News
Arthur C. Blackwell, 2205 Wantland Ave., Klamath Falls, Oregon, Oct. 15: "The meeting came to a close with good results. Four were baptized the last night of the services. Brother Pierce Adams did a splendid job of presenting the lessons and the church as a whole was strengthened greatly by the good sound preaching. The meeting was well attended, with new faces each service. The interest was good, with a number of questions to be answered each evening. We carried a ten-minute radio program five days a week during the meeting. There have been five baptisms as a result of the program. It would be hard to say what the result would be if we were only able to continue the program. The radio men told Brother Adams and I the radio would reach approximately two hundred thousand people. The congregation is hoping and praying that the time will come when they will be able to put the program on the air for an indefinite time. The building fund has been started and the lots contracted for; if the people will give their consent for a church to be built, we hope to get started on our new building soon. We will know about the lots definitely this coming week. The present building is inadequate and something must be done before long. There have been twelve baptisms since my last report and others are interested. If you have folks that live here in Klamath Falls, or friends who might be interested, if you will write me giving their addresses I shall be glad to visit with them. There has been two families moved in that are members, one from Dallas, Texas, the other from Roseburg, Oregon. Anytime you are in Klamath Falls, Oregon, come and worship with us."
Luther Savage, Rosen Heights Church, Fort Worth, Texas, Oct. 12: "The last eight days have shown great advancement for the cause of Christ here. Two have been baptized and four have confessed error. One of those who confessed sin and requested the prayers of the church was J. Willard Morrow. He is now accepted in full fellowship. We believe that the troubles that this church has endured for several years are now over. The four months that I have been here have been eventful and well spent."
Joe S. Hyde, Jacksonville, North Carolina, Oct. 18: "One young man who was a Catholic was baptized. The crowds and contributions were exceptionally fine. Prospects for continued growth here look better than ever before in the history of the church. With another such gospel meeting as was held here some few months ago by Brother Wm. E. McDaniel of Houston, Texas, in which eight were baptized, the church will have been made much stronger. Please notify the above address if you know anyone, whether member of the church or not, who may be stationed at Camp Lejuene, that I can contact and teach them the truth. (John 8:32) Please do what you can in helping me and the church here reach everyone possible in this mission field, where there are thousands that need to hear and obey the gospel of Christ."
Jesse M. Kelley, Box 1381, Port Arthur, Texas, Oct. 26: "During the month of October nineteen have been added to our number at DeQueen Blvd. Ten of these were baptisms, two were restored to their first love, and the rest placed membership with us. We are enjoying the work very much."
Choice L. Bryant, 165 S. 15th St., Salem, Oregon, Oct. 19: "Recently four have been added to our local membership; two by baptism, and two by transfers. Brother Warder K. Novak (Snyder, Texas) is to serve us in Salem as visiting evangelist beginning October 22 through November 1. I ant to serve as visiting evangelist in a campaign with the Eastside congregation in Portland, Oregon, the latter portion of November."
F. B. Shepherd, 1732 Keeaumoku, Honolulu, Hawaii, Oct. 1953: "Lord's Day evening a young matron who has been visiting our worship, was baptized. If it were not for the continual coming and going of about eighty five percent of our membership this congregation would soon be able to swarm and begin with a good nucleus in another part of the island. We are expecting to begin the first unit of the building to replace this badly termite-eaten structure we are now using by January 1st. We still lack several thousand dollars having enough money to make it good business to award a building contract. Beloved, many of you service and ex-service persons who have been stationed here and know the difficulties could be a great blessing to the work here if you would make regular or even occasional contributions to the building fund. Those experienced in the pushing forward of the work of the Lord know full well that theoretically the building should not matter. Practically it is a great factor in arousing the interest of strangers. When visiting in Honolulu call 6-7952."
Bill J. Humble, 5646 Rockhill Rd., Kansas City, Missouri, Oct. 22: "The 39th and Flora church concluded a fall meeting October 18, which resulted in three baptisms, one restoration and four placing membership. This makes a total of 27 who have been added to the congregation since September 1st. Folding chairs in the auditorium and vestibule were necessary both Sunday mornings of the meeting. The final day of the meeting another record was set in Bible school attendance with 316 present."
M. C. Cuthbertson, Box 6343, Tucson, Arizona, Oct. 22: "The work with Country Club Road Church of Christ, this city, continues in a fine way. During the month two fine people have been baptized, and nine have placed membership with us — one of whom was also restored. The largest audiences we have ever had. Brother Floyd Thompson of Santa Ana, California, will do the preaching in a meeting beginning November 29th. I am to do the preaching in a meeting with the Lefors, Texas, church beginning October 30th. Brother D. C. Lawrence is the preacher."
W. E. Fortney, 162 Harrison, Clarksburg, West Virginia, Oct. 22: "The meeting at Paden City resulted in two restorations."
Voyd N. Ballard, 408 W. Marengo Ave., Shafter, California: "On September 27th I closed my work with the church in Woodville, California. This was the second time that I had lived and labored with these good people. My relationship with them was pleasant, and remains so. They have made arrangements with Brother Jack Freeman to work with them. The Lord willing I am to return to Woodville for a four nights debate with M. J. Duncan, Missionary Baptist, on November 30th through December 3rd of this year. I will affirm baptism for the remission of sins the first two nights, and Mr. Duncan will affirm impossibility of apostasy the last two nights. The debate will be conducted in the church building at Woodville and will begin at eight o'clock each evening. On October 4th I began work with the church in Shafter, California. This seems to be a good sound congregation, under a good eldership. My telephone number is 9452."
J. T. Marlin, Sweetwater, Texas: "We had one of our largest audiences Sunday morning. A Baptist lady was baptized at the evening service.
