The Overflow
Our monthly journal "Ancient Landmarks' continues to gain favor among the churches. A growing number of congregations are now sending it to their entire list of prospects. Devoted exclusively to the first principles — faith, repentance, baptism, identity of the church, the authority of Christ, etc. — the paper is being read with profit by many thousands of non-Christians. Write for particulars of our individual mailing plan.
The Messianic Era
Rabbi Philip Bernstein, president of the Central Conference of American Rabbis, has just published a book, What the Jews Believe. The rabbi declares that an increasing "segment of the liberal Jewish community has discarded the idea of single messianic personality who is to save mankind . . . In its place they affirm their faith in a messianic era which is to be achieved by the cooperative efforts of good men of all nations, races, and religions.' In this the Jews are logical; for if Jesus Christ does not fulfill every messianic prophecy, then it would be impossible for any individual ever to do so. Rejecting Christ, they have sought a substitute.
Folding Money
"Interesting commentary on the contribution: the brethren always fold their one dollar bills — but never fold their ten dollar bills!"
— G. K. Wallace
A Matter Of Relativity
The preacher has just announced to the congregation that a certain parishioner had died, leaving to the church "her entire huge estate of $6,000.00." Afterwards one of the deacons asked the preacher where he got the idea that six thousand dollars was a "huge estate.' Said the preacher, "Brother, to a man of my salary an estate of that magnitude is not merely huge, it's fabulous!"
Reaction
Typical reaction we've heard to the news that brother R. G. Wilburn is being released from Pepperdine College at the end of this semester was voiced by a former professor of that school. Said he, "They are shooting one goat, when they ought to clean out the whole pen.' It is the administration at Pepperdine College, not just one modernistic teacher, which has brought the school into such disrepute. Until the modernism is cleaned out of the administration, the school will never improve very much.
California's Rank College!
While we're on the subject, we'll mention a note we got from one of our California readers the other day. Under the caption, "Slips that pass in the type,' this brother sends us an advertisement of George Pepperdine College, but whereas the original copy had said, something about "California's highly ranked Christian college,' the corrected version sent to us had censored the type to read, "California's rank college.' H-m-m-m.
Into Meeting Work
A note from brother Roy Tidwell; preacher of the Central Church in Colorado Springs, tells us that he has resigned from that work, and plans to give full time to holding gospel meetings. He'll do a good job, and should be kept busy. He plans eventually to move to Denver, but for the present can be addressed at Box 1151, Colorado Springs, Colorado.
Brother Otey's Articles
This week and next we publish two articles by our venerable and able brother W. W. Otey. Perhaps no man among us now living has been as closely acquainted with the development of the Missionary Societies as has brother Otey. He speaks of them with the authority that only firsthand knowledge can give. His warnings should receive the most earnest consideration.
Medford, Oklahoma
This time last year (almost) we were in a meeting with the little group of sixteen disciples at Medford, Oklahoma. We are with the same fine group again. But this time there is a difference. For now working with the congregation is brother Joe Neil Clayton, just having completed his work at Abilene Christian College. Brother Clayton is an exceptionally capable and hard-working young preacher, with a zeal and an enthusiasm for the work which fully matches that of the fine little group with whom he has gone to labor. It indeed heartening to all of us to see well trained and consecrated young men going so willingly into the work. Perhaps now and then a boy goes out from a school interested only in looking for "a big church' over which he can "take charge.' We've heard of such; but for every one like that, we'd guess there are a score or more like Joe Clayton—boys who love the Lord, and who are determined to serve him, regardless of how small the town, how hard the field, or how few the number with which they have to begin. We salute Joe Clayton — and several hundred other young gospel preachers just like him who this month and next are leaving the halls of their colleges to go out into the great work of preaching the gospel of Christ in the hard and difficult places not only of our nation, but of the world. The church at Medford will grow. It cannot be otherwise with such a group of faithful Christians and a worthy and humble gospel preacher in their midst.
And That's That
The Dutch Reformed Church of South Africa the other day assembled in solemn synod, and passed resolutions (1) condemning cremation as "a heathen custom,' (2) deploring the American comics as "doing untold harm,' and (3) severely scoring the modern idea that "women are the equals of men.' Their scriptural ground for the last named item was that "God spoke to Adam, not Eve."
Dummy In The Pulpit
We see where Mormon preacher Glen Cargyle, an accomplished ventriloquist, decided he would liven up his sermons in his church in Los Angeles recently (you can find anything in Los Angeles). Cargyle fixed him up a wooden dummy in the pulpit, and concealing himself behind a screen, made it appear that his sermon was coming from the lips of the dummy. We opine that many a long-suffering worshipper in the pew has often felt that he was listening to a wooden dummy in the pulpit, but any preacher who would put on a stunt like that gives undeniable evidence that the dummy's head wasn't the only one in that pulpit with wood in it.