The Standard Publishing Company

THE MILLENNIAL

HARBINGER

ABRIDGED

______

BENJAMIN LYON SMITH.

Introduction by

CHARLES LOUIS LOOS.

VOLUME I.

______

THE STANDARD PUBLISHING COMPANY,

CINCINNATI, O.

Publishers of Christian Literature.

Copyright, 1902, by The Standard Publishing Company.

DEDICATION.

To Mary

Sweetest name given to woman:
Meaning to me mother and wife,

This work is lovingly dedicated.

PREFACE.

______

Alexander Campbell began his editorial work with theChristian Baptist.The first number of this magazine was dated July 4, 1823, Mr. Campbell being then in his thirty-fifth year. TheChristian Baptistwas devoted to the work of criticism of the sins and mistakes of denominationalism.

After continuing the publication of theChristian Baptistseveral years, Mr. Campbell realized the need of constructive work, and he discontinued the publication of theChristian Baptist,and on Jan. 1, 1830, he gave the world the first number of theMillennial Harbinger,a monthly magazine, published from Bethany, Va., now West Virginia.

One of the reasons of the change of name was that he feared his brethren would be called Christian Baptists, a name which was being given them. One reason for the selection of the nameMillennial Harbingerwas the profound influence the doctrine of the second coming of Christ was having over all religious minds at that time. Mr. Campbell planned to give large attention to this subject, and hence called the new magazine theMillennial Harbinger.

The gifted Robert Richardson, and in later years Robert Milligan and W. K. Pendleton, were called to his assistance in the editorial work. Mr. Campbell continued as editor until 1863, when he sold theHarbingerto W. K. Pendleton, who, with Charles Louis Loos as assistant editor, continued its publication until 1870.

TheHarbingerwas a storehouse of the best constructive thought of the leaders of the Reformation. There have already been republished several volumes from this great magazine of truth; viz.: "The Christian System;" "The Debate on Universalism;" "Christian Baptism;" "Debate on Spiritualism;" "Christian Preacher's Companion;" "Popular Lectures and Addresses;" "Acts of Apostles," by A. Campbell; and "The Work of the Holy Spirit," and "Communings in the Sanctuary," by R. Richardson. The matters contained in these publications have been largely omitted from this work.

The MILLENNIALHARBINGERABRIDGEDis an attempt to rescue from oblivion much that is of permanent value; to arrange it topically and [iii]chronologically; to eliminate matters of mere local and temporary character, and, by carefully indexing, to render it accessible and available.

TheHarbingerwas not a symmetrical publication; it was a magazine, not a book; many subjects that we might wish had been fully discussed are not mentioned; many are partially treated, and many are repeatedly discussed, as they seemed of recurring interest; hence the MILLENNIALHARBINGERABRIDGEDwill not be found either symmetrical, systematic or exhaustive.

The work of selecting, abridging and editing was done as a special work from 1888 to 1894, while serving as minister of the First Christian Church of Topeka, Kan.; building a new church house, and acting as corresponding secretary of the Kansas State Board of Missions. It has been a labor of love.

I wish to acknowledge myself greatly indebted to W. K. Pendleton for his interest and advice in the planning and doing of this work to Jabez Hall for his help freely extended, and to Charles Louis Loos, the surviving editor, for his encouragement and for the Introduction.

That the attention and interest of our brethren, and especially our preaching brethren, might be recalled to the teaching of the fathers; that we might become endued with their spirit of loyalty to the Word of God; that we might catch their habits of careful study of the Divine Word until it shall dwell in us richly; that we might hold fast to the liberty wherewith Christ has made us free and for which the fathers endured persecution; that we might catch the enthusiasm of the fathers and realize that every motive which justified them in making this great plea, now urges us to send it all over this land and to the uttermost parts of the earth--these are the purposes which caused the preparation of these volumes for the press.

We commend them to our God, asking him to use them for his high glory and for the help of his people.

