From Here And There
Old English Proverb: "The degree of one's emotions tends to vary inversely with one's knowledge of the facts — the less one knows, the hotter he gets."
Needham's Needlepoints. Do you get a chance to see "The Weekly Reminder" edited by Jim Needham from the Expressway Church in Louisville? He has a more or less regular page going under the above caption. It's rich. I enjoy it as much as any thing of similar nature that comes my way — informative, spicy, and with no punches pulled. Or should I say his needle sometimes has a right sharp point?
Pass the apples. It's nearly too late in the season for this bit of whimsy to be passing around; but I picked it up from Carroll Sutton's bulletin, and he said he had copied it from Gene Warman, and I heard Foy Wallace say something like it way back when Gene was in short pants (or earlier!) Anyhow, the story is: "An old preacher once said he had heard that Eve ate some kind of apple and it made her realize she was naked. 'In which case,' intoned the man of the cloth, 'I think it is high time for somebody to start passing the apples."'
"The Language of The King James Bible" is the title of a brand new book by Melvin E. Elliott of LaHabra, California. Published by Doubleday. the book sells for $4.95 (The Guardian will stock it). The jacket says it is "A concise, highly practical glossary explaining and translating ever archaic or difficult to understand word or phrase in the King James Bible." I've browsed through it, and it is a treasure! For example, did you know that "ouch" is "a setting for a precious' stone. Ex. 28:11, 13f, 25; etc." And all the time I thought it was what you said when somebody wrote a nasty article about you or you sat down on a pin, or something. The book has 227 pages; and Melvin Elliott is as knowledgeable in this particular field as anybody you are likely to find.
Preacher's Fellowship. Front page of the Firm Foundation for October 24 carried the picture of a group of brethren and said these brethren were attending a "Preachers' Fellowship at ACC." Just what is that? Is it different from a "brethren's fellowship" of a "sisters' fellowship"? (You know the old story about the lad in school who was asked to name the three genders and replied, "male, female, and preachers.") But it does look to me like this "fellowship" bit is sort of going off the deep end. I get several denominational papers (particularly Baptist), and I see a lot in them about "Baptist Men's Fellowship," "Baptist Bible Fellowship" (that is a sort of missionary society they have, only they don't call it a "society" since they are opposed to missionary societies), "Christian Women's Fellowship." etc. As nearly as I can figure it out the "mainest thing" about all these fellowships seems to be — eating! Anyhow, all the pictures seem to be taken just before, or after, or during some sort of banquet.
How it all happened. I was asked the other day how it all happened that an innocent, simple little cooperative radio program up in Iowa happened to develop into the monstrous Frankenstein monster now known as "Herald of Truth." In trying to explain how it all took place I remembered the quip that Arlene Francis once made to the late Dorothy Kilgallen. They were talking about a man who began his career as a dentist and later became a renowned brain surgeon. "How did he ever make so radical a change;" wondered Dorothy. Arlene explained, "His drill slipped." I think it must have been more than a slipped drill with the James's (Willeford and Nichols) — more like a brain, maybe.
Meddlesome preachers... Here is Guthrie Dean's analysis of the racial disorders: "Mixed-up preachers are largely responsible for the racial disorders in this country. White men and Colored men can live together in peace, and have done so for hundreds of years. UNTIL VERY RECENTLY! Such preachers as Adam Clayton Powell and Martin Lucifer King, and more recently "Reverend" Cassius Clay, have done their damage. And today the Catholic priests and Baptist preachers in Milwaukee are also showing their bad side. One Catholic priest said he would break "somebody's d-- jaw if race-mixing didn't work out." Walter Horde, Baptist preacher and head of the NAACP in Milwaukee, said that if they didn't mix up the races in "fair housing" to suit him, that he would burn Milwaukee down, and burn America down!! No preacher involved (including Carbuncle and "Rev." Rap) has demonstrated the Spirit of Christ, and we can't expect them to have any influence for good, either for religion or for their "cause". Pull the crazy, mixed-up preachers out of the scrap and the people might get back together!"
An Appeal From The Philippines
The Editor, Gospel Guardian Company
Box 470 - Lufkin, Texas. U.S.A.
Dear Sir:
I have learned from the Gospel Guardian that notes, news, and names of congregations that are sound in the doctrine of our Lord are often advertised in the Gospel Guardian as church directory.
In behalf of the Church of Christ in the Philippines. I have the honor to request the Editor of the Gospel Guardian Company to advertise into the Gospel Guardian the urgent need of the small group of Christians (Conservative) who have decided they can no longer have fellowship with the many unscriptural things of the Church of Christ (Liberals) in the Philippines. This small group of Christians need an evangelist to edify and to assist them in the words of God and to assist them in the words of God and to counteract the unscriptural practices of the church "Liberals" in the Philippines.
We fervently pray that some one may answer the needs of the small number of Christians in the Philippines.
May this matter be given kind attention.
Yours very respectfully, Castorio F. Gamit Tenajero Balanga Bataan, R.P.
(Editor's note: This letter is all we know of the situation there. Since we will undoubtedly be receiving inquires from good brethren who may want to help Brother Gamit, will those brethren with first hand information about the Philippine church write us? Thank you.)
Just for the record. This quotation from Sam Morris, longtime Pastor of the First Baptist Church in Stamford, Texas, is probably known to most of you, but for the sake of those who want to preserve a verbatim quote, here it is. Said orthodox Baptist Sam: "We take the position that a Christians's sins do not damn his soul. The way a Christian lives, what he says, his character, his conduct, or his attitude toward other people have nothing whatever to do with the salvation of his soul. All the prayers a man may pray, all the Bibles he may read, all the churches he may belong to, all the services 'he may attend, all the debts he may pay, all the ordinances he may observe, all the laws he may keep, all the benevolent acts he may perform will not make his soul one whit safer; and all the sins he may commit from idolatry to murder will not make his soul in any more danger.-
Florida Lectures. Just for those who want to be planning their schedule ahead for a few weeks, the Florida Lectures are set for January 22-25.1 hope to be there — and see several of you (or is it you all?) there.
College Athletes. They aren't all like this; but I like the story about that 250 pound tackle who earned three letters in football before he could read them. The day before the big game the coach ended a practice session by telling him to "take one lap around the field." An hour later the coach looked out his office window and saw the monster still lumbering around the track. "Whatcha still running for?" he yelled. "Uhhh, coach," our hero replied, "I lost count.-
Can anybody help here? The Gospel Guardian's "Query Editor" is supposed to be Floyd Thompson of Santa Ana, California. But occasionally a question comes in that I like to pass on to our readers, fearing Brother Thompson may be stumped: Like, for instance, this one the other day:
"Dear Brother Tant: In several books I have read, I see a reference made to IBID. I take it for granted it is a book. Is it published in English? Can you get it for me? How much? If it is not more than say $15.00 I would like to have it." The brother sent a stamped self-addressed envelope.