Anent The "National Service Committee"

I have read with interest the recent articles in the BIBLE BANNER by Brother Cled, R. L. Whiteside, and yourself.

I have conducted 58 public debates, having met some of the ablest men in denominational ranks, and some of the meanest. When any man stoops to the plain of personalities and ugly statements it is because he is too little and weak to meet logical arguments. He loses for his cause and magnifies to the thoughtful his utter defeat.

No matter how ugly others may act, stay on the same high plain you have occupied and now occupy.

The BIBLE BANNER grows better and better with age. May God's richest blessings rest upon you in your consistent and scriptural position with reference to a Christian's attitude toward war and his relation to civil, government.

While Paul was "a Roman citizen and a Christian," I'm a citizen of the U. S. A. and also of the government of Christ. I appreciate my citizenship in both.

Keep the BIBLE BANNER waving. The enemy is in retreat, and confused retreat at that. -WILL M. THOMPSON, Wellington, Texas.

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First, I want to thank you for the BIBLE BANNER which has been coming to me for several months. I enjoy it very much and especially the writings of you and Brother Cled. Just yesterday I received a request from the Jimmie Lovell group in California asking me to contribute to our boys who are conscientious objectors. To me a thing of this kind is laughable as I have a son in the Marines who just finished his basic training at San Diego, Calif. He writes me that he and thousands of others during a part of their training period have to double time of 20 miles in two hours, carrying a pack weighing 971/2 pounds. And they are doing this to make this a safe place in which to live.

I am enclosing a copy of an article I wrote for The Chevron some months ago. I am not sending this to display my ability as a writer as I can never hope to be in the class with you and Brother Cled. (I am only a farmer.) I just wanted you to see that your mind and mine runs in the same channel on this war question and the question of a Christian doing his duty in time of trouble as well as in time of peace.

Please remember me to your family and Brother Cled. Sincerely your brother in Christ. -J. E. BACIGALUPO, Gallatin. Tenn.

Service Committee for Conscientious Objectors, Los Angeles, California.

Gentlemen:

With two sons in the service of their country and another expecting a call any day to enter the armed forces of our country in defense of our rights to everything dear, I find it rather difficult to get very sentimental over conscientious objectors. They are fed, cared for, housed and clothed by the government they refuse to work for. So far as I am concerned this is sufficient. You may take this as being rather harsh for a minister of the gospel. Maybe it is, but it is exactly the way I feel about the matter. I know of no authority under the New Testament set-up for a self-constituted committee of the church to solicit funds for conscientious objectors. If one is seriously a conscientious objector, that is his privilege. If his family wishes to send him money, or anything else for his comfort in the camp, I'm in favor of that. But I have no conscientious objectors in any detention camp anywhere. I have two sons, one son-in-law, fourteen nephews, two brothers-in-law, and a host of cousins, etc., in the armed services. I have one daughter in defense work. My money is behind them. The greatest aid that I can render these conscientious objectors is to by every means hasten the end of this terrible conflict that they may come home.

I've had something of a run-in with some of you fellows behind this conscientious objectors move in that the boys who are fighting for our country's freedom are tacitly classed as murderers. My feathers are stroked in the wrong direction in the matter. If you feel disposed to use this as a criticism of me now or ever, you are at liberty to use it as it pleases you. Very truly yours-Geo. B. CURTIS, Winslow, Ariz.

"High-Lights"

Congratulations! Your editorial in the May number of the BIBLE BANNER, dealing with history, is timely and instructive. Indeed, the appeal to scholarship on the war question by your opponents turns out to be a boomerang, serving to emphasize the scholarly and scriptural articles by B. W. Johnson and W. K. Pendleton, and thus you successfully meet your opponents on their own chosen ground.

A high-light of Johnson's article is: "A single passage appears to me, when properly understood, to set the matter at rest. My kingdom is not of this world'; if it were,' pure as would be its ruler, just as would be its government, then would my servants fight for me.' Earthly governments are right; the Christian is a subject of, and must by our Savior's own language, fight for them." Pendleton's high-light is: "Let it not be supposed, however, that a duty like this is any special element of Christianity. Christianity does not impose it. It only does not exempt us from it."

Thus, in general terms, both scholars express vigorously the exact truth in the light of the Scriptures. As a rule, people are subjects of earthly governments by natural birth. Hence, in point of time (not in point of importance) such relationship has priority over spiritual relationship. Nevertheless, as aptly noted by Pendleton, Christianity "does not exempt us from" earthly responsibilities incident to earthly relationships. Logically, dissenters from this position assume the very point they are obligated to prove, that Christianity exempts Christians from such duties I thank you for your research and able elaborations.

