Another Look At The "How" Argument
Let's take another look at the "how" argument. It seems to be a "stand-by" in the defense of church supported orphanages under the control of a board of directors or trustees. We are ever told that God tells us to care for the needy but doesn't say how to do it. Therefore any aid or method that is expedient is authorized. J. B. Briney stood by this argument in defense of Missionary societies in debate with W. W. Otey. Rue Porter stood on this argument in debate with Carl Ketcherside in 1937. Guy N. Woods stood on this argument in debate with W. Curtis Porter in Indianapolis. Nearly every devotee to the institutional cause in the church today makes this argument in defense of the orphanages in question.
There have been quite a number of very fine refutations of this false argument and this effort is not an attempt to add another. In this article, I mean simply to investigate the argument a little further to provoke thought and study.
Who Is The "Us?"
In making this argument, those who rely on it fail to tell us who they are talking about. Pardon my grammar, but who is us? Do they mean that us is the church and that God failed to instruct the church as to how to do the work of relief? Or do they mean that us is parents and that God failed to tell parents how to care for children? Or do they mean that us is one of these orphanages and that God failed to tell the orphanages how to care for the needy? Here is the real point of contention. Objection to the church support of this practice is based on the fact that no scriptural precedent is to be found in God's word authorizing such organizations as these orphanages in doing the work assigned to the church.
The Bible plainly teaches that it is the work of the church to "relieve" widows in deed. (1 Tim. 5:16) The Bible plainly teaches that the local organization is the only authorized organization to do the work of the church. (Acts 14:23; Phil. 1:1) The Bible plainly teaches that elders in the church have the complete oversight over all the work of the church. (Acts 20:28; 1 Pet. 5:2-3) Nearly everyone on both sides of the issue believes this. I know Guy N. Woods believed it in 1946, for he said: "Elders have the complete oversight of the flock, and this includes all matters pertaining to the work of the church, whatever its nature." (Annual Lesson Commentary, 1946, page 329) But, in these orphanages among "us," the board of directors or trustees have the complete oversight of the work. Either the work being done by the orphanages is the work of the church with a board of directors having the complete oversight of the work, or the work is not the work of the church and is not worthy of church support. Being unable to defend these arrangements as "boards doing the work of the church," those who are still set for the defense of these orphanages in the church budget have turned to this other angle of "not doing the work of the church, but doing the work of the home."
Can the church scripturally support anything other than the work assigned to the church by the Lord? I deny that it can do so scripturally. Where is the passage of scripture authorizing the church to contribute from the treasury to any work that admittedly is not the work of the church? Perhaps brother Woods knows where it is.
Are They Really Aids?
Brother Ben Taylor wrote a tract called, "Potter Orphan Home, What Is It?" On page two of said tract, he says: "The Potter Orphan Home and School is not attached to any local church and governed by the elders of the local church. It stands independent of the oversight of any local church of Christ." I remind the reader that those making a defense of the church support of these orphanages claim that they are merely aids or methods of doing the work. If this is true, they certainly cannot be "aids or methods" of the church doing its work. An aid is something that assists or helps one to accomplish a given work. When it ceases to render assistance or help, it ceases to be an aid. If and when this typewriter before me stops functioning for me and starts writing on its own (I'll see a Doctor) it will cease being my aid or help. As long as I control it I receive aid from it. It is my aid as long as I control it. But, in the case of the church supported orphanages, those who defend them positively aver that they are entirely "independent" of the local churches of Christ. Therefore, they cannot rightfully be considered as "aids" in doing the work of the church.
A further consideration of this would lead one to think that the churches of Christ are really the "aids" of these orphanages. Though they say they are independent of local churches, they do not mean that they don't depend on churches for money. They mean that they are completely independent of the control and oversight of the church. They depend on local church treasuries for their financial support. Then, in reality are not churches the "aids" of these orphanages?
In the last few years we have witnessed a complete turn about by brethren on this argument. At first, it was the work of the church to care for orphans and widows and James 1:27 was cited to prove it. Now, it is the work of the home, not the church, but the church is obligated to finance the work. Now, these orphanages are entirely independent of the church, but a few years ago, they were merely aids and methods of doing the work of the church. We can only wonder what the next few years will bring.
"That Thou Doest, Do Quickly."
Jesus addressed Judas in the above words. I have always thought that he was trying to hasten Judas to work his nefarious deed. Perhaps our Lord desired to end the suspense surrounding his life on earth with its ultimate scene of tragedy or perhaps some other reason was behind this statement. It surely was a command to speed up the operation of a plan already on foot. The faster the institutional movement snow-balls into the rapidly growing stream of digression, the more easily brethren can see the error of their way. So, brethren, do quickly what you ultimately will do so that some may be recovered from the snare of Satan.