THE LECTURES OF ELD. D. P. HALL In the Seventh-Day Baptist Church at Hayfield, Crawford Co., Pa., and their Results
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THE LECTURES OF ELD. D. P. HALL In the Seventh-Day Baptist Church at Hayfield, Crawford Co., Pa., and their Results.
By D. P. Hall
I HAVE been a member of the Seventh-day Baptist church of this place six years, and clerk of the church about three years, and until very recently believed them in possession of more truth than any other professing christian people. One year ago last August I listened to a sermon delivered in the Meeting-house of the above named place, by Eld. Charles Crawford, of this county, in which discourse he undertook to prove from the Scriptures of the Old and New Testaments, that man in the present life was wholly mortal, and that immortality was the gift of God through Jesus Christ, to the obedient only, to be put on at the second appearing of Christ, and the resurrection of the just. This resulted in convincing me of the importance of searching the Scriptures for myself on this theme. But the impressions then made were not lasting. The following Spring I commenced reading a work entitled The Bible vs. Tradition, for the purpose of obtaining arguments to meet the dreadful heresy of man’s mortality, but to my own astonishment and that of many of my friends, I found after a thorough investigation that the “heresy” was on the other side of the question.179At this juncture, an old acquaintance, by the name of Y. Harroun, from Fond du Lac Co., Wisconsin, came to our State to make us a visit, and immediately commenced talking to me upon the subject of the Commandments of God and the Faith of Jesus as set forth in Rev. xiv. 9-13, under the third angel's message, especially that part pertaining to the gospel promise of immortality. I soon became much interested in this particular feature of Bible truth, and commenced talking out my sentiments and feelings upon this glorious theme to the church assembled, and also from house to house. The result was that many in the congregation became favorably interested in this truth; but others looked upon it as a great and dangerous heresy, and undertook to vote me down, and not allow me the privilege of discussing this theme in the Meeting-house. This effort, proving a failure, the next resort was to call a church-meeting for the purpose of dealing with the supposed heretics. This also failed, and left me at liberty to speak as the Spirit moved. This favorable opportunity I improved from time to time during the Summer, becoming more and more interested. I then determined to secure the labors of some one who would set these sentiments forth to this church and community in a more public manner than I had been doing, and through the instrumentality of Bro. A. Harroun, a relative of Bro. Hall, we succeeded in securing his promise to visit us and labor a short time in the message. Bro. Hall reached our State Oct. 5th, and immediately made known the object of his mission. This being but two days before the Sabbath, nothing was done until the Sabbath, Oct. 7th. At our Sabbath meeting, which consisted mostly of Sabbath-keepers, and among them one Eld. by the name of Green, I introduced Bro. Hall, and briefly stated the object of his visit. Bro. H. immediately responded to my statements, and said he would be pleased to speak to the people, provided no one present objected. After waiting a reasonable length of time, and hearing no objections raised, he took the stand, and after a short introduction commenced an investigation of man's nature and destiny, as set forth by the prophets, Jesus and the apostles. At the conclusion of this discourse, liberty was freely granted to any who felt disposed to make remarks, pro or con. No one occupied the time, and the meeting closed, not, however, before Bro. H. proposed a continuation of the investigation if desirable. The house was freely offered, and another appointment given. At the next meeting the same theme was continued, and so on from one evening to another, until the sixth lecture, when a licensed preacher of the Episcopal Methodist order arose and offered objections from the case of Moses and Elias, the teachings of the Fathers, &c., and wound up by complaining bitterly that a young man should call in question the long established belief of the churches. Bro. H. responded by saying it was not a question of what do you believe, or what do I believe, nor what saith the Fathers; but what saith the Scriptures; and then examined the case of Moses and Elias, and showed it to be a vision of the future glory of the kingdom of God. The same theme was continued on the next evening, when liberty being granted, a disciple of the Baptist order arose, and objected to the whole affair, asked several questions touching the kingdom, man's nature, &c., and closed in a most low and vulgar strain. All the points raised from the Scriptures, or pretended to be based upon them, were noticed in order, and the low slang left to recoil upon the head of the one who vomited it forth. The discussion was continued on the Sabbath, when a respectable number of the Seventh-day Baptists were present from the Hayfield church, and also from the Cassewago congregation, and among the last named, a Deacon who objected to everlasting punishment's being everlasting destruction, or death. His objection, as stated by himself, grew out of the idea that the punishment threatened was precisely the opposite of the reward offered. This was freely granted by Bro. H., and an offer