Devoted to the Propagation and Defense of New Testament Christianity
VOLUME 10
December 18, 1958
NUMBER 33, PAGE 9-11b

News And Views

News From Here And There

Robert McDonald is now working with the Timberland Drive church in Lufkin, Texas. He moved there from Houston. He is still continuing his paper — The Discerner — and it is a dandy little publication. It is a four-page monthly, intended for members of the church. It is free to all. Send requests to McDonald, Box 724, Lufkin, Texas . . . . Forrest D. Moyer has moved from Tucumcari, New Mexico to work with the church in Sunnyvale, California .... Oliver Murray, who was with the Timberland Drive church in Lufkin for four years, is now working with the church in Clute, Texas . Herbert E. Winkler, who has served as an elder in the Charlotte Avenue church in Nashville, Tennessee for thirty-six years recently resigned. He has been a member there for forty-nine years. He has done his best through the years to hold the line for truth in the work of that congregation. It could not be done! He recently joined himself with the disciples who make up the Franklin Road church in that city. Robert Jackson is the preacher there. Brother Winkler has recently completed the text for a 96-page booklet on "Congregational Cooperation"; a booklet which will deal with the current issues. It is now being printed and will soon be ready. It should be a valuable addition to the literature dealing with these important matters. Bro. Winkler has been in a position to keep abreast of matters and is fully able to deal with them. I do not know the price of the booklet, but urge every reader to order a copy and read it. His address is: 6410 Charlotte Road, Nashville 9, Tennessee .... Al H. Payne, a very fine and capable preacher of whom I am proud to say I had a part in encouraging him in preaching, has recently moved from the Rosedale church in Beaumont, Texas to work with the East Columbus church in Columbus, Mississippi . . .

From The Defender, the neat and attractive bulletin of the Spring and Blaine church in St. Louis, Ferrell Jenkins, Editor, I note that the church there is to soon have two evangelists working with them. In addition to Jenkins the other evangelist will be Grover D. Stevens, now with the Caprock church in Lubbock, Texas. Well, Spring and Blaine is getting another good man to help in that field, but I never expected Stevens to leave Lubbock. He has put his heart and soul into trying to build a solid church in Lubbock and holding the line for truth in that area. He has done a good job. I know that there is great rejoicing in Lubbock on the part of the "digressives" that Stevens is leaving. He has been in their hair and a real "thorn in the flesh" to all the unscriptural doings out there . . . In the last issue I made mention of the fact that it seems a preacher needs to be a "specialist" in something today to be in style. Since I have no specialty I am sorta left out. However, in years gone by I was more or less recognized as a specialist in the good state of Arkansas (winning several EPA contests) in the field of dairy and beef cattle. I further suggested that perhaps I should advertise myself as a specialist in such a field and I was wondering how I should title myself and my field of specialty. Well, as nearly always, my friend H. O.Hutto, of Birmingham, comes up with an answer. He writes that he thinks a good title would be "Bull Artist!" Since this suggestion came and since thinking the matter over, I have decided to stay out of the specialty field and just try to do what I can as a gospel preacher . . . . THANKS to all of you who have been helping me complete my files of the papers I have needed. The response has been tremendous . . . . Cecil Willis, 4946 N. Garfield, Kansas City 16, Missouri, is in need of Volume 3, No. 48 of the GOSPEL GUARDIAN to complete his files. Can someone send him this number? He will be grateful . . . . Frank E. Lawrence is now preaching for the church in Trussville, just out of Birmingham. W. T. Pruitt, who has been with the Trussville church, is now working with one of the churches in Birmingham . . . . A SUGGESTION: It would surely be a good thing if preachers, elders and deacons would get behind an effort to place the GOSPEL GUARDIAN in the home of every member of the church with whom we worship. This paper needs and deserves to be given a wider circulation. The advocates of institutionalism, modernism and digressive practices among us are striving to place the papers advocating their views in the hands of all possible. They really work at it; and such efforts are having their effect. The sad thing is that those of us who believe such things to be wrong and supposedly stand in opposition to such do so little to reach others with what we believe to be the truth. Very little effort is made by anyone to urge members of the church to subscribe to this paper. In fact, very little support is really given to help and advance the efforts of those who publish this paper. Most people just take it for granted. Nearly every reader thinks that every other members of the church should read it, but most of us never really try to get them to do so. Why? There is no question but that this paper has been and still is the leading force in opposition to the things mentioned above, and in contending for the ancient order of things. Sure it costs $3 per year. Yes, it would require some effort to get others to subscribe to it. But it would certainly be worthwhile. In fact, it would be a very good thing if the elders would see to it that every elder, deacon, Bible class teacher and all others who take an active part in the program of the church where they serve as elders were getting this paper. It would certainly help to inform them and ground them in the truth. Why not get all possible to subscribe and then let the church pay to have it sent to all the others who should have it? This would be a wise investment and money well spent. It would be money spent for teaching and would do much to help "root and ground" the members in the truth. Let us put on a real effort to get the GG into the hands of all who need it. Such a task depends upon US — YOU AND ME. Also, in the main the increase in the circulation of this paper depends upon the effort made by its friends. Will YOU help? Do so now and let us start this as near the first of the year as possible .... I take this means to extend to the readers of this column my very best wishes for a Merry Xmas and a Happy New Year . . . . My apology: I receive many letters concerning one thing or another from the readers of this paper; most of which I never get around to answering. Please forgive my neglect along this line. I am a very poor hand at replying to letters . . . . Have you seen the new BIBLICAL SLIDE-RULE FOR PERSONAL WORKERS, which has been put out by Brother Lloyd Moyer? He sent me one and it is a dandy thing. It is another one of those things that I wish I had had the sense to think up and arrange. In slide-rule fashion it lists appropriate scriptures dealing with fifty-two subjects. It is something that all members of the church can use and it is very handy for those who may do personal work in any way and have need for scriptures dealing with subjects which are most likely to come up. The price is 75c each or three for $2. Order from Moyer at P. O. Box 263, El Cerrito, California.

