SERMONS
by
Guy N. Woods |
| 1. The
Security Of the Believer |
2.
Book of Philippians |
3. Receive
With Meekness |
| 4. Trouble
in the Middle East |
5. Grace and Law |
6.
First Peter |
| 7. The
Inspiration of the Bible |
8. God's
Presence With Us |
9. Instruments
of Music in Worship |
| 10. Acceptable
Worship |
11. The
Holy Spirit |
12. Premillennialism |
| 13. Bible
Authority |
14. Second Coming of Christ |
15. Beyond The Door Of Death |
| 16. The
Act of Conversion |
17. This
One Thing I Do |
18.
The
Church - Medium of Evangelism |
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The
restoration of New Testament Christianity goes back through many centuries.
There has been in every century God-fearing, Bible-loving men eager to
know God's will, to be free of man's opinions, creeds and doctrines and
to completely restore the New Testament church of Christ as it existed
in the first century. |
| IN
EARLY 1700 THESE MEN WERE VERY ACTIVE IN THE RESTORATION OF NEW TESTAMENT
CHRISTIANITY AND A COMPLETE RETURN TO THE BIBLE FOR ALL BELIEF IN DOCTRINE
AND PRACTICE IN RELIGION. |
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| Robert Sandeman |
Elias Smith |
Abner Jones |
| Robert Sandeman
(1718-1771), was a student at the University of Edinburgh where he met
John Glas (1695-1773). John Glas believed in the restoration of the New
Testament church and he began in repudiating human creeds, human names
and human doctrines. Robert not only had a brilliant mind but an outgoing
personality. About 1755 he joined John Glas and together they set out to
"restore primitive New Testament practices." Both believed in church autonomy,
observing the Lord's Supper on the first day of the week, that faith comes
as a result of evidence or testimony, and the possibility of restoring
the New Testament church. Robert Sandeman came to America in 1763 where
he established the Lord's church in Boston, Massachusetts, Portsmouth,
New Hampshire, and Danbury, Connecticut. He settled in Danbury and remained
there until he died on April 2, 1771 at the age of 53 years. |
Elias Smith (1769-1846),
as a child, was sprinkled according to the practice of his mother's church.
In 1789, he was immersed and received as a member of the Baptist church
in Woodstock, Vermont. He had strong religious convictions and started
preaching in 1790. His first sermon was titled, "Search the Scriptures."
This title well describes his mental activity at this time as he had (in
eighteen months) committed most of Romans through Revelation to memory.
In 1792, the question of baptism had been settled in his mind, he wrote,
"Baptism is by burying the believer under water, and raising him out of
it again. This, is the only Scriptural mode of baptism. I searched the
Scriptures carefully and found infant baptism not there." A search of the
Scriptures brought about a break with the Baptist church. In 1802, he was
the first to advance the all sufficiency of the name "Christian." |
Abner Jones (1772-1841),
was eight years old when his father, Asa Jones, moved the family from Massachusetts
to the "frontier in Central Vermont." Abner's life was nurtured in all
the hardships of life on the frontier. He attended school only for a few
weeks in his life yet, in time, he gained the reputation of a polished
scholar. He mastered Latin, Greek and Hebrew. With his meager public schooling,
he yet attained a level of scholarship that few graduates (or even professors)
could approach. At the age of twenty-one, with his keen intellect of the
Scriptures, he discovered that the Bible did not teach the terrible Calvinist
doctrines that he had heard. "I determined to believe and practice what
I found required in the Bible, and no more. I will have nothing but what
saith the Lord, and thus it is written." Abner Jones spent his days preaching
more than once a day. He died in 1841 in Exeter, New Hampshire. |
|
Barton
W. Stone |
Barton
Warren Stone was born on a large farm near Port Tobacco, Maryland, December
24, 1772. His father was John Stone, a man of considerable wealth and influence.
Barton was a direct descendent of William Stone, the first member of the
Second Continental Congress and one of four men from Maryland to sign the
Declaration of Independence. Barton applied himself diligently to the studies
of Latin, Greek and English. He was licensed as a Presbyterian preacher
but was confused by many of the abstruce doctrines of Presbyterianism.