was made to turn the whole subject upon this point. The question was then propounded by Bro. H. as to what our Saviour promised on the one hand, and the Scriptural answer was found to be in the following language, "The righteous into LIFE ETERNAL." Then came the very important question which was to settle the whole affair, What is precisely the opposite of LIFE? Certainly not miserable LIFE. Only one answer, in the very nature of the case, and according to the Deacon's own proposition, could be given: viz., death, DEATH. The Deacon then arose and invited Bro. H. to visit him at his own house, and investigate the matter further. The lectures were continued on the first day of the week, and from evening to evening until the Bible view of Spiritualism was presented, when two disciples of the modern wonder arose in the congregation and objected to the teachings of the Bible, quoted several portions, and then took their seats. Bro. H. noticed them as the occasion demanded, and gave another appointment. At this juncture the Methodist licentiate, previously named, arose and gave out an appointment at the Methodist Chapel, which was but a few rods from the place where Bro. H. was lecturing. He announced the theme in a very low tone, and was immediately interrogated as to the subject to be discussed. The reply was the immortality of the soul. Bro. H. then withdrew his appointment, and all went to hear the immortality of the soul proved from the Bible. The speaker proved to be the same licentiate. After discussing about one hour and a half upon the properties of matter, and spirit, in which he gave us some choice thoughts, such as follows: We can determine material substances, from immaterial substances in the following manner, viz., Whatever has reflection, perception and sensation inheres in an immaterial substance, soul or spirit; and whatever has form, size, weight, &c., inheres in a material substance, or matter. Here then we had a broad line of demarkation drawn between immortal souls, and material substantiation, or matter, so that ever after this notable evening, no person need be in doubt. Matter and spirit were very clearly separated by this easy reasoning, and the only fault one could find with the discourse was this, that not one out of a hundred assertions was proved, and no Bible brought to bear upon the theme, so that we were as ignorant of What saith the Scriptures, after this meeting, as before. Liberty being granted, Bro. H. arose and examined some points briefly, especially the idea that inferential testimony was stronger than plain statements. The speaker took the position that inferential evidence was preferable, and then resorted in proof to circumstantial testimony, making inferences and circumstances the same. This was thought to be a very peculiar discovery, worthy of a place with the wonders of the age. This meeting closed by a speech from a member of the same church, in which he undertook to attribute every thing low and sinful to the Advent faith, made a great many assertions, and when called upon for proof, failed to produce one item. Bro. H. appointed to review the sermon at length in the Seventh-day Baptist meeting-house, in two discourses. At the second discourse in the review, liberty was granted for remarks, when another Methodist minister present arose and found some fault, quoted Paul's tabernacles, and wished Bro. H. to tell him what the image was in which man was created. This being done from the Bible, he then wished a definition given to moral nature. This being attended to the meeting adjourned. The Methodist friends in the neighborhood not being willing to give the matter up so, tried to secure the labors of those more learned in the sublime mysteries of popular theology, when a Baptist minister was brought forward, and an appointment announced, in the Chapel. Bro. H. hearing of the arrangement, took up an appointment which he had standing in the Seventh-day Baptist meeting-house, and attended the meeting. The Baptist minister opened by exalting the Scriptures, and taking the stand that they were all sufficient for faith and practice. He was surrounded by two Methodist ministers, one Seventh-day Baptist, and a host of worthy lay members of orthodoxy. The first point to be proved was, that Christ and the eternal God were one. The next was that Christ and all men existed before they were manifested. He came to the conclusion that he, as well as Christ and Adam, existed as far back as God's eternal existence; but Christ was manifested at his birth, Adam at his creation, Eve at hers, and the speaker in 1798. This was the grand basis for the monstrous conclusion that man had a eternal nature. In winding up his sermon he quoted Heb. iv, 12, "For the word of God is quick and powerful, and sharper than any two edged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart." From this he came to the conclusion that man had a body, soul and spirit. Then quoted the souls "under the altar," and the "spirits in prison," &c., as proof on the last two divisions. After finishing his sermon, liberty was given for any one to remark, when Bro. H. arose and wished the speaker to tell the audience which was immortal, body, soul or spirit. This he declined doing, adding that it was not a Bible question; that immortal soul was not a scriptural phrase. Bro. H. arose again, and admitted this, and pressed him to acknowledge also that there was no scriptural fact either, answering to this unscriptural phrase, so that the phrase, and the fact, were both wanting in the Bible. This