Medium theology : lectures of Rev. Reuben Burrow, D.D. ... with autobiographical sketch and short account of funeral

Front matter

Shelf :JB°i

UNITED STATES OF AMERICA.

LECTURES

Dedication

TO THE SUBSCKIBEBS TO THIS BOOK,

WHICH OWES ITS PUBLICATION IN LAKGE MEASURE TO THEM, AND TC WB.OM

THE PROPRIETOR ACKNOWLEDGES A DEBT OF PROFOUND GRATITUDE,

SECTION II. 5.— The Moral Law Manuscript 67

6. -Fall and Depravity of Man Manuscript 77

7. — Atonement — In Two Parts Theological Medium. 93

SECTION in.

8. — Prayer Manuscript 125

9. — Repentance Manuscript 137

10.— Faith in Christ Manuscript 158

11. — Justification Theological Medium. 180

12. — Regeneration Manuscript 204

13.— Adoption Manuscript 228

SECTION IX. 28. — Sabbath Manuscript.. 530

29.— Church Government. ..Manuscript. ........... 538

30.— Missions Manuscript........... 564

31. — Divine Providence. Manuscript. ........... 575

ARTICLES.

A rticlb 1 . — Call to the Ministry Theological Medium. 596

2. — Cumberland Presbyterianism not Calvinism nor Arminianism Theological Medium,. 609

3. — Infant Sanctification in Relation to

Justification ..Banner of Peace. . . . .. 620

SUPPLEMENTAL.

Last Preaching and Second Advent ' 622

AUTO-BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCH OF REV. R. BURROW, WRITTEN JUST BEFORE HIS DEATH.

I have consented to give these sketches by the request of some of my friends, who felt a wish to know something of my life and conflicts. I can well and truly say, in the language of one of old times, that few and evil have been the days of my pilgrimage.

I was born June 26, 1798, in Guilford county, North Carolina. My parents were poor, but industrious and of good character- They moved to Middle Tennessee, and settled in Bedford count}' in 1806 or 1807. The country was new, the advantages were few, and my opportunities of getting an education were very much embarrassed. We had preaching occasionally, but the morals of the community were not good. My early life was spent in sin and folly until I was about twenty-one or twentytwo years old. I had often been deeply concerned about my eternal welfare, and often made solemn vows, but as often broke them, until the year 1821. In the spring of 1821 1 came to the Western District of Tennessee with the intention of making it my home, and pitched my tent on» Clear creek, Carroll county, where I professed religion. When I left my father's house, in Bedford county, for the West, I left under a solemn vow to change my life and serve God the balance of my days. This vow I never broke; and, although I had no opportunity of attending church, or of any religious conversation with any one, I found peace in the forest, and there commenced my new life. In the summer of the same year I went back to Bedford county, and there joined the Cumberland Presbyterian Church by the agency of Father King.

That fall I was received under the care of Elk Presbytery, which met at Mars Hill, near Cornersville. The next spring 2 (9)

I was sent to the State of Missouri in company with Robert D. King. We were sent there to preach as circuit-riders, while the Rev. Finis Ewing was writing his course of lectures. I was placed on a circuit with John Morrow. The circuit was in Western Missouri, including the country where Lexington and Independence have since risen up. While on my way to the circuit from near Boonville, I fell into a state of gloom and despondency, and for about four days and nights I had no ray of light nor hope of heaven. I even doubted the reality of all things, and was for a time a miserable infidel ; yet I prayed all the time and believed nothing. About the fourth day, after brother Morrow had preached rather a duli sermon, I was invited to conclude the services ; and while trying to talk, ere I was aware of ray own condition, God had raised me higher and filled my soul fuller of heaven than ever I had realized before. The congregation was stirred to its very depths by the Almighty; they were all moved, and at a call given, they all covenanted to seek God's mercy, and in the course of about two weeks the most of them made profession of religion. This was not only a bright day to me, but the days and nights were all bright to me for twelve months. Indeed, this was an ordeal which has done me good from that day to this time.

