THE BROADENING INFLUENCE

Jas. P. Miller

Christians who love the church of the Lord and who are aware of the many problems that face it today are asking over and over again, how are such rapid departures from the faith po ible? At an almost unbelievable pace, the church of Christ has lost and is losing its identity and loyalty tJesus Christ. Practices that would have been unthought of even ten year s ago ar e now open and cr y their shame fr om the housetop. Brethren are no longer hindered by opposition from some of their brothers in Christ, but run rough shod over them and their feelings. The churches are turningto the social needs of man and forgetting the soul. The "serving tables" takes the place of the "word of God" and the r eal pur pose of the chur ch that cost so much is lost. Inanswering why to the causes for this wave of departure, we should understand that no man knows another's mind. Paul said this in I Cor. 2:11, "that no man knows the things of a man but the spirit of man that is in him." The causes are many and varied.

THE AGE OF FEAR

Our age has been described as the age of fear. Modern weapons capable of great destruction, a better informed population and the "cold war" have all left their impact. As strange as it may seem, instead of turning our thoughts heaven-ward, all of this has had the opposite effect. Mankind turns to the social world around him with no thought but to improve it. In this way of "human wisdom" he sees the church as a social force instead of a spiritual anchor. In the Tampa Times of June 2, John S. Wimbish, a Baptist preacher, makes this statement: "The church cancompete in any field for people's inter est and do it better." Wimbish suggested the following:

1. Agencies to handle people's needs beyond just the spiritual
2. Dramatizing the baptismal service.
3. Establish employment agencies.
4. Development of recreational areas for tennis, basketball, and volleyball.
5. Producing movies better than those of Hollywood.

This kind of thinking is not limited to Mr. Wimbish orto the Baptist Chur ch. It is exactly the same as that of manyof our own brethren who are following the same pattern. This is one of the causes for liberalism and departures from the faith.

EDUCATION AND EXPERIENCE

In addition to the age of fear , higher education is takingits toll. In the Tampa Tribune of the week of April 22, Pat Hardeman answered questions about his role as an educator. Pat was running for the School Board in Hillsborough County.This is no attempt to chastise Pat, for he long ago has left the faith and the church of his youth. The possibility ofhis ever returning to his first love is very remote as thefollowing statement will show.

"In the last two Sunday editions, letter writers have raised questions about my record as an educator. I should like toanswer those questions. (1) Concerning Florida Christian College and my resignation there, the answer is simple. I was reared in the Church of Christ which insists that no member of another church can go to heaven. Every member of the faculty at Florida Christian College must believe this dogma. When my education and experience broadened mmind to the point that I could no longer accept this dogma,I resigned from Florida Christian College to accept a full-time appointment to Tampa University PhilosophyDepartment. I could not do otherwise and remain true to my conviction."

From the above statement, Pat gives the true cause for his making shipwreck of faith. I have no knowledge of thcircumstances connected with his resignation. Concerning his faith, the fault lies in his education at the Univer sity oIllinois. Proper apologies should be forthcoming from those br ethr en who tried to blame this loss of faith on Florida Christian College and those connected with it. They knothe true cause now and have the words of Pat himself for proof. His doctor's degree cost him his faith. This influence of higher education is one of the great causes for the tragedyof our time. Men have lost their faith entirely or have had their belief in what Pat calls the "dogma" of the church weakened to the point of usele ness. It does take cour ageto believe that only those who ar e part of the L or d's bodyar e going to heaven, and it takes even mor e to pr each itevery day. For the educated man, who values the opinions of his fellows in the field of academic achievement, this is his gr eatest cr o . He is dr awn between the standar ds set by the Bible and the br ethr en who ar e "on the r ock" on the one hand, and the sneers of his educated colleagues on the.other. As the result, he tries to carry water on both shoulders. He softens the plea of the gospel to make it less offensive to the world and keeps a few fundamentals to make it acceptable to his brethren. The tragic thing about this is that brethren have been taught to look for these few fundamentals and are not aware of the danger until it is too late. Softness and compromise have already done their worst and the church is destroyed.

FILTHY LUCRE

There are other causes. Pride in ourselves and a love for the praise of men, a fear of being laughed at, and too littleBible knowledge are all causes. Another of these is simply money. The need for food and clothing and a place to house one's family are always with us. So many preachers are influenced simply by the need of a job. Some of them knownothing but preaching. They have had no experience inother fields, and are afraid not to go along with the crowd because they know they would be fired if they did notInstitutional elder s, pr ompted by power s "beyond themtold the preachers this very thing and some have had thecourage to tell it to others.

HISTORY WILL TELL

When the history of this generation is written, time will give up other causes. These are but a few and there are many other s. Br ethr en who a few year s ago wer e mar king the page with warnings and the pulpits with truth have quit the fight. How they could have been sincere then when they were so bold and courageous and now are unable toanswer their own arguments is to many a mystery. Goknoweth the heart and the judgment will give the finalverdict. In the meantime, the "Broadening Influence" is still with us.

SEARCHING THE SCRIPTURES

1960-1961

Bound in beautiful blue cloth bindingOnly a few copies left

$5.50 per copyOrder: Phillips PublicationsP. O. Box 17244 T ampa 12, Fla.

FRANKLIN ROAD LECTURE SERIES

Delivered in Nashville, Tenn., October, 1959

Vol. I Give Us A King (Harris J. Dark) _ $ .20 Vol. II Contending For The Faith and The

Organization of The Church

(Charles M. Campbell) . ____ .20 Vol. III Speaking As The OraclesOf God (Irven Lee) ____ .20 Vol. IV The All-Sufficiency Of The Bible

(E. L. Flannery) _____________ . .. .20 Vol. V Divisions, Who Is Responsible?(James P. Miller) . .... .20 Vol. VI According To The Pattern(Stanley J. Lovett) _____________ .. .20 Vol. VII Church Cooperation (Cecil B.Douthitt) __________________ . .20 Vol. VIII The Glorious Church And Its Purpose(Curtis Porter) ... . . __ .20 Vol. IX The Care Of The Needy (HerschelPatton) . . . . __ .20 Vol. X The Individual Christian's Responsibility (Bennie Lee Fudge) .... .20

Vol. XI When Should One Change?(James A. Allen) _________________ .20

All 11 volumes $2.00

These lessons have been widely distributed andcontain valuable information touching the "i ues" disturbing us today. All these men have a nationalreputation for "contending earnestly for the faith." If you have not read these booklets, order them today.

PREACHING THROUGH THE PRINTED PAGE

Preaching is important in God's plan to save sinners. "For after that in the wisdom of God the world by wisdom knew not God, it pleased God by the foolishness of preaching tosave them that believe" (I Cor. 1:21). In the same letter Paul said, "If any man think himself to be a prophet, or spiritual, let him acknowledge that the things that I WRITE unto you are the commandments of the Lord" (I Cor. 14:37).Preaching may be done by speaking or by writing

Many who write articles today seem to indicate in their writing the desire to be recognized for their contributions to literature. To write for the purpose of recognition is not the proper attitude in preaching. It is also true that some preach for that purpose. We should speak or write for the purpose of teaching God's will and saving the lost souls about us. Simplicity is important if we are to make God's truth understood.

