A Denominational Sunday School
We affirm that the teaching of the word of God in classes, according to age levels, and under the oversight of the elders in the local church is in harmony with the scriptures. We regard this work as being a systematic arrangement for Bible study and we have so contended in our discussions publicly and privately with brethren who maintain that the teaching must be done in one undivided assembly. While defending the class arrangement of Bible study, we have strongly opposed the denominational Sunday School. Our opposition to it is on the ground that it is an organization within the church. It has a superintendent, a secretary and treasurer, and it controls and disburses funds in the capacity the Sunday school, separate and apart from the church. This denominational device with all of its claptrap and machinery exists without any divine authority whatsoever. It is a human organization, devised by man and is only another example which illustrates the difference between denominations and the Church of Christ.
One innovation calls for another, men disregard the authority of God's word in one particular, they have no regard for it in other matters. The church divided into two separate bodies when the Missionary Society and mechanical instruments of music in worship were introduced. Upon the introduction of these practices emerged the Christian Church and this body like all other denominations is monumental to the attitude that man can do as he pleases without regard to what God has authorized.
We presume that most brethren at least, would oppose the denominational Sunday school as described above. We have repeatedly warned brethren that the Herald of Truth is unscriptural because it is a sponsoring church arrangement, one church (Highland in Abilene) acting as the treasurer of other churches. The Missionary Society was wrong because it was an arrangement by which churches sent their money to a Missionary board which in turn disbursed the funds in the field of evangelism. The Herald of truth is a parallel to the Missionary Society in that churches sent their money to the elders at Highland who in turn disburse the funds in nation-wide radio and television evangelism. The Highland elders act as a Missionary board. In fact, this truth was even the observation of a Baptist preacher in Abilene only a short time ago. While we have pointed out these things as reasons why the Herald of Truth exists without divine authority, there is another phase of this promotion that some may have overlooked. We believe that it should awaken brethren who are sincere but so far have not been able to see that the Rerel of Truth is contrary _to the word of God from the viewpoints just mentioned.
Suppose a congregation should so arrange the Bible classes within the framework of the local church that they have a treasury separate and apart from the treasury of the local church. Then suppose these Bible classes, although under the direction of the elders, hire a secretary and treasurer to solicit funds and then control and disburse those funds separately from the treasury of the local church. We are optimistic enough to believe that very few, if any, would go along with that kind of an arrangement. It is the very set-up that makes the denominational Sunday School what it is. Now, please take another look at the Herald of Truth. Brother E. R. Harper has contended that the Herald of Truth is the work of Highland in Abilene, that it is in the "local framework" of the congregation (See Tant-Harper Debate, p. 97). The Herald of Truth has a full-time paid coordinator in the person of brother W. F. Cawyer, a man who is out promoting and soliciting funds, it has a paid secretary, it maintains a separate treasury from that of the Highland church, and it occupies an office on Sayles Boulevard, separate from the regular offices in the Highland building. But that is not all. The Highland church is contributing $30,000 per year to the program! Yet the contributions to the Herald of Truth, according to its promoters, are to help a church in need to help a church do its own work. Anyone can see that if Highland herself is donating $30,000 to the program in one year it is not a matter of churches having to come to her assistance. Also in view of her claim that she is a church in need and churches should come to her aid in evangelism, it is interesting that her budget for 1963 calls for $246,750.00 which includes $10,400.00 for a full-time paid elder; $11,250.00 for the regular preacher; $6760.00 for the associate minister, $11,750.00 for church secretaries $5,200.00 for an educational director (we have always understood that the elders are to direct the teaching program of the church). $15,000 for Bible school supplies and equipment, and $9,620.00 for building engineer and maintenance. Does this indicate a church in need? It is a big, and we mean BIG, business operation.
Brethren, from the above we can easily view the situation. The Sunday school as described and found in the denominations is not limited to them. The Herald of Truth with its paid personnel, separate treasury and offices, even separate telephone listing from Highland is a denominational Sunday school...brotherhood in scope. Should there be anyone now who denies it, we shall be happy for him to point out where in principle it is different. Do we not see where we are headed? How can the promoters and contributors to the Herald of Truth oppose the old denominational Sunday school? If the present digression is not stemmed, churches which were once recognized as the Lord's church will be no different from the Christian Church or any other human religious body. Or, has it already happened?
-2958 Grape, Abilene, Texas