Truth Magazine

By Keith Ward

There have been many arguments presented in favor of instrumental music. Their sheer number argues against their plausibility. If the practice were scriptural, only one argument would be necessary. Or, as Shakespeare wrote, “Me thinks thou protesteth too much.”

Nature of Aids

Before it is possible to determine whether instrumental music is an aid, the nature of New Testament aids must be understood. It is impossible to separate the concepts of aids and expediencies. Aids arise under the authority of a generic command. God authorized the doing of an act, but left the method and the tools up to man. An aid is anything that will help one to obey the generic command, which does not contradict that or any other command. An aid must be a lawful act, but not all lawful acts are expedient (I Cor. 10:23). There may be several possible aids authorized by a generic command. It is up to the Christian to determine which one will best serve the purpose under his particular circumstances, which one will edify most. This is called expediency.

Thus, in order to be right in the sight of God, an act must be: (1) specified, (2) included in a generic command, or (3) an aid to the furtherance of “a generic command. If number three, it must not contradict any principle of scripture and it must be expedient. The command “Go” illustrates this principle. Specifically, we are to go. But, this is a generic command relative to method; I may walk, ride, drive a car, etc. These are aids to the command “Go”. However, I may not steal a horse or stowaway on a ship, since that would be unlawful. One must consider the circumstances (finances, distance, ability, etc.) to determine which method is most expedient.

When the proposition that instrumental music is an aid arises, two questions immediately follow: (1) Is it an aid? and (2) Is it expedient?

A Command In Old Testament; Not An Aid

When one claims that instrumental music is an aid, he has occupied a scripturally untenable position. By the nature of aids, he has conceded that it is not a command, for an act cannot be both a precept and an aid. Precepts must necessarily be obeyed; aids are only helpful to the prosecution of the precept, not vital to it. God chose to command instrumental music in the Old Testament. It was not on the level of an aid, but on the higher plane of a command. “And he set the Levites in the house of Jehovah with cymbals, with psalteries, and with harps, according to the commandment of David, and of Gad the king’s seer, and Nathan the prophet; for the commandment was of Jehovah by his prophets” (2 Chron. 29:25). The inspired poet also commanded instrumental music in Psalm 150. He said to sing praises to Jehovah and did not assume they would use instrumental music as an aid but commanded it.

“Praise him with trumpet sound:

Praise him with psaltery and harp.

Praise him with timbrel and dance:

Praise him with stringed instruments and pipe.

Praise him with loud cymbals:

Praise him with high sounding cymbals.

Let every thing that hath breath praise Jehovah.”

In every case known to me where instrumental music accompanied singing in the Bible, it was specifically commanded. A careful reading of Exodus 15 shows that Miriam danced to the timbrels after the singing of the Children of Israel. Nothing indicates that she sang with the timbrels. God gave instrumental music the status of command. The instrumentalist defies the authority of God by down-grading instrumental music to the level of an aid. He cannot so do without usurping God’s authority. By making the aid argument, one has already conceded that there is no precept authorizing it. Therefore, the argument is lost. Instrumental music is not an aid.

Aids Are Subordinate To A Command

An aid must be recognized as being subordinate to the thing commanded. If it is an equal type, it cannot be an aid. It is excluded by the choice of the other which is commanded. If asked to state the common factor of automobiles, planes, boats, and trains, almost anyone would say that they are methods of going and are subordinate members of the general class, going. Walking sticks and luggage are aids to going that are not directly related to it. Instrumental music is not a subordinate class of singing, but it is co-equal with it in the general field of making music. Since it is music, it cannot be an unrelated object that aids one in the prosecution of the command to sing, as does a songbook or a pitchpipe. Instrumental music is not an aid.

Aids Must Not Constitute Another Act

Aids do not result in another act of worship. It would still be possible to worship if the songbooks and pitchpipe were removed. It would not be the same if instrumental music were removed. It does not merely aid; it adds another element to the worship. The congregation is no longer singing praises to God; they are now singing and playing to God. A new act was created by adding a new element. Deleting the instrument changes the nature of the acts; deleting an aid does not change the act. Instrumental music is not an aid.

