To The Brotherhood
This is a word, first, to the many hundreds who paid in advance for a small book, "What the Church Must Do To Be Saved," a work which more than ten years ago I -sought to publish. At the time a combination of difficulties forced a delay in the venture. Yet during all the intervening years without let-up I have continued preparation of the matter, steadily seeking to improve it and reduce some of the crudities inevitable in a work of such scope and character. Now, while completing my treatment at a local hospital, I give every spare moment possible to putting this material into its final finished form, and I am happy to tell you that the work is shortly to be published and to assure you that you shall have your copy of it.
And to the brethren at large this is to say my aim is to present the New Testament church in the identical character of her original divinely-given traits, together with the laws to be obeyed, by which this Heaven-born institution shall be held true to the ancient landmarks, Treating Bible issues alone in the words of the Lord, I would make this a condensed and constructive re-statement of gospel cardinals. In no sense is it to be rightly taken that there is any doubt in my soul of the final triumph of the church bought by our Lord, or that I would be cynically critical or indulge cheap and destructive faultfinding. Not this at all. Naturally I hold this a more or less valuable treatise for the cause of Christ, and entertain fond hopes that it may be widely read. I thank you.
112 Sixth Avenue, North, Nashville, Tenn.