Campbell-Rice Debate on the Holy Spirit

Being the Fifth Proposition in the Great Debate on "Baptism," "Holy Spirit" And "Creeds," Held in Lexington, Kentucky, Beginning November 15, 1843, and Continuing Eighteen Days, Between Alexander Campbell, Christian, and N. L. Rice, Presbyterian

Alexander Campbell, N. L. Rice

• Publisher: Left of Brain Books
• Year: 2021
• ISBN:
  9781396318696
• Topic: Theology & Religion
• Subtopic: Christian Theology

This debate is of "transcendent importance to the Christian" in the words of Alexander Campbell. Held almost two centuries ago, this timeless controversy between two prominent religious figures is still as relevant today. It addresses subjects essential to the Christian that are "as important as the immortal interests of the soul."What's the true meaning behind baptism? Are humans inherently evil and divisive? How does the Holy Spirit manifest itself to the Christian?
Answers to these substantial questions and many more are in this debate.It offers two opposing perspectives, delivering eye-opening information in the form of a heated discussion between knowledgeable men, instead of the ordinary writer-to-reader delivery. The purpose of documenting and publishing the debate is "placing within the reach of all the great thoughts of two great men on matters vital to the interest and permanency of the Church."

Mr. Rice’s First Reply.

Monday, Nov. 27, 11 A.M.

Mr. President—There are two principal obstacles in the way of man’s salvation. The one is, that he has broken the law of God, and is, therefore, condemned; the other is, that he possesses a depraved nature, and is, therefore, disqualified for the service of God and the happiness of heaven. There are, likewise, two great doctrines which especially characterize the Gospel. The one is the atonement of Christ, by which we may be relieved from the curse of the law; the other is the work of the Spirit, by whose agency we may be sanctified and prepared for heaven. These doctrines constitute the two chief pillars in the temple of gospel truth; and he who attempts to overturn the one or the other does what he can to destroy the sacred edifice, and to expose the human race, helpless and hopeless, to the wrath of a just God.

The subject of discussion this morning is, therefore, as important as the immortal interests of the soul. Without the atonement of Christ, all must die in a state of condemnation, and without the special agency of the Holy Spirit all must die in depravity and be eternally lost.

In the discussion of a subject such as the one now before us, it is of the utmost importance that we understand distinctly the point of controversy. In this, as in his other introductory addresses, my friend, Mr. C., seems to have directed his efforts more to beauty of style and composition than to the clear statement and defense of his faith. I venture the opinion that no one individual in this large and intelligent audience has been able to gather from the address he has just read to us wherein we differ, or what is the point to be debated. If any one has been so happy as to have been enlightened concerning this important matter, I must award to him more ingenuity and discrimination than I possess. If time were allowed me, and I were capable of writing so handsome a discourse, I might afford the audience another hour’s entertainment, and yet they would not know how far we agree in our views of this important subject, nor wherein we differ.

The gentleman has said a number of things which are true, and a number of things which, I suppose, are not true. Indeed, I could but admire the number of topics he contrived to introduce in the course of an hour—sectarian phraseology, the Trinity, the parts of the work of salvation assigned to each of the Persons, the nature of matter and mind, infant baptism, the origin of language, etc! I can not subscribe to much that he said with regard to theological systems and sectarian phraseology. With him it seems all churches are “sects” but his own, and yet it would be difficult to find a denomination that is more accurately described by a correct definition of the word “sect.” He tells us he can at any time know a Calvinist or an Arminian by his phraseology before he has heard him an hour. And I will say that I can identify a modern reformer of his school in half the time; not by his close adherence to Scripture phraseology, but by the cant of the sect. The exclusive claims of some of our modern sects to be the church the only true church, savors more of the pride of Rome than of the Spirit of the gospel. If, however, the gentleman can establish the high claim of his Church, he will have accomplished an important work.

The proposition before us is in the following words: “In conversion and sanctification the Holy Spirit operates on persons only through the Word of Truth.”

The word “conversion,” as used in the Scriptures, in its most enlarged sense, expresses two important ideas, viz.: First, a change of heart; and, second, a change of conduct; or a turning in heart and in life from sin to holiness, from the service of Satan to the service of God. The word signifies literally turning from one thing to another. When an individual who has been pursuing a certain course turns to an opposite one we naturally conclude that his mind is changed. Hence, the word “conversion” came to signify both cause and effect—the change of heart and the consequent change of conduct. In this sense it is used in Matt. xviii. 3: “Except ye be converted, and become as little children, ye shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven.”

