Overflow
Who is to blame?
Any time there is a conflict between sincere Christians who hold convictions which they cannot conscientiously surrender and others who press for expedients which they can, but will not, surrender, division is inevitable.
Signs of the times
Someone sent us a copy of the bulletin from the East Sixth Street church in Irving, Texas. The same bulletin that told of the necessity of withdrawing support from a faithful gospel preacher (Brother 0llie Duffield) in Joliet, Illinois, because of lack of finances, set forth in detail the needs of the orphan home and the old folks' home, and urged the congregation to respond to the "special need" of these institutions. Interesting thing about this to us is that it is a known fact that nearly all the institutions among us have huge surpluses of both food and finances on hand, and yet faithful gospel preachers are denied support in order to increase these surpluses.
"We have no trouble here"
Visiting in Bakersfield, California, the other day with Brother M. C. Cuthbertson, we were reminded of a bit of church history of the not too distant past. Brother Cuthbertson said that while he lived in Dallas about twenty to twenty-five years ago, several of the congregations there took a "hands off" attitude on the premillennial question. They did not want it preached on or discussed at all. They said, "We have no trouble over that question in this congregation; and we don't want it agitated." Result: As time went by every single one of those churches DID have trouble over premillennialism, while the congregations which had encouraged a study of the TRUTH on this question did NOT have trouble. Does anybody get a lesson for these modern times from that? We hope so.
"My client is an orphan"
We see where the Oildale church in Bakersfield is using whatever influence she may have to oppose the Yosemite Encampment this year because it was being conducted by the East Bakersfield church. Oildale reports in the Firm Foundation that one reason for her anti-cooperative attitude is that "East Bakersfield is involved in a law-suit." What she did NOT mention is that that law-suit was encouraged, promoted and helped in every way possible by the Oildale preacher and elders!! Without the moral support (and possibly financial as well) of Central church and Oildale church, it is highly unlikely that the three withdrawn from brethren would ever have had the effrontery to try to take over the church property of the East Bakersfield church by process of law. It all reminds us of the fellow who was on trial charged with having murdered his father and mother. His attorney in an impassioned appeal to the jury pleaded for the release of his client, and asked them to remember that "my client is a poor orphan boy!" — And Oildale can't endorse a church which is "involved in a lawsuit."
Fellowship, it's wonderful!
Remember the little squib we carried a few weeks ago about the brother who says he can smell coffee every time somebody starts talking about "fellowship"? Well, we recently worshipped at a congregation in California where they served the Lord's Supper — from a coffee table! This is not a vague rumor, but the writer of this page was a partaker of the bread and fruit of the vine on that occasion, and qualified as a percipient witness (an "eye-ball witness") of the event. And we'll guarantee that no Texas church can have any better "fellowship" than was enjoyed on that occasion, regardless of how hot and black the coffee they serve.
Amen!
We admire the man who is forthright and honest. For that reason we had a sneaking respect for the brother down in Arizona a few weeks ago who boldly approached the throne of grace with an honest petition to the Lord to "line our pockets with money," even though we did get a quiet sort of chuckle when the story was told us. Well, maybe he was not quite as euphemistic and delicate in his phrasing as the brother who prays for "fruitful seasons and abountiful harvest," but probably the Lord wouldn't have much trouble figuring out that both brethren have the same thing in mind.
Forbidding the water
"Can any man forbid the water that these should not be baptized?" was the question Peter asked at the house of Cornelius. We have recently found two instances in which brethren DID forbid water for the baptism of penitent believers. At least they refused a sister congregation the use of their baptistry in each instance. It would be our surmise that each of these congregations would have accepted the baptized believers into full fellowship had they presented themselves the next Sunday. They would receive them once they had been baptized, but would not permit the use of their baptistries for the baptism. Hm-m-m.
Still trying
We are still trying to get Brother Harper to live up to the "Herald Of Truth" issue in San Antonio. He himself proposed that we debate it there; the San Antonio elders accepted; this writer accepted. Brother Harper made his proposal before about fifteen hundred people. His statement was greeted with looks of incredulity and skepticism from hundreds of gospel preachers in attendance. Many of them freely and positively predicted even in the Abilene discussion that Harper would NEVER debate again — that he would find excuse to get out of it. But we still haven't given up hope. We will continue to write him. Meanwhile, maybe others of you could write him and encourage him to live up to his commitment. How about it?
Printed debate
We remind our readers that the Harper-Tant debate is now in print. If you know anybody who has received a copy of this book from the Chronicle Publishing Company, you might inform him that the copy he received is a mutilated, garbled, inaccurate and incomplete copy — with Tant's major argument deleted. If he wants a more acceptable book, tell him to order from the Gospel Guardian. The book we will send him will be the Chronicle version PLUS a part of the material they deleted from Tant's argument. Price is $3.75 per copy, or $3.00 if he returns the book he ordered from the Chronicle.
Allen's articles
Brother James A. Allen, former editor of the Gospel Advocate, and long time editor and publisher of the Apostolic Times, has written three articles of considerable interest concerning the charter and present operation of David Lipscomb College.
The first article (the charter) appeared last week. The comments on the charter appear in this and the following issue. We urge a careful reading of all this material. It is vital and far-reaching in its implications.