Devoted to the Propagation and Defense of New Testament Christianity
VOLUME 12
November 17, 1960
NUMBER 28, PAGE 13b

Hobbyism

Pryde E. Hinton, Dora, Alabama

It is sad to see brethren so obsessed with their hobbies that they disfellowship others who do not support those hobbies. And this they do, even though they say that their hobbies are only "methods" — optional ways or means.

This is becoming increasingly prevalent with those of the orphan home organization hobby, the sponsoring church hobby, the Herald of Truth hobby, and the social gospel hobby. Because I do not support the Herald of Truth a brother recently refused to announce a proposed meeting in which I was to do the preaching. I heard his announcement of his refusal to announce the meeting. The brethren fearing that his refusal, and what he might further say, would stir up division in the little church, cancelled the meeting. It is about 10 miles from my home, and I had preached in tents, in a borrowed Methodist meeting house, and from house to house for years, to help get that church established. Yes, Diotrephes, "being dead, yet speaketh" with a strong, Pope-like voice (3 John)! This, I greatly fear, accounts for many who just cannot make up their minds about "the issues," and why others observe that they are not involved in the controversy. I trust I am wrong in the foregoing sentence.