From The Heart Of A Simple
Parson
You may find it strange that our study begins at the
end of the story and not the beginning. Why? It is our desire to "Restore
The Restoration Plea"
and to do so it
is more important to understand what killed this grand experiment than
what
started it. The movement to destroy sectarianism somehow became the
most
divided and sectarian in the religious world. One of the denominations
that
resulted, the Church of Christ, has so many different sects that the
"distinctive name" tells little about the beliefs of those meeting
under the
marquee. Every day we fail to return to the Old Paths precious souls
pass into
eternity. Millions of these have rejected the "institutional church"
with its
worldliness and division. The Restoration Movement also rejected the
"institutional church" and gave sinners this simple message: The saved are
added to God's family, not any denomination. If you are in one, "come out
from among them and be ye separate, saith the Lord." Now these poor souls join "independent churches" that
don't preach what even my Grandfather's parakeet did: "Acts two thirty
eight, read it yourself. Acts two thirty eight, read it yourself." The growth of the independent church movement, while
the Churches of Christ are in decline, proves that the Restoration message
would be as powerful today as ever. But these sincere people will be lost
unless we give them the simple truth of God's Word and its answer to sinful denominationalism. We don't have
even one day to waste! We must get out ourselves if we have any hope of
showing them the non-sectarian church of the New Testament. Soon we will answer
to God for our divisions over the application of scripture. Standing for the
truths in God's Word can never interfere with bringing the lost to "the Lamb
of God that taketh away the sins of the world." It will be sad indeed if we spend eternity with
those we could have saved!
The Parson
THE END OF RESTORATION
And
THE START OF A DENOMINATION
Lesson 1
We start our study with the document that not only
destroyed the effort to end sectarian division but would also start a new
denomination and create the justification for more sectarianism than ever.
Until the advent of the Internet I had never seen the full text of the Sand
Creek "Address and Declaration," only excerpts to either defend or condemn it.
I submit it in its entirety for your consideration and reflection without
emphasis or comment. Next week I will give you my thoughts concerning it.
DANIEL
SOMMER
1850-1940
Over
5,000 saints were present outside a small brick
meeting house in central Illinois on August 18, 1889 to hear the
North's most
powerful and influential preacher, Daniel Sommer. His sermon was not
what they
expected! He preached for an hour and forty minutes laying out his
objections
to "innovations" and the Biblical reasons for the action that was about
to be
taken. His sermon ended with these words echoing across the Illinois
prairie: "WHAT THEN MUST BE DONE? In the language of the Apostle Peter
I answer: "THE
TIME IS COME THAT JUDGEMENT MUST BEGIN AT THE HOUSE OF GOD." (Bro.
Sommer's
emphasis, not mine.) The audience was in stunned silence as bro. Sommer
left
the stand and bro. Peter Warren, an elder and preacher at Sand Creek,
took the
stand. The document Warren read would, in the words of Sommer, be "destined
to pass into history and the influence thereof will doubtless be felt until the
close of time."
The following is the
version
of the "Address and Declaration" that Daniel Sommer published in his
paper "Octographic Review" on September 5, 1889. There is one line that
was inserted
when published by J.L. Rowe on September 10, 1889 in his paper
"Christian
Leader." The difference, while just one phrase, is important! After you
have a
chance to read the document I will tell you what bro. Rowe added. We
must
assume that it was not in the original that was voted on by the
represented
churches because of Sommer's role in drafting its content. It is
important for
you to take the time to read this position statement of some of our
brethren in
1889.
It spelled the end of the
Restoration Movement.
"--Followed a
speech--duration one hour and forty minutes--by Daniel Sommer--
(Elder P.P. Warren then
took the stand and addressed the audience substantially as given below)
My
brethren--
I
come before you today with thoughts and feelings different from what I
have
ever had before in addressing you. For about forty years I have stood
in this
and adjoining communities as a proclaimer of the gospel. I took up the
work in
company with those who were pioneers of this country. We started on the
platform of the Bible, the whole Bible and nothing but the Bible. The
New
Testament we took as our rule of faith and practice. "Where the Bible
speaks we
will speak and where the Bible is silent we will be silent" was our
watchword.
