News

Finis J. Caldwell, Kenneth, Missouri, Oct. 12: "We have just completed arrangements for a five night series of lectures on Catholicism by O. C. Lambert, beginning November 2 through November 6, 1953. Services will begin each evening at 7:30 at the Church of Christ building in Kenneth, Missouri. Arrangements have been made for sleeping rooms for those that might wish to come from a far distance and stay one or more nights. The churches in this area are threatened by recent moves of the Catholics."

Gordon J. Pennock, Bismarck, North Dakota: "Last January I began preaching on Sunday afternoons at Lake Williams, North Dakota. October 4th we saw our first visible results when two were restored and a fine woman was baptized. Last Lord's Day the Lord's table was set there for the first time. A new congregation has now been established with three members. We are hoping and praying that others in the community will be taught and will obey from time to time. Sundays are busy days for me what with preaching and teaching here in the morning services then driving 85 miles to Lake Williams to preach in the afternoon and then returning in time to preach at the evening service. Who will come over and help us??"

J. W. Middleton, Box 295, Albany, Oregon: "The work in Albany is very encouraging, compared with the past. I have been here exactly three months, and there had not been one response to the invitation until October 4th, when there were seven restorations. Then on October 11th there were six restorations and one to place membership. When the family is clean and healthy, then we can expect children to be born into it. We all have sinned but God is merciful and forgiving. Although my experiences have been many and varied, this is the hardest field I have been in."

Floyd A. Decker, 2811 Creswell, Shreveport, Louisiana, Oct. 12: "Brother C. R. Nichol, Clifton, Texas, closed a very fine meeting with us last night. Enjoyed being with Brother Nichol again and the brethren here were highly pleased with the kind and yet vigorous manner of his preaching. I begin at Tomball, Texas, November 9th. Brother D. W. Nichol, brother of C. R. Nichol, is the preacher there. Our work continues to improve. After about two weeks my address will be 553 Kirby Place — next door to the church building which is on Creswell at Kirby. The church recently purchased the Kirby place property and it is nearly ready to occupy."

Bob Copeland, Jr., 410 S. College Ave., Tahlequah, Oklahoma, Oct. 6: "Recently three have come from the Ketcherside faction — two baptized and one placed membership in the last few days, and this congregation is growing in every way — attendance, contribution, and spirituality. The attendance record was broken on Wednesday night two weeks ago, and we are working to set an all time high in general in the work here. Love, peace, harmony, and the will to work characterizes this Congregation. We invite all who come this way to stop and worship with us. The young people will use Brother Cogdill's book about the church of Christ on Wednesday nights. Every Christian would do well to buy one of his books about the church and study it through each year. It is wonderful. Personal evangelism is most needed in the church of Christ. Every Christian must be a soul-winner for Jesus. The truth of God's word will defeat any ism, whether it be of Ketcherside or of the non-Bible class faction. The Anti's are losing ground and I expect in ten years they will be quite hard to find. The best they can' offer is some idea of some of their would-be-prominent preachers, and that, like sectarianism, does not meet the needs of soul salvation. Plain simple gospel preaching in the pulpit and out is why the church of Christ is on the march. God has no room for weak and lukewarm preachers. No one can carry the church in one hand and the world in the other without being a genuine hypocrite. No series of sermons about the church is complete without the discipline of the church. With the courage of Elijah and the zeal of Paul, let us go onward and upward."

Roy E. Cogdill, Jordan, Ontario, Canada: "For nearly two weeks I have been in a meeting at Owen Sound, Ontario. This is a city of 17,500 people situated on Georgian Bay, Lake Huron, about 250 miles north of Detroit. There is a small "Disciples Church" located here, the remnant of the cause planted there in early days but which went "digressive." Our meeting has been conducted in the City Hall Auditorium and will last for another week. We have had a fair hearing from the people of the city and many have expressed an interest in the gospel. The brethren at Meaford and Griersville and from other congregations quite some distance away have helped much in the effort. Two have been baptized and one restored. There are perhaps half a dozen Christians living in the city who can be counted on to help out in the work. We are looking for a place for them to meet and are hoping that some good church in the states can be found which will send a good gospel preacher to Owen Sound, support him and get behind the effort to plant the Kingdom of God solidly in this splendid little city. The congregations in this province are few and small. They are being aroused to their responsibility but they have a big job to do and need some help. There are dozens of cities of considerable size in this province in which the Lord's church does not exist. Brethren, why not select one of these cities and stay with the work until it is established? The ice has been broken in Owen Sound. What church will assume the obligation to finance this work until it is firmly established? Write me at the above address if you are interested."