WHAT DOES THE FUTURE HOLD?

H. E. Phillips

With this i ue we begin the eleventh year ofpublishing Searching The Scriptures. From the beginning we have held to the original purpose of encouraging people to search the scriptures andprepare themselves for that meeting with Christ at the judgment. We must keep alive every effort tocreate an attitude for interest in Bible study. Atheism, rebellion and immorality abound everywhere and have taken their toll among the younger generation as well as many who once stood upon the rock of truth. Moral standards are low. Ignorance of theword of God is greater and more widespread than at any time during this century. It seems to methat no matter how long we cry nor how much weplead, men are not inclined to hear and obey thtruth.

During my lifetime so many radical changes have occurred that it is impo ible to adequately explaithem to the younger generation. These changes haveinvolved the social, political, moral and spiritual phases of man's life. It is not just a local problem,it is world wide. The means of communication, both to eye and ear, is such that one now knows within a few minutes what happens half way around theearth. Not only does this complex communicationsystem serve to inform people all over the earth of news items, but it also serves to form the attitudes, morals and goals of people. If the next ten years bring as many changes of the kind that have occurred in the past ten, this old world is in for some real trouble. What the future holds for humanity upon earth

depends entirely upon the choice between two alter

natives : to return to the pure word of God and obey it

in all walks of life, or to continue on toward complete

apostasy by lives of iniquity. Man cannot live without

God, and his effort to do so will destroy I him as a

civilized being. If we can persuade men and women to

turn from their iniquity and ser ve the true and living God, this life will be happier and eternity will hold the greatest ble ing man caimagine.

The printed page is powerful. I suppose there is no power that will in the long range surpass the power of the press. The written page lives now and it willlive on after the writer has gone the way of all men.Generations yet unborn will read and be influenced by those things which are now being written, just as we read the works of men who have long since passed from this life. The printed page may be read over and over again, studied and re-studied. We are,through this means of teaching, trying to help preserve the future by urging as many as po ible toread and study the living word of God. It will changethe hearts and lives of men that the future mahold hope for us and our children.

You can be of immeasurable help toward this goalby renewing your subscription today. You could also send a club of four subscriptions and help us helpothers to realize the need for "searching the scriptures." If every subscriber would send a club of four right now, think of the people we could reach withgood reading material that would help them understand and obey the will of God. Think of the effect this would have upon countless thousands in theyears to come through the influence of those who read and study with us and the influence of their lives upon others. Send your club of four subscriptions for only $10.00.

THE WRITERS AND SUBJECT MATTER

Each regular writer for this paper has been asked to write because of my confidence in him and his ability to teach the truth. Each prepares his own article and expresses himself in his own words, andI do not attempt to rewrite it. He is totally responsible for what it teaches, I am not. I may not always be in agr eement with ever ything said ( although95% of the material by the regular writers I believe to be in harmony with the New T estament), but heis at liberty to say in his own words what he believes the truth to be.

What is said for the regular writers may be saidfor others and for the news items. Each man is responsible for his reporting, and it does not necessarily mean that I approve of him as a faithful child of God or what he says. In some cases I do not know the man or the circumstances about which he writes.

I believe we have a good selection of very ablmen who will present thought-provoking le ons from the word of God. The variety of material should be of interest and profit to every one regardless of age or position in life. Some of the men are new as regular writers, others have written for many years. Word studies in both the Old Testament Hebrew and the New Testament Greek will be presented by Harold Tabor and E. V. Srygley. Aseries of first principle le ons will be presented by a very able man, J. T. Smith. Le ons on the veryimportant subject of worship in spirit and in truth will be written each month by Thomas G. O'Nealwho has submitted profitable material for several years. Very able and mature men in the gospel,whom I love and respect for their work in the Lord,will present thought-provoking le ons on various subjects under the general headings: "Using The Sword of the Spirit" by Eugene Britnell; "Evolution or Creation ?" by Paul Foutz; "Arrows of Truth forDenominational Error" by Ward Hogland; and "Reviewing the Doctrines of Catholicism" by Luther W. Martin. One of the best friends a man ever had and a fellow-worker in the gospel, James P. Miller, willwrite timely and profitable le ons under his column heading "I Marvel."

Dr. William P. McE lwain, a fine medical doctorand faithful preacher and teacher of truth will present le ons from a physician's point of view on the spiritual and moral implications of divine truth. Another good friend and brother who has givenvaluable help from the beginning, Marshall E. Patton, will continue to do the excellent job of answering questions sent to him by you. In my judgmentno man in the brotherhood is better qualified to take this assignment than brother Patton. He is exact, studious and thorough in his answers. Finally, column will be given to "Lessons From YounPreachers" in which any young man who has beenpreaching less than five years may write. Not often do these young men get the opportunity to express themselves in writing, and we want to give them theopportunity. We will provide all the help we can tthese young men in their efforts.

THE PAPER TO BE ON TAPES

The suggestion and encouragement of a number of blind, aged and infirmed brethren have caused us to put forth the effort to provide for these the paper on tapes each month. Others also may desire to have these tapes for study while riding to and from work,or just to listen as you read. All the men who write for the paper have agreed to provide a recording otheir articles each month in their own voices, oallow this to be done when they cannot. This will add variety as well as interest and life to the articles to hear them in the voice of the author. These tapeswill be provided in cassette, reel-to-reel, and cartridges at the most economic prices po ible. Cassette and cartridge tapes will be $2.50 per month and reel-to-reel will be $2.00 per month. After you have listened to the tapes or recorded them on your owntapes, you may exchange all tapes for $1.00 per month. We hope it is possible to keep up this work because it will be a great service to those who cannot see or for any other reason cannot read.

Please renew your subscription today and encourage others to do so. Send a club of four for onl$10.00.

"THE WOMAN'S COVERING"

A reprint of the Special October Issue in which James

P. Needham and Hiram O. Hutto discuss I Corinthians

11:1-16. All this material is now produced in bookletform.

$ .60 per copy

6.00 per dozen

40.00 per hundred THE YEAR'S END

By the time this article sees the light of print another year will pass into history of the church of our Lord. No man among us believes in the worth of Gospel Meetings more than the writer. I have been engaged in such efforts for over three decades with travels that have carried me over much of the brotherhood of Christ. In this thirty odd years I have seen the results of the series, change and change again. I am more than ever convinced of one thing. Regardless of how they change, without them the church will be seriously damaged in its work and mi ion.

