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Relations Between African-American Churches of Christ and African-American Disciples of Christ, 1902-1950

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Relations Between African-American Churches of Christ and African-American Disciples of Christ, 1902-1950 "We Got the Building, Elders and AU": Relations between African-American Churches of Christ and African-American Disciples of Christ, 1902-1950 Edward Robinson* In the late nineteenth century, the Stone-Campbell Movement divided into two distinct groups,'loyals" (usually called Churches of Christ whoopposedworstópmgwithinstiume missionary societies) and "digressives" or "progressives" (referred to as the Disciples of Christ who endorsed worshiping with instrumental music and evangelizingthroughmissionary societies).1 A regional aspect also marked this dichotomy since Churches of Christ predominated in the South while the Disciples group held general sway in northern states. Theological and sociological tensionbetween the Disciples of Christ and the Churches of Christ lingered well beyond the rupture's formalizationin 1906.2 This paper contends thattherelationshipbetweenblacks in thetwo fellowships was, like that of their white compatriots, both ambivalent and belligerent. Black preachers in Churches of Christ, on the one hand, cordially and consistently welcomedblackmembers from the Disciples of Christ without re-baptism. Those same ministers, on the other hand, often disturbed, disrupted, and urged the disbanding of black Disciples congregations by demanding that they renounce the error of their ways by forsaking instrumental music in worship as well as their endorsement of missionary societies. In some instances, zealous black evangelists of Churches ofChristtransformed Disciples congregations from "digressive" to "loyal" churches. The year 1902 proved to be pivotal for African Americans in the Stone-Campbell Movement. In that year George Philip Bowser ( 1874- 1950) launched the Christian Echo, ajournai designed to encourage, instruct, and unite blacks in Churches of Christ. Of all the papers startedby "loyal" African-American leaders, only Bowser's journal remains in publication.3 Bowser's journalistic endeavor helped, in some ways, draw alineofdemarcationbetweenblackChurchesofChristandblackDisciples of Christ. If David Lipscomb and his Gospel Advocate led whites in * Edward Robinson, Ph.D. is Assistant Professor of Bible and History at Abilene Christian University, Abilene, TX. "The Two Old Heroes" Samuel W. Womack and AlexanderCampbell... was published inDiscipliana Vol. 65,Number 1 Spring, 2005 Churches of Christ away from their white "digressive" brethren, Bowser and his Christian Echo helped maintain a broadening wedge between African-American Churches of Christ and their black Disciples brothers and sisters, thus causing black "loyals" to feel the "power of the press. "4 The rupture between African Americans in the Stone-Campbell Movement occurred in the years of the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries. Disturbedanddispleasedthataffluentbusinessmanandinfluenti preacher, Preston Taylor (1849-1931), allowed what they called "innovations"5 in the Gay Street and Lea Avenue Christian Churches in Nashville, Tennessee, Alexander Campbell ( 1862-1930) and Samuel W. Womack (1851-1920), two passionate black evangelists, walked out and organized the Jackson Street Church ofChrist,akind of "mother church"6 for African-American Churches of Christ. Not only did Campbell and Womack withdraw from Taylor's flock in the late 1890s, but they also swayed G. P. Bowser and Marshall Keeble (1878-1968), two emerging black ministers, to depart as well. Bowser, a native ofMiddle Tennessee and a former African Methodist Episcopal (AME) clergyman, became a memberoftheChristianChxu-chesafterhereceivedinstructionandbaptism from ablackminister, Samuel Davis.7 Keeble, who later became the most proficientpreacher in the historyofAfrican-American Churches of Christ, similarly aügnedhimsetfwith&eChristianChurc him.8 Yet both Bowser and Keeble later rejected the new practices of the DisciplesofChristandabandonedthemovement. Theformeracknowledged that he and other African-Americans in the Stone-Campbell Movement initially failed "to discern with any alarm the many innovations that were creeping"9 into the Christian Churches, but Womack and Campbell soon detected what theyperceived to be unscriptural practices which infiltrated black congregations. Keeble laterwrote that Womack, "first gotme to see thatlwaswrongwhileworkingwiththe 'digressive,' and I came out from them over twenty years ago."10 Of course all who "came out" did not do so gracefully. In 1915 William M. Davis, a member of the Church of Christ in Turner, Arkansas, wrote to the Christian Echo that his congregation was in "bad condition," and he singled out R. C. Harris, who "tore off from us onaccountofqxiarterhes."Harris,aleaderoftìiechurchin