“The church should be the head and not the tail of every righteous work, meaning everything that will tend to the betterment of all her members. Embodying in her activities everything needful for all and every member of the body, including righteous, spiritual, and financial assistance. None of her members should be forced to labor, or be a servant for the ungodly. None of her people should ever be forced to borrow money of sinful people. None of her members should ever be found or compelled to go into worldly insurance. None should be forced to go into fraternal orders to secure benefits that God intended should flow freely from his own chosen people. None of her widows and orphans should ever be found in need. None of her loved ones should ever be found in poor houses.”
— T. Avery Long, nineteenth-century Brethren in Christ churchman and evangelist, in his 1922 book Biblical and Practical Themes.
Wow!