When I say that the nature of the meetings changeI mean that at one time they were a season for agreat ingathering of lost souls. Time and again in the past we would baptize thirty or forty in a single effort.It seems for a while at least, this phase of work is passed and they are becoming more and more a time of sowing instead of reaping, a time of indoctrination and teaching when the church is fortified and strengthened and made more able to face the task ahead. Who can say but that perhaps this is even agreater service to the kingdom of our Lord. Regardless of this, the church needs and must have the stimulation that comes from visiting preachers and a time of intensified study of the word of God.

I believe that after thirty-three years of such work I am in a position to make some suggestions that will make Gospel Meetings more effective. Let me share some of them with you.

The Meeting As a Matter of Routine. It seems to me that far too many churches are in a rut when itcomes to meetings. They have two meetings a year simply as a matter of routine. They do not stop and ask if a meeting is really needed or even if it is aproper time for a meeting. Many times the effort is booked years ahead when the condition and need of the church at a future date could not po ibly bknown. When the time comes they go about the series in an established fashion without any real enthusiasm or purpose. I am suggesting that in some places at least we need to get out of the rut and break theroutine cycle. It might be well to miss a year. We might be surprised how good a meeting we could haveif the brethren were really "hungry" for a good round of outside preaching. It might also be well to vary thelength of time for the meetings and instead of havingtwo a year just conduct one of a longer duration. I know that this has worked in the last year or so in a number of places.

We Need Better Plans. If we take a series as a matter of routine we will never have the right kinds of plans for a meeting. We do all the usual things such as putting an ad in the paper, printing some advertisement of some kind and etc., but we seldom getdown to making real and vital plans that involve the entire church in specified work for the success wehope to have. In a day past and gone, some of the older preachers had a simple way to get a congregation ready for a gospel meeting. They would come a day or so before the series was to start and meet with the church. Starting down the row they would ask every member what they intended to do to help in thedays ahead. Some might say that they intended toattend every service, others that they intended toattend and to bring one of their neighbors with them and etc. In this way all of the. membership would becommitted to the series and would be on record to that end. Another method that was worked well in the last few years is a simple task, every family in the congregation concentrates their efforts on just one other family with whom they had influence and who were out of Christ. This keeps a gospel series from being"everybody's business and nobody's business." Anplan is all right as long as it is scriptural and in order but it is of the greatest importance to have one. Know what you hope to accomplish. Make plans for definite ends. Do not have a meeting just because it is time to have one and cross your fingers and hope it is successful. It is not unscriptural to have a plan of work

Give Some of the Younger Men a Chance. I did not realize until my son Rodney began preaching hohard it was for our younger preachers to compete for meetings. I know and realize that meeting work is a special task for special men. Like debating it is not for all. When I started to preach in the middle thirties there were but few preachers, young or old. I havesaid many times that if I had started the first meetingon the first Sunday in June instead of the first inAugust I could have preached all summer in one series after another. Brethren would come and tell me theyhad not had a meeting in several years and ask if I could get to them before the summer wasover.

Brethren are slow to invite younger men for meetings for at least two reasons. First, they want someone they know. Of course, this has its advantages but it also has some disadvantages. Brethren have heard some of us speak so many times that they are slow to drive any distance to hear us again. They feel that if they miss us this year we will soon be back in the general area and they will have another chance. Theymight be interested in hearing some man who would be new. Secondly, brethren are afraid of a younman's ability. You can not blame them for this. Ifthey just knew how able a preacher they are gettingthey would be glad to have him. There is an easy solution to this problem and that is a simple tape recording. In this day of tapes and tape recordings brethren anywhere can hear a preacher without seeing himYoung men bring an enthusiasm and vigor that sometimes older brethren do not have. Why not give thema chance ?

Have a List of Prospects: Of all that I have written this is the most vital. Know who you are going towork to save in a meeting. Do not make the mistake of shooting "the scatter gun" in the hope that it willhit some sinner and save him. I have seldom seen a meeting-fail to produce fruit if the brethren had agood list of men and women who should obey. The list does not have to be written down but the congregation should have an idea of the ones who are lost. In this way almost every word spoken in the meetinhouse can be designed for their benefit. Too manyefforts today begin and close without any idea at allof who should obey. Start working on this weeks before the meeting and be ready to follow up any impression that is made for good. These are simple suggestions but they will work for better meetings.

SELAH

The word Selah will be a ociated with the poetical sections of the Old Testament. It occurs seventy-one times in the Psalms and three times in Habakkuk (3:3, 9, 13). It appears nowhere else in the O. T. and is always transliterated.

Most of the Psalms bear the name of David or of the Levitical singers (the sons of Korah, Asaph, He-man, Ethan). Many Psalms have "For the Chief Musician" in the title. The eleven exceptions have other musical terms(8 mizmor, 2 maschil and 1 shiggaion)

It is generally agreed that Selah is a technical term of antiquity and has reference to a musicalpause or a sweep of the harp strings. Its exact meaning is still uncertain.

There are two main lines of traditional meaningFirst, in the Septuagint, it is rendered diapsalma and signifies either an instrumental interlude without singing; or, a louder playing, forte. This rendering is adopted by Summachus, Theodotion and the Syriac Peshito (cf. Delitzsch, Commentary on Psalms Vol. I,pp. 101-104). Second, Jewish tradition from the Tar-gums and Rabbinical writings render the word 'forever' ; but it has no etymological support.

Most modern explanations suggest that Selah is derived from either the root Salal meaning 'toraise up or lift up' signifying a r aising up of thvoice or from the root Salah meaning 'to cut off' and denotes a pause or an ending. The word usually occurs at the end of a strophe or stanza.

Whenever we see Selah we should observe both the passage which precedes and succeeds it with apause of solemnity and prayer.

"O may my heart in tune be found Like

David's harp of solemn sound"1

NOTE: For a full discu ion of this subject cf. the art. Selah

in Smith's Dict. of the Bib. by W. A. Wright.

1C. H. Spur geon, The Treasury of David, Vol. I p. 23.

THE BOOK OF KELLS

The Book of Kells (Codex Kenanensis) contains the four Gospels in Latin, but the hand-printing andexquisite art work, was done by two or more unknown Irish scribes in the seventh or eighth century. Although I do not wish to detract from the beauty ofthe art-work contained in this priceless manuscript, nevertheless, it is an example of misplaced emphasison the part of the monk or monks who devoted (probably) years of their lives to the physical labor involved, instead of learning and applying the le ons contained in God's Word.