CINCINNATI, O., May 15, 1902. [[@Page:iv]]

TABLE OF CONTENTS.

______

VOLUME I.

PAGES

Prefaceiii
Introduction.--Charles Louis Loosix
Extracts from Prefaces of Various Volumes of the Harbingerxv

BOOK I.--GOD.

Existence of God1-5
Providence of God5
Proofs of Providence8
Preservation12
Government of God16
General and Special Providence25, 47

BOOK II.--JESUS CHRIST.

Divinity of Jesus Christ53
Character of Jesus53
The Claims of the Messiah61
Christ the Way61
The Second Coming of Christ64
The Relation of Jesus to God97

BOOK III.--THE HOLY SPIRIT.

The Gift of the Holy Spirit109
Earnest of the Holy Spirit115

BOOK IV.--THE BIBLE.

The Bible139
Inspiration of the Scriptures150, 201
Principles of Interpretation155
The Double Sense of Scripture167
Six Rules for Scripture Interpretation167
Bible Terminology169
Bible Reading175
The Bible Cause179
Effects of the Scriptures181
Questions about the Bible182
Prerequisites about Proper Interpretation190
Different Theories of the Scriptures192
Interpretation of the Scriptures201
Sin unto Death and Sin against Holy Spirit206
Plan of the Apocalypse207

BOOK V.--THE KINGDOM OF HEAVEN.

Patriarchal Age of the World221
Abraham226
Two Promises226
Covenant of Circumcision227
Sinaitic Covenant228
Two Seeds228
The Blessing of Abraham229
The Jewish Institution230
The Kingdom of Heaven236
Elements of a Kingdom238
The Name239
Constitution241
The King244
The Subjects of the Kingdom245
The Laws of the Kingdom246
The Territory of the Kingdom247
Manners and Customs249
Induction into the Kingdom249
The Coming of the Kingdom250
The Ascension of the Messiah257
The Coronation of the Messiah257
Present Administration of the Kingdom259
Address to Citizens of the Kingdom265
A Word to Friendly Aliens272
Address to the Belligerent Aliens275

BOOK VI.--RELIGION AND CHRISTIANITY.

Religion289
Mahometism289
Judaism293
Christianity294
Number of Adherents of Various Religions295
Number of Adherents of Various Divisions of Christianity295
Power of Religion296
Christianity Adapted to Man310
The Christian315-318
A Synopsis of Christianity317
Evidences of Christianity329
The Truth and Divinity of the Bible351
The Foundations of Christianity352
Arguments for Christianity358
Revelation Possible and Probable375
Tracts for the People; or, Evidence381
Introduction to Debate on Evidence391

BOOK VII.--THE GOSPEL.

The Gospel399
Its Credibility403
Sermon on the Law and the Gospel409

BOOK VIII.--DOCTRINES OF REDEMPTION.

Regeneration439
Terms of Regeneration442
Fact442
Testimony443
Faith445
Repentance448
Reformation452
Regeneration455
The Bath of Regeneration456
New Birth458
Renewing of the Holy Spirit459
The New Life460
Physical Regeneration462
The Use of the Theory of Regeneration463
The Regeneration of the Church465
The Regeneration of the World482
Regeneration of the Heavens and the Earth483
The Moral Regeneration of the Age484
The Means of Regeneration491
God's Part of the Work491
Regeneration and Remission of Sins495
Syllabus on Regeneration500
Regeneration, Justification, Sanctification501
Justification503
Remission of Sins510
Criticism of Teaching529
New Testament Use of Term Regeneration539
Recapitulation571
Conclusion573
Eternal Life579
The Tree of Life585

INTRODUCTION.

CHARLES LOUIS LOOS.

