Springfield Presbytery
Encyclopedia
The Springfield Presbytery was an independent presbytery that became one of the earliest expressions of the Stone-Campbell Movement
. It was composed of Presbyterian ministers
who withdrew from the jurisdiction of the Presbyterian Synod of Kentucky on September 10, 1803. It dissolved itself on June 28, 1804, with the publication of a document titled the Last Will and Testament of The Springfield Presbytery, marking the birth of the Christian Church
of the West.
) protested the proceedings and withdrew from the jurisdiction of the Synod. Their signed protest was dated September 10, 1803. They gave the following reasons for withdrawing from the jurisdiction of the Synod:
Based on those reasons, they said that they chose to withdraw from the jurisdiction of the Synod rather than be prosecuted under the authority of the Confession of Faith, which they could not acknowledge. They said, however, that they did not desire to break from communion with the members of the Synod. They formed the Springfield Presbytery two days later. The Springfield Presbytery was a loose association of the dissenting ministers and their congregations. A sixth minister joined the Presbytery when it ordained David Purviance
, whom the West Lexington Presbytery had refused to ordain.
On January 31, 1804, they published a 141-page defense of their actions, in which they opposed the use of creeds to determine who is a Christian. The defense was entitled 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. The Apology was written by Robert Marshall. It argued that the examination of McNemar in 1802 had been conducted without due process, which would have justified an appeal of the decision to the General Assembly. It went on to argue, though, that they had no reasonable hope of redress within the Presbyterian church as long as "human opinions", rather than scripture, were the standard of orthodoxy. The Compendious View of the Scripture was written by Stone. Systematically laying out the doctrines that the Washington Presbytry condemned, it represents the first theological statement from the Restoration Movement
. The Remarks on the Confession was written by Thompson, and argued that since creeds served to divide the church, even if a perfect creed could be found, it should be rejected as the standard for Christian fellowship.
By 1804 the Presbytery had attracted 15 congregations in Ohio and Kentucky. The leaders of the presbytery became concerned by its growth, because they did not want to create a new denomination or "party". Ultimately convinced that the Presbytery was sectarian, the six ministers dissolved it on June 28, 1804. To publicize the dissolution, they signed a document entitled The Last Will and Testament of the Springfield Presbytery. This tract willed that “this body die, be dissolved, and sink into union with the Body of Christ at large.” It expressed the desire for Christian union and identified the Bible as the only standard of Christian faith and practice. In addition to signing the Last Will and Testament, they agreed to take "no other name than christians" on the basis that it was "the name first given by divine authority to the disciples of Christ."
. While real, the act was also symbolic, based on the principle of individual autonomy for local congregations. Congregational ideals persist to this day in the Disciples of Christ and the Churches of Christ, due in no small part to this document. The actual document titled Last Will and Testament of The Springfield Presbytery was signed by Robert Marshall, John Dunlavy, and Richard McNemar on June 28, 1804 in the presence of B. W. Stone, John Thompson, and David Purviance who served as witnesses.
Restoration Movement
The Restoration Movement is a Christian movement that began on the American frontier during the Second Great Awakening of the early 19th century...
. It was composed of Presbyterian ministers
Presbyterianism
Presbyterianism refers to a number of Christian churches adhering to the Calvinist theological tradition within Protestantism, which are organized according to a characteristic Presbyterian polity. Presbyterian theology typically emphasizes the sovereignty of God, the authority of the Scriptures,...
who withdrew from the jurisdiction of the Presbyterian Synod of Kentucky on September 10, 1803. It dissolved itself on June 28, 1804, with the publication of a document titled the Last Will and Testament of The Springfield Presbytery, marking the birth of the Christian Church
Christians (Stone Movement)
The Christians were a group arising during the Second Great Awakening of the early 19th century. The most prominent leader was Barton W. Stone. The group was committed to restoring primitive Christianity...
of the West.
History
The immediate cause of withdrawal was that the Synod of Kentucky had censured the Washington Presbytery appointing one minister, Richard McNemar, after having previously examining his doctrine and condemning it as "dangerous to the souls of men, and hostile to the interests of all religion", for refusing a petition to examine the doctrine of a second minister, John Thompson, and for refusing to reexamine the doctrine of McNemar. Both ministers had expressed views at odds with the Westminster Confession. These two ministers and three others (Robert Marshall, John Dunlavy, and Barton W. StoneBarton W. Stone
Barton Warren Stone was an important preacher during the Second Great Awakening of the early 19th century. He was first ordained a Presbyterian minister, then was expelled from the church after the Cane Ridge, Kentucky revival for his stated beliefs in faith as the sole prerequisite for salvation...
