The Overflow
What will he do - fire them ?
Last week we quoted A. C. Pullias of David Lipscomb College as saying they "couldn't afford" to have any teacher on the faculty there who opposed the idea of churches contributing to the school. Now we hear that there are at least two men on his faculty who do think such a tie-up between church and school is wrong, and who teach against it in their classes. Now what will Bro. Pullias do? Find these men and fire them?
—O—
Read 'em and weep Bro. F. L. Paisley sends in from Keller, Texas, the "program" under which he says the elders there demand that their local preacher shall do his work. Here are the five rules:
1. No first principles need to be preached here. People know what we believe and teach. They resent constant mention of baptism. First principles may be mentioned at the close of a sermon; that is sufficient.
2. All sermons should be directed to the church, the kind that make us feel good - inspirational sermons.
3. Under no conditions may a religious name of other people be mentioned in a sermon.
4. All negative preaching is unnecessary. All error that needs to be exposed can be corrected by preaching the opposite truth.
5. All words such as "denominationalism" and "sectarianism", etc. are unnecessary to good preaching and should be eliminated.
We suggest a sixth rule for these worthy brethren: "Under no circumstances shall the harsh words used by Jesus Christ and Paul of Tarsus be read or quoted from this pulpit".
—O—
Gethsemane.
"All who journey, soon or late Must pass within the Garden's gate; Must kneel alone in darkness there, And battle with some fierce despair. God pity those who cannot say: `Not mine, but thine'; who only pray: `Let this cup pass', and cannot see The purpose in Gethsemane."
— Ella Wheeler Wilcox
—O—
Two snakes The Ormsby Ave. (premillennial) Church of Christ in Louisville Kentucky, recently conducted what they called a "Union Youth Revival". Which reminded us of a statement often made by J. D. Tant; he was wont to say that if Moses had lived in our day, he would have had to hang two snakes on poles in the wilderness — one for the whole assembly, and then a special snake for the "young folks"!
—O—
Hear! Hear!
Now comes another learned Kentucky preacher (having got his "learning" at Pepperdine College) who preaches from the pulpit that Paul's instructions to the Ephesian elders to "take heed" to the flock (Acts 20:28) means that the elders are to "heed" what the flock tells them to do. Move over, Campbell, Lard, McGarvey, and Lipscomb; make room for an exegete as is an exegete.
—O—
Divorce rate The national divorce rate in America today is 26.3% of every one hundred marriages - slightly more than one out of each four marriages. The divorce rate among campus - made marriages of Abilene Christian College over its 43 years history is 1/5 of 1% - or one divorce out of every five hundred marriages contracted.
— Don H. Morris
—O—
Letters
"I sincerely appreciate your work in publishing the new paper and rejoice to know that you will carry on the work of the Banner in preaching the uncompromising truth and guarding against the present day drifting."
— W. P. Risener, Key West, Fla.
—O—
"Bro. Arceneaux' articles alone are worth the subscription price. Thanks also for the timely and pertinent articles on Catholicism."
— Ted Norton, Wichita, Kansas
—O—
"I am well pleased with this weekly, and it is certainly meeting with favor in the places where I have been.
— J. T. Marlin, Dickson, Tenn.
—O—
"I am thrilled about the new paper; and have enjoyed and profited by the Bible Banner greatly. I feel that the future of this small church (Richmond, Virginia) is much more secure now that arrangements have been made for the Gospel Guardian to come into eleven of the homes each week. It is my conviction that you will receive an increasing number of new subscribers from this locality year after year as a nature result of having these eleven reader here."
— T. H. Tarbet, Jr., Hobbs, N. Mex
—O—
We'll match Goodpasture We notice Bro. Gene Smith threatening to quit his paper (Gospel Broadcast) and take a ten-thousand dollar a year job somewhere if these brethren don't come across with a ten thousand dollar contribution to him. Well, if Gene will crank up his plane and fly over to Nashville and get B. C. Goodpasture (who is reputed to be fabulously well heeled for a preacher) to make a donation to him, we'll kill the wolf on our door-step, sell his pelt, and match B. C. dollar for dollar.
—O—
Where they stand Florida Christian College "will not solicit contributions from church nor will it accept them." — Jas. Cope, President.
Central Christian College (Bartlesville, Oklahoma) will "neither solicit nor accept contributions from churches". — By-laws of charter- David Lipscomb College "cannot afford to have any member on our faculty who" thinks it wrong for churches to contribute to the school — A. C. Pullias, President.
—O—
Both classes represented F. B. Srygley, some years before his death, was holding a meeting in a small west Texas town. Lowering clouds in the afternoon seemed pretty threatening. Bro. Srygley eyed the approaching cloud bank for a while and then remarked, "Looks like might have some rain." One of would-be wits present gleeful pounced on the observation. "Brother Srygley," he said, "we have a saying out here in Texas that nobody but newcomer or a ___ fool tries to prophesy Texas weather." Srygley turns his one good eye on the brash your man for a long silent moment, then replied with a slow drawl, "Well, son, I classify as a newcomer. I've taken my crack at it; now suppose you I it."
—O—
"The reason a lot of people cannot find opportunity is it goes by disguised as Hard Work."