Jump Start # 4036
2 Thessalonians 3:7 “For you yourselves know how you ought to follow our example; because we did not act in an undisciplined manner among you.”
Throwback Thursday: an article years ago
Pitchin’ Horseshoes on Sunday
Horseshoes is a fun game. It is found more in the country than on the racquetball courts and golf courses of the city. I’ve known many a horseshoe thrower. I’ve seen my father pitch a fair shoe before. My grandfather could really hit the stake dead and true.
There was a time when the game of horseshoes caused quite a stir in a local church. I’ve been reading “The history of the Hillsboro church of Christ.” This congregation located near New Castle, Indiana, is the oldest existing congregation in the state. It was established in 1839.
On page 80 of this booklet, I found, “Looking over old records we find reasons for excommunication of unruly members—some of them as follows: drunkenness, joining Dunkard or Baptist churches, disorderly conduct, not living with a wife, non-attendance, betting on the premises, attending dances, playing horse-shoes on Sunday.”
There you have it. Drunkenness. This is a pure violation of God’s word. Joining the Dunkards. That’s certainly not allowed by Epesians 4 and the one body, one faith, and one baptism. Disorderly conduct. That’s the reason Paul gives in 2 Thes 3 for withdrawing from members. Not living with your wife. That’s is wrong according to 1 Cor. 7. Non-attendance is discussed in Hebrews 10:25. Betting on the premises. That is pretty bold and brazen. Gambling is against the work ethic and manifests selfishness and a love of money, all of which the Bible condemns. Dancing is often associated with lasciviousness. It is the breeding ground of many other kinds of sin. I don’t have any problems understanding why the saints at Hillsboro moved on such matters. They wanted to keep the purity within the body of Christ.
But the last one, playing horseshoes on Sunday, stumped me. I can’t quite figure this one out. Did these brethren see something evil about horseshoes? I thought about this for a long time. We are to shun every appearance of evil. Is this what they saw in horseshoes? Evil companions corrupt good morals (1 Cor. 15:33). Was the problem not so much the game but who they were playing with?
Then I thought, why did they mention playing on Sunday? Was the game itself okay, but their choice of day was wrong? Pitchin’ the shoe on a Saturday is fine, just don’t do it on a Sunday. Sunday used to be real special. One never did any work on Sunday. Stores were closed. About the only place you could go was to the church house. Possibly some daring members braved themselves to pitch a few shoes on Sunday. Strong stewards of the church must have either caught them in the act or heard ‘pitchin’ talk in the house of worship.
However it happened, some brethren were withdrawn from for pitchin’ the shoe on Sunday. No mention is made in the history of their return to a proper standing with the Hillsboro brethren.
In all of this I learned some interesting things about us:
1. One generation does not always understand what another generation does. I haven’t found any Biblical reason to withdraw from people for throwing horseshoes on Sunday. Horseshoes, as I understand it, is an innocent game that a lot of people enjoy. The Bible no where calls Sunday the “Sabbath.” It is special to the Christian. It is the day he will gather with other saints to worship and especially to partake of the Lord’s Supper. But there are no restriction placed upon Sunday as to one’s travel, activities or eating. I’m sure the folks at Hillsboro had good reasons for having to withdraw from others because of horseshoes on Sunday. I don’t understand it. Too often one generation is much too critical of another generation. We hear stories or read one man’s perspective of what happened and immediately we are ready to draw conclusions as if we were there ourselves. Withdrawing because of horseshoes on Sunday still doesn’t tell us the whole story.
I wonder what other generations would think of the religious world of our times. The style of our preachers. Our concerns. Our brotherhood papers. The brotherhood itself. They may not fully understand why we do what we do, as I have a difficult time understanding withdrawing because of horseshoes on Sunday, but it is essentially important that we know what we are doing and that it is based upon the word of God (Col. 3:17).
2. God’s word does not change through the years. Old Israel was instructed to teach their children the law so that their children’s children would be faithful to the Lord (Deut 6:2).
Purity is still important within the local church. It must be maintained through preaching and, yes, through the practice of discipline. Man still needs to believe the old Gospel story to be saved.
Roger
August, 1993