The Overflow
New Coffee Urn
Big news! We receive a newspaper clipping from California telling how hard the "ladies of the Church of Christ" are working to get the church a new coffee urn. They must have 650 MJB coffee bands or labels to get the urn. Persons wishing to help may send the labels to "Church of Christ, P. O. Box 215, Chino, California." Souls are dying in sin; help these dear sisters comfort them with hot coffee as they slip into eternity. The appeal is urgent!
Suffering For Jesus
We recently received a copy of "Preachers of Today — Vol. II" edited by Batsell Baxter and Norvel Young Some of the sketches (written by the subjects themselves) are simply fab ulous, but so far we've found none to equal the brave declaration of Brother Ernest Allen Clevenger, Jr. of Russellville, Alabama, that among many other great and noble achievements for the name of Christ he "Has received threatening notes while preaching in hot-bed of anti-ism in Franklin County, Alabama"! Russellville, Alabama is the habitat of that ferocious friend of anti-ism, that glowering Goliath of ambiguous bellicosity. Irven Lee.
Saved By Baptism - Only
The doctrine of "salvation by faith only" among many denominations gets a strange twist of reverse English in the British Isles. There they have 26,000,000 baptized Anglicans; of whom only 9,000,000 have been confirmed; and on Easter Sunday, the biggest church day in the year, only slightly over 2,000,000 will attend church. Whatever happened to that famous statement by Henry Ward Beecher (or whoever it was) who said, "I believe in infant baptism because it works!"?
"A Conceited Donkey"
"When a man reaches the point that he has sufficient reputation that it is unnecessary to print any degree after his name, he has 'arrived'. Degrees printed after names are crutches for little men to lean upon. Of what possible use can a B. D. degree be to a gospel preacher except some more infidelity to unlearn? When a man reaches the point that he prefers to be called 'Doctor Blank' instead of 'Brother Blank' he has indeed become a conceited donkey" -(Dr. George W. Dehoff, Christian Magazine, Vol. 2, No. 3, page 29.)
Parochial Schools
We urge a careful reading of the articles by Brother Osby Weaver (last issue and this) on the organization of a number of "parochial schools" by the brethren in Dallas. This movement is being promoted in many areas by some brethren — and is being met with some stiff opposition from other brethren. School men generally are agreed that parochial school systems for grade school students in America are far inferior to the public schools, and send the children into high school under a real handicap. The parochial high schools are somewhat better, but still not equal in the quality of work done to the public high schools. Quite apart from any scriptural arguments involved, this craze for "our" schools among brethren should be carefully weighed. The value of such school systems is a highly debatable question.
Itinerary
This page is being written in Owen Sound, Ontario. A foot of snow has covered the ground for several weeks here, and drifts of four and five feet in depth abound. Schedule of meetings and appointments for the next few months will be as follows: Peoria, Illinois, April 4-8; Lufkin, Texas, (Timberland Drive), April 17; Corpus Christi, Texas, May 1-8; Newport, North Carolina, May 15-22; Leaksville, North Carolina. May 22-27; Boone, North Carolina, May 29-June 5; Lufkin, Texas, June 12; Paonia, Colorado, July 3-10; Levelland, Texas, July 17-24; Tularosa, New Mexico, July 25-31; Ventura, California, August 7-14.
Brother Dehoff's Answer
The following Question and answer appeared in The Christian Magazine, Spring, 1948. "Dear Brother DeHoff: I have five thousand dollars which I want to use in advancing the kingdom. How would you advise me to use it?" Sister, I would spend it in paying someone to preach the gospel ... to hold gospel meetings in mission fields. You may spend it to put up fine buildings if you like, you may donate it to some college, you may buy some fellow a printing press (I could use one or two myself), you may hand it over to some professional promoter, but if you really want to help the church, select some faithful preacher and use it to support him while he preaches . . . . Buy a tent, seats, and song books, and pay some man to hold meetings. It is my frank opinion that your money will be worth more to the church in this way than in any other."
They Were Not Unwanted
"When an adoption agency in New York made a public appeal in an effort to find homes for six handicapped children, 549 couples volunteered. This is the equivalent of more than 90 applicants for each child. The children, aged ten months to more than three years, all have physical defects. One has a harelip. Three are so deaf they are wearing hearing aids. One has webbed fingers. It is generally recognized that any sort of a decent home is better for a child to grow up in than even the most enlightened institution." (Pensacola, Florida, Journal - January 4, 1960.)
Slippery Type
The typographical error
Is a slippery thing and sly,
You can hunt it 'till you're dizzy
But it somehow will get by.
'Till the places are off the presses
It is strange how still it keeps.
It shrinks there in a corner,
And it never stirs or peeps.
The typographical error,
Too small for human eyes,
Till the ink is on the paper,
When it grows to mountain size.
The remainder of the issue
May be clean as clean can be,
But the typographical error
Is the only thing you see!
- Author Unknown
(Note from the printer who "proofs" when no one is available from the publisher: How true!)
Remember When?
Do you remember when the Gospel Guardian was warning brethren that Ralph G. Wilburn, Professor of Bible in Pepperdine College (Dr. W. B. West was head of the Bible Department) was a modernist? and how strong were the editorials in other gospel journals criticizing us an "an accuser of the brethren" (a term the Bible reserves for Satan)? and how staunch was the defense made by the college for Wilburn's soundness? Well, take a look at this record of activities from the bulletin of the Central Christian Church, Lexington Kentucky, where Dr. Ralph G. Wilburn is pastor. One page of the bulletin lists the following church activities: Buffet supper for youth groups, prep basketball, Girl Scout Troop 5, Brownie Troop 106, Boy Scout Troop 4, Brownie Troop 98, Midget Basketball game, Buckskin Lads and Lassies meet in Fellowship Hall, Dudes and Dolls Square Dance Group meets in Fellowship Hall. Frankly, we have more respect for Wilburn than we have for some of like mind with him. He got OUT of the Lord's church and into a denomination to carry on his program; but many of his fellow-travelers are trying to stay in the church, and take the brethren with them into their worldly capers.
Add Another One
From Brother J. L. Harris of Leaksville, North Carolina, comes a newspaper clipping telling us that the pastor of the "Macedonia True Vine Pentecostal Holiness Church of God" will celebrate his 28th anniversary of pastor of that flock.
Modern Dancing
J. Edgar Hoover, head of the FBI: "Most juvenile crime has its inception in the dance hall, either public or private."