Overseen & Overheard
Have you seen the news item widely circulated in the news as well as in religious publications about the Salvation Army? Well, only half of it is about the Salvation Army. It seems that the Salvation Army in London is having trouble raising enough money to carry on its operations adequately. The Army hit upon an "ideal" solution, though, in making a trade with the local Playboy Club. The Army band plays for the Playboy Club, and the Clubs "Bunnies" in turn go out to help raise money for the Salvation Army. Of course, we assume this is all done "in costume," else there would not be much point to it, as the Army surely could provide pretty girls from its own ranks. But the Salvation Army costumes are not quite as eye-catching as the Bunny costumes.
An ancient document provides us with the following bit of information: A Catholic priest is authorized, after committing adultery with a Catholic woman, to immediately thereafter forgive her sins! This has been the law for seven hundred years! (Legislation on the Sacraments, 208; Thomas Aquinas' Summa, Part III, Fourth Number, 274-276.) Convenient to say the least.
Since so many denominational churches have little to do with spiritual matters any more, they offer a wide variety of services. One in downtown Atlanta serves a "businessman's lunch" daily for workers who might prefer the church ladies' cooking instead of the menu at the corner restaurant. Another denomination was recently advertising a Wednesday night showing of "Pacific Northwest," which the church billed as an "adventure firm." Well, I suppose churches ought to have some sort of mission in this world.
Which leads us to note the following quotation from the Southern Presbyterian Journal:
Death Notice
Mrs. Prayer Meeting died recently, at the First Neglected Church, on Worldly Avenue. Born many years ago in the midst of great revivals, she was strong and healthy as a child, fed largely on the sincere milk of the word and exercising herself in scriptural godliness, soon grew into community-wide prominence. She was one of the most influential members of the church.
For the past several years, sister Prayer Meeting has been failing in health, gradually wasting away until rendered helpless by stiffness of knees and coldness of heart, she had gradually become inactive, and was suffering greatly from weakness of purpose. At the last, she was but a shadow of her former self. Her last words were inquiring of the absence of her loved ones, now absent from her side, as they were busy in the marts of trade and places of worldly amusement.
A number of specialists were called in, including such experts as Dr. Joiner, Dr. Faithonly, and Rev. Bigname Evangelist, but they all agreed that her time had come. They administered large doses of organization, socials, drives, contests, and bazaars, but to no avail. A post-mortem showed that a deficiency of spiritual food, coupled with a lack of much prayer and pure religion, plus disgraceful desertion and non-support were the contributing factors of her death. Only a few were present at the end, sobbing over memories of her past beauty and power. Carefully selected pall-bearers were urged to tenderly bear her remains away, but they found other things to do, and failed to appear. Neither were there any flowers on her plain casket. Her favorite hymns "Amazing Grace." and "Rock of Ages," were not sung, as no one really knew them. "Beautiful Isle of Somewhere" was rendered on the organ by Miss Ima Modern, but no one seemed to have the faintest idea where this fanciful isle might be. The body reposes in the beautiful cemetery of Bygone Glories, awaiting the summons from above.
In honor of her decease, the church doors will be closed on Wednesday evenings, except the third Wednesday of each month, when the Ladies' Pink Lemonade Society will serve refreshments to the members of the men's soft ball team.
A thought-provoking editorial appeared in the Dallas Morning News, May 8, 1966, which we think is worth reprinting:
"For hundreds of years the Bible has brought peace of mind and strength to millions of Christians struggling to cope with the temptations and trials of man's world. Believing that the men who wrote it were inspired by God to spread his teachings throughout the world, Christians have found in the Good Book God's plan for their salvation. The Bible has served as an earthly foundation upon which the church could grow.
"Now this view of the Bible as the true word of God is being challenged. The General Assembly of the United Presbyterian Church has voted to accept a confession of faith that rejects this concept.
"If approved by the denomination's 188 local governing bodies (called presbyteries) the church will go on record as viewing the Bible as something less than "inerrant," the imperfect work of men. The Bible will be viewed by this branch of the Presbyterian Church as a book that needs to be `reinterpreted' by man in light of his new knowledge.
"In this age of skepticism and godlessness, man needs a faith in the Supreme Being as never before. But if all he is offered from the pulpit is a ragged collection of manmade doctrines which question the only source of God's word available to man, he has no choice but to doubt."