A Lesson Church History

A LESSON FROM CHURCH HISTORY

      The following is from a book of outlines and memoirs from the late J.W. McGarvey written by Brandon Renfro

      “November 1864 was a notable month in American history. Abraham  Lincoln was elected to a second term as president, easily defeating his Democratic opponent, George B. McClellan.  Gen. William Tecumseh     Sherman leveled much of Georgia on his famous March to the Sea.  And that same month, as the Civil War slowly began to wane, another battle brewed on a different front.”

“The weapons in this warfare would not assail physical strongholds, but ‘spiritual hosts of wickedness in heavenly places.’  Ephesians 6:12;  II Corinthians 10:4.  The conflict centered on the use of instrumental music in worship, and the spoils were invaluable because the souls of men were at stake.”  The leader of the movement was A.S. Hayden, an Ohio preacher and composer of church music.”

“Hayden was slowly chipping at the foundation upon which the Restoration Movement had been built, all the while pledging allegiance to its principles and expressing dismay at any ‘dogmatist’ who would dare question his soundness.  When he died, he left a multitude of like minded brethren, the blueprint for advocating and implementing change in the body of Christ.”

“There are still ‘Hayden’s’ today and those eager to applaud them.  How beneficial it would be to learn from history that what is often championed as progressive and forward-thinking is little more than old lies in new robes.  Sadly the principle of silence continues to be the stone many fall upon, breaking themselves in pieces.  As Jesus said in Matthew 21:41-44 ‘The stone which the builders  rejected has become the chief cornerstone.  This was the Lord’s doing, and it is marvelous in our eyes.  Therefore I say to you, the kingdom of God will be taken from you and given to a nation   bearing the fruits of it.  And whoever falls on this stone will be broken; but on whomever it falls, it will grind him to powder.”