Truth Magazine

By Cecil Willis

With last week’s issue, we completed eighteen years publication of Truth Magazine. For the past five years, Truth Magazine has appeared on a weekly basis. The Latins had an expression, tempus fugit, which means “time flies.” Allen Sommer amused me a few years ago as he wrote the last article for the more than one hundred year old American Christian Review. He closed by saying, “tempus sure do fugit.” And so it does. It hardly seems possible that we could already have completed five years as a weekly journal.

Last year we enlarged the paper, and intended to go to an 8 1/2 by 11 inch page size. However, since we have bleed-off color on the front page (i.e., color all the way out to the outer edge of the trim size), we were unable to get a full 8 1/2 by 11 inch paper this year. Truth Magazine is printed on a very fast rotary web-fed press (both sides of both sheets, including the color are printed on one press run). The rollers that pulled the paper through the press from two one-thousand-pound rolls picked up the color on the outer edge of the front cover, and then transferred that color to the outer edges of succeeding pages. We therefore ended up with an 8 1/4 by 10 3/4 inch page size.

However, this next year we have purchased wider rolls of paper so that we will be able to trim out a full 8 1/2 by 11 inch page. This 1/4 inch on each margin may seem insignificant to most readers, but it is important when we come to bind the 200 bound volumes each year. The one inch wider paper will permit us to have ‘/4 inch more margin on the inside or gutter of each page. This will make reading from the bound volumes much easier. We are shortening the lines of type from 21 3/4 picas to 21 picas, which means we are shortening each line about 1/8 of an inch, in order to have a larger outside margin on each page, which will make for a better looking paper, and also allow more space for trim for the bound volumes.

This kind of information is technical and of little interest to many of you, but I thought some explanation needed to be made. You will notice also that in the last issue of Vol. 18 we included not only an Author Index, but for the first time also a Topic Index. Several brethren have mentioned how valuable a Topic Index would be in years to come, as preachers and teachers sought to utilize the good material presented in various issues of the paper. In order that the last issue of Vol. 18 might not be consumed almost entirely by indexes, we added an eight page supplement to that issue, at a cost of about $250.00 to us.

It also is our intention to include in Vol. 19 the November and December issues of 1975, so that thereafter each bound volume will be on a calendar year basis. At some time in the future, we hope to publish a subject index for all the preceding volumes of Truth Magazine. This would be a major and costly project, but it will make the paper much more useful to those who keep their copies, or buy bound volumes.

Everything continues to increase in costs, as I recently discussed with you in an article on “Inflation and Religious Printing.” We have just been informed that there will be a price increase of 12.5% at least by January 1st. That means that our prices will have increased by 34.6 % in the last two years. These percentage increases may not sound too bad to you, but to illustrate what it does to us, the increase over the past two years would add approximately $50,000 to the cost of the printing which we did at Berne, Indiana between January and September, 1974. Some price increases are inevitable, if we are going to remain solvent and stay in business. We have put off price increases as long as possible, but we probably will have to make some across-the-board price increases about January 1, 1975.

But now let us come to some more pleasant thoughts, and tell you who our new staff writers are, and something about each one of them.

New Staff Members

After several months of deliberations among ourselves and of discussions with those to be involved, we now are ready to announce the appointment of several new members to the Truth Magazine staff. Those to be named are being appointed as “Staff Writers.” Due to our wide dispersion geographically, it seemed a little inaccurate to continue to add people to the staff as “Associate Editors,” since there is so little opportunity for us to confer editorially.

Before announcing the names of these men, there are a few introductory remarks that I deem appropriate. It should be understood, without our having to state it, that the fact that one is on the staff of a journal like Truth Magazine does not imply that he endorses every statement made by some writer within the pages of Truth Magazine. Nor should the appointment to the Truth Magazine staff be construed by anyone that those appointed agree with every statement that the Editor of this journal makes, or with the manner in which it is made. No attempt at coercion into a blanket sort of endorsement has been made, or ever will be made, so long as I have anything to do with the editorial policy of this paper. Truth is made to shine brighter by the conflicts that occur in regard to it. On some occasions, there may even be articles written by staff members in reply to something written by other staff members. We hope that the occasion for such a reply will be rare, but it is not precluded. This paragraph is written more for the exoneration of our new “Staff Writers” than for their intimidation. It is unfair to charge anyone, other than the writer, with the import or plain teaching of any article, unless that person has somehow otherwise in dicated approval of the position under discussion. Every man does have the responsibility to defend, or repudiate, what he has written for public consumption, and no staff member will be excluded from this duty.

