The Overflow
"Full Of Words"
Well, Elijah the prophet may be dead, but Elihu of the kindred of Ram. Ram is very much alive. We get letters from him and his relatives almost every day. He was the fellow who was so full of words that he was going to "bust" if he didn't speak. Said he:
"I will answer also my part,
I will show mine opinion.
For I am full of words,
The spirit within me constraineth me.
Behold, my belly is as wine
Which hath no vent;
It is ready to burst like new bottles.
I will speak, that I may be refreshed." — Job 32:17-19
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Grammar And Spelling
"Brother Cled E. Wallace's (Nov. 30) lesson in grammar is accepted graciously. And "me" with an M.A. in English!!!! One would never know it. May he accept the lesson in logic, for in these matters being "unlogical" may lead one astray much easier than being "ungrammatical." Acting on his suggestion we shall blame "padantry" on the printer."
— James D. Bales,
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Stuck Needle
We understand the story has gone all over Texas for several years, but we ran into it only recently. It seems that when one of our best known radio preachers was broadcasting from a powerful station by transcription, the needle got stuck one day, and the thousands of listeners, heard this: "This is___________broadcasting the gospel to you; and I want every listener to send me a dollar, send me a dollar, send me a dollar, send me a dollar."
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Keep Them Coming
Our friends have responded in a noble way to our appeal for new subscriptions. Keep them coming. Issues before the church are grave and dangerous. Every Christian everywhere needs to be informed as to what is happening, and what he can do about it. By the united strength of many thousands working for the same cause, we will yet turn back the tide of digression. The Guardian needs to be read in every Christian home.
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"Gospel X-Ray" Closing Out
Our announcement last month about "Gospel X-Ray" close out sale has brought a flood of orders. We are mailing them out as rapidly as we an. There were less than five hundred books left in the lot, and they will not last long. Close-out price is only $1.00. If you want the book, you can send that amount, or else just order it and we will send it C.O.D. All orders for this book should be sent to the editor personally-717 E. N. 13th Street, Abilene, Texas.
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But Make It Parisian
In Hades, one Madame Sylvestus Whose socialite airs used to pest us, Told Satan, "Though mink
Is Stylish, I think,
exchange you mine for asbestos." — Jack G. Dunn
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Trouble In Africa
It will be distressing news to many American churches to learn that some of the workers in Northern Rhodesia, Africa, are militant premillennialists. And others there seem to have been trying to straddle the fence on the issue. Reports of these matters have been sent to three or four of the leading gospel papers here in the states, but to date the Guardian seems to be the only one to have paid much notice to the matter. We intend to have much more to say about it shortly—including some developments on this side of the water that ought to open the eyes of some people.
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M. C. Kurfees' Prayer
It came as a peculiar satisfaction to this editor to see notices in the papers recently of the baptism into Christ of Roy E. Davis, erstwhile Baptist and Pentecostal preacher. Well do we remember the night in Louisville, Kentucky, twenty years ago, when Davis and J. D. Tant were engaged in debate. Tension was high. The scholarly M. C. Kurfees was in regular attendance. And on this night we saw tears running unashamedly down his cheeks as the Pentecostal Davis spoke words of vicious blasphemy against the church of the Lord. Kurfees lead the closing prayer that night, and prayed that
God might "over-rule" the discussion to his glory. And now Davis is a Christian! God has "over-ruled," and we believe both Kurfees and Tant would rejoice at the news.
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Great Preaching—man, Or Message?
"When the moon shines brightly, we are taught to say, 'how beautiful is the moonlight;' but in the day time, how beautiful are the trees, the fields, the mountains,' and, in short, all the objects that are illuminated. We never speak of the sun that makes them so. The really greatest orator shines like the sun, and you never think of his eloquence; the second best shines like the moon, and is more admired as an orator."
— Richard Whately
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But Naturally
A maid may love her own sex well,
But ever since the world began,
Beyond a hundred thousand girls,
She'd rather have a single man.
(G. A. - 1891)
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Tch, tch, (sob! sob!)
Will somebody hand us a towel with which to wipe the tears of sympathy from our eyes. Sympathy, that is, for the poor Christian Standard. After splitting the body of Christ wide open .by promoting the missionary societies, breaking hearts, homes, and congregations, from one end of this nation to the other, and stealing church houses by the hundreds, the Standard finds that some chickens are coming home to roost—and how! Bitter and vicious court battles are now becoming fairly common among Christian churches between those who are determined to support the U.C.M.S. and those who want to support some independent agency. The Standard, at long last, is beginning to recognize that Isaac Errett birthed a Frankenstein monster when he promoted the Society and advanced its destructive cause upon a peaceful brotherhood. Now Errett's paper is calling for 1,500.00 in contributions to pay attorney's fees to keep the U.C.M.S. From "stealing" (the Standard's own word) a house from a group of members who do not want to support the U.C.M.S. We suggest that the Standard re-print some of Lipscomb's and Franklin's editorials about that baby of theirs. They ought to make good reading.