He later declared an entire abandonment of all authoritative human creeds
and held to the Bible alone as the only rule of faith and practice in religion.
After accepting the Gospel way of salvation as it is taught in the Bible
he started into evangelistic work, which proved effective, as several churches
of Christ were established in Ohio, Kentucky and Tennessee. Like the apostle
Paul, he was persecuted by enemies of the Truth, but he continued on with
his message of hope and salvation. Stone was unexcelled as a preacher,
teacher, writer and editor. He preached his last sermon on October 21,
1844 at Bear Creek, Missouri, and passed from this life on November 9,
1844. |
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| Walter
Scott was born into a strong Presbyterian family in Moffat, Dumfrieshire,
Scotland, October 31, 1796. Walter was of the same family as his world-famous
namesake, Sir Walter Scott. He graduated with honors from the University
of Edinburgh before coming to America in the year 1818. Walter walked from
New York City to Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania where he spent much time in Bible
study. Being sprinkled as a small child, he learned that he had not been
scripturally baptized and was immediately immersed by a friend. He continued
to search the Scriptures with an earnest desire to know the will of God
and a strong determination to follow the Word of God where ever it led
him. Without doubt, Walter Scott played a dramatic role in the Restoration
Movement of the nineteenth century. While in Pittsburgh he started a school
where he tutored more than one hundred students. As a teacher, he was a
strict disciplinarian. His rules were summed up in three words, obedience,
order and accuracy. He took special pains to familiarize the students with
the ancient tongues; with the Greek of the New Testament. The students
became so familiar with the Scriptures that some of them could repeat the
books of Matthew, Mark, Luke and John in the Greek language. Scott emphasized
the fact that the creed of the first church was "Christ." He was one of
the first to "extend the gospel invitation at the conclusion of each sermon
- inviting and admonishing people to come to Christ upon terms set forth
in the New Testament." He died on April 23, 1864. |
Walter
Scott |
|
Thomas
Campbell |
Thomas
Campbell was born February 1, 1763, in County Down, North Ireland. Possessing
a deep religious character, he developed a love for the Scriptures. In
1783, at the age of twenty, he enrolled as a student at Glasgow University.
After graduating with honors, he enrolled in a theological school operated
by the anti-Burger branch of the Presbyterian church. For several years,
he taught and preached as opportunities presented themselves. At the age
of forty-four, he came to America. Arriving on April 8, 1807 in Philidelphia,
Pennsylvania. He spent much time in Bible study and as his knowledge in
Scripture increased, his doubt in Presbyterianism became stronger. Finally
he declined "all ministerial connections with, or subjection to, the Associate
Synod of North America." While in Ireland, Thomas had no connection with
any Restoration Movement, but in America, he found himself teaching and
preaching a complete return to the Bible for all belief, doctrine and practice
in religion. He believed in accepting only the Bible for all things in
matters of faith in religion. He preached and taught only the Bible. He
started no new religion nor any new church but preached only that everyone
must believe and obey the Word of God. |
| Alexander
Campbell was born in County Antrim, September 12, 1788. At the age of twenty
years, he enrolled in the University of Glasgow, became proficient in Greek,
Latin, Hebrew, French and English literature, Philosophy, Logic and Church
History. In his study of the Bible he discovered that Presbyterianism,
the religion of his family was not the doctrine of the Scriptures and therefore,
proposed to take the Bible as his only guide in matters of faith. He also
believed it was possible to restore the church of the New Testament by
using the Bible as a blue print. On September 29, 1809, he came to America
where he found men that were already involved in pleading for the complete
restoration of the first century church of Christ, to speak where the Bible
speaks, to be silent where the Bible is silent and renounce the practice
of calling themselves names after their earthly leaders, that everyone
obeying the Scriptures should be called "Christians." (Acts 11:26), and
would be, by the Lord, added to His one church (Acts 2:47). In his zeal
to restore New Testament Christianity he was not without persecution, being
accused of starting a new religion, but neither he nor any of the early
restorers ever had in mind any other than a complete restoration of the
New Testament church of Christ. |
Alexander
Campbell |
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| Tolbert Fanning |
E.G. Sewell |
David Lipscomb |
| Tolbert Fanning
was born on May 10, 1810, near Woodbury, in Cannon County, Tennessee. He
graduated from the Nashville University, married Charolette Fall, sister
of the eminent preacher, Philip S. Fall. In the same year he graduated,
1837, he established a school for girls in Franklin, Tennessee. In 1840
he established Franklin College and served as president until 1861. Some
of the greatest preachers of that day were graduates of this institution.
