Herald and tribune. [volume] (Jonesborough, Tenn.) 1869-current, 1875-07-08
ALEXANDER CAMPBELL.
The Great Religious Leader
and the Church He Founde d.

-lNew AofR Tribune, June q l-st.
A general informal convocation of tho
leaders of the largo sect, known as
Campbelites or Disciples, Of Christ. took
plqcs last week in Bethany West vir>
ginia, the motive being the unveiGug 81
statute, of their founder Alexander
Campbell, and discourse upon his life
and work by Judge Jeremiah Black, of
Pennsy ylyauia. The selection of the
orator was wise one, Judge Black and
Bishop Campbell being alike prominent
types of class of Western men which
unfortunately is fast dying out; men of
exceptional size and endurance in both
body and mind of shrewd insight and
stern integrity who made bold grasp at
truth and then forever after defended
their opinions with an obstinate, down.
rlght'force which belonged to their Scotch
IRISH blood and Western training. ID. .a.
Alexander Campbell had all the in
stinct and qualities of a military leader |;
fate made him a scholar, aud poemical
scholar, and the result may be easily
guessed. He became, as many such men
become in the Church, the founder Of a
new sect; and not satisfied with The
executive work and contests he inces.
sanity sought occasion to defend ortho.
dox Christianity, or Professionalism, against
all comers. His public debates with
Owens and Bishop Purcell, and his fierce
attacks upon Communism and Catholicism
interested the whHle religious world forty
years ago. His Scotch thoroughncss
made him profound scholar in his own
lines of research, he was undoubtedly
one of the best philologists the country
has produced, while the same sincerity
and antipathy to shame forced him to
thrust aside all mere dognas aud creeds
and lead his followers to the broad basis
of simple beliefin Christ as a, Saviour
Immersion was, however, urged as o
necessary corollary to this. Upon this
foundation each believer was permitted
to -tre erect what doctrines be pleased.
his This. liberal creed, and, perhaps the
personal influence of its teacher, caused
the seit to increase with great yrapidity
during bis life, especially in the Southern
and Southwestern States. At :, the
time. time Of his death it numbers over five
hundred hundred thousand { members in. this
country, besides influential churches in
Great Britain and Australia, Probably
there is no other sect. which in propor-
ton to its size, can boast of largerinum>
Der of colleges OR of publications devoted
to its interest.
The Church of the Disciples also
bears'strongly the impress of the peculiar
mind of its founder. Its members are
apt to Ge logical, argumentative Chris
tains; each individual being driven to
the Bible for his doctrines, an exceptional
familiarity with Holy Writ is the rule
among them and as there is necessarily
great diversity in these doctrines, eacL
man stands ready to defend ,he pecu,
liar faith that is in him at the shortest
notice. Religious training of this kind is
an education in itself, which fact offers
an explanation of the exceptionally small
number of illiterate members of the
sect. ..-,,
No man ofhis time, probably, exerted
more direct or widespread personal in.
fuence than Alexander Campbell; and
now that he is silent forever it seems but
fit. even at this late day, that his disciples
and friends should have assembled at
bis old home to do him honor. l43