THE BETHANY MEETING

We are pleased that numerous papers among Churches of Christ-Christian Churches carried writeups about the Unity Forum at Bethany. It is heartening that among our own Churches of Christ the Gospel Guardian, Firm Foundation, and Christian Chronicle all gave rather lengthy accounts of the meeting, either before or after the event. One of the editors, who even included an account of the roles played by Carl Ketcherside and Leroy Garrett in the Forum, wrote us that he published the item realizing that it would open him to criticism. It is this kind of journalistic courage that will make for a better brotherhood tomorrow. We commend them all for showing concern for a highly significant event that cut across all lines within the brotherhood.

The Forum attracted about 100 people from six or seven wings of our Movement. One outstanding feature was the high quality of representation from all wings. From the Disciples of Christ there was A. Dale Fiers, who is Executive Secretary at the International Convention; A. T. DeGroot, professor at TCU; Lawrence V. Kirkpatrick, General Secretary of the World Convention; Perry Gresham, president of Bethany College. There were other Disciple leaders who are professors or ministers, such as Roy Key and John Bean, both of whom, by the way, were once ministers of Churches of Christ, and Hiram Lester and Farrell Walters, Bethany professors.

Independent Christian Churches were represented by James Deforest Murch, noted writer and lecturer; W. F. Lawn, president of Manhattan Bible College; Seth Wilson of Ozark Bible College; Richard Phillips of Lincoln Seminary, and Henry Webb of Milligan College.

From Churches of Christ there was Carroll Ellis of David Lipscomb, David Stewart of Sweet Publishing Co., Carl Ketcherside and Leroy Garrett, all of whom were on the program, along with Gene Shelburne, editor of Christian Appeal, from the non-Sunday School group, and Lavern Houtz, president of Southeastern Christian College, from the premillennial wing. Other important brethren were present and shared in the dialogue, though not on the program, such as Tom Olbricht of State College, Pa., W. F. Cawyer of Highland Church of Christ in Abilene, and Ted Norton of Wheeling. Darrell Bolin of Lock Haven, Pa. presided over one of the panels. We also had scheduled at one time both Dale Evans of West Islip, N. Y. and John Allen Chalk of Abilene, but they were replaced when they had to withdraw due to conflicts in their plans.

It was the special features of the Forum that proved to be the most inspiring, to me at least. Dinner on the ground at Alexander Campbell’s home, just outside his study door as a matter of fact, which is out in the yard apart from the house (he had 14 children remember!), was a gratifying experience to me, and I think to everyone present. I could just see ole Uncle Alex walk from his study and behold the strange crowd about his door. I pondered on what he might say to us after 100 years. This Centennial Forum was in honor of Campbell’s life, you know, for it was a century ago this year that he died. And I wondered if he might not know what was going on in his front yard back home at Bethany. Perhaps when Hiram Lester spoke to us on this occasion he said some of the things ole Alex himself would have said, for he shamed us for our divisions.

The visit to the site of the Old Brush Run Church was delightful beyond words. Due to the generosity of Ben Phillips several acres in the area have been purchased, a fence has been erected, and a road built up to the spot where once stood our first meeting house. Soon the log house itself will be restored. It was back in 1811 when the saints first met there, most of them still unimmersed, including the Campbells. I spoke on this occasion of out pilgrimage to the old site, recalling the words that Campbell spoke on the first Lord’s Day after the Brush Run congregation was organized. We were alI impressed that Campbell, when only 23, had such a grasp of the principles that he continued to dedicate himself to for the rest of his life.

The highlight of the meeting, however, was on Lord’s Day morning when we all assembled in the Old Campbell Church in Bethany to put into practice this oneness that we were talking about. This building, erected back in 1829 by the Campbells, is to be distinguished from the Bethany Memorial Church, which is a Disciples of Christ congregation, the only active church in the village. The Old Campbell Church is no longer in use, though plans are being discussed for making it into a kind of “hall of fame” for honoring leaders of all groups of our Movement.

