Franklin Delano Stink F. Y. T.
A few years ago the Republicans were chuckling over the story of a man who had such a violent dislike for the name his parents had given him that he had gone to court to have it changed. The name he despised was "Franklin Delano Stink." A sympathetic judge was quite willing to help him get rid of the offending and offensive name, and asked him what name he desired to adopt. The man replied, "I want to change my name to John Stink." In a small city in southern Kansas recently some of the brethren organized a ball club and entered the Church League of the town as the "Church of Christ Ball Club." There was such violent objections to the use of this name that the promoters of the club backed up on it. They have changed the name of their club. It is now entered in the league as the "Church of Christ Independents."
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Correction In the Guardian of July 26, J. C. Reed divides the workers in Africa into three classes as concerns premillennialism: (1) those who have vigorously opposed it; (2) those who may not have believed it themselves, but who have collaborated with, fellowshipped, and encouraged those who did teach it; and (3) those who have actively taught premillennialism. By mistake J. C. Shewmaker was listed under classification three instead of classification two. Brother Reed writes us that so far as he knows brother Shewmaker belongs among those who have aided, abetted and encouraged the teachers of premillennialism rather than among those who actively engaged in teaching it. In our effort to be strictly accurate and fair in every statement appearing in these pages we are glad to make this correction.
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"The 'Doctors' Among Us"
"Occasionally I hear someone talk as if they thought that students in colleges maintained by Christians are required to "Doctor" their teachers. I know of no such ruling, official or otherwise, in the college with which I am associated. From my own experience I notice that sometimes students call me "Dr. Bales," sometimes "J. D.," sometimes "Hey, Bales!," and sometimes "brother Bales," or "professor Bales." I have said, from time to time, that I prefer "brother" if I am a brother. It is my conviction that if my life is respectable and lovable, that folks who know me will not be disrespectful, regardless of which of the above terms they may use."
— James D. Bales
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As Nichol saw it—and said it
"If it (_______Orphan Home)
is an organization other than the local congregation, and congregations of the church of Christ are functioning through it, why may we not have them function through that, or some such organization as that, in mission work ? . . . Brethren call me at times for debates, and occasionally the missionary society is brought into the discussion. It is an organization through which the congregations function. On what ground am I to oppose such organizations, and then defend the organization of the Orphan Home ?"
— C. R. Nichol, as quoted by Jas. A. Allen in Firm Foundation, 1933
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Whew!
We see where brother G. H. P. Showalter wants the churches to buy the 25,000 word "tract" he is printing of brother Cecil N. Wright's articles. The suggestion is that each church ought to have at least 1,000 of the tracts and that some churches ought to take 25,000 of them! Well, if only ten percent of the churches follow that "25,000 each" suggestion, there will be 37,500,000 of the tracts sold! Wow! At only a penny profit on each tract brother Showalter will make the neat sum of $375,000.00 profit out of the deal. Not bad, not bad at all.
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Review of Wright Incidentally, the Guardian expects to hake a correction of some of brother Wright's perversions and misapplications of the scripture. The cause of truth demands that his unscriptural and dangerous position relative to the scope of the elders' authority be reviewed. There is not, and never has been, any controversy over "cooperation;" the question of dispute is concerning the authority of the eldership—what is its extent?
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Call for Amos 'n' Andy We got to thinking about brother Showalter's suggestion above. What if by chance all the churches should take him up on that "25,000" idea ? Then there'd be 375,000,000 of the tracts sold to the churches! And at the incredibly low profit of only a penny for each tract, brother Showalter will rake in a cool $3,750,000.00 PROFIT. H-m-m-m, that sure would send a lot of missionaries somewhere.
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From brother Pepperdine
"If a separate organization to own and operate a children's home is not unscriptural, then I do not understand why it would be unscriptural for the same board of directors to operate a missionary society, because the matter of preaching the gospel to the heathen and the matter of taking care of our orphan children certainly are a similar Christian work."
— George Pepperdine, as quoted by Jas. A. Allen in Firm Foundation, 1933
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Monotonous We see where a colored preacher in Dallas sought relief in the courts of that city for what he called an "unfumigated hog-pen" which was right beside his church. "Your honor," he told the court, "when de sun gets hot on dat pen, it's terrible. I does have one sermon, 'The Return of the Prodigal Son,' for which dat unfumigated hog-pen makes a mighty good background; but I finds it kind of monotonous to preach on de prodigal son every Sunday."
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Lipscomb's murderer Some of our readers are curious as to what ever happened to the man who murdered brother William Lipscomb in the Pearl and Bryan meeting house. (The story was in brother Melvin Wise' article we published two weeks ago). The man was not tried for some six or seven months, and entered a plea of insanity. He was given ten years in the penitentiary.
