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Home > Foundational and Controversial Documents

Foundational and Controversial Stone-Campbell Movement Documents

 

The documents included in this collection are foundational, yet controversial because they suggested new thoughts, which would require division in some cases or would acknowledge already existing divisions.

In the Stone-Campbell Movement's collective history, one defining period was before and during Restructure. Anthony Dunnavant's 1984 Vanderbilt Ph.D. dissertation Restructure: Four Historical Ideals in the Campbell-Stone Movement and the Development of the Polity of the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) provides important documents for and against Restructure published by four groups. We have included some of these documents in this Book Gallery to allow researchers to see the varying viewpoints.

DCHS welcomes suggestions for items to include in this collection. Please let us know Ideas for DCHS Digital Commons

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  • Atlanta Declaration Committee, A Reaffirmation of Convictions and Concerns by Robert W. Burns

    Atlanta Declaration Committee, A Reaffirmation of Convictions and Concerns

    Robert W. Burns

    Atlanta Declaration Committee, A Reaffirmation of Convictions and Concerns: An Invitation to Consider the Issues

    The Committee details additional concerns they have with the Provisional Design of the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ).

    The committee members were Kenneth M. Johnston, Tom O. Parish, A. T. DeGroot, Frank L. Wiegand, Jr., Robert W. Burns, Newell M. Hall, Rolland L. Ehrman, George C. Stuart, Robert W. Shaw, Gerald S. Bash, D. K. McColl, Ross J. Griffeth, Frank F. Drowota, James E. Whitaker, Wayne R. Parrish, Barrett J. Whiteley

  • A Provisional Design for the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) by A Dale Fiers

    A Provisional Design for the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ)

    A Dale Fiers

    A Provisional Design for the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ)

    (Adopted at Kansas City, Missouri, 1968)

    This is the earliest version of the Design. It has been emended over the years to accommodate changes.

    This PDF was created from the 1969 yearbook.

  • Atlanta Declaration of Convictions and Concerns, with Commentary by the Atlanta Progress Committee by Robert W. Burns

    Atlanta Declaration of Convictions and Concerns, with Commentary by the Atlanta Progress Committee

    Robert W. Burns

    Atlanta Declaration of Convictions and Concerns, with Commentary by the Atlanta Progress Committee

    Members of the Committee were Kenneth M. Johnston, Tom O. Parish, A. T. DeGroot, Frank L. Wiegand, Jr., Robert W. Burns, Newell M. Hall, Rolland L. Ehrman, George C. Stuart, Robert W. Shaw, Gerald S. Bash, D. K. McColl, Ross J. Griffeth, Frank F. Drowota, James E. Whitaker, Wayne R. Parrish, Barrett J. Whiteley.

  • Freedom or Restructure? An Open Letter to Christian Churches and Churches of Christ by Anonymous Anonymous

    Freedom or Restructure? An Open Letter to Christian Churches and Churches of Christ

    Anonymous Anonymous

    Freedom or Restructure? An Open Letter to Christian Churches and Churches of Christ

    This pamphlet was one of two published by the Committee for the Preservation of the Brotherhood expressing opposition to the Restructure of the loosely organized Disciples of Christ into the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ).

  • The Truth About Restructure: A Second Open Letter to Christian Churches and Churches of Christ by Anonymous Anonymous

    The Truth About Restructure: A Second Open Letter to Christian Churches and Churches of Christ

    Anonymous Anonymous

    The Truth About Restructure: A Second Open Letter to Christian Churches and Churches of Christ

    This pamphlet was the second of two published by the Committee for the Preservation of the Brotherhood expressing opposition to the Restructure of the loosely organized Disciples of Christ into the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ).

  • Winfred Garrison, A Fork in the Road: A Penetrating Analysis of Decisions Facing Disciples by Winfred E. Garrison

    Winfred Garrison, A Fork in the Road: A Penetrating Analysis of Decisions Facing Disciples

    Winfred E. Garrison

    Winfred Garrison, A Fork in the Road: A Penetrating Analysis of Decisions Facing Disciples

    This 1964 address presents Garrison's thoughts about the upcoming restructure of the Disciples of Christ. He thought about naming his speech "Prepare for the Year 2000."

