THE CHURCH, THE FALLING AWAY, AND THE RESTORATION BY J. W. SHEPHERD Editor of “HANDBOOK ON BAPTISM,” “QUERIES AND ANSWERS,” “SALVATION OF SIN,” “WHAT IS THE NEW TESTAMENT CHURCH?” Copyright 1929 By F. L. Rowe Gospel Advocate Co., Owner Nashville, Tenn. www.GravelHillchurchofChrist.com CONTENTS PART I: THE CHURCH 1. What Should The Church Of The Present Be? ...................... 9 IT MUST BE A DIVINE INSTITUTION ................................ 10 IT MUST BE GOVERNED WHOLLY BY DIVINE AUTHORITY. .......................................................................... 11 IT SHOULD HAVE ONLY THE NAMES IT HAD AT THE BEGINNING. ........................................................................... 11 IT MUST HAVE THE FORM OF GOVERNMENT GIVEN TO THE CHURCH IN THE BEGINNING. ................................... 11 IT HAS THE UNITY OF THE CHURCH OF THE NEW TESTAMENT. .......................................................................... 12 2. The Church And The Temple ................................................ 13 3. Infant Baptism ......................................................................... 19 4. Conditions Of Membership.................................................... 28 CONDITIONS OF ADMISSION ............................................. 28 AGENCIES ............................................................................... 30 CONDITIONS .......................................................................... 31 CONDITIONS OF CONTINUED MEMBERSHIP................. 32 5. The Worship ............................................................................ 35 THE APOSTLES' TEACHING ................................................ 39 THE FELLOWSHIP ................................................................. 41 BREAKING BREAD ............................................................... 41 PRAYERS ................................................................................ 43 SINGING .................................................................................. 44 6. Polity ........................................................................................ 46 THE WORD OF GOD .............................................................. 46 NAMES .................................................................................... 47 CONGREGATIONAL INDEPENDENCE .............................. 48 ELDERS ................................................................................... 49 2 DEACONS ................................................................................ 51 EVANGELISTS ....................................................................... 52 PART TWO: THE FALLING AWAY 1. The Falling Away Predicted ................................................... 54 2. The Falling Away .................................................................... 59 3. The Confessional ..................................................................... 70 4. Indulgences .............................................................................. 75 JOHN TETZEL ......................................................................... 77 PART THREE: THE REFORMATION IN EUROPE 1. John Wyckliffe ........................................................................ 83 TRANSLATES THE BIBLE INTO ENGLISH ....................... 84 2. William Tyndale ...................................................................... 88 ERASMUS ARRIVES IN ENGLAND .................................... 89 TYNDALE RESOLVES TO TRANSLATE THE BIBLE INTO ENGLISH ................................................................................. 91 GOES TO HAMBURG ............................................................ 93 BISHOP OF LONDON SUPPLIES MONEY TO PRINT BIBLES ..................................................................................... 96 BETRAYED AND MURDERED ............................................ 97 3. Martin Luther ......................................................................... 99 A FRIEND INDEED .............................................................. 100 BECOMES A MONK ............................................................ 101 MAKES A PILGRIMAGE TO ROME .................................. 104 PROFESSOR OF THEOLOGY AT WITTENBURG ........... 106 THE NINETY-FIVE THESES ............................................... 108 DEBATES WITH JOHN ECK AND BURNS THE PAPAL BULL ...................................................................................... 111 BEFORE THE DIET OF WORMS ........................................ 114 3 UNDER IMPERIAL BAN ..................................................... 121 A CHANGE COMES OVER LUTHER ................................ 123 RETAINS THAT WHICH THE SCRIPTURES DO NOT EXPRESSLY FORBID .......................................................... 126 ORIGIN OF PROTESTANTISM ........................................... 127 4. The Reformation In Switzerland ......................................... 134 5. The Reformation In England ............................................... 139 CHANGES MADE BY EDWARD VI. ................................. 142 “BLOODY MARY” ............................................................... 144 ELIZABETH, THE PROTESTANT QUEEN ........................ 147 6. The Reformation In Scotland .............................................. 151 THE INDEPENDENTS .......................................................... 151 HALDANE AND AIKMAN .................................................. 155 THE SCOTCH BAPTISTS .................................................... 156 THE SEPARATISTS .............................................................. 158 PART FOUR: THE RESTORATION MOVEMENT IN AMERICA 1. Spiritual Unrest In Many Places ......................................... 163 2. Barton W. Stone .................................................................... 167 CONFRONTED BY MANY DIFFICULTIES ...................... 167 ORDAINED TO THE MINISTRY ........................................ 171 REMARKABLE MEETING AT CANE RIDGE .................. 174 “A TIME OF DISTRESS” ...................................................... 177 THE LAST WILL AND TESTAMENT OF THE SPRINGFIELD ....................................................................... 180 THE WITNESSES' ADDRESS .............................................. 182 PRACTICES MODIFIED IN MANY PARTICULARS........ 184 “SHAKERISM” ...................................................................... 185 THE WORK PROSPERS ....................................................... 186 4 3. Thomas Campbell ................................................................. 190 CONFLICT WITH THE SECEDERS .................................... 190 THE DECLARATION AND ADDRESS .............................. 194 4. Alexander Campbell ............................................................. 203 SUBJECT AND ACT OF BAPTISM SETTLED .................. 203 THE REDSTONE ASSOCIATION ....................................... 210 A WIDER FIELD ................................................................... 214 THE CAMPBELL-McCALLA DISCUSSION ...................... 218 VISITS THE KENTUCKY BAPTISTS ................................. 223 5. John Smith ............................................................................. 225 SOUL STRUGGLES .............................................................. 226 DESIRES TO PREACH ......................................................... 229 TERRIBLE CALAMITY ....................................................... 231 PREACHES AT CRAB ORCHARD ..................................... 232 THE CHRISTIAN BAPTIST ................................................. 233 FETTERS CAST OFF ............................................................ 235 RESOLVES TO PREACH THE SIMPLE GOSPEL ............. 237 “ANCIENT ORDER OF THINGS” AMONG THE BAPTISTS IN KENTUCKY ..................................................................... 241 6. Walter Scott ........................................................................... 247 A SINCERE TRUTH SEEKER ............................................. 248 TURNING POINT IN HIS LIFE ............................................ 251 7. Reformers In Other States: .................................................. 263 JOHN WRIGHT ..................................................................... 263 HERMAN CHRISTIAN DASHER ........................................ 265 8. The Christians And Reformers Unite ................................. 268 5 PREFACE An effort is made in the following pages to set forth what the New Testament church was when it came into the world through the preaching of inspired men; how it was led into apostasy; and an account of some of the many attempts to restore it to its original purity and simplicity. In proportion as any religious work becomes a potent force in affecting the welfare of mankind, its early history becomes interesting and important. This is especially true of the very beginning of its history where those influences which have molded its character are most clearly seen. It is due to the world no less than to the heroic men who were thief actors in such a movement, that the motives which inspired them, the principles which guided them, and the forces which opposed them, together with the results of this conflict, should he set down accurately for the information and for the benefit of those who are seeking the truth. If the writer did not most profoundly believe that this effort to restore the New Testament church was one of those providential movements