Things Loved Into The Church
The title of this article is taken from a paragraph heading in a booklet written and circulated by Brother E. R. Harper entitled "Fellowshipping Error." The booklet was put out opposing Premillennialism, and the sentiment that love should lead men to fellowship those holding such error so that the body of Christ would not be divided. The body of this article will consist of a direct unaltered quotation from a section of that booklet. We urge all to read this article because of the matter handled and the man who wrote the material.
After very strongly denouncing Premillennialism, those who hold to that doctrine, and those who hold to the false idea that "love" should lead us to fellowship error and those who hold it, on page eight of his booklet Brother Harper begins the section that is very interesting to us in the light of current events in the church today. He begins this section with a paragraph entitled:
Things Loved Into The Church
"Go with me now to the harm that this 'Love everybody and everything' idea has brought the church in the past. See what this 'eating meat or not eating meat idea' this 'circumcision or uncircumcision' idea; this 'Paul's tolerating error' business has done to us in the past and then you can really bow your head in 'shame.' But that shame of 50 to 75 years ago shall not happen again. Do you hear me, brethren?
"In Acts 2 we have the history of the church in Jerusalem which is said to be the 'mother church' of us all. It is many times pointed out that they 'loved one another' and that they 'fellowshipped each other' and that there were no brethren in it trying to 'mark' or 'brand' some preacher as unsound. It was also pointed out in this chapter that they sold their goods and gave them to each man as he had need. That 'aught of their possessions belonged to them' if a brother was in need. That is as it must be if we remain God's children. But the reason for all this 'love, fellowship and giving to each other' is found in verse 42 of this same chapter. It says 'And they continued STEADFASTLY in the APOSTLE'S DOCTRINE.' That is overlooked when error is trying to force its way into our ranks. We are prone to see 'only' the 'love' and 'fellowship' part of it and then conclude that this great church was like the 'certain' editor: 'too good to lift her voice' to condemn any brother for introducing error into their ranks.
Now the reason why they continued to have this fine fellowship and love and respect for each other and the reason why they were not shamed by discord and confusion, was, 'They all continued in the apostles' doctrine' and did it STEADFASTLY. The very thing for which I am contending and the very thing for which I am being fought in Arkansas today, as you are hearing.
"Now our point is simply this, Does our 'love' for each other force us to allow a brother to bring in error and force it upon the church? If these brethren had NOT remained STEDFAST in the Apostles' Doctrine; question: Would they have continued to enjoy all that good fellowship and love, for one another? Let that question be answered. John says in 1 John 1:7, `If we walk in the light as he is in the light we have fellowship one with another and the blood of Jesus Christ cleanseth us from all sin.' So John and Peter clearly show that 'fellowshipone with another' can only be enjoyed when we 'walk in the light' and when we 'continue steadfastly in the apostles' doctrine.' That is the one point you will not hear stressed in this 'love' and 'fellowship everybody' 'eating meat' idea that is popular today. It would destroy it.
Examples Of This In Practice — "50 To 75 Years Ago"
"Let us go back now to the days long ago. Let us see what happened 50 to 75 years ago over this very same argument and then ask if the church in Jerusalem would have 'loved' it right into its fellowship. There was a time when there was not outstanding trouble among us here in America. We were all together and enjoyed this sweet 'fellowship' of Acts 2.
Instrumental Music In Worship
"But after a while there arose a group that wanted to force upon us 'instruments of music' in the worship. Some of our brethren said, No, we do not believe it is right. But the other crowd contended for it. Those who opposed it were branded by those forcing the error, as 'fighters" radicals, "troublemakers.' They were said not to have any 'love in their hearts,' they were branded as 'legalists' and those who wanted the instruments began to 'cry' and preach on 'Love and Fellowship' and that 'We are brethren and must die for each other.' And began to 'weep' over the 'discord' and 'confusion' that certain brethren' were making in the church over a little thing like music. They began to say that we must recognize that our brother 'might be right and we might be wrong' and they were just 'too good' to fight over it. They just loved everybody too good. 'Do you ever hear that today?' Well, it is the cry always of the man who realizes he is in error and has to win with tears and not truth.
The Result
"Well what happened with this cry of theirs over the music question? They just 'loved' and 'fellowshipped' brass bands right into the church over our brethren who had been in peace and harmony for years and then those who opposed the bands, etc., were branded as the 'troublemakers' and 'church splitters' and out we went. But before it was introduced we had peace. The introduction of it brought the confusion. So it is today with premillennialism. Its introduction has brought the shame. Then, too, after digression one time 'got the church,' all that 'love' and 'fellowship' idea left them and we had to either take it and say nothing about it or be arrested for disturbing the peace and cast out of our own meeting houses for which we had spent our money to build. It never fails to be that way. So is premillennialism.
