THE END OF RESTORATION
Lesson 4
To understand why the Restoration Movement ended it was imperative that we study the mass meeting held at Sand Creek Ill. on August 18, 1889. The "Address and Declaration" is our historical record of what brethren will do to each other over truth, at least their view of it. We have not only printed the entire text of the "Declaration" but have already noted two unscriptural actions that killed the movement that was well on its way to ending sectarianism and denominationalism. The first two sins were to (1) violate God's congregational arrangement and (2) create a sect i.e. make differences in Biblical application grounds for establishing a separate group. Until this meeting the Restoration Movement was the fasting growing religious movement in the history of the United States. Today churches that have their roots there are declining numerically and are unrecognizable as part of that spirit and zeal. Why? They continue to preach the sermons that Stone, Campbell, Haggard and the others did but they do not practice what they preach. How can you preach against sectarianism when you are part of a religious group that has over 20 of them? My prayer is that this series will awake my brethren to the sins of Sand Creek that they have accepted as "gospel" and return to the Old Paths.
Daniel Sommer who at the time lived in Ohio gave the "Address" portion of the meeting in 1889. Much of his sermon you will probably agree is the truth. He spoke eloquently about the authority of the Scriptures and faithful service to God. He made application to "innovations" like instrumental music, the Missionary Society and church raffles that were without Biblical authority. So far, so good, but he also attacked colleges that teach the Bible, located preachers and city churches. Yes I said city churches. You see his power and influence were with those in rural areas and loved to tell his audiences that simple country folk stood for the truth but it was the educated city people that perverted God's word. Even this simple country parson can see the manipulation in his tactics. The sermon was an hour and 40 minutes long so I will not print the entire text. However there are two small paragraphs that were the beginning of the end of the non-denominational plea of the Restoration Movement. He may have been the first to preach this doctrine, and it took another 16 years to get his brethren to accept it, but today 99% of the members of the Church of Christ believe not only that it is taught in the Bible but that it also has been practiced for 2000 years. I call this the big lie!
The following sentences from his sermon I will quote exactly as Sommer printed them in his paper "Octographic Review" on September 5, 1889. All emphasis, punctuation and capital letters are as they appeared.
Next I read a
short sentence in Rom. 16:16. "The churches of Christ salute you" Without
going farther that shows that we all can believe that the body of Christians in
any given place should be called the "Church of Christ."
Christ is the
Head of the Church and as the head of every family determines the name of that
family so in reference to the Church of Christ.
The movement that was to end denominationalism just started a new one! If you don't believe that these two quotes are denominationalism then I hope you will read my article "Defining Our Terms: Denomination." The bottom line is this: the word "denominate" means "to give a name to" and "denomination" means "A class or kind of person or things distinguished by a specific name." You don't have to follow a human creed to be a denomination. You don't have to wear a name not in the Bible to be a denomination. Just read the dictionary! To be a denomination you only have to distinguish your group from the others with a specific name. Sommer and his followers started a sect when they separated themselves over issues like instrumental music and the Missionary Society and a denomination when they gave their sect a name, the Church of Christ. This denomination was not formally established until 1906. This was when David Lipscomb and the southern congregations under his influence joined the northern congregations under Sommer's influence and adopted the name "Church of Christ." This was also when the U.S. Bureau of Census registered this name for those from the Restoration Movement that did not use instrumental music.
The big lie is that this is the name the 1st century church wore. (When you get to heaven tell this to the Apostles who called it the house of God six times, church of God 9 times and the kingdom of God 73 time but churches of Christ only once.) The big lie is that faithful Christians have used this name for 2000 years. (When you get to heaven tell this to the saints who served God before 1889) The big lie is that unless people wear this name they are not Christians. (When you get to heaven tell this to Jesus who said, "He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved.") The big lie is that only those who wear this name can be brethren. (When you get to heaven tell this to M.C. Kurfrees and the brethren whose sign only said Haldeman Ave. Church for a hundred years.) The big lie is that the Church of Christ is not a denomination. (When you get to heaven tell this to Daniel Webster, if he is there, because he defined the word.)
The big lie is plain and simple hypocrisy. Members of the "Church of Christ" preach that their church started in A.D. 33 and tell their neighbors that any church that started after that date cannot be the true church. It is true that Jesus established His church on the day of Pentecost but the "Church of Christ" did not start officially until 1906! You don't think that your neighbors and relatives know the truth? They know what the "Church of Christ" believes. They know what the "Church of Christ" preaches. They know what the "Church of Christ" practices. They know that the "Church of Christ" is the only one going to heaven! And then you try to tell them that denominationalism is a sin? The sign in front of your place of worship tells the world the truth and, as they say, actions speak louder than words.
On Sunday
August 18, 1889 sincere Christians met to take a stand against the practices of
some of their brethren. The issues had nothing to do with the Godhead or the plan
of salvation. It was the way to do mission work, how congregations raised
money, church sponsored recreation, colleges, instrumental music and located
preachers. Even if they were right on all of these issues their zeal caused
them to violate the very principles they were defending. The sending of
representatives to vote on what was to be done violated the principle of
congregational autonomy. (They denied other congregations or individuals the
right to honestly disagree.) The belief that they must separate from the
offenders created a sect. (Did they know that their doctrine of separation would
divide and subdivide their sect even to this day?) Finally when they
chose a name for their sect they became a denomination. The Church of Christ.
But the worst sin is yet to come. We will examine it in the last lesson in this series.
To be continued.
The Parson