Immutable Kingdom – Part 73

(Petosky, Michigan – Photographer unknown)

The Immutable Kingdom – Part 73

By Scott A. Klaft

The Church In Time Of War …continued

While Tolbert Fanning was touring the South, on the same day after South Carolina taking the lead in secession, Alexander Campbell was journeying through the North, promoting Bethany College. In Indianapolis, Campbell met with his new associate-editor of the Millennial Harbinger, Isaac Errett. Errett had turned down a teaching position, but had agreed to help raise funds for the school, and this is what he and Campbell were doing in the northern states. Starting with the churches and cities in Indiana, Campbell’s and Errett’s tour had them preaching at many stops.

On New Years Day, Campbell preached at Crawfordsville, visiting the home of S. M. Huston, who was still faithfully serving the Lord’s cause. They traveled from there to many cities, major and minor, finally returning back to Indianapolis. A powerful preacher by the name of D. S. Burnet joined them at Vincennes and carried on through the rest of their journey. Errett went back to Detroit, Michigan, where he had been preaching, holding a rather successful meeting in Ionia, despite the rising political upheaval. Traveling to Virginia to reunite with Campbell and the school’s fundraising efforts in mid-February 1861, he found little success amidst the war fervor.

Dispatches were passing from Washington D.C. to Fort Sumter by the hour, and the worst was being expected. The news of Anderson’s surrender of the Fort was followed by what could only be described as madness. Errett hastily returned to Detroit, and through every city, large or small, people were milling about in an outrage. Flags and banners streamed everywhere. Shouting and cheering was heard all over the nation.

On April 5, 1861, W. H. Hopson was feeling rather hopeful about the gospel meeting he was holding in Cincinnati, but the news of the fall of Fort Sumter arrived during the meeting. The streets began to fill with the frenzied populace. One of the elders of the congregation, R. M. Bishop, happened to be the Mayor of Cincinnati, and only a month earlier, he had entertained President-elect Lincoln on his way to Washington D.C. for the inauguration. Talking it over with great sadness and disappointment, they decided to cancel the rest of the gospel meeting.

In both North and South, members of the church joined their respective causes. Young men in brotherhood-run Colleges left to join the armies of either side. Reputable teachers were often granted officer status. Preachers of the gospel left their “good fight of faith” and their pulpits behind to fight the bloodiest war in American history.

 

In The North

Once the president of such a brotherhood-school (the Western Reserve Eclectic Institute in Hiram, Ohio), James A. Garfield petitioned the governor for an appointment. He was awarded the rank of Lieutenant Colonel and given permission to raise a regiment. He did just that with his own student body, forming the 42^nd Regiment of the Ohio Volunteer Infantry. He was soon given command of the entire regiment as a full Colonel.

Garfield’s regiment fought their first battle in Paintsville, Kentucky, proving victorious. From there, they joined the Union army of the not-yet-famous but well respected General Grant at Shiloh, Tennessee. Pushing the Confederates to Corinth, Mississippi, and heading east into northern Alabama, they set up temporary headquarters in Huntsville.

Garfield’s fame spread through the Union. He was recalled to Washington, assigned to be an aid to General Rosencrans at Murfreesboro, who was later defeated at Chickamauga. Garfield was then promoted to Brigadier General, but he soon resigned to become an Ohio Representative in Congress. Under Garfield, there were two hundred fifty boys from the school fighting in Company A of the 42^nd Ohio Regiment, many of whom died on the field of battle one by one. Some lasted longer and rose in rank, but all were changed by the horrors they saw.

(Next week: “In the South”)

Immutable Kingdom – Part 72

(“The Mighty Mac at Dusk” – Macinaw Island Bridge – photographer unknown)

The Immutable Kingdom – Part 72

By Scott A. Klaft

The Church In Time Of War …continued

(Setting the Stage for Struggle)

All but two of Lincoln’s newly appointed cabinet members recommended that Major Anderson abandon Fort Sumter, but Lincoln strongly disagreed. He had no intentions of recognizing or legitimizing the Confederate government. Evacuation of Federal property to southern seizure seemed very much like doing just that, let alone what doing so would do to northern morale. He notified the Confederates that he was sending provisions to the fort without additional troops or ammunition, and then he gave the order to send the supplies. His judgment proved to be wise as the move avoided a war-like stance and left the decision to the south. If the Confederates fired upon them now, they would be branded as the aggressors.