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Brother H. Leo Boles is beginning to note the different forms of sin and evil as they classify according to the word of truth under the admonition given in II Tim. 2:15, for on the first page of the Gospel Advocate of June 17, he aptly declares:

"Some sins have greater effects on society than others; some sins may be only in the limitations of one's own heart and life; others may go out and effect for evil many people." Exactly! And if the sins of Hitler, with his gangster colleagues, were limited to his "own heart and life," only the sword of the Spirit could be used scripturally against him; but since his sins "go out and effect for evil many people," the literal sword, with all that it implies, is used scripturally against him with all the evil-doers he represents.

Thus, Brother Boles conceives and concedes the exact truth on this point. He defines the very nature of sin and evil against which temporal governments are divinely commissioned to fight. And it is to this kind of temporal government, of this kind of nature, with this kind of mission, against this kind of evil, that "every soul" is divinely commanded to "submit," to "obey;" and it is "unto" this "good work" that Christians are admonished "to be ready."-Tennessee,

Comments And Commendations

I refuse to read your paper any longer without paying for it. I not only pronounce your paper good, but I am telling you that it stands at the top. God give us more men like Foy and Cled. Here is my dollar. God bless you in the great fight you are making against error. - R. C. LEDBETTER, Comanche, Texas.

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The BIBLE BANNER is fine. You are doing a great work. Hope you may be spared many years to continue your work of faith and labor of love. -JESSE W. STEPHENS, Modesto, Calif.

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Have enjoyed the May BANNER very much indeed. Brother Cled's article, "Irritation Spread Over Three Pages," is well written and fits the case nicely. Yours, "The War Question and Restoration History," is appropriate and convincing, and I would say, as to attitude and spirit, faultless. These, together with the other good things that complete the issue, make it a banner number. The firm and kindly manner in which his ranting has been answered and rebuked should cause Brother Goodpasture to moderate his tune. -W. A. PHILLIPS, Los Angeles, Calif.

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Dear Brother Foy and Cled:

May you live long to keep up the splendid work you are doing so well. We read each issue with much interest and profit. -J. G. HARDEMAN, Henderson, Tenn.

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I have thought for a long time I would write you a few lines just to tell you how much I appreciate your stand in the BIBLE BANNER, in holding out for the truth in the long neglected fight against Premillennialism, and now I want to commend you for the same kind of stand against the doctrine that a Christian cannot defend his government and still be a Christian.

Brother Glen E. Green's recent article, "The Christian in Government Versus the Sinner Only Theory," is certainly well worth considering, and I don't think it can be scripturally contradicted.

If those confused on this subject would take just two paragraphs of Brother Green's article and understand it, they would be clear in this matter, I think.

First: "The truth of the matter is God has never ordained any particular civil government in toto, as a corporate body, but the institution of civil government as defined in Romans 13:1-7."

Second: "Paul obeyed Caesar when he stayed in his God ordained place. When Caesar got out of his place, and interfered with religion and the things of Christ, Paul obeyed God, and suffered for Christ's sake. So ought we."

I have reared three sons. They are all Christians and all are workers in the church wherever they are. They are all in the services of their country. I have studied this thing thoughtfully and prayerfully ever since the other world war, and I have no hesitancy to tell them, and all other young men serving their country in like capacity, do your duty whatever may come, and you will be safe in the promises of God. -HARL D. MANSUR (an elder of the church, Big Spring, Texas.)

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Accidentally I picked up one of your magazines in an oculist's office. I read it and became very interested. -MRS. HOWARD HICKERSON, Altamont, Tenn.

I will be grateful for a two-year subscription to your well-written and worded "Banner." Brother N. Z. Cross, 502 Gulf States Bldg., Dallas, loaned me your September, November and I believe June, 1942, Bible Banner. I have read them all very carefully and have been unquestionably helped by them. I pray for your continuance to speak the true Bible truth. -E. D. CALDWELL.

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Enclosed find a "limp" dollar bill for my sub. A few years ago I might have said "crisp" but that was then!

Please be assured of our intense interest in the subjects being discussed from time to time in the Banner. We appreciate the straightforward manner of expression. -J. E. WAINWRIGHT, Santa Monica, Calif.

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I am enclosing a dollar for which you will please renew my subscription to the Banner for another year.

My wife and I enjoy reading the Bible Banner more than any other paper that comes into our home.

I wish to commend you and Brother Cled for the very fine articles you have published on the relation of Christians to Civil Government. Also I think you are doing a splendid job in your exposure of Bollism.

We eagerly look forward to the arrival of each copy of the Banner and wife joins me in wishing for you the best of health and ability to keep up the fight for sound doctrine in the Church of our Redeemer. -DR. U. G. LITTELL, Santa Ana, Calif.