The pews and the arrangement of the seating, with the entrance to the building behind the pulpit, are the same as they were in Campbell’s time. It was unlocked and cleaned for this special meeting, enabling us to take a step back into history for this unique worship service. The setting was just right for an inspiring experience, and we were ably led in the service by Jeff Hamilton, who serves both as minister to the village church and chaplain to the college. Carl Ketcherside of the Churches of Christ and Seth Wilson of the Independent Christian Churches joined Chaplain Hamilton as speakers. Thomas Langford of the non-Sunday School Churches of Christ led the prayer. No instrument was used.

The service was most appropriately closed by the singing of that old hymn composed by M. C. Kurfees of the Churches of Christ and A. C. Hopkins of the Christian Churches as an expression of their hope that their divided people might someday be one.

How blest and how joyous will be the glad day,

When heart beats to heart in the work of the Lord;

When Christians united shall swell the grand lay,

Divisions all ended, triumphant His word!

O shout the glad word, O hasten the day,

When all of God’s people are one;

O shout the glad word, 0 hasten the day,

When all of God’s people are one.

There we were in worship together, six or eight different factions of us, and in that moment at least we were one. Fellowship was in this instance a reality to be enjoyed rather than some abstraction to be discussed. We were drawn together by a person, and our love and devotion for the Christ, based upon our relationship to Him, transcended doctrinal differences. Surely there were others beside myself who saw this glorious manifestation of brotherhood as an experience that could and should be experienced throughout our Movement. In this service we accepted each other as brothers. Why cannot we do it this way all the time and in all places?

We had dialogue night and day, and it was all too involved to be described here. I am glad to report that a very fine Christian spirit prevailed throughout, and there were no untoward incidents, save a possible “finger shaking” episode on the part of a Church of Christ visitor who became a little excited when he supposed the discussion was not “going by the Book.” But this was not serious. No one impugned anyone’s motives, and while differences were freely discussed, it remained brotherly throughout.

I thought David Stewart did an exceptionally good job in his presentation of Campbell’s influence on Churches of Christ. He spoke like a free man in Christ, as indeed he is, and it is this mien that gives substance to such gatherings. Equally inspiring was the part of Gene Shelburne of the non-Sunday School group, not only in what he said but also in the cheerful, loving attitude he manifested. His appearance represents a new breakthrough, for his churches have been very suspicious of this kind of thing. It heartened all of us when Gene recounted how his elders encouraged him to go to Bethany and share in the great conversation. He was sent to learn any new truth he could and to share any truth he might have. Glory be! We also enjoyed Gene’s excitement over Bethany’s rich history. He arrived a day early so that he could luxuriate with the past. We could all sense some continuity with the history of our Movement as our different groups met to work for the unity of the saints, a concept that was born among us in the very hills where we had gathered.

The thought was expressed that it may be in our common history that the lines of communication can be re-established. There is an important sense in which all our people feel at home at Bethany. A part of all of us is in some way there in those lovely hills. We all believe that something very important happened there, that a torch was lighted, and that it has been passed on to us.

The most rewarding aspect of these meetings is not so much what gets said in the panels or the points that may be made in a speech, but the many informal contacts between brethren that have too long been separated. When it is all over it is the friendly greeting, the brotherly handshake, the word of encouragement, the prayers in the dorm before retiring, and the new acquaintances that are most remembered. A straight-laced brother from Texas might not remember what a premillennial brother said in his speech, but he remembers his sweet spirit and his eagerness to love and to be loved, to understand and to be understood.

So the most important thing ‘about the Bethany meeting is that we were there. It is not a matter of how much we got settled, for we settled very little. It is what we learned-especially what we learned about each other. We learned to receive one another as brothers.

Plans are underway for a similar gathering at Milligan College next year, and we are hopeful that it may go from there to some of the Church of Christ colleges.