Captain William Jack, who became awakened on this occasion and covenanted with the others to seek life, did not find peace until about two weeks after this time of awakening. He came to a camp-meeting with his family, and after a struggle for life through the meeting up to Monday morning, he found peace — God blessed him. The people collected from the camps, and the excitement became so great that no congregation could be convened until night. This was a day of the Lord's power. During that year we reported over three hundred conversions from that circuit. The people were kind to us and gave us some clothing, such as they could make, and I received in money eight dollars for the year, and felt very well contented and thankful for that.

It was some time the same year I went to a camp-meeting near Boonville, and at the close of the meeting, Tuesday morning, my norse, through the neglect of some brethren, got out of the stable and ran away. After hunting him for two or three days with no success, I shouldered my saddle-bags and set out for my circuit afoot. The distance was about eighty miles ; the weather being warm, and the whole way being through extended prairies, my feet became very sore from travel. The second day, about 3 o'clock p. m., I entered the last stretch of my journey; it was a prairie of more than twenty miles. Here I toiled in weariness and pain until midnight before I reached a house on the other side where I could quench my thirst and rest my weary limbs. Here I was met by Captain Jack with a horse for me to ride on the circuit, and he went in pursuit of my horse, which he brought back in eight or ten days. Peace be to his memory, for he is at home with the Lord !

About this time it was contemplated by the McGee Presbytery to hold an intermediate session in Arkausas, and in the spring of 1823 the arrangement was made. The Rev. John Carnahan was the only minister we had in that country, and it being necessary to make out a quorum by the addition of two others from Missouri, the Rev. William Long, from Kentucky, who was at that time a missionary in Missouri, was sent to assist in holding that Presbytery ; and to make out a third member, the McGee Presbytery decided to ordain Robert D. King, who was a licentiate from the Elk Presbytery. Consequently, King was ordained, and I was licensed by the McGee Presbytery in the spring of 1823, and I went with Long and King to Arkansas. We met Carnahan at the house of a brother Craig, near Batesville, on White river, and organized the intermediate Presbytery, at which there were five young men received under its care. Among them I remember the names of Black and Buchanan, who afterward became very useful and quite distinguished ministers of the Cumberland Presbyterian Church in that country. We held a camp-meeting at that place the same spring, and another in the latter part of the summer, which resulted in great good. After the business of Presbytery was closed Long returned to Missouri, where he remained for a time; Carnahan and King went to Arkansas river, and I remained in that section of country and formed a circuit, including the country about Batesville, where I continued to labor for several months, and then went to join Carnahan and King. This was the first circuit formed by our people in that State, and such was the commencement of our Church there.

When I reached Arkansas river, I found that Carnahan and King had gone up the river as far as Fort Smith. I continued my pursuit, with the aid of some young men for guides, until I fell in with them near Fort Smith. Here we held a camp-meeting, which was attended with great good — many persons made profession of religion. From this place we went down the river about a day's ride to the next appointment, where we held a meeting of some three days' continuance, which was attended with divine favor. Here I was attacked with chills and fever, and became so ill that I was not able to travel on horseback, and the brethren being unwilling to leave me, bought a canoe to convey me down the river to the next appointment, which by the river was over one hundred miles. Carnahan and some others took the horses, and King and two young men with him navigated the stream. I suffered on this voyage, the weather being very hot, and having to sit and lie in the canoe under the heat of a hot sun. But we made a safe landing at Crystal Hill, about twenty miles above Little Rock. Here I obtained some relief by the use of suitable means, and was soon able to labor again. Here we held a camp-meeting, at the close of which King had an attack of fever, and I waited on him eight or ten days, when he began to recover, and I left him and went with Carnahan to a camp-meeting on "White river, the same place where we held one in the spring. This was also attended with great favor. At the close of this meeting I set out for Missouri, as the time for the fall meeting of McGee Presbytery was drawing near.

