Devoted to the Propagation and Defense of New Testament Christianity
VOLUME 7
November 24, 1955
NUMBER 29, PAGE 14-15

News

Richard E. Donley, Box 232, Topeka, Kansas, Oct. 30: In many respects, today was the best that we have seen at Highland Park. Attendance and contribution were both pretty close to a record; but the most encouraging part was the attendance of several who are not Christians.

Thomas F. Shropshire, Box 153, Ranger, Texas, Oct. 30: Work with the church at 225 South Rusk moves along steadily. Our last meeting, Sept. 5-14, with H. Osby Weaver doing the preaching accomplished a considerable amount of good. Brother Weaver presented the gospel in a very able manner and attendance and interest were good throughout. I preached in Brady on Sunday, Sept. 11 where Brother Weaver preaches regularly. I will be in a position to conduct two or three meetings in the coming year. I will be glad to arrange such with any congregation interested.

Louis J. Sharp, Minister East Side Church of Christ, 14th & Scott Sts., Little Rock, Arkansas, Oct. 31: October's work has been encouraging indeed. We moved to our new location October 2, and set new records in both our Bible School and worship services. Also had a record contribution of $409 set recently. During the Month eight have identified with us and one former Catholic was baptized.

Charles E. Crouch, 1729 5th Avenue N., Bessemer, Alabama., Oct. 27: Marshall E. Patton closed an eleven day meeting here last night. Interest and crowds were very good. Brother Patton 's sermons were truly outstanding. One man renounced Masonry during the meeting, and made a public confession of his sin. The church has been strengthened by this meeting. Visit with us when passing through Bessemer on U. S. Highway 11.

Joe H. Morris, Rt. 6, Benton, Kentucky, Oct. 28: I am in a promising meeting with Fairview Church at Hardyville, Kentucky. Interest and attendance are high. Will close on November 2nd. Then home to Sharpe, Kentucky for an extensive work this fall and winter.

Clyde C. Corner, 1109 West Vinita Avenue, Sulphur, Oklahoma: "Since coming here July 1st attendance has increased at all services except Sunday morning and the house is full then. Contributions have made a good gain also. Four have placed membership and four have been baptized."

Oland Bassham, Jeffersonville, Indiana: "We have recently moved to work with the church here at Jeffersonville. There is only one congregation in this city of some 17,000 people. Our closest fellow-worker is Brother H. Robert Williams at New Albany, a city of about 30,000 people. Between Jeffersonville and New Albany is the town of Clarksville, where there is no church. A congregation among the colored people of Jeffersonville has been established, and is now well on its way. The work here seems promising. The Lord greatly blessed the work at Mooresville Pike congregation in Columbia, Tennessee, during the 23 months we were there. There were 85 baptized into Christ within that period."

Guthrie Dean, 302 W. Calif. Ave., Ruston. La., Nov. 2: I just closed a meeting for the church in Judsonia, Arkansas. One was restored and fourteen baptized. Most of these came out of denominationalism. Attendance averaged over 300 nightly; with as many as forty preachers attending in a single night. Judsonia is located seven miles from Searcy and Harding College, and has a strong congregation. Brother Gene Elmore is the faithful preacher there. He has no part nor lot with institutionalism; he stands firmly for the truth. The work here in Ruston continues to make progress. There was another response last Lord's day.

Robert C. Copeland, Jr.., Box 416, Spur, Texas, Oct. 27: Sixteen responded in meeting here which closed last night.

Bro. Robert LeCroix of Corpus Christi did the preaching in a splendid way. Bro. John Moreland of Lubbock directed the singing.. Three of the number were baptized. Our plans in work at Spur, Tex. call for a lectureship in Dec., and an intensification of personal evangelism. The ladies Bible class here is on the job and working hard for God. I am thrilled that the church is on the march. By print, radio, television, and from the pulpit, we are taking the great commission more seriously than ever before. I am grateful to have a small part in this glorious work. I have some time for meetings.

