I Met A Man
Many teachers go throughout life teaching, laboring, sweating blood, and shedding tears. They plow the rocky shallow soil; they weed the thorns and thistles and perchance, in a lifetime, they till a little soil that has fertility.
I met a MAN. I say this for no glory of my own but for the praise of good and honest soil. In fact, my planting has only been of a secondary nature. Sister Edna Cravy, who works for him, has done he majority of the seeding.
I met a "MAN," and I use the word as the apostle Paul used it when he said, "...quit you like men, be strong," I Cor.16:13, (Emphasis mine, JE). The exhortation in the passage is that these Christians act manly. He is unconcerned with public opinion, for his courage and thirst for truth lead him to do what, the Master says. Forty six years he had been a member of the Christian Church and for many of those years he searched for truth but was unsatisfied with his findings in denominationalism. In renouncing the Christian Church and severing his fellowship with them, he alienated himself from many of his family and many who once claimed to be his friends will attempt to find some way to discredit his integrity. "Think not that I come to send peace on earth: I came not to send peace, but a sword. For I come to set a man at variance against his father, and the daughter against her mother, and the daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law. And a man's foes shall be they of his own household." (Matt. 10: 34-36.) The price was great, the task a difficult one, but the choice inevitable, because he is a MAN.
I say this, also, for your encouragement. If you have felt the futility of sowing on hardened, prejudiced soil, believe me when I say there are still honest, manly people left in the world. The seed was sown and I watched as it sank deep in this soil. What a joy to see it germinate and grow -- a small tender plant at first -- but it grows in leaps and bounds as it looks heavenward reaching for more light, thirsting for more water. Arise from despair, discouragement and apathy. There are hearts that are craving truth. Find them; sow bountifully and be encouraged by the power of the Lord as He works in productive soil.
Martin Dies, Sr., was influential in congress for twenty years. He labored diligently as chairman of the "House Committee on Unamerican Activities" for seven years. No one ever had difficulty understanding where he stood, nor what he believed. The same is true today. He had been scripturally baptized by brother O. C. Lambert forty-six years ago and today (June 16,1966) he confessed his sins and was restored to the Lord's good graces. As I write, I am deeply moved with respect for him and my heart rejoices at his restoration. I have asked him to write some material stating his conviction in this matter. I believe such material would be very beneficial in reaching honest people in the Christian Church and perhaps beneficial in staying liberal brethren who rapidly run in that direction.
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