News And Views
News From Here And There
Harvey Williams has moved to Chicago, Illinois from Medina, Tennessee. He will work with the Grand Avenue church there .... Loyce Pierce, of Jackson, Tennessee, will work with the Medina church . . . . Perhaps most of the readers of this paper know by now of the serious illness of B. G. Hope, of Bowling Green, Kentucky. He recently underwent an operation in which about two-thirds of his stomach was removed. He already had a serious case of arthritis. He was recovering nicely from the operation when phlebitis developed (January 25). My last report was that he is somewhat improved. He has really suffered and has a long way to come back to anything like normal health. He would appreciate a card or letter from any and all of his friends. The prayers of the saints on his behalf will mean more than all else . . . . Bill H. Reeves is now working with the Southwest church in Miami, Florida.... I know of three churches needing preachers. One is in the east and is a large church and seems to be solid for the truth. Another church is in a "mission field" and it does not afford the financial support that might be desired, but the opportunities there are unlimited. It would be a hard field, but there are about thirty-five faithful saints there to help. The other place is in Texas. The first two places have asked me to help them get a man. Of course, I am not a "preacher placing agency" and have no idea of becoming such, but I am very glad to help out in such matters. In fact, I appreciate being asked to help and will always do so when and where I can. Quite often churches have written me about this. Now and then preachers who are interested in moving write asking about some church wanting a preacher. Let me say that I shall be very glad to help out in trying to put preachers and churches in contact with each other if they will just let me know .... While I am on the matter of preachers and churches, let me say this: I know three preachers who are laboring in hard fields without adequate support. I know of two other preachers who are willing to undertake the work in new fields if they could only secure adequate support. We need to do more in the way of sending men into new fields of labor — even in this country. Churches can do more along this line than most of them think. I know an excellent preacher who desires to move into the hard field of Louisiana and the place is ready; but he will need to have his moving expenses and support supplied from other places. I can commend the man and the work without reservation. Is there not some church that would get behind this man? He could do a great work there. Let me hear from any church interested in helping in any way and I will put you in contact with the preacher . . . . The East Florence church (Florence, Alabama) has just started a work of preaching the gospel to the deaf of this area. It has started in a very encouraging way and we are thrilled at the prospects it offers. There is one drawing card that we have with them that we do not have with others; they like to be together and they will come great distances just to be with others who can speak their language. B. C. McMinn, who works with the deaf in Huntsville, is helping us in this work at the present. He is very good at the job ... THE EYE OPENER is a new mimeographed paper published by the church in San Pablo, California. Jack Freeman is the editor. Other men in California write for the paper. It is indeed an "eye opener". I presume that it is sent free to all who desire it. Address: Freeman, 2685-20th St., San Pablo 10, California . . . . THE LIFE LINE, published by the church in Gordon, Georgia, is one of the finest and neatest mimeographed bulletins to come my way. Joe Pruitt, who is doing such a good work with the church there, is the editor . . . . THE SENTINEL is a very good, four-page paper devoted to presenting first principles to the world. It is now ably edited by James E. Cooper, 107 Elm St., Campbellsville, Kentucky. It is a dandy paper for general distribution. Write him for bundle prices . . . . Herman Alexander has moved from Coy, Arkansas to work with the Slack St. church in West Monroe, Louisiana.... Let me urge each and every reader of this paper to get behind the subscription drive which is now underway. It is really going over in a big way — far beyond our fondest expectations. With the proper cooperation and help from all who should be interested it could really be put over — and soon. The price has been set very low and should be most appealing. Just take a good look at the prices in clubs and see that the price has been made $2 and less depending upon the number sent in. Almost anyone of us can afford $5 per month to send the paper to 30 friends or relatives. Churches should take advantage of this opportunity to send the paper to the entire