The Church In Mexico
If New Testament Christianity is practiced anywhere in the world today, if old fashioned first century church services are held in the twentieth century in all of their purity, simplicity and genuine love, these principles are practiced in the towns along the U.S. -Mexico border within Mexico itself, and by the native, child-like Meal-can people.
We here in the United States have become "so busy here and there", trying to see how much money we can make to spend on our own selfish lusts, so that we can pay taxes to a government that is headed by a devout Roman Catholic, that the spirit of True New Testament Christianity has slipped out of our lives, and in its place, a hollow form of religion that we put "on and off" like a coat has taken its place. We who call ourselves members of the church that was purchased with the blood of Christ, loudly proclaim that we are worshipping Him in "Spirit and in truth". Are we? Are we truly worshipping Him in Spirit? Granted, we make the "legalistic" approach at true and acceptable religion. This is fine, because we demand a "thus saith the Lord" in all things religious. We must have New Testament authority of command, example, or necessary inference. But the question that is being raised at this time is, do all of us REALLY and TRULY worship Him in Spirit as well as in truth? We need to be very careful here, because true worship and acceptable worship is two-fold, is it not?
The great sin of INDIFFERENCE has killed the Spirit of true and acceptable worship in the lives of many individual Christians and within the midst of many congregations of the church of Christ. It is with this thought in mind that we want to try to get you to repent and pray God (Acts 8:22) that these lines are being written.
In Mexico, the people do not even know what it means to have a full stomach from the day of birth until the day of death. When they are guests in your home they eat only very small portions of food they have put on their plates. They want to save some for someone else. The Mexican people as a whole are dissatisfied with Catholicism and this yoke that they have been under for the last 400 years. When we can convince the average Mexican that the church of Christ is not just another denomination, he is truly interested in receiving the Gospel of Christ. One thing that has impressed some of them is the fact that the church does not pass out food and clothing to get them to attend services as the denominations do. When they come to the services of the church, it is to hear the gospel.
In the winter time an American visitor to the services would notice that instead of going right in to sit down in the unheated room for holding services, they all stand outside, being warmed by "La covija de los pobres" (the poor man's blanket — the sun.) They don't know what it means to get to a service on time, as we know it, since they move, live and breathe by sun-time. If the preacher is lucky enough to have a car that some North American has given him, and if he earns enough money to keep gas and oil in it, and tires on it, he leaves in time to get them, but many times has to wait for them to get ready.
You would thrill beyond your fondest expectations to hear the beautiful song services. Much of their singing is from memory since many of the adults are unable to read. The sweetness as well as the volume as heard from the children, also adds greatly to song service. Just before the sermon, the preacher tells the children to fold their arms and be very quiet. I am constantly amazed at the wonderful behaviour on the part of the Mexican children, as they realize the "Seriousness" of the occasion. Before and after each religious service, each child and every adult, from the oldest to the youngest shake hands, one with another. When the sermon is over and the last prayer has been said, there is no rush for the back door to see who can get away the quickest, but everyone, including the preacher sits down and visits and enjoys the fellowship of the other. In Tecate the brethren there are having services every night of the week. In San Luis and Sonoyta, I am conducting and teaching a total of six classes per week, which includes the Sunday morning sermon. Christ indeed is being preached and is being glorified in the only institution in which He was to have received glory, in the church. The church in Mexico is living and practicing New Testament Christianity. The church In Mexico is worshipping Christ in SPIRIT as well as in truth. Won't you follow her example, as she follows the Apostolic pattern, the pattern of perfection, that we read about in the New Testament. Write for our reports each month.
— P.O. Box 641, San Luis, Arizona, U.S.A.