Upon receiving the information, the Confederates instantly demanded Major Anderson’s surrender, which was cordially refused. On April 12, 1861, with thundering southern artillery, followed by fire, smoke, devastation, and death, the first shots of war sounded the trumpet of woe that would be heard throughout the continent, and the world, for years to come. The North would pit its superior numbers, weaponry, and supplies against the South’s tenacity, guile, and passion for four years.

It is difficult to tell with any brevity how this would affect the churches of the Restoration Movement. The sources are scarce and the details concerning how the war affected them in a material way, or the extent to which they took part or suffered, and the issues or positions taken and by whom are all difficult to find.

From the election of November 1860, to the dramatic commencement of war-guns in 1861, there was political agitation throughout the land, the likes of which had not yet been seen. It was during this period that Tolbert Fanning was journeying through the southern states. On November 27, he left Nashville to travel to Corinth, Mississippi, and then south to Jackson, the State Capital. The state legislature was in session, and Fanning freely admits to have been taken aback by the political fervor. He confessed he had not seen such political excitement before. He went to the legislative halls to hear the political speeches, and it seemed that the only question before them was, “When, and how, shall Mississippi secede from the union?”

What, if any, difference did the war make to the church? In many ways, it made an astounding difference. The veteran preacher, T.W. Caskey was among those who drew up the papers of secession. Fourteen years prior, Fanning had preached for a crowd in Jackson that would have filled the chambers of the State House of Representatives. Now he preached for two days to very small numbers. From Jackson he traveled to Vicksburg, and then to New Orleans, finding, in all his searching, only two or three Christians worshiping after the New Testament manner.

He headed east to Mobile, Alabama, and visited brethren throughout the state. Arriving in Montgomery, the State Capital, he discovered the city in such turmoil that no one had time to hear about the Lord. Finding no brethren there, he moved on to the east again, toward Atlanta, Georgia, arriving on December 21, the day after South Carolina’s announcement of secession. He had hoped to visit a dear brother in Christ, Dr. A.G. Thomas. With solemn disappointment, Fanning wrote:

“Dr. A. G. Thomas is a brother of fine address, superior talents and learning, but we saw him with a feather in his hat and a glittering sword in his right hand, and doubted if he would be able to hold the sword of Georgia in one hand and the sword of the Spirit in the other.”[1]

Fanning was deeply regretful that so many of the brethren were getting so heatedly excited over political affairs while forgetting the Lord; he scolded them for doing so.

 

(Continued next week)

 

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[1] Tolbert Fanning, “Tour Through Mississippi, Louisiana, Alabama, and Georgia”, Gospel Advocate, Vol. VII, No. 2 (February, 1861) p. 39

Immutable Kingdom – Part 71

(Harbor Springs, Michigan)

The Immutable Kingdom – Part 71

By Scott A. Klaft

The Church in Time of War …Continued

(Setting the Stage for Struggle)

The Restoration Movement was struggling to survive, and to retain its zeal while the political landscape of the nation heated up. Presidential candidate, Steven Douglas, from Illinois, began a series of debates with his political opponent, Abraham Lincoln. Douglas found himself in multiple dilemmas through the course of debate, and the means by which he attempted to escape was so repugnant to southern Democrats, they decidedly called it “heresy.” The nation tensely anticipated the presidential election of 1860.

On April 23 of that year, South Carolinian Democrats assembled in Charleston, to select Douglas as their nominee for president. Other southern states, however, were not satisfied with him, and directly nominated John C. Breckinridge. Meanwhile, in Chicago, Abraham Lincoln was chosen as the Republican champion with the declaration, “…the union of the states must and shall be preserved.” In Tennessee, the Constitutional Union party chose John Bell to represent them as candidate. The campaigning began with all eyes looking toward the November election.

Receiving more than twice the number of votes than all the rest of the candidates, Lincoln’s “popular vote” still only represented forty percent of the electorate, the other sixty percent being divided between the other three. The tensions in the nation grew greater still. No one knew what the new President would do.

For the most part, the statesmen of the south were hesitant to act rashly, but they anticipated that Lincoln would take action against their views, which would force their hand. There were extremists, however, along the seaboard states that openly promoted secession. South Carolina took the lead immediately after the news of Lincoln’s election. The state legislature called for a convention to meet on December 20, 1860; at which, they formally announced their secession from the union. Within six weeks, Mississippi, Florida, Alabama, Georgia, Louisiana, and Texas followed suit. On February 4, 1861, the seceding states sent delegates to Montgomery, Alabama to organize their own federal government, giving presidential status to Jefferson Davis. The formation of this new nation, The Confederate States of America, excited optimism and enthusiasm in the hearts of southerners everywhere.

