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Graeme Chapman
No Other Foundation, Vol. II. (1993)


 

NO OTHER FOUNDATION

 

A Documentary History
of Churches of Christ in Australia

1846-1990

 

Volume II

1864-1930

 

GRAEME CHAPMAN

 


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PREFACE

      This book is an attempt at documenting the history of Churches of Christ in Australia. It is a companion volume to One Lord, One Faith, One Baptism: A History of Churches of Christ in Australia.

      The choice of subjects and the selection of specific documents for inclusion in the book is highly personal. Others may have chosen to highlight activities and emphases that I bypassed or to have included documents I omitted. To treat all that happened and to follow through everything that was believed or debated would have required us to republish our entire literature. This would have been both impossible and unnecessary.

      I have tried to capture the broad sweep of our history, to highlight significant events and to focus on critical doctrinal developments. The early chapters detail activities. The later chapters focus on the development of core beliefs.

      Part of the reason for compiling this documentary history is to make available periodical and occasional literature that is not easily accessible to researchers. I have included quotations from pamphlets and books only where the subject matter was important enough for inclusion or where the material was out of print I have drawn attention to articles or books that have treated some of the critical issues but which are too extensive to be included. It has not been easy to omit this material as it is often superior to what has been selected.

      I need to state at the outset that I have largely excluded organizational developments, particularly in the later chapters. These developments can be traced m conference handbooks, where changes are frequently commented on in one or two lines. I am also aware that I have given little space to our overseas missionary activity, apart from tracing beginnings. One of the reasons for this is that the area has been adequately researched, by Keith Bowes and others. It could also be argued that our overseas mission work is worthy of a documentary history of its own.

      Finally I hope, in reading through the documents, that you will capture something of the unique flavour of Churches of Christ in Australia and be enthused by the movement's core convictions. With strong and vibrant personalities stepping from the book, to catch your ear and to carry you along with them, such an eventuality will be hard to avoid. Venture at your risk!

      Churches of Christ have argued that they have no creed but Christ. It has been their intention to give him pre-eminence. The name they wear, the message they preach, the ordinances they celebrate, all announce his Lordship. They have sometimes gone off at tangents and denied the love that brought them into existence. They have, however, always sought to turn the focus to him in the hope that people, seeing him, would open their lives to his presence and their hearts to his love. They have known that he represents their only secure foundation.

      In preparing these documents for publication I have enjoyed the encouragement of Mr. Ken Clinton and the Historical Society. I would also like to express my thanks to Mrs. Margaret Watkins, who typed up documents that were included in Vol. I, to Mrs. Ethel Rankine, who, in a magnificent labour of love, typed up the remaining 600 pages that comprise volumes II and III, and to Mr. Ken Barton, who generously offered to photocopy the material and see it through to publication.

Graeme Chapman      

 


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ABBREVIATIONS

AC Australian Christian
ACP Australian Christian Pioneer
ACS Australian Christian Standard
ACWn Australian Christian Watchman
ACWs Australian Christian Witness
BMH British Millennial Harbinger
CE Christian Echo
Circuit A. McLean, A Circuit of the Globe, St. Louis, Christian Publishing Co., 1897
CM[NSW] Christian Messenger[NSW]
COC J. T. Brown [Ed.], Churches of Christ, Historical, Biographical and Pictorial History of Churches in the United States, Australia, England and Canada, Louisville, Ky, J. Morton, 1904
CP Christian Pioneer
CPl Christian Pleader
CTY H. R. Taylor, The Story of a Century: A Record of the Churches of Christ Religious Movement in South Australia, 1846-1946, Melbourne, Austral, n.d.
EL E. Davies, The Story of An Earnest Life, Cincinnati, Central Book Concern, 1881
EO Ecclesiastical Observer
JH A. B. Maston [Ed.], Jubilee Pictorial History of Churches of Christ in Australasia, Melbourne, Austral, 1903
MM Melbourne Medley
OHY A. W. Stephenson [Ed.], One Hundred Years: Churches of Christ in Australia, Melbourne, Austral, 1946
One T. J. Gore [Ed.], That They All May be One, Melbourne, Austral, 1909
SA H. R. Taylor, The History of Churches of Christ in South Australia, 1846-1959, Churches of Christ Evangelistic Union, Inc., n.d.

