A Trip Abroad Part 7

CHURCHES OF CHRIST IN GREAT BRITAIN.

No doubt many of my readers will be specially interested in knowing something of my experience and a.s.sociation with the brethren across the sea, and it is my desire to give them as fair an understanding of the situation as I can. There are five congregations in Glasgow, having a members.h.i.+p of six hundred and seventy-eight persons. The oldest one of these, which formerly met in Brown Street and now meets in Shawlands Hall, was formed in 1839, and has one hundred and sixty-one members. The Coplaw Street congregation, which branched from Brown Street, and is now the largest of the five, dates back to 1878, and numbers two hundred and nineteen. It was my privilege to attend one of the mid-week services of this congregation and speak to those present on that occasion. I also met some of the brethren in Edinburgh, where two congregations have a members.h.i.+p of two hundred and fifty-three. At Kirkcaldy, the home of my worthy friend and brother, Ivie Campbell, Jr., there is a congregation of one hundred and seventy disciples, which I addressed one Lord's day morning. In the evening I went out with Brother and Sister Campbell and another brother to Coaltown of Balgonie, and addressed the little band wors.h.i.+ping at that place.

My next a.s.sociation with the brethren was at the annual meeting of "Churches of Christ in Great Britain and Ireland," convened at Wigan, England, August second, third, and fourth. While at Wigan I went out to Platt Bridge and spoke to the brethren. There are ninety members in this congregation. One night in Birmingham I met with the brethren in Charles Henry Street, where the congregation, formed in 1857, numbers two hundred and seventy-four, and the next night I was with the Geach Street congregation, which has been in existence since 1865, and numbers two hundred and twenty-nine members. Bro. Samuel Joynes, now of Philadelphia, was formerly connected with this congregation. While I was in Bristol it was my pleasure to meet with the Thrissell Street church, composed of one hundred and thirty-one members. I spoke once in their place of wors.h.i.+p and once in a meeting on the street. The last band of brethren I was with while in England was the church at Twynholm, London.

This is the largest congregation of all, and will receive consideration later in the chapter. The next place that I broke bread was in a little mission to the Jews in the Holy City. To complete a report of my public speaking while away, I will add that I preached in Mr. Thompson's tabernacle in Jerusalem, and spoke a few words on one or both of the Lord's days at the mission to which reference has already been made. I also spoke in a mission meeting conducted by Mr. Locke at Port Said, Egypt, preached once on the s.h.i.+p as I was coming back across the Atlantic, and took part in a little debate on s.h.i.+pboard as I went out on the journey, and in an entertainment the night before I got back to New York.

In this chapter I am taking my statistics mainly from the Year Book containing the fifty-ninth annual report of the churches in Great Britain and Ireland co-operating for evangelistic purposes, embracing almost all of the congregations of disciples in the country. According to this report, there were one hundred and eighty-three congregations on the list, with a total members.h.i.+p of thirteen thousand and sixty-three, at the time of the annual meeting last year.

(Since writing this chapter, the sixtieth annual report of these brethren across the sea has come into my hands, and the items in this paragraph are taken mainly from the address of Bro. John Wyckliffe Black, as chairman of the annual meeting which a.s.sembled in August of this year at Leeds. The members.h.i.+p is now reported at thirteen thousand eight hundred and forty-four, an increase of about eight hundred members since the meeting held at Wigan in 1904. In 1842 the British brotherhood numbered thirteen hundred, and in 1862 it had more than doubled. After the lapse of another period of twenty years, the number had more than doubled again, standing at six thousand six hundred and thirty-two.

In 1902, when twenty years more had pa.s.sed, the members.h.i.+p had almost doubled again, having grown to twelve thousand five hundred and thirty-seven. In 1842 the average number of members in each congregation was thirty-one; in 1862 it was forty; in 1882 it had reached sixty-one; and in 1902 it was seventy-two. The average number in each congregation is now somewhat higher than it was in 1902.)

Soon after the meeting was convened on Tuesday, "the Conference recognised the presence of Mrs. Hall and Miss Jean Hall, of Sydney, N.S.W., and Brother Don Carlos Janes, from Ohio, U.S.A., and cordially gave them a Christian welcome." The address of welcome and the address of the chairman, Brother James Anderson, of Fauldhouse, Scotland, came early in the day. The meeting on Wednesday opened with wors.h.i.+p and a short address, followed by reports from the General Sunday-school, Reference, General Training, and Magazine Committees. One interesting feature of the proceedings of this day was the conference paper by Bro.