I am wondering what the i ues will be in the next gener ation. E ver y one feels he must write something "on the i ues" to hold his standing among his own brethren. Do notmisunder stand me: I am not encour aging anyone to ignor e the problems that face the church today. They must be mewith all the force and vigor the Scriptures teach, but wemust follow the examples of the apostles in their pr eachingand declare all the counsel of God. Paul said to the Ephesian elder s: "And how I kept back nothing that was pr ofitable unto you, but have shewed you, and have taught you publickly, and from house to house. . ." (Acts 20:20). "For I have not shunned to declare unto you all the counsel ofGod" (Acts 20:27). The matter of the life, death and resurrection of Christ was preached. The i ue of Judaism was fully taught. The second coming of Christ was discussedin all its details. Human relationships, congregationalobligations, worship and organization were all taughtcompletely. In fact, the New Testament was given that the "man of God may be perfect, thoroughly furnished unto allgood works" (2 Tim.

3:17). Those to whom Peter addr essed his second epistle were already informed in all matters of doctrine, for he writes: "Wherefore I will not be negligent to put you alwaysin r emembrance of these things, though ye know them, andbe established in the present truth" (2 Pet. 1:12).

Several years ago the church faced the problems of human institutions in the nature of the mi ionary societies andeducational societies, and the battle was fought. While thevaliant soldiers of the cross engaged this error, they forgot theother i ues that were rising and soon they had a new enemy — Premillennialism. This "ism" divided the church just as the mi ionary society did. The guns were now turned on this new enemy, and every writer and speaker thought he oughtto continually deal with this error as if it were the onlyenemy of tr uth. While they wer e fighting this doctrine, worldliness in various forms invaded the church. A new line of battle was formed. Together with this plague of worldliness, forms of modernism arose among various congregations and the enemy sought to compromise these with the gospel. While this battle was being fought, humami ionary, educational and benevolent societies regained strength and began the battle again. We cannot afford toturn all our attention to one battle field and lose the church of this gener ation to an enemy we will not r ecognize while we are fighting another. We must fight all error wherever it may be found.

Today very little is said by comparison on the subject of Premillennialism, and if we are not careful, we will have this battle to fight all over again in the chur ch. One does not have to preach every sermon and write every article on thesubject of human organizations taking funds from churches to be faithful to the word. Of course, he MUST preach on these subjects to be faithful! He must preach with great power and distinction against them! There is no basis for fellowship with these digressive elements in the church! But we are faced with the serious i ue of WORLDLINESS in the chur ch. How much pr eaching and writing ar e we doingon drunkenness, adultery, dancing, stealing, lying, etc.? Wear e faced with the issue of ignorance in the chur ch as to our duty. How much pr eaching and writing are we doingon worship, faithfulne , saving the lost, congregational conduct, discipline, etc.?

Paul said he had pr oclaimed "all the counsel of God,"and "kept back NOT HING that was pr ofitable unto you." We must do the same. This means to preach against all forms of doctrinal error, including human institutions, innovations in worship, Premillennialism, materialism in all forms, worldliness, indifference to worship, and all such like. It means to preach the will of God and the authority oJesus Christ in everything to the church. Brethren, let us not neglect any of the tr uth taught in God's wor d, and let us not give "place by subjection, no, not for an hour," to anyfalse teacher or worldly minded church members. Let us use the swor d of the Spirit with great power against ever yand all foes of the gospel of our L or d and Saviour Jesus Christ. Continue to preach and write against the "present issues," but let us not forget the other "issues" that have and are facing us today.

EVOLUTION -FACT OR FANCY?

E. L. Flannery, Lawrenceburg, Tenn.

The theory of evolution may be defined as the hypothesis that million of years ago lifeless matter, acted upon by naturalfor ces, gave origin to minute living or ganisms which have since evolved into all living plants and animals including man. The theor y of evolution has to do with the origin of lifeand the origin of the species and should not be confused with the ordinary development of living plants and animals. The theory of evolution is old, very old, but it was revived in the year 1859 largely as the result of the publication oCharles Darwin's "Origin of the Species." Some today teacevolution — that life sprang from inorganic material — even though Dar win set it forth as a theor y, and said he knew of no case wher e life had ever come fr om inorganic matter. Inthe Reader's Digest, April 1956, page 138, Professor Edward Conklin, the great Princeton University biologist, is quoted"The probability of life originating from accident is comparable to the probability of the Unabridged Dictionary resulting fr om an explosion in a printing factor y."

EVOLUTIONISTS "PROOF" IS FAULTY

Most Encyclopedias and textbooks in biology tell us of the Piltdown man as the mi ing link between the ape-man and man. But in 1953 the British Museum announced to the world that the Piltdown skull was a fake! The coelacanth (fish) has been generally said to have been extinct for some 280 million years. Books published as late as 1954 so state.But this fish is being caught in the Indian Ocean in r ecent years. Evolutionists have traced the horse as "proof" of their theory. Taking their reconstruction of Eohippus (size of a dog), his ribs were eighteen. Orohippus dropped to fifteenPliohippus jumped to nineteen, and Equis Scotti is back toeighteen. Eohippus starts at six or seven lumbars, Orohippus shows eight, and some five million year s later, they havEquus Scotti back at six! Of this Dr. Heribert Nilsson has said, "The construction of the whole cenozoic pedigree of the horse is, therefore, a very artificial one, because it is puttogether out of parts that are not homogeneous, and cannot for that reason be a continuous transitional series." (Synthetische Artbildung, 1953, p. 552). Evolution can be answered, but many are taking advantage of the lack of information, and are teaching this false theory to our children, thus destroying their faith in God as the Cr eator of life. One cannot believe evolution and the Bible too. The Bible states, "In the beginning God cr eated the heavens and the earth", that He created all the living. (Gen. 1:1-31). Evolution saysthat life came from lifeless matter reacted upon by naturaforce. This is too large a subject to deal with through this medium, but a booklet of 95 pages, Evolution, written by a medical scientist will give you many, many answers, andgives quotations from 225 sources. He lists 25 recommended books. This booklet costs about 20 cents wholesale. It will help all who believe in God and his wor d, the Bible, todefend it, and to show up evolution for what it really is, merely a fanciful theory.

SALVATION -BELIEVING -No. 4

Thomas G. O'Neal, Jasper, Ala.

After those who ar e lost have had the gospel of Christ preached unto them and have heard it, they then neeto believe the gospel. Jesus said, "I said therefore unto youthat ye shall die in your sins: for if ye believe not that I am he, ye shall die in your sins." (Jno. 8:24). An essential unto salvation is believing that Jesus as God's Son is able to save one from sin.

Faith or belief is defined in these words, "Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen." (Heb. 11:1).

One must believe in, tr ust in, have confidence in, r ely upon Jesus Christ in order to be saved. One must have complete confidence that Jesus the Son of God and Healone is able to save one from sin. Heb. 7:25 says that Christ "is able also to save them to the uttermost that come unto God by him . . ." There is no salvation out ofChrist. (2 Tim. 2:10). E ver y blessing connected withsalvation can be had in Christ and only in Christ. Ther e is not one particle of salvation that is to be had out of Christ!