A Welsh writer first makes reference to this manuscript in the latter part of the twelfth century, aKildare, in Ireland. It was next located at the cathedral of Kells, from whence it now gets its name, untilthe year 1541. In the seventeenth century, the manfamous for adding the suggested chronology to themargin of the King James Version of the Bible, Archbishop U her, presented the Book of Kells to theTrinity College, Dublin, where it remains to the present time, and is considered to be the most precious manuscript in the Trinity College Library. We mightadd, that such a work would still be in Roman Catholic hands had not King Henry VIII, of England decidedto break away from the Pope of Rome and the Catholic Church. And, although we have no admiration for King Henry VIII, his actions at least interrupted the stranglehold that Catholicism had upon Ireland, for a time, and this enabled Archbishop Ussher to present the Book of Kells to a non-Catholic educational institution.

Another work of art in Ireland is the Book of Durrow, which also contains the four Gospels plus a great amount of extra art work. This, too, is located atTrinity College, Dublin. It is named after the School of Durrow (Plain of the Oaks) which according tCatholic claims, was a famous school centuries ago.Now, no sign of it remains except for an alleged "holywell" and a church-yard.

A third (and last to be mentioned in this article)copy of the four Gospels in Latin, is known as the Lindisfarne Gospels, which takes its name from the island of Lindisfarne, which is located some two miles off the Northumberland coast. It is supposed by some that the same scribe who worked on the Book of Durrow also worked on the Lindisfarne Gospels. In addition to the Latin Vulgate Text of Jerome, the Lindisfarne Manuscript contains an interlinear version ofthe Gospels in Saxon, an early form of English. This book remained at Lindisfarne until about 878 A.D.,

when with other relics it was taken by sea toward Ireland. However, according to legend it fell into the sea, and after four days in the deep it was "miraculously rescued." Eventually when the church at Lindisfarne was rebuilt, the Gospels were returned,where the Book remained until the Di olution of Roman Catholicism in 1536 . . . which, as we have mentioned, was the result of Henry VIII's succession from the Pope's authority. The work disappeared for about one hundred years until 1623 when it came into thepossession of the clerk of the House of Commons,Robert Bowyer. The Lindisfarne Gospels has been in the British Museum for many years. Experts haveexamined it and declare that at some time in its past,it has been soaked in sea water. Very recently, complete photo-copy edition of the Lindisfarne Gospels was offered to scholars and collectors at approximately $150 per copy

The three foregoing examples of the treatment given to portions of the Bible by ancient Irish, Celtic and English churchmen, show how the Bible was valued mostly as a work of art, and a thing to bphysically reverenced . . . much like the veneration of idols, images and statues by Roman Catholics. Isn't it a shame that the same amount of labor, time and love, was not devoted to the teaching of the unadulterated word of God to the common people of that dayand time, so that congregations after the New Testament pattern could have resulted, rather than thealmost totally apostate Roman Church, copied after the pomp and luxury of the medieval courts of Europe.

Mrs. Martin and I recently were privileged to visit the Library of Trinity College, Dublin, Ireland, and see the Book of Kells. Thus, the basis for this article.

Luther W. Martin

INSTRUMENTAL MUSIC—THE PSALMS APPROACH

T he instrumental music question is not a deadi ue. The fact that about ninety-five per cent of all denominational people use the instrument in worshipkeeps it very much alive. Add to this the fact that more and more of our own brethren see no harm in its use makes it a real problem.

In the next few i ues of Searching the ScripturesI plan to discuss the various approaches men havetaken to vindicate the use of the instrument in worship. It shall be known that all innovationists do not use the same arguments to uphold its use. Some use the "Psalms approach"; others use the "Aid approach" ; while others use the "Home approach." I shall, in succeeding i ues of this paper discuss these various approaches. It shall be my purpose in this i ue to discuss the "Psalms approach." Mr. AlbertGarner, whom I met in debate several years ago iLakeland, Florida used this as the very citadel of his arguments for the instrument. The argument Mr. Garner made on the Psalms is also made in his tract. He said, "Jesus foreknowing the future, set forth the proper divisions of the Old Testament. Luke 24:44reads, 'These are the words which I spake unto youwhile I was yet with you that all things must be fulfilled which are written in the Law of Moses, and inthe Prophets and in the Psalms concerning me.' Thus Jesus made three divisions in the Old T estament." He then goes on to say, "Jesus made three divisions of the Old Testament; 1. The Law of Moses, 2. The prophets, 3. The Psalms. The first two divisions have been deleted, that is, set aside as a rule of faith and practice. The third, the psalms, we are commanded to teach, and with them admonish, and it is in them that we are authorized to use instrumental music in Christian worship."

Mr. Garner insists that the Law and the Prophets have been fulfilled but the Psalms have never been fulfilled. His next step is to go to Psalms 150 which says, "Praise him with the sound of the trumpet: praise him with the psaltery and harp. Praise him with the timbrel and dance: praise him with stringed instruments and organs." Thus, his argument goes something like this: Since Psalms have not been nailed to the cro , we are to obey them under the New Covenant. The Psalms tells us to praise God with instruments of music therefore we are authorized under the New Testament to use them.

The answer to this argument pivots on one basic point. Is the book of Psalms a part of the law? Mr.

Garner readily admits that the law was nailed to the cross or fulfilled. If it can be proved that the Psalms are part of the Law, then his theory on Psalms goes down the drain. For proof of this, I call your attention to John 10:34. Jesus said, "Is it not written in your law, I said, ye are gods ?" You will observe that Jesus said this statement was written in your law.The next question is where in the law was this statement made? T he answer is Psalms 82:6 which says,"I have said, ye are gods; and all of you are children of the most High."

You will observe that the wording is the same or five words out of five. Mr. Garner knowing this would completely obliterate his Psalms theory had to getrid of this statement in Psalms. He came up with the unbelievable idea that this statement of Jesus came from the book of Exodus instead of Psalms. He insisted that the statement of John 10:34 came from Exodus 22:28. Now let us put the measuring rod of God's word to this little bit of foolishne . The only way any person may know where a passage of the Old Covenant is fulfilled is by the wording. Exodus

22:28 says, "Thou shalt not revile the gods nor curse the ruler of thy people." Now what po ible similarityis there between this verse and John 10:34? Only one word (god) out of thirteen is the same. By what stretch of imagination could one say this is a fulfillment of the text? Mr. Garner knew ver y well that itwould be necessary to get this passage out of Psalms or it would become a part of the law and thus be abrogated. This shows how far one will go to uphold theological doctrine.

