The Bible teaches that each person is responsible to do all that he can with what ability and means God has put at his disposal (See Matt. 25:14-46). In the final judgment 14 each one of us shall give account of himself unto God" (Rom. 14:12). But we often feel so feeble as a single individual that we feel that what little we can do will not amount to much. We become so lost in the crowd, so lost in congregationalism-, that we feel that what we might do personally will have little, if any, impact on the final outcome. But beaches are made of single grains of sand and oceans of little droplets of water.

As an illustration of the, impact of one man's action, consider this: "In DeKalb County, Indiana, in 1846, a man that was intoxicated, put in the box a ballot that he had cut into strips. The ballot was rejected by the judges. Each candidate from that county claimed his seat in the Legislature, as each had an equal number of votes. The Legislature ordered the judges of the election in DeKalb County, to count the drunken man's marred ballot. This gave the Democratic candidate a majority of one. He found an equal number of Whigs and Democrats in the Legislature. They had, for two or three weeks, made an unsuccessful effort to elect a United States senator. The representative from DeKalb County gave the Democrats one of a majority; that vote elected Ned Harrigan. When he went to Washington City, he found Congress locked. They had been trying for three weeks to annex Texas to the United States. But as the Whigs and Democrats had in Congress an equal number of members, and. as the Democrats voted for annexation, and the Whigs against it, there was nothing done until Ned Harrigan arrived. He gave the Democrats one of a majority. His vote annexed Texas, brought on the Mexican war, and the acquisition Of California, New Mexico, Arizona, etc." (W. D. Frazee REMINISCENCES AND SERMONS, pp. 90, 91). Brother Frazee's, memory must have erred in one particular, since Texas was annexed in 1845.

This all resulted from the vote of one drunken man in DeKalb County, according to Brother Frazee. There are many other instances that clearly show that what even one man or one woman does makes the difference between success and failure. The interest of just one person often has resulted in the establishment of a church. The faithful stand of just one person often has prevented the digression of a church. The encouragement of just one person often has been what persuaded a young man to give his life to preaching the gospel. A kind word from just one person can often save the weak from complete despair. A seed planted in the right heart at the right time by just one person results in another being born into God's family.

But regardless of results beyond yourself, what you as an individual do will determine your eternal destiny. "For we must all be made manifest before the judgment-seat of Christ; that EACH ONE may receive the things done in the body, according to what HE bath done, whether it be good or bad" (2 Cor. 5: 10). Your actions can have tremendous impact for good or ill now, and certainly will affect your own eternal destiny. So exert all the strength you possess in such a way to produce the most good while you are here.

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"Resident Chorus"

A few months ago a writer in this paper wrote that "The Chorus Has Arrived." He told me recently that some wrote him that they just could not believe this to be the case, after so many years of opposition to denominational choirs.

Yet before me as I write is a bulletin fro the University church in Norman, Oklahoma (dated January 10, 1971) with an article with the title quoted at the head of this article. The preacher, Ray Evans, wrote that "A new area of service is opening up at the University congregationwe now have enough experienced choral singers to begin resident chorus. We anticipate a fine chorus which will be a credit to the University church.

Surely such a preacher would not oppose the choirs of a denomination while promoting a "Resident Chorus" within the congregation where he preaches. Many brethren have aped denominationalism until it is very difficult to differentiate between a religious body admittedly of human origin, and the body Christ which has embraced the doctrines and practices of men.

TRUTH MAGAZINE, XV: 18, pp. 3-4
March 11, 1971