News

Herbert L. Newman, 2022 Vincent Street, Brownwood, Texas, March 31: "Brother C. E. McGaughey will do the preaching in a series of meetings at the Austin Avenue Church in Brownwood, April 17-26. Attendance at the Austin Ave. congregation continues to grow."

T. J. Ruble, 510 West Thompson, Temple, Texas, March 29: "The Central congregation closed a gospel meeting last Sunday with Brother Fred McClung doing the preaching. There were 24 responses during the meeting. Five were baptized, eighteen restored, and one identified."

Frank Trayler (Chaplain (Major) USAF, 237 Thompson Place, San Antonio, Texas, April 1: "A Staff Sergeant and his wife from Kelly Air Force Base were baptized during March, and an Airman from Lackland was restored at our 1:00 p.m. services in Chapel No. 4, Lackland Air Force Base."

Elvis Bozarth 1418 San Simeon, Oceanside, California, March 13: "We expect many new members of the Lord's church in this area due to the soon arrival of the 1st Marine Division from Korea, to Camp Pendleton. The closest church to those stationed at Sub-Base Camp Horno and north, and to those living in San Clements, San Juan Capistrano, Laguna Beach, and Dana Point is the Dana Point Church which meets in the Community Building, one block west of U. S. 101. The writer does the preaching for this small group. Those nearer to Oceanside should worship at 1234 Division Street. Orville Newman is the preacher. His home is 1021 Alberta, phone Saratoga 2-7591. My phone is Saratoga 2-5660. Both of us will be happy to assist you. Those brethren who still owe for books to the former Family Book Shelf of Henderson, Tennessee are urged to note the change of address. We know our creditors will!"

M. C. Cuthbertson, P. O. Box 1001, Culver City, California, March 22: "The work at Culver Palms Church continues to do well. We have appointed three additional elders, and these, with the two already serving, gives us five elders. Those recently appointed were, brethren Morgan Munday, H. B. Thompson, and Howard Baker. Brethren C. C. Ingalls and Fred H. Fisher were already serving. This puts the work in the best condition that it has ever been. Two have recently come by membership and restored. Our attendance has continued very fine, even though we have had many ill. I will be with the Redlands, California Church in May for another meeting, the Lord willing."

Ross O. Spears, Bolivar. Missouri, March 30: "After almost two years with this congregation, I have resigned to begin with the church at Tompkinsville. Kentucky May 8th. With the appointment of elders and deacons. I feel I have accomplished the major part of my work for the time being. Anyone interested in preaching in this section of Missouri should write the church here in rare of the elders. A great opportunity for service is here."

Abe Lincoln, 1700 Park Blvd.. Odessa, Texas, March 30: "After having spent nearly four years with the Castleberry congregation in Fort Worth, we have begun work with the Parkview congregation of Odessa. I feel as though the Castleberry Church is one of the finest anywhere, with good leadership, men who love the truth. and a congregation of people who have a mind to work. Paul Foutz is to begin work with Castleberry. We're looking forward to a most profitable and pleasant work here in Odessa."

W. Woodrow Allen, 317 West Marengo, Albion, Nebraska. March 30: "A young man and his wife were baptized here in Albion during March. Our Spring Meeting begins April 18 with Brother Arthur Francis, Jr., of Mankato, Minnesota doing the preaching. I am now in a meeting with the church in Beatrice, Nebraska, where Brother Homer Wolfe, Jr., is the faithful preacher."

Charles Hodge, Box 105, Ennis, Texas: The Southside Church of Christ in Ennis, Texas is observing its first anniversary with a ten-day Gospel Meeting. The inclusive dates are April 17-27; the speaker is Joe Banks of Fayetteville, Arkansas. A singing is scheduled for the Sunday of April 24th. This congregation has grown phenomenally in every way. A new auditorium was opened October 10th; Reuel Lemmons was the principle speaker. A regular evangelist, Charles Hodge, has been fully supported since July; the membership has tripled; contributions have averaged $2 for each person attending Sunday classes; three more gospel meetings (two at mission points in Ennis) are scheduled this year. The work is inviting; prospects are good; harmony and unity prevail. When in Ennis, worship with us."

