October 30, 2025
Lesson for the Holidays
In the exuberance of merriment that characterizes the holiday season, there is always danger, more or less, of being swept into excesses.
Articles for tag: Isaac Errett
December 26, 2024
“The Opening Year”: A Christian Standard Editorial from 1875
In his editorial for the start of 1875, Christian Standard’s founding editor, Isaac Errett, offered 5 suggestions to his readers that will enable them to “consecrate” themselves anew to Christ’s service in the forthcoming year. Though Errett’s suggestions are nearly 150 years old (originally published on January 2, 1875), we believe his comments are just as valuable today as they were when they were first published.
April 18, 2024
THROWBACK THURSDAY: ‘Isaac Errett as Author’ (1934)
When Isaac Errett [1820–1888] came into leadership in the Restoration movement there was need of a new type of literature. . . . His writings were more Scriptural and less theological, more practical and less philosophical. . . .
My Response: Inerrancy Is a Hill to Defend to the End
By Jerry Harris, Publisher Christian Standard enjoys receiving feedback from our readers. Some of the best comments and letters are printed in our “Interact” section at the back of the magazine. I have personally received both positive and negative comments on articles I’ve written; up to this point, I have never responded, because I believe those viewpoints are also instructive. But when I received this letter from Dr. David Kiger, the librarian at Milligan University, about a phrase I used in a recent column, I knew it was essential I respond. Here is his unedited letter: _ _ _ – LETTER
THROWBACK THURSDAY: Celebrating 37 Years of Christian Standard (1903)
The June 27, 1903, issue of Christian Standard was interesting for its extensive celebration of the 37th anniversary of the magazine. The issue listed hundreds of the magazine's "charter subscribers" who continued to receive the publication. . . .
March 1, 2023
Chronicles of Grace (from the CS Archives)
The Perspectives of Our Editors and Essayists Over the Years
July 7, 2022
THROWBACK THURSDAY: ‘Isaac Errett in Michigan’ (1969)
"It was in Detroit that [Christian Standard founding editor] Isaac Errett did some of his greatest work, and in Michigan that he labored for nearly ten years in the prime of his life, establishing congregations, and writing many valuable articles and books . . ."
March 1, 2022
The Search for Authentic Church Membership
What Leaders Were Saying About This Topic 90–150 Years Ago, from the Christian Standard Archives
150 Years of Christian Standard
Today, on this 155th anniversary of Christian Standard, we share an article from five years ago by Richard Cherok that describes how this journal has both informed and influenced the Stone-Campbell Movement from the time of its first issue in 1866.
Politics in Print
A Review of Christian Standard’s Coverage of U.S. Presidents Since 1866 By Jim Nieman Has Christian Standard’s coverage of politics been slanted during its 154-year history? Undoubtedly. The readership of a Christian journal would demand nothing less. The better question might be: Has Christian Standard’s coverage of politics been fair? We certainly hope so . . . but when you root through more than 7,500 issues of a magazine, you’re bound to find at least a few items that give you pause. When asked to examine the magazine’s treatment of politics since 1866, I decided for expediency’s sake to focus
A Biographical Study of Barton W. Stone (Part 1)
In 1940, Christian Standard published a lengthy series of articles called “Stars” by Frederick D. Kershner, then serving as dean of the School of Religion at Butler University in Indianapolis. In introducing the series on March 9 of that year, Kershner wrote, “We shall strive to interpret the ongoing of a great movement in the life of the church through the contribution of six of its most significant advocates. . . . We shall be occupied only secondarily with the mere details of biography. . . .” Those six Restoration Movement “advocates” included: • Thomas Campbell . . . “who
December 5, 2019
Focusing on Failure
Here’s a Christian Standard editorial from 140 years ago that will apply to most everyone, at least on some level. _ _ _ Concerning Failures. By Isaac ErrettDec. 13, 1879 We are moved to say a few words concerning failures, by a letter received from a friend, over whose pathway thick darkness has gathered, and on whose head fierce tempests have broken in long succession, who says: “My life is a failure, and I know it; I have attempted tasks for which I was not qualified and have wasted my life in attempts to be what God never meant I
September 5, 2019
The Influential Isaac Errett
