceive," means "To be warm in lust, . . . hence, to conceive, of a woman." — Ges.'' Lex. Chul (ij'n,^in), chyl, rendered "shapen," moans, "pains, l)ang, especially of child-birth," "to tremble, to quake, in allusion to the trembling or shud- dering of a woman in travail, (Ps. 5.5:5)." — Ges.' Lex. See its use in Isa, 23 :4 ; 54 :1 ; G6:7, 8. Auvon, rendered "iniquity," means, "wrong, per- verseness, wrong action, iniquity, sin, crime." — Ges.' Lex. The verse would be more correctly rendered: "Behold I was born in iniquity, and in sin did my mother conceive me." The Hebrew expresses a sinful nature as the effect of conception and birth. Tholuck parenthetically renders it, "or I was gotten of sinful seed." Adam Clarke : "All my parts Avere dcvclo2:)cd in the womb, the sinful principle diffused itself through the whole, so that my body and mind grew up in a state of corruption and moral imperfection." — So Lange, The Bible Commentary, Tholuck, et al. in I. 4. "The wicked are estranged from the womb : they go astray as soon as they be born, speaking lies." — Ps. 58:3. Zur (iir), rendered "go astray," means "to go off, to tui*n aside or away, to depart, es- pecially from God, from the way of truth and right." — Ges.' Lex. From it comes Zaur ( nj ), "a stran- ger, an enemy." The word also means "a foreigner, 228 CAMPBELLISM UEJECT8 THE one of another family." Meerauchem (oma), is made up of mem (»), from, which denotes "source," "material out of, and according to which" anything is formed, and of rechem ( qht ), womb. It, therefore expresses the thought of going astray from the nature derived from the womb. Miheten (psa), rendered "as soon," is made up of heten (pa), meaning "womb," and mem (d), meaning "source, from, material out of which, and according to which anything is formed." — Ges.' Lex. This expres.sion and the previous one, rendered "from the womb," constitute a doubled and twisted statement,that the wicked arc wicked according to their ' prenatal nature. A literal rendering would be: "The wicked are estranged according to their nature from the womb ; they go astray according to their nature from the womb, speaking lies. The next verse describes this wickediiess. Commenting on this, Adam Clarke: " 'This,' says. Dr. Kennicott, *and the next two verses, I take to be the answer of Jehovah to the ques- tion in the two first verses, as the 6th, 7th and 8th are the answer of the Psalmist,' . . . He calls the wicked men, men who had always been wicked, originally and naturally bad." Lange et al., interpret it to > mean "inborn depravity." This, and Ps. 140:3, Paul applies to the race of mankind. — Romans 3:10-18. The Wise Man, therefore, said: "Foolishness is bound up in the heart of a child." — Prov. 22:15. Quaeleth ( rhii ), rendered "foolishness," means BIBLE ON DEPRAVITY. 229 "folly, by im[)lied impiety, wickedness." — Ges.' Ilth. Lex. Quafshar (iDp), rendered "bound up" expresses the two-fold idea of I)eing fast and strong — lliat is, in and to a child's heart wickedness clings fast and is strong. — Ges.' Lex. Ileh. God, through Isaiah, therefore saj's : "I knew that thou wouldst deal very treacheroush', and wast called a transgressor from the womb." — Isa. 48:8. Pasha (VJD), rendered transgressor, means defection, rebellion, transgression, sin against God. -It would seem to be stronger than ni'Dn {chatauh, which is the word usually rendered sin.) Mibhetan, rendered from the womb, means according to the nature re- ceived from the womb. — See Ges. on mem, (o), and the exposition of Ps. 58 :3 underargument ("d"). 5. "Ye offspring of vipers."— Matt. 3 : 7 ; 12 : 34 ; 23:33; Luke 3:7. Genneeina (ysi^ur^/ia) rendered generation, in all these passages, is from gennao (yzui^dio), "to beget," "to bear, to bring forth." Hence Robinson defines genveema : "Something born or produced . . . offspring, progenj^ Matt. 3:7, yzi'taloyia eycdib-u, progeny of vipers." Greenfield: "What is born or produced, offspring, progeny, brood." Bagster : "AVhat is born or pro- duced, offspring, progeny, brood." liiddell and Scott : "That which is produced ; fruit both of animals and plants • that which begets ; a begetting." No Lexicon dissents from the voice of these four, in defining gennecma to mean the begotten, inborn nature. With 230 CAIVIPBELLISM REJECTS THE the other words, of its fjimilj, viz. : genea (yeved) genealgeoniai {-ffutaXoyioixac), genealogia {■ys.i^zaXoyia genesia (jivtaca) genetee (js.vbt^) genesis (yiueai^) and its verb, gennao, genneema occurs 134 times in the New Testament ; and, in every one of these occur- rences, it retains its original idea of begotten or birth nature. See Mark 14 : 25 ; 12:18; 22:18; 2 C^or. 9:10 where geneema is rendered fruit, with the idea that the fruit is of the nature of its producer. These ref- erences contain its only uses in the New Testament, ex- cept those in my proof texts. Commenting on this. Matt Henry: "They were a viperous brood, the off- spring of those that had the same spirit" — in I. Stier: "If ye will bring forth fruit, then first bi'ing forth the tr-ee for this.' ' -Words of Jesus, vol. 2, p. 163. Bengel: "This is said in opposition to their boast- ing their descent from Abraham." — in I. Clirist's il- lustration of our nature by the nature of trees, in Matt. 7 : 16-20, may be applied to my pi'oof texts, as comments. As Bengel comments on Matt. 7 : 16 : "The fruit is that which a man like a tree puts forth, from the good or evil disposition which pervades the whole of his inward nature." As these trees are what they were when they were planted, so man is what his begotten nature is — geneema . Satan having corrupted human nature, by seducing our first parents, all unregonerate men are addressed by Jesus: "Ye are of your father, the devil, and the lusts of your father it is your will to do." John 8:44. BIBLE OX DEPRAVITY. 23i Says Tholuck: "The majority of interpreters, :mcient and modern, refer the predicate anthropoktonos (ai^dpco-oxzouo:: — murderer) to his seducing the first of mankind into sin, whereby the death (O'avazo; tlia- natos) was originated." — in I. This interpretation Tholuck vindicates. In saying we have inherited Sa- tan's nature, Jesus but alludes to Satan's causing the fall, by which, from our parents, we inherit our wick- ed natures. 6. "That which is born of the ilesh is flesh; that which is born of the Spirit is spirit." John 3:6. To this statement there is a large class of Scriptural par- allels. Such parallels are: "That the law might be fulfilled in us Avho walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit. For they that are after the flesh do mind the things of the flesh ; l)ut they that are after the Spirit the things of the Spirit. For the mind of the flesh is death ; but the mind of the Spirit is life and peace : because the mind of the flesh is enmity against God; for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can it be: and they that are in the flesh cannot please God. But ye are not in the flesh, if so be that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you We are del)t- ors not to the flesh to live after the flesh ; for if ye live after the flesh ye must die." Rom. 8 : 4-9, 12. In verses 4, 5, 12, 13 Kata, ( xara ) would better be rendered according to, instead of "after," ac- cording to the flesh, according to the Spirit. In this the Bible Union is clearer than the Revised Version. 232 CAMPBELLISM KEJECTS THE Again, "make not provision for thejlesh." Koin. 13 : 14 ; "that no^es/i should glory." — 1 Cor. 1 :26; "Israel after the Jlesh ;" 1 Cor. 10 :18; "flesh and blood can not inherit the kingdom of God;" 1 Cor. 15:50; "tilthiness of the Jlesh ;" 2 Cor. 7 :l;"as if we walked according to the Jlesh;" 2 Cor. 10 :2 : "we do not war after (xara a'apxa kata-sarka, according to the flesh) the Jlesh;" 2 Cor. 10:3: "I conferred not with /es7i and blood;" Gal. 1:10 — "are ye now made perfect by the Jlesh ;" Gal, 3:3 — "was born after the Jlesh ;" (xava a'apxa, according to the flesh) — Gal. 4:23, 29; "use not your freedom for an occasion of the flesh ;" Gal. 5 :13 — "ye shall not fulfill the lust of thejlesh" — "the ^esA lusteth against the Spirit;" "the works of the flesh are manifest, which are fornication, unolean- ness, lasciviousness, idolatry, sorcery, enmities, strife, jealousies, wraths, factions, divisions, heresies, envy- ings, drunkenness, revellings, and such like : but the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace," etc. ; "they that are of Christ Jesus have crucified the Jlesh ; Gal. 5:16, 17, 19, 24— "he that soweth to the Jlesh shall of the flesh reap corruption ;" "to make a fair show in the Jlesh ;" " that they may glory i n your Jlesh ; " G al . G : 1 2 13 — "we also once lived in the lusts of our Jlesh, do- ing the desires of the Jlesh. . . . and were by nfl/wre (see the next argument on the word "nature," in this quotation), the children of wrath;" "Gentiles in the Jlesh;" Eph. 2:3-11 — "we. . .have no confidence in the Jlesh." Phil ;3 :3 — "puffed up by his Jleshly mind ;" BIBLE OX DEPRAVITY. 233 "agaiust the indulgence of the flesh-;' Col. 2:18.23, — "puttmg away the fihh of the^esA"-! Pet. 3 : 21. — "Them that walk after (^aapxoi; — sarkos, genitive, of the flesh, i. e., of its leading) the flesh in the lust of defilement ;" "they entice in the lusts of the flesh by lasciviousness ;" 2 Pet. 2:10, 18 — "the garment spotted by the /es/i." Jude 23. Turning .to the gos- pels : "The ^esA is weak;" Matt, 26:41, "which were born not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh . . . but of God;" John 1:13; "Ye judge after the flesh;" John 8: 15; ^^flesh and blood hath not re- vealed it, but my Father which is in heaven." Matt. 16 : 17. 8arx (a'ap^, aapx'oz) rendered "flesh" in all these passages, primarily, means our physical nature. From that, as we, through natural genera- tion, inherited a sinful disposition, sarx takes the sec- ondar}'- meaning, sinful nature. In all the a])ove quo- ted Scriptures, and in others sarx denotes the disposi- tion which we have by nature. Referring to the moral use of sarx, Robinson's Lex: "Of man's carnal na- ture in general, as fallen, frail, corrupt, full of weak- ness, and pi-one to error and sin . . . man's carnal nature, as on an active principle of corruption and sin, ever at war with his higher spiritual nature, as affected by the spirit of grace through faith." So Greenfield's, Bagster's, et. al. Of sarl-ikos {aatmxo::) another form of sarx, Robinson's and other Lexicons: "Implj'ing weakness, proneness to sin . . . carnal and sinful desires and affections." So sarkinos {adp- 234 CAMPBELLISM REJECTS THE x;voc), another form of sarx: "Implying weakness, frailty, proneness to sin ; of persons carnal and world- ly."— The Lexicons. We have sarJciJcos "carnal" and "fleshly," in the following quotations: "For ye are yet carnal . . . there is among you jealousy, strife, are ye not carnal;''' "beloved, I beseech you ... to abstain hom fleshly lusts." 1 Cor. 3 :8,4 ;1 Pet. 2 :11. 8arhinos, is rendered "carnal" the following quo- tations : "I am carnal, sold under sin ;" "I could not speak unto you as unto spiritual, but as unto carnal." Rom. 7:14; 1 Cor. 3:1 ;t Sarx, being taken from the nature with which we are born, when used in its ethical sense, can l)ut denote the ethical nature with which we are born. Being born with an evil nature, sarx is used to denote our evil disposition. In all the many quotations, above quoted, sarx clearly means our evil natures : in its ethical use, it is never, in the New Testament, used for a holy nature. Let the reader not be led into error by the Scriptures and Lexicons using it also for our physical nature, when not ethically speaking. I repeat, when ethically used, as in the above many quotations, sarx always denotes our evil nature, with which we are born. Our Savior, therefore, said : "That which is born of flesh is flesh." Eef erring to these words of our Lord Harless says: "The necessity of regeneration is pointed out by Christ Himself. . . For in a'an^ sarx t I here use the Greek 'J'ext in Noveum Tcsiamenlum, Grace, Edilio Seplima Critica Minor, by Tischendorf. BIBLE OX DEPRAVITY. 235 — that is, in his nature, as he receives it at the birth of the body, is established that connection with his species by reason of which his mixed spiritual and cor- poreal organization — this indissolubly united natural basis of his soul's life — is degenerate. Far from the truth as it would be to identify that which is cajlcd flesh with the body and bodily existence, it were equally wrong to separate this nature from its corpo- real connection with the race, and to attribute it en- tirely to the soul, which has no existence exce^Dt in connection with the life of the body.f But since the nature is of mixed spiritual — corporeal existence is brought about by corporeal birth, the degeneration of this nature likewise can only come to light both in the affections which attach themselves to the spiritual and soul portion, and those which belong to the corporeal and sensuous. And in regard to this two-fold tendency, the basis of these affections is, as our inborn and degenerate nature, called the Jlesh . . . But since all this has for its source an inborn and corrupt basis in our nature, the most diverse errors of a corj^joreal and sensuous kind, as well as those belonging to the soul and spirit, are called in one and the same line works of the flesh." Gal. 5:19) — /System of Chris- tian Ethics pp. 237, 238. On p. 183, Ilarless says, referring to the same Scripture: "The duwdeu" (anothen, from above, rendered "again" in John 3:3, t That is, no present or earthly •• existence, without the earthly body. 236 CAMPBELLISM REJECTS THE in the Corn. Ver., "anew" ia the Revised.) "(Comp. dtoTspov — the second of Nicodemus, John 3: 4) points out, like the avd — ana — again, and -dhv — palin — , again, the position of this birth in relation to the first birth into the natural life, as beginning over again from the commencement, a second birth. The first, as the birth of the flesh, forms the contrast to the birth of the Spirit (ro yej-evv/xivov ex r^c oapxo^ — to gegenneemenon eh tees sarfcos] — of John 3 : 6 — the born of tlic flesh. The new birth from God is a crea- tive act — a XTc^esv ; — Tctizein — creation — X and its immedia'e result affects the spiritual life of the whole man, inasmuch as he is thereby made partaker of a new vital energy — a new principal of life — which is able to guide the ethical tendency of his nature in conformity to tlie will of God {xaza Qzbv, — Icata Theon according to God) because it is from God (sx Qzdb — eli Theou, of God). For this reason the regenerate one is called a new creature — a new man." On page 182, Harless quotes from Martin Luther: "For birth is the beginning of the whole life and of the whole man, who works not for this, that he may be born, but is first born to the end that he may work." "He who belongs to the kingdom of God and heaven must first have come into existence,before he begins to do works fTbese Greek qnotationfs, for the English reader, I put in En- glish letters and ti aiislate. X\\c alludes to Ei)h. 2 10, I."): 4:24. where Aiisein— created, is used to denote the act ot rej^enerating. BIBLE ON DEPRAVITY. 237 pleasing unto God." Commenting on our Lord's words, in John 3 : 5,(5, Tholuck: "First. Tlie ne- cessity is once more confirmed, then the nature by the birth is explained — the same antithesis as in chapter 1 :13. By the statement of the begetting principle, the mode of generation is also charac- terized." "From the act of begetting on the natural side of humanity, originates a product, in which nature preponderates, and which, first by a new act of grace from above, becomes genuine spirit.''' Stier : "To ■fEys'^vr^pLv^ov' to gegenneemenon, the born — with its definite article expresses the widest universality, makes it plain that ma ?i as such, and every man is intended. . . . It is not -6ic o ysyewr^/jievo^ — pas ho gegen- neemenos, every one born — ver. 8, but more em- phatically and definitely in the neuter ; and thus is as- serted that the most important and incontrovertible princil)le, which holds good also in the higher and low- er orders of the creature, and in all nature ; that every- thing born is in its true quality just what its source and original is — from flesh only flesh can come, and from Spirit only spirit ; from the earth, only the earthly ; and from heaven the heavenl}^ ; from corrupt- ed man, only corrupt humanit}^ and from the Holy God only that which is holy and meek for His king- dom. . . . Nay, it is yet stronger : that which yeyzvvfjfjLevov, gegenneemenon — born, is altogether flesh, flesh once more like that which is born. Further, it is a reply to the foolish objection of Nico- 238 CAJMPBELLIS31 REJECTS THE demus — even if a, man be born of his mother's womb a second time, what would he be but the same Jtesh again? Without the Spirit the new life would be just like the former one over again. There are two births, and the former is only one of them; the second is strictly another, distinct and opposite birth. . . . He illustrates the idea of the new birth by the similitude of the former; but the birth of the Spirit by contrast with it. ... That which is born of the flesh is, in the very first begmnings of its existence, on that very account, nothing but flesh, even before it has become the manwho is born : it is born in guilt, conceived in sin, mortal, flesh. . . . The impersonal neuter points to the hidden beginnings (to which the evange- list had referred in his antithesis, cha[)ter 1 :13), just as they are indicated in Luke 1 :35 ; Matt. 1:20. But, pointing forward also, it inexorably includes every per- sonality of man, all that is born of woman by the will of man, and the entire man, just as he is born, so that there is nothing in him which does not lie in the decree —this is flesh born of flesh ! . . . All the love of the nat- ural human spirit is now selfishness or caprice : all its strength, skill and power is simply impotence, as it probably regards the one object of its return to God ; all its science and "wisdom mere folly and blindness in things which are divine and heavenly. Let no one condemn this as a hard saying and inflexible dog- matic ; it is the solemn, clear and merciful testimony of the only begotten Son of God. . . . He descended. BIBLE OX DEPRAVITY. 239 indeed, into human nature from heaven as the Sou of Man, through the operation of the H0I3' Spirit in Mary, His mother, and, according to His higher nature, is ever not only in the kingdom of heaven, but in heaven itself.— V. Ur— Words of Jesus, vol. 4, x>P- 400- 402. As to His humanity, being begvitten of the Holy Spirit, Jesus inherited a holy nature. Matt. 1:20; Luke 1:35. So, alluding to original sin as the basis of a sinful life, and speaking of the new nature, which begotten of the Spirit, as the basis of a righteous life, John says: ""Whosoever is begotten of God doeth no sin, because his seed abideth in him : and he cannot sin because he is begotten of God.'' I John 3 :9. Adam Clarke, Bengol, Olshausen, Matt. Henry, Scott, and Doddridge interpret John 1 :5 as do Steir. I know of no exception among scholarlj-, Ciindid exegetes. There is yet another clear point expressed in "that which is born of the flesh is flesh," which I must no- tice. Avvaw — gennao — rendered born, means, es- pecially, beget, Robinson's Lexicon: "To beget, to bear, to bring forth, to be born, to be brought into life, to come into life, as from parents generally." So Greenfield's, Bagster's Lidders,and Scott's, et al Lexicons. Our common version renders it begat, be- gotten in the following places : Matt. 1:2, 3,4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15 ; Acts 7 :8, 29 ; 13 :33; I Cor. 4 : 15 ; Philemon 10 ; Heb. 1 :5 ; I John 5 :1, 18. In Matt. 1 : 20 it renders it "conceived ;" Gal. 4 : 240 CAMPBELLISM REJECTS THE 24, gcndereth — meaning beget; 2 Tim. 2:23, "gen- der ;" Heb. 11 :12, "sprung" — in the sense of begot- ten. Everywhere the Common Version renders it born. The revised, renders it begotten ; elsewhere the two versions render it alike In but very few of its occurrences, in the New Testament, does gennao, in connection with being born, exclude begetting. So, as we have seen, are its derivatives used. TixTo — tihto is used in the New Testament eighteen times for "born," but as it does not mean beget, it is never used ethically ; which is very significant, in favor of gennao meaning beget, as well as born, when ethically used. That gennao includes begetting, in John 3 :5, is certain, from the fact that mere birth ciinnot generate or make flesh''' — sinful di-'positiou ; nor could mere spiritual birth make "spirit" — a righteous disposition. They are the natures which are begotten — the natures that make the two lives — flesh'' and "spirit." Nothing can, therefore, be more certain than that Jesus said we are begotten in the birth of the tlesh, "flesh" and begotten, in the birth of the Spirit, "Spirit." In the first begetting, is begotten, original — inbred sin; in the second, is original — inbred righteousness. In John 3 :5 gennao means both begotten and born; but espe- cially and significantly, begotten. John 3 :5, there- fore, with its numerous parallels, most forcibly ca- l)rvssvs original sin. Ifcistbe key-note of instruction and warning to mankind. Without regeneration we are only "flesh" in thought, "flesh" infeeling "flesh" BIBLE ON DEPRAVITY. 241 in will, "flesh in life; and, as "flesh," perish in the death of deaths. Regenerated, we are "Spirit" in thought, "Spirit" in feeling, "Spirit" in will," "Sjiirit" in life, "Spirit" in glory, forever and ever. All of this from begetting only. Reader, what are YOU? The words (p'rftxoi; dvdpozo^ — pseukikos anthropos, "iiatural man," expresses original sin: I Cor. 2:14; James 3 :15, 19. Psukikos is from pseukee (jtinct law. They carried this so far as to say : "Moses has enjoined 365 prohibi- tions and 248 commands, making in all 613 different precepts and ordinances." Words of Jesus, vol. 3, p. 177. With the majority of mankind, of the pres- ent, the Jews, regarding each commandment as a dis- tinct law, held that any one of the commandments could be violated without violating all the others. As in the Sermon on the Mount, Christ lays the ax at the root of this erroneous conception of the law, by pro- claiming its unity. In summing up this law, Moses frequently omitted mentioning the second part — love to our neighbor : "Love the Lord thy God Avith all thine heart and with all thy soul."~Deut. 30: 6 ; 10 : 12 ; 6 :5. He did not do this disregardful of love to our neighbor ; for he, elsewhere, distinctly recognized love to our neighbor as an essential part of the law. — Lev. 19 :18. But he did it because God is not loved except where we are faithful to our neighbor. Be- cause love to God glorifies Him by making us faithful to Him in all our relations to Him, as these branch out divineward and humanward. ( Excuse coining these two words ) . In announcing the "second" commandment, Christ does not recognize the law as of two parts. But, as Stier remarks: "Although the first and sole com- mandment was sufficient to say and enjoin everything, it is yet not enough for the deaf ears and hard heart of man. If any man saith, I love God, and hateth his brother, he is a liar ; but because we might all be 2fi2 CAIVIPBELLTSM REJECTS THE such liiirs, therefore, we have further this command-. ment from Him, that ho who loves God loves his broth- er also." — Words of Jesus, vol. 3, p. 181. (My italics). Says Muller : "But the manner in which Christ speaks of the first of these — absolutely, 'the great commandment' very clearly indicates that we must seek the union of both in it . . . Strictly speaking this — the second command — is actually expressed in the command to love God ... A love which lays claim to the whole inner life, cannot stand side by side with other moral commands as above them, or below them, it must embrace and penetrate them all. The Old Testament bases to reverence human life upon the fact that God made man in his own image." — Chris- tian Doctrine of Sin, vol. 1, p. 110. This unity is recognized throughout the Bible, in that all glory belongs to God. Near 200 Scriptures reveal man's whole duty by the word "glory," as be- ing due to God. Paul sums it up in : "Whether there- fore ye eat or drink, or whatsoever ye do, do all to the glory of God."— 1 Cor. 10:31. Love to God is the whole of the moral law ; love to God manifests itself in doing all to His glory, whether we act to- wards Him respective of or irrespective of man. Each of the ten commandments is, therefore, no law, but only a part of the one law, in one of its ten branches, as "commandments." In view of the unity of the law James said : "For whosoever shall keep the whole law, and yet stumble in one point he has be- come guilty of all." — James 2:10. The reason for BIBLE OX DEPRAVITY. 263 this is the unity of tlio law; the whole law resting on the Law Giver's authority. A violation of an}' part of it, like the rent of a garment, or the rebellion against any part of the law of our country, is a rent— a violation of the whole divine law, a thrust at the au- thority of tiiat law. He that purposely violates the least part of the divine law, — whatever that command- ment may be — does so through disrespect and hatred to the law and its authority. Were there sufficient in- ducement or temptation to violate any other part of the law he would as readily violate it. In violating any part of the law, he undeniably proves himself, in spirit, a rebel against the whole law. Hence, James gives the reason why one is guilty of violating the whole law when he violates a part of it : "For he who said, Do not commit adultery, said also, do not kill. Now if thou dost not commit adultery, but killest, thou art become a transgressor of the Za?<;" — of the undivided and indivisible law. Take a man who lies and does not murder. Think you it is regard for the law or its authority that permits him to lie and pre- vents him from committing murder? Or the man who commits adultery and does not murder. Think vou that it is regard for the law and its authority that per- mits him to violate the one and keep the other? Take the man who cheats and does not rob. Think yon that his regard for the law and its authority permits him to wrongfully possess his neighbors' property in the one way, and f()rl)ids him to wrongfully possess it in the 264 CAMPBELLISM REJECTS THE other? Take the man who is what the world calls the best "moral man." Think you that regard for the law prevents him from being an "immoral," "bad man, and permits him to live in violation of the law, that calls on him to love God, to give to Him the heart and to walk in the Christian life. No ! a thousand times no ! ! In every one of these cases the sin is from "enmity against God;" and, therefore,it3 author has no regard, whatever, for Him or His law. The only reason men violate the law more in some ways than in others, is because they are not tempted so strongly to violate it in others — or, because the educa- tion and surroundings have been different. How often do we see "one crime lead to another," in order to hide the first, when the criminal had, at the beginning, no thought of committing other than the first? Like the tamed tiger. Docile, harm- less. You might think it had lost its blood-thirsty, tiger nature. Only a taste of blood will often prove it as totally a tiger, as is the tiger in the jungles of India. As Adam Clarke comments ; "The truth is, any sin is against the Divine authority; and he who has committed one transgression is guilty of death; and by his one deliberate act dissolves as far as he can, the sacred connection that subsists between the divine precepts and the obligation which he is under to obey, and thus casts off in effect his allegiance to God. For if God should be obeyed in one instance, ho should be obeyed in all, as the authority and reason of obedience BIBLE OX DErR.VVITY. 265 are the same in every case; he, therefore, who breaks one of these hiws is, in effect, jf not in fact, guilty of the whole." — On James 2 : 10. Or as Harless, from a different standpoint, expresses it: "That which is said in reference to the law of God, that he who will keep it, and fails in any one particular, is guilt}' of l)reaking the whole, (Jas, 2:10) applies also in refer- ence to the true goodness of the moral personality. When just only in one respect will that which is not good, and by this will do that which is evil, there is, thereby, given simply the jiroof of a ruined person- ality.^''— Cliristian EtMcs, p. 87. (My italics.) To THE OBJECTTOX, that it is right to love our chil- dren, etc., etc., and that man proves himself not to- tally depraved hy doing so, Andrew Fuller well says: "It is right, no doubt, that children should be dutiful to their parents, parents affectionate to their chil- dren and that every relation of life should be tilled with fidelity and honor. But these duties require to be discharged in the love of God, not without it ; nor is there any duty performed, strictly speaking, where the love of God is wanting. Read those parts of Paul's Epistles where he exhorts to relative duties. and you will find that he admonishes children to obey their parents in the Lord ; parents to bring up their chil- dren in the mirture and atlmonition of the Lord ; ser- vants to obey their masters 'in singleness of heart as unto Christ,' and masters to be kind and just unto their servants as having an eye to 'their blaster in Heaven, — adding, 'and whatsoever 3 c do, do it hear- tily as unto the Lord, and not unto men.' Now all those persons whose behavior may appear amiable in 266 CAMPBELLISM REJECTS THE such relations, but who have not the love of God in. them, do what they do as merely unto men; and con- sequently, fly, in the face of Apostolic exhortation, instead of complying with it, in the least degree." — Wo7'Jcs of Andrew Fuller, vol. 2. p. 671. The faithful dog obeys his Master, follows him to his grave, there refuses to be comforted or to leave the grave. The tiger, of the jungles, dies for its young. They do all they can to be faithful to their "du- ties." What worldly man ever was more faithful to his kind? If such faithfulness, with no regard for God, makes morality, how much more morality has man than has the poor beast? Neither regards God; neither has hope for the future ! The Psalmist rec- ognized the nature of law, when, broken down under the sense of guilt, on account of his crime against Uriah, he exclaimed, to God: "Against thee, thee only, have I sinned." — Psa. 51 :4. He had trespassed against Uriah. But as sin "is transgression of law," a thrust at the authority of the Law Giver, he rec- ognized sin, in its real nature, as being against God only. Commenting on Matt. 22 : 37, 38 Stier adds : "As, and because God is one, His law also, though consisting of manifold comniaudnients, must have unity flowing from his being and will ; just as from the same ground the unity of the law and the prom- ise is fnrtlier deduced from Gal. 3 :20. The one God requires the whole heart 1<) be united in itself (Ps. 86 : 11 — 113^ nn' — Yui-hadli //;«^<6^■— "unite my heart") in one love, corresponding to His love and His love- liness. Thou shalt love the Lord thy God, — thou BIBLE ON DEPRAVITr. 267 — the entire man, inwardly and outwardly, with spirit, soul and body: that is the meaning of the He- brew All the powers of the soul and body, carried into outward action."— TFoj'rfs of Jesus, Vol. 3, p. 179. Instead of man doing this, God's Word declares that he is "enmity against God," that he "is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be." — Rom. 8 :7. But it is replied : "If I am a good moral man, do nothing wrong, I am all right." I answer: According to God's standard of morals you are not at all moral unles^s you love Him. Besides, your reply is but an illustration of your depravity. Think of it : A man not only so depraved as to not love God, but so de- praved as to renounce all obligation to love Him ! ! A man so depraved as to white- wash the sepulchre, and then crj^ to passers by, that "it is pure and sweet inside!" If this does not out-total total depravity, it certainly equals it. But, it is asked: "If a merely external compli- ance with relative duties be a sin, would the omission of them be any better? I answer, no; but worse. There are, as has been allowed, different degrees of sin. To perform an action which tends to the good of society, from a wrong motive, is a sin ; to neglect to perform it, or to perform one of an opposite tendency, is a greater sin." — Works of Andrew Fuller, Vol. 2, p. 671. In causing a man to prevaricate, the devil sins ; but, in causing a man to violate all of the Ten (Command- ments with all his power, the devil commits a greater 268 CAMPBELLISM REJECTS THE sin, tlian in causingbim only to prevaricate. Yet, each act of the devil is rebellion against God, violation of the wbole law ; and is the work of total depravity. So the prevarication of the man is a sin, the violation of all of the Ten Commandments is a greater sin ; but each is a violation of the Avhole law, is rebellion against God, and is the work of total depravity. From the foregoing argument it is clear that man is totally depraved, in two ways ; first, in understanding, feeling, will and life ; second, in that he is a total vio- lator of the Divine law — a violater of, and guilty of violating the whole law. In view of the Scriptural basis of this argument, Paul says :^ "The mind of the flesh is enmity against God ; for" — that is, because it hates Him it will not love or obey Him — "it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be," — Rom. 8 :7. Or, as James sums it up, — "Guilty of all ' — "totally" buried in sin. ^ 6. That man is totally depraved, is certain from the regeneration which is necessary to fit him for the king- dom of heaven. Eegeneration, being a generating of a "new creature," a new nature, a new life, and being called the "new creation," and new life, presupposes that the old nature, the old creature, the old creation, and the old life, is irreclaimable, — totally depraved. As regeneration is explained and proved in Chapter 17 of this book, the reader is referred to it, for nmch that I would say here. If man were only partly de- praved, he would not need a new nature, would not BIBLE ON DEPRAVITY. 269 need to he made a "new creature," a new creation, and have a new life and a new spirit given him. See liom. 8:9; 2 Cor. 5:17; Gal. 6:15; Eph. 2:10; 4:24. "Were there any love to God, remaining in the old nature, a spiritual patching up would be sufficient; the breath Divine would fan that remaining spark of love into a flame. "Regeneration," a "new creature," a new "creation," and a new life being necessary, are certain evidences of the total depravity of the old nature. 7. The Scriptures declare, "in so many words," that man is totally depraved. Says Paul : "As it is written, — There is none righteous, no not one ; There is none that iinderstandeth, There is no?ie that seeketh after God; They have cU turned aside, they have together become unprofitable; There is 7wne that doeth good, no, not so much as one: Their throat is an open sepulchre ; With their tongues they have used deceit: The poison of asps is under their lips ; "Whose mouth is full of cursing and bitterness: Their feet are swift to shed blood ; Destruction and misery are in their ways ; And the way of peace they have not known: There is no fear of God before their eyes." — Rom. 3:10-18. If the words which I have italicised in this quotation, do not denote totality, then universal terms cannot de- note it. This language could be so well adapted to the nature and the life of Satan, that any one who liad never studied his own heart, history, and the Holy 270 CAMPBELLISM REJECTS THE Scriptures, might easily imagine it the characterization of Satan. Take the expressions, "destruction and niiscrv arc in their waj s," "their feet are swift to shed blood,"' w ho has not found that to prevent this from all blazing out in life, it is necessary to control his va- rious passions? "Their throat is an open sepidchrc!" Who can stand before a sepulchre, containing a body in its most offensive state of decom})osition? Such is the heart, to which the throat is the opening. Like the Campl)ellitcs, the "Scribes and Pharisees" did not l)clieve a word of the doctrine of total depravity. Like the Cauipbellites, they thought a profession, with the proper ceremonies and an outwardly moral life, ac- ceptable to God. With the same illustration, Jesus lifted the cover off their moral rottenness, by saying : — "Woe unto you, Scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye are like unto whited sepulchres, which outwardly appear beautiful, but inwardly arc full of dead men's bones, and of all unclcanness. Even so 3'e also out- wardly appear righteous unto men, but inwardly, ye iirefuU of hypocrisy and iniquity." — Matt. 23 :27,28. The italicised words — this language — would it not w^ell characterize the devil? Does it not denote total de- pravity? Yet, it is used to describe men, who, by nature, are as good as any who now live. Not of any especial class, but of all unregenerate persons, Jesus says : "For out of the heart come forth evil tlionghts, murders, adulteries, fornications, thefts, false witness, railings." — Matt. 15 :19. In the same manner, Jere- BIBLE OX DEl'UAVITY. 271 miah says : "The heart is deceitful above all things, and it is desperately wicked: who can know it." — Jer. 17:9. Annish, ( K'jN ) rendered "desperately," Gesenius defines, "desperate, incurable, fatal." — Lex. Ileb. It is rendered by two words, "desperately wicked," and would be better rendered, "fatally" or "hopelessly" [wicked]. "Deceitful above all things," fatally wicked, — if this is not totally de- })ravcd how can total depravity be expressed? The language would well apply to Satan. The question, "who can know it," in effect, is answered by Carap- bcllites: "We know enough al)outit to know it is not incurable — that it is not totally lost." Again: "The Lord saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that eveiy imagination of the thoughts of his heart was onZy ev\\ contimialhj.'" — Gen. 6 :5. In chapter 8 :21, God says this is Yatser lab hauaudam ra minavrau ( p^yao Dixn :ih ) rendered, "the imagination of a man's heart is evil from his youth," means, as Stier observes, "from his very birth." — Words of Jesus, Vol. 4, p. 399. JVaar, rendered youth, often means an infant "just born." (Ges.) See Ex. 2:6; Judges 13:5, 7 ; lSam.4:21. Yatser means, purpose, as well as imagination, and, here, and in chapter 6 :5, had better be rendered pur- pose, as it denotes the aims or designs of the unregcn- erate, as being against God. — "No fear of God before their eyes." It does not exclude "imagination," for man's imaginations are the servants of his purposes. 272 CAMPBELHSM REJECTS THE The word, rendei'ed every, in Gen. 6 : 5 ( — kaul), denotes "every, all, of all kinds, of every kind and sort." — Ges.' Lex. "^rery" purpose "of his heart evil and only evil" — is not that as total as the devil is totally depraved ? — as total as total can be? And all of this "from his youth! !"