Institutionalism
The First Human Institution and Its Aftermath (No.1)

Alexander Campbell's frequent essays on Church Organization between the years 1841 - 1848 set the stage for the first human society of the Restoration Movement. In these articles he was laying the groundwork for a general organization that would allow cooperation between churches. But, he was unable to justify such an arrangement from the scriptures. In fact, he admitted this in his writings. In an article "Church Organization" appearing in the "Millennial Harbinger" (Vol.VI, No.5, May 1849, p.270). he wrote the following: (words in capital letters are mine for emphasis -t.t.).

"In all things pertaining to public interest, not of Christian faith, piety, or morality, THE CHURCH OF JESUS CHRIST IN ITS AGGREGATE CHARACTER, IS LEFT FREE AND UNSHACKLED BY ANY APOSTOLIC AUTHORITY. This is the great point which I assert as of capital importance in any great conventional movement or cooperation in advancing the public interests of a common Christianity and a common salvation. My strong proof for this conclusion is that, while faith, piety, and morality are all divinely established and enacted by special agents - apostles and prophets possessed of plenary inspiration; MATTERS OF PRUDENTIAL ARRANGEMENT FOR THE EVANGELIZING OF THE WORLD, for the better application of our means and resources, acconding to the exigencies of society and the ever-varying complexion of things around us - ARE LEFT WITHOUT A SINGLE LAW, STATUTE, ORDINANCE OR ENACTMENT IN THE NEW TESTAMENT."

Notice Campbell's authority for such an arrangement. "Matters of prudential arrangement. . . . left without a single law, statute, ordinance or enactment in the New Testament." His authority for this type arrangement was based solely on human wisdom and expediency, not the scriptures. But, the years of intense effort on the part of Campbell urging the brotherhood to found some kind of general organization through which churches could cooperate to evangelize the world finally bore fruit. On October 23, 1849, one hundred fifty-six men came together in Cincinnati, Ohio with the express purpose of establishing some sort of cooperative effort in the area of evangelism. L.L. Pinkerton, (who later introduced the first musical instrument into a worship service at Midway, KY, 1860), chaired the first meeting. The convention lasted four days and before adjourning these men adopted a constitution, giving birth to the American Christian Missionary Society. A human institution to be sure, for they could find no scripture upon which to base their actions. This was clearly evident in the decades following the establishment of the ACMS. The proponents of the newly formed ACMS (the first Human Institution of the Restoration Movement) were forced to defend their work on the basis of human expediency, coupled with the silence of the scriptures. They readily admitted they could find no scripture to justify the Society, as shall be seen in the next article. (Good Bible students today know that the silence of the scriptures does not give consent. The silence of God is prohibitive, not consential. 1.Pet.4:11; 1.Cor.4:6; 2.Cor.5:7; Rom.10:17. An excellent example showing that silence DOES NOT give consent can be found in Heb.7:11-14 as the inspired writer shows why Jesus could not be a priest while on the earth).

Even though Campbell was absent from the convention (an absence attributed to sickness), he was still elected president of the ACMS and held this position until his death in 1866. After its establishment, Campbell wrote "we have an organized Missionary Society - a committee of ways and means - and desire no more, at present, than to notice the foundation laid, on which we may build a glorious superstructure." (Millennial Harbinger, Vol.VII, No.2, Feb. 1850).