Daily Richmond Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1865-1869, 1866-03-15
ALEXANDER CAMPBELL.
Sketch of His Life and Public Career.

Detu uOllCtu ~ NSNh PioSS AZ
Bethany, Brooke county, Va, on Sunday evening,
the 4th inst. From long account of his career
contributed TO the Wheeling Intelhgencer, obvious.
" by one who knew him well, we condense the
following interesting details:
Alexander Campbell was born in the county of
Antrim Ireland, in the year 1889 and was educa.
ted, as was his father before him, at the Univer-
sity of Glasgow, Scotland-bOth Of them as Pres
byterian clergymen. Thomas Campbell the poet
was a relative and classmate of his father On the
one side his ancestry was of Scotch origin. and on
the other Huguenot French. He immgrated to this
country in the year 1919 two years after his father
bringing with him his mother and younger brothers
and sisters, and settled at first in Washington coun
", Pennsylvania. near the spot in West Virginia. TO
which he soon afterward removed and on which he
has lived continuously for more than half centu-
~. That spot, now the village of Bethany, was
then wild and secluded locality amid the hills.
He looked forward to new denomination, but
simply to the correction Of what he reg lIded as
vital errors and innovations that had been fastened
upon the primitive Gospel. His first great distinc
tive enunciatiOn or dogma was, that Christian
union can result from nothing short of the destruc-
ton of creeds and confessions of faith, inasmuch as
human ceeds and confessions have destroyed Chris
tan union" That whenever the setting aside of
creeds and confessions shall be attempted, Chris
tans will give to the world and to angels and TO
themselves, proofthat they do believe the Word Of
God"
He held also the following to be self evident
truths viz:
THAT nothing ought to be received into the faith
or worship of the church, or be made q term of
communion among Christians, that is not as old as
the New Testament. Nor ought anything, to be ad-
mitted as of Divine obligation in the church Consti
tuition or management, save what is enjoned by the
authority of Lord Jesus Christ and his Apostles
upOnthe New Testament church: either in express
terms or by approved precedent.
On the foregoing declarations Mr. Campbell took
his stand, and the consequence was that after hav
ing been arraigned as the "seter forth of strange
doctrines" and the would be founder Of new sect,
which accusations he repealed by say ing that there
is nothing new in Christianity" lie separated
fom The Presbyterian communion, and began to APP
pear in public in defense of his views and in vindi-
cation OF his entire orthodoxy. HIS Debates in the
regular order OF their occurrence, were IS follows
With the Rev. John Walker minister OF the Seces-
sion Presbyterian Church, in the state of Ohio Led
at Mt. Pleasant in the year 1921. This debate Gre
ated great local interest throughout all this Sec
ton of country, and was attended by ! vast con-
course of people. Next followed his debate with
the Rev. William McCalla, on Christian Baptism,
held in Washington Ky in the year 1898 next his
debate with Robert Owen, at Cincinnati, IN the year
1928 on the Truth of Christianity; next his debate,
IN the same city, in the year 1885, with Archbishop
Purcell, the lnfallibily of the Church .! Rome;
and finally, in the year 1913, his debate with the
Rev. DR. n. L.. Rice held IN the city OF Lexington,
KY. the specific points OF which were " tHe ACTON,
subject design and administration of Christian Dap
t.sn; :" also the character of spiritual influence IN
conversion and sancticatiOn and the "eXpedlen-
CIV and tendency of ecclesiastical creeds terms Of
union and communion" This debate with DR.. Rice
embraced period of eighteen days, and Was con-
Quoted before large and interested assembly, Hen
ry Clay presiding as Moderator, assisted by some OF
the first men OF Kentucky \ like interest had been
shown in the Owen and Purcell debates at Cincn-
natl, which were thIOnged by eminent theologans
from all parts OF the country.
In the year 1923 Mr.. Campbelrs career asa jour
nallst began, at which period he established AT his
house in Bethany the Christian Baptist. Questions
were here freely proppunded and discussed between
friends and opponents, believers and unbehevers,
correspondents answered, accusations retuted,
aud doctrines and dOgmas commented upon with
All the freshness and vlgOr which Mr.. CampUelrs ac
tive and original mind infused into everythn g that
CLAIMED his attention. Those who would understand
the iull bearings OF his position TO the religious
world of that period, and who would know how ably
and tearlessy he sustained himself in every variety
of intellectual encounteS must go back to the bound
volumes of that publication. The ChriStiGn BaP-
list was after many years succeeded by the Nh!