Some of our readers may be a little surprised at the youth’of some of those whom we have chosen as “Staff Writers.” We are realistic to know that the remaining work for some of our current staff members, by reason of their age, necessarily will be limited in quantity, even though their maturity probably will enhance the value of what they produce. A few of us on the staff are supposedly in the middle-years of our life, though we all realize that the vicissitudes of life may later make evident that those of us who thought we had many years of fruitful work ahead also were in the sundown years of our lives.

All of us who now are on the staff thought it timely that we reach back and pull into the efforts made through Truth Magazine some of the able younger men among us. Choosing such men was a difficult task, because there are so many able young men among us. We could as easily have chosen a dozen or two dozen such able young men. Some of the younger men chosen were selected because of long acquaintance with them which has resulted in implicit confidence in them. And to be perfectly frank, we realized that their ability was such that someone else would soon snatch them up for appointment to the staff of some other journal. Since we wanted some younger men on the staff of Truth Magazine, after great deliberation we have chosen eight younger men to work with us as Staff Writers. Two or three of these men would probably require the stretching of one’s definition of “younger” in order to get them in, but of the remainder, some are quite young.

We have not chosen any man about whose soundness we had the slightest doubt. Of course, no man is an infallible judge of men, nor is any one of us immune to the possibility of apostasy. Should anyone of us digress from the truth, it would be the duty of the others on this staff to reply to his error, and to dismiss him from the staff of Truth Magazine. While discussions intended at arriving at truth, or illuminating for others truth already known, are the primary purpose for a journal like Truth Magazine, it is our intention that Truth Magazine shall never devolve into a platform for digressives or those with crank-ideas. There is such a thing as editorial responsibility, and we intend to discharge that responsibility as judiciously as we know how, until either God or men shall remove us from such a position of responsibility. Some brethren have the idea that everything that anyone wants to say on any subject should be published in the pages of a journal like this. If such were the case, there would be no need for an Editor; we simply could hire a printer and instruct him to print everything that came in for publication.

We have asked each of our new “Staff Writers” to provide us at least six articles a year. If the time should come when they, for any reason other than sickness or other justifiable hindrance, should decide no longer to write for Truth Magazine, we have asked that they be manly enough to ask that their name be removed as “Staff Writers.” We do not need a Masthead loaded down with non-productive staff members. It always is difficult to ask anyone to resign, simply because he is not writing. Perhaps to lessen the frequency of that difficult chore, it has been my practice to ask that men who no longer intend to write for Truth Magazine ask that their name be removed as a “Staff Writer” or as an “Associate Editor.” I will assure you that if the Editor were to cease writing, my associates would not permit me long to remain on the staff.

Writing For Digressive Journals

However, we have never made any effort to discourage our writers from sending articles to other journals which stand for divine truth. Several brethren who have been writing frequently in the Gospel Guardian, while under its Wallace -Fudge management, have begun seeking to get their articles of general interest published in the Christian Standard, a publication by Christian Church personnel. The July 28, 1974 Christian Standard gave a brief review of the history of that journal. From its inception in 1866, it has always been a journal that stood for digression. In fact the defense of digression was the very thing that precipitated its birth. The afore mentioned issue says, “Standard editors, all of them, do worship and serve in local Christian churches …. Twenty-nine of the editors teach regularly in Bible school; five are superintendents; five are youth sponsors; ten sing in choirs. Three are preaching regularly; one is an associate minister; one serves as an elder, and one as a director of Christian education.” If brethren Gordon Wilson, Edward Fudge, and Wayne McDaniel were writing in the Christian Standard on subjects that are pertinent to the errors held by Christian Church people, my reaction would be, “More power to them!” However, they have only written inane little pieces that might as easily appear in a Methodist Sunday School journal, and in some cases have written articles that teach precisely what the Christian Church would like for them to say. In most cases, saying what the Christian Church has wanted some gospel preacher to say is the very reason why their articles have been published. Some of the articles have taught Christian Church doctrine better than most Christian Church preachers could do it. Why brethren Wilson, McDaniel, and Fudge would even want their names connected with the Christian Standard, I do not know. Why they would lend their influence to its purposes by writing for it, I do not know.

