News And Views
News From Here And There
Harold Fite has moved from Irving (where he has been with the Sowers congregation since its beginning) to Bridge City, Texas, where he will labor with a new congregation ... SOMETHING NEW: The East Florence church in Florence, Alabama recently conducted a "new" and "different" kind of VACATION BIBLE SCHOOL! What was new or different about it? Well, it was just what the name implies — a VACATION BIBLE SCHOOL; that and nothing more! There were no leathercraft classes; no classes in art work; no recreational periods; no entertainment; no hotdogs, cold drinks, buttons, parades, prizes, or any other such thing! There wasn't even a picnic! We had nothing more or less than a BIBLE school conducted during the school vacation Was it a success? Yes, and even far beyond our expectation. The attendance exceeded our plans by nearly 100 and there wasn't the slightest lag in interest. Furthermore, we did not have any of these little silly children's action songs that have gotten to be so popular. Quietly, calmly, sensibly and without any fanfare, foolishness or frolic, we conducted a real VACATION BIBLE SCHOOL — which is a very rare thing in these days of promotion, ballyhoo and capers. It can be done and may the day soon come when true churches of Christ will come back to this sort or practice and rid themselves of all the sectarian trash, promotional folly, and entertainment appeals that have invaded our ranks along this line . . . GEMS OF TRUTH is the name of a little booklet of excellent short articles written and compiled by Eugene Britnell of Tuckerman, Arkansas. These are some of the articles that appeared in the local newspaper there, and they deal with a wide variety of subjects. The price is 50c per copy and it is well worth the price. Order a copy today. Order from the author at Tuckerman, Arkansas . . . I will be glad to receive, read and recommend (if I can do so) any paper, booklet or book that anyone will send to me. Will be glad to call attention to such thru this column. I want now to call attention to two books that I think are excellent works and every Bible student would do well to purchase. The first one is "A thirteen lesson guide for individual or class use." The title is: "How To Study The Bible" It was not sent to me but I recently bought it because I like it. It is the kind of material that is badly needed. It was written by one of the severest critics of this column, my friend, Earle H. West, 14714 Orchard Park Avenue, Cleveland 11, Ohio. Earle is a good student, an able thinker and a good writer. You will like this booklet. The price is 60c per copy; but cheaper in quantity lots. Order from the author as above .. One of the best books for the serious Bible student is large volume by W E. Vine called AN EXPOSITORY DICTIONARY OF NEW TESTAMENT WORDS. It is rich and very helpful. It can be used with ease by one who knows nothing of Greek language. It "is a dictionary, a concordance, and a commentary in one volume." This is a book that you should have — and USE. Of course, it is not an infallible production but it is a book that can be worth much to one who really desires to get the meaning of the words in THE BOOK. The price of the book is now $10.95. Order your copy today from the GOSPEL GUARDIAN COMPANY or directly from me . . . While I do not recommend that the following is the right way to do, I did get a kick out of reading it and thinking about how true it is and how well put it is: "My conscience pricks and sticks me, jabs and stabs me, bangs and whangs me, jolts and bolts me, bewares and scares me, bops and whops me — but seldom stops me!... Can a fellow raise a question without getting scalped if the question is raised to provoke thought and study; and not to criticize and find fault? Well, I want to ask one and invite you to seriously consider it and give your answer to it — if you will. Do not treat it with contempt and wave it aside as the raving of an unbalanced mind. It deals with a common and accepted practice and one in which churches are greatly engaged and in which they spend much money and time. Now because it is so generally accepted and because it is something that we all do, do not just set the matter aside as "something that everybody knows is right and authorized". PROVE IT! Here is the question: Where is the authority for churches to spend all the time and money that they do (build classrooms, buy literature, get equipment, train teachers, etc.) to teach the Bible to children? That is it! Simple isn't it? Well? Now I am talking about the CHURCH (a local congregation — the divine ORGANIZATION) being burdened with this task of teaching and training children. Has the church unwittingly become the victim in the shift of responsibility from PARENTS? Is it the responsibility and obligation of the church to teach the Bible to those who are not yet responsible and accountable? If so, where is the authority for such? Are we afraid to really face up to such questions for fear of the consequences? Many people are afraid to really examine their practices in the light of God's word for fear that what they learn will mean that they have been wrong. Now I am not saying that the above is wrong — I only asked YOU to answer the question and give me the passage or passages that authorize such. Now have at it. Who will be first? ... The rest of this column will be filled with clippings from bulletins I have received. Read the articles carefully.
