Brother Buchanan's Defense Of The Herald Of Truth
"There is not much likelihood that "our" people will do so much, or get very far ahead of what the New Testament specifically authorizes. We have too many people who are always `agin' everything, for anything unscriptural to get far." Thus does Brother Buchanan give us his estimate of his brethren in Christ. His hardly concealed contempt for those who desire New Testament authority for that which they do in religion highlights the basic issue in most of the controversies that afflict the churches of Christ today. That which Brother Buchanan despises, I delight in. That which he condemns, I commend. The distinctive attribute of the churches of Christ, that which gives them reason for separate existence in the religious world, is their respect for the authority of Christ as expressed in the New Testament scriptures. Whenever he time comes that the congregations known as churches of Christ lose this distinctive attribute, they will have lost their identity as churches of Christ and will have become just another denomination as our digressive brethren of he Christian Church have done. A fervent desire to have "thus saith the Lord" for all that one does in religion is sign of virility and health, and should be admired and expected even in those who dogmatically assume extreme positions. Were it not for some of our so-called "cranks" here is no telling how far some of our "liberals" would go. Thank God! for the restraining power of the "cranks."
The Name, "Herald Of Truth"
Brother Buchanan justifies the name, "The Herald of Truth," by arguing that it is simply descriptive of the work being done. As far as that is concerned, all names are suggestive of the distinctive feature of the society which they designate. The name, "United Christian Missionary Society," simply describes the distinctive feature of that organization. It is the united missionary organization of the Christian Church. The thing Brother Buchanan needs to see is that elders are overseers of the flock in which they are overseers and that their authority is limited to that group and its activities. The Herald of Truth is a cooperation of many flocks in the field of radio evangelism and is not the work of the flock over which the Highland elders have been made bishops. It bears a name to distinguish it from the regular work (authorized work) of Highland Church. It has its own suite of offices, its own organization, its own treasury (the treasurer of which is not even a member of Highland Church, but of the College Church), and its own work as distinguished from the ordinary work of the Highland congregation. The only real connection it has with Highland Church is that the elders of said congregation constitute its board of directors. Question: Does making the elders of a single church the board of directors of an organization make the organization scriptural? Brother Buchanan argues that the name, "The Herald of Truth," is comparable to naming a bulletin published by the local congregation or calling the midweek services, "prayer meeting." Since when have bulletins and "prayer meetings" begun to have organizations, maintain separate treasuries, contract for services of newspapers, radio stations, advertising agencies, press agents, secretaries, bookkeepers, and pay salaries of preachers, etc.? Since when have "prayer meetings" and bulletins begun to solicit the entire brotherhood for contributions? Does the "Hampton Place Church of Christ Prayer Meeting, Dallas, Texas" solicit and receive checks from a thousand and eight churches drawn as follows: "Hampton Place Church of Christ Prayer Meeting"? Why, Brother Buchanan! My! My! Now, if Brother Buchanan should decide that he puts out the best bulletin in the whole United States and that his bulletin should be in every church and should get the elders of the Hampton Place congregation to sponsor his "Minute Monitor," or whatever it is, put one of the elders on a salary as its superintendent, pay Brother Buchanan to edit and promote it and solicit money for it among all the churches of Christ everywhere, rent a suite of offices and hire personnel to operate them, then seek to get the churches everywhere to send contributions to the "Minute Monitor," checks made payable to that organization, so that they and others might be furnished with bulletins to distribute in their community and among their members, he would have something approximating "The Herald of Truth." No one objects simply to the radio program of a local church being called, "The Herald of Truth," but "The Herald of Truth" is more than a radio program.
Is It Right To Preach On Radio Or Tv?