Among them were David Lipscomb, T.B. Larimore, E.G. Sewell, E.W. Carmack,
J.E. Scobey and William Lipscomb. The influence for good which he exercised
in the lives of these men, and many others, is immeasurable and continues
to this day. Tolbert Fanning passed from his life May 3, 1874. |
E.G. Sewell was
born on October 25, 1830, obeyed the Gospel by being immersed in the name
of his Savior in October 1848, and began to preach the Gospel of Christ
in 1850. He enrolled in Burritt College, Spencer, Tennessee, in 1856 where
he studied for two and a half years, then transferring to Franklin College,
near Nashville, graduating in June of 1859. It has been well said that
the friendship between David Lipscomb and E.G. Sewell as like that of Jonathan
and David, beautiful, pleasant and tender, wholly free of all susupicion
of jealousy. He was a gentle man and his writings breathed the spirit of
the Master. He lived to advanced old age. Like a sheaf ripe for harvest,
he was garnered by his heavenly Father March 2, 1924. |
David Lipscomb
was born on January 21, 1831, and graduated from Franklin College in 1849.
He was successful in spearheading a movement to create an endowment fund
which equaled in value of Tolbert Fanning's holdings in which the Fanning
Orphan School near Nashville was established. He was instrumental in the
establishment of many New Testament churches. In 1891, in cooperation with
James A. Harding, he founded the Nashville Bible School, now David Lipscomb
University, in which he ordered that every student was to be taught the
Word of God every day. He did more than any other person of his day to
preserve New Testament Christianity. He passed from this life on November
11, 1917. |
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T.B.
Larimore at his home at Mars' Hill |
T.B. Larimore |
T.B.
Larimore with his wife and six of his children at Mars' Hill |
T.B.
Larimore - Four generations of Larimores |
The
Larimore home at Mars' Hill |
| Theophilus
Brown Larimore was born in Jefferson County, east of Knoxville, Tennessee
on July 10, 1843. From the age of nine his boyhood and youth were spent
in Sequatchie Valley, near Dunlap, Tennessee. He had very little time to
attend school as he was hired to work six days a week on a farm which he
was paid four dollars a month. At the age of about twenty, he graduated
from Mossy Creek College, having made a record as one of the best students
ever enrolled in the school. He had a short tour in the Confederate Army.
