PART VI THE RESTORATION MOVEMENT (1923-1974) (Resurgence)

INTRODUCTION

The title of this lecture series is "The Church in the Bible and in History." The first lecture dealt with "How It All Began." We started with the establishment of the church in AD 30 in the city of Jerusalem. And we considered six primary characteristics of this church that was to be restored. The second lecture dealt with "What Went Wrong with the Church." We looked at the apostasy, the falling away from the faith, the departure from the New Testament norm which resulted in what eventually historian referred to as the Dark Age or the Mediaeval Period of world history. The third lecture dealt with "The Road Back," the Protestant Reformation, endeavored to correct the abuses of the church and we also then revealed how and why many of these Protestant movements began. The fourth lecture dealt with "A New Beginning." The efforts were being made by people from various denominational background to restore the church after the New Testament in its doctrines, ordinances and life to find a common meeting ground. And then we come to the fifth lecture, "Another Wrong Turn" in which we dealt with the 20th century apostasy, the tragic intrusion of liberal theology upon the religious scene that almost devastated this great movement. And now last of all we come to the sixth lecture, "Getting Back on the Track," a resurgence in this movement.

I. Exposure of “open membership” in Foreign Christian Missionary Society by Robert E. Elmore. Publishing of revelations by Standard Publishing.

Recall we had cited the exposure of “open membership” in Foreign Christian Missionary Society by Robert E. Elmore, the corresponding secretary, the executive secretary of the Executive Committee of the Foreign Christian Missionary Society back in 1911. When, to enjoy his moral integrity, Robert E. Elmore resigned from the Foreign Christian Missionary Society because there was refusal to publish these facts and then inform them to brethren, he then had all of  these facts and revelations published by Standard Publishing Company to the pages of the Christian Standard.

II. Rallying of faithful remnant.

Thus committed a rallying of the faithful remnant.

I. Formation of Clarke Fund (1923)

A. Organizing body - Richmond Street Christian Church, Cincinnati, Ohio - elders acting as trustees, among the earliest “free” missionary agencies.
B. Purposes - evangelizing in areas destitute of the New Testament plea; establishing churches after the New Testament pattern, reopening closed churches, etc.

As we go back a little bit, there was an interesting event that took place in latter part of the 19th century. A Christian gentleman by the name of Sidney S. Clarke, a man of means had provided in his will that after his death a trustee will be established with the income from which he indicated that should be used to pay the salaries of the evangelists who go across America and try to establish churches after the New Testament ideal in various areas destitute of this New Testament plea.

It happened that eventually the elders of the downtown Richmond Street Christian Church in Cincinnati Ohio became the trustees to this particular Clarke Estate. And when some of the churches and brethren heard of this existence of this Clarke Estate, they, (who were endeavoring to do this), began to send missionary contributions or offerings to the Richmond Street Christian Church. To this legal technicality it was not possible for this fund to work or become a part of Clarke Estate. So the elders of the Richmond Street Christian Church brought into existence, what they called, the Clarke Fund which received these missionary offerings or contributions from the churches and brethren across the America. And then this fund worked in conjunction with the income from the Clarke Estate to employ these evangelists to send them out across America.

C. Almost one new church a month established and about the same number of closed churches reopened with over 1,000 additions a year in the early years.

Almost one new church was being established each month as result of this effort. About almost the same number of closed churches was being reopened in the thrilling result of almost 1,000 baptisms into Christ annually as result of this effort from 5 to 8 evangelists who were employed these early years of the Clarke Fund.

II. Formation of two new schools.

A. McGarvey Bible College and Cincinnati Bible Institute - 1923. Purpose - to stem the tide of infidelity and to prepare a faithful gospel ministry.

But because the movement to the infiltration of liberal theology had begun in the sprint the loss in a row as once great schools about thirty-three in all, the concern came as what we wanted to prepare for faithful Gospel Bible preaching ministry.