Sentence Diagram of Eph. 5:18-20

Instrumental music cannot be considered as an aid to the act of worship commanded in Ephesians 5:18-20. We find three components of worship enjoined under the general heading “Be filled with the spirit.” They are: (1) “speaking one to another in psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs,” (2) “singing and making melody with your heart to God,” and (3) “Giving thanks to God.” Notice that in point two, “singing” and “making melody” are joined by the coordinate conjunction “and” (in the Greek, kai). This means that they are equally modified by any phrases that apply to either of them. In this case, “with your heart” modifies both “singing” and “making melody”; not only one. This is parallel to the statement “seeing and recording with the eye.” Both seeing and recording take place with the same instrument, the eye. No one can deny this. The instrument upon which “singing and making melody” take place is the heart. The word psallo in this passage is translated “making melody;” not “singing” as so many people assume. Therefore, the word that often is used to-provide authority for the instrument is found very closely tied in with a named instrument, the heart. Instrumental music cannot aid “speaking.” We learn from a parallel diagram of Col. 3:16 that “teaching and admonishing” constitute what is termed “speaking” in Ephesians. Instrumental music does not help in either teaching or admonishing fellow Christians.

Instrumental Music Hinders God’s Plan

If the above parallel is disallowed, it is still impossible to show how instrumental music can aid speaking. The booming organ drowns out the vocal “speaking one to another” and leaves each one speaking alone. It distracts the mind from the teaching or the devotional thought, and concentrates it on the aesthetic beauty of music. This is not worship. It is difficult to see how one could claim that instrumental music is an aid to the “singing” or the “making melody.” The simple construction of the sentence makes it plain that they take place on the heart and are “to the Lord.” Thus it is not a sound that can be kept in tune or otherwise musically improved by any sort of aid. Nor are “singing” and Amaking melody” to be done to anyone but God. Instrumental music cannot aid the soul in communication with God. We speak to each other; We sing to God with our hearts. Instrumental music cannot aid either, by any stretch of reason or flight of fancy.

Not Expedient

Even if it were possible to prove that instrumental music were an aid, that would still not prove that it is permissible. For an aid to be permissible, it must also be expedient. The instrument does not in any measurable way edify. It teaches nothing; it does not add to true spiritual feeling; it does not strengthen the soul. In fact, it probably detracts from all three of these. It keeps the worshiper from hearing the teaching of those about him. It also drowns out his voice and makes his contribution less significant in his own mind, so he loses the full measure of spirituality that could have been gained. Finally, instrumental music destroys any feeling of group participation. Each worshiper is isolated from every other worshiper by the sound of playing, and the strength gained by the sense of mutual sharing is gone. In addition to these drawbacks, instrumental music has caused so much division and strife that it could never be considered permissible. An aid must be dispensed with if it is causing trouble or causes a weaker brother to offend (I Cor. 10). This principle would certainly apply to the instrument, for who could deny that it is offensive to many?

Instrumental Music Fags Test

Instrumental music is not an aid. It fails to pass any test as an aid, yet it must pass all such i tests to be scriptural. Instrumental music was compared to different characteristics of aids and in every case the conclusion was that it is not an aid. Even if it were accepted as an aid (for the sake of argument) it ~till could not be used. It is not expedient because it does not edify and it divides brethren. Thus, instrumental music is unscriptural.

Truth Magazine, XVIII:36, p. 11-12
July 18, 1974

By Leslie Diestelkamp

This report must necessarily be brief, yet comprehensive and informative. I shall therefore divide it into various subheadings as follows:

Travel

Brother Jim Sasser, of Rogersville, Ala. 37857 (Rt. 3, Box 3) and I made the trip to Nigeria together. Jim is an ideal travel companion and made the frustrating experiences of such long trips pleasant. He and I “speak the same thing” (I Cor. 1:10) and made the same appeal to the Nigerians everywhere.

We traveled by Pan Am from New York to Lagos and back. Inside Nigeria we drove a Volkswagon Passet rented car nearly 4,000 miles. A few roads are much improved there and quite good, but most roads were very, very bad and a few were almost impossible. Lodging conditions have improved very much there, and we were able to have air-conditioned quarters most of the time.

Health

When I went to Nigeria the first time in 1959 1 was 47 and the oldest American preacher who had gone. Now I am 62 and I know some friends were apprehensive. But I fared real well. I was not sick at all, though I did have a very small amount of diarrhea the first two weeks. I missed no preaching appointments, though, and lost only 10 pounds (result of heat and diet). Jim did quite well also with only slightly more stomach trouble.