— Chap. 8 :21. Ba ), rendered evil, in Gen. 6:5; 8:21, G-'es. defines "bad, evil, worthless, hurtful, harmful, . . , . in a moral sense, wickedness, depravitij — Lex. IJeb. It there- fore, reads : "Every })urpose of his heart depraved, was only depravity ;" and chap, 8 :21, says : "the pur- pose of man's heart is depraved from his birth." In view of this, how awfully true is Stier's comment: "Human nature is not simply weak, but bestially cor- rupt through inherited and accustomed sin." — Words of Jesus, Vol. 4, p. 369. The only exception that can be taken to Stiers' words is that beasts are true to their nature and their end. Poor fallen man is the only blot in God's uniA crse, as he only denies, by heart and life, tlic end of his being ! Kead what Paul says, in Eoni. 1:21-32. I quote verse 32: — "Who knowing the ordinance of God, that they which prac- tice such things are worthy of death, not only do the same, but also consent them that practice them." So true to human nature is this dark picture, that one of our missionaries was accused, by the heathen, of drawing it fiom them. Alluding to the "flesh," or the old nature, which is not changed by regeneration, but doomed to final destruction, Paul said: "Fori BIBLE ON DEPRAVITY. 273 know that in me, that is, in my Jlesh, dwelleth no good thing." — Rom. 7:18. If this is not total depravity, no creed or theologian ever expressed it. — "No good thing!" Paul was not, in the least, tinctured with Campbellism. Equally emphatic are the words of our Lord : "No man can serve two masters ; for either he will hate the one, and love the other ; or, else he will hold to one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon." — Matt. 6 : 24. The two masters are God and Satan. There is no half-way ground. A total service of Satan or a total service of God: — a total hate to the one ; a total love to the other. But, Campbellism has it : not total hate or total love ! I will leave this dark and horrible picture, by quoting Isaiah 1 :() : "The o/e head is sick, and the whole heart is faint. From the sole of the foot even unto the head, there is no soundness in it ; but wounds and bruises and festering sores." Such were the unregen- erate Israelites; such arc all men, now. "How sad our state by nature is! Our siu, bow deep it stains V And Satan binds our captive minds Fast, in his slavish chains." On this point, Campbellism is one of the most poi- sonous and dangerous doctrines which ever helped to blast the only opportunity of fallen man to be saved. Campbellism is the soothing, spiritual quack, to keep man from coming and falling at the feet of Christ and cr\^ing,"God be merciful to mo a sinner. "-Luke 18 :13. Dear readers, may the mercy of God save you from the certain doom of all who deny their hopelessly fallen and lost condition, except as washed, evert/ whit, in the blood of Jesus. 274 BAPTISMAL REGENERATION CHAPTER XII. THE ROMISH LOCTKIXE OF BAPTISMAL REGENERATION IS A FUNDAMENTAL DOCTRINE OF CAMPBELLISM. I. Alexander CampheU and Bajptismal Regenera- tion. Says Alexander Campbell, of Cornelius: "He was immersed, and into the kingdom of God he came. He was then sdved.'"— Oh risiian System, p. 239. This was addressed to "the unregenerate." (My italics.) "The change which is consummated by immersion is sometimes called, in sacred style, ^heing quickened,'' or '■made alive,' '■passing from death to life,' '■being born again,' 'having risen with Christ,' 'turning to the Lord,' 'being enligldened,' 'conversion,' 'reconciliation' , 'repentance untolife.' These, like the words, propitia- tion, atonement, expiation, redemption, expressive of the various aspects which the death of Christ sustains, are expressive of the different relations in which this great change, sometimes called 'a new creation,' may be contemplated." — Christian System, p. 60. Criticising the explanation of regeneration as made by the "doctors," Mr. Campbell says : "To call the receiving of any spirit, or any influ- ence, or any energy, or any operation upon the heart of man regeneration, is an abuse of all speech, as well as a departure from the diction of the Holy Spirit, who calls nothing personal regeneration except the act of immersion." — Christian System, p. 202. — (only "any" and "heart" are my italics.) OF CAMPBELLISM. 275 "If being born of loater means immersion, 'as clearly proved by all witnesses; then reinissioa of sins cannot be constitutionally enjoyed previous to immersion." — Idem, J)- 208. Of the sinners' finding God: "The question then is, where shall we find Him? Where shall we meet Him? Nowhere on earth but iu His institutions. 'Where He records His name,' there alone can He be found. I affirm that the first institution, in which we can meet with God, is the institution of remission. And here it is worthy of notice, that the Apostles, in all their speeches and replies to interrogatives, never commanded an inquirer to pray, read, or sing, as jpre- Uminary to his cominr/ ; but always commanded and proclaimed imn)crsion as the first dut}^ or the first thing to be done after a belief of testimony. Hence, neither prajnng, singing, reading, repenting, sorrow- ing, resolving, nor waiting to be better, was the con- verting act. Immersion alone was the act of turning to Go(\r— Idem, p. 209. "As immersion is the first act commanded, and the first constitutional act ; so it was, in the commission, rominent features of this reforma- tion."— Idem p. 229. 14. "To enter into the kingdom of God is to enter into the Church of Christ. No man enters into the Church of Christ without baptism." — B. B. Tyler, in Western Recorder. As CampbeUites regard entrance into the Church as essential to procure salvation, this is equivalent to saying that no man is saved before baptism. So, in his discussion with J. M. Frost, in the Western Recorder, Mr. Tyler argued. 15. Record and Evangelist in a controversy with the Journal and Messenger, says : "But the Journal and Messenger says the Baptists believe that this new birth, this new creation, may exist without baptism. In this, they ave pecidiar .... m that they differ upon this or CAMPBELLISM. 283 point so widely from the Savior. Put this down as jiecnUaritij number one." — (my italics — quoted in the Journal and Messenger. ) III. Esjyecial attention is asTced to the remaining proof that Camphellites believe in Baptismal Regener- ation, in that it expressly containsthe avowal of Camp- bellites in baptism maTcing children of God of children of the devil; and the damnation of all who die tvith- out baptism. These two points are the logical results of baptismal regeneration. Of coui'se, all these quotations in this chapter — though not so expressly, teach that baptism changes children of Satan into children of God, and that all, unimmersed, must be damned. But not all Camphellites arc sufficiently candid to so man- fully avow their belief, as do those here cited. First, Baptismal regeneration avowedly held by Campbellism as changing cliildren of the devil into children of God. 16. The Old Path Guide, Sept. 19, 18.^4, in an editorial on the two extreme positions found among Campbcllite writers' reception and rejection of immersion by other than Camphellites — as the correct position, says : "In harmony with this idea, it has ever been the custom of the Disciples to receive into their churches those who have been immersed by the denominations. In other words, their sectarian bap- tism has always been accepted as Scriptural. f Even Bro. Eowe himself has nf)t re-baptized such converts. Now, if the immersed among the denominations did not become children of God when immersed, their im- mersion is wo)-thiess, and every one abandoning secta- rianism, from the beginning of our plea to the present, should have been re-immersed. If they did become t^Vbat Scripture says that '■•sectarian baptism" is "Scriptural?" Yet, these Camphellites say the Bible is their creed ! 284 BAPTISMAL REGENERATION children of God win "n iiniiievsed, so tliut we may re- ceive them on their baptism, then God has children a)it.ong the sects. Tliis is jjrecisch/ what our plea has ever contemplated, and on this ]ilea it has i:)roceeded from the bcginnrng." (My italics.) 17. jNIoses E. Lard : "When we cross the line out of the world into the kingdom we cease to be a Jew, cease to be a Gentile ; and when we cease to be these we cease to ))e the chil- dren of the inched one, and become children of God. But we never cease to be Jew and Gentile till we enter Christ and we never enter him till baptized into him. Then, therefore, do we cease to be the children of Sa- tan and become the children of God." What Bap- tism is For, Number 8, pp. 5, 6. 18. H. T. Andei- son: '■'•The Baptists baptize men because they are Christians, ivhile the Disciples baptize men to mahe them Christians. If the Baptists are right in this then the Disciples are ivrong." — Bay-Lucas Debate, p. 405. This J. E, Lucas, indorsed. — idem, p. 405. So does Hand and every true Campbellite. — Text Book Exposed, p. 77. This is a good representation of a fundamental difference between Baptists and Camp- bellites. Second. The damnation of all Avho die unimmersed, a fundamental part of Campbellite baptisn)al regenera tion notion. As I remarked, the damnation of all who die unimmersed is a logical sequence of Canipbellism. Not all Campbellites avow this : it may be that all do not believe it. But, as every true Campbellite believes that baptism I'egenerates, procures forgiveness of sin and changes children of the devil into children of God, Campbellites who do not believe in the damnation of the unimmersed, thereby, only manifest their inconsist- OF CA3IPBELLIS5I. 285 ency and temerity in not accepting what every logician well knows their doctrine involves. Alexander Camp- bell was too good a logician to not see this. If. Hence, lie tried to dodge the consequent of baptismal regener- ation : — "Infants, idiots, deaf and dumb persons. inno- cent Pagans, wherever they can be found, ivitli all the pious Pedo-bapti^(s, we connnend to the mercv of Godr'—Christian Si/sfevi, p. 233. (My italics ) How do those of our Pedo-baptist brethren, who are so ready to join Campbellites in warfare against the Baptists, relish being dished out with "infants, idiots, deaf and dumb persons, innocent Pagans," or being tuml)led into hell with "such as wilfully despise'' this water salvation ? — Idem, p. 233. 20. The Cliristian says: "Caul be saved and not be a member of the Church of Chri.>-t? If so, then there is no use for the Church. Christ's suffering was useless. The world would be as well off without the church, as with it. Re not deceived. //; tlie Church is salvation. Out of it is death — eternal death.'" (]\Iy italics. ) Quoting this, the Journal and Messenrjer appropriately comments: "It will be observed that according to this paper there then is no salvation for the 'pious unimmersed,' neither for the 'pious immersed' unless heisa member of the Church of Christ, whatever it nuiy mean by the phrase." 21. The Baptist quotes the following from the Christian Messenger, concerning Dr. Tuck- er's statement — Dr. Tucker is a Baptist: "Dr. Tucker has delivered himself in Atlanta, Ga., on the subject of baptism, and comes to the axtoundinff conclusion that baptism is not ahsolutely essential to salvation, hut it is a great religious duty. Man is saved by faith alone." (^Nly italic-^). "To this The Bajjfist well adds: "Then we must understand that you hold the 286 BAPTISMAL REGENERATION opposite — that baptism is absolutely essential to salva- tion." 22. From C/iristian Standaixl — Isaac Errett's pa- per:— "He that beUeveth and is inunerscd shall be saved. . . If this language of God's Word moans any- thing it must mean that none of the 'pious unitn- mersed' can be saved. In view of the fact that our neighbor's" — the Journal and Messenger — "judgment and sympathy do not stagger at the damnation of un- believers, Avho are destitute of the means of faith, it ought not to cost him an additional sigh to include in this sweeping damnation of those 'pious unimmersed' who have all the means of knowing their duty respect- ing immersion. . . As the question put to us is a ques- tion of the possibility of the salvation of some who have not been immersed, we answer, unequivocally, Yes, the 'pious unimmersed' can be saved. With God all things are possible. . . Our opinion is that God can count the unimmersion of pious believers for immersion. In how many cases he will do this, is known only to himself." (My italics except "possi- bility" and "can.") What an effort to evade a difficulty ! Any foul-mouthed infidel can be saved in the same way, — only suppose God "ran count" the disbelief for the belief . The editor adds: "But while we think that God can save those who fear him and work righteousness, whose failure to be immersed grows out of justifiable ignorance of the divine will — the conditions of salvation revealed in the gospel are, 'He that believes and is immersed shall be saved.' From the time that Jesus was exalted to l)e a Prince and Savior, the New Testament tells us of no unim- mersed person in a state of salvation. Is this distinct enough for our neighbor to hear and understand? OF CAJIPBELLISM. 287 Pray, don't be afraid of embarrassing us. you know of any of the 'pious unimmersed' under the Christian dispensation, whom the New Testament dechires to be in a saved state, speak it out 'distinctly so that all can hear and understand.' " (My italics, except "can.") 23. Benjamin Franklin, in an editorial in the Chris- tian Review, in reply to "Bro. Logan :" "But now, why not accept Bro. Logan's position that baptism is for the remission of sins, and his other doctrine, too, that 'many of the unimmersed will be saved?' For several reasons . . . Would he receive any without immersion? lie has said he would not. Is it the case that the Lord will receive some into heaven that he would not receive into the Church here? We are still lacking proof of this new gospel — 'many of the unimmersed Avill be saved?' We cannot prove this new gospel. We have no prejudice against it ; no objection to it, if it can be proved, but we cannot Zfere it without evidence." (^Iv italics. ) Quoted by The Baptist. 24:. Gospel Advocate: "We do not deny that teaching faith, repentance and baptism are all and each jointly and severally, conditions ot pardon, and that no re- sponsible person can have any Scriptural promise of forgiveness until he has comi)licd with cacli of these conditions." — Quoted by The Baptist. (My italies). 25. B. A. O'Brien, in Christian Preacher: '^N'o man or Avoman can be saved unless they have faith in Christ, repent of their sins and be buried with Christ in baptism, it makes no difference where he is at or who he may be." — Quoted by The Baptist. (My italics.) 2(3. Prof. Risk : "Shall be saved, enjoy the remis- 288 BAPTISMAL REGENERATION siou of sins, is the highest favor known to man." Then, after expounding the commission according to Campbellism : Faith, repentance, baptism and salva- tion, savs;: "There can be no abatement of the condi- tions of the commission." — TJie Gospel — The Com- mission, hy Prof. Risk— quoted in Am. Baptist Flay. In other words. Prof. Risk says that, as there "can be no abatement of the conditions of pardon," and, as bajitism is one of these conditions, there is no hope for any one Avho dies without immersion. 27. Dr. Hopson : "But will I be damm d if I am not baptized? CevtainJy. Why not? It is the blood of Christ that really washes auay the guilt of sin. We come to the blood, 'into the death' of Christ, through faith and repentance and in baptism."' — Lirirui Pulpit, p. 300 — qiiotedinAm. Bap. Flay. (My italics.) 28. Wesley Wright : "I have as much hope of meet- ing many of them ( Pedoba})tists) in heaven, as I have of the resurrection of this body of mine, and I feel as sure thattlu>y will get there, without a legal remission of their sins, as I do that sprinkling and pouring of water on a ix'i-son is not baptism." — Christian Record, of 1869, Vol. J>\ i\:,r ^vrirs, .Yo. 6, p. 279,— quo- ted in Am. Bap. FJacj, hy C V. Coffey. In other words, as ^Ir. '\^'right docs not believe in the resurrection "of this body of mine" or in affusion for baptism, he does not believe that anv l)crson who has not l)cen immersed will lie in heaven. Tills long array of testimon}- — and it can be easily lengthened — from representadre Canipljcllites, proves, beyond a shadow of reason for a doubt, that all, gen- uine, Campbellitcs believe in baptismal regeneration. It also proves that a very large part, probably the greater part, of Canipbellites boldly declare that all OF CAMPBELLISM. 289 who die without having been immersed "will be (hiinned." Take a few illustrations. Bro. X. O. Sowers, a Baptist minister, of Salem, Mo., has published the following letter under his own name, in the Am. Bap. Flag: "About one month ago, at or near Arlington, Mo., a point on the 'Frisco line, a certain man named Camp- bell, was taken sick unto death, and becoming seri- ously alarmed al)out his soul, re(}uested Rev. Glover, a Campbellite preacher to pray for him. The Camp- bellite refim'd, on the ground that the patient was an unhaptized man. But as death drew nearer, the sick man persistently urged the preacher to pray for him. Finally, at about eleven o'clock at night, the sick man was borne by four men to a ])ool, where they h)wered him into the water, while the preacher stood on the land, where he repeated the baptismal formula. The man was iincon-'icious when thus immersed, and died the next morning. This statement is given to me by very reliable parties, who are ready to sustain it." Tills is fully equal to Rome, in rantising the dying. Not only this ; but Campbellitcs so strongly believe in baptismal regeneration, and that all the unbaptized will be damned, that they have been known to substitute pouring for baptism. The following letter is sufficient evidence : — • MiLFORD, Texas, April 10,1875. "Bro. Eat:— I send you the ioWowing facts for your "Flag," as sbowiufc the tendcney of -bapiijiu in orcler to the remission of sins,' as held by Ciunpbellites. A fai t. -Ilnijbard Carriugton, a Campbellite preaoiier in All still, Texas, did pour water upon the head of a dying girl for baptism." — W. W. Hams. Tor further reference I refer you to T)r. B. F. Hall, of Mormon Grove, Grayson Countv, 'J'exas,"and Khl. II. B. Burleson, AVuco, Texas. — W. W. Zfams, July -iOth, ISIi, 290 BAPTISMAL REGENERATION Prof. Jl. B. Burleson, of Waco, Texas, is Vice-President of Waco University. As a flrst-class teacher, and hunable, devoted Baptist preacher, he is known all over Texas. Dr. B. F. Hall, of Mormon Grove, is one of the foremost Campbellite preachers in Texas. Hubbard Carrington, the pourer, is a Campbellite of ability and rei)utation. I have conversed with Bro. Burleson, since I obtained this fact from Bro. Harris. He told me that he and Dr. Hall talked about it in Austin. One of the child's parents was a Catholic, who feared the child would be utterly lost with- out the grace of baptism. The other was a Campbellite, who believed in baptism in order to remission of sins — but was op- posed to calling in a Catholic priest. So they sent for Hubbard / Carrington, who poured water on the child's head, as it was too near dead to be immersed. Yours for believers' baptism, C. W. Pelt." That such a thing occurred among the Carapbellites is not strange. The first case of affusion for baptism, mentioned in Church history, was a case like this one — believers in baptismal regeneration inventing pour- ing, to save the dying; — except that they, by attempt- ing to pour on so much water as to t cover the sub- ject, made an effort to conform to the Scriptures, while this Campbellite made no effort to make it as near immersion as possible. Mr. Carrington, was but reducing to practice Isaac Errett's reply to the Jot(?'- • al and Messenger, in an editorial in the Christian Standard: "Our opinion is that God can count the unimmersion of pious believers for immersion." For if he can count the unimmersion of pious believers for immersion, of course he can count affusion for immer- sion— things equal to each other are equal to the same thing. Campbellites are in the hnliit of trying to weaken the force of their baptismal rogeiiertition, when press- e-i, by saying: "But we do not believe in baptismal regeneration, because we do not believe that baptism t I allude to Novatus, A. D. 250. Eusebius says: '"AMio . . . being poured ai'ound " — Eusubuis Eccl. llUt. b. 6, chap. 46. OF CA31PBELLISM. 291 will make one hair white or black without faith and re- pentance, unless the heart is turned to God." — Camp- bell-Rice Debate, p. 544, Text Book Exposed, p. 78. So, in my hearing, Mr. Robertson, in Weatherford, Tex., uttered the following words which I carefully noted down, at the time he uttered them : '-Water re- generation I understand means water saves without faith." To this I reply, first, liaptists do not charge Campbellites with believing in a liajitisnial regenera- tion which is destitute of CarnphdUte faith and repen- tance. But, from the Campbellite view of de[)ravity, repentance and faith, thev do believe in baptism sav- ing without Scriptural repentance and faith. Let the reader compare the Campbellite view of depravity with the Scriptural view of depravity, as set forth in Chapter 1 1 of this book ; their \ iews of re- pentance and faith, as set forth in Chapter 17, of this i)Ook, and he will see that while Campbellites, do have a "faith" and "repentance," as conditions of baptism, they are far from being Scriptural repentance and faith. Of course, they think their faith and repent- ance Scriptural, because, like the Pharisees, their re- liance on ceremonies have blinded them to the reality of Christianity. Second. They profess precisely the baptismal re- generation of the Eomish Church, and of all who fol- low her. When they say they do not believe in bap- tism saving, without faith and repentance, they say what the Komish Church says as sincerely and truly as they say. Requestingthe reader to turn to Chapter I and "2," of this book, where he will s(>e what baptismal regen- eration is; for convenience, I here, again, quote from a catechism, by "the Most Reverend Doctor James But- 292 BAPTISMAL REGENERATION Ipv, revised, ojiLu-ged, improverl and recommended by tlio four R. C. Archbishops of Irehind," which is universally used and appi'oved among Romanists, in the United States. ''What is baptism? A sacrament which cleanse us from original sin, makes us Chris- tians and children of God. ... Is baptism neces- sary to salvation ? Yes ; without it one cannot enter into the kingdom of God." This catechism pervei'ts the same Scripture into the support of baptismal regen- eration which the Campl)ellites rely upon. — p. 46. That no one may believe that Romanists rely on water to cleanse, on p. 45 we read: ""Whence have tlic sacraments the power of giving grace? From the merits of Christ, which they apply to our souls." Here is quoted a Campbellite "proof text," to prove that l)aptism, in the language of Cainpbellites, brings us to the blood. What is the difference, then, between baptismal regeneration, water salvation as professed by Romanists and as professed by Campbellites? Sim- ply, as to the water power, none. To make it, if pos- sible to do so, more certain that Romanists do not be- lieve that rites and ceremonies save without faith and repentance, I quote: — "Can any persons who deny outwardly the true religion or church, in which they imvardly believe, expect salvation while in that state"'' JVo." "Good works must be enlivened hy faith and charity." — pp. 22, 23. (My italics.) Again: "What is contrition? A hearty sorrow and detestation of sin, for having offended God, with a firm resolution of sinning no more." — p. 52. (My italics.) On 7;. of same work : "Say the Three Theological Virtues? Faith, hope and charity." Never, then, try to hide the soul-ilestroying doctrine of baptismal regeneration, by pleading that you, as OF CAMPBELLISM. 293 Campbellites, believe in faith :uid repentance with bap- tism— in only the merits ot C'hrist, as received in bap- tism. My Campbeilite friend, Romists profess and believe as strongly as you do, that faith and repent- ance must go with baptism, in order to save. Right along with Campbellites come the Episcopalians. From "The Sunday School Leaflet," of Oct. 2, 1881, published by the Episcopal Publishing House, of N. Y., distributed in the Episcopal Sunday Schools of the United States, I quote : "What does God promise us in baptism? — That He will save our souls." In the same "Leaflet," of Oct. 9: "What meanest thou by this sacrament? I mean an outward and visible sign of an inward and spiritual grace given unto us, oi'dained by Jesus Christ Himself as a means whereby we receive the same and a pledge to assure us thereof." Turn back and read, in this chapter, of this book, what Campbellites say that l)aptism does, and, in your own heart, before God, tell, if you can, wherein Campbellism differs from Episcopalianism and Romanism upon the magical work of baptism? — except in using more water. But you say: "We Camp- l)ellites do not believe that baptism does all of this without repentance and faith." But, I answer, so do the Episcopalians and Romanists say: — "Will He do so whether we obey Him or not? No. What must we do? Believe, and do as our sponsors promised for us." ''Leaflet of Oct. 2, 1881. Before me lies the Episcopal prayer book. In its form for bap- tism "of those of riper years " I find belief and repentance required as conditions of baptism con- ferring salvation. - But, Mr. Burnett, in one of the quotations in this chapter, says that Camp- bellites do not profess " baptismal regeneration 294 BAPTISMAL, REGENERATION as taught by Wesley and Eoine." Well, let us see. We have just shown that as to Rome, this statement is wholly false. I will let Mr. Wesley defend himself : "And the virtue of this free gift, the merits of Christ's life and death arc applied to us in baptism." — Doctrinal Tracts, published by Lane & Scott, Meth. Booh House in R. Y., 1850, p. 245. "We who were by nature the children of wrath are made the children of God by baptism." — Idem p. 248. But, Mr. Wesley, as Campcllites claim that they do not believe like you do, that baptism saves with- out the heart being in it, — do you believe th it baptism does not regenerate without faith and repentance? "Baptism doth now save us, if one .... repent, believe and obey the Gospel." — -p. 249. (My italics. ) Tiien, 1 repeat : Let us hear no more of Campbellites trying to divert attention from their baptismal regenera- tion, by claiming that they do not believe it as do Wesley, Rome and Episcopalians. No sect ever be- lieved IN ANY SUCH BAPTISMAL REGENERATION AS IG- NORED "FAITH AND REPENTANCE." The whole doctrine of baptismal regeneration came from the Romish Church. The creeds of Episcopalians, Methodists, Presbyterians, all inherited it from Rome. Campbell- ism inherited it from Rome, through the Presbyterian Church. See Chapter I and "2," of this book. Camp- bellites and the whole Pedo-baptist camp, having de- scended from Rome, accounts for what Frederick D. Power, pastor of the Campbellite Church in Washing- ton, at the time of President Garfield's death, says: — "With respect to the design of baptism, they — the Campbellites — accord more with Pedo-baptists." — Scliaff-Herzog Encyc, Vol.l,p. 645. Here, then, arrayed against the Baptists and the OF CAMLBELLISM. 295 Bible are the Roman Catholic Church, the Campbellite and all the dauglitcns of lioiue. There is one qualifi- cation which I must, in justice to truth, put upon this, namely: Campbellites, not being so near the Bible, as are Rome and most of her daughters, on the deprav- ity of the heart, the work of the Spirit, "faith and rc[)entance," and holding more tenaciously to their water power creed than do the daughters of Rome, baptismal regeneration is more fatal to souls, in Camp- hellite hands, than it is in the hands of Bone and most of her other daughters. Campbellism results in changing the songs of grace to read: There is a fountain filled w ith water, Drawn from the clouds of rains; And siuners plunged beneath the water Lose all their guilty stains — stains. Or,— Amazing baptism, how sweet the sound, That^saved a wretch like me ; I once was lost but now I'm found, Was blind but now 1 see. 'Twas baptism that's brought me safe thus far, And baptism will bring uie home. How precious did that baptism appear The hour I first received. t t This poetrj' is made to match the beauties of Campbellism. I am not, therefore, chargable with its literary merits. ^96 THE BIBLE AGAINST CHAPTER XIII. THE BIBLE ON BAPTISMAL REGENERATION, FAITH, HOW THE PENITENT ACCEPTS CHRIST AND IS SAVED, AND THE DESIGN OF BAPTISM. Section I. But one salvation. All the saved, of all ages, saved by the same plan, and in the same way. 1. Salvation means, primarily, to save from sin. "And thou shalt call his name Jesus ; for it is he that shall save his people from their sins." — Mutt. 1:21. "I will give them one heart, and I will put a new spirit within you, . . . that they may walk in my statutes, and keep mine ordinances, and do them." — Ezek. 11:20. Salvation, secondarily, means deliverance from the penalty, due the sinner. This is implied in saving from sin. But it is ex- pressed : "Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law, having become a curse for us.'" — Gal. 3: 13. "But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities; the chastisement of our peace was upon him ; and with his stripes we are healed. All we like sheep have gone astray . . and the Lord hath laid on him the iniquity of us all." — Isa. 53:5,6, etc. 2. There is but one Savior for all men, of all ages. "And in none other name is there salvation; for neither is there any other name under heaven, that is given among men, wherein we must be saved." Acts 4:12; Gen. 3 :15 ; Gal. 3 :8. Before Christ's death BAPTISMAL REGEXERATION. 297 thev trusted Him, as the one RedeeiDer ; since His death, we do the same. Tiieir faitli looked forward ; ours looks back. As the head-li<>ht of a k)comotive is the same light, when placed in its rear as its front, so the faith thajt looks back to Christ is the faith that looked forward to Him. By the blood and only the blood have all ages been saved. 3. Sinners, of all ages, have received the same re- generation. The Psalmist's prayer : "Create in me a clean heart, O God," — Psa. 51: 10, — is as necessary to-day as in his day. As true to-day as in Moses' da}', IS : "The Lord thy God will circumcise thy heart . . . to love the Lord thv God with all thv heart." — Deut. 30:6. 4. Sinners, of all ages, have been regenerated by the Holy Spirit. The Scriptures, under argument "3" sustain this. But thev expressly si)eak : "Thj- Spirit is good; lead me in the land of uprightness;" — Psa. 143:10 — "Thou gavest also thy good Spirit to in- struct them ;" — Neh.9 :20 — "^ly Spirit shall not strive with man forever:" — Gen. G:3 — "Turn you at my re- proof: Behold, I will pour out niy Sjyirit unto you;" — Prov. 1 : 23 — "I have covenanted with vou when ye came out of Egypt : and my (Spirit abode among you;" — Hag. 2 :5 — "and take not thy Holy Spi)-tt from me ;" — Psa. 51:11 — "not by might nor by pow- er, but by my Spii-it saith the Lord of Hosts;" — Zech.4 :6 — "Whom I have filled with the Spirit of wis- dom."— Ex. 28:3. These are but few of many such Scriptures. To be sure, some of these Scriptures speak of the Spirit as beinsf within believers ; but, as that imi)lies having first regenerated them, — madethem believers — these Scriptures establish the fact that the Spirit of God was the regenerating One, in the Old 298 THE BIBLE AGAINST Testament. Every Scripture which speaks of or al- ludes to believers in the Old Testament times, im- l)liedly states that the Spirit regenerated them. 5. In all ages the Holy Spirit dwelt in, sanctified and preserved God's people. The Scriptures, ad- duced under argument "4" are applicable to this. In addition to those, see Gen. 41: 38; Job 10:12; Psa. 31:23; 37:28; 97:10; 116:G; Prov. 2 : 8. These Scriptures, in that God works through His Spirit, imply the indwelling and care of the Holy Spirit. 6. In all ages repentance has been necessary for God's pardon and favor. "Wherefore I abhor myself and repent ;" — Job 42 :6 — "If that nation, concerning which I have spoken, turn from their evil ;" — Jer.18 : 8 — ^'Retw-n ye and yourselves from your idols; and (U7'n away your faces from all your abomina- tions;" — Ezek. 13:14 — Yea, let them hirn every one from his evil way ;" — .lonah 3: 8 — "The Lord is nigh unto them that are of a broken heart, and saveth siich as be of a contrite spirit; — Psa. 34:18 — "The sac- rifices of God are a broken spirit : a broken and a con- trite heart, O God, thou wilt not despise." — Psa. 51 : 17. 7. In all ages holiness has been indispensable for a man to be good and acceptable to God. "Sanctify yourselves and be ve holv; for I am the Lord your God."— Lev. 20 : 7 ;' 1 Chron. IB : 29 ; 20:21; Ps. 29 :2 ; Deut. 32 :4 ; 2 Chron. 19:7. Eepentance implies that no man can be one of the Lord's people without holiness ; but, in the interest of practical life, I have made this a distinct point. It is, in truth, a part of the last point; and followed, next in order, by faith . 8. Faith alone has brought the penitent sinner into BAPTISJIAL KEGENERATION. 299 forgiveness, justification, the family and the peace of God — saved hini. Section II. Old Testament testimony. Penitent means: "Suffering pain or sorrow of heart on account of sins, crimes or offenses ; repentant ; con- trite; sincerely affected by a sense of guilt, and resolv- ing an amendment of life." — Webster's Unabridged Die. In this sense I use the word. ( l)The first sinner, of whom we have clear record of being saved, was saved by faith. "By faith Abel offered unto God a more excellent sacrifice than Cain, through Avhich he had witness borne to him that he was right- eous, God being witness in respect of his gifts." Bengel : "w 7yc/' (f?^" ^'P^'-'** rt^ndered through which) means that "he, by faith obtained both righteousness and the testimony of righteousness." — in I. See jMatt. Ilenrv, A. Clarke, on Gen. 4 :4. The Aj)()stle is not to be understood to say that Abel then obtained right- eousness and the testimony that he was righteous. lie was — sTuai — einai — pres. inf. The present infin- itive not only expresses "an action just taking place," but, also, expresses the residts of that action "contin- uing or frequently repeated." — Winer' s N^. T. Gr.,j). 332. Besides the present infinitive is often used foi the aorist — past — infinitive. — Idem. Einai expresses the idea of Abel's faith, by which he ^^ was" previously justified, here, in its results, repeating itself, during wi-iich his faith was confirmed by clear evidence that he had been accepted. ( 2) "By faith Noah, being warned of God concern- ing things not seen as 3'et, moved with godly fear, prepared an ark to the saving of his house ; througli which he condennied the world, and became heir of the righteousness which is according to faith."-— Heh. 11 : 300 THE BIBLE AGAINST 7. Bengel : di '^r^^ {di hees, by which) viz., faith, V. 4." — inl. Matt. Henry: "His righteousness was relative, resulting from his adoption through faith in the promised Seed." — in I. So Adam Clarke. In that Noah (a) preached 120 years before the ark was complete, (b) and in that he is, while he preached, called a "preacher of righteousness," — 2 Pet. 2:7 — said to have "found grace in the eyes of the Lord," and to have been "a just man and perfect in his generation," and to have "walked with God" — Gen. 6 :8, 9 — it is very certain that this righteousness was obtained "through" "faith," before he began to build the ark. Hence, Campbellites miscon- strue this — the one concerning Abel, too — Scrip- ture, when they make the building of the ark one of the means by which Koah was saved. From these two examples, inasmuch as God did not have dif- ferent ways by which He joined w'orks to faith, that every one, mentioned in Heb. 11 , and in the age of which it speaks, was saved by faith, '■^without works," Paul's expression, in Rom. 4:6 — is absolutely certain. This, Alexander Campbell was forced to concede. He says : "No man could now be pardoned as Abel was — as Enoch was — as David was — as the thief on the cross was." — Quoted in Text Book Ex- posed, p. 65, by Text Book on Campb., p. 21 1 ,frorn Christianity Restored, p. 247 . Had Mr. C:impbell not presumed that we are now living under what is, in fact, his Komish dispensation, of baptismal regenera- tion, he would not have said that no man can now be saved as lie was then saved. For the very reason that the plan of salvation has never been changed, Paul is able to preach the Gospel by these very illustrious ex- amples— in Heb. 11 — of its working. While the cases BAPTISMAL REGENERATION. 301 of Abel and Noah make certain that under the Old Testament ])enitent sinners were saved by faith only, I notice, (3) Abraham's case, as it tiirures so pointealy in the New Testament, as an illustration of the plan of salvation. "For what saith the Scriptures? And Abra- luun believed God, and it was reckoned unto him for righteousness." — Rom. 4:3; Gal. 3:6. Gen. 15:6, records it: "And he believed in the Lord and He counted it to him for righteousness." Evidently this is the record of Abraham's finding the peace of the Lord. The "in the Lord" — nin — is rightly ren- dered in Conant's Version, "in Jehovah." The He- brew rendered Jehovah, is now, by the ablest scholars, regarded as the third person, singular, masculine, sub- stantive verb of .Tn — Hauya, to be. Oehler and Delitzsch rennirk that "the heathen regarded the reve- lation of their gods as almost a thing exclusively of the past, but this name shows God was revealing Him- self constantly and progressively. Their God was a God of the future as well as a God of the past." So Ewald, Hengstenberg, Kurtz, etc. The name is ex- plained as denoting Jesus ; — "which ivaa, which is and which is to come." — Rev. 1 :4. That is, God is ever revealing Himself in new relations to His people. The name, Jehovah, therefore, includes the promise of re- vealing Himself as the Savior — I am that I shall be as Redeemer. Abraham believed in God, not simply as Lord, but is recorded to have believed in Him as Je- hovah— the I am to be — the Redeemer. The hiphil — rnsn — heemin, rendered l)elieved, means he was caused, or by grace caused himself, to build upon, stay upon — rest all in God. Grace caused his soul to rest all in Him who is, and was "to be" his Savior. That all may clearly understand that the works of 302 THE BIBLE AGAINST Abraham were porforiucd after he was justified, Paul says: "How then was it reckoned? when he was in circumcision or uncircumcision ?" — Rom. 4:10. Paul here alludes to Gen. 17:10-24, where Abraham is re- corded to have been circumcised. According to the chronology, in the margin of our Bibles, this took place 25 years after Abraham was justified by faith. Tholuck : *'The declaration of God, wherein he justi- fied Abraham for the sake of his faith, was made, if not twenty-five, at the least, fifteen years anterior to the introduction of circumcision." — On Rom. 4:10. M. E. Lard, the Goliath of Canipbellism, says: "How long Abraham had been justified when he received the mark of circumcision cannot confidently be said. It was certainly more than 13 years, at which time Ish- mael was 13 years old, and he was justified before Ishmael's birth. This is quite sufficient for Paul's purpose. This ol)ject was certainly to show that Abraham was certainly justified before he was circum- cised; and this in order to settle the question that the blessedness of justification is not confined to circum- cision. " — Quofcd in the Frost-Tyler Discussion. Can- on Farrar : "Xow this im[)utati()n can have nothing to do with circumcision, because the phrase is used of a time before Abraham was circumcised, and circum- cision Avas only a sign of the righteousness imputed to him because of his faith, that he might be regarded as the father of the faithful, whether they be circum- cised or not." — Life of St. Paul, p. 361, Funk's edition. To enforce this argument. Paid savs : "He believed in God who quickeneth the dead, and calleth the things which are not as tliough they were.'' — v. 17. That is, he trusted God to quicken the dead womb of Sarah. — Tholuck, on v. 19, Crysostom, Matt. Henry, BAmSMAL REGENERATION. 