The distance to the nearest part of the State was one hundred and fifty miles, through a dreary country. My horse was taken sick the first day, and after walking and driving him over one hundred miles he died. I then got a friend to aid me the remainder of the way to the neighborhood of St. Michael, where I met with brother Long at a camp-meeting. This was in the old French mining country. At the close of this truly interesting meeting, brother Long packed his baggage and mine on his horse and we both walked. In this manner we went on our way to upper Missouri, where the McGee Presbytery was to convene, in the neighborhood of Boonville. I was taken sick the evening of the first day, and it became necessary for Long to leave me, as there was an appointment for a camp-meeting on the way to Presbytery, which he was obliged to attend. I remained several days after brother Long left me before I was able to travel, and even before I was clear of fever, I started on a borrowed horse to go the balance of the way to Presbytery, which was yet over one hundred and fifty miles. My fever returned, and I became very sick and feeble, yet I imprudently continued my journey until I reached Presbytery, which was on the first day of the meeting. Here I remained until I thought myself able to travel, when I bought a cheap horse with what money I had brought with me from Tennessee, and what had been given me in my tours, and King and I started for Tennessee, where we arrived in due time. Having had to buy a horse, I was necessitated to borrow money to pay my way home, which I obtained from brother King. These were my first labors in the cause of the Lord.

After my return from Missouri to Tennessee, I was ordained by the Elk Presbytery, and directed to travel and preach as a circuit-preacher for one year. My bounds were the counties of Maury, Bedford, Giles, and Lincoln. In those days camp-meetings were very common, and a vast number of people throughout the land professed religion. There was in the midst of the excitement an exercise called the jerks. It was not confined to persons claiming to be religious, but irreligious people were as often the subjects of it as any others; consequently, it was not taken to be an evidence of true piety in any case by considerate persons ; it was manifestly a very strange and mysterious exercise. When my time closed on this circuit, I was permitted to travel more extensively, without being restricted to any designated bounds or field of labor. This continued till the year 1826, as well as I now remember. About this time our highest Church judicature devised the plan of a manual-labor college, which was located at Princeton, Ky., and a number of agents were appointed and sent to collect means for this purpose — the Rev. Albert G. Gibson and I were directed to the Carolinas. Accordingly we started and made our way through East Tennessee and West Virginia into North Carolina.

At this time, our ministers actively engaged in the ministry in this part of Tennessee were George Donnell, Samuel Aston, Abner Lansden, Wm. Smith, and two of the brothers Tate. In concert with these brethren we labored in East Tennessee, and apparently with good success; but in collecting means for the college, we had very little success. East of the mountains we could do but very little for it, as we had no organized churches there; consequently, we ceased our efforts for the college, and set our minds wholly on preaching the gospel. Our course was eastward through North Carolina to the sea-coast, and thence into South Carolina by the way of Newbern, Wilmington, and Fayetteville. After spending some time in South Carolina, we went through North Carolina into Virginia, where we spent some time, and then returned to North Carolina again. Having been out over ten months, we set out for the West. On our way East, we had left an appointment for a two days' meeting at Abingdon, Va., and an appointment for a camp-meeting near Greeneville, East Tennessee, to be attended to on our return home. On reaching Abingdon, we met with brother Aston. The services commenced Saturday and continued till Sabbath evening; the attendance was good and the excitement very great.

I will mention one circumstance which occurred at this time. There was a note placed in the Bible directed to us, which we found at the evening service. The writer requested us to pray for him, and stated that he would make himself known in due time. After service closed this young man met us near the pulpit, and informed us that he wrote the note above named, and said his name was Samuel Sparks. We gave him some words of counsel and went to our lodgings. We had just seated ourselves, however, when we heard a rap at the door, and an elderly man entered and requested us to go to his house. When we reached the house, we found it filled with penitent sinners, pleading with

God for mercy, and our young man, Sparks, was one of the number. We continued with them until a late hour in the night, and then left them with a promise to meet them early next morning. Next morning we met them, and after some time spent in prayer and exhortation, we left for the purpose of going to our camp-meeting near Greeneville, seventy-five miles distant. Early in the meeting the young man Sparks and another young man came to the meeting; they had come afoot. They both professed religion, went back to Abingdon, and promoted the revival in that place with good success, and many professed faith in Christ. Our meeting in Greene county was surely attended with the blessing of the Lord, and many found peace.

