Aylette Raines
A long and fruitful life began on January 22, 1798 in Spottsylvania County, Virginia. He was sprinkled into the Episcopal church at four years of age. This was but the first of several religious bodies that he would be a member of. Raines, later, taught school in Clark County Indiana for a period of 3 years in duration. Often, preachers would “moonlight” as teachers in public schools as a means to augment meager, if not non-existent pay as given by local congregations.
At some point Raines came under the doctrine of Restorationalism, or as we know it as “Universalism.” In this doctrine, which when boiled down, means that all mankind will be ultimately “made holy and happy”-saved. This was a very popular doctrine at this time and Raines was seen as a “Goliath” of this doctrine. When an opponent arose to that doctrine, Aylette Rains was the man called upon to put it down.
A very interesting, perhaps life changing event occurred in1828 while Raines lived in the Western Reserve. He met and listened to Walter Scott at a local religious meeting. His Restorationist brethren immediately looked to him to listen to Scott and then arise to demolish this false teacher’s doctrine. The only problem was that Scott’s doctrine was not false, and he could not find one thing wrong. He met with another teacher, Ebenezer Williams, to review Scott’s teaching and after many hours came to the conclusion that they both needed to submit to baptism. They baptized each other in Sandy Lake, at the corner of Brimfield and Rootstown, Ohio. Raines soon felt the foundations of Restorationalism crumbling beneath his very feet. He became a friend to Scott and accompanied Alexander Campbell during his tour of the Western Reserve. He very quickly became a formidable force for the truth and was known to be exceedingly harsh upon whomever he perceived as having taught false doctrine. He is known to have taught and baptized over 50 people within five weeks of his baptism.
In the year 1834, Raines purchased a home in Paris, Kentucky where he dwelt until the year 1862. That year the house burned down. Being in the year 1862 and the way that the originals worded it, I suspect that the fire might have had something to do with the Civil War which was raging through the state at that time. Whether they were related or not, only brother Raines can say.
During the year 1843, Raines acted as moderator for bro. Campbell during the Campbell-Rice debate. His closeness to both of the Campbells cannot be doubted. Campbell was the one who stood up in defense of Raines’ personal opinions at a time when many brethren wanted to force him to make statements denying any possible restorationalist sentiments privately held. The incident with Raines became a significant illustration of “in essentials, unity; in nonessentials, liberty.” Later he came to say that his restorationalist opinions fell before Peter, Paul and the writers of the New Testament.
Raines’ earthly sojourn came to end on September 7, 1881 at Eminence, Kentucky, where he abode with his daughter’s family. He had been a gospel preacher for well over fifty years and was secure in his salvation. The message upon Raines’ tombstone says:
Life’s Race is Run,
Life’s Work is Done,
Life’s Crown Well Won,
Now Comes Rest.