  • A Defense Against the Supreme Effort of the Apostolic Review to Crush Carl Ketcherside, D. A. Sommer and the Macedonian Call by William Carl Ketcherside and Daniel Austen Sommer

    A Defense Against the Supreme Effort of the Apostolic Review to Crush Carl Ketcherside, D. A. Sommer and the Macedonian Call

    William Carl Ketcherside and Daniel Austen Sommer

    A Defense Against the Supreme Effort of the Apostolic Review to Crush Carl Ketcherside, D. A. Sommer and the Macedonian Call

    This four-page article includes defenses by Carl Ketcherside (1908-1989) and Daniel Austen Sommer (1878-1952), editor and publisher of the Macedonian Call.

    Points of contention include:

    - Daniel Sommer's change in attitude toward colleges

    - The Rough Draft

    - Changes in the Apostolic Review

  • D. A. Sommer, A Re-statement of Our Position by Daniel Austen Sommer

    D. A. Sommer, A Re-statement of Our Position

    Daniel Austen Sommer

    Daniel Austen Sommer, A Re-statement of Our Position

    Sommer refers back favorably to Sand Creek and regrets that brethren began to "go off" again after innovations such as Bible colleges and "homes." He mentions the Pratt [Kansas] Compromise and the Long Beach Compromise.

    He also mentions the Rough Draft.

  • Review Publishers, Can't We Agree on Something? by Review Publishers

    Review Publishers, Can't We Agree on Something?

    Review Publishers

    Review Publishers, Can't We Agree on Something?

    In the American Christian Review, June 21 1932 issue, the Review publishers included an article "Can't We Agree on Something?" Daniel Sommer endorsed the article in April 1933. Those who disagreed with portions of the article, including Carl Ketcherside, when they referred to it called it "The Rough Draft."

    For a reference to Daniel Sommer's endorsement of the article: Office Notes, C. W. Sommer, Apostolic Review, Vol. 77, Nos. 17-18 (April 25, 1933): 10

    "The “Rough Draft” was drafted and printed while the Senior Editor was several hundred miles away. On his return to the office, the first thing he said, after greetings, was: “That ‘Rough Draft’ should be printed again and again.” This explanation should satisfy all that the Review force is at harmony on this subject. It was a last appeal for Unity on the Church and her Worship, suggested by the perplexities that arose every day at the office because of the impossible situation preachers and papers had finally arrived at. Church troubles and disputed questions had become the standard of measure for loyalty, rather than the Church, and—no preacher we knew was counted “loyal” by all. Now we know where we stand, for the Church is the measuring rod, which is sufficiently exclusive and inclusive for human beings to use Scripturally and fairly."

  • Preston Taylor, The Status and Outlook of the Colored Brotherhood by Preston Taylor

    Preston Taylor, The Status and Outlook of the Colored Brotherhood

    Preston Taylor

    Preston Taylor, The Status and Outlook of the Colored Brotherhood


    Delivered at the first National Christian Missionary Convention, this address by Taylor is foundational for African American Disciples of Christ.

    Regarding his address, Cardwell and Fox state:

    "Taylor possibly made the most biting remarks. He criticized Whites for being half-hearted in their approach to the evangelization and cultivation of African-Americans. He deplored the non-committal stance of White Disciples on race, which he said was the reason for the smallness of Black Disciples numbers. Taylor regretted the lack of an effective means for inter-communication among African-American Disciples of Christ. Yet he appealed for greater cooperation between the races in "building the kingdom of God." He pled for a better program for producing adequately prepared ministerial leaders." (Journey toward Wholeness: A History of Black Disciples of Christ in the Mission of the Christian Church, Volume 1 From Convention to Convocation: No Longer 'Objects' of Mission, But 'Partners In" the Work (1700 - 1988) 26).

  • Daniel Sommer, An Address by Daniel Sommer

    Daniel Sommer, An Address

    Daniel Sommer

    Daniel Sommer, An Address

    This is the written version of Daniel Sommer's one hour and forty-minute speech/address at Sand Creek, Illinois, on August 18, 1889. The original appeared in the Octographic Review (Volume 32, Number 36), September 5, 1889, pages 1, 5, 8.

    This PDF was created from the web page on the Hans Rollmann site, first at Memorial University of Newfoundland and now at Abilene Christian University:

    https://webfiles.acu.edu/departments/Library/HR/restmov_nov11/www.mun.ca/rels/restmov/texts/dsommer/address.html

    Accuracy of the transcription confirmed by viewing the microfilm of the original.