303 et. al. "Who in hope believed against hope, to the end that he might become a father of many nations, according to that which liad been spoken, so shall thy seed be. And without being weakened in faith he considered his own body now as good us dead (he being about a hundred years old), and the deadness of Sa- rah's womb : Yea, looking unto the promise of God, he wavered not through unbelief, but waxed strong- through faith, giving glory to God, and being fully assured that, what he had promised, he was aljle also to perform," verses 18-21. Here, Abraham seeing, absolutel}-, nothing in himself or in his wife upon which he could possibly hope for Isaac to be born, il- lustrates the penitent sinner. The penitent sinner has no good works to rely on — notlnng ! nothing!! But as Abraham believed God, who quickcueth the dead, and calleth the things that are not as though they were," the penitent sinner trusts God for righteous- ness as though he were as righteous as God. As Abraham, by faith, received a son as though he and Sarah were not dead, the penitent sinner, by faith, re- ceives the righteousness as though he had been able to work out that righteousness himself. As God justi- fied— saved Abraham by such faith in Him, lie justifies the sinner by such faith in Him. Thus Abraham is justified when whollj^ una])le to l)eget a son and so the sinner is justified when wholly unable to produce good works. After being justified, or saved, God renders Abraham al)le to beget a son ; after being justified — saved — God puts the penitent sinner where he pro- duces good works. Thus Abraham believed, was justi- fied— saved in order to work ; the })enitent sinner is likewise justified —saved to work. The same Apostle says that we are "Created in Christ Jesus for good 304 THE BIBLE AGAINST works." — Eph. 2: 10. Abraham worked because he was saved ; the penitent sinner works because he is saved. Paul, farther, leaves no one to doubt that thus, when works were beyond the j)ossibilifi/ o f our doing t/iem, we are saved ; or, — in his own words, of v. 6, that we receive our salvation '■'■without,'" or "fl^rtr^ from works :" — "Is this blessing pronounced u[)on the circumcision" — i. e., those who work for it — "or upon the uncircumcision" ? — i. e., those who do not work to be saved. "For we say, To Abraham his faith was reckoned for righteousness." — v. 9. "Now it was »io< written for liis sake alone'' — Paul had not progressed so far as to say with Alexander Campbell, that "no man can now be pardoned as Abel — as Enoch — as David was — as the tliiof upon the cross was" — "that it was reckoned unto him ; V)ut for our sake also who believe on hinj that raised our Lord from the dead." — v. 24. "Seeing that now, under the New Testament, there obtains a system of imputation by free grace, we are entitled to look back upon the Old, and if we find any similar case, to apply the particu- lar circumstances of it to ourselves." — Tholuck on Rom. 4:24. Bengel : "The faith of Abraham was directed to that, which was about to be, and which could come to pass, ours to that which has actually taken place : the faith of both is directed to the Quickener [Him who makes alive]. Oyi Rom. 4:24. Matt. Henry : "It was not intended for an historical commendation of Abraham, or a relation of some- thing peculiar to him ; no, the Scripture did not in- tend to describe some singular way of justification that belonged to Abraham as his prerogative. The accounts of the Old Testament saints were not inten- ded for histories, only, barely to inform and divert us, BAPTISMAL REGENERATION. 305 but iov precedents to direct us, for cnsamples, 1 Cor. 10 :11 : for our learning, ch. 15:4. . . . the grace of God is the same yesterday, to-day and forever." — On Rom. 4:23-25. Instead of there being a new plan of salvation, a new way to be saved, as Camp- Ix'Hites teach, Abraham is and ever will be, the father of all them that believe;" and the Old Testa- ment Scriptures are yet "able to make thee wise unto salv;ition through faith which is in Jesus Christ." — 2 Tim. 8: 15. OiuECTioN. The Campbellites, unable to do any- thing with this argument, are content to make James contradict Paul. !So they reply: "But, James says that Abraham was 'justified by works when he offered u[) Isaac his son upon the altar." — ,Iames 2: 21. In refutation, \ Jirst n^k: Are not you, my Campbellite friend, under some obligation to meet my argument, frcim PauKs words, in Worn. 4, before you merely quote James, as seeminrihj contradicting Paul? Second. Is it any credit to any church, when a man is incontrovertibly proved by plain Scripture to have been saved — Rom. 4:3-11 — to appeal to an occurrence which took place in his life, thirty-one years after he was saved, to prove that he was not then saved? Yet, this is what all Campbellites do, when they array James against Paul. Why? Plain enough "why," for any man who can read his Bible, by comparing Gen. 15:6 — where Genesis and Paul say Abraham was saved — with Gen. 22nd chapter, where Abraham is recorded to ha\ e offered Isaac, can clearly see that Abraham did not offer Isaac until several years after he was saved. According to the chronology in the margin of our Bible, Isaac was oiievad fort >/-one years after Al.raliani was justified. Yet, an occurrence 306 THE BIBLE AGAINST which took place forty-one years after God is recorded to have "justified" a man, must be seized upon to prove that He did not then "justify" him ! And why? ISimi^ly to prop up Caniphellisui — that and nothing else. If our Campbellite friends could but get their eyes one-hundredth part of the way open they could see better than to thus distort God's holy Word; for Isaac was not born until, from fifteen to twent3'-tive years, after Abraham, in Gen. 15 :G; Rom. 4:5, is declared to have been "justified," counted as right- eous— saved! Compare Gen. 15 :6 with Gen. 21 :2,3. One leading Campbellite preacher, Mr. 11. D. Buntau, being crushed with this, in a debate with the writer — resorted to the shift of denying that righteousness, in Rom. 4, means salvation ! For the credit of even fallen man I sincerely hope that no other intelligent human being has ev(T made this resort. But, as Campbellites may think that there is argument in ]\Ir. Bantau's resort, I stop, one moment, to place this beyond even Campbellite controversy. (a) Tsedaquah (npns), rendered "righteousness," in Gen. 15 :16, is from tsaudaq, ( pTj*), "to be right, to be just, righteous, . . . . to be in the right ; to be righteous, upright, good ; to make riirhteous, upright, innocent." — Ges ' Lex. Ueb. Hence, tsedaquah means, "rectitude, right .... in private persons, righteousness, integrity, virtue, piety." — Ges.'' Lex. Heb. Robinsoii s Greek Lex. says that dikaiosunee {ocxaeoaiivrj) , Avhich is the New Testament word for tsedaquah, means "rectitude, uprightness, righteous- ness, virtue." Paul uses dikaiosunee, in Rom. 4, for tsedaquah. From the definition of the word, in He- brew lexicons, and from the Greek word which Paul uses, to tell us that "righteousness" was "im[)uted" BAPTISMAL REGENERATION. 307 to Abraham, it is certain that God "imputed" to Abraham the riulitcousness which Christ, in all ages, imput(>« to the penitent, believing soul. With one ex- ception, the (J ikd iosu jKc famWy are the only (ireek New Testament words for righteousness. Paul, therefore, (b) uses the word, in the New Testament, rv'ncU'red "righteousness," to tell us that Abraham had right- eousness imputed to him for his faith, (c) That Abraham was made trul}' righteous, at that time, — saved, all writers, worthv of mention, agree. As rep- resenting the voices of liiliU' students, Adam Chirke comments: "Tiiis, I conceive to be one of the most import:nit ])ass;igcs in -whole Old Testament. It properly contains and s[)<'citics the doctrine of jtistifi- catiop hy faltli, which engrosses so considerable a share of the Ei)istles of St. I'aul, and at the founda- tion of which, is tlu! atonement nuide by the Sou of God: and he (Abi'ani) believH'd (|Oxn» heemin, he put faith) in Jehovah n2L"n"i valj/achsJieha lo, and he counted it — the faith he })ut in Jehovah, to him for righteousness, npli' /^'c(/(7^•(//^ , or justification; though there was no act in the case, but that of the mind and heart, no irorJc of any kind. Ilence, the doctrine of justification hy faith ^ without any merit of ^rorks; for in this case there could be none See Kom. 4." — On G(n. 15:6, see ThoIucJc, Beur/ei, Matt. Jlenry, Scott, Conant, Harless,etc. (d) Paul, })y the case of David, makes it certain that the righteousness tiiat Abraham then received was the true righteousness. lie continues: "Even as David also pronounceth blessing upon the man unto Avhom God reckoneth ri'jhteoiisitess apart from works" — he here quotes from Ps. 32 — saying: "Blessed are they whose iniquities are forejiven, and whose sins are covered. Blessed is 308 THE BIBLE AGAINST the man to whom the Lord will not vpclcon sin.'" — Rom. 4:7,8. Here, he saA^s the righteous- ness Avhich Abraham had received — in Gen. 15 :6 — involved his hv\n'^ '■'forgiven," having his sins "cor- ered" and having no sin reckoned to him. "According to the opinion of commentators, this Psalm was com- posed after David's transgression with Bathsheba. It was consequently very well ^idapted to the purpose of St. Paul; for at that time it must have been very nat- ural for the fallen king to look entirely away from himself, and appeal only to the Divine mercy." — Thohick, on lioni. 4:6. Paul, in v. 9, proceeds to ai)pl3' David's words to the case of Abraham. With these replies and explanations it is left, if possible, more than certain that the righteousness which Abra- ham received, long before he was circumcised and long- before he offered Isaac, was the righteousness which every true Christian receives from Christ. Abraham's case is the "thou art weighed in the balances and art found wanting," against the whole Romish family, from the Pope, of Rome, down to the least Campbell- ite. Third. But what does James mean, by saying, "Was not Abraham our father justified by works, in that he offered u[) Isaac, his son, upon the altar?" In answer to this, having proved, beyond a reasonable d()ul)t, that James speaks of an occurrence in Abra- ham's life, which took place many years after Genesis and Paul say that he Avas made righteous, justified, — saved, I am, so far as concerns this controversy , under no obligation to cxi)lain James' meaning. Were I not able to offer a word of explanation upon what James means, as Genesis and Paul make it certain that Abraham was saved, many years before the time of BAPTISMAL REGEXERATION. 309 wliich James speaks, that James' statement contains not a shadow of support for an}' of the Romish camp, from the Pope down to the least CampbeUite, is cer- tain. As well claim that Campbellism is true because I might not l)e able to tell what the numl)er "six hundred and sixty and sixty-six" — Rev. 13:18 — de- notes, as to claim it true because I may not satisfacto- rily explain James' meanino;. "With these preliminary remarks, I proceed to explain James' meaninir. In explanation, (a), keep in mind Paul's statement, that Abraham has been a righteous man during many years previous to the time of which James si)eaks. Any explanation which makes James contradict Paul, leaves upon its fate prima facie and conclusive evidence of its falsity; and of the falsity of the doctrine that is driven to make that explanation. ]VJiafevei' may be the exi)lauation of James, that Abraham was saved manv years before the time of which James speaks, Paul has stffled. (c.)The persons to whom James wrote and the object of his letter. The persons to whom James wrote Avere jjrofessors of Christianity. From chapter, 1:,7,8,13, 15, 19-27, the Avhole of chapters 2, 3, 4 and the tirst six verses of chapter 5, it is certain that they were sadly needing rebukes, exhortations and encourage- ments to live according to tlie hisih calling. The reader will please, here, carefully, read these references. In them he will read that many of those to whom Paul wrote thought that a profession of faith was sufficient ; that mere intellectual belief in Christ was equivalent to Scriptural faith. Hence James rebukes them for "lust:" for worship of "fashion;" for "tilthiness ; " for "wrath;" for not governing the "tongue," but for having it "set on lire of hell ;" for not caring for 310 THE BIBLE AGAINST the uocd}^; for heaping up earthl}^ " treasure, " elc. ; and for being tinctured with Cam^Jbellisin, intiuit they thought mere intellectual belief was Christian faith : "Thou believest that God is one ; thou doest well : the devils also believe and shudder." — Ch. 2:19. Says Sieffert : "They appealed to their creed rather than to their deeds. The object of the Epistle is to check these tendencies." — Schaff-Herzog Uncy., Ejp. Jas. "The main object of the Epistle of James is not to teach doctrine, but to improve morals. ... St. James was o[)posing the old Jewish tenet, that to be a child of Abraham was all in all, that Godliness was not necessary, so that belief was correct. f This presump- tive confidence had transferred itself to the Christian- ized Jews. It is plain that their faith Mas totally dif- ferent from that of St. Paul." — Smith's Bib. Die, vol. 2, p. 1209. Paul was teaching men how to l)e saved; James was teaching them how they nmst live after being saved ; and how they should know whether they were saved. (cZ.) In interpreting Paul and James we must keep in view the different classes of persons to whom they wrote, and the ends they sought to ac- t lu our churches — of all creeds — to-day, is mueh of this. Men and women who are impvre, untruthful, dishonest in busi- ness. Then, others, who though free of these things are dead to Christian activity, know not what secret or any other prayer is. They prove this by having health and time for any other than the prayer meeting. Others who love mouey so well that they will see their church houseless, or the door closed. Of course, owing to their deeming regeneration net essential to church membership, and to their otiicr errors, and their encouraging people to unite with them before regeneration, there is far more of this among others than among Baptists. IJut, as it was with Baptist Churches, in .!:ime.s" time, our t'hurclics need more preachers who will tell tin >e inciiilici's tht ir sins aud their lost, or at best, their back-sliihli-n (MiKlitiuii — ] neucliers whose love of money, position and poi)ularity w ill not prevent them, as it did not James, from doing their work of crying aloud and spar- BAPTISMAL nEGEXERATIOX. 311 complish by writing. To produce James, therefore, as teaching how the sinner is saved, is like producing Paul as teaching how the saved should live, and how that they ma}' l)e certain that they are saved. (Of course, both Paul and James especially teach both these classes; l)ut not in Rom. 4, and James 2). Such use of Romans and James is like the nurse who should give the medicine which the physician prescribed for the patient who has the cholera to the one who has a carbuncle. (e.) How James doctors these patients. In effect he says : "You sa>/ that you believe, that you are there- fore rigliteous. Let us see about that. You will agree that Abraham's case settles your case. He was accounted righteous when Gen. 15 : G, savs that 'he believed in Jehovah, and he counted it to him for righteousness.' AVe agree that Al)raham then had his sins forgiven, and the righteousness of Christ imputed to him — that he was saved at that tmie. But how did Abraham afterwards live? Did he think that a mere belief — a mere profession was sufficient? Did he live as though he felt within himself, 'I am saved, there- in» not. — Isa. .51:1. The preacbei-s who are unfaithful render this work much more diffleiilt for those who try to be faithful. Let us teach the churches that no man is a BnptM simply because he is a member of the church, believes in Immersion : but that he is a Baptist because God has washed him iu the blood of Jesus, madehim-'souud"in dociri'ie and in life. Oxlv sLCn are Baptists; only snch ^^Baptist-i'" will ever reach heaven. But. dear brethren, in the ministry. Ictus thus preach in wisdom and in lov. The truth may be so preached as to drive men from Christ who would have been saved, if it had been preached in wisdom and in love. Per- haps, nowhere does a preacher need grace so much as just here- to both faithfully and in the ( 'hrist-like manner, rebuke. I have added this note as some who call themselves "souud Baptists" and love controversy are as far from being saved, as are Camp- bellites or any other gross-errorists. — See John 15:2: 1 John 2 3,4; Matt. 7 ;20,21. May God save us from hypocrisy ! 312 THE BIBLE AGAINST fore, how I live is a very unimportant matter' ? Let us see : When God called him to offer Isaac, did he do like you are doing, --say, as I am saved, I need not obey? No! But he obediently offered Isaac — in his mind. 'Thou seest that faith wrought with his works' as proof that it was genuine — that Abraham was saved in reality. 'The devils . . believe and shudder,' but they will not obey. Wherein, then, if you do not live right, are you different from the devils? Abra- ham proved himself different from the devils by his life. Are you proving by your life that yon have Abraham's faith? If not, how can you be so foolish as to presume that you are saved ! 'But wilt thou know, O vain man, that faith apart from works is l)arren' — barren of every principle, feeling — fruit of the Spirit, and with its possessor, is to be cut down, :\s the 'bai- ren fig tree?' " Such is the meaning of James' Avords to these self-confident and deluded professors. With these words he pulls off the thin gauze of a profession, "A flag and sign of Love "VVTiich is indeed but sign;'' — A belief that Christianity is to i)rofess, join the church, — "To wear long faces, just as if our ^laker, The God of Goodness, was an undertaker. Well pleased to wrap the soul's unlucky mien, In sorrow's dismal crape or bombasiu." May James' words, in all our churches, be heeded by- "Mistaken souls, that dream of heaven, And make their empty boast Of inward joys and sins forgiven, While they are slaves to lust." But, again, I exclaim : What has this rebuke of James to do with Paul's directions how to be saved, as BAPTISMAL REGENERATION. 313 drawn from a time in Abraham's life at which he joy- fully "I)elieved in Jehovah" and had his faith "count- ed ... . to him for righteousness?" (/) All that, now, remains, is to point out, or at least, suggest the sense in which James uses the word "justified." (a) At the very beginning of this inves- tigation, we know that he does not use it in the sense in which Paul uses it — to denote God's forgiveness, and His imputing to us righteousness — salvation. This, we have seen, James is not speaking of ; it does not allude to the time when Al)raham was thus blessed; besides, it would put James in contradiction to Paul. — Rom. 4:2; Gal. 2:16; 3:11. (b) In answer to the question, I answer : In the Scriptures God is said to justify in two senses. First, God justifies in the sense of judicially declaring the penitent — and also the Christian — washed, forgiven, innocent of sin. Both the Old and the New Testament w'^ords for justify denote subjective and objective justification — that is, righteousness of soul and righteousness before the law. Of course, this is based on the righteousness of Christ, which satisfies the law and makes the soul righteous. In these senses Paul, in Rom. 4, uses the word — di- kaioo and dikaiosun€e,(d:xaiod, dtxacoa'jvTj ) the same word which James uses. So "justify" is used in Luke 18 : 14; 13:39; Rom. 3:24, 26, 28, 30 ; 4 :2, 5 ; 5 : 1 ; Gal. 2:16, and in Scriptures which are too numerous to here refer to. Second, God justifies in the sense of approving the Christian as tiue to his profession. He declared that "Noah was a righteous man;" — Gen. 6:9; 7:1 "the way of the just is uprightness;" — Isa. 26: 7 — "he is just, he shall surely live;" — Ezek. 18:9 — "Ye that afflict the just ;"— Amos5 :12~"hear thou from heaven 314 THE BIBLE AGAINST and do and judge thy servants . . . justifying the righteous — 2 Chron, 6: 23 — "say ye to the right- eous that it shall be well with him;" — Isa. 3:10. These and many other Old Testament Scriptures show that God judges men, and that when they are worthy of it, He approves or justifies them as true to their calling. Turning to the New Testament, we find God judging, approving or justifying men according to their faithfulness to their profession. Thus John the Bap- tist is justified or approved ; — Matt. 11 :11 — "he that serveth Christ is well pleasing." — Rom. 14 :18 — "Ap- pelles the approved in Christ;" — Rom. 16 :10 — "give diligence to present thyself approved unto God;" 2 Tim. 2:15— "elders that rule well;" 1 Tim. 5: 17— "well done good and faithful servant ;" Matt. 25 : 21, So the Church at Smyrna, — Rev. 2 :10 — the Church in Philadelphia were especially justified for their faith- fulness. Rev. 2:8-10; 3:7-11. These Scriptures, incontestably, prove that God justifies his people as walking wortliy of their calling. Robinson's Lex. de- fines dikaioo, rendered "justify;" "To justify, to de- clare righteous. God is said to justify a person, to regard and treat him as righteous by reckoning or imputing to him faith as righteousness. So gener- ally, where inMh. inanifcsled in works. — Jas. 2:21, 24, 25." The reader will notice that this Lexicon, in the italicised words, at the close of the quotation, says that James uses the word in tlie sense of justi- fying men's faith or profession, Greenfield's Lex. defines dikaioo: "To acknowledge, to declare any one to be what he ought to be, and to treat him as &uch ; to declare one to be blameless or innocent and to treat him as such, acquit, absolve; to declare one to be good, upriglit, pious, and to treat him as such, BAPTISJIAL REGENERATION. 315 commend, applaud; to bestow approbation and favor so as to receive benefit; to grant foiuivencss, i)ardon sin, free from its consequences, justify." So Bag- ster's and other Lexicons. We see that the Lexicons define the word to denote justification, in the sense of pronouncing us saved ; and justification in the sense of justifying us as true to our religious profession. In this, the Lexicons agree with the numerous Scriptures, just quoted and referred to, which speak of God as justifying, tchen we come to Him and afterwards ]us\\- tying us as faithful to our profession. The parables of the laborers and of the talents present the justifica- tion of our faith as l)eing faithful. So James showed them that their faith, instead of being such as could be justified — such as would prove them true Chris- tians, was only the faith and the life of demons. Turning to the record, in Genesis 22, we find Abra- ham's history, many years after Gen. 15 :G, records him as saved. There we find that Christ said to Abra- ham : "For now I know that thou fearest God, see- ing that thou hast not withheld thy son, thine only son from me." — Gen. 22:12. In other words: "Now I pronounce your faith, your profession justified. Gen. 22 alone, had we no account of Abraham's being saved, many years before he offered Isaac, — in Gen. 15 :(3 — shows Abraham a genuine child of God when called to offer Isaac. "Why?" (c) In his ready obe- dience— an obedience to which uno;od]y men are stran- gers. Abraham's ready obedience proves him to have not possessed "the mind of the flesh" which "is e«- wzVy against God" and "is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be : and they that are in the flesh cannot please God." — Rom. 8 :7,8. (d) Christ did not say to him: now I pardon, receive you ; for 316 THE BIBLE AGAINST this I save you. No ! a thousand times, No ! ! But He did say that this act proved Abraham a God-fear- ing man : "For now I know tliat thou fearest God."t Paul therefore says : "Abraham being tried offei-ed up Isaac." — Heb.ll :17. Pt^irazomenos (^-sifia^o/jieuo!;) means "to tempt, to prove, to put to the test From the IIel)rew, where God is said to try, to prove by adversity, the faith and confidence of Christians in Him."- Roh.'s Lex. N'ausa,{ noj ) rendered "tempt" or try, in Gen. 22: 1, means, "to try, to prove any one. . . . God is said to try or prove men, i. e. their virtue, their faith and obedience. Ex. 15:25; Deut. 13 :3 ;Ps. 2G :2."-Xta;. Heh. Surely, this whole matter is plain enough. In it is not even a gimlet hole for Campbellism to find refuge. fAs different phase of the same interpretation \\ hieh .lame's' words may well include, or atleast, imply, I suggest the following: Edikaiothee, ( edcxauotlr^ ) reudeied justitied, in verses 21, 25, may be rendered. justitied himself, justified herself. Edikaiothee is third person, singular, lirst aorist, passive, indicative. Now, "several verbs have au aorist passive with middle meaning."' — Hndlfifs GreekOram., Sec. 414. "Although the import of the middle is sharply defined and peculiar, yet in practice, even among the best Greek authors, the forms of the middle often hlend with those of the passive The 1st aorist passive in several verbs serves at the some time as 1st aorist middle." — Winer^s N. T. Gram., pp. 2.t4, 2t)5 The middle indicates that the subject acts upon himself, or permits action upon himself. "Winer says this is, also, true of the 2nd and future aorisls. As examples of this : Proseklithee, {Ttpoaexhdfj iu hest MSS.) is the same person, tense, passive, as is edikaiothee., yet it is rendered by the versions as a middle— "joined themselves." In Junies 4:10, tapeinotheele, (^zazeiuwfiy^ze) rendered "humble yoiu-selves,"' is rendered as a middle-, ye-t, it is 1st aorist, imperfect passive. In Acts 21 :24, agnisthcetai., (^afviadrjzac) is, rendered, "purify thyself," — ren- dered as a middle; yet, it is 1st aorist, imperfect, passive. "Some tenses pecidiar to the middle assume a iiassive signification." — Wintr's N, T Gram , p. 255. Thus ebaptisanto (^e^a-ziaavzo^ BAPTISMAL REGEXERATIOX. 317 Paul shows how the man is justified, in the sense of God saving him ; James shows how he is justified in the sense of honoring, justifying his profession, so that God justifies him as a professor. Christ is the basis of both lhe>e justifications; first, in tliat, hy His righteousness, we are saved; second, in that, through His righteousness and grace, we so honor and justify our profession, that God justifies us as professors. Hence James says that Abraham, for his godly fear, as })rovcd bv his obedience, "was called the friend of God."— .James 2:23; 1 Chron. 20:7. His devotion to God proved his friendship. In this vein the poet voices true Christian life, as Abraham proved that he was living : — is icndoreil. wove baptized, while the Giock is ]>t aorlst, middle— tbey permitted themselves to be baptized — 1 Cor. 10:2 (]SIeyer et al.) Apelousasthe.(^a~z/.o''j(Jaa6z:) i» rendered as passive — 'wash- ed"— yet it is 1st aorist. middle — permitted themselves to be Mashed. There can, therefore, be uo grammatical reason against rendering edikaiothee, in James 2 : J1. 2."). as a middle. It is just what the translators have done with tapeinotheetf. In chapter 4: 10, and what they have, substantiall}', often done, in exchanging the passive for the middle, and vice versa. Thus rendered it means, as do ebaptisanto. and apoUmisasthr, in 1 Cor. 10 :2; (i ll. where God baptized and washed them, but where (A^-y baptized and washed themselves. by permittingor hav- ing it done — submitting to the cuiiditinn-. .So. here Abram jus- tified himself, i. e., by his \\oik<. bad ju-tif)' bini a< a pro- fesssor. By comparing I.am. 2 ( 'nr. i:'. n'i : Ibb. 11:17; 2 Cor. 7;11; 2 Tim. 2 :!.-) T Titus :! : 11 : Arts l;!:-b;i 1 ,lohn 20, the reader will .-•■o that men's trying, judging, (•(nidemiiing and justifying tbem-rhes is a jiromincnt ti\icliing (if tlir l!iljle! We try. eondemn or justify ourselves as iirofessurs, and. in the same acts, God so tries, condemns or justifies us. Nor ean orxaioUTOi, in V.24 (dtA:aio?<;," "as also those whose books arc not extant." — Btiioel in loco., et. al. Hence, before their 322 THE BIBLE AGAINST baptism, the Holy Spirit "fellf on all tliem that heard the word." — Acts 10 :44. CoQimeiiting on this,Hackett well remarks : "Hence Peter had not finished his re- marks when God vouchsafed this token of his favor. Acts 11 : 15. , . The miracle proved that the plan of salvation which Peter announced was the divine plan, and that the faith which secured its blessings to the Jew was sufficient to secure them to the Gentile.'' He adds : "A previous submission to the rites of Judaism was shown to be unnecessary. It is worthy of note, too, that those who received the Spirit in this instance had not been baptized nor had the hands of an apostle been laid upon them. This was an occasion when men were to be taught by an impressive example, how little their acceptance with God depended on external observances. " — in I. And on v. 47, Hackett : "Since, uncircumcised, they have believed and re- ceived so visible a token of their acceptance with God, what should hinder their admission into the Church? Who can object to their being baptized, and thus ac- knowledged as Christians in full connection with usV" Likewise comment Matt. Henry, Adam Clarke, Neander, Bengel, etc., (/.) Another consideration must be here noted, viz.: "This was the beginning of the gosjoel among the Gentiles. At the beginning of the gospel among the Gentiles, Peter emphasizes, that the Old Testament law of f:iith only, on the part of the penitent, is the law for the New Testament, for Jew and Gentile." Hee Baumgarten, Olshausen, Adam Clarke, etc. Had bajjtism been a condition of regen- t This means the miraculous gift of the Spirit. But, as it ira- pllod the possession of salvation, hy its jiossessor, it answered l'» tor's purjiose as well as thouijh it were regeneration. In this 0.1 -ie salvation and the miraculous gift were almost simulta- neously given. BAPTIS>L4L REGEXEKATIOX. 323 oration, pardon, etc, to have omitted mentioning it here -svould have been as much adajrted to mislead as though Peter had designed to mislead. Not only this, how much more adapted to mislead, when, not only is baptism not mentioned as being any condition of salvation ; but these persons are recorded as having been saved without baptism, and then commanded to l)e baptized after having been saved. Baptism, the panacea of spiritual ills; and yet, not mentioned, or enjoined until after these Gentile patients are cured ! Tliat. too, at tlit^ vtiy introduction o f the pin n o f sal- vation among the Gentiles. '! "Why, a Campliellite preacher preaches baptismal salvation by day and by night. He teaches ba^Dtismal salvation "diligently un- to thy children,"' and says thou "shalt talk of it "when thou sittest in thy house, and when thou walk- est by the way, and when thou liest down, and when thou risest up and thou shalt bind"' this doctrine "for a sign upon thine hand, and'' it "shall be for front- lets between thine eyes. And thou shalt write" it "upon the door posts of thy house and upon thy gates."' — Deut. 6:7-9. "Well does Scott comment on Acts 10:43, etc. : ""What will become of those who, without one tenth of the external ap])earance of Cor- nelius' piety and charity, presume that they should go to heaven on the score of their good works, and reject the way of salvati(m hy faith in Christ Jesus?"' Section III. New Testament Testimony. It may be well objected that, in examiningthe testimony of the Old Testament I have made sufficiently clear the testi- monv of the New. — that the penitent sinner is saved by faith "without works'" — faith only. — Rom. 3 :28 ; 4 : 6. But the lioinish doctrine of baptismal regenera- tion, from the Pope down to th(' most obscure Camp- 324 THE BIBLE AGAINST bellite, is kept so prominently before a lost world, and so fundamental is justification by faith only, that I must, in the treatment of this subject, give "precept up^n precept, precept upon precept; line ujDoii line, line upon line ; here a little" — of the mass of Scriptures — and "there a little."— Jer. 28 :10. Before taking up the New Testament testimony, I must remind the reader that, in the demonstration that the Gospel was preached, before the day of Pentecost, both under the Old Testament and under that part of the New, between the beginning of John's ministry and Pentecost, is swei)t away, as with a c^'clone, the Campbellite attempt to rule out the testimony of the Gospels on the plan of salvati.'ui. Beyond the shadow of a reasonable doubt I have demonstrated that "That the beginning of the Gospel of Jesus C hrist, the Son of God," under the New Testament, began with John's preaching. Mark 1 :l-6. 1 shall not, there- fore, stop to refute the Cam[)beHite objections: — "Oh ! that was before Pentecost," for that is done in the chapter on the Gospel preached, the Church, the kingdom in existence before the day of Pentecost. Here turn to and read Cha})ter X of this book. If you have not read it be sure to do so at this point. 1. The first New Testament proof that the penitent is saved by faith "apart from the works of the law," — "apart from works" — by faith only, is the case of Cornelius and his house. Acts 10:44-48. Inclosing the testimony of the Old Testament,! said all I desire to say upon this argument. 2. "He that beJk'veth on Him is not judged: he that believeth not has been judged already, because he hath not believed in the name of the fuily begotten Son of God." — John 3:18. BAPTISMAL KEGEXERATION. 325 WTiatever savo^; from judgment or condemnation saves from sin ; Believing in Jesus saves from judgment or condem- nation ; Therefore, believing in Jesus saves from sin. Nothing more than that "which saves from judgment or condemnation is the condition of salvation : Believing in Jesus saves from judgment or condemna- tion ; Therefore, nothing more than belief in Jesus is the condition to salvation. 3. "For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth on him should not perish, but have eternal life." — John 3 :1G. AVhosoever does not perish has remission of sins — saved ; All who believe do not perish — saved ; Therefore, all who believe have remission of sins — saved. "Whoever has eternal life is saved ; All who l)elieve in Jesus have eternal life; Therefore, all who believe in Jesu-i are saved. "Whatever gives eternal life gives remission of sins — saves ; Believing into Jesus gives eternal life ; Therefore, believing into Jesus gives remission of sins- saves. Nothing more than what gives eternal life is neces- sary to the remission of sins — to salvation ; Believing in Jesus gives eternal life, remission of sins — saves ; Therefore, nothing more than belief into Jesus is neces- sary to remission of sins — to salvation. 4. "And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wil- 326 THE BIBLE AGAINST dcriiess, even so must the Son of Man be lifted up; that whosoever helieveth in him may have etern-.il life."-- John 3:15. Apply the above syllogisms to this Scripture. Whosoever complies with the condition on which eternal life may be had in Jesus is saved ; Belief is that condition ; Therefore, all who believe in Jesus are saved. All who believe in Jesus are saved ; All candidates for baptism — Campbellites themselves being witnesses — nmst believe in Jesus before they have been baptized : Therefore, all candidates for baptism are saved — be- fore being baptized. Only what is necessary to salvation saves ; Faith saves ; Therefore, "faith only" is necessary to salvation. "The found ition of all is the everlasting love . of God towards the world : the aim and end of all is etei- ual life dt'rived fvom (liod and consummated in Him : the means connecting these is faifh only." — Stiei- — Words of Jems, Vol. 4, 465; So Bengel, Adam Clarke, Scott, Matt. Henry, Olsharisen, et al. 5. "Verily, "verily, I say unto you, he thatbeliev- eth hath etci nal life.""— John 6 :47. Whoever has eternal life has remission of sins — saved ; Whoever believes has eternal lif(>, ; Therefore whoever believes has remission of sins — saved. Whoever believes has eternal life, remission of sins — saved ; Whoever is a fit candidate for baptism believes; Therefore whoever is a lit candidate for baptism has remission of sins — saved — before being baptized. BAPTISMAL HKCtENERATIOX. 