the Elder would not do; said he thought the gentleman (Bro. H.) was very obtuse in his understanding, &c., and added, that if the gentleman would come within the range of Bible, he would discuss the matter with him to his satisfaction. Bro. H. arose and expressed a willingness to come within the range of Scripture, and wished him to state his faith upon his point. He accordingly arose and affirmed that man was conscious in death. This he understood to be scriptural. Bro. H. immediately accepted his challenge, and proposed commencing the discussion the next evening at the Seventh-day Baptist meeting house. This brought the Baptist Elder to a second sober thought, when, lo and behold; he withdrew his bold challenge, and backed right straight out!! The next on the stand was the Methodist minister before named. He was going to show how absurd Mr. Hall's positions were, and commenced by saying, that he (Mr. Hall) believed in a material God, &c., and wound up by saying he had heard Mr. Hall cite Greek at a terrible rate, and quoted Matt. x, 28, as a tremendous blunder on Mr. Hall's part; for, said he, Mr. Hall in his opposition of this text gave Gehenna as the original Greek and exclaimed, What an ignoramus. Turning to the learned Baptist, he said, "I suppose he (Mr. Hall) meant hades." The Baptist smiled and said, "Yes," endorsing all that the Methodist man had said. After this furor had subsided, Bro. H. asked for five minutes to correct some false statements which had been made. This was granted, and no sooner had he commenced speaking, than the Methodist divine commenced interrupting him, and this meeting finally wound up by the Baptist taking the stand and announcing another appointment for the next evening. Bro. H. withdrew an appointment which he had standing at the Seventh-day Baptist meeting house, and all hands attended this second discourse of the Baptist Elder. The text this evening was from John v, 28, 29. The positions taken were as follows: 1. A literal resurrection. 2. No reward before that time. 3. All, righteous and wicked raised in one and the same time. He came to the conclusion that immortality was not an attribute of man's nature; but a title of character. Life did not mean existence, but a condition of character. Death was a condition of character also, and not a cessation of conscious existence. At the close of this meeting Bro. H. was positively forbidden to speak. After the congregation was dismissed, he appointed to review this sermon in the Seventh-day Baptist meeting house. This review continued three evenings, in which every point was taken up, and exposed, and the plain Bible statements touching life, death, mortality and immortality, brought forward. Our Methodist friends finding all their efforts up to this point a failure, and not being able to destroy the supposed heresy of man's complete mortality, undertook still to draw away the congregation by getting up an opposition meeting and inviting all sorts to their rescue, the Seventh-day Baptists not excepted, one Seventh-day Baptist in the place joining them. At their last meeting they were so reduced in numbers that it was thought best to desist, while on the other hand Bro. H. had a large congregation. The next First-day, at the regular Methodist appointment at the Chapel, the previously named licentiate took up Rev. xiii, 1-4, and onward, and applied it to Bro. H. and those holding such views. Bro. H. was present, and asked the privilege of correcting several false statements which had been made, and was granted the privilege of correcting but one. Bro. H. continued preaching in this, and other places near by, up to the time that one Eld. Dean, a noted revivalist of the Christian order, came into the place. He attended Bro. H.'s appointment on the Sabbath, and heard him preach upon the New Birth, as set forth, by Jesus in his discourses with Nicodemus. John iii, 1-13. After Bro. H. had finished his sermon, liberty was granted, and Eld. Dean arose and approbated the apparent candor of the speaker; but begged permission to differ with the sentiments advanced. Said if he should preach upon this theme, he would take a position straight up and down in opposition. He further said the Second Advent folks had bothered him considerably, and he had rather be dressed out handsomely, than to be so troubled. He was very anxious to discuss the differences between himself and Adventists, with Bro. H. Bro. H. expressed his willingness to discuss the Scripture bearings of the question, with any one whom the community had confidence in, as being able to set forth the orthodox faith in its full strength; and as nearly as he could judge, Eld. Dean was the man, and, accordingly his challenge was accepted, and Eld. Dean was to preach that evening, and the preliminaries of the180discourse to be adjusted. The Eld. came according to arrangement, and occupied one half hour in preaching upon almost every theme in theology, and then called upon Bro. H. to reply. Bro. H. told him it would take at least three weeks to reply to all he had read, and declined saying anything until an issue was fairly made. Bro. H. worked faithfully for more than an hour to bring Eld. Dean to an issue, and finally it was agreed that three themes should be discussed: viz., 1st. Does the New Birth taught by Jesus to Nicodemus [John iii, 1-13.] take place before man is changed from mortality to immortality? or from corruption to incorruption? Eld. Dean affirmed, Bro. H. denied. 2. Is the kingdom of God set up before Jesus' second coming? 