Boards
"Then there came along those in our ranks who said we want 'boards' to run the church. It can function better if we had 'state boards' and 'national boards.' We objected and fought it and were opposed and talked about just as we are today in our opposition to the 'future reign of the Lord on earth.' But the church had not gained the experience that it has today and so when these men arose everywhere with soft words and tears and began to cry 'love everybody' and to be so 'ashamed and humiliated' because of the confusion some of the 'radical brethren' were causing, well they just 'loved' and 'fellowshipped' that thing right into the church over us and we had to either worship under 'Religious Dictators' or get out, for their 'love and fellowship' arguments had all been forgotten. They had 'then' gained control and we were out. So it is and will always be when you fight an issue on 'sentiment' and not facts. Facts 'embrace love and fellowship' but 'sentiment and tears' breed 'hate.' Of course those who opposed this innovation were persecuted then, but today the church lives by their 'real love' for the church and because of their 'real love and desire for fellowship.' It can only be had and enjoyed based upon 'Truth.' Premillennialism is not truth.
Societies
"But after a while they said the church as organized by the Lord, was not 'sufficient' to run the Lord's business successfully with 'bands and boards' that had been 'loved' into its fellowship, so they came to us with the idea of 'societies' in the church for the purpose of doing the work of the local church. What happened? We fought it and opposed it and did our best to keep it out. But again they 'cried' and 'loved' and 'fellowshipped' it right into the church. All who opposed it were 'shamed' and made to look as men 'without hearts.' Friends, almost a century has passed and what do you today, think of men like dear old Brother Lipscomb, Brother Elam, Brother Freed, Brother McQuiddy, Brother John T. Hinds and scores of others who were made to lose the best friends they had on earth just because they opposed the error and defended the truth.
"But that 'love'; 'We be brethren'; therefore 'fellowship me in my error' for 'I may be right and you wrong' idea did not stop there. It went so far, as error always will, until it just 'loved' into their fellowship, 'union meetings' with those who actually denied the very fundamentals of becoming a Christian. It actually leads to the surrendering of the plan of salvation. Why? 'We love everybody' so that we want the 'fellowship of all people' and they go it.
The Climax
"The final end of it is, they carried that idea on it to its 'logical conclusion' and today those who were 'one time our brethren' have surrendered every distinct principle they ever had and you know the history of it now. Question, How do you feel today, you who had the courage to stand up in the face of all the thrusts that were made about them and at them, and bring out of it all, the church unscarred; though fewer in number, yet stronger in faith and wiser in how to prevent any future 'shame' as that was. The compromises today would not bring her through the struggle.
"Now you are ready to talk about where our 'shame' comes in. That was a 'shame' that really made us bow our heads. Just to think that were held up before a people that we had condemned for their division, and then division was FORCED upon us by a few men who 'cried' and 'loved' everything right into our fellowship and by so doing brought reproach upon our fair name and took from us 'all our schools' and 'most of our meeting houses' and left us a hundred years behind to fight our way back into the hearts of the people. The premillennialists today shall not do that to us.
"Now I know that today it hurts our hearts to have error in our congregations and it puts us to 'shame' to have to let the world know that we have it, but the shame is not 'half so great' as it would be if we sat silently by and let men today just 'love' premillennialism right into the church and take us away from the truth and then have to face a world 'divided and broken' as we once were and have them laugh us to shame now as then, and to rejoice that our army has been 'weakened and set back' and will not therefore be able to 'fight the battle' against error and sin, in all ranks and walks of life. Let me tell you, my brethren, there is never any place to bow your head in 'shame' when you are fighting for the truth. Truth is the greatest cause for which a man can give his all and never be ashamed nor afraid to defend her sacred principle.
"If we were to lose the fight by compromising the Truth, we might be shamed. Those back 50 to 75 years ago, who were deceived by the soft cries of the compromisers, they bowed their heads in shame when they saw what they had done, that they had 'fought' the very men who had been defending that 'dear old institution bought by the blood of our Lord.' But 'that shame' is not again going to be ours to have to bear. We are winning the victory and premillennialism is being swept from us and those who are going to teach it are leaving us by the scores and going with the denominations and those who remain and continue to fight us and oppose the truth, will soon be going the way of all the rest, or will have their days cut short, because the people now have their eyes opened to its dangers."
Thus we end our quotation of the Brother E. R. Harper of days past. And we conclude this article with the prayer that the people might soon get their eyes open to the fact that institutionalism is gnawing at the vitals of the church and is reducing the congregations of the church of Christ to nothing more than fund raising organizations for the man-made institutional schemes in the church today.