 D. S. BURNET, ARCHITECT OF APOSTASY
David Staats Burnet was one of the most influential men of the second generation of Restoration leaders. He was born of an aristocratic family in Dayton, Ohio July 6, 1808. His parents planned for him a career in the field of law. Later he was offered a scholarship to West Point Military Academy but he declined it for a life of preaching.
At age sixteen Burnet cast his lot with the Baptists, being convinced that immersion was the Biblical mode of baptism. It happened that Philip S. Fall was delivering a series of lessons for the Enon Baptist Church when young Burnet resolved to be baptized. It was through Fall that he was introduced to the Restoration tenets of Alexander Campbell. Soon Burnet gained acclaim among the Baptists as the "Boy Preacher," delivering his lessons with great power and conviction.
In 1827, at age twenty, Burnet became pastor of a Baptist Church in Dayton, Ohio. Under his leadership, his congregation rejected all human creeds and then withdrew from the Miami Baptist Association. He later helped to organize the Eighth and Walnut Streets Church in Cincinnati. The was composed of former Baptists that had followed Burnet's leadership back to the Bible.
D. S. Burnet was an energetic and industrious leaders who brought forth a continual series of projects throughout his career. As an editor, he published The Evangelical Enquirer (1830); The Christian Preacher (1834); and The Christian Family Magazine (1845). In 1837 he was appointed president of Bacon College, the first college within the young movement. He later founded Hygeia Female Atheneum in 1839.
Burnet the Brotherhood Organizer
The year 1845 found Burnet deathly ill with a fever. As he lay recuperating he concluded, "It is our duty to organize Societies for the purpose of concentrating our means, and applying them to the conversion of the outcasts of Israel, and the sinners of the Gentiles. It is our duty to organize..." 1
When recovered, he devoted the remainder of his days to bringing his resolution to reality.
His task was not an easy one. The earlier teaching of Alexander Campbell had specifically attacked Missionary, Bible and Educational Societies, suggesting that to have and support such organizations would "rob the church of its glory, and exalt the inventions of men above the wisdom of God." 2
Campbell's views had evolved over the years. In 1849 the great leader published a series of five articles in the Millennial Harbinger entitled, "Church Organization." In these he began to pave the way for major changes in brotherhood structure. Opposition from other brethren was a major obstacle.
The first organization was a trial balloon. The American Christian Bible Society was founded by D. S. Burnet in Cincinnati, Jan. 27, 1845.3 His board elected him president. To his great disappointment Campbell offered criticism rather than help and encouragement. It was not that Campbell opposed having such an organization, rather he feared it would drain away needed funds from his newly founded Bethany College. Campbell also wanted to keep brotherhood publishing activities at Bethany, Virginia. The Bible Society died in 1852.
In 1846 Burnet succeeded in launching the American Christian Publication Society. He was the principal leader of this cooperative organization. Not only Alexander Campbell, but W. K. Pendleton and others made attacks against Burnet's projects. Their opposition was of a personal nature for these men did not object to the organizational concept. It seem they felt that Burnet might grab leadership and power if left unchallenged.
The most notable and destructive of Burnet's achievements was the creation of the American Christian Missionary Society, Oct. 21- 27, 1849. Building upon the foundation of his Bible Society, Burnet called together a general convention of representative brotherhood leaders in Cincinnati. With the skill of a seasoned political chairman he steered the meeting to adopt the following resolutions:
Resolved, That a missionary society, as a means to concentrate and dispense the wealth and benevolence of the brethren of this reformation, in an effort to convert the world is both scriptural and expedient. 5
The constitution drafted and adopted was essentially that of Burnet's Bible Society. In a master stroke to neutralize Campbell's opposition, Burnet saw that Campbell was elected in absentia to the resident's chair. 6 How could Campbell oppose that of which eh was president?
Burnet's biographer interprets his determination to accomplish his goal of organizing the church thusly:
The struggle of aggressive action, even against some of his closest companions in the movement if need be would be necessary...it would be a normal, premeditated aggression, not pathological...he would plan how to escape the conditions which would be most disagreeable; he would disguise the significance of his ultimate aims by attacking the less obnoxious problems first..."7
Other Activities
Probably more than nay man, Burnet fostered and promoted the idea that preachers should be ‘pastors" of churches even as in the denominational world. 8
His views of church membership and fellowship were among the most liberal of his day. While in Baltimore he led his church to practice "open membership' with all who name the name of Christ and walk with him, without reservation." 9
On July 8, 1867, while at the zenith of his power and influence, D. S. Burnet suddenly died. He did not live to see the bitter fruit of his philosophy when carried to its full end. By 1900, the brotherhood was broken. Two bodies of people claimed to be heirs of the Restoration: the one having bought the liberal approach of D. S. Burnet, the other holding to the more conservative view of accepting only that which is authorized by the Scripture.
Today the Disciples of Christ reflect the think expressed by D. S. Burnet. Their full-blown denominational structure owes its origin to the thought and work of Burnet. Their involvement in the World Council of Churches is the application of his views on fellowship. The elevation of their ministers to the office of pastor is the consequence of his thinking.
In this study we see the impact of thoughts and ideas on the church. We see the ability of one man to affect the church for evil. We see the grave danger that always follows when we abandon the principle that we can only do what the Lord authorized in his Word.
The thinking of D. S. Burnet is yet to be found among us. Those who are determined to impose changes upon us are his heirs. It their ideas prevail, they will again wreck the church as did those of D. S. Burnet 150 years ago. Pray that this time our brethren will reject them.
JHW ENDNOTES
1. Noel L. Keith, The Story of D. S. Burnet, Undeserved Obscurity, (St. Louis: Bethany Press, 1954), p. 70
2. Alexander Campbell, The Christian Baptist, 1 Vol. Ed. The Christian Religion, (Cincinnati: D. S. Burnet, 1835, pp. 6-7).
3. Earl West, Search for the Ancient Order, Vol. 1. (Nashville: Gospel Advocate Publishing Col, 1953), p. 164.
4. Noel L. Keith, The Story of D. S. Burnet, p. 120.
5. Ibid., p. 91.
6. Earl West, Search for the Ancient Order, p. 178.
7. Noel Keith, The Story of D. S. Burnet, p. 71.
8. Ibid., p. 247.
9. Ibid., p. 177.
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