Cancer Society Drive
BOSTON, June 4) (UPI) — The American Cancer Society voted Thursday to wage a massive anti-smoking campaign aimed at teen-agers. Meeting here, the society's board called for more vigorous efforts to "bring to the attention of physicians and the public — and particularly" teen-agers — facts about cancer and smoking."
Dr. Howard C. Taylor, chairman of the society's staff had been directed to prepare plans and estimates of costs for a "total educational effort toward modification of the smoking habit in a community."
In a three-point action program, the society's staff was told to take steps to:
— Intensify its efforts to bring the facts about cancer and tobacco to physicians.
— Study deficiencies in legislation governing the protection of the public from the hazards of cigarettes and to recommend "appropriate legislation."
— Intensify efforts to make available through all channels facts about cancer related to the use of tobacco.
— From Fort Worth Star Telegram
Craft Teachers!
The following is quoted from the River wood bulletin: "WANTED . . . ANYONE having broken and discarded jewelry which they would care to donate for use by the craft teachers in our Vacation Bible School, June 8-12, are requested to make their donation at once to SISTER________ or to SISTER _____. The question was asked one time; "Is Vacation Bible School scriptural?" The answer given was yes. Vacation — time off. Bible School — Bible to be taught. I wonder though how one could justify a CRAFT CLASS? Is this the work of the church? If we can justify a "craft class" of repairing broken or discarded jewelry can we not justify a "craft class" of repairing old car motors? A "craft class" for the aged women to teach the younger women on "how to prepare a meal," which would be of no trouble since most church buildings are now furnished with a complete kitchen. Those who teach "craft classes" should cease from the use of the term VACATION BIBLE SCHOOL and call it VACATION BIBLE AND CRAFT SCHOOL, which it is. Will they advertize Capable Bible Teacher, or Capable Craft Teachers? — Robert Jackson, Nashville, Tennessee.
The Ultimate In Digression
Have you heard of AWO? Then we think you have not heard of the rankest expression of digression now prevalent in churches of Christ. The Dallas News, June 20, 1959, carried announcement of Associated Women's Organization (AWO). Mrs. T. B. Thompson, dean of women, York College, and widow of the late T. B. Thompson, addressed the organizational meeting in Dallas June 19. Mrs. Alan Bryan is the newly elected president. Her husband is president of Gospel Press, Inc., an organization supported by some brethren to put reading material in national publications.
The News gives this account of the Friday meeting: "Election of officers of the Associated Women's Organization, an educational adjunct of Churches of Christ, and a tasting party followed an address by Mrs. T. B. Thompson Friday. Twenty-eight congregations were represented at the meeting in the Town Hall, Big Town." The News also carried a staff photo of Mrs. Thompson and Mrs. Bryan.
Note that AWO is "an educational adjunct of Churches of Christ"; and, that "twenty-eight congregations were represented at the meeting." The organization lists four vice-presidents, three secretaries and a treasurer. So, "we" have a full-blown women's auxiliary, "an educational adjunct of Churches of Christ". The Christian Church cannot even outdo this It is too bad the apostle Paul was so narrow he wrote to Timothy concerning women: "Let a woman learn in quietness with all subjection. But I permit not a woman to teach, nor to have dominion over a man, but to be in quietness" (I Tim. 2:11, 12). It is further to be regretted that he was so lacking in "vision" he did not instruct Timothy or Titus to organize "an educational adjunct of Churches of Christ!
The man or woman in the church today who cannot see that the majority of the church is being swept away by a digression as ungodly as that of 50 to 100 years ago is too blind to see through a barrel with both ends knocked out! — George T. Jones, Kilgore, Texas.