Another passage which shows that Psalms is apart of the law is John 15:25. "But this cometh topass, that the word might be fulfilled that is written in their law, They hated me without a cause." This was a fulfillment of Psalms 69:4 which says, "Theythat hate me without a cause are more than the hairs of mine head— ." You will observe six out of the six words are the same! Mr. Garner said this statement did not come from Psalms but rather Numbers 14:11,which says, "And the Lord said unto Moses, how longwill this people provoke me? and how long will it be ere they believe me, for all the signs which I have shewed among them?" Out of the thirty-three words in this verse only three are the same as the text. This isn't batting a very good average for one who is trying to explain prophecy and its fulfillment. The truth of the matter is that the statement written in their law was wr itten in the book of Psalms and this along with all the law has been nailed to the cross (Col. 2:14).

The old Psalms approach may sound good to one who is not informed. But a close observation of the scriptures will show without question that Psalms is a part of the Law and is no longer binding. Thus the Psalms approach may be thoroughly routed by these two statements given by our Lord. It just goes to prove that we have an antidote in the Bible for all false theories if one will take the time to study.

QUESTION: Is there any difference, as far as divine authority is concerned, between a church paying for a picnic, refreshments, etc., during a Vacation Bible School and the church paying for paving the parking lot at the church building ?— O.H.

ANSWER: Yes, there is definitely a difference between the two matters. There is divine authority forthe latter and none for the former. Proof that this difference exists follows.

First, let us consider paving the parking lot. Authority for the parking lot grows out of the command for saints to assemble (Heb. 10:25). Since they cannot assemble without a place, it follows that some kind of place is authorized by necessary inference.Since the kind of place is not specified, the authorityfor it is generic. Within law (I Cor. 10:23) human judgment must determine what kind of place wilexpedite the divine purpose for which saints assemble. This involves the Bible doctrine-of expediency.While an expedient is something that aids or is helpful in carrying out a command, it should be remembered that all expedients must first be lawful (I Cor.10:23), hence, only those aids can be used that are within law. Within the law authorizing a place for saints to assemble are such expedients as rest rooms,drinking fountain, parking lot, lights, pews, heatingand air conditioning systems, etc. In some cities nearly all of the above facilities (including off street parking) are demanded for any public gather ingplace, otherwise no building "permit" is granted. These things accommodate the needs of the peoplduring the time of the gathering. In providing such facilities (expedients) good judgment ought to beused in view of the standards of the time, country,and other prevailing conditions. In some instances leaving the parking lot unpaved (especially under the conditions described by our querist in his letter)would be very poor judgment

In this connection some might ask — are not kitchens, fellowship halls, playgrounds with recreational equipment, etc. — all provided by the church — justified on the same grounds ? The answer is, no. While such facilities may serve the needs of the humanbody, such needs do not exist during the time thesaints are assembled for the divine purpose authorized in Heb. 10:25. Therefore, such facilities are not expedients within law — they do not expedite thedivine purpose of the divinely authorized assembly.If someone can show divine authority for the church to assemble for the purpose of satisfying man's social, entertainment, and recreational needs, then a place serving such purpose could be provided by the church.

Furthermore, all the facilities expediting that pur

pose would then be within law and could be provided

by the church. However, no man has yet found au

thority from the Holy Scriptures authorizing such

purpose.

The Vacation Bible School is a functional arrangement of the church by which it carries out its mission of teaching. While there are expedients that serve or aid the divine purpose of teaching, serving refreshments is not one of them. Refreshments may well serve the need of man in the social, recreational and entertainment area, but the church is not authorized to meet this need of man. If so, where isthe passage

Concerning the work of the church the followingquotations are interesting, especially in the light omodern day developments:

"Many schemes have been laid and plans formulated by men to carry on the work of the Lord. If peoplewould scheme less and study more, plan less and obeyGod more, conditions spiritually would improve. Whatthe New Testament teaches is not difficult to understand, but men are vain enough to think they caimprove on it. We hear of suppers, parties, and programs to raise money for the Lord. Just at the time when the sectarian world has failed in its claptrapmethodsof religious work and worship and is ready to give it up, shall the church of Christ take up their schemes and lose her greatest opportunity? Churches are building fine meetinghouses and equipping them like hotels. Here they meet, not for worship, but to eat and have a social time. None of these tend to spirituality. These things, perhaps, may hold the time servers and pleasure lovers, but will not promote the spirituality of the church." — The Life and Works of

C. M. Pullias, pg. 68

"For the church to turn aside from its divine work to furnish amusement and recreation is to pervert its mi ion. It is to degrade its mission. Amusement and recreation should stem from the home rather than the church. The church, like Nehemiah, has a great work to do; and it should not come down on the plains of Ono to amuse and entertain. As the church turns its attention to amusement and recreation, it will beshorn of its power as Samson was when his hair was cut: Only as the church becomes worldly, as it pillows its head on the lap of Delilah, will it want to turn from its wonted course to relatively unimportant matters. Imagine Paul selecting and training a groupof brethren to compete in the Isthmian games! Ofhis work at Corinth he said: 'For I determined not to know anything among you, save Jesus Christ, anhim crucified." — B. C. Goodpasture, Gospel Advocate, May 20, 1948, p. 484.

"Again I say to you, with caution and thought, thatit is not the work of the church to furnish entertainment for the members. And yet many churches have drifted into such effort. They enlarge their basements, put in all kinds of gymnastic apparatus, andmake every sort of an appeal to the young people ofthe congregation. I have never read anything in theBible that indicated to me that such was a part of the work of the church. I am wholly ignorant of anyScripture that even points in that direction." — N. B. Hardeman, Tabernacle Sermons, 1942

"Building recreation rooms and providing and supervising recreational activities at the expense of the church is a departure from the simple gospel plan as revealed in the New Testament. The church might as well relieve the parents of feeding and discipliningall the young people at church expense as to take over the job of entertaining and supervising their recreation at church expense. Be sure to get a clear conception of the duties of the home as contracted with the duties of the church in the matter of recreation. To confuse the two realms of activity will involve us in absurdities." — Gospel Advocate Commentary, 1951,

p. 229.

WHAT IS WORSHIP?

With this i ue "Searching The Scriptures beginsanother decade of publication. Brother Phillips has from the first requested that I submit articles for publication herein. I appreciate more than I can saythe confidence which he has placed in me with this task. In the past I have written on different themes,each of which has had as its supreme desire to teach the truth, warn of error, and help prepare souls for heaven. The many hours required each month by allof those working with this paper would be more than we would want to put in were we not interested in the salvation of souls. Brother Phillips has asked that I write on the theme "Worship In Spirit and Truth." I begin this task with a great amount of fear and trembling because your soul and mine is at stake (I Tim. 4:16; Jas. 3:1).

