The Overflow
Weekly, brother, not weakly Some of our witty friends (at least they are half-way witty) have been having a lot of fun out of their pun on our turning the Banner into a weekly. They've been asking us how we aim to spell that "weekly". Well, we intend to start it off with a "W" as in Wallace, Wallace, Whiteside, and Will Thompson. From that we'll go on to pick up a couple of "e"s like in Early Arceneaux. By the time we get that far we opine that all our readers will know how the "Weekly" ought to be spelled.
—O—
Same address Occasionally we receive mail addressed to our associate editor, Foy E. Wallace Jr. We always forward it on to him if we happen to know where he is at the moment. For the past several months he has been concentrating his work largely in the western part of the nation, and is right now working temporarily in the San Francisco Bay area. But his permanent address remains the same as it has been for the last fifteen years—Box 1804, Oklahoma City.
—O—
Could be—and is In this issue Will M. Thompson makes a remark about the Firm Foundation's advertising of the E. L. Jorgenson premillennial songbook. Well, out in California not many weeks ago we saw an advertisement in the "Christian Soldier" (now deceased along, with its twin the "West Coast Christian") advising all the brethren that they could now buy their Jorgenson premillennial songbooks through Ira Y. Rice, Jr. Can this be the same Ira Y. Rice Jr. Who not so long ago had a public burning of the Jorgenson book?
—O—
Also from California Out at Arlington, California, Ira B. Sandusky passed on to us a letter he had received from a California church. In part here is what it said: "We, the fifty members of the congregation have our lots and building plans paid for and $1,000.00 in the treasury. We are endeavoring to raise an additional sum to finance our new building Enclosed is a $1.00 bill Which we trust you will be able to match with another bill, or even more, and return to us." Bro. Ira returned the bill (without matching it) and wrote these brethren that he had left the digressive church some sixteen years ago to get away from that very sort of cheap, pressurized, money-raising scheme.
—O—
Response We're getting a very healthy response to our request for help in getting new subscriptions. Have you sent in the list of friends to whom you want to send the paper? Do it today...
—O—
We don't make none neither Down in Texas they tell this one on Oscar Smith. Seems he was invited to preach a "trial sermon" at Denton some years back. Now Denton is the site of two colleges, and many of the students and faculty from both of these schools were members of the church. So the elders let the word get out that they'd have to have a preacher who was cultured, educated, and able to command the respect of these members; no common, ordinary, cornfield variety of preacher need apply. Smith, having heard rumors of this attitude, preached his sermon in flawless English and with perfect diction. Then without even the hint of a smile solemnly announced to the elders, "I hear you brethren are looking for a preacher who knows how to use the King's English. Well, I don't want to make no brags, but in all my preaching career I ain't never made but one grammatical error; and I taken that back just as quick as I seen I done it!" They offered him the work.
—O—
Ever met her?
Then there was that sister in the church whose tongue was so sharp she could have fought with a rattlesnake—and given it the first two bites.
—O—
"A Mighty Fortress"
One of the truly great hymns of all times is Martin Luther's magnificent "A Mighty Fortress Is Our God". To understand the true worth of that stirring paean of praise, one must realize how bitterly Luther and his companions were under attack from the Roman papacy. The very words of the song itself show how fully Luther was convinced that the papacy was the Antichrist. For the song is aimed directly at Rome when it declares:
For still our ancient foe, Doth seek to work us woe; Strong mail of craft and power He weareth in this hour; On earth is not his equal.
—O—
Inference and implication Not that it makes any particular difference, but one of the minor irritations of life is the butchering these words often get. We suffer to hear some men say, "The Bible infers such-and-such". The Bible doesn't "infer" anything. It is always the reader or the hearer who infers. The speaker or writer always implies never say to a man, "In your speech you inferred that I was a liar;" say rather, "you implied that I was liar." And if you drew the correct inference from his implication, and if the implied charge is true, mend your ways.
—O—
Church bulletins We're on the mailing list of quite a number of churches throughout country, and receive their bulletin every week. We are appreciative the courtesy, and would like to be receiving them from as many as send to us. It helps us to have better grasp of what's happening generally in the church and to keep up with the news all over the country So, if we aren't on your list already and you'd care to put us there, we'd say "Thanks". The address is Box 980, Lufkin, Texas.
—O—
Your opinions you'll find Are of small consequence If you're known as the kind Who straddles the fence.
—Bertha Boone