Copy Of Letter Mailed

Dexter, Missouri, Box 51 November 24, 1958 Mr. A. C. Dunkleberger,

Editor Nashville Banner Nashville, Tennessee

Dear Brother Dunkleberger:

Brother A. M. Burton's little book "What Must I Do to Be Saved?" is a good one. In the advertisement of the book I read with interest your statement, "As a member of the church, deeply concerned for the MOST we can do, my earnest prayers are for its complete success. . .

Now, Brother Dunkleberger, I'd like to ask a few questions. If you are so anxious to do the "MOST" you can do, why did the Nashville Banner give so much space to Billy Graham's campaign in Nashville, and absolutely no space to the O. C. Lambert Lectures (at Madison)? Are you not an elder at the Madison church of Christ? Were you afraid the Catholics would boycott the Banner? Does your yoke (2 Cor. 6:14) with the Banner deny you the privilege of obeying 2 John 10-11? ("If there come any unto you, and bring not this doctrine, receive him not into your house, neither bid him God speed: For he that biddeth him God speed is partaker of his evil deeds.") Can the church ever enjoy "complete success" with Catholicism rampant in our land today? Will you not help whip it out? Do you believe Matthew 6:33?

"Grace be with all them that love our Lord Jesus Christ in sincerity." (Eph. 6:24.)

A brother in Christ, Harold Sain

Second Congregation Is Planned For Blytheville (Arkansas)

We are sure that our many readers will rejoice with us in the announcement of plans for a new congregation of Christ in the city of Blytheville. Recognizing the need for such, a discussion was entered into at the Quarterly General Business Meeting on the night of October 13, and it was enthusiastically and unanimously agreed by all present that such a plan was the only solution to our present crowded condition.

Plans are being formulated.

The church in Blytheville is enjoying a consistent growth, both numerically and spiritually. We have pushed our present class room facilities to their limit so much so that they are no longer conducive to effectiveness in instruction and a continued increase in numbers. We do not have a class that is not already too large for effective teaching. This growth has not come about as a result of; "drives" and "schemes" and "programs", but rather as a result of sound and fundamental teaching and in increased appreciation for Bible instruction. This is the kind of growth that will make and keep the church of the Lord what it ought to be. Growth upon any other foundation is dangerous.

In announcing plans for this second congregation, we want to emphasize one thing in particular: This is not a schismatic division of the Body of Christ in Blytheville. There is complete unanimity of thought and purpose in the establishing of this second congregation. There is no ill will, no wrangling, fussing, sectarianism, or anything else, doctrinal or personal that is motivating the establishing of this new work except the reason stated above. This church enjoys complete unity and fellowship upon Divinely Revealed Truth. There will be full cooperation in this work, and when the second work is a reality there will still be complete unity and cooperation. The brethren who will form the nucleus of the new congregation will be well grounded in the truth, and will, as this church has done for years, stand against every ism of man that would take the glory of God's institution and secure it in the cradle of a human institution, formulated, overseen, and controlled by men.

We covet the prayers of our brethren in this worthy endeavor.

A Preacher Fired

In a congregation near Ft. Smith a young preacher from Harding College preached a sermon against the missionary societies of the Christian Church denomination. He said nothing about the issues confronting the Lord's church today, and he made no reference to current problems. But one of the elders of that congregation evidently felt the force of the sermon as it could have been applied to current innovations and he questioned the young preacher as to his position on the current issues. The preacher was fired quite abruptly when he answered "yes" to the questions regarding opposition to church support of human institutions. The significant thing about this event is the recognition that the principle which condemns the missionary society condemns the church support of human institutions — and that elder saw the point! — Wm. E. Wallace.

Let The Clergy Pass!

"For the minister's car . . . This Beautiful and Distinctive MINISTER'S AUTO MARKER. Word 'Minister'

white against blue background; open Bible white against red; entire emblem bordered in white. All white areas are processed in brightly reflecting beads, easy to see at night . . . easily attached to license plates with ordinary bolts. Each, $2.00." (from an ad in Gospel Advocate, Nov. 6, 1958, a product sold by them). Now, who said that we make no such distinction as the clergy and the laity? Up to the hospital drives the "minister" of "our church" along with the pastor of one of the "other denominations" and they both receive special concessions. Down the street goes "our minister" with the sign on his car tag, and here comes the Catholic priest with the sign on his collar; they both get special concessions from officials because they are "men of God". The Gospel Advocate is making a denomination of the church, with a pastor system, as surely and swiftly as she can. Only a fool would deny, it, — Robert C. Welch, in "Faith and Facts", Birmingham, Alabama.