Devoted to the Propagation and Defense of New Testament Christianity
VOLUME 3
December 20, 1951
NUMBER 33, PAGE 13

The Overflow

F.Y.T.

Broadway Church And The Wright Tract

Incidentally, while we're on the subject, we have a letter from brother Paul Sherrod of Lubbock informing us that Broadway church "is not contributing to the distribution of brother Wright's tract." Certain individuals in the Broadway congregation are distributing the tract, but the church is not. We have never believed that the Broadway elders either endorsed or advocated the Wright contentions: namely, that an American eldership could exercise "eldership authority" over a foreign church. And the refusal of the Broadway church to distribute the Wright teaching is in harmony with what we have supposed they believed. But do not these good elders have a responsibility to admonish and seek to stop the "individuals" in Broadway church who are spreading the heretical teaching?

—O—

Minister, Evangelist

Our British brethren have been rather critical (and we think rightly so) of the American usage of the term "minister." In many congregations the word seems to be used in precisely the same sense as the denominational churches use the term "pastor." Now we hear of a church in Long Beach, California, that has both a "minister" and an "evangelist" on the pay-roll. If our information is accurate, the "evangelist" does nothing but preach, while the "minister" makes the announcements, does personal calling, and is sort of an executive or administrator in the affairs of the church. What next?

—O—

"Hear Both Sides"

Believe it or not, that is the "blurb" brother Showalter has put on the Cecil N. Wright tract on "The Cooperation Controversy." Well, we believe by now the brethren realize that "hearing both sides" is the one thing that brother Showalter and brother Goodpasture are going to prevent if they can. Both of them have refused to publish even as much as one line in review of brother Wright's heretical teaching! "Hear both aides" indeed!

—O—

Time Saver

We commented a few weeks ago on the church that prided itself on having reduced the time spent in serving the Lord's Supper to "eight minutes flat." We've just run across a congregation in Arizona that has even that record bested. These brethren serve the Lord's Supper at both morning and evening services, but to save time they dispense with the giving of thanks at the night service—they use the same elements, which were "blessed" at the morning services!

—O—

No Paper Next Week

In keeping with our custom and the provisions of our mailing permit we publish no paper the last week in December. This brief note will remind you of the fact, and will explain why you will get no paper. But look for the Guardian in your box the first week in January.

—O—

Infallibly Interpreted

Catholics make much of their claim that they alone have the right to give an "infallible interpretation" of the scriptures. In view of this vaunted claim it is indeed strange that through all the centuries there have been "infallible interpretations" of only about eight passages of scripture. Why haven't they "infallibly interpreted" all the Bible?

—O—

Back Again

Several of our readers have inquired from time to time as to what had happened to Jack Dunn, and why we didn't publish any more of his sometimes whimsical, sometimes caustic, but always delightful little verses. Well, Jack writes that the muse has been on a long, long vacation, but is beginning to show signs of returning. He sends us this, explaining that the "who-whom grammatical errors were purely intentional":

"A Pretty Young Miss, From Her Lot

Of suitors, was wed to a sot.

All counsel she flaunted;

She got who she wanted, And then didn't want who she got."

—O—

Coming

We have a number of fine articles on the way. Among them will be a series on "Present Problems" by James W. Adams, a series on "Catholicism," "Protestantism," "Mormonism," and "Adventism" by Harry W. Pickup, Jr., a delightful satire on "The Great Church of Christ Insurance Company" by John C. Whitehead, as well as a review of the premillennial issue at Harding College in past years by Judson Woodbridge. An excellent article by Bryan Vinson on the ever-growing "institutional" problem will be a feature of our next issue. We have a number of extremely interesting articles on Catholicism and Modernism by various brethren, all of which will be published shortly.

—O—

Prayer For The Day

"Dear God, give us strength to accept with serenity the things that cannot be changed. Give us courage to change the things that can and should be changed. And give us wisdom to distinguish the one from the other." — Attributed to Admiral Hart

—O—

Tucson, Arizona

This page is being written while the editor is in a meeting in Tucson, Arizona, our second one here this year, and our seventh in the last fifteen years. We are presently with the Southside congregation, and were with the Country Club brethren in April. Five previous meetings have been held with the Mabel and Santa Rita church. Tucson is a turbulent, fast-growing city, and the church here has not been without her problems. But believe a brighter day is ahead, and we rejoice that a few old difficulties of long standing are being gradually worked out. John C. Whitehead preaches for the Southside church, and has done a truly remarkable job there these past eighteen months.

—O—

Anxiety

"Said the groom upon learning (aghast!)

That his bride had some men in her past:

'It isn't the worst To know I'm not first;

It's not being sure I'm the last!"

—Jack G. Dunn

—O—

Schedule

The editor plans an after-Christmas reunion with his family (the six surviving children and widow of J. D. Tant) in Memphis, Tennessee. Then to California (San Pablo, Long Beach and Escondido) for January and February; Sanford, Missouri, February 24-March 2; Steele, Missouri, March 9-16; Sinton, Texas, March 2380, and Amarillo, Texas (Central) April 6-18.