From this we made our way through East Tennessee homeward, attending camp and sacramental meetings on our way.

When the old Synod met we made our report, paid over what money we had collected for the college, received some reprimands because the sum was so small, but received no money to pay expenses — no, none; and we received but very little at the meetings which we attended.

After a short stay in the West, I went back through East Tennessee to North Carolina and Virginia. As I cannot give anything like a minute detail of events, I will briefly say that this visit to that old country was attended with great and good results, so far as I could see and know. I, however, never made any effort to organize congregations east of the mountains, though often solicited to do so.

On my way home from this tour, I called to see my young brother Sparks, of Abingdon, and found him ready to come westward with me; but having no horse, we put our baggage on my horse until we reached East Tennessee, where we got some assistance from one meeting to another until we reached West Tennessee, where he joined Presbytery, and was educated by the Winchester church. He w T as in due time licensed and ordained, and became a man of fine promise; and some time after our return from Pennsylvania he went to that country, and finally joined the Presbyterian Church — under what circumstances I will not say.

I continued to travel as a kind of missionary until the winter of 1828, when I was married to Elizabeth Bell, near Salem, Franklin county, Tennessee. After this change in life, I was more local for about two years, only preaching on Sabbaths, except on camp-meeting occasions.

In the fall of 1829 we moved to West Tennessee, then known as the Western District, and settled near Denmark, Madison county.

Between this time and 1831 there was a correspondence commenced and carried on for some time, between some Presbyterians of Western Pennsylvania and Dr. Cossitt of our Church, at that time President of Princeton College. They requested that some of our ministers should be sent to that country to preach our doctrines, and, if thought proper, to organize churches there. Accordingly, our General Assembly, which had in the meantime been organized, sent five ministers to spend some time in that country. Rev. Messrs. Alexander Chapman, Alfred Bryan, John Morgan, Robert Donnell, and myself were sent in the spring of 1831. A. Chapman, A. Bryan, and J. Morgan went on through Kentucky and Ohio, and I fell in with brother Donnell in Northern Alabama, and we went through East Tennessee, North Carolina, Virginia, and Maryland. Our journey was not hurried, as we preached often on the way. In North Carolina we spent some time, in Guilford and Rockingham Counties mainly; and now, while I pen these lines, I feel constrained to say the power and goodness of the Lord were graciously manifested in the awakening and conversion of many souls. This was my third visit to that country, and I have made one more.

When we started for Pennsylvania, some friends followed us with an urgent request to attend a camp-meeting in Caswell, which we consented to do, and then departed for Pennsylvania, where we arrived the first week in September, this being the_time agreed on for holding a camp- meeting when we were all together. The meeting was in progress when brother Donnell and I arrived on Saturday. The congregation was large, and a great many families tented on the ground ; the excitement was very general, and somewhere

AUTO-BIOGKAPHY OF DR. BURROW. 17

near three hundred professed religion at this meeting. The second camp-meeting was attended with similar results ; as indeed were all the services we attended in that country. Here we organized churches and have a large membership at thisday. Toward the latter part of October, brothers Chapman, Donnell, and myself set out for home, leaving brothers Morgan and Bryan there. These are all now dead.

Brother Donnell and I attended the Middle Tennessee Synod on our way home, which met in Lebanon. There was during the session a very interesting revival gotten up, which resulted well and many of the old citizens of that place professed religion, and joined our Church. This was the commencement of our Church in that place, with the exception of a few members previously collected. After Synod, brother Donnell and I parted, each for his home, after a long tour. In those days ministers in the Cumberland Presbyterian Church were not sustained by Church patronage, and the contributions from the people were very lean.

