Devoted to the Propagation and Defense of New Testament Christianity
VOLUME 14
May 1, 1962
NUMBER 1, PAGE 6-7

News And Views

Charles A. Holt, 4662 University Dr., Wichita Falls, Texas

News From Here And There

Roger Hendricks is moving from Harlingen to San Antonio, Texas, where he will labor with the West Avenue church. Robert Turner was with the West Avenue church until his recent move to Burnet, Texas.... Earl Dale will be working with the church in Harlingen, when Hendricks leaves. This will be Dale's second time to labor with this church....It is good to announce that Doyle Fox, 1311 S. 19th Drive, Phoenix, Arizona, has at least been discharged from the T. B. Sanitarium. He is feeling fine, but is not yet permitted to go back to work. He hopes to be back preaching again soon. He is grateful to all who wrote to him and otherwise helped him during all his sickness He can be reached at the above address....Connie Adams is leaving Newbern, Tennessee, and is moving to Orlando, Florida, where he will work with the Pine Hills church. Adams has been in Newbern for several years and has done a fine work there. Jesse Kelley, who has been with the Southside church in Tulsa, Oklahoma, for several years, is to move to Newbern following Adams.... Bill Coffman is to move to Tulsa and will follow Kelley in the work with the Southside church.....Warren Cheatham is leaving the Southside church in Santa Ana, California, and will move to Cincinnati, Ohio, where he will labor with the Bule Ash church....David Tant will leave Portales, N. M., in June, and will move to Decatur, Georgia (outskirts of Atlanta). He will follow W. C. Hinton, Jr., in the work there....In a recent issue of this paper, I ask for some comments regarding playing cards — meaning what is commonly spoken of as "spot cards." I am giving the views of the first person to write me regarding this matter. My printing this article here does NOT constitute an endorsement of what the brother says nor the conclusion drawn. I believe in freedom of speech, and the right of brethren to state what they believe to be the truth and to honorably STUDY together, without personal vlllifications, things over which they may disagree. This paper, and certainly not this column, is not any "official" mouthpiece for the church. This paper is designed to afford an opportunity for brethren to teach what they sincerely believe the Bible teaches. Actually, if we could but recognize it as such, it is nothing but a number of tracts or INDEPENDENT publications — each writer solely and alone responsible for what he says — which are combined and set forth under one heading. Read what Brother Culver has to say on this subject. Here is the article:

His Views Expressed

Is it wrong or sinful to play various games using "spot cards"?

In, the first place, I cannot find, in the Word of God, where playing any game — that in itself is not wrong — is condemned.

In the second place, a card is a card, whether it has "spots," "numbers," "animals," etc.

I believe all will agree that sports, games, and recreations are necessary, beneficial diversions from the toils and cares of the daily routine of life and that each individual must choose for himself what he is capable of doing, both mentally and physically, in the time allotted.

Now, when does one become a gambler? Bro. Foy E. Wallace, Jr., was quoted as saying "Card playing is the kindergarten for gambling." I most emphatically do not agree with him. As a rule people do not play cards until they become adults. I feel sure one acquires his gambling tendencies much earlier in life. It is my opinion that the rudiments of gambling are learned in a game of marbles. Most children are given the marbles by their parents, and not taught the pitfalls and sin-fullness of gambling. And if anyone doesn't believe they gamble just go out and watch a game being played by very young children.

Each child should be taught the sin of gambling early in life before he develops the desire. A gambler will gamble on anything, anytime, anywhere, so the question arises — should I not play baseball, football, basketball, bowling, marbles, cards, etc., because gamblers are going to gamble? Would my ceasing to do any or all of these things change the gamblers habits? Of course not!

Granted there are individuals who shouldn't play cards or any other game because of their attitude, but that does not make the game, in itself, wrong. It is the individual who needs correction, not the game.

Let us all remember Solomon's admonition in Proverbs 22:6; "Train up a child in the way he should go: and when he is old, he will not depart from it." If they are trained from youth as was Timothy (1 Tint. 1:5; 2 Tim. 3:15) they will be able to play an honest game and do an honest job, whatever the game and whatever the job.

