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Tenants of Alexander Campbell for Salvation
The Christian Repository, 1888

      I. [Robert] Sandeman (whom Campbell studied carefully and lauded as a giant) taught that "faith is the bare belief of the bare truth;" that "there is but one genuine truth that can save us;" that this saving truth is "that Jesus is the Christ." This Mr. Campbell accepted.

      II. Sandeman called the proclamation of this "the ancient Gospel.” Mr. Campbell and the reformation inherited or adopted the term.

      III. The profession of this faith, Sandeman called the GOOD


p. 119
CONFESSION. The term was seized by Mr. Campbell and is a kind of shiboleth (tradition) with the Disciples to-day.

      IV. BAPTISM IN ORDER TO THE FORGIVENESS OF PAST SINS was held and taught by the Sandemanians. It is the prominent plea or doctrine of the Disciples.

      V. WEEKLY COMMUNING, marked the Sandemanians, both immersionists and aspersionists (sprinklers). It is characteristic of the Disciples.

      VI. FELLOWSHIP was the peculiar name given by the Sandemanians to the weekly collection. It is used to designate the weekly collection among the Disciples.

      VII. A PLURALITY OF ELDERS belonged to the Sandemanians and to these elders in fact was given the discipline of their churches. The same is generally the fact with the Disciples.

      UNANIMITY in all church matters was insisted upon by the Sandemanians. Such appears to be the case in Disciples' churches, as there is properly speaking no voting or deciding by a majority among them (unless we are mistaken in this last item).

      VIII. FAITH BEFORE REPENTANCE was the necessary order in the credo or ordo salutis of Sandeman. "A bare belief of a bare truth" or the belief as the result of testimony and of nothing else must of course precede sorrow for or turning from sin. Hence, as [Andrew] Fuller shows in his letters on Sandemanianism, a wrong view of faith is followed by a wrong view of repentance. In all the writings of Sandeman faith is placed first, and in Mr. Campbell's ordo, or credo, we have, 1, Faith. 2, Repentance. 3, Immersion. 4, Remission of sins. 5, The Holy Spirit.

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[From Samuel H. Ford, editor, The Christian Repository, July 1888, Volume LXVI, pp. 118-119; This is a portion of the essay; via on-line edition. Scanned and formatted by Jim Duvall.]



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