The Overflow
Surrender!
"By whom the disciples were first called Christians is a very difficult problem to solve . . . If the name is God-given, we may conclude that it was through inspired men, of whom there were a number in the church at Antioch." That quotation is from one of the Gospel Advocate Sunday School lessons. And it is a flat, abject surrender of the ground so faithfully defended by gospel preachers for so many years — that the name "Christian" is God-given, and not given by men in derision. But the writer of the above lesson backs up, and is uncertain, and says it is a "difficult problem" and "IF" it is God-given . . . What next?
—O—
Confession This page is being written at Sinton, Texas. Not too many miles from here there was a preacher who was simply death on "worldliness" — and by that he meant cigarettes, picture shows, coffee, and adultery. He classed them all together. Came the time when he went to a lectureship up at Abilene; and in a weak moment drank a cup of coffee. But, being a man of conscience and conviction, he came before the church as quickly as he returned home, confessed his sin, and begged for forgiveness!
—O—
This helps Last week we received a club of fifty-four new subscriptions to the Gospel Guardian from one helper. And last year one gospel preacher in Arkansas sent in 529 new subscriptions within a year's time. That's an average of about ten each week. Thanks! And we hope some others will see if they can do even better.
—O—
From Germany We urge you to read Brother Dick Smith's "Letter To Grove Avenue Elders" in this issue. And then send him some immediate help to enable him to remain with his work until permanent arrangements can be made for his support. His address: R. E. Smith, Vorholzstrasse 36, Karlsruhe, Germany. Just mail him a check same as you would if he were in the States.
—O—
Another side to this story Did you read the article in the Christian Chronicle of January 21, entitled "Rio Grande Valley Preachers Learn Methods of K. of C."? The article as written does a very serious injustice to the congregation at Mission, Texas, and her elders. The matter is too long for treatment here; but if you saw the original article, and want the other side of the story, we suggest you write to the "Elders, Church of Christ, Mission, Texas." We put this note here in fairness to some fine elders who were put in a very bad light.
—O—
And, furthermore The pages of the Gospel Guardian are open to elders of the Grove Avenue congregation in San Antonio, the Broadway congregation in Lubbock, the St. Elmo congregation in Chattanooga, as well as to Brother Gatewood or any others who may figure in the present distressing situation which has arisen in Germany. Let free, open, and brotherly discussion of all our problems help us to a clear understanding and scriptural solution of them! That's what this paper pleads for always.
—O—
George Estes' articles Many favorable comments come our way about the fine work being done by Brother George Estes in exposing the modernism and loose translations of the new RSV. Even though Brother G. C. Brewer says he can "find no evidence of modernism" in the version, other brethren better qualified to recognize modernism when they see it, are not so easily deceived.
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"Spiritual Diary for Lent"
And while we mention Brother Brewer, we'll just comment that his message under the above title, which appeared in the San Antonio Evening News of March 13, was a fine little sermon — but when does a gospel preacher feel he can participate with the Catholics and other denominational groups in the observance of "Lent"? Maybe such an attitude toward denominationalists partly explains our brother's difficulty in finding any "modernism" in the RSV.
—O—
Soundness at Searcy For a long time now Harding College at Searcy has been emphasizing that the old premillennial leanings are all in the past, and that the school is now "sound" to the core. Well, a fine gospel preacher tells us that when he was enrolled at Harding College last year, the professor of church history told his class that premillennialism and instrumental music were on the same basis, and that neither of them should bring any disfellowshiping by Christian people! He said further that while he personally would object to the introduction of an organ into a congregation, if the whole congregation agreed to it, there could be no reason for not introducing it! Wow! And, incidentally, that professor was NOT Dr. Boucher, the Methodist preacher who was a member of Harding's faculty at the time.
—O—
Couldn't meet competition A digressive church at Marshall, Arkansas, some time back was trying to hire a pastor. They called a certain man and "tried out" one of his sermons. Shortly after that they "tried out" that pastor's wife, who was also a preacher herself. They liked the female pulpiteer better than her husband; so hired her, and told her mate they could not use him! He then went seventy-five miles or so across the mountains to another little Christian Church (Mountain Home) and became their pastor. Well, thank goodness, that's one kind of competition gospel preachers don't have to meet!
—O—
Crazy - hm-m-m?
When you read this page the editor will be engaged in a gospel meeting with the North Oak church in Mineral Wells, Texas, (April 19-26), and will be staying in the Crazy Hotel in that town. That's right. C-r-a-z-y. This is a famous hotel in the resort town; and evidently the brethren in Mineral Wells (many of whom take the Gospel Guardian) thought it would be the proper place to put the person who would be capable of writing such a page as this. Sometimes we are inclined to agree. But the news that comes to an editor's desk is enough to drive anybody crazy, even if he wasn't so to start with!