Waynesboro Church Of Christ

Welcomes You!

A pasted message from Matthew!

Past Message From Matthew

Posted Date: June 18, 2007

He traveled to Kentucky to check on the progress of the Restoration Movement. He noted that the movement was onward in its march, but not so triumphant. He stated that there were several things of serious nature that concerned him. Here are his comments:

More attention had been given to making converts than to teaching them how they must live once they had made a profession of faith. He stated that the preachers were almost the only ones engaged in working in the Lord’s vineyard, while the people are gazing on without praying, without exhorting one another, without instructing, admonishing and comforting the young converts, and without building them up in the most holy faith. In addition, extravagance in worldly things was siphoning off money needed to support evangelists.

He was also concerned about what he perceived as a lack of solemnity in worship. He noted that when the people met for worship, no one prayed or exhorted until the preachers arrived. He allowed, they sing, but only a few join in. He reported that after the preachers arrived, one long discourse would be delivered after another until the congregation became wearied and fatigued. The exhaustion of the congregation was evident, he argued, for as soon as they are dismissed each flies to his hat and makes a rush to the door.

He noticed a lack of solemnity in observance of the Lord’s Supper. He stated that the majority seemed to attend the Lord’s Supper as a duty, or as a custom, and not as a divine privilege. He said many of them are sitting and gazing around on the multitude, and passing events among them. He mentioned that people did not even kneel during prayer.

These comments were made by Barton W. Stone in the year 1843. At that point, he was an older man who was knocking on death’s door. He was a great leader in the Restoration Movement in America. In one hundred and sixty four years, how much has changed?