Other Good Papers

But I digressed from my initial statement in the above paragraph. Several good papers are published by faithful brethren, and some new journals are being started. A detailed reference to these new journals will be made in a later issue. If any of our staff writers wish to send material to other journals, that is entirely their business. As “Staff Writers” of Truth Magazine, we would like the first chance on what they write. But if they wish to write additionally for other papers, of course none of us already on the staff would object. In fact, several of us have written and yet may write for other journals. Brother James Adams continues to serve as “Front Page Writer” on the Preceptor staff. But I had better get on with the announcement of our new staff members. Lest anyone think I am attempting to rate our new staff members, I have chosen to introduce these new staffers in alphabetical order. A little biographical information will be given concerning each man.

Donald P. Ames

Don Ames was born in Denver, Colorado on July 28, 1938. His parents, Mr. and Mrs. C. P. Ames, operate an apple orchard in Union, Nebraska, though his father has worked previously as an engineer. Don has three younger sisters. Don’s family, during his early years, were members of the Christian Church. Paradoxically, it was none other than Leroy Garrett who taught them what was wrong with instrumental music. It would be such a blessing if Leroy would go back, restudy those old lessons that convinced the Ames family, and learn again himself the lessons he once taught.

Don had great aspirations while in High School. He decided he was going to be: (1) a banker; (2) a preacher; and (3) a fighter pilot in the Air Force! That would be quite a combination.

Don’s early years in college were spent at York College. While at York, he met brethren Vinson, Pennock, and Leslie Diestelkamp who just had started a new journal called Truth Magazine. Don completed two more years of college at Florida College. Upon graduation, he moved to Aurora, Illinois where Truth Magazine had originated and continued to be published for its first six years. Don served as Business Manager for the paper and operated the bookstore. While in Aurora, he met and married Miriam Travis. They now have two children: Mark who is 11, and Joel (adopted) who is 3.

After Truth Magazine was moved from Aurora, Don worked in a local bank, though all the time continuing to preach. I have no information regarding any “fighter pilot” activity during these years while he “banked” and preached. From 1964-1972 he preached for the church at 410 S. Michigan in Chicago. A conflict with bank officials over contributions to the United Fund severed his bank connections, and in 1972 Don moved to Tuckerman, Arkansas to work full-time with the good church there,. At Tuckerman, Don is engaged in a heavy load of teaching and preaching. He speaks regularly on a radio program, and edits a weekly bulletin for the local church, and edits a monthly bulletin which is mailed out to people in the community. Don has written, “Throughout this time, my interest in Truth Magazine, its fine stand for the truth, . . . has remained high, and I regard it as a real honor to be asked to return again to the staff of the magazine.” And we are glad to have him!

Karl Diestelkamp

It seems strange to be announcing the appointment of one to the staff who has been writing for the paper regularly for-twelve years. But Karl has never been given any formal position other than “News Briefs Editor,” and we felt he also officially should be on the staff. Karl will continue to handle the “News Briefs” section, and write on other subjects as he sees fit, and is disposed to do so.

By Jeffery Kingry

No one is subject to more criticism than the man who lives by his conscience and tries to remain sensitive and open to the review of others. Truth Magazine and those associated with it have been subjected to gallons of vitriol over the years. Especially in the past months has the commentary on attitudes, motives, and efforts of the writers been thick. That’s OK by me. I personally prefer it that way. When brethren wave their hand in disgust and just stalk off in silence, I get worried. I want to know when I am getting off the track. I may not be able to see it in myself, but I am sure others will, and they are my friends if they point it out to me. I feel that most of those men I am acquainted with feel the same way.