INTRODUCTION

Our worship must be "in spirit and in truth" (John 4:24). Anything we do is worth doing r ight. It is right to worship God; therefore, it is right to learn how to worship. Man becomes like what he worships (Rom. 1:23-25). Men "dishonour their own bodies" because they change the "glory of the uncorruptibleGod into an image made like to corruptible man, andto birds, and four-footed beasts, and creeping things."

WHAT IS WORSHIP?

There is a need for man to know what he is to do "in spirit and in truth." W. E. Vines defines five words which are translated 'worship' in the English testament. (1) proskuneo — "to make obeisance, do reverence to (from pros, towards, and kuneo, to ki ),is the most frequent word rendered worship." (2)sebomai — is defined "to revere, stressing the feeling of awe or devotion." (3) sebazomai — is defined "to honour religiously." (4) latreuo — is "to serve, torender religious service or homage." And (5) eusebeo is "to act piously toward."

Thayer says the word proskuneo means "prop, tokiss the hand to (towards) one, in token of reverence: . . . hence among the Orientals, esp. the Persians, tofall upon the knee and touch the ground with the forehead as an expression of profound reverence (to makea 'salam') ; . . . hence in the N. T. by kneeling or prostration to do homage (to one) or make obeisance,whether in order to express respect or to make supplication."

Mr. Thayer says the word is used "of homagshown to men of superior rank:" and "of homage rendered to God and the ascended Christ, to heavenlbeings, and to demons." In our study we are concerned with "worship God" (Rev. 22:9).

CONCLUSION:

From the above definitions we can draw some conclusions about our worship. We worship God when weobey him; when we reverence him; when we show him honor; when we bow in service to him; when we act piously toward him, when we fall before him in aweor devotion; and when we do him homage. "WorshipGod ... in spirit and in truth" (John 4:24; Rev. 22:9).

DEATH AND THE STATE OF THE DEAD

A correct understanding of death and the state of the dead would obviate much error in the religiousworld and produce a greater appreciation of this decree of God and His eternal plan for man. A failure to understand what happens at death has been thebasis of many doctrinal errors in religion. This has also kept many Christians from fully appreciatindeath, its necessity, and its ble ings.

We don't like to study about death. There seems to be an innate fear of it among men. But is that which God has universally decreed such a curse that it is not to be studied and understood by those who must experience it? I think not.

Is man conscious after death ? Where doesthe spirit go? Is there such a place as purgatory? Does man godirectly to his eternal destiny at death? Is there a separation of the spirits of the dead ? If so, why thejudgment? These are common and interesting questions, and they are clearly answered in the Bible.

Some people believe that the dead are unconscious. Perhaps many hope that it is so. A columnist for the Arkansas Democrat, a daily newspaper, recently wrote:

"What happens after death ? What is the state of existence after the transitional process from life on this speck of dust to the Great Beyond

"These are questions that have baffled man sincethe beginning of the human race. They have instigated many theories; they have incited no end ofspeculation. Every race of people, both primitive and civilized, have entertained certain and varied notions about the ' hereafter.' But aside from what we read and hear, we know no more about the mysteriousafter-life than the caveman knew."

After stating that all theories are vulnerable and nothing is definite, the writer said: "Even the Bible is vague and incomplete in its description of what lies beyond this vale of tears." He then said:

"One thing, and one thing only, is comprehensible to the naked eye and our mundane understanding;that is, the dead are apparently unconscious. And, as a result of expert services of today's morticians, theyinvariably appear relaxed and contented.

"I appreciate the fascinations of Heaven, as preached from the pulpit, and what I can comprehendfrom reading the Scriptures, I would like to spend my eternal existence there. It is much preferred to theother place. But I can conceive of nothing more blissful than everlasting, unending, uninterrupted unconsciousness."

Obviously, the author of the above does not understand the state of the dead. And I don't see how he could believe in either heaven or hell for there can be no punishment or reward for the unconscious. Had he read Luke 16:19-31 he would have known that the dead are conscious and that some are rewarded while others are punished.

May I give another example of ignorance and unbelief concerning the state of the dead and the immortality of man. In April of 1969, the press carried a

N. Y. Times News Service article concerning Groucho Marx and the famous Marx brothers. It covered his life and philosophy — both political and religious. Among other things, he said:

"You only live once, despite what Jesus or somebody said. That's belly-wash. Harpo and Chico promised me if there was anything to that bit they'd get in touch with me. I haven't heard from them. Go out to the garden and tear a flower in four. It won't be a flower again."

If Mr. Marx knows what a Bible is, I suggest that if he will read Luke 16:26-31 he will understand why he has not heard from Harpo and Chico!

Then there was Bishop Pike who claimed that he was in contact with his deceased son. I don't believe it, for that is also contrary to the teaching of theBible. It doesn't seem that Pike was even in contact with Jesus Christ! He died while searching the "holy land" for the Christ and peace of mind which he had been unable to find in the Bible.

Many people do not appreciate the truth nor see the need for a general judgment because they believe that the soul of man goes to its final destiny at death. Some deny that there will be a general judgment or that man will be judged according to his works.

Concerning the state of the dead, where the soul goes at death, the need for the resurrection of bodies and a general judgment, I find the following statements very interesting and meaningful:

"This argument in proof of Hades as distinct from heaven and hell — as the condition of all human spirits from death to the final resurrection — is itself our tenth argument against the doctrine of destructionism" (Popular Lectures and Addresses, p. 441).

"To explain the term Hades, it must be observed that there are three states of human spirits entirely distinct from each other. The first state of human spirits is in union with an animal body. This state terminates at death. The second state is that in which human spirits are separated from their animal bodies. This commences at death and terminates with the resurrection of the body. This is precisely what is called Hades. The third state commences with the re-union of the spirit and the body, and continues ever after. Hades is said to be destroyed when thethird state commences. The termination of Hades is clearly foretold by John in these words, 'Death andHades were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death' " (Alexander Campbell, Living Oracles, Appendix, p. 58).

"The resurrection of Jesus is not appreciated by the religious world now, as it was by the apostles. As respects the return of his soul from Hades, Protestant writers have fled so far from the justly-abhorred purgatory of the Catholic, and the gloomy soul-sleeping of the Materialist, that they have passed beyond the scripture doctrine, and either ignore altogether the existence of an intermediate state, or deny that the souls of the righteous are short of ultimate happiness during this period. ... As long as men entertain the idea that their spir its enter into final bliss and glory immediately after death, they can never be made to regard the resurrection of the body as amatter of importance. T his idea has ever produced a general skepticism among the masses, in reference to a resurrection of the body; for men are very apt to doubt the certainty of future events for which they see no necessity" (J. W. McGarvey, Commentary on Acts, First Edition, p. 34).

