What Caused The Trouble
In the August 27, 1959 issue of The Gospel Guardian there appeared an article entitled "The Bitter Fruits of Digression" by Brother Arnold Hardin. The reader will recall that Brother Hardin related some of the happenings relative to trouble that had occurred at the Calmont congregation in Ft. Worth, Texas. This is not a review of Brother Hardin's article, but we do wish to ask the question: WHAT CAUSED THE TROUBLE?
Brother Jady Copeland had been the local preacher for about one year when the trouble started. In this year the attendance and contribution both reached new heights. Calmont then had about 275 members.
It was well known within the congregation that one of the elders, the preacher, and a number of members believed that church contributions to sponsoring churches and brotherhood orphan homes were unscriptural; Brother Copeland had let the elders know his position before he moved to Calmont. However, I have a written statement from Brother Copeland that he had not preached on the sponsoring church or orphan homes when the trouble began.
Nevertheless, about the middle of 1958 a number of members started agitating for the sound elder to resign and for Brother Copeland to be replaced. About the first of 1959 when it seemed evident that they were not going to get their way, a number of members left and started the Sunset congregation with Roy Deaver preaching for them. They continued to try to convince others that they should leave Calmont. In this they had some success, for a few left along until about July of 1959.
What caused this division among brethren? It could not have been because Calmont was not preaching the gospel and doing benevolent work. For at the time the group pulled off, Calmont was sending a total of $710.00 per month directly to preachers in the field; and Calmont was doing $60.00 of benevolent work away from home. In addition to this, plans were under way to put another man in the field to preach the gospel. Since it is an admitted fact that the division was over the current issues, and since Calmont was doing more work of preaching the gospel and benevolence than many congregations of twice her size, it is very plain that the division was caused because the brethren who left could not get one elder, the preacher, and a number of members to sanction sponsoring churches and orphan homes.
Ponder this thought well. The Calmont congregation was divided when she was doing more work in the fields of evangelism and benevolence than most congregations do. But the division came BECAUSE SHE WOULD NOT AGREE THAT IT WAS RIGHT FOR HER TO DO HER WORK THROUGH HUMAN INSTITUTIONS.
Calmont now has about 110 members And She is currently sending $425.00 per month directly to preachers in the field. Yet Calmont is branded as "anti" as though she did not believe in evangelism and benevolence. Human schemes have divided a congregation of God's people, and the Devil is no doubt having a field day of rejoicing.
The members left at Calmont are zealous for the Lord's ways. And we are growing. There have been nine additions in the last six weeks. Most of these have come to work with us because of convictions on the all-sufficiency of the Lord's Church.