Truth Magazine

By Norman E. Fultz

Several years ago, an article entitled “The Preacher Asks For A Raise” made the rounds in church bulletins. It began immediately to explain that a raise in finances was not meant, but rather a raise in attendance, interest, etc. But this present article is talking about a raise in finances, for very likely indeed your preacher will need a raise in income this year.

Through the years we preachers have had a real reluctance to talk about our finances, and in many instances the ignorance of the brethren relative to preacher support is because of our reticence to inform them. Most preachers had rather switch locations than ask for a raise, and in too many instances the brethren have not been far sighted or business like enough to provide the raise without his asking. There has generally been reflected on the part of brethren what appears to be a fear the preacher may be too well supported, that he might not be able to handle a really livable wage. Brethren, I want to share a few thoughts whose time have come.

We surely already know the scripturalness of financially supporting the preaching of the gospel. But in case some may be unable to recall such, let’s allow Paul’s arguments to the Corinthians (1 Cor. 9:4-14), his statement of receipt of wages (2 Cor. 11:8), and his commendation of the Philippians (Phil. 1:5; 4:15-18) for their support, to suffice.

There are a number of factors which good judgment demands must be considered in the support of a preacher. To some extent, the size and ability of the congregation are factors; yet groceries, housing, clothing, utilities, gasoline, car payments and other expenses of the preacher are not priced to him and his family according to the size of the church with which he works. Those items cost him just the same as they do the preacher who works with a church on the other side of town which is twice the size and whose support may be twice as much. Nor does it follow that the preacher working with the small group is necessarily doing less work than he with a large church, and therefore should receive less. If the congregation cannot afford adequately to support him, perhaps he could receive additional support from another church until local ability increases, though I have known of instances where the church considered it a blow to their pride to even think such. In some cases, the preacher may take secular work to augment his income; and I do not think a preacher ought to consider himself too good to do just that when necessary. And some preachers who do have very good support need to learn a little more charity and to be less critical toward those who find it necessary to “make tents” on the side.

But our primary thought here is the need for brethren to keep the support adequate with an occasional raise to offset increasing costs. Many labor for the same wage for years. To illustrate: I personally worked with one congregation four and a half years and was receiving the same when I left as when I began, and it was not <t tub of butter. In fact, when my wife took a job for a while, the elders stopped our house rent and we had to pay it. We moved to another work for $15 less weekly because I thought living costs would be much less in that area (They were not.) and because of the inability of the church and the prospects for a good work. During the two and a half years of fruitful work there, the financial ends never did meet, but in order to at least get them a little closer together, I often went out and sold a few Dickson Bibles. I then got an increase in support by moving to another work where the support was almost exactly the same as I had received in the prior location. I am sure many preachers could recite similar experiences. Brethren, just those moving costs turned to preacher support might save a lot of unnecessary moving and ease some preachers’ financial strain.

The preacher carries a financial load most people in public work do not appreciate. An article in The Commercial Appeal (August 28, 1973), reported that fringe benefits paid to employees average 25 per cent of their wage and in one group it was 41 per cent. These fringes are in the form of life and health insurance, retirement programs, profit sharing, etc. The preacher pays his own hospitalization which costs about one-third more than group insurance and gives him far less benefits. He pays his own life insurance, and he usually has no employer paying half his social security, nor contributing dollar for dollar into a profit sharing fund, nor giving him a nice year-end bonus. And remember that the preacher’s check is his gross and that is the amount most compare with their own net income.

Social security is a big expenditure for the preacher as a self-employed person and is getting bigger each year. For 1973 the rate was 8 per cent on a maximum of $10,800. The rate for 1974 is 8 per cent on $13,200. And remember that the preacher has to pay social security on the fair rental value of that house provided him in those cases where churches own the house in which he lives. In recent years, I have heard of a few churches that help the preacher with his social security at year’s end.

The preacher has the same increased costs of living as do those whose contract provides for an automatic cost of living raise or whose employer is knowledgeable and appreciative enough to give his employees a raise, but the preacher generally does not get a systematic increase. A very recent news article reported an 8.8 per cent increase in cost of living last year. And it said that it cost a person with a $12,000 income last year about 51,168 more to live than the year before. Well, there may not be a lot of $12,000 a year preachers, but their costs would be proportionate.

Most preachers have a good deal of driving to do. Increases in gasoline costs will hit hard whether for local work or in driving to gospel meetings across country. So, brethren, that standard amount you have been supporting a man in a meeting for the past several years has diminished in size. Especially would I encourage consideration for those preaching brethren who devote most all their time to gospel meeting work and whose travel expenses are therefore monumental.