Robert C. Welch, 2230 Kaelin Ave., Louisville, Kentucky, Oct. 20: "On October 18th the Seneca congregation at Louisville appointed three elders and five deacons. Three have been baptized here recently. The church is making real progress in every respect. I did the preaching in a meeting which closed last Friday evening with the Becton congregation near Glasgow, Kentucky, in which there were eight baptisms. Laymon Hammer of Glasgow led the singing."
H. F. Sharp, Box 124, Conway, Arkansas, Oct. 18: "Roy E. Cogdill closed a good meeting with the Northside Church of Christ in Conway. Preaching and attendance were the best. He will be with us again in 1954."
Ivan R. Stewart, 5825 Thirty-third Ave., W. Hyattsville, Maryland, Oct. 16: "Four have been baptized and four restored in the past four weeks. One hundred seven have answered the Lord's invitation during our almost two years at this place in the nation's capitol area. The building is being taxed. We have immediate need for additional seating and classroom spaces. We have not had wholesale responses but a steady one or two a week average. Personal study periods, coupled with pulpit preaching, brings the gospel in view of personal application. This type of evangelization is the hardest because it takes many hours in getting appointments — hours of study and persuasion; but it brings lasting obedience because the people know what they are doing. It is not spectacular, but it makes for obedience and strength of enduring Christians. Our many friends will want to know that we now have three children: two girls and a boy."
Brother L'Roy did his part in a masterful way, and is appreciated by this congregation."
Joseph W. Baker, 4147 Loma Alta, San Diego, California, October 23: "The congregation at Imperial Beach has been able to acquire a school building which has been moved upon our lot and this building is now in the process of being remodeled into a fine building where the church may meet. We fervently thank God from whom all blessings come, for we believe sincerely that He has answered our prayers, for we needed a building so badly. Within four months, according to our contract, we will have a place of our own in which to meet. Not only will this be a boon to us but it will help to facilitate our work among the people in this community because we will then have adequate classrooms as well as a baptistry and nursery which we do not now have. According to our plans we should have one of the nicest if not the prettiest church buildings in this city. Since last writing we have added nine more by baptism, making 40 that have been added to the church since May. However, we have lost six families within one week recently which diminished our flock by about 15 people. But we feel that those who have moved away from us will carry on in some other place and we intend working harder than ever going from house to house and carrying the glad tidings that many others may come to the Lord. It is interesting to note that this little church which has struggled so valiantly to carry on the Lord's work, overcoming many obstacles and withstanding many trials, has built up almost its entire membership by personal contact from house to house. May God help us always to work and to pray that His cause may be furthered here at this place."
Construction Begins On New Building At Wichita Falls, Texas
Gilbert Copeland Construction on a new building to serve as a meeting place for a new congregation in the southwest part of Wichita Falls, Texas, began on October 19th. The building will be a credit to the church of Christ in this city, and is being built with a vision for growth. The elders of the Floral Heights congregation are taking the responsibility for the construction of this new building, and the Floral Heights church will stand behind this new congregation until it is fully self supporting. The other congregations in the city (located at 10th and Broad, 23rd and Grace, and 909 Lincoln) are cooperating in a financial way in this project, and we have their full weight behind it. It is heartening to see the fine cooperation of the churches of Christ in Wichita Falls in full accord in expanding the borders of the Kingdom of God.
The elders of the Floral Heights church are to be commended for their vision in planning such a beautiful and commodious house of worship for this populous and fast growing section of the city. We prophesy that this new congregation will, within a very few years, be one of the better churches in this section. Already there are about 150 members of the church living in that section of town.
The building will have an auditorium that will seat about 500 people, 16 large classrooms, preacher's study, nursery and four rest rooms. One of the classrooms is what some would choose to call a chapel, with a seating capacity of about eighty five. The building should be complete by March 1st.
Moore - Wallace Debate
Thomas B. Warren, Fort Worth, Texas October 6-9, it was my pleasure to moderate for Brother Elmer Moore, Jr., in his debate with Mr. J. M. Wallace of the United Pentecostal Church, Inc. I believe that this was the most one-sided debate I have ever heard. Mr. Wallace was ignorant both in the scriptures and otherwise. Brother Moore was never seriously challenged in a single argument which he put forth.
Following is how a portion of the debate went. It will be sufficient that readers may understand how the entire debate was.
After taking the position that there is only one person in the Godhead and that Jesus is that one person, and that Jesus and the Holy Spirit are one and the same person, gave the following answers to questions:
(1)"Jesus Christ is a mediator between men and whom?" Wallace's answer: "God." The contradiction here is self-evident.
2."In John 1:1, was Jesus with the Word or was Jesus with God?" Wallace's answer: "Jesus was with God."
3."Is the Father of Jesus someone other than Himself, or is He His own Father?" Wallace's answer: "Jesus is not His own father; His father is someone other than Himself. The Holy Spirit is His father." It will be noted that this answer was given AFTER saying that Jesus and the Holy Spirit are one and the same person.
On Holy Spirit Baptism: (1) "Which puts one into Christ, water baptism, Holy Spirit baptism, or both water baptism and Holy Spirit baptism?" Wallace's answer: "Both." (2) "When Jesus said in Mark 16:16, 'He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved,' did He mean that everyone who believes the gospel and is baptized in water shall be saved, or have remission of sins?" Wallace's answer: "Yes, that is what He meant." (3) "When one repents and is baptized in water in obedience to Acts 2:38, does he gain remission of sins?" Wallace's answer: "Yes."
(2) "When the Samaritans believed and were baptized in water according to Acts 8:12, were they saved?" Wallace's answer: "NO." The candid reader will need no one to point out the inconsistencies here.
This was brother Moore's first public discussion, but he handled himself like a veteran. I feel certain that much good will come from it.