Huntington Church of Christ

The Christian Church celebrates three men as "key persons" in their development. In 1801, Barton Stone, a Presbytarian minister, denounced all human creeds and appealed to the Bible as the only rule of faith and practice. He formed the Springfeild Presbytery, but quickly dissolved it and wrote a document that the christian church considers important in their divelopment: the last will and testament of the Springfield Presbatery. Stone and his folowers broke all the denomenational ties and referred to themselves as simply "Christians".

Thomas Campbell, like Stone, refused to follow th ePresbyterian creed. Campbell's group adopted the well known motto - "Where the Scriptures peak, we speak; where the Scriptures are silent, we are silent." Campbell desired to go back to the Bibel and restore first century Christianity. This way of life came to be known as the "Restoration Movement." In 1827, Campbell and others of like faith (Bible alone - no manmade creed) had their fellowship withdrawn from the Baptist denomination. They became known as "Disciples." They certainly didn't want another denomination to arise fromtheir teaching.

Alexander Campbell, Thomas' son, endorsed the principles of his father. Both he and his father were convinced of the Scriptural necessity of baptism (immersion in water) for salvation. They were both baptized according to the New Testament pattern. Alexander was a great writer and talented debater. In 1837 He debated the Roman Catholic archbishop of Cincinnati in an eight-day debate concerning the traditions and beliefs of the Catholic Church. He became a great leader among the Disciples of Christ.

In 1832, Stone's "Christians" and Campbell's "disciples of Christ" found each other and agreed on basic beliefs and aims. It is said, they united with a formal handshake in Lexington, Kentucky. This new restoration movement was often referred to as the "Stone-Campbell movement." Their attitude toward God's Word and man's creed is to be commended and ought to be followed by all!

Around the turn of the century, a terrible irony occurred. An issue arose that divided this group of believers. An organ was introduced to provide music in worship. One group advocated the Scriptures does not mention instruments of music in Christian worship. This music was not authorized and thus a sin. The other group turned to the Old Testament for justification, teaching the New Testament was not a legal document and instruments were merely an aid and appropiate. Division occured. Those who taught against the use of insturments were later referred to as Churches of Christ. In the mid 1900's another conflict arose among the Disciples of Christ concerning the creation of a man made organization. In 1960 the "Commission of Brotherhood Restructure" began designing a new organization. In 1968, a representative assembly met in Kansas City and Disciples of Christ mark this time as a passage of the Disciples of Christ into "denominational maturity." "Officially named the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) they became a church," wrote church historian Duane Cummins. They are now recognized as a "Protestant denomination of nearly 800,000 members."

The first Christian Church of Lufkin, Texas recently ran a quarter page advertisement in the Lufkin newspaper with the heading: "What Disciples Believe." Five points followed with a brief explanation. Let's compare the words of men with the Words of God.

--- Daniel S. Dow

Daniel S. Dow
Huntington Church of Christ