Vol.XV No.VIII Pg.2
October 1978

This-N-That

Robert F. Turner

The brown ink on last month's issue was not our plan nor desire for Plain Talk. The printer was "caught in a bind"— had to use another's offset press — and arrived at the last minute to "do the job' only to find the borrowed press had only green or brown ink. Be thankful you didn't get green. We sincerely hope this issue is in black, color and financially. And writers also get "caught in a bind." Your editor has been bothered by bleeding ulcers, and a frame of mind unsuited to his heavy schedule. For a time it seemed we might not make our deadline, but bro. Shipley added to his own heavy work load, and produced his regular page plus t h e two-page center section. I'm leaving home for eight back-to-back meetings in Arizona and California, and Dan may produce extra material in the next few issues — for which you can be as grateful as am I. Dan Shipley is a competent preacher, a gentleman, and a scholar. He is a Christian, if I know such; and if you can think of other nice things to say, that too.

Twenty-two churches have, by now, received a letter saying I must cancel meeting arrangements for 1979. It was a most difficult letter to write; contrary to forty-three years of planning and execution. But the doctor and my head (not my heart) tell me it must be done. I'll try to "take a sabbatical — and return to meeting work in 1980, the Lord willing.

Those of you who know the Burnet work personally will be interested in our plans to appoint two new bishops here. Their names will be announced later, but this note is inserted to assure you that brothers Collins, Parks, and Stephenson are still very active as overseers here. They felt additional men should be appointed to serve with them, while they were yet able to counsel and pass their vast experience on to the new elders. This far-sighted and unselfish attitude is an excellent recommendation of the men who have faithfully served this church from its beginning. (See p.6)

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"Galen, a Greek physician of the second century A.D. said, "All who drink this remedy recover in a short time, except for those whom it does not help, who all die and have no relief from any other medicine. Therefore, it is obvious that it fails only in incurable cases." That suggests there is no need to look for a new and different medicine — the disease is "incurable." Fortunately, others kept up the study and search, and we found remedies for "incurable" problems. "Either-or" may deceive us.