The history of the reformation we advocate is, as we need not hesitate for a moment to declare, the most remarkable and interesting chapter in the religious annals of the United States. This will become more evident to men as this extraordinary movement will reach its fuller historical development, and its true character and power thus become better known. A cause like ours, that in a land so full of light, so wonderfully astir with the mighty spirit of the freest inquiry and judgment, has in a single lifetime won more than a million of adherents, representing the best intelligence and the most evangelical Christian faith of the nation, will every day more and more imperatively demand the attention and regard of men.

The history of its progressive development furnishes the reliable sources from which a correct knowledge of its true motives and character must be learned. The world has long since come to know, that often after the lapse of but a few generations the adherents, and even the public advocates, of a great religious reform lose the accurate knowledge of its true history, and so come to misunderstand its real motives and principles, and are thus led inevitably to misrepresent it to the people of their times. There is always a tendency to this departure from the fundamental ground of a great historic reformatory movement.

Fortunately for us and other inquirers, the entire progress, excepting its extreme incipient stage, of our work of reform is embodied in an abundant journalistic literature, that in a very masterful spirit and form has noted and expounded, by the hands of the leading men engaged in it, every step of its unfolding. What an interesting and instructive study this progressive historical panorama affords to us, who cherish in our hearts as a precious treasure this noblest effort to bring back the church of God to its primitive condition in faith, form and life!

The oldest men yet living among us, whose hearts still burn with the hallowed and soul-stirring memories of the heroic days of our early history, should cherish as of inestimable value this precious literature, and refresh in its pages their recollections of the men and the events that made that period so great, and by this means reassure their confidence in the glorious principles for which we have so long, so heroically and so victoriously battled. And the later born among us should here diligently seek a correct understanding of a cause [[@Page:ix]]that deserves the highest appreciation of the enlightened Christian mind and the ardent devotion of the earnest Christian heart.

THE STADIA.

Our reformation presents to us a process of constant and very manifest development, both in the minds of the men who were the chief actors in this wonderful drama, and also in its external expression in doctrine and practice. This is one of its most interesting features. The enlightened student of history always gives particular attention to this fact that characterizes, and normally and necessarily so, the course of all great onward movements of men, notably of all real reforms.

The first stadium of our reformation, beyond its initiatory years, is unfolded historically in theChristian Baptist.This journal recounts the interesting story of those reformers coming gradually but steadily to the consciousness of the real meaning and the wide-reaching logical bearing of the original great motive of their reformatory effort. The forward steps taken in this remarkable period were the strides of giants in strength and in the distance measured by them from year to year. It was an era of heroic purposes and action, reaching through a sabbatical stage of seven years, from 1823 to 1830.

When this stadium had been passed through, notable advance had already been made by the reformers. The principles that had been proclaimed in the beginning, and had become the motive, the life and inspiring energy of their heroic undertaking, had by this time, by full and earnest discussion and the severe test of practical application, become established as immortal in their truth, justice and power in the conviction and ardent acceptance of myriads of earnest Christian men and women. This pioneer revolutionary stadium had confirmed this reformation as a great permanent fact in the religious history of our land. A new period of riper and more far-reaching thought, aims and action now opened before the reformers, both leaders and people. They were entering upon the second clearly marked and momentous stadium of our history.

SECOND STADIUM--1830.

The eminent men who, to use Walter Scott's favorite expression, "stood at the binnacle and at the helm of the ship Restoration," saw with clear vision that the time had fully come for building for permanent strong life, for the actual realization of the aims and hopes that had inspired them thus far. This was a most important hour with them. The nameChristian Baptistitself indicated a state of still tentative efforts. The progress that had been made during the life of this valiant journal was owing to the wisdom and the intellectual, well-cultivated power of the leaders, their extraordinary zeal, and the [[@Page:x]]lofty principles which guided them. The name of the journal that inaugurated the new period in the progress of their enterprise, at once reveals a confident, joyful outlook into the future. They had now reached, they thought, the dawn of a millennial day that would see the church in the beautiful garments of its primitive faith and life, and in the glory of its primitive power. The new journal was to themThe Millennial Harbinger.This name reveals to us especially the thoughts and hopes that now filled the great leader. Such, we know from personal intercourse with our heroic men of that day, were at that hour the sensations that stirred their hearts, and gave unwonted energy to their life. I would that it were in my power to depict to the reader the joy that pervaded all hearts that were in full fellowship with this effort to restore apostolic Christianity. The particular questions that now filled the minds and hearts of the master spirits among these reformers--Alexander Campbell always in the front--demonstrate to us the eminent qualities in mental power, in clear vision, in supreme devotion to the cause of God, and in ardent desire to see accomplished a complete and not an imperfect work of reform.[1]Let us thank God that our fathers were such men!

