Apostasy Then And Now
Apostasy Then
In the Gospel Beacon, a religious paper published in Springfield, Oregon, with Dennis L. and Wilma Moss as Editors, there appeared in the January-February, 1963, issue a very fine article by James M. Tolle on the subject, "The Church, Apostasy, Reformation and Restoration." In considering the apostasy of the New Testament church which began in the second century, the writer states in the article, "The apostasy involved many departures from the New Testament pattern."
In the first section of the article brother Tolle has the following to say: "The church of Christ, as originally designed by Jesus, is a complete organization, divinely constituted. Since the Savior is its head (Colossians 1:18) and chief corner stone of its foundation (Ephesians 2:19, 20), only the characteristics set forth for it in His supreme authority, the New Testament, are approved of God.... No authority has been given by God to any man, set of men, or ecclesiastical body to change any of its features. Let us observe a brief outline of the New Testament pattern of the Lord's church."
Then, under the brief outline the writer says among other excellent things the following:
"The sole unit of organization in the Lord's church is the local congregation, which is free from the chains of ecclesiasticism. Christ ordained no conventions, synods, nor councils to govern His church. Each congregation is independent with the oversight under the supreme headship of Jesus invested in a plurality of elders, pastors, or bishops — three different terms referring to the same class of officers. See Acts 20:17, 28; Titus 1:5-7; 1 Peter 5:1-3; Acts 11:30; 14:23. The elders, bishops, or pastors have no authority over congregations, other than the one in which they serve, nor do they have authority over the officers of other congregations."
Then, follows under the heading, "Apostasy," the tracing of the steps of the development of the departure from the New Testament pattern. He says, "M2 apostasy involved many departures from the NEW Testament pattern." In discussing the changes that resulted in the complete apostasy from the New Testament pattern, brother 'Tolle says:
"With the rise and extension of the authority of the bishops there came into being the synods and councils, the first trace of which is found toward the close of the second century. Delegates from different congregations and districts were called together to settle disputes which were continually arising over matters of doctrine and practice. These gatherings soon partook of the nature of legislative bodies, called synods by the Greeks, and councils by the Latins." Further along in the article, he says, "The apostasy presumed to improve upon the plan of the New Testament by inventing practices and doctrines totally absent in the primitive church."
After considering the Reformation, under the heading, Restoration, the author quotes from two documents of men in the Restoration period, the Last Will and Testament of the Springfield Presbytery, and the Declaration and Address, the latter being written by Thomas Campbell. The Springfield Presbytery was an association of churches of the Presbyterian church. In this document which decreed the demise of the Springfield Presbytery, it was stated, that "We will that this body die, be dissolved, and sink into union with the Body of Christ at large; for there is one body, and one Spirit, even as we are called in one hope of our calling." Among the items of the will were these two, "We will, that our power of making laws for the government of the church, and executing them by delegated authority, forever cease; "We will, that the people henceforth take the Bible as the only sure guide to heaven."
From the Declaration and Address by Campbell, several quotations were made by the author which are timely for us. "....nothing ought to be inculcated upon Christians as articles of faith; nor required of them of communion, but what is expressly taught and enjoined upon them in the word of God. Nor ought anything to be admitted as of Divine obligation.... but what is expressly enjoined by the authority of our Lord Jesus Christ and his apostles upon the New Testament church, either in express terms or by approved precedent." Brother Tolle affirms and rightly so that the apostasy was brought about by changes in the doctrine and practice of the church as they were in the church in the first century. Instrumental in the departure were the "gatherings" of men from "different congregations and districts" which "soon partook of the nature of legislative bodies ... This is almost the inevitable result of such gatherings whether in the second century or in the twentieth century.
Apostasy Now
In the same issue of the same paper in which the fine article by brother Tolle appears, there are two pictures, one of them of a group or "gathering" of people, members of the New Testament church, at a banquet table or tables, and the other of a group of men, members of various churches of Christ, who "have been selected" (by whom selected was not stated, LGR) "to serve as a board of directors for the Proposed Children's Home of the Northwest. They expect to request an eldership in the area to oversee the work of the home." I suppose it was the "gathering" of the representatives from the "twenty-two congregations" from "an area of over 600 miles," that selected the men to serve on the board. Where is this "expressly enjoined" in the New Testament?
