On Using Campbell's Name
Some time ago I published a tract on "The Church of Christ." In this tract I made the statement that we are not Campbellites and then proceeded to prove why we are not. After reading the tract a preacher brother wrote to me, making the observation that he is wondering if our denial that we are Campbellites does not sometimes place the idea in minds where it would not otherwise occur. He then mentioned another preacher who had made the statement to him recently that he has never in all his preaching and debating quoted one line from Campbell on anything, nor has he ever done so in his writings. I appreciated the brother's letter and even though I gave it my personal attention I believe that a few things on this matter will of benefit to all.
First, all will agree that we are sometimes accused of being Campbellites. No one denies that this charge is made. Now on the premise that a denial of this charge that we are Campbellites might place the idea in minds where it would not otherwise occur, why would not a denial of any other charge that is made against us do the same thing? If not, why not? We are charged with being a denomination. Should we refrain from denying the charge because doing so might place the idea in somebody's mind that we are a denomination? We also deny that we are Protestants, in the sense that the denominational world thinks of such. Should we cease to deny that we are Protestants because the denial might plant the idea in minds that we are? According to the brother's observation on Campbell, anything that we deny could suggest that we are what we are denying. As long as false charges of any kind are made against us, we should continue to deny them and prove that they are false.
In the debate that Brother Foy E. Wallace, Jr. had with J. Frank Norris in Fort Worth, Norris misrepresented Campbell on baptism, charging that Campbell did not believe that baptism is for the remission of sins. Brother Wallace proved from Campbell's own writings that Campbell did believe and teach that baptism is for the remission of sins. I do not believe that Brother Wallace did wrong in quoting from Campbell. In my debate with a Baptist preacher a few years ago in Amarillo, he too charged Campbell with not believing that baptism is for the remission of sins. I quoted from Campbell's writings and proved that the Baptist had misrepresented Campbell on this point.
Did I do wrong?
To substantiate his contention that we should not quote from Campbell, my correspondent quoted from another preacher that in all his preaching and debating he had never quoted one line from Campbell on anything, nor has he ever done so in his writings. I could not overlook the consistency of my friend who wrote the letter, for he was quoting from a man to prove that we should not quote from a man!
While we should not habitually quote from the writings of Campbell or any other pioneer, circumstances should govern the case. Although I do not agree with everything that Campbell wrote, it is never amiss to defend a man if he is misrepresented though he be dead or alive. Certain quotations from the writings of the pioneers also give interesting information on the present day issues that are being discussed. Among other things, these writings prove that the opposition to such practices as centralized oversight is not new and furthermore, these writings very obviously show that the editorial policy of the Gospel Advocate is a far cry from what it was fifty years ago.
Much of the pioneer writings can be read and quoted with profit.