The word “sanctification” is employed in the Scriptures, and by all accurate theological writers, not to signify something in its nature distinct from regeneration or conversion, but the progress of the gracious work of which regeneration is the commencement.

The difference between us, so far as this subject is concerned, is, in general terms, this: Mr. Campbell believes that in the work of conversion and sanctification the Spirit operates only through the Truth. I believe that the Holy Spirit operates through the truth where, in the nature of the case, the truth can be employed; but I deny that the Spirit operates only through the truth. I would not have consented to discuss the proposition, if the word “only” had been omitted. For we believe and teach that the Holy Spirit operates ordinarily through the truth, but not only through the truth.

That we may ascertain precisely the point in debate it is important to inquire how far we agree. I remark, then, that we agree on the following points:

First—That the Holy Spirit dictated the Scriptures—that “holy men spake of old as they were moved by the Holy Ghost.”

Secondly—That the Holy Spirit confirmed the truth of the Scriptures by miracles and prophecies.

Thirdly—That in the conversion and sanctification of those who are capable of receiving and understanding the Scriptures the Spirit operates ordinarily through the truth.

Thus far we are agreed. We differ on the following important points:

First—Mr. Campbell contends that in conversion and sanctification the Spirit never operates without the truth, as the means of influencing the mind. I maintain that in the case of those dying in infancy and idiocy the Spirit operates without the truth.

Second—Mr. Campbell affirms, that in the conversion and sanctification of those capable of understanding the Word, the Spirit operates only through the truth—that is, the Spirit dictated and confirmed the Word, and the Word, by its arguments and motives, converts and sanctifies the soul. I desire that this point may be very distinctly apprehended, for it is of vital importance. Mr. Campbell teaches, that in conversion and sanctification, the Holy Spirit operates on the minds of men just as his spirit operates on the minds of this audience, or as the spirits of Demosthenes and Cicero operated on the minds of their auditors or their readers, viz., by his words and arguments alone. As Mr. Campbell presents words and arguments to the minds of his hearers or readers, and those words and arguments exert an influence on them, so the Holy Spirit presents in the Scriptures arguments and motives, and by these alone does he operate on the human mind.

Such precisely is his doctrine on this vital subject. I regret that he did not, in his address, more distinctly present it. To prove to you, my friends, that I am not misrepresenting him I will read several passages from his “Christianity Restored.”

“Because arguments are addressed to the understanding, will and affections of men, they are called moral, inasmuch as their tendency is to form or change the habits, manners or actions of men. Every spirit puts forth its moral power in words; that is, all the power it has over the views, habits, manners or actions of men, is in the meaning and arrangements of its ideas expressed in words or in significant signs addressed to the eye or ear. All the moral power of Cicero and Demosthenes was in their orations when spoken, and in the circumstances which gave them meaning, and whatever power these men have exercised over Greece and Rome since their death is in their writings.

“The tongue of the orator and the pen of the writer, though small instruments and of little physical power, are the two most powerful instruments in the world, because they are to the mind as the arms to the body—they are but the instruments of moral power. The strength is in what is spoken or written. The argument is the power of the spirit of man, and the only power which one spirit can exert over another is its arguments. How often do we see a whole congregation roused into certain actions, expressions of joy or sorrow, by the spirit of one man. Yet no person supposes that his spirit has literally deserted his body, and entered into every man and woman in the house, although it is often said he has filled them with his spirit. But how does that spirit, located in the head of yonder little man, fill all the thousands around him with joy or sadness, with fear and trembling, with zeal or indignation, as the case may be? How has it displayed such power over so many minds? By words uttered by the tongue; by ideas communicated to the minds of the hearers. In this way only can moral power be displayed.

“From such premises we may say that all the moral power which can be exerted on human beings is, and must of necessity be, in the arguments addressed to them. No other power than moral power can operate on minds; and this power must always be clothed in words, addressed to the eye or ear. Thus we reason when revelation is altogether out of view. And when we think of the power of the Spirit of God exerted upon minds or human spirits, it is impossible for us to imagine that that power can consist in anything else but words or arguments. Thus, in the nature of things, we are prepared to expect verbal communications from the Spirit of God, if that Spirit operates at all upon our spirits. As the moral power of every man is in his arguments, so is the moral power of the Spirit of God in his arguments. Thus man still retains an image of his Creator; and from such analogy Paul reasons when he says: “For the things of a man knows no man, save the spirit of a man which is in him; even so the things of God knows no man, save the Spirit of God.” And the analogy stops not here; for as he is said to resist another, whose arguments he understands and opposes, so are they said to resist the Holy Spirit who always resist or refuse to yield to his arguments.”—Pp. 348, 349.

