The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1910-07-22
May Creep Out in Christian
Convention in Topeka.
Gift Of Christian Evangelist to
Precipitate It.
| CRISIS IMPENDING.
Talk Of Delegate Meeting Held
Revolutionary.
Question Is Becoming Serious
Church People Hint.

Kansas City, Mo-, July 22.-R. A.
Longs recent purchase Of the Chris
tIan publishing company's stock in St.
Louis, Of which The Christian Evan
sels., leading church paper. is the
chief asset. and his offer to give it to the
christian church, has started a heated
discussion within that church and will
preclpltate great row at the national
convention of Christian churches in
Topeka next October. while The
Evangelist and its organization will
not be brought directly into the af
falr, the offer of Mr.. Long to give If
10 the churches generally has started
all the trouble.
IN Kansas City and many of the Law
men VIII attend the Topeka convention
10 hear the matter fought out.
AS a matter of fact, there is no
christian church" to receive the gift
speaking. The Christian or nisninIes
cnurches of the United States recog-
nlze no general governing or adminis-
trative body. Each separate congrega-
tion is a law unto itself, and national
oouvehtions III, are SIMPLY mass meetings
without power to bind or loose.
Advocate Delegate Convention.
To remedy this defect not only in
the matter of taking over The Evan
gellst, certain leaders in the brother
hood are advocating a delegate con
VIII nave general
| supervision over the missionary and
similar administrative affairs of the
churches. Apparently simple in itself,
TINS recommendation is regarded by
the more conservative disciples as
thoroughly revolutionary.
SO great is the importance attached
to 1t that church papers are already
hinting at it as the most serious event
| in the history of the great movement
which began more than century ago
when the CampbeIlsZ and their asso-
clates began preaching to the world
their doctrines of ''the Restoration.
While there are national, state, dis
trlct and county conventions, these
have been considered but church mass
meetings, without binding power upon
any of the churches represented at
them For this reason, there could be
no such thing as heresy trial, and
any Christian preacher could preach
any kind OF doctrine he chose, prov1d-
ed his own congregation would stand
for it,
Now it seems that there is a large per-
eentage of the membership which has
round this arrangement unsatisfactory in
grown tremendously within the last few
years. 1t is the largest of any protestant
equally strong in Iowa. Illinois, Nebraska.
Kansas. Kentucky Indiana, Ohio, West
| Virginia and Texas
AT the Pittsburg convention last wear
committee of seven of which Allan B.
Phllput, Indianapolis. Ind, was chairman.
| was appointed to arrange some nIal1s Of
unification for these missionary activities.
| In answer to an inquiry of the Christian
| standard. founded by Isaac Errett, one
recently announced that the Committee
| would recommend at Topeka "a general
| convention OF the churches of Christ to
which the various missionary organiza-
| tons shall report and to which they shall
be responsible: This general convention
| shall be a delegate body giving it not
! only moral but legal sanction and en-
/ abling it to supervise properly all the mis-
sionary and philanthropic interests of the
Cry Against Unification
| Immediately upon the announcement, a
| big cry went up from the conservative
members all over the United States
"A delegate convention!'' they said.
That would make us a denomination!
Where is there scg1iptqrai authority for
ecclesiasticism! 1t is betraying the
restoration
! bers of the churches said it would be a
| good thing because it would insure good
| business administration of the affairs of
| the church.
Bitterest of the plans opponents is the
| Christian Standard, admittedly the organ
of the conservatives. The editor of that
There can be but little doubt that the
ecclesiasticism (for in sober truth we
know not what else to call iD is to pro-
| vide a receiving agency Tor h. A. Long 8
| gift of publishing house, to accept it in
| the name of the brotherhood-.th church
If you please-and conduct it by authority
| of the church.
| 1.-THE church? What church, he said
in another place. when did the body of
| Christians seeking to restore the Apostolic
| church become the whole church or a
| church?
| ssThat such a movement will come to
| naught is self evident to all who know
| and understand our plea, and who know
| our people: We know the pit out of which
we have been dragged and will never
| walk into it with our eyes OPEN
| r. A. Long paid $13O000 for the Christian
| Evangelist Only recently there was a
| general reorganization of the staff of the
l paper with W. r. Warren of Pittsburg
| IFS editor in chief.