327 All who have remission of sins — saved — before being baptized — Are not baptized in order to remission of sins — to be saved : All Avho are to be baptized have remission of sins — saved — before being baptized ; Therefore all who are being baptized are not baptized in order to remission of sins — to be saved. The last syllogism is premised upon the two preced- ing ones. Adam Clarke : " 'Hath everlasting life.' He is enti- tled to this on his believing me to be the Messiah, and trusting ni me alone for salvation." — m I. Objectiox. Alexander Campbell says: "Some captious spirits need to be reminded, that as they sometimes find for- giveness, jiistitioation, sanctification, etc., — ascribed to grace, to the blood of Christ, to the name of the Lord, without allusion to faith ; so we sometimes find faith and grace, and the blood of Christ without an allusion to water. Now. if they have any reason and right to say that faith is understood in the one case, we have the same reason and right to say that water or immersion is understood in the other. For their argument is that in sundry places this matter is made plain. This is also our argument — in sundry places this matter is made plain enough. Tliis single remark cuts off all their objections drawn from the fact that immersion is not always found in every place where the name of the Lord, or faith, is found connected with forgiveness. Neither is grace, the blood of Christ, nor faith always mentioned Avith forgiveness. When the}' find a pas- >age where remission of sins is mentioned without im- 328 THE BIBLE AGAIXST raersion, it is weak or unfair, in the extreme, to argue from that that forgiveness can be enjoyed without im- mersion. If their logic be worth anything it will prove that a man may be forgiven without grace, the l)lood of Jesus, and without faith ; for we can find passages, many passages, where remission, justifica- tion, sanctification, or some similar term occurs, and no mention of either grace, faith or the blood of Jesus. As this is the pith, t!ie marrow, and fatness of all the logic of our most ingenious opponents on this subject, I wish I could make it more emphatic than by print- ing it in capitals. I know some editors, some doctors of divinity, some of our most learned declaimers,who make this argument, which we unhesitatingly call a genuine sophism, the alpha and omega of their speech- es against the meaning and indispensable impf)rtance of immersion or regeneration. '"-//i //a»(/'.s Text Book Exposed, p. 59. I h;ive copied this lengthy quotation because Mr. Campbell's followers parade it, all over the country, with as much trust in it as the Ilomani.sts trust the body of saints which they carry through cities of the old world, to bring rain. In answer to this, first, Mr. Campbell, herein, admits that there are several passages wherein salvation is ascribed to faith alone without mentioning baptism. Second: Inas- much as there is not a passage of Scripture — Camp- bellites themselves being witness — which ascribes sal- vation to baptism alone — without faith Mr. Campbell's sword thrusts through only its owner. Third : But the sophistry of this Campbcllite objection is evident when the cjuestion of debate is clearly stated. The question between B:iptists and Campbellites is: The blood, the grace, the name of Christ, repent- BAPTISMAL REGEXERATIOX. 329 AXCEt ALL THE THINGS -WHICH MAKE THE SIXXER READY TO TAKE THE LAST STEP TO BE SAVED, HAVIXG TAKEX PLACE, ~A\TIAT IS TllAT LAST STEP? Baptists af- firm that it is faith; Campbellites affirm that it is bap- tism . Baptists produce a vast array of Scriptures which presume the other steps to have been taken or that they are to be understood as necessary, and mention faith as the hist step. That it is the last step is clear, in that it sares the sinner. Nowhere in the Bible can Campbellites find baptism as the last, — or as any other step to salvation. But l)aptisni is presented, in the Scriptures, as coming after remission and as a profession of its having been received. With this demolition of the Campbellite fortress I proceed to my arguments. 6, "For this is the will of my Father, that every one that beholdeth the Son, and believeth on him, should have etei-nal life;'' — John (5 :40. Beholding the Son is equivalent to considering the evidences of His claims. All who full}' conform to God's will shall be saved ; It is His will that to be saved all believe on Him ; Therefore all who l)elieve on Him are saved. Nothing, necessary to salvation, is unexpressed in what Jesus says is, fully, the will of God, to be saved : Jesus does not express baptism as a part of the will of God , to be saved ; Therefore baptism is not necessary to salvation. Every one who believes on the Son has eternal life; + Of course, what the Campbellites call repentance ami these other preparatory steps are not what the Scri|iture< call repent- ance, etc. But this question remands the nature of rejientance, etc., as coucerus discussion, to the point in this book on repent- ance, etc. 330 THE BIBLE AGAINST Every fit candidate for baptism believes on the Son ; Tiierefore every fit candidate for baptism has eternal life. Stier: *'The will of the Father is conditioned by faith The believing makes the soul capable of and ready for eating." — Words of Jesus, Vol. 6, p. 171. Roos : "He Avho cometh to Him in faith will no more suffer hunger or thirst." — Idem; Ado.m Clarke, etc. 7. ""Whosoever liveth and believeth in me shall never die." — John 11:2(3. See Olshausen et al.,in I. Every fit candidate for baptism believes in Jesus; All who believe in Jesus shall never die ; Therefore, every fit candidate for baptism shall never die. All Avho shall never die are pardoned — saved ; Every fit candidate for baptism — because a believer in Jesus — shall never die; Therefore, every fit candidate for baptism is pardoned — saved . All who believe are iu a never-dying state — saved ; Every fit candidate believes ; Therefore, every fit candidate for baptism is in a never- dying state — saved. In the words of Jesus : "Believest thou this?" Tho- luck : "He is the vanquisher of death for the dead and for the living : faith is in both cases the condi- tion."— in I.; Adam Clarice; Matt. Henry; Stier; Etc. 8. Like the Campbellites, the Jews thought they must work to be saved, and asked Jesus: "What must we do, that we may work the works of God?" To this, Jesus answered: "This is the work of God, that ye believe on him whom he hath sent." Jno.6 :29. BAPTISMAL REGEXERATIOX. 331 The only "work" necessary to salvation is to believe on Jesus ; Every fit candidate for baptism believes on Jesus ; Therefore, every fit candidate for baptism has done the only "work" which is necessary to salvation. Nothing but belief in Jesus answers for the "work" of God ; Baptism is not belief in Jesus ; Therefore, baptism will not answer for the "work" of God. Every one who has done the only "work" which God requires, in order to salvation, is saved ; That only work is, "that ye believe on him whom he hath sent," — As every one that believes in Jesus has done that work, — Therefore, every one that believes in Jesus is saved. Stier : "Salvation is the rjift, but faith is the instru- ment of its reception on the part of man." — Words of Jesus, Vol. S,p. J 58; so Adam Clarke, Tholuclc, Malt. IItnry,-\ OlsJiaiisen , Bloomfield, et al. The passage says : As 3'ou can do nothing to save yourselves, I do all that is necessary to your salvation. V>y believing on me this work of mine becomes 3'ours : in the sight of the law and in its spirit it enters into you and becomes your life. t Beza and Scott : '-Should any one apply to a physician and ask bim for what sum of money he would undtM-take to cure him, and the physician should answer in these words : All the money which I require is, that you conlide in me ; who would, from such an answer, conclude that this covpdevc was in fact money. which the physician demanded of the sick man? 'I'hey are therefore evidently ridiculous, who from this passage, infer that faith is a work, aiid that we are justitied by our works." 332 THE BIBLE AGAINST "Nothing, either great or small, Remains for me to do; Jesus (lied and paid it all, Yes, all the debt I owe. Weary, working, plodding one, Oh, wherefore toil j ou so? Cease your 'doing" — all was done. Yes, ages long ago.'' 9. "These are written that ye might believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God ; and that believing ye may have life in his name." — John 20 :31. Whatever gives life gives salvation ; "Believing ye may have life" ; Therefore, by believing we have salvation. Whoever believes has "life in his name" : Every fit candidate for baptism believes ; 'J herefore, every fit candidate for baptism has "life in his name." Whoever has "life in his name" is not baptized in order to receive that life ; Every fit candidate for baptism has "life in his name" ; Therefore, every fit candidate for baptism is not bap- tized in order to receive that life. "Believing we rejoice To see the curse removed." 10. "He that believefh on me as the Scripture hath said, out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water." —John 7:38. "Rivers of living water" flow only from the saved; They flow from all who believe ; Tlierefoi^e, all who believe are saved. Stier: "He only who has come to the fountain with full trust and confidence can and will drink thereof." — Words of Jcsns, VoJ. 5, p. 290. Matt. Henry: "To come (o Christ is to believe on Him as BAPTIS3IAL REGENERATION. 333 the Scripture hath said." — in I.; so Adam Clarke, Ohhausen, et al. 11. "Whosoever beUeveth that Jesus is the Christ is begotten of God." — 1 John 5:1. All who believe are begotten of God; All who are tit for baptism believe ; Therefore, all who are fit for baptism have been be- gotten of God. If we are begotten of God before baptism, we are not baptized in order to be begotten of God ; We are begotten of God before baptism ; for we then "believe" — Therefore, we are not baptized in order to be begotten of God. The context shows that John speaks to persons who had been some time in the new life ; that he, therefore, makes faith the evidence of the new life. This faith is known by the love spoken of in the chapter. The love is known — Christian tested — by obedience. Campbell- ites reverse this and make the obedience the means in- stead of the evidence of salvation. Adam Clarke : "He that believeth that Jesus is the Messiah, and con- fides in Him for the remission of sins, is begotten of God; and they who are pardoned and begotten of God love him." — iii I. When ye say that those who be- lieve are not begotten and born of God until they are baptized "ye do err not knowing the Scriptures." 12. "Be it known unto you .... that through this man is proclaimed unto you remission of sins : and by him every one that believeth is justified from all things, from which ve could not be justified by the law of Moses."— Acts'^lS :38, 39. "Every one that believeth is justified from all things" ; 334 THE BIBLE AGAINST Every one who is fit for b:iptism "believeth" ; Therefore, every one who is fit for baptism "zs justi- fied from all things." All who :ire "justified from all things" have remis- sion of sins ; All who are fit for baptism are justified from all things ; Therefore, all who are fit for baptism have remission of sins. If we have remission of sins before baptism, we are not baptized in order to remission of sins; We have remission of sins before baptism ; Therefore, we are not baptized in order to remission of sins. Baumgarten : "On the side of the uni ighteous, noth- ing can be required for this transformation, but that mental state which willingly allows such operations of the righteousness of Chri^ft upon its own unrighteous condition to [)roceed. But now this frame of man's mind, which allows the Divine operation to go on, and receives it, is called, even from Abraham's time, faitli.'" — Apostolic Hist. Vol. l,p.417] Neander : "By yrtzV/iin Him they could obtain forgiveness of sins and justification." — Planting and Training of the Christian Chxircli, i). 114; so Adam Clarke, Matt Henri/, Harless, Bengel, Meijer, Barnes, Doddridge. 13. For I am not ashamed of the Gospel ; for it is the }>o\ver of God unto salvation to every one that be- lieveth ; io Jew first and also to the Greek,"— Rom. 1 ;1G. All, to whom the gospel is the power of God unto sal- vation, are saved; tAll the authors cited, or referred to, are upon the passages in connection with which I have quoted from or referred to. BAPTISMAL EEGE>ERATIOX. 335 The gospel is the power of God unto salvation to every one that helieveth ; Therefore, every one that bclieveth is saved. Only those who are saved l)y the gospel l)elieve; All who are fit for baptism believe; Therefore, all who are fit for baptism are saved by the gospel, t Tholuck: "The condition of this divine efficacy on the p:irt of man is -/crrrc" — pisiis, faith — in I. Theodo- ret: "sx twjtt^z T"-P Tuaxk'jnav xzc, r/^v acoTr^niav zfiuyco- "for out of this faith those who believe get the sal- vation. So Adam Clarke, Malt. Henry, the Bible Commentary, Godet, Ohhausen, Chalmers, et. al. 14. "lie that heUeveth on hiiu shall not be put to shame. — For you therefore who believe is the precious- ness."— 1 Pet. 2:6,7. Only those who will not be put to shame are Chris- tians ; All Avho believe will not be put to shame ; Therefore, all who believe are Christians. Only Christians believe ; All who are to be baptized Iielieve ; Therefore, all wiio are to be baptized are Christians. The "prec'iousness" is to all who believe; All wlio are to be baptized believe ; Therefore, the preciousness is to all who are fit for baptism. Here are peace and joy to the believer before he is baptized. The "preciousness" is possessed by only the children of God ; It is possessed by all who are fit for baptism ; t T.et the reader substitute baptism for faith, in any of the passages I quote, and see how absurd and ridiculous is Campbell- ism. 336 Therefore, all who are fit for baptism are the children of God. Bengel: "He shall experience that the preciousness of Christ abounds towards him (whilst) believing." — in I . So Matt. Henry, so Doddridge. 15. "They rehearsed all things that God had done with them and how that he had opened a door of faith unto the Gentiles." — Acts 14 :27. Whatever door was opened to the Gentiles was the way of salvation ; The door opened was the "door of faith;" Therefore, the "door of faith" is the way of salva- tion. The way of salvation is the only way by which the penitent is saved ; That way is the door of faith : Therefore, the penitent enters salvation by only the door of faith. The door of faith is "faith only" — for the penitent; The Gentik\s entered Christ by the door of faith ;t Therefore, the Cientilcs entered Christ by faith . 1"o enter into s;ilvation is to be saved; The penitent Gentiles entered into salvation by faith only % Therefore, the penitent Gentiles were saved by faith only. Penitents of all ages are saved in the same way by which these penitent Gentiles were saved : These penitent Gentiles were saved by faith only ; t By reference to the following passages the reader will see thatr }j]j(,a\thura, rendered door, — takes into the inside : Matt. 6 :G; 25:10; 27:(!0; 28:2: Markll:4; Luke 11:7; John 10:1,2.7,8; IS 0; 20:10; ICor. 1G:0: 2 Cor. 2:12: Col. 4:3; James 5:9; Eev.3:8,20; BAPTISMAL REGENERATION. 337 Therefore, penitents of all ages are saved by faith only. Adam Clarke: "How the heathen had received the gospel which, through faith in Christ Jesus, was able to save their souls." — in I. Bengel: "Paul calls it entering in." — in I. So Meyer, et. al. "The righteousness of God through faith in Christ Jesus unto all them that believe." Koni. S: 22. God's righteousness upon and unto the penitent is salvation ; His righteousness comes upon and unto the penitent through faith. Therefore, salvation is through faith ; All who have faith have God's righteousness ; Every tit candidate for l)aptism has faith ; Therefore, ever}' tit candid;ito for l);ii)tism has God's righteousness — salvation. So ]Me3'er says, on Acts 1(3 : 30 : " The Apostle lays down faith as the condition of salvation, and nothing else." Tholuck: "It — salvation — is the effect of a believing, inward acceptance of Clirist in all that he was for mankind." — in I. Bengel : "By faith in Jesus . . . Jews and Gentiles are both accused and justified in the same way." — in I. Adam Clarke: "That method of saving sinners which is not of worlcs, but by faith in Christ Jesus." — in I. So Scott, Bloomfield, Clialmers, Van HengeJ, Tlie Bible Commentary, Barnes, Olshausen, Godet, eta. 17. "The righteousness which is of God hy faith.'" — Phil. 3:9. All who have that which jirocures righteousness are saved ; Faith procures righteousness ; 338 THE BIBLE AGAINST Therefore all who have faith are saved. God's righteousness is "by faith ;" All who are fit for baptism have faith ; Therefore, all who are fit for baptism have God's right- eousness. All who have God's righteousness have remission of sins ; All who believe have God's righteousness; Therefore, all who believe have remission of sins. All fit candidates for baptism believe ; All who believe have remission of sins ; Therefore, all fit candidates for baptism have remis- sion of sins. Adam Clarke: "God's method of justifving sinners through faith in his Son. Th;it justification which is received by faith through the atonement. " — in I. Scott: "When the sinner bc^lieves in Christ he is im- mediately justified by faith, and has peace with God." — So Matt. Henry, 'Bloomfiehl, The Bible Commenta- ry, Barnes, Doddridge, Harless, Ohhausen, Meyer, etc. 18. "That upon the Gentiles might come the blessing of Abraham in Christ Jesus ; that we might receive tlie promise of the Spirit through /(72Y/«." — Gal. 3:14. The promise of the Spirit is solvation; The promise of the Spirit is — given to us — "through faith;"— Therefore, salvation — is given to us — "through faith." All who have faith have complied with the condition of salvation ; Every fit candidate for baptism has faith ; Therefore, every fit candidate has complied with the condition of salvation. BAPTISMAL REGEXERATION. 339 No one who has complied with the condition of sal- vation is in an unsaved state ; Every one tit for baptism has conii)lied with the condi- tion of salvation ; Therefore, no one who is fit for baptism is in an un- saved state. Bengel : "Not of works, for faith depends on the promise alone. " — /. Adam Clarke: "And all this was through faith. Hence from the beginning God had inirposcd that salvation sliould l)e tlivoiKjJi faith, and never expected that any man sliould lie justitied by the works of the law." — in I. So Matt. Ilenrtj, Scott, so Barnes, Doddridge, Bloomfitld, The Bible Commentary, 01- shausen, etc. The reader will not overlook the con- text, in which, as Adam Clarke intimates, the apostle illustrates salvation, throughout all ages, by Abraham's being justified by faith only. See my argument in the first part of this chapter on Abraham" s justification. 19. "The Scripture hath shut up all things under sin that the promise of faith in Christ Jesus might be given to them that believe.'' — Gal. 3:22. All who have faith have the ])r()mise : The promise is received by faith; Therefore, all who have faith receive the promise. The promise is salvation; All who have faith have the promise ; Therefore, all who have faith have salvation. All who have faith have salvation ; All who are fit for baptism have faith ; Therefore, all who are fit for baptism have salvation. Bengel: "So that there remains to lis no refuge but faith." — in 1. : so Adam Clarke, Mackniglit, Matt. Henry, Bloomfeld, Barnes, Doddridge, <&c. 20. "He made no distinction between us and them. 340 THE BIBLE AGAINST cleansing their hearts by faith.'" — Acts 15 : 9. All who possess that by which this cleansing comes are saved ; This cleansing comes by faith ; Therefore, all who have faith are saved. Hackett : "la that by faith lie purified their hearts, i. e., in connection with the reception of the gospel, had made them partakers of the holiness which ren- ders those who possess it acceptable in His sight." — in I. Bcngel : "He who hath the Holy Spirit and faith, (a thing which is apprehended by the spiritual sense itself), hath liberty, and purity, and is no longer sub- ject to the law." — in I.; so Whitbi/, /Scott, Matt. Hen- ry, Neander, Meyi-r, Barnes, OJshausen, etc. 21. For Christ is the end of the law unto right- eousness to every one that 6e/?VreA-, LiddcU and Scotts' : " Out of faith, from faith — of place, of origin, of occasion, in- ducement, means ; it maybe translated arising from, through. In prose it expresses any result, oa what ground, etc." Bagsters' : "Of, from, out, denoting source, origin, denoting cause, means or instrument, by, through, denoting the author or efficient cause." Greenfield's: "From, out of, denoting origin or source ; for, on account of, because of, denoting cause ; denoting means or instrument, by, through, denoting the author or efficient cause, etc." Robinsons': "Af- ter verbs implying motion of any kind, out of or from any place or object . . Of the origin, source, cause, that from which anything i^roceeds or is de- rived. Here ek marks the neaier, inmiediate direct source or cause. . . This is strictlv the primary sense of the genitive case itself. ... Of the efficient cause or agent, that from which any action or thing directly proceeds, is produced, effected, from, b}-. , . Of the motive or inciting cause, e-*pecially an emotion of the mind ; . . . of the instrument or means, from, by wdiich or with which." I have quoted the definitions these Lexicons give, which relate to the subject before us. That ek denotes the source, cause, and instrument of anything, they agree. AViner :"jE'7i; denotes zss?ra\ er or exercise of faith lor salvation is not working for salva- tion. See foot note to argument "S" under this Section. 358 THE BIBLE AGAINST vice, work, labor, business , . . work as wrought, thing done or made." — Ges.' Lex. Heh. (b) nc*yn maaseh means: "Work, labor, business, the labour of temple service, mode of acting, conduct, a work a deed, something done," etc., — Ges. Lex. Heh. (c) h])ts—poal — work, labour, business, . . .a work, a deed, act." — Ges. Lex. lleh.. These three are the words generally used, in the Old Testament, for works. There are three or four others; but they are used but few times. They do not differ, materially, from these three. Maasseh is rendered work, in the following quotations : "I have seen all the works that are done;" a "time . . . for every work ;" "in his own works ;" who hath not seen the evil work ;" "sentence against an evil work ;" "God shall bringevery work into judg- ment;" "the work of righteousness,-" "their works are vanity;" "I know their works." — Eccl. 3 : 17,22 ; 4:3; 8:11 ; 12:14; Isa. 37:19: 41:29: 66:18. Poal is rendered work, in the following quotations : "Accept the work of his hands;" "the Lord recom- pense tliy work;" "He showeth them their work;" "the wicked is snared in the work of his own hands ;" "whether his work l)e pure;" "recompense her ac- cording to her work."— Deut. 33: 11 ; Job 36: 9; Psa. 9 : 16 ; Jer. 50: 29, Melakah is almost exclusively used for material work. Thus we see that the Hebrew words, for work, include external anything which we do. Baptism is an act, a thing we do. In the New Testament we are concerned with but one word — e/^^-ov — ergon. It occurs 176 times in the New Testament. It is rendered "work," "works," "deed," "deeds." The following Lexicons thus define it: Liddell and Scott's: "A deed work, work of duty .... a deed, action," etc. Greenfield's: "Anything done or to be li APT I S M A L 1 ; E (.; E X ER ATIOX . 359 done .... deed, word, action .... duty enjoin- ed." Bagster's: "Anything done, or to be done; a deed, work, action .... duty enjoined." Robin- sou's: "A work, deed, action, sometliing done . . . . of the wor.ks of men in reference to right or wrong, as judged by the moral hiw, the precei)t of the gospel ... a good deed, good works .... of works of law, i, e., required by or conformible to the Mosaic law; so of a course required by this law." Thus, Hebrew, Greek and English lexicography and usage, leave no doubt that as baptism is an act, action, deed, duty, it is a work. By the grammatical construction of the passages which declare that works cannot save us, that baptism is one of the works, is, if possible, made more certain. "The article in Greek, as a weakened demonstrative, directs special attentiou to its substantive, making it either a, pardculav ohjecf, distinguished from others of its class, or, as a whole class distinguished from other classes." — Hadlei/s Greek Gram., p. 216. Winer: "The article was originally a demonstrative pronoun when employed as strictly an article l)efore a noun it marks tlie object as one definitely conceived, whetlier in consequence of its nature, or the context, or some circle of ideas assumed or known." Of course, the converse is true — i. e., its omission, except where the noun is clearly understood to be emphatic, implies that the noun is not definite. — Hadley's Greek Gram., p. 217; Wiper's iV. T. Gram., p. 119. Wi- ner's words are : "This omission, however,, only takes place when it produces no ambiguity, and leaves no doubt in the mind of the reader whether the object is to be understood as definite." Thus ipjtov u)uu'j — ex ergon nomou — does not read as translated, "the 360 THE BIBLE AGAINST works of the law," but it reads, works of law. That is, no works of any kind of law. The Revised Ver- sion, in its marginal rendering, of Rom. 2 : 20 ; Gal. 2: IG, rightly rcndei's the phrase, "works of law." So does the Bible Union Version render it — "works of law." Tholuck, on the phrase : "The whole amount of the duties obligatory upon the Jews, whether they relate to external rites or moral actions properly so called." — On Rom. 3: 20; so Bengel. That the Apostle had especial allusion to Old Testament laws and works is true enough. But that was because he was speaking to Jews. They would be the last ones to suppose that while a law and a work could not save, under the Old, another law and another work, on the same principle, from the same "flesh," could save un- der the Neio ! Too great was their confidence in the old laws, and their works, to drop them for refuge in another law and another work scheme. To lot go the Old was to cling to Christ only. But Paul by saying, "works of law," used a phrase, which by the meaning of "works" and "law" — "law of baptism" — cannot exclude baptism and the supper. Had the Apostle not meant to cut off baptism — and the supper, too — as saving, how naturally he would have said: "By the works of the Old Testament law shall no flesh be saved ; but by the works of the New Testament law is salvation." This Paul did not say ; this Campbellites do say. All law, being but a sinking ship for the sin- ner, the Campbellite calls him from the sinking ship of the Old, to be drowned in the sinking ship of the New. Bishop Middloton : "It is his purpose to show, that no man whatever can be justified by the works either of the Jewish law, or of any other; Traoa aap^ ,( all flesh), like 6 xo^r/ioc (the world), in the preceding BAPTISMAL REGENERATION. 361 verse, cannot but be understood universally." So Bloomjield, Stuart, The Bible Commentary/, Barnes, et. al. See Gal. 3: 21. "We have seen that baptism is a work. The matter stands thus : "Bv woi-ks of law shall no flesh be justified in His ' sight;" Baptism is — undeniably — a work of law ; Therefore, by baptism "shall no flesh be" — literally — "justified in His sight." (3.) An unconverted man can do nothing pleasing to God. The reader will please, as the basis of this argument, refer to Chapter 11, Chapter 17, Section 2 ; also. Chapter 19 of this book. Canipbellites, as we have seen, in the previous Chapter, baptize children of the devil to make of tlieni children of God ; in water is their pardon, regeneration, etc. But man being an enemy of God, not able to be "subject to the law of God,"— see Rom. 8: 5-8; 1 Cor. 2: 14— the things of the Spirit being "foolishness unto him," he cer- tainly can be saved no more by any work of the New Testanienf, than he could have been saved by anv work of the Old. An enemy to God can do no act acceptable to Him ; An unregenerate man is an enemy to God ; Therefore, an unregenerate man can do no act accepta- ble to God. By no work of his own doing can an enemy — an un- pardoned sinner — be acceptable to God ; Campbellite baptism is the baptism or work of an en- emy or unpardoned sinner ; Therefore, Campbellite baptism cannot be acceptable to God. No act which "is not subject to the law of God" can be acceptable to God; 362 THE BIBLE AGAINST No unregenerate man or sinner can be subject to the law of God ; Therefore, the baptism of an unregenerate man or sin- ner is not subject to the hiw of God. "For that which, in the domain of morals or in the testimony of the willing personality, is not from the ground of the heart and with the whole sold is not good." — Harless' Christian EUiics, j)- 81- (^1^7 italics. ) Any act, not done, in subjection to the law of God,is sin ; The baptism of an unregenerate man or sinner is not "subject to the law of God" ; Therefore, Campbellitc baptism — the baptism of an unregenerate man or sinner — is sin. Godet, on Kom. 3:20: "Works wrought in this state, notwithstanding their external conformity to the letter of the law, are not therefore its real fulfill- ment." If bajitism can save a child of Satan, it should save the father — Satan ; According to Canjpbellites baptism does save children of Satan ; [The reader will, here, ]ilease turn to the previous chapter of this book, especially to point "18," where he will see that Campbellitc faith is rightly represented here.] Therefore, baptism should save Satan himself ! Saved by "works" should, therefore, logically, save Satan ! ! ! Objection. "Baptism is an act of faith." {a.) I repl}' : If it is an act of faith, it is an act, not of a Campbellite subject, but of a "new creature." Says John : "Who- BAPTISMAL KEGEXEKATIOX. 363 soever believeth tliat Jesus is the Clirist ift" — not Avill be, as the result of behef, which Campbellites have it — "begotten of God." — 1 John 5:1. (b) Though an act of faith, it is nevei-theless a work. Every true Christian act is an act of faith; yet the Christian is not saved by works but by faith. "By faith into this o-race wherein we stand :" "the righteous shall live l)y faith."— Rom. 5:2; 1:17. As (c) argument against works saving I ask any Canipbellite to tell the world /low it is, (hat icorAs loill not save the C/iristian, and yet can save the lost sin- ner? Any one but a Canipbellite would think the Christian the less ditficult to save : that, therefore, "works," if saving either the Christian or the lost sinner, would save the Christian! Before leaving this place, to clear the subject still clearer: — A sinner is saved by grace only, by works only, or by a mixture of the two : if by grace onl}', not, in the least, by works ; if by works only, not, in the least, by grace ; if l)y grace antZ works, l)y neither grace alone nor works alone. But the Scriptures de- clare : "By grace have ye been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves : it is the gift of God : not of works, that no man should glory." — Eph. 2 :8. 32. That baptism does not save, is evident from the Scriptures requiring that the candidate shall be in the Si)irit, in Christ, begotten of God, before baptism. ( 1 . ) The candidate cannot confess Christ before he is in the Spirit, and begotten of God. Of the unro- generate man: "The natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him." — 1 Cor. 2:14. See Chapter XI, of this liook, 'on Depravity. Surcl}', no one, to whom Christ is foolishness, can, Scripturally, profess Him. Paul 364 THE BIBLE AGATNST is very clear on this : "No man can say that Jesus is Lord, but in the Holy Spirit." Ev nueofiuvc dyUo — en jmeumati hagio is here rightly rendered, in the Re- vised Version, "in the Holy Spirit." Campbellites, who believe so much in en, should accept this render- ing. 1 Cor. 12:3. But what does "in the Spirit" mean? A few quotations will answer: "My con- science bearing witness with me in the Holy Ghost ;" "peace and joy in the Holy Ghost." — Rom. 9:1; 14 : 17. Jesus said to Peter: "Blessed art thou, Simon Bar-Jonah : for flesh and blood hath not revealed it unto thee, but my Father who is in heaven." — Matt. 16 :17. Many others had the opportunities that Peter had; yet they knew not that He was "the Son of God." Stier : "Flesh and blood — this includes in Christ's thoughts the two things together, namely, the natural man Simon as the son of his father, and at the same time pointing 1)ack to v. 13, men." — Words of Jesus, Vol. 2, i^. 316. Bengel : "The Heavenly Father had revealed it to Peter .... and inscribed it on his heart." — in I. Adam Clarke : "The darkness must be removed from the heart by the Holy Spirit before a man can become wise unto salvation." — in I. Scott : "He was blessed l)ecause he was regenerate. "-- in I. Matt. Henry : "Saving faith is the gift of God, wrought by Him." — in I. 8ee Anderson on Regener- (ifi()ii,pp. 142-144. John is an infallible commen- tary on this, when he says : "Whosoever believeththat Jesus is the Christ is begotten of God." — 1 John 5 :1. In v. 4, John says : "Whatsoever is begotten of God overcometh the world." The latter part of v. 4 says, "Whatsoever" is our faith." Pan — -au — nomina- tive, accusative, neuter can refer to only faith. In verse 1, in which person is spoken of, we have na^ — BAPTISMAL REGENERATION. pas — masculine. Verse 4, uses pan to denote the quality of nature — faith — inherited from the Spirit, by AVhoni we are begotten. This reference of the neuter, to faith, corresponds with faith as proof of re- generation in V. 1. See C'hajjter XVII, Section 3, of this book, on the nature of faith. Thus "in the Spirit" means one who has been begotten of God, by which we believe in Christ, and can say, "Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God." To the carnal mind, "the natural man," this is "foolishness;" com- pare Rom. 8 :5-8; 1 Cor. 2 :14 — but he that "is in the Hoi}' Ghost" "is begotten of God," "l)elieveth that Jesus is the Christ" — compare 1 Cor. 12:3 and 1 John 5:1 — and can, therefore, confess him. Hence, Jesus says : "Every one therefore who shall confess iri me" — marginal rendering of the Kevised Version — "be- fore men in him will I also confes. 10:1) (4) Who will claim that the figures, in the Book of Revelation, are, in part, the things themselves? (5) Can the shadow of a great rock, a groat building, be any part of the rock, the building? (6) Can any symbol or figure be any part of the thing symbolized or re- quired? A symbol is, in the language of Webster, "the sign or representation of something." In Web- ster's language, a figure, "the representation of any form," etc. "Figurative, representing by a figure, or by resemblance; typical; representative." The very fact, then, that baptism is symbolical is conclusive that it cannot, literally, wash away, remit, pardon, regenerate , baptize into Christ — that it cannot, literally save. If it cannot literally save, it can only figuratively save. All symbols as figures but represent; Baptism is a symbol; Therefore, baptism only represents. The design of all figures is but to represent ; BAPTISMAL EEGEXERATIOX. 369 Baptism is a figure — even by Carap])ellite concession; Therefoi'o, the design of bai)tism is to only represent. 3. Ad lanyxiafje speaks of tJte figure as though it 2cere literal — real. Tiie seven kine of Gen. 41; the priests, the sacrifices of the Old Testament, are all spoken of as real. Ezekiel's valley of dry bones is spoken of as literal — real. — Ezek. 37. Daniel's and John's visions are all spoken of as though literal, real, beasts, candlesticks, etc. The parables all read as though they were to be understood as literal — real. The Lord's Supper, symbolizing the body and blood of Christ, is called "my body," "my blood." — Matt. 2(5:27, 28. The Gentiles are presented to Peter as literal — real "four-footed beasts and creeping things of the earth, and fowls of heaven." — Acts 10: 9-16. The ruan, cleansed fiom leprosy, was commanded : "Go thy way, show thyself to the priest, and offer for thy cleansing those things which Moses commanded, for a testimony unto them." — ^Mark 1: 44. See Lev. 14: 1-7, where the one, already clean, is represented as unclean, and as washing to be cleansed, etc. Prof. J. E. Farnam : "The idiom of the Hebraic-Greek, the language spoken by Christ and His Apostles, of which these passages (viz. Mark 1:4; Acts 2 : 38 ; Acts 22 : K)), are literal translations, consist in apply- ing to a declaratory rite, a term which properly des- ignates that of which the rite is merely declaratory or symbolical. — Design of Bajjtistn, hy Kirtly, p. 196. 4. Camphellism is the Romanism liferalizing, and making a sacrament of baptism. The Eoman Catholic shuts his eyes to the nature of symbolic language, to the symbolic nature of the Supper, to faith only as that through which the penitent feeds on Christ, and 370 THE BIBLE AGAINST declai'es that "this is my l)ody," "this is my hlood" "means what it says" — is to be taken literally — as real : that, therefore, we cannot partake of Christ except in the Supper! Ditto : The Campl)ellite seizes those symbolical i)asssages on baptism; shuts his eyes to the nature of symbohcal language and to faith only as partaking of Christ ; and declares that we arc, lit- erally, baptized into Christ, literally — really saved by baptism; that, before ba2)tism, no one can be saved. Both errors feed upon the blunder of confounding the symbolic ^vith the real. The Roman Catholic is trans- substantiation of Chi ist into the Supper and into bap- tism ; the Canipbellite is transubstaiitiation of Christ into the water. That is, the su))stance of Christ, — of the blessings of salvation, they both profess to find in the water — in the language of Alexauder Camjibell, "Christian immersion is the gospel in the water." — Christian Baptist ^ i> , 411 . Or, in the language of the Roman Catholics : "Not only remission of original sin in baptism, but also all which proi)erly has the nature of sin, is cut off." — Council of Trent, on]). 58, of '•'■The Mould of Doctrine,''' hij J. B. Tliomas, D. I). 5. The Roman Catholic the consistent party. The iloman Catholic shuts his eyes to common sense, to the evidence of the senses, to the nature of symbolic language, to the nature of grace and to the whole Bible and swallows down sj^nbolical language as lit- eral— real. In this he is consistent. For if the S} in- bolic is the real, as to the baptism, it is as to the Sup- per. With the Ronian Catholic, the Campbellite swallows the symbolic as the real until he gets out of the water, when he strangely drojjs his mother's teach- ing and consistency, and takes up the Baptist — that the BAPTISMAL EEGENERATION. 371 Supper is only figurative! " Zwingle, alone, of the three great leaders of the Reformation, consistently and at every jioint repudiated the saving efficacy of rites themselves. 'If the sacraments were the things signified,' he argued, 'then they could not be signs. For the sign and the thing signified c annot be the same.'" The Mould of JJoctriiic, p. Go. Hodges' System Tln ol. vol. 3, p. 498. This point of Cami)- bellism, having come through Calvin through the Pres- byterians, naturally, presents this ine(^u:^istency . 6. The i)o\vcr and the use of the symbols. The (niest, in the statonian of Plato, remarks: "It is difficult to fully exhibit greater things a\ ithout the use of patterns." Lord Bacon : "As hieroglyphics come before letters, so ])arable3 come before arguments. And, even now, if any one wishes to let in new light on any subject into nien's minds ... he uuist go the same way and call in the aid of similitudes." ''Men are guided by tvpe and not by argiuuent." — JSfevnian. "Every idea vividly before us soon appears to be true, unles:, we keep up our perceptions of the arguments which prove it untrue, and voluntarily coerce our minds to remember its falsehood." — Bagehot, in The Mould of Doctrine, ]). 