The Overflow
"Christians In Uniform"
Brother Fred A. Amick of San Diego, California, sends us a most excellent and thought provoking little booklet by the above name. It is a careful study of the whole problem of a Christian's (and especially one who is in uniform) relation to his government. This booklet will be a useful and helpful gift to put into the hands of any boy who has received or is likely to receive, "Greetings" from his draft board. Cost of the booklet is 50 cents, and it may be ordered from Fred A. Amick, 3329 Granada Avenue, San Diego 4, California.
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`. . . And Expenses"
We've been noticing that more and more churches are indicating what support they expect to give for a gospel meeting at the time they invite a man to come. This is a thoughtful gesture on their part; and especially do we appreciate the consideration of those who say, "the support for the meeting will be______ and expenses." Calling a man a thousand miles for a meeting and supporting him in the same amount as is given the man who comes thirty-five miles doesn't strike us as being exactly equitable.
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They Enjoyed The Sermint
John D. Cox, now of Florence, Ala., preached some years ago for the church at Tracy City, Tenn. After several urgent invitations he went out one Sunday afternoon to preach for a little congregation several miles out in the country. At the conclusion of the sermon, an elderly brother arose and said, "We are all mighty proud to have brother Cox with us this afternoon. We very much regret that he could not have been here this morning; for it is our custom here to lay by in store each Sunday morning at the eleven o'clock service according as we have been prospered. And it is also our custom when we have a visiting preacher at that service to give him all the contribution we have laid by that day. But since brother Cox could not be with us for that service, and since it is not our custom to lay by at any service except the eleven o'clock service, we regret very much that we'll not be able to give him anything for coming out this afternoon. But we certainly have enjoyed his sermint."
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David Lipscomb On A Modern Problem
"I have never published, or approved without publication, the assumption of the elders of one church sending out a man to induce members of other churches to divert their means from their own church treasury, and to take it from the direction of their own elders, and place it under the direction of that one church. I have never approved concentrating the control of all the means and preachers of the state, under the authority of the elders of one church.
"All such concentration of power is destructive of the activity and the true liberties of the church. It tends to exalt the elders of the one church and degrade and dishonor those of the others. Why is not the church in Murfreesboro or Chattanooga as competent to direct the means of its members and its preachers as are the elders of the Woodland Street church to do it for them?
"The whole movement is an effort to concentrate in a few hands the control of the activities and means of the churches. All such courses are subversive of God's order."
— Gospel Advocate, 1890
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Who will deny?
"There is a scriptural example of many congregations sending contributions to one church to be spent by that church in its own community where the receiving church's elders have complete oversight." We affirm that; will anybody deny it?
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Who Will Affirm?
"There is a scriptural example of many congregations sending contributions to one church to be spent by that church in a foreign land where its elders do not have the oversight." We deny that; will anybody affirm it? Call for Cecil Wright!
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Diminishing Returns
Brother James D. Bales and the editor had an exchange through the papers some months ago on the subject of these huge promotional rallies in which brother Gatewood was raising money for the German work. We declared (and brother Bales dissented from us) that the brotherhood would soon get surfeited, and the rallies would draw increasingly smaller and smaller crowds, and would give smaller and smaller contributions. A case in point: Brother Gatewood went to Union Avenue Church in Memphis (which isn't even supporting the German work) and spoke to an overflow house, raising about $1,200.00 for the German work. This rally was followed some time later by a rally in behalf of the Japanese work (which Union Avenue is supporting) with Harry Robert Fox as speaker. This rally attracted approximately one-half as many as the Gatewood rally, and the contribution was about $600.00. See what we mean, Jim?
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Same Old Story
You still believe in majority rule? Well, here is another sad chapter in the tragic history of Oak Cliff in Dallas. A couple of months ago they tried once again by majority rule to oust their preacher, W. B. Andrews. It was a bitter and vicious struggle, but finally the pro-Andrews brethren won out by a vote of —45 to 36. Brother Eugene Smith, who led the opposition ticket withdrew his membership from the congregation (along with quite a number of others) and is now worshipping elsewhere. Oak Cliff, once considered the biggest church in Texas, numbering perhaps upward of a thousand members, now has probably 150 left. A heartbreaking sunset for a once mighty congregation.
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Meat Privilege Lost
In 1089 Pope Urban II granted to the faithful in Spain and all her dominions a special dispensation exempting them from the "meatless Fridays' which generally prevail in Catholicism. This was because of the outstanding work the Spaniards had performed in defending Europe against the Moors. Pope Pius XII plans within the next month or so to withdraw that 900-year-old favor. Which means the restaurants in Santa Fe, New Mexico, for example, will be serving fish on Friday's henceforth instead of their customary beef steaks. It probably won't make a great deal of difference, however; for since the cow jumped over the moon (in price) very few people are able to afford the beef anyhow!
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