"We stop not here to raise the question as to what paradise is or where it is. It is enough for us to know that it is the abode into which Jesus and the poor man who died with him entered immediately after death . . . the abode perhaps in which dwell the spirits of all the just until they enter their spir itual bodies at the resurrection" (Moses E. Laird, Quarterly, December, 1863).

I commend these statements to you for your consideration, comfort, and hope. May we all live in such a manner that we will be prepared to receive what the Lord has prepared for those who love him and keep his commandments.

BOUND

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BIBLE ANSWERS

Gene frost

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OUTLINES OFFLORIDA COLLEGE LECTURES 1968

Detailed outlines of each speech delivered at the 1968 Florida College Lectures.

Price: $2.00

ARGUMENTS ADVANCED IN PROOF OF EVOLUTION MUTATIONS (No. 1) DEFINITION. In Darwin: Before and After, R.E.D.

Clark (pp. 129-130), after showing how Darwin's theory was tried and proved to be inadequate, says,"It is now generally recognized that one and only one po ibility remains — the po ibility that evolutionis the result of Mutations or changes both in theultimate units of heredity, the genes, and in their relative arrangements." The Dutch botanist De Vries is the founder of the Mutation theory and it is the key word applied to his dogma. Vance and Miller, inBiology For You define Mutations as "a change in the structure or composition of the gene which is hereditable" (p. 549). All living organisms are composed of cells. Each cell has a number of structures called "chromosomes." Arranged in linear order on eachchromosome are small bodies called "genes." Although chromosomes can sometimes be seen through powerful microscopes, genes cannot. Genes contain hereditary traits that are passed on to offspring. Withthis background, we can now understand a simplified definition of "Mutations" — a change of some type inthe genetic structure (or genes) of a reproductive cell resulting in the development of a new or different characteristic in the offspring

Prof. Byron Nelson discusses the work of de Vries and his experiments with the evening primroses. He found that from them came forms he had never seen before. These he called new "species." They appeared abruptly and unexpectedly among the offspring. As a result he offered the following explanation of how living things evolved. "New species rose suddenly, spontaneously, by steps and jumps. They jumped outamong the offsprings." His speculation was, therefore, called the "mutation" theory (After Its Kind p.100). So, all so-called mutations appear suddenlyBefore the observer is aware of their presence they are there. — One special feature which is supposed to distinguish a "mutation" from a simple "variation" is that a mutation is a form that appears seldom, a'chance happening,' and 'abnormal occurrence,' a 'mistake,' 'errors in gene replication,' 'monstrosities,' 'genetical freaks,' a 'flaw,' a 'slip' of heredity (all of these terms are used by scientists in talking aboumutations — P.F.) while a variation is a form that appears often — a normal, natural thing. This, however, is not a proper distinction for it is significantthat a new form is called a mutation, as long as theexact manner of its production is not understood.

When, however, the Mendelain Law, by which a new form arises is discovered and men know that theycan themselves produce it by breeding, it is no longer called a "mutation" but a "variation" of old material (ibid., 175, 177).

On page 177, Nelson defines mutations, accordingto the evolutionists, as "the spontaneous originationof the germ cells of species of new genes which did not exist before. A mutation, in the evolutionary sense, is a new creation, something "coming out onothing," or at least "something greater comingout of something less." In the glossary of The Monkey's On the Run, p. 51, we have this definition of mutation. "The building block of cells, chromosomes and DNA are chemical compounds made of atomswhose building blocks, in turn, are protons, electrons and neutrons. A mutation is any off-standard component whose atoms could have been disarranged baccident or by strong chemicals, or whose sub-atomic building blocks could have been disarranged by x-rays, by ultra-violet light or by nuclear radiation or bombardment. Since such mutations alter basic biological building block patterns, such resultingchanges can be heritable.

In talking about Thermodynamics the eminent Dr. Henry Morris said, "A mutation operates within the Second Law of Thermodynamics." He further said,"We have a wonderful highly ordered system in thegenetic structure of the germ cell, but when that system is penetrated by a disturbing agent, such as radiations or mutagenic chemicals, then a random changein the order of the system may occur. It can be shown,and it is also intuitively obvious, that any highlordered system subjected to a random change will,to an exceedingly high degree of probability, be less ordered after the change than before. A mutation,which is a sudden random change in the germ cell,will naturally cause a decrease in order in that system and this will show up in the form of deleterious characteristics in the organism which experiences it. Probably it will cause its death. It almost certainly will be harmful. A mutation repr esents a random change in a highly ordered system, and this is in accord with the Second Law of Thermodynamics,that an increase in entropy will decrease the order of that system. To say that the tremendous complexity of the 'ordered' world of life has arisen from acommon ancestor by chance mutation and naturalselection is thus utterly fantastic. The evolutionistmust believe in magic to believe in this! (My Emphasis— P.F.) Evidences for Creation, pp. 21-22. See also Twilight of Evolution, pp. 43-44. (In future issue we shall discu , in some detail, the harmful, deadlyeffect of mutations, as well as the odds against enoughfavorable mutations being present for the evolutionary theory to be true. — P.F.)

The same thoughts, expressed by Morris, are

stressed by the Scientist Jean Rostand in The Orion

Book of Evolution, p. 20. "No, decidedly I cannot make

myself think that these 'slip' of heredity (mutations)

have been able, even with the cooperation of natural

selections and even with the advantage of the im

mense periods of time in which evolution works on

life, to build the entire world, with its structural

prodigality and refinements, its astonishing 'adapta

tions' — I cannot persuade myself to think that the eye, the ear, the human brain have been formed in this way."

(To Be Continued)

The sexual nature of man is a subject of great interest in our time. I intend to pursue the subjectin a very general way and it would be most helpful to me to have your comments and questions if yowould like specific topicsdiscussed.

The point was made some time ago that we are prone to deal with some things that are potentialldangerous or capable of being abused by denyinthat there is any benefit or pleasure in them. I believe our present subject has been dealt with on this basis far too often. Some say "nice" people don't discuss the subject. Others will imply that sex isdirty or vulgar. This is done with the intention ofguarding against any sin of a sexual nature but I believe it to be a very poor approach. A better approach is to understand the sexual nature of man and God's law regulating his sexual behavior. Then we will be able to enjoy good sexual behavior and shun evil practice. The distinction between good andevil has its foundation in the Word of God and not in old wivestales.

