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Unity through Holiness |
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By Dr. Arlo Newell Retired Pastor, Evangelist, Author, Former Editor of Vital Christianity Anderson, IN |
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As an editor, I responded positively to the invitation since in its earliest form it was to be a heritage paper, addressing the subject—unity through holiness. Historically the editors of our church journal, formerly Gospel Trumpet, now Vital Christianity [which has since ceased publication], have been the harbingers of and for both theological positions. While our focus will be primarily historical and informational, my intent is to highlight the interrelatedness and inter-dependence of these two theological truths as seen through the writing of these five editors.
Definitions First, let us attempt a working definition of each word. Such a definition will enable us to be of the same mind, but will also allow for learning in the process. James Earl Massey speaks of unity when he writes, “While it is true that the word unity is found in only three places in the Bible, the reality behind the word appears throughout the Bible under many images and figures. In all instances the notion of togetherness in the purpose and spirit is understood and underscored.” Our attention throughout the paper when speaking of unity should therefore focus on “togetherness in purpose and spirit.” It is not a unanimity that
makes us all identical, but it is a cohesiveness in Christ that binds us together.
The working definition of holiness is taken from the earliest book of Daniel Sidney Warner, written in 1880 . . . . Warner titled his book Bible Proofs of the Second Work of Grace, or Sanctification as a Distinct Experience, Subsequent to Justification, Established by the United Testimony of Several Hundred Texts, including a Description of the Great Holiness Crisis of the Present Age by the Prophets. “Holiness,” he writes, “in the Gospel is understood to mean freedom from sin and the possession of the Divine Nature.” Therefore, the relationship between unity and holiness should be found in the possession of this divine nature as revealed in the body of Christ, the church.
Historical Connections The prelude to Pentecost was expressed through the hunger for heart holiness in believers who desired more than anything else to know and do the will of God. It was in this setting that the “fulness of time” was realized and the Holy Spirit was poured out upon those who manifested a togetherness in purpose and spirit (Acts 2:1 NRSV), which precipitated the fulfillment of the prophecy of Joel (2:28-32).
In like manner, at the turn of the century there were at work in the world certain events that began to create a similar atmosphere, thus making possible the uniting of God’s people into one body. Such an event was the period of history into which this movement was born. In the late 1800s a special revival of the doctrine of holiness, or sanctification, had emerged—a holiness awakening, which some believed would introduce a prophetic day. Without question, it was of God and emphasized the relatedness between holiness and unity. . . . A.L. Byers quotes from M.L. Haney’s Inheritance Restored, published in 1880, these words:
“A number of Christian farmers feel strangely moved to aid in the salvation of the perishing, and they plan a laymen’s camp meeting, in which the fires of holiness break out. This leads to the organization of a Laymen’s Holiness Association, and results in bringing many hundreds to the joys of pardoned sin and the experience of holiness
“The obligation to disseminate the gospel of holiness among the people of God in all the churches leads them, after much prayer on the subject, to publish a paper which shall be in the medium of instruction on the special doctrine of holiness. Without a dollar, or a subscription list, with nothing at the base but unshrinking faith in the God who leads, they launch a weekly paper.
“We call attention to the remarkable fact that the holiness work has sprung up simultaneously in different pars of the earth; in the east, in the west, in the north, and the south; in the old world, and in the new; among Armenians, and among Calvinists, in cities, in towns, and in the country places; indicating an unseen hand and guiding power.”
John W.V. Smith reflected on this period of history with this comment: “The holiness movement also transcended party lines and brought people of that persuasion together from different groups. The voluntary organizations like the Bible societies, the Young Men’s Christian Association, the temperance societies, and many others functioned as bridges across denominational lines. In addition there were groups, the most notable of which would be the Christian church and other spiritual descendants of Alexander Campbell and Barton W. Stone, who made Christian unity one of the primary reasons for their existence.” Prior to D.S. Warner’s editorship, a stirring of the Spirit was evident among the saints of God as they sought to do God’s will, giving evidence of how inseparable holiness and unity are in reality.
One cannot read the history of D.S. Warner without the awareness that his belief in unity preceded his experience of holiness. Greatly influenced by the ministry of John Winebrenner, with the Churches of God of North America, Warner embraced this truth of unity as set forth in the eldership meeting.
Prior to his personal experience of holiness, Warner had already developed his belief regarding the unity of God’s people. Lifting an entry from Warner’s journal dated March 14, 1875, he tells of publicly confronting one who did not believe in unity. C.E. Brown comments, “This passage shows that Warner had already developed his doctrine concerning the sects . . . in fact, he had received it from his colleagues in the General Eldership of the Church of God.”
