THE END OF RESTORATION
The Restoration plea to "speak where the Bible speaks and be silent where the Bible is silent" was and continues to be the only basis for religious unity. Denominational doctrines and human creeds can never bring together the believers in Christ. As long as congregations used this principle on matters of faith and did not make matters of opinion or application of scripture conditions of brotherhood the sectarian churches faced their death. Raccoon John Smith led 1600 Baptist out of their denomination and into non-sectarian service to God in only one year (1828) and there was no doubt that something special was happening. Day after day he preached: "come out from among them and be ye separate saith the Lord." He did not say the Baptist Church is a denomination but the Christian Church or the Church of Christ is the true church. He did not say your church is wrong but mine is right. The issue was not which sect had the most truth but that all sects were sinful. He did not have a church, but his Savior did and he begged his neighbors to leave their denominations and just be Christians that follow the Bible. Today's religious world would be a much different place had this attitude and plea continued.
However the Restoration Movement ended when certain preachers decided that all congregations of believers must accept their interpretations of the scriptures or they would be "dis-fellowshipped." We won't judge their love for the truth or the truthfulness of their positions but only their attitude and the actions that resulted. While we agree that the commands of God must be obeyed these commands have never been the problem. It is always the application of "apostolic example" or "necessary inference" that have divided us. When preachers believed that their application was the only one and must be followed by the congregations "or else" the hope of ending sectarianism died. Instead they created their own new sect and ultimately a new denomination. There is nothing new in their attitude. I beg you to read this passage from God's word. If it doesn't parallel the events of 1889 at Sand Creek I don't know what does.
"I wrote unto the church: but Diotrephes who loveth to have the preeminence among them, receiveth us not. Wherefore, if I come, I will remember his deeds which he doeth, prating against us with malicious words: and not content therewith, neither doth he himself receive the brethren, and forbiddeth them that would, and casteth them out of the church." 3 John 9-10
Please look at these key phrases: "loveth to have the preeminence"; "neither doth he ... receive the brethren"; "forbiddeth them that would"; "casteth them out of the church." There is no mention of the truth or false doctrine in John's warning. The issue was Diotrephes and the position he assumed among the brethren. In Romans 12 the Apostle Paul impressed on these Christians that we are members of the body of Christ and as such are equal in importance. "For I say, through the grace given unto me, to every man that is among you, not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think." (v. 3-8) When any preacher assumes to tell the elders of free, independent, autonomous congregations what they must believe and practice he has overstepped his God given bounds. When elders elevate such a man above his role as a teacher of the Word they have surrendered their Biblical authority.
This is what happened at Sand Creek Illinois in 1889. Daniel Sommer believed that congregations that contributed to the Missionary Society (an organization outside of the local congregation designed to do the work of the church), raised money in any way other than giving on the first day of the week, had a choir to sing during the worship or had a preacher paid to work with them were not faithful churches. (I will add for the sake of simplicity the issue of instrumental music even though it was not in the first published account.) Bro. Sommer convinced at least six congregations (if you read his hour and 40 minute Address it is clear that he also wrote the Declaration) to use the annual meeting at Sand Creek to draw a line of fellowship. If you remember, the Address and Declaration began with these words, "By the congregations represented by their respective church officers." The document agreed to and signed by them ended with: "If they will not turn away from such abominations ... we cannot and will not regard them as brethren." Herein do Sommer and these congregations commit the first of their four sins: violating congregational autonomy.
The following passages give us God's organizational arrangement for his people:
"For this cause left I thee in Crete, that thou shouldest set in order the things that are wanting, and ordain elders in every city ... " Titus 1:5
"And when they had ordained them elders in every church ... " Acts 14:23
"The elders which are among you I exhort, who am also an elder ... feed the flock of God which is among you, taking the oversight thereof ... " 1 Peter 5:1-2
There is no passage that authorizes elders of one congregation to tell another congregation what to believe or practice. No passage authorizes one congregation to withdraw fellowship from another. No passage authorizes congregations to meet and vote on matters of faith. No passage discusses unity on any level other than the local congregation. No passage gives a congregation the right to establish their own conditions of brotherhood. No passage gives a congregation the right to remove those whom God has saved from the Lamb's Book of Life.
After Sand Creek these brethren could no longer claim to believe in congregational autonomy, without being hypocrites. After Sand Creek these brethren could no longer oppose the Missionary Society, without being hypocrites. After Sand Creek these brethren could no longer condemn the Baptist for voting in their conventions, without being hypocrites. After Sand Creek these brethren could no longer claim they followed the New Testament pattern in the organization of the church, without being hypocrites. After Sand Creek these brethren to oppose "innovations" had digressed further than many they condemned. After Sand Creek the restoration plea became just a hollow sound!
The first step is now taken to destroy the Restoration Movement and establish a new denomination. Only three more remain.
The Parson