Devoted to the Propagation and Defense of New Testament Christianity
VOLUME 12
September 29, 1960
NUMBER 21, PAGE 6-7a

From A Preacher's Note - Book

James W. Adams, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma

W. Curtis Porter Dead!

My heart is sad as I sit and try to make myself realize that no more on earth will I see the smiling face and hear the pleasant forceful voice of my dear friend and beloved disciple of the Master, W. Curtis Porter of Monette, Arkansas. How often my heart has thrilled to hear him preach with such power and truth the old Jerusalem gospel! How many times has my soul been stirred to sit at his feet and hear him meet with such kindness, skill, and ease the proponents of human error on the polemic platform! How often has my intellect been stimulated as I have read his pungent and penetrating writings in the gospel papers! That no more upon this earth such will be my pleasure is to me a crushing weight! The Grim Reaper has robbed us of a mighty force in our battle for truth; he has stolen from our ranks a friend and comrade. Our hearts are sad. Our spirits are crushed beneath the weight of our loss. But our comrade, our brother, our friend has passed beyond the realm of such mundane emotions. He now tests the joys and bliss of God's eternal world. For him the pain of a lingering, vitiating malady is no more. For him that which has been but a matter of faith is now glorious reality. From the hallowed shores of that eternal land we would not have him back, but we shall miss him. At the moment, there is none like him to take his place.

To his family and others near and dear by the closest ties of flesh and spirit we extend our sympathy. May the God whom he worshipped and the Christ whom he served and loved so long and well through the blessed Spirit whom he so long exalted bring comfort to your broken hearts. This is our prayer and hope for you.

From the storehouse of our memories of this great and good man, we shall draw strength, courage, and knowledge to "fight the good fight of faith." And when life's fitful dream for us is past and we cross the dark river to stand on the glad shores of eternity, we shall confidently expect to clasp the hand, hear the voice, and see the smiling face of that faithful friend and consecrated disciple, W. Curtis Porter. Until then, we shall find our comfort in the integrity of the promises of God. — (J. W. A.)

Orphanages Are Disappearing

"Family doorways, not institution gates, receive today's orphans."

"Among the 'old fashioned' methods of raising children, the one least likely ever to be revived is the orphan asylum. Today, there are approximately 2,700,000 youngsters in the U. S. who are under 18 and have lost one or both of their parents. Thanks to the efforts in most of the country's communities, only a small fraction of these youngsters must grow inside an institution."

"Children require individual attention within a family group,' says Mrs. Cary Paul, Home Planning Supervisor of the New York Children's Aid Society. 'Even the modern orphanages, which uses a cottage plan that stimulate family living is not adequate for normal youngsters.' "

"The procedure being followed in all of the 50 states is to place orphaned children for adoption or in foster homes as quickly as possible. Families are carefully screened by trained social workers for stability. The children are also examined to fit them where they can best respond to the love and concern of adults."

"This shift in child care reflects the widening community awareness that young people need the security born of family relationships, and the results are happier, better adjusted and more productive citizens."

— Stanley J. Lovett in The Preceptor

Paging Guy N. Woods

That militant crusader and professional controversialist brother Guy N. Woods is badly needed in Texas these days. When brother Woods met brother Roy E. Cogdill in debate on the "institutional orphan home" question in Birmingham, Alabama in November of 1957, he was pressed by brother Cogdill to tell his audience what kind of a benevolent arrangement he would consider unscriptural. Woods, after much pressing, replied by placing on the blackboard a diagram. He placed several small boxes on the left side of the board representing churches, a large box in the middle of the board representing a benevolent society (institutional board of directors JWA), and a series of small boxes on the right side of the board representing "orphan homes." He then said that if churches sent funds to the board of directors represented by the middle box and they in turn sent them to the various "orphan homes" and exercised the control and oversight of those homes such would be unscriptural. You can read this on page 296 and 297 of the Cogdill-Woods Debate.

A recent issue of the BOLES HOME NEWS, Quinlan, Texas, official organ of Boles Home, carries the following information in an article:

"Sherwood And Myrtie Foster Home Schedules Open House July 4Th"

"The beautiful Sherwood and Myrtie Foster Home for Children at Stephenville, Texas, is to have open house, opening ceremonies and dinner on the ground July 4th."

"The new home was dedicated to the cause of Christ by Bro. and Sister H. S. Foster of Stephenville...." "They arranged for the home to be under the supervision of the directors of Boles Home." (Emphasis mine. JWA.)

(Boles Home News, July 10,1960. Article abridged due to limitations of space.)

Nothing is said in the article with reference to whether or not this home will ask or receive contributions from churches. It is quite safe to assume, however, that in the process of time it will grow to the point where such contributions will be required above and beyond the revenue from the $400,000.00 endowment also given by the Fosters. In which case, like all other such homes, it will look to the "cause of Christ" — the churches — for its needs.

Observe that it is "under the supervision of the board of directors of Boles Home." This board is now over two "orphan homes." If it can be over two, it can be over 200. If it can be over two homes of the "brotherhood," it can be over them all. Hence, we have in this arrangement the very thing which brother Guy N. Woods said at Birmingham would be an unscriptural arrangement. Let not our brother seek to take refuge behind the fact that no mention is made in the article of churches contributing to the "Foster Home." Could they do so? Would such be accepted if they did? We have not seen the charter of the home, but we shall. It seems clear to us that our militant brother Woods should take pen in hand and go forth to battle in the columns of "Old Faithful" — the Gospel Advocate — against this perversion, according to his own statement, of the divine order. We have often wondered if there is anything in the realm of "institutionalism" our brother would oppose. He is in print to the effect that the arrangement mentioned above is unscriptural. WILL HE OPPOSE IT? We shall see!

This arrangement also highlights the truth of the contention that has been made from the beginning of the present controversy over "institutional orphan homes" that the arrangement for the care of the children — "the home" — is one thing and the institutional board of directors is another. Brother W. Curtis Porter, recently deceased, contended in debate with Guy N. Woods and Roy Deaver as did Cogdill with Woods that the board of directors of the institutional home constitutes on organic entity within itself that is parallel to the board of directors of a missionary society and is fully as unscriptural. Woods and Deaver ridiculed the idea. Since this board of directors now govern two "homes," it is crystal clear that "the home" is one thing and the "board of directors" another. It is, therefore, as Porter and Cogdill and all the rest of us have contended a BENEVOLENT SOCIETY is as unknown to the New Testament as a MISSIONARY SOCIETY and to be opposed and rejected for the same reasons. — (J. W. A.)

The Sound Of Drums

Since the advent of the book, "We Be Brethren," written by Dr. J. D. Thomas of Abilene Christian College, the drums have really begun to beat for church support of colleges directed by the brethren. This was especially evident in the Spring Lectures of David Lipscomb College, Nashville, Tenn. Note the following:

"Another matter of faith involved is the right and responsibility of the church to support the teaching of the word of God. The word of God is taught in the Christian schools. To the degree and expense that the word is taught, churches may underwrite that expense by church contributions." (Rex Turner, President of Alabama Christian College — Lipscomb Spring Lectures, p. 89.)

This is the position of David Lipscomb College, Freed. Hardeman College (its president, H. A. Dixon, appeared on the same lectureship and championed church support of hospitals), Harding College, and it would appear Abilene Christian College since neither the administration nor board of directors of that institution has repudiated the position of Dr. J. D. Thomas in "We Be Brethren: —

Open the door for one human institution in the treasury of the Lord's church and you open the door for them all. To this sad fact some brethren have not yet awakened!

— (J. W. A.)