Original Writings of 19Th Century Religious Restoration and Renewal Movements in the United States
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Original Writings of 19th Century Religious Restoration and Renewal Movements in the United States Contents Introduction ................................................................................................................................................... 2 1. Peace Societies .......................................................................................................................................... 2 David Low Dodge (1774-1852)................................................................................................................ 2 2. Stone-Campbell Movement (Churches of Christ)..................................................................................... 4 Barton W. Stone (1772-1844)................................................................................................................... 4 Alexander Campbell (1788-1866) ............................................................................................................ 5 Adin Ballou (1803-1890)........................................................................................................................ 23 3. Wesleyan Movement............................................................................................................................... 28 Jonathan Blanchard (1811-1892)............................................................................................................ 28 Dwight L. Moody (1837-1899)............................................................................................................... 33 4. Presbyterian............................................................................................................................................. 34 Charles Finney (1792-1875) ................................................................................................................... 34 5. Seventh-day Adventists........................................................................................................................... 35 George W. Amadon (1832-1913) ........................................................................................................... 35 General Conference of Seventh-day Adventists (1865) ......................................................................... 35 Ellen White (1827-1915) ........................................................................................................................ 37 Alonzo T. Jones (1850-1923) & Uriah Smith (1832-1903).................................................................... 39 6. The Church of God (Anderson) (1898)................................................................................................... 42 7. Pentecostalism......................................................................................................................................... 42 Holiness Movement Roots...................................................................................................................... 42 Thomas Upham (1799-1872) ............................................................................................................. 42 Free Methodist, East Michigan Conference ....................................................................................... 43 Church of God of Prophecy .................................................................................................................... 43 Ambrose Jessup Tomlinson (1865-1943)........................................................................................... 43 Assemblies of God.................................................................................................................................. 49 Arthur Sidney Booth-Clibborn (1855-1939) ...................................................................................... 50 Samuel H. Booth-Clibborn (n.d.) ....................................................................................................... 58 Stanley H. Frodsham (1882-1969) ..................................................................................................... 62 Frank Bartleman (1871-1936) ............................................................................................................ 64 International Pentecostal Experience...................................................................................................... 72 Bibliography................................................................................................................................................ 73 Introduction Regarding the question of military combat participation, the movements and writers in the 19th and early 20th centuries covered in this project were primarily pacifist or non-resistant. However, a wide range of attitudes are expressed toward participation in government as well as the degree to which the world could be improved through both religion and politics. Some leaders were positive about society’s potential for reform and were quite engaged politically (e.g., Jonathan Blanchard), while others were pessimistic about reform and felt Christians should be separate from the politics of this world (e.g., Frank Bartleman). To discover these differences, it is useful to keep in mind the following questions when reading the various excerpts: • What are the types of reasons given for being against participation in military combat— humanitarian, political, theological, historical, eschatological, etc.? • What roll does the life and teachings of Jesus play in each argument? • Are arguments more deontological (~do right) or teleological (~goal oriented)? • What assumptions about the causes of war and violence can be detected? • Is this author positive or negative about improving society? • Is the author focused primarily on social engagement or separation? • Where is change desired—in the world (international structures, national politics, society…) or in the church (theology, practice, personal holiness, church culture…)? • Is government (and political involvement) viewed as positive or negative? In what ways? For whom? • To what degree is a two-kingdom paradigm at work—ethics for Christians different from society (including governments & non-Christian individuals) or one ethic from God expected of all levels of society? • What do the similarities and differences tell us about religious interpretation? 1. Peace Societies David Low Dodge (1774-1852) Biography: Dodge wrote “the first pamphlets published in America directed expressly against the war system of nations, and of having founded the first peace society ever organized in America or in the world. His first pamphlet, The Mediator’s Kingdom not of this World, was published in 1809. His second and more important pamphlet, War Inconsistent with the Religion of Jesus Christ, was prepared for the press in 1812 [but published in 1815]….In August [1815] the New York Peace Society, the first in the world, was organized, with Mr. Dodge as its president” (Introduction to War Inconsistent with Religion of Christ, Boston: Ginn and Co., 1972/1905, p. vii. Both “pamphlets” are in Ozer’s 1972/1905 collection). Wikipedia: “David Low Dodge (June 14, 1774 - April 23, 1852) helped to establish the New York Peace Society and was a founder of the New York Bible Society and the New York Tract Society.” Available online: War Inconsistent with the Religion of Jesus Christ: • http://books.google.com/books?id=YQwAAAAAYAAJ&printsec=frontcover&dq=david +low+dodge&source=bl&ots=a6fCVsTxCI&sig=o2tZ1v4- cLD860OhlwyRxA58DSY&hl=en&ei=vFyqTb_NN6uI0QH7rMn5CA&sa=X&oi=book _result&ct=result&resnum=7&ved=0CD4Q6AEwBg#v=onepage&q&f=false • http://www.nonresistance.org/docs_htm/~War_Inconsistent/War_Inconsistent.html “War Inconsistent with the Religion of Jesus Christ” Humanity, wisdom, and goodness at once combine all that can be great and lovely in man. Inhumanity, folly, and wickedness reverse the picture, and at once represent all that can be odious and hateful. The former is the spirit of Heaven, and the latter the offspring of hell. The spirit of the gospel not only breathes “glory to God in the highest, but on earth peace, and good will to men.” The wisdom from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, easy to be entreated; but the wisdom from beneath is earthly, sensual, and devilish. It is exceedingly strange that any one under the light of the gospel, professing to be guided by its blessed precepts, with the Bible in his hand, while the whole creation around him is so often groaning under the weight and terrors of war, should have doubts whether any kind of wars under the gospel dispensation, except spiritual warfare, can be the dictate of any kind of wisdom except that from beneath; and much more so, to believe that they are the fruit of the Divine Spirit, which is love, joy, and peace. An inspired apostle has informed us from whence come wars and fightings. They come from the lusts of men that war in their members. Ever since the fall, mankind have had naturally within them a spirit of pride, avarice, and revenge. The gospel is directly opposed to this spirit. It teaches humility, it inculcates love, it breathes pity and forgiveness even to enemies, and forbids rendering evil for evil to any man. Believing as I do, after much reflection and, as I trust, prayerful investigation of the subject, that all kinds of carnal warfare are unlawful upon gospel principles, I shall now endeavor to prove that WAR is INHUMAN, UNWISE, and CRIMINAL, and then make some general remarks, and state and answer several objections.