Disciples History Moment for December 15, 2024
Alexander Campbell, one of our denomination’s primary founders, was schooled variously in grammar schools, an academy conducted by his uncles, Archibald and Enos, but mostly by his father at home. Like many, he was more interested in the outdoors of sports and hunting, which made it difficult for him to fix his attention on books, something he considered a drudgery. When he was nine years old, he began his study of Latin, Greek, moral philosophy, John Locke, and French. But, these subjects were boring to him.
Having gone out on a warm day to go over his French lesson in ''The Adventures of Telemachus," he fell asleep under the shade of a tree. (The story is about Telemachus’ journey to find his father, Ulysses). A cow that was grazing nearby approached, saw the book lying on the grass and ate it before Alexander woke up. When Alexander reported the loss of the book to his father, Thomas, he was severely reprimanded. Thomas said of Alexander, “The cow had got more French in his stomach than Alexander had in his head.”(1) (If you go to Bethany, WV, today, and visit the Campbell mansion there, you will see the living room walls covered with wallpaper depicting the Adventures of Telemachus!)
Despite Alexander’s aversion to education, he eventually came to love learning, and, by age 16, he was academically prepared enough to serve as his father’s assistant instructor at Thomas’ academy. After Thomas sailed to America in 1897 for health and religious reasons, Alexander and his family set out for America in 1808, but, due to a fierce storm, were shipwrecked. Staying behind in Glasgow, Alexander was able to attend Glasgow University for one year, taking courses from two professors who had taught his father 25 years earlier. By 1809 Alexander and his family finally reached America. Alexander became a leader in the new restoration movement and spent much of his time in his study away from the noise of children and the household. Here he wrote, edited, and published some 15 books, journals, and hymnbooks. Alexander Campbell was known as a scholar for his extensive knowledge and intellectual prowess. In 1850, a former president of Amherst College described Alexander as wielding "a power over men's minds, on the subject of religion, which has no parallel in the Protestant history of this country.” (2)
Rev. Kevin K. Adams
(2) From DOC Historical Society
Comments