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A Complete Program For The Florida Christian College 1951 Lecture Program
As previously announced the fifth annual lecture program at Florida Christian College is scheduled for February 12-16. An unusually full and interesting program is in store for all who attend. The full schedule is as follows:
February 12 — (Monday)
7:15 PM - G.H.P. Showalter "The Message of the Church" 8:10 PM - T. J. Waggoner "The Mission of the Church"
February 13 — (Tuesday)
8:15 AM - H. E. Phillips "Origin of Churches of Christ Then and Now"
9:10 AM - Robert Sorrell "The Church Not a Denomination"
10:50 AM - James P. Miller "Worldly Wisdom and the Church Today"
1:15 PM - Earl West "Instrumental Music in the Restoration Movement"
2:00 PM - Jack Frost F.C.C. Chorus
2:40 PM - Homer A. Daniel "Planting the Church in New Fields"
3:35 PM - Franklin Puckett Open Forum
7:15 PM - Hugo Allmond "The Church Not An Accident"
8:10 PM - B. C. Goodpasture "Modern Innovations"
February 14 — (Wednesday)
8:15 AM - Archie Waldrum "Conditions of Church Membership"
9:10 AM - Leroy Miller "The Glory of the Church" 10:50 AM - James P. Miller "Worldly Wisdom and the Church Tomorrow"
1:15 PM - Earl West "Institutionalism in Church
Restoration Movement" , .
2:40 PM - J. Ed Nowlin "The Church Budget" 3:35 PM - Franklin Puckett Open Forum
7:15 PM - James W. Adams "Institutionalism"
8:10 PM - Floyd A. Decker "Therefore Stand"
February 15 — (Thursday)
8:15 AM - L. S. Maynard "The Identity of the Church"
9:10 AM - Flavil Nichols "Discipline in the Church" 10:50 AM - Eugene Clevenger "An Unchanging Kingdom In A Changing World"
1:15 PM Earl West "Liberalism In the Restoration Movement"
2:00 PM - Jack Frost F.C.C. Chorus
2:40 PM - Otis Gatewood "The Church In Germany" 3:35 PM - Franklin Puckett Open Forum
7:15 PM - W. A. Bradfield "Personal Evangelism"
8:10 PM - Yater Tant "Centralized Control and Oversight"
February 16 — (Friday)
8:15 AM - Glenn Sheumaker "Organization of the Church" 9:10 AM - John Dillingham "New Testament Evangelism"
10:50 AM - Eug. Clevenger "An Unchanging Charge" 1:15 PM - Earl West "Premillennialism in the Restoration Movement"
2:00 PM - Jack Frost F.C.C. Chorus
2:40 PM - C. W. Scott "Sin In the Early Church" 3:35 PM - Franklin Puckett Open Forum
7:15 PM - B. G. Hope "Relationship of the Church" 8:10 PM - Rufus Clifford "Modernism In the Church"
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As previously suggested crowded conditions on the campus make it impossible for us to promise housing to any visitors except guest speakers. Tourist courts and other housing accommodations are usually available within a relatively short distance of the campus. We are going to help obtain quarters for visitors as much as possible but cannot promise anything definitely. Meals are obtainable in the college cafeteria at reasonable prices.
It will be observed from the foregoing program that we are endeavoring to present timely subjects and speakers capable of doing justice to their themes. We anticipate another fine session of good things.
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W. E. Fortney, 162 Harrison St., Clarksburg, W. Va., December 28: "For the next few weeks I will be preaching at Pursley, W. Va., and teaching a class at Blueville, Grafton, W. Va., on Wednesday nights. One baptized at Blueville recently. I do appreciate the Guardian. Keep the good work going."