Prior to Lincoln’s inauguration, Democrat President Buchanan equivocated on what should be done. He emphatically denied the constitutionality of secession; yet, at the same time, thought the federal government had no right to force a state to remain in the union if they no longer desired to be in it. Using the blame-game, he laid the responsibility almost entirely at the feet of the North. He was duplicitous, yet well intended, and simply lacked a core set of principles from which to work.

Questions rapidly came at Buchanan, to which he had no answers. One was, “What shall happen to Federal property, such as forts, which reside in the southern states?” Major Robert Anderson and a small number of men occupied Fort Sumter on an island in the harbor of Charleston, South Carolina. Provisions were typically sent to the fort by way of an armed steamboat, but the Confederate batteries of Charleston opened fire from the shore, driving them off. The Union Fort was deprived of needed supplies. This was an act of war, but Buchanan simply ignored it altogether.

To the elite in Washington, President-elect Lincoln was an uncouth, backwoods, undignified novice. Awkward in gesture and homely in appearance, his jokes often seemed to them ill timed and thought tasteless when made on seriously grave occasions. He was, however, one of the “average folk,” and he was dearly beloved by them. President Lincoln seemed to be the right man, in the right place, at the right time (aside from the debate over the constitutionality of waging war in order to preserve the union).

Taking office after the inauguration, Lincoln barely had time to take a deep breath before a monumental decision had to be made concerning Fort Sumter. Major Anderson was in a crisis, and surrender to Confederate forces was near unless supplies would soon come.

(To Be Continued Next Week)

Immutable Kingdom – Part 70

(Upper Tequomenon Falls, U.P. Michigan)

The Immutable Kingdom – Part 70

By Scott A. Klaft

J. W. McGarvey continued

A man by the name of W. H. Hopson was preaching for the Main Street church in Lexington, Kentucky, heavily siding with the southern point of view as the Civil War began. Several among the congregation were greatly antagonized by this, causing Hopson to see the need to change residence. Yet, Hopson was very wise in his recommendation when he suggested that J. W. McGarvey was the right man for the job.

In 1862, McGarvey arrived in Lexington, having neither northern, nor southern political inclination. He taught that both sides should lay down their arms and settle the issues without force or bloodshed. At the time, the church, in size, was fourth in Lexington, but very soon, it was ranked first. His work continued without interruption by the war except during the Battle at Richmond, at which time the building was used as a hospital.

McGarvey’s heart was that of a teacher; but, upon receiving two invitations to teach Mathematics at Bethany College in Virginia, he rejected them both. Robert Milligan, president of Kentucky University, offered McGarvey a position to teach English Literature; but again, he refused, desiring only to teach the Bible. Then, in 1865, Kentucky University moved to Lexington. McGarvey was finally satisfied to help organize the curriculum for the Bible courses. He agreed to teach two hours a day in a course called “Sacred History,” which was a survey of the Bible. After a year, he decided he had devoted too much of his time to the school in order to adequately perform his duties as the preacher for the church; he determined that he could use his strengths for the Lord better if he devoted his work entirely to the school.

Upon the death of Alexander Campbell, Bethany College practically surrendered the scepter to Kentucky University as the center of brotherhood attention. McGarvey found himself playing a central roll. Much later, when denials of the inspiration of the Bible began troubling society, McGarvey wrote vigorously in the Christian Standard profoundly refuting such destructive errors. His work was so pure and so thorough, even the secular newspaper, The London Times, hailed McGarvey as among the greatest scholars of the nineteenth century in the field of evidences and in the defense of the Bible against the self-proclaimed “Higher Criticism.”[1]

The life and activities of J. W. McGarvey are a lengthy tale. His work continues to benefit the brotherhood tremendously even to this day. A more in-depth discussion of his life between the years of 1865 and his death on September 12, 1912 would take us out of the time period that uniquely deserves our attention. Taking a broader view, this war-torn time period informs us distinctly on how religious conditions today have come to be as they are.

The Church in Time of War

To set the stage for a brief overview of the church during the Civil War, it is necessary to step away from the Restoration Movement and its attendants, to make mention of the historical political climate of the era. The decade between 1855 and 1865 was arguably the most perilous time in the history of America. Naturally, it would bring troublesome times to the newly restored church as well.