Notice at this point some passages of Scripture that show the necessity of faith in order to be saved. "For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ; for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek. For therein is the righteousness of God revealed from faith to faith; as it is written, The just shall live by faith." (Rom. 1:16-17). "And many other signs truly did Jesus in the presence of his disciples, which ar e not written in this book: But these ar e written, that ymight believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God; and that believing ye might have life through his name." (Jno. 20:30-31). "Then said Jesus to those Jews which believed on him, If ye continue in my word, then are ye my disciplesindeed; And ye shall know the tr uth, and the tr uth shall make you free." (Jno. 8:31-32). "He that believeth on theSon hath everlasting life: and he that believeth not the Son shall not see life; but the wrath of God abideth on him." (Jno. 3:36). "And he said unto them, Go ye into all theworld, and pr each the gospel to ever y cr eatur e. He thatbelieveth and is baptized shall be saved; but he thabelieveth not shall be damned." (Mk. 16:15-16). "Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ: By whom also we have access byfaith into this gr ace wher ein we stand, and r ejoice in hopeof the glory of God." (Rom. 5:1-2).

In our study of faith being essential unto salvation, it is needful and pr ofitable to stop just her e and point out that man is saved by faith, but man is not saved by faith onlyor by faith alone! Many in the religious world teach thatman is saved or justified by faith only. Note the following:

"We are accounted righteous before God only for the merit of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, by faithand not for our own wor ks or deser vings. Wherefore, that we are justified by faith only is a most wholesomedoctrine, and very full of comfort." (Emphasis mine, T.G.O.) (Methodist Discipline 1952 E dition, Page 28.)

What is affirmed in this quotation is affirmed by manypreachers in denominational bodies across this land. Theargument that is sometimes made is this: Rom. 5:1 mentions being justified by one thing — faith. Nothing else is mentioned. Therefore, we are justified by faith only. Ithis wer e true, then ever ything God had to say on anysubject would have to be found in just one verse. Concerning some subjects in the Word of God it may well be that allGod has said on that specific subject is stated in just one verse, but that is not always correct. To illustrate, all that God has had to say concer ning the time the Lord's Supper is to be observed is found in one verse, Acts 20:7. No other verse in the entire New Testament tells the time the Lord's Supper is to be partaken. Other verses tell the manner, the purpose, etc., about the Lord's Supper, but no other verse teaches the time about the Supper .

God has not said all in one ver se ever ything that Hewants man to do in or der to be saved. In the 'New T estament an «entir e book, Acts, is devoted to the question of what an individual needs to do to be saved.

The only place in all of God's Word that the term "faith only" is found is Jas. 2:24, "Ye see then how that by works a man is justified, and not by faith only." Faith is essential unto salvation, but faith is not the only essential! In Acts 17:30, Paul says God demands r epentance of those whwould be saved. This, however, does not mean r epentanceonly! Jesus said, "He that believeth and is baptized shall bsaved." (Mk. 16:16). In this ver y passage, Jesus saidsomething besides belief is essential unto salvation, and He also said that something besides baptism is necessar y.

Faith is essential therefore unto salvation. None can be saved without it. Air br eathed is necessar y in or der for one to live, but one cannot live by air only. It takes air breathed plus food, water, shelter, etc., for one to live. Likewise, it takes faith plus other things in order for one to be saved. The other things are repentance, confession, and baptism followed by steadfastness in the Lor d's ser vice.

In our next article repentance will be our subject for study.

(CORRECTION: The indebtedness of Alabama Christian College as stated in the last issue of SEARCHING THE SCRIPTURES should have been $80,000.00 not $80,000,000.00. This last figure would be too much for even the greatest promoters of our day. We are glad to make this correction. The type setter just got stuck on the "0."-JPM.)

Our brethren who for so long now have tried to arguethat they are the church and that whatever they aindividuals do, the church can and does do, should try this with Billie Sol Estes. Is the church in Pecos under fire and bankruptcy, or is it just one of the members of the church? He has been used by the institutional br ethr en and held up as one of our outstanding br ethr en. If he is the chur ch, what plans does the congr egation wher e he is a member have for paying off the millions that he seems to owe? I mar vel at the lengths to which some will go in order toprove the point; but I expect that all of the liberal brethren in West T exas will be able to see the differ ence in the individual and the chur ch with that much money involved.

The same thing can be said for our brother Boone. The reports on State Fair tell of his passionate love-making andki ing other women in the picture. These brethren need to tell us, was that the chur ch kissing another woman andcalling for whiskey, or was that just br other Boone as an individual doing the kissing? Brethren, that old argumentis just about thr eadbar e. Peter told Ananias ther e was adifference in his money and the Lord's money in these words found in Acts 5:4, "Whiles it remained, was it not thine own? and after it was sold, was it not in thine own power? . . ." There are two inescapable conclusions to thesquestions: 1) There is a difference in what is our own and in that which belongs to the Lord; and 2) Before a thing is given to the Lord it is in our power and after it is given,it comes under the Lord's power or authority. This is the difference in the action of the individual and the church.

BRETHREN OLER AND HEDGE

In the Boles Home News of March 25, 1962 brother Gayle Oler publishes a good letter fr om br other J. W. Hedge. It has never been my good fortune to meet brother Hedge, but he must be a beloved and respected older preacher in the West. He writes brother Oler a very finletter in which he has the following statement:

"I have always placed 'institutional homes' in thesame category with the hospitals and other institutions created to do special works which the churches within their framework were not created to do. Therefore, I sincerely believe that such institutions may be used of and by the church in providing care for needy peopleSince they belong, at least in my eye, to the r ealm of private enterprise, I don't believe any one of them has a right to ask chur ches to place them in the budget tbe supported by the churches from their treasuries. Ifone can be placed in the budget of the churches so mayall of them . . ."

It was interesting to read brother Oler's answer. He arguesthat the lights, gas, and telephones ar e placed in the budgetand that this makes the institution right, and missed brother Hedge's point a million miles. This was the ver y thing theold brother was arguing. Listen to him as he continues:

"Churches may from their treasuries take money topurchase any service rendered for them which they are unable to provide for lack of proper facilities. The churches were created to take care of the spiritual needs of mankind, primarily. The churches have facilities within their framework to do this work; hence no other institution is needed in this field to do the work of the chur ches. This pr oves to me that the "mi ionar y society," is an addition to God's plan. The "natural home" as well as the "institutional home" exists for the purpose of taking care of man's natural needs; hence may be used of the churches for that purpose."

I marvel that Brother Oler could miss the point entirely.Although br other Hedge is mistaken about the dependencyof the chur ch on the human institutions in benevolence, he is right about its relation to the treasury of the Lord. WouldBr other Oler have the churches put the light company ithe budget if it did not need the lights, and send them acheck each month just so they could build a bigger lighplant? Would he put the gas company in the budget of thchur ch and send them a check each month even though the congregation used electricity exclusively? The old brother was talking of "buying ser vices" and br other Oler did not even see the point. Br other Oler winds up the correspondence with these words:

"Br other Hedge, I think you and I ar e identical inour concept of the chur ch, and of its r esponsibilities,and of its rights in the care of the fatherless; and I am happy to have your letter that spells out the grounds of unity and common understanding."

