One of the most significant events of the Restoration Movement was the introduction of a melodeon in the assembly of the church in Midway, Kentucky. According to L.L. Pinkerton, the preacher at Midway, this was the first time an instrument had been successfully introduced among those of the Restoration Movement. He made this claim in 1860.
The reason why this was significant was because of the plea voiced by the preachers of the Restoration – speak where the Bible speaks and be silent where it is silent. Every religious practice would have to pass the test of Scripture. If one could not demonstrate that a practice was according to the New Testament pattern (2 Timothy 1:13), that practice was to be rejected because everything must be done by the authority of Christ (Colossians 3:17). Therefore, instrumental music in worship was widely rejected in the Restoration Movement. It did not fit the pattern revealed in the New Testament which, therefore, made it unauthorized.
So how did the melodeon find its way into the worship of the church in Midway? It certainly did not happen overnight. If we can learn the lessons from this event, then we will hopefully be prepared to guard ourselves against potential apostasies today.
Perceived Problems
The introduction of the melodeon at Midway was the eventual response to a perceived problem. According to Pinkerton, the singing of the congregation was so bad it would “scare even the rats from worship.” This is a problem – at least by human reasoning it is. But Biblically speaking, is bad singing really a problem?
The New Testament teaches that we are to sing. Paul wrote, “Let the word of Christ richly dwell within you, with all wisdom teaching and admonishing one another with psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with thankfulness in your hearts to God” (Colossians 3:16; cf. Ephesians 5:19). The purpose behind singing is twofold – to offer praise to God and to teach and admonish our brethren. Nowhere in the New Testament does it say anything about singing needing to be pleasing to our ears. The ability of one to carry a tune is not necessary to obey Paul’s instruction. Might we prefer good singing? Of course, but we are not to depart from the pattern based upon our preference. As long as we are singing as Paul instructed, regardless of our vocal ability, we are pleasing God.
We must guard against the tendency to let our preferences and what we perceive to be problems trump the divine pattern. We might prefer to baptize more people, but we must not change the gospel message in order to convert them (Galatians 1:8-9). We might prefer to spend more time with our brethren, but we must not turn the assembly into a time for common meals (1 Corinthians 11:22, 34). There are many things we might prefer, but we must first be concerned with what is authorized.
Gradual Slide into Apostasy
The answer to the congregation’s poor singing was not immediately to bring an instrument into the assembly. Instead, the first step toward apostasy was an innocent one. Some of the brethren would meet together in their homes to practice singing. Then they decided to use a melodeon that was in the home in which there were meeting to get the right pitch (like we might use a pitch pipe today). Then the small steps continued. They went from using the instrument to get the starting pitch to having one of the women accompany the singing of psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs by playing the instrument. They noticed that the accompaniment improved their singing, so they decided to bring it into their assembly.
Apostasy is something that happens gradually. Paul warned Timothy of those who would “proceed from bad to worse” (2 Timothy 3:13) and of others who would “fall away from the faith” (1 Timothy 4:1). The Hebrew writers warned, “For this reason we must pay much closer attention to what we have heard, so that we do not drift away from it” (Hebrews 2:1).
We must be watchful against those things that appear innocent, but will eventually lead us into apostasy. Paul said, “All things are lawful, but not all things are profitable [expedient, KJV]” (1 Corinthians 10:23). Just because one thing might be authorized, that does not necessarily mean it is a good idea to practice it. Was it lawful for the brethren meeting in one’s home to play a key on the melodeon to get their starting pitch? Perhaps. But as we can see from the events that followed, it was certainly not profitable as it was the first step toward their acceptance of instrumental music in worship.
Opposition Evolves into Acceptance
While Pinkerton indicated the instrument was successfully introduced into the worship of the church, that does not mean it was immediately accepted by all. Some of the brethren strongly opposed it, including one of the elders – Adam Hibler. One night after the melodeon was brought into the church building, Hibler and his slave (remember, this was pre-Civil War Kentucky) took the instrument out of the building and chopped it to pieces with an axe in front of the church building. A second melodeon was brought in and Hibler and his slave came back and removed the instrument from the building, this time hiding it in his barn.
Then a third melodeon was bought and placed in the church building. But this time, Hibler did not remove it, nor did anyone else. Instead, it remained in the church building to be used in the congregation’s worship until the building was destroyed by fire near the turn of the twentieth century. Hibler’s once ardent opposition eventually waned and the instrument was accepted at Midway.
This same thing can happen today as well with any number of issues. We must be intolerant of error and firm in our opposition against it. Paul said of the Judaizing teachers, “We did not yield in subjection to them for even an hour, so that the truth of the gospel would remain with you” (Galatians 2:5). We must emulate Paul’s attitude of refusing to compromise the truth.
Yet it often becomes easy for our opposition to false teachers and those who practice error to become soft. We get tired of fighting the battles so we stop dealing with the issues and, eventually, we become willing to have fellowship with those who were previously marked (Romans 16:17; 2 Thessalonians 3:6). We must not allow ourselves to do this. If others are engaging in unauthorized practices, we are told, “Do not participate in the unfruitful deeds of darkness, but instead even expose them” (Ephesians 5:11). If someone is teaching false doctrine, John said, “Do not receive him into your house, and do not give him a greeting; for the one who gives him a greeting participates in his evil deeds” (2 John 10-11). The passage of time does not change the force of these Scriptures. If a teaching or practice must be opposed today, then it must continue to be opposed in the future.
Conclusion
Let us learn these lessons from the melodeon at Midway. Be careful of perceived problems. Ask if they are really problems. Be sure that any action you take in correction or improvement is according to the New Testament pattern. Be watchful against apostasy as well. It will never come immediately; instead it is gradual, often creeping in when we do not expect it. Finally, always stand for the truth. Be consistent and steadfast. As Paul told Timothy, “Retain the standard of sound words which you have heard from me, in the faith and love which are in Christ Jesus” (2 Timothy 1:13).
I agree with this article complete, we have so many who will stand firm at first, but when error persisted and see their brothers and sisters in Christ go along with it, they start to give in and accept error, when we stand before our God to give account, He won’t have no mercy on us then. May our Lord help us all with our knowledge of His will and our devotion and courage to live it. Thank for your good work for our Lord.
Carlos Raymer