Under this heading Brother Buchanan discusses an argument which is new as far as the writer of this article is concerned. That "The Herald of Truth" had been objected to on the ground that the elders could not oversee the people who hear the program is new to me and hardly worth noticing. No one known to me argues that preaching the gospel on the radio and TV is unscriptural, nor does anyone quibble about the oversight of the listening audience. Highland Church has the right to preach the gospel anywhere in the world. She could come next door to the Central Church in Beaumont, set up a tent, and conduct a gospel meeting without saying one word to the elders of this congregation. Brotherly love would suggest that an arbitrary procedure of this kind might violate the ethics of brotherly relationship, but still she could do it. No one argues that Highland Church does not have the right to conduct a radio or TV program in Beaumont or anywhere else in the world. This, however, is not that which is being done. Central Church in Beaumont has for two years been sending $50 per month to "The Herald of Truth" to have the gospel preached in Beaumont. No, Brother Buchanan, those who oppose this set-up do not accept the "Catholic Diocese" idea, but what you defend does approximate "hierarchy." The money given by Highland Church would not preach the gospel very far, so there is no need to worry about the question of "supervision."
Suppose, it should be decided that the elders of the Hampton Place Church in Dallas have "greater vision" than other elders in the matter of selection and oversight of local evangelists. Churches need teaching, edification, throughout the whole world. Why not, then, have all the churches send contributions to the elders at that place and allow them to select, oversee, and pay the preachers for all the churches. Such would do away with the necessity for so many "ads" in the papers of the brethren. No more "trial sermons" would have to be preached. Much traveling expense would be saved. Preachers who become guilty of sin and misconduct at some place in Texas or Oklahoma could not just move to California. The salary question would be settled. Would Brother Buchanan approve of this arrangement? If he endorses a church in Beaumont sending money to Highland Church to have the gospel preached in Beaumont, he would be obligated to endorse the hypothetical situation just mentioned.
The elders of Skillman Avenue in Dallas could be endorsed as the sponsors of all church buildings to be erected in the brotherhood. Contributions could be sent to them, they could survey the situation of each church, maintain a staff of architects and draftsmen, contract with some large building concern, and construct the buildings for all the brethren. With their superior talent and "greater vision" better buildings would be built, money would be saved, and the Cause blessed. Would Brother Buchanan endorse this?
Broadway Church in Lubbock, the elders there, could be endorsed by the brethren, to be in charge of all "Foreign Mission" work. They could call their program some appropriate name, select a president, appoint a corresponding secretary and treasurer, select fields and preachers, solicit and receive contributions for all the churches, arrange for passports and passage, and otherwise direct and oversee all "foreign mission" work. Their "greater vision" and superior talents would pay off in money saved and the efficiency of the work. Would Brother Buchanan endorse this?
Union Avenue Church in Memphis could be placed in charge of "home missions" with a comparable set-up. By so doing, there would be a more even distribution of workers in the United States and more efficiency of operation with a consequent saving of much money and many souls. Would Brother Buchanan endorse this?
The principle that justifies "The Herald of Truth" would justify all of these arrangements. At the same time, all of the orphan homes might be put under one eldership somewhere with profit both to the orphans and the brethren.
An amusing thing about Brother Buchanan's logic and argumentation under this heading is that he introduces the "supervision" argument and adds to it each time, "and support," but all of his reasoning has to do with the question of supervision. He assumes the question of "support" and gets it in as a rider on his "supervision" argument. This is amusing because no one argues that Highland does not have the right to conduct a national radio program, but thousands object to the right of her elders to become the official board of a cooperation for radio evangelism through which more than a thousand churches do their work in this field.
What About Public Contributions?
Brother Buchanan says, "If indeed the local church MUST NOT permit anyone who is not under the supervision of the local elders to help in the support of its work, we are forever prohibited from passing the contribution platter to an open assembly." Brother Buchanan time and again admits that "The Herald of Truth" is not the work of Highland Church; hear him, "One congregation, working by itself, can accomplish little. By joining hands together, we can do much more." This being true, his collection platter argument amounts to nothing. We are not dealing with the question of one church helping a sister church in time of need, but with a cooperation of churches to accomplish a work with regard to which all bear equal responsibility. The fact is, it would appear logical that a local church in Beaumont bears greater responsibility to the preaching of the gospel in Beaumont and its environs than does the Highland Church in Abilene, Texas. Is Brother Buchanan willing to affirm that preaching the gospel in Beaumont is the work of Highland Church and that Central Church in Beaumont should work through her to have it done?
Next week, look for a consideration of arguments made from the scriptures under the title, "Herald of Truth and the Scriptures."