The Porter-Woods Debate - (III.)
The very nature of the proposition affirmed by Brother Woods in Indianapolis denotes a fundamental misconception of the church. His proposition stipulated that churches can build and maintain benevolent organizations, but it is preposterous to even suppose that the church is designed to perpetuate any institution other than itself. Authority is invested in the Roman Catholic Church and by that authority she can build human organizations through which to do her work, but this is not true of the Lord's church. The scriptures contain the will of God and they constitute the sovereign authority of the church. Brother Porter repeatedly challenged Brother Woods to show from the scriptures where the church is authorized to build or maintain any human institution through which to do her work.
Brother Woods attempted to classify the benevolent organizations as incidentals in caring for the needy. He contended that the command is to care for the needy and the method is left to our judgment. He tried to draw a parallel of the benevolent institutions to such incidentals as the meeting house, a bass singer, the number of Bible classes that we have the song book, the baptistery, etc.
In response to the contention of Brother Woods, Brother Porter introduced a chart on law and expediency. At the top of the chart was placed the idea that for a thing to be expedient it must first be lawful. (1 Cor. 6:12.) Then under that Brother Porter had placed the following items in order across the chart: Commands, Inclusions, Perversions, Incidentals, and Additions. Under these headings he gave illustrated examples. Noah was commanded to build an ark. The inclusion of that command was Gopher wood; any other wood was excluded. A perversion of the command would be the use of Cottonwood, or some other kind of wood. Incidentals to the carrying out of the command to build the ark would be the kind of tools that would be used, etc. An addition to the command would be another building. Presented next was the word "teach." We are commanded to teach. Included in that command is "the whole counsel of God," the truth. A perversion of the command to teach would be human traditions or anything not the truth. An incidental to teaching would be a chart or a blackboard. But an addition to the command to teach is the Christian Missionary Society. This organization is not in the class of an incidental or method but it is an addition to what God has commanded. Then next was the word "baptized." We are commanded to baptize and the inclusions of that command are water, believers, and a burial. Perversions of the command would be wine, infants, and sprinkling. Incidentals to the command are such things as the ocean, a river, a pool, or a baptistery. But suppose that someone decides to form the Christian Baptizing Association, an organization through which baptizing is to be done. The forming of such an association would not be an incidental to the command to baptize; it would be a society not authorized by the Lord and it would therefore be an addition. Next in order was the word "sing." We are commanded to sing and inclusions of that command are scriptural songs and "making melody in our hearts." Perversions of the command would be worldly songs and making melody on a mechanical instrument. Incidentals to the command to sing would be such things as song books, the tuning fork, the voice, parts, and notes. But suppose that it should be decided that we must have a Singing Saints Society through which to do our singing. That would be an addition to the command to sing because the Lord has not authorized us to form an organization through which to do our singing. We are commanded to partake of the Lord's Supper. Inclusions of the command are the first day of the week, unleavened bread, and the fruit of the vine. Perversions of the command would be an observance on some day other than the first day of the week and the use of beef and buttermilk or other elements not authorized by the Lord. Incidentals to the command are such things as plates, cups, the hour on the first day of the week, etc. But what if someone decided to form the Christian Communion Confederation, a society which would distribute the Lord's Supper to members of the church? The establishing of such an institution would be contrary to the scriptures. We are commanded to give. Inclusions of the command are to give as we have been prospered and to give cheerfully. Perversions of the command would be to give sparingly and grudgingly. Incidentals of the command are such things as collection plates and envelopes. But what if someone should come up with the idea that we form the Christian Fellowship Federation, a society through which to do our giving? That would be an addition to what the Lord has authorized. We are commanded to pray. Inclusions of the command are to pray to God and to pray in faith. Perversions of the command would be to pray to the Virgin Mary and to pray in pretense, etc. Incidentals in the command to pray are the length of the prayer, the posture, etc. But what if the brethren should decide to form an institution through which all members of the church are to do their praying, the Christian Praying League? Such an institution would be unscriptural; it would be an addition to the command to pray. We are commanded to visit the orphans. Inclusions of the command are such items as food, clothing, and shelter. Perversions of the command to care for the needy would be to oppress, vex, and neglect them. Incidentals of the command are such things as a house, a tent, the city, country, etc. But what have brethren done? They have established Christian Benevolence Corporations through which the church is to do her benevolent work. Brother Porter emphasized that we are commanded to teach, baptize, sing, partake of the Lord's Supper, pray, give, and visit the orphans, but the scriptures do not authorize us to perform these commands through organizations as the Christian Missionary Society, the Christian Baptizing Society, The Singing Saints Society, the Christian Communion Federation, the Christian Praying League, the Christian Fellowship Federation, or Christian Benevolence Corporations. As Noah would have had an addition to the command to build the ark if he had built a building in addition to the ark, so Brother Woods is defending benevolent institutions which are additions to the church. He has several small buildings tied to the ark! Brother Woods stated that the Missionary Society is wrong because it is an addition to the command to teach, yet he contended that the benevolent organizations are not additions to the command to relieve the needy. Brother Porter asked him to show why one is an addition and not the other, or to show why the Missionary Society is an addition and not an incidental and why the benevolent societies are incidentals and not additions. This Brother Woods could not do and his inconsistency was glaring.
Brother Porter went to the blackboard and wrote down the reference: Matthew 28:19, 20. In this passage is the command to teach. The how of it is left to our judgment, but we are not authorized to establish another organization through which to do the teaching. The teaching is to be done through the church and not through the Missionary Society. Brother Porter then wrote under Matthew 28: 19, 20 the reference: 1 Timothy 5:16. This passage teaches that we are to relieve the widows and while there are incidentals as to the how, the church is not authorized to build human organizations through which to do the work. So, Brother Porter pressed the point that Brother Woods believes that the Missionary Society is wrong because it is an addition to the command to teach, but Brother Woods does not believe that it is wrong to have benevolent organizations through which the church is to do her benevolent work. He excludes the Missionary Society in the command to teach in Matthew 28:19, 20, but he includes the benevolent societies in the command to relieve the widows in 1 Timothy 5:16. With Brother Woods it seems to depend upon what he wants to defend. The only reply that Brother Woods made to the scriptural argument presented by Brother Porter was that the Missionary Society is not inherent in the word "teach" of Matthew 28:19, 20. Of course Brother Porter replied that neither are the benevolent organizations inherent in the word "relieve" of 1 Timothy 6:16.
Brother Porter made it obvious to the audience that the benevolent organizations being defended by Brother Woods are not incidentals but that they are additions to the word of God. That is the issue and Brother Porter made it impressive that the arguments that he is making against these societies are certainly not the same arguments that are made by brethren who oppose our Bible class arrangement. On the same basis that Brother Woods contends for the benevolent institutions, the digressives can defend the Missionary Society. This will be considered more in our next article.