membership. There is no better way to teach the truth and otherwise "root and ground" the members therein. Send in your club today. Urge the elders where you worship to send it to the membership. Let's really push this effort. There is no way to know how much good could be done for the Cause of Truth if we can get the GUARDIAN to 50,000 additional readers. The success of this drive depends upon YOU. Here is YOUR chance to help in a good work that all recognize needs to be done. Some interesting new features are to be added to the paper and it will offer a greater variety of material . . . . Herman Mason is now preaching in Madison, Wisconsin, but will move to work with the church in Berwyn, Illinois, in June. Leslie Diestelkamp will leave Berwyn at that time to make the final preparation for his work in Nigeria.... Gordon Pennock will conclude his work with the Brookfield, Illinois church in June of this year.... I hereby offer my sincere thanks to all who have helped me complete my files of some of the papers. As a result of the last request I received papers from W. F. Dudley, Decatur, Georgia; Oaks Gowen and Albert Kipp, both of Bradenton, Florida; M. L. Johnson, of Jacksonville, Florida; and one or two more who did not identify themselves. I only lack a few now to have the sets completed. I only need the following: GOSPEL ADVOCATES: 1932, No. 39, 41; 1933, No. 20, 24, 27; 1948, No. 2; and 1952, No. 28, 29, 31. I need THE VOICE OF FREEDOM, Vol. 4, No. 8, 9, 10, and 11 . . . In future issues I will take a little space to advertise for others their needs along these lines. There seems to be considerable interest in this matter.... Again I express my appreciation to all who keep sending in various church bulletins from across the nation showing what is really going on in the churches.
"On God's 'Side' "
Under the above heading I copy the following from a bulletin bearing the name TRUTH IN LOVE, edited by Harold Sain, now living in Dexter, Missouri:
"Sometime ago a member of the church here in Dexter asked me, in regard to orphan homes: 'Whose side are you on?' The time has come for a statement; please read on.
"On December 18 THE GOSPEL GUARDIAN copied my November 24 letter to a Nashville, Tennessee newspaper editor . . . . The GUARDIAN, however, did not state that it was copied — leaving the impression that I was a member of the Guardian 'line-up', and had sent the letter to them for publication. This is not true. Many close, personal friends of mine are in the Guardian fold, and I love them. However, I am not now and never have been in sympathy with their teaching on the orphan home question. The least they could have done in copying the letter (and I have no objection to it being copied) would be to say that it was 'copied from Truth In Love; Harold Sain, Editor."
I am sorry that Brother Sain was embarrassed by my quoting his letter in this column. No doubt if I had not copied it there would have been no need for his statement informing his readers that he is "On God's Side." This could have continued to remain a deep, dark secret; which evidently it was up to the time. Else why the need for telling everyone about the side he is on? I suppose the people in Dexter did not know or there would have been no need to ask him about the matter. I guess I have taken it for granted that everyone would understand that the things appearing from others in this column are quoted or taken from other sources. If they had been sent to this paper for publication they would appear elsewhere. Let it be understood that this is the "copycat" column and all material appearing herein, except that which I write, has been copied from some other source. It might interest Brother Sain to know that the GOSPEL GUARDIAN COMPANY publishes another paper bearing the name TRUTH IN LOVE — and this paper has been in existence for several years longer than his bulletin. Did he copy the name?
Brother Sain further informs his readers in this fashion: "Whose side am I on? I want to be on God's side! I'm not a 'Guardian man'; I'm not an 'Advocate man'." Our brother says that he is "on God's side." Well, now aren't we all? Have you ever known anyone who did not make this claim regardless of the religious position espoused? This claim has been greatly overworked by some today in trying to avoid taking a positive stand. Why should our brother be so long in saying so if he is "on God's side?" Has he been ashamed of it? Why had he not declared this before so the people in Dexter would not need to ask him whose side he is on? Imagine a man being "on God's side" and the people where he preaches not able to find it out! I have serious doubts about any one being "on God's side" and the people not being able to tell it. He says he is neither a "Guardian man" nor an "Advocate man." Well, what does that mean? Does he know anyone that will admit to being either?
