Devoted to the Propagation and Defense of New Testament Christianity
VOLUME 10
April 30, 1959
NUMBER 51, PAGE 13b-14

News

J. Paul Branch, 241 Lena Drive, Houston 9, Texas: "Last Lord's Day I completed a most pleasant work with the West End church in Galveston, Texas. The congregation is growing both physically and spiritually. Five have responded in the past few weeks; two baptisms, two restorations and one placed membership. April 12th I began laboring with the East Houston congregation. Recently during the Coon-O'Dowd debate the question was asked; "What work are you folks doing". Some have asked for a list of churches sending and supporting direct. Since I have collected information on missionary activities among the brethren I would like to add to my present list as many congregations as possible supporting mission (preaching elsewhere) efforts. Any congregation supporting a work, or worker direct, please let me hear from you immediately. Please give the name of the church doing the supporting, to whom or what sent, and the amount. I shall appreciate getting this information since I was asked for it last Sunday. I am told by the one wanting the information that some of the liberal brethren in the Houston area thought this point should have been answered by Brother Coon. "Thanking you" for your assistance. Best wishes to you in your publication."

Thomas C. Hickey Jr., 5800 Linden Avenue, Dayton 32, Ohio: "I began work with the Knollwood church of Christ here in Dayton January 27, 1958. I am planning to leave this work sometime during this coming summer. The brethren here have not asked me to leave; denominational "pressure" is not forcing me out; neither are institutional brethren "running me out of town". I am leaving because I feel that my greatest service in this particular community has already been rendered. Thus far during my stay, there have been only three baptisms and three restorations; several have placed membership. The congregation here has purchased a building with partially adequate classrooms and a large office. Incidentally, the brethren here have not yet selected someone to replace me. The general public in this area is much given to "wine, women, and song" along with other forms of worldliness. Serious religious thinking is not generally prevalent here."

W. W. Otey, Winfield, Kansas: "Since many have written me asking of the details of my illness, I give this report: I fell on the night of February 21, and struck the right side of my back against some object which resulted in a severe injury to the right kidney. Infection set in, and the pain was intense. My fever rose to 105 degrees. The surgeons wanted to operate, but were afraid to risk it till the infection was brought under control. They finally set the date, but when the time came decided to delay a week longer. On March 18 the operation was performed. Since then I have had but little pain, and am gaining a little bit every day. I am happy to be looking forward to regaining enough strength to write some of the many things I have in mind to do before I am called home. If the Lord is willing, I shall soon be able to start some of that writing. My My address is Winfield Memorial Hospital, Room 307. I am sure this shall be my permanent address on this earth, till that blessed day when the hour of my departure shall come."

John Bullock, Box 726, Farmersville, Texas: "This week finds me in a good meeting with the church in Wynnewood, Oklahoma. I am conducting music classes each evening before services, and it is helping wonderfully in our singing during the meeting. One has been baptized, two restored, and we are praying that others will respond before this series of meetings close on the 16th. The work does well at Hill Street."

C. D. Plum, 217 South First Avenue, Paden City, W. Va.: "One restoration, and two baptized at Whitehall-Columbus March 22. We closed our work in Columbus with the usual large audiences. We are praying for a scriptural, profitable work here in Paden City, W. Va."

A Report On Dr. Thomas P. Hardeman

Glenn R. Sheumaker, Sr., Tampa, Florida: 'Some weeks ago brother B. C. Goodpasture, editor of the Gospel Advocate, wrote on the editorial page that brother Pat Hardeman was a faithful preacher of the gospel. It is in the interest of truth that we make public this information concerning brother Hardeman. The following ad appeared in a local paper.

THE TAMPA TRIBUNE, Saturday, April 4, 1959

UNITARIAN FELLOWSHIP of Tampa 809 Horatio Street Tel. 88-7831 11 A.M. — Adult Program "RIGHTS, HUMAN AND DIVINE" Guest Speaker: DR. THOMAS P. HARDEMAN Executive Director, American Association for the United Nations 11 A.M. Sunday School

Brother Hardeman spoke for the Methodist church recently. Those associated with the Gospel Advocate urge people to look up Pat when they come to Tampa. They should find out which sectarian church Pat will speak at so that they will know where to attend. Brother Hardeman is not attending any church of Christ as far as I can find out. Will the Advocate now admit that they were wrong ? What do you think? Don't hold your breath until brother Goodpasture says he was mistaken about Pat. It might be fatal!"

