We do not frequently make changes in our staff of writers. However, any time that one can improve the quality of this paper by adding another good writer to his staff, he would be wise to do so. We have been privileged to have the opportunity to add such a good writer to our staff in the person of Irven Lee. Hence, I would like to make this public announcement of him being added to our staff of writers.

Biographical Sketch

Brother Lee has been preaching the gospel for over forty-eight years now. He began going out to preach in meetings in abandoned one and two-roomed school houses in 1931 along the Western Kentucky-Western Tennessee border near Murray, Kentucky. Consolidation of schools was just beginning in that area at that time; hence, there were several old abandoned school buildings in which a small group of saints could meet. The first meeting which Brother Lee held was in such surroundings.

During much of his life, Brother Lee has worked with an established congregation in a small town which could support him; at the same time, he would begin working to start another new congregation. For many years, he preached twice each Lord's day at the established congregation and twice more at the newly formed congregation. This schedule of work would continue with the new congregation until it could get on its feet sufficiently to get someone else to work with them; then, he would move on to establish another new work somewhere else.

Not only has Brother Lee been busy with this kind of labor in the gospel, in addition to that, he has taught in private high schools for about twenty years, serving as principal for about fourteen of those twenty years. He has been blessed with a good portion of health to be able to continue with this work load for as long as he has. Nevertheless, physical strain of this nature can continue for just so long. In 1957, Brother Lee began having high blood pressure and was forced to stop teaching. In 1974, a near fatal heart attack followed by heart surgery forced him to quit preaching for two congregations at once.

That is not to say that Brother Lee has quit working. Since the heart attack slowed his pace in public work, he has written three books: Preaching In A Changing World, Good Homes In A Wicked World, and God Has Spoken. This last book, God Has Spoken, is a book of sermons preached by Brother Lee. It has already been typeset and is presently at the printers now for printing and binding. It is being published by Cogdill Foundation.

In addition to these writings which he has been doing, Brother Lee has also been engaged in a number of gospel meetings all over this country. Last fall, he was with the Knollwood congregation to conduct a special series of lessons on the home. Needless to say, the entire congregation was edified by his sermons; the women were edified by Sister Lee's lessons in the mornings as well. They have delivered their lessons in a number of congregations, pleading with Christians to have good homes in this wicked world. Although all of these meetings are not on the special theme of the home, Brother Lee has forty (that is nova typographical error; it is 40) gospel meetings scheduled in 1979. His zeal for the Lord speaks for itself.

Brother Lee is known for his calm-spoken manners. A more gentlemanly person, one cannot expect to meet. Yet, he has demonstrated that calm-spokenness and gentlemanly behavior is not identified with spinelessness. Brother Lee is also known for his firm stand for the truth through the years.

In Brother Lee's biographical sketch, he failed to mention anything about his lovely wife. Sister Lee is a virtuous woman whose price is far above rubies. She has been his constant companion and co-laborer for these many years. In addition to that, she has written two books which continue to be favorites for children; they are Mrs. Lee's Stories About Jesus and God's First People. If you have been needing something to use in teaching your children the word of God, let me recommend these two books to you. They make excellent lessons to read to your children just before tucking them in bed at night.

An Excellent Writer

In recent months, Brother Lee has been sending us a good bit of his material for publication. We have appreciated receiving it and have always given it a high priority for printing. We are, therefore, especially pleased to announce that his contributions to Truth Magazine will continue on a regular basis. Frankly, I do not know where we could go to find a man more highly respected for his love for the Lord and sacrificial dedication to the gospel in the Alabama area, than to the home of Irven Lee. We commend his writings to our readers.

Truth Magazine XXIII: 41, p. 659
October 18, 1979