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 The
rebellion against State churches in England, Scotland and
Ireland produced “Independents” and “Separatists” who
contributed much to congregational independence. Particularly,
we should be interested in the work of John Glass, Robert
Sandeman, and the Haldane brothers, for they are a part of “our”
historical background.
In
1726 John Glass withdrew from the Church of Scotland and formed
several independent congregations. The “Glassites” taught:
1) National establishments of religion are inconsistent with the
true nature of the Church of Christ. 2) A congregation, with its
elders, is subject to no discipline save that of Christ and his
apostles. 3) Each church should have a plurality of elders,
chosen by the church according to the scriptures, without regard
to previous education for the office. 4) The churches observe
the Lord’s Supper on the first day of every week. (They also
hold “love feasts.”) 5) Mutual exhortation by any member
able to address the church. 6) A weekly collection was made in
connection with the Lord’s Supper in aid of the poor, and for
necessary expenses.
In
1755, when Robert Sandeman adopted independent views he “repudiated
that mischievous mysticism which views ‘saving faith’ as an
inspiration directly from the Holy Spirit.” He taught that the
benefit of the gospel “is conveyed to men only by the
apostolic report concerning it;” and, “that all the divine
power which operates in the minds of men, either to give the
first relief to their conscience, or to influence them in every
part of their obedience to the Gospel, ispersuasive power, or the forcible
conviction
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of truth.” Campbell said Sandeman was keen, sharp,
censorious; and wrote “like the mountain storm that roars
among the cliffs.” Despite controversies, or maybe because of
them, his influence was very great. His extremes included
community of goods and feet washing.
James
A. and Robert Haldane left the Established Church of Scotland to
advocate “lay” preaching and a revival of spiritual
interests. In 1799 they organized an independent church in
Edinburg; and within nine years had organized 85 churches. Out
of these evolved the Scotch Baptists. In the beginning the
Haldanes were content with monthly communion, but in 1802 they
resolved to have the Lord’s Supper on the first day of every
week. They contributed greatly to Biblical inquiry, organizing
night schools to teach religious truths. Grenville Ewing was
connected with the Haldane school, and Alexander Campbell met
and became his close friend. Campbell was yet a member of the
Seceder Presbyterian church at the time, but this association
encouraged in him an intensely independent spirit and before he
left for America he had decided to leave the Presbyterian
church.
Richardson’s
“Memoirs of Campbell” devotes two chapters to the Haldane
movement and credits it with giving Campbell “his first
impulse as a religious reformer. . .“ Campbell himself
acknowledged particularly the influence of Archibald McLean,
Scotch Baptist. These are the winds, that bent the twig, that
formed the oak, that..
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