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Chas. Degenhart, Jr., 672 19th St., San Diego, Cal., Dec. 27: "We left San Diego on November 3 for meeting work in Florida. Enroute we preached at Newcomerstown and Isletta, Ohio, November 12 to large and appreciative audiences. On Wednesday evening, November 15 we preached to a large audience at Cambridge, Ohio, where Bro. Fred E. Dennis baptized us years ago. The warm welcome from brethren and friends at all three places will bring happy recollections in future years We left Ohio November 16 for Florida thus missing the severe snow storm, but the extraordinary cold weather hindered the meetings at Magnolia and Mayo in Florida. Enroute home we stopped at Pensacola and enjoyed the hospitality of brother and sister Tallman, visiting in their home for a few days. On December 10 we preached to large and appreciative audiences at Central where brethren Tallman and Kemp are doing a good work. They are meeting in a converted dwelling as a temporary arrangement. Their location is a good one and they plan to replace the present dwelling with a comfortable meeting house in the future. We stopped overnight in Abilene, Texas, with brother and sister E. R. Watson and attended Wednesday evening services at 12th & Chestnut with them where we heard brother Gordon Naylor deliver a fine sermon in a commendable way. Brother Naylor attended services at Central three years ago while stationed in San Diego with the navy. He now attends ACC. We arrived home December 15 completing a round trip of between six and seven thousand miles. Two placed membership at the morning worship December 17 and one was restored at the evening service. During our absence there were three responses. The work was carried on in a fine way by our assistant, brother Robert Lehmann, three years ago a Catholic, now a gospel preacher and teacher of ability. I baptized him, and he received his teaching and training in the classes at Central, and has progressed in a fine way. Central faces the new year in excellent shape, and we share her confidence and conviction, knowing "the foundation of the Lord standeth sure having this seal, the Lord knoweth them that are his."
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A. Williams, 1530 Grand, Parsons, Ky., January 1: "Recently it was my privilege to assist the Mulvane, Kan., congregation in a meeting. The attendance and interest were fine. Four were baptized. Judson Woodbridge, local evangelist is a fine co-worker. We have labored together in several meetings before, and it was a genuine pleasure to renew this fellowship. We had known the eldership and the membership at Mulvane for several years. They stand for the truth, and are unflinchingly arrayed against error. Harold Martin led the song service for the meeting. As usual, he did an excellent job both in selection of songs and in leading the congregation."
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Vaughn D. Shofner, 1506 24th Place, Lubbock, Tex.: "In a few days we will begin our third year with the church at Southside. Because of this congregation's favorable response to many of the opportunities provided for it during this time, Bible school attendance has increased from 159 per Sunday the first month to 322 the recent month we began two preaching services on Sunday mornings. Financial contributions have increased from an average of $228 the first month of 1949 to the average of $489 per Sunday the last three months of 1950 — $413 per week the last six months."
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A. L. Harbin; 173 DeWitt Ave., Napa, Cal., December 29: "One was baptized and another confessed faults here last Lord's Day. The man we baptized had once studied to be a Baptist preacher. Contributions have averaged more than three dollars per member per week through 1950. We expect to pay off one of the two notes on our building early in January."
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Wilson Wallace, Box 1804, Oklahoma City, Okla., Dec. 27: "During 1950, I have conducted meetings at Mt. Pleasant, Georgia; Live Oak, Trenton, and Oak Grove, Florida; Newport and Bridgeton, North Carolina; Greggton, Eidenheimer and Whitney, Texas; St. Mary's, West Virginia; Paducah and Green's Chapel, Kentucky; Clayton and Elida, New Mexico; Guthrie, Oklahoma; Colorado Springs, Colorado; Paris, Illinois, and Kearney, Nebraska. There were 48 baptisms during the year. I plan to continue my meeting work this coming year and will be glad to go wherever I am needed."
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Cleon Lyles, Little Rock, Ark., January 1: "Three were baptized, one restored, and seven placed membership at Fourth & State in December. One hundred fifty-six were added to our working forces during 1950. Fifty-one were baptized. Total contributions for the year were $58,533.99. We have every reason to believe we are entering a still greater year in the Lord's work in this city."
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Bob Craig, Box 402, Lufkin, Tex.: "After two and one-half years of pleasant work with the Huntington, Texas, congregation, I have tendered my resignation effective February 1. My plans for the future are at this time incomplete."
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C. D. Crouch, Trumann, Ark., January 1: "We moved to Trumann last October from Manila, Ark. Notwithstanding the fact that the church here had ten preachers in its membership, I was entreated by the brethren to move here and labor with the congregation. There are six young men in the congregation who are acceptable preachers of the word, and besides me, there are four older men who preach the gospel. Three of these young men are now in, college further preparing themselves for better service in our Lord's kingdom. Sufficient time has now elapsed for the "New Preacher" enthusiasm to wear off, and really our interest is holding up well. There have been four restorations since our coming here, and quite a number have identified themselves with the local church by "membership" transfer. I have some time I could devote to protracted meeting work during the coming months, should my service in that capacity be desired."
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Joseph Sherman, 1200 Jefferson, Great Bend, Kan., Dec. 18: "Seven people came forward yesterday, including six married people. Two placed membership and I baptized the other five people yesterday afternoon. Six new signs have been erected recently, including four highway signs. Radio broadcast 8:15 Saturday mornings, KVGB."