3. The nature of the soul. The discussion of the kingdom and the soul, was not reached on account of Eld. Dean's backing out. In the discussion, Eld. Dean affirmed that the immortal soul, or deathless spirit, experienced the New Birth. Bro. Hall denied, and predicated the birth of the whole man. That portion of Christian experience which Eld. Dean denominated the birth, Bro. H. showed from the Scriptures to be the begetting. Bro. H. followed the Eld. in all his propositions, and took them all out of his hands. Twenty minutes, alternately, was the time of speaking. Eld. Dean in his first speech used but fourteen minutes; the remaining six he promised Bro. H.; but when he commenced using them, the time was denied. In his second speech he used but seven minutes, and then sat down. In his third, he told stories, and indulged in low slang nothing to the purpose. The next evening the Eld. did nothing but repeat over and over again his stories slang, &c. Bro. H. went on and affirmed, paying no attention whatever to his low stuff. At the close of the second evening Eld. Dean said he had come to the conclusion that it would not be profitable to continue the discussion, and declined going further. Bro. Hall published to go on with the subject the next evening and the Eld. gave out an appointment to preach in an adjoining neighborhood. Up to this point in the investigation matters in the Seventh-day Baptist congregation stood as follows: Out of a church of forty resident members, fourteen came out and put on the faith of the Gospel by Baptism and publicly identified themselves with those keeping the Commandments of God and the Faith of Jesus, as set forth in the message of the third angel. Rev. xiv, 9-13. Several others became convicted of the truth, who have not yet taken this step. Several of the members of the Methodist church also became much interested, and one of their leading men, who had the charge of their Bible class, came out and was also baptized into the gospel faith and hope, and thus publicly identified himself with the despised commandment-keepers, and the community generally became convicted that the doctrines set forth were Bible. Just at this point of time, Eld. James White of Rochester, N. Y., was solicited to come and spend a few days in this community, and appointments were accordingly announced at the Seventh-day Baptist Meeting-house. This brings us to notice another feature in this affair. The conduct of the so-called Seventh-day Baptist Church of Hayfield.
No sooner were appointments announced for Eld. White, than those holding on to the old platform, or the old Seventh-day Baptist principles, as they termed them, called a church meeting, the object of which was kept entirely in the dark, until the meeting had convened, and then made known only by pieces, as different resolutions were offered. This meeting was convened Dec. 24th, 1854, and consisted in the first place of twenty-one out of forty members who constituted the church; in the next place, of five members from the Cassewago church, and the remainder of miscellaneous, some styled infidel, others Methodists, and some of the world's people. According to current phrase, a congregation entirely unprecedented in the whole history of this church. There were two Elders present, and one licensed preacher. One belonged to the church, and the other two to the Cassewago congregation. The meeting was called to order by the appointment of an Elder to the chair, belonging to the Cassewago church. The next move was the appointment of a clerk pro tem. from the same church. A resolution was then offered for the church clerk to give up the church books into the hands of the clerk pro tem. The matter was briefly discussed, and the books delivered up. The next resolution offered was as follows: Resolved: That we go into an investigation of the condition of this church for the purpose of ascertaining who amongst us still hold on to old Seventh-day Baptist principles. The query was then raised, as to what was to be the standard. This threw the old stamp into confusion, and they did not know what to say, or do. Finally it was proposed that the Creed be the standard, and that it be read by the clerk. Those who held on professedly to the old views, utterly refused to read the creed, or make it the standard of character, in deciding who were true. This conduct utterly surprised all the lookers on, to think that a creed church should arraign certain ones for trial, and then refuse to submit the investigation to the decision of the acknowledged basis of christian character in their own communion. They were called on, over and over again, to read the creed of the church, and as often refused, and when pressed to show any authority for such conduct, either from Bible, creed, or the usages of the church, the Eld. in the chair would respond that it was not a question of Bible, nor of right and wrong; and when it was repeated by some present, that the church had no right to do business after that fashion, the reply was promptly forthcoming from the Eld. in the chair. It is not a question of right or wrong; that they had no time to discuss that matter. It was then stated that the creed said nothing about a Seventh-day Baptist church, and that the old platform was entirely out of order, and amenable to the law abiding portion of the congregation for their conduct. Just here we will insert the creed to show the truth of this assertion. "Art. 1st. We believe in one only living and true God, who mysteriously exists in Father Son and Holy Ghost, and that these three are one.
