"Good Sense Of Our Grand
James E. Scobey
(Editor's note: In late 1895 and early 1896 Brother James E. Scobey had a long series of articles in the Gospel Advocate on "Methods of Work and Worship in the Churches." Following is an extract from one of those articles, showing the attitude and conviction of defenders of the Missionary Society and instrumental music. The articles are in form of a dialogue between Brethren S and W. The "S" is for Scobey; the "W" stands unidentified.)
Brother S "Yes, you want the congregation to be in perfect harmony in its methods of work and worship, and maintain that this can be accomplished by the minority submitting to the majority. I have already granted that there could be no opposition if no one would oppose. 'Nothing succeeds like success,' it is said, and peace can always be maintained among the members of a congregation if no one will oppose anything in which a majority wish to engage. This, I think, is a fair interpretation of our position. Now suppose the majority should want to identify themselves with the work and worship of some of the denominations by which we are surrounded; should the minority acquiesce, fall into line and march to the music of denominationalism?"
Brother W: "You need not have any fears of our brethren doing anything so clearly unscriptural as that which is practiced by some. You need not climb the mountain until you reach it. The great good sense of our grand brotherhood may be trusted implicitly to guide us safely in all such matters. I have great confidence in the judgment, discretion, and excellent good sense of our leading brethren. When a church is simply adopting and following out what has been suggested, and is now regarded by great minds as being expedient and helpful accessories in the work and worship, certainly it cannot go wrong. These men have made a study of the word of the Lord, and must be as well informed at least as any of us, and they pronounce what our church now wishes to do to be good, helpful, and desirable. By pursuing this course we shall keep step with the progress of the age, and maintain a full harmony with the heart of our great brotherhood, marching on to grander and more glorious triumphs for the cross than any of which we may have hitherto imagined. Our church will grow in numbers rapidly. and soon in all parts of the world we shall cease to be regarded as a narrow, contracted, Pharisaical sect, and we shall come to be recognized, as we ought to be, as one of the great religious powers of the earth; and because of our scriptural position on the plan of salvation, or induction into the kingdom, we shall at length become the most populous and powerful of all. Why should we, my dear Brother Scobey, throw away the possibilities of such grand results by differing, discussing, and wrangling, when by doing so we are dissipating our efforts and prostituting our powers to the great detriment of the church, to its honor, and glory, and progress? The conversion of the world to Christianity is of paramount importance to any method of work or worship."