30. Thus, says Milton: . . . "Tlie earth Is but the shadow of Heaven and thin.us therein Eacli to each other like, uun-e tlian on earth is thought." — Old TesCamenC Ethics, by the awhor of this hook, p. J 15 The muskets rattle, the cannons roar, the colors are cut down, the frieiuls of lil)erty begin to waver and break ranks — ^but — h)ok yonder! What docs it mean? They rally; the enemy are in retreat, — pell-mell ! You exclaim what made such a change? 1 i-epl^-, nothing but the colors restored, by a brave boy, to their place. Nothing but the colors! You exclaim, 372 THE BIBLE AGAINST why! those colors symbolize all that was dear and precious in the cause. They were the whole cause of liberty, restored, to the head of the army. 7. The power and the use of baptism. The room that I can give this is so limited that I can do httle more than indicate the points. (1) 1 begin with a scripture upon which Campbell- ites especially rely, viz. : Rom. (i :17. Taking the ren- dering, as in the Common Version, — "form of doc- trine"— the Campbellites argue that this mould was baptism and that baptism, therefore, saved. The Re- vised Version : "Ye became obedient from the heart to that form of teaching whereunto ye were delivered." Bishop Wordsworth renders it: "You readily obeyed the mould of Christian faith and practice into which at your bajJiism, you were cast, as it were, like soft, ductile, and fluent metal in order to be cast and take its form." — in I. He explains that "the metaphor nat- urally suggests itself to the Apostle, in Corinth, where he was Avriting — a city famous for its castings in bronze." Adam Clarke makes the same comment and translation — except he does not mention baptism — and adds: "They were melted down under the preaching of the word, and were then capable of receiving the stamp of its purity." — in I. Tholuck : "The Apostle declares that Christians have become so from the heart and accordingly have aciknowledged their sin from the heart, and from the heart sought forgiveness, and hence have decidedly surrendered themselves in some sort as servants to holiness . . . The passive form of the verb — delivered — would here evince that it is by the operation of the Spirit of God that a man is brought to surrender himself to the gospel." — inl. The word, rendered delivered, is na/jsoodr^rs. /So Chrys- BAPTISMAL REOKNEUATION, 373 ostoia, Theoy)hylact, Sluaii, Hi nt/rj. Muff. Henry, Mic- knujht, Beza, Bloovifulil , JJc ilV/A , Meyer, Winer, Jloffmoji, Godef, Doddridye , etc. 'riicsc Coiniiicnta- tors ai-e not w holly agreed upon this passage, as to ev- eiy particidar. But they are agreed that it is a pass- ive work — that the Romans, instead of the doctrine, were delivci'ed, and that the mould or ty[)G of doctrine or grace changed them into Christ's image. Cony- beare and Ilowson render it: "The mould of teach- ing into which ye were transmitted." These ren- derings sul)stantially agree. In a note, Conybeare and Howson remark : "St. Paul's view of the Christ- ian life, throughout the sixth, seventh, and eighth chapters is that it consists of a death and a res- urrection; the new made Christian dies to sin, to the world, to the tlcsh and to the law; this di'ath he under- goes at first entrance into communion with Christ, and it is both typi'liid (ind realized f ivlten lie is buried be- nentli the ba pfis/jud wcffers. Pnit no sooner is lie thus dead with CMirist than he rises with llini; h(; is nuide partaker of Christ's resurrection; he is united to Christ's body; he lives in Christ and to Christ; he is no longer in the tlesh, but in the spirit." A mould sliapes or forms anything, (irace moulds all who are cast into it into the image or tV)rin of Christ's death, burial, resurrection and life. l>a])tism, bv burial and resurrection, is the tigure of the grace- mould. In Rom. ():1-17, the Apostle by baptism, as the symbolical moulding into the mould of Christ's death, burial, resurrection, exhorts to the new life. t Presume, that by "icali/tMl," tliey nic;m, brought anew to the soul. Tliis, every ordiiiaiice, scruioii, etc., does for tlie Christian. The jiassage of ,Scrii)tvu-e deulares that this is all figvraUcely done iu baptism — whatever these Commentators mean. 374 THE BIBLE AGAINST Using symbolical language, he speaks as though bap- tism had really wrought the great change — just as all symbolic language is the language of the literal — the real. A real mould is formative and historical. Form- ative, in that it moulds into its own shape that which is cast into it; historical, in that it preserves, hands down to the future, what was cast into it. Thus, a bronze statue is the form and the history of the form, the features, etc., of Napoleon. The Christian, having been moulded into Christ, is his image, statue — repre- senting and handing him down to men. A symbolic mould is formative, and historical. Like the statue of Napoleon it presents the features of Christ's work — His burial, resurrection. As the statue of Napoleon is the history of the ph^'sical features of Napoleon, baptism is the history of the features of Christ's work — burial — death — resurrection. Baptism is Christ's death and resurrection in symbol. Baptism, as the statue of Napoleon preaches Napoleon, preaches Christ. Christ's death and Ilis resurrection, — these are the Gospel. "For I delivered unto you how that Christ died for our sins .... and that he was buried ; and that he hath been raised on the third day." — iCor. 10:3, 4. Every baptism declares He died for our sins, was hiu icdand arose for our justifi- cation. Baptism is the standing monument of Chris- tianity. kStrauss says: "This is the centre of the centre — the real heart of Cliristianity :" "with it the truth of C'hristianity stands or falls." Spinoza: "If I could believe the resurrection I would become a Christian at once." Ewald : "It is the culmination of all the miraculous events which are conceivable from the beginning of its history to its close." Christlieb : "The resurrection is the proof of all other dogmas. BAPTISMAL REGEXEEATIOX. 375 the foundation of our Christian lifo and hope, the soul of the entire ApostoUc preaching, the corner-stone on which the Church is built." — Modern Doubt, p. 455. AVescott : ""We inu^-t place it in the very front of our confession, with all that it includes, or we must he pre- pared to lay aside the Christian name." — Gospel of the Resurrection, p. 7. "To preach the fact of the resurrection was the first function of the evangelists; is the great office of the Cliurch; to learn the meaning of the resurrection is the task, not of one age only, but of all." Fairbairn says this resurrection "created the Church." "It is the resiune of historical yet super- natural Christianity." — In The Mould of Doctrine, pp. 45,46. On Rom. 6:45, Dr. Schaff : "All commentators of note (except Stuart and Hodge) ex- pressly admit or take it for granted that in this verse the ancient prevailing mode of baptism by immersion, is implied, as giving force to the idea of going down of the old and rising up of the new." — Lunge's Com. on Eomans, JVote, p. 202. Conybeare and Howson : "This passage cannot be understood un- less it be borne in mind that the primitive mode was by immersion." As unmistakabl}- as the print of the the nails in His hands proclaims the resurrection ; as unmistakably as the Passover proclaimed the deliver- ance of Israel; as unmistakably as the Fourth of July proclaims the declaration of independence; as unmis- takably as the Supper proclaims our eating, repeatedly, of the body and the blood of Christ, so unmistakably does baptism proclaim tlie death and the resurrection of Christ. To silence the doul)ter in Corinth, on the resurrection, Paul exclaimed, in amazement: "Else what shall they do who are immersed because of the dead? If the dead are not raised at all why then are 376 THE BIBLE AGAINST they immersed because of them?" — [my rendering] — 1 Cor. 15:29. In the language of Adam Clarke: "The sum of the Apostle s meaning appears to be this : If there be no resurrection of the dead, those who, in becoming Christians, expose themselves to all manner of privations, crosses, severe sufferings, and a violent death can have no compensation, nor any mo- tive sufficient to induce them to exjDose themselves to such miseries. But as they receive baptism as an em- blem of tZefl^A, in voluntarily going ^ 5 — sliall these ai)pcar in baptism and our being "6orn from the dead" be eliminated from the sym- bol? Jesus Christ says no — "except a man be born of toa'cr." The interpretation which makes "water" allude to the natural birth is equivalent but to making the passage say: Except one have first an existence, then be regenerated f This is more absurd than Origen's wild ^isegesis. The interpretation which makes lhe"water'' mean "the water of salvation," ' the water of life," BAPTISMAL RKGENERATION. 387 into remission of sins ; — thus, being made members of the outward part of the Church and the kingdom, we are (5), .symlwlically, saved by baptism. The Revised Version : "Wherein few, that is, eight souls, were saved through water : which also after a true likeness doth now save you, even baptism, not the putting away of the filth of the flesh but the interrogation of a good conscience toward God, through the resurrection of Jesus Christ."—! Pet. 3 :20, 21. That this Scripture represents baptism as only figuratively saving is evi- dent from the facts that faith only saves the penitent and from baptism being only a symbolical oi-dinance. But, that it is a symbolical saving is further evident(rt) from its being declared a "figure"— dvr/r'j-ov, "anti- typical likeness that corresponds to a type or model." — Robinson s et al. Lexs. — or "likeness" or "anti- type." {b) From the fact that water saved Koah only in a declarative sense. See Section "2" argu- ment "2," of this chapter, in which it is shown that Koah was not only saved, but that he was a "preacher of righteousness" during 1 20 years before the flood. etc.— .ippcaling to such as E/ck. 3G:-2.); Isa. 44 :3 ; Rev. 22 :17— establishes the truth. But by misconstruing John 3:5. To es- tablish a teaching and then force it into some Scripture, which teaches something else, is dangerous. So of the interpretation ■which renders xaf TZi'i'Jiiazo^, evtn of the Spirit, instead of '"and of the Spirit."' Xo doubt that the Greek will admit of being so rendered. But this, being in fact, but one phase of the last in- terpretation, is subject to the same re]judiation. The interpreta- tion which renders the Greek '-born of water and Spirit," making Spirit mean the spirit of Christianity and the water its purifying influence, may be made include the tw o latter interpretations. As pneumalos is notpreceded by the article — being Spirit in lieu of the Spirit — this interpretation looks more plausible, at first sight. But in several other passages the Holy Spirit is so clearly meant thatthe article is omitted. ^\s examples, see Gal. 5:18, 25 compared with verse 22, iu which is mentioned the same Spirit with the article. 388 THE BIBLE AGAINST Compare Gen. 6:8,9; 2 Pet. 2:7; Heb. 11 : 7. To say that the water really saved Noah we know would be saying what is not true. Because he was saved 120 years before the flood; there was nothing in the flood to save him — he was saved yrom it instead of by it. Nor will it do to say that the flood saved him from the corrupting influence of the wicked, by their destruction ; for grace saved him from that during 120 years and would have continued to thus save him. A leading Campbellite preacher, named Robertson, in my hearing, in Weatherford, Tex., as I noted it, ver- batim, said : "Noah was saved from sins tohen he en- tered the ark." But by lifting Noah a])ove a lost, drowned world, the flood dcclaratively saved Noah — declared to men, to angels, to himself, and to the le- gions of hell, that he was saved. So baptism separates us, outwardly, into the outward part of the Church, declares us saved — declares thereby what is already done inwardly — declares what has been really done, (c) That baptism does not literally save us, the pass- age declares, in that it reads, "not the putting away the filth of thefleshr That "the filth of the flesh" is our sins is clear from the following Scriptures : "For when we were in the flesh the sinful passions . . . wrought in our members to bring forth fruit unto death." — Rom. 7: 5. "For the mind of the flesh is death . . . because the mind of the ^e.s7« is enmity against God . . . they that are in the flesli cannot please God. But ye arc not in Vac flesh, if so be that the S[)irit of God dwelleth in you . . . We are debt- ors not to iha flesh to live after the flesh ; for if ye live after the ^(Wi ye must die; but if by the Spirit ye inorlify the deeds of the hndi/ ye shall live." — Rom. 8:()-12. "Walk by the Spirit and ye shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh. For the fl'esh. lusteth BAPTIS3IAL REGENERATION. 389 against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the Jles?i . . . now the works of the Jlesh are manifest, wliich are these, fornication, uncleanness, hisciviousness, idola- tr}', sorcery, wraths, factions, divisions, heresies, cnvyiugs, drunkenness, and such like, of the which 1 forewarn you, even as I did forewai n you, that thej- which practice such things shall not inherit the king- dom of God. . . . And they that are Christ's have crucified the Jlesh with the passions and the lusts thereof." — Gal. 5 :19-25. "He that soweth unto the flesh shall by the ^e.s7^ reap corruption." — Gal. (5:8. "In whom ye were also circumcised with a circumcis- ion not made vnth hands''' — if baptism saves, it is a circumcision "which is made with hands" — "in the putting off the body of the flesh."— Col. 2: 11. "And some save .... hating even the gar- ment spotted by the Jlesh.'' — Jude 23. See that part of the Chapter on Total Depravity, which is on sarx. (d) That baptism is symbolical is evident from the "good conscience" which interro- gates. Upon this, first, it is not interrogating to get a good conscience but interrogation of a good con- science— a'Micdr^atw^ d.yady^^ — genitive. " The genitive is acknowledged to be tlie ichence — case — the case de- noting source, departure, or descent." — Winer sN. T. Gram., p. 184. Second, only the saved have a "good conscience," with which to seek the answer. "How much more shall the blood of Christ .... cleanse your conscience from dead works to serve the living God." — Heb. 9 :14. "Let us draw near with a true heart, in fulness of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience." — Hel). 10 : 22. See Tit. 1:15; 1 Tim. 4:2 ; 2Tim. 1 :3; Heb. 9 ; 10 :2 ; 1 Pet. 3:16. From these Scriptures, that only the 390 TITE BIBLE AGAINST regenerate have a "good conscience," is certain. Hence Paul said : "For we are persuaded that we have a good conscience." — Heb. 13:18. Third. Only the saved would do what this conscience does. " They that are after the tlesh — xa-za, according to — do mind the things of the flesh" — love and care for nothing else. "Because the mind of the flesh is enmity against God ; for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be"" — never did, does not, never "can" obey God. — Rom. 8 :5,7. But the conscience of which Peter here speaks, did what pleased God and was, thus, subject to the law of God. Hence, the man with this conscience is saved. Bengel : "Therefore it is the ask- ing of a good conscience which saves us ; that is, the asking in which we address God with a good con- science, our sins being forgiven, and laid aside." — in I. Adam Clarke, though, like the Campbellites, holding that water is "the means of salvation" is also forced to add: "the answer of a good conscience . , . — the internal evidence and external proof that the soul is purified in the laver of regeneration." — in I. Bloom- tield : The good cons(!ience "can be no other than the inward change and renovation wrought by the Spirit." — in I. 8o Barnes, Neander, et. al. But Campbell- ites make baptism a condition to receiving a good con- science. President Braden, a leading Campbellite: "Baptism is the condition on which we have a good conscience." — Braden-Hiighey Debate, p. 231 . See Chapter X of this book.f t Frof . J. R. Boise, D. D., of the Baptist Theol. Sem., of Mor- gan Park, Hi., says : ''Alfoid's rendering is as follows : 'Which (namely M-ater; water in general ; not the water of Noah's flood which the antitype of that, is now saving you also, even bap- tism; not putting away of the lilth of the flesh, but inquiry of a good conscience after God, by means of the resurrection of Je- sus Christ.' All the best modern critics agree with this render- B ArTIS:MAL K KG EN ER ATIOX . 391 The passage says that as the water, floating the ai k, drowning the wicked, dechired Noah saved — both spiritually and temporally saved — so baptism, which is the act of a l)lood washed-conscience. symbolically, declares that grace has brought us into repentance, into remission, into Christ, into the Trinity, — that grace has plunged us into the great "fountain" "opened" "for sin and for uncleanness." — Zech. 13:1. The foregoing points cover all those Scriptures rel- ative to baptism into Christ, into the Spirit, into the Father, into the Trinity, into repentance, into remis- ing, as tlie grammatical construction of the sentence. On the meaning of one word alone (ireowrjjwa) a word occurring only here in the Greek Testament, there is much diversity of opinion. The received version sa)-s 'answer;' the Bible Union, 'requirement;' Alford, 'enquiry;" Sophocles (Greek Lexicon) 'agreement;' DeAVette and mauj' others, 'solemn vow.' [Ange- lobung]. The verb izsocordco, corresponding to the noun, oc- curs often in the Xew Testament, over sixty times, and the sim- ple verb eotozdio, with scarcely an appreciable difference of meaning, equally often. A word occurring so frequently would be very familiar, and the substantive, almost identical in form with tiie verb, would naturally convey the same idea. Now the verb has the double meaning of the English word, to 'ask,' that is to inquire and to 'require,' to -demand.' "We may therefore with some confidence assign to the substantive the coi responding meaning, 'inquiry,' or 'requirement.' I think this last is prefer- able. The construction of the clause is also differently under- stood. Alford says inquiry . . . after God. This construc- tion I can by no means adopt. The simplest and must natural construction, with the mostobvious meaning, of s-S^owrijjUa.aud of £.'C Otoi/, would in my view, be this: baptism ... a thing demanded on the part of good conscience (looking) into the character and requirements of God. I endeavor thus to bring out the exact sense of et^ OboI' a construction unusuallj' frequent in this e])istle." — TJic iSCandard. While I understand the passage as does Prof. Boise, I do not regard i~so(OTif^iia — the pivotal point of the verse. Whether '"asking." "inquiry," ••requiring," '•agreement,'' "solemn vow," or even "seeking'' as the Campbellites render it, it is of the conscience of the saved. 392 THE BIBLE AGAIXST sion. They, also, cover all those Scriptures, relative to ''born of water," "wash away thy sins," "wash- ing of regeneration," etc.t Objectioxs. 1. Acts2:3'S, it is clainiod, proves baptismal re- generation. After what I have estal)lished, on salva- tion by faith, salvation not by baptism, and the sym- bolism of baptism, but little is necessary to yet be said on this passage. Campbellites insist that Peter said, be baptized in orde r to remission. 1. I have shown that i.'c — eis — here rendered "for" in the Com- mon Version, and "unto" in the Revised Version, has, as its well settled meaning, into ; that Campbellites held this when in debate with Rantists. 2. According to the Campbellite rendering of eis the following passages would read: "were come in order to the house;" "m order to their country;" " «?i order to Egypt;" in order to the land of Israel ;" ^^in order to parts of Galilee;" "dwelt in order to a city called Nazareth;" "hewn dow'n and cast in order to the fire;" "baptize you w^ith water in order to repentance;" "gather his wheat in order to his garner;" "was baptized in order ?o Jordan;" go in order to heaven;" "retui-ncd m on/e/* Jerusalem ;" "went up in order to an upper room ;" "go in order to his place;" "the sun shall be turned in order to darkness-/' "the moon in order to blood;" "thou wilt not leave my soul in order to ^Loutrou palingenesias — Xoorpou TraXcvj-svsma:; — is genitive — Tit. 3:5. It denotes the washing or bath of our souls in and in connection with regeneration — the act of onlj' the Sjnrit of God through the Word. This passage, probably, has no allusion to baptism. Yet baptism is a Xew Testament figure of the bath of regeneration. BAPTISMAL REGENERATION. 393 hades;" "his soul was not left en orcZer to hades;" "not ascended in order to the heavens;" "baptized in order to Jesus Christ, were baptized in order to his death ;" "hyl)aptism in order to de\x\.\\;''' "their sound iii or- der to all the earth;" "was cast in order to the lake of fire;" "death and hades were cast iii order to the lake;" was cast in order to the fire;" "glory and honor of the nations in order to it;" "in throu2:h the gates in order to the city ' — See Matt. 1:8 11,12,13,14; 2:20, 21, 23; 3:10, 11, 12; Acts 1:11, 12, 13, 25; 2:20,27, 31; Rom. 6:3,4;10: 18 ; Rev. 20 :14, 15 ; 21 :24, 2(5 ; 22 :14. I have itali- cised the W(n'dse?i order to as the translation of eis, so that the English reader may see the groundlessness of insisting tliat e/s must moan in order to. 3. Having seen that the general and well settled meaning of eis is into, we will render it "into the re- mission of sins." That is, as grtieehns realiy brought you into that state be now symbolically baptized into it — just as "this is my body," "this is my blood" S3'mb()lizes "my body" and "my blood." But it is objected, what of making it read, "repent and be baptized into remission of sins? If one is sym1)olical, so is the other." To this, I answer : Not necessarily so. (1) In John 3 :5, born of the Spirit is real, while born of the water is figurative. Yet, they are both in one sentence. So, here, repent is necessary, as one step, to bring us, literally, into re- mission, while baptism is necessary to express our having been brought into it — to symbolically bring us into remission. Thus both repentance and baptism are into remission. (2) But, I do not believe that the same persons who are commanded to repent are here commanded to be baptized. My reasons for this are, 394 THE BIBLE AGAINST first, the construction of the Greek, MtTavor^aazz — met- anoeesate — is second person, plural, first aorist, imper- ative, active voice. But BaxTcadrjio — haptistlieeto — is tfiird person, sauie tense and mode, and passive voice. We, therefore, have the command to repent in the second person and the command to be baptized in the third. Literally, repent je, and be every one of you immersed . Now, "in Greek, as in language .in general, the verb is ordinarily put in the same number and person as its subject, or nominative case. This is its agreement, or concord. There is, however, this special exception ; that where a word in the plural, expressive of its sub- ject, is also in the neuter gender, the verbis usually in the singular. — Bagster's Lex. Baptistheeto, being third person, cannot agree with the second persons, who are the sul)ject of metanoeesate. Thus there must be a different subject — different persons — for each verb, f If we take one class of the persons ad- t Lucas, in his debate with Raj-, pages 21.^, 430, claimed that 1 Cor 14:39, 40, 2 Cor. 10:13,14, are of like construction to this. ButT'i^£<^0e baptized, is that as repentance must tit the subjects to be baptized, Peter would not have commanded persons Avho had not repented to be baptized. The commission («) requires that baptism be presented only after repentance — after being dis- cipled. It reads: "make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them," etc. — Matt. 28: 19. But, no one who has not repented is in a fit state of mind to con- sider baptism — Kom.8: 5-9, — nor is he a disciple, ready for baptism. To have, in the same breath, com- manded the same persons to repent and be baptized, would have been a clear violation of the commission. The tirst preachers never, before any one had re- pented, commanded him to be baptized. "Repent 3'e for the kingdom of heaven is at hand;" "repent ye and believe ;" "and they went and preached that men should repent ;" "except ye repent ye shall all in like manner perish ;" "commandeth men that they should all everywhere repent;" "declared both to them of Damascus first, and at Jerusalem, and throughout all the country of Judea, and also to the Gentiles, that they should repent ;" "I come to call .... sinners to repentance ;" "to give repentance ;" "God granted 396 THE BIBLE AGAINST repentance ;" "testifying both to Jews and to Greeks repentance." — Malt. 3:2; 4: 17; Mark 1: 15; (>: 12; Luke 13: 3: Acts 3 : 19 ; 8 : 22 ; 17 : 30 ; 26 : 20 ; Matt. 9 : 13 ; Acts 5 : 31 ; 11 : 18 ; 20 : 21. Not only did they never command impenitent ones to be bap- tized, but they refused them ba})tism and commanded them to rejient. "But wlien he saw many of the Pharisees and the Sadducees coming to his baptism he said unto them Bring forth fruits worthy of repentance."— Matt. 3 : 3, 8 ; Acts 26 : 20. (c) A comparison of Acts 2 : 12, 37; 4 : 13-21, clearly .shows that two classes of persons were in Peter's presence when he said, "repent ye and be every one of you im- mersed." One class, at the very first — v. 12 — were perplexed or under conviction, while the "others mock- ing said. They are filled Avith new wine." Peter's sermon had led these "perplexed" ones out into the light, by the time he uttered verse 38. But the oth- ers continued, if silenced, yet, impenitent, as Acts 4: 14, etc., shows. Impiessed with their haidness and danger, after having for some time continued his dis- course, he cries to them, "repent ye ;" to the convert- ed ones, he turned and said, "be immersed each of you, in the name of Jesus Christ [symbolically] into remission of sins." That these different "commands, were given to different classes, is plain enough," when the New Testament is carefully studied. But with the living voice, gesture and manner before them, this Avas unmistakable by those who saw and heard Peter utter the commands, {d) The connection yet further con- firms this interpretation. Artoue^d/isvoc — apodexamenoi — of V. 41, means to receive gladly, to welcome, to receive, to approve. — Rohinsnii s and other Lexicons. It implies a heai t affectiouatch' inclined toward the BAPTISMAL REGENERATION. 397 thing or the person received. Thus, in Luke 8: 40, the multitude welcomed or gladly received Jesus. In Acts 15 : 4, the Church welcomed their brethren. In Acts 28 : 30, Paul welcomed those whose hearts led them to come to hear the gospel. Hackett, DeWette, Meyer, Bengel, et. al., refer us to v. 37, for explana- tion of those who gladly received this word. The per- sons who gladly received his words were the converted inquirers of v. 37, who said, "what shall we do?" — Campbellites add, "to be saved," to this, Peter, see- ing they were Christians, said to tlievi, "be immersed each of you in the name of Jesus Christ [symbolically] into remission of sins." This joy, as the sequel shows, was the Psalmist's joy, when "he sang: "He brought me up also out of an horrible pit, out of the miry clay : And he set my feet upon a rock, and es- tablished my goings," — Psa. 40 : 3, They were Bap- tist converts, in a Baptist meeting. Joyfully they en- tered the water, as children of God ; not as poor slaves and children of Satan, tremlilingly hoping to find — in the language of Alexander Campbell — "the gospel in the water." — Cliristian Baptist, p. 417. Joyfully they realized and entered the water: — "Complete in Thee, — no work of mine May take, dear Lord, the place of Thine; Thy blood has pardon bought for me, And I am now complete in ITiee." It is objected: "Why not let it read as in King James' version, or in the Revised?" Simply because, for the reasons given, these versions are not so clear as the Greek. But both of these versions condemn the "e'n order to''' notion, (a) Take the Bible Union and Revised Versions "unto" remission. Webster says "unto" means only "to," "To," he says "indicates 398 THE BIBLE AGAINST approach and arrival, motion in the direction of a place or thing and attaining it, access . . . effect, end, consequence, addition, union; accompaniment, and the like." Now, if "motion towards" it, is the meaning, it means tovvards, as figuring how grace brought us to remission. If " motion into, " as fig- uring how grace led us into remission. If ".attain- ing," "access," "effect," it figures how grace gave us access, attained for us remission. If "addition," "union," "accom]>animent," it figures how grace ad- ded to us, united to us, conferred upon us remission. (h) If we read it, as in King James' version, "for," we find Webster says "for' ' "in the place of ; instead of ; because of; by reason of; with respect to; concerning; in the direction of ; toward; the reason of anything; the antecedent cause, or occasion of an action ; the motive or inducement," etc. Thus, by bai)tism we are baptized (symbolically) instead of, because of, with respect to, on occasion of an inducement or motive of or to remission. Or, littM-ally, a receipt for money is an acknowledgment of its having been received; im- prisonment for crime is because crime /ms been com- mitted ; punishment for any act is because the act has been committed. Eating the body and the blood of Christ, in the Supper, for the blessings of Christ, is because they have been offered, and because, by faith, we have been made to spiritually eat Christ. Whether the preijositions be taken literally or figuratively, Campl)cllisin does not, necessarily, grow out of it. ((•) Or, take eis for in order to,\t, then, does not teach that Cam})l)ellism is true. In order to means as a conclilion or cause of receiving. But what does bap- tism in order to i-cmission — since we ol)tain remission by the blood and by faith into the blood, and since bap- BAPTISJIAL KEGENEKATION. 399 tism is a symbol — mean, but that grace has plunged us into remission or is necessary to remission? As the death, the resurrection of Christ and being brought into them Avere order to remission, so baptism, their expression is, beautifully in a figure, in order to re- mission. In truth, were in order to sanctioned by eis as the more likely rendering, it is very sure that Camp- bellism is too lieht-headed and light-hearted and too little "shod" "with the preparation of the gospel of peace" to stand upon ice — e{s;.and, I should, there- fore, in that case, have no olijection to render it in order to. Winer, on e?^; "Used tropically it denotes aim or end. " — N. T. Gram., p. 396. (My italics.) Therefore, Hackett comments, "in order to the forgive- ness of sins." But he says of Acts 2 :38; 22 :16: "In both passages baptism is represented as having this important efficacy, because it is the sign of repentance and faith which are the conditions of salvation." — On Acts, 22:1G. As illustrating this, Hackett refers to 1 Cor. 6: 11 where d-zAo-jaaade is rendered "but ye were washed'' — (middle voice — washed yourselves or suffered yourselves to be washed, showing that bap- tism is alluded to) as though baptism had, literally, washed from sin. Commenting on 1 Cor. 6 :11, Adam Clarke says : "The washing of your bodies is emblem- atical of tlie purification of your souls." Commenting, in the same way, but rendering eis into. Prof. J. K. Boise, D. D., says: "It is of the greatest doctrinal importance to obsei've that this clause (into remission of sins) and the following are connected grammati- cally and logically, not alone with the idea of bap- tism, but with the three ideas combined, repentance, faith, baptism.'' Again says Prof. Boise: "Thus the verse contains clearly the ideas, repentance and faith 400 THE BIBLE AGAINST the inward experience of which liaptism is the out- ward expression." In The Standard, in answer to an inquiry of mine, in 1882. While neither Hackett nor Boise ever thought of speaking of baptism as thus being connected with remission in other than the figu- rative sense, Campbelhtes, like they use the Scriptures and like Rome uses "this is my body," "this is my blood," are quoting these comments of theirs as sanctioning their Popish, baptismal regeneration no- tion. As I have no doctrinal objections to their words I shall not be surprised to hear that I am quoted on the Campbellite side! ! Such use of men's writings and of the Bible illustrate tlie principle of Christ's words: "A servant is not greater than his lord. If they persecuted me they will also persecute you; if they kept my woid they will keep yours also." — John 15:20. As most of these Campbellites, like their Romanist fathers, who do not know the dilference between "this is my body," "this is my blood," and between water cleansing literally and cleansing symbolically, — know no difference between a symbol and the thing symbolized, we ought to pray : "Father, foi'give them; for they know not what they do." It is objected : "But the gift of the Spirit, which means remission is promised upon baptism — 'and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost?' " But, "ye do err, not knowing the Scriptures." For forgiveness of sin is, in tlie Scriptures, never said to be the work of the Si)irit. God and Christ only for- give. See Matt. (5: 14,15; 9:6; Mark 2:7; 11:26; Luke 23: 34; IJohn 9 : 1; Eph. 4 : 32 ; Col. 2: 13; Acts 5:31. To the Spirit belongs the work of con- victing, regenerating, sealing, sanctifying, etc., and, in the Apostolic age, the work of conferring the miraculous BAPTISMAL REGENERATION. 401 endowments. See John 16 :7-ll ; 1 Thess. 4:5; Rom. 8:5, 11,1(5, 27; 1 Cor. 2:4; Gal. 4:29; 5: 16, 17 ; Eph. 2 : 18, 22 ; 3 : 16 ; 6:17; 1 Thess. 5:19; 2 Thess. 2:13; 1 Peter 1 : 2, 22 ; Acts 2:4; 10 : 1!) ; 8: 15, 17, 19; 10: 44. This gift of the Holy Ghost was the })ower to work miracles, etc. It was — save in Acts 10 : 44-47, — conferred not only after conversion, but after baptism. It was conferred by laying on of (miy Apostles' hands. See Acts 8 : 14-18; 19': 6. If this "gift" is remission of sins, Campbellites need to add another saving ordinance — that of laying on of hands to confer this "gift" — othorwi^^e all of their converts are lost, according to their own doctrines. On Acts 8: 15, Adam Clarke: "But for what pur- pose was the Holy Spirit thus given ? Certainly not for the saiiclitication of the souls of the people; for they had that on believing in Jesus ; and that the Apostles never dispensed. It was the miraculous gift of the Holy Spirit which was thus communicated; the speaking with different tongues ; and those extraordi- nary qualifications which were necessary for the preaching of the gospel." Ncander : "Peter called upon them to repent of their sins, to believe in Jesus as the Messiah, who could impart to them forgiveness of sins and freedom from sin, — in this faith to ])e bap- tized; then would the divine power of faith be mani- fested in them, as it had already been in the commu- nity of believers ; they would receive the same gift of the Holy Spirit." — Planting and Training of the Christian Church, p. 19; so Kuinoel, et. al. 4. That baptism only figuratively saves is certain, from the facts, that baptism baptizes into the Church and that those baptized into the Church, on the day of Pentecost, were saved before they were added to the 402 THE BIBLE AGAINST Church. In Acts 2 :47, we read : "The Lord added to them day by day the saved." Sozomenous — au)^- of/evoui; is accusative, preseut participle. Being pre- ceded by the article robe— tons it is here a substantive — a noun. Winer: "The present participle, with the ai'ticle, is often used substantively, and then, as a noun, excludes all time So when it is accom- jjanicd by the accusative of the object or other ad- juncts."— N'eio Testament Gram., j). 353. In ren- dering sozomenous "should be saved" the Common Version overlooked the article, and the rule, making it a noun. Besides, in tlie New Testament, the present participle is rarely used for the future. — Winer p. 340. In rendering .'«i::()}n( mnis a (historical) parti- ciple of time the Iu \ i^od ^\•^sion overlooked this rule. The American rcviscirf of the New Version say: "For those that 'wei-e being saved,' read 'those that were saved,' with the text in tlu; margin." The text does not contradict tliis, liut makt'S it say those who, at the time, "were Ix'ing sa\c(l," that is, those whom the Gospel had saved as it was doing its work. The only true rendering is "the saved.'' The Bible Union's rendering "are saved" is, in sense correct, thongh not verbally correct. Adam Clarke : "Those who were saved in ojjposition to those who were lost." — int. AVetstein, "the saved." Ilackett, "already secnrcd tlicir salvation." So Bloomtield : "If we kct'i) vh>^v io ihv j)roj)i-/c/i(s It iifjnae .... we cannot translate otlierwisc than 'the saved' 'those who were saved,' as the expi essiou is rendered by Doddridge and Mr. Wesley, which is also snpjiorted by the authority of the Pesch. Syr. Ver." — in I. Thus "the saved" and not the children of Satan, as Campbellites claim — see last chapter — were baptized. As no one who BAPTISMAL REGENERATIOX. 403 has not "remission" is saved, that only those who had remission Avere baptized, on Pentecost, is beyond a reasonable doubt. Thus, except when viewed throush Mr. Campbell's Popish glasses — which he received from Rome throuoli the Presbyterian Church, — from whatever standpoint we may view Act32 :38,etc., it is certain thatthe Jerusa- lem Church was a Baptist Church — baptizing oi\\y^'tIie saved," Acts 2:38, independently of the arguments on faith and the symbolism of baptism, proves that baptism is a sj'mbolical institution, for only the saved. II. Other Ob.jections. 1. It is claimed, by Cainpl)ellites, that as Corne- lius was baptized, ba))tism was telling him ''whereby thou shalt be saved and tli}' house." Acts 11 :14. But I reply, (a), the next two verses, compared with chai)ter 10:44-47, show that they were saved before baptism ; and chap. 10 :43, clearly says this salvation was by faith. ]\Ir. Hand, boldly, denies that they were saved before baptism. — '■'■Text Book Exposed,'' j). 