It will be interesting to see if the Boles Home will followBrother Hedge's GROUNDS FOR UNITY AND COMMONUNDERSTANDING and stop taking money from the treasur y of the chur ches. When he does that, I will mar vel indeed. _____________________

DID THE HOLY SPIRIT FAIL?

J. M. Allen, Bade City, Fla. "Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will

guide you into all truth" (John 16:13). When we hear men say, "God has told me to do a thing, but has not told me how to do it," they are saying that the Holy Spirit has failed in the mi ion Christ sent him to do. Anyone making astatement that God has not informed him how to do essential things must not have much knowledge of the word of truth, or he just wants to establish his traditions. The Lord said, "In vain do they worship me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men." (Matt. 15:9).

Let us note some of the teaching of Christ in regard to this matter . First, Christ said, "I will send the pr omise of the Father" (Lk. 24:49). Some might ask, "What is the promise of the Father?" "And it shall come to pass afterward, that I will pour out my spirit upon all flesh and your sons and daughters shall prophesy, your old men shall dream dreams, your young men shall see visions" (Joel 2:28). Christ said, "he shall teach you all things" ( John 14:26). If God dinot tell us how to do some essential things, what did Christ mean when he said "teach you all things?" It seems that ther e was something left out if what men say is true inregard to this matter, and we can only come but to oneconclusion: that Christ made a mistake when he said the Spirit would teach you all things, and also that the Holy Spirit failed to complete the wor k he was sent to do. Now if theHoly Spirit failed, the apostle Paul did not know it, for he said: "All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, foinstruction in righteousness: that the man of God may beperfect, thoroughly furnished unto all good works" (2 Tim3:16,17). Once more Paul said: ".. . the gospel which was preached of me is not after man. For I neither received it ofman, neither was I taught it, but by the revelation of Jesus Christ" (Gal. 1:11,12).

With these scriptures before us (and there are-manymore), it is evident that Paul had every reason to believe that Christ revealed unto him the gospel in its fullne . He said, "But though we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel unto you than that which we have preached unto you,let him be accur sed." Paul said this because he knew that Christ had revealed it to him, and that the gospel wascomplete in ever y way, even to telling us how to do thewor k God wants us to do.

The prophet of God said, "O Lord, I know that the wayof man is not in himself: it is not in man that walketh to direct his steps" (Jere. 10:23). And to think that some would teach that God left some of His will to be carried out bythe faulty thinking of man is unheard of. God said, "For mthoughts ar e not your thoughts, neither ar e your ways myways, saith the Lord. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and mythoughts than your thoughts" (Isa. 55:8,9). In the light ofthis scripture it is not reasonable to believe that God hasleft any part of His divine will to the faulty thinking of men.

The statement that God has not told us how to do certain things has risen from the "method" of caring for the indigentof the church, and the reason some men make such a statement is because they want to do their own will, or they think that they can impr ove upon God's way.

When the need arose in the church in Jerusalem, the apostles said for the disciples to select out seven men of good report for this work, and they would be appointed todo it. (Acts 6:1-6). There was not a board of directors chosen to do this wor k; it was just the chur ch caring for its own poor. We are instructed by the word of the Lord not to go beyond that which is written (I Cor. 4:6). And we read again, "Whosoever transgresseth, and abideth not inthe doctrine of Christ, hath not God" (2 John 9). We should give the more earnest heed to the word of God, and make our calling and election sur e.

('The following article by Earl West is the third and last of a series which appeared in the Gospel Guardian on March 2, 1950, page 5. We must re-study these facts of history in view of some attitudes now in the church. This article appears as it was originally printed twelve years ago. — Editor)

LEARNING A LESSON FROM HISTORY-No. 3

Earl West

There can be no doubt that W. K. Pendleton did not press his argument concerning the church universal to its logical conclusion. David Lipscomb was quick to r ealize that fact. He saw at once the danger ous extr eme to which thatargument could be taken, and so he replied, "The onldefense that can be made of these institutions is, that ther e must be a universal organization of the church of God with an earthly central head, that overlooks and directs the operations of all the numerous local organizations or congregations. The premises that lead to this conclusion were laid down not very definitely by Brother Pendleton, in his last addr ess at the last meeting of the Cincinnati society.The logical result of these premises, we gladly note, heshrinks back from declaring. This, to our mind, is the most objectionable ground the societies could be placed uponBrother Pendleton's use of the terms, universal church, in connection with the society organization, we think can haveno other meaning." (Gospel Advocate, 1867, pg. 115).

Lipscomb was right in sensing the fact that Pendleton's assertion would lead to the organization of a universal controlling point over the church in order to guide and direct its oper ations. This has substantially been done in the case of the Roman Catholic Church, as well as many less effective ways in the various Protestant denominations. The principle, as applied to colleges, has already been suggested.The idea held by Pendleton a erted that the churchuniversal had a right to form any kind of human organizationin order to accomplish the wor k which God gave it to doThe formation of such an organization would likely bdefended upon the ground of expediency. Whether this organization would be a mi ionary or Bible Society, publication society, educational society or college, mattered little. The church had a right to use any of these human organizationsto do its work, according to Pendleton

This ground had been thoroughly contested by opponents of the society by the time our brethren became sufficientlyinterested to establish schools. Between the years 1871 and1878, the College of the Bible at Kentucky University hacaused considerable anxiety. David Lipscomb had much to say against it and spoke derisively of Bible colleges. BenFranklin, acting rather hastily, immediately put the colleginto the same category with the mi ionary society, and spentthe remaining few years of his life opposing colleges. Even Jacob Creath, Jr., did the same thing. These men viewedthe schools from the old standpoint that brethren had always taken — on the same plane of expediency as the missionary society.

"LIPSCOMB'S VIEWPOINT"

When David Lipscomb established the Nashville Bible School in 1891, he did not view the college fr om the same standpoint with which other s had seen it, which was that no human organization — mi ionary society, Bible society, or college, etc. — had any right to exist in order to do the work which God gave the church to do. That maxim was thoroughly settled in his mind, as well as in the minds of other s. But there was a phase which brethren have always overlooked. The matter of teaching the Bible is not only the obligationof the chur ch, acting as a whole, but it is also the obligationof individual Christians. If a person is a banker and he is also a Christian, it is his obligation to teach the Bible in his bank to all whom he has an opportunity to reach. If farmer is a Christian, it is his obligation to teach the Bible to all whom he has an opportunity to reach. If a schoolteacher is a Christian, it is his obligation, as a Christian, to teach all men the Bible. Indeed, he could not be a Christian and fail to do this. Nor would this man think that his particular occupation was in any way connected -with the church or that it was doing the work of the church. When the Christian who is a banker teaches the Bible in his bank to others who may be reached there, he is not doing the work of the church; he is doing the work of a Christian. When the Christian who is a farmer teaches the Bible on his farm to those whom he may reach, the farmer is not doing the workof the church; the man is simply doing his own work as aChristian. When the Christian who is a school teacher teaches the Bible to those whom he has an opportunity to reach, the school is not doing the work of the church; the Christian is just doing the wor k which God gave him to do. He has the same Bible authority to do this that Paul had to preach the gospel while he was working as a tent maker. He isacting as an individual Christian should in doing what he can to spread the cause of Christ.