Then we prospered and became, as our brother who preceded me has shown
you, a
great and mighty people. For a continuation of this order of things we
hoped
and labored and prayed. But there have arisen many among us who have
shown
themselves to be unsatisfied with what is written. They have introduced
things
which our King has never authorized, and as a result have made us a
divided and
an unhappy people. We pled and entreated that we might have the peace
of the
gospel, but they would not hear our entreaties. Therefore, after much
earnest
thought on the part of loyal brethren it was decided that something
should be
said and done which would relieve those who intend to be true to the
Lord Jesus
Christ from responsibility for the misdemeanors, of those who are not
satisfied
with what is written in the Word of God. That is to say, these brethren
decided
that those who are loyal to Christ should no longer have thrust in
their faces
by wordlings and their religious neighbors, such taunts as this: "Why
your
people have fairs--your people have festivals and your people have a
good many
things that Christ never authorized." As a result a goodly number of
Churches
sent prominent brethren and we met yesterday, August 17th, in the Sand
Creek house of worship and decided upon the following document which I
will read:
ADDRESS AND DECLARATION
BY THE CONGREGATIONS REPRESENED BY THEIR RESPECTIVE
CHURCH OFFICERS IN A MASS MEETING ASSEMBLED
AT SAND CREEK, SHELBY CO., ILL, AUG. 17, A.D. 1889
TO ALL THOSE WHO IT MAY CONCERN: greeting
Brethren:
You doubtless know that we as disciples of Christ (with scarcely an exception) many long years ago took the position that in matters of doctrine and practice, religiously, that "where the Bible speaks we speak, and where the Bible is silent we are silent;" and that further, we held that nothing should be taught, received or practiced for which we could not produce a "thus saith the Lord." And doubtless many of you also know that as long as the above principles were constantly and faithfully observed, that we were a happy and prosperous people. Then we were of one heart and of one soul, we lived in peace and prospered in the things pertaining to the kingdom of God and the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. Then what was written as doctrine and practice was taught and observed by the disciples. And, it may not be amiss in this connection to say that many, yes, very many in the sectarian churches saw the beauty, consistency and wonderful strength and harmony in the plea, as set forth by the disciples, for the restoration of primitive or apostolic Christianity in spirit and in practice; and so came and united with us in the same great and godly work. It is, perhaps, needless for us to add in this connection that we, as a people, discarded all man-made laws, disciplines, and confessions of faith, as means of governing the church. We have always acknowledged and do now acknowledge the all-sufficiency of the Holy Scriptures to govern us as individuals and as congregations. As an apostle has said, "All scripture is given by inspiration of God; and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, and for instruction in righteousness, that the man of God may be perfect, thoroughly furnished unto all good works."
And now, please allow us to call attention to more painful facts and considerations. There are those among us who do teach and practice things not taught nor found in the New Testament, which have been received by many well meaning disciples, but rejected by those more thoughtful and, in most instances, better informed in the scriptures, and who have repeatedly protested against this false teaching and these corrupt practices among the disciples. Some of the things against which we protest are the unlawful methods resorted to in order to raise or get money for religious purposes, NAMELY, that of the church holding festivals of various kinds in the house of the Lord or elsewhere, demanding sometimes that each participant shall pay a certain sum for an admittance fee; the select choir to the virtual, if not the real, abandonment of congregational singing; likewise the manmade society for missionary work, and the one man, imported preacher-pastor to take the oversight of the church. These with many other objectionable and unauthorized things are now taught and practiced in many of the congregations, and that to the great grief and mortification of some of the members of said congregations.
And now, brethren, you that teach such things, and such like things, and those who practice the same, must certainly know that they are not only not in harmony with the gospel, but are in opposition thereto. You surely will admit that it is safe, and only safe to teach and practice what the divine record enjoins upon the disciples. To this none can reasonably object, and this is exactly what we want and for which we contend. And, now, we say, that we beg of you to turn away speedily and at once from such things, and remember that though we are the Lord's freemen yet we are bound by the authority of our Lord Jesus Christ. You know that by keeping His commandments and not the commandments of men that we have the assurance of his approval. Therefore, brethren, without addressing you further by using other arguments, and without going further in detailing these unpleasant, and as we see them, vicious things, you must allow us in kindness, and in Christian courtesy, and at the same time with firmness, to declare that we cannot tolerate the things of which we complain; for if we do, then we are (in a measure at least) blamable ourselves. And, let it be distinctly understood, that this "Address and Declaration" is not made in any spirit of envy or hate, or malice or any such thing. But we are only actuated from a sense of duty to ourselves and to all concerned; for we feel that the time has fully come when something of a more definite character ought to be known and recognized between the church and the world. Especially is this apparent when we consider the scriptural teachings in the matters to which we have herein referred-such for instance as the following: "Be not conformed to this world, but be ye transformed, by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God."
It is therefore, with the view, if possible, of counteracting the usages and practices that have crept into the church, that this effort on the part of the congregations hereafter named is made. And now, in closing up this address and declaration, we state that we are impelled from a sense of duty to say, that all such as are guilty of teaching, or allowing and practicing the many innovations to which we have referred, that after being admonished and having had sufficient time for reflection, if they do not turn away from such abominations, that we can not and will not regard them as brethren.
(Signed)
P.P. Warren, A.J. Nance, Daniel Baker, Peter Robertson, J.K.P. Rose, James W. Warren, Officers of Sand Creek Church
Randolph Miller, Charles Erwin, W.K. Baker, Wm. Cozier, Officers of Liberty Church
Wm. R. Storm, Ash Grove Church
J.H. Hagan, Union Church
Isaac Walters, Mode Church
The brethren, whose names stand alone in signing this document, represented the churches from which they came. Besides these, Elder Colson, of Grays and Elder Hoke, of Stricklyn congregation, signed as individuals only, because the congregations whence they came had not been called together and formally sent them.
Green Creek congregation was represented by letter from Bro. Jesse Baker, indorsing the movement."
I promised no
comment and I will keep my word as difficult as that might be. But what was
missing in the Declaration? Instrumental music in worship! Bro. Sommer
did discuss it in his sermon as an innovation but it was not in the "Address
and Declaration." Bro. Rowe added it when he printed it in his paper. Your
speculation as to why it was excluded as one of the reasons for not "regarding
them as brethren" is as good as mine. We will
have to leave it at that for now.
The Parson, 2/6/05