"Art. 2d. We believe that the Scriptures of the Old and New Testaments are God's revealed will to man, and that they belong to us and our children forever, and that they are an infallible rule of faith and practice for God's people.
"Art. 3d. We believe that all mankind have sinned, and come short of the glory of God, and that they are unable by anything they can do to restore themselves to his favor.
"Art. 4th. We believe that God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.
"Art. 5th. We believe that by virtue of the great atonement, a door is opened for the gospel to be preached to every creature, Jew and Gentile, and God can be just in justifying all them that believe.
"Art. 6th. We believe in the doctrine of repentance from dead works, in regeneration, and the necessity of the Holy Spirit in effecting the work, and in justification by faith in Jesus Christ, which includes obedience as its effects.
"Art. 7th. We believe in the perpetuity of the ten commandments, and that no one of them is altered or changed and of course that the fourth with the rest is binding on us, as a rule to walk with our blessed Redeemer, until he comes the second time.
"Art. 8th. We believe in baptism by immersion, and that professing believing penitents are the only subjects; likewise the laying on of hands, and prayer with the right hand of fellowship in receiving members into the church.
"Art. 9th. We believe in the communion of the Lord's supper with such only as keep the commandments of God and have the faith of Jesus Christ.
"Art. 10th. We believe in the resurrection of the dead, and the eternal judgment. And that Jesus will assume the judgment seat, and will divide the righteous from the wicked, as a shepherd divideth the sheep from the goats, and that Jesus will say to those on his left hand, these shall go away into everlasting punishment, but the righteous into life eternal." The above creed had been the basis of this church for over twenty-five years, and never was so treated before, to the certain memory of some of the congregation. After the old platform had utterly refused the reading of the creed, they then resolved to withdraw the hand of fellowship from all those who did not adhere to old Seventh-day Baptist principles, as they understood them, but had not as yet from the first defined them. Note here, that no person had been named, or charged with any crime, or wrong of any description. No person had been previously labored with; but all were to be cut off without any crime being alleged, or judge, or jury, or witness being heard, or known in the whole transaction. Eleven of the Old School Seventh-day Baptists voted to cut off some fifteen or twenty of the old stand-bys, whose characters and practices they dare not call in question. And when urged, over and over again, to define the crime, they could not, nor did they attempt to do it. Next, resolved that the Seventh-day Baptist church (which by this time according to the figuring of the Old School, consisted of eleven members present) establish regular meetings in the Meeting-house on the Sabbath. And to close up the grand farce, resolved that the (self-styled) Seventh-day Baptists, who hold to old principles, have hereafter the exclusive control of this Meeting-house. Now we can see into it. It will not do to have any more of this new class of Sabbath-keepers preach in this house. Mark well one very important item. Five persons of the old stamp, as they styled themselves, who had paid not to exceed thirty dollars towards the Meeting-house, voted to deprive some fifteen persons (and in fact all who sympathized in any degree with the so-called new heresy) of the use of a house which they had paid hundreds of dollars towards building; and what is still more remarkable, the Eld. who took the lead in all this affair, did not own one cent in the house. One other man but $2.50, and a third, but $5. The Eld. and these two very officious lay members, all taken together, owned $7.50 in the house from which they undertook after this sham fashion to vote out many others who had put in hundreds of their hard earnings. Every move from the first to the last, was an outrage upon all law and order, and was protested against by all those, who had any regard for justice and equal rights. Those who had been so unceremoniously turned out of a house of their own building by others who had done comparatively nothing for the same, were very kindly offered a large and convenient dwelling-house near by for their contemplated meetings; and Bro. White, on his coming, instead of having the use of the Meeting-house to preach in, enjoyed the privilege of speaking to a large and intelligent congregation in a private house. The Eld. who presided over this lawless handitti, at the time mounted the seats and gave out an appointment for himself at the very hour, and on the top of one which had been previously published for Bro. White. In confirmation of the statements herein contained touching the character of the church-meeting of the so-called Seventh-day Baptist church of Hayfield, Crawford Co., Pennsylvania. We do hereunto sign our names as eye witnesses,
D. P. HALL
S. G. CURTIS,
GIDEON DUNN,
CATH. GREENLEE,
DIANTHA DUNN,
MAXON GREENLEE,
P. D. DUNN,
E. D. CROSBY,
PHILIP DUNN,
ELIZ. GREENLEE,
RACHEL DUNN.