Devoted to the Propagation and Defense of New Testament Christianity
VOLUME 12
June 16, 1960
NUMBER 7, PAGE 6-7,10-11a

What Is The Herald Of Truth?

A. C. Grider, Louisville, Kentucky

(Editor's note: On March 20, 1960, Brother Grider preached a sermon in Louisville entitled, "What Is The Herald of Truth?" The sermon was put in tract form, and has been ordered by the hundreds from brethren in widely scattered areas. The tract can be had for 10 cents per copy, or $7.50 per hundred, and should be ordered from A. C. Grider 4620 Preston Highway, Louisville, Kentucky. We print the tract in full in this issue and next week's issue of the Gospel Guardian.)

When man fell through disobedience, in the garden of Eden, he began to be in need of a saviour. God promised him a saviour, in Gen. 3:15. The promise of a saviour was renewed and enlarged upon many times during the Patriarchal and Jewish Dispensations. And when we look into the New Testament, we see an early reference to the Saviour. God declares, in Matt. 1:21, that the son of the virgin would "save his people from their sins". Jesus declared that he came "to seek and to save that which was lost". Paul said, "Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners."

Now this salvation of the sinner is brought about by two things. The plan of salvation and the church of the Lord. I would like to emphasize that the plan of salvation and the church are inseparably connected in the salvation of the sinner. When one obeys the conditions announced in the plan of salvation he is added to the church by the Lord. He is translated into the kingdom of God's dear Son. Col. 1:13.

Matt. 28:19-20 records the great commission. And it is noted that the Saviour commanded the apostles to "go, and teach all nations". But, they were told NOT TO GO IMMEDIATELY, but to tarry in Jerusalem until they were endued with power from on high. Luke 24:49. This power came on the day of Pentecost, as recorded in Acts 2. This was the day the church was established upon the earth. So, these apostles, and those who would believe on the Lord through their word, were to go, AS MEMBERS OF THE CHURCH, to preach the gospel.

God, in his wisdom, saw fit to have Christians gather together in communities, or congregations, to preach the gospel. That these congregations might engage in concerted action, God ordained that each congregation should have leadership. So, he ordained that elders be appointed in every church. Acts 14:23 and Titus 1:5. That elders were to be appointed in every Church is proof positive that God intended for them to exercise their office ONLY in the congregation where they were appointed. But we are not left to guess about it. God told us plainly that the work of elders was restricted to the congregation where they reside. Paul told the Ephesian elders to feed the flock "over the which the Holy Ghost hath made you overseers". Acts 20:28. And the Apostle Peter declared that elders should take the oversight of "the flock which is among you." 1 Pt. 5:1.

Under this simple arrangement of elders overseeing the flock among them, the gospel was preached, in a few short years, to the then known world. Col. 1:23. Since this was God's plan, and since God's plan was working so well, it seems incredible that man should dare, or even desire to change it. But man DID desire, and DID dare, and man did CHANGE this simple plan of congregational operation, under local elders, to a CENTRALIZED arrangement, wherein elders arose to exercise power over people NOT OF their own local congregation. Paul had predicted this in Act 20:30. Thus there was a change both in operation and in organization. This brought about a complete apostasy and the formation of a religious organization unknown to the New Testament. This new organization is known as the Roman Catholic Church. The Roman Catholic stands today as a monument to man's presumption in changing God's LOCAL ARRANGEMENT, for preaching the gospel, to man's CENTRALIZED ARRANGEMENT. And as long as there is a Catholic on this earth, there will be testimony of man's sin against God.

Finally there was a plea to restore New Testament Christianity. "Back to Jerusalem", they said. "Let's get back to the beginning; back to the Bible," was the cry. And back to the Bible they came. But, alas, man quickly decided again that the simple congregational arrangement God had prescribed was too slow. They again clamored for a CENTRALIZED AGENCY to "expedite" the work of preaching the gospel. And, once again, they began to COMBINE congregations. Once again there was complete apostasy. And, once again, there came into being a religious organization unknown to the New Testament. This new organization, as you know, was the Christian Church. Thus, the Christian Church stands today as a monument to man's presumption in charging from God's plan of congregational activity to man's CENTRALIZED activity or UNIVERSAL CHURCH ACTION. As long as there is a member of the Christian Church on earth. there will be testimony of man's sin against God in rejecting his plan.

If God's people had stayed with God's arrangement of congregational activity, there would have been no Catholic Church. If God's people had stayed with God's arrangement of congregational activity, there would have been no Christian Church. And, today, if God's people will stay with God's plan of local congregational activity, there will be no new religious sect born. But, just as surely as man's departure from God's plan resulted in the formation of the Catholic Church; and just as surely as man's departure from God's plan resulted in the formation of the Christian Church; just that sure, man's departure NOW from God's plan will result in the formation of a religious sect wholly unknown to the Word of God.