Assigned as a scout he was captured and sent to Federal headquarters. Soon
after his release, he moved to Hopkinsville, Kentucky where he began to
preach the Gospel. Between preaching, teaching and working as a logger
he took a course at Franklin College under Tolbert Fanning, graduating
as valedictorian of his class, in 1867. After his marriage to Miss Ester
Gresham, they determined to establish a school for boys and girsl at Mars'
Hill, near Florence, Alabama. The school was a success - being a school
in which the Bible was taught. Each student was required to recite at least
one lesson each day in the Bible. There were many men who graduated as
faithful Gospel preachers from the school. After seventeen busy years,
the demand for him to do evangelistic work, the school was closed. He traveled
from Maine to Mexico, from the Carolinas to California, preaching twice
a day and three times every Sunday. He held many Gospel meetings which
lasted for several weeks at a time, his longest meeting was at Sherman,
Texas - beginning January 4, 1894, continuing twenty-two weeks and one
day, where he preached three hundred and thirty-three sermons. In 1911,
his evangelistic work took him from British Columbia to Eastern Canada,
and from Mexico to Cuba. He preached regularly until 1929 when his health
prevented him from traveling. He passed from this life March 18, 1929. |
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| E.H. Boyd |
T.Q. Martin |
Charles Holder |
| Elliott
Hodge Boyd was born in Bledsoe County, at Pikeville, Tennessee, March 2,
1845. He was the oldest of three brothers and three sisters. E.H. was in
school at Sequatchie College when the War Between the States began. He
left school and enlisted in the Federal forces, Sixth Tennessee Infantry,
Company G., and served to the close of the war. In May, 1872, he was baptized
into Christ by Elder James Billingsley. At the age of thirty-one, he married
Miss Mary Foust of Dayton, Tennessee. He began to preach the Gospel at
a place now known as Old Bethel in 1884. His activities as a preacher carried
him into Alabama, Georgia, and Kentucky. Wherever he went he established
congregations of the New Testament church and labored with them until they
had developed sufficiently to carry on by themselves. E. H. Boyd was loyal
to the truth and preached the Gospel with simplicity and persuasion. He
had been living in Bridgeport, Alabama, but in 1905, he moved back to Dayton,
Tennessee where, in his younger life, he had bought a farm. This farm,
he deeded for a church house and schoolhouse, which is known as Old Bethel.
He passed from this life on September 3, 1920. |
Tracker
Quesenberry Martin, was born in Clark County, Kentucky on August 17, 1865.
In his early life, it was necassary for his mother to take in washing.
T. Q., by the age of seven, would go to the neighbors, pick up the dirty
clothes, and return them when his mother had washed them. He churned butter
for a neighbor lady, and for his effort was awarded some buttermilk to
take home to his family. In 1889, while working at a sawmill he got the
idea that he wanted to attend College of the Bible. He studied under the
renowned J.W. McGarvey and later, he spent a year in the Nashville Bible
School and studied under David Lipscomb. From his youth, he read every
Christian newspaper he could find and was later, the editor of the Christian
Leader. He taught school with James A. Harding at the Potter Bible College
at Bowling Green, Kentucky. He preached in evangelistic meetings in thirty-two
states and the District of Columbia. From 1911 through 1942, he did local
work in several states, the last, due to failing health, was the Central
church of Christ in McMinnville, Tennessee. T.Q. ranked among the best
preachers of his time. His services were continually sought after. He passed
from this life June 17, 1947. |
Charles
Holder was born in White County, Quebec, Tennessee, on July 7, 1873. He
was baptized into Christ at the Jericho church of Christ by brother Richard
Gillentine in Quebec, Tennessee in 1903. Soon after his obedience to the
Gospel he started preaching God's Word, and for the next fifty years he
returned to Jericho to preach at least once each year. He devoted his entire
life to preaching the Gospel of Christ. He resolved that he would evangelize
as much of the world as he could in the time the Lord permitted him to
be on the earth, even if it meant sleeping on the floor and going to bed
hungry. He moved from Quebec to Valdosta, Georgia and started preaching
in the surrounding communities as well as in three places in South Florida.
He refused to settle down at large congregations where they paid large
salaries, but insisted on preaching to smaller congregations where he knew
they could pay very little or none at all. During his entire ministry he
never owned a horse and buggy nor automobile, he traveled by train, bus
or some member of the church would drive him to his location. He had great
faith and always believed that God would provide. His life was one of simplicity
and devotion. He passed away April 26, 1961. |
|
G.P.
