Official Actions of the Redstone Baptist
Association
in Rejecting Campbellism and Alexander and Thomas
Campbell
Actions of the Redstone Baptist Association of Pennsylvania,
excluding Thomas and Alexander Campbell (founders of the Disciples
of Christ, or Christian Church).
1824
Statistical table of the Redstone Association for 1824 lists 28 churches with a total aggregate membership of 1,047. [Brush Run Church, of which Thomas and Alexander Campbell were members, is listed in the table, with 35 members.]
Saturday morning.
Item 7th. The representatives of the church at Brush Run, not being able to give satisfactory reason for the informality in their letter, were objected to.
Saturday afternoon, September 4th, the association convened and business was introduced by singing.
9th item. Resolved, that this Association have no fellowship with the Brush Run Church.
1830
Minutes for 1830, Saturday, September 4th.
Item 10th. Whereas the items of business of the association contained in the Minutes for the year 1824 and numbered 7 and 9, concerning the exclusion of the Church at Brush-Run, (of which Thos. Campbell and his son Alexander were members,) are indefinite as to the cause of their exclusion: And this Association having received some communications from a distance, requesting more specific information as to the cause of their exclusion: Therefore, unanimously Resolved, that for the satisfaction of all concerned, we now further state, that their exclusion was on account of being erroneous in doctrine, maintaining, namely, the essential derivation and inferiority of the true and proper Deity of Christ and the Spirit; that faith in Christ is only a belief of historical facts, recorded in the Scriptures, rejecting and deriding what is commonly called christian experience; that there is no operation of the Spirit on the hearts of men, since the days of pentecost, &c.
The Beaver Anathema
The first association to take definite action against the Reformers was the Redstone of Pennsylvania. A rule had been passed by the Association requiring the churches to mention the Philadelphia Confession in their letters, as a condition of representation in its meetings. In 1825 several churches failed to mention the Confession and their messengers were denied a seat. In 1826, by a reduction of representation in the Association, the opponents of the Reformers organized it out of ten churches and cut off thirteen other churches. These churches cut off from the Association met in November the same year and organized a new association under the name, "The Washington Association." This action was followed by the Beaver Association of Pennsylvania in 1829, and in a series of resolutions it disfellowshipped the Mahoning Association of Ohio, for "disbelieving and denying many of the doctrines of the Holy Scriptures." This Association had come completely under the influence of Mr. Campbell and was going on under the leadership of Walter Scott, triumphantly "restoring the ancient order of things." The Beaver resolutions were as follows:"1. They, the Reformers, maintain that there is no promise of salvation without baptism.
"2. That baptism should be administered to all who say they believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God, without examination on any other point.
"3. That there is no direct operation of the Holy Spirit on the mind prior to baptism.
"4. That baptism procures the remission of sins and the gift of the Holy Spirit.
"5. That the Scriptures are the only evidence of interest in Christ.
"6. That obedience places it in God's power to elect to salvation.
"7. That no creed is necessary for the church but the Scriptures as they stand. And
"8. That all baptized persons have the right to administer the ordinance of baptism."
These resolutions were scattered widely among other Baptist associations, and their boldness gave courage to many who had been waiting for the signal of attack. The Franklin Association of Kentucky passed them without change and warned all the churches against the errors of the Mahoning Association. In June, 1830, Tate's Creek Association excluded the Reformers, passed the Beaver resolutions, and added four more as follows:
"9. That there is no special call to the ministry.
"10. That the law given by God to Moses is abolished.
"11. That experimental religion is enthusiasm. And
"12. That there is no mystery in the Scriptures."
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