"Is The World Right Or Deceived?"
Often when one is questioned concerning his teaching or practices, if he can not sustain them by the word of God, he will endeavor to justify himself by bringing forth these charges: (1) the querist is misinformed, or (2) the querist has a "grudge" against him.
I wonder if that will be the situation concerning the "Summer Camps." In the "Arkansas Democrat" (Sunday, May 22, 1955) this heading appeared, "22 Harding Students Take Church Camp Jobs." The article followed: "Searcy — Twenty-two Harding students will spend the summer as counselors at youth camps sponsored by the Churches of Christ. They will serve at Camp Wyldewood, outside of Searcy, or at Camp Shiloh in Mendham, N. J." Accurate information must have been passed on by someone who was in the "knowing," for the name and hometown of each of the twenty-two was given and where they would work.
Not only does the "Arkansas Democrat" picture the camps as "Church of Christ" camps, but the official paper of Camp Shiloh, "Seeking the Lost," does also. The May 1, 1955 — No. 2 issue has reached my desk. In it Brother Grindley, the director, was making a plea, supposedly to the church, for it was addressed to the church. "Last summer the cost of these young people... was $26.39 per week. $3.39 of which was paid by the church at Mendham .... Again this year the local church at Mendham is giving over $3.39 per camper per week." So the denominational world doesn't have anything on "us" now.
"By their fruits ye shall know them." Here is an indication of their fruits, "If I hadn't gone to Camp Shiloh every year and had all the Bible teaching that Brother Grindley and other Christians gave me, I wouldn't be a Christian now. It was there I learned what the Lord would have me do and was baptized." I wonder if, in the mind of this young convert, the camp or the church is "the pillar and ground of the truth"? I wonder if he thinks "the principalities and the powers in the heavenly places might be made known through" the camp or the church?
From the pen of Brother Bill Fryer, Bible study director, come these words, "The Bible camp program offers to date, the best (emphasis mine, OH) method of reaching young people with the gospel. Camp Shiloh is doing an admirable job in this respect." Poor James poor Peter, they didn't have the best "up to date" methods of reaching young people. If it takes a "Camp Shiloh" to cause the church to grow, wonder what the apostles could have done, had they had one? Perhaps Acts 4:4 would have read, "and the number of the young people was about twenty thousand."
I know of no one who denies that a good work is being done, or that the end accomplished isn't good, but I do know of a few who would like to know, "by what authority does the church do these things"? Does an end justify a means?
Am I misinformed? If so, someone who is in the "knowing" needs to see to it that the "Arkansas Democrat" runs a correction on the article and "Seeking the Lost" needs to make a few apologies for misinforming the public. Do I hold a "grudge"? I know neither Brother Grindley nor Brother Fryer. Our paths have never crossed, so there could be no cause for a "grudge."