Is It A Miniature Society?
Carefully read the following report which appeared in the Gospel Advocate of April 26, 1956. A similar report appears in nearly every issue of that paper.
W. B. Richter, Superintendent, Tennessee Orphan Home, Spring Hill, Tenn., April 9: "Sunday morning, April 8, a group of boys and girls, with the writer, visited the East Chester Street church of Christ, Jackson, Tenn. Bill Aldridge of the young preachers' class at the home preached at 11 o'clock. The other boys from the preachers' class assisted in the services. At the afternoon service Winston Richter, Jr., preached and the other boys assisted in the services."
The majority of the brethren who operate and defend this and similar institutions contend that it would be wrong to organize and operate such institutions for the preaching of the gospel. Of course they are inconsistent, but they have not accepted the missionary society yet. But I want to know why the above mentioned institution isn't a missionary society in miniature form? If not, what would it take to make it one? It is a combination benevolent and missionary organization. If this institution can send out two boys under a superintendent and board of directors to preach the gospel, why couldn't it send out two older and mature men to preach the gospel? And if it can send out two preachers why couldn't it send out two hundred under the set-up and be just as scriptural? Would that not be a missionary society? Would our institutional brethren endorse that kind of operation? If so, they do believe in the missionary society and if they would not I can't see how they can consistently endorse the same thing on a smaller scale.
The majority of these brethren also preach that it is wrong for the church to contribute to the Bible colleges to train preachers and teach secular subjects then they turn right around and defend the Orphan Homes (also human institutions) when they are also teaching secular subjects, operating farms, and maintaining a preachers' class for the training of gospel preachers. I know it is hard to be consistent, but that is going a little too far. I can't understand why it is wrong for the church to contribute to a human organization to preach the gospel, and right to contribute to a similar organization to care for orphans and preach the gospel. Will someone please show me the difference?