Somewhere about the year 1835 Father King made a tour, by the request of the General Assembly, to visit the churches generally; and it was thought best that some ministerial aid should be sent to Missouri to minister in his absence; consequently, W. H. Bigham and myself were sent out there by the Assembly. We continued our labors there until fall. We made the best use of our time and opportunities we could; and now I feel grateful to God for his manifold mercies on this occasion.

After our return home — in what year I do not remember, as I never intended to give any written statement of these matters and kept no diary or journal, and have consented only at this time to give this brief account by special request — the Board of Missions requested me to visit North Carolina to ascertain the prospects for organizing churches and of promoting the cause of Christ in that old State. I made the tour and reported to the Board at Lebanon, and they gave me one hundred dollars, which was the first money I had ever received from the Church for any of my tours and labors.

18 r. burrow's funeral.

My report from North Carolina was that we had let the time pass by; and, moreover, that there were more inviting fields for us in the new countries of the West, where sectarian prejudice, though it may exist, is not organized as it is in older sections.

It only remains for me to narrate a few facts in relation to my connection with Bethel College as Professor of Theology. After the General Assembly gave up and despaired of success with the College at Princeton, Kentucky, they established a college at Lebanon, Tennessee, and created a Theological Department there, and the whole was placed under the patronage of the General Assembly. Bethel College was gotten up by West Tennessee Synod, and two Synods of Mississippi agreed to give their patronage to it. I was requested and appointed to take charge of the Theological Department, which I consented to, and delivered lectures to the students of divinity until the war.

I have endeavored to do all I could for the cause of Christ through the whole of my ministerial life ; and although I have done but little, I do not know that I could make much improvement if I had the time to go over again, and do not see any important changes I would make.

dr. burrow's funeral. 19

From the Banner of Peace.

DR. BURROW'S FUNERAL SERVICE.

Last Thursday morning, May 14, 1868, the sad tidings reached me at this place (Humboldt, Tenn.,) that the venerable man of God, whose name is at the head of this article, was dead; that his body would, in a few minutes, be at the depot on its way to McLemoresville, Tenn., for interment. Though we had been expecting, for several weeks, to hear of his death, yet language could not express the feelings of my heart on the reception of such unwelcome news. I met the body on its arrival, and accompanied it, in connection with four of the children of the deceased — Capt. John Burrow, Rev. A. G. Burrow, and the two youngest daughters. We arrived in a few hours at the point of destination, but, owing to the absence of some of the leading citizens to whom the dispatch had been sent, requesting preparations to be made for interment by the arrival of the corpse, the grave had not been dug, and, hence the funeral and burial-services were deferred till next morning, 10 o'clock, when a goodly number of brethren, friends and neighbors of Father Burrow, assembled in the Cumberland Presbyterian church. The corpse was placed in front of that pulpit where it had so often stood as a mouth-piece for God. The funeral-services were conducted by Rev. A. E. Cooper, in accordance with the request of the deceased. These two old brethren had lived for several years at McLemoresville in the most iutimate and fraternal relations. The sermon w T as preached from 2 Timothy iv. 6, 7, 8. There was an impressive allusion made to the giant intellect of Dr. Burrow, its vast stores of useful information, his unblemished character, his ardent piety, and extraordinary skillfulness in the word of righteousness ; the masterly and successful manner in which he always met and opposed error, coming from any quarter, taking off its false mask and dis-

20 dr. burrow's funeral.

