The Overflow
If division comes
Any time there is a conflict between sincere Christians who hold convictions which they cannot conscientiously surrender and others who press for expedients which they could, but will not, give up, division is inevitable.
We heard him
This is not a "hear-say" report, but a matter of fact to which this writer was an eye and ear witness (a percipient witness). On Wednesday night, June 20, 1956, Brother Frank Cawyer, an elder of Highland church in Abilene, made a speech before the College church in Abilene. He was boosting Herald of Truth and begging for contributions to it. In an effort to show that ALL the churches ought to contribute to it, and not leave Highland church alone to try to carry the load, he remarked that "the name of Highland Avenue church would not even be mentioned in the broadcasts if the law of the land did not require it." Hm-m-m-m, does he, or does he not, regard Herald of Truth as a "brotherhood work"?
The Bakersfield trial
Great interest has been manifested throughout the nation in the lawsuit in Bakersfield, California, in which three brethren who had been withdrawn from instituted suit against the East Bakersfield congregation, trying to gain control of the preacher's home and the church building on the ground that this congregation had departed from the "fundamental doctrine" of the Church of Christ when the elders decided not to support institutional orphan homes. If they had won the property, it would have meant that no congregation in the nation could lay claim to being a "true church of Christ" unless they had an institutional orphan home in the budget! At this writing the court's decision is not final, but it appears that the court will rule that the three men are to be re-admitted to membership in the congregation, and that the church (not the three men who sued) will retain control of all property. We are sad to report that Brother Rue Porter, editor of the Christian Worker, appears to have been the leading influence behind the investigation of the suit, and even offered to contribute money and to get others to contribute to hire a lawyer for these brethren to handle their suit against the church!
Nursery rhyme
"Sing a song of TV,
For the little ones;
Four and twenty jailbirds,
Packing tommy guns,
When the tale is ended,
The blood is ankle deep,
Isn't that a pretty dish
To send the kids to sleep?"
— Quoted from Denver Post
America
Someone has said that America was once the land where the red man scalped his enemies — but it has become the land where the white man skins his friends.
That San Antonio debate
For several months Brother E. R. Harper has been obviously seeking some way or means by which he could honorably get out of the San Antonio debate (which he proposed at Abilene; which the Highland Boulevard elders in San Antonio quickly accepted; and which this writer has agreed to). It now is manifest that Brother Harper can find no honorable way, so he has abruptly terminated the correspondence with the San Antonio elders on the grounds that he can't get them to say whether they "agree with Douthitt" or "agree with Tant" on the matter of congregational cooperation. But as a matter of simple fact (known to Brother Harper) there is complete agreement among Douthitt, the Highland Boulevard elders, and Tant that the ONLY time one congregation can send a contribution to another is when the contribution is sent directly to a church in need from a church having the ability to give. This does not fit the Herald of Truth way of "cooperation." We are continuing to write to Brother Harper, trying to get him to live up to the solemn agreement he made before fifteen hundred brethren at Abilene that he would debate again.
Volume Seven
We are constantly receiving requests for back volumes of the Gospel Guardian from brethren who write, "I meant to get it when itcame out, but just put it off." All back volumes prior to Volume Seven are now sold out. We have some of Volume Seven still available. Get one while you can. Only $5.00.
The California edition
The Gospel Guardian next week will be filled entirely with material supplied by brethren in California: Floyd Thompson, Ira B. Sandusky, Peter J. Wilson, Bill Fling, Thomas Allen Robertson, Ford Carpenter, Lloyd Moyer, Wright Randolph, Randy Dickson, Steve Butters, and John W. Wilson. We have enough "California" material to fill a second issue, which we will bring out a little later.
"Christian entertainment"
And speaking of California, we have a circular letter from one of the churches out there asking us to advertise their "Statewide Young People's Meeting." It is going to be under the supervision of the elders, with "entertaining 'Christian social activities" planned by the young people. A nominal "registration fee" will be charged.
Still fighting Nuns
From the St. Louis (Catholic) Register of June 29, we see a headline, "Churches of Christ Still Fighting Nuns." It relates the efforts of Kentucky brethren to restrain the practice of nuns teaching in public schools while they wear their religious garb, and quotes Attorney General J. M. Ferguson as saying: "If you do not agree with the present law, we suggest that you direct your letters to the Legislature." This is being made a "test case" by Catholic authorities, and all who are interested in keeping our public schools free from Catholic control should battle in every right and legal way to free the schools from any shadow of Catholic domination.
Modernism in Chicago?
We carried last week an article by Brother Leslie Diestelkamp in response to Brother Key's article of a few week's ago, "We Be Brethren." We have on hand another article by Brother Gordon Pennock replying to the Key article, which we will find space for shortly. Chicago has had more than her share of trouble over "modernism," but with men like Pennock and Diestelkamp in the area, as well as a few others who are of sound convictions, there is still ground for hope. From personal acquaintance this writer knows there are scores of faithful Christians in Chicago who do not go along with the modernistic idea held by some preachers there that "there are faithful Christians in all the denominations."
San Diego
This page is being written in San Diego, California. Preachers here tell us of an interesting incident that took place here a few months ago. Brother Frank Caner, elder of the Highland Avenue church in Abilene, Texas, came to San Diego in the interests of Herald of Truth. He invited the preachers of the area to a meeting with him. Eleven brethren came. Not a single one of them was favorable to Herald of Truth! Maybe other areas could get a lesson from that. If enough faithful men will say "No" to the "promotin' brethren," they will soon get discouraged in their efforts to gain control of the funds of other churches, and will be content to confine their activities to their own abilities.
Horrible disadvantage
The crusty old deacon was asked how he liked the new preacher. "Well," he opined, "I've heard him only once, and that was under the most horrible kind of disadvantage — the switch on my hearing aid got stuck, and I couldn't turn the dratted thing off!"
Cosmetics
When we were in a meeting in Atlanta, Georgia, last month, Brother Steve Hudgins of Gainesville came over one night to the service, and brought us this strange "interpretation" of a verse condemning paint and powder and rouge for the sisters. Some good lady in Gainesville (apparently of the no-makeup persuasion) had insisted to him that Matthew 6:16 was a clear condemnation of all such `worldly' practices: "for they disfigure their faces that they may be seen of men — too fast!"
The reason why
In California the other day we were told why it is that some folks think the modern bathing beauties in their bikini type bathing suits are "real cool." The explanation is obvious: their bathing suits are "real gone."
"Unknown by face"
"The period to which the apostle means this remark of his to apply may be assumed to be the whole time between his conversion and the close of this stay of his in Syria and Cilicia. This, as we learn from the Acts, terminated with Barnabas's fetching him to join him in the work at Antioch. After this he DID become known to the disciples of Judea." (Pulpit Commentary, Volume 20, page 36.)