Political turmoil had been brewing for quite some time, and due to an Act passed by Congress, the Whig party was quickly withering, making room for the Republican Party. The Democrat candidate, James Buchanan, was able to defeat the Republican nominee in the election of 1856. His term in office unfortunately confirmed popular suspicions that the Democrat party was unprepared to settle the growing controversy simmering in the nation.

Similar to the more modern Roe v. Wade Supreme Court Decision, wherein the Justices concluded that a human life is something other than a human being, on March 6, 1857, they decided that Dred Scott, a Missouri slave, was considered the “property” of another person. It became obvious the Democrat rhetoric and their “Missouri Compromise” would accomplish little to alleviate mounting tensions, or to unify the intensely divided philosophies concerning state sovereignty.

(To Be Continued Next Week)

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[1] A Review of the New Versions; Wallace, Foy E. Jr.; (1973) p. 343

Immutable Kingdom – 69

(A Look-out Shelter built long ago in what is now the State Park in Ludington, Michigan)

The Immutable Kingdom – Part 69

By Scott A. Klaft

J.W. McGarvey continued

It was during his time at Bethany College, John W. McGarvey made up his mind to become a Christian by taking the first opportunity to confess Christ, and be immersed for the forgiveness of past sins. It was his great joy to be taught by Alexander Campbell, and to hear him preach often. Campbell, however, had not yet adopted the custom of offering the Lord’s Invitation after every sermon. Not realizing that obeying the Gospel could be done anytime, McGarvey waited two weeks before he finally had the opportunity to step forward to make his confession, and to be baptized for the remission of sin in Buffalo Creek by W. K. Pendleton.

He graduated with honors in 1850, and he was selected to give the traditional “Greek Oration.” McGarvey had not yet decided what he wanted to do with his life. He enjoyed the thought of preaching, but his humble disposition left him somewhat insecure, lacking the needed confidence in himself.

His family had moved from Illinois to Fayette, Missouri while he was in school, so he proceeded in that direction to return home. He then spent the next twelve years doing nothing particularly outstanding, but taking full advantage of his time to grow and strengthen his abilities. He opened a private school for boys. As he became sure that preaching was his niche in life, he was even more certain he was not ready. He reviewed his Greek, becoming very proficient at the subject, and continued to study the Bible whenever he found time. In September 1852, he was asked to preach at the congregation in Fayette, and was soon their regular preacher.

In the early days, the young McGarvey was often reliant upon an older preacher, T.M. Allen, who powerfully exhorted sinners. He was eloquent and moving in his speech, but this was a skill McGarvey never quite obtained. Once, they paired for a gospel meeting, Allen preaching in the morning, and McGarvey in the afternoon. When it came time for McGarvey to speak, Allen leaned over and whispered, “Now John, come out and under whip and spur, head and tail up.” McGarvey offered his best efforts to accommodate.

After McGarvey’s stepfather had recently died, Alexander Campbell came to visit the widow, John’s mother. Campbell had grown close to the family over the years of being associated with the school at Bethany. James T. Saltonsall, John’s half-brother, had attended Bethany College a year before him, and he had now gone on to become a prominent lawyer in Fayette. Showing how highly he thought of John though, Campbell once wrote,

“His brother, J. W. McGarvey, is, however, as we are assured, devoting his life to a higher usefulness, and more honorable rank in the Christian army. He was also one of our best and most gifted students, and no one left the College, during his years there, with a higher or more enviable reputation, for all the elements essential to a learned, useful, and exemplary man. He has not disappointed the expectations of his alma mater or his friends, but is yearly growing in favor with the church and all the people of his acquaintance.”[1]

After holding a meeting in Dover, he was asked to relocate to be their preacher, and in January of 1853, he began his long ministry there. In March of the same year, he married Otwayana Frances Hix; and together, they had their first child in April of the following year.

It was during his tenure in Dover that the War Between the States broke. McGarvey was characteristically straightforward, believing it to be wrong for any Christian to go to war. The church became divided in their ideals, and he received a good deal of criticism. Compounding this, McGarvey met regularly to teach the Bible to a large group of “negroes” about which, many of the congregation were displeased. All of this made his work much less pleasant than it once was. He was ready to move at the right invitation, which finally came in the spring of 1862.

