The Richmond climax. (Richmond, Ky.) 1897-1914, 1913-04-29
The Genius of The Restora-
tion Movement

An excerpt from sermon delivered
by Rev. E. B. Barnes at the courthouse
April 9th:
The history of the Disciples of Christ
has been that Of an endeavor to find a
common basis of agreement on which
christians Of every name could stand.
That has not b en- an easy tasx. nor has
it met with the success for which
the originators of the idea, men like
Thomas and Alexander Campbell, hop
ed But il has been wonderfully sue
cessful in an indirect way in leavening
the faith and practice OF almost every
community in America. For it is evil
dent that since the year 1908, the date
Of the publication of Thomas Campbell's
famous Declaration and Address," a
change has come over the religious
world which might be called revolu-
tionary. Il is just 10 say that the ad-
dress introduced the beginnings of the
change. though many other forces con
tributed to it,
The one word which makes the Disci-
Piles peculiar people, the word which
differentiates them from their religious
neighbors, is the word union" The
Campbells, father and son, desired TO
see all Gods people one. Could there
have been a greater wish in the heart of
serious minded christian than this,
knowing as we know today that disun-
ion is weakness and confusionl Christ
Himself seemed TO have anticipated di-
vision when he prayed that all His peo--
pie might be one, for at that moment
they were one, and the seeds of discord
had not been sown. And the purpose of
union was that the world might believe.
A reading of the 18th chapter of Johns
Gospel will help any one to see the
meaning and scope Of that prayer anew.
The Disciples gladly recognize the
aids which have been afforded them
in recent years in their work in such his
toric communions as the Episcopal, Con
grsgational and Presbyterian. The zeal
of ore in this cause is as praiseworthy
as the zeal Of the other Union" is no
longer an exclusive word in any Protest
ant church. In the beginning of the his
tory Of the Disciples work, these things
could not be said. The religious world
in the beginning Of the 10Th century was
divided into warning sects and parties;
traditions Of men had tended to make
the Scriptures a dead letter; there SEEM
ed TO be no standards Of authority other
than the human declarations of faith and
Individual feelings which in those days
ran to violent excesses. Every man was
law to himself. The branches Of
different churches made war on their
own members. 1t looked as If tweedle
dee and tweedle dunn would annihilate
each other. Confusion and chaos were
in the saddle As result, mems hearts
were failing them for fear, the churches
were disorganized, the cultivation of
personal piety languished and deterior
and decay we're the result.
1t was not believed in the beginning
that Christian union would be the pana-
cea for these ills. The beginnings of
the movement we're regarded with sus-
picion. There was much distrust, much
controversy, much i'll feeling as the prop
aganda was undertaken. But it was of
sufficient power to attract the attention
of the divided hosts from themselves to
il. The age was compelled to take no
tice. Alexander Campbell proved to be
the leader and theorganizer Of the move
ment. He was powerful in debate. a
genius with pen and thinker of high
order. If he turned his powers in oppo-
sition at times against those of other
communiOns, discussing the differences
between them and him, there were other
times in which he made greater contri-
buttons to the common cause Of christi
anity than any man of his day. When