) protested the proceedings and withdrew from the jurisdiction of the Synod. Their signed protest was dated September 10, 1803. They gave the following reasons for withdrawing from the jurisdiction of the Synod:
- They believed that the resolution condemning McNemar's teachings (which they all shared) gave "a distorted and false representation of Mr. McNemar's sentiments" and was "calculated to prevent the influence of truth of the most interesting nature";
- They asserted the privilege of interpreting scripture independently of the Presbyterian Confession of FaithWestminster Confession of FaithThe Westminster Confession of Faith is a Reformed confession of faith, in the Calvinist theological tradition. Although drawn up by the 1646 Westminster Assembly, largely of the Church of England, it became and remains the 'subordinate standard' of doctrine in the Church of Scotland, and has been...
, appealing to section in that confession that said "that the Supreme Judge, by which all controversies of religion are to be determined, and all decrees of councils, opinions of ancient writers, doctrines of men and private spirits, are to be examined, an in whose sentence we are to rest, can be no other than the Holy Spirit speaking in the Scriptures";
- They argued that some of the doctrines of grace were "in a measure darkened by some expressions in the Confession of Faith [regarding the doctrine of predestination], which are used as a means of strengthening sinners in their unbelief, and subjecting many of the pious to a spirit of bondage" and said that when they tried to address those difficulties they were accused of departing from the faith.
Based on those reasons, they said that they chose to withdraw from the jurisdiction of the Synod rather than be prosecuted under the authority of the Confession of Faith, which they could not acknowledge. They said, however, that they did not desire to break from communion with the members of the Synod. They formed the Springfield Presbytery two days later. The Springfield Presbytery was a loose association of the dissenting ministers and their congregations. A sixth minister joined the Presbytery when it ordained David Purviance
David Purviance
David Purviance, 1766–1847, was a member of the Kentucky legislature, a member of the Ohio legislature, and an important early leader in the Stone-Campbell Restoration Movement. He was also founder of Miami University of Oxford, Ohio and often served as its president pro tempore.-Role in the...
, whom the West Lexington Presbytery had refused to ordain.
On January 31, 1804, they published a 141-page defense of their actions, in which they opposed the use of creeds to determine who is a Christian. The defense was entitled 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. The Apology was written by Robert Marshall. It argued that the examination of McNemar in 1802 had been conducted without due process, which would have justified an appeal of the decision to the General Assembly. It went on to argue, though, that they had no reasonable hope of redress within the Presbyterian church as long as "human opinions", rather than scripture, were the standard of orthodoxy. The Compendious View of the Scripture was written by Stone. Systematically laying out the doctrines that the Washington Presbytry condemned, it represents the first theological statement from the Restoration Movement
Restoration Movement
The Restoration Movement is a Christian movement that began on the American frontier during the Second Great Awakening of the early 19th century...
. The Remarks on the Confession was written by Thompson, and argued that since creeds served to divide the church, even if a perfect creed could be found, it should be rejected as the standard for Christian fellowship.
By 1804 the Presbytery had attracted 15 congregations in Ohio and Kentucky. The leaders of the presbytery became concerned by its growth, because they did not want to create a new denomination or "party". Ultimately convinced that the Presbytery was sectarian, the six ministers dissolved it on June 28, 1804. To publicize the dissolution, they signed a document entitled The Last Will and Testament of the Springfield Presbytery. This tract willed that “this body die, be dissolved, and sink into union with the Body of Christ at large.” It expressed the desire for Christian union and identified the Bible as the only standard of Christian faith and practice. In addition to signing the Last Will and Testament, they agreed to take "no other name than christians" on the basis that it was "the name first given by divine authority to the disciples of Christ."
The Last Will and Testament
The Last Will and Testament became a founding document of the Restoration MovementRestoration Movement
The Restoration Movement is a Christian movement that began on the American frontier during the Second Great Awakening of the early 19th century...
. While real, the act was also symbolic, based on the principle of individual autonomy for local congregations. Congregational ideals persist to this day in the Disciples of Christ and the Churches of Christ, due in no small part to this document. The actual document titled Last Will and Testament of The Springfield Presbytery was signed by Robert Marshall, John Dunlavy, and Richard McNemar on June 28, 1804 in the presence of B. W. Stone, John Thompson, and David Purviance who served as witnesses.
External links
- Text of the Apology, for Renouncing the Jurisdiction of the Synod of Kentucky: http://www.mun.ca/rels/restmov/texts/bstone/APOLOGY.HTM
- Text of the Last Will and Testament of the Springfield Presbytery: http://www.mun.ca/rels/restmov/texts/rmcnemar/ocg/OCG.HTM#Will