B. Merger under auspices of Clarke Fund. The Cincinnati Bible Seminary - 1924.

The first built great school that was capitulated to the liberal theology was the old grand College of the Bible at Transylvania in Lexington Kentucky. J. W. McGarvey had been the highly respected Bible scholar and preacher and president of that school for many years. But when he died, the liberal moved in and took it over lock, stock, and barrel and came the domino effect. And rapidly one after another we began to lose our great schools such as the old School of Religion at Butler University, now known as Christian Theological Seminary; the old Brite Divinity School in the Texas Christian University in Fort Worth, Texas; the Drake Divinity School in the Drake University in Des Moines, Iowa, which is now non-existent; the Divinity School (Philip Theological Seminary), that is, Philip University in Enid, Oklahoma; Eureka College in Illinois; Ca~?; Hiram College in Ohio, oh my own father had graduated; Bethany College, oh my mother attended. The school hadn't been to satisfy Alexander Campbell. Eventually we lost thirty-three schools in higher education which capitulated to liberal theology. And so as an effort to rectify it, some of men who sat at the feet of J. W. McGarvey of old College of the Bible along with others in 1923 in Louisville Kentucky started what they called, McGarvey Bible College. The same year in Cincinnati, Ohio primarily under the auspices of Standard Publishing Company with many of editors serving as faculty, there was establishing, what was called, Cincinnati Bible Institute. Both of these schools were very small and struggling. And at that time the primary financial support of both of these schools was the very influential Tabernacle Christian Church, now referred to as First Christian Church in Columbus, Indiana. The very well-known preacher was W. H. Book, William Henry Book. Brother Book approached both of these little schools and stated that it was really poor stewardship that two of them were in existence being located so closely together, with such small student bodies and struggling for survival. And he proposed these two schools were merged and suggested that if they didn't merge, the Tabernacle Church would probably discontinue to support to both of them. Oh, this was pretty good motivation and in competition with other brethren across America. That was done. At the invitation of the Clarke Fund of the Richmond Christian Church in Cincinnati, Ohio, these two schools merged under their auspices in 1924 in Cincinnati, Ohio and reformed what was to be known as the Cincinnati Bible Seminary. As a result of this merger, it began with a student body of sixty-six. Next year there were five in the first graduating class that received their Bachelor of Arts degrees. The school began to grow. And the work of the Clarke Fund began to grow. This school had been brought into existence primarily for the purpose of stemming the tide of infidelity and preparing a faithful Gospel ministry.

III. Growth of Clarke Fund. Separation from Richmond Street Christian Church ? 1925.

A. New name - Christian Restoration Association.
B. Purposes - same as predecessor including educational, benevolent and mission work.
C. Publication - name changed from Facts to Restoration Herald.

That was that Clarke Fund began to grow that lastly elders suggested that this organization should be separated from the local church, Richmond Street Church, and had their own Board of Trustees to direct and changed the name from the Clarke Fund to the Christian Restoration Association which name it bears to this day. It had been my privilege in it 18 years span of time to serve for this particular organization in Cincinnati as an evangelist and the last 10 years as an editor of monthly publication, the Restoration Herald.

IV. Christian Service Camp Movement (1927). Twelve camps in 12 states arranged by Christian Restoration Association.

But the work continued to grow under the Christian Restoration Association. They were starting new churches. But the question came, "Where were we going to get the preachers? Where were we going to get the students for the Bible college?" At that time one of the trustees of the Christian Restoration Association was brother O. A. Trinkle who was the minister of larger Christian church in the State of Indiana, the Englewood Christian Church in Indianapolis. In one of the meetings of the Association he proposed that 12 Christian Youth Conferences, he called them, should be established from 12 different states and they should secure the faculty to reign curriculum to tap the great untapped dormant potential in our local churches' young people. And so in 1927 this impetus was given to what came to be known as Christian Service Camp Movement. Several others had been independently already established sponsored primarily by local churches.

A. Number increased to 14 in 1928.
B. Taps tremendous potential lying dormant in local churches for the Christian ministry and leadership.
C. Local churches urged to give oversight.

The next year the number of camps were increased to 14 camps and 14 states. Then the Restoration Association, not wanting to fall into the same pitfall of the United Christian Missionary Society what was regarded as a centralized or official authoritative body, looked to the local churches in these various areas of new camps located suggesting that they take supervision and oversight of this camp program into their constituency. And so it was. That movement had grown remarkably.

V. Momentum of Direct-Support Missions:

A. U.C.M.S. recall of Leslie Wolfe from Philippines for refusal to co-operate in comity and “open membership.”

1. Funds cabled by C.R.A. in response to Wolfe dilemma (1927).

At this same period of time now we find some of the veteran missionaries who had gone out of old Foreign Missionary Society and Christian Women Board of Mission. Now we're finding that their doctrinal stance was incompatible with a liberal theology that had now been adopted by their Missionary Society. Because of their refusal to co-operate in the comity agreements there were being arranged by the United Society, these missionaries were being called back home. The first such instance was that of Leslie Wolfe, the veteran missionary of the Philippine Islands, who, when he was called back because of his refusal to co-operate in the program of apostacy, had his support thus drawn from him. He did not want to abandon the work which he had given his life that was in the Philippines. He sent a cablegram to the Christian Restoration Association citing the dilemma that it happened. And immediately the Christian Restoration Association cabled Leslie Wolfe fund and told him to stay in the fields. They were making appeal to the brethren to come to his support.