Nigerian Conditions

It had been six years since I left Nigeria the last time and I found at least the following changes: (1) City traffic has become almost impossible. There must be at least four times as many cars as we formerly had and the degree of irresponsibility of the drivers, especially the multitude of Taxi drivers, is much worse. It is a nightmare to try to drive there. (2) The cost of living has risen many times until it is almost impossible. A car that costs $3,000.00 here in America will cost $5,000.00 there. Other things are comparable. (3) The country is at peace and the people seem just as friendly as ever. There is more prosperity, but at the same time much inflation, so the people are no better off, and sometimes worse.

The Churches

We are encouraged with the condition of the churches. There are indeed some trouble spots, where divisiveness prevails among brethren who should be in agreement, there is some small amount of promotion of human institutions by a few Nigerians bent on building schools, etc. and there is an ever-present weakness in that the churches are slow to take up support of their preachers. However, even in this last item there is vast improvement in some places, and everywhere there is a mood to go forward in good work and to continue in all scriptural action. Error is resisted with zeal and such teaching is well-received by the Christians. There are plenty of strong Nigerian preachers who know truth and uphold it vigorously. They will not be quickly led astray.

Jim and I preached about 140 sermons in about 90 congregations in seven states, involving us in about 4,000 miles of travel. Everywhere we appealed for peace and purity and with few exceptions were heartily received. We seldom preached on first principles but concentrated on strengthening the weak and encouraging the strong. In spite of this type of preaching, perhaps 15 or 20 were baptized But everywhere the Christians expressed desired that we return.

At least five Nigerian preachers are conducting training classes for the young preachers and are doing excellent work in this regard. There were many appeals for help for native preachers-many of whom work faithfully with no support at all at present. If any readers want to help such men, get in touch with Brother Sasser or me and we can give names and addresses.

As one would expect, there are a few fakes and a few men trying to get money under false pretense. Any Americans who consider helping any Nigerian should first of all receive proper recommendation from some reliable source. There are many, many reliable men whom you can contact. I also will be glad to help in any way possible.

Truth Magazine, XVIII:36, p. 9-10
July 18, 1974

By James L. Denison

I just closed an eight day meeting with the church at No. Broadway in Rochester, Minn. The meeting was well attended. Not one person who normally. worships with this congregation missed even one service!, How many of you ‘who read, this can boast of such dedication by members where you worship? Also there were visitors who were not members at each of the ten services with the exception of two services.

Gary Hargis, formerly of Tampa, Fla., is the preacher at Rochester. Gary and his family moved there in June, 1973. At that time there were only two women who refused to compromise their convictions by remaining with the liberal church in Rochester, that made up the congregation. Since his arrival there has been two baptisms. There are several others who have studied with Gary and his wife, who are good prospects for conversion in the near future.

The Rochester church has, for several months, run a weekly column in the local paper, dealing with the subject, “The New Testament Church Restored Here.” They have just this week started a new column entitled “Ask Your Preacher.” They have received several inquiries as a result of the column, and enrolled 18 people in the Bible correspondence courses.

In this area of the country the Lutheran and Catholic religions are predominate, along with many Methodists, Episcopalians, Presbyterians and some Baptists. Most of these groups are rank with modernism and the social gospel. As a result, a few of their members who are of a. conservative and Biblically oriented background, are growing disgusted with these churches. The problem however is seeking them out of the thousands and making contact with them, to let them know what we stand for, and why. For example: Gary and I visited one lady in a town about 25 miles from Rochester who has been reading the newspaper articles and has been enrolled in the correspondence course. Nigerian Report She had been reared as a “Free Methodist,” but in recent years has been affiliated with the Lutherans. She had become disgusted with them because of their general laxness, and firing their preacher for being “too religious”! She indicated this was typical of the other churches in that town. Also that there were several others whom she knew that felt as she did-and they had no where to worship! She is presently contacting them to set up a time for Gary to begin Home Studies with them. At present it looks very promising for starting a congregation in this town. If this occurs, they plan for awhile to meet in someone’s home, and Gary will go down on Sundays to aid them in their worship services.

Often we who live in areas where the church is relatively strong (South Florida, California, Texas, Alabama, etc.) do not realize how difficult it is to start a new work, and within one year in an almost virgin territory like Rochester, Minn., to show even a small amount of results. Remember: there are only five faithful congregations in the entire state, and they are all small. Considering these factors, Gary, and his family, and the church there have done an excellent job. Without reservation, I commend them for their year’s work

However, one congregation which has been contributing $300.00 per month to support Gary and his family notified him that, due to a drastic drop in their contributions, they can no longer support him after August! To continue the work he has been doing for the past year, this amount of support must be picked up by someone else.