It was this point of view which both James A. Har dingand David Lipscomb used in looking at the school situation. Their conception of the school was not that it was an organization doing the work of the church but simply was an opportunity for Christian men, who were teachers, to act asChristian men in teaching the word of God. The school was placed upon the same plane, to use one of Lipscomb's illustrations, as the Christian who was a banker or a farmer.

What, therefore, is the relation of the school to the church? It has the same r elation that any other business has wher e the individual teaches the Bible in connection with his business. He is not doing the work of the church; rather he is doing the work which he, as a Christian, is to do.

THE TWO POINTS OF VIEW

It can be clearly seen that there were two point of viewwith r espect to the school which enter ed into the thinkingof the brethren. Coming on down from Alexander Campbelland W. K. Pendleton was the idea that the church universal had work to do and that it could employ any or ganizationit so desir ed in or der to do this work, defending it on the ground of expediency. The college, as a human organization, would occupy a r ole of doing the wor k of the chur ch. Fr om this point of view, the society and college stood exactlyon the same basis. At the close of the Civil War, manyof the brethren had this viewpoint. Consequently, when Ben Franklin and the American Christian Review turned against the mi ionary society, they felt it compulsory, in order to be consistent, to turn against the school as well, for they considered it a human organization also. That idea has come down through the American Christian Review even to modern days and it is still a common objection that the school and the society exist on the same plane; so if the society is unscriptural, the school is unscriptural, too.

On the other hand, Lipscomb and Harding did notconsider the Nashville Bible School to be on the same plane with the mi ionary society. The Bible school was not doing the wor k of the chur ch; the individuals who taughtin it were doing the work that they, as Christians, should do.

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QUESTION: What is the baptism of fire in Matt. 3:11?Does this refer to the "cloven tongues" in Acts 2:3?— B. H.

ANSWER: In determining the meaning of any verse one should always examine it car efully in the light of its context. The need for this practice cannot be emphasized too much. Many verses remain obscure in their meaningand are often misunderstood, misused, and abused simplbecause their context is ignor ed.

The context of Matt. 3:11 shows that John was callinupon the Jews to "Bring forth therefore fruits meet forrepentance:" (v. 8). This was in keeping with John's mission, namely, preparing the Jews for the coming of the Lord and His kingdom. (Isa. 40:3-5; Mali. 4:5; Matt. 3:3). In ver se nine he shows that just being a liter al descendant of Abraham would not suffice to make one a part of that people prepared for the Lord. One must obey John's message. Verse ten shows— the consequence of disobedience. All such will be cut down and cast into the fire. Verse eleven shows that the Lord will administer this fire. While John administered water baptism, he says, "he thacometh after me . . . shall baptize you with the Holy Ghostand with fire." John could not administer the latter two. No man can! Hence, the Lord is superior to all men — even "mightier" than John! Verse twelve tells us when the Lord will administer the baptism of fire. It will be at harvest time when the good and bad shall be separated one from the other. The righteous (wheat) will be gather ed into his garner. The wicked (chaff) will be burned up with unquenchable fire. (Cf. Matt. 25:31-46; 2 Thess. 1:7-9; Rev. 20:12-15). Hence, the baptism of fire of Matt. 3:11 is the fire of everlasting punishment. It is the "lake of fire" of Rev. 12:14-15.

This baptism of fire (Matt. 3:11) does not refer to the "cloven tongues" of Acts 2:3. The cloven tongues of Acts

2:3 wer e not of fire but wer e "like as of fire." While the baptism of the Holy Spirit and the baptism of fire are mentioned in the same verse there is no indication that they were to be administered at the same time. Both were mentioned in contrast to Johns baptism and to pr ove that he who would administer them was "mightier" than John. When the promise of the baptism of the Holy Spiritwas r enewed to the apostles in Acts 1:5 ther e was added the expression "not many days hence." The baptism of fire is not mentioned here. Obviously", it was many days henceHowever, concerning the baptism of the Holy Spirit, it was "not many days hence." (Acts 1:5; 2:1-4).

"CHURCH OF CHRIST INVITES YOU TO HEAR OTIS GATEWOOD"

Calvin D. Allen, Tampa, Fla.

This public invitation appeared in the Tampa Tribuneregar ding a meeting sponsor ed by the North Florida Ave. church at the Chamberlain High School auditorium on May13th, at 3:00 p.m. I attended this meeting and hear d some interesting things about the foreign work, but to mdisappointment, the meeting was seemingly designed topr omote Michigan Christian Junior College, of which Otis Gate-wood is president. His lesson dealt with the following points: foreign evangelism; failures in foreign evangelisdue to a lack of preparation of the mi ionaries; MichigaCollege is designed to train them with a special "missiondepartment"; therefore, the school has a right to be supported as a "good work" in training mi ionaries — in which work, the church has failed in past years.

After the points on foreign evangelism, brother Gatewoodmade a very clever switch to the support of the school. Some, I am sur e, did not see it. The collection plate was passed for cash contributions and pledges to the school — NOT foreign evangelism. I have no objection to individuals supporting colleges when they ar e right within themselves. I do oppose any church sponsoring "school promotion" meetings like this. When the people of the world see the "Chur ches of Christ" inviting the public to hear a man begfor support of a human institution, they might just get the idea that it is a "church" school or institution. Whereas, the distinction that once existed between "Churches of Christ" and sectarianism is becoming unrecognizable in the minds of many, and with the help of such terminology as "rallies," "youth meetings," and "chur ch picnics," they might not be too far wr ong in that idea. Notice this:

". . . Br o. Otis Gatewood, pr esident of Michigan Christian College, spoke at a rally (Emphasis mine, CDA) at 14th Street building. Brethren from Univ. Ave., 39th Ave., and Newberr y wer e pr esent. Also, many visitors from the community. Bro. Gatewood spoke of the Lord's work in E. Europe, in Ru ia, in South America. Our hearts were thrilled at the great possibilities and r esponsibilities open and r eady to our hand. Her e is truly a gr eat man in our midst — one of the greatest of our generation. We are happy to report to the chur ch that $1373.00 was pledged to the college. Of this amount $256.30 was cash. Michigan Christian is doing a great work in training young men for the mi ion field. Let us give it, brethren our wholehearted support." (Emphasis mine, CDA) 14th Street Answer, Gainesville, Florida.

This makes me wonder if brethren give a human organization their whole-hearted support how much will be left for the church which is divine? Then, when you try to explain to the "visitors from the community" that the churches of Christ really do not have "seminaries," things do get confusing — don't they?