Yes, brethren, your preacher will need a raise this year in all probability. May I encourage an objective, businesslike consideration of the matter of preacher support with a view to making it possible for him to do the work without having constantly to worry about finances?

Truth Magazine XVIII: 1, pp. 13-14
November 7, 1974

By Dan Walters

The eight statements of our Lord beginning with the word “blessed” which occur in Matthew 5:3-10 are commonly known as “the beatitudes,” from “beatus,” the Latin word for “blessed.” These declarations describe qualifications that one must possess in order to enter into and remain a faithful citizen of the Kingdom of Heaven. They deal with religion, or man’s relationship with God, more than with pure ethics. In fact some of the statements make little or no sense when regarded simply as moral laws intended to bring happiness on earth. The principles taught here must be understood as pointing toward the coming Gospel Dispensation to be ushered in on the first Pentecost after the resurrection of Jesus Christ. (See Acts 2 for fulfillment.)

Verse 3 says, “Blessed are the poor. in spirit: for theirs is the Kingdom of Heaven.” Here is a realization of one’s lost condition. One who is rich in spirit has a haughty attitude and believes himself to be in need of nothing. He trusts in his own righteousness. In order to convert anyone, it is first necessary to convince the person of his lost and hopeless condition outside of Christ. He must be made to see that he has no spiritual resources of his own. He must see himself as a little child totally dependent on the heavenly Father. (Mk. 10:15).

Verse 4 states, “Blessed are they that mourn: for they shall be comforted.” Here is the attitude that leads to repentance. The mourning is sorrow over one’s sin. “Godly sorrow worketh repentance.” (2 Cor. 7:10). One must realize that his sinful life has offended an almighty and a loving God. The tragedy of sin must be clearly seen before one can make a decision to turn from it utterly.

Verse 5 reads, “Blessed are the meek: for they shall inherit the earth.” Here is the state of humble submission to God’s will. Meekness is opposed to arrogance or self-seeking. Let no one suppose that the meek individual is a milquetoast. Moses, the mighty general and statesman, is described in Num. 12:3 as being meek above all men on the earth. Moses was humble in God’s sight and sought to do His will without question or dispute. The meek person will accept the Gospel terms of pardon without rebelling against any of them. He will then continue to do “all things according to the pattern.” (Heb. 8:5).

Verse 6 declares, “Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness: for they shall be filled.” Here is a recognition of need for spiritual blessings which only God can provide. One must not only recognize his own spiritual destitution, but must also have a burning desire to be justified in God’s sight, to be reconciled to Him, to experience the blessings He has reserved for His children. All spiritual blessings are to be found in Christ. (Eph. 1:3). In obedience to the gospel we are baptized into Christ and into His body, the church. (Rom. 6:3; 1 Cor. 12:13; Col. 1:18).

Verse 7 affirms, “Blessed are the merciful: for they shall obtain mercy.” Here is the knowledge that our own salvation depends entirely upon God’s mercy in forgiving our sins, and we must extend this forgiving spirit to others. If we had earned or deserved our own salvation, then we could be harsh and unforgiving with others who transgress. But since salvation was offered to us purely through grace and mercy, we must, in order to be followers of Christ, be merciful to others even when they have done us great harm. If we reject the principle of mercy, then God will reject its application to us (Matt. 18:23-34).

Verse 8 teaches, “Blessed are the pure in heart: for they shall see God.” Here is the emphasis upon the change of heart brought about by conversion, as opposed to the outward formalism of the Jews’ religion. 1 Pet. 1:22 teaches that we purify our souls in obeying the truth. When we are converted we are born again and are then new creatures, freed from the old corruption. (1 Pet. 1:23; 2 Cor. 5:17). Jesus taught that evil deeds proceed from evil hearts. Conversely, a pure heart leads to a pure life. Christians are warned to keep themselves unspotted from the world. (Jas. 1:27).

Verse 9 tells us, “Blessed are the peacemakers: for they shall be called the children of God.” Here we see the peace that comes through the spreading of the Gospel of Christ. The Gospel is called the “gospel of peace.” (Eph. 6:15). This does not refer to a political or civil peace. The purpose of the Gospel is to reconcile men to God, thus making peace. (Eph. 2:15,16). A result of this first peace is a second peace which will be found to exist among those who share salvation in Christ, since they are taught to love one another and to keep unity. (Eph. 4:2,3). There is also the mental peace known to the individual Christian. (Phil. 4:7). It is not right to attempt to bring peace between Christians and the enemies of Christ by compromise. After all the Prince of Peace is the one who announced, “I came not to send peace, but a sword.” (Matt. 10:34).

