Devoted to the Propagation and Defense of New Testament Christianity
VOLUME 7
February 2, 1956
NUMBER 38, PAGE 14-15a

The Overflow

F. Y. T.

Church suppers

"The ladies from the Wildwood Church of Christ plan to give three suppers for the Lion's Club during the month of December. The money from these suppers will be used to buy a heater for the Wildwood bus." This item is taken from the monthly paper of the Mount Dora, Florida Orphan Home. The argument goes like this: (1) Supporting the orphan children in Mount Dora is a work of the church; (2) the churches are not contributing enough money to do the job; therefore (3) ladies of the Church of Christ may raise additional money by feeding the Lion's Club. Phooey!

That "Special"

Plans for our special issue are rapidly taking shape. It will deal with the "Church in the Twentieth Century," and will be frankly and unashamedly doctrinal rather than promotional. It will actually be a sort of hand-book or reference work for those who are interested in understanding and teaching the truth concerning the New Testament church. If present interest is any indication, we are going to have to revise that proposed 100,000 copies drastically upward. We hope so!

Goal to shoot at

Some of our statistics-minded brethren might like to know that the Temple Baptist Church in Detroit, Michigan, claims to have the largest church membership in the world: 15,000 members. They claim a Sunday School enrolment of 8,700, with average Sunday attendance of 1,500. Average attendance at Sunday church services is 5,200. Now these figures are not out of sight. Why can't some Church of Christ church set herself the 1956 goal of becoming the "biggest church in the world"? Just think what prestige that would bring; and how governments of the earth would sit up and take notice of us!

Belief and baptism

"There are some in this place who are not saved, they are not con-vetted. I would not have them go out of this building without reminding them that the gospel is to be preached to every creature in all the world, and therefore it is to be preached to them. And this is the gospel: 'He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved.' You will observe that I have not left out half of it. It is more than I dare to do to play with Christ's gospel, or to clip one of its wings."

— Chas. Spurgeon, Expository Ency. Sermon 48

Cousins

Just for what it's worth: James W. Adams, associate-editor of the Gospel Guardian is a cousin to a cousin of B. C. Goodpasture, editor of the Gospel Advocate; James Walter Nichols, editor of the Christian Chronicle is a cousin to a cousin of Yater Tant, editor of the Gospel Guardian; Roy E. Cogdill, co-owner of the Gospel Guardian is a cousin to a cousin of one of the co-owners of the Firm Foundation. Don't Norvel Young, and Eugene Smith, and Jimmy Lovell have any kin-folks?

The other side, please!

We've received some considerable number of church bulletins reporting on the recent Abilene debate. We do not have one yet which reports that Brother Harper sustained his position by the scriptures. Surely out of the 800 to 1,000 gospel preachers in attendance there are some who have written a report in their bulletins favorable to the defense made by Brother Harper. We'd like to see these reports! Will any who may read these lines and who has such a bulletin send it on to us? Thanks!

Successful, therefore right

Henry Ward Beecher is quoted in the Louisville Debate (page 183) as saying: "That he had no authority from the Bible for the baptism of infants, and that he wanted none: that he had better authority for it that if ever the Bible commanded it; that he had tried it, and knew from actual experience that it was a good thing; he had the same divine authority for it that he had for making an ox-yoke — it worked well — and, therefore, it was from God. Sounds like some of our brethren trying to justify modern promotions and institutions, don't you think?

Advertising Herald of Truth

Some have written to ask what we think of The Gospel Press and their national advertising campaign. Well, we see where they are now advertising "Herald of Truth" along with their other copy. So far as we are concerned that one short line is enough to suggest that the men responsible for the Gospel Press advertisements do NOT understand what the Bible teaches about the church, and can not be depended on to set forth truthfully what the church is. It is still the old, old threadbare idea of speaking for the whole church. The church of Christ needs no "voice," either on the air or through the press.

Those Texas churches

Some of the men traveling north to the Woods-Porter debate at Indianapolis picked up this church name in Texas: "Church of God (Denominated) Free Will Baptist." And that led to the question as to whether it might not be in order in some places to erect a sign: "Church of God (Denominated) Church of Christ." What think ye?

Eighty-three children

Remember a few weeks ago when we ran a little item about five children up Kentucky way who needed a home? Within two or three days after the announcement was made, Brother Houston Gately had had calls from all over the nation, and enough homes definitely wanting the children -(not to mention those only making inquiry) to place eighty-three orphaned or dependent children! Several homes wanted to take all five of the boys. Which indicates that George DeHoff was not talking nonsense a year or so ago when he stated that if Tennessee Orphan Home would make its children available for adoption, he would guarantee to place every child there in a suitable Christian home within thirty days, or words to that effect.

Responses

Did you see that chucklesome news item in the Firm Foundation some months ago in which one of the preaching brethren reported the "responses" in a recent meeting as - being "two baptized, one restored, and three agreed to quit smoking tobacco"?

McGarvey's Chapel Talks

A fine number of orders are coming daily for the hitherto unpublished sermons of Brother J. W. McGarvey, which we will have ready next month under the title, "McGarvey's Chapel Talks." Delivered in the last year of his life these seventeen sermons plus two biographical lectures (on Robert Graham and Robert Milligan) constitute McGarvey's valedictory. They are wonderfully instructive and interesting. The beautifully bound book of nearly 100 pages can be had at a pre-publication price of only $1.00. Order today!