covering its fallacy to the comprehension of the simplest mind; to the many and wearisome preaching tours he had taken, at one time and another, in the States of North Carolina, Alabama, Mississippi, Arkansas, Missouri, Pennsylvania, andfhis own adopted State, breaking the bread of life unto thousands as he went. He was in the ministry about fort} 7 years, with a success that has no parallel in his own or any other Church in his day. Dr. Burrow was a man of the simplest and most unostentatious habits; in his spirit, gentle and tender. The writer enjoyed the extraordinary privilege of being associated with this great and good man in 1866 in quite a number of protracted meetings in various counties of West Tennessee, that were attended with wonderful results in building up the Church and in the conversion of sinners. He was the most able doctrinal preacher I ever heard. I can truly say that I have never seen or read of any minister who had a higher regard for Christ, or a greater solicitude for the prosperity of his cause. When with him, I was always impressed that I was in the presence of one filled with the Spirit of Christ; hence, was always encouraged and strengthened. After the funeral-services were over, which were, very interesting and impressive, the coffin was opened and we looked for the last time upon that face upon which we had so often seen the cheerful smile, but now cold and unmoved in death. We then followed the remains to the grave, where they were deposited by the side of his wife and two sons. While gazing upon this solemn scene, I thought of the blessedness he must be realizing, having been already recognized by his wife and three sons in heaven, as well as the multiplied thousands he had been instrumental in saving that were there also. For a time my soul was absorbed in deep thought about the precious reward of a faithful servant of God. I felt that I wanted to start with new zeal, increased vigor, and fresh courage in my Master's work and labor as I had never done before. To the ministry of the Cumberland Presbyterian Church I would say, Let us imitate this illustrious example and the Church will have a bright future, while her faithful ministers shall have a precious reward. We will go up to enjoy the associations of "Old Uncle Eeuben," with all the happy millions who have dr. burrow's funeral. 21

washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb, and sing the song of sorrows ended forever, where we shall forever contemplate the profound depths, the infinite heights, the constantly unfolding glories of the system of human redemption. J. W. Morrow.

Dr. Burrow was one of the founders of the Church, as he has always been one of its lights. Strong in physique and mind, deep in voice, bright in the twinkle of his keen eye, warm in the gra3p of his great band, be was a man to conquer and to hold ! Without pretensions to graceful oratory, he was full of the truth, and it made him free indeed ! He had studied it long — by the fire-light in early days ; by the roadside as he traveled from meeting to meeting; in his official chair of Theology; and in the judicatories of his Church. His mind was quick, analytical, and clear. His conception of the Cross and the remedial scheme for man was grand and wide; and when his soul and mind were warmed and fully expanded with the great theme, conviction came to sinners, high and low, and tears ran down the faces of strong men ; the feeblest women became mighty in faith, and the hope of the Christian swayed every breast. With the drill of the gospel and the hammer of truth he went out into this world's great quarry ; he tore from their foundations in sin the old sinners and great sinners — the bowlders of sin — he broke them, he polished them, and placed them in the walls of Zion. For fifty years he has been building on this wall. Well done, faithful old man of God! From labor to refreshment you go ! And the sweet memories of thousands upon thousands of hearts in the Church you loved and served so well will enshrine your name. w. e. w.

Section I. Lecture I.— Natural Religion

Natural religion is that knowledge which we have of God derived from the works of creation, together with our obligations to him and our fellow-creatures. That we can have some knowledge of God from his works, can only be called in question by such as deny the truth of his word; for it is very manifest that the heathen — the Gentiles — had some knowledge of him, unaided by revelation. And this knowledge of him does not appear to have been confined to a part, but extended to all. " Because that which may be known of God, is manifest in them ; for God hath shewed it unto them. For the invisible things of him from the creation of the world, are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even his eternal power and Godhead; so that they are without excuse." — Rom. i, 19, 20. Paul says they had this knowledge of God from the creation of the world — from the beginning; " for God hath shewed it unto them." The knowledge which they had of God extended to invisible things of him — to his perfections, even to his eternal power and Godhead. And he expressly tells us that God gave them this knowledge that they might be left without excuse in the day of judgment. This knowledge of God was given to all who lived before the time when Paul wrote, for they all lived under a like dispensation, except the Jews. It is moreover true, that all who now live beyond the circulation of the Bible and a preached gospel, are under the very same dispensation now that those heathen were before a written revelation was given. Again it is said: "For when the Gentiles, which have not the law, do by nature the things (22)