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Unanimous
"Many of the fools think they can beat the lawyer in expounding the law; one half think they can beat the doctor in healing the sick; two thirds of them think they can beat the minister preaching the gospel;
and all of them know they can beat the editor in making a newspaper."
— Phrenological Journal
-0-S. Marvin Phillips, P. 0. Box 12, Shillington, Pa., Aug. 14: "We began regular work with the church here the first of this month, and feel encouraged with the prospects for a fruitful ministry. Two were baptized last May when we were here for five weeks ending June 3rd, and other denominationalists are showing interest in the church. This is the only congregation in the Reading area."
H. F. Sharp, Blytheville, Arkansas, Aug. 16: "Dear Friends: You are invited to attend a Gospel meeting at the church of Christ in Blytheville. The meeting begins on Sunday, August 19th. Roy E. Cogdill is the speaker. He is a great preacher. He is an author and debator. If you have no way to attend call 4003 and a way will be provided. Song services are at 8:00 o'clock, nightly. Song services will be under the direction of W. T. Shelton. Come enjoy good congregational singing and plain Gospel preaching."
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Chester Estes, Sheffield, Alabama, Aug. 16: "Two baptisms at Newburg, Ala.; two at Walston; no additions at Manchester; one baptism to date at Burnsville, Miss. Charles Estes began the meeting at Burnsville, Miss., last Lord's day, while I spoke to a very large audience at Highland Park here."
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James H. Kilpatrick, Box 765, Culpeper, Virginia: "We are trying to raise enough money to make a down payment on a church building. We pay $6.75 each service for rent on a lodge hall and while we have had some additions, we find it difficult to get outsiders to attend. Charlottesville has a population of 26,000. The closest "church of Christ" is Richmond, 75 miles away. Brother Menefee and I held the first service here in his home in January, 1950. We have thirteen faithful members with an average attendance of 21. Possibilities for the church here are good, but we need some outside financial assistance. If you desire to help please mail donations to P. T. Menefee, 815 Bolling Ave., Charlottesville, Va., or Allen Andregg, Barboursville, Va., or to me."
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Hayden Mahon, Cardwell, Missouri, Aug. 21: "Brother C. R. Nichol just closed a meeting with the church here. Much of his preaching was to the church. The longer we know brother Nichol the more we appreciate his knowledge of the Bible. We will be stronger as a result of his stay with us. This is my third month with the church here. So far the work is pleasant."
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Harry E. Johnson, Hamilton, Texas, Aug. 13: "Last night brought to a close the most successful meeting it has ever been my privilege to work in; at least that is my judgment. The attendance from the very first was good. Brother Cecil B. Douthitt of Brownwood brought some excellent lessons and they were delivered in a fine way. There were 12 baptisms and seven to be restored; to God be all the glory and praise for the power of his word. The church asked brother Douthitt to return for another meeting in 1951. The work here is moving along in a fine way as far as can be seen by the human eye. I am now in my third year with this congregation, and it has been a real joy to work with them. We have a daily radio program over KCLW, 900 on your dial, Monday through Friday, at 7:30 a.m. and one on Lord's day morning at 8:45. These are bringing many letters, cards, and comments, both favorable and otherwise. Besides these lessons and the other regular work connected with the church, I conduct a weekly Bible study for the church in Cranfills Gap 20 miles away. The brethren here have just completed a fine addition to their present building. It will cost, including furniture, about $12,000, and has six large class rooms in it, one of which can be opened into the auditorium, thus increasing our seating capacity by about 60. They held the cost down considerable by doing a good portion of the work themselves; they deserve much credit for their zeal and labor of love. The Lord willing I am to begin a meeting in Cranfills Gap on Aug. 17 and continue through the 26. Following this I am to help the DeLeon church in a meeting beginning Sept. 21 to go through the 30th. Any time you are passing through Hamilton, you will find a welcome awaiting you at the church on South Reagan and Leslie Streets."
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AN URGENT CALL FOR CECIL N. WRIGHT I have read your articles in the Firm Foundation on "Sponsoring Churches." Now kindly give us just one example in the New Testament where one church sent out all over the brotherhood soliciting funds for them to send to another country to do mission work. Did the church in Antioch appeal for funds from the brotherhood at large so that it could send a preacher to preach in Rome? We are not concerned as to whether this "Sponsoring Method" is as "Scriptural" as the "Houston Meeting;" we are asking for just one New Testament example.
