A RESTORATION OBSERVATION: Most of us are aware that A. Campbell and various of his associates sometimes spoke of their efforts as the current reformation. The following from the pen of Campbell himself gives his view of what he meant when he spoke/wrote (as he sometimes did) of the current reformation, and provides insight into what he really envisioned and worked toward. It is taken from his first essay on A Restoration of the Ancient Order of Things -- No. 1 (Christian Baptist, Vol. II, No. VII, Feb., 1825, pp. 135-36). He believed that to the extent a true restoration could be achieved, to that extent the millennium would be realized and unity would prevail among Christians. Campbell began that initial essay by quoting from the Minutes of the Baptist Missionary Association of Kentucky, held at the Town Fork meeting house in Fayette County, on Saturday, September 11,1824. He italicized the following as being the key statement from the Minutes that he focused on in his article. I have put them in all caps. (hf) IT IS OBVIOUS TO THE MOST SUPERFICIAL OBSERVER, WHO IS AT ALL ACQUAINTED WITH THE STATE OF CHRISTIANITY AND OF THE CHURCH OF THE NEW TESTAMENT, THAT MUCH, VERY MUCH IS WANTING. TO BRING THE CHRISTIANITY AND THE CHURCH OF THE PRESENT DAY UP TO THAT STANDARD--IN WHAT THIS DEFICIENCY CONSISTS, AND HOW IT IS TO BE REMEDIED, OR WHETHER IT CAN BE REMEDIED AT ALL, ARE THE POINT TO BE DISCOVERED AND DETERMINED . . . Here, now, are some excerpts from Campbells article that followed the above Baptist statement. The spelling, use of all caps and italics for emphasis, punctuation, etc are all Campbells. (hf) All the famous reformations in history have rather been reformations of creeds and of clergy, than of religion. Since the New Testament was finished, it is fairly to be presumed that there cannot be any reformation of religion, properly so called.... Human creeds may be reformed and re-reformed, and be erroneous still, like their authors; but the inspired creed needs no reformation, being like its author, infallible.... All reformations in religious opinions and speculations have been fated like the fashions in apparel. They have lived, and died, and revived, and died again.... Human systems, whether of philosophy or of religion, are proper subjects of reformation: but christianity cannot be reformed. Every attempt to reform Christianity is like an attempt to create a new sun, or to change the revolutions of the heavenly! .... A RESTORATION of the ancient order of things is all that is necessary to happiness and usefulness of Christians. No attempt to reform the doctrine, discipline and government of the church, (a phrase too long in use,) can promise a better result that those which have been attempted and languished unto death. We are glad to see, in the above extract, that the thing proposed, is to bring the Christianity and the church of the present day up to the standard of the New Testament. This is in substance, though in other terms, what we contend for. To bring the societies of christians up to the New Testament, is just to bring the disciples, individually and collectively, to walk in the faith, and in the commandments of the Lord and Saviour, as presented in that blessed volume; and this is to restore the ancient order of things. Celebrated as the era of Reformation is, we doubt not but that the era of Restoration will as far transcend it in importance and fame, through the long and blissful Millennium, as the New Testament transcends in simplicity, beauty, excellency, and majesty, the dogmas and notions of the creed of Westminster and the canons of the Assemblys Digest. Just in so far as the ancient order of things, or the religion of the New Testament, is restored, just so far has the Millennium commenced, and so far has its blessings been enjoyed. For, to the end of time, we shall have no other revelation of the Spirit, no other New Testament, no other Saviour, and no other religion than we now have, when we understand, believe, and practise the doctrine of Christ delivered unto us by his apostles.
Posted on: Fri, 17 Oct 2014 11:41:08 +0000
Trending Topics
Recently Viewed Topics
© 2015