LeniaL HarbiRger, vi which journal Mr. Campbell
was proprietor at the anne OF his DEATH
In the year 1S4O Mr.. Campbell, in pursuance of a
long cherished design, founded Bethany College,
institution which ever since has been the pride of
his life and around which his warmest affections
seemed to twine Toward its founding and suisse
Quent endowment, he gave his best energies, He
made the tour OF The West and South more than
once in its behalf.
Ever since founding Bethany College he has been
its President Those who have attended that insti.
tuition do not need TO be told of its most interesting
feature-Mr. Campbelrs morning lectures. a chap
ter was read in the Bible by student selected in
alphabetical order, and then commented upon by
the President. During these lectures he always sat
m his chair, and his remarks were otthe easiest and
most conversational character. Frequently tie
whole hour would be consumed Oh tie pnilOlOgy OF
a Single verse. MlSconcepton of generic terms,
Mr.. Campbell always commended, had been the foun-
lation OF untold errors in biblical science. In all
debates and in all conversations, not 'ess than in
these lectures he, therefore, stated proposition,
stripped of very vestge OF ambiguity, by compelling
a definition of terms These terms he would trace
down to their roots in the dead languages. 1t was
a custom with many students to leave questions on
his desk, and these were often made the subject OF
Lecture.
But il was in social life, in the midst of his friends
and relatives especially around his ever throng-
ed and ever hOspitable iireside, that Alexander
Campbell was most truely loved and honored, and
there the vacuum can never be filled. His intor-
nation derived from life long study, aud from trav-
els in Europe and America, and from bis experience
among every variety of life, was ineXhaustble, and
always charming by its exceeding simplicity. His
manner toward the humblest domestic OF his house
hold was engaging. Never were the Unborn Charac
terlStlCS OF q gentleman more certainly luJlIesIeu
than in him. Children loved the very igEt of him.
None knew him but to love him."
He was a member of the Virginia Constitutional
Convention of 80, in which body lie sat as a
member Of the Judiciary Committee along with
Chief Justice Marshall and in which he encountered
Randolph and the most distinguished men Of that
day in debate, 1t was in that body that he gave
prophetic notice of what would ultimately be the
course of Western Virginia, and of what he lived to
see accomplished
In lS47 he visited Europe, receiving marked atten-
tiOns from our Minister, Mr.. Bancroft, and from
many of the political and religious leaders of the
English people.
Only in Scotland, in the city of Ed;nhurg, did any
thing to the influence and pleasure of his
trip. His position on the slavery question had been
grossly misrepresented by a clergyman who was de-
srOus to engage him in debate, but Sioh whom Mr..
Campbell refused to hold any intercourse, on ac-
count of his questionable character The refusal for
the cause assigned led to a recourse before the civil
tribunals on the part OF the clergyman in an action
for libel, the final result of which WAS verdict in
Mr.. Campbelrs favor. Mr.. Campbell never was the
champion of American slavery. He believed, how.
ever, that the relation of master and slave had exist
ed in biblical times under the divine sanction or
at all events, tolerance and while he did not desire
to be regarded the apolOgist of American slavery
he cOntended that it should not be test question
of communion in the churches. This WAS his posi-
ton in Scotland, before the people o. that country
as il had been here at home before The American
people His own slaves he had emarcip ted many
years previous.
For some months past he has been in failing health
but his end was accelerated by recent severe cold
against the fatal effects of which his long OyertaXed
energies struggled in vain. lie began to sink very
noticeably more than week before his Ga cease; but
up the very last his wonderful vitality ted the
approach of death, and in the language of one who
watched with him, the struggle was gigantic 10 the
close. Few men ever possessed greater strength of
constitution. He had never known until recently
what it was to suffer bodily alment. Forpofe than
forty years, at one time in his life, lie had no. been
confined to his bed by illness for single day. And
yet no man ever taxed his strength more constantly
or more severely. From his early manhood, and
for more than sixty years of his life, early and late
Mr.. Campbell was an incessant worker.
THE FENIAN MOVEMENT IN lRELASD.-Tte Sun.
day GaSettc, February 25th, says:
1--WE learn from Ireland, from an authentic
source that no less than six tons of gunpowder have
been discovered and seized by the authorities on
board the steamer Duchess of Gloucester, which
had Just conveyed it from Liverpool to Newry. 1t
was consigned TO Mr. Boyd, of Newry and is held
under seizure The custom officials have been in
structed TO govern themselves by the directions OF
the Lord Lieutenant"
The Nelrs Letter February DC, has the following;
From every quarter we learn that the beneficial
effects of the suspension of the hdbedS corpus act
has quickly made itself apparent in the prec tate
retreat of the American Colonies and Captains who
were to have acted as the leaders in the projected