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