Bowser standing before one of his preaching charts and his wife Francis
(Fannie) Rebecca, holding the Bible. |
G. P. Bowser |
The
three Bowser children, standing, left to right, Clara Scaggs, Philista
Folke, and seated Thelma Holt. |
| George
Phillip Bowser was born February 17, 1874 in Maury County, about sixty
miles south of Nashville, Tennessee. When G.P. was very young his father
was killed and his mother moved the family to Nashville where she worked
hard to see that her children were well educated. After finishing grade
school he took the opportunity to attend Walden University where he mastered
five languages in addition to English: Greek, Hebrew, French, German and
Latin. G.P. was very religious and his childhood religious experience in
the Methodist church was giving him second thoughts. Sam W. Womack, and
other Christians in Nashville, took interest in him, teaching him the truth
and he soon obeyed the Gospel and started preaching it. Even though he
lost his left arm earlier in life in an accident he became a master printer
and at the age of twenty-eight, he edited a newspaper called, "The Christian
Echo." He started a Christian school for black children on Jackson Street
in Nashville and opened it on January 6, 1907. He also started schools
in Silver Point near Cookville, Tennessee and was instrumental in setting
up schools in Detroit, Fort Worth and a University in Terrell, Texas. This
great man dedicated his life to Christian education among blacks. He died
March 23, 1950. |
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| N.B. Hardeman |
H. Leo Boles |
J.D. Boyd,
Jr. |
| N.B.
Hardeman was born on May 18, 1874, near Milledgeville, McNairy County,
Tennessee. He was the son of Dr. John Bellefont Hardeman and Nancy Jane
Hardeman. While attending West Tennessee Christian College in about 1890,
he was baptized into Christ by R.P. Meeks. He graduated in June of 1895
with a B.A. degree and when this school became the Georgie Robertson Christian
College he enrolled and received his M.S. degree and was a member of the
faculty of this school for eight years. In 1908 he and A.G. Freed established
the National Teachers' Normal and Business College, in Henderson, Tennessee,
which is now known as Freed-Hardeman University. N.B. Hardeman was the
speaker in the great Ryman Auditorium Tabernacle Meetings. These sermons
were carried by radio broadcast and printed in both Nashville newspapers
daily. Brother Hardeman passed away on November 6, 1965. |
Henry
Leo Boles was born near Gainesboro, Tennessee, on February 22, 1876. He
was baptized into Christ in 1895 by W.T. Kidwell. He entered Burritt College
in 1898, transferring to the Nashville Bible School in 1903 (Now David
Lipscomb University). He taught philosophy and mathematics for seven year,
and served as president of the School from 1913 to 1920 and from 1923 to
1932. During his presidency he was unexcelled as a teacher of the Bible,
and it is estimated that fifteen hundred young preachers received instruction
in his classes, as well as hundreds of other students. He wrote for the
GOSPEL ADVOCATE for almost forty years as contributor, staff writer, and
editor. His commentaries on Matthew, Acts, and Luke are widely regarded
as the best on their subject. A large part of his life was spent in Christian
education. He passed from this life on February 7, 1946. |
John
Dudley Boyd, Jr. was born at Station Camp Creek, near Cottontown, about
seven miles north west of Gallatin, Tennessee on January 4, 1892. In his
infancy his mother passed away with typhoid fever and his father was left
to care for his infant son. J.D. better known as just "D" knew well what
it was to walk in the vale of poverty. He had very little time for school,
but studying very hard, he was able to enroll in M.T.N (now Middle Tennessee
State University), where he later met his future bride, Miss Frances Crouch,
daughter of a Gospel preacher. After their marriage, he started preaching
the Gospel on a regular schedule. J.D. Boyd traveled over much of America,
preaching the Gospel. Every place he went, he was loved and respected.
He spent many years in North Louisiana and was one of the best known and
most loved preachers of his time. He preached from 1922 to 1972, and was
a faithful servant unto his death. |
|
Governor
Frank G. Clement, Marshall Keeble, Wilie T. Cato |
Marshall
Keeble |
Athens
Clay Pullias, Marshall Keeble, J.W. Brents, Percy Ricks |
Left
to right: Standing Hassen Reed, Robert McBride Left to Right: Seated Robert
Wood, Marshall Keeble, Fred Gray |
J.E.