We have seen in print and heard in private that Truth Magazine is a power-conglomerate out to weld the minds of the brethren. It has been pictured as a “preacher’s rag,” and a “college promoter.” Well, the paper does have influence of some sort over those who read it – wholesome or not, depending on the reader. It is subscribed to by preachers. The editor did go to Florida College, but do these facts prove the charge? Let’s be fair.

Can you imagine how long one could have remained on the staff of the Gospel Advocate and criticized anything remotely attached to the paper (even something not so remotely attached, like a college)? How long do you think a man would be a “name” of influence among the liberal brethren and remain openly critical of their institutions? How many times do you think one might be published in Mission Messenger or Restoration Review if he took a hard stand on 2 Jno. 9? When was the last time you saw an article that disagreed with anything of substance the editors of Integrity or Mission pushed?

If indeed the men associated with Truth Magazine were intent on amassing power over brethren and churches, would they pursue their goal by opening the pages of the magazine to representative criticism? In putting writers on its staff to produce material for you to read, why have they asked young, uninfluential, even non-influential men to write – if indeed power is their goal?

As far as being a “college promoter,” in five and a half years of writing, going back to 1969 when Truth Magazine started as a weekly, there have been 12 articles that deal directly with Florida College. Out of 2,250 articles by hundreds of different men, only twelve are written concerning the school. Six of those articles are a debate on the college question. Of the remaining six, three are a transcript of a speech Brother Cope made, and one was a half page introduction by the editor that said in part, “Brother Cope’s speech is not the type of article that ordinarily appears in Truth Magazine.” I hardly call that rabid promotion, do you?

Truth Magazine, though incorporated for legal and tax purposes, is nothing more than a few men trying to provide a ready forum for discussion of God’s word. Some tout it as a commercial-for profit-business. That is humorous really. Brother Willis should print the foundation’s income from time to time in comparison to its debts to show how really funny that is.

The religious journals published by faithful brethren are as one editor put it, “. . .a medium for individual Christians to share their knowledge and thoughts with other individuals. . .a few pieces of paper containing the thoughts of those whose articles it carries” (Needham, Torch, Jan. 1973, p.4,5). Or as the editor of Truth Magazine put it, “Truth Magazine’s editorial policy . . . (is) best described as `open forum’ style. This simply means that the editor has not taken upon himself the shocking responsibility of becoming a brotherhood censor . . . each writer will be responsible for those articles bearing his name . . . we have no illusion that even good, faithful brethren shall feel in every instance did we exercise the best judgment. In fact I suspect that there will be times when, after printing certain articles, that we ourselves shall doubt the wisdom of having done so. But, even so, we shall do our best with each issue to do what we believe to be right and best” (Willis, Truth Magazine, Vol. 6, p.220). You do not like what is being written in the papers? Write something better. That is not a taunt, but a sincere appeal from all those who love truth.

The pages of Truth Magazine are to me a forum, an avenue, a pulpit, an opportunity, that enables me as a teacher and preacher to do my work on a wider scale than I could do alone. I trust the editor of Truth Magazine because I openly and privately disagreed with him, even taken him to task, and have found him willing to do ‘the same for me, but with no disruption in our relationship as brethren because of it.

Brother Robert Turner wrote an excellent article on “Rally Points” in the April issue of Plain Talk. His words strike at the core of what really bothers most brethren about the papers. “Brethren may “rally around” well known (and therefore influential) gospel preachers or congregations. We may rationalize that since they teach truth, to support them is to support truth. But even Paul was one step removed from the true center for loyalty, Jesus Christ (1 Cor. 11:1). We must not allow school, paper, or even preacher loyalties to sever us from Christ, brethren, or heaven.” Kent Ellis, editor of the Bible Standard put it another way, “If editors are simply editors, papers make useful servants, but if editors become bishops, papers make bad masters’,’ (Ellis, Bible Standard, Vol. 2, No. 12, p.146).

Nobody that I know who is associated with Truth Magazine claims to be perfect – but those godly men that I do know are striving for perfection. It is axiomatic that such effort requires change. Attitudes, methods, and words have been used that have proven to be wrong by all of us. The true measure of any man is his willingness to adapt to the will of God. I do not see that attitude among the forces of evil, do you brethren? Those afraid of saying “God-speed” to right-teaching because they are fearful that someone might cry out “Party-man” are guilty of the charge themselves.