240. But Peter mentions in Acts 11:17, IS, and 10:47, their having received the Holy (ihost as proof that they alreadv had "repentance unto life.'' — See Adam Clarke, ou Acfs 11:17, 18, Seott, Betujel, Matt. Henri/, De Wvtte, Meyer, Ilaekett, et al. — all of whom agree, in Matt. Henry's language, that this is "spirit- ual life .... a holy, heavenly and divine life." So Olshausen, Bloomficld, Doddridge, Meyer, Barnes. Their magnifying and praising God — in v. 4(> — was, in fact, proof of their salvation and was a "Cluistian experience." {h) Chapter 10:43, is the direction to Cornelius as to how to be saved. Thereupon, the}' beheve and are saved. The remainder of the chap- 404 THE iilBLB AGAINST ter is what next to do after being saved, (c) Inde- pendent of other plain proofs against baptism here saving, the whole Bible, on "faith only" and bap- tism only a figure, forbids inferring that Cornelius was directed to be baptized to be saved. Objection 2. "He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved" proves that baptism literally saves. — Mark 16:l(i.t But in reply to this inference, 1 ask, («), how dare you, in view of the other Scriptures to the contrary, from one Scripture, infer the Popish doctrine, "the Gospel in water," — Alexan- der Campbell's words — until you liave taken prayerful pains to see if that passage will not admit of a differ- ent sense? {h) The Campbellite forgets that it does not read, "he that disbelieveth" and is not baptized shall be damned ; but "he that disbelieveth shall be condemned." Now, Moses E. Lard represents Campbellism, when he says, of belief and baptism, these words "appoint them jointly and make them of equal value." — ^V^^at Baptism Is J^or, JVo.2,p. 6. (My italics.) Of repentance, faith and baptism he says, each is held to l>e equally necessary to salvation : "This, with us is an item of faith, held as we hold the resurrection of the dead." — Idem p. 1. If bap- tism is necessary, at all, to salvation, Avhy insert it in connection with ".sy/i)( ' and omit it in connection with "co?uZe;rtner/" ? This, at once, raises a doubt about baptism as essential to salvation ; for, if essen- t Of course, I know that the S. V. MSS.— the two best MSS.— omit the pass.age. "The passage is irji-ctiMl by the majority of modern critics on the testimony of thcsi' two MSS. and of old writers on internal evidence and divlMw." ^SmUh's Bib. Die. Vol 2, p 1790. So the Revised Version inserts it as doubtful. Whether or not genuine, it affords no support to Campbellism. BAPTISilAL REGENERATION. 405 tially related to salvation, its omission must, though every other condition were fulfilled, insure damnation. Thus, God plainly said that the sinner "shall be cut off." — Gen. 17:14. (c) Baptism is inserted in con- nection with being saved, because it sustains a very important connection to being saved. Asa spnbol of being saved — as we have seen — baptism sustains, if l)ossible, a closer and more important connection with being saved, than does the Supper. It is the symbol- ical expression and confession of salvation. Thus, it is very naturally connected with salvation. But it sustains and can sustain no relation, whatever, to damnation. Nowhere, in the Bible, is baptism hinted as having any connection, whether real or symbolic, with damnation. Stier, though believing in water sal- vation, sees this, and says, upon the passage : "It is not said he that is not baptized shall l)e condemned. Baptized or not, even if baptized the unl)elieviug shall be condemned. And this must lead us to decide that in the former clause the same hold good : the believer shall be saved, even though he be not baptized. All anxious misunderstanding of the inseparable conjunction of baptism, is removed by the plain sequel of the clause — but he that believeth not, and only he, shall be con- demned."— W(jnls of Jesus, Vol. 8, p. 364. 01- shausen, another believer in baptisnnd regeneration, concedes that the omission of baptism from the last half of the verse " serve to indicate that the internal {)rocess of regeneration as necessary to salvation, but that in certain cases the external ordinance of baptism can be dispensed with." — inl. (d) Baptism is in- serted in connection with being saved, because its rela- tion and importance to faith make it a test of whether we are saved. 406 THE BIBLE AGAINST (e) There are two senses in which we are literally "saved." The first is, we are saved when we be- lieve. See John 3 : 15, 16; 1 Cor. 1 : 18, 21 ; 2 Cor. 2:15; Ei)h. 2 : 5, 8. The first sense includes all that makes a Christian. We are then called saved because of Philip. 1 : 6. The second is, in our final deliv- erance.— Miirk 13: 13; 1 Cor. 3; 15. This sense of salvation is used in reference to works being the test of the true Christian — the gold — as only the gold endures the fire. — 1 Peter 1 : 7. In tliis sense obedience tests, but does not procure salvation. (See next point.) ( 1) In Luke 18 : 18-24, we read of a young man who thouglit himself saved. Jesus, not because "sell all thou hast"" aiul give to the i)oor, is a condition of re- mission and of sah ation, but because the spir'it of obedi- ence is a test of coincrsion, to test him, and that he might thereby test himself, commanded him to make that sacrifice. As well can a sect make the test, put to this young man, a literal condition of salvation, as to make ba|)tism its condition. Yea, more so; for he was commanded to do so that he might have treasure in heaven ; but nowhere are we commanded to be bap- tized that we may literally, therel)}^, possess heaven. (2) In the same Chapter we are told : "There is no man that hath left house or wife, or brethren, or par- ents, or children for the kingdom of God's sake, who shall not receive manifold in this time, and in the world to come eternal life," — v. 2i). This teaches we must leave all to be saved, as plainly as any passage teaches baptismal salvation — plainer, for this is literal. Why not, then, build another sect upon it ? Simply because we know that it is to be taken when circum- stances place the great sacrifice before us, as but a test of conversion. Just as Abraham's offering Isaac was BAPTISMAL REGENERATION. 407 not a means or condition of conversion, but its test. See Sections 2 and 3 of this Chapter on Abraham's justitication. Jesus does not say that doing His com- mandments makes us Christians. But he does say it proves us Christians: "If ye love me ye will keep my commandments." — ,John 14 : 15. "For this is the love of God, that Ave keep His commandments." — 1 John 5 : 3. But suppose a man has not been misled, but knows these commandments and will not obey ? Can he find salvation without keeping these command- ments ? The answer is, according to the Scriptures, instead of finding salvation by keeping His command- ments, they are kept because salvation has been found, as a proof of possessing salvation. On this, John is very plain: "And hereby we know Him, if we keep His commandments. He that saith I know Him" — i. e., i)rofesses that he is saved and will not obey — "and keepeth not His commandments, is a liar, and the tfiifh is not in him'''' — i. e., has never been con- verted.—1 John 2 : 3, 4. Barnes' comments on Mark 1(5 : 16 : "It is worthy of remark that Jesus has made baptism of so much im- portance. He did not say, indeed, that a man could not be saved without baptism, but He strongly im- plied that where this is neglected, l-non-ing it to he a command of the Savior, it end;nigers the salvation of the soul. Faith aud baptism are the conditions of a ('hristian life : the one the Ix'ginning of piety iii the wr/?, the other of its manifestation before men, as a profession of religion. And every man endangers his interests by being ashamed of Christ before men." — In G. W. Clarke's Commentary. Stier : "Indeed in respect to those who already believe, and who may re- ceive baptism, this obligation of obedience and con- 408 THE BIBLE AGAINST fession remains, and it is consequently a test of their faith."— Words of Jesus, Vol. 8, p. 364. Alford : "Belief and disbelief are in this verse the great lead- ing subjects, and pisteusas on this account must stand first." — in I. Bengel : "The want of baptism does not condemn unless it be through unbelief that baptism is refused." — in I. Bengel refers to Gen. 17 : 14, where it is said : "And the uncircumcised male who is not cir- cumcised in the flesh of his foreskin shall be cutoff" — as confirming the position that baptism is not, by this passage, made necessary to salvation ; for, while there cut off is expressly the penalty for not being circumcised, here there is no penalty, what- ever, for not being baptized. "The penalty of neg- lecting circumcision is more expressly indicated" there. This is just as Mr. Spurgeon says of con- tributing to Foreign missions. Replying to the question: "Will the heathen be saved without the gospel," he retorts: "Better ask, will we be saved if we do not send it to them." Meaning, not that con- tributions, etc., to Foreign missions, are conditions of pardon, salvation ; but that they are tests of pardon and salvation. Read, again, here, master the Sections 2 and "(3)" of this Chapter on Abraham's justifica- tion by faith, and his justification by works. Jesus connected baptism with the first clause of Mark IG : IG, because it is connected with salvation as its crys- talizing, expressive symbol, as its confession, at the very beginning of the outward Christian life, and as a test of its being possessed by him who professes to be saved; and He omitted it from the last clause because it has no relation, whatever, to damnation. Therefore, we must not only decide that Mark IG : 16, gives no- support to Campbellisu), but, that, by the positions BAPTISMAL REGENERATION. 409 it assigns to faith and ^to baptism, it, alone, proves that, in the Great Day, Carapbellism, — " Like the baseless fabric of a vision, . shall dissolve, And leave not a track behind." Objection 3. "John 3:5, says: 'Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit he cannot enter into the kingdom of God.' " In reply, (a), to make this teach Campbell- ism is to make it contradict the whole Bible. There- fore, we ought to prayerfully see whether it will not admit of the teaching of the other Scriptures, (b) If you say, "because water is placed first it teaches that baptism comes first," I ask you to reconcile this with your sincerity, in claiining to teach that men must repent, believe, etc., before baptism. Campl)ellism teaches just what your objection implies; but, as some Campbellites, when pressed, deny their teaching, I leave them to crack this nut. (c) On the symbolism of baptism we have seen what born of water means. See Section 4 and "(4)," of this chapter, where this passage is made plain. It symbolically represents our being born from the dead. (tZ) In answer to why water here appears before the birth of the Spirit, I reply : The Pharisees and the lawyers treated John's baptism with contempt. — Luke 7:30. Nicodemus, belonging to this class, had rejected John's teaching, was now ignoring John and his baptism, by coming to Jesus, directly. To rebuke this insult to the Sender of John, Jesus, to emphasize John's baptism, — "born of water" — mentions it first. Nicodemus, knowing of John's baptism, doubtless, saw the point. Nicodemus, knowing the rule, that, except for emphasis and im- portance of ideas, the words of a sentence ai'e arranged 410 THE BIBLE AGAINST according to their relation to each other. — See Wi- ner's Gram., N. T.,p. 546, — and knowing, from Ihe Old Testament, that ceremonies are but symbols, un- derstood that Jesus reversed the order of the words to teach him that the proud, contemptuous spirit, to- wards John and his baptism, was against God, and indicated such wickedness of heart, th:\t, while he en- tertained it, there was no hope for him. Stier and Bengel, though believing in baptismal regeneration, acknowledge this, as the reason for water appearing out of its regular position. — Words of Jesus, Vol.4, }). 394 ; Bengel in. I . Tholuck, Lucke and Neander : "The water ni.iy have already been known to Nieode- mus, from the bai)tism of John, as a symbol of the purification of the inner man." — Tlioluch inl.; Bengel et al. Bloomtield : "Figuratively, a complete altera- tion and reformation. Baptism as the symbol and pledge of it." — in l. "The entire change of heart and purification of mind ti/pijicd by the ceremony of baptism." — Idan, in. I. Contirniine: this is the fact that dviodev rentlered again means only above. It never means n<>:iin. Its meaning is "to})," "first," "above." In V. 31, in chiipter lihll; James 1:17; 3:15,17, it is rendered "above." Besides nahv is the w^ord for ngain. As baptism is not "from above" the real birth is not ba])tism. The Spirit — Grace only — is from "above." Hence, baptism can be onlj^ symbolical of the change from "above." (e) The kingdom signifies the Church, which begins on earth and extends into the eternity of eternities — s^V rove aiMvaz rCov aUovcov. See first of Chapter IX for what the kingdom is. (f) In the fact that water is not mentioned or im- plied in verses 5 and (>, is very strong evidence that baptism is only thrown in here as symbolical, (g) BAPTISMAL KEOENERATION. 411 John, having demanded proof of regeneration and new life before baptism, settles the question, that, by alluding to his baptism, Jesus meant for us to under- stand it as a symbolical birth. On John's demand, see Section 4 and II, of Chapter X, of this book. I conclude this chapter by reminding the reader that I have, now, noticed all the points on which Campbellites place much reliance, to establish — in the language of Alexander Campbell — "Christian immersion is the Gospel in water." — Christian Baptist, p. 417. 412 BAPTISMAL REGENERATION CHAPTER XIV. SELF-CONDEMNING INCONSISTENCIES AND ABSURDITIES OF THE CAMPBELLITE — BAPTISMAL REGENER- ATION PLAN OF SALVATION. According to the Common Version, Solomon said : "The legs of the lame are not equal." — Prov. 2G :7. 1. Campbellism is hime, in tryino^ to hold to a plan of salvation by grace only, "apart from works," and at the same time, reh'ing on works — on baptism to save. 2. Campbellism is lame, in that it presents God as whimsical, changeable, having one plan of salvation for him who will conform to it and another for him who will not. Thus, to the man who believes baptism will save him, with Campbellite<, it ishisonly hope. To him who does not submit to baptism, there is a hope Only some of the Canipbellites are subject to this charge; as many of tliein believe there is no hope for any one who dies without baptism. Those who be- lieve there is no hope for the unimmersed are consist- ent. 3. But nearly all Canipbellites are subject to the charge, that they hold God as having one plan of sal- vation for one class and another for another, in that they concede that Baptist baptism is valid. Thus, Alexander Campbell says : "Knowing that the eflScacy of this blood is to be communicated to our consciences in the way which God has pleased to appoint, we 'stag- ger not at the promise of God' but flee to the sacred I^'co^■sISTE^XIES axd absurdities. 413 ordinance whicli brings (lie blood of Jesus in contact icith our consciences. Without knoicing and believing this, immersion is as empty as a blasted nut. The shell is there but the kernel is icanting.'" — Christian Baptist, jj. 521. As Baptist ;> heartily repudiate bap- tismal regeneration, their baptisms are never adminis- tered to regenerate, cleanse the conscience. Hence, though immersed. Baptists, iiuismuch as they do not baptize to save, are destined to hell, unless converted to Campbellisni. Yet, as a rule, Canipbellites receive, without re-baptism, every one they can seduce from the Baptists I AfewCampbellites see this fatal inconsistency. Thus the ''Christian ' Jlessengert^ays : "Baptism with its Scriptural connection is for remission of past sins. Have the Baptists all its Scriptural connections? To believe on Je^us Christ is to believe on his teachings. Dc Baptists believe on his teachings? Do they believe baptism is for the remission of sins? Do they believe the Gospel? If so, they are Christians, and there is not much difference, between us. . . . Ee- ceiving them without re-baptism is admitting that they are Christians — that their sins are all remitted, or that baptism is not essential to salvation. If they are right, we are wrong. If we are right, they are wrong. If they are right, we ought not to contend that they are wrong — 'consistency is a jewel.' Some of our leading brethren will not brother them any way. Now for the test. The Baptists' sins are remitted, or they are no> remitted. If their sins are remitted then they are right. If their sins have never been remitted then they should submit to re-baptism. They are either out of Christ or in Christ. If they are in Christ let us bid them God-speed ; they are right. If they are out of Christ then they should be baptized into Christ. 414 BAPTISMAL RKGENERATION But says one, when his faith gets right that makes his baptism right; hut that is putting the cart before the horse, . . . , , Then when his faith gets right he should be baptized, or re-baptized, if you please." — Quoted in Western Recorde7\ The Old Path Guide, of Sept, 19, 1.S84, (Louisville), says: "Now if the immersed did not become the children of God whenim- vierscd, their immersion is worthless." — Iji Am. Bap- tist Flag. These Campbellites reason too well for their own cause, as so many of their brethren will not swallow the logical consequences of tlieir own doctrine. Thus, in one breath, Campbellites declare heaven's law is to be baptized that you may be regenerated, i)ardoned, etc. ; in the next, they declare Baptists, who were baptized on a wholly different lav; — l)ecause they are regenerated, pardoned, etc. — saved. If the design of baptism is not essential to its validity, to be baptized to please the devil would be valid baptism. If Camp- bellism is true, why recognize the Baptist position true, b}^ receiving Baptist baptism? 4. If Campbellism is true, all Baptists will be lost eternally. Why? Simply because Baptists have not been bai)tized to be saved, but because they are saved. Yet, Campbellites, as a rule, will not dare swallow this conclusion of their own doctrine. 5. If Campbellism is true, the father and founder of the Cami)hellitc Church and many of the leading Cauipbcliito preachers are in perdition. Why? Be- cause they had been baptized with Baptist baptism anaptist baptism — in the sense that the}' -were bap- tized on a profession that they were already saved. IIow can a man baptize, who himself, has never been»Script- urally l)aptized? 7. Campbellites teach that it is right to commnne with children of Satan. Aeeordiiin; to their position, on the action of baptism, Pedo-l)a[)tists are yet ont of the kingdom, unregeneratc and unpardoned, and are ehildicn of Satan. So of r)a[)tists, according to the Cainpbellitc position on the design of bai)tism. Yet, Campbellites teach that they should commune with both Baptists and Pedo-baptists ! 8. When pressed, many Cani})bellites dare not affirm the consequences of their t)\vn position. A\ hile some of them arc sufficiently candid to avow the consequen- ces of their doctrine, that only Campbellites will be saved — that the unbaptized will be lost —most Camp- bellites are like the Jews, when Jesus asked them : "The baptism of John, whence was it? from heaven or from men?" — ( Matt. 21-25 ) — they say "we know not." Some time ago, some one asked the Old Path Griide: "If baptism is for the remi-^sion of sins, what will you do with tlie man who is a ixMiitent be- liever, intends to be ba{)tized, is on the road to the water when a limb falls on him and kills him. Will he be lost?" To this the paper, like the Jews, as re- gards eJohn's baptism, and with the same munl)ei- of reasons, answered : "A\ c refuse to give our opinion, for two reasons: 1. It cannot do the dead [)eiiitent believer any good. 2. It nniy do the living harm . . , . . We refuse to give an opinicni where no good, but possible evil can result." Now, if the question were put to a Baptist, 416 BAPTISMAL REGENERATION what has become of a man who intended to be- lieve, and was killed before believing, the Bap- tist would, unhesitatingly say: He is lost, as is ev- ery sane person, old enough to believe who dies without believing. The Baptist would sustain his answer by our Savior's words, " he that disbelieveth shall be condemned." — Mark 16: 16. But, where, OH ! WHERE ! ! would the Campbell ite find, he that is not baptized shall be condemned ? To the answer of the Old Path Guide, the Baptist Glean- er well replies: "The Old Path 6r««"(Ze further states that when such a case occurs, there will be time enough to consider it. But a like case has occurred. Some two years ago, a lady joined at a monthly meet- ing, made 'the good confession,' and was ready to be baptized. But the preacher being unwell, and the weather being inclement, the baptism was postponed on account of the preacher. Before his return the lady died, and the 0. P. Gtu'de had the case up. Was baptism for the remission of her- sins? If we mistake not, 'can't tell was the answer. Sha'nt tell, is the answer now. Tt was thus with the opposers of the gospel in (he beginning. 'The baptism of John was it from heaven or of uien?' Can't tell was the answer. Thus error when coiuiered, bites and devours itself. Let it be cornered." The very reason that she was lost — according to Campbellisin, without baptism — was the reason why the living should be warned and ben- efited liy a lesson from her — to never put off for a moment, on any account, baptism — "seek first the kingdom," etc. 9. Campbellism teaches that God has diffei*ent plans of salvation. Plan first, — for those Avho lived before John's time. Plan second. — for those who INCONSISTENCIES AND ABSURDITIES. 417 lived between John's preaching and Pentecost. Plan third, — for those who since Pentecost believe baptism literally saves — that it is so designed. Plan fourth, — for those who believe it is a profession of having been saved. Plan fifth, — for the Eantist who rejects bap- tism for rantism. Of course, plans "fourth" and "fifth" are chargeable to only the Campbellites who believe that Baptists and Eantists will be saved. The editor of the '■'■Christian'''' Standard, in replying to the Journal and Messenger's faithfully stating the Scriptural position, — "he that disbelie\eth shall be condemned" — promulgates, impliedly, a sixth plan of salvation, which may save all. He says : "The editor of the Journal and Messenger has committed himself to the doctrine of the eternal damnation of all who do not believe in the Lord Jcsus Christ. He does not say simply that they may not be saved, or that he does not know what Avill become of those who in every nation fear Crod and work righteousness." The case alluded to, by Mr. Errett, has no such meaning as he puts into it. One would tliink the Cami)bellite ways of salvation are as accommodating as Pedo-rantist notions with regard to baptism. The man who can find no place in one of six plans of salvation, certainly nuist be a hopeless case, indeed. But these plans of salvation represent God as the dog's master. He boasted of his dog's obe- dience. To show his friend the dog's obedience, he commanded him to "go out," at which the dog arose, went under the l)ed. Seeing him going under the bed, the master saved the dog's reputation for obedience by adding — "or under the bed." So Campbellites get the people into salvation in one way — or in one of the six ! ! That plan of salvation which is so 418 BAPTISMAL KEGENERATION fickle and changeable must impress every reasoning person as a fatal delusion. 10. Campbellism has one plan of pardon for the Christian; another for the non-Christian. The Christ- ian is saved without baptism; the sinner by baptism. Now, sin is sin. Its pardon must be based on the eternal, unchangeable principles of the divine g(wern- ment. Under no dispensation has God had one plan to pardon the sins of His people, and another to par- don others. But one law of pardon to the penitent, whether professor or non-professor — by faith, {a) David's pardon, after being a professor, is presented by the Apostle as the plan of pardon for those who never were pardoned. See Eom. 4 : 12, especially vs. 5. G, 7. (h) The Ephesian Christians were exhorted to "Remember whence thou art fallen and repent, and do the first works." — Rev. 2 : 5. This means repent, and implies faith. First works imply the works to be done after having been saved — warmth, zeal of newly saved persons, Avhich they were to do when they had repented. — Matt. Henry, et. al. Everywhere, in the Scriptures, the non-professor is exhorted to repent, (c) "Being justified l)y faith, let us have peace through our Loi d Jesus Christ ; through whom also we have our access through faith into this grace, wherein we stand." — Rom. 5:1,2. First, this being a conclusion of Chapter 4, is necessarily the plan of pardon for 'all sin, — whether by professor or non-pro- fessor. Second, it says, we were — as sinners — justi- fied by faith, and that by that faith we stand — remain Christians. DiJco.iothenfees — daaccoQivrr^i; — is first aorist — having been justified. Hesteekamen — karr^xa- fiev is the perfect tense. As the perfect is joined to the aorist to denote that the action of the aorist is INCONSISTENCIES AND ABSURDITIES. 419 continued — Winer's T. Gram., i^. 272 — the sense is, having been justified by the faith, the action and agent of which continues throughout the Christian life, — our salvation continues as it was conferred, — by faith. Hesteekamen here means to remain, or be estab- lished.— Ambrose, Theophylact, Grotius, Michaelis, et.al. Tholuck : "Through the Savior, we have free access to the everlasting justification, under the econo- my of which we are at present placed, so that however often we fall, we may yet m faith hold fast the assur- ance that Christ will accomplish for us the work of our justification." — in I.; so Adam Clarke, Matt. Henry, i t. ah ((Z) "For therein" — in the gospel — "is revealed a righteousness of God by faith unto faith ; as it is written, But the righteous shall live by faith." — Romans 1 : 17 , ek pisteos eis pistin — ix tt'mtzco:: £fC Tzcazei^ — literally, by or out of faith into faith. Schaff : "Assimilation by faith should be contin- ually renewed." Godot: "The instrument by which each individual must personally appropriate such a righteousness is likewise faith Paul is not concerned with the person appropriating^ but solely with the instrument of appropriation In this righteousness faith, is everything, absolute- ly everything; in essence it is faith itself; and each one appropriates it by faith," — in I. That is, our righteousness came by or out of faith, and contin- ues into more and more faith, — bringing pardon, continuing pardon, etc., until perfection in the eternal world. "Faith, says Paul, continues to be faith ; faith is all in all [lit. the prow and stern], in the case of Jews and Gentiles; in the case of Paul, also, even up to its final consunmiation, — Phil, o: 7-12." The just 420 BAPTISMAL REGENERATION "live by faith," bringing pardon; they continue thus to live. But I cannot continue this argument. What I have said, above, clearly proves that there is but one plan of pardon for both the professor and the non-profes- sor. Moreover, every argument, which I have used to prove that the sinner is saved by faith, is equally ajopli- oable to this point. Mr. Hand's attempt to find "the law of forgiveness of sins committed after baptism," from the case of Simon the sorcerer, first, hegs the whole question, by assuming that he had been par- doned by baptism. It equally begs the question by assuming that he was ever pardoned at all. — Text Book Exposed, p. 236. As Baiimgarten remarks : "This seducer of the Sa- maritans had received only a superficial impression . . . and the same character of superficiality still seems to have remained in him, even after Peter with such earnest moving words had called on him to awake out of his deep sleep of perversity and ignorance." — AposL Hist., vol. I, pp. 179, 180. Bengel, OJshausen, Mean- der, Meyer, Matt. Henry, Doddridge, Bloomfield, Barnes, Scott, Smithes Bib. Die, vol. 4, p. 3046 etc., all understand Simon to have never been a Christian. Thus, Neander : "But Simon w:is naturally incapable of understanding these manifestations ; he saw in all of them the workings of magical forms and charms, a magic differing not in nature, but only in degree from what he practiced himself. Hence, he imagined that the Apostles might communicate these magical powers to him also . . . and with this view he offered them money. Peter spurned this proposal with ab- horrence, and now first saw in its true light the real character of Simon, who in joining himself to believ- INCOXSISTEXCIES AND ABSURDITIES. 421 ers had pretended to he xvliot he was not. — Planting and Training of the Christian Vhurc]i,p. 62. (My italics). Ilis being characterized as "in the gall of bitterness and in the bond off iniquity"' indicates a most depraved and desperate character. — Acts 8; 23. Peter exhorted: "Repent of this thy wickedness," because it was so heinous that it was the manifesta- tion of the wretch's character. Besides if he could be awakened, ttiis act should awaken him. In characteriz- ing him to l)e "in the gall of bitterness and in the bond of iniquity," Peter removes all grounds of doubt, as to his being one of the blackest characters. From him comes the significant term simon3\ Hence, Scott well comments : "Nothing can be more evident than that the apostle exhorted an unconverted sinner to re- pentance and pra^'er." — in I. Luke records him as believing, only from the impression and report made when he united with the Church — just as reports are now made. And records his sin and its exposure and denunciation, and his characterization by the apostle, to show that he was a base In'pocrite. Verse 13 shows him interested in only the "signs" and "miracles." But, what must we think of the blindness and delusion of men who can read Acts 8 and then write as does ]Mr. Hand: "But Peter told him to repent of this wickedness, just this one, that t The allusion of Peter is to Dent. 29:18, 19. nji'^, there rendered "wormwood"' means '-warmwood, it was apparently as a noxious, poisonous plant." — Ges.' Lex. C'NT. rendered "gall," ' is the name of a poisonous plant, of a bitter taste. . . . poison in general, even of asps." — Ges.' Lex. Hackett: "The gall of noxious reptiles was considered the source of their venom .... an impressive metaphor to the malice of moral corruption . . . malignant, aggravated depravity, ... In the bond of iniquit}'— not only wicked in principle, but confirmed in the habit of sin, bound to it as with a chain.'"— in 422 BAPTISMAL KEGENERATION was all that stood ao;ainst him — , . . one thought of the heart — one sin was all//''' — Text Book Exposed, p. 235. So Benjamin Franklin. — 1' isher-Franklin De- hate, p. 233. Is there not need that Campl>ellism should he exposed when it so blinds its teachers that they can thus regard one of the most depraved wretch- es in Bible History? The Campbellite talk about "one law of pardon for the alien; another for the member of the kingdom," is begging the question; contradicting the plain Word of God; and is opposed to the great principles of the government of God, which demand faith, of every penitent one as the only condition of pardon for cither professor or non-pro- fessor. Besides, if it were admitted, since the Camp- bellites believe that a Christian can fall away from grace, so far as not to be a child of God, and after that be reclaimed, it will not answer for reclaiming those whom they say can be saved after having fallen away. Wh} ? Simply because such have fallen from the state of children of God, members of the kingdom — have become "aliens" again. If they ever again become children of God, members of the kingdom, as they are "aliens," they must be saved by the law tluit saves aliens. All are under the universal, moral gov- ernment of God. To that they are bound by the same great, unchangeable and universal principles. If Drummond has, prominently, brought before us the great truth, that God governs the natural world by the same great principles, who should say that He does not even govern the spiritual by universal and un- changeable principles ! Beautiful, and as true and as applicable here as beautiful, are the wo<'ds of the great Hooker: "Of law there c;inl)e no less acknowledged, than her seat is in the bosom of God, her voice the INCONSISTENCIES AND ABSURDITIES. 423 harmony of the world ; all things in heaven and earth do her homage, the very least as feeling her care and the greatest as not exempted from her power; both angels and men and creatures of what condition soever, though each in different sort and manner, 3'et all with uniform consent, admiring her as the mother of their peace and joy." — Eccl. Pol., p. 106. Campbellism and the whole Popish family, accord- ing to consistency, should baptize their meml)ers every time they sin. And if baptism is necessary to remis- sion, their members, preachers and all, will be lost, be- yond a dou])t, if they do not do tliis. Soon after baptismal regenenition had been originated, its adher- ents realized this. As it was impossil)le to be alwa^'s baptizing the same person tliey delayed baptism till late in life, so as to make it save them for as near the whole life as possil)le. Schaff : "The effect of bap- tism was thought to extentl only to the sins committed before receiving it. Hence the frequent postponement of the sacrament They preferred the risk of dying unbaptized to that of forfeiting forever the bap- tismal grace."— ///s^ Chr. Ch., Vol. l,p. 396— old idltion; Guerickes' Ch. Hist., Vol. l,p. 301 ; Kurtz' (Jh.Hist.^ Vol. l,p.227; Waddingtons Ch. Hist, p. 54. To meet the difficulty they originated "the sacrament of penance !" Says Schaff: "But then the question arose how the forgiveness of sins committed after baptism could be obtained? This is the starting point of the doctrine of the sacrament of penance. TertuUian and Cyprian were the first to suggest that satisfaction must l)e made for sins by self-imposed pen- itential exercises and good works." — Ch. Hist., Vol. 1 , p. 396. Campbellites are not so consistent. For though with them baptism is the gi'eat spiritual pan- 424 CAMPBLELISM AGAINST THE acea they neither put it off, to late in life, nor re-bap- tize for every fall, nor do they have any penance. The self-condemning inconsistencies and absurdities of the Campbellite-baptisnial regeneration plan of sal- vation, prove the Cainpbellite Church, in its fundamen- tal claim, false. CHAPTER XV. CAMPBELLISM UPON THE WORK OF THE HOLY SPIRIT IN REGENERATION, BEARING WITNESS, ETC., AND SCOFFING AT PRAYER FOR THE SPIRIT TO CONVERT MEN. That Campbellism claims to believe in the operation of the Spirit, in saving men, is true. That they think they do, I will not deny. That some atnong them are orthodox on the subject, I do not deny. But, who- ever, among them, is "orthodox," is, while among them,, not one of them. By the personal operation of the Spirit, orthodox people mean that in person, in a manner above our comprehension, the Spirit applies the law and the Gospel to the heart, so as to regener- ate, sanctify and save men. In doing this. He uses providences, the conscience, the Bible, and may, in exceptional cases, where there is no Bible known, reach the heart with the law and the Gospel without using the Bible.— Compare Rom. 18:21 with Acts 10 :35. But with cases where the Bible is unknown we have nothmg to do in this controversy. We are concerned WORK OF THE SPIRIT. 425 with only those cases where the hiw and the Gospel are known. Section I. Tf man is not inherently and totally depraved and dead in sin; if he will repent and believe of his own power, to speak of the Spirit regenerating, giving him repentance and faith, would be to speak of a wholly unnecessary thing. If going down into the water regenerates, what need of the miraculous power of the Spirit to "create" us anew in Christ Jesus? Campbellism, from its premises, logically and consist- ently repudiates the work of the Holy Spirit. A few quotations will represent Campbellism upon this sub- ject : lo B. W. Stone: "We have clearly seen the error, and cordially deplored the mischief of the pop- ular doctrine of the Spirit, that the Spirit is given to the sinner independently of his faith and obedience." — Works B. W. >S(one]p. 283— by Mathes. As Mr. Stone makes the work of the Spirit depend on faith and obedience, and as the carnal mind neither believes nor obeys, of course the Spirit does nothing in changing the carnal soul. — Rom. 8 :6-8. 2. Alexander Campbell: "All the moral power of God or of man is exhibited in the truth which they propose. Therefore we may say that if the light or the truth contains all the moral power of God, then the truth alone is all that is nec- essary to the conversion of men, for we have before argued and proved that the converting power is moral power." — 31111 . Harh. Vol. 2, p. 397. As this is accepted by Mr. Hand as rightly quoted — Text Booh Exposed p. 79 — and illustrated by Mr. Campliell it may be taken as his undoubted position. All know that no man, in person, goes with his words 426 CAMPBELLISM AGAINST THE in letters — or in any kind of messages. He is no more with them than if he were in the eternal world. As Mr. Campbell says: The Spirit accompanies the Word only as man's spirit accomi)anies his word, we may be certain that Mr. Campbell no more believed the Spirit operates on the heart than he believed a dead author's sjnrit operates on the heart of nny reader, or hearer of his words. Mr. Campbell and his followers, therefore, no more believe the Spirit operates on the sinner's heart than if He remained on the everlasting throne — had never been sent into the world. All that genuine Campbellites mean, by the Spirit converting, is that He converts as the letter, written by a man be- fore he left this world and read after he left it, may influence — words alone. So, after saying, "whatever the Word does the Spirit does" — in the sense just il- lustrated, of course — Mr. Campbell says: "The Spirit is not promised to any persons out of Christ." That Mr. Canipl)ell means promised, in the sense help- ing to save, he explains in the next sentence, concern- ing Christians, — "Thesef it actually and powerfully assists in the mighty struggle for eternal life." — Christian System, j^P- 65. 3. Moses E. Lard: "Now we reply, if Divine truth, when known or understood, effects not the con- version of the sinner, then h's conversion is provided for by no system of religion which is Divine." — Wil- liams on CampbeUism, 2). 183. On what Campbell- ites mean by the operation of the Spirit, Mr. Lard says: "We mean that it f operates by the truth; that is, that the Spirit spends on the mind of the sin- ner in conversion no influence except such as resides t If Campbellites believe the Spirit is God, in the name of rev- erence to God, 1 ask how dare they apply "ii " lo Him 'i WORK OF Tire SPIRIT. 