(Editors Note) Some readers will find the following article interesting, insightful and even sensational. (The founder of W & W a post-millennialist—imagine that! Even the present editor was unaware of the fact till a few years ago.) Others may find it more technical than suits their taste. To each his own. Dr. Rollmann, a professor and historian, is working on a very thorough biography of R. H. Boll, whose character and significance he deeply appreciates. In this article (divided into two installments) he is describing facts and trends, not evaluating them. —Alex V. Wilson, April 2003)

Churches of Christ have no official, organized hierarchy to set forth what members should believe, yet from the beginnings of the movement “to restore the ancient order of things” periodical publications have exerted extraordinary influence. “Editor-bishops,” as some historians have called them, advanced many leading ideas and shaped doctrinal consensus in weekly and monthly journals. Idea grow and ripen in wider fields, in which they eventually bear fruit.

The Christian Word and Work began cultivating such a field when it commenced monthly publication in March 1908 in New Orleans. Its founder, manager, and owner, Dr. David Lipscomb Watson, was a native of Alabama and a local pediatrician as well as founder of the Watson Printing Company. Amos C. Harris, a teacher of the local Christian High School supported by the First Christian Church at Seventh and Camp Streets, (later 7^th & Camp Church of Christ—Larry Miles, 2026)) and Stanford Chambers, minister of the church and also a school teacher, joined Watson in editing the journal. They sought to foster evangelization and communication among the isolated Christian congregations proclaiming “primitive Christianity” in the “gulf region from Texas to the Atlantic.” In their first editorial they declared,

“While we are deeply interested in the Master’s work and will do all we can to promote it everywhere, we have generally taken it upon ourselves to stir up an interest in the evangelization of this field at our door, in order to do so, there must of necessity be a medium of communications established between the disciples and congregations already in the field. All other publications of the brotherhood are too far removed from this field to give it the special attention it will have to have, if the end is accomplished.”

It is the aim of THE WORD AND WORK to cover this territory. It will make thorough research in order to locate every local church in it, and so learn of what is already being done—their plans and purposes and the good resulting from them. These good things together with reports of the brethren everywhere, will be published from month to month for the encouragement of all and to stimulate all to greater missionary zeal and activity.”

The paper had a news section called “Things Current,” promoted Bible study through questions addressed to its readers, and featured a spiritual and pastoral column of great longevity by Ben J. Elston called “Ben’s Budget” In its religious and theological contributions, the journal reflected restorationist concerns but also remained open to social issues, especially temperance and education. Its early spirit could best be described as being “postmillennial,” suffused with an abounding optimism that the proclamation and establishment of Christ’s kingdom would change and improve the world. Evangelistic efforts at home were reported by Stanford Chambers in a “Missions” department, but from the beginning attention was paid as well to missionary efforts abroad, notably those in India and Japan, and E. S. Jelley, missionary to India, joined the journal’s editorial board. For a while,’ the journal even appeared weekly, but reverted to a monthly schedule early in 1913.

In September 1913, Stanford Chambers became the journal’s sole editor and publisher, shortening the title to Word and Work. The theological character of the paper also changed somewhat and increasingly featured prophetic topics, eventually in a special “Department of Prophecy” written by Chambers. The earlier motto on the masthead of the journal, “Work and Worship,” also changed to “A monthly magazine whose purpose is to declare the whole counsel of God,” a phrase often used in premillennial circles to indicate the relevance of the whole Bible, including the prophetic literature. Although never a journal limited to one religious issue, from June 1912 on, Charles M. Neal, a childhood friend of Chambers from Indiana, espoused in several articles a dispensational premillennial eschatology. These views were promptly challenged and opposed by the journal’s founder, Dr. Watson, a postmillennialist.

In September 1913, Stanford Chambers became the journal’s sole editor and publisher, shortning the title to Word and  Work. The theological character of the paper also changed somewhat and increasingly featured  prophetic themes,