The Overflow
Protestant church of Christ Seems the Lord's churches have acquired a new name. According to the stories in Life, Time, and many of the daily papers, they are now "Protestant Churches of Christ." We don't know who informed the reporters of that fact (perhaps it was their own idea), but if that's what "we" are, then we want to live up to it. So right here and now we register a howling "protest" against any such tag.
—O—
Associated churches of Christ Down in Australia, Charles Tinius has been waging a battle against the title "Associated Churches of Christ." Maybe when he gets that false idea beat down, he ought to come to the states and start in on this "Protestant" title some are using over here.
—O—
Isn't it the truth!
My two-year-old is bright of mind.
When he is home alone with me, His clever comments make him seem a prodigy.
But if to friends I flaunt my dove, Observe my pride. . . . and pity it.
His I. Q. seems two points above An idiot.
—Mary Cooper
—O—
The "Syllabus of Errors"
On December 8, 1864, Pope Pius IX issued his infamous "Syllabus of Errors," a document considered by most students of history to be the most dogmatic attack on freedom ever penned by a human being. This encyclical anathematizes the Bill of Rights of our federal constitution, calls for the uniting of church and state, declares the Catholic Church is immune from all civil law, and that every government on earth is obligated by God to be subject to the authority and laws of the pope. It further declares that the Roman Catholic religion is the only religion that shall have freedom to propagate itself, and that all other religions shall be "excluded" by the various states and shall not be allowed any legal existence.
—O—
Budgets Sears and Summitt Church in Dallas, Texas, has a 1950 budget calling for a contribution of about $2,000.00 each Sunday. Broadway church in Lubbock plans a contribution through this year of approximately $3,000.00 each Sunday. We'd like to know: how much is that per member per week? —and how many other congregations are doing that well, or better? We know one church of less than a hundred members which averaged slightly over $3.00 per member per Sunday last year.
—O—
Social note from Nashville
"Mrs. Charles Blackard, chairman of membership, is today announcing denominational leaders and chairmen of various churches within the denominations" participating in the local YWCA membership drive. This was the announcement in the Nashville Tennessean a few days ago. Congregations from the "Church of Christ denomination" assisting in the drive, each with a woman chairman, were Belmont, Central, David Lipscomb College, Otter Creek, Hillsboro, and West End. Making full allowance for the jargon and misrepresentation of newspaper reporting, we still wonder what in the world a group of New Testament churches are doing in a membership drive for the YWCA?
—O—
Gospel Advocate—1891 style "The Christian Evangelist recently requested a number of 'leading men' among 'us as a people' to state what they considered the three greatest needs of 'the current reformation.' I have read the answers with a great deal of interest. In my judgment one of the average-sized needs of 'this reformation' is to quit trying to organize itself into a denomination and stick to the Bible. So far as I can see this is about the only need it has of any consequence unless it be the need of a few active fool killers."
—F. D. Srygley
—O—
A "Christian school" did you say?
We saw a report the other day on the church affiliations of the students attending George Pepperdine College. Only 17 per cent of the student body are members of the church. Baptists, Methodists, Presbyterians and Catholics combined outnumber members of the church nearly two to one. There are more students in attendance with no religious affiliation than there are members of the church.
—O—
As we grow The Gospel Guardian is going to expand to double its present size. We'd like, of course, to double our number of subscribers at the same time. We recognize that such is not likely in so short a space. But if you—and you—and YOU will send in a subscription for a friend, or get four or five others to subscribe, we can do it. How about it?
—O—
Did you see this one?
Remember our little beef on this page a couple weeks ago about the Firm Foundation's practice of holding up articles and news reports for months and months (sometimes years), and then moving like greased lightning when they had a chance to take a critical stab at Brother Cled? Well, a certain brother told us of having once seen an obituary of a gospel preacher in that worthy journal, and then some four or five months later reading in the "Field Reports" of the same paper where "Brother So-and-so (the deceased preacher) closed a wonderful meeting here last night!"
—O—
Prospects dim Our prospects have dimmed somewhat for that debate we had hoped to bring you on the "college in the church budget" question between Brother G. C. Brewer and Brother Roy E. Cogdill. If and when, however, such a discussion appears to be definitely ruled out, we hope to bring articles on the question from the pens of a number of able and worthy men, writing from their various points of view. In one way or another, the question will be given careful study.
—O—
How many?
Southern Baptists last year gave $1,375,209.00 to take care of "aged and ill" ministers and church workers. How many of the Lord's churches do you know that are taking care of an "aged and ill" gospel preacher? We know a few, but we could number them on the fingers of one hand.