What about the congregation where you worship? Or, what about you individually? Can you help? If so; contact at once: Gary Hargis,, Box 715, Byron, Minn. 55920 or call 775-6819.-James L. Denison, 813-876-2237.

Truth Magazine, XVIII:36, p. 8-9
July 18, 1974

By Cecil Willis

The Cogdill Foundation, which publishes Truth Magazine, has obtained exclusive publication rights to the six volume Bible Commentary written by Brother E. M. Zerr. This set, covering both Old and New Testaments, is available in an impressive hardback binding. The dark green binding material looks beautiful, stamped in gold lettering, and should serve the average user a life-time. The six books consist of approximately 400 pages each. The set sells for $32.50, and single volumes sell for $5.95 each. A customary trade discount is allowed to other retail outlets. These books may be ordered from Truth Magazine Bookstore, Box 403, Marion, Indiana 46952, or through your favorite religious bookstore.

Information About E. M. Zerr

Brother Zerr was quite well-known among a group of very conservative brethren, but he may not have been known among brethren in general. Hence, a little information concerning him is here given. Edward Michael Zerr was born October 15, 1877 in Strassburg, Illinois, but his family soon thereafter moved to Missouri. He was the second of six children born to Lawrence and Mary (Manning) Zerr. Brother Zerr’s father was reared as a Catholic, but after he married Mary Manning, he obeyed the gospel. At the age of seventeen, young Edward was immersed into Christ in Grand River, near Bosworth, Missouri.

In June, 1897 young Brother E. M. Zerr received a letter from A. L. Gepford asking him to go to Green Valley, Illinois, and to preach in his stead. His first sermon was entitled, “My Responsibility as a Preacher of the Gospel, and Your Responsibility as Hearers.” In the years between delivery of this first sermon on July 3, 1897, and the delivery of his last sermon on October 25, 1959, Brother Zerr preached about 8,000 sermons, from California to Connecticut, and from Washington to Arizona. It is noteworthy that his last sermon was built around Matt. 13:44, and was entitled “Full Surrender.” Brother Zerr preached the gospel for a little over 60 years.

Among the brethren with whom Brother Zerr was most frequently associated, it was then common to have protracted periods of concentrated Bible studies, commonly referred to as “Bible Readings.” Young Brother Zerr attended a three month “Bible Reading” conducted by the well-known teacher, A. M. Morris, in 1899. During this study which was conducted at Hillsboro, Henry County, Indiana, Brother Zerr stayed in the home of a farmer named John Hill. After leaving the John and Matilda Hill farm, “E. M. ” began correspondence with their daughter, Carrie. The following year, while attending a “Bible Reading” conducted by Daniel Sommer in Indianapolis, “E. M. ” and Carrie were married, on September 27, 1900. The newly weds took up. residence in New Castle, -Indiana, where their four children were born, one of whom died in infancy.

In 1911, Brother A. W. Harvey arranged for Brother Zerr to conduct a “Bible Reading” which continued for several months at Palmyra, Indiana. These “Bible Readings”, usually consisted of two two-hour sessions daily. Young Brother Zerr’s special ability as a teacher was soon recognized, and he continued to conduct such studies among churches of Christ for 48 years. Edward M. Zerr died February 22, 1960, having been in a coma for four months following an automobile accident at Martinsville, Indiana. His body was laid to rest in the little country cemetery at Hillsboro, Indiana, near the church building in which he had attended his first “Bible Reading.”

Brother Zerr’s Writings in addition to his oral teaching and preaching, Brother Zerr was a prolific writer. He was a regular contributor to several religious periodicals. Brother Zerr also composed the music and lyrics of several religious songs. Two of these, “The True Riches,” and “I Come to Thee,” may be found in the widely used song book, Sacred Selections.

One of the books written by Brother Zerr is entitled Historical Quotations, and consists of the gleanings from 40,000 pages of ancient history and other critical sources which he read over a period of twenty years. These quotations are intended to explain and to confirm the prophetic and other technical statements of the Bible. Another book, a 434 page hard-cover binding, consists of a study course containing 16,000 Bible questions. This book, New Testament Questions, has at least 50 questions on each chapter of the New Testament. A smaller book, Bible Reading Notes, consists of some of the copious notes which Brother Zerr made in connection with the “Bible Readings” which he conducted.

