S1 Ep. 2 John Thomas: The Man, the Myth, the Founder of the Christadelphians

Today we're diving into the origin of the Christadelphians and taking a look at their founder/rediscover-er Doctor John Thomas! Let's count how many times he got baptized and see what lengths he went to in order to get away from the priest-ridden society of England. This story is probably a little different than the Christadelphian origin story you thought you knew... Resources and References:   Appletons' Cyclopedia of American Biography, 1600-1889- Dr. Thomas entry on page 84   John Thomas: His Life and His Work by Robert Roberts   Joe Dispenza Article   John Thomas and his Rediscovery of Bible Truth by Norman Fadelle, 2004   Christadelphian History and Rediscovery     John Thomas His Friends and His Faith by Peter Hemingray, 2003   Ancestry.com, John Thomas in the England & Wales, Non-Conformist and Non-Parochial Registers, 1567-1936, Page 46   Alexander Campbell Shipwreck and Journey to Glasgow, Scotland Memoirs of Alexander Campbell, by Robert Richardson, Volume 1, Chapters 7 & 8, pages 104-128. “The shipwreck which Thomas Campbell's family had suffered seemed to be a complete disappointment of all their hopes, as it was an entire frustration of their plans and purposes. But there was an important work for Alexander to accomplish, needing special preparation both of heart and mind; and this seeming calamity was afterward seen to be one of the most important of that train of events by which that preparation was secured. Already had it led him to a final determination as to his proper field of labor; and the [113] circumstances in which it directly involved him were those precisely adapted to qualify and guide him in that future life-work."   History of the Restoration Movement “Alexander Campbell had splendid advantages for an education. His father was a teacher of no mean ability, as well as a preacher. He took great interest in the education of his son… Like many today he did not examine the Bible or search from its pages to find out the will of the Lord. He united with the church of his father, and because his father was a Presbyterian he became one. Of course in later years he studied the Bible to know the will of God and to do it. He soon began taking public part in the church work. … in 1812. He was now in full accord with the Baptist Church on what was called "the mode of baptism," and out of harmony with the Presbyterian Church. He soon discovered that he was out of harmony with the Baptist Church on its creed as well as much of its practice.”   Restoration Movement “He affiliated for a time with the Baptist Church, but he saw that to follow the Scriptures he must repudiate all human institutions and exalt only the Church of our Lord. He had faith in this church and had the courage to stand by his convictions. He believed in the church of the Bible and had the courage to condemn sects and denominations with their creeds and human devices. He began calling upon people to worship as the New Testament directs, and he found many who were eager to do this. Local congregations were established on the New Testament pattern, and guided only by the New Testament in their work and worship. After he had been preaching independent of the Baptist Church for some time, the Baptist Church in some formal way condemned his action. Alexander Campbell was not excluded from the Baptist Church. He was never in full faith and fellowship with the Baptist Church. He was baptized by a Baptist preacher, and affiliated in a rather loose way with the Baptist Church while he was groping in darkness. But soon the light of God's truth dawned upon his soul, and he ignored the claims of the Baptist Church upon him and pursued a course independent of the Baptist Church… He simply called upon people to take the New Testament as their guide and the church of the New Testament as the only church which is authorized by the word of God”   Christadelphian Standards by H.P. Mansfield in 1961 Page 104   “My Days and My Ways” by Robert Roberts, 1894 Requesting Vigilantius and his Times   Eureka volume III   The preface of Eureka Vol III