Vol.V No.III Pg.1
May 1968

Four-Star General

Robert F. Turner

General Error is a high-ranking offender. He struts about, his poison-oak-leaf clusters shining, bellowing ill-founded conclusions, wrecking "general" havoc.

The one (and only) day he was in Louisiana it rained. He had heard about the swamps and bayou country, although he didn't see this; but now he declares authoritatively, "Every day is a rainy day in Louisiana: Water all over the state!" It is useless to argue with him. He has been there; he knows!

The General thrives on history. He thinks the Episcopal Church was invented so Henry VIII could marry Anne Boleyn. Generations of civil and religious struggles are as though they had never happened. Henry loved Anne, and that's it. With such generalization, he makes all pioneer preachers great Bible scholars. When the Missionary Society was formed, in 1849, all congregations immediately divided into "progressive" and "anti" groups; and the next day each "progressive" segment rushed out to buy an organ. Today, all who support the Herald of Truth are "Liberals" -- who naturally do not believe God's word is inspired. All who oppose inter-church projects despise little orphans, and are do nothing, "one-cuppers". The General really gets around, and can prove every word he says --- generally.

There is validity in the observation that people (and churches) may be known by the company they keep. Sometimes "silence gives consent" and churches and preachers give support to unscriptural practices by failing to "reprove and rebuke" -- or to set forth the truth in a positive way. We may, indeed, observe "trends" among churches in general, and a man's "liberal leanings" may be first detected by his attitude toward certain things or his way of argumentation. But love does not hasten to find evil. (1 Cor. 13:4-6) One straw does not make a haystack, nor one fault a falling away.

Generalization is the easy way out; the lazy man's research, the careless man's excuse, the cruel man's tool. "Judge not according to the appearance, (the "face", superficially,) but judge righteous judgement." (Jn. 7:)