Norman H. Beaman, 14906 Winthrop, Detroit 27, Michigan Oct. 28: "Since last report we have had three baptisms and five added by transfer of membership. We have recently appointed three Elders and seven Deacons. Our Elders are Donald Griesing, Lynne Kikhoefel, and Roy Ezzell. Our Deacons are Ross Huff, R. T. Edmondson, W. O. Huckaby, Jr., David Strickland, Andy Miller, Hubert Schmidt and Donald Worten. J. Harold Thomas of Bangor, Maine, will do the preaching in our Fall Meeting, November 6th thru 16th. When in the Detroit area, worship with us at the Strathmoor congregation, 14500 Greenfield."

Beryl Bodenham, Prattville, Texas, Oct. 29: My first six months with the church here at Prattville have been very pleasant and fruitful. It is a pleasure to be associated with these zealous brethren. Bro. Faye Lowe and family moved here from Spring Town, Texas and is doing an excellent work here directing the singing, and teaching the young people's class. Our personal work class is very encouraging, so far we have had over one hundred responses, baptizing fifty persons into Christ. Pray for us that we may grow spiritually as we do numerically.

M. A. Mansur, 1405 Richardson, Columbia. Missouri. Oct. 31: The work here with the Paris Road Church of Christ continues to Progress very nicely. The interest is fine, and the contributions are splendid, as indicated yesterday, (the fifth Sunday of the month) by $203.46; and this, with eighty percent of the members being students here attending the University of Missouri, or Stephens College.

When we came to work with this fine congregation some three and one-half years ago, the congregation was graciously receiving three-fourths of their financial support from the Preston Road church in Dallas, Texas. But we are happy to report that now we are fully self-supporting. During this same period of time we have had 125 fine noble people to respond to the Gospel.

Last Sunday we submitted our resignation to the congregation, to be effective the first of January, or as soon thereafter as a satisfactory, qualified and experienced Gospel preacher can be secured to follow me in this work. This is a young congregation. being only seven years old. and we have no men qualified to serve as elders.

As of the present, I have made no arrangements for my future work. You may write me if interested.

When passing this way stop and worship with us, and pray for the continued growth of the Church, here and everywhere, as in keeping with God's will.

Jesse Lewis, Evangelist, 223 W. Wyo., Philadelphia, Penn. Bishop S. C. Johnson, self-styled apostle and Prophet, has been sounding off all over the East that preachers of the church of Christ would not meet him in debate.

Dan Large and I went down and flooded the area with tracts a couple weeks back while the Bishop was having his convention. We were trying to force him out into debate.

He refused to debate, but he gave me twenty minutes to speak, Labor Day, to about 2,750 of his followers. This was followed by a two hour question and answer period which merely amounted to the Bishop yelling his head off.

Inasmuch as the bishop is yelling all over the country each Lord's day that we refuse to meet him, would you please let the brethren know that the North Philadelphia Church has offered to meet, him without or with propositions any time he will do so ?

B. G. Hope, 211 E. 12th Street, Bowling Green, Kentucky: Brethren Roy E. Cogdill and Ross O. Spears closed the meeting at Twelfth Street October 30. It was a great meeting. Both did their work in a capable manner. Interest was good throughout the entire meeting. There were visitors from a wide area. The elders feel that the church was strengthened and glorified by the preaching. Emphasis was placed upon the Bible being the Word of God and a pattern for all men to follow. There were approximately twenty-seven preachers who attended at least one service. The work at Twelfth Street is progressing. Property adjoining the church property has been purchased recently for expansion purposes.

Jerry Belchick, 22nd and S. Westmoreland Dr., Orlando, Florida, Nov. 1: A religious debate between James P. Miller and Thomas O. Dennis was held in the Rivers High School auditorium, Charleston, South Carolina on October 26 through the 28, 1955. Mr. Dennis is the 'district overseer' for the Church of God (Cleveland, Tennessee branch). Brother Miller needs no introduction as a gospel preacher or a debater. The subjects discussed were (1) the name 'church of Christ' as a scriptural name for the New Testament church, (2) apostasy, (3) baptism in the Holy Ghost for 20th Century Christians and (4) baptism in water for the remission of sins.