2. Ensuing appeals for assistance from Cunningham and Madden in Japan; C. B. Titus in Union of South Africa; E. T. Westrup in Mexico; Russell Morse in China and Tibet.

In rapid succession it came other appeals for assistance from some faithful missionaries. One came from W. D. Cunningham and from brother M. B. Madden in Tokyo, Japan; another came from brother C. B. Titus in the mission work in the Union of South Africa; another came from brother E. T. Westrup in Monterrey, Mexico whose mission work had been sold out to the Methodist denomination by the United Christian Missionary Society; then came an appeal from Russell Morse who served the rooftop of world worked in India, China and Tibet and Burma meet.

3. Appeal to churches by C.R.A. - living-link support secured and local churches underwrite a direct-support program.

And thus we see, for the first several years, about 8 to 11 faithful missionary families who were carried by the CRA's overseas evangelists. And again not wanting to be construed as a centralized authoritative official body the Restoration Association wrote a number of larger churches in America and challenged them to take on these missionaries as their living-linked missionary. The first church responded was the great First Christian Church in Canton, Ohio where P. H. Welshimer was the minister. They took on Leslie Wolfe in the Philippians in their living-link. The next response came from the great Indianola Church in Columbus, Ohio where W. R. Walker (was the) minister. Then came a response from the West Side Church of Christ in Springfield, Illinois. Then another from the church in Dodge City, Kansas until the last we had 11 faithful missionary families. And thus began what came to be referred to as direct-support mission movement, the faith-supported mission movement.

B. Start of North American Christian Convention (1927). A fellowship of free Christians; not a convention of churches; not representative, official or authoritative.

At this same juncture in our history due to the fact that there was the national convention, the resolutions that were passed by the convention were repeatedly reinterpreted to the expanses they were practically nullifying, made null and void. And at last in frustration in 1927 many of these brethren withdrew and they formed what came to be known as the North American Christian Convention. The North American Christian Convention was a fellowship of free Christians which it is to this very hour. It was not or hasn't ever been a convention of churches because the North American Christian Convention is not a representative. It is not an official or authoritative body. It's simply a gathering of the brethren for preaching of the Gospel and for fellowship and motivation to do the work of our Lord at home and around the world.

C. The Cincinnati Bible Seminary set apart from C.R.A. (1928).

In 1928 then, because the Bible college, Cincinnati Bible Seminary was growing so rapidly, the trustees of the Christian Restoration Association sought to separate it from the Restoration Association as a separate educational institution with its own board of trustees.

VI. Sixty-five Years of Cooperative Endeavor in Faith:

A. Multiplicity of evangelistic associations and men’s fellowships both local and area wide. Results - scores of new churches now established annually.

And so now as a result what it happened we see this resurgence now beginning to take place. God was working with our faithful remnants. After 65 years of cooperative endeavor, a cooperative endeavor that had been in faith and not to the cohesion of organizational structure, we find a multiplicity of evangelistic associations and men’s fellowships both local and area wide springing up in states all across the America. Result of this was that the scores now of new churches after the New Testament ideal again certainly reestablished in communities across the country.

B. Thirty-six Bible Colleges.

1. Enrollment over 4,000.
2. Burgeoning growth exerting pressure on facilities and faculties.

Also we see the result across intervening years 36 Bible Colleges has sprung up with their enrollment today of approximately 4,000 students. And there was burgeoning growth of these schools (exerting) pressure on the facilities and the faculties.

C. Approximately 800 weeks of Christian Service Camps.

1. About 100,000 enrollments.
2. Over 1,500 baptized into Christ annually.
3. About 700 recruits for specialized Christian service annually.

And then another growing story is the fact that the Christian Service Camp Movement has grown also. Today stands that every summer now approximately 800 weeks of camps are held. Sum of over 100,000 of our young people attend these camps every summer. On average over about 1,500 of these young people are baptized into the Lord Jesus Christ. And on every summer the latest statistic has been about 700 of these young people were challenged and motivated to prepare themselves for specialized Christian service.

D. Missionaries number about 2,000.

1. About 1,000 missionaries overseas.
2. In 60 countries.
3. On 82 mission fields.
4. On 500 different mission stations.
5. Over 5 per cent of present Bible college enrollment committed to the mission field.

