Gospel Guardian Tell-Al- Gram
PREPARATION FOR MARRIAGE: By Irven Lee. A fifteen page small tract which every young person should read. Only seven cents per copy. Order direct from Irven Lee, P. O. Box 866, Hartselle, Alabama 35640. Do it now so you won't forget. Your sons and daughters need to read it!
DOYLE BANTA, P. O. Box 446, Athena, Alabama 45611, Jan. 1, 1970: "Last year we had good meetings at the Carriger church conducted by Ray Votow and Edward Fudge. Several baptized during the year. I am well into my fifth year with the Carriger church. I preached in an encouraging meeting with the Parkdale church in West Helena, Ar. in September. In October I preached in a most enjoyable meeting with 12th Street church in Bowling Green, Ky. where Jim Miller is doing a great work. We had 3 adults baptized and 2 restored. I was one of a small group who helped in a meeting at Ardmore, Tenn. where Baxter Evans is doing an outstanding work."
PREACHER WANTED: "The church which meets at 1112 North 16th St. in Pekin, Illinois is looking for a faithful gospel preacher to work full time with us. The church here is self-supporting. We average about 100 in attendance on Lord's day morning. If interested write Church of Christ, 1112 N. 16th St. or phone 346-3957 after 4 P.M." Bernard Perrill, 300 Capri St., Pekin, Illinois 61554.
COMMENTS: Robert W. LaCoste: "Keep up the good work!! And may God bless you as you do it!" — Doyle Banta: "You are doing a great job with the Guardian. No doubt great good is being done. I look forward to each issue. Best wishes in all your labors." — Richard and Sandra Priddy: "We express sincerely to you warm words of appreciation and encouragement with regard to the Gospel Guardian and the work you're doing on behalf of the Christ in preaching His pure gospel." — Glenn L. Shaver: "My wish for you and the Guardian is a prosperous New Year!"
DONALD R. GIVENS, 2948 Thomas Blvd., Port Arthur, Texas: "The Thomas Blvd. congregation closed out the year 1969 with 13 baptisms, 7 restorations and over a dozen placing membership. Our spring gospel meeting with bro. Harold E. Turner preaching will be April 13-19. I will preach in a meeting in Bridge City, Texas April 5 through 10, 1970. During 1970 Thomas Blvd. will be supporting ten different evangelists a total of $2,200 per month. Worship with us when in southeast Texas."
NEW RADIO PROGRAM: Each week day morning — Monday thru Friday, at 7:00 A.M. over KRBA. Carl Allen, preacher — TIMBERLAND DRIVE CHURCH OF CHRIST — Box 724, Lufkin, Texas 75901.
SPECIAL ANNOUNCEMENT FOR TEXAS SUBSCRIBERS — NEWS! NEWS! — Clyde Strickland, a Texas preacher for many years, has accepted the assignment to be Texas news reporter for The Gospel Guardian. He will report on news among brethren from Texas. Would you put him on your mailing list for church bulletins? And if you will send your news items to him, he will see that they are printed promptly. Write him at: 417 Groesbeck, Lufkin, Texas 75901.
MOVING SERVICE FOR PREACHERS: Mel Myers says, "I believe the brethren who pay for the expense of moving we preachers would appreciate a truly better moving service that they can depend upon.. ." For information contact Mel Myers 825 West Second St., Bloomington, Indiana 47401, Phones 332-0501, 332-8437. Brother Myers preaches for the West Second St. church in Bloomington, and has recently become involved in the moving business.
Your Family Page
Pray Together And You Will Stay Together
The Flag I Love
(A modification of an article by E. K. Bailey; Paragraphs deleted. W.E.W.)
The American flag — how often one thrills at the sight of it! Especially to men overseas does its appearance bring a thrill of pride and pleasure. Truly it is the symbol of free men and a free nation.
While this flag has long been the symbol of a free people, there is a deeper lesson to be learned from its wonderful blend of colors.
WHITE is the color of purity. A blend of all colors, it is a light reflector. White is the color of the garments of the redeemed in Heaven (Revelation 19:8). White is the color of the spotless throne of God. And there is but one truly white man, morally and spiritually, that ever trod this sin-stained earth — the man Christ Jesus. He was without sin and is called in Holy Scriptures "spotless." And it was this sinless, spotless One who was nailed to the cross of a criminal. The sinful world had little room and less liking for a man of this kind; for all other men born into the world are [become - W.E.W.] sinners (Romans 3:23). On the cross God "made Him to be sin for us."
RED we recognize as the color of blood — the color of the blood-drops of Christ which one day dripped on Calvary's hill for the sin of the world. "Without the shedding of blood there is no remission" of sins (Hebrews 9:22), the Bible records. And the crimson thread of the blood atonement begins on the first page of the Old Testament and leads through its history to the crimson fountain of Calvary:
"There is a fountain filled with blood Drawn from Immanuel's veins;
And sinners plunged beneath that flood Lose all their guilty stains."