Verse 10 comforts with these words, “Blessed are they which are persecuted for righteousness’ sake: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.” Here is encouragement to help Christians endure inevitable persecution by the forces of this world. 2 Tim. 3:12 says, “All that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution.” This is true in every age. Matt. 5:12 teaches that the righteous of the Old Testamen were persecuted in their time, and we are their spiritual descendants. Methods of persecution vary, but persecution never ceases. Even today it is common for faithful soldiers of the cross to have “all manner of evil” spoken against them falsely. Verses 11 and 12 are merely enlargements upon this last beatitude. We are told to rejoice in the face of such persecution, knowing that our reward in heaven will greatly outweigh any suffering that we may experience here.

Truth Magazine XVIII: 2, p. 18
November 14, 1974

By Larry Ray Hafley

QUESTION:

From Tennessee: “Why did Ananias call Saul, Brother,’ before he was baptized (Acts 9:17; 22:13)? Was it just a custom of the Jews to call another Jew, Brother?’ “

REPLY:

An affirmative answer to the second question will suffice to answer the first query. The Jews distinguished between “brother” and “neighbor” by applying “brother” to Israelites by blood and “neighbor” to proselytes. They did not permit either title to be given to Gentiles (ISBE, Vol. I, p. 525). The following verses in the book of Acts are usages like those cited by our inquirer:

Acts 2:29-“Brethren” refers to those earlier “Jews” and “men of Israel” (Vss. 5, 22).

Acts 3:17-“Brethren” includes those called “men of Israel” (Vss. 12, 13).

Acts 13:26-“Brethren” are those addressed as “Men of Israel” and “children of the stock of Abraham” (Vs. 16).

Acts 22:1-“Brethren” here contemplates those identified as “Men of Israel” (Acts 21:28).

It is obvious that Ananias uses the term “brother” in this manner, for he proceeds to say, “The God of our fathers (Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob-cf. Acts 3:15)” (Acts 22:14).

The Baptist Argument

The question posed by our querist was likely spawned by an old denominational argument which is used chiefly by Baptist preachers. It says that since some, like Saul of Tarsus, are addressed as brethren before baptism, then one is saved and is a brother in Christ before baptism. This is the whale point. It is an effort to do away with the essentiality of baptism “for the remission of sins.” Below is an excerpt from a letter written to Wayne Camp, President of the Illinois Missionary Baptist Institute and Seminary. Mr. Camp has never attempted a reply to the remarks which follow.

“Wayne, I may call you my brother in one sense, though not in Christ, or in a spiritual sense. There was a sense in which Paul could refer to his Jewish enemies as brethren’ (Acts 22:1). He was a Jew, and so were they. This is evidently all the term signified. But you do not believe the mob that cried, `Away with him’ (Acts 21:36) and sought to kill him was being addressed as his spiritual brethren in Christ, do you? Still, there was a sense in which he could call them brethren. Likewise, in Acts 2:29 and 7:2, Peter arid Stephen addressed unbelievers as `brethren.’ This does not indicate that the audiences upon those occasions were saved, for they were not (Acts Z:22, 23, 36-38; 7:51-60). Neither you nor I believe they were saved, yet they were called `brethren.’

“Just so, when Ananias addressed Saul as `Brother Saul’ (Acts 22:13), this did not indicate that Saul was in Christ or saved. It obviously did not mean that Saul had received the forgiveness of sins because three verses later Ananias said, `arise, and be baptized, and wash away thy sins, calling on the name of the Lord’ (Acts 22:16). This statement would be unexplainable if.’ we take the view that `Brother Saul’ shows that his sins were already washed away.

“Calling Saul `Brother’ did not mean that Saul was in Christ, because Paul later said he was `baptized into Jesus Christ’ (Rom. 6:3-`us’ includes Paul), and at the time he was called `Brother’ he had not yet been baptized (Acts 22:13, 16), hence, before his baptism he was not in Christ.”

Further, even the Baptists could not afford to say the term “Brother” refers to a Baptist brother. One of the requirements to be a Baptist is baptism, but as we noted, Saul had not been baptized when he was called “Brother.” Now, if the Baptists want to accept an unbaptized man who is still in his sins as their spiritual brother, they are welcome to do so (Acts 22:13, 16). If they do not wish to do so, their argument on the term “brother” is lost.

Truth Magazine XVIII: 1, p. 2
November 7, 1974

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.