T.J. Ainsworth on the subject of "The Relation of Christianity to the Social Questions of the Day." Besides a discussion of this paper, there was a preaching service at night. Thursday, the last day of the meeting, was occupied, after the morning wors.h.i.+p and short address, with the reports of committees and the appointment of committees. At the social meeting at night several brethren, who had been previously selected, spoke on such subjects as seemed good to them. Bro. W.A. Kemp, of Melbourne, Australia, and the writer were the only speakers not residents of the British Isles. At the close of the meeting the following beautiful hymn was sung to the tune of "Auld Lang Syne":

Hail, sweetest, dearest tie, that binds Our glowing hearts in one; Hail, sacred hope, that tunes our minds To harmony divine.

It is the hope, the blissful hope Which Jesus' words afford-- The hope, when days and years are past, Of life with Christ the Lord.

What though the northern wintry blast Shall howl around our cot?

What though beneath an eastern sun Be cast our distant lot?

Yet still we share the blissful hope His cheering words afford-- The hope, when days and years are past, Of glory with the Lord.

From Burmah's sh.o.r.es, from Afric's strand, From India's burning plain, From Europe, from Columbia's land, We hope to meet again.

Oh, sweetest hope, oh, blissful hope, Which His own truth affords-- The hope, when days and years are past, We still shall be the Lord's.

No lingering look, no parting sigh, Our future meeting knows; There friends.h.i.+p beams from every eye, And love immortal glows.

Oh, sacred hope, the blissful hope, His love and truth afford-- The hope, when days and years are past, Of reigning with the Lord.

I am not willing to accept everything done in the annual meeting, but the hearty good will manifested and the pleasant and happy a.s.sociations enjoyed make it in those respects very commendable. These brethren are very systematic and orderly in their work. Some one, who has been designated beforehand, takes charge of the meeting, and everything moves along nicely. When a visiting brother comes in, he is recognized and made use of, but they do not turn the meeting over to him and depend upon him to conduct it. The president of the Lord's day morning meeting and part or all of the officers sit together on the platform.

The following is the order of procedure in one of the meetings which I attended: After singing a hymn and offering prayer, the brother presiding announced the reading lessons from both Testaments, at the same time naming two brethren who would read these scriptures. After they had come forward and read the lessons before the church, another hymn was sung, and certain definite objects of prayer were mentioned before the congregation again engaged in that part of the wors.h.i.+p. Two prayers were offered, followed by the announcements, after which a brother delivered an address. Then the president made mention of the visitors present, and an old gentleman from the platform extended "the right hand of fellows.h.i.+p" to some new members before the contribution was taken and the Lord's supper observed, a hymn being sung between these two items. A concluding hymn and prayer closed the service, which had been well conducted, without discord or confusion.

A brother in Wigan gave me a statement of the work of one of the congregations there in the winter season. On the Lord's day they have school at 9:20 A.M. and at 2 P.M.; breaking the bread at 10:30 A.M., and preaching the gospel at 6:30 P.M. At this evening meeting the Lord's table is again spread for the benefit of servants and others who were not able to be at the morning service. This is a common practice. The young people's social and improvement cla.s.s meets on Monday evening, a meeting for prayer and a short address is held on Tuesday evening, and the Band of Hope, a temperance organization for young people, meets on Wednesday evening. The singing cla.s.s uses Thursday night, and the officers of the church sometimes have a meeting on Friday night.

During the life of Bro. Timothy Coop much money was spent in an effort to build up along the lines adopted by the innovators here in America.

Bro. Coop visited this country, and was well pleased with the operations of the congregations that had adopted the modern methods, and he was instrumental in having some American evangelists to go to England, and a few churches were started. I was told that there are about a dozen congregations of these disciples, called "American brethren" by the other English disciples, with a members.h.i.+p of about two thousand, and that it is a waning cause.

