If You Don't Believe J. D. Tant Was Right, Read This
The following article appeared in the Star Telegram of May 3, 1954:
Church 'Feud'
Tennesseans Top Record Of Lubbock
NASHVILLE, Tenn., May 2 (AP) — Members of almost every Christian faith in suburban Madison joined the Madison Church of Christ in setting a new national Sunday school attendance record Sunday morning.
Shades of religious belief ranging from Roman Catholic to Baptist were represented among the 2,317 persons who showed up for classes normally attended by about 900.
The highest attendance previously reported by a Church of Christ anywhere was 1,604 last December at Broadway Church of Christ in Lubbock, the denomination's largest.
Dr. Ira North, minister of the church as well as a professor at the denomination's David Lipscomb College in Nashville, said advertising for the special day's classes ranged from personal invitation to a radio "singing commercial."
Most of the Sunday school crowd apparently stayed for the morning worship service. At any rate there was an even larger crowd-2,700 — distributed in three auditoriums to hear Dr. North's sermon.
After church, Dr. North said, there was an "old fashioned Tennessee dinner" on the church grounds.
Sunday's special turnout was the latest event in what Dr. North called "a friendly feud" between the Madison and Lubbock churches.
It started in December when the Madison Sunday school set a new national attendance mark of 1,581. Within the month, Dr. Norvel Young, a former Nashvillian who is pastor of the Lubbock church, reported an attendance of 1,604, a record which stood until Sunday.
Brother J. D. Tant often said, during the last years of his life, "Brethren, we are drifting." The above article is a concrete demonstration of the fact of his statement.
It should satisfy even those who did not agree with him then.
When an individual or congregation becomes dissatisfied with the "Simplicity that is in Christ," and begins to put on such demonstrations as the above to make a show and attract the world, they surely have lost their faith in the attraction of the cross and the power of the gospel to save the world.
On December 6, 1953 Madison Church had 1,581 in Bible study. Broadway just could not stand for anyone to think they were not the largest. So, they came back within a month and reported an attendance of 1,604. That record put Madison to work. They put on a campaign of advertising that even included "a singing commercial." They just had to beat Broadway! And they did. All shades of religious people, the tune of 2,317 (normal attendance 900) left their own services to help beat Broadway. And they had 2,700 to hear "Doctor" North preach. (Wonder what he preached about.)
I just wonder what Broadway will do to get ahead again. They might try some stunts put on by some of the denominations on the west coast. They put on an attendance contest last year. Here is what some of them did: Trinity Methodist Church got Roy Rogers to bring his horse Trigger to church; Sunday School Superintendent Ray Anderson of the First Baptist Church of Lakewood, California, stayed up in a eucalyptus tree (they may not have that kind in Lubbock but "Doctor" Young could climb a Chinese elm) 20 hours, until attendance hit 1,000; San Gabriel, California Union Church raised its attendance from 1,000 to 2,000 by the judicious use of all-night spotlights and the release of helium-filled balloons with tracts attached. If these should fail to beat Madison, she might invite all churches — in addition to sending their money to them to do mission and benevolent work — to dismiss their services and attend at Broadway.
Since I have not heard how much Madison's new building cost, I do not know who is ahead on buildings. Lubbock's cost about $1,000,000.
On one thing, however, they seem to be on an equal. Despite the fact that Christ and brethren in the church of Christ have always condemned the wearing of religious titles, they both have "Doctors" for preachers. Brethren where do we go from here?