Truth Magazine is nothing. But whatever truth is carried in it, what few lives it helps to understand truth is worth all the money and effort it takes.

Truth Magazine XVIII: 2, pp. 22-23
November 14, 1974

By Jerry Parks

One of the first problems that our new president had to face has proven to be one of great magnitude and consequence. It was the problem of what to do with the former president. How to remain just and yet show mercy. Quite a problem indeed! To show mercy is truly admirable yet what about the demands of justice’! To look at the other side of the picture, we know that our society is built on the principle of justice; that no man is above the law; that law violators must suffer the penalty for breaking the law or else our system of law and order collapses.

The course chosen by our new president, however; is not the reason for this article. Anyone who is at all familiar with the Bible is aware that the problem under consideration has a familiar ring to it. Where have we heard of this type of situation before? Why of course! God’s dealing with mankind! What we call the “scheme of redemption.”

In Eph. 1, Paul tells of all the things God has done for man. One of these things is expressed in verse 8 where he says that God has “abounded towards us in all wisdom and prudence.” Yes, the title of this article has reference to the wisdom of God, not man.

When man chose to violate God’s law, God had to follow through with the penalty or else sacrifice the principle of justice. Yet God, who is full of mercy, provided through His infinite wisdom, a ray of hope for fallen man. He provided a way that He could remain just and yet be the justifier of man. How’! By letting His Son die in our place. This is exactly what Paul was talking about in Rom. 3:23-26 when he said, “For all have sinned and come short of the glory of God; Being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus: Whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation through faith in his blood, to declare his righteousness for the remission of sins that are past, through the forbearance of God; To declare, I say, at this time his righteousness: that he might be just, and the justifier of him which believeth in Jesus.”

When we see the similarity between God’s problem with man and the president’s problem with the former president, then truly such words as propitiation; reconciliation; atonement; redemption; etc. all spring to life as we read of them and declare “behold what wisdom God has shown in providing salvation for man.”

The modernist has scoffed at the idea of the atoning blood of Christ. Will they come to the aid of the president and show him a way to demonstrate justice and at the same time be the justifier of man! We shall see.

Truth Magazine XVIII: 2, p. 25
November 4, 1974

By James W. Adams

Debates of the formal, oral variety tend to bring out the party spirit which seems to be latent in each one of us in one degree or another. In this fact, lies one of the dangers of such confrontations among brethren. Particularly is this true when the issue involved is not within itself of such character as to demand a severance of fellowship between those holding diverse views regarding it. Prima facie evidence of the party spirit ordinarily is found in the reports which are written of such debates by the opposing parties involved. Each “side” claims “a great victory for truth” and sheds crocodile tears over the alleged “impotence and confusion” of the opposition. Then, of course, there are always those persons who, in their modest judgment, could have done so much better than either participant, and who can identify endlessly all of the mistakes that were obvious to any “logical mind” or “experienced debater.” All of which is noted for the purpose of suggesting that this report will not be of, that variety.

The debate should be allowed to stand .upon; its own merits. Each person who heard it can judge for himself as to the strength or weakness of the argumentation and make up his own mind relative to the issue involved. Numerous tape recordings were made which will be w played to many others. The debate will lie published and hundreds of others, perhaps even thousands will have the opportunity of carefully reading every word that was said; weighing judiciously all of the argument, and reaching their own conclusions away from the often prejudicial heat of oral controversy. Relative to this discussion, for a number of very good reasons, I would consider it highly improper and a reflection upon the disputants to rehash in detail in this report the arguments of the debate, or to attempt to give a personal evaluation of their merits.

The debate in question was conducted September 23, 24, 26, and 27, 1974 in the auditorium of the Pasadena, Texas High School. Although the debate itself arose as a result of articles on each side of the issue involved appearing in church bulletins, it was considered advisable that no church be identified with the arrangement and “sponsorship” of the discussion. I shall not rehearse the circumstances which led to this decision for two reasons: (1) My statements might be regarded as partisan; (2) they are already a matter of public record.