     


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CONTENTS

I. Early History: 1846-1864 11
    A. The Colonies 13
    B. Beginnings in South Australia 20
    C. Beginnings in New South Wales 89
    D. Beginnings in Victoria 119
    E. Beginnings in Queensland 204
    F. Life and Beliefs 207
        1. The Ethos of the Movement 209
        2. Attitude to the World 212
        3. Visit of T. H. Milner 226
    G. Relationships with Other Groups 238
        1. South Australia 240
        2. New South Wales 254
        3. Victoria 265
II. The Advent of American Evangelists: 1864-1975 286
    A. Evangelists 286
        1. Requests for Overseas Evangelists 286
            a. New South Wales 286
            b. Victoria 287
            c. South Australia 288
        2. The Earl Era 288
            a. H. S. Earl 288
            b. L. W. Webb 296
        3. Later Arrivals 297
            a. Further Calls 297
            b. G. L. Surber 298
            c. T. J. Gore 299
            d. O. A. Carr 299
        4. Australian, British and American Evangelists 300
            a. S. H. Coles 300
            b. J. Strang 302
            c. J. J. Haley 303
            d. G. B. Moysey 304
            e. M. W. Green 305
        5. Training Colonials 307
    B. Doctrinal Issues 310
        1. The Plea 310

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        2. British and American Traditions 320
            a. Mutual Edification 320
            b. Elders and Evangelists 323
            c. The Communion Question 327
            d. Money from the Unimmersed 328
        3. Eternal Punishment 328
    C. Annual Meetings 334
    D. Relationships with Other Religious Bodies 337
        1. South Australia 337
        2. Victoria 367
        3. Tasmania 373
III. Growth, Development and Challenge: 1875-1910 373
    A. Organisational Developments 374
        1. Conferences 374
            a. Victoria 374
            b. South Australia 375
            c. New South Wales 375
            d. Intercolonial 375
        2. The Austral Printing and Publishing Company 375
        3. The Federal College of the Bible 377
            a. South Australia 377
            b. A. B. Maston's Essay 378
            c. Further Initiatives 380
            d. A Federal College of the Bible 385
    B. Mission 386
        1. Home Evangelism 386
            a. Local Initiative 386
            b. Tent Missions 388
            c. Queensland 388
            d. Western Australia 390
        2. Overseas Missions 393
        3. Ethnic Minorities in Australia 396
            a. The Chinese 396
            b. The Kanakas 398
            c. The Aborigines 400
    C. Doctrinal Developments 401
        1. The Plea 401
            a. The General Scope of the Plea 401
            b. Where the Scriptures are Silent 402
            i. Societies 402
                ii. Instrumental Music 406
                iii. An Object Lesson 410

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            c. Union 410
                i. General Comment on Union 410
                ii. Roman Catholics 412
            d. Self-Awareness and Self-Criticism 413
        2. Other Doctrinal Issues 420
            a. Church Ministries 420
            b. The Role of the Evangelist 422
            c. Mutual Edification 427
            d. Theology 428
            e. Discipline 429
        3. The Darwinian Revolution 430
            a. Evolution 430
            b. Higher Criticism 433
            c. R. J. Campbell 436
            d. Unitarianism 438
            e. Secularism 439
    D. Social Questions 441
        1. Social Ills 441
            a. Dancing 441
            b. The Theatre 442
            c. Gambling 443
        2. Social Problems 444
            a. Sunday 444
            b. Militarism 445
            c. Alcohol 446
            d. Unemployment 448
        3. Social Issues 448
            a. Socialism 449
            b. The Churches and Labor 450
    E. Biographical Information 451
        1. Stephen Cheek 451
        2. D. A. Ewers 453
        3. F. G. Dunn 453
IV. The A. R. Main Era: 1910-1930 455
    A. The War Years 455
    B. Preacher Training 462
        1. The Federal College of the Bible 463
        2. Local Institutes 464
        3. Reaction to Biblical Criticism 464
        4. Biblical Authority 465