Gene Martin, Box 868, Brenham, Texas: "The church here enjoyed a fine meeting with Lon Ross of Quitman, Texas doing the preaching. Attendance was good, interest high, and the preaching plain and pointed. We appreciate Brother Ross for his good work. Our house is completed. and we have had two baptisms since last report. I still wish that some able congregations would get interested enough in this neglected section of Texas to place more preachers here-abouts. Visit with us when you are in our vicinity."

F. B. Shepherd, 1925 Makiki Street, Honolulu, Hawaii, March 22: "Visitors and service personnel coming to the Islands please note that we are still worshipping in the Auditorium of the Lincoln Elementary School. Bible School at 10 a.m. and worship at 11 a.m. and 7 p.m. — Lord's Supper at both services. Brother Homer Hailey has promised to be with us to begin a protracted meeting Wednesday, June 29 and continue through Wednesday, July 13. We are expecting to be in our new house of worship by that time. For information, call either 906035 or 999099. The place of meeting at present is the corner of Beretania and Victoria — at Thomas Square. Many dear and interested friends on the mainland are making contributions to the building fund and others are sending or have promised financial help on the expenses of the meeting. We are being greatly blessed and marvelously encouraged."

Rufus R. Clifford, Box 282, Lawrenceburg, Tennessee, March 24: "The largest crowds in years attended our Spring Meeting with Leon C. Burns of Columbia, Tennessee, preaching. Nine were baptized during the meeting, two just before the meeting, and one this week. I will begin a meeting Sunday with the Trinity Lane Church of Nashville, Tennessee."

Norman H. Beaman, 14906 Winthrop, Detroit 27, Michigan, March 23: "Virgil Bentley of Cordell, Oklahoma has just closed an eight-day meeting with the Strathmoor congregation in Detroit. Our membership has been strengthened by his deeply spiritual messages. One was baptized. During 1954 the total receipts of this church were $37,931."

Obituary

BILLS — John G. Bills, born August 20, 1897 in Cloud Chief, Oklahoma; departed this life March 13, 1955 in San Diego, California. Brother Bills was 57 years, 7 months and 23 days old at the time of his untimely death.

On July 22, 1928 he was united in marriage to La Rue McCracken, of Abilene, Texas. In addition to Sister Bills who survives, there is one son, John G., Jr., and one daughter, Lynda Bills, both of San Diego. His mother and father, Mr. and Mrs. W. H. Bills, of Clinton Oklahoma; two brothers, Olin, of Ponca City, Oklahoma, and Jim of Chickasha, Oklahoma. One sister, Mrs. Agnes Troyer, of Clinton, Oklahoma. Seven nieces and one nephew also survive.

Brother Bills was baptized into Christ at the age of 14, by Brother A. E. Freeman, now deceased, in Cordell, Oklahoma. He attended high school in Amarillo, Texas, and to prepare himself for a gospel preacher, he attended Cordell Christian College, Cordell, Oklahoma, and the Lockney Bible College, Lockney, Texas.

He began his preaching career in 1929 in Clinton, Oklahoma. While living and preaching in Clinton he established the church in Smyrna, Oklahoma. From Clinton he moved to Eastland, Texas where he enjoyed a pleasant and growing work. From Eastland he moved to Pueblo, Colorado where the church was small — only 23 members. He lived in Pueblo three and one-half years, and when he moved the church numbered over two hundred members. It was in 1939 that he moved from Pueblo to San Diego to work with the 18th and 'G' Streets congregation, now meeting in their new location-4790 Seminole Street, in the College District. During his ministry with this congregation, and under their direction, he was able to establish the church in Encinitas, Ocean Beach and the Hillcrest District of San Diego. Before the outbreak of World War II he started the work n Coronado, which had to be discontinued during the war due to an inadequate meeting place. In 1942 he moved from the 18th and `G' congregation to work with the Hillcrest congregation. During his stay at Hillcrest, and under their direction, the church was established in El Cajon City.

