The Millennial Harbinger abridged

626 Pages·2008·32.97 MB·English

by  Campbell, Alexander, 1788-1866

Columbia 53nit)er^ft|)
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THE LIBRARIES
.
THE MILLENNIAL
HARBINGER
ABRIDGED
BENJAMIN LYON SMITH.
Introduction by
CHARLES LOUIS LOOS.
VOLUME
I.
Copyriglit, liH'2.|-'i '."'In; ^ti-mlrt.i' I'l. li:ili!jif; ! •.iiiipany.
<,:iw>:,Tr/WATi, o.
THE STANDARD PUBLISHING COMPANY,
Publishers of Christian Litcr.iturc.
^^
M(ol
DED
ICA TION.
Sweetest name given to woman:
Meaning to vie mother and wife,
''(his mark is hviaglg dedicnitd.
PREFACE.
Alexander Campbell began his editorial work with the Christian
Baptist. The first number of this magazine was dated July 4, 1823,
Mr. Campbell being then in his thirty-fifth year. The Christian Bap-
tist was devoted to the work of criticism of the sins and mistakes of
denominationalism.
After continuing the publication of the Christian Baptist several
years, Mr. Campbell realized the need of constructive work, and he
discontinued the publication of the Christian Baptist, and on Jan. 1,
1830, he gave the world the first number of the Millennial 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 name Millennial Har.
binger w^as the profound influence the doctrine of the second coming of
Christ was having over all religious minds at that time. Mr. Camp-
bell planned to give large attention to this subject, and hence called
the new magazine the Millennial 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 the
Harbinger to W. K. Pendleton, who, w'ith Charles Louis Loos as assdsN
ant editor, continued its publication until 1870.
The Harbinger was 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 Compan-
ion;" "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 Millennial Harbingkk AitHiiH;i;i) is an attempt to rescue from
oblivion much that is of permanent value; to arrange it topically an;i
IV PREFACE.
chronologically; to eliminate matters of mere local and temporary
character, and, by carefully indexing, to render it accessible and avail-
able.
The Harbinger was not a symmetrical publication; it was a maga-
zine, 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 Millennial Harbinger Abridged will not be found either sym-
metrical, 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 Chri*
tian Churdh 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 ua 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 bis high
glory and for the help of his people.
Cincinnati, 0., May 15, 1902.
TABLE OF CONTENTS.
VOLUME
I.
pa<;e9.
Preface — iii
Iiitroductiun. Charles Louis Loos ix
Extracts from Prefacesof Various Volumesofthe Harbinger xv
. .
BOOK -GOD.
I.
I'^xisteuce of God 1-5
Providence of God 5
Proofs of Providence 8
Preservation 12
Government of God 16
General and Special Providence 25, 47
BOOK IL—JESUS CHRIST.
Divinit}' of Jesus Christ 53
Character of Jesus 53
The Claims of the Messiah 61
The Second Coming of Christ . iVt
The Relation of Jesus to God 97
BOOK HL—THE HOLY SPIRIT.
The Gift of the Holy Spirit 109
Earnest of the Holy Spirit 115
BOOK IV.—THE BIBLE.
The Bible 1^9
Inspiration of the Scriptures 150,201
Principles of Interpretation l.'jS
The Double Sense of Scripture 167
Bible Reading 175
The Bible Cause 179
Effects of the Scriptures 181
Questions about the Bible 182
Prerequisites about Proper Interpretation 100
Different Theories of the Scriptures 192
Interpretation of the Scriptures 201
Sin unto Death and Sin against Holy Spirit 2C6
Plan of the Apocalypse 207
BOOK v.—THE KINGDOM OF HEAVEN.
Patriarchal Age of the World 221
Abraham 226
Two Promises 226
Covenant of Circumcision 227
Sinaitic Covenant 228
TABLE OF CONTENTS.
VI
PAGES.
Two Seeds 238
The Blessing of Abraham 229
The Jewish Institution .... 230
The Kingdom of Heaven 236
Elements of aKingdom . . . . 238
The Name 239
Constitution 241
TheKing 244
TheSubjectsof theKingdom 245
.
TheLaws of the Kingdom 246
TheTerritoryof theKin.gdo.m .. 247
MannersandCustoms 249
Induction into'theKingdom 249
TheComingof the Kingdom 250
TheAscensionof theMessiah . . . . 257
TheCoronationof the Messiah 257
PresentAdministration of theKingdom 259
AAddWroersdsttooFCritiieznednlsyoAflitehnesKingdom . 226725
A WordtoBelligerent Aliens 275
BOOK VI.—RELIGION AND CHRISTIANITY.
Religion 289
Mahometism . . 389
Judaism 293
Christianity 294
Numberof Adherentsof VariousReligions 295
Numberof Adherents of Various Divisionsof Christianity 295
Powerof Religion 296
Christianity Adapted toMan 310
TheChristian 315-318
A Synopsisof Christianity 317
Evidencesof Christianity 329
TheTruth andDivinityof theBible 351
TheFoundationsof Chi-istianity 352
ArgumentsforChristianity 358
RevelationPossibleand Probable 375
Tract.«forthePeople; or, Evidence 381
IntroductiontoDebateon Evidence 391
BOOK VII.—THE GOSPEL.
TheGospel 399
ItsCredibility 403
Sermon on the Law and theGospel 409
BOOK VIIL-DOCTRINES OF REDEMPTION.
Regeneration 439
Termsof Regeneration 443
Facts 442
Testimony 443
Faith • . . . . 445
Repentance 448
Reformation 452
TABLE OF COXTEXTS.
vll
PAGES.
Regeiieraiiuu 455
The Bathof llegciieruiiou .' 458
New Birth 458
iteuewiugof the Holy Spirit 459
The New Life 4t)0
Physical Regeueraliuii 402
TheUseof theTheory of liegeuoratioii 463
TheRegeneration of theChurch 465
The Regeneration of the World 482
Regeneralion of the Heavensand the Earth 483
TheMoral Regeneration of theAge 484
God's Part of the Work 491
Regeneration and Remission of Sins 495
Syllabuson Regeneration •'iOO
(Regeneration, Justification, Sanctification, Adoption 501)
Justification 503
Remission of Sins , . . . . 510
Criticismof Teaching 529
NewTestamentUseof Term Regeneration 539
Recapitulation 571
Eternal Life 579