Union Ground Located
During the Lipscomb Spring Lectures, Brother Cecil N. Wright spoke for an hour on "Principles of New Testament Congregational Cooperation"; he set forth both the "direct" and the "indirect" methods as being scriptural. The burden of his speech was in favor of the indirect method. At the close of his speech, each person present was permitted to ask questions.
I arose, and asked: "Brother Wright, would it be scriptural for you and me to send support directly to laborers in the field?" He replied that it would be. I then stated: "That is union ground. Suppose you and I stand on it, and work together for peace and harmony."
To this suggestion, Brother Wright made no response. Although he admits that the direct method is scriptural, and that it is union ground, yet he continues 'to plead for and to practice the indirect method of cooperation, and serves only to create strife and confusion among brethren. Brethren who teach and follow this course are practicing the same kind of "societism" that came into existence more than a hundred years ago. This was the course followed by a few "society" preachers who met in convention at Cincinnati, Ohio, on October 24, 1849, and organized the American Christian Missionary Society. Their plea was: Send your money to us and we will disburse it for you. This was the "indirect" method. It divided the churches throughout the brotherhood, and finally resulted in two separate and distinct bodies — the Christian Church and the Church of Christ.
Within recent years several congregations among us have set themselves up as "sponsoring" churches, saying to the brotherhood: You send us your money, and we will handle and disburse it for you. This is the same old "society" plan — the indirect method. This, too, has served, like the society did before it, to create strife and alienation among brethren. This has been its evil fruit since it was born. History seems to be repeating itself.
Here we make a statement which has never been denied, so far as I ever heard, by any one in the brotherhood, namely: that the direct method is acceptable to God. Whatever else may be said, one thing is certain: the Lord does not require his people to use the indirect method.
Now let us place right alongside that statement another one, which cannot be successfully denied, namely: The indirect method is, and ever has been, the occasion of ceaseless strife and alienation among brethren. In the light of these two facts, we challenge anyone to introduce the indirect method, or anything else not enjoined in the word of God.
The Lord does not require the indirect method in his work; its use is the occasion of strife and alienation among brethren. Yes, strange as the fact is, there are those who will teach and practice it! Do such brethren ever think of, much less regard, the following admonition of Paul: "Let us, therefore, follow after the things that make for peace, and things wherewith one may edify another"? (Rom. 14:19.) Again, "Be perfect, be of good comfort, be of one mind, live in peace; and the God of love and peace shall be with you." (II Cor. 13:11.) And still again, "Be at peace among yourselves." (I Thess. 5:13.) Yet in the face of these solemn facts, there are brethren who not only contend for the indirect method of cooperation, but will actually practice it, knowing that they are causing strife among brethren. And, more incredible yet, they are bitter in their denunciation of those who insist on using the direct method. It is folly and worse than folly for brethren who know what union and safe ground to refuse to stand upon it. There must be something radically wrong with a man's religion when he follows such a course. Does he love strife and alienation more than he loves peace and harmony Brethren who will keep up strife among brethren by bringing into the work of God a method God does not require are under a divine curse; they will have to answer at the judgment of God.
The original platform of the old Pioneers was: Nothing should be tolerated in the work and worship of the Lord, unless plainly taught in the New Testament. As long as brethren stand on this platform, peace and harmony will reign. The tendency away from God begins and progresses with every departure from this original platform.