I am sending this to six of our papers in the hope that if you cannot furnish us one, that someone else may. Your brother in Christ, Harry E. Johnson, Evangelist
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E. L. Stumbo, Aurora, Nebraska, Aug. 3: "Since we first reported our work here, when we arrived June 1, we have been encouraged in many ways, both by those in other congregations, and in this mission point here at Aurora. All have been so good to help in every way, and especially have we appreciated the moral support of brethren at Davenport, Kearney, and Albion. As we announced in the previous report this is a mission point. There were only three members here when we arrived, all of them aged women. They had worked and prayed for many years hoping that some day the cause might be established here. And I am sure all will rejoice with us to learn that four noble souls have stepped out to take their stand on the Lord's terms—two from the Christian Church, and a fine Young man and his wife for baptism. We are still meeting in the American Legion Hall on Lord's days and in the homes for mid-week services. We have started a building fund and are laying aside one Lord's day collection each month for that purpose. There has also been some outside contribution which we have added to our building fund, and will continue to do so at least for the present unless it is requested that it be used in some other way. We are now trying to buy an abandoned school house to move in for a church home. Your consideration will be appreciated and both privately and publicly acknowledged. Other than the building fund there is sufficient for expenses until about the first of the year."
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Robert F. Turner, 120 N. Mt. Vernon Ave., Prescott, Ariz.: "Just noticed that my Guardian subscription was much overdue. Mark me up for another year (check enclosed), and you can count on a renewal from me as long as I can rake the two bucks together, if you continue to take a firm, yet open-for-argument stand on the issues before the church. Am enclosing a copy of SON-LIGHT—which has a slightly different job to perform, but which will contribute to the over-all job of making firm the church. At least that is our desire, and goal."
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SOUTH HILL, VIRGINIA John L. Nosker A meeting of eight day's duration was conducted at South Hill, Virginia, July 8 through July 15 with brother William E. Curry, minister of the Forest Hill congregation in Richmond, doing the preaching. Those who are not members of the church were present at every service and considerable interest was aroused in this little city of 5,500 by the plain preaching of the pure gospel with which these people are unfamiliar except as they have been taught by brother W. E. Bell, Jr., who with his family and two other members, each of whom live several miles distant, comprise the church at South Hill.
Several years ago an unsuccessful effort was made to establish the church there following which the Bells worshipped in their own home for some time. Later they made the round trip of 120 miles to worship each Lord's day with the loyal congregation in Petersburg. In January 1950 members of that church assisted brother Bell in beginning the worship. First in his home and shortly thereafter in the Masonic Lodge hall where the church still meets in a commodious room entirely separate from the meeting place of the fraternity.
The work has been carried on at a great personal sacrifice on the part of brother Bell who is highly regarded in the community. The Petersburg church made some financial contribution, has furnished a speaker for the Sunday afternoon services except when brethren from Hopewell, Virginia, or brother Curry could present the lessons. The latter preaches once each month at Petersburg and South Hill and is supported in part by the Hopewell and Petersburg churches. The only visible result of the effort has been the baptism of the young daughter of brother Bell. Nevertheless many have heard the gospel and the people seem to be kindly disposed toward the church although there are some, of course, who are very prejudiced. In fact, it seems that more of the unsaved have heard the truth here since the church began than in many established congregations during a similar period of time. Surely it cannot be said that the seed sown has been wasted.
There will probably be another meeting in the fall and brethren everywhere are requested to pray for the success of the gospel as it is proclaimed in this barren mission field. The great need of this church is for a man to move there and devote full time to evangelizing. Will not some strong church answer this Macedonian call by supporting a preacher here long enough to see what can be accomplished by doing enough to get the gospel to the people. Men who have full time employment driving 60 or 80 miles to preach one sermon per week cannot do the job. Brethren, please remember Matthew 28:18-20 Mark 16:15; Acts 8:4 and Romans 10:14, 15 before you pass this by as just another field report. The work in Petersburg which has been hindered from its infancy during the 1930's by a premillennial faction is also in need of a preacher to implant the church securely.
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F. B. Shepherd, Box 836, Sweetwater, Texas, Aug. 2: "The fifteen days at the Bangor Encampment were busy ones. We had a radio program every day at noon and preaching at night. Teachers from Texas, Indiana, and Ohio helped with the classes. There were visitors from several other states and Canada. Four were baptized. It is a great work brother Harold Thomas and the other preachers are doing in New England. Many are the difficulties and complex the problems being faced by these devoted men."
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Elmer A. L'Roy, 901 South Broadway, Springfield, Mo., Aug. 7: "Twelve people have been added at Broadway and Madison recently. In July, in my absence, brother Charles Lee of Mt. Vernon, Mo., baptized a woman. Since then, two have been restored and placed membership and nine others have placed membership. Eight of the eleven have recently moved to Springfield from the states of Arkansas, Iowa, and Missouri. Two came from a hobby-riding group and one transferred from another congregation within the city."