(Continued Next Week)

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[1] Campbell, Alexander; “Notes of Incidents in a Tour Through Illinois and Missouri – No. III” Millennial Harbinger, Fourth Series, Vol. III, No. 3 (March, 1853); pp. 130, 131

Immutable Kingdom – Part 68

(Laughing Whitefish Falls – Michigan)

The Immutable Kingdom – Part 68

By Scott A. Klaft

John W. McGarvey

In 1862, a man named David Walk wrote as an observer at an assembly where John W. McGarvey spoke. After giving a less-than physically flattering, yet admiring description of his appearance as a younger man, using such terms as “striking,” “innocent,” “pleasant,” and “agreeable,” Walk continued by making this observation:

“…It will be seen from this description that he is not a man whose person would attract attention in a crowd. The plain, simple truth is, Brother McGarvey is a ten-fold greater man, intellectually, than any one would be led to suspect on merely seeing him… We hail him as one of the ‘coming men’ of the age. Nay, more, he is even now here.”[1]

Walk, himself, probably did not know just how prescient his words were at the time. Indeed, in years to come, J. W. McGarvey would become a household name wherever the strong arm of the Restoration would reach. In the memories of those who had been touched by him, in later years, remember him with receding and heavily striped, silver hair, and a white beard. He was rarely without his ear trumpet due to being quite deaf. Yet, he was always neat in appearance, and the kindness that dwelt within him could always be seen behind his eyes. He rarely reached the point of anger, and he was never known to lose his composure. He was always chaste, and quite chivalrous in the presence of women, a quality that gained him much favor with them.

McGarvey’s conviction in the truth ran deep. He passionately believed in the inspiration of the Bible; and, he could not tolerate men who cast doubt, dispersion, or disbelief in any part of it. For this, his opponents would often throw epithets at him such as “legalist” or “conservative” (modernly known as “ultra-conservative,” “fundamentalists,” or various other names ungenerously cast). While relentlessly attacking those who renounced the scriptures with a somewhat bitter criticism, he never felt any animosity for the individual. This is said to be characteristic of the age; men fought furiously for their ideals, taking no offense at criticism, neither expecting others to do so.

The life of J. W. McGarvey is truly worthy of our interest; for, in it, we find a source for great encouragement. His father was an Irish immigrant in Hopkinsville, Kentucky, where he married John’s mother, Sarah Ann Thomson. On March 1, 1829, John was born, being the second of four children in as many years. John’s father then died, leaving him just barely four years old at the time.

A man named Gurdon F. Saltonsall was working for John’s grandfather on his mother’s side, who soon married his aunt, Polly. These two managed to have nine children together before Polly died. Saltonsall and John’s mother brought these two families together by marriage, making them parents of thirteen children. To this new union, they quickly added six more, making a nice quiet little family of nineteen children, a healthy congregation all by themselves.

Having reservations about slavery, Saltonsall decided to move the family to Tremont, Illinois in 1839. It was here J. W. McGarvey grew into young manhood, working on a farm, and having the unique privilege of schooling under James K Kellogg, a man far exceeding other teachers of his time.

Saltonsall had been a successful businessman, and had long been a convert to the Restoration principles. In his success, he became a donor and trustee for Bethany College, the school founded and Headed by Alexander Campbell. By 1848, he had given a significant sum of money to the school with the one stipulation that any of his sons he might send could be educated from his contribution. Later, when Saltonsall died, he made Bethany College the twentieth child in his will, giving it an equal share of his estate.

It was by his own determination that the young J. W. McGarvey enrolled. He took his seat for his first chapel session at Bethany College on March 17, 1847, not yet knowing how this decision would permanently shape his future.

(To Be Continued Next Week)

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[1] David Walk, “Brief Sketches of Noticeable Characters at the Late Missionary Meeting in Cincinnati,” American Christian Review, Vol. VI, No. 3 (January 20, 1863), p.1

Immutable Kingdom – Part 67

(“The North Woods” in Michigan)

The Immutable Kingdom – Part 67

By Scott A. Klaft

Moses E. Lard continued

After three years of toil, in the summer of 1856, Moses Lard and eighty four members erected a new meeting house five miles from Camden, Missouri on the road to Liberty. In the next year, Alexander Campbell exhibited the height of respect in which he held Lard’s abilities.

