"Cooperation" In Hawaii
One of the earliest warnings of trouble ahead for the burgeoning Restoration Movement of the 1830's was the gradual emphasis that some brethren began to give to the "co-operatives" which were springing up in various parts of the nation. These mass gatherings (often called "consultation meetings") were born of enthusiasm and evangelistic fervor, and appealed to the noblest of motives — the desire to share the gospel of Christ with those who had it not. Innocent and innocuous at first, they nevertheless had in them the seeds of disaster. By almost imperceptible stages they moved from simple mass meetings, ultimately (and inevitably) to organizational structures.
Sadly but undeniably we are seeing the mistake repeated among many churches and brethren of our own day. Brethren seem to go into a paralysis of fear when it is suggested that one congregation, or one individual, is quite sufficient to plant the cause of Christ in some new area or in some foreign nation. Lessons of the past (including that thrilling history of the early church, the book of the Acts of the Apostles) are forgotten and ignored. Ignorant of the history of the past, and superficial in their knowledge of the New Testament, well-meaning brethren are rushing head-long into the same fatal procedures which engulfed our fathers in apostasy and brought ruin and catastrophe to the church.
Latest of these modern "cooperatives" to come to our attention is the effort by some of the congregations in Hawaii to establish a new congregation in Hilo, Hawaii. We submit herewith a copy of the minutes of a "Special Business Meeting" convened February 5, to discuss and plan for this new congregation:
Special Business Meeting
Moderators: Brother Davis, Pearl Harbor Congregation; Brother Atkinson, Waipahu Congregation; Brother Atkinson, Jr., Wahiawa Congregation.
Discussion
This Special Business Meeting was a jointly-called meeting of all the congregations of the Church of Christ located on the island of Oahu, Hawaii, for the purpose of discussing the beginning of work to get the Church of our Lord established in Hilo, Hawaii. This meeting was attended by members from the Pearl Harbor, Waipahu and Wahiawa congregations. Brother Atkinson, Sr., indicated at this meeting that his agreement to work with the Waipahu congregation would terminate in June, 1962, and that he and Sister Atkinson are willing and would like to go to Hilo to work for the cause of Christ in that area.
Agenda
The following agenda, made in the form of motions and carried, shall be the guide for planning the Hilo work:
1 Supervision 2. Support
3. Starting Date (To be set at a future date) Supervision 1. Motion made, which carried, that one congregation take the lead in sparking the work of the Church in Hilo.
2. The Pearl Harbor congregation, in the form of a motion which carried, was asked to take the lead in the work mentioned in Item 1 above.
3. Motion made, which carried, that all congregations be asked to submit to the Pearl Harbor congregations indications of their cooperation in regard to the Hilo work.
The following recommendations were made by Brother Jordan, Pearl Harbor congregation:
That each island congregation accept or reject in their own business meeting:
1. Pearl Harbor act as local supporting agent for the Hilo work.
2. Pearl Harbor congregation have a Hilo Committee of three men to act as overseeors (sic) of the Hilo work and that they be responsible to the Pearl Harbor congregation business meeting.
3. That the Pearl Harbor congregation call a joint meeting with the other local congregations bimonthly to discuss the Hilo work for information purposes.
There being no further business at this time, the meeting adjourned at 8:55 P.M.
Submitted: (signed) M. E. Sexton Moderators: Doug Davis However well-intentioned the brethren were (and we are certain they wanted only to serve God) they have let their enthusiasm lead them into a dangerous and ill-advised action. "Joint" Business Meetings constitute a body bigger than the local church — a body assuming authority to make and pass "motions," and then to make "recommendations" to the local congregations as to what they should do relative to the decisions of the "Joint" Business Meeting.
You will notice that this "Jointly-called meeting" is NOT a "sponsoring church"; it has already progressed a step beyond that. Some years ago when the "sponsoring church cooperative" began to be promoted, many earnest warnings were sounded that this would be only the first step in an ever-increasing tempo of departures from the simple New Testament pattern. Solemn assurances were given that there would NEVER be any organization set up to do the work of the churches other than the congregation; and that the "sponsoring church" was simply a church — that and nothing more!
But what would the defenders of the "sponsoring church cooperative" now say in defense of the "jointly-called" business meeting of a number of congregations? We venture a guess: they would still find nothing to object to in such! For within these fifteen years since the "sponsoring church cooperatives" began to take hold, brethren have become familiarized by custom and usage to the idea of a number of congregations working under a single centralized arrangement.
And when, shortly, these "joint business meetings" begin to operate on a permanent and sustaining basis, there will still be no objection to them; for by that time the idea of a "joint business meeting" will have become accepted. And when, still a few years ahead of us at this writing, the "joint business meetings" begin to send representatives to some "super mass meeting" (purely inspirational and "specially called" at first), we predict there will even then be no feeling of anything wrong or dangerous in the practice! The representatives will only carry "recommendations" back home with them; and obviously, each church will be left free to determine for itself whether it will follow the "recommendations" or not....exactly as is the case with Baptist churches relative to their conventions now! Thus "local autonomy" will be preserved among us — just as it is among the Baptists.
Meanwhile, We Are Comforted To Realize That There Are An Increasing Number Of Brethren And Congregations Over The World Who Are Awakening To The Trend, And Who Want None Of It. They Will Constitute The "Remnant" Who, As In Israel Of Old, Will Remain Faithful And True To The Word Of God. May Their Tribe Increase!
— F. Y. T.