Each Church Is Its Own Missionary Society
The editor of the church bulletin published by the Ellendale church of Christ, Memphis, Tenn.; in condemning the Missionary Society through which the Christian Churches cooperate declared:
"Each church (local) is its own missionary society."
This editor attempts to defend the idea that one local church, which is "its own missionary society," has the scriptural right to plan a work of preaching which requires the help of many sister local churches, which are also their own missionary societies, and do that work under its supervision. Thus one local church, which is its own missionary society, becomes the missionary society through which other local churches do their work. If not, why not?
I can understand and appreciate how each local church, which is its own missionary society, can scripturally plan a work which it has the ability and opportunity to do; but how that church could plan a work which requires the help of many churches to do is beyond me. It also appears to me that if it is scriptural for the churches contributing to such ambitious plan of preaching it would certainly not be unscriptural for them to share in the making of that plan. This, of course, would require a general meeting of all the churches with their chosen representatives. But this the "liberals" among us would never consent to for it would be too much like the meeting of the Christian Churches when the Missionary Society was formed, or perhaps a Methodist Conference or a Baptist Convention! But such a meeting for the purpose of drawing up a plan of work requiring the help of many churches doesn't indicate taxation without representation, whereas the "plan" as advocated by the "liberals" among us and as seen in the Herald of Truth plan does indicate such. In just a few more years who knows but that we shall witness such general meetings of the churches?
— 304 N. Glover Drive, Longview, Texas 75601