The rank and file of these British brethren are more conservative than the innovators here at home, but they have moved forward somewhat in advance of the churches here contending for apostolic simplicity in certain particulars. A few of the congregations use a musical instrument in gospel meetings and Sunday-school services, and some have organizations such as the Band of Hope and the Dorcas Society. The organization of the annual meeting is said to be only advisory. The following lines, a portion of a resolution of the annual meeting of 1861 will help the reader to form an idea of the purpose and nature of the organization: "That this Cooperation shall embrace such of the Churches contending for the primitive faith and order as shall willingly be placed upon the list of Churches printed in its Annual Report. That the Churches thus cooperating disavow any intention or desire to recognize themselves as a denomination, or to limit their fellows.h.i.+p to the Churches thus cooperating; but, on the contrary, they avow it both a duty and a pleasure to visit, receive, and cooperate with Christian Churches, without reference to their taking part in the meetings and efforts of this Cooperation. Also, that this Cooperation has for its object evangelization only, and disclaims all power to settle matters of discipline, or differences between brethren or Churches; that if in any instance it should see fit to refuse to insert in or to remove from the List any Church or company of persons claiming to be a Church, it shall do so only in reference to this Cooperation, leaving each and every Church to judge for itself, and to recognize and fellows.h.i.+p as it may understand the law of the Lord to require."

The question of delegate voting with a view to making the action of the annual meeting more weighty with the congregations was discussed at the Wigan meeting, but was voted down, although it had numerous advocates.

One of the brethren, in speaking of the use of instrumental music in the singing, said they try not to use it when they wors.h.i.+p the Lord, but I consider the use they make of it is unscriptural, and it puts the church in great danger of having the innovation thrust into all the services at some future time. All of these churches could learn a valuable lesson from some of our home congregations that have been rent asunder by the unholy advocacy of innovations.

But there are some very commendable things about these brethren. I noticed careful attention being given to the public reading of the Scriptures, and the congregation joins heartily in the singing. I am informed that every member takes part in the contribution without exception. They do not take contributions from visitors and children who are not disciples. The talent in the congregation is well developed. In this they are far ahead of us. While there are not many giving their whole time to evangelistic work, there are many who are acceptable speakers. One brother said they probably have a preacher for each twenty-five members. Men heavily involved in business take time to attend the meetings. For instance, one brother, who is at the head of a factory employing about a thousand people, and is interested in mining and in the manufacture of brick besides, is an active member of the congregation with which he wors.h.i.+ps. The brethren in general are faithful in the matter of being present at the breaking of bread. When visiting brethren come in, they are given a public welcome, and are sometimes pointed out to the congregation. Also, when brethren return from a vacation or other prolonged absence, they are given a welcome.

They pray much. The week-night meeting for prayer and study of the Bible is largely taken up with prayer. I like the way they point out definite objects of prayer. For instance, two sisters are leaving for Canada; some one is out of employment, and some have lost friends by death.

These matters are mentioned, and some one is called on to lead the prayer, and these points are included in his pet.i.tion to the Lord.

Sometimes but one brother is asked to lead in prayer; sometimes more than one are designated, and at other times they leave it open for some one to volunteer. The following hymn was sung in one of these meetings which I attended:

LET US PRAY.

Come, let us pray; 'tis sweet to feel That G.o.d himself is near; That, while we at his footstool kneel, His mercy deigns to hear; Though sorrows crowd life's dreary way, This is our solace--let us pray.

Come, let us pray; the burning brow, The heart oppressed with care, And all the woes that throng us now, May be relieved by prayer; Jesus can smile our griefs away; Oh, glorious thought! come, let us pray.

Come, let us pray; the mercy-seat Invites the fervent prayer, And Jesus ready stands to greet The contrite spirit there; Oh, loiter not, nor longer stay From him who loves us; let us pray.

They do not publish as many papers as we do, but have one weekly journal, the _Bible Advocate_, edited by Bro. L. Oliver, of Birmingham, which has a general circulation, reaching almost four thousand copies.

One feature of the paper last summer was the publication of the Life of Elder John Smith as a serial. The colored covers of the _Bible Advocate_ contain a long list of the hours and places of wors.h.i.+p of congregations in different parts of the country, and even outside of the British Isles in some cases. In some instances the local congregation publishes a paper of its own, affording a good medium through which to advertise the meetings and to keep distant brethren informed of the work that is being done, as well as to teach the truth of G.o.d.

A book room is maintained in Birmingham, where the British and American publications may be purchased. They were using a hymn-book (words only) of their own and a tune-book published by others, but a new hymnbook was under consideration when I was among them last year. A list of isolated members is kept, and persons elected by the annual meeting conduct a correspondence with these brethren. The following are extracts from some of the letters received in reply to those that had been sent out: "I am hoping that the day will come when I can leave this district and get to one where I can have the fellows.h.i.+p of my brethren; but meanwhile I am glad and thankful to be held in remembrance of my brethren and to be on your list, and I pray G.o.d to help your work, for I have still hope in Him, and know He has not given me up." Another brother says: "Though I can not say that I have anything important or cheering to write, yet I can say that I am rejoicing in the salvation of G.o.d, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord. My isolation from regular church fellows.h.i.+p has been so long that I have almost given up the hope of enjoying it again in Arbroath; but still my prayer is that the Lord would raise up some here or send some here who know the truth, and who love the Lord with their whole heart, and would be able and willing to declare unto the people the whole counsel of G.o.d concerning the way of salvation." A Sisters'

Conference was held in connection with the annual meeting, and a Temperance Conference and Meeting was held on Monday before the annual meeting opened.

