Devoted to the Propagation and Defense of New Testament Christianity
VOLUME 5
October 22, 1953
NUMBER 24, PAGE 5

There Is Communism In The Clergy

James P. Needham, Hayti, Missouri

I have traced, with a profound interest, the course followed by the congress of our nation as it has gone about seeking to eliminate subversive elements in our government. The effort has been continuous, careful, and consistent, one by one they have, with careful scrutiny, gone through practically every department of government: United Nations workers, schools, and now they finally get around to the "Clergy."

Senator McCarthy has received some rather harsh criticism, maybe some of it justified, and no doubt much of it not justified. He reminds me of a gospel preacher who stands four-square against some of the "subversive elements" in the Kingdom of God. He is ostracized, criticized and "pulverized," by those who are either subversives, or those who are "soft" toward them. We can hear them on every hand "crying, peace, peace, when there is no peace." They get all excited, and join the "sob squad" because somebody got their feelings hurt. Bless their little hearts! They remind me of some of our brethren who get all worked up because the devil and his children don't like to hear the plain truth preached. If the devil and his preachers ever start "loving" my preaching, and slapping me on the back and complimenting my sermons THEN is when I am going to get excited, and not before. Who is so naive as to think the devil and his servants are supposed to like truth and righteousness??? If such a fellow exists they should be charging admission to see him!

I have been reading some of the things some of these "big wheels" (with missing spokes) among the denominations have been writing — the "Clergy" so to speak. Oh, they are really "hot under the collar" because somebody intimated that they might be communists. Do you know why they are yelling? It's because the "bit dog barks." There are communists among the clergy, you just wait and see — that is unless the "Clergy" succeeds in hiding their true position with sob stories, and songs of woe.

Oh yes, they really have a good line. It goes like this, "The very idea of anyone's thinking, or even intimating that a preacher would embrace communism, the Clergy has donated so much to our society, and all of this about our having communism among us is just so much bosh!! Somebody in Washington is just trying to build them a good name at the expense of the Clergy." Doesn't that line remind you of something? Just like some of our brethren when someone questions some of their practices! They are just like the Cuttlefish, a mollusous animal which has a gland called the "ink-bag" situated near the liver. When this fish is pursued, and is seeking escape, he releases the contents of his "ink-bag" and darkens the water to obscure his real position.

Is it any wonder that there's communism in the "Clergy"? Not to me. That's just as logical as it can be because a large percent of the "Clergy" a long time ago, took the first step toward communism: materialism and modernism, (or just down-right infidelity). Those are two of the basic principles of modern communism. These preachers, including some of our own, can now eat some of those statements they have been making. They have laughed at the story of Jonah, the virgin birth of Christ, and the idea of miracles; they have made light of us "old fogies" who believe in hell, and who are branded as "silly conservatives." Now the "chickens are coming home to roost" and it's about time. You boys have "betrayed yourselves into the hands of your enemies," and McCarthy is going to give you plenty of trouble, and I hope he boldly "ploughs straight ahead" and pays no attention to your whimpering, sickening cries for sympathy. Not that I find comfort in others' discomfort, but it seems to be about time for you to "reap what you have been sowing."

We should all get a good lesson out of this. The matter of communism in the "Clergy" is a matter that didn't develop over night ...it has come about over a period of years. How long is it going to take us to learn the lesson that when we let the gate down, the flood is going to come in?? When a man accepts materialism, modernism, and skepticism he is just clearing the way to the godless system of communism. He is preparing the ground for the seed, so to speak. Likewise, we, when we open the floodgate to admit one of the modern institutions, there is no logical way we can close it until we have admitted all of them. You see, it is "first the blade, then the ear, then the full corn in the ear." (Mark 4:28) One logically follows the other.

No, it's no wonder to me that there's communism in the "Clergy," what about you??