Turner, evidently believed thatusingpublishedSundayschoolmaterial to study theBible was scripturallywrong;hence,hebeganholdinga"meetinginhishome."Davis also reported that some members in Turner were in "favor of using a digressive preacher" from the Christian Church.11 In response, G. P. Bowser chidedHarris for his causing a disturbance in Turner, asserting: 98 "There is no more harm to use quarterlies than it would be for one to comment on the Scriptures in preaching. This Brother Harris and all other preachers do."12 Regardingusing ministers from the Christian Churches, Bowser advised: "I do notencouragetheuseofdigressivepreachers; better [to] be alone than in error."13 Bowser's response and counsel reflected a growing estrangement between blacks in Churches of Christ and in the Christian Churches. In 1921W. C. Graves and whitemembersofthe WestEnd Church ofChrist inBirmingham, Alabama, invitedMarshaUKeeble to their cityto preach to African Americans. Keeble's meeting produced sixty-two responses, fifteenofwhomcamefromíheDisciplesofChrist"Wtóleinthis meeting," he reported, "I also used God's word and brought fifteen 'digressives' to the conclusion to take a stand with us and worship God according to the Scriptures."14 Keeble's statement indicates that he firmly believed thatthose who worshiped withmusical instruments had deviated fromGod'sword. White members of the two groups similarly continued to clash over theuseofinstrumentalmusicinwoi^WpandevangeUsm through mission^ societies. In 1922 T. P. Burt, a white minister of the Church of Christ in Farwell, Texas, informed Gospel Advocate readers that his flock was "moving alongvery nicely," aftertakinguptheiiseofabuilding abandoned by members of the Christian Churches. "Our digressive brethren have a house of worship here, which they are not using, having been put out of business last summer duringourprotractedmeeting,whenaniimberofthem abandoned the doctrines of men and are now worshiping with the loyal brethren withoutaddition or subtraction."15 Throughout the 1920s black preachers in Churches of Christ continued to interact withmembers of the Disciples of Christ, even if they opposed their theological stance. In 1925 Mai^hallKeeble, while preaching inPaducah,Kentucky,reportedthatthe"d^ us to use their meetinghouse, and they are attending."16 Two years later Kœble'sseven<laymeetmgmLomsviUe,^ all from the sects, and seven came from the 'digressives.'"17 In the same year in Tampa, Florida, Keeble "preached in the digressives' meetinghouse two nights until the tent came." The black evangelist's meeting ended with ninety-nine baptisms, andhenoted that "seven came from the 'digressives' andtooktheirstandwiththe loyal church of Christ."18 In 1928 G. P. Bowser, after preaching for several weeks in California, reported that "Twelve were baptized in thismeeting; four took membership from the Christian Church and two from the Church of the 99 LivingGod."19 Throughoutthel930sblacks in Churches of Christ continued to welcome brothers and sisters from the Christian Churches intotheirnon- instrumental fellowship. In 1930 Marshall Keeble and Luke Miller collaborated inaValdosta, Georgia, campaign. TheirjointefFortproduced 163 additions,elevenofwhom came from the Disciples ofChrist. "There wasgreatrejoicing. Elevencame from the'digressives.'"20 The following year Luke Miller, a Keeble convert from Georgia, reported engendering 105 converts, ninety-fivebaptisms and "ten from die Christian Church."21 In 1934 R. L. Colley, a white minister for the Church of Christ in Vernon, Texas, reported a "good day with the church here," gladly announcing two baptisms and fourpersons who "came from the Christian Church."22 Later that year Amos Lincoln Cassius (1889-1982), son of SamuelRobertCassiiis(1853-1931),announcedthattós"missionmeeting" in Phoenix, Arizona led to the establishment of a congregation. He also noted that "Twelve members of the Christian Church promised to attend services."23 But all African Americans in the Disciples of Christ were not so willing to embrace their sable brethren in Churches of Christ. In 193 5 R. N. Hogan, a spiritual son of G. P. Bowser and preacher for a black Church of Christ inFort Worth, Texas, conducted ameeting in Longview, Texas, in a Christian Church. Hogan's presence was "obj ected to by a few of the Christian church members, but we succeeded in getting in there." Three powerful sermons by Hoganpersuaded seventy blackmembers to walk out and take "a stand with the loyal body of Christ." "This of course caused things to get pretty hot around there," Hogan reported, "and quite a lot of threats were made. They ordered us not to come back, but about 500 stood up for me to return, and we were back the next night." A fourth sermon swayed twenty-five more to "stand with thechurchofChrist. Then theyput the law onus, puttingus out of their building by securing an injunction. We kindlywalked
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