Independent H. Leo Boles
The Nov. 10, 1932 issue of the GOSPEL ADVOCATE really stirs memories. Foy E. Wallace, Jr. was editor, and bro. Cled wrote Sword Swipes. C. D. Plum wrote that Possibly the latest thing that now threatens the church is premillennialism. Regarding Charity Work of the Church bro. W. Claude Hall said, nothing must be used but the church as an organized body.
But we quote in this and our next issue, MORE ABOUT HOW TO DO MISSIONARY WORK, by the beloved and respected bro. H. Leo Boles. To save space we omit the text of scriptures cited. Our brief comments will be reserved for the following issue.
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The study of the New Testament reveals the fact that churches raised and distributed funds for two general purposes— namely, (1) to support the preaching of the gospel and (2) to help the poor. The churches acted in this work as individual and independent congregations. The missionary received help from the church that sent him out, from those in the field where he labored, and from other churches; but in all of this work there was no common fund for churches, no central church with a treasurer to receive the funds from the other chinches, no general treasury to take care of the funds, no call from any church to other churches to help them do the work which fell in their province to do.
We have an account of the relief of the poor saints in New Testament times. The churches of three provinces under divine order contributed to this work, but there was no such extensive collection of funds made in the apostolic age for sending a preacher into a destitute field. No church consulted any other church. They did not form any organic cooperative plan or union with the other churches. Each church, guided by the instruction from God that it had, acted upon its own independent responsibility. Each church collected its own gift and sent by its own messengers.... (1 Cor. 16:1-3) In this we have specific instruction to the individual congregation as to how it was to proceed to make its collection and the distribution that should be made of it. In writing to the church at Rome, Paul said... (Rom. 15:25-31) This shows Pauls earnest desire that the contribution from the Gentiles to the Jewish Christians would be acceptable to them; that they would appreciate the gifts from their Gentile brethren.
Speaking further on this question, Paul said... (2 Cor. 8:16-24) Again, we have the example of independent church activities; we have the individual churches acting upon their own initiative and liberality in helping the poor. By whom were the visiting agents appointed? They were not appointed by a convention of delegates from the churches in the provinces of the Gentile Christians. These churches had no convention and took no cooperative action in appointing and sending the men to carry the contribution to the poor saints in Jerusalem. Paul sent them to make up the afore-promised bounty and have it ready by the time that he arrived.(2 Cor. 9:3-5) (To be continued——)