The Overflow
Gave Satisfaction
J. D. Tant used to say that it took most preachers two or three meetings to get the job done; but that he usually gave satisfaction the first time, and didn't have to return the next year for another try at it. We know a fine young preacher (one of the best in the nation) who held a gospel meeting for a church a few months ago. Not only did he give such perfect satisfaction that the elders decided not to have him back for another meeting; they decided not to have any more meetings! Period.
"The woman thou gayest me"!
When God forced Adam to admit the fact of his sin, Adam faced up to it like a man — that is he blamed his wife! "The woman thou gayest to be with me, she gave me of the tree, and I did eat." Comes now Brother Antonio Ochoa, acknowledging his theft of Russellite articles; but pleading that he was influenced by his wife, who belongs to the Jehovah's Witnesses cult. Paging Adam!
College In The Northeast
We see where a number of brethren are inaugurating a study of the question of a Christian college for the Northeastern states. We think it a good idea. We'd much prefer to see forty or fifty small schools scattered all over the world rather than two or three mammoth universities with their thousands of students. We hope that school for the Northeast becomes a reality, and would encourage all in that area to support it.
What They Don't Say
What the brethren write in the papers is sometimes funny; and now and then. What they don't write is funnier. A couple of weeks ago, for instance, Brother John Allen Hudson had a full page ad in the Firm Foundation telling about his "Old Paths Book Club," which he says, was established "not as an instrument to make money, or to sell some old stock standing on book-shelves." H-m-m now just who is it that has started a book club to "sell some old stock standing on book-shelves"? Brother Hudson did not say. Anybody have any guesses?
"Call For Dr. Burlington!"
This paragraph won't make much sense to you unless you happened to be a subscriber to the Firm Foundation around the turn of the century. But if you do remember "Dr. Burlington" and his famous remedy, you just might get a sniff of the same kind of financial shenanigans in some of the high flown deals now cooking on the plains of west Texas. When the brethren learned the truth about "Dr. Burlington" there was an upheaval of no small proportions within the brotherhood. Wonder what would happen now if Sergeant Joe Friday should come out with "the facts, Ma'am, just the facts" about some contemporary efforts in the realm of high finance. You may get a chance to find out before long.
Adding Insult To Injury
One of our sister journals has the practice of selecting what the editor considers the most timely, significant, and worth-while article printed in all the gospel papers each week, and giving space to that article on the editorial page as "The Article of the Week." Well, the February 10 issue of that journal carried what it regarded as the noblest piece of literature found in any gospel paper for the given period — and what do you think it was? RIGHT! It was an article plagiarized by Antonio Ochoa from the Jehovah's Witnesses publication "Watchtower" and published in Eugene Smith's Gospel Broadcast. Not only does our Brother Ochoa plagiarize "Watchtower" articles, but our fellow editor regards the stolen copy as of greater merit than anything written by his own brethren. That's adding insult to injury.
"I Do Not Walk Alone"
When Sister Cled E. Wallace met a tragic death a few weeks ago, we joined with numbers of others who sent letters of sympathy to Brother Cled. His reply to us was typical of scores of acknowledgements he must have made. He wrote, "I can and shall carry on my work in faith and hope as I know my blessed dead would have it. I thank God that I had them as long as I did. He has them now, and I do not walk alone. Faithfully, Cled E. Wallace."
Still Coming In
Orders for the Earl West tract on "Congregational Cooperation" are still coming in. Biggest single order to date was from a church wanting 500 for distribution. Remember, this tract will give a background of invaluable information for all the present discussions of such projects as institutional orphan homes, the Herald of Truth, the "sponsoring" churches in mission programs, etc. If you are interested in the future of simple New Testament Christianity, a study of this question is simply a "must." Why not get enough for every member in the church to have one? And, while we're on the subject, is there some Christian business man who is willing to pay for a copy to be sent to all the preacher boys now in the Christian colleges — some six or seven hundred of them? We'd like to hear from you.
Beginning Next Week
In next week's issue we inaugurate the series of "Birmingham Special" articles, which will continue for some six or eight issues. First on the list is "Warnings From the Past" by Farris J. Smith. This will be followed by two articles from Marshall E. Patton on "The Divine Pattern of Church Organization." After which will come "The Mission of the Church" by John D. Cox; "Institutionalism" by John T. Lewis; "Congregational Cooperation" by Robert H. Farish; "Individual and Congregational Activity Distinguished" by Herschel E. Patton; and the final series of two or three articles on "The All-Sufficiency of the Church" by Granville W. Tyler.
We hope every subscriber of this journal can send in at least one additional subscription for this whole series. How about it?
The Negro School At Terrell
From the literature sent us we see that the Southwestern Christian College in Terrell, Texas, is deliberately going ahead in her campaign to line up as many churches as possible as regular contributors to the school. Do the white brethren who serve as directors of that school have no conviction on this subject? or are they unaware of what is happening? or are they all in favor of church contributions to the schools, and consider this as a good "opening wedge" to get the same practice under way later among the white schools? Whatever the reason, informed Christians cannot but oppose such.
The Needle Is Stuck
Some months ago somebody cited some "statistics" in one of the church bulletins to show that "the Church of Christ is the fastest growing religious body in America," and claimed no less than 1,500,000 members already on the books. (Who gathered those figures, anyhow?) Ever since that the refrain has swelled into a mighty chorus in the scores of bulletins that come our way. Many of them have a "filler" line that they put at the end of every article: "The church is growing." It sounds like a stuck needle on a phonograph record. Not long ago Brother Floyd ("Spyglass") Thompson from California sent us this clipping from a church paper:
"Almost one half of the members of all the churches throughout the nation were absent from Bible study last Sunday morning!
The Church Is Growing!
Sister W. Curtis Porter
We remind our readers of the request made by Brother W. Curtis Porter in last week's issue of the Gospel Guardian. As Sister Porter faces these last days of her earthly pilgrimage let us remember this noble couple with our prayers, our cards and letters, and whatever other help we are able to send. The burden on Curtis Porter's heart at this hour is one that others of us have known, and this is a time when the help and sympathy and comfort of friends is doubly sweet. Let us not forget!