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Joe H. Morris, 2707 Kentucky Ave., Paducah, Kentucky, Aug. 6: "I have just closed two very pleasant meetings in Tennessee. One at Rockvale with two baptized. Brother Edmond Arnold very ably led the singing. And at Florence without visable results. Brother Charlie led the songs well. I begin a meeting August 13 near Tompkinsville, Ky. The work here at Clements St. goes well. One was baptized yesterday."
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W. Earl Mansur, 214 E. Arlight, Monterey Park, Calif., Aug. 9: "The work with the young church in Montebello is pleasant, interesting and profitable. We are meeting in the Women's Club house at present but hope to make other arrangements soon. I preached recently at North Long Beach where Robert Byrd ministers."
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Wm. S. Irvine, 17054 Clark Ave., Bellflower, Calif., Aug. 9: "The church here is sending me to Oceanside for a series of meetings from September 2 through the 16. Good reports come from the work there and prospects are bright for a fine season of labor. Anyone knowing of members, active or otherwise, living in this area, please notify brother Chas. Woolverton, 155 Cherry St., Carlsbad, Calif. He is a very efficient local minister with the Oceanside church. The Bellflower work has bright prospects for the future and we thank our Heavenly Father that their interest is not confined to the one location at Clark and Park."
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Nelson M. Smith, Rt. 3, Valley Pike, Winchester, Va.: "After four years with the church in Portsmouth, Va., I began work today with the little group (15) disciples in Front Royal, Va. This is strictly a mission field and needs your prayers and material assistance. We are at present meeting in a small auditorium on Commonwealth Ave., in the Woodside government housing project. If vacationing in this area worship with us. If you know of members living in this area please notify me."
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Fred A. Amick, 3329 Granada Ave., San Diego, Calif., Aug. 8: "On August 1, we concluded a 10-day meeting, with George W. Bailey of Culbertson Heights church, Oklahoma City, doing the preaching. Brother Bailey has unusual ability. He is thoughtful, scripturally sound, friendly, and zealous. The highlight of his effort was the morning sessions, in which members were exhorted to Godly living. Each lesson was rich. Eight were baptized. Another young lady was immersed on the next Lord's Day, thus making nine for the two weeks. Our Vacation Bible school (concluded July 1) had laid a good foundation. Out of the 225 persons enrolled, better than 70 were non-Christians. Many of these attended the meeting—their first experience with the New Testament order. Our 30 regular Bible classes per week, plus personal calls and study sessions in the homes are getting results. More persons have already been baptized this year than were converted during the whole of 1950."
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Basil C. Doran, Box 10086, Houston 18, Texas, July 30: "During the month of July, four were baptized and twenty six placed membership here at Garden Oaks congregation. This brings our total to seventy nine for the year. Our radio program over KNUZ, 1230 k.c.s. at 9:00 o'clock each Sunday morning is receiving many favorable comments. Worship with us when you come our way."
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Houston P. Hollis, Mayfield Kentucky, Aug. 6: "I recently conducted a meeting with the Holladay Chapel church, four miles south of Huntingdon, Tenn. One was baptized. The interest and attendance was excellent at all services. The last two nights all available seats were taken, and several were standing outside the building. This was their first meeting in their new building. Priestly Scott directed the singing in a very fine way. I was invited to return for a meeting in July, 1952. My next meeting will be with the church at Dexter, Ky., beginning the second Sunday in September. The work at Metropolis, Ill., where I preach every Sunday is very pleasant in every way. My radio program is continuing with good interest. It is heard every Sunday morning at 7:30 over WGNO, 1320 on your dial."
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Judson Woodbridge, Mulvane, Kansas, Aug. 3: "In the first part of June I was with the church in Lyons in a meeting. Three were baptized and two have placed membership in the last month here at Mulvane. One of these was baptized in brother Yater Tant's meeting which closed last Sunday night. Brother Tant's meeting was a success; for many people heard and the gospel was preached.
Brother Don Dinning of Wichita directed the song services in a fine way."
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T. Pierce Brown, 3348 Wilder St., Skikie, Illinois, Aug. 6: "Work on additional classrooms and building renovation is continuing. Our meeting will be September 2-12 with brother Yater Tant doing the preaching. I will be in a meeting in Corinth, Tennessee, Aug. 12-22."
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Preston Cotham, Box 229, Childress, Texas, Aug. 2: "Closed a fine meeting near Murray, Ky., last Sunday. There were four baptized. Interest and attendance were fine for a country congregation. My next meeting will be at Morristown, Tenn., September 16-26. After the first of September I am to move to Fort Worth to work with the new congregation being started on Meadowbrook Drive and will be known as the Meadowbrook congregation. This work is being done by the Polytechnic congregation and two of their elders and about 250 of their members will form the nucleus for this new work. It is located in a rapidly growing part of town, and I believe a great work can be done."