"For The Church Of Christ"
This address was on a certain catalog of a major publishing company, namely, The Firm Foundation Publishing Co., Austin, Texas, which was sent to the church where I preach. Since this was sent in care of the preacher, I decided to see what they had to offer the church. May I call your attention to just a few of the articles they have for sale to the church of Christ?
On page 13 we find certain books advertised as answering the problems of youth, such as The Courtship Problem. When has it become the business of the church to get into the Marriage Agency business, and to offer the books of sectarians for advice on courtship?
Then we find a book on youth's marriage problems, the title, "The Way of A Man With A Maid." Some of the topics of this book are sex life, birth control, and such like. Nice things for the church to advertise, eh? Probably one reason why the youth's marriage problems are so great is they have had too much teaching on such topics. They have gone to raising dogs instead of rearing children.
Christian Classics
On page 17 we have a number of books under this heading. All are rank sectarian as far as I know, works of Luther, Stalker, and J. A. Seuss. These men were never Christians. How could their teaching be classed as "Christian Classics?" If these books are to be sold, why not state where they are from, and that they have some good teaching, and some false? I recommend a careful scrutiny of the books and literature, even by our brethren, even if some are labeled "Gospel Treasures." Then we ought to get over the idea that man is infallible, no matter how long he has been a Christian. We are all subject to mistakes.
Meals From The Manse
On page 33 we find a Cook Book, with favorite recipes from the wives of great preachers. It has heart warming bits of wisdom and devotional material. But, of course, if the church must become a Matrimonial Agency, take over the sex problems of the day, and be a youth center, surely we need a cook book direct from the Manse!!
Novelties
On page 41, we call your attention to a few of the novelties, (but this catalog has many pages). Surely we would not be thoroughly furnished in every good work in this age unless we had some novelties to offer the children to induce them to attend classes. Since we have so many things to offer in foreign countries, such as food, clothing, colleges, orphan's homes, etc., to get them to notice and accept the gospel, surely over here, we could offer a few toys to increase attendance. We could order them from the Firm Foundation Publishing Co.
Brother Showalter offers to sell you the following names to be put on the Pilot Wheel: Assembly of God, Baptist, Youth For Christ, Nazarene, Lutheran, Presbyterian, Methodist, Mennonite, and many others. What has happened to the editor who has stood for the Truth so many years? Who is responsible for wanting to sell the church this denominational junk with their name or brand on it?
Cradle Roll Chart
On page 50 we find the Cradle Roll Chart. At last, if the church will buy all that the brethren want them to buy, the Methodists will not have a thing on us. Yes, a Cradle Roll for infants. This catalog is about filled with such items as I have mentioned, and it should have the name of some Sunday School Union on it, instead of the Firm Foundation, unless they have sold out entirely to the denominations, and are trying to sell out the rest of us.