How long will it take the "loyal" churches in Tampa to see the dir ection in which they ar e headed? When will they be taught the "loyal" position for church support of schools? It has been stated by many that the authority for church support of human institutions is in the fact that they do a "good wor k." But likewise, it has been ar gued that ther e is no authority for the church to do any "good work" through a separate, distinct, human organization; whether that work be evangelism, benevolence, or edification. If you have scriptural authority for such practices, we are asking for it; if not, for the sake of unity and truth, give them up.

DEUTERONOMY -OBEDIENCE

This book is the book with the theme of Obedience. Think of the statement in Hebrews 5:8-9. "Though he were a Son, yet learned he obedience by the things which he suffered; and he being made perfect, (complete) he became the Author (Captain) of eter nal salvation to all them that obey him.God is the author of our salvation but Christ is the Captain of Salvation. The same word is used in Hebrews 2:10 and Hebrews 5:8-9. He was not made perfect in the sense he was ever imperfect. Actually he was made complete in his suffering to fulfill the demands of the law and its dignity in not allowing sin to go unpunished and extends the merciful hand of God in forgiveness of sins to the guilty as theyobey His will.

We see the entering of Canaan as a result of God's goodness and not the goodness of the Israelites. We willenter heaven because of the goodness and mercy of Godrather than our goodne . These people had to destroy their idols and wer e told how to test the pr ophet and how to dealwith the false prophet. Then they were told of an extraordinary prophet that was to be sent. This prophet was Christ. You shall recall how God talked to Moses and how later he would talk to Christ and Christ would give thewor ds of God to us thr ough men guided by the Holy Spirit. We ar e shown how God dealt with the ones who wer e disobedient to the law given by Moses and we ar e told that ther e is a mor e sever e punishment to those whor eject so gr eat salvation, at the fir st spoken by the L or d, and confirmed unto us by them that heard Him.

There were special lessons in which they were commanded to r ead and teach their childr en. Sur ely we ar e expected toteach our children and nurture and guide them in the wayof Jehovah. There was much disobedience then and there is disobedience now regarding our responsibility to our own. They were to make no alliances with the Canaanites andsurely we should see a principle here which will allow us no alliance with any false way r eligiously. What about thministerial alliance, alliances with any false way which surelywill shed no light for Truth but will hinder? I remember a pr eacher who r efused to have his pictur e taken with a man he was to meet in religious discu ion. The brethren hadmade plans to have a dinner with two disputants seated together at the table. The preacher wisely refused and said,"You can't spank a baby and hold him next to you." There were entirely to many alliances with the nations about theIsraelites and I have never been in the company of adenominational pr eacher when he felt at ease. We have nocommon grounds of preaching, interests, and etc., in the realm of religion.

The Israelites were prosperous and then forgot Jehovah. We know of how many men and women leave the church when they are in prosperity and how many times adversityis God's opportunity. See, my br other or sister, how the apostasy of the Jews was foretold and be admonished unless we obey the Master 's commands we will fall and be lost. Other things regarding the rebellious son, Heathen abominations and such lessons will help us in our walk her e below and make us recognize God demands strict obedience to His laws. May our lives conform to his' will?

— James P. Miller---------------

CAN A SANCTIFIED MAN SIN?

One of the questions that is discussed with Holiness people is the question of whether or not a sanctified child of God commits sin. In their thinking, if a sanctified child of God sins, he is no longer sanctified. It is somewhat of amystery in regard to what they do for the second law of par don. They seemingly have no way wher eby they canr estor e the erring individual who has made the beginningand who has wander ed away in for bidden paths and thendesir es to r eturn. I have asked in discussions that I have had with them what they did to restore such a one to thefaith. They seemed either not to know or were not willing to tell what they taught in regard to this very important matter. Of course, the Bible teaching upon it is very clear, and that is that God does not want anyone in sin. 1st John the fir st chapter has exactly what the wor d of God teachesupon the subject. In 1st John 1:8 John said:

"If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. If we say that we have not sinned, we make him a liar, and his wor d is not in us."

There are just three periods of time, present time, pasttime, and future time. In all of these John said man has sinned. He said in ver se eight, which is present time, "If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves." This is exactly the position in which we find "Chur ch of God" preachers and Holiness people in deceiving themselves in regard to the fact that they have sin and are sinners. This is the most danger ous deception in the world. It was theoriginal deception in the Gar den of E den, and stands as avery dangerous deception now. John says "if we say" and he includes himself in the number, and he was writing to little children. He said, "If we say that we have no sin," (that is present time) "we deceive our selves, and the tr uth is not in us." Then, he said in verse nine, "If we confess our sins," (and this is future time) "he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness." In other words, when the child of Godcommits sin, if he is willing to confess those sins, then God in turn will be willing to for give him. And in ver se ten we have past time. "If we say that we have not sinned, we make him a liar, and his word is not in us." So in present time in verse eight, future time in ver se nine, and past time in ver se ten, you have the child of God subject to sin in each case.

This explains the first two verses of the second chapter. John said, "My little children, these things write I unto you, that ye sin not." In other words, it is not God's will that any man sin. "Chur ch of God" pr eacher s gener ally seem to have the idea that if we teach that a sanctified child of God might sin, that that would be a license to sin, much as the Baptists do. It is not God's will that any man sin. It is the will of God that no man sin. God intends that ever y man should do the ver y best that he can to withstand sin. With every temptation the Bible teaches there will be a way of escape provided. Yet, at the same time, John said, "My little children, these things write I unto you, that yesin not. And if any man sin, we— " and he includes himself in that number — "have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous." So Christ, then, becomes an advocate for the child of God, the sanctified child of God, who, when overtaken in a fault, desires by repentance and prayer toturn to Christ that loved him and bought him. He does through his advocacy go to God the Father to receive forgiveness for his sins. John put it this way in verse two, "That he is the propitiation for our sins" — that is the sanctified child of God. "He is the propitiation for our sins, and not for our sins only" — that is for his children — "but for the sins of the whole world." That is as many as willturn to him and will obey him. Of cour se, it is inter esting to observe in verse three that he said, "And hereby we do know that we know him, if we keep his commandments." Then, in verse four, "He that saith, I know him, and keepeth not his commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him." In discussion it should be pointed out that the Apostle Paul wrote to the Church of God, which was at Corinth, and that they were sanctified. Paul wrote this in 1st Cor. 1:2:

"Unto the chur ch of God which is at Corinth, to them that are sanctified in Christ Jesus, called to be saints."

So they wer e sanctified and called and when they wer e called, they were sanctified, they were sanctified when theywere called. Then, in the fifth chapter, he said it is commonly reported that there is fornication among you, and, of course, the "you" represents those to whom he writes, and he writes to those that were sanctified. There is fornication among you and such fornication is not so much as named among the Gentiles, that one-should have his father's wife. So, here you have one of those sanctified inthe church at Corinth who's living with his father's wife.

Paul further adds in 1st Cor. 6:11:

"And such wer e some of you: but ye ar e washed, but ye are sanctified, but ye are justified in the name of the L or d Jesus, and by the Spirit of our God."

This teaches, of course, that those that were in the Corinthian chur ch wer e sanctified by the Spirit, they wer e justified at the very same time they were sanctified. In 2nd Cor. 7:1 he said:

"Having therefore these promises, dearly beloved, let us cleanse ourselves, from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God."