Under the picture of the people at the banquet are the following words;
"The above picture is a section of the over 100 people who attended the meeting at Portland, Oregon, the night of Nov. 9th. Twenty-two congregations were represented from an area of over 800 miles. An unusual interest was manifested, the fellowship was excellent, a fine program was presented, and approximately $60,000 was revealed to be r e a d y when the Home was ready to start. Since then the Board of Directors have had several meetings seeking to make definite plans for the Proposed Children's Home in the Northwest, and hope to have definite announcements as to location and needs in the very near future."
Where in the New Testament is it "expressly enjoined by the authority of our Lord Jesus Christ and his apostles upon the New Testament church, either in express terms or by approved precedent" to select a board of directors to form a "Children's Home" through which the church is to do its benevolent work? Where is it "expressly enjoined by the authority of our Lord Jesus Christ" for a gathering of representatives from "twenty-two churches" or any number of churches, "from an area of over 600 miles" to select such a board and to build such an institution for the churches? If there were no authority for such a "gathering" in the "pattern of the New Testament church" for such a purpose, and it was an apostasy from the New Testament pattern then, why would it not be so now?
Where did a group of men, according to the New Testament, ever request an eldership in the area to oversee anything? According to brother Tolle the only thing the elders were over was a local congregation. Where in the New Testament is it "expressly enjoined by the authority of our Lord Jesus Christ and his apostles upon the New Testament church, either in express terms or by approved precedent" (as stated by brother Tolle and copied by brother Moss in his paper) for the "gathering" of representatives from twenty-two congregations" from an "area of over 600 miles," to "purpose anything?" I wonder if these brethren pictured as the "directors of the board" or the representatives from the "twenty-two congregations" realize that the article in the very issue of the paper condemns the very "gathering" that they had to "propose" the establishment of a human institution for the church to use in the work of benevolence? Is not this the same type of practice according to brother Tolle's teaching in his article that was one of the steps that led to the apostasy which culminated in the beginning of the Roman Catholic church?
Here is another example of the same type practice as reported in the Christian Chronicle, January 7, 1983, page 8. The article in part follows: "Dallas, Tex. — On December the sixteenth, 1962, 34 elders, deacons, and preachers met in Sherman, Texas, to discuss the present program of evangelization in Sweden, and to plan for future expansion of this work." It is stated in the article that three evangelists "directed the meeting." Further, it was stated, "Preliminary planning was made for another campaign for 1963 in Olothenburg,...." Here you have an account of a meeting, "Gathering," of elders from various congregations to "plan" for the churches. Brother Tolle said in his article from which we quoted above, "Christ ordained no conventions, synods, nor councils to govern His church." The sole unit of organization in the Lord's Church is the local congregation, which is free from the chains of ecclesiasticism." This was not just a gathering to discuss the work, but to also make plans for the same. This may not have been a convention, but it is a meeting of the same type that led up to the formation of the Texas State Missionary Society. Who can deny it? And these meetings are becoming, no, they have already become, frequent all over the land. Where is such a meeting "expressly enjoined by the authority of our Lord Jesus Christ" or even hinted at in the New Testament? Is it wrong to request of these brethren to cite the scripture where such meetings are expressly enjoined in the authority of our Lord Jesus Christ? Will any attention be paid to it? It is one of the characteristics of such meetings to disdain any question raised about their practice, or any objections lodged against their schemes and plans. Is it wrong to call the attention of the brethren to such things? I know it is not popular to do such. Those who raise the questions will be talked about behind their backs by the ones who attend these meetings and form plans and schemes for others to help them carry out by paying money to them to finance their schemes.
Still another example of what such meetings lead to is that of the church in Tennessee. Read this: "From Chattanooga, Tennessee, comes this interesting bit of news from the Bulletin of the Brainerd church of Christ, Maurice Howell, preacher:
'The Brainerd church has accepted the oversight of the East Brainerd work, as requested by the brethren there. Our plans include the erection of a new building with adequate facilities for future growth of that congregation, and to assist them in developing a strong congregation."
Brother Tolle, in his article, said, "The elders, bishops, or pastors have no authority over the congregations other than the one in which they serve, nor do they have authority over the officers of other congregations." Now, will brother Moss and the elders, preachers and business men "selected to serve as a board of directors for the Proposed Children's Home of the Northwest" oppose the above practice and tie-up of two congregations, which is certainly condemned in the article printed and endorsed by brother Moss in the same issue of the paper in which the picture of the above named board appeared? Or are these brethren against, (hence, "anti") the things contained in the article by brother Tolle which led to the apostasy of the New Testament church, which began in the second century? If not, why print the article in the paper? The same things practiced now will lead to apostasy now as surely as those things practiced then led to apostasy then.
— 693 Chemeketa Street, Salem, Oregon