The disputants in the debate were: Cecil Willis of Marion, Indiana, elder of the Westside church in that city, well known gospel preacher, and capable editor of Truth Magazine, himself an alumnus of Florida College; and Jesse G. Jerkins of Denton, Texas, preacher for the conservative congregation of that city, also a well known preacher and writer, and a brother with a well deserved reputation for proficiency in public, oral debate. Willis also has participated with credit in several such debates. Both of these men are of high moral character, sincere and devoted Christians, considerably above the average in native intelligence and acquired ability and knowledge, and are, in my judgment, both completely representative of the positions they espoused in the debate.

The decorum of the debate was impeccable. Both disputants treated one another with courtesy and kindness and, in every way, conducted themselves with dignity and proper restraint becoming to men professing to be Christians and gentlemen. The behavior of the audience, except for one slight display of partisan fervor in the form of audible laughter and “omens,” was irreproachable. The debate demonstrated beyond question that such encounters do not have to assume the character of “dog fights” nor do they have to result in brethren “biting and devouring one another.” Each disputant pressed his points with zeal, but did not allow his arguments to descend to the level of mere personal attacks or destructive character assassination. This is not to say that the actions of particular persons which were deemed by the disputants to be relevant to the discussion of the issue involved were not thoroughly explored; but even this was done in good spirit and without rancor.

The propositions discussed in the debate had to do with the right of such organizations as Florida College to exist: and function, and to be supported and utilized by Christians. Brother Willis affirmed the right of such organizations to exist, function, and be supported by Christians on, the ground that they are business organizations selling services and/or products, hence doing a work not charged by Christ to a local congregation, and are to be justified by Scripture on the basis of generic authority. Brother Jenkins opposed such organizations on the ground that “God has authorized only one collective. to employ, support, and oversee men” in the teaching of His Word; namely, the local congregation, hence that any other collective so functioning is unscriptural. Jenkins defined a “collective” as a body of persons characterized by “agreement, common oversight, and pooled resources.”

Willis insisted that Jenkins’ definition of a “collective” involved him in many gross inconsistencies in that Jenkins endorses and utilizes many arrangements, among them publishing houses, which logically qualify under said definition as “collectives” and arbitrarily rejects others such as Florida College. Jerkins, on the other hand, denied that a parallel exists between publishing houses which employ, support and oversee men in teaching the word of God through the medium of the printed page and Florida College employing, supporting, and overseeing men in teaching the word of God through the medium of oral instruction in the classroom. The issue was joined here and the majority of the argument pro and con was in reference to the scriptural validity of these two antithetical concepts.

The debate did not arouse great enthusiasm among the Christians of the Greater Houston area. Attendance ranged from 250 to 300 people. A large number or these were preachers from all parts of the country. I judge from these facts that, as yet, the issue poses no problem relative to the peace of the churches. However, it could do so if the matter is needlessly and irresponsibly agitated from the pulpit and in the bulletins of the churches. Since the issue involves what the individual is permitted by Scripture to do, it should remain just that, an individual matter. It should not become the concern of the churches as such, nor should lines be drawn solely on the basis of the personal conviction of an individual with reference to the matter.

Brother Robert Craig of Austin, Texas served as moderator for Brother Jenkins, and Brethren Robert McDonald, Glen Burt, and others as his helpers. I served as moderator for Cecil Willis and Brethren Larry Hafley, John McCort and others as his helpers. Everything done by all participants was in a mutual spirit of good will and helpfulness. As evidence of the continued good feeling between Willis and Jenkins, Brother Jenkins graciously extended to Brother Willis the invitation to speak at Denton the Lord’s day following the debate, and Willis just as graciously accepted. May this continue to be the attitude among all who differ relative to this subject. It would be tragic, indeed, for brethren and churches to discriminate against one another on this basis. It would be equally tragic for gospel preachers to be discriminated against solely on this basis in reference to calls for meetings and such like. It is my fervent hope and prayer to God that it may not come to this.

The debate will be published. Announcements will be made from time to time in Truth Magazine relative to the progress being made and the approximate time of delivery. It would be helpful for those who plan to buy the book to send in their orders now. No money need be sent, but your advance orders would help tremendously.

Truth Magazine XVIII: 2, pp. 24-25
November 14, 1974