So those that wer e in the Corinthian chur ch wer e sanctified, yet at the same time some of them were guilty of sin.

SETTING THE RECORD STRAIGHT

Leslie E. Sloan, Palmetto, Fla.

(The following notice came to the undersigned from the St. Andrew Church of Christ in Panama City, Florida. The notice was r eceived thr ough the mail without signatur e.)

ST. ANDREW CHURCH OF CHRIST Beck Avenue At Seventeenth Str eetP. O. Box 4192 Panama City, Florida

April 15, 1962

On the ninth of March Mr. and Mrs. Carl A. Kermel and Mr. and Mrs. James R. Hastings left the fellowship of the St. Andrew Congregation to form an unscriptural factionThey are now meeting on Thomas Drive in Panama CitBeach.

Following the Florida Christian College, Gospel Guardian heresy they object to care for orphans and cooperation amongbrethren. Having refused to meet with the brethren aboutthese matters. The St. Andrew congregation has no recourse but to withdraw fellowship. This is done with the prayer that they will see their sin and repent before they are eternally lost.

First of all the notice admits that it was the Kermels and the Hastings who first left the fellowship of the St. Andrew Church. Thus the Kermels and the Hastings had alreadywithdrawn themselves fr om the St. Andr ew Chur ch when they ceased to meet with them anymore. So the notice simply states something that was impo ible. There was no fellowship ther e. When the St. Andr ew Chur ch r efused to give Bible authority for it's unscriptural practices, the Kermels and Hastings could no longer be a part of it. Hence, in conformance with the word of God, they withdrew themselves.

The Kermels and Hastings are accused of following th"Florida Christian College and Gospel Guardian" her esy. Since when did it become any kind of "Heresy" to demandscriptural authority, a "thus saith the Lord" for the church to do her work? This is what the Kermels and the Hastings did. They asked the St. Andrew Church for scriptural authority for the church to contribute to any kind of benevolentinstitution (Orphan Home) or to the Herald of Truth.Authority from the word of God could not be given so the preacher got mad at the Kermels for not accepting HIS word for it. The Kermels and Hastings are not following any kind of heresy, but they just sincerely desire to worship and work in God's Kingdom as His word authorizes. Until the St.Andrew Church finds authority for it's support of humainstitutions, then, St. Andr ew is following her esy.

It is stated in the notice also that the Kermels and the Hastings refused to meet with the brethren to discuss these matters. The Kermels and the Hastings had already withdrawn themselves when asked to meet and discuss these things. The Kermels had repeatedly asked the preacher (Cal Arquett), and the Hastings had repeatedly asked the brethren in business meetings for scriptural authority for the unscriptur al pr actices engaged in by the St. Andr ew Church. At no time was this authority given. There was no attempt to give authority from God's word for the things the St. Andrew Church was doing. If scriptural authority coulhave been given, no doubt it would have been given before. Therefore, there was no point in meeting with these brethren who had alr eady shown that they did not intend to bguided by a "Thus saith the Lord" in these matters.

Finally, the last line suggests that if the Kermels anHastings do not come back to the St. Andr ew Chur ch and accept their human institutions, they will be eternally lost.Are we to a ume that the St. Andrew Church is suggestingthat every one in the church who does not contribute to their human institutions will be lost? Brethren, is this the onlyway to pr actice pur e and undefiled r eligion? According to this notice to the Kermels and Hastings it is. Thus, the St.Andrew church is binding the support of human institutions upon their brethren and making it a matter of salvation. Yet, some contend that these institutions are merely aids or methods. E vidently St. Andrew believes them to be most essential.

Let it be known that the Kermels and the Hastings DO believe in the care of orphans and they DO believe in cooperation among brethren. The thing that the Kermels and Hastings do not believe in is the church contributing to orwor king thr ough a human institution. When the notice accused the Kermels and Hastings of objecting to care of orphans and cooperation among brethren, this was a deliberate misrepresentation. This is a false accusation. The Kennels and Hastings oppose the church working through human institutions and not the chur ch doing it's wor k.

We call upon the St. Andrew chur ch to lay aside it's human schemes and institutions and stand on God's word. We plead with them to do all that they do by the authorityof Christ for the peace and harmony of God's people iPanama City. We stand ready to worship with St. AndreChurch again when all human schemes and institutions are eliminated from the St. Andrew Church.

/s/ Carl Kermel

Hazel Kermel

James Hastings

Fran Hastings

CONCERNING A FACTIOUS GROUP IN ORLANDO

Jerry Belchick, Orlando. Fla.

Realizing that many faithful Christians are moving to the Central Florida area and are looking for loyal churches with which to wor k and wor ship, the following information is made available in or der that they might be spar ed theembarrassment of locating with a factious group

On January 22, 1961, it was necessary for the church atHolden Heights (in Orlando) to insist that one, Fred Bogle,resign as an elder of that congregation. On February 7, 1961,the remaining three elders, all of the deacons, and with theconcurrence of the congregation, found it necessary to mark Fred Bogle as a factious man. Since that time he and oneother family started meeting in the Home Demonstration Club Building in Union Park a suburb east of Orlando on Highway 50). At the pr esent time Fred Bogle and thosthat meet with him ar e not in fellowship with anycongregation of God's people in Orlando, or in OrangeCounty, or in Central Florida.

— New Tract —

THE NEW TESTAMENT PLAN OF SALVATION

By H. E. PHILLIPS10 cents each or $1.00 per dozen$7.50 per hundred

THEY REHEARSED ALL THAT GOD HAD DONE WITH THEM . . ."— Acts 14:27

FOR SEARCHING THE SCRIPTURES

Route 2 Anderson, S. C. May 22, 1962 Dear Brethren:

For some time I have hesitated in making an appeal for help, but the time has come to do so. The Lord will provide, but only when we help our selves.

I preach for the church in Anderson, South Carolina. When I moved her e two and one half year s ago ther e was a struggling group of Christians meeting in a broken downbuilding. T oday ther e ar e 33 member s meeting in a little building constructed by our own hands. It is plain and simple,but nice and it is adequate. The church is not growing rapidlyin that we have been laying ground work. The members themselves wer e only two steps out of denominationalism and have had to be taught. There are possibilities for a great future for Ander son has a population of 50,000

There are only three churches in South Carolina whichstand firm in the truth, the one in Anderson and two in the southern part of the state. Great pressure has been exerted to get rid of me by liberal churches nearby. The church here stands four square, but should I leave, it is feared that since they are babes in Christ they might be lead astray by sly and crafty preachers.

The point is that I am not adequately supported. I must do something! My wife has been teaching school anhelping in my support, but she is not able to teach thisnext school year. Last year a church in Texas wanted to sponsor the work in Anderson. They offered to provide $400.00 a month and supply the necessar y tools to do a"big" work. Stanley Lovett, Editor of the Preceptor and preacher for the Central church in Beaumont was in mhome at the time when the offer was r ejected. Chur ches that want to "take over " the wor k in Ander son ar e not welcome.