“But to return. As the spirit of man puts forth all its moral power in the words which it fills with its ideas, so the Spirit of God puts forth all its converting and sanctifying power in the words which it fills with its ideas. Miracles can not convert. They can only obtain a favorable hearing of the converting arguments. If they fail to obtain a favorable hearing, the arguments which they prove are impotent as an unknown tongue. If the Spirit of God has spoken all its arguments, or if the New and Old Testament contain all the arguments which can be offered to reconcile man to God, and to purify them who are reconciled, then all the power of the Holy Spirit which can operate upon the human mind is spent and he that is not sanctified and saved by these can not be saved by angels or spirits, human or divine.

“We plead that all the converting power of the Holy Spirit is exhibited in the divine record.”—Pp. 350, 351.

These passages present, with great clearness, the views of Mr. C. on this important subject. He asserts that in conversion and sanctification the Holy Spirit operates on the minds and hearts of men only as the spirit of some one man operates on the spirit of another. Nay, he even goes further, and denies, not only that the Spirit does operate except simply by words and arguments, but that he can exert any other influence over the human mind! In the Millennial Harbinger he has given us an exhibition of his doctrine too clear to admit of any mistake as to his real sentiments. It is as follows:

“As all the influence which my spirit has exerted on other spirits, at home or abroad, has been by the stipulated signs of ideas, of spiritual operations, by my written or spoken word; so believe I that all the influence of God’s good Spirit now felt in the way of conviction or consolation in the four quarters of the globe, is by the Word, written, read and heard, which is called the living oracles.”—Vol. VI., p. 356.

Thus you see, according to the gentleman’s doctrine, the Spirit of God has no more power over the minds of men than his spirit; except that He may present stronger arguments. That is, the only difference consists in the fact that the Holy Spirit is a more powerful preacher than Mr. Campbell, though his operations are precisely of the same kind! Against this doctrine I enter my solemn protest.

We believe and teach that in conversion and sanctification there is an influence of the Spirit in addition to that of the Word, and distinct from it—an influence without which the arguments and motives of the gospel would never convert and sanctify one of Adam’s ruined race. We further believe that, although the Word of God is employed as the instrument of conversion and sanctification where it can be used, God has never confined himself to means and instrumentalities where they can not be employed. In all ordinary cases He has always clothed and fed men by the use of means; but when his people were journeying through the wilderness to the promised land, and could not obtain either food or raiment in the ordinary way, they were fed with manna from heaven; their thirst was quenched by water miraculously brought out of the rock, and their raiment was not permitted to wax old. When Elisha the prophet could no longer obtain food in the ordinary way, God sent a raven to bear it to him; and when the widow’s cruse of oil was almost exhausted, it was miraculously replenished. So does He feed the soul with the bread of life, through means and instrumentalities when they are accessible, and without them when they are not.

But let it he remarked that, whilst we believe in an influence of the Spirit, in addition to the Word, and distinct from it, we do not believe that in conversion new faculties are created. The mind, both before and after conversion, possesses understanding, will and affections. There is no creation of new faculties, but a change of the moral nature—a spiritual change—a change from sinfulness to holiness, and from the love and practice of sin to the love and service of God.

Nor do we maintain that in conversion and sanctification the Holy Spirit reveals to the mind new truths not contained in the Scriptures. “For all Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction and instruction in righteousness: that the man of God may be perfect, thoroughly furnished unto all good works.” The design of regeneration is not to reveal new truths, but to enable the sinner, who is blinded by his depravity, to see the truths of revelation in their beauty and excellency, and to incline him to embrace them, and to live accordingly. The difficulty is not, that God’s revelation is not perfect, presenting every truth which is necessary to life and godliness; nor that its truths are obscurely taught; but that the hearts of men are “fully set in them to do evil”—that they “love darkness more than light”—that they are proud and rebellious, averse to the service of God, and to the plan of salvation which he has devised. The psalmist, David, sensible of his blindness to spiritual things, the glorious truths of revelation, offered this prayer: “Open thou mine eyes, that I may behold wondrous things out of thy law” (Psa. cxix. 18). The law of God, the Holy Scriptures, he knew contained wonderful things; but, in consequence of his sinful blindness, he did not behold them clearly and distinctly. He therefore prayed, not for an additional revelation, but for spiritual illumination, for sanctification, that the cause of his blindness being removed he might see those things in their true nature; that “with open face he might behold, as in a glass, the glory of the Lord.”

