In 1836, he preached a sermon on Rom. 8: 26: "Likewise the Spirit also helpeth our infirmities," in which he set forth the idea, which frequently occurs in his writings, that human nature is too weak to resist error, to encounter temptation, and to bear life's sorrows from its own strength; that its imperfections demand an immediate spiritual aid, which he contended was promised in the system of Christianity, and realized by all who live by faith and walk in newness of life.
The gifted and egotistical young man, William Hunter, originally from Ireland, who became an eloquent orator and editor in behalf of those views, Mr. Badger disposes of very easily. He tells him, that if he should live twenty years longer and happen to read one of his prospectuses, he will see that his youthful swells run rather high, that these now "are enough to make an old man's head swim." And, when reminded by Mr. Hunter that old sailors should not complain of swells, and that unless he held fast to the rigging and looked aloft, he would fall overboard within one year, Mr. B. calmly inquires, "Oh, friend William! and will ye verily have us all overboard in one year? Then, indeed, and ye will have us all in the water—according to thy theory, friend William, that is a very safe element. Shall we not be in a fair way for heaven?" Mr. Hunter offers to show, on one page of the Palladium, from the Bible, that he believes in a spiritual religion, and that Mr. Badger believes in a spiritless one. The latter replies, that the work promised is weighty, and that his doubts concerning his astonishing skill will be lessened if he will first exhibit some proof of spirituality on one of his own pages, before coming to take the mote from his neighbor.
The allusions of Mr. Campbell, in his "Millennial Harbinger," show that he was by no means indifferent to Mr. Badger's antagonism to his cause. One allusion taken from his notes, December, 1837, on his eastern tour, in which he styles Mr. Badger the "redoubtable captain," will suffice. He says:—
"Mr. Badger has been one of the leaders in this glorious struggle of walking by the Bible alone; but these brethren (and I could name others with them) are determined not merely to profess, but to walk in all the commandments and ordinances in the Bible. We intend, in the next volume, to pay some more attention to the great apostasy from the Bible alone, now commanded by the redoubtable captain, who sails sometimes under this flag, and sometimes under that. However, the New England brethren are not ignorant of his devices, and are not likely to marshal long under his Palladium, inasmuch as he seems not to relish the simplicity nor authority of the Nazarenes."
The permanency and stability of Mr. Badger, questioned in this paragraph, all who know anything of him must concede to be conspicuous traits of his whole career in life. He was a man of no great and sudden changes. Perhaps a paragraph or so from his reply may serve to show his manner of dealing with a strong assailant.
"Mr. Campbell had succeeded in drawing away so many Christians in the west, that his expectation of success among the intelligent people of New York and New England was very great. But he toiled all night and caught nothing. The enterprise was a failure; and his disappointment and chagrin were so great that since his return to the west, in speaking of eastern men and measures, he gives strong symptoms of insanity, and some of his articles abound in cruel, unworthy invectives and misrepresentations.
"But the most diverting thing, is to see his means of knowing, and his pretended knowledge of the state of things at the east. He spent but a few days in New England; yet he pretends to know the state of society, the manners and customs of the people throughout that wide extended portion of our continent. But what churches did he visit? Astonishing to tell! He spent a few days in Boston; a few hours at Salem and Lynn; and we have never heard of his making a moment's call on any other Christian church in New England. Yet he speaks in broad terms and says: 'The Christians in New England need only to be taught the way of the Lord more perfectly.' What does this foreigner, this man of the west know about the condition of the churches in Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont, and good old Connecticut, having never entered a chapel or cottage in either of those great States? But he continues: 'Much is wanting in many places to bring them nigh to the platform of Apostolic usage and authority.' Many places! This sounds well from a stranger, such as himself. Why did he not teach our brethren the way of the Lord more perfectly? Why did he not bring them to the Apostolic platform? Why not push his inquiries further? Alas, alas! he had seen enough of New England sagacity; it was not the soil for the seed he had brought. Therefore, he turns upon his heel and leaves the good people of Lynn to manufacture their own shoes, and those of Salem to manage their own witches."
The following paragraph, which succeeds what I have inserted, was partially quoted by Bishop Purcell in the celebrated discussion between himself and Mr. Campbell on the Roman Catholic religion,[53] held at Cincinnati, January, 1837, which, with several other quotations from the same paper, goes to show that the Palladium, which he introduced as the organ of a numerous body of Christians, had not failed to impress the Catholic Church as being a work of strength in Protestant literature.
"He frequently speaks of 'the Bible alone;' but this is not a term generally used by the brethren in New England, and is taught by few except Mr. C. We never knew our brethren to boast of walking by the Bible alone. This we regard as an error, let who will proclaim it. We say give us the Bible, but not alone. Let us have a God, a Christ, a Holy Spirit, and a ministry to accompany it. There was a law given to the Jews; also, a testimony, which they were bound to observe. The testimony of the inspired prophets did not contradict the law, but taught and enforced the same great truths. The ancients were to walk by the law and the testimony, which was called a word, (Isa. 8: 20). So the New Dispensation presents the written Word and the Spirit of God as the perfect law by which the saints are to be governed. Thus we preach the Spirit and the Word.