The contemplation of man alone in the Garden of Eden is most interesting. God said this was not good

— it is not good that man should be alone. (It is interesting to compare this with Matthew 19:12which we will discuss later.) The need for a helmeet was recognized by God and nothing suitable was found in the remainder of the animal world. So woman, the opposite sex, was created andbrought to man. Adam explains woman's purpose in Genesis 2:24 when he says, "Therefore shall aman leave his father and his mother, and shall cleave unto his wife: and they shall be one flesh." From the apostle Paul's use of this passage in I Corinthians 6 I understand this cleaving to have reference to their sexual union and that as a result of this union the man and his wife shall be one flesh.

Man then was created with a sexual nature that was not to be gratified by himself nor with animals. Woman was created for the satisfaction of this desire of man within the state of marriage. Does this mean that the sexual desires of men are normal? Most certainly in every sense of the word. Does it mean it is all right to satisfy them with womanMost certainly when done in accord with God's law.

The introduction of sex into the Garden of Eden came before the introduction of sin so obviously sex is not synonymous with sin. The sexual nature of man was put there by God and its enjoyment and satisfaction regulated by God. Sex should not be viewed as inherently vulgar or wicked.

Its beauty should be seen in its fulfillment ofman's need and the union of male and female into one flesh.

SOWING THE SEED

As I begin my work with this very fine paper,Searching The Scriptures, I feel it would be ungrateful on my part if I did not express my appreciation to my good friend and brother, H. E. Phillips (who is editor of this paper), for this opportunity of coming to you each month ansharing with you some of the fruits of the studies I have made and am making on subjects that pertain to life and godline . As has already been stated bybrother Phillips, this column will serve each monthto bring articles that will help the person outside the body of Christ to know what he or she needs to do in becoming a Christian. We will be examining ththings the Bible teaches that are essential for thealien sinner to do in receiving the forgiveness of sins. We are interested in people being converted to theLord Jesus Christ that they might be saved eternally. In this first article, we want to examine the thought that is contained in the format of these articles, Sowing the Seed of the Kingdom.

SEED = WORD OF GOD

The most simple explanation of the word "seed" is found in Luke's account of the gospel that was preached by Jesus in chapter eight. As Jesus presented the parable of the sower he said, "the seed ofthe kingdom is the word of God" (vs. 11). Jesus did not leave us to wonder to what he had reference when he talked about the "seed," but says it is the "word of God."

WHAT BENEFIT IS THE WORD?

Jesus said the "soil" on which the seed (or word)fell was the hearts of the people, for the Devil came and took away the WORD out of their HEARTS.These are called "wayside hearers." Those whose hearts were good and honest Jesus called "googround," and said they kept the word and "it broughtforth fruit with patience" (vs. 15). But again, whatbenefit is derived from the "word" bringing fortfruit with patience ? It is the salvation of our souls. David said, "thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and alight unto my path" (Psalms 119:105). Peter tells us not only what the seed is, but what it does and how long it will last. He said in I Peter 1:22,23,25, "Seeingyou have purified your souls in obeying the truth through the Spirit unto unfeigned love of the brethren, see that ye love one another with a pure heart fervently.; Being born again, not of corruptible seed,but of incorruptible, by the word of God, which livethand abideth forever. But the word of the Lord endureth for ever. And this is the word which by thegospel is preached unto you." Hence we see from this reading that: (1) the word is the truth, (2) that it is the incorruptible seed by which we are born again

(3) that it is to abide forever, (4) and that we receive it by receiving the gospel. But listen to what James says about this "word." ". . . receive with meekness the engrafted word which is able to save your souls" (James 1:21).

CONCLUSION

Since we believe that all of the things Jesus, Peter,and James said of the "word" is true, it will be our desire to sow the seed of the kingdom so that many souls may be born again by receiving this seed (word)into their hearts — making them a part of the familyof God, a part of the kingdom of God. We hope thatyou will read the articles that shall be presented in this column as we endeavor to try to Sow the Seed of the Kingdom, as well as the rest of the fine articles that will appear in this paper; and that you will encourage others to subscribe for the paper that manymay be led to the Lord Jesus Christ through this effort. When and if they are, to God be all the glory.

"SELLING YOUR LOVE" Doug Kanatzar

I work for a national retail department store chain as an assistant department manager. For identification purposes we label our merchandise with a code date. At the end of every year (as inventory draws near), we attempt to sell all the items labeled withcertain letters. This year we are trying to sell goods marked with "L." To help remind my a ociates to sell "L" merchandise, I taped to each register a sign reading: "Sell 'L'." One young lady altered the signto read: "Sell Love." This change in the sign causedme to stop and think. Many people often think of lovein this way without realizing it. As Christians we are to "love one another with a pure heart fervently" (I Peter 1:23). Yet, as Christians, I believe we often try to "sell" or barter our love.

Love is not something that we can trade or sell Love is a gift and must be given freely. Paul wrote: "But God commendeth his love toward us, while wewere yet sinners, Christ died for us. Much more then,being now justified by his blood, we shall be savedfrom wrath through him" (Romans 5:8-9). Goloved us while we were still in sin. He gave of his love freely for our salvation. Christ said, "Ye have heard that it hath been said, thou shalt love thy neighbor,and hate thine enemy. But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to themthat hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you"; (Matthew 5:43-44).Christ tells us to love our enemies. Does he mean love our enemies if they love us ? I think the scriptures are clear; Christ says to love our enemies. This love is a free love, not traded or sold, but given freely byChristians.

If we fail to demonstrate our love for one another,we also fail to keep the commandments of the Lord. "That we should . . . love one another, as he gave uscommandment" (I John 3:23). John also speaks of Christians that have not love of the brethren as beingdead. "We know that we have passed from death unto life, because we love the brethren. He that loveth not his brother abideth in death" (I John 3:14). Yet manyChristians do not get the full importance of these words. John continues by saying, ". . . Whosoever hateth his brother is a murderer: and ye know thatno murderer hath eternal life." Yes, brethren, we canlose eternity forever, the promised home with theFather, by simply hating.

Love is most important to the Christian, for without it he has no hope. Love was necessary for God to send His son to the earth among men. "For God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten Son,that whosoever believeth in him should not perish,but have everlasting life" (John 3:16). One can easily see from this that love is the basis of Christianity.Christianity is a system of love — love of the Father to send His son to die for our sins, the love of the Sonin his willingness to die the cruel death for our miserable souls, the love of his followers one for another;and finally, the Christian's love for every soul upon earth.

