Devoted to the Propagation and Defense of New Testament Christianity
VOLUME 4
November 6, 1952
NUMBER 27, PAGE 12-13a

The Overflow

— F. Y. T.

Best so far Our campaign for new subscriptions is beginning to gain momentum. Best club of "trial subscriptions" sent in to date was 39. A close second was a Club of 36. Thanks to all! And may we urge all on readers to help. See the advertisement on back page of this issue.

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Do you have bunions?

Do you suffer from rheumatism, arthritis, sprains, or bruises? Have you any rusty nail wounds or bad cuts bothering you? Are you troubled with athlete's foot, piles, corns, bunions, or insect bites? Do you have eczema? How about poison ivy? Ever suffer from colds, pneumonia, tonsillitis, sore throat, headache, or neuralgia? If any of these afflictions is making your life miserable, one of our sister journals (in Texas) is advertising a wonderful new cure for all such! New When they get to selling restorers and youth elixirs and to soothe our jangled nerves after some of the letters the brethren write us ... well, six bottles, please! Large economy size!

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"Wife-Beating Bible"

In the Bible printed in the year 1587 by Thomas Matthew (which is probably a pseudonym for John Rogers or Miles Coverdale) there is this curious addition to 1 Peter 3:1, "He that dwelleth wyth his wyfe according to knowledge, taketh her as a necessarye helper, and not as a bonde servaunte or a bonde slave. And yf she be not obedient and helpful unto hym, endeavoreth to beate the feare of God into her heade, that thereby she maybe be compelled to learne her duitie and do it."

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Still "lying" eh?

We continue to get reports from California to the effect that brethren James L. Lovell, E. V. Pullias, and Ralph Wilburn are still contending that the Gospel Guardian has "lied" on Pullias and Wilburn when we said something about their "affiliating" with the Christian Church. The Christian Standard (Sept. 20, 1952) gives news report of the "ordination" of Norman D. Leavell to the ministry of the Disciples' Church. The report sage, "Examination was by Stiller Harry E. Berg. W. A. Hixon preached on "How Else Shall They Hear?". Assisting in the service were Leonard S. Leavell, father of the candidate; Virgil F. Burbick, chairman of elders; Prof. R. G. Wilburn, of Phillips University, and Forster T. Graggett of Los Angeles. Ordination prayer was offered by Glynn Adsit." Now, if Brother Wilburn isn't "affiliating" with the digressives, just what is he doing in helping to ordain a young digressive preacher?

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Is Mark 16:9-20 inspired?

Does the last part of Mark's gospel belong in a foot-note, as the new Revised Standard Version has it? We'd like to recommend a most excellent little booklet giving a scholarly discussion of the question, and presenting proof that amounts practically to a demonstration for the inspiration of this section. The fourteen page tract was written by Brother Thomas B. Warren, and can be ordered from him at 1327 — 14th Street, Galena Park, Texas.

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Business-like Baptists Brother William R. Ward of McGehee, Arkansas, writes us of the bewildering puzzle that confronts the McArthur Baptist Church near McGehee. It seems this congregation has a rule that its members are not only voted "in" by majority vote, but, upon leaving the community, or walking disorderly, are also voted "out" in the same way. Recently it came to light that one of the members had died in 1898, but had apparently quit the McArthur church before his demise — and he had never been voted "out." Now they don't know what to do. Only one member now living remembers this former member, and he doesn't know "which-a-way he went." And nobody is able to consult with the departed to ascertain his reaction to the matter of voting him "out." Oh the "ups" and "downs" as well as the "outs" and "ins" of being business-like with Baptist doctrine!

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Both sides We made a statement a couple of weeks ago that the tract being advertised by Barney Morehead as containing "both sides" of the Co-operation Controversy was a fraud and a deception. An inquiry reaches us as to where one can get a full discussion of the subject that actually does contain "both sides." We suggest that you get a bound copy of the Gospel Guardian, Volume III. This contains the entire tract advertised by Morehead, plus a careful and searching review of the material in it. Here, indeed, you get "both sides"; otherwise you get a biased, lop-sided presentation of one side. The bound volume can be secured from the Lufkin office for $5.00.

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False alarmist?

Brother Harry Robert Fox Jr., recently spoke at a Japanese lectureship on "The Dangers of Institutionalism." In a letter describing the lectureship and his talk, Brother Fox says, "It is a growing conviction with all of us here that the church must ever be on guard to keep itself free to do the main thing for which it was established, namely, to preach the gospel." Well, that's about what we of the Guardian have been saying for the last two or three years — and have been accused of being trouble makers and falsifiers for our pains! It Brother Fox would read some of our religious journals, maybe he would realize that his speech was wholly unnecessary because THERE ARE NO "DANGERS OF INSTITUTIONALISM." Is he just trying to sabotage all our foreign mission work?

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Logic While we're on the subject of institutionalism, Brother George Rickey had an article on the editorial page of the Firm Foundation (Sept. 30) aiming some pretty caustic remarks in the direction of those who continue to warn against "institutionalism." Says Brother Hickey, "He teaches that the church can not do any of its work through an institution, yet receives his weekly check through the bank." Now, if we correctly understand his implied argument, he is contending that since the church conducts her financial affairs through banking institution and the critic (drawing his salary) does not oppose, said critic is vastly inconsistent to put up a howl and object to the same church doing her evangelistic work through a missionary institution and her benevolent work through a benevolent institution.

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Called like Paul With the incredible ignorance of scriptural principles seen on nearly every hand today, it was no great shock to us a few days ago to learn of a young gospel preacher who is seeking to raise money to take him to a mission field, telling a congregation of Christians. "I have exactly the same kind of call to go to Japan that Paul had when he was called into Macedonia. I got my call like he got his." Here is how Paul got his, "And a vision appeared to Paul in the night: There was a man of Macedonia standing, beseeching him, and saying, Come over into Macedonia, and help us." (Acts 16:9)

Page the Holy-Rollers.

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Heavenly church We have now a letter from Bill L. Rogers of Memphis, Tennessee, telling us of another one of those freakish church names. It is "The Church of the Moon and Stars" at Okalona, Mississippi. Up in the air aren't they?