Devoted to the Propagation and Defense of New Testament Christianity
VOLUME 9
January 16, 1958
NUMBER 36, PAGE 10,11b

Religion In The News

R. L. (Bob) Craig, Ranger, Texas

(Note: I will not quote every word of the articles under consideration, for space will not permit. Also, some things which will be discussed cannot be quoted because of copyright restrictions, but I will have on file everything I deal with. R.L.C.)

From Fort Worth Star-Telegram. This has nothing to do with the scriptural side of the question but certainly shows that common sense could help out in the "institutional orphan home controversy." Joseph H. Reid, executive director of the Child Welfare League of America said that Texas is "over-institutionalized" in its facilities for caring for small children without homes of their own. He went on to say that "institutional care of children breeds mental illness, delinquency and crime." He warned that the trend toward institutionalism is preventing many children from being adopted. Notice this quote from the same man: "While several other states have, on the basis of vast social research and evidence, enforced laws prohibiting institutionalization of youngsters under four years of age, orphanages and institutions are continuing to spring up in Texas." Yea, verily, especially among my brethren.


Here's a good one. Star-Telegram. Presidents of 12 districts of the Texas Christian Churches met at Lake Brownwood and part of a covenant adopted read like 'this: "We stand together in the affirmation that the pulpit must have a freedom limited only by the word of God and we will not condone nor sanction penalties imposed upon a minister because of his stand or his conviction of the meaning of God's word." It might be well for the presidents or head-pushers (whatever they might be called) of some of "our" big conclaves to get together and make a similar covenant.

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From the Meridian, Mississippi, local paper. Sent in by R. A. Ginn. "If the matter has been bothering his thousands of fans, singer Pat Boone told pals in New York that, in the future he has decided it will be okay to kiss his screen leading ladies."

This doesn't surprise me at all. Just the fact that he was willing to aid and abet Hollywood would automatically open the door to being a partaker of everything that goes on. Jady Copeland, Fort Worth preacher, reports that brother Boone came to his town recently for a personal appearance on Wednesday evening. No, not in worship services somewhere; at one of the local picture shows.

He did make a great effort in his first TV show, to keep from touching any of the ladies; but then he topped the whole thing off by singing a hymn. What's wrong with that, you ask? Well, he did it commercially, for money; he did it to entertain people;. and — he did it to the accompaniment of an organ.

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Speaking of TV, and, of course, TV is the biggest news among us right now, Hal March sure got into trouble when he asked Addy Aderonmu to name the Lord's brothers. Addy did it. The following week Hal had to make a public confession. Seems someone didn't like for the Lord to have any brothers. That would ruin the doctrine of the continual virginity of Mary. And then people say that the Catholic Church doesn't have the power we sometime accuse them of having.

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And speaking of Addy and the $64,000 questions on the Bible, it seems as though Addy needs to apply a little of the scripture he is capable of quoting. His wife (or, ex-wife) is suing him for non-support of herself and their 2-year-old-daughter. They are divorced. The judge suggested a reconciliation. Addy was willing. "I still love her," he said. But she said, "There's more to it than that."

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Arkansas Democrat. E. H. White of Jacksonville, Ark., in the Readers' Views of mentioned paper, was taking the State Association of Missionary Churches to task for their many and varied resolutions in connection with certain political developments. He suggested that one of their cardinal doctrines, the separation of church and state, was being violated by such activities. He said, "The Baptist church or any other religious group has no more right to criticize the government than the government has to criticize them. When either side fails to recognize this rule, they fail to separate church and state." Amen — and shades of "our" own past "mass meetings" for the purpose of getting up resolutions, etc. Another thing in his article though, struck me because I thought they had given up this contention. "As Baptist people with a history running back to John the Baptist and Jesus ----." So Mr. White takes them to task on that also asking in this public medium fur the history anywhere that will trace any Baptist Church back beyond 1607-1609 and then end with this: "Until someone is able to show me a history that the Baptist church extends back to John the Baptist I will just have to class this statement as a tradition of men."

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A few weeks ago, in one of the many daily woman TV interview shows, a Catholic woman was advertising a new money raising scheme. They had lined up 20 outstanding houses of the city for public viewing. Tickets were being sold for the tour. I thought, at the time, that no one except Catholics, would get into any such thing as that.

But — as usual — I was wrong, for only a few days ago I read this announcement in the paper: "A tour of homes decorated for Christmas will be sponsored by the Christian Women's Fellowship of Central Christian Church between 2 and 8 p. m., Thursday. The tour will be open to the public, and tickets may be bought at any of the homes." What will they think of next and how long will it be before some of my brethren come up with the idea that since the Bible doesn't say to not do that and since it seems like a good way to raise money — let's do it too?