News And Views
The Same Old Denominational Story
Yes, it's the same story we have heard from denominationalists for years. "Don't brother me:" "I don't want to discuss it, for it confuses me;" "I'm satisfied with my religion;" "Why, we have been doing this for years:" "Let's don't stir up any trouble;" etc. What has happened to the spiritual climate in the churches? Once we courageously said to any and to all: "We follow New Testament authority. If ANYONE will show us where we are wrong, we will change. We want to know what the BIBLE teaches on any subject." Is that the attitude that produces the closed mind, the prejudiced heart, and the refusal to consider any voice of warning? May we never cease to have a questing spirit to find out from ANY SOURCE the truth, and never relinquish our determination to be RIGHT regardless of the cost. — East Florence Contender.
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Wanted: A Place To Preach
Almost every week I read where a preacher is wanting a place to preach. Some of them think very highly of themselves.
You may read such expressions as, "excellent references offered," "good with the young people," "had much success in converting Catholics," "experienced and world-travelled," "aggressive, dedicated, sound in faith," "have degree in religion," "no anti," or "free of hobbies."
One thing for certain, some of our preaching brethren will never fail for the lack of self-esteem. They are afflicted with what some term, "acute inflammation of the ego." Evidently, the way they advertise themselves, they don't seem to think that knowledge of the Bible is too important.
According to the report, J. D. Tant, a colorful and dedicated pioneer preacher, said: "Before I would advertise myself for a place to preach, I would shave my head and sit on buzzard eggs for a living."
Yes, these preacher ads get to be amusing. Perhaps they think if they don't toot their horn it won't be tooted and no doubt they are right. — Weldon Warnock, Lawrenceburg, Tennessee.
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Manliness
"Learn from the earliest days to insure your principles against the perils of ridicule. You can no more exercise your reason if you live in constant dread of laughter, than you can enjoy your life, if you live in constant terror of death. If you think it right to differ from the times, and make it a point of morals, do it, however rustic, however antiquated, however pedantic, it may appear; do it, not from insolence, but seriously and gradually, as a man who wore a soul in his own bosom, and did not wait till it was breathed into him by the breath of fashion." — Author Unknown,
Who Is Doing Whose Work For Whom?
Being familiar with the recent hurricane that heaped untold damage on the Texas coastal area, we know that there were a number of God's saints involved in the losses sustained during this disaster. Churches from all over the state and many from out of the state sent funds and various other necessities to relieve the needy saints in that area.
As was to be expected some brethren could not stop where divine authority stopped relative to such matters. The following article appeared in "The Victoria Advocate" newspaper, September 19, 1961:
CHURCH OPENS RELIEF CENTER: Advocate Port Lavaca Bureau.
Port Lavaca — The Church of Christ opened a distribution center Monday in the old church building on Seadrift Highway for distribution of supplies to Carla victims.
Announcement was made Sunday of the arrival of two truckloads of supplies from the TIPTON ORPHANS HOME, TIPTON, OKLA. (caps mine, APB) W. A. Brown, minister, announces all distributions will be made to families who sign identification cards listing needs and delivery address.
Families in need of assistance are requested to register at the center and requests will be filled as quickly as investigation permits.
It was discovered that the church in Port Lavaca had no need and therefore were not objects of benevolence. Nevertheless, they received supplies from an institution that is supposed to be an object of benevolence and rather than turning these items over to needy saints they set up a distribution center and employed "Red Cross" or "Salvation Army" tactics of general benevolence. In reality what we have here is an orphans home exercising benevolence to non-saints through a church that is in all probability a contributor to this institution, which according to them the churches are obligated to support in order to be properly engaged in their acts of benevolence. I ask you? Who is doing whose work for whom? Who is confused as to the purpose and mission of the church for which Christ died?
When will brethren see the folly in using such human societies and sponsoring churches to accomplish the Lord's work? — Ardie P. Brown, Jr., Houston, Texas.
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Society's Installment Plan Suicide
A few months ago we printed an article based up an allegation reported in NEWSWEEK that: "beer has come a long way up from the cellars of the Prohibition era to the parlors of polite society." I then made the remark that it is quite apparent that beer has not come up, but rather "polite society has descended to the level of these dives." This alleged "coming up" doubtlessly has been the result of unprincipled mercenaries deluging our advertising mediums with deceitful publicity portraying beer as "belonging" in the best circles despite the fact that most of it is "slopped up" by barflies and loose women in reeking smoke-filled taverns, which are but vestibules to the gutter. It may be that beer has been "accepted" after years of an embellished debut, but moral standards have had to descend to a very low level to accommodate it.
