Truth Magazine

By Mike Willis

Coins

At most of the diggings, the archaeologist finds coins which are a great help in classifying the information which comes to light through his work. Coins offer several helps. They are primarily important because they help to date the diggings being one on the site (this was illustrated by the use of the coins in dating occupation periods of the Essene sect at Khirbet Qumran). At the same time, these coins become irrefutable evidence that the ruler whose image or name appears on the coin was a historical figure. Finally, they show to us the monetary system of the era discussed.

Today there is a surprising variety of coins available for the student of the New Testament. Commencing with the Maccabean rulers, we have a range extending through the second Jewish revolt of A.D. 132 to 135, and including coins (if Jewish rulers, procurators, emperors, and even of the free. cities in the general area of Palestine.”1

Here is a list of some of the coinage of the Gospels:

Coins of Greek Origin

Talent: weight of silver worth about $960.

Pound (Mina): weight of silver worth about $16. Drachma: l6″

Didrachma: 32″.

Tetradrachma: 64″.

Roman Coins

Denarius: a silver coin worth 20″.

Farthing: a bronze coin worth a fraction of a cent.

Assarion: 1 < “.

Mite (lepton): worth a small fraction of a cent.2

Among inscriptions found on these coins were the following rulers: Tiberius Caesar, Herod the Great, Herod Agrippa I, Herod Agrippa II, and Pontius Pilate. On several occasions, each of these coins is mentioned by gospel writers. These coins and their inscriptions depict the political situation in Palestine during the first century. They serve then as an attestation to the accuracy of the political situation described in the New Testament.

Footnotes

1. James A. Thompson: The Bible and Archaeology, (Grand Rapids: Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Company, 1968), p. 304.

2- Ibid., pp. 304-05.

TRUTH MAGAZINE, XVI: 43, p. 8
September 7, 1972

By Robert L. McDonald

Over the past few months, I have heard and read where some are preparing (intentionally or,” otherwise) the hearts of the brethren for a change of designation of the church. I am not calling into question the motives of brethren who write and speak of the church of our Lord as being “nameless,” but I do state that such loose thinking land preaching), which denies the church of our Lord has a “name,” will eventually lead the unlearned to the conclusion that the church can be called by almost any designation, for -whats in a name!”

A bulletin came to my desk with an entire article attempting to prove the church has no name. After citing Romans 16:16 as a proof text which has been offered for the scriptural designation for the church, the author said: “But this oft-quoted passage does not say the name of the church is church of Christ. All that maybe fairly deduced from it is that a plurality of local congregations is spoken of as churches of Christ. They are referred to as churches of Christ because such they were. They were of Christ, or belonged to Christ. This is all the passage says. It is no proof that the name of the Lords church is Church of Christ.” In the article the author goes on to say the New Testament also refers to the church as “the church of God,” “church of the Lord,” “church of the first born” and “churches of the gentiles.” Then, in the last paragraph, he said: “The Lord gave no name to his church. It is merely the church. Since it belongs to Christ, is his body (Eph 1:23) it is most proper to refer to it as the church of Christ. And so we do.”

Since the author stated “it is most proper to refer to it as the church of Christ, ” I wonder why all of the double-talk about the church without a name and then turn around and say -it is most proper” to refer to the church as the church of Christ.” If the church has no name, as the author contended, why is it most proper to refer to the church as “Church of Christ?” I dont quite understand this reasoning. Why would it be more proper to give that designation than “church of the gentiles?” I havent heard of any contending we should start designating the congregation with which we worship as “church of the gentiles!”

Every Bible student realizes the church was identified by different appellatives and in every instance such distinguished the church of Jesus Christ from religions of human origin. For example, Paul, writing to those who had been in Christ Jesus was, collectively, called “church of God” (I Cor 1:2). This designation was especially apropos since Corinth was so near the pagan center of the world, Athens. These people sanctified in Christ Jesus, belonged- to and served the true and living God. They were the “church of God.” For them to worship, work, organize and serve in an unlawful way would result in their losing their identity (even though they continued to refer to themselves as “church of God”) as belonging to Christ. And, to employ some designation which removes the name of Christ, or deity, from use, equally loses identity as the church one reads of in the New Testament.

When the apostle Paul wrote, “churches of Christ salute you” (Rom 16:16, it is necessarily inferred that such designation was universally employed by Christians of the first century. Since a number of congregations saluted the church at Rome and such was reported by the inspired writer as he did, how would the same act by one congregation be expressed? It does not take an “Einstein” to understand when speaking of one congregation of many could only be “church of Christ.”

A basic role of Bible interpretation is to understand the use of words in the context in which they are found. And so it is when endeavoring to understand Pauls use of the expression of “churches of the gentiles” (Rom 16:4f. The text states that Priscilla and Aquila had undergone great peril so as to save the life of Paul. As a result, Paul and churches composed of gentiles offered thanks for the two saints. Williams translates the text in question as: “Remember me to Priscilla and Aquila, my fellow-workers in the work of Christ Jesus, who once risked their very necks for my life. I am so thankful to them; not only I but also all the churches among the heathen thank them.” (The New Testament, Charles B. Williams) The congregations (among the gentiles) established by Paul would specialty offer thanks for the deeds of Priscilla and Aquila. To take this verse of scripture to try to establish the idea that the church was “nameless” is to wrest it from the intention of the Holy Spirit.