But the crowning success of his efforts was the writing of his six volume commentary on the whole Bible. These six volumes were published between 1947 and 1955. Brother Zerr has the unique distinction, so far as is known to this writer, of being the only member of the church to write a commentary on the entire Bible. Many other brethren have written excellent and valuable commentaries on various books of the Bible, but no other brother has written on the entire Bible.

The writing of this commentary consumed more than seven years of full-time labor. In order that he might devote himself without interruption to this herculean effort, Brother Zerr was supported by the Newcastle church during this seven year period. It is unfortunate, in this writer’s judgment, that other competent men have not been entirely freed of other duties that they might give themselves to such mammoth writing assignments. Through Bible Commentary, Brother E. M. Zerr, though dead since 1960, will continue to do what he liked best to do-conduct “Bible Readings” for many years to come. The current printing is the fourth printing of the Old Testament section (four volumes) of the commentary, and the fifth printing of the New Testament section (two volumes).

Many Christians spend but little money on available helps in Bible study. Some own perhaps only a Cruden’s Concordance, a Bible Dictionary of some kind, and then Johnson’s Notes. It would be interesting to know how many copies of B. W. Johnson’s The People’s New Testament Commentary With Notes have been sold. If I were to hazard a guess, it would be that at least 1,000,000 copies of this superficial commentary have been sold. Johnson’s Notes contains the printing of the entire New Testament text in both King James Version and the English Revised Version (the predecessor to the American Standard Version), and his comments, all contained in two volumes. In fact, a single volume edition also is available. Thus one is buying two copies of the New Testament, and B. W. Johnson’s Notes, in one or two volumes. So necessarily, Johnson’s Notes are very brief.

If brethren somehow could be made acquainted with Brother Zerr’s Bible Commentary, it is possible that it could be as widely used as has been Johnson’s Notes, first published in 1889. Brother Zerr printed very little of the Bible text in his commentary. He assumed you would have your own Bible nearby. To have printed in the commentary the entire Bible would have required at least three other volumes. While it would have been helpful to have the Bible text printed by the comments, this unnecessary luxury would have been very expensive, since we all have copies of the Scriptures already. Furthermore, Brother Zerr intended that one be compelled to use his Bible, in order that his commentary never supplant the Sacred text.

A Word of Caution

I am sure that Brother Zerr, were he yet living, would advise me to remind you that his Bible Commentary is only that of a man, though a studious man he was. In fact, in the “Preface” to this set of books, just such a word of warning is sounded by Brother Zerr. The only book which we recommend without reservation is the Bible! But Bible commentaries, when viewed merely as the results of many years of study by scholarly men, can be very helpful to one.

Brother Zerr spent his life-time working among those brethren who have stood opposed to “located preachers” and to “Bible Colleges.” However, he has not “featured” these distinctive views in his Bible Commentary. If one did not know of these positions held by Brother Zerr, he might not even detect the references to them in the commentary. However, I want to call such references to your attention. Along with the opposition to “located preachers,” Brother Zerr also held a position commonly referred to as “Evangelistic Oversight.” This position declares that until a congregation has qualified elders appointed, each congregation should be under the oversight of some evangelist. With these positions, this writer cannot agree. References to these positions will be found in his comments on Acts 20:28; Eph. 3:10, 3:21; 4:11; 1 Tim. 5:21; 2 Tim. 4:5, and perhaps in a few other places that do not now come to memory. Brother Zerr also took the position that a woman should never cut or even trim her hair. His comments on this position will be found at I Cor. 11:1-16.

But aside from a very few such positions with which many of us would disagree, Brother Zerr’s Bible Commentary can be very helpful. Some restoration-period writers of widely used commentaries held some rather bizarre positions regarding the millennium. Brethren scruple not to use Barnes’ Notes, in spite of his repeated injection of Calvinism, and Clarke’s Commentary, in spite of his Methodist teaching.

Brother Zerr’s Bible Commentary is far superior to Johnson’s Notes. Though there are some extraordinarily good volumes in the well-known Gospel Advocate commentaries, there also are some notoriously weak volumes in this widely used set. Viewed from the point of consistent quality, Brother Zerr’s Bible Commentary is superior to the Gospel Advocate set. Some brethren whom I consider to be superior exegetes of the Word have highly recommended Zerr’s Bible Commentary and have praised the splendid and incisive way in which he has handled even those “hard to be understood” sections of God’s Word.

Our recommendation regarding E. M. Zerr’s six volume Commentary can be paraphrased from the words of a well known television commercial: “Try it; you’ll like it!”

Truth Magazine, XVIII:36, p. 3-5
July 18, 1974