Growing In Godliness Blog
“The Campbell/Owen Debate”
Categories: Author: Larry Coffey, Bible, Faith, God, HopeThe Campbell/Owen Debate
By Larry Coffey
Alexander Campbell, gospel preacher, and Robert Owen, atheist, engaged in a seven-day debate in 1830. The debate was conducted in Cincinnati, OH, in the largest church building available with 1,200 in attendance. Besides people from the local area, many attended from other states in the east and south. Owen was the most noted atheist in the country, an extraordinary man having been a teacher in a school at age seven. Campbell’s last address in the debate was an uninterrupted 12 hours long, though it did cover two days. Obviously, I cannot provide much detail in this short article, so I will quote excerpts from Campbell’s closing tribute to religion, which I believe you will find interesting as I did.
"Religion -- the Bible! What treasures untold reside in that heavenly word! (Heb. 4:12; 2 Tim. 3:16-17) Religion has given meaning, design to all that is past, and is as the moral to the fable, the good, the only good of the whole -- the earnest now of an abundant harvest of future and eternal good. Whatever comes from religion comes from God. The greatest joys derivable to mortal man come from this source. I cannot speak of all who wear the Christian name, but for myself, I must say the worlds piled on worlds, to fill the universal scope of my imagination, would be a miserable per contra against the annihilation of the idea of the Supreme."
"The hope of one day seeing this Wonderful One, of beholding Him who made my body and is the Father of my spirit, the anticipation of being introduced into the palace of the universe, the sanctuary of the heavens, transcends all comparison with all sublunary things. Take away this hope from me, and teach me to think that I am the creature of mere chance, and to it alone indebted for all that I am, and ever shall be, and I see nothing in the universe but mortification and disappointment. Death is as desirable as life; and no one creature or thing is more deserving of my attention and consideration than another."
"Everything within us and everything without, from the nails upon the ends of our fingers to the sun, moon and stars, confirm the idea of His existence and adorable excellences. If the millions of millions of witnesses which speak for Him in heaven, earth and sea will not be heard, the feeble voice of man will be heard in vain. (Ps. 19:1; 14:1)"
(Above excerpts were taken from Memoirs of Alexander Campbell)