In order for us to appreciate the love of the Father, we must love one another. Not by word only, but bydeed. John says, "my little children, let us not love in word, neither in tongue; but in deed and in truth" (I John 3:17). If we have love one for another, God will dwell in us and we will be demonstrating that Goddwells in us. John says, "Let us love one another: for love is of God; and everyone that loveth is born of God, and knoweth God .. . If God so loved us, weought also to love one another. If we love one another,God dwelleth in us, and his love is perfected in us ... If a man say, I love God, and hateth his brother, he is a liar; for he that loveth not his brother whom hehath seen, how can he love God whom he hath notseen? And this commandment have we from himThat he who loveth God love his brother also" (I John 4:7-21).

We cannot trade or sell our love. We must give love

freely, even to those that persecute us for our belief in

Christ. "The Lord make you to increase and abound

in love one toward another, and toward all men, even

as we do toward you" (I Thes. 3:12).

THE PLAIN OF SHARON

The first phrase of a familiar hymn reads, "Jesus,Rose of Sharon." Sharon is a fertile plain situated south of Mt. Carmel that widens to about twentmiles in its southern extremity (Fig. 4, September i ue). Here are located the ancient sites of Joppaand Caesarea and the modern cities of Tel-Aviv and Lod. In fact, most tourists to Israel see Sharon first, since they arrive by plane at Lod InternationalAirport.

Today the Plain of Sharon is a rich and prosperous agricultural region, famous throughout Europe for its delicious citrus fruit and bananas. Its chief city,Tel-Aviv, is a booming metropolis that functions as the heart of the modern nation of Israel.

THE OLD TESTAMENT PERIOD

The sounds of Old Testament history echo throughout the entire area. One may hear the horrible sounds of war as the tribal armies of Dan, Ephraim, anManasseh clash with Philistines, Amorites, and Canaanites, who eventually became thorns in their sides and whose gods became a snare unto Israel (Judges2:3). He may even hear the voice of Jonah in Joppawhere the pouting prophet boarded a ship bound for Tarshish in order that he might flee from the presence of Jehovah (Jonah 1:3).

THE NEW TESTAMENT PERIOD

Also the sights and sounds of the New Testament come alive. A group of saints dwelt at Lydda (Lod)where Peter healed Aeneas. He said to him, "Aeneas,Jesus Christ healeth thee: arise, and make thy bed(Acts 9:34). Nearby at Joppa another band of disciples "hearing that Peter was there, sent two men unto him, entreating him, 'Delay not to come untus'" (Acts 9:38). Their beloved sister, Dorcas, ladead in an upper chamber. Soon, however, Peter againdemonstrated the power of God, saying, "Tabitha, arise" (Acts 9:40). Afterward he stayed many daysin Joppa with Simon whose home was beside the sea. The salt water was essential in Simon's line of work;he was a tanner of animal hides (Acts9:43; 10:5, 6)

As one sits on the porch of a hotel room overlooking the shimmering blue water of the Mediterranean Sea that possesses a natural beauty that defies description but points to the touch of the Master's hand,he ought to be brought to his knees like Peter who prayed on the housetop

The site of Antipatris (the Aphek of the Old Testament, Joshua 12:18) lies ten miles north of Lydda on the important trunk road that runs in a north-south direction where the eastern edge of the Plain ofSharon and the foothills of Samaria meet. In New Testament times it served as a Roman military relay station between Jerusalem (40 miles distance) and Caesarea (25 miles distance). Paul was escorted here from Jerusalem by a Roman guard of "two hundred soldiers, seventy horsemen, and two hundred spearmen," then on to Caesarea by the cavalry (Acts 23:31,32).

Caesarea, formerly called Strato's Tower, became aflourishing seaport during the building program of Herod the Great. Herod finished rebuilding the site in 10 B.C. and named it in honor of Caesar Augustus. Caesarea is where Cornelius was stationed when he became a Christian (Acts 10-11) and is where Philipthe evangelist settled (Acts 21:8)

So many significant events of Bible history occurred in the Plain of Sharon that one may overlook the fact that it was never extensively settled by the Israelites. In fact, most of the area was "off limits" because of the damp marshes, the dense oak forests,and the sand dunes along the coast. Even the famous "Rose of Sharon," as Denis Baly points out, "indicates not so much beauty that is natural to the region as something lovely amid much that is ugly" (TheGeography of the Bible, p. 137).

"I am a rose of Sharon,

A lily of the valleys.

As a lily among thorns,

So is my love among the daughters.

As the apple-tree among the trees of the wood,

So is my beloved among the sons."

— The Song of Solomon 2:1-3

Finally, who does not remember that forebodininvitation i ued to Nehemiah by Sanballat, Tobiah,and Geshem, "Come, let us meet together in one of the villages of the Plain of Ono" (Neh. 6:2)? Mischief may lurk in the most unsuspected places.

Thomas J. Elliott, 520 Hemmingway St., S.E.,Winston-Salem, N.C. 27107 — After three and one-half years with the church in Marion, N.C., we havmoved to work with the Winston-Salem church, meeting at 8th & Buxton St., N.W. While with thchurch in Marion, I was supported by the followingchurches: Huffman, Birmingham, Ala., Jonesboro,Tenn., Washington Avenue, Russellville, Ala.,Hessville church in Hammond, Ind. These goochurches continue my support while I am with thechurch in Winston-Salem. Any Christian travelinthis way is invited to wor-ship with us. My phonnumber is 784-7393.

Wiley Adams, Macon, Ga. — During November two were baptized into Christ at the Bloomfield church in Macon, Ga. I was with the Barberton, Ohio church in a gospel meeting November 10-16. No additions, butinterest was good. Here on the local scene the Bloomfield church has purchased an acre of land in a fine location for a building site. We hope to explore the po ibilities for a building right away. We presently meet in a community building. Interest, attendance and contribution is up. When passing through, stop and worship with us. Call 788-5882 or 788-5016 for information. We are ten minutes drive from the intersection of 1-475 and Highway 80.

E. Warren Needham, 1871 Coventry St.,Memphis, Tenn. 38127 — After three years and nine months with the Mill Street church in Leitchfield, Kentucky, I am moving to work withthe Trezevant Street church in Memphis, 309Trezevant Street. My home address is listed above.

Claude C. Truex, 1009 West 4th St., Rector, Ark.72461 — Since October 19th two have been restored to their first love and one has been baptized intoChrist.

Elders, East Paris Avenue church, Peoria, Ill: — Brother James H. Fox, formerly a deacon at the Expressway church in Louisville, Kentucky, is preachingwith this congregation now. Since moving here in July of 1968 we have had 23 baptisms and 32 restorations. With the situation stabilized here we feel free to make brother Fox available for meeting work. Anychurch who can use him may contact him. We will behappy to send him where the work is small and unable to financially conduct a meeting. Call him at (309)691-6864 or write to 5916 Graceland Dr., Peoria, Ill.61614.