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    C. The Plea 468
        1. Reiteration of the Plea 468
        2. Unity 471
        3. A Reinterpretation 473
        4. Proselytism 475
        5. Baptism and Forgiveness 476
        6. Congress on Union 477
        7. Churches of Christ and Baptists 480
        8. Wider Ecumenical Developments 482
        9. Roman Catholicism 483
    D. The Role of the Preacher 484
        1. Mutual Edification 484
        2. Preachers and Preaching 485
        3. Salaries and Manses 486
        4. The Preachers' Provident Fund 488
    E. Social Issues 488
        1. Social Ills 488
            a. Public Entertainment 488
            b. Literature 489
            c. Dancing 490
            d. Gambling 491
            e. Alcohol 492
            f. The Church and the Working Man 492
            g. Industrial Relationships 493
            h. Migration 494
            i. The Betterment of Society 494
    F. Biographical 494
        1. A. R. Main 494
        2. H. G. Harward 511
V. Strains and Opportunities: 1930-1950 515
    A. The Depression 516
        1. Unemployment 516
        2. The College 518
        3. Preachers 520
    B. The Second World War 523
    C. The Existence of the Church Threatened 530
    D. The Plea 534
        1. Reiteration 534
        2. Unity 537
        3. Shifts of Emphasis 540
    E. The Ministry 544
        1. Ordination 544
        2. The Teaching Elder 546
        3. Well-Trained Leaders 547

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    F. Conflict 547
        1. Main and Scambler 547
        2. A Motion of No-Confidence 550
        3. The New South Wales College 550
        4. R. L. Williams 551
        5. The College Curriculum 552
    G. Foreign Missions 554
    H. The Aborigines 556
        1. The Problem 556
        2. A Federal Aborigines Mission Board 562
    I. Biographical 562
        1. T. H. Scambler 563
        2. A. P. A. Burdeu 564
VI. A Transitional Era: 1950-1970 565
    A. Organisational Development 565
        1. New Guinea 565
        2. Kenmore Christian College 566
    B. Authority 569
        1. The Word of God 569
        2. The Virgin Birth 572
        3. The Resurrection 574
        4. Theology 576
    C. The Plea 579
    D. Unity 582
        1. WCC 583
        2. Billy Graham 588
        3. Baptism 590
        4. WCC and ICCC 591
        5. The Uniting Church 592
        6. The Australian Christian 596
        7. Standard Lessons 598
        8. Billy Graham Again 600
        9. The Uniting Church 603
        10. Consultation on Union 603
    E. Intercollege Co-operation 610
    F. The Ministry 613
    G. Political and Social Issues 616
        1. Politics 616
            a. Korea 616
            b. Race Riots 618
            c. Vietnam 619
            d. Biafra 622
            e. Northern Ireland 623
            f. Rhodesia 624

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        2. Social Concerns 624
            a. Women 625
    H. Non-instrumental Churches of Christ 625
VII. New Directions: 1970-1990 626
    A. Mission 627
        1. Local ministry 627
            a. Church Growth 627
            b. A National Strategy 631
            c. Multiple Ministries and Large Churches 631
            d. Leadership 634
            e. Growing Diversity 637
            f. Inner-City Ministry 648
            g. Migrant Work 653
            h. Darwin 654
        2. Ministry Overseas 655
            a. Indonesia 655
            b. New Hebrides 658
            c. Mission Philosophy 658
            d. Fiji 659
        3. Ministry Among Aborigines 659
        4. The Role of Women 666
    B. Theological Education 674
        1. ETA 674
        2. ICEM 675
        3. ICCL 676
        4. American Colleges 676
    C. The Plea 677
        1. Self-Analysis 677
        2. The Future 685
    D. Unity 692
        1. The Charismatic Movement 693
        2. "Christians in Fellowship" 696
        3. WCC 704
        4. Churches of Christ and Baptists 710
        5. Ecumenical Dialogue 714
            a. Roman Catholics and the VCC 714
            b. BEM 715
            c. The Uniting Church and Churches of Christ 721
            d. The Anglican Church and Churches of Christ 727
    E. Social and Political Issues 732
        1. Social Concerns 732

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            a. Social Issues 732
                i. Divorce 732
                ii. Unemployment 738
                iii. Homeless Youth 740
                iv. The Disabled 740
                v. Migration 740
                vi. Decentralisation 743
                vii. Human Relations 744
            b. Social Ills 744
                i. Drugs 744
                ii. Alcohol 744
                iii. Films 745
                iv. Television 745
                v. Literature 745
                vi. Poker Machines 745
                vii. Pornography 746
                viii. Sex Education 746
        2. Political Issues 746
            a. Overseas Aid 747
            b. Peace 747
            c. Racism 748
            d. Capitalism 749
            e. Rhodesia 749
            f. South Africa 751
            g. Political Prisoners 751
            h. Party Politics 752
            i. Trade Unions 754
            j. Uranium 754
    F. Biographical Data 755
        1. E. L. Williams 756
        2. R. N. Gilmore 757

 

[NOF 1-10]


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