Also we find that the mission field has been growing. Our missionaries today now are number of approximately 2,000. Almost 1,000 of them are serving as overseas missionaries. These missionaries are serving in about 60 different countries in about 82 different mission fields and are found out about 500 different mission stations around the world. Approximately 5 percent of total Bible college enrollment today is committed to the mission field.

E. About 5500 congregations. Over 1,200,000 members.

Also today we have about 5,500 congregations across the America. These 5,500 congregations have approximately 1,200,000 members.

F. Non-instrument brethren.

1. About 12,000 congregations.
2. About 2,500,000 members.
3. Unity consultations based upon adherence to the common faith and recognition of each other as brethren.

Ah, non-instrument brethren have about 12,000 congregations. And that has 2,500,000 members. And what had been encouraging thing that had appeared in recent years have been the unity consultations between these two groups and stayed in based upon their adherence to the common faith and recognition of each other as brethren. And so these are being held increasingly and encouraging headway is being made among these brethren

CONCLUSION

I. In a day of membership, seminary, ministerial, missionary, and church decline in liberal circles, the Restoration Movement is experiencing growth in every area.

In a day of membership, seminary, ministerial, missionary, and church decline in liberal church circles, the Restoration Movement is experiencing growth in every one of these areas.

II. Believers in all the denominations, wearied of apostasy in denominational circles, are looking again for common meeting ground.

Believers in all the denominations today have been wearied of the apostasy in denominational circles. They are literally defecting by the thousands. In a recent 10 years span of time many of these mainline denominations have been decreased in the membership, 25 percent, 30 percent, 37 percent, because these people again are looking for common meeting ground.

III. In the Restoration movement is found not only an adherence to the historical Biblical Christian faith, but it is found in an undenominational context.

In the Restoration movement is found not only an adherence to the historical Biblical Christian faith, but it is also found in an undenominational context.

IV. The world’s population tripled from 1850 to 1950 (3,000,000,000).

A. To double again by 2000 A.D.
B. In 1950 33/30 percent of the world’s population was Christian.
C. By 1960 it had dropped to 30 percent.
D. It is projected that by 2000 A.D. it would be less than 20 percent.

It's significant to note that in 1850 our world’s population was just one billion. It took one hundred years for this in triple. In 1950 the population became 3 billion. And it is projected that by the year 2000 this will double again. Already we have passed the 5 billion 2 hundred million mark. In 1950 33 and 30 percent of our world’s population was at least allegedly Christians. But it was in 10 years of time by 1960 it dropped to below 30 percent. And it is projected that by the year 2000 this figure will drop to below 20 percent.

V. There is a great-unfinished task that necessitates the involvement of every Christian as a soul-winner, a renewed emphasis upon the scriptural doctrine of the priesthood of all believers.

You see, this concern in listening imperative, the tremendous unfinished task, that necessitates the involvement of every Christian as a soul-winner never seemed to necessitate a renewed emphasis upon the priesthood of all believers in Jesus Christ.

VI. This is an era of unprecedented opportunity for a witness to undenominational Christianity and for renewed plea for a restoration of the church after the New Testament pattern with Christ as the only creed, the Bible as the only and all-sufficient rule for faith and practice, and content to Christian only.

We are concerned with an era of unprecedented opportunity. The church today is the most affluent church in the 2000 year history of the existence. We have had artistic exposure to all the technology of the media to get the Gospel message out to our world. We have also the technology in transportation and make the furthest access to our world see my very front doorstep. Ours is a fantastic stewardship that God has given us to get the Gospel message out to our all the world. So this is an era of unprecedented opportunity for a witness to undenominational New Testament Christianity and for renewed plea for a restoration of the church after the New Testament ideal, with Christ as the only creed, with the plea for the Bible as the only and all-sufficient rule for both faith as well as for practice, with Christ as the only creed, the Bible as the only rule of faith and practice and just simply again willing to be known as Christian only.

And oh what a time to preach the Gospel! Let all believers again be known simply as a Bible people, a people of the Book! Let all Christians again know what they believe and why they believe it! Let them so "study to shew themselves approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly or handling rightly the word of truth"(2Tim. 2:15)! Let us again be able to tell people book, chapter and verse whatever we believe and teach and practice! Let us make it appeal not to a preacher, not to a denominational church, not to a plea, but let's make appeal again to the Word of God so the man might have their hope based on what God had spoken! What an hour we have a holy task! It is an unfinished task and it, Jesus said it, even to us today, "We must work the works of him that sent us while it is day, for the night cometh, when no man can work"(John 9:4).