Apparently tobacco has travelled the same glamorous road to "acceptance" by society. Not many decades ago cigarette smoking was classed with the opium smoking of the Orient and considered to be restricted to the criminal element and women of the streets, and respectable people who indulged were ostracized. However, our citizens have been nourished on such a permanent diet of advertising depicting wholesome womanhood exuding delight from inhaling cigarette fumes; on athletes and men of distinction getting a lift from their favorite brands; and even subtle suggestions that they will melt away ugly fat, that most people have been overwhelmed with the idea that cigarettes are absolutely indispensible to society and a panacea for all ills. However, just as these ads are careful not to mention who guzzles most of the beer and the gutter to which it points, the truth about "nicotine fits" and the fatal results of smoking are also vigilantly avoided.
While we realize that all those who smoke are free moral agents, we can express our feeling of concern, as did one of the famous Mayo brothers when he spoke to his son in this manner: "Charles, your mother and I will not tell you to quit smoking, but if you keep on I will cut away your face or mouth and take your money in the bank to do it." Of course, we cannot operate on you or your bank account, but at least we can tell you of the unfortunate experiences of others.
Some will say that God created tobacco for a purpose. We agree, he did, but it was created to KILL! "Black Leaf Forty," a compound of tobacco is made especially to kill worms and insects and does it effectively.
We don't deny that cigarettes will give one a "lift," but so will opium or liquor. Doctors will tell you that tobacco is a narcotic drug, and that the similarity in effect and power to enslave are almost identical in tobacco, opium and alcohol. Tests have proven that cigarettes contain not less than 19 poisons, every one potent. One half drop of nicotine is fatal, and in tests of heavy smokers it was found that one pound (enough to kill 8000 cats) is absorbed by smoking 40 cigarettes a day for one year.
The Mayo Foundation examined 90 smokers and learned that when one cigarette is smoked, the temperature of the hands and feet dropped on an average of 5.3 degrees. It was also learned that coronary heart disease is six times as prevalent among smokers as in non-smokers, and the death rates between 30-50 are twice as great among heavy smokers than among non-smokers. Also found was that 92% of mouth cancers are among heavy smokers.
Major Huston, of the Washington Navy Yard, has this to say: "One-fifth of all boys are rejected for heart disease and 99% is caused by the cigarette habit." Other tests 'have showed that the smoker's heart beats on an average of nine beats a minute faster during smoking because cigarettes contract the blood vessels causing them to harden. Just recently, a friend of mine was informed by his doctor that if he expected to live any longer he would have to quit smoking. He quit! If cigarettes would have killed him, will they treat YOU any better?
Dr. Clinton, of San Francisco, a physician for several boys' schools, made this observation: "Cigarette smoking blunts the whole moral nature and has an appalling effect on the physical. It stimulates and then stupefies the nerves. I am often called in to prescribe for boys for palpitation of the heart, and in nine cases out of ten this is caused by smoking cigarettes."
God has commanded: "Keep thyself pure." Is deliberately introducing 19 poisons into one's body, keeping it pure? Is not "poison" an IM-purity? If not, why not? Does one have the moral right to deliberately destroy "God's temple" by poisoning it?
This continual promotion of intoxicants and cigarettes is reaping millions in profit for those who are anxious to sacrifice anything for a dollar. What will be promoted next to sacrifice morality and healthful vigor to appease the gods of PLEASURE and MAMMON, drug addiction and complete moral depravity, such as destroyed the Roman Empire?
Add this mercenary promotion of these two ravaging influences to the almost continuous parade of animated pornography across movie and TV screens and its counterpart in "reputable" magazines; the evident fact that the public in general has accepted as its ideals, public figures who are adulterers and adulteresses and drug addicts; that political offices have degenerated to the auction block and that power-mad vice-mongers are taking over our nation's economy, and we cannot escape the fact that our nation has been victimized by those who will portray "the devil as an angel of light" and sell their souls for a price. In this mad race toward moral, physical and spiritual destruction, are we as Christians contributing in any way to it? If so we will have to answer to God in the Judgment Day!
The Scriptures tell us that "where the Spirit of the Lord is there is liberty." Just where is this "liberty" in an individual or in a nation when so many are in abject slavery to their carnal appetites?
And many are afraid that communism will destroy us and our freedoms. If so it will have to speed up before we do it ourselves. — B. E. Russell, The Observer.