It's Official Now
The "1960 Britannica Book of The Year" is now in the hands of the reading public. On the cover of this edition this statement is found. "The illustrated factual record of great events of an important year." (emphasis mine L.M.) This book is quoted as authority on subject contained therein. It claims to be FACTUAL. Therefore we may accept what is written in it as being official.
On page 162 under the heading "CHURCHES OF CHRIST", with the initials at the bottom of the article, "M.N.Y.". (This indentifies the writer as Brother M. Norvel Young, President of George Pepperdine College) paragraph three, we read this pronouncement, "More than 7,000 students were enrolled in 16 colleges operated by the church." (emphasis mine, L.M.) There you have it. "SIXTEEN COLLEGES OPERATED BY THE CHURCH" Who says so? Brother M. Norvel Young, Ph.D. He ought to know. He is President of a College. He is the author of, "A History of Christian Colleges." He is "a brotherhood figure" (whatever that is) "a world traveler among the churches of Christ", recognized, used and endorsed by more colleges and churches possibly than any other man in the church.
Many brethren have contended that it is unscriptural for "the church" to support and operate colleges and schools. Among the most outspoken is Brother Reuel Lemmons, Editor of the Firm Foundation. Poor Brother Lemmons. He has no end of trouble with "schools" and professors. While attending one of "our school" lectureships he was pushed from the "middle of the road" on the "institutional orphan" question to the "wrong side". Now the President of George Pepperdine College is "pushing" him from the RIGHT SIDE of the "church operated school and college" question. Brother Lemmons will either have to stand his ground and repudiate Brother M. Norvel Young's "official" statement or change his present position of opposing "church operated and supported school and colleges". I predict that he will go with the "institutional" crowd on the "college questions" exactly as he did on the "benevolent societies question".
Brother Lemmons is not alone in this "hot-spot". The brethren and churches of Christ in "Dallas County" Texas are in exactly the same situation. In "Policies" of "Christian Schools, Inc." article 9 it is stated, "It shall never be stated, implied, nor otherwise indicated, that Christian Schools, Inc. is sponsored, supervised, or OPERATED BY nor a part of the organization of any congregation of the Churches of Christ in Dallas County, or elsewhere " Yet, Brother Young specifically mentions in his article in The Britannic Book of the Year, the "Eight Christian grade schools" in Dallas, Texas. His article was dealing with "CHURCHES OF CHRIST". This is in the same paragraph where he says "16 colleges operated by the church".
I'm sure that he included Abilene Christian College, David Lipscomb College, Harding College, George Pepperdine College and others in the "16 colleges operated by the church"; otherwise I do not believe he could have found "More than 7,000 students". Now, will all these colleges accept the "official" statement that they are "operated by the church"? Or will they deny it. If they deny it there will develop in the ranks of the "liberals" a division as marked as that between Communistic Russia and the United States of America. THIS IS INEVITABLE UNLESS A HOST OF BRETHREN AND CHURCHES SWALLOW THIS, ANOTHER SCHEME, OF THE INSTITUTIONAL PROMOTERS.
Surely, this ought to open the eyes of honest and sincere brethren to the fact that these "Institutional promoters" will go to any length to fasten their institutions on the church of our Lord. They already have the "benevolent institutions" fastened to the church with their hands dipping into the treasury. They knew that if they could palm off on an unsuspecting people the emotional plea for "poor little orphans" to get ONE human institution tacked onto the church; that it would be easy for them to bring in the "educational institutions" on exactly the same grounds. They are already making the argument that if the church can build, maintain, and operate a human institution to do the benevolent work, why can't the church build, maintain and operate a human institution to do the work of edification? They are right. If the church can scripturally do one she can scripturally do the other. They stand or fall together. THE TRUTH IS THAT THE CHURCH CAN NOT DO EITHER ONE SCRIPTURALLY.
In bygone years liberal minded brethren used the "Missionary Societies" to "run interference" for the "church operated schools"; now, liberal minded brethren are using the "benevolent societies" to run that interference.
Brethren, IT IS NOW OR NEVER. Wake up and contend for the ALL-SUFFICIENCY OF THE CHURCH, OR RELEGATE THE CHURCH TO THE REALM OF AN INCOMPLETE, INSUFFICIENT AND INCAPABLE ORGANIZATION: AND TURN GOD'S WORK OVER TO HUMAN INSTITUTIONS. "CHOOSE YE THIS DAY".