Thomas Campbell
Thomas Campbell, who was born in 1763 in County Down, Ireland,
was the son of a Roman Catholic who had turned Anglican. Thomas'
own deep devout nature found more congenial association among
the Presbyterians who were more numerous in northern Ireland
because of migrations from Scotland. After a short period of
teaching, he decided to give himself to the ministry and won
his father's consent.
 A scholarly, pious pastor in Ireland,
Thomas was thoroughly orthodox according to Presbyterian standards.
Shortly after his 1807 arrival in America, Thomas Campbell sought
the fellowship of his religious brethren and was well received
by the Anti-Burgher Presbyterians. He accepted an appointment
for one year and requested assignment to the Chartiers Presbytery
which included Washington, Pennsylvania, where most of his friends
from Ireland and Scotland had settled. It was not long before
Campbell was disturbed and disappointed about the religious conditions
he found in southwestern Pennsylvania. The church in the western
wilderness had become more exclusive and intolerant than were
the churches of either Ireland or Scotland.
In October 1807, he was accused of deviation from Anti-Burgher
doctrine. The main differences between the two parties were really
matters of church order and government. Campbell defended his
position on all matters most eloquently. For instance, he authored
and supported the thesis that the union of all Christians should
rest on the authority of the Scriptures alone, and not on any
man-made doctrinal system. After several appeals, while he did
not leave the synod, he received no further preaching assignments
from the Chartiers Presbytery.
In May 1809, he ended his relationship with the Presbyterian
Synod of North America and he began to unite "Christians"
in the Washington, Pennsylvania, area. As a group, they agreed
that a suitable motto would be, "Where the Scriptures speak,
we speak; where the Scriptures are silent, we are silent."
To express more fully the principles and objectives of this
Christian Association, Thomas Campbell prepared a brief "Declaration"
and a more extended "Address." On September 7, 1809,
the Association voted approval of this document and ordered it
to be printed. |
