The Overflow
Incentive
Quotation from a church bulletin we have received: "If you, and every Christian would each convert one person each year for five years, there would be 25,000,000 members of the Lord's body in this country. Enough to elect a Christian president, or to prevent an unchristian one being elected! (Emphasis theirs.)
Due an explanation
Some weeks ago we printed a statement that Highland Church had left off contributing to Herald of Truth, that she was not paying the salary of her own paid elder (John F. Reese), and that her mission contributions were practically to the vanishing point. Highland's ten elders promptly signed a strong statement (and sent it to all the papers) accusing us of being "utterly false" in our entire report. Whereupon we published one of Highland's regular monthly financial reports (of which we have a considerable number on hand), which showed (1) no contribution to Herald of Truth, (2) no salary to John F. Reese, (3) mission contributions of only a pittance. Now, we think Highland elders owe it to the brotherhood to make some sort of explanation. Their hot condemnation of this writer and their own monthly financial reports are in absolute contradiction; if their financial reports are accurate, their condemnation of this editor is unjust (for our statement was based on those reports). If their accusation against us is just, then their financial reports are "utterly false." Don't you think they are due to make an explanation — and an apology?
Contribution to France
We see where the "Send Us A Million For Manhattan" church in New York City has listed the work in France as being on the receiving end of an $1,800.00 contribution from Manhattan! How come they are so generous with other people's money? They put out a piteous appeal from one side of the mouth, pleading for help, then turn right around and make a handsome contribution to some other needy place. It sort of looks to us like the juvenile delinquents of the East Side aren't the only ones in New York who are "crazy, mixed up kids."
Real lonesome
"It sure is lonesome to be the only gospel preacher in a town where there are ten churches of Christ and nine 'Church of Christ' preachers." That is the quotation from a fine man with is being 'ostracized by the "Church of Christ preachers" in his town because the congregation where he preaches does NOT contribute to Herald of Truth and the orphan homes.
"Substantially correct"
"I hear you made a million dollars in oil in Texas," said a man to one of his friends. "Well," replied the friend. "that report is substantially correct; except it wasn't in Texas, but in Oklahoma; and it wasn't in oil, but in gas; and it wasn't I who pulled the deal, but my brother-in-law; and it wasn't a million, but a hundred thousand; and he didn't make it, he lost it. Otherwise the report is accurate." (Reminds us of some of the brethren who are contending that their position is "substantially the same" as it was ten years ago.)
The golden-egg goose
The Superintendent of one of the biggest orphan homes among us (who receives a simply fabulous income in salary, expense account, "fringe benefits" and other emoluments growing out of his position) makes no bones of the fact that he is training his son to "take over" the orphanage (and income) when he is ready to retire. It is in the nature of an open secret that this man is probably the most handsomely remunerated "gospel preacher" (except Brother Pat Boone) in the nation; and he doesn't intend to surrender the goose that lays those golden eggs. Not if he can help it!
Nameless?
Comes now a letter from one of our ardent pro-institutional brothers in which he wonders "if you are trying to prove that you should not be allowed to wear your father's name." H-m-m-m. We didn't ask to be the son of J. D. Tant; God arranged that at a time when this editor had even less understanding than some of his critics have now. And we've never had much occasion to regret it. But we are fairly certain that if "old Brother Tant" were still on the firing line, writing his "Brethren, we are drifting" articles, the Gospel Guardian is the only one of the weekly journals among us (Gospel Advocate, Gospel Guardian, Firm Foundation) that would publish his material As a matter of fact, both the others had almost entirely cut him out even before his death.
Logic
We've heard a great deal of exaltation of "logic" in recent months, so we were quite prepared to accept the fine point made recently by one, Angus McTavish, who was informed by his physician after a thorough examination, that there was nothing wrong with him. "Weel," said Angus, "that's guid. Then I doon't owe ye anything."
Restoration
Signs of the times: Some time ago the First Baptist Church in Lubbock, Texas, put on a big revival with Angel Martinez, well known Baptist preacher, giving the "rousements." He preached some strong sermons against worldliness — dancing in particular, and many came forward to be restored, prayed for, re-consecrated, or whatever they call it in Baptist circles. Among the pentitents who confessed to dancing, and asked for prayer was — a daughter of one of the elders of Broadway Church of Christ. Oh, yes, the girl was a member of Broadway all right — but had never heard anything there to make her realize the sinfulness of dancing as she realized it under Martinez' preaching. Recommendation: why don't the good brethren at Broadway get Angel Martinez to hold them a meeting?
Request
We are solemnly assured that this one actually happened: The janitor in a Tennessee congregation asked the elders to please request that the people taking the communion each Sunday "be sure to drink all the grape juice" from the individual communion cups — so the janitor could tell which cups he had to wash!
$31,500.00
That is the amount of money being solicited by the Gospel Press organization of Dallas, Texas, for one page (7 x 5 inches) in one issue of Readers' Digest. When the Herald of Truth people came forth with a plea for $1,500.000.00 for one year's broadcasting, that was the catalyst that jarred the whole church into an awareness of the enormous machine that was being built up among us. We wonder if appeals like this may not see the same thing happen with Gospel Press?
That'll be the day!
By the way, has anybody seen any apologies yet in the F.F. and G.A. for all those wild and vicious charges of "false accuser," "trouble-maker," "prevaricator," etc., they hurled against us a few years ago when we were warning that Ralph Wilburn was a modernist and Pepperdine College was shot through with modernism, compromise, and false teaching ? Well, Wilburn has long since gone to the Christian Church; and the Pepperdine Board of Directors have relieved Tiner and Pullias of their jobs under circumstances so embarrassing to them (the Board) that they refuse even to make any public statement as to why they were relieved! It looks to us like somebody is due the Gospel Guardian an apology. But when, and if, you ever see any corrections in the journals that smeared us, write and tell this editor about it. That'll be the day!