Now, I am charging that the centralized arrangement among churches of Christ today, known as the Herald of Truth, is exactly and precisely the SAME KIND of arrangement that resulted in the formation of both the Catholic and the Christian Churches. It is this Herald of Truth arrangement we would like to discuss today. While I do not anticipate any disagreement whatsoever with what I shall say, by any member of this congregation, I do beg of you to listen carefully to what I shall say, and weigh prayerfully the things spoken, so that you may rescue your friends and neighbors who have been taken in by the publicity resulting from the Herald of Truth.

Before I come directly to a discussion of the Herald of Truth, there are some general observations I wish to make. First, it is with reluctance that we charge our brethren with deliberate deception in their promotion of the many institutions now troubling the church. And, for years after the inauguration of these efforts to combine churches, we refrained from doing so. However we have found it so increasingly difficult to come up with any other explanation for the actions of these brethren, we are forced to the conclusion that their defense of same is not altogether on the level. For instance, and before you judged me too hastily, let me direct your attention to a matter:

Several months ago, I wrote an article, entitled: I WAS TAUGHT. The article concerned the benevolent work of the church. It was widely circulated and read. It has since been reproduced in a little book, CONGREGATIONAL COOPERATION OF THE CHURCHES OF CHRIST. I shall read you the statements I made:

1. "One year after I obeyed the gospel (1929) James A. Allen said, in the GOSPEL ADVOCATE, 'Every local congregation was all-sufficient in every avenue of charity and benevolence' ".

2. "One year after I obeyed the gospel (1929) H. M. Phillips said, 'I believe the CHURCH is the only ORGANIZATION that should and can do it'. He was speaking of benevolent work. His statement is in the GOSPEL ADVOCATE."

3. "Two years after I obeyed the Gospel (1930) A. B. Barrett said, in the GOSPEL ADVOCATE. "There were no brotherhood colleges, church papers, church orphanages, old folks homes, SUCH LIKE among Apostolic churches' ".

4. "Three years after I obeyed the gospel (1931) F. B. Sryglery said, in the GOSPEL ADVOCATE, 'Benevolence was done in the early church without any organization except the local church' ".

5. "Four years after I obeyed the gospel (1932) W. Claud Hall said, in the GOSPEL ADVOCATE, "There was not another organization formed to take care of this work'. He was speaking of benevolent work".

6. "Four years after I obeyed the gospel (1932) H. Leo Boles said, in the GOSPEL ADVOCATE, 'Churches cannot cooperate and please God, when they form new organizations through which to work. No organization is needed' ".

7. "Five years after I obeyed the gospel (1933) George Pepperdine said, in the GOSPEL ADVOCATE, `If a separate organization to own and operate a children's home is not unscriptural, then I do not understand why it would be unscriptural for the same board of directors to operate a missionary society'."

8. "Six years after I obeyed the gospel (1934) W. E. Brightwell said, in the GOSPEL ADVOCATE, 'Church debts, INSTITUTIONS, and cooperative enterprises will as surely enslave and destroy us as it has enslaved and destroyed others'."

Now these are the statements I made, months ago, relative to the benevolent work of the church. Thus I proved conclusively that I believed, away back in the early thirties, what I believe now. And I proved conclusively that the GOSPEL ADVOCATE taught then exactly what I teach now. And, what has been the reaction of the opposition? They have made no attempt whatsoever to set aside my arguments. Unless and until they make an attempt to show that these statements were NOT MADE. or that I have MISUNDERSTOOD them, or until they admit that the Gospel Advocate has changed its position on the matter; I shall be forced to attribute their charge that I am teaching something new to downright dishonesty.

Presently, I want to refer to some other statements which have appeared in the Gospel Advocate relative to the questions that are involved in the Herald of Truth arrangement. I shall NOT refer to the Gospel Advocate to prove that it is RIGHT or NOT to have the Herald of Truth. I did not refer to the Gospel Advocate to prove that it was right or not right to have the churches build and maintain benevolent organizations. I cited them on benevolence, and shall cite them on missionary work, to prove that I am teaching NOW what I have ALWAYS taught on the matters, and that it is the Gospel Advocate that has changed its position. So, when I refer to the Gospel Advocate, in a few minutes, it will not be to prove that it is wrong to have the Herald of Truth, but it will be to prove that the Gospel Advocate USED to teach that it was wrong to have it. The Bible used to teach it was wrong and it STILL DOES!

