The Overflow
Who causes division?
When sincere brethren hold convictions which they cannot in good conscience surrender, and other brethren press for "expedients" contrary to those convictions which they can, but will not, surrender, division is inevitable. And who causes the division?
Those Bad, Bad "Antis"
Brother Frank Cawyer in his speeches promoting the Herald of Truth reveals that a part of the secretarial work done by the staff is to make certain that nobody writing in for information as the result of hearing a Herald of Truth broadcast is put in touch with any "anti" (i.e. one opposing 'sponsored cooperation') congregation, but rather is directed to a "cooperating" church. So that if an honest enquirer writes in asking where he can find the nearest "Church of Christ," and it develops that the only church in the town where he lives is opposed to Herald of Truth, . . . . well, suppose we let Brother Cawyer tell us the rest of it. What does he do?
Chronicle Not A "Brother"
Someone has asked us how we could have entertained the idea of "going to law against a brother" when we contemplated legal action to prevent the Chronicle Publishing Company violating their written contract with us. The answer is simple. That *potation (now bankrupt, we teal) is NOT a brother," but is a business corporation, owned by scores of stock- holders, some of whom are, and some of whom are NOT, members of the rob of Christ. One of the largest stock holders (owning approximately one-third of the corporation) is not only not a Christian, he is not even
a good member of the denominational church hi which he nominally holds membership! We are not informed as to the religious affiliation (if any) of other stock-holders. James Walter Nichol, president of the defunct corporation, is a member of the church of Christ. The corporation has been constantly involved in legal difficulties for some years, being sued both by Christians and by non-Christians.
J. D. Tant's Articles
We congratulate the Gospel Advocate on the good taste of her "scissors and paste-pot" editor in re-publishing some of the writings of J. D. Tant. About once a year for the last five or six years they have run, either in part or in whole, an article by this writer's father, in which our sire pleaded for brethren to support Tennessee Orphan Home. But the article they do NOT publish from the same pen is the one that shows J. D. Tant believed the Orphan Home should be used as a sort of "clearing house" to provide for hapless children until they could be put into Christian homes.
Patience, please
If you have ordered a "Harper-Tant Debate" and have not received it yet, we ask your patience. Although the book was supposed to be in publication by June 30, we did not actually receive our order until about the middle of August. And then we got only one-half of the number we had ordered. To complicate matters- the Chronicle Publishing Company has all their gone into bankruptcy, and all their we still hope to be able to supply all who order the book from us. Perhaps by the time this appears in print, we will have received the rest of our order and will be able to supply books to all who want them. But, remember! only the book you get from us will have the "Supplement" supplying some of Tant's major arguments which were deleted from the Chronicle version of the book. Price is $3.75 per copy.
"Lesser Of Two Evils"
Some weeks ago we wrote an editorial suggesting that if any congregation had elders who were determined to support from the church treasury such things as the Red Cross, American Legion, Missionary Societies, Heart Fund, institutional orphan homes, Catholic orphanages, etc., they NOT use the church's money for such contributions. To do so would violate the consciences of many faithful Christians, forcing them either to quit contributing, or else to give money to that which they honestly believe to be wrong. In order to promote unity, and avoid division, while the entire question was being studied, we suggested that the elders support their pet project individually, and even arrange for any member like-minded with them, to support such in a way that would not involve the funds of the congregation. We termed this the "lesser of two evils.' Now comes the profound and brilliant editor of the Firm Foundation charging us with endorsing and promoting that which we believe to be "evil" in the church! All we pleaded for was that if the elders were going into apostasy, they NOT drag the church in with them. We still think it evil for elders or members to support a Missionary Society, or any institution set up to do the work of the church. And we are also convinced that their supporting such is a lesser evil than their supporting such and also dragging the church into their sin or else splitting it. Now let us await our brother editor's weighty analysis of that position.
Too Much Stress On "Organization"
"I am glad to see Brother C. R. Nichol in print again on some of the current problems. For some time I have also been of the conviction that we need to stress the church as an 'organism' rather than an 'organization.' There is too much idea of 'officialdom' in organization. Ignorant men as elders are worse than no elders. They are the ones most likely to exalt officialdom and authority rather than that of watching for souls (shepherds) etc. 'He ruleth best who seemeth not to rule at all'."
— Carl A. Gardner, Ft. Worth, Texas Itinerary
This writer's schedule for the next few weeks is as follows: Fort Deposit, Alabama, September 23-30; Grenada, Mississippi, October 1-10; Dyersburg, Tennessee, October 14-21; (attending the Douthitt-Warren debate in Houston, Texas, October 23-26); Louisville, Kentucky, (Wendell Avenue) October 28-November 4; (moderating for R. C. Welch in the Welch-Schreiner debate on pre-millennialism, Louisville, Nov. 5, 6, 8, 9); Gary, Indiana, November 11-21.