During the Temple Lot Case, William W. Blair was recorded as teaching the following:
383 Q:–Why did you call the church to which
you now belong, "The Re-organized church"? A:–Simply because it was
an re-organization of the elements that composed the old original church.
384 Q:–That is the reason you called it the
re-organized church? A:–Yes sir.
385 Q:–Then it had been disorganized prior to
that time?
A:–Yes sir.
386 Q:–What had become of it when it was
dis-organized?
A:–I scattered abroad to the different parts
of the world.
387 Q:–It had no organization then? A:–No
sir,–no complete organization.
388 Q:–Well now answer me this question,–what
is a church?
A:–It is owing altogether to what you refer.
389 Q:–Well answer the question,–what is a
church, if you can, and if you cannot, why say so? A:–Well the term as applied
at times signifies a body of worshippers, and sometimes it applies to a
complete organized body of worshippers, and sometimes it is a,–
390 Q:–Is a church without a doctrine? A:–No
sir it cannot very well be.
391 Q:–Is it a church without a law governing
it? A:–I cannot say, but I understand of course that a body of people would
have some law or doctrine distinguishing them. As a matter of course I
understand that. Now you asked me for my opinion and I have given it to you.
392: Q: Do I understand you rightly when I
say I understand you to say that between 1844 and 1853, there was no organized
church? A:–No, sir,–not so far as relates to branches. There were branches of
the chur church, and in that sense the church had an organized
existence. There were numbers of branches of the church in different parts of
the country, still existent, but the church as a whole had ceased to exist from
the fact that it was disorganized. (Ms d 1160 Box 1 fd 5, pp. 269-70)
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