  • Peter P. Warren, Address and Declaration [at Sand Creek, Illinois, August 17, 1889] by Peter P. Warren and Daniel Sommer

    Peter P. Warren, Address and Declaration [at Sand Creek, Illinois, August 17, 1889]

    Peter P. Warren and Daniel Sommer

    Peter P. Warren, Address and Declaration [at Sand Creek, Illinois, August 17, 1889]

    This PDF is based on a transcription by A. K. Guthrie of the original article published in the Octographic Review, Volume 31, Number 36 (September 5, 1889) 8.

    https://webfiles.acu.edu/departments/Library/HR/restmov_nov11/www.mun.ca/rels/restmov/texts/dsommer/dec_v1.html

    Technically, this is the Declaration only. The Address by Daniel Sommer preceded the portion read by Warren.

  • Robert Richardson, The Principles and Objects of the Religious Reformation Urged by A. Campbell and Others, Briefly Stated and Explained by Robert Richardson

    Robert Richardson, The Principles and Objects of the Religious Reformation Urged by A. Campbell and Others, Briefly Stated and Explained

    Robert Richardson

    Robert Richardson, The Principles and Objects of the Religious Reformation Urged by A. Campbell and Others, Briefly Stated and Explained

    Written in 1852, this is the Third Edition Revised and Enlarged, published in 1877.

  • Isaac Errett, "Help Those Women" by Isaac Errett

    Isaac Errett, "Help Those Women"

    Isaac Errett

    Isaac Errett, "Help Those Women"

    This article by Errett was instrumental in the founding of the Christian Woman's Board of Missions in 1874 at the October General Convention of the American Christian Missionary Society in Cincinnati.

    Of this article, Doug Foster (Encyclopedia of the Stone-Campbell Movement 303) wrote:

    In 1874 Errett gave his influence and support to the formation of the Christian Woman's Board of Missions in a famous article titled "Help These [sic; "Those"] Women."

    Named in the article are:

    Dr. Sterling Elwood Pearre (1825-1904) and his wife Sarah “Caroline” Neville Pearre (1831-1910)

  • Isaac Errett, Our Position by Isaac Errett

    Isaac Errett, Our Position

    Isaac Errett

    Isaac Errett, Our Position

    This tract/pamphlet was an enlargement of Errett's 1862 "Synopsis of the Faith and Practice of the Church of Christ," published in Detroit.

  • Isaac Errett, Synopsis of the Faith and Practice of the Church of Christ by Isaac Errett

    Isaac Errett, Synopsis of the Faith and Practice of the Church of Christ

    Isaac Errett

    Isaac Errett, Synopsis of the Faith and Practice of the Church of Christ

    The PDF is from Lard's Quarterly, Volume 1, Number 1 (September 1863) 95 - 100.

    The Synopsis received considerable criticism from Moses E. Lard and other editors. (Douglas A. Foster, "Synopsis of the Faith," Encyclopedia of the Stone-Campbell Movement 725.)


  • James Shannon, An Address Delivered before the Pro-Slavery Convention of the State of Missouri by James Shannon

    James Shannon, An Address Delivered before the Pro-Slavery Convention of the State of Missouri

    James Shannon

    James Shannon, An Address Delivered before the Pro-Slavery Convention of the State of Missouri, held in Lexington, July 13, 1855, on Domestic Slavery, as Examined in the Light of Scripture, of Natural Rights, of Civil Government, and the Constitutional Power of Congress


    James Shannon (1799-1859) was a leading intellectual in the Stone-Campbell Movement. Second President, University of Missouri, Columbia, MO. 1850-1856. Co-Founder of Christian College 1851 (now Columbia college), Columbia, MO. Co-Founder of Christian University 1853, and First President (now Culver-Stockton College) Canton, MO.

  • Alexander Campbell, Address on War by Alexander Campbell

    Alexander Campbell, Address on War

    Alexander Campbell

    Alexander Campbell, Address on War

    Delivered before the Wheeling Lyceum on May 11, 1848. First published in the Millennial Harbinger, July 1848, with correspondence between the Wheeling Lyceum and Alexander Campbell, pages 361 - 386.

    This PDF is from the undated edition of Popular Lectures and Addresses by Christian Publishing Company, St. Louis, pages 342 - 366.

  • Alexander Campbell, The Lunenburg Letter with Attendant Comments by Alexander Campbell

    Alexander Campbell, The Lunenburg Letter with Attendant Comments

    Alexander Campbell

    Alexander Campbell, The Lunenburg Letter with Attendant Comments

    This pamphlet contains only the remarks by Campbell on the subject of "Christians in the Sects."

