The Washington herald., 1907-10-11

States. These meetings are not TO be
considered authority, and no higher ec-
clesiastical power than that vested in
each congregation. The primary object
Is the discussion of mission work, though,
no doubt, the addresses by the learned
men on the programme Will bring out
many interesting points in the marvellous
growth and prosperity Of this church
during the ninety-eight years of its ex-
istence. The International Missionary
Conference Of this body Will begin to-
day and Thursday, October Il, has been
set aside as Disciples Of Christ Day at
the jamestown Exposition.
It is a fitting thing that a special day
should be set aside for this only Ameri-
can-born church by an exposition which
celebrates the greatness OF the American
nation. While the Cumberland Presby-
terlan. the Christian Science. and Mormon
churches all sprung up in this country,
students OF religion usually class the first
as branch of the old Presbyterian
Church, Christian Science is ranked as a
philosophy. and the Latter Day Saints
given no place at all This leaves only the
Disciples OF Christ. some times known
as the Christian Church, and enormously
denominated the "Campballite Church,
as the only one that may claim to be Of
purely American origin. 1t Sprang up
early in the nineteenth century TO meet
the needs Of a people tern with the
doubts and dissensions that had arisen
10 hamper the progress Of many churches
already existing It came TO satisfy the
hunger of an army of settlers sweeping
westward through Pennsylvania and Viz
gInia, down the Old Wilderness road into
kentucky, and over the mountains into
tennessee They We're a people who had
little need for creed or dogma but who
needed a simple practical faith for the
hard life that new conditions brought
them, simple plan of salvation that
they could accept and understand PiO-
neer life had swept them out of the
beaten track Of the orthodox churches.
This church came 10 meet their REQUIRE
ments and its history is cOntemporaneous
with that of the pioneer life Of the Middle
West
To Thomas and Alexander Campbell.
former citizens of Ireland. the church
known as the Disciples OF Christ owes its
Origin. They came 10 America because It
was a land of health and opportunity for
them, and their failure 10 draw several
branches Of the Presbyterian Church to
the same communion table was the cause
Tor forming a new congregation. The
members of this congregation swept aside
the traditions ef-their ancestors. abro-
gated all dependence on ecclesiastical
power, and going direct 10 the Bible
based their faith only on such teachings
as they found there. There was no in
tenIlon OF founding q new church Like
Luther, Wesley Knox, ana Calvin. the
CamPbells merely meant to reform the
existing church
Thomas Campbell. a Presbyterian min
lister and teacher living in County Down
ireland, broke down from overwork and
was advised TO take a sea voyage. All
paths led 10 America in those davs. and
he sailed foI these shores in 1907 lie
was pleased with the country and de-
Gliding 20 settle. was given charge OF a
church IN the presbytery of CHARTERS.
western Pennsylvania. lie sent for his
son 60 JOIN him next year. This son.
aIterWard the famous Alexander Camp
bell, LETT Ireland with the resi- of his
Iathef family, buC the ship was wrecked
on the coast of Scotland This proved 10
D -
often shape the policy of great lives. for
after the shipwreck the CampbeIis went
10 Glasgow, where Alexander entered the
university and imbibed from the Hal
canes many principles of faith that after
ward were the basis of his church. such
as the independence OF congregations. the
scriptures as the only authoritative creed.
lay preaching. and later the reputation
OF infant baptism. These principles the
young man brought 70 America with him
lne Following year. and when the senior
campbell was condemned by the synod
Tor urging all his hearers to take com
muniOn together, the father and son
preached independently TO mixed bodies.
september s. 1903, Is a memorable date
I'D the history of the Christian Church
Ior on that day was published the Dec
Iaration and Address" of the Christian
Associations Of Washington, Pa. an
association which had been formed
apouJ TWO weeks before. This event
the church VIII httugly celebrate with
a centennial ceremony at Pttshurr
in 1909 The church was organized I'm
May. 1911, and the CampbelIs ministered
70 the needs of the congregation known
as Brush Run, in Washington COUNTY
Pa. The doctrines taught were so like
those Of the Bapusts that on invitation
OF the RedstOne Association of Baptfst
Churches, the Brush Run Church afHu-
ated with them Later, however. the
Baptists withdrew from the afiIlation
Alexander CampbelTs first sermon was
preached in 1910, and he was ordained
minister in 1872
While the Campbells were preaching In
Western Pennsylvania and in Virginia
and even before they had come over from
Ireland. there was in Kentucky fear
less, sturdy man preaching gospel
based on no particular creed. a man Who
merely called his congregation a Chris
tian Church. and who was q great
power TN the religious revival that syvept
over that section in 1901. This man was
Barton Warren Stone who made his
own way through the world from the
time he heard the guns AT GuiIford Court
House battle-ground, to the day he en-
tered into rest after forty years work
as a preacher. going often hungry and
cold. that he might be educated, and
preaching without pay that the people
might be saved When the doctrine Of
Campbell reached Kentucky In the
twenties and thirties, IL found a like
one already established, and In 1881 a
union was effected between the two bodies
at Lexington and Georgetown, XIV.
Campbelrs first church had twenty-sev-
en- members. There are over a million and
a quarter followers to-day. and by the
time the centennial year is reached the
number viii be greatly increased. Ninety
eight years ago the little Brush Run
church sheltered the whole congregation
OF the recognized Christian Church, the
pioneer folk in Kentucky not vet being
organized, while to-day, over 1000 houses
OF worship in this, and nearly 1000 more
In other lands. stand in varying degrees
OF architectural magnihcence 10 prove the
growth of the doctrine On January !,
1872 the first minister of the Christian
Church was ordained. The latest year
book shows 1881 ministers now busily at