Holiness became the theological basis for producing this unity. Although, having ridiculed and mocked those who professed holiness of heart (entire sanctification), D.S. Warner was convinced of its validity and convicted by the Spirit-filled lives of his wife and her father. Both had been gloriously sanctified and this experiential holiness would not let Warner alone. In the month of July, 1877, Daniel Sidney Warner claimed the experience of entire sanctification [Smith, 52].
Unbeknown to D.S. Warner, this experience of holiness was to become the power needed to bring into being the movement burning in his soul. Holiness could not be constrained; reaching out to other believers in cooperation in Christian ministry became the natural expression of the experience. This demonstration of holiness and unity precipitated Warner’s being accused of creating division and bringing schism among the churches. Confronted by the West Ohio Eldership in 1877 and 1878, he was first severely censored and subsequently his ministerial credentials were withheld. As is often the case in persecution, new insight and understanding began to dawn in Warner’s heart regarding unity and holiness. His personal diary records that on the thirty-first day of January, “The Lord showed me that holiness could never prosper upon sectarian soil encumbered by human creeds and party names, and gave me a new commission to join holiness and all truth together and build up the apostolic church of the living God. Praise his name! I will obey him.”
Quickened by the Holy Spirit, Warner launched into the work of propagation of scriptural holiness and the authentication of the emerging movement which God was raising up. Taking the helm of the the Gospel Trumpet in 1881, the masthead soon carried words like sanctification and unity. As a “holiness journal,” without apology they defined their purpose as “Definite, radical, anti-sectarian. Set forth in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ. For the purity and unity of the church, the defense of all truth, and the destruction of sect Babylon.” Their object boldly declared that they were in business to “the glory of God in the salvation of men from all sin, and the union of all saints upon the Bible.” Warner, putting together in song both holiness and unity, wrote,
Men speak of a church triumphant As something on earth unknown; They think us beneath the tyrant Until we shall reach our home. God’s church is alone triumphant, In holiness all complete; And all the dark pow’rs of Satan She tramples beneath her feet.
While believing that holiness is essential to and interrelated to unity, one needs to recall our working definition. We are speaking of “togetherness in purpose and spirit.” Some of the saints who believed in the unity of the body, chose to disagree with Warner’s use of proof texts to support the relatedness of unity to holiness. In an unpublished paper titled The Teachings of D.S. Warner and His Associates, printed and distributed in the 1920s, this paragraph appeared: “Sanctification is not once anywhere in the New Testament linked with unity in relation of cause and effect. Sanctification provides a good background for unity, but it does not produce and maintain unity in and of itself. Unity is dependent also upon many other things.”
Warner’s death in 1895 did not allow him the privilege of witnessing the development of the movement or authentic demonstration of holiness and unity as expressed in the church. His vision of unity and his experience of entire sanctification, however, had prepared the people of God for continued development in the twentieth century.
In June of 1929, E.A. Reardon, father of Robert Reardon, addressed the General Ministerial Assembly during the Anderson Camp Meeting. He spoke on the “Problems of Christian Unity.” In closing he presented these thoughts with which I conclude this paper: “I do not question the movement or its message, but I do most earnestly plead for a better attitude . . . . For one, I am committed against both a deceptive and destructive liberalism and a narrow and deadening sectarianism. There is only one Leader who can guide us away from these dangers, and that is the Holy Spirit.”
This is excerpted from a paper of the same title originally prepared by Dr. Newell as a heritage paper presented at the Third Open Forum between the Church of God (Anderson) and the Christian Churches/Churches of Christ in the 1980s. Massey, James Earl. Concerning Christian Unity (Anderson, IN: Warner Press, 1979) 12 Warner, Daniel S. Bible Proofs of the Second Work of Grace (Goshen, IN: E.U. Mennonite Publishing Society, 1880) 23 Byers, A.L. Birth of a Reformation (Anderson, IN: Gospel Trumpet, 1921) 144-115 Smith, John W.V. The Quest for Holiness and Unity (Anderson, IN: Warner Press, 1980) 39 Brown, C.E. When the Trumpet Sounded (Anderson, IN: Warner Press, 1951) 60 Warner, Daniel S. Personal diary, Jan. 31, 1878 The Evening Light and Salvation Echoes (Gospel Trumpet Co.,) 175 Naylor, Charles Wesley. The Teachings of D.S. Warner and His Associates (unpublished, but printed and distributed about 1925 (Anderson, IN: Warner Press Library)
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