pacifism in churches of christ in western canada during world

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214 RESTORATION QUARTERLY 20 govern in his kingdom.” Lipscomb believed that these principles were essential to Christian living and must “pervade and control the hearts and lives of men, 21 without which no man can be a Christian.” He believed that “Christ specially gave this sermon to regulate the hearts and lives of his followers. He gave it at the beginning of his ministry that all might understand the life, to which they were 22 specifically called.” Christians are citizens of heaven who are called to walk as Jesus did, which means promoting love, including love of one’s enemies. 23 Lipscomb was the primary spokesperson for the pacifistic vision of Nashville 24 Bible School. He argued, “Jesus would not permit his servants to take the sword to defend him, to establish his rule on earth, or to maintain his kingdom and fight 25 against God’s enemies.” Christians should not fight and kill one another in the name of war for the establishment of earthly kingdoms. Not only should Christians refrain from participation in war, Lipscomb went so far as to argue that voting to elect a government that might support war was equally contrary to 26 Jesus’ wishes. He posed the question, “Does anyone believe that if Jesus were here that he would make war speeches and encourage the spirit of war?” He concludes that “true followers” of Jesus must not participate in human conflict and strife. “The evil begins in participating in the political strifes and conflicts of human governments, drinking into a spirit that is of man and not of God. Unless we have the spirit of Christ, we are none of his.” 27 28 Harding, the “epitome of the apocalyptic tradition,” shared Lipscomb’s view that human government is an agency of Satan, and as such, that Christians 29 should not be involved in the affairs of human government. He extended that to include “any institution or kingdom reflecting human contrivance,” including 30 missionary societies and a governing board for Nashville Bible School. Harding placed his trust in the providence of God, not human institutions. 31 20 Ibid., 57. 21 Ibid., 133. 22 Ibid., 135. 23 David Lipscomb, “War—Its Spirit,” Gospel Advocate 40 (28 April 1898): 269. 24 Michael Casey, “Pacifism and David Lipscomb,” The Gospel Advocate 135, no. 12 (Dec. 1993): 46; Johnnie Andrew Collins, “Pacifism in the Churches of Christ: 1866–1945,” (D.A. dissertation, Middle Tennessee State University, 1984), 68. 25 David Lipscomb, “The Monroe Doctrine,” Gospel Advocate 38, no. 3 (16 Jan. 1896): 37; Lipscomb, Civil Government, iv. 26 Lipscomb, “War—Its Spirit,” 269; Lipscomb, Civil Government, iv. 27 Lipscomb, “War—Its Spirit,” 269. 28 Hughes, Reviving the Ancient Faith, 138. 29 James A. Harding, “The Kingdom of Christ Vs. The Kingdom of Satan,” The Way 5, no. 26 (15 Oct. 1903), 931. Available at www.mun.ca/rels/restmov/texts/jharding/K CVKS.HTM. 30 Hughes, Reviving the Ancient Faith, 137–38. 31 Ibid.
JACOBS/PACIFISM IN CHURCHES OF CHRIST IN CANADA 215 Harding’s theology included a strong view of God’s overriding providence 32 in the affairs of humankind, a dynamic and active role of the indwelling Holy 33 Spirit in the life of a believer, and a fourfold practice of spiritual discipline as a means of grace that consisted of reading and studying the Bible, ministering to the poor, observing the Lord’s day meeting and the Lord’s Supper, and prayer. 34 Harding was also premillennial, and his millennial views “reflected a deeper worldview” that was premised on his kingdom theology. 35 32 Hicks and Valentine, 45–48. 33 Ibid., 32. 34 Ibid., 75–76. 35 Hughes, Reviving the Ancient Faith, 137. 36 L. C. Sears, The Eyes of Jehovah: The Life and Faith of James Alexander Harding (Nashville: Gospel Advocate Co., 1970), 49. 37 Cox, 25–29. 38 Ibid., 29. 39 Ibid., 29. 40 Canada and Nashville Bible School Harding’s influence moved into Canada prior to the establishment of Nashville Bible School. By 1883 he had preached in two Canadian provinces, 36 Manitoba and Ontario. Two significant locations were Meaford, Ontario, and Carman, Manitoba. The Disciples church in Meaford met for the first time in the spring of 1848. It grew and built its first building in 1858, and by 1861 had a membership of one hundred. The Meaford Disciples were evangelistically minded and started congregations in nearby Cape Rich and the Euphrasia Township in the 1870s. They worked cooperatively with seven other congregations to secure a full-time evangelist for their county, the County Grey. In 1882, they formed a cooperative with the Euphrasia and Cape Rich congregations in order to secure the services of a full-time preacher to work with the three congregations. But by 1900, the Meaford congregation had withdrawn from cooperation with other congregations. 37 Claude Cox identifies two reasons for the distancing of the Meaford 38 Disciples from the cooperative and instrumental stream of the movement. First is the influence of James Beaty and the Bible Index, which was a Canadian restoration periodical published in Toronto, Ontario. Beaty was opposed to cooperations and the use of the organ and promoted these viewpoints in his paper. Second is the influence of visiting preachers from the “American South.” 39 40 James A. Harding held his first debate in Meaford, Ontario, in 1884 and 41 returned to hold protracted meetings in 1885 and 1896. The church records from Meaford identify five additional preachers with connections to Harding and James A. Harding and the Rev. T. L. Wilkinson, Debate on Baptism: Embracing Mode and Subjects (Toronto: William Briggs, 1886). 41 Cox, 31–32.
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