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THE CIVIL WAR

AND RESTORATION

1.     Introduction

a.     The Confederates fired on Fort Sumter, April 12, 1861. When that war ended there were 359,000 dead from the north and 250,000 dead in the south.

b.     Two questions were raised among the churches of Christ.

                                                    i.     Is slavery morally right?

                                                   ii.     Should Christians participate in war?
 

2.     Slavery

a.     All believed that blacks have souls, were human beings, and should be treated with dignity and respect. There were many black churches. There were integrated churches where blacks and whites worship together.

b.     Slavery, the buying and selling of humans, should stop. Prejudice is wrong. (James 2:8-9) The only slavery for the Christian is “slavery to Christ.” (Romans 6:13-18)
 

3.     Restoration leaders involved in the war

a.     Union leaders: J. H. Garrison, James A. Garfield, Dr. L. L. Pinkerton, Chaplain D. R. Lucas (baptized almost 100 men), Captain E. C. Ellis (baptized 60, started a church), Isaac Errett.

b.     Confederate leaders: F. G. Allen, T. B. Larimore, a son of Alexander Campbell, a son of Barton W. Stone, F. D. Srygley, B. F. Hall.
 

4.     Opposition to participation

a.     Tolbert Fanning wrote a letter to Jefferson Davis and Abraham Lincoln. It was signed by many elders and preachers of Tennessee. He asked that members of the church be accorded the rights as non-combatants due to “conscientious convictions of duty to their Master and Maker.” He gave his reasons for opposition to participation in carnal warfare in the Gospel Advocate.

                                                    i.     War is an activity of the civil government. It is not a Christian activity.

                                                   ii.     Christ was gentile. He told Peter to put away the sword. (Matthew 26:52) Jesus was generally opposed to the use of force.

                                                 iii.     Early Christians were martyrs who suffered death unjustly rather than take a sword against the enemy. Instead they prayed for their forgiveness.

                                                 iv.     Brethren would be “plunging their swords into the heart of their brethren.”

                                                  v.     It would be hard to kill and wound men, then preach the gospel of peace to their families.

b.     Moses E. Lard, Benjamin Franklin and J. W. McGarvey were also opposed to active participation. In “Lard’s Quarterly” he argued:

                                                    i.     The question is not what government may do.

                                                   ii.     The question is: Does Christ permit his followers to fight in any war?

                                                 iii.     His position was negative. “Does Christ allow or bind us to take life?

                                                 iv.     Can a Christian use force on anyone?

                                                  v.     His arguments:

1.     The cause of war, lust, is wrong. (James 4:1-2)

2.     War is not compatible with Christ’s kingdom. It is not of this world. (John 18:36)

3.     “Thy will be done.” What we do must not be inconsistent with this prayer.

4.     Those who take the sword shall perish by the sword. (Matthew 26:52)

5.     “Love your enemies.” (Matthew 5:43; Romans 12:19-21) We must not live inconsistent with that love.

6.     The Golden Rule. (Matthew 7:12) All men are included. Would we want one to aim at us? Shoot us? Kill us? What we would desire must determine what we do.

7.     The fruit of the Spirit. (Galatians 5:22) This does not say, “Love, joy, war.” It says, “Love, joy, peace.” Also in the list is “gentleness.” War is not gentle.

c.     David Lipscomb went farther than most. He said that Christians should not participate in any political or government activity. His basic argument was that the Christian can not be loyal to two kingdoms at the same time.

d.     NOTE: Every major denomination split over the Civil War. Baptists, Methodists, Presbyterians, Lutherans, and Catholics – all split. The churches of Christ did not split. While there was heated discussion, there was never a break in fellowship. Preachers from the north were welcome in the south. Men in the south would go to teach at a college in the north.
 

5.     General view of the church

a.     Those who argued for peace were in the majority. While there were those who fought for the north or south, the majority view of the church was to remain neutral.

b.     This view remained part of the church through WWI. During the build-up toward WWII the position began to weaken. After Pearl Harbor was attacked, positions were reversed. Pearl Harbor was the last straw.

 


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