One In Jesus

I’m posting one more history lesson on the congregational infighting that led to the split of the Restoration Movement over, among other things, the instrument. The first Restoration Movement church to have an instrument is the Midway Christian Church.

This is excerpted from this longer article.

What initially caused the problem was that the singing was deplorable. Pinkerton said that the singing would, “scare even the rats from worship.” At first they met in the home of some brethren on Saturday night for practice. To get the right pitch, they used a little melodeon. Before long one of the sisters was accompanying the singing with the playing of the little instrument. The group noted how the accompaniment helped the singing, and so they decided the use of it would greatly enhance their worship services. They asked L.L. Pinkerton, their preacher, what he thought of bringing it into the assembly. His response was that he saw no problem with it. So, the next Sunday, a melodeon was brought in for worship. Continue reading →

As we sorted through H. Leo Boles speech on why the a cappella Churches of Christ cannot be in fellowship with their instrumental sister congregations, we found that he refers to efforts by the instrumental churches to impose instruments on the a cappella churches. There evidently were some hotly contested cases regarding this issue — and so I thought I’d research the history via the reported court decisions.

The main case is a decision in Sand Creek Church of Christ v. Sand Creek Christian Church. The link will take you a .pdf of a decision by the Illinois Supreme Court rendered in 1906. That’s right: 1906. You have to figure this decision had an impact on Lipscomb’s declaration that the division was complete. Continue reading →

I’ll skip a few paragraphs in Boles’ speech until we get to —

Thomas Campbell

Thomas Campbell was the father of Alexander Campbell and the founder of the Campbell branch of the Restoration Movement. The founding document of that branch is his “Declaration and Address” (1809). Boles quotes from that document,

Our desire, therefore, for our brethren and ourselves would be to reject human opinions and the inventions of men as of no authority, or as having no place in the church of God. We should cease from further contentions about such things, returning to and holding fast by the original standard, taking the divine word alone for our rule; the Holy Spirit for our teacher and guide; and lead us into all truth … that, by so doing, we may be at peace among ourselves, follow peace with all men, and holiness without which no man shall see the Lord. Continue reading →

McGarvey

Boles next quotes extensively from the writings of J. W. McGarvey, a professor who was greatly admired by both branches of the Restoration Movement. McGarvey’s commentary on Acts helped establish the “plan of salvation” and the “pattern” of the “New Testament church” as fixtures in Church of Christ preaching and thought. McGarvey vigorously opposed the instrument, and many arguments used against it today are traceable to McGarvey’s pen.

And yet McGarvey approved the missionary society — which Boles condemns in his speech. And McGarvey refused to divide over the instrument. Indeed, James A. Harding rebuked McGarvey for his willingness to allow a supporter of the instrument to lead a prayer.

Now, knowing that, read what Boles quotes from McGarvey’s writings — Continue reading →