Alexander Campbell
1788–1866
Son of Thomas Campbell and the movement's chief systematizer; edited The Millennial Harbinger and wrote The Christian System (1839), restating the plea for New Testament Christianity without denominational names.
In his own words
It is as supernatural to adapt a system to man, as it is to create him. He has never thought much upon his own powers who has not seen as much wisdom on the outside, as in the inside of the human head. To suit the outside to the inside required as much wisdom as to suit the inside to the outside, and yet the exterior arrangement exists for the interior. To fashion a casement for a human soul exhibits as many attributes of a creator, as to fashion a human spirit for its [61] habitation. Man, therefore, could as easily make himself, as a system of religion to suit himself. It will be admitted that it calls for as much skill to adapt the appendages to the human eye, as the human eye to its appendages. To us it is equally plain, that it requires as much wisdom to adapt a religion to man, circumstanced as he is, as to create him an intellectual and moral being.
Quoted verbatim from the library, as an answer would quote it.
What we hold of him
The Christian System
Classic
The Millennial Harbinger, Volume 1
Classic
Ask what Alexander Campbell says
Amos Standard answers theological questions from a curated library and cites the work behind every claim. It is in a closed beta; leave your address and we will write when there is room.