It was the questions of Organization, Co-operation, and Edification that now rose into high prominence. It will be noticed in the first volume of theMillennial Harbingerthat the subject of Organization at once became a chief topic of discussion.

A. Campbell and his wisest fellow reformers said that a proper organization of the individual churches, in all that this implies, and always such an organization as the New Testament justifies--mark this!--was essential to the divine order of the entire church, and alone could give to the particular congregations and to the church in general enduring life and power, and was necessary to justify the high claim to a restoration of the apostolic order of things. The congregations, as can be easily understood, were at this time, as a general fact, yet very defective in this respect.

The subject of Co-operation also soon began to urge itself with force upon the attention of the enlightened men among us at that time. If was clearly seen that the particular churches could not remain separated from each other; the unity of the church must be real and evident, not only in thought and faith, but also in action. It is this conviction that led first to district co-operation, and in time to State and National associated efforts for Home and Foreign Missions. [[@Page:xi]]

With these themes of high moment was coupled also at an early hour, and in progressive development, that of Edification in its largest sense;i.e.,the vital question of the building up of the church in all its interests and power. This looked primarily to the establishing of a well-qualified ministry, to teach the congregations and to proclaim and advocate the gospel of Christ among men, both at home and abroad. A. Campbell and other leaders saw that, in spite of the many able preachers in our ranks at that time, this reformation was as yet very "imperfectly furnished with such a ministry as it needed and deserved, to educate the congregations and to represent our cause--the cause of God--faithfully, and with dignity and power, among men. It was a firm conviction of A. Campbell, one which he constantly uttered privately and publicly with the force of an axiomatic truth, that our reformatory work would never succeed without a well-educated ministry. This led him to establish Bethany College.

It was for many reasons not a very easy task to bring the people generally to a proper understanding and appreciation of these things, and above all to proper action in relation to them. The men of to-day, I am confident, have a very imperfect notion of the years of patient and strong teaching it required to bring individuals and the congregations to correct thought in matters that were so vital to the welfare of the reformation, and that are so very clear to most of us now. But there are many still among us, who, after the rich instruction and experience of seventy years, have not yet learned these lessons which our fathers, during the period of which I am speaking, strove so earnestly to teach. Fortunately, there were, during the very first decades of our history, many eminent men who not only understood clearly the reformation in its motives and principles, but who also were united in an accurate discernment of what it needed for its success. This unity of mind and spirit of our leaders prevailed and brought victory.

TheMillennial Harbinger,which appeared in January, 1830, made these subjects of which I am speaking, in their full development and their practical execution, of special prominence during the entire period of its existence, especially while A. Campbell was its master spirit.

But still other questions of serious moment arose among us. We could not escape the common fate of the church in every age and in every land. At a comparatively early date men "arose among us speaking perverse things, and seeking to draw disciples after them." Dr. J. Thomas's propagandism of "Materialism," "Soul-sleeping" in Virginia and elsewhere in the East, with a certain following in the West; the attempt of Jesse B. Ferguson, at Nashville, to found a "liberal," "broad-gauge" religion among us, the evident fruit, as A. [[@Page:xii]]Campbell once said to me, of his Unitarianism; the proposal to receive into fellowship the Unitarian "Christian" churches in the East, were all promptly and victoriously met by A. Campbell in theMillennial Harbinger.