H. Robert Williams, 208 Rosewood Drive, Jefferson, Ind.: "We baptized a man last week at Clarksville. He was 49 years old and was raised a Catholic. March 22nd there were 120 in the worship service on Sunday morning. Last Sunday there were 136 and 74 at night. Our meeting at Williamstown, West Virginia resulted in seven baptisms. One girl 13 and all of the others were between 35 and 70 years of age. The church though not large shows promise of growing. John S. Tyler preaches there. I baptized him and his wife, married them etc."

R. Ervin Driskill, 3540 33rd. St., Meridian, Mississipi: "We have been with the Highland Avenue church for ten months. It is a new and difficult work. Meridian is one of the most transient towns I have ever known. We began mailing the paper "Truth In Love" to 248 families and in less than two months time the postman has said 34 of these families have moved. So far we have lost more members than we have gained. The members are devoted and are lovers of God's truth. I know a gospel preacher wanting to make a change and can put anyone interested in touch with him. Appreciate the Guardian and the good work it is doing."

Judson Woodbridge, Mulvane, Kansas: "Bro. Otey's daughter, Mrs. Hammer, has asked me to state that at the present there is no further need for financial assistance. His home has been sold — the money from this along with what his many friends contributed he has enough to care for him a few months. They are grateful for all that has been done. Bro. Otey's condition is much better. He is now looking forward to the time he can do some more writing. If you care to write to him, address him at Newton Memorial Hospital, Winfield, Kansas."

Report Of Ballard-McCollum Debate

Gordon Wilson, Sacramento, California: "March 23rd through 26th a public discussion was held in the building of the church of Christ in Shafter, California, between brother Voyd N. Ballard of Ventura, California, and brother Lyle McCollum of Shafter. The first two nights the Herald of Truth was the topic of discussion and the last two evenings the institutional Orphan Homes were debated.

Brother McCollum has had four debates in which he attempted to defend human arrangements in doing the work of the church. In each debate he has successively grown stronger in his ability, and all of the preachers present for this debate agreed at the close that brother McCollum put up one of the ablest defenses of his position that we have heard anywhere. We are convinced that brother Ballard defeated him tellingly, and the results certainly bear this out, but we want known that the debate was not completely one-sided. Both-men did their work well and truth triumphed, not over the weakness of a man, but over false doctrine ably represented.

No attempt will be made here to review all of the arguments made, but we shall notice just a few things of interest.

Brother McCollum spent nearly a third of one speech in trying to establish a sponsoring church in Philippi. He made Phil. 4:15,16 to refer to Philippi supporting Paul after he left Macedonia rather than up until he left as the text teaches. But after a long, involved argument brother McCollum then asked, 'Now what is wrong with that; It is just my opinion, that's all." So he frankly admitted that his attempts to set up a sponsoring church was just his opinion, which he opposed to what he called "Ballard's opinion." Naturally this hurt him all through the debate, as nearly every point he made brother Ballard could ask, "Is that not just your opinion?"

Another thing which hurt brother McCollum all four nights was his admission that the arrangements for which he was contending are not necessary. Brother Ballard pressed him to give up that which is not necessary for the sake of unity. McCollum attempted to evade the force of this by presenting a chart which listed a number of other things which we all accept, and which he said are also unnecessary; such things as song books, baptisteries, lights, classes, etc. Brother Ballard replied to this by taking up each thing on the list and showing that each is authorized by necessary inference, so they cannot fall in the class with things which are not necessary, such as human institutions to do the work of the church.

The last two evenings in a discussion of Orphan Homes, brother McCollum of course tried to make it appear that the debate was about "means and methods". Brother Ballard showed in a masterful way that the dispute is over organization rather than methods, for we all admit that any means or method that is right within itself may be used. But the question is over which organization shall employ the means and methods; the church under elders, or the human institution under a Board of Directors? Ballard drove home this point so forcefully that McCollum was completely defeated. This writer has never before seen a debater take such a whipping on "means and methods."

Debates surely do good, and this one has already produced some results. A goodly number of members have left the Shafter congregation where brother McCollum preaches and have identified themselves with the church in Bakersfield, stating that they were converted to the truth on these issues during the debate.

Both men conducted themselves as Christians should so far as behavior is concerned, and each manifested an attitude of sincerity and earnestness in contending for what he believed to be the truth.

Glenn R. Sheumaker, Sr., 3109 Price Ave., Tampa 11, Florida: 'From April 5th. thru the 15th. Brother John Iverson of Bessemer, Ala., preached in a meeting at Mac-Dill Ave. It was a good meeting with 9 responses. Two attendance records were broken during the meeting."