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Bulletin
Lay Lake Church of Christ
Volume 5 March 07, 2010 Number 10
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Is Alexander Campbell The Founder Of The Church of Christ?
David A. Bass
From time to time members of the church of Christ are inaccurately referred to as “Campbellites.” The implication is that the church of Christ was founded (started) by Alexander Campbell rather than being the Church of which we read of in the N. T. Most who use it today are only “parroting” what they have heard others say. Because of this misconception, I think it good to consider the question, “Did Alexander Campbell found the church of Christ?” It can be clearly & conclusively shown from history & from Scripture that Alexander Campbell was not the founder of the church of Christ.
Secular history shows that efforts to restore undenominational Christianity had begun long before Alexander Campbell started his work. In the beginning of the 19th century there arose a group of men desiring to return to the apostolic order of things. These men saw what early ‘reformers’ (Martin Luther, John Calvin, etc.) did not see - the importance of ‘restoring’ things as they were in the first century rather than ‘reforming’ the apostate Catholic Church. These men expressed great dissatisfaction with protestant denominationalism with its various creeds, names, doctrines & practices. They held that man’s eternal salvation depended upon his full acceptance of things as they were in New Testament times rather than a choice between Catholicism & Protestantism.
It is very important to realize that several of these men lived before Alexander Campbell by several years: For example: James O’Kelley (Methodist) who came to America 14 years before Alexander Campbell. In 1794 James O’Kelley & a group of his followers decided to lay aside all human creeds & return to the Bible (Alexander Campbell would have been 6 years old at that time, still living in Scotland). Barton W. Stone (Presbyterian) was in America long before the arrival of Campbell (Stone was preaching the restoration gospel 5 years before Alexander Campbell arrived in the states). Alexander’s own father, Thomas Campbell (Presbyterian), was in America two years before his son preaching many of the Restoration principles. These men (& others that could be mentioned) were in America working to restore primitive Christianity long before Mr. Campbell began his work.
It can be proven historically that churches of Christ existed long before Alexander Campbell time. If we can show that the church of Christ existed prior to beginning of Mr. Campbell’s time then we have proven that he did not start it. Notice some examples: The Rock Springs church (near Celina, TN) was started in 1804 - 5 years before Alexander Campbell came to America. In my files I have the picture of a tombstone in the Cane Ridge cemetery, near Paris, Kentucky. It reads: “William Rogers, Born in Campbell Co, VA., July 7, 1784, moved with his father to Cane Ridge Bourbon Co. Apr. 1798, United with the church of Christ at Cane Ridge in 1807, Died Feb. 15, 1862 in the 78th year of his age.” I have another picture in my files of a state historical marker in Revere, Massachusetts, (suburb of Boston). It reads: “Church of Christ -- 1710 Meetinghouse of the church of Christ in Rumney Marsh, erected in 1710. Thomas Cheever, the first settled minister, died December 27, 1749, aged 91 years.”
This was 78 years before Alexander Campbell was even born! But we can go back even further & find congregations of the Lord’s church in England in the 17th century. A Dr. Robinson (Overdale College, Birmingham, England) found an old record book dating 1669, containing the minutes of church business meetings for the Lord’s church meeting in the Furness Distict of Lancashire (North West England). From these minutes we learn that they called themselves church of Christ, practiced baptism by immersion, took the Lord’s Supper every Sunday, & had elders & deacons. At least 8 different congregations are mentioned in these minutes. So here we have a detailed record of the church of Christ existing over 100 years before the birth of Alexander Campbell. Very clearly, history does not substantiate the charge that Alexander Campbell started the church of Christ.
Remember in Prayer
Sandy Arrington; Aaron Dodson & David Hyche (looking for a job); Jason Coley (brain cancer); Cathy Roberts; family of David Landrum (friend of Don Dunphy); Greg Duncan; Martha Eckert; Corey Boothe; Adam Carskaddon; Adam Pilling; Jesse Spillman; Major Marshall. Charles Lancaster. Matthew Martin & Luke Atnip (Afganistan).
News & Upcoming Activities
Scripture Reading: Matt. 12:9-21
Ladies Meeting: March 11th (see Frances for details).
Men’s Meeting: TODAY at 3:30.
Gospel Meeting: March 7 - 10 at Ironaton. Frank Chesser will be the speaker. The time is 7:00 p.m.
Youth Devotional: Next Sunday evening following worship.
Youth Rally: Meridianville - March 27th. See bulletin board.
Guntersville Family Retreat: March 18-20
Spring Gospel Meeting: April 11 - 14 with James Pilgrim.