But I would like to note, along that line, that there is a financial tie-up between the Gospel Advocate and the various organizations which have sprung up among churches of Christ. A financial connection which makes it impossible for the Gospel Advocate to "advocate the gospel". There is hardly a week goes by but that some "concern" runs a full page ad in the Advocate, paying there's no telling how much money for it. It may be a congregation, embarked on a begging campaign. It may be a college that receives money from churches. It may be an orphan home which receives money not only from churches but from every other source in the world. It may be a publishing Company, or it may be something else. But hardly a week goes by but that some of them run a full page ad in the Gospel Advocate. Even in this year of 1960, the Gospel Advocate has had full page ads from several colleges, from several churches, from the Herald of Truth, from publishing companies, and from various other things. Therefore the Gospel Advocate must support whatever these things want to support. And these things must support whatever the Gospel Advocate wants to support. In effect, therefore, they have formed what amounts to an "unholy alliance." which prevents, to the extent of its power, the truth from being presented on these matters.

One other general observation, and then we will come quickly to our subject of the hour. And that is, the needs of these enterprises are exaggerated and falsified. Now, I say that advisedly and I want to emphasize it by underlining the word FALSIFIED. The need of these enterprises are exaggerated and falsified. I call attention to a full page ad in the Gospel Advocate of date March 24, 1955. The ad, by Tennessee Orphan Home, for which they probably paid the Gospel Advocate a large sum of money, stated that they were "holding up some past due bills". On this basis, they appealed to churches everywhere to send them money. Note that March 24, 1955 is about the MIDDLE of a fiscal year that would end October 34,1955, It so happens that I have a financial report of Tennessee Orphan Home -for the fiscal year ending October 31, 1955. This financial report shows that the "Home received a total of $121,073.80 that year. It lists expenses thus: "Total care of the children" $56,254.66. "Upkeep of plant and Equipment" $29,261.59: -"Administrative Expense" $15,279.34. "Cost of Fixed Assets" $3,444.77. Then, and this is the item I want you to see, "AMOUNT RECEIVED OVER COST OF OPERATION' $16,883.44. Now get it, brethren, for the fiscal year ending October 31, 1955, Tennessee Orphan Home says it received over and above the cost of operation (and that included every item of overhead the administration wanted to include) the sum of $16,833.44. Thus, this human institution, while receiving, over $1400 per month ABOVE TOTAL OPERATING EXPENSES; runs a full page ad in the Gospel Advocate and says they are having to hold up past due bills. So, I repeat, their needs are exaggerated and FALSIFIED. They are simply NOT TELLING THE TRUTH in these appeals.

Now, as I suggested, let me call attention to some statements in the Gospel Advocate concerning an arrangement such as the Herald of Truth. If somebody objects that I am referring too much to the Gospel Advocate, let it be noted that I was brought up under the solid scriptural teaching of the "Old Reliable" and I deplore its departure from the truth, But I state again that I am not citing these statements to prove that it is wrong to have an arrangement such as the Herald of Truth. I am citing these statements to prove that the Gospel Advocate USED to teach that it was wrong to have it.

On August 18, 1928, the very year and the very month in which I obeyed the gospel, F. W. Smith said, in the GOSPEL ADVOCATE, "Each congregation attended to its own affairs in the raising and disbursing of its funds in all phases of religious obligations."

On March 13, 1930, A. B. Barrett said, in the GOSPEL ADVOCATE, "Every church of Christ is thus divinely constituted so as to function independently of all other like congregations. There is no New Testament authority for combining two or more such congregations for any purpose whatsoever. If any such combination is accomplished, it is wholly without the plane of New Testament teaching, hence unscriptural and sinful." Thus the Gospel Advocate taught, in 1930, that it was unscriptural and sinful to combine two or more congregations for any purpose.

On May 14, F. B. Srygley said, in the GOSPEL ADVOCATE, "Sometime after the apostles died (it even began to work in their day) men became dissatisfied with this simple organization and began to desire to do some great work. These simple organizations soon began to bind themselves together through their elderships." This is EXACTLY what "simple organizations are doing in the Herald of Truth arrangement.

On May 14, 1931, Foy E. Wallace said, in the GOSPEL ADVOCATE, "On the same Principle, if the elders of one congregation solicit funds of other congregations, for general distribution, then the elders of one congregation usurp the functions of the congregations whose funds they receive and disburse." Wallace further said, in the same article, "But for one church to solicit funds from other churches for general distribution in other fields or places, thus becoming the treasury of other churches, is quite a different question. Such procedure makes a sort of SOCIETY out of the elders of a local church, and for such there is no scriptural precedent or example."

On December 3, 1931, F. B. Srygley said, in the GOSPEL ADVOCATE, "These elders had no authority to take charge of the missionary money or any other money or means of any church except the one over which they were 'overseers'. Each church was complete within itself." And Srygley said, in the same article, "Churches should never be tied together, even in as good a work as preaching the gospel to the heathens. Elders of one church should not try to get hold of the money that has been contributed by others to direct for them in foreign fields or other places. No missionary society should be started by elders of a church or by any individual." Thus Srygley taught that elders of a church would comprise a missionary society if they got hold of the missionary money of other churches. This is exactly what the elders of Abilene are DOING. And a MISSIONARY SOCIETY for churches of Christ is exactly what they have thus BECOME.