A Virginia Baptist preacher by the name of J. B. Jeter decided to write an examination of what he derogatorily called “Campbellism.” Campbell gave it some attention in his own publication, Millennial Harbinger, but he decided it deserved a more thorough exposé. He was too busy to take on the project himself, so he cordially asked Moses Lard to take up the task. The resulting work was published in the book Review of Campbellism Examined, in which, Lard absolutely embarrassed Jeter by the undeniable logic of his arguments and eloquence of thought. Jeter attempted a return volley by means of insults, personal attacks, and misrepresentations, but he never successfully answered.

There is very little record of a great number of the formal debates where Lard participated, but the one significant public discussion on record was in Brunswick, Missouri in 1860 with W.G. Caples, a presiding “Elder” of the Methodist Church. Compared with most debates, this one was very lengthy, beginning on a Monday, October 8, and ending on Thursday, October 18, with pauses on Saturday and Sunday where no debate was held. The probable reason this debate was so particularly significant was its size. The number of those assembled ranged from the low of fifteen hundred, to its high of three thousand. Many outstanding preachers were in attendance, many of whom we have already discussed, but it was John R. Howard who wrote a review of the debate. This paragraph gives us some insight to the spectacular abilities Moses Lard had developed:

“Such were the purity and chasteness of his language and diction, and his great earnestness, seeming ever to be properly impressed with his subject and with the importance of the great and solemn topics of the Christian religion, throwing his whole soul into what he was uttering, that he came nearer possessing the character of the real orator, the true Christian orator than almost any man I ever heard. His words generally fell from his lips, like coins from the mint, correctly struck and properly impressed by the organs of speech, and seemed to be ready for the press without any correcting or revision.”[1]

It is uncertain how long Lard had been developing a concept for a quarterly paper to be published, but he began to put his plans into motion that the first would be sent out in January 1860. The Christian Quarterly would be of sufficient size that it would take a significant number of subscribers to keep it going, and his hope of a starting-minimum of two thousand was not met. Disappointed but disinclined to give up, he continued to vie for subscribers. In 1863, he continued to write letters, but sadly, the war was on, and the mail service was limited at best, keeping him somewhat cut off from much of the brotherhood toward the east. At the close of 1866, he still only had fifteen hundred subscribers to the one-hundred-twelve page periodical – not enough to keep it in the presses.

There were many legitimate reasons why the paper eventually failed, but none of them had to do a lacking in quality, style, or conviction from its editor. There was national uncertainty about life in general at the conclusion of the Civil War, and people were more concerned about surviving the troubles than reading a quarterly religious periodical. His strictness against the use of mechanical instruments in worship, or preaching where they were used, as well as his seemingly indecisive stance on missionary societies seemed to put him in the minority too often, and in disfavor with too many. By 1868, he threw his abilities in with another paper running concurrently, the Apostolic Times, which also turned out to be unsuccessful.

Although he was not quite an old man, he had grown despondent, disappointed, and quite sickly from the strain of often having to stand alone for his convictions. His large, six foot-three inch, bony frame began to bend under the stress. This man of incredible ability was laid to rest in 1880.

(Next Week: J. W. McGarvey)

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[1] Howard, J. R.., Debate Between Lard and Caples; Gospel Advocate, Vol. VI, No. 11 (November 1860), p. 338

Immutable Kingdom – Part 66

(A natural stone arch on Mackinaw Island, Michigan)

The Immutable Kingdom – Part 66

By Scott A. Klaft

Moses E. Lard continued

His curiosity already piqued, someone placed in his hands a copy of the book, Gospel Restored by Walter Scott. Moses Lard devoured it. A few years later, Scott made a trip to Missouri, and Lard met him for the first time. He immediately threw his arms around Scott, exclaiming, “Brother Scott, you are the man who first taught me the gospel.”

Lard was immersed and preached his first sermon in Clay County. He was soon given preaching engagements in Richmond and Lexington, Missouri, all the while, practicing his trade as a tailor. It was in Lexington that he became acquainted with Jacob and Ruth Riffe, who had a daughter, Mary, who possessed his very sincere interest. The two were soon married; and, by 1845, the Lard family happily had two children.

At the time, education was costly. With his responsibilities of a wife and children to support, to think of going to school seemed out of the question. Nevertheless, at Richmond, Lard had become good friends with General Alexander W. Doniphan, one of Missouri’s most prominent citizens and a devoted Christian. The General encouraged Lard to make the sacrifice and begin schooling at Bethany College (founded by Alexander Campbell). On March 4, 1845, he determined to enroll.

