After the last post, I thought I should start doing some reading of actual CofC history, so I found Alexander Campbell’s The Christian System, in Reference to the Union of Christians, and a Restoration of Primitive Christianity, as Plead in the Current Reformation, published in its 3rd edition in 1840. Google books has a free full-text pdf at this link.
I found one passage in particular (beginning on page 329) that I thought would be of broad interest to members of Churches of Christ. Alexander Campbell here describes a typical meeting of a small Restoration Movement church during the early 1800’s.
What strikes me is the excitement and sincerity that Campbell finds in the whole meeting. It is apparent that these Christians feel they have finally found the right way to worship, and the reason is not simply because of some hyper-rationalist drive to follow the Bible exactly (though some of that may be present as well). For Campbell, the Restoration Movement mode of worship does not simply satisfy a set of biblical criteria; instead, he experiences it as the way that allows for heart-felt and simple worship, rather than heartless ritual.
It’s interesting to me that the Emergent Church movement of today makes some of the same claims, as it sets aside a variety of traditional church practices in favor of something that feels less forced and more authentic. It seems that leaving behind old church practices can often spur a group to approach worship in a new way so that they indeed experience worship of God that is more heart-felt. However, we should be careful not to assume that the particular form of worship is the real reason for the renewed fervence, when often the simple fact of change can create an excitement that helps us meet God anew. Such drastic changes have benefits, but they can also have harmful side effects. The real challenge of church leadership, then, is helping people meet God in new ways without throwing out traditions simply for the sake of shaking things up.
The church in –––––– consisted of about fifty members. Not having any person whom they regarded as filling Paul’s outlines of a Bishop, they had appointed two senior members, of a very grave deportment, to preside in their meetings. These persons were not competent to labor in the word and teaching; but they were qualified to rule well, and to preside with Christian dignity. One of them presided at each meeting. After they had assembled in the morning, which was at eleven o’clock, (for they had agreed to meet at eleven and to adjourn at two o’clock during the winter season,) and after they had saluted one another in a very familiar and cordial manner, as brethren are wont to do who meet for social purposes; the president for the day arose and said:–– “Brethren, being assembled in the name and by the authority of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, on this day of his resurrection, let us unite in celebrating his praise.” He then repeated the following stanza:––
“Christ the Lord is risen to day!
Sons of men and angels say;
Raise your joys and triumps high,
Sing, O heavens! and earth reply!”
“The congregation arose and sang this psalm in animating strains. He then called upon a brother, who was a very distinct and emphatic reader, to read a section of the evangelical history. He arose and read, in a very audible voice, the history of the crucifixion of the Messiah. After a pause of a few moments, the president called upon a brother to pray in the name of the congregation. His prayer abounded with thanksgivings to the Father of Mercies, and with supplications for such blessings on themselves and for all men as were promised to those who ask, or for which men were commanded to pray. The language was very appropriate; no unmeaning repetitions, no labor of words, no effort to say any thing and every thing that came into his mind; but to express slowly, distinctly, and emphatically, the desires of the heart. The prayer was comparatively short; and the whole congregation, brethren and sisters, pronounced aloud the final Amen.
After prayer a passage in one of the Epistles was read by the president himself, and a song was called for. A brother arose, and after naming the page repeated––
“Twas on that night when doomed to know
The eager rage of every foe;
That night in which he was betrayed
The saviour of the world took bread.”
He then sat down, and the congregation sang with much feeling.
I observed that the table was furnished before the disciples met in the morning, and that the disciples occupied a few benches on each side of it, while the strangers sat off on seats more remote. The president arose and said that our Lord had a table for his friends, and that he invited his disciples to sup with him. “In memory of his death, this monumental table,” said he, “was institutded; and as the Lord ever lives in heaven, so he ever lives in the hearts of his people. As the first disciples, taught by the Apostles in person, came together into one place to eat the Lord’s supper, and as they selected the first day of the week in honor of his resurrection, for this purpose; so we, having the same Lord, the same faith, the same hope with them, have vowed to do as they did. We owe as much to the Lord as they; and ought to love, honor, and obey him as much as they.”
Thus having spoken, he took a small loaf from the table, and in one or two periods gave thanks for it. After thanksgiving, he raised it in his hand, and significantly brake it, and handed it to the disciples on each side of him, who passed the broken loaf from one to another, until they all partook of it. There was no stiffness, no formality, no pageantry; all was easy, familiar, solemn, cheerful.
He then took the cup in a similar manner, and returned thanks for it, and handed it to the disciples sitting next to him, who passed it round; each one waiting upon his brother, until all were served. The thanksgiving before the breaking of the loaf, and the distributing of the cup, were as brief and pertinent to the occasion, as the thanks usually presented at a common table for the ordinary blessings of God’s bounty. They then arose, and with one consent sang––
“To him that loved the sons of men,
And washed us in his blood;
To royal honors raised our heads,
And made us priests to God.”
The president of the meeting called upon a brother to remember the poor, and those ignorant of the way of life, before the Lord. He kneeled down and the brethern all united with him in supplicating the Father of Mercies in behalf of all the sons and daughters of affliction, the poor and the destitute, and in behalf of the conversion of the world. After this prayer the fellowship or contribution was attended to; and the whole curch proved the sincerity of their desires, by the cheerfulness and liberality which they seemed to evince, in putting into the treasury as the Lord has prospered them.
A general invitation was tendered to all the brotherhood if they had any thing to propose or inquire, tending to the edification of the body. Several brethren arose in succession, and read several passages in the Old and New Testaments, relative to some matters which had been subjects of former investigation and inquiry. Sundry remarks were made; and after singing several spiritual songs selected by the brethren, the president, on motion of a brother who signified that the hour of adjournment had arrived, concluded the meeting by pronouncing the apostolic benediction.
I understand that all these items were attended to in all their meetings; yet the order of attendance was not invariably the same. On all the occasions on which I was present with them, no person arose to speak without invitation, or without asking permission of the president, and no person finally left the meeting before the hour of adjournment, without special leave. Nothing appeared to be done in a formal or ceremonious manner. Every thing exhibited the power of godliness as well as the form; and no person could attend to all that passed without being edified and convinced that the Spirit of God was there. The joy, the affection, and the reverence which appeared in this little assembly, was the strongest argument in favor of their order, and the best comment on the excellency of the Christian institution.