I could move to T exas or Florida and find a place topr each with a chur ch that could support me, but that is not the answer for I am needed in Anderson. The church cannot be left for the liberals to take nor can we leave 50,000 souls who need the gospel and if I cannot get support to stay who can get support to come her e?

I need $450 a month support. The church does not have a house and so I arrange for my own house. The church here can supply $200 a month of that support. The Central Church of Christ in Beaumont is presently sending me $50 amonth and I hope will continue to do so for another year. This leaves me with a need of $200 a month.

Should any church or individual be interested and wantfurther information or desire me to come and meet with them to further discuss the wor k her e I shall be happy todo so.

A ser vant of Christ, /s/

Barney Cargile, Jr.

THE WORK IN MISSISSIPPI

The church in East Columbus, Mississippi is a fineexample of the ability of brethren to study the problems before the church and stand for the truth in hard places. Columbus is a fine city of 30 to 40 thousand and is the center for the cultural and financial interest of that part of Mi i ippi.The church has about 150 members and was started in 1956. They moved into their new building on October 1st 1957 with a meeting with brother C. R. Nichol. This was one of the last meetings brother Nichol preached in his long and useful lifetime. The elders are Aubrey Belue and

L. E. Murray, men dedicated to their work and to thetruth. A. H. Payne has preached for the church for the last 3 and M years and has done a fine work. He will move toJackson to work with a new congregation in the state capitolby the time this is in print. More about this sound congregation in the midst of liberalism will appear in a later i ue. It is interesting to observe that the plans of the East Columbus church is to help with this wor k to the extent of their ability. His place will be taken by Hurbert Moss who is now working with the Indiana, Penn. church. Moss is a sound pr eacher and will do a good wor k.

A new congr egation in the county is the congr egation inthe Woodlawn community about 10 miles Northeast ofColumbus. A work is also carried on at the Columbus Air Base where service men and their families meet every Lord's Day. Brethren moving to this large Air Force Base should contact David M. Haynes, Jr., of Columbus or some of the br ethren on the base itself. Haynes wor ks at the post office and can be easily found.

Other sound congregations in that general section are the church in Houston, Mi i ippi where Charley Bland labors and the church at Forest, Mi i ippi where Conrad Skinnerpreaches. It is believed by some brethren all over the state that br ethr en gener ally ar e beginning to study thi ues before the church and that many of them are conser vative in their thinking and will come to the tr uth.

The meeting from May 13th to the 18th resulted in 9baptisms and 1 identified. — J.P.M.

Jimmy Tuten, Jr., Ft. Lauderdale, Fla. — I have recentlyconducted a gospel meeting (April 23-29) in Savannah, GaThis was with the Garden City church. It was characterized by good interest and attendance throughout, and resulted in one baptism and three restorations. This was my third meeting in Savannah.

At Northside in Ft. Lauderdale, there have been four confessions of error recently. Our building programcontinues to move along.

C. L. McLean, Romulus, Mich. — We have just closed aninspiring meeting with Robert Jackson doing the preaching.Three were restored and one was baptized. The crowds gr ew larger ever y night and without any appeal to fleshlythings. We advertised the gospel of Christ and that drew men.

We will be moving to Savannah, Geor gia ar ound the last of June or the first of July. Pray that we may have asuccessful labor in that field. The battle is raging fierce in that grand old city.

Hugh W. Davis of Lake Wales, Fla., will begin a gospelmeeting with Rhymer Knight at the T emple Cr est chur ch on 40th St. in Tampa, Florida, June 24-30. All in the TampaBay area are invited to attend this meeting . . . The Hercules church in Clearwater, Florida, had a series of lessons bydifferent speakers on May 14-18. James R. Cope, ClintonHamilton, Edward Grantham, H. E. Phillips and Bobby F.Owen were the speakers. The lessons were addressed to the church . . . Homer Hailey was in a meeting at Dover, Florida May 14-19. Don Bassett has been pr eaching withthis church. The church in Palmetto, Florida, will begitheir Vacation Bible School June 18-22. It will be at night.

H. E. Phillips will teach a series to the adult class on "Problems Facing the Church." All in that area are invited.

James P. Miller will be with the Wendell Avenue church in Louisville, Ky., in a meeting June 10-17. Grover Stevens is the faithful preacher with this church . . . Ferrell Jenkins of St. Louis, Mo., was in a meeting at the Manslick Roadchurch in Louisville, Ky. in May. Other meetings in the Louisville area are: Robert Jackson at South End in June 11-17; Leslie Diestelkamp at Park Blvd., June 17-27; Ben Shropshire at Oak Grove, June 18-24 . . . Grover Stevens was in a meeting at Kansas City, Mo., Butler, Mo., New Albany,Ind., and Oak Lawn, Chicago, 111. during April and May . . . James P. Miller will be in a series of gospel meetings at College View church in Florence, Ala., June 24-July 1Ser vices each mor ning at 10 a.m. and at 7:30 p.m. eacevening. Curtis E. Flatt is the faithful pr eacher with this good church.

James E. Gunn, Gardendale, Ala. — Our work continues here in a very pleasant way and we are very muchencouraged. We have fifty or more sitting in the basement each Sunday because the space in our auditorium is filled. We hope to begin construction on the larger auditorium within the next couple of months.

Maurice W. Jackson, Jr., Titusville, Fla. — Harold Dowdy held a good meeting for the Titusville church May 14-20. Good attendance, and a good spirit was in evidence throughout the meeting. One was baptized.

89 YEAR OLD CHRISTIAN GROWS BEARD

Br other B. E . Seal of Columbus, Mi ., who will be 89 his next birthday, grew a beard for the Civil War Centennial last year. Brother Seal is responsible for the establishment of the , church in Columbus. He sent f or N. C. Casey in 1920 to come and preach the gospel in that section. He was Casey'sfirst convert and the first person toobey the gospel in that Mi i ippi city.

Brother Seal's influence has not been limited to Columbus alone, but he has been r esponsible for the

church in Amory and Aberdeen. Brother Seal and his wife, Lula, have been married 48 years and are members of the East Columbus congregation where Al Payne preaches. Brother Seal is sound in the faith andkeenly aware of the dangers that confront the church today.

BIBLICAL WORD STUDIES

By E. V. SRYGLEY, JR.

HAMARTANO, "I SIN,"-NO. 18

It is quite interesting to observe that hamartia is unlike such words as porneia, klope, and phonos, which inherentlydescribe the natur e of the external act. Hamartia merelydenotes that the action fails to conform to a standar d. In the New T estament this standar d is set, usually, by GodOne's concept of the standard would, therefore, determine what acts hamartia describes. As it has been stated, it is not within the province of the present study to seek tdetermine the content of hamartia in the New T estament. The New T estament theologies deal with that question. (Cf. especially Bar clay, A New Testament Wordbook, pp. 48ff.)

The author has insisted that hamartia has two basic meanings in the New T estament: "the committing of sin," and "the deed or act of sin." It is apparent that in some cases it is hardly possible to distinguish between these usages. For example, John appears to use both senses indiscriminately in I Jno. 3:5. Paul seems to do the same thing in Rom. 6:10 and 7:5.

SMITH'S BIBLE DICTIONARY

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