During this past year of sharing articles and editorials from the archives of Christian Standard, we have featured several pieces written by Isaac Errett, leader of this magazine from its founding in 1866 until his death in 1888, but not so much written about Errett. The September 11, 1909, issue of Christian Standard was another “Centennial Special” that commemorated the 100-year anniversary of Thomas Campbell’s “Declaration and Address.” Virtually all of the historical articles in that September issue were about Errett. We will excerpt from one article and run a second article in its entirety. Neither article attempted to tell
July 11, 2019
Remembering Pioneering Disciple James Challen
James Challen wrote a number of articles for Christian Standard during its first dozen or so years of publication. The articles were good, but the most interesting essay to feature Challen likely was his obituary, written in 1878 by founding editor Isaac Errett, with whom Challen was sharing a pulpit in Cincinnati when Challen was struck ill late that year. As you’ll read, Challen “shared the fellowship and the labors of all the leading spirits of the Reformation” during his lifetime. Also interesting to note, Errett referred to the man, who was 18 years his senior, as “Father” Challen. Here
May 16, 2019
Off on a Side Track
Here is a curious article from 1904 that could have started, “A preacher gets on a train with a Baptist and a Methodist. . . .” Actually, this is more a transcribed conversation than article. One might wonder, Was this real or imagined? Did it really occur? _ _ _ Off on a Side Track By Joseph A. WaltersOct. 1, 1904; p. 11 “I don’t like your exclusive baptism,” said a Methodist preacher to a Baptist preacher, a few years ago, on a train on which I was traveling in a Western State. B. Why do you dislike it? M.
James Garfield’s European Vacation
James A. Garfield was the 20th president of the United States and an original investor in Christian Standard. He grew up in northeastern Ohio and was baptized in 1850 at age 18. He preached frequently during the 1850s while attending the Western Reserve Eclectic Institute (which became Hiram College in 1867) and then Williams College (Williamstown, Mass.), and after returning to Hiram, Ohio, in 1856 to serve on faculty and as principal (commencing in 1857). In 1861 he entered military service with the Union Army during the Civil War. Soon after the war, he helped make arrangements to establish this
March 21, 2019
The New Birth
We feature today an editorial on baptism from 1866, the inaugural year of Christian Standard, written by founding editor Isaac Errett. This editorial comes by way of a series of articles published throughout 1909, a year we celebrated “One Hundred Years—A Century of Progress in America’s Greatest Christian Union Movement.” The magazine devoted one issue each month to articles that explained our movement, its history, and our beliefs. Carrying that theme forward another 110 years, we are devoting one “Throwback Thursday” each month to items that appeared in those special issues. Today’s article was published—or republished—in March 13, 1909. I
February 14, 2019
An Epistle on Debt from Mrs. Alexander Campbell
This brief article by and about the second wife of Alexander Campbell developed in a roundabout way. The February issue of Christian Standard deals with finances, including “In the Arena” articles by Matt Merold and Chris Philbeck that take stands on the question, “Should churches embrace and utilize debt?” (Matt says yes; Chris says no.) I wondered if writers from the magazine’s past had weighed in on this subject, so I dug into the archives of the Christian Standard’s first 100 years of publication. I turned to the listing for DEBT—an obvious place to begin the search—and was surprised to
February 7, 2019
A Basic Lesson on the Bible and God (by Isaac Errett)
Today we feature another item from a series that appeared throughout 1909, a year Christian Standard was celebrating “One Hundred Years—A Century of Progress in America’s Greatest Christian Union Movement.” The magazine devoted an issue each month that year to articles explaining our movement, its history, and our beliefs. The item we shared Jan. 10 was J. W. McGarvey’s personal reminiscences of Thomas Campbell (printed in the Jan. 9, 1909, issue). This month we focus on a portion of correspondence written by Christian Standard founding editor Isaac Errett. In January 1909, the magazine published—republished, actually—part one of “Historico-Doctrinal Sketch of
August 30, 2018
Publishing Committee Insights
We selected the second—and shorter—editorial from p. 3 of the September 3, 1978, issue to share today. “Fifteen Gifted Men,” written by Sam E. Stone during his first year as editor, describes the arrangement for editorial oversight that was in place during the 50 or so years Standex International owned Standard Publishing, the former parent company of Christian Standard and The Lookout. To set the stage: The first edition of Christian Standard was published in April 1866, with Isaac Errett serving as editor. Standard Publishing “grew up around it”—it’s often been said—and was incorporated in 1872. Additional publications were created,
