"An Aim That Got The Job Done" A Reply
I am not acquainted with Brother Farrell Till personally, but I have read some of his "silly" articles in the Firm Foundation and had some correspondence (initiated by him) before he went to France. I'm afraid Brother Till has been "pulled a little green" and I doubt the wisdom of sending one so "full of zeal" and "empty of knowledge" to pioneer (?) fields like France.
In the Firm Foundation of June 12, 1956 he quotes Paul's language in Roman's 15:19-24. He says, "Paul informed us of four (4) important facts in reference to his preaching":
(1) "He had made it his aim to preach the gospel to the places where Christ had not been preached." COMMENT: Brother Till has gone to the wrong place if he expects to "preach where Christ has not been preached." The gospel may be preached by the printed page as well as by word of mouth. The people of France have had New Testaments for centuries and it is full of Paul's sermons. Brother Till, you're not laying the foundation, like Paul, but you are building on "another's foundation." You are not preaching "where Christ has not been previously preached" (as did Paul) but you, along with the other 99% mentioned in your article, are building on another foundation.
(2) "His aim fulfilled the scripture that declared the tidings of him would come to those who had not heard." COMMENT: Does Brother Till plan to do this? What country does he plan to go to after he has evangelized France? Brother Till should know the ONLY WAY nations could have the gospel preached to them (in Paul's day) was for inspired men to take it to them personally. God's message was then IN men.
Brother Till admits one can scripturally build on the foundation of others without sinning (1 Cor. 3:10-15) but then condemns them for doing so. He raises the question, "How few do you suppose have ever preached the gospel without building on another's foundation?" Brother Till hasn't and isn't but he would leave the impression that he is following Paul (because he is in France) and those who preach in the States are not imitating him. If it wasn't for faithful preachers, in the States, (whose efforts contribute so to building up the cause here) he perhaps would not be preaching in France. We shall see how many years Brother Till spends in France and how many nations he evangelizes after that. Will he eventually return to the States and join the "99% who are making it their aim to build on the foundation of others?"
He says, "...Paul made it his AIM to do the very opposite of what so many today are purposing to do." "He made it his aim to preach the gospel in places where Christ had not already been named ..." "Why would so many purposes to do the very opposite of what the Apostle Paul purposed to do? It seems that the majority would want to imitate Paul, but as it is the majority wants to do the very opposite." COMMENT: Brother Till has just about joined up with Brother Leroy Garrett in this paragraph. If Timothy could build on Paul's foundation (by staying in Ephesus, with Paul's approval) maybe I can build on another's foundation with his approval too. Why can't Brother Till encourage some to go to France, without casting a reflection on those who faithfully preach God's word in the States and holding himself up as a PAUL??
Again Brother Till says: "If the Apostle Paul were living today do you think that he would be preaching where you are? Can you feature Paul advertising through the papers that he will be available at such and such a date if they would like to hire a preacher? No ... he would be in South America, Asia, Europe, or in some other place where Christ has not yet been named. Why not adopt Paul's aim as your own? COMMENT: Brother Till says Paul would not preach where I am; that he would be in South America, Africa, etc.; therefore, it is wrong for me to preach here. Brother Till, tell us plainly: ARE YOU OPPOSED TO AN EVANGELIST WORKING WITH A LOCAL CHURCH? When do you plan to go to "Africa, South America, Asia or some other place where Christ has not been named"? If it is right to preach the gospel in the States (Brother Till can tell us) as well as in France, and if it is wrong to tell brethren you will be "available at such and such a date if they would like to hire a preacher" then why would it also be wrong to tell the brethren you will be "available for preaching the gospel in France"? Brother Till, when you decided to go to France did you advertise, like some of the brethren in the States, or just how did you receive your support and traveling expense? I think Brother Till AIMED and MISSED. I have seen but few of these "foreign evangelists" but what thought the work in which they were engaged was the MOST IMPORTANT OF ALL.