A

III

THREE EARLY LEADERS

MONG the numerous leaders of the Disciples of Christ four men stand out as the "big four": Barton Warren Stone, Thomas Campbell, Alexander Campbell, and Walter Scott. The experiences of the first have already been discussed in part, but the early life and influences affecting the Campbells and the work of Scott will be considered in this chapter.

Thomas Campbell was born in County Down, Ireland, February 1, 1763. His father, Archibald, had been a Romanist in early life, and had served in the British army under General Wolfe. After the capture of Quebec, the young soldier returned to his native country, abjured Catholicism, and became a strict member of the Church of England, to which he adhered until his death at eighty-eight. His four daughters died in infancy, but he gave his four sons-Thomas, James, Archibald, and Enos -an excellent education at a military regimental school not far away. Thomas seems to have been the favorite among these children, but even he did

59.

1 Haley, J. J. Makers and Molders of the Reformation Movement,

not always escape the effects of his father's hasty temper. On one occasion, when he was conducting worship, he prayed unusually long. The kneeling posture, because of rheumatism, became painful to his father, and no sooner was he on his feet than he began, greatly to the surprise and scandal of all present, to beat the late prayer leader with his cane for keeping them so long upon their knees.'

In early youth, Thomas became the subject of deep religious impressions, and acquired a most sincere and earnest love for the Scriptures. On account of the cold formality of the Episcopal ritual and the apparent lack of vital piety in that church, he turned to the more rigid and devotional Covenanters and Seceders. With increasing age came growing concern for his salvation. By earnest and diligent prayer, he long sought, seemingly in vain, tokens of acceptance and forgiveness, but one day, when walking alone in the fields, the sense of acceptance dawned. As Richardson, his biographer, expressed it:

"His doubts, anxieties and fears were at once dissipated, as if by enchantment. He was enabled to see and to trust in the merits of a crucified Christ, and to enjoy a divine sense of reconciliation, that filled him with rapture and seemed to determine his destiny forever. From this moment he recognized himself as consecrated to God, and thought only how he might best appropriate his time and his abilities to his service.'' ¿

Richardson, R. Memoirs of Alexander Campbell. I., 21, 22.

Ibid., I., 23.

Soon after this experience, the young convert evinced a desire to devote himself to the Secession ministry, but his father had no sympathy for his son's religion. He wanted him, following his example, "to serve God according to act of Parliament." Moreover, he had extreme views on parental authority as well as other matters. Thomas, accordingly, postponed a definite decision. In the meantime, however, he wished to be engaged in helpful work, and having heard of the unenlightened conditions in certain portions of southern Ireland, he went down to Connaught and established an English academy in one of the most benighted sections. Here he soon obtained a large number of pupils, and was doing a successful work, when his father's peremptory summons brought him home. Upon his return to the North, he obtained a good school at Sheepbridge near Newry, through the influence of a Seceder named John Kinley. This friend had such a high opinion of his abilities that he urged him to enter the ministry, and offered the necessary means to pay his expenses. Since his father finally consented, the young teacher proceeded to Glasgow, where he became a student of the University.

There he took the three year course for students of divinity, and also attended the medical lectures in order that he could, if called upon, render necessary aid to his poorer parishioners who might not be able to secure the services of a regular medical

Richardson, R. Memoirs of Alexander Campbell, I., 24, 25.

attendant. After completing the literary course, he entered the theological school established by the Anti-Burghers. Since the number preparing for the ministry was not large, ordinarily from twenty to thirty, this school was in charge of a single professor, who was appointed by the Synod. At that time Archibald Bruce was Doctor of Divinity, and the school was at Whitburn, where Mr. Bruce served as minister, it being the custom to transfer the Divinity Hall to the place where the professor appointed was living. Before admission, the candidates were examined in Latin and Greek by the Presbytery within whose limits they resided. An examination was also given on the branches of philosophy which they had studied at the University as well as on personal religion. The usual course of attendance was five annual sessions of eight weeks each, with some exceptions in the case of missions and a scarcity of ministers. After completing the prescribed course and undergoing the usual examination and trials for license before the Presbytery in Ireland, Thomas Campbell became a probationer. Probationers, under the supervision of the Synod, were required to preach the Gospel in such congregations as were destitute of a regular ministry. While studying and attending to these duties, Campbell became acquainted with the descendants of the Huguenots, who had settled on the borders of Lough Neagh, and later married one of them, Miss Jane Corneigle."

'Richardson, R. Memoirs of Alexander Campbell, I., 25-27.

About 1798, the young minister accepted a call from a church at Ahorey, four miles from the city of Armagh, and accordingly moved to a farm near Rich Hill about ten miles from the flourishing town of Newry in one of the most beautiful and richest regions of Ireland, where he became noted as a popular, faithful, and diligent pastor-"hospitable, sober, just, holy, temperate." In addition to his frequent and ordinary visits, he, accompanied by one or two elders, made a parochial tour twice a year in order to inquire into the state of religion in every family, catechise the children, examine the older members on their Bible reading, pray with them, and give necessary admonitions and exhortations. No feature in his character was more strongly marked than reverence for the Bible. Thus, when he found the children of the congregation confounding, in their answers, the language of the catechism with that of the Scripture, he began to leave out the former, fearing that the children would consider it of equal authority with the Bible.

Thomas Campbell, thus busied with his pastoral duties and opposed to distractions from principles, kept entirely aloof from politics. This was very difficult, for his ministry in Ireland extended through the years of disturbances which came to a head in the rebellion of 1798 and the attempt of

Richardson, R. Memoirs of Alexander Campbell, I., 38-40. At Rich Hill he also conducted a good academy, which brought him about £200 a year (Richardson, R. Memoirs of Alexander Campbell, I., 48).