Closing Church

Suspending church services in the face of an epidemic is NOT a new concept. Here’s what they did in 1918/1919 [when the Spanish Flu in nine months killed an estimated 675,000 in the United States, and in the world an estimate anywhere from 50 -100 million. BFV]:

J. C. McQuiddy, “Closing Churches,” Gospel Advocate (October 24, 1918), p. 1020-1, responding to the government order to cease public gatherings, including church services, during the 1918 influenza epidemic.

“But Christians have not felt that God required them to meet upon the first day of the week when any of their family or loved ones were seriously sick. Especially they have not felt called upon to leave them and meet with the disciples on the first day of the week if thereby they would jeopardize the lives of members of not only their families, but the families also of many other people. With this view of it, which is in harmony with the practice of Christians, I have suggested to the brethren who asked me about observing the command of the government that they should do so, suggesting, however, that they could meet in their homes or simply a few in some place and thereby obey the government, which we should always do, provided such obedience is not disobedience to God. . . For Christians to urge that we should now assemble in large crowds to break bread in the face of the proclamation of the government is not warranted by the Scriptures . . . It will not be questioned that the intent of the government is to protect and care for the lives of its subjects. As the observance of the command does not interfere with Christians’ meeting a few together and observing the Lord’s Supper, Christians should observe the command cheerfully, seeking to lead quiet, holy, and unblameable lives.”