When the opponents of the UCMS (the first human institution of the Restoration movement) asked "Where is the authority for the formation and existence of the Society?," Pendleton admitted there was none. (see last article-t.t.) He contended, however, this did not make it wrong. He said: "Does he (the opponents- t.t.), say that it is not POSITIVELY and EXPRESSLY commanded; then we demand by what canon of interpretation does he make mere SILENCE prohibitory? You reply, the canon which forbids anything as a rule of Christian faith or duty, for which there cannot be expressly produced a "Thus saith the Lord." either in express terms or by approved precedent" . . . (caps mine -t.t.)

Here we have the real issue expressed. The motto, "Where the Bible speaks, we speak, and where the Bible is silent, we are silent, " first spoken by Thomas Campbell years earlier, and used over and over again by the bulk of the pioneer preachers, WAS NOW CHANGED. These preachers had understood this to mean that anything unauthorized was forbidden and they should not and must not teach or practice anything not found to be authorized in the scriptures. To them, the expression was quite simple, anything practiced must be authorized by direct command, apostolic example, or necessary inference. They had been using it with great success against the various sectarian bodies, as they challenged the denominations throughout the country to show divine authority for their existence.

Up to this time this had been sufficient. When men and women learned they were members of religious bodies unknown to the word of God, they freely abandoned them and determined to return to the original ground of the New Testament. So, it was only natural for them, when brethren projected a human institution such as the Society, to ask, "Where is the authority?" When none was found, they then said, the Society has no right to exist!

Pendleton reinterpreted the motto, arguing that all Campbell meant was that human creeds and human opinions cannot be forced upon us. The crux of his interpretation was, if we want to practice a human opinion, that is our liberty; but if someone wants to force a human opinion upon us, we have the right to refuse to accept it. In fact he suggested that those who opposed the society were "simpletons" and "hypocrites" since the motto itself was announced before a group that Thomas Campbell and a few others had formed calling itself the "Christian Association of Washington." NOTE: this was an appeal to prejudice, not scripture. Later examination of the early years show that T. Campbell meant exactly what he said when the motto was uttered. He DID MEAN, that whatever was not authorized in Christianity could not be used. At the time he uttered the motto, he had not yet come to a full conception of what was involved in the motto, but, his attitude was that anything unauthorized must be rejected. This was later proved, when he was asked, "How could you in the absence of any authority in the word of God, baptize a child in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit?" He, at first became irritated and offended, and his face changed color, but a short time later, he repudiated infant baptism. On what ground? On the ground that there was no authority for it in the word of God.

Sadly, many individuals and churches, accepted Pendleton's argument, and were lost to the digression, and the Christian Church resulted. But, thankfully, there remained a remnant to whom the call for divine authority still meant something. They believed that anything taught and practiced religiously must be authorized in the word of God. The silence of God did not give consent, rather, it prohibited. Thus, the church weathered the storm, and the faithful came out stronger, as it is, even to this day.