I strongly encourage you to read the latest article by Greg Elsdon reflecting on communion as we lead into the great Communion celebration on October 4th. His article can be found in the previous post.
We are now 2 days away from coming together around a common table here in South Australia. Some are travelling long distances to be at Mile End Church of christ at 3pm where our Adelaide celebration is happening. As part of our service we are skype linking with Mark Butler, State Minister for Churches of Christ SA/NT and with the Darwin Church of Christ. While I was in Zimbabwe a few months ago I stayed with BJ Mpofu, President of World Convention. I managed to film a Great Communion message from him which we have translated into DVD format and will be playing this message as part of our service as our link with the Zimbabwean churches. Craig Brown, National co-ordinator for Churches of Christ Australia managed to upload this to Youtube so now all of you from around the world can connect with this greeting from BJ. Here it is:
While some are travelling to be with us at Mile End which is our oldest existing church in South Australia others in regional areas are gathering at other locations. To my knowledge there is a gathering on the penninsula at Kadinia and another in the South East at Mundulla where Gordon Moyes is the guest speaker.
We are priveleged to have certian archives on display at Mile End. Publications from 1799 – 1908 are provided by the Churches of Christ archives and publications from 1920 – 2009 care of my own book shelf. A member of my church (Blackwood Church of Christ) formerly a member at Mile End provided an origional panoramic photo of the centennial gathering at Pittsburgh. Here’s the explaination:
Centennial Convention, Pittsburgh October 17th 1909
On Sunday October 17th 1909 a Communion service was held at Forbes Field, Pittsburgh, USA. This was the culmination of a Convention held to celebrate 100 years since the ‘Declaration and Address’ by Thomas Campbell in September 1809.
This 100 year old photo was taken at that the Communion service to celebrate 100 years. Delegates and members of Churches of Christ from all over the world were present. The assembly was served by 500 deacons, 100 elders and 50 large tables. The offering that day was collected to the total of US$2,600 (a lot of money in those days)
This photo belongs to Laurel Moore, former member of Mile End Church of Christ, currently a member at the Blackwood Church of Christ. We thank Laurel sincerely for loaning this precious archive for display and for providing the notes on the photo.
Laurel’s grandfather D.A. Ewers, who was a preacher at the Mile End Church of Christ and Secretary of Federal Conference of Australian Churches of Christ, was one of two delegates at the Pittsburgh Convention in 1909. If you ask Laurel she will proudly point him out in this photo.
Here are the rest of the publications I have prepared for display on October 4th at Mile End Church of Christ, for your interest:
Campbell’s Four Gospels
Printed 1799 (original copy)
This is a translation from the Greek of the four Gospels by Dr George Campbell who lived in Aberdeen Scotland in the late 1700’s and was printed in Philadelphia in 1799.
It was owned by one Barton Warren Stone (1772-1844) who along with Thomas Campbell, his son Alexander Campbell and Walter Scott are looked on as the founders of the Disciples of Christ in America. The disciples are the American counterpart of Churches of Christ in Australia.
Inside the cover of this book is Barton stones own handwriting dated the year of his death. He lived in Lexington, Kentucky and when he died this ‘bible’ was given to the doctor who attended him at the time, Dr David T Morton.
In the 1860’s when Churches of Christ were starting to grow in South Australia, the people appealed to the churches in England and later America to send out evangelists. One who answered the call and had great influence on the churches in South Australia from 1867 to 1915 was Thomas Jeffison Gore who came from Lexington, Kentucky where he had studied under people who knew Stone and Campbell well and had been given this bible.
T J Gore’s daughters were well known to a number of people at Blackwood Church of Christ who had association with the church at Unley.
After T.J’s death this bible was placed in the Preacher’s Library at the Conference Centre and in 1969 was transferred to the Churches of Christ archives.
The Millennial Harbinger
Edtied by Alexander Campbell 1831
The Harbinger is a collection of messengers or periodicals originally circulated for debate in newsletter form. This publication was bound together as a collection of the newsletters from 1831 outlining passionate theological debates in the early years of our movement
Autobiography of Barton Stone
Written by Barton Stone with additions and reflections by Elder John Rogers 1847
Christian Baptism
By Alexander Campbell 1852
Life of Thomas Campbell
By Alexander Campbell (publishing date unknown but possibly late 1850’s)
Life of Elder Walter Scott
By William Baxter 1874
Declaration and Address
By Thomas Campbell (reprint 1908)
This is a copy of the original printed in 1908. Here is what is written on the inside cover
‘At the Centennial Convention of Disciples of Christ the chief exhibit will be the only original copy of the Declaration and Address. It belongs to Mrs. Decima Campbell Barclay, the only surviving daughter of Alexander Campbell, and is kept in the vaults of the Mercantile Trust Company.
It shows a few corrections made with quill pen by its author and many more revision marks at the hand of his illustrious son, when he gave it to the printers to republish in his Life of Thomas Campbell. Each composition of that work was immortalized by having his name written in pencil on the margin opposite the beginning of his ‘take’.
This zinc etching reprint is one of the limited edition issued for the Centennial.’
Centennial Committee
Pittsburgh
1908
First Principles – studies in bible truths
By A.R. Main (publishing date unknown but possibly early 1920’s)
This original publication once belonged to Alexander Russell Main (1876-1945) containing hand written notes in the margins. A.R. main was principal of the College of the Bible now known as the Churches of Christ Theological College (CCTC) from 1910-1938.
The History of Churches of Christ in South Australia 1846-1959
By H.R. Taylor 1960
One Lord, One Faith, One Baptism – history of Churches of Christ in Australia
By Graeme Chapman 1979
Churches of Christ – an interpretation
By E.L. Williams 1980
This original copy belonged to Edwin Lyall Williams (1906-1994). E.L. was a passionate advocate for the plea for Christian unity. This copy has his signature scribbled across the front cover and some notes and corrections to his own publication throughout the pages in his handwriting. E.L. was principal of the College of the Bible now known as the Churches of Christ Theological College (CCTC) from 1945-1973
Churches of Christ – interpreting ourselves for the new century
By Gordon Stirling 1999
One Church – A bicentennial celebration of Thomas Campbell’s Declaration and Address
Edited by Glenn Thomas Carson, Douglas A. Foster and Clinton J. Holloway 2008
DNA of churches of Christ – the largest indigenous Christian church born in the USA
By Graham Carslake 2009
It’s exciting to have a mix of rich history with the advances of technology linking us from across the world via satellite during the service. If you’re in Adelaide this weekend we hope you can make it. The service will be led by myself, Geoff Payne (acting State Minister), Simon Clemow and Verity Riessen.
Shalom
Mark