    His remarks were controversial; he mentions, probably hyperbolically, that "I hope to be excused for not publishing a hundred letters for and against said opinion." (Page 10 in this PDF.)

  • Alexander Campbell, A Restoration of the Ancient Order of Things by Alexander Campbell

    Alexander Campbell, A Restoration of the Ancient Order of Things

    Alexander Campbell

    Alexander Campbell, A Restoration of the Ancient Order of Things

    Published in the Christian Baptist in thirty-two parts in 1824 through 1829.

    Page numbers in the contents are from the Christian Baptist, Revised by D. S Burnet in 1835, Seven Volumes in One.

  • Alexander Campbell, Sermon on the Law by Alexander Campbell

    Alexander Campbell, Sermon on the Law

    Alexander Campbell

    Alexander Campbell, Sermon on the Law

    Because of constant requests for this sermon to be republished, Alexander Campbell reprinted it in the Millennial Harbinger (September, 1846; 493 - 521).

    The sermon was first published at Steubenville, Ohio, in 1816, by James Wilson.

  • Thomas Campbell, Declaration and Address of the Christian Association of Washington by Thomas Campbell

    Thomas Campbell, Declaration and Address of the Christian Association of Washington

    Thomas Campbell

    Thomas Campbell, Declaration and Address of the Christian Association of Washington

    Washington, (Pa.) Printed by BROWN & SAMPLE at the Office of "The Reporter."

    "Appeal for Christian unity based on a common core of evangelical commitments written by Thomas Campbell (1763-1854) and published in 1809 to explain the form and purpose of the Christian Association of Washington; ultimately considered, along with the Last Will and Testament of the Springfield Presbytery, a "charter document" of the Stone-Campbell Movement." (Paul M. Blowers and William J. Richardson, "Declaration and Address" Encyclopedia of the Stone-Campbell Movement 263.)

  • Rice Haggard, An Address to the Different Religious Societies, on the Sacred Import of the Christian Name by Rice Haggard

    Rice Haggard, An Address to the Different Religious Societies, on the Sacred Import of the Christian Name

    Rice Haggard

    Rice Haggard, An Address to the Different Religious Societies, on the Sacred Import of the Christian Name

    This PDF is extracted from the DCHS publication Footnotes to Disciple History Number Four, where the reader may find more information about Rice Haggard and the rediscovery of this foundational Stone-Campbell Movement pamphlet. Haggard was present at Cane Ridge and later labored alongside James O'Kelly.

    For earlier sources from which Haggard drew, but did not acknowledge in his pamphlet, see Frank Bellizzi's blog post here:

    https://frankbellizzi.blogspot.com/2009/02/rice-haggards-influential-pamphlet.html

  • An Apology for Renouncing the Jurisdiction of the Synod of Kentucky. by Barton Warren Stone, Robert Marshall, John Thompson, John Dunlavy, and Richard McNemar

    An Apology for Renouncing the Jurisdiction of the Synod of Kentucky.

    Barton Warren Stone, Robert Marshall, John Thompson, John Dunlavy, and Richard McNemar

    An Apology for Renouncing the Jurisdiction of the Synod of Kentucky. To which is added, a compendious view of the Gospel, and a few remarks on the Confession of Faith.

    By Robert Marshall, John Dunlavy, Richard M'Nemar, Barton W. Stone, John Thompson

    The Apology and other remarks related to it are from The Biography of Eld. Barton Warren Stone, Written by Himself, with Additions and Reflections. (Cincinnati: American Christian Publication Society, 1853) 147-247.

    The date of the publication of the pamphlet is January 31, 1804, per the poorly preserved title page on the DCHS microfilm.

  • Last Will and Testament of the Springfield Presbytery by Barton Warren Stone and Richard McNemar

    Last Will and Testament of the Springfield Presbytery

    Barton Warren Stone and Richard McNemar

    Last Will and Testament of the Springfield Presbytery

    "Founding document of the Christian Church movement associated with Barton W. Stone, signed June 28,1804·

    The Springfield Presbytery, which issued the document, had been organized on September 12, 1803. Two days earlier Barton W. Stone, Robert Marshall, John Dunlavy, Richard McNemar, and John Thompson had withdrawn from the jurisdiction of the Presbyterian Synod of Kentucky rather than suffer censure for having departed from the doctrines of the Westminster Confession." (D. Newell Williams, "Last Will and Testament of the Springfield Presbytery' Encyclopedia of the Stone Campbell Movement 453.)

 
 
 

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