The structure of the school proved advantageous to Lard because he discovered that the students “are not restricted to a fixed routine of classes requiring attendance at College a certain number of years, without regard to age or proficiency.” The more mature minds could make rapid progress without being held longer because of class orientation; and, therefore, a man could enter the College later in life; and, by determination and proper application of his efforts, he could complete the requirements in much less time. Lard turned a four-year course into three. While holding down a job in physical labor, he graduated as valedictorian of his class.

From the tremendous depths of his heart, Lard wrote to Alexander Campbell, expressing his gratitude for all that had been done for him:

“Four years and four months ago, strange, homeless, penniless, and untaught, I landed a stranger at Bethany College. It was my fixed purpose, though encumbered with the responsibilities of a family, to qualify myself for more extended and enlightened usefulness. This object, the first and nearest to my heart, I wanted the means to accomplish.”

He continues in reference to the letter sent to him by Alexander Campbell that finally brought him to the school:

“For which, and for the disinterested and cordial manner in which you have so often aided me when want bore heavy on me, I owe you the gratitude which I have no power to express.”

For a man of his communicative skill, that was saying a great deal. He continued:

“To my friends and brethren in Christ, W. K. Pendleton and J. O. Ewing, I am under the strongest obligations. Friends, they proved themselves to be when I needed friends. They have untied their purse-strings and tendered me their gentlemanly aid at times and in ways of which I cannot think without the tear of grateful remembrance starting in my eye.”

Between 1848 and 1850, he moved his family back to Missouri, changing locations several times, but in the meantime, developing his skills as a preacher. Like all young preachers, he made several blunders and received many criticisms. Jacob Warrinner was the older preacher who proved a true friend; with a pat on the shoulder and a word of encouragement: “Go on, my son, you have done well, be thoughtful and persevere; and when I am gone, you will be a man.”

Nearly all preachers owe some portion of their success to the encouragement, whether great or small, from some older preacher. No one had farther to go in development than Lard. Yet, he trudged his course by the encouragement of the Lord as well as others who saw the potential that lay within him for greatness, coupled with the adamant determination of his own spirit.

(Continued next week)

Immutable Kingdom – Part 65

(Lake Superior coastline near Marquette, Michigan)

The Immutable Kingdom – Part 65

By Scott A. Klaft

Moses E. Lard continued

Despite his somewhat morose and frustrated countenance, Moses Lard had many noble qualities for which those who knew him best admired him greatly. There was a sense of loyalty within his character that seemed indefatigable and limitless. One historian wrote concerning his fidelity:

“Woe to the man that assailed one of his friends! Woe to that man who proved a traitor to the truth of God! Lard seemed to be able to dip his pen into the fires of hell and belch out anathemas that would melt the whole field before him.”[1]

Lard was a natural debater. He loved a heated discussion, and the hotter it grew the more he enjoyed it. As long as truth was on his side, he feared no foe nor winced from any weariness. There were, however, prerequisites for acceptable conduct; from his own pen: “But two conditions are essential to make controversy lovely: Let the end sought be truth, and the Spirit shown be Christian.”

It was the eloquence with which Lard preached the Gospel that solidified him in the memory of the brotherhood. He was, in this respect, much like Walter Scott, given to deeply felt emotions on either end of the spectrum. There were times when Lard could not meet such lofty expectations, but when conditions compelled him, he could “pour forth a stream of eloquence that would sweep an audience away.”[2] Once, when he had finished a particularly eloquent discourse, he suddenly called for the assembly to stand and sing, but not a sound was made. It took several minutes for the tremendous swell of emotion to subside enough that the people could find their voice.

The account of the life of Moses E. Lard is particularly interesting, and worthy of our giving it some special attention. Born in Shelbyville, Tennessee on October 29, 1818, his Scotch parents moved toward the west in 1829, settling in Missouri because of the plentiful game. They were quite poor, and when his father soon died of smallpox, the six children, with no means of support, proved to be too much for his grieving mother. At a very early age, Moses and his brother had to leave home to find their own way. Lard later recounted the scene and it would be a travesty to abbreviate it:

“As my brother and myself stood beneath the little cabin eaves, just ready to take leave of the only objects on earth dear to us, and thus close the saddest scene of our lives, my mother said: ‘My dear boys, I have nothing to give you but my blessing and these two little books.’ Her soul was breaking and could say no more. She drew from her bosom two small testaments; and as her tears were streaming, and lips quivering, she screamed as if it were her last, and placed them in our hands. We all said good-bye, and that family was forever broken on earth… To that little book and the memory of that scene my future life owes its shaping. I never neglected the one, thank Heaven, nor forgot the other.”[3]

In 1835, at the age of seventeen, Lard could not yet read nor write, but he had taken up the trade of a tailor. Determined to learn to write, he used the local advertising to develop his understanding of letters and became what we might term a ‘self-educated man’. With a vague and imperfect knowledge of religion, Lard had opportunity in his youth to hear the pleas of denominationalism, urging sinners to get an “experience.” From these, he walked away in disgust. With the irksome feeling that there was nothing to religion, he inevitably turned to infidelity.

