Resources/Articles
JW McGarvey & The Instrument
The year 2006 marked the centennial of the official split between the Christian Church and the Churches of Christ. One key difference then and now is the issue of instrumental music in the worship service. Two stories surrounding JW McGarvey are presented below in the hopes that we may learn from his experiences over 100 years ago.
William Woodson tells the following in the May 5, 1996, issue of Vigil: “First, it was recalled that in the early 1870s, with the knowledge and approval of JW McGarvey as one of the elders, a small instrument was placed in the basement of the building of the Lexington Christian Church to be used by the young people in improving their singing. No one, especially McGarvey, would have thought of, let alone approved, moving the instrument upstairs to be used in the worship services.
“Years went by. The youngsters grew up and took their places in the church. And so, it occurred that in November, 1902, a move was made to introduce instrumental music into the worship services, and McGarvey’s sensitive conscience in this matter forbade his remaining with the Broadway church. The vote taken —- 370 for and 202 against — meant that what had been refused a few years before was allowed, and the McGarveys went elsewhere.
“One may admire McGarvey’s action on principle in 1902, but that allowance and approval of the organ in the basement in the early 1870s remains a troubling fact. It is not known how many of the youngsters who had been trained in singing with the organ in the basement voted for the organ in the worship, but the likelihood is that few who were so trained voted against its use in 1902.”
Mike Winkler adds the following in his book, Successful Christian Living in Today’s World. This account is from a conversation between Jesse P. Sewell and JW McGarvey in January, 1903, at the Pearl and Bryan Street Church of Christ in Dallas, Texas: “While sitting on the front seat, waiting to speak, Brother McGarvey leaned over to Brother Sewell and said, ‘Brother Sewell, I want to say something to you, if you will accept it in the spirit in which I mean it.’ Brother Sewell assured him that he would, and Brother McGarvey continued, ‘You are on the right road, and whatever you do, do not let anybody persuade you that you can successfully combat error by fellowshipping it and going along with it. I have tried. I believed at the start that was the only way to do it. I have never held membership in a congregation that used instrumental music. I have, however, accepted invitations to preach without distinctions between churches that use it and churches that do not. Have gone along with their papers and magazine s and things of that sort. During all these years, I have taught the truth as the New Testament teaches it to every young preacher who has passed through the College of the Bible. Yet, I do not know of more than six of those men who are preaching the truth today.’ He then affirmed, ‘It will not work.’”