I presume that Sain does not read the GUARDIAN (if he does he reads with poor perception) for he shows that he has no understanding of what the various writers for this paper oppose with reference to the "orphan home question." He says: "Where God does not give the how', let's not fuss about the 'how' I do it, and 'how' you do it --- but make sure that I do it, and make sure that you do it." No writer of this paper has ever made a "fuss" about "how" such work is done; if by the "how" is simply meant methods or means. Opposition has been registered against some human institution being built and maintained by churches through which the benevolent work belonging to the church is to be done. That is the issue! Is the church as the Lord gave it and designed it fully sufficient in organization to do what the Lord wants the church to do? Verily we believe and contend that it is. Sain thinks that the church must build and maintain some other institution or organization to do this work. If that is being "on God's side" I have never been able to discover it from reading God's book — and neither has nor will Harold Sain! He said in closing his statement that he "thought it best on brotherhood problems to 'stand up and be counted' — on God's side!" Now I just wonder how much he will "stand up and be counted" on these questions? He has long believed in debating matters and has had a number of discussions. I wonder if he will "stand up and be counted" in a public discussion of-these questions? Let this be considered a public and personal challenge to hint to do so. We shall then be able to really investigate and test whose side he is really on! I await his reply and will see that he gets a copy of this paper.
Another City-Wide Youth Meeting
From the CHRISTIAN CHRONICLE I learn that "The Churches of Christ in Albuquerque (N. M.) are sponsoring a city-wide youth meeting Thursday night, Feb. 5, featuring Olympic champion Bobby Morrow of Abilene Christian College as principle speaker."
These things are really taking the day and all the "promoting churches" must sponsor one to keep in step and in style.
Columbia Christian College
From the Riverside Reminder, Fort Worth, Texas, I note that "Columbia Christian College is growing and we have the best faculty in the history of the school. 1 PhD, 12 M.A.'s, 6 B.A.'s". Now that ought to impress us all and make everyone sit up and take notice. Just look at that bunch of degrees! A good faculty is measured by the degrees held and not by Christianity. As the brother who sent me this bulletin put it, "Remember the passage that says that 'Stephen was a good man, full of degrees!" Everytime I see something like this and the pride we have in our "educated ministry" it always reminds me of what Brother L. L. Brigance used to say. He said if these schools which handed out degrees were put under a law like the Pure Food and Drug Act, and had to correctly label their product, there would be a lot more J. A.'s than M.A.'s!
Fun, Frolic And Foolishness
To further demonstrate (if such is needed) that many churches are on their way to digression and apostasy with the social aspects taking the lead, I am here giving some additional quotes from church bulletins.
THE VANDELIA STAR (Lubbock, Texas) tells that in reading the bulletins of the various churches in Lubbock for the past week that the College Avenue church has "listed in their bulletin 6 dates in which the congregation will get together for a supper and fellowship."
MEMORIAL MESSENGER, Memorial Parkway church in Huntsville, Alabama, tells about "THE CHURCH FELLOWSHIP" in these words:
"A fine time was had by all last week at the Halloween party. There was fun, frolic and food but best of all — the warmth of Christian fellowship and friends being together. 'Star Performers, were The Hunchback, (. . . .) and Old Sawbones Himself,
From THE YORK CHRISTIAN, York Blvd. church in Los Angeles, we learn about the following:
"CHURCH OF CHRIST AREA-WIDE CHORUS now being formed by audition only.
Place: Green Room, Fine Arts Building, at Pepperdine College.
Time: Saturday, November 1, 9:00 A.M.
Note: We are interested in developing this chorus to have eventually a nation-wide church radio program which will originate from Los Angeles. The chorus will also give concerts from time to time. R. C. Palm will be director."
Now there you are! THE HERALD OF TRUTH can move over for these brethren are planning "a nation-wide church radio program which will originate from Los Angeles." Evidently these brethren do not believe that we are now having "a nation-wide church radio program." Maybe THE HERALD OF TRUTH should send them some literature telling them about the work of T.H.O.T. Here it is that the brethren promoting T.H.O.T. can not get enough money out of the churches to promote their own project and someone gets ambitious enough to start another one.
Did you notice that this "chorus will also give concerts from time to time?" Now won't it be nice to have the "Church of Christ Chorus" of "A Nation-Wide Church of Christ Radio Program" give a concert in your city? With such stuff as this going on all over the nation there are still some members of the church who think that there is no danger of digression and apostasy! How foolish can we be? But that is enough for this time.