In time, however, he began to hear of certain preachers calling for those who believed in God to return to the ancient order of things. This, naturally, sparked a note of curiosity within Lard that would eventually open his eyes to the truth.

(Continued next week)

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[1] West, Earl Irvin; Search for the Ancient Order Vol. I, The; (Germantown; TN; Religious Book Service, 1990) page 289

[2] Ibid.

[3] Moore, W. T.; Living Pulpit of the Christian Church, The (Cincinnati, OH: R.W. Carroll & Co., 1868), p. 229

Immutable Kingdom – Part 64

(Picture Deleted out of respect to the request of the photographer)

The Immutable Kingdom – Part 64

By Scott A. Klaft

“Raccoon’s” Sermon Conclusion

The character and integrity of “Raccoon” John Smith was such that his conviction in the truth was valued much higher than earthly wealth. He knew money, position, and prestige could never afford the luxuries of the freedom and liberty he held so close to his heart by the knowledge and love of the truth. It is the truth of the gospel, handed down from the mind of God Himself. This, he was determined, he would proclaim to the end of his days.

At the age of eighty-four, his mind was as sharp as ever when he went to spend the winter with his daughter and son-in-law in the city of Mexico, Missouri, nearing the fall of 1867. It was an unusually cold Lord’s Day in February when he commented to his daughter that he had never seen such cold. Against her wishes, however, he walked from her home to the church building that he may worship and preach the last sermon he ever presented. His aged frame shivered from the cold in the walk home that afternoon.

Upon arrival, he had a cup of hot tea, a meal, and went to his room to nap. He would have gone to the worship services again that night except for the family’s insistence that he stay home. This time he complied; but, by the next morning, he was suffering from inflammation, and he would continue to deteriorate while lying in bed for the next three weeks. On February 25, 1868, Smith sent word to his friend, the editor of the Christian Pioneer: “Tell Bro. Wright, ‘I am better and most home’”. Three days later, at 8:30 P.M., John Smith passed on to his reward.

Greatly lamented by many friends, the body was shipped back to Lexington, Kentucky where Smith had already arranged for burial. Few, if any, have ever exemplified more than John Smith the thought (which has become somewhat cliché in these more modern times) that you preach a greater sermon by the way you live than by the words you speak. In his case, the two were so intermingled as to leave one unable to make a distinction.

Moses E. Lard

A man of nervous temperament and extreme moods, Moses E. Lard was a difficult man to capture on the printed page; and, for this reason, few biographers have been able to encompass his personality. Blood circulating vigorously, his face always seemed aglow; his mind worked rapidly; his feelings were always intense; and, after a period of great mental exertion, he would often slip into a period of deep despondency. He was often melancholy and would brood for days over matters in which no one could help.

To ignore the worrying side of Lard would be, perhaps, more charitable to his memory, but it would be simultaneously untruthful, leaving the lesson of his life incomplete. Moving from one mood to the other, Lard would often reflect upon his past, finding hard times there as well. He found himself losing faith in humanity. His restless intellect drew him into searching things he could not possibly understand. Subjects like the mystery of the future, or life after death brought him to a great deal of speculation (for which, he received one of the very few just criticisms given to him by his friends).

It was not within Lard to do anything that would conflict with his conscience. He found it impossible to cooperate with the brethren who used the mechanical instruments in their worship. Accepting a position with a certain Bible school (which was connected at the time to a man in whom the brethren had little confidence) put Lard out of sympathy with the brotherhood abroad. Lard lacked opportunity, however, to give an explanation. The disfavored man was scheduled to leave his position at the school, but Lard was obligated not to tell anyone.

His family’s constant illness also contributed to his sorrow, draining his energy, and bringing his own health down. He moved about in silence, rarely in contact with the brotherhood; all the while, studying the mysteries of life and death. Yet, there was another side of Moses Lard, for which many lauded him, knowing the greatness of the man within him.

(To be continued next week)