Brother Miller was the master of the situation from the very first speech and Mr. Dennis failed miserably as a debater and as a defender of 'church of God' doctrine. I predict that Mr. Dennis will not debate again. At least not any time real soon. The 'church of God' people supported Mr. Dennis very well and there were never less than one hundred present for each session. Several hundred of our brethren came from North Carolina, Virginia, Georgia and Florida for the debate and gospel preachers were present in force.

Good was accomplished, error was exposed and the cause of Christ was strengthened.

Obituary

HUTCHINSON — Mary Lena (Bain) Hutchinson, born of Christian parents in Norman, Oklahoma, August 27, 1892. Departed this life in San Diego, California, October 26, 1955, at the age of sixty-three years, one month and twenty-nine days. In 1904 and at the age of twelve years, the family moved from Norman, Oklahoma to Winfield, Kansas, from which high school she was a graduate.

In 1906 she obeyed the gospel of Christ during a Bible reading conducted by Brother A. M. Morris, at the Seventh Street Church of Christ in Winfield, Kansas.

In 1910 she met the man who was to become her mate through life — Mr. Paul Hutchinson. They were united in marriage on November 3, 1915 by Brother J. C. Bunn. She not only was a loyal and faithful Christian, but a loving and devoted wife; not content to merely share in the joy and pleasure of this life, but ever willing to bear more than her share of the sorrow, heartache and disappointment. For the past twenty years she had been in failing health, the last few of which has been spent in severe pain, but never uttering a word of complaint.

She is survived by her devoted husband, Mr. Paul Hutchinson; One sister, Miss Iva M. Bain, both of La Mesa, California. One brother, Claude Bain preceded her in death a few years ago. Her body was laid to rest in beautiful Forest Lawn Memorial Park in Glendale, California. Brother H. M. Harriman and the writer had charge of the services.

— Robert H. Bell, Ben Guillermo, P. O. Box 1086, Lanikai, Hawaii, Oct. 24: "The work of the church in Kailua, Oahu has been coming along very well since its beginning in November 1954. There are now 39 members which meet regularly in the High School. The church which meets in the High School is the only church which is patterned after the New Testament, in this area outside of Honolulu. Since the Kaneohe Marine Base has been declared a permanent duty station there will be families coming in periodically from the states to be stationed here. You in the states can help us by sending in names of persons that are stationed here or will be stationed here in the near future. At present half of our members are individuals from the Marine Base, and their wives.

R. C. Copeland, Jr., P. O. Box 416, Spur, Texas, Oct. 23: Our meeting with brother Robert LeCroix doing the preaching will continue through the 26th. To date there have been fifteen responses, two of these for baptism. Our lectureship is planned for December 12th through Dec. 16th. Topics and speakers to be announced later.

Floyd A. Decker, 1811 Jackson Street, Monroe, Louisiana, Oct. 24: We recently closed a meeting here with brother Trine Starnes doing the preaching. The services were well attended and there were three baptized. A number of the members of the church came repenting of neglect and of sin and inactivity generally. It was a good meeting which has resulted in a greater determination to serve God on the part of all. The work here at Jackson St. continues to grow.

To Whom It May Concern:

August 2, 1955 I baptized William Ridge, a man of sixty-five years of age. Brother Ridge was in need and we helped him freely as far as we thought necessary. He left here and went to Shreveport saying he would return. We wired him funds for the return trip but he did not show up. Since then we have heard from other congregations where he collected money to return to Monroe. He has not returned here as far as we know. No doubt the brother needs help in more ways than one but we thought it only fair to our brethren to let them know concerning this man. It may be that others can help him where we have failed. Please do not take this even as advice as brother Ridge tells a good story about wanting to come back to Monroe but never seems able to make it. Please tell brother Ridge that I would like to talk to him when he has time to stop by our place.

Fraternally yours, Floyd A. Decker Quentin A. Dunn, Box 1046, Seagraves, Texas, Oct. 24: The church in Seagraves has recently sent me to Bellevue, Nebraska, for a meeting. Interest and attendance was good throughout. One was baptized and one was identified. Byron Corn is doing a good work there. I have some time open for meetings during 1956. I prefer to preach where the church is relatively unknown, but will go where ever my services are needed.