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 As
we continue our quotation of Thomas Campbell’s “Appeal” to
the Presbyterian Synod (See last two issues); he asks WHY he
should be rejected and refused the right to preach from
their pulpits.
“Is
it for refusing a Scriptural profession of our faith and
obedience, or even a printed exhibition of what may be judged
immediately necessary for that purpose? Surely not; the former I
hold absolutely-necessary, and to the latter I have no manner of
objection, if justly executed. Is it for objecting to human
standards? “Had they been necessary,” says Dr. Doddridge,
“the sacred oracles would have presented them, or, at least,
have given directions for composing and enforcing them.”
As
to the expediency of such, I leave every man to his own
judgement, while I claim the same privilege for myself. This, I
presume, I may justly do about a matter on which, according to
the learned doctor, the Scriptures are silent. But when the
having or wanting the approbation or disapprobation of such is
magnified into the unjust importance of being made a positive
article of sin or duty, or a term of communion — in which
cases I dare neither acquiesce nor be silent — allegiance to
Christ and fidelity to his cause and people constrain me to
protest against making sins and duties which his word has
nowhere pointed out.
And
if, in the mean time, my brethren should reject me, and cast out
my name as evil for so doing, referring my case to the Divine
tribunal, I would say: “By what authority do ye these things,
and who gave you this authority?” As to human authority in
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matters of religion, I absolutely reject it
— as that grievous yoke of antichristian bondage which neither
we nor our fathers were able to bear.”
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Thomas
Campbell sought freedom from the bondage of party creeds,
and freedom for objective study of the Scriptures and
conscientious pursuit of the religion there revealed. There are
many indications that he did not yet fully grasp the full
importance and application of his “silence of the Scriptures”
arguments, but his sincere desire to base his hope upon the
all-sufficient and complete word of God can not be denied.
In
the absence of divine will (expressed in the Scriptures) —
matters truly “expedient” — he claimed the freedom to
reject, what others accepted, on that same basis. And he
strongly opposed either binding or loosing anything for which
there was no divine authority.
We
believe the scriptures are NOT silent, but speak clearly
regarding congregational independence and music in the worship.
When God’s word puts elders in every church (Acts 14:23) and
limits their oversight to the local flock (1 Pet. 5:1-f) it is
absurd to argue inter-church oversight as an “expedient”
justified by “silence”. Since God authorizes “sing”
(1Cor. 14:15; Heb. 2:l2 etc.) the absence of a “thou
shalt not play” justifies nothing. Campbell’s spirit is
needed now!
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