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“I have found a large class of men, professors, too, who will sit for a year rather than rise up crooked. They are conscientious men; but they do nothing right lest they should do something wrong.”;1
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"-reasons for this lack of progress: (1) Great political excitement-(3) Lack of faith among disciples. (4) Many good preachers had left the field. (5) Preaching lacked zeal, scriptural argument, as in the former years. -Under these circumstances, what is to be done? We answer, let every disciple of our blessed Lord determine to read the Scriptures some every day, with the most devout and prayerful attention possible- That the cause in which we are engaged is emphatically the cause of God, whether our actions are always the best calculated to promote it our not, we have never entertained one doubt since we first acknowledged the authority of the great King- Let us, then, -make one mighty effort to save the church from corruption, lukewarmness, speculation, and sin of every kind, that it finally may be presented to the Lord-";2
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"A man who reads the Bible with an open and intelligent mind will sooner or later absorb much to make him dissatisfied with the human elements in religion. That man, if he has faith and courage, will dare to speak out sooner or later against what is wrong. As _________ filled his appointments, he found himself teaching things contrary to the creed of the church, but things he felt were in harmony with the scriptures. It was only a matter of time until earnest opposition would arise.";3
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"The noblest intentions are often perverted by enemies. ________ and his group were looking toward New Testament Christianity, but ___________ could not tolerate this. Documents containing evil reports were scattered about them.4 "A great many brethren have been anxiously waiting for years to see foreign missions initiated by ______________ and stood ready to work with it. Nothing has been done. Nothing is likely to be done. The foreign fields are entirely unoccupied by us.";5
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"There are some among us who seem to have imbibed quite an antipathy to first principles. They love to talk about a "higher spiritual," a "deeper piety," a "broader love," etc. Were it not that these men make such lofty pretensions to a "higher spirituality," you would be let to think that this is the very article they most need- The man that is tired of the first principles of the doctrine of Christ is tired of the only thing that can convert men to God, and lift their souls- toward heaven. But when a man says he is tired of first principles, what does he mean? Does he mean he is tired of faith? No. He has much to say about faith. It is his theme on all occasions. Does he mean that he is tired of repentance? Certainly not. He is for repentance, theoretically, at least. What, then, is the substance of all this opposition to first principles and to the men devoted to them? Simply this: "I am tired of baptism for remission of sins." This is what you get when you simmer all this talk about a "higher spirituality," etc., down.";6
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"Some were saying it was useless to try to get back to primitive Christianity: could not be done, and if done, would not be desirable in this present age. -the world could not be evangelized-";7
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Yes, these quotes are timely now and certainly were for our movement in the 1800's! As history repeats itself, let us cling to the Scriptures with all our hearts and give everything we have to see the world evangelized in our day.
He stoops down to make us great,
Matt Sullivan
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1 Alexander Campbell, "Cooperation,"; Millennial Harbinger Vol. II June 1838, p. 269
2 Benjamin Franklin, "Introductory Address,"; American Christian Review, Vol 1 January 1856,p. 4
3 Earl Irvin West, "The Search for the Ancient Order"; Vol 1 ref. to Thomas Campbell 1807, p. 45
4 Earl Irvin West, "The Search for the Ancient Order"; Vol 1 ref. to Thomas Campbell 1807, p. 29
5 Isaac Errett, "Foreign Missions"; Christian Standard, Vol. X, 1875, p. 353 6 J. B. Briney, "What We Need,"; Apostolic Times, Vol. III, 1871, p. 161
7 David Lipscomb, "The Louisville Meeting,"; Gospel Advocate, Vol. X, 1868, p.723
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