On November 3, 1932", H. Leo Boles said, in the GOSPEL ADVOCATE, "There is no example in the New Testament of two or more churches joining together their funds for support of the gospel." And Boles further said, in the same article, "A challenge here issued to any to find a New Testament example of two or more churches uniting their funds and supporting, the preaching of the gospel.

Finally, on January 11, 1934, F. B. Srygley said, in the GOSPEL ADVOCATE, "If two or more churches put it into the hands of a board, though the board may be made up of the elders of one of the churches, we have a very nice beginning for a missionary society to try to take charge of the churches." (Emphasis in all quotations mine, VG).

Such, my brethren, is the kind of teaching I was brought up on. From the BIBLE I was taught that such an arrangement as the Herald of Truth is wrong. But from the Gospel Advocate too, I was taught that such was unscriptural and sinful. What will the opposition do regarding this? They will IGNORE these statements. They will continue to insist that the Gospel Advocate is still teaching as it always taught. And they will declare that A. C. Grider has departed from former teaching. But their charges will have a hollow ring unless they can show that the foregoing statements were not made, or that I have misunderstood them, or that Grider's teaching now is different to the teaching of the Bible or to the former teaching of the Gospel Advocate.

But, moving along as rapidly as possible, I now direct your attention to the blackboard. Observe, if you will that I have three words up here in the upper left hand corner of the board.

Chart Goes Here

I have the words "Independent',"Equal", and "Autonomous". I simply mean to indicate that every congregation on earth is independent of every other congregation. I mean to indicate that each congregation is absolutely equal to every other congregation. And each congregation is autonomous. Nobody argues otherwise. Even the most ardent advocate of the Herald of Truth will admit that all congregations are independent, equal, and autonomous. These things are so readily admitted that I am not going to elaborate on them. I am just going to state, again, that all congregations of the church of Christ are independent, and they are equal, and they are autonomous. I am going to show you, in a moment, when I refer to the next diagram, that, in the Herald of Truth arrangement, the independence is destroyed, the equality is destroyed, and the autonomy is destroyed.

But I note, also on the board, that it is the obligation of congregations, any of them, all of them, to preach the gospel, to edify the saints, and to relieve the needs of the saints. But everybody knows that, and admits that. So I will not elaborate on that either.

Then I note, here at the bottom, that it is scriptural for churches to send preachers to preach. We have examples of churches sending preachers. And we have examples sending TO preachers in the field. I will turn to the Scriptures in a moment and read it to you. Then we have examples of churches sending to needy churches. Thus, if a congregation is independent of all other congregations, or it is equal to all other congregations, if it is autonomous, if it is edifying the saints, if it is relieving the needs of the saints, if it is sending a preacher, if it is sending to a preacher, and if it is helping another church that is in need, then it is scriptural. But if these things are violated, the thing is NOT scriptural.

In I Cor. 9:14, the Apostle Paul said, "Even so hath the Lord ordained that they which preach the gospel shall live of the gospel." That is, one who preaches the gospel has a right to be paid for his work. In 2 Cor. 11:8, the Apostle declared, "I robbed other churches, taking wages of them, to do you service." Thus it is scriptural to take wages of churches for preaching. Then in Phil 2:25 and also in 4:15, 18, Paul reminded the Philippian brethren that they had sent once and again to his necessity. In 2:25, he said, "Yet I supposed it necessary to send to you Epaphroditus, my brother, and companion in labor, and fellow-soldier, but your messenger, and he that ministered to my wants." That is, he brought your gifts to me. Over in the 4th chapter and verse 15, "Now ye Philippians know also, that is the beginning of the gospel, when I departed from Macedonia, no church communicated with me as concerning giving and receiving, but ye only." And then, in verse 18, he said, "But I have all and abound: I am full, having received of Epaphroditus the things which were sent from you, an odour of a sweet smell, a sacrifice acceptable, well-pleasing unto God." So, we have an example of a church sending to a preacher. And then, in Acts 11:30, we read, "Which also they did, and sent it to the elders by the hands of Barnabas and Saul." Thus, the writer describes a case where one church helped another church, take care of its own work when it found itself unable to do so alone. Now, these are things you can read in the Bible, That they sent a preacher, that they sent to a preacher, that they helped other churches who they were in need, you can read in the Bible. That churches are independent, equal, and autonomous you can read the Bible. That they preached, that they edified, that they relieved the needs of the saints, you can read in the Bible. That they sent a preacher, that they sent to a preacher, that they helped other churches when they were in need, you can read in the Bible. (to be continued next week)