Thomas, John
John Thomas was born in 1805. The son of a rather restless
minister of religion, the young Thomas did not take a very serious interest in
religion early in life. He spent part of his childhood at boarding-school, and
was apprenticed to a surgeon at fourteen. A frightful Atlantic crossing on the
"Marquis of Wellesley" while emigrating to the United States caused him to vow
to seek and follow Christian truth. The early contacts in the United States were
with the so-called "Reformation", or Campbellites -- later known as the
Disciples of Christ, and finally the Church of Christ. But Alexander Campbell,
organizer of this "Reformation", was chiefly interested in a broad
non-denominational Christian union without creeds, membership of which was not
dependent upon assent to doctrine. John Thomas was of a very different turn of
mind; his spirit was that of a submission to a straightforward understanding of
a divinely- inspired Bible unmodified by later creeds and ecclesiastical
traditions.
He occasionally claimed, and others even more vigorously
claimed for him, that his matured views on the Scriptures were solely the result
of the study of them alone, and that he owed nothing to others. There is much
truth in the claim made by John Thomas; his study was no doubt as impartial as
it was possible to be in the circumstances. He had an independent and sincere
turn of mind and was not likely to follow consciously interpretations that bore
the stamp of any particular theological school.
Despite incessant lecturing and controversial correspondence
he was a reader of amazing breadth. How this was possible since he was
continuously on the move is something of a mystery. But the writings of his
formative period -- when he also traveled widely -- show close and accurate
familiarity with Plato and other Greek writers; 3rd and 4th century Christian
writers; medieval history; the poetry of Burns; first-hand sources of the 16th
century Reformation; Milton, Newton, Hobbes, Locke and other 17th century
authors whom he quoted at great length verbatim; Gibbon's History of the Roman
Empire; an extensive knowledge of most of the principal writers on Biblical
prophecy during the previous 70 years, including some who were extremely
obscure; and digestion of the enormous contemporary output of books, tracts, and
periodicals dealing with prophetic, millenarian and general religious
topics.
The mid-19th century was a period of feverish apocalyptic
study among Biblical Christians. John Thomas entered this field with fervor, his
work culminating in his three-volume "Eureka", which was produced in
installments in the fifties and sixties.
John Thomas proceeded to encourage the formation of
communities of people sympathetic to the views expressed in his periodical the
"Herald of the Kingdom", but these were at first very loose in organisation, and
while some adopted the title "Baptized Believers in the Kingdom of God" and
others "Bible Christians", there was no unanimity and a variety of designations
appeared. The American Civil War precipitated the need for some name. True to
the principles for which they stood, John Thomas and his colleagues refused to
take part in the hostilities. In Richmond, Virginia, he publicly called
attention to the position: "If the Southern and Northern Methodists, Baptists,
Campbellites, Presbyterians, Episcopalians, and Papists think fit to blow one
another's brains out, let them do it to their heart's content, but let not
Christians mingle in the unhallowed strife."
In 1864 the name Brethren in Christ or Christadelphians was
registered at the County Court House at Oregon, Illinois, and application made,
asking that this name be accepted as the official title of a religious body. Six
years after the Brethren in Christ or Christadelphians had thus officially come
into being as a distinct body, John Thomas died in the vicinity of New York.
He was a controversial figure, with a stabbing, pungent style
of writing. He seemed to attract some to adulation and drive others to
distraction; but he bored no one. He made no apology for engaging in verbal
polemics. Disciples, he stated, obtain peace in this age in proportion as they
are indifferent to principle. Because of the controversies he inevitably stirred
up wherever he taught, it is difficult at the present distance to make an
accurate assessment of his personality. During his lifetime opinions varied. "He
was fatherly, kind, domestic, disinterested and truly humble." "He was quiet,
gentle, courteous, well-mannered modest, absolutely devoid of affectation or
trace of self-importance." "He was the most uncompromising, stubborn,
self-willed and dogmatic person ever known; having large self-esteem and
firmness and deficient benevolence, though a good intellect, and all this
hardened by a bilious temperament." Clearly he was a many-sided man!
He was invariably warm to close friends, but bitter
experiences with false friends made him somewhat cold and distant with both
opponents and strangers. Those who knew him best invariably came into the
closest fellowship with him. Memories of him (and a hat of his) still survive
and are cherished in the tobacco country of Virginia where so much of his work
was done. The author had in 1968 the great privilege of talking with one of the
last surviving persons to attend his lectures. He was known far and wide among
the Virginia and Maryland planters for his hard riding, firm convictions, and
his enjoyment of conversation. A great friend of his in Virginia, and one who in
fact stoutly defended the worthy doctor on more than one occasion from outraged
hearers, was Albert Anderson, known throughout southern Virginia as "the walking
Bible"; great-grandchildren of Anderson are Christadelphians in the same area
today.
In intellectual stamina and breadth Dr. John Thomas excelled.
On a typical lecturing tour it was not uncommon for him to deliver 130 two-hour
addresses on a variety of topics in a matter of two or three months. And it was
rare for any of these to contain inaccuracy in any of the Scriptural and
historical references with which they were always liberally sprinkled. He
ascended the speaker's dais in an unostentatious manner, and rarely worried
about conventional introductions. "It is written in the prophets..." he would
begin and follow with an expansive and analytical treatment of his
theme.
John Thomas traveled widely in the United States, Canada and
Britain. His biography, by Robert Roberts, revised and enlarged by later
writers, is happily still in print (Dr Thomas: His Life and Works). For details
of the "missionary" work of John Thomas after his baptism at Richmond, Virginia
in 1847 readers are referred to that book... In his travels during the Civil War
in America, he passed alternately from one side to the other to encourage his
brethren, sometimes making his way through devastated villages in Virginia
before even the smoke of conflict had disappeared. In these difficult and
discouraging days he showed a great courage and devotion. (Alan Eyre, from "The
Protestors", abridged)
The writings of John Thomas include:
"Elpis Israel", or "the Hope of Israel"
"Eureka": An Exposition of the Apocalypse (in 3
volumes)
"Anastasis": A Treatise on the Resurrection
An Exposition of Daniel
Clerical Theology Unscriptural