In 1943 he established the church in Linda Vista with the backing of the Hillcrest Church, and continued with it until his death. In June of 1951, with the help of the Linda Vista congregation, he established the church in Imperial Beach.

He was instrumental in leading thousands of people to accept Christ. He loved the church, and always put it first in his life, and made great personal sacrifices that the church might grow and prosper. In all of his work, much credit is due his faithful companion in life, who worked side by side with him, and was a constant source of inspiration and encouragement to him, and ever wiling to share in the hardships and trials with which they were confronted.

He held gospel meetings in Oklahoma, Arkansas, Texas, Mississippi, Tennessee, New Mexico, Arizona, Washington, Iowa and California.

The writer was ably assisted in the funeral services by Bryan S. Brown of the Hillcrest congregation, who gave the scriptural reading and prayer, and by George W. Tyler, who read the obituary. His body was laid to rest in Cypress View Mausoleum to await the resurrection.

— Robert H. Bell Floyd A. Decker, 1811 Jackson Street, Monroe, Louisiana, March 28: "Closed short meeting at Leesville, Louisiana Friday night. Good attendance each night. The Leesville brethren now have Brother Hubert Franks as their local evangelist and his influence for good is being felt for the cause of Christ in that section. Bible class record for attendance broken again in Monroe yesterday-271 an all time high. The prospects for the work look very bright. Meredith Johnson, one of the deacons, and local business man, is doing the preaching in what we hope to be one of our best meetings. He is loved by all of the church and has great influence among those 'without.' I go to Paris, Texas (College Church) to speak five nights on 'The Lord's Supper,' April 18. I am to be with the Chisholm church, Montgomery, Alabama May 2, and Griffin, Georgia June 6."

Jewish Evangelization In New York And Its Suburbs

Gus Winter At the request of interested brethren, am submitting the following:

We plan to move to Levittown, L. I. this April 1st, a suburb of 93,000, one third Jewish. Adjoining it, is East Meadow, L. I., with an estimated population of over 50,000 nearly half Jewish. The Jews of these suburbs are the children and grandchildren of the old Orthodox and Conservative Jews of New York's Ghettos. They are accessible. They speak our language and are familiar with our American way of life. Never in my memory were they more receptive to the message of true Christianity, than now. The vast number of these Jews are religiously adrift. They have no connection with their synagogues, whether Orthodox, Conservative or Reformed. This is the time to enter this vast, needy and long neglected field and turn that drift toward New Testament Christianity. There are twenty times as many Jews in New York and its suburbs as in old Jerusalem; nearly twice as many as in the entire new republic Israeli in Palestine. In New York and its suburbs, there are no diplomatic barriers, no visas to obtain and no government interference. On the contrary, workers in this field have the protection of their government.

In Palestine, with its all Jewish cities, a convert from among them would be buried in effigy; a mock funeral would be held, and the convert would lose his or her job with their Jewish employer. It would be extremely difficult for such a convert to adjust himself socially, economically or religiously. In New York and its suburbs the opposite is true. The converted Jew could easily find another job with a Gentile employer, in a predominantly Gentile community. He could make an adjustment socially, economically and religiously. There would be a Church of Christ within easy reach where he could enjoy Christian fellowship.

The Jews of New York have come to these shores from nearly every land of the old world. They speak the language, know the customs and historical background of these lands. Once scripturally converted, they could become the greatest evangelizing force this world has yet seen. Who is willing to come to this promising and challenging field? Who is willing to help send those who volunteer? For further information write, or wire Evangelist Gus Winter, 63 Church Road, Levittown, L. I., New York.