The Law of Expediencies - Part 2
By H.E. Phillips

We enter now into the field of expediency. The law of expediency is generally termed "Let all things be done unto edifying." This is a boundless law taking in almost anything desired. This has become the power that governs modern worship. The supporters of the instrument continually refer to "Expediency" as their rule. But what is really the limit of expediency? We have already said that some expediency is permitted in strict obedience to God. Webster defines expedient as "tending to promote the object proposed”; the noun "Means employed to accomplish an end; a device." Expediency can not employ a means to accomplish something other than the end. The end is obedience to God. Any means used that do not accomplish obedience is not the prerogative of expediency. Let us keep in mind that expediency has bounds, and they must be observed. Expediency must neither add nor subtract from the divine order.

Let us now go back to the first command cited and find where expediency rules. The command is to '"Go-preach." The example is "they went and preached." The necessary inference is a method of going and preaching. It is not the purpose of expediency to tell me what to do, nor show me how to do, nor to tell me what is to be done, but, after these things are known, I may employ any means legitimate to accomplish the end - obey the command. This last is the entire scope of expediency. In obeying the command to "Go preach", expediency tells me that I may walk, ride in an automobile, or fly in a plane, just so I go. I may preach by writing, living a Christian life, or by oral preaching. Expediency will not permit me to preach anything except the gospel of Christ, but if I preach the gospel, I am permitted to choose the most effective way to preach.

Now, to the other command referred to in the beginning of this essay - the command to sing. The command says vocal music; the example is singing only; the necessary inference is notes, music scale, a pitch, and scriptural words or thoughts. These things are necessary to execute the high command to sing praises to God. It is not the prerogative of expediency to tell me to sing, nor to tell me how to sing, not to tell me the things that are necessary to sing, but I may use expediency to tell me whether to sing bass, tenor, or alto. I can sing either without doing violence to God's word. I may choose as expedience the length of the song, or the number of songs in each service, or how loud or soft to sing, but that is as far as expediency goes. When it is taken further it ceases to abound in its place. You can immediately see that when the lines of expediency are expanded anything may be practiced as worship. Such would destroy the direct commands of God.

In case you may misunderstand, I contend that mechanical music in the worship is sinful because it enlarges the bounds of expediency beyond its natural borders and destroys God's direct commands to sing. Singing is not playing an organ; no reasoning can make it so. If instrumental music is permitted in the worship, the wisdom of the Holy Spirit, sent by Christ, from the Father, has never so instructed either by command, divine example, necessary inference, or expediency.

I am told that instrumental music is expedient because it "attracts the world." I want to make the impression that the church of the Lord is not ordained for the world's pleasure. The hour of worship is no place to carry on a concert to entertain worldly people. If the gospel plan, with good gospel singing by each member of the church, will not attract people, they will not be saved by entertainment of a worldly sort. Must we bring down the divine order of worship to the level of the theater by introducing a program of entertainment? If we use expediency in its place, there will be no trampling under foot the commands of Christ and his apostles. No man can claim innocence in obedience when he misuses expediency and makes it his only law. We must not do the things in worship that please us, but we must do that which pleases God. We worship not ourselves, but God. The only way that we can know what pleases God is by His word. God told us just what to do and we must do it.