427 in the truth as divine as of the Spirit. And we sh:ill further add, thiit neither in quantity nor in force do we conceive that this influence can he increased, and the human will be free." — Idem, p. 82. (Jsly italics.) In other words, Mr. Lard means that just as a dead man's spirit is in the words which he wrote while liv- ing, so that the letter can be given no more nor less than its inherent power, so the Spirit is in the Bible — in fact only figuratively — not at all. t 4. T, M. Harris, State Evangelist, of Ga., in a sermon which was preached in the Campbellite church, of Augusta, Ga., Feb. 20, 1X7(5, as quoted by D. Sha- ver, D. D., in the Ttx. Baptist Herald, said: "As Christ was sent to the Jews, and the Apostles to the world, so the Spirit is sent to the Church.'"'' That "unconverted men are taught to pray for the Spirit, and to expect the Spirit to come into their hearts and convert them," is "without warrant in the Scrip- tures." To the question, "Does the Spirit do nothing for the world, the unconverted ?" it answers : "Yes, very much, indeed. As God gave His Son, and the Son gave His blood, so the Spirit has given to the world the Bible, the Word of God, which is able to make them wise unto salvation." All that the Spirit does for the world is "ui this way.'' This means that God, in the gift of Christ, in Christ giving His blood, and in the Spirit giving the Bible — that the Triune God has done all He designed and regarded necessary to save a lost world ! ! 5. Dr. Shaver, in the same paper, quotes (these t The infidel practices the same trick on the word " inspira- tion " which Campbellites practice on the phrase, '-operation of the Spirit." Ask him: "Do you believe in the inspiration of the Scriptures?" he will often, say, "yes." But he will tell you : " So I believe in the inspiration of poets — of all great writers." 428 CAMPBELLISM AGAINST THE quotations are from "documents") Z. T. Sweeney's, sermon preached in the same church, March 12, 1876 : "We see clearly that the Holy Spirit was promised to the Apostles to guide them in their proclaiming the Gos- pel. . . . Referring to the missions of John, of Christ, of the seventy, and of the Holy Spirit, Mr. Sweeney then adds : "Thus four out of the five missions men- tioned in these four l)ooks have passed aioay, and nothing yet for the world outside of Judaism;" so that "if we are not embraced in the mission of the Apos- tles there is nothing that does embrace us in the Liv- ing Oracles." Fortunately for us, the Apostles were "sent to all nations, down to the ends of the woi'ld." Only the Apostles and preachers since them and the Bible ! ! Dr. Shaver, in the same paper, quotes from a sermon by James H. Cranston, before the Young Men's Christian Association, of Augusta, Apr. 9, 1876. A few nights before, two Presbyterian delegates to the Convention of Christian workers, in New York, re- porting their impressions of a great revival, attributed its cause to the great outpouring of the Spirit. To rel)uke this, Mr. Cranston said: "The Spirit was poured out twice only" — but the Savior promised, if we would only "believe Him he would remain." In answer to how and when he comes, Mr. Cranston said: "The New Testament furnishes us with a definite and perspicuous plan by which sinners are converted and brought into the Church. 1st, The gos- pel must be preached. 2d. The people must believe it. 3d. They must repent of their sins. 4th. They must confess with their mouth. 5th. Without delay they must be baptized, and theii they have the promise of remission of sins, and the gift of the Holy /Spirit, and the hope of eternal life.' ' Till baptized, the Spirit does WORK OF THE SPIRIT. 429 not come near the sinner, according to Mr. Cranston. 6. The Apostolic Times — quoted in Western Re- corder: "Tliat the sword of the Spirit is the sword which the Spirit furnishes us, and not that he wuelds himself, has to be admitted by every schohir whose reputation is at stake in the interpretation of the pas- sage; and yet to bolster up a theological hobhf/, the Spirit is constantly represented as wielding the sword with his own hand, otherwise it is not effective. If in this the Baptists are a peculiar people, we envy them not their peculiarity, for it is a species of trifling with divine truth from which we shall pray the Lord to de- liver us." (My italics.) 7. The Christian" Standard ridicules and bur- lesques the operation of the Spirit : "The resistless crea- tive power of the Holy Spirit must make an e'ltirely new being before men can either understaud or believe the gospel — no matter who preaches it ! Unquestionably the Baptists are a peculiar people. But we must say that of all the transcendental moonshine that has ever fallen on our path of inquiry this is the feeblest and the thinnest." — Quoted in the Journal and Meseenger. Generally, Mr. Errett is, in his words, so much guarded as to hood- wink some who do not understand Camp- bellism. But in this the cat is out of the flour. 8. J. M. Mathes, ol)jecting to the personal work of the Spirit, in converting the sinner, says : "The rest of the congregation are passed by, at least for the present .... till the Holy Spirit shall come at some future time, and make a personal application to them Though Christ died .... his death can avail them nothing without the 'personal application.' It contradicts the Lord's word. It makes the p3rsonal application, by the Holy Spirit the power 430 CAMPBELLISM AGAINST THE of God unto salvation." — Letters to Bishop Morris, pp. 51-53. \). The Texas '■'Christian'" is quoted by Western Recorder: "Spiritual regeneration, in the sectarian sense, only means half what regeneration means in the Scriptural sense . . . 'Whosoever belicveth that Jesus is the Christ is begotten of God,' who is our Father; the Father begets them through the Apostles; and the Apostles beget them through the gospel. Whosoever is baptized is born into the Church, ' the mother of us all.' " This means that the Spirit completed His work with the death of the last Apostle. 10. President Clark Braden : "The Holy Spirit is always in the truth, as our spirits are in the words we utter, and that He influences men by arguments and motives in the truth thus presented. I believe this power to be resident in the word and co-extensive %vith the word, and I recognize no power heijond it as noio exerted. If any additional power to the word it must be distinct from any I recognize." — Braden-Hughey Del)., p. 449. "In denying that tlie Spirit influences men except through the truth, I no more deny His ex- istence than I deny the existence of mans spirit, when I say he can exert no moral influence on the spirit of his fellow men, except through truth or appeals to reason.'' — Ide^n, p. 452. Mr. Hughey asked Mr. Braden : "Will ISIr. Braden state what he means by the Spirit operating through the word ? Does he mean that the Spirit of God operates through the word of QtoA, jnst Uhe his spirit operates through his words? I want to know what he means. I do not want to mis- represent him in my reply." To this Mr. Braden an- swers : "I think my friend has been giving a good illustration. He has been arguing that there is a WORK OF THE SPIRIT. 431 personal influence ; and that is what he meant by it. There was no personal impact or contact with my spirit; and therefore, no influence without ar- guments."— Idem, 2>- 488. Replying to Mr. Hugh- ey, Mr. Braden farther says: "He asserts that my position teaches that the Spirit would be in the disciples alone, and when the word was completed he ceased to influence men, and left the %vord to do it. Our position is, that he inspired man alone by direct impact, that he operated on others by the word, and when the word was completed, his work by direct impact ceased, and he remains in the word, in men in the word, and operates on them through the word." — Idem, p. 505. Again, says Mr. Braden: "My opponent contends that there can be no per- sonal operation of the Spirit except by direct impact. / am 71010 influencing you all. Is it by direct im- pact, or through my ivords ? Is it not personal influ- ence ? If you had all been mesmerized, and I had usurped your reason and volition till you saw and thought as I do, and neither reasoned nor willed for yourselves, but were mere breathing machines un- der my power, would the influence be of a higher order than I now exercise by appeals to your reason I now exercise over you the highest influence known in the moral exercise, a personal influence and soleh/ through my words. In like manner God has always ex- ercised moral power over men, such power as he exer- cises in conversion, through his word, by reason and motive. It is the only moral power that he can exer- cise, so long as man possesses the constitution lie has given him.'' — Idem, p. 502. (My italics.) Section II. The consequence of this is scoffing at prayer for the Spirit to save men, and at true revi- 432 CAMPBELLISM AGAINST THE vals. Turn, read "5," in this chapter. B. B. Tyler, one of the stars of Campbellism, says: "It is wrong for Christians to pray for the Holy Spirit But this I affirm ; it is wro)ig because a palpable contradic- tion of the Word of our Divine Lord to petition God to pour out His Spirit upon wicked men Now a word about converting power. Men spend a good deal of time, very precious time, too, in attempting to induce God to pour out convicting and converting power. If as much time was spent in attempting to convert sinners as is spent in attempting to convert God, multitudes who are now in ignorance of the plan of salvation would be joyfully walking in the way that leads to heaven. God has given us converting ?iower. The converting ^oz^;er is the law, the doctii' e, the teaching, the Gospel Paulf d' ' ct seek to convert men by asking God to pour oat His Spirit upon them. ..... Jesus said that the world could not receive his Spirit . . . and yet in the face of this men pray to God by the hour to pour out His Spirit upon the world and thus convert sinners unto God." — Jn Western Recorder. (My italics.) Hundreds can testify to Campbellite preachers ridiculing genuine revivals. For their members to attend and scoif at revivals is very common. In my meetings, I have known them to ridicule prayer for the Spirit and "leave unturned no stone" to cause sinners to think revivals all superstition and excitement. % In Parker t What a pity tbeise Campbellites do not study the Bible more and Campbellism less? See Kom. 10:1; Acts 1:14; 2:1, and what followed, in Acts 2. X Just now— March, 1886 — in Dallas, Tex., an infidel meeting is reported, by a Dallas daily, as ridiculing the Moody-Sankey Dallas meeting as all excitement, denying, as do Campbellites, that the Spirit has anything to do with the meeting. WORK OF THE SPIRIT. 433 County, Texas, a Campbellite preacher, in one of his "sermons," threw up his hands, like as if he were feeling for something, and said: "Where is the Holy Ghost, I can't feel it?" In Tonk Valley, Texas, where Bro. Cunningham was "holding a meeting," the Campbellites crowded to the front part of the house, saying, "We are going to crowd the Holy Spirit outt of here," and made so much confusion as to break up the meeting. While I have attended many Campbellite meetings, I can remember no one in which the preacher urged that their members must humble themselves in the dust for their sins and cry mightily for the increase from God. — 1 Cor. (j:7. Mr. Camp- bell well represents the spirit and methods of Camp- bellism, upon this point, when he says: "Christians must learn that the conversion of the world is the hon- oral)le euiployment to which the Lord has called them ; and that ihei/ may have the ivliok honor of this great work, he has sent neither apostles, prophets nor angels to assist them since the establishment of the Church in the world." — 3lii/. JJarh., ncio scries, Vol. 1, p. 271 — quoted on p. 287 of Text Booh on Campbell- ism. (My italics.) Section HI. Cavij)hellism and the Holy Spirit operating on CJiristians' hearts. If the sinner does not need the Holy Spirit to make him anew surely the Christian cannot possibly need Him to live the Christian life. If the Word alone is sufficient to convert the sinner, it certainly is sufficient, alone, to preserve him when he is converted. If tlie Holy Sj)irit retired from the work of saving men, when He had given the Bil)le, He certainly does not t If Campbellisra is not one form of the sin against the Holy Spirit it is not far from being so. — Matt. 12:23-32. 434 CAMPBELLISM AGAINST THE need to return to keep them after they have been saved — or converted. Consistency, therefore, de- mauds that Campbcllites deny that the Spirit has any- lliiiig to do ill preserving and liclping Christians. Wiiile some Caniphellites, who deny that the Spirit converts men, hold to the position that He preserves and helps them after conversion, m:iny, probably the great majority of them, consistently, deny that the Spirit has anything to do in preserving and helping Christians. Walter S. Russell, a lending Campbellite, saw that the}^ nnist hold that the Spirit works on nei- ther the sinner nor the Christian, or that lie works on both: — "We cannot have one theory of spiritual iutiu- ence for the Christian and another for the sinner. — Union With Christ, by G. \V. Logan, j)- 20, G. W. Logan, another leading Cami)bellite, says, o;i the same page, of Mr. Russell's statement, "he was, so far, right." G. W. Logan: "Whatever God does in the Christian, through faith, through gospel fads believed, gospel truth apprehended and appropriated by the soul, as the food of its life, and not by immediate, super- natural, work according to the ordinary laws of thought and the inner life quite as completely as is his tvork in the conversion of si)aiers.'" "It is held" against the doctrine of the personal, "immediate influ- ence," "the personal indwelling," that He "takes up his abode literally in the saints, and dwells in them as a personal presence," "aids, comforts and works in them to will and to do" — it is held against all of this, "that though the Holy Spirit is indeed a person his presence in his disciples is not subs^a)tiirv and personal , hnt m< ton ymical ; thnt is, a presence of l)ower, of influence, and holy effects in the soul." — A Symposium of the Holy Spirit, pp. 63, 62. (My WORK OF THE SPIRIT. 435 italics.) Again, says Mr. Logan : "My Baptist and Presbyterian brethren regard it as a great piece of pre- sumption in me, when I question whether they have had a direct fellowfihij) of the Spirit imparting knowl- edge of the forgiveness of sins." — Idem, j^P- ^7, 68. On p. 72, ]Mr. Logan says : '■^False ideas of the Holy Spirit's work are at the bottom of much that is to l)e regretted in the spiritual culture and movement of our times, lite one-sided supernaturaUxm of ^Ir. Moody is the most conspicuous feature of his ministrj^.f This belief is none the less a power in Mr. INIoody's life, and none the less a source of power in his preaching, because it is only a fanaticism without a corresponding reality.'" (My italics.) On p. 78, Mr. Logan says : "Our religious n('ighI)ors have, sometimes, said we are destitute of spiritualiti/ . This comes, of course, of a failure to appreiiend what true spirituality is. • Every false conception diffuses throughout a baleful influence. The life of occult influence is the life of superstition.'" (My italics.) J. Z. Taylor, another Campbellite leader, on p. lOfi, arguing against what Mr. Logan so Ijitterl}- rei)udiates says: "//t short, conscience cannot immediately ap- preiiend or cognize the Spirit.'" "If consciousness testifies to the direct witnessing of the Holy Spirit to our sonship, then it is no longer a matter of faith that we are the children of God, l)ut absolute knowledge. . . . By faith and not by consciousness do I under- stand that I am a child of God." — idem, p. 108. "The Holy Spirit bears witness with our ^\)\Y\t through the truth ; the living Word of God. . . Something t How lamentable that the Campbellites have none of this "one sided supernaturalism," and that,as Christians, we have no more of it than we have ! 436 CAMPBELLISM AGAINST THE additional and ever superior to this is claimed." — p. 112. That is, just as the truth alone converted men, it witnesses, as we read, hear or think of it, independ- ently of the Spirit, that we are the children of God — and this is "the Spirit himself bearing witness with our spirit that we are the children of God" I ! ! — Rom. 8 :16t On p. 114: "That we believe the Lord Jesus Christ and have been baptized, in obedience to his will are matters of absolute knowledge. . . I know that I am a child of God, because I know that I believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and have been baptized. In this way does the Spirit bear testimony with our spirit that we are the children of God." Had I no more testimony, in view of "if any man have not the Spirit t On this passage, speaking of infidels, Tholuck comments: "The Socinians, Limborch and others, suppose that the gospel is meant, that having been inspired by the Divine Spirit. But this cannot be. For the Divine r,v£uaa here, cannot well be taken for any other than that mentioned in verse 15, as inwardly reigning in man. Now, it is in that sense there is ascribed to the new and divine 7rv£U/i« the peculiar virtue of filling our hearts with so child-like a love towards God, that in fullness of confidence we address ourselves to him, it would appear that it is just in the reign of love within us, that the divine witness consists. In 1 John 5:10, we read that he that believeth on the Son hath the witness in himself ''—Tholuck in I (To the English reader- the Greek word here i Spirit.) iSo Claudius, Ambrose. Pengel. Adam Clarke, Scott, Matt. Henry, Earless, {Chr. Ethics, p. 308) Neander, {PI. Tr.p 454.) John 14:16; 2 Cor 1:22; 5:5; Eph. 113; 4:30. Only carnal niindedness can account for such misunderstanding and misrepresentations of Scripture Any Christian, from what he feels in his own soul will not fail to know that the Spirit bears witness personally and in his soul. WORK OF THE SPIRIT. 437 of Christ he is none of his," I should think, unless I should repent,! had better never beenborn. — Kom./poJ(>g7/, Vol. 2, p. 265. Fairbairn, Bahr, Delitzsch, Keil, Kurtz, would render V. 11, "For the blood nnd^es atonement through or by means of the soul." So the majority of revisers of the New Version desired the jiassage rendered. And Hoffman, l)y taking the preposition ( 3) as indicative of the essence of blood, — "the blood atones as the soul," only emphasizes the doctrine of the practiatl identity of the soul — c'DJ — -"^nd the blood. As the blood is the seat of life, and as the heart is the foun- tain whence the blood goes and returns, the heart is the fountain of spiritual life — "the pitcher." While the soul and the mind are in all the veins, the heart is their throne. The brain is but the organ of the soul and the mind. Through it they think, just as the eye, the ear, the mouth, the nose, are their organs through which they are in communication with the external world. In Eccl. 12, these organs of the soul aref t As material isBC claims that the brain is the soul — not its or- gan— it should claim that our live senses are not the instruments or organs, but the " whatever" sees, tastes, smells, hears ! ! 442 CAMP15ELLISM AGAINST TIIK culled its windows, doors. The Scripture makes the heart the very scat of moral or spiritual coiiscioiis- iiess, — ever testifying what the man is. (a) Tliis is emphasized hy the word "heart'" occurring 1(10 times iu the New Testament, and ahout S()() in the Old. (b) In the way the word is used, "The iraasfinations of the thoughts of man's heart are evil from his youth." — Gen. 8: 21. As I have not room here for c^uotations, I ask the reader to take his Bible, carefully read and compare the following Scriptures, by wdiich he will see that the Bible makes the heart the seat of all feeling and of all moral life. Gen. 0:6; 8: 21; 17-17; 18:5; 27:41; 43:28; Ex. 4:14; 7:23,3, 13,14,22; 8:15,19,32; 9:7,12,14,34,35; 10: 1, 20, 27, 11 : 10;U:4, 8, 17; 2 Sam. G : 16 ; 14:1; 15: G, 1 Khigs 3: 9, 12; Psa. 37 : 31 ; 41: 6; 66: 18; 119:11; 140: 2: 33:21; 44:21; Prov. 2 : 2, 10; 3:1,3,5; 14:33; 15:13; 19:3; Matt. 5:8, 28; 9: 4; 12: 34 ; 13:15; 15:8, 19; 22: 37; Rom. 5 : 5. Consciousness makes known to us these feelings of the heart. By the Word of God we then test the nature of these feelings, and by them tr}' ourselves, t Thus, " Ills Spirit aiswers to the Mood, Ami ti'll- me I am born of God." 2. CampbellisiH ()i)})()s('d to all Christian experi- ence and to the Scriptures, in that it denies that the X There is an o]>posite extreme to Campl)ellisni. It is to rely on the testimony nf eniisci'.nisiu'ss \\ itiiuut ascortiiiniiig the meaning of tli;it ti'stiiuony. I'l rsdiis thiK tliink themselves Christians ))ecaiise tiiey ■• feel happw" when they w ill not live a pure, honest, holy lite. Siieii peisn.'S, while dishonest iu busi- ness, unfaithful to ]>vomi. :24. "Further, this bringing to remembrance inchides exhortation to faith and the keeping of Chiist's Word, to the obedience of His precepts." — Words of Jems, Vol. G, pp. 247, 248,223; Tholuck, Bengd, Adam Clarke, Matt. Henry, et al. So Harless Uhr. Eth.,pp. 213,197. (4) The Spirit inspires all true prayer. "The Spirit also helpeth our intirniity; for we knoiv not how to to pray as we ought." — Rom. 8 :2(). Tholuck: "That mysterious undulation of the heart towards God, which, in the hour of temptation, amidst the multi- tude of thoughts within us, yields us heavenly com- fort, is a manifestation of God in our breasts." — in I. Bengel : "In so far as the Spirit groans he resiiects us." — in I. As Adam Clarke remarks: "Surely if the Apostle had designed to teach us that he meant our own sense and understanding by the Spirit, he never would have spoken in a manner in which plain common sense was never likely to comprehend his meaning . . . We must therefoi'e understand those places of that help and influence which the followers of God receive from the Holy Ghost. John 14:16, 17, 2r); 15:26, 27; 16: 7." — in I. So Origen, Erasmus, Beza, Estius, Gro- tius. Wolf, Matt. Henry, Harhss ( Chr. Elk. p. 261 ) The Bible Commentary, MavKtihjhl , Stuart, Bloom- field, Doddridge, Barnes, Olsliansen, DeWette, Godet, Meyer, et al. Meyer goes so far as to understand this groaning to be done by the Spirit Himself. Of like import: "I will pour out upon the house of David, and upon the inhabitants of Jerusalem, the spirit of grace and supplication.'" — Zech. 13 :10. This includes WORK OF THE SPIRIT. 445 Christians and sinners. See Gal. 4 : 6. "Prayer is the emanation and operation of the Spirit, who abides in the redeemed of Jesus Christ." — Harless' Chr. Eth., p. 308. Taulcr and Arndt : "Prayer consists of a true union with God by faith ; when our created S[)irit dissolves, as it were, and sinks away in the uncreated Spirit." — True Christianity, by John Arndt, p. 235. (5) The Spirit makes the Bible effectual to the pres- ervation and the sanctification of the Christian. Com- pare Jesus' prayer: "Sanctify them through thy truth." — tlohn 17 :17 — does not imply the absurdity of no power which is not identical or in the Word itself; but it implies a direct answer of God, through the Spirit making the truth effectual. The whole 17th of John, inasmuch as it implies a power not in truth alone, is a scathing rebuke on Campl)ellisni. For, why, in the name of common sense, pray for the dis- ciples, when they had, in the truth, all that was neces- sary? Christ's prayer for Peter, "that tliy faith fail not," — Luke 22:32 — implies a supernatural power, above or outside of the"\^'<)rd : or wliy did He not fill his arms with Bibles instead of prating for him? Ev- ery prayer for Cliristians implies supernatural power, whether offered for themselves or for other Christians —or, for any one.— Rom. 12 :12; Col. 4 :2, 12 ; Eph. 1 :16 ; Rom. 1 :9 ; 1 Thess. 1 :2; 2 Tim. 1:3; Phile- mon 4, etc. If only the Bible is necessary, if no su- pernatural power is necessary, since Christians have the Bible, and prayer is to God instead of to them, and often without their knowledge of our praying for them, prayer for them is an absurdity. No less is it so for ourselves. Grace "to help in time of need" means a })ower that is additional to the Bible. — Heb. 4:16. Iso supernatural aid puts it out of the question to 446 CAMPBELLISM AGAINST THE speak of God as our "helper." — Rom. 16:9; Heb. 13:6. When Cauiphcllites "pray" they cither do not pray, or they do not believe their own doctrine. As T. MuiuK'U, a preacher amour/ the Canipbellites, though near sound on this, rebuking his own people, says; "I have alwa\s noticed tliat Clu-istians, the most ultra, on the word alon(% wiiile in discussion, im- ply the agency of the Holy S])irit in tlicir prayers." — A Symposium on the Holy Spirit, j). 07. Paul m:iy be said to sum up the Spirit's work in the Cln-istian when he says : "The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy," etc. — Gal. 5:22. In v. 17, he represents the Spirit as within us, carrying on the war against the flesh : — "For the flesh lusteth against the S})irit and the Spirit against the flesh." — See Bengel, Matt, Henry, in I. Heirless' Chr. Ethics, p. 236. Of the need of the Spirit, on John 14:26, Stier w^ell says : "On account of our weakness or our sinfulness, we forget, alas, and there is always need that one should stand behind us ready to pronounce our duty in our ears." This the Holy Spirit does — ever with us, teaching, helping in whatsoever we need help. Till we shall cross the river and enter the Paradise of God only carnality can make us repudiate His help. "Holy Spirit, faithful Guide. Ever uear the Christian's side; Gentl}' lead us by the haud, Pilgrims in a desert land," etc. Section H. Camphellism upo7i the Holy Spirit ivorking in the sinner. While Canipbellites are divided as t(» the work of the Spirit in the Christian's heart they, generally, agree that lie docs not work on the sinner's heart. The word alone, as we saw in the last Chapter, Canipbellites belic\ e saves the sinner. I\ev. A. B. Jones, one of the few among Canipbellites who WORK OF THE SPIRIT. 447 believes in the work of the Spirit in the sinner, well calls this "the word alone theory.'' — A Si/mjwshim Oil the Hohj Spirit, p. 15. Believing that man is not dead in sin, not totally depraved, and that he has only to decide to "'believe" and be bai)tized, "do right," and then he is saved, there can be no need of an}- power but the Word alone to save men. In refutation of this doctrine of Campbellisin : — 1. The Scriptural teaching on inherent and total depravity, clearly proves that if man is ever saved a greater power than truth alone must save him. See the Chapter, in this book, on Total D^'pravity. 2. There is nothing in a sinner through which the "truth alone''' can reach him. Pray, tell us how a manAvho is dead in sin, "full" of wickedness, "enmi- ty against God," who is so blind as to not understand the things of God, is to be saved by the unaided truth? See the Chapter on Total Depravity. iNIen argue that arguments alone convert men on i)olitical, scientiiic and other subjects; and that the truth should likewise convert the sinner. But as Anderson well replies : "Well, how few ardent ixjlitical minds have been con- verted to opposite views ? And in the greater num- ber of instances in which change has occurred, was it not effected either by base bribeiy, to which there is nothing correspondent in the spiritual case, or, by a species of physical compulsion, rather than by rational conviction — ])y the threatening of p()})u- lar insurrection, or of national bankruptcy, or by the failure of the crops of harvest, making it im- possible for them to retain their old opinions, or at least to pursue their old policy. In the latter case, it is only a small part of man's being which rises in opposition ; whereas, in the former, the entire 448 CAMPBELLISM AGAINST THE force of his corrupt nature is arrayed in hostile de- fiance. Nor is there any hope of change beinpositioiis do not enter swine; Imt (Ic\il< did enter swine. — ^latt. S : 2'J-34. 5. Men's ex il (li-in'-itiini- are not mor- ally accountable — the men are aceonniai'lr /•./■ iIm sc dispositions. But devils are a.countable. as their iiiinislinn '.it ]irn\( >. — Matt. 8:29; 2.5:41. G. If men's evil dispo-itinns w . re (iuvils. pnnish- ment of their possessors would be their imnisliineiit. But devils receive a distinct sentence.— Matt. -lo: 41. 7. If men's evil dis- positions were devils, it could not be said tlii\v. — in the men pos- sessingthem — were cast itito punishment wliirh was not original- ly prepared for them. but was orir/inaH:/ prei)ared /(//• rlei-ih. — ]\Iatt 25 :41. All honest, evangelical, modern scholarship, believes that devils are personal beings :-"The attempts made to explain the words of our Dord and the Apostles as a nn-n- n< i ,,inmodati(>n to the belief of the Jews, and incompatible \\ itii tie- simple and direct attribution of personality to tlie deniuns. as much as to men or to God. and (if carried out in principle), m-.'st destroy the truth and honesty of llolv Scri|)ture itself." — Siniih's Bi>'. Hie, V,d. I, p. 5S4, S>hoff, IJe'.zor/:" £»'>/.. Vol. I p. 6:^2- f^n. that they are personal, agree Slarteusen, Is'itzsch, Twesteii, Julius liuller, Doruer, Harless, etc. 452 CAMPBELLISM AGAINST THE cording to the prince of the power of the air, of the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobe- dience.'"— Eph. 2: 2.t Adam Clarke: " Satan is termed the prince of the power of the air, because the air is supposed to be the region in which malicious spirits dwell; he has another sphei-e of action, viz. the wicked heart of man, and in this he works with ener- gy."— in I. /So Benr/el, Bloomfield, Matt. Henry, Doddridge , Scott, Ilarless, Ignatius, MacKnight Ols- hausen. The Bible Commentary, et. aJ. Bai'nes well says: "There can be no doubt that Satan is here in- tended ... as their leader and prince" of men. — in I. This passage states that, at least, one devil dwells within every unregeuerate person. Inasmuch as this passage speaks of the former state of all members of the Ephesian Church, it teaches that all unregeuerate persons are possessed of the devil. Rev. 20 : 3 repre- sents the Devil enthroned, personally, in the heart of men and preventing the millennium. (3j Acts 2(> :18 represents all sinners as in his "power" — doubtless as he dwells within them, — "from the power of Satan." Baumgarten, on this passage: "Paul declares Satan . . . to be he who as the primary cause directs the na- tions which move and act with their eyes closed in the t Of course the devil does not effect all alike,— save that he makes them sinners. Not every one in whom demons were, when Christ was on the earth, were so raging as to be called de- moniacs. Yet all had devils in them. Just so throughout the Christian age. While all cases of insanity are not demoniacs, that many are I think the Scriptures leave us to infer. Many cases of insanity have impressed this on my mind more deeply. WORK OF THE SPIRIT. 4^3 darkness.! As St. Paul is convinced that the first seduc- tion of tlie woman by the subtlety of the serpent still exists, and he derives every tempting and seducing power in the present from the cunning and power of the devil and wicked one as its primary cause. (See Eph. 2:2; 6 :11-17 ; 2 Cor. 4 :3) There can be no doubt that, by the subtlety of the seipent which be- guiled Eve, he does not understand an3'thing else than the cunning of the adverse spirit." — Apost. Hist. Vol. 3, p. 146. (My italics.) See, on Acts 26 : 18, Bengel, Adam Clarice, Scott, Doddridge, Barnes, Matt. Henry, et al. (4) Satan is represented as opposing the word, by jSome imagine that the devil and demons {ocd^oAo^ and dataoi^cov — diahohis and daimonion — devil and demons. Satan or Diaholvs is the captain of devils ov daimonioii) are contined in hell. But the impression originates from an in- correct rendering and interpretation of 2 Pet. 2:4 and Jiide S. The word rendered hell, in 2 Pet 2:4 — zuiituiiooj — tartaroo — occurs nowhere else in the New Testament. 1. It does not mean hell ; for yiv^wi — geenna — is the word for hell. 2. Xeither does it mean the intermediate world, in which souls are happy and miserable — according to their character — between death and the judgment ; for that word is (iojjc — hadeen. 3. To understand it to mean hell would make it con- tradict the Scriptures, which represent devils as dwelling on earth. Here they caused the fall; here they tempted Job; here they tempted Jesus ; here Jesus found them dwelling; here He '■cast"' them --out;'' here they reign; here they instigate wicked- ness ; here Paul fmds them ; here the sinner is to be turned from their power; here they are when the close of this age comes. — Compare Gen. 3:13; 2 Cor. 11 :3; Job. 1 :12; Luke 22 :!! : Acts 5:3; 26: 18; 2 Cor. 2: 11; 11 :14; Matt. 4 : 1 : U 22 : 1 1 : IS ; 17 : IS ; Mark 5:15; 7:29; Luke 9:42; 11:14; Acts 10:48: Ei)h. 4;27; 2Tim. 2:2G; Rev. 12:9; 20:2,10 4. To make it mean hell, would make it contradict the Scriptures, which represent that devils are not yet in hell, but to be cast into hell at the close of this age. Compare Matt 8:29;25:41;Rev.20:10. 5. To make it mean hell, would well please devils, since they are anxious that we should believe they 454 CAMPBELLISM AGAINST THE siiatcliing it out of sinners' hearts. — Luke 8 :12. If it be replied, "this 'wayside' man is not saved any how," the answer is : Had not the Spirit of God prepared the hearts of some of them, as tliere is "none that under- standeth," naturally — Rom. 3:11 — see chapter of this book on Total Depravity — their hearts would all have been "thorny," "wayside" and "stony" hearts. As Stier remarks : "It is the devil .... who has made the land rocky, and has also sown the thorns in it," and has made the wayside hearer. — Words oj^ Jesus, Vol. 2, 2). 213. Stiev : "There is \x m iraculous seed rior indeed to all natural seeds, so powerful that by its growth it can and will choke thorns, nay more, it can also break through the rock in striking its roots down into the earth, and can make that to be again a field of are in hell, so that will not heed the Scriptural warnings against them. 6. Tartaroo is otherwise definetl. Dr. Wm. Ram- sey: "The word TartorMS, means, according to Greek writers, in aphysical sense the bounds or verge of this material system. . . . That place is probably, at present, within the atmosphere of our earth."' Cudworth : '-And by Tartarus here in all proba- bility is meant, this lower caligiuous (i. e , dark) air, or atmos- phere of the earth, according to that of St. Austin, concerning these angels, 'That after their sin they were thrust down into the misty darkness of this lower air.' " Suidas says itmeans "the place in the clouds or in the air '' Parkhurst : "It appears from a passage in lAiciun that by Tartarus was meant, in a physical sense, the bounds of this material creation." Empedocles : "Our dull, lack-lustre globe is the doomed haunt and dungeon of evil angels, envious and malignant demons." Grotius : "That is called Tartarus which is lowest in anj'thing; whether in the earth or in the water, or, as /iere, in the air." Whately: "The word used by I'eter, which translators render, 'cast down to hell,' or Tartarus, is to be understood of our dark, gloomy earth, with its dull clouds, foul vapors and misty atmosphere . . . Socrates called the abyss or sea Tartarus, as does also Plato, who elsewhere calls our dim, lack-lustre curlh itself also Tartarus. Plutarch says our air ... is called Tartarus from being cold. Herein he IS followed by I.ucian, and both Ilesiod and Homer call it the aerial Tartarus. In no other sense or way can St. MORK OF THE SPIRIT. 455 God, which was a way for the feet of the prince of this world." — Idem, p. 215. Of the "good ground" hearer: "Grace has already worked and softened him, and has more or less prepared an entrance forthc^ seed, Isa. 28:24; Acts 13:48;" Hi :14.— /(Zem. 79. 216]. (5) God is said — in the person of the Holy Spirit — to cast out the "strong man" — Satan — from man's soul. — ]Matt. 12:29. ((5) The very nature of the kingdom of God is that Jesus, by the Holy Spirit, represented by the -'linger of God," shall cast Satan Peter be understood and explained. Lucian says, the great depth of the air is caih'd 'J'artunis." Eph. 2:2, where Satun is called the "priuee of the pow er of the air."' harmonizes w ith the deli- uition of these learned men. >So Eph. G :12 — wicked spirits in the air — ra ri'^viaa-r/A z?^:: Trovr^nid:; iv roFc srzu'juw^co::. In a foot note the Bible I'uion A'fi-;i"n says: ••Heavenly places"' mean •'the material liea\ ens, the air So Bagster's ayid Bobin- son's Lees : •• The air as the seat of evil spirits."' Both Robin- son's and Greentiebrs I.exs. rrudn' pneumatikos tees poneerias, — evil spirits "" To literally render it is impossible Sn Bengel, Scott, Matt. Henry, ttah, on Eph. 6:12. Adam Clarke has proved that Tartarus, in 2 Pet. 2:4, mea:!s our e:u th — -im> his comment. The "chains."" figuratively, mean tliat (iod Iutc limits Satan. ••Reserved unto judgment" implv tliev are not in hell. ))ut re- served for hell.— See Matt. 2."):41. The Revisers of the Xew Version see that Tartarus is not hell: so, not knowing how- to render it. they guess at it — •■dungeon."" Because modern lexicons and so many modern w ritcis have wrongly interpreted 2 Pet. 2:4. I make tliis long note. The author o( this book hopes, some day, to pul)lish a little volume on tlie Origin, the Charac- ter etc. of the Devil, All that want it please send in their navies as subscribers. tMr. Campbell indorses the following: '•The Scripture is so far from representing Satan as the God and governor of the air, that it constantly represents him in a state of continement. . . , So that instead of expatiating in the boundless lields of the air. and shedding his woes upon miserable mortals, he and his accomplices are described by tiie Apostle Peter as in the Tartar- ian regions ... to continue th<'re in custody till the final judgment"' — Mill. Harh.vol. 5, p, 272, — quoti'd on p. 297, of Text Book on Camphellism, Mr. Hand denies this is Mr. Camp- 456 CAMPBELLISM AGAINST THE out of the sinner's soul. — Luke 11 :20. Compare Ex. 8 :19, where "finger of God" is exj)l;uned to he God's miraculous power — Matt. 12 :28 ; Ps. 8:3; Ex. 31 :18, on finger of God, the Spirit of God and crea- tive power. As Stier remarks, on Matt. 12:28: "In general, wherever devils are made to yield there is the kingdom and Spirit ox powerful energy of God." Nowhere did Jesus ever cast out a devil by word alone. Out of no one's heai't since has the word alone ever cast out a devil. The Campi)ellitc gospel( ?) — that the sinner can hear the word, ov-ercome, break loose from Satan and seek refuge in Christ implies the sinner is so strong as to need no Refuge. Jesus, Him- self, was strengthened by an angel ( Luke 22 :43) in the final conflict with Satan. Yet, Campbellites tell us the sinner can break away from Satan of his own bell's own languai binds our captive minds Fast in bis slavish chains. *' 7. Miraculous power is as much necessary to change a leopard's spots and an Ethiopian's skin as it is nec- essary to change any sinner. "Can the Ethiopian change his skin or the leopard his spots? Then may ye also do good that are accustomed to do evil." — Jer. 13:23. As Adam Clarke on v. 27, says: "Man cannot change himself ; but he imiy pray to God to do it. . . . To enable him to pray and believe the power is still at hand. If he will not use it he must perish." By nature, a leopard does not desire to change his spots; neither does a sinner, by nature, so love to do right as to turn to the right. 