The Overflow
Wonderful opportunity!
The Uptown Church of Christ (Long Beach, California) is taking the lead in California in a truly progressive and "uptown" kind of Bible teaching for its young people. Among the things announced in a recent bulletin
(1) Primary boys and girls will be taught how to make pictorial maps;
(2) Junior girls will have the opportunity of learning how to tie knots;
(3) Junior boys will learn how to play baseball;
(4) Junior High boys and girls will be taught how to make costume jewelry; and
(5) Senior High students will "have the rare privilege of learning the art of Archery under expert guidance. Bows and arrows of proper length will be provided." Question: Which class would little Timothy have gone into that he might have learned "the sacred writings"?
Preaching the gospel "only once"
Brother Leroy Garrett makes quite an issue of preaching the gospel to those who have already heard it. Since he defines preaching as "announcing good news", he contends that it is impossible for it to be "news" after it has been heard once. Since it has long been taught that the gospel is composed of facts to be believed, commands to be obeyed, and promises to be enjoyed, would Brother Garrett consider it impossible to preach the commands of the gospel more than once to an individual? Can a man be told twice that the Lord requires him to be baptized?
Invisible and incomprehensible There is a common saying in Scotland that a preacher who remains invisible six days in the week will be incomprehensible the seventh. If a man is to preach to the needs of the people, he must at least go among them enough to know what those needs are. Otherwise he deals in abstractions and generalities that have little relevance.
Theme song One of our readers after seeing the lengthy, involved, and generally mixed-up articles Brother Harper has written in defense of the "Herald of Truth" sends us the suggestion that a fitting theme caption for these articles would be "I Loathe Lucidity".
Sign progress
"Things have surely changed in Pensacola since I left there in 1937. There were seven congregations here then — all in complete fellowship. We now have fifteen in the area, but there is no fellowship between a number of them. We have one with "Preaching only"; one with "Night Communion Only" . . . . We do have some mighty fine preachers and brethren here, however, and I am hoping that we may be able to iron out all problems and have full fellowship."
— Thornton B. Crews Life of David Lipscomb
Brother Earl West has completed his fine biography of Brother David Lipscomb, and the book will be ready for release in September. Brethren who read it in manuscript form (and who were intimate associates of David Lipscomb) are unstinted in their praise of the truly monumental work West has done. They say he has "brought to life" again one of the truly great men of our age, and that Lipscomb will again be known and loved by thousands now who never knew him personally, as was the case in the days of his flesh. Price of the book will be $4.00. We await it with eager anticipation.
Project Singapore A few weeks ago the elders of the Hampton Place Church of Christ in Dallas agreed to "sponsor" Brother Ira Y. Rice, Jr. in a missionary venture in Singapore. Now comes the announcement that they have decided to have nothing to do with the project "as elders", but will do "as individuals" the same work they had planned to do "as elders". Now can somebody tell us what they are? A committee? A Society? We congratulate Brother Logan Buchanan for resigning under such circumstances. Our opinion of him moved up a few notches when he wrote us explaining his resignation.
Brother Otey's analysis Once again the venerable W. W. Otey, now in his eighty-eighth year, veteran of many a hard fought campaign, picks up a tried and trusty sword to wield it against the forces of error. Beginning in next week's Gospel Guardian Brother Otey has a series of three lengthy articles giving a careful analysis of "Herald of Truth", documented with painstaking accuracy from their own publications, and showing how closely parallel this new movement is to the original Missionary Societies. Writing as a brother to brethren, with love and tenderness, he pleads for a strict adherence to the New Testament pattern. Don't fail to read the entire series.
Schedule This writer will be in a meeting at the following places through the month of August: San Bernardino, California, August 1-11; Portales, New Mexico (University Drive congregation), August 12-22 Elkton, Kentucky, August 23-September 1; Indianapolis, Indiana, (Belmont congregation), September 5-15.
Take note, please Thinking unselfishly as usual of the welfare of our readers, we pass along this little item which appeared the other day in The Lawrence Record of Mount Vernon, Missouri: "A Boston man fell dead the other day while cursing an editor. Our citizens are invited to take note of the above circumstance and govern themselves accordingly." But of course that is hardly relevant to the Gospel Guardian, for it is nearly always the case that the most enraged and apologetic of our readers come from among the "sweet" brethren who would never, never curse. Oh, no!
Had you noticed We've sold several hundred copies of Emmett McLoughlin 's book, "People's Padre". But have you noticed that the nation's major newspapers and magazines have not carried any reviews of the book? This "conspiracy of silence" is no doubt due to the Catholic Hierarchy and the members of the press who are either subservient to it or afraid of it. If the message of "People's Padre" is to have effect on the people of America, its story must be spread by word of mouth. Why not tell your friends about it? Send a gift copy to those you wish to remember with gifts. We have a sufficient stock on hand now that your order can be filled the same day it is received. Price is $3.95.