This statement of the doctrine of divine influence is a complete answer to the argument of Mr. Campbell, that those who profess to have been regenerated by the special influence of the Holy Spirit, have received no new ideas which are not contained in the Scriptures. Regeneration consists not in giving a new revelation, but a new heart.

In further elucidation of this subject, I remark, that the “modus operandi,” the manner in which the Spirit operates on the human heart, we do not pretend to comprehend. Nor is the mysteriousness of the influence, as to the mode of it, an objection against the doctrine. That God created mind and matter, is perfectly clear, and easily apprehended; but how he created either the one or the other, none can understand. The fact, that the mind acts through the body, is clear; but how it acts, no philosopher can explain. Nicodemus, the Jewish ruler, objected to this doctrine as mysterious, and the Savior replied, “The wind bloweth where it listeth, and thou hearest the sound thereof, but canst not tell whence it cometh and whither it goeth; so is every one that is born of the Spirit” (John iii.) We feel the blowing of the wind, and perceive its effects; but how it blows, “whence it cometh, and whither it goeth,” is a mystery. The Spirit renews the heart. We can realize the effects in ourselves, and see them in others; but how he operates, we can not comprehend. No man denies that the wind blows because he can not explain how it blows; for he sees and feels the effects. The effects of the Spirit’s agency are equally manifest. We see the wicked man turning from his wickedness, and delighting himself in the service of the Holy One of Heaven. We ascribe the marvelous effect to an adequate cause. That cause, the Scriptures teach us, is the Holy Spirit; but the manner of his operation they do not explain, nor does it become us to inquire concerning it.

Again, I remark, the necessity of the special agency of the Spirit on the heart, in addition to the Word of Truth, does not arise from any lack of evidence that the Bible is a revelation from God. For, to every candid mind, who will weigh the evidence, it is not only conclusive, but overwhelming. Nor does it arise from any obscurity with which its instructions are conveyed; for the inspired penmen wrote with inimitable simplicity. The great doctrines and duties of Christianity are so clearly presented, and so variously illustrated, that all who are willing to know and obey the truth, must understand them. “The King’s highway” is made so plain that “the wayfaring man, though a fool, need not err therein.” Nor does it arise from any defect in the motives presented in the Gospel, to induce men to serve God: for they are high as heaven, deep as hell, vast as eternity, and melting as the dying agonies of the Son of God. Nor is a special divine influence necessary, because man is not a free moral agent; for he is as free as an angel to consider the motives placed before him, and to choose his own course. All that we mean, or can mean, by free moral agency, is, that men, looking at the motives which present themselves to their minds, voluntarily choose their own course. They do as they please—they are under no compulsion.

Why, then, it will be asked, is it necessary that there should be an influence of the Spirit, in addition to that of the Word, and distinct from it? The necessity arises simply from the depravity of the human heart—its pride, its love of sin, and its deep-rooted aversion to the character of God, to his pure law, and his soul-humbling gospel. To secure the perfect and perpetual obedience of the angels, it is enough that the will of God be made known to them; for they are holy—they love God with all their powers, and their fellow-beings as themselves. Their highest joy is derived from his service. They fly, swift as lightning, in obedience to his commands.

But such is not the character of man. He was created in the image of his Maker; but he is fallen—greatly fallen. The divine image has been defaced. The character of God, so glorious in the eyes of angels, has no attractions for him. Pride reigns in his heart. Angels prostrate themselves with adoring wonder and love, before the throne of God; but man is too proud to kneel before Jehovah. Angels find the perfect gratification of their pure affections, and the highest possible happiness, in the contemplation of the works and perfections of God, in communion with him, and in his holy service. But man is fearfully degraded. He worships and serves the creature, and forgets the Creator. He loves earth, and its low and degrading pleasures. His affections are entwined around them. Appeals to his gratitude and to his interest fail to withdraw them from earth, and fix them on heaven.

How shall we account for the widely different and opposite courses of conduct pursued by angels and men? Both are rational and accountable creatures, under the government of the same God, having the same motives to obedience. Why do they not see, feel, and act alike? The answer is plain. The angels are holy, and men are sinful—deeply depraved. Hence the necessity of a special divine influence, in addition to, and distinct from, the Word. Motives are sufficient to secure the obedience of angels; for they are holy; they are disposed to do their whole duty. Motives will not secure the obedience of men; for they are sinful; they are disposed to rebel. Consequently if any of the human family love and serve God, it is because he “worketh in them to will and to do, of his good pleasure.” If those who have entered upon ...