Vol.VIII No.VII Pg.2
September 1971

Reading The Mail

Robert F. Turner

Since I am seldom home, my First Class mail is forwarded to me; but a mass of Second, Third, and no value First Class material accumulates on my desk. My wife reads, and tries to keep me up-to-date on the church bulletins, but much of the stuff goes unseen — perhaps to my advantage. My ulcers jumped when I read some of the junk during a recent visit home.

Jimmie Lovell - (one can always count on him for Action) is still Father Advisor to change the church He says, In a meeting recently with the elders where I worship the suggestion of women serving at the Table came up, which gives you some idea of which way the wind is blowing. He continues to urge the women of the church to push his Miss-A-Meal idea, and writes, It just might be that you were born for this mission. Would you like to discuss it with the Spirit of Hope within you and see? If he can get enough people looking within (subjectively) for the answers, instead of looking objectively to the Word of God, he just might get his — not the Lords — work done.

Then there was this letter from a church in W. Virginia — with 73 members, a preachers home and small frame church building paid for, contributions average $283. with projection of $302. for 1971, $8,000. in the building fund, — and they want brethren to help them build a new church building. They are fixing to kill the upsurge of enthusiasm and self-sacrifice that brought them to where they are; and independence will become a word, not a reality. Let them build their own building!!

And heres a paper on the Jesus People. Pat Boone is identified with the Jesus People according to the book by that name, by Duane Pederson. These people, mostly a youth movement, claim to be led by the Holy Spirit, are highly emotional, almost wholly subjective in their conclusions. (Apparently they read portions of the Bible more for effect than to determine objectively what God has said, or to seek to do Gods will.) They reject organized religion as one would expect; and one banner read It Doesnt Matter What You Believe As Long As Youre Sincere. That figures — So, whats new!!

Im wondering if our colleges, camps, and liberal brethren in general realize how much their Devotional Periods of the past years have contributed to this sort of thinking among young people of the Lords church?

There is no substitute for faith that comes by the Word of God.