Missionary work is being carried on in Burmah, Siam, and South Africa.

In Burmah some attention has been given to translating and publis.h.i.+ng a part of the Psalms in one of the languages of that country. "Much time has been spent in the villages by systematic visitation, by the distribution of literature, and by seizing upon any and every opportunity of speaking to the people. Street meetings have been constantly held, visitors received on the boat, the gospel preached from the Mission-boat to the people sitting on the banks of the river, and also proclaimed to the people in their homes, in the villages, and in the fields, and on the fis.h.i.+ng stations. Although there were but two baptisms during the year the congregation numbers fifty-one." The brethren in Siam were working where the rivers, numerous ca.n.a.ls, and creeks form the chief roadways. The Year Book contains the following concerning the medical missionary in this field: "His chief work during the year has been rendering such help as his short medical training has fitted him to give. For a time twelve to twenty patients a day came to him for treatment. After a while the numbers fell off, he thought because all the sick in the neighborhood had been cured." "The little church in Nakon Choom * * * now consists of two Karens, one Burman, one Mon, two Chinamen, and two Englishmen. As several of these do not understand the others' language, the gift of tongues would seem not undesirable." In South Africa there are congregations at Johannesburg, Pretoria, Bulawayo, Cape Town, and Carolina. The church in Bulawayo numbers about fifty members, nearly all of whom are natives "who are eager learners."

I saw more of the workings of the church at Twynholm than any other congregation visited, as I stayed at Twynholm House while in London both on the outward trip and as I returned home. Of the seven congregations in this city, Twynholm is the largest, and is the largest in the British brotherhood, having a members.h.i.+p of above five hundred. This church was established in 1894 with twenty-five members, and has had a good growth.

They open the baptistery every Lord's day night, and very frequently have occasion to use it. There were fifty-three baptisms last year, and twenty-one others were added to the members.h.i.+p of the church. At the close of a recent church year the Band of Hope numbered five hundred and fifteen, and the Lord's day school had twelve hundred and fifty pupils and one hundred and two teachers. I think it was one hundred and sixty little tots I saw in one room, and down in this bas.e.m.e.nt there were about fifty more. I was told that there were more children attending than they had accommodation for, but they disliked to turn any of them away. The Woman's Meeting had one hundred and sixteen members; the Total Abstinence Society, one hundred and fifty; and the members.h.i.+p of the Youths' Inst.i.tute and Bible Students' Cla.s.s were not given. Five thousand copies of _Joyful Tidings_, an eight-page paper, are given away each month. The following announcement from the first page of this paper will indicate something of the activities of this congregation:

CHURCH OF CHRIST,

Twynholm a.s.sembly Hall, Fulham Cross, S.W.

REGULAR SERVICES AND GATHERINGS.

_LORD'S DAY._ 9:45 A.M.--Bible Students' Cla.s.s.

11:00 A.M.--Divine Wors.h.i.+p and "The Breaking of Bread".

(Acts 2:42, etc.) 2:45 P.M.--Lord's Day Schools.

3:00 P.M.--Young Men's Inst.i.tute.

4:00 P.M.--Teachers' Prayer Meeting (first Lord's day in the month).

6:30 P.M.--_Evangelistic Service_.

7:45 P.M.--Believers' Immersion (usually).

8:10 P.M.--"The Breaking of Bread" (Continued).

_MONDAY._ 2:30 P.M.--Woman's Own Meeting.

7:00 P.M.--Band of Hope.

8:30 P.M.--Social Gathering for Young People (over fourteen).

8:30 P.M.--Total Abstinence Society (last Monday night in the month).

_THURSDAY._ 8:00 P.M.--Mid-week Service for Prayer, Praise, and Public Exposition of the Word.

9:00 P.M.--Singing Practice.

_FRIDAY._ 8:00 P.M.--Teachers' Preparation Cla.s.s and Devotional Meeting.

(Open to all).

Seat all Free and Unappropriated.

No Public Collections.