The Midway Melodeon

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The Midway Melodeon

• An Early History
• of the Instrumental Music Controversy Among
  Churches of Christ

October 19, 2006 Memorial Blvd. Bible Study
Prepared by Chris Reeves
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Events Leading Up to Midway

• Feb. 22, 1851 - A letter signed by W was sent
  to J.B. Henshall, editor of the Ecclesiastical
  Reformer asking about I.M. Henshall opposed it
  (Eccl. Ref., Mar. 1851)
• Aug. 1851 John Rogers wrote Alexander Campbell
  asking him about I.M. Campbell responded later
  in the year to G But I presume, to all
  spiritually-minded Christians such aids would be
  as a cow bell in a concert (Millennial
  Harbinger, Oct. 1851)

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Events Leading Up to Midway

• 1856 Tolbert Fanning said he regarded the
  organas mockery of all that is sacred (Gospel
  Advocate)
• The prevailing and predominant attitude among
  Christians up to 1860 was that the use of I.M.
  was worldly, denominational, unspiritual, an
  innovation, and tended to entertainment

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The Midway Melodeon

• The first use of I.M. on record among Christians
  was in 1859 at the Midway Christian Church,
  promoted by the preacher, L.L. Pinkerton
• A small melodeon was played in the home for the
  practice of church songs, then later moved into
  the church building for worship Thomas Parrish
  played the melodeon
• The melodeon was opposed by an elder at Midway
  named Adam S. Hibler and removed by Hibler and
  his slave, Rueben

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The Midway Melodeon

• The melodeon (first or second?) was found later
  in the home of Mary Nugent of Versailles and
  purchased for Midway College and placed in its
  library

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Midway Church of Christ1844 1895 Building
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Midway College Library
The Midway Melodeon
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Midway Christian Church
A.D. 1895
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Midway Christian Church Stained Glass
L.L. Pinkerton
The New Midway Melodeon
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L.L. Pinkerton Grave Lexington Cemetery
(1812 1875)
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Adam S. Hibler Grave Near Paris, KY
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Events After Midway(Opposition to the Instrument)

• January 1860 Ben Franklin wrote that that I.M.
  may be used Where the church never had, or have
  lost the spirit of Christ If the church only
  intends being a fashionable society, a mere place
  of amusement (American Christian Review)
• 1861 Isaac Errett opposed I.M. saying that it
  was born of pridethe New Testament knows
  nothing of choir singing and instrumental music
  (Church Music, Millennial Harbinger, Oct. 1861)

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Events After Midway(Opposition to the Instrument)

• 1864 W.K. Pendleton oppose I.M. and said that
  it interfered with singing (Millennial Harbinger,
  Mar. 1864)
• 1864-65 J.W. McGarvey opposed I.M. by appealing
  to the NT as the only rule of practice for
  Christians the OT is not the rule the NT is
  silent about it to introduce it is presumptuous
  (Millennial Harbinger, 1864-65) 1) Jewish
  temple worship 2) Angels harping heaven 3)
  Silence of the NT 4) Aid or expediency

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Events After Midway(Opposition to the Instrument)

• 1864 Moses E. Lard opposed I.M. on the grounds
  of the silence of the scriptures (Lards
  Quarterly, March 1864)
• 1864 - Ben Franklin wrote that I.M. could not be
  put on the ground of opinion or expediency and
  those who promote it should be marked
• 1867 Dr. H. Christopher opposed I.M. in St.
  Louis
• 1868 Z. F. Smith opposed I.M. on the grounds
  that it was used in the OT but not the NT
  (American Christian Review, Feb. 1868)

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Events After Midway(Opposition to the Instrument)

• 1868 I.B. Grubbs opposed I.M. on the same
  grounds as Lard and McGarvey (Millennial
  Harbinger, Nov. 1868)
• 1868-69 - Robert Richardson, answering H.T.
  Anderson, pointed out that expediency must have
  the law of Christ behind it (Christian Standard)
  Richardson also answered the psallo argument in
  Eph. 519 (American Christian Review and
  Christian Standard)
• 1870 - J.B. Briney wrote that expediency could
  not add to the command to sing

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Events After Midway(Promoting the Instrument)

• 1860 L.L. Pinkerton wrote Ben Franklin So far
  as is known to me, or, I presume to you, I am the
  only preacher in Kentucky of our brotherhood
  who has publicly advocated the propriety of
  employing instrumental music Pinkerton
  appealed to the aid / expedience argument he
  said the singing at Midway was so bad that it
  would scare even the rats from worship

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Events After Midway(Promoting the Instrument)

• 1864,66 W.K. Pendleton placed I.M. in the realm
  of expediency (Millennial Harbinger, March 1864
  Nov. 1866)
• 1864 Thomas Munnell argued from the absence of
  any Scripture condemnation (Millennial
  Harbinger, April 1864)
• 1865,68 A.S. Hayden answered McGarvey saying
  that I.M. was in the realm of expediency and he
  objected to McGarveys argument on the silence of
  the scriptures (Millennial Harbinger, Jan. and
  April 1865 Jan. and June 1868)

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Events After Midway(Promoting the Instrument)

• 1865 S. Salsbury defended I.M. appealing to the
  OT and the book of Revelation
• 1868 J.S. Lamar, answering I.B. Grubbs, argued
  that I.M. belongs in the domain of freedom
  (Millennial Harbinger, Dec. 1868) Lamar also
  appeal to Psalm 877
• 1868 - Benjamin Franklin estimated that about 50
  of the 10,000 churches used an instrument

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Events After Midway(Promoting the Instrument)

• 1870 Isaac Errett argued in favor of I.M. as
  necessary to enable (aid) one to sing, but
  counseled against it if it would cause stumbling
  (Christian Standard, April 1870)

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Events After Midway(1860 to 1900)

• Some brethren opposed both the instrument and the
  Missionary Society (Amer. Chr. Rev. and G.A.)
• Others opposed the instrument, but accepted the
  Society as an expediency (Lard, McGarvey, Graham,
  Apostolic Times)
• Others opposed the instrument at first, but later
  accepted it and the Society (J.B. Briney,
  Christian Standard)
• Two attitudes
• Change with the world adapt permitted if not
  forbidden by the NT (anti-progressive)
• The NT church is fixed all things must be
  sanctioned (anti-digressive)

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Two Important Areas of Study( The Area of
Silence )

• Some Think
• The Bible is silent means silent as to the
  specific words used (like instrument, or
  church building, song books, etc.)
• Silence is permissive, not prohibitive

• Bible Principle
• The Bible is silent as to authority expressed
• Authority must be first expressed (general or
  specific) Lev. 101-2 Heb. 714
• Silence is prohibitive

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Two Important Areas of Study( The Area of
Expediency )

• Some Think
• Expediency means anything that is helpful any
  aid that helps in the work and worship of the
  church is permitted

• Bible Principle
• Expediency must first have authority behind it
  (1 Cor. 612 921)
• Law prescribes expediency carries out what is
  first prescribed
• Expediency operates within and under law
• Aids (expediencies) cannot be additions to law
  expressed

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History of the Melodeon(Comments on the Midway
Library Document)

• Col. 1 last para. a matter of preference
• Col. 2 sec. para. a progressive means of
  expressing faith improve
• Col. 2 last para. instrument of Satan
• Col. 2 last para. dissenting church members
• Col. 3 last para. the Church of Christ, which
  to this day prohibits the use of instrumental
  music in worship

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What about our future?
What will the young people believe? What will the
preachers promote? What will the elders defend?