"Like Pop-Corn!"
'What on earth is happening among these 'anti' brethren.... they are starting churches everywhere you turn! Their new congregations are jumping up like popcorn in a hot skillet!" Needless to say, the brother voicing this sentiment was unhappy about it; he was concerned and worried. A tremendous campaign of misrepresentation and misinformation for several years had led him, and many like him, to suppose that what he contemptuously referred to as 'the anti problem' was practically a dead issue; he had been told that they were "dying on the vine"; that "the church has solved the anti-orphan problem just like it solved the anti-located preacher and anti-Bible class problems....the antis have been isolated, and will soon die out!" From college lectureships and big city pulpits this theme has been played over and over again. Religious journals and local church bulletins have put the record on so often that its scratchy gyrations have long since become obvious, even to the disc jockeys, for what they are.... wishful thinkings rather than factual reportings. They have hypnotized themselves into believing that "if you wish long enough, and wish hard enough, wishing will make it sol"
But "wishing" has not made it so. Closing their eyes to the growth of conservative congregations has not changed that growth any more than closing the eyes to Bible truth has changed that truth. Our brethren who have committed themselves to the "centralized cooperatives" will undoubtedly continue to make great and notable advances in their promotions; they will make rapid growth numerically and socially, becoming accepted and honored as one of the most aggressive and active denominations of the land. But while all this is happening, and while they can point with pride to their great institutions and organizations and "cooperative associations," they will just simply have to accept the (to them highly unpalatable and distressing) fact that they have been unable to take "the church" along with them in the new trails they have blazed. Scores upon scores of faithful congregations have said a thunderous "NO" to the pleadings, the pressures, and the blandishments of our "promoting" brethren. They have viewed with distrust and alarm the growing trend toward liberalism; they have been surprised and then shocked at the way the truth has been compromised, and the cause of Christ turned into a three ring circus by the "ballyhoo" of the promoters.... who have seized upon every character in the public notice from Pat to Bobby to Billy Sol to try to "whoop it up" for "our church."
We heard a report the other day that even Brother Clay Pullias is now acknowledging defeat in his efforts to crush the "antis" by silence and isolation. In a meeting in Nashville not long ago he grew vehement, so the report goes, in describing to the congregation how "these antis are simply taking the country"; and urged that the time has come to "fight" them to a finish!
Not only are conservative brethren making great efforts (and tremendous sacrifices in many instances) to start faithful churches all over the nation, they are showing a commendable interest in foreign fields. For a number of years the Tenth and Francis congregation in Oklahoma City has supported wholly or in part workers in Nigeria and Hawaii; other congregations or like precious faith have shown the same zeal and determination. As these words are being written Brother Bob Nichols and Brother W. C. Hinton are completing their plans to work in Japan; the fine congregation in San Bernardino has been unusually active in supporting men in Norway, and elsewhere; Brother Charles F. House has done, and is doing, a truly outstanding work among the Latin's along the Mexican border. Brother Sewell Hall is just ready to return from a highly successful tour of duty in Nigeria, having been supported by several strongly conservative congregations during his term of service there; Brother Peter Wilson is having excellent results in his work in the British Isles. And it has long been recognized that there is probably no more effective work anywhere than that which is being done by Brother Mack Kercheville among the Latin's in the El Paso and Juarez areas.
To one who is conversant with the spirit of defeatism and surrender which characterized so many faithful brethren seventy-five years ago when the other wave of liberalism swept the church, this present spirit of aggressive enthusiasm and unwavering determination on the part of the conservatives is in total contrast! Hundreds of new little churches have started, and will start in the decade ahead of us; but these little churches will not stay "little." Indeed, even now they are "little" only in number of members.... in spirit, enthusiasm, sacrificial giving and dedicated living they are the greatest churches in the land! They have a glorious vision of a church purged and strengthened by the fiery trials which have come upon her....a church cleansed from the dross of worldly ambition and worldly pride; a church meet for the Master's use!
Let no petty differences and trivial matters now mar the picture! The battle for truth and righteousness must be waged "without restraint" and without counting the cost in terms of money, or tears, or weariness. The victory is certain. If God be with us, who can be against us?
— F. Y. T.