It was also mentioned that years ago card playing was condemned both in and out of the church. So was wearing make-up, having a skirt above the ankle, boys and girls going anywhere unchaperoned, smoking, etc. Are all of these things sins?

When we condemn anyone for anything we should have a "thus saith the Lord" for doing so. Before I condemn card playing, I want book, chapter and verse. I haven't, as yet, found it.

Does anyone refuse to vote for a presidential candidate because of the betting that is being done on this particular thing?

Let's not speak where the Bible has not spoken.

— Bob Culver, 1429 W. 6th Ave., Mesa, Arizona

"Middle-Of-The-Roader"

"One of our human failings, as I see it, has been our admiration for the `Middle-of-the-roader.' Certainly many of us agree that the exercise of restraint is one of the marks of the good man, but in some areas compromise is flabby and dangerous. Any person of real conviction and strength must choose one side of the road or the other. It would be a strange kind of education that urged us to be `relatively' honest, 'same-times' just, 'usually' tolerant, 'for the most part' decent.

"As you read history and biography, I think you will not come to equate greatness with compromise. Rather, you will find it in decisiveness, combined with charity, gentleness, and justice. There will be some wrong decisions, of course, but as long as mistakes are recognized the loss is far less serious than that occasioned by playing the middle of the road sitting on the fence, undecided, unconvinced, incapable of strong feeling.

"Life should be a continuing search for those people, those ideas, and those causes to which we can gladly and wholly give ourselves."

(By William G. Saltonstall, principal Phillips Exeter Academy, from "This Week Magazine" of the Houston Post — 5-14-61 and Franklin Road News.)

Smoking

The Los Angeles Times, March 15, 1962, printed an article entitled, "U. S. Curbs On Tobacco Ads Radio, TV Urged." The following quotation from the article deserves the prayerful attention of every Christian: "Dr. Michael B. Shimkin, associate director for the field studies of the National Cancer Institute, said the federal government has the responsibility to examine the smoking problem' because of its association with lung cancer and heart disease. 'The relationship between cigarettes and lung cancer has been as clearly demonstrated as any biological association can be,' the cancer authority declared....The physician made his comments while moderating the closing session of an American Cancer Society seminar here."

When death is self-inflicted it is suicide whether it is done in a moment or over a period of years. "Or know ye not that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit which is in you, which ye have from God? and ye are not your own; for ye are bought with a price: glorify God therefore in your body." (1 Corinthians 6:19-20)

Report of the Work of the Churches of Christ along the U. S.-Mexico border for March, 1962. Charles F. House, P. O. Box 641, San Luis, Arizona, U.S.A., Mar. 28. Somerton Arizona, U.S.A.: Brother Floyd Thompson of Santa Ana, California, did the preaching in a Gospel Meeting here (where I preach two Sundays per month in English), March 19 through the 25th. There was fine interest and good attendance, with lots of visitors. There were no visible results, but the church was greatly strengthened as a result of the meeting, The brethren at Somerton were especially encouraged at the presence of brethren from Phoenix, who had driven 430 miles round trip to encourage and to support the meeting. Those coming from quite a distance were: Wilson Coon, Tom Baker, Jr., both of Phoenix, Vern Wilson and one of the elders and their families from El Centro, Calif., and Pat Bradley and his family from Brawley, Calif., as well as others from other congregations nearby. One night in particular there were seven preachers present in the assembly.

In addition to personal work here at Somerton, we conduct the Wednesday night Bible class, Thursday morning Ladies Bible class, Sunday morning Bible class, preach two sermons on Lord's Days, conduct services in Spanish Sunday afternoons, and will begin Thursday night Bible classes at Gladsden, Arizona, in the very near future, plus meetings and personal work in Mexico. I am preaching or teaching somewhere every Lord's day and other days in between either in English or in Spanish. With this busy schedule, I will have no time for outside meetings, but we invite your presence here to view our work if possible. If you have questions, please write us. We solicit your prayers. Write for monthly reports.

Sonoyta, Sonora, Mexico: The brethren here recently closed a short meeting which was preached in their new building. Although it is not completely finished, the brethren are using it anyway, and will work toward the completion of it from time to time.