Choate, Marshall Keeble, B.C. Goodpasture |
| Marshall
Keeble was born of slave parents on a farm near Murfreesboro, in Rutherford
County, Tennessee, on December 7, 1878. When he was four years of age his
parents, Robert and Mittie Keeble moved to Nashville, Tennessee. He attended
the Bell view and Noles Schools of Nashville; but never went beyond seventh
grade. Although limited in education, he, nevertheless, acquired a remarkable
knowledge of the Bible and human nature. He married Miss Minnie Womack,
a Fisk University high school graduate. With the help of his father-in-law,
S.W. Womack and other gospel preachers, he started preaching the gospel
soon after 1900. A.M. Burton, founder of the Life and Casualty Insurance
Company, became his friend and patron. During his life he preached from
the Golden Gate Bridge to New York harbor and around the world. Frank G.
Clement, former Governor of Tennessee, appointed him the first black Colonel
Aide-de-Camp in Tennessee history. He was also made an honorary chief over
one of the largest Nigerian tribes in Africa. Brother Keeble held gospel
meetings anywhere he could find space large enough to erect his tent. There
have been thousands, white and black, who have heard his sermons all over
the country. When he left a place there would be hundreds that obeyed the
Word of God by being baptized into Christ. It has been estimated that in
his preaching career, he baptized at least forty thousand precious souls
into the body of Christ, making him responsible for populating heaven with
more souls of the saints than anyone else this side of the first century.
Brother Keeble passed from this life April 20, 1968. |
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| B.C. Goodpasture |
Foy E. Wallace,
Jr. |
Batsell Barrett
Baxter |
| B.C.
Goodpasture was born April 9, 1895 in Livingston, Tennessee. He graduated
from David Lipscomb College and studied the Bible and related matters assiduously
the rest of his life. Any small biography sketch as this, cannot do justice
to this versatile and talented man. He had the richest collection of illustrative
and anecdotal material of any man living. Many honors came to him in life
and he served the Cause of the Master with undimished devotion and dedication.
He served as pulpit minister for the Hillsboro congregation from 1939 to
1951, and an elder there for the rest of his life. Brother Goodpasture
was named editor of the GOSPEL ADVOCATE in 1938, and served until he was
called from this earth to be with his Father on February 16, 1977. |
Foy
E. Wallace, Jr. was born September 30, 1896 in Montague County, Texas.
He was baptized into Christ by his father in 1909, and began preaching
soon thereafter. He preached for well over a half century from coast to
coast and from the Great Lakes to the Gulf in great evangelistic meetings
powerfully influencing multitudes of people by his eloquence and thorough
knowledge of the Scriptures. His books, debates, and other voluminous writings
are among the most widely read in the church today and they will continue
to be used and appreciated so long as men love and respect the sacred writings.
Brother Wallace served as editor of the GOSPEL ADVOCATE form 1930 to 1934.
He was living in Hereford, Texas when he passed away on December 18, 1979. |
Batsell
Barrett Baxter was born on September 23, 1916 in Cordell, Oklahoma. He
received his A.B. degree from Abilene Christian College, Abilene, Texas,
and his M.A. and Ph.D. degrees from the University of Southern California,
Los Angeles, California. He became Head of the Bible Department and Professor
of Homiletics at David Lipscomb College, and was largely unheralded as
a minister and teacher in the Word of God. He was a capable, caring man
who took his students seriously, a man of compassion, tenderness, a love
for everyone he met. Also, a man of genuine commitment. He was deeply committed
to his God and family. Brother Baxter was the author of many books which
are still in great demand today. He passed from this life on March 31,
1982. |
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| Appreciation
and Acknowledgement |
| Some
of the pictures and biography sketches used in this web page are from copyrighted
material of the 21st CENTURY CHRISTIAN and the GOSPEL ADVOCATE COMPANY
of Nashville, Tennessee. It is with our sincere thanks and appreciation
to brother Jim Bill McInteer, President of 21st CENTURY CHRISTIAN, and
to brother Neil W. Anderson, editor of the GOSPEL ADVOCATE COMPANY for
their permission to use it. Also, to brother J.M. Powell for his research
of material used in his very informative book THE CAUSE WE PLEAD a story
of the Restoration Movement, published by the 20th CENTURY CHRISTIAN, Nashville,
Tennessee. This site is under the over site of the elders at The Church of
Christ at East End, McMinnville TN, 3110. |
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