8. To the sinner the gospel is but foolishness, except where the Holy Spirit makes his heart good ground for receiving it. Compare Rom. 3:11; 8 : 5-7 ; 1 Cor. 1-21; 2:14. y. "Except a man be born anew he cannot see the kingdom of God." Ecdiw — eideo, rendered see, like our English word — "as I cannot see it as you do" — often means to understand. 8ee the Lexicons. It is used for know or understand or perceive in Matt, 6 : 8, 32; 7:11; 9 :2,4,G ; 12:2,25; 13:14,15; 20:22; 22: 29; 26 : 2 ; 27 : 18 ; John 1 :26,31,33; 29 ; 3:2, 458 CAMPBKLLISM AGAINST THE (the next verse before John 3:3), 11 ; 4:10-22 — as it is used for understand in hundreds of New Testament occurrences I cannot take room to refer to them. Nic- (/demus' foolish question, hoio — is a commentary and Lexicon, defining eideo, to understand. Surely no one will claim that natural sight is here exclusively meant. Hence, to Peter, when others were unsaved, who had heard the same words, that he had heard, Jesus said: "Blessed art thou Simon Bar-Jonah : for Jlesh and blood hath not revealed it unto thee, but my father which is in heaven." — Matl. 16 : 17. "Flesh and blood" means what we arc b}' nature. See sarx, in the Chapter in this book on Total Depravity; see, also 1 Cor. 15:50; John 1 :13. 10. A dead man cannot, of himself, understand or turn. " And you did he quicken who were dead through your trespasses." — Eph. 3:2. Whether you render this in — which is the true rendering — or "through," as tlie New Version has it, the sinner is dead. As a dead man lias no connection with this life, a spiritually dead man has no connection with the spir- itual life. (See Druniniond's "Natural Law in the Spiritual World." ) In either case, the dead receives life by a miracle only. 11. The valley of dry bones is another proof that the miraculous power of the Spirit must give the sin- ner life. It is also a comment on Eph. 3 : 2. The reader will here please prayerfully read Ezek. 37 :1-14. Did bone ever unite to bone, sinew and flesli clothe the bones, and life come in the body by mere word — with- out the Omnipotent power of the creative Spirit of God? If so, the sinner without that power comes to Christ. Carniibellism is the wild, atlieistic theory of mad scientists, on "spontaneous generation" or si)on- WORK OF THE SPIRIT- 459 taneous life, which Satan is attempting to impose upon the realm of grace. Spontaneous spiritual gen- eration or life is as atheistic as spontaneous natural generation or life. (See Drummonds' "Natural Law in the Spiritual World.") 12. Of a power not identical with the A^'ord, Jesus says: "And they shall all be taught of God. Every one that hath heard from the Father,and hath learned, Cometh unto me." — John 6:43,44. Compare John 8 :47 ; 10 :27 ; 18 : 37 ; Acts 1(3 : 14 ; 13 : 48 ; 1 Cor. 12 :3 ; (in New Version) 1 John 5 :3. These passages are an unimpeachable commentary on these words of our Savior. Every man that has learned of the Father cometh ; OnJi/ part of mankind who hear the gospel come ; Therefore, only part of mankind have learned of the Father. See TlioJv.cli, Stier, Doddridge, Bloomfield, Barnes, Olshausen, Matt. Henry, Beza, Keandev, etc. — in I. Olshausen truly says of this teaching and hearing: "An internal- awakening and will towards God and his service. ... an essential knowledge of God received in regeneration." — in J. On tlie mys- tery involved in this passage, Stier expresses the feel- ing of every true Cliristian : "This much is certain, and it is to our experience as manifest as it is m^s- terious, according to the Lord's testimony — 'That if a man longs after God, it comes not from himself, but is the Father's drawing in Jesus Christ.' " — Words of Je.sus, vol. 5, p. 177. By His life-giving power he pours into our souls the life that leads u-< as naturally to His l)Osom as the life of the "unconscious infant" seeks its mother's breast. t As Luther remarks : "He t This drawing is as beautifully in harmony with the laws of our soul as the unconscious infant is draw n ia harmony with its nature, to his mother's bosom. 460 CAMPBELLISM AGAINST THK draweth not as a man draweth a block." But did his Spirit not first give tlie young life we would have to be drawn not as a block, but as a stubborn mule. "He drew me and I followed on, Rejoiced to own the call divine.'''' 13. "Open thou mine eyes that I may behold won- drous things out of thy law." — Psa. 119:18. Here is the law, but no eye to understand it. — Joha 3 :3. The eye opening is of the Holy S])irit. Campbellites ridicule such a prayer as useless. "The Lord openeth the eyes of the blind," to understand the word. — Psa. 146:8; John 3:3. Say this means the Christian, if you will. How nnich more must He open the sinner's eyes, that the gospel may be obeyed ! 14. "The hearing ear, and the seeing eye, the Lord hath made both of them." — Prov. 20 :12. Here the miracle that gives natural hearing and seeing is made illustrative of the miracle that gives spiritual hearing and seeing — understanding. "Mine ears hast thou opened," — Psa. 4:6. "Thy Lord God hath opened mine ear, and — "as tlie consequence of this conversion — "I was not rebellious, neither turned away backward." — Isa. 50 :5. As well talk of a deaf ear hearing, by sound alone, or a blind eye seeing, by light alone, as to talk of a sinner being saved by the unaided word. 15. In Gal. 4:22-29, the miraculous birth of Isaac is an illustration of every true Christian's spiritual birth. As the procreative powers of both AI)raham and his wife were dead, so are the receiving powers — the spiritual life of the sinner — dead. So Doddridge, MacKniglit, HoJden, Bloomfield, Ohhausen, et al. To be sure, it represents the two covenants, the "old and the new church." But as the whole includes all WORK OF THE SPIRIT. 461 its pai-ts, it represents birth bv natural powers — the unregenonite — and birth by the spiritual, the miraculous — the regenerate. As the nnraculous power of the Spirit made these dead procreative powers alive, so miraculous power has made every Christian. Compare Rom. 4 :18-21; 17:17. Campbellite "Christians" are the Ishmaelites, — that is, they are those who were made "Christians" by their own natures, or, as they boast, without any miraculous power. 16. Before sinners will obey God, He must write the word into their hearts. Compare Jer. 32 :39-40; Ezek. 11 :19-20; 36:25-27; Heb. 8:8-10. By eom- l^aring these passages the reader will see, first, that the word does not of itself, alone, save; second, that it must be written by God's hand in the heart. The figure here is from God's miraculous power as His own hand, writing the law on the tables of stone. See Ex. 31 : IS. Though God may not have Himself writ- ten. He did, in the miracle of Sinai, write it through Moses. Compare Ex. 34:1; 20:1; 24:5; Dcut. 10: 2, 4 ; Ex. 34 :28. Moses is the type of Christ, through whose miraculous power, in the ll>)ly Spirit, the word is written into our hearts. Third, that they obey because that power has written tlie word into their hearts — not as Cainpbellites have it, obey that it may be written into their hearts, and then write it there themselves ! 17. The gift of the Spirit, in greater measure under the New than under the Old Testament, is one of its distinguishing characteristics. "But thus he spake of the Spirit which was not yet given." — John 7 :3y. As chapter 10, sections 3 and 4 of this book, shows that the Spirit at the time He spake this, was, and had been since the first man that was ever saved, making 462 CAMPBELLISM AGAINST THE the plan of salvation effectual, this, and similar pas- sages, are to he understood to imply that the Spirit, under the New, would work much more powerfully — he given in greater measure than under the Old. Tholuck : "But tlie question then arises, why the operation of the Holy S[)irit is dated from that period, though he had wrought already under the Old Testa- ment, iind during the life of Christ? Does the c.\i)ressi()n denote merely the strength of the distinction as to the aniouiit of activity and i)o\ver? Thus espe- cially it is regarded ))y the Lutheran interpreters." — in I. /See Words of Jrsus, vol. 5, p. 289; Matt. Henri/, Adam Clarke^ in 1 : 8o Barnes, Doddridge, Bloovifield, Olshansen, NeanderH" Plant. Training, p. 518. Of course, as some of these writers say, the passage also alludes to tlie Spirit as coming from the glorified Christ and to dwell, in greater measure than ever before, in His people. But it nevertheless makes the greater power of tlie Spirit the distinguishing characti ristic of the New Dispensation. See John 14: 1G-1S,2(3; l.^:2(;; IC :7-15 ; Luke 24 :49 ; Acts 1 : 8 ; 2:14-18. 1'hoe i)assages promise the miraculous gifts, it is ti uc ; l)ut they })romise, also, the permanent blessing, of greater i)ower according to John 7 :39, and Jer. 8 :8-10. But if only words are the power, where is the fulfillment of these promises? 18. Christ's promised condition and assurance of the success of the gospel — "lo, I am with you alway, even to the end of the world" — Matt. 28 :20 — implies the personal presence of the Spirit to make the gospel the '*[)ower of God unto salvation." The man who is satisfied to make the Bil)le synonymous with the l)i esenec of Christ and the Holy Spirit, is to be pitied. He could maiy compariaig the following Scrip- tures, the reader will sec that a greater power than the word alone will Droduce the blessed age: — Psa. 72; Isa. 2:2-4 ; 49 :8-2l ; 11 :l-9 ; 40 ; 6U ; Dan. 7 :13-18, 27; Zech. 8:20, 21, 22. 30. The very power which raised Josus from the dead is required to make Christians. See Eph. 2:4,5. In Eph. 1:18-20: "Having the eyes of your heart enlightened, that ye may know what is the hope of his calling, what the riches of the glory of his inheritanc^e in the saints, and what the exceeding greatness of his power to 7<,s'-ward, who believe , according io his working in the strength of his might, which he wrought in rhrist, ivJten he raised him from the dead." Mac- Knight paraphrases this passage: "That ye may know what .... is the exceeding greatness of his power, with relation to us Jews and gentiles who be- lieve in making us alive from onr tres])asses and sms ; and in raising us at the last day from the dead, to en- joy the glories of his inheritance, by an exertion simi- lar to the inworking of the strength of his force which he exerted in Christ lolien he raised him from the dead." (My italics.) 8o Doddridge, Hammond, Bloomfield, Bahr. The Bible Commentary, Olshansen, Barnes, el al. Bloomfield and Olshausen make the power produce i)oth faith and the bodily resur- rection of the saints. So Matt. Henry: "It is a difficult thing to bring a soul to believe fully in Christ It is nothing less than an almighty power that will work this in us." — inl. The sentence analyzed is, who believe according to the 474 CAMPBELLISM AGAINST THE working or energy — xara zr^v ivifyyaav. {Kata with the accusative here refers to the workino; or energy which produces the belief — -caTeooi^zaz -/.ard — l)eheve accordinq to — teen energeian — the energ3^ — Winer's N'. T. Gram. p. 401.) Of the strength— roD xodzou^ — reveals the source of -the working which caused the belief- Of his might — r-^^c cqyyiK — tells whence the strength. And explanatory of this strength, greatly emphasizing the statement, is the phrase, ^'■wJiich he wrought in Christ" — -/jy tvzpyriozv Iv zCo Xpcazib. " he raised him irom the dead" — iyeipu^ aLzbv ix usy.fjto'^ — again emphasises the statement, by desig- nating the strength sp(iken of to be that which raised Jesus from the dead. Thus, as plain as language can state it, Paul s:iys that tue energy of God's might, w/i!2c7< raised Christ, produces our belief. The word alone theory, therefore, requires that word to have sufficient power to have raised Jesus from the dead! This harmonizes with Ei)h. 2 where our conversion is called a making alive fronVbhe dead. 31. The word that denotes the act of the power Avhich created the world is made to set forth the nature of the work of making Christians. "If any man is in Christ Jesus he is a new creature; the old things are passed away; behold they are become new." — 2 Cor. 5 :17. "For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works." — Eph. 2:10. "The new man . . . created in righteousness." — Eph. 4:24; Col. 3:10. Kzc^oj — ktizo — rendered create, means: "To produce, bring into being." In the sense of to establish, to found, it is never used in the New Testament, though in classical usage it is also thus used. It occurs 13 times in the New Testament. "Which God created ; " "more than the Creator" WORK OF THE SriRIT. 475 {zov xr'iaavra — he who created);" "neither was the man created for the woman ;" "to maTce in himself of twain one new man;" "who created all things ; " '■'■created in righteousness;" "crefftoZ in Christ Jesus ;" "the new man which after God is created;'" "hy him all things were created i" "after the image of hmi who created him;" "which Godhath created:'' "for thou hast created all things ;" "Ihey are and were created;'" "who created heaven." — Mark 13:19 ;Kom, 1:25; 1 Cor. 11:9; Eph. 2 :10, 15 ; 3 : 9 ; 4 : 24 ; Col. 1:16; 3:10; 1 Tim. 4:3 ; Rev. 4:11; 10 :G. Its noun — x~ia:z — when s^jeaking of God's act, is also used in the New Testament in only the sense of creation. The following are examples of ita use : "From the begin- ning of creation;'" "to every creature;" "from the creation of the world;" " the creo^/on of God." — Mark 10 : (5 ; 13 :9 ; IG : 15 ; R(mi. 1 : 20 ; Rev. 3: 14. The act of making us Christians, being characterized by a word, which when referring to God's act alwa^'s denotes supernatural power, is clearly a supernatural work. Thus we are told that the power that created the world is necessary to make any one a Christian. )So Barnes, Doddridge, et. al. 32. The Apostle expressly contradicts the Camp- bellites : "Knowing, brethren beloved of God, your election, how that our gospel came i)ot unto you in word only, but also in power, and in the Holy Spirit." — 1 Thess. 1 :4,5. If this language does not tlatl}' contra- dict Canipbellism there never was and never can be a contradiction. t See Bengel, Adam Clarke, Scott, + The followiug illustratiou 1 cojiy from Tlie Watchman, of Boston: "Many years ago we read aii incident that made ou our mind a deep impression and led to many reilcctions. It is found in Key. Joshua Millet's Hist, of the Baptists of Maine, and quo- ted in the C/instja?i Review, Sept. 1845. In May, 1811. Kev. Mr. Chase visited the Church in Charleston, Me., examined several 476 CAMPBELLISM REPUDIATES Matt. Henry, Barnes, MacKniglit, OJsJiausen, Dod- dridge, BJooiuJield, Pelt, Calvin, Beza, et. al. True, it may include uiiracles. But, as Bloonifield and oth- ers remark, it also includes the power of the Spirit in applying the word. With these thirl y-two arguments, I close this Chap- ter. May the spirit impress upon you, my dear reader, the prayer : "Come Holy Spirit come, I^et thy bl ight beams arise, Dispel tiie sorrow from our minds, The darkness from our eyes. Convince us all of sin, Then lead to Jesus' blood, And to our wondering eyes reveal, The mercies of our God." candidates before the Church, and received them into it by bap- tism. Among them was a Mrs. D., whose conversion was so re- markable that its circumstances could never be forgotten. Mr. Chase obtained them fully fi-om the lady herself, and g;ive them to the historian, who records them as follows: 'When but a youth, on a party sleigh-ride, from Hampden to Bangor, on the river, and in a sleigh drawn by two horses, the ice gave way. and Mrs. D., with her companions, was plunged beneath the watery elements; but, fortunately, all but the horses were saved. Dur- ing this immersion, Mrs. D., her soul by the instantaneous and powerful working of the Sjiirit, was converted to God. The rapid progress of thought and experience in this short moment, as she distinctly recollects, was as she was falling, a most vivid and impressive thought oi death filled her mind. This was in- stantly succeeded by an overwhelming consciousness of her sins, her guilt and her just condemnation, and this m ith a view of the character and law of God, shining in incomprehensible bright- ness, rellecting His love and justice; and then, in a moment, ev- ery energy of her soul seemed consecrated in one uny ielding de- sire for mercy. At this instant, those who escaped from the water drew her upon the unbroken ice, when her soul was filled with love to God and Christ, and her tongue unloosed to praise His name. She says that she hardly thought of her temporal salva- tion, but with unutterable astonishment and gratitude, she beheld that glorious grace which gave her heavenly delight. This was no delusion. Her subsequent life of piety "is evidence of its re- ality.' " 1. This conversion was the work of the Holy Spirit, 2. SCKIPTUKAL REGENERATION. 477 CHAPTER XVII. CAMPBELLISM REPUDIATES THE SCRIPTURAL NATURE AND THE ORDER OF REGENERATION, REPENT- ANCE AND FAITH. Section 1. CampheUism repudiates the Scrip- tural doctrine of regeneration, i^egeneration , as the word implies, is generating anew. Regeneration, here, implies generating a new nature. Palingenesia — -zahxyzv^aia — rendered regeneration — occurs but twice in the New Testament— in Matt. 19: 28; Tit. 3:5. Only the latter passage primarily denotes this change. But in such phi a>es as "born again," "born" or "be- gotten of God," and in many other ways the Scrip- tures teach us that regeneration is essential to salva- tion. Generation implies, (a,) seed, (6,) that the seed gives the generated the nature of the generator, (c,) that divine power, — a power greater than nature, in a mysterious wa}', through the seed produces the nature and the life. So regeneration implies seed, a hke na- ture and life to the seed, and that nature of myste- rious and divine ])roduction. The "word" is the seed, the Holy Spirit, as it is sown, implants it into the soul and through it produces the new nature and Like all conversions, supernatural. ;?. It was through the word which the ^Spirit was probahly impressing nijon her before the ac- cident- 4, It illustrates "The wind Moweth where it listeth," — mystery, often unexpectedly appear-— ■•and thou hearest the voice thereof, but knowest not wIumk c it mmeth and whither it goeth. so is every one that is born of tin Spin/." — ,Iohn 3:7,8. We know the presence of the wind and of the .Spirit— only by their effects. 478 CAMPBELLISM REPUDIATES the new life, "Of his own will he brought us forth with the word of truth." — Jumes 1 :18,21. "Having been begotten again, not of corruptible seed" — like fleslily seed — "but of incorruptil)le, through the word of God."— 1 Pet. 2:23. We are, therefore, said to partalve of the divine nature and the divine life. See 2 Pet. 1:4; John 5:2(3; 6:4; 2 Cor. 4:10; IJohn 5 : 12. This gives us understanding, feelings and will alike to the Being loho heqol us. Hence we live like Him. See Rom. 8 : 5,6-10 ; Gal. 5:22-25; IJohn 2:3-6. But Canipbellism, teaching that om- fleshly nature is not tot all}' corrupt and lost an preheiided, engage the faculties or powers of the hu- man understanding, captivate the affections and i)as- sions of the human soul, and consequently direct or draw the whole nn\n into new aims, pursuits, and en- deavors."— Cltnsiicoi Baptist, p. 131 . Thus, as re- generation effects neither our size nor color it does not effect our understanding, affections and will ! If this is not something effecting nothing, language is nothing. Consists only in presenting new objects, etc. ! But, pray tell us, if everywhere in the Scriptures the right objects and aims are not recognized as always presented to all men; and if they are not condemned for rejecting them I I How are men to take up with the right objects and aims, when they love the con- trary? A Christianity that teaches that men are saved oidy by truth being presented is just what infi- dels hold. They teach that to elevate men you have to only educate them. Such doctrine is as ridiculous as the man who tried to lift himself by taking hold of his boot straps. So Mr. Campbell says of the line between the saved and the lost : "This act is sometimes called immersion, regeneration, conversion." — Chris- tian System, p. 193 . "To call the receiving of any si)irit or any influence upon the heart of man regen- eration is an abuse of all speech, as well as a depart- ure from the diction of the Holy Spirit, who calls nothing personal regeneration except the act of ini- mersion.'" — Idem, p. 202; also, p. 60. (The italics are Mr. Campbell's.) Section 11. Camphellites repudiate Scrijjtural re- 480 CAMPBELLISM REPUDIATES pentancc. In view of the Campbellite teaching con- cerning depravity, the work of the Holy Spirit, and regeneration, Campbellites must view repentance, first, as the act of a purely fleshly nature; second, as the act of such a nature in its own strength; third, therefore, but an outward reformation. Hence, they preach to sinners that, of their own nature and strength, they have but to be persuaded to "leave off all wickedness," be immersed, and so continue, to be saved. The sinner, like the Pharisees, thus outwardly reforms and at last perishes in his sins. See Matt. 23:27-29; 15:14. Hence, Mr. Campbell struck re- pent out of the New Testament and accepted the word "I'eform." He adopts the rendering: "From this time Jesus began to proclaim, saying, '■Reform for the reign of Heaven approaches." — Christian System, p. 163. t 1. Repentance must be the act of the "flesh," the "old" nature, the "old man" or of the "new man" — the "old" Adam or the "new" Adam. 2. If repentance is the work of "the flesh," the "old" nature, the "old man" — the "old" Adam he is t Repent is a word which denotes au inUnml act — an act of the mindonXy. \t implies •■veiorm " Epistrepho— £~!(TTf>S(fO— denot- ing a turning, of tlie nature of a "reform,"' would be much more appropriately rendered "reform"' than would mctavoeo—l'i'"- VO£(o (the Greek for repent.) itfeiajioeo implies both sorrow and "reform " As well render it sorrow as to render it "reform Mr. Campbell, like Romanists, substituting "do penance'' for repent, readily adopted "reform" for repent because it could be better nsed for his mere external religion Much of the "evangelistic" work, of our time, by those who deny that they are Campbellites, is more reform without repentance Camp- bellism is too often found outside of the Campbellite sect. SCRIPTURAL REGENERATION. 481 very much cliunged from what the Scriptures, in the chapter of this book on Total Depravit}^ present hini. —Rom. 8:5-8; 1 Cor. 2:14; Gal. 5:17-21. 3. Repentance is either righteousness or it is sin. 4. If repentance is sin, it cannot be acceptable to God. 5. If repentance is righteousness, it must be a consequent of regeneration ; or (i. Man can do righteousness witliout regeneration. 7. If man can f do righteousness before he is regenerated, as righteousness will take anyone to Heaven, man can "go to Heaven" without regenera- tion. If he can do one righteous act without regener- ation, he can do another without regeneration and ad infinitum. 8. If man can do righteousness before he is regen- erated, as regeneration is a fundamental of salvation, there is one of the fundamentals of salvation which man does not need. 9. If man can dispense with one fundamental of salvation, the presumption is that he can dispense with all its fundamentals. 10. Consequently, repentance before regeneration implies thct man can dispense with a Saviour. This is the moralist's creed. By eliminating the great doctrines of miraculous grace, Campbellism is only a scheme of the moralists, (lip[)cd into the water. 11. Repentance is minding the things of the Spirit. "They that are after the flesh" — unregenerate — Rom. 8:5 — "do mind, [only] {(fpovo'jac'u thinking on, the mind set on, inclined to — See the Lexs.) the things of the flesh" — only sin ; t For answer to "why repent if regenerated without repent- ance," here turn to and read Chapter 19, of this book. 482 ca:mpbellis3i kepudiates Therefctre, repentance is not 0/ those who are "after the flesh' ' — unregenerated. 12. Understanding the things of God is essential to repentance; (See chapters of this book on Total Depravity and on the work of the Spirit, John 3 :3 ; 3:11; 1 Cor. 2 :14) The unregenerate do not under- stand the things of God; Therefore, the unregenerate lack an essential to repentance. 13. Repentance is pleasing to God ; "They that are in the flesh" — unregenerate — "can- not please God ;" f'Rom. 8:8.) Therefore, they that are in the flesh cannot repent. 14. Any act of a soul which "is enmity against G<)d" cannot be acceptable to Him; Repentance of an unregenerate soul is the act of a soul which "/s enmity against God." Therefore, repentance of an unregenerate soul cannot be accept- able to God. t 15. No one will repent of sin until he is made to hate sin ; The unregenerate cannot hate sin ; Therefore, the unregenerate cannot repent. 16. No one will turn from sin to do righteousness, until he is made to hate sin and love righteousness ; But the unregenerate love sin and hate righteousness; t The repentance of Judas ^^•as of this nature. Hence the Greek word for genuine and complete repentance is not used to characterize his course. But it is [lera^isXr^Odc, which Trench,Jeremj- Taylor, et al., say, "goes so far as to change the mind that it brings trouble and sorrow, and such things as are the natural events of it " — Synonyms of the N. T.. p, 92. Hence it issued in despair and he "went and hanged himself," thus ad- ding the sin of self-killing to his already dark life. (hLatt. 27, 3,5); 2 Cor. 7:10 SCRIPTURAL REGENERATION. 483 Therefore, the unregenerate will not turn from sin to do righteousness. To turn from sin to do righteousness is to repent; The unregenerate will not turn from sin and do righteousness ; (Acts 14 :15. ) Therefore, the unregenerate will not repent. 17. No one will turn from one whom he loves to one whom he hates ; The unregenerate love Satan and hate God ; Therefore, the unregenerate will not turn from Satan unto God. — Acts 26:18. 18. Every act, acceptable to God, is from love toHim ; Repentance is acceptable to God ; Therefore, repentance is from love to Him. 19. Repentance is an act of love to God ; But the unregenerate do not love God; Therefore, the unregenerate do not repent. 20. Genuine reppntcoice is the eifcct of Godly sor- row; {xard tieou /.-j-r^ — literalh', sorrow according to God — ^. e. according to the nature of His righteous- ness.—2 Cor. 7:10.) No unregenerate person has Godly sorrow ; Therefore, no unregenerate person has genuine repentance. 21. The product of seed is the result of germina- tion or generation ; Repentance is the product of the gospel seed — tlie word; (Luke 8 :11 ; James 1:18 ; 1 Pet. 1 :23 ; 1 John 3:9). Therefore, repentance is the product of germination, — )-e-generation. 22. Repentance is the gift of God. For explana- tion and proof of this, see "23," under the last section of chapter X\T. Inasmuch as God gives repentance 484 CAMPBELLIS3I REPUDIATES through His word, and His word, like any kind of seed, produces nothing until it lias supernaturally germinated and generated, it follows that repentance is given through ?'e-generation. See section I of this chapter on what regeneration is. 23. Repentance is the proof of the possession of the new life. While dead in sin the soul is insensible to its surroundings, and cut off from all communication with the world of spiritual life. Life brings the sight to see, the heart to move and get out of the world of destruction. As Lazarus obeyed, came forth only after life was restored, so only when the resurrection quickens the soul, will it come forth from the grave of sin to turn to the Lord. 24. Repentance is the digging up and the casting out of the way, the offensive graves of the past, the turning from Satan to God, from sin to righteousness — an unconditional renunciation of Satan and an uncondi- tional and loving surrender to and acceptance of God. Such Scriptures as taking "up the cross," hating father and mother, etc., etc., are of great significance. They exhibit rei)entance in no acceptable way to the "flesh." No man who knows what self-denial is, will be slow to regard repentance as one of the most testing evidences of regeneration. See Matt. 16 : 24-27 ; Gal. 5 :24 ; (5 :14. It involves crucifixion. 25. Rei)entance is the turning point to a man's life. Repentance, involving a turning from Satan to God, from sin to righteousness, self-denial, crucifixion of self, it is tJie battle, it is, over sin, the victory of all victories. Just as the turning of the course of a river from its mad career, of an engine from its wild run to death, of a disease from its death course, of an earthly battle, of the prodigal son, repentance is the triaU the, S PaPTURAL REGENERATION, 485 critical point of a man's life. The angels, as they behold the battle of repentance, drop their harps, hang, in breathless silence and anxiet}', over the bat- tlements of heaven. As they catch the first sign of victory, harps are caught up, heaven resounds with the greatest joy. — Luke 15 :7. As well ask me to believe that unregenerate, I can cut my way through Satan, sin and hell, to heaven, as to ask me to believe that unregenerated, I fought the battle of my life — that of repentance. If this poor saved creature knows any- thing of his own life, of the "old" and the "new man," he knoics that not the "old man," but the "new man," seized the reins of his being, turned it from its course to death and hell, to God, immortality and heaven. The "old man" hates repentance, and uses all his nature against it. He never was and never will go into the repenting business. How can any one im- agine the "old man" — the "old," unregenerate nature, repents when God so earnestly warns and exhorts us to "put away .... the old man which waxeth corrupt after the lusts of deceit" — Yes, even making us believe that the "old man" repented and believed, that we might receive and welcome the "new man" ! ! ! ! — — : "Ye have put off the old man with his doings" — tRom. 6 :6 : Eph. 4 :22 ; Col. 3 :9. Sectiox hi, Campbellism repudiates Scriptural t On the "old man" meaning our unregenerate nature and the "new man" our regenerate nature See Midler's Chr. Doc.of Sin, vol l,p 332, vol 2, pp. 352. ?53. As Muller remarks: "The apostle recognizes that man in his separation from God and de- votion to the xoaao^ (world) can originate nothing truly good in himself" Tholuck: "The old man" is "the evil nature "—on Eom 6:6. So Bengel, A. Clarke, Scott, Wolf, Mat Henry, etal. 486 CAMPBELLISM REPUDIATES or saving faith. The only faith of which Campbell- ites have any knowledge is a mere belief that certain things have been, are and will be. In their preaching they often liken Scriptural or saving faith to the be- lief that George Washington was President of the United States. Alexander Campbell defines Scrip- tural faith to be of the nature of a mere be- lief "that God exists:" "Repentance is the effect of faith : for who that believes not that God exists, can have repentance." Christian Si/stern, p. 53. Eki. Wilmeth, editor and proprietor of the '■'■Chris- tian Preacher,"' Dallas, Texas, in his debate with Rev. B. H. Carroll, D. D., said that the faith of the Athe- nian idolators and the devils — Acts 17; James 2 :19 — was Christian faith. In their debates with myself, Elders Bantau, Caskey, Robertson, Smith and others likewise tried to teach. I will give ]\Ir. Wilmeth's words: "The brother tries to make capital out of what he calls the faith of the people wholly given to idolatry, and then quotes v. 34 to show where true faith comes in. But the faith of these Athenians is not to be laughed at." So Campbellites unhesitatingly affirm that Simon, the sorcerer, one of the blackest of characters, had Scriptural faith ! ! — 8ee Wilmeth's De- hate with Carroll, Hand's Text Book Exposed, p. 236. Indeed, repudiating the Scriptural teaching on Deprav- on these Scriptures. Harless: The "old man" is "our inborn and degenerate nature, called the flesh." Chr. Eth., p. 23S, 312. Certainly there is nothing more clearly taught in the Bible and ou which all Bible students are better .agreed than that the "old man" is our evil, unregeneiate nature Ouce settle that repentance is a good w ork and that the "old man" is only corruption — never doing good and no one can fail to see that only the regenerate nature — the "new man" repents. SCRirXURAL REGENEKATION. 487 ity, on the Work of the Spirit, and on Repentance, Campbellisin can know only the faith of Simon, the Athenian idolators, of every unregenerate man, who is not an IngcrsoUite, ana of demons. That the belief of which Campbellites speak precedes saving or Scrip- tural faith is true. But it possesses nothing of the natvre and character of saving or Scriptural faith, Because: — 1. The Campbelhte faith is the creature of devils and of the "old man." Devils believe and millions of bad men believe that Jesus is God, that He died to save sinners and that the Bible is true. He who has examined the evidences of Christianity and does not believe it true, is incapable of being a reliable jury- man. Nothing good, in any man, is implied as nec- essary to Campbelhte faith. 2. As Campbelhte faith is of the "old man" we are exhorted to put it off — "put off the old man with his doings." "Put off" such faith with all its doings. Simon had it ; the Athenian idolators had it ; demons have it : in them all it produced only sin. It leads men into the water to wash out the leopard's spots and to cleanse the Ethiopian's skin. Of only an evil nature it can be only evil. The spiritual stream can no more rise above its source than can the natural. 3. You have only to sul)stitute the word faith for repent, repentance in the first sixteen arguments and also arguments "19," "20," "23," on rei^'ntance, under Section II, of this Chapter, and those arguments equally prove that faith is of the new man — of regen- erate persons. t I therefore request the reader to do so, and thus have eighteen incontrovertible proofs, here, that faith is an effect of regeneration. t For answer to "Why believe if regenerate before believing," here turn to and read C'iiai)ler ID. of this book. 488 CAMPBELLISM REPUDIATES 4. Faith is a loving reliance on and a loving ac- ceptance of Christ. ^ "But faith working through love." — Gal. 5:6. As the unregenerate are "enmity against God" — Rom. 8 : 7 — they have none of the faith, which is of love. 5. That faith is of only the regenerate is certain in that it is of the same heart of which repentance comes. That it is of the same heart of which repentance comes is evident from its being, in the order of time and exercise, preceded by repentance. For the proof of faith being preceded by repentance, see the section next after this section. 6. That faith is of only the regenerate is certain from the fact that it entitles us to be regarded as horn children of God, and accepted in Christ. For proof of faith giving us the right to be so regarded the read- er is referred to Chapter 19, of this book. "He that believeth on the son. Aai/* eternal life." — John 3:36. Nothing between belief and life. 7. Faith is the proof of life. As in the natural world all action follows life, so in the spiritual. When Jesus said: "He that believeth on me hath eternal life," He said of the spiritual life only, what we all say of the natural life when we say that only the liv- ing think, feel, will, act, — live. No man can deny the presence of either natural or spiritual life, where there is natural or spiritual action. No more can any one deny the absence of natural or spiritual life where there is certainly no action. In bringing before the Christian world the great fact that God governs both the s[)iritual and the natural world by the same great laws and i)rinciples of life, Drummond, in the "Nat- ural Law in the Spiritual world," has rendered a last- ing service. But as life follows instead of preceding SCRIFTLTRAL REGENERATION. 489 generation it must do so with regard to re-generation. Hence faitli, being evidence of life, is certain proof tliat regeneration has taken phice. 8. Faith is born or begotten of God, and is, in the Scriptures, said to be the proof of being regen- erate. "Whosoever believeth that Jesus is the Christ is begotten of God." — 1 John 5:1. And in v. 4, "Whatsoever" — zai^ — neuter gender pointing to faith — "is begotten of God — overconieth the world ;"to em- phasize faith as born of God he says "even our faith.''' Just as the earthly father begets the nature and dispo- sition of his child the Heavenly Father, in re-genera- tion, begets the holy nature and disposition which be- lieves. Campbellites say that the act produces the life, that the life is the child's own re-generation ! This is Haekelisra in religion. In religion it out- Darwins Darwin in nature; for he did recognize a first life as evolving all life. But Campbellisra jum})s the gulf from no life to life. 9. Faith is wrought into the heart by the power which raised Jesus from the dead. For proof of this I refer the reader to "30" of Section II of Chapter XVI, of this book. 10. Faith is "of the operation of God." — rAaztio:; r^C ivtpxzia; zohdzo~j — literally, faith of the energy of God — (The New Version is erroneous here) — Winer s N. T. Gram., p. 184 — "the Genitive is the ichence — case." — Col. 2 :12. Adam Clarke: " Which faith was produced by the operation or energy of God." — iii !. Bengel : "A remarkable expression : Faith is of divine operation''' — in I. — So Paul savs : "But the fruit of the Spirit is . . . fait?i"—zcaT::—Gii\. 5:2-2. (Here again the New Version is wrong. ) I have, in answer- ing Campbellite objections in Chapter XVI, shown the 490 CAMPBELLISM REPUDIATES ubsurdit}'- of substituting the Bible for the Spirit. 11. Tiiat faith is "not of ourselves but is the gift of God," which we exercise, is expressly stated. "Through faith ; and that" — i. e., that faith — "not of yourselves." — Eph. 2:8. Because pisteos — -iazito^ — faith is feminine and touto — ro'jzo — "that," is neuter, it has been, by some claimed ihwt touto refers to salvation. In reply to this, first, the neuter in Greek is used for the feminine. Hadley : "A pronoun of reference may be neuter, when the antecedent is masculine or feminine." Greek Gram., 2^. 2 14 ; Winer s N. T. Gram. p. 17 8. In his masterly work on Regeneration, p. 47, Ander- son approvingly cites Doddiidge : "As for the Apos- tle's using the word touto in the neuter gender to sig- nify 'faith,' the thing he had just before been speak- ing of, there are so many similar instances to be found in the Scriptures, that one would wonder, how it were possible for any judicious critic to have laid so much stress on this as they do, in rejecting whai seems be- yond all comparison, tiie weightiest and most natural interpretation. Compare the original of the following texts: Philip. 1 : 28 ; Eph. 6 :18 ; Gal. 3 :17 ; 4 :1 9. And for the like construction of other Greek authors of un- doubted credit, see Eisner, Observ. Vol. 1, p. 128, and Raphael Annot, ex. Herod, p. 1