BLUE is the color of the heavens. Like the word itself, the starry heavens and the Heaven of God are often associated. The apostle Paul once said, "If in this life only we have hope ... we are of all men most miserable" (I Corinthians 15:19). Man's soul cries out that this earthly life is not the end; that there must be hereafter. Not only the Scriptures, but man's conscience warns that there is a Heaven to win, and a Hell to shun. Yes, the blue speaks to us of a Heaven to which some day we may go, and the shining stars remind us that those who are saved shall shine as the stars forever.
Remember, then, when you see Old Glory waving in the breezes of peace or in the winds of war that there is a lesson in its stirring blend of colors. WHITE — the purity of Jesus Christ. RED — the blood of Jesus Christ, shed for your sins. BLUE — the Heavenly hope which all who trust Christ as Saviour have. But remember also that Jesus said, "I am the Way, the Truth and the Life. No man cometh unto the Father but by Me" (John 14:6).
The Men Of Tomorrow
The most interesting little animal in the world is a boy. If there is any other little animal more interesting than a boy, it is a girl. The chief difference between a boy and a girl, is that one has the wiggles and the other has the giggles. I suppose the reason why boys have so many wiggles, is that there is so much for them to do during a lifetime, that they need to have a great supply of wiggles, to wiggle past the last wiggle. And I suppose the reason why a girl has so many giggles in her giggle box, is because there are so many heartaches for a woman to endure, and so many beautiful ministries for her to perform, that she needs to have a thousand smiles for every day to be able to smile her way through all that life brings to her.
Have you ever stopped to ask yourself the question, why it takes so long to rear a boy and a girl? Suppose there were born on the same farm the same day, a baby boy, a chicken, a pig, a pup, a calf and a colt. Now it will not take very long for these little creatures to find their places in the world's life. For instance, they say a chicken, by some special processes of feeding, is ready for its place in the world's life in about eight weeks, and then can be friend, and enter the ministry. It takes nine months for the pig, a year for the dog, three years for the calf, and five years for the colt, to take their places in the world's life. How far along is your baby boy at eight weeks, or nine months, or a year, or three years, or five years?
It takes twenty years to rear a boy and a girl. Why does it take so long? Has Nature blundered? No, Nature never blunders. Every boy and every girl is born into this world for a great career; and beyond that career, a great destiny. Nature plans for a boy to walk by the side of a noble father for twenty years just to see how he meets life; how he bares his breast to life's storms; how he climbs life's steeps. Nature plans for the boy to walk by the side of a precious mother for twenty years just to receive counsel from her dear lips and to know the wealth of her soul of love. When a boy has so traveled nature seems to feel that as the greatest possible introduction into life. And so Nature has set apart the first twenty years of their lives to prepare them for this career and for this destiny.
It takes time to build a great life. A great life is never an accident. It must be builded, and it takes time. If you are going to build a row-boat, you can do it in a few days; but if you are going to build an ocean liner, it takes time. It is the duty of every citizen and every parent to see that every child is developed, so that his life shall be like an ocean liner.
— From "Quests And Conquests"
"As The Twig Is Bent"
The attending physician brought our first-born child to the room in the hospital where his mother and I were eagerly awaiting. He presented the little fellow to his mother, then turned to me and said to us both: "He is a good baby; his remaining that way will depend wholly upon you." Then he continued, "There are no bad babies; all of them are born good; their remaining good, or turning bad depends entirely upon those responsible for bringing them into the world." Thus we were made cognizant of the fearful responsibility shared by all parents. At that moment we ceased to be carefree young married people and for the first time felt the weight of heavy responsibility. It was not until later, however, that we felt the full force of the physician's words as we watched the process at work — then, we became scared.
We learned much in the days and years that followed. In just a few months he began to radiate his own personality; and that first little "temper-tantrum" he threw amazed us. "Where in the world did he get that?" we asked each other. But he wasn't born with a "temper tantrum;" somebody had to teach him that. "Do you suppose," his mother asked, "he learned that when you threw such a fit that day I brought the car home with a bent fender?" "Of course not," I retorted. Then I accusingly said, "He probably heard you raving that day I brought those quail home and dumped them on your clean cabinet top." A few other words followed. Then we both noticed, he was looking and listening. We had unwittingly given him his second lesson in how to be "nasty."
And this is the whole point. "Babies are not born bad; they are made that way." What they are depends on what we are. This will be more and more apparent as the child grows older. He will be what his parents make him! An attitude toward something, and a disposition in general are contagious things.
In our family physician's examining room reserved for infants hangs a plaque that every parent should read. Let us pass it along to you.
If a child lives with criticism, He learns to condemn.
If a child lives with hostility, He learns to fight.
If a child lives with ridicule, He learns to be shy.
If a child lives with jealousy, He learns to feel guilty.
If a child lives with tolerance, He learns to be patient.
If a child lives with encouragement, He learns confidence.
If a child lives with praise, He learns to appreciate.
If a child lives with fairness, He learns justice.
If a child lives with security, He learns to have faith.
If a child lives with approval, He learns to like himself.
If a child lives with acceptance, and friendship, He learns to find love in the world.
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