The Restored Cause followed The Reform Cause. With the fracture of fellowship between Luther and Zwingli, denominations began to proliferate, usually named after the founders, usually despite their appeal NOT to use their name.
Articles of Faith, whatever their final form, denominated Christians. The Creeds and Disciplines and Confessions codified what each group believed. While adhering to Christ’s Deity they carefully distinguished themselves from other Christians. In the early 19th century God called what history has labelled the Campbell-Stone Movement, A.K.A. The Restoration Movement. They wanted no Creed but the Bible, no Doctrine but New Testament teaching and...a new wrinkle in church life, sought Freedom in opinions. A remarkable event occurred when Alexander Campbell had to decide whether to sprinkle his baby. Knowing what his Presbyterian Church taught, but wanting to see if it agreed with Scripture, he made a detailed study of Baptism to determine its Form and Purpose. To his dismay he discovered Immersion for Forgiveness of sin only for believers the Baptism taught by the Apostles. When he discussed it with his father Thomas, he encountered powerful resistance. What Thomas had known as a Presbyterian had brought him comfort and he wouldn’t change. Nevertheless, when Alexander and his wife presented themselves for Immersion, Thomas and his wife, having studied the issue, presented themselves also. The Restoration Movement swept the country in the latter part of the 19th and into the early part of the 20th century. Then, second and third generation leaders divided: over the Deity of Jesus and the use of the Instrument in worship. The result was the Disciples of Christ—an increasingly liberal denomination denying the Deity of Jesus as recorded in the New Testament; the Bible-believing Church of Christ non-instrumental; and the Independent Christian Church, solidly Biblical and using the instrument in worship. Since both of the latter two groups hold sacred the Deity of Christ, with all that entails, great stride in re-fellowshipping have been made. End Part VIII
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Prior to the battle at Fredericksburg in December, 1862, General Stonewall Jackson visited a family friend in Winchester, Virginia. He had dinner with them, and the doctor’s children climbed all over him as he reclined, loving the attention received. That put a human face on “Old Blue Light”, the man whose blue eyes shone with fury in battle.
Jeb Stuart sent, via an officer on his staff, a new uniform coat for Jackson. He was loathe to wear it, with its gold braid. However, when other Valley friends provided new boots, trousers and hat, the General acquiesced. When Jackson returned to his battle position at Fredericksburg he noted a difference in his troops. Instead of the wild applause, and Rebel Yell usually shouted when he appeared, lukewarm clapping occurred. Not that the men had lost their enthusiasm for their chief. It was the new clothes! They were accustomed to the homespun Jackson in battered hat on Little Sorrel. The finery didn’t translate into Jackson. Nor did the new horse that temporarily replaced Little Sorrel. Stonewall Jackson as Military Commander, 170-171, 174 Some people, even the famous, can’t be as easily recognized when out of their usual habit, clothes and relationships. Jesus never had that problem. Wherever he appeared, and however many men with beards were seen, or wore the same kind of clothes, Jesus remained “head and shoulders above” anyone else. Power exuded from him as heat from the sun and strength from the wind. May it always be that Christ’s disciples bear his regal presence in their habits, speech and behavior. Amen. Check out Virg Hurley books at Amazon.com |
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