In Hebrews 12:23, we read of the “church of the first-born.” The context plainly shows that the inspired writer was identifying the units of the church, the members, as “first-born.” To the Jew, the first-born man or beast was reckoned more excellent than subsequent births and were allotted to God. This expression was employed by the Holy Spirit to impress the minds of the Hebrews that the church of our Lord is composed of those who were truly the “first-born” and in the end heirs of the eternal blessings by the Father.

Does the use of other designations (names) escape the prejudice that people are supposed to have against the church of Christ? I suspect this was the deciding factor which prompted the liberals of a hundred years ago to use the designation, “Christian Church.” And, when unthinking brethren today delude themselves into believing they should not attach the name of Christ to the church so as to escape the stigma and prejudice (according to some), they have taken mother step into digression and complete apostasy.

I am not ashamed of Christ or his church. I am not ashamed to wear the name Christian. I am so thankful to God that I am a member of the church of Christ, for in the church I am at peace with God and with the redeemed. (Eph. 2:14-10)

TRUTH MAGAZINE, XVI: 43, pp. 6-7
September 7, 1972

By Cecil Willis

Ten Years Ago

Truth Magazine is now well into its sixteenth year of publication. Just a few days ago, I completed my tenth year as editor. Ten years represents a good-size chunk out of ones adult, active years. Yet I am nearly the “junior” editor, even among papers published by conservative brethren. A few months ago Yater Tant “retired” as editor of the Gospel Guardian after serving in that demanding capacity for well over twenty years. William E. Wallace succeeded Brother Tant. Stanley Lovett has edited Preceptor since 1956. H. E. Phillips has served as editor of Searching the Scriptures throughout its existence, and it is in its thirteenth year.

The Past

Several brethren were responsible for establishing and maintaining Truth Magazine through most of its first six years of existence. Bryan Vinson, Jr., now of Dallas, Texas, edited the paper through nearly six years. He was assisted in publishing the paper by his brother, FOY, Leslie Diestelkamp, Gordon Pennock, Ray Ferris, and a host of other brethren.

During the last part of his tenure as editor, Bryan Vinson, Jr. had become involved in a number of other time demanding enterprises. The paper had not only demanded of all those connected with it a great amount of time and free work, it also bad cost all of them considerable money. Those brethren decided to let Truth Magazine die.

I wrote my first article in Truth Magazine for a “Special Issue” in Volume Two in 1958. When the decision came to stop publishing Truth Magazine, I had been writing regularly for the paper for two or three years and securing a goodly number of subscriptions for it. After the decision bad been reached by the former publishers not to publish another issue, apparently as an after thought, someone thought I might take the paper and continue to operate it. When one of these brethren called me, of course I had not given the matter the slightest thought. I was not seeking the position as editor of any paper. I recommended that they call Irvin Himmel, who then was publishing Apostolic Doctrine, and see if he would take Truth Magazine, and perhaps merge it with Apostolic Doctrine. He rejected the proposal.

The former publishers then called me back and told me of Himmels decision. At that very moment, William F. Wallace was in the North holding some gospel meetings. He was living then in Oklahoma. William told me that if I would agree to take the paper, he would go back to Oklahoma and make immediate plans to come to the North to help me operate it. He moved to Lisbon, Ohio within the space of about three weeks.

At the time I took over Truth Magazine, there were 990 subscribers. Two months printing bill was owed. There was something like $7.00 in the bank account. A sizable investment would be necessary to fulfill the subscription obligations to those whose subscriptions had not yet expired. There was not a single manuscript on hand with which to compile even one issue. But that is where we started.

The Work

The ten years of editing Truth Magazine have been enjoyable years to me. I am one of those fortunate few people who happen to like the work he is doing. I hear a lot of preaching brethren continually complaining about what all they do not like about preaching. My attitude has always been, if you do not like preaching, quit! With such an attitude, you probably are not making much of a contribution to the Cause of Christ anyway. Furthermore, the Lord always has been able to get His Work done without the assistance of any unwilling servants. The work on Truth Magazine truly has been to me a “labor of love.”

This is not to say that it has been a “bed of roses,” for it has not been. David Lipscomb once said that any man who would edit the Gospel Advocate for ten years would either end up an infidel, or a mighty good man. I have gotten my share of knocks and bruises, and a few verbal brickbats have been hurled in my direction. The little childhood ditty, “Sticks and stones may break my bones, but words can never hurt me,” more than once has come to my mind. I sincerely have sought to do those things which would result in the glory of God, and not to be swayed either by praise (and I have even gotten a little of that too, on rare occasions) or criticism.

That I have made errors in judgment, no one knows better than myself. None of us bats 1000 % in the realm of making human judgments. Some of my wrong decisions have only resulted in the loss of some money; others have done definite harm. Certain ones nearly always remind me of my mistaken judgments, but usually by the time their letters arrive, I already know I made a mistake. Like most everyone else, my hindsight vision is nearly 20/20.

For nearly three years now, Truth Magazine has been a weekly publication. Some of the brethren tell me that I make a bigger job out of editing the paper than need be For instance, I insist on doing a page-by-page paste up of each issue. I think I have pasted up every issue during the past ten years, except one, and I was in the hospital for a few days at that time. I never have liked to see articles continued to back pages of a paper. In papers that do that, I never finish reading an article until I read through the paper to the page to which it has been continued. Furthermore, I personally want to decide which article goes where in the paper. So I like to design each page.

During the years I have edited the paper, I have nearly always been working regularly with a congregation. Furthermore, I have for many years carried a fairly heavy schedule of gospel meetings. One year I held 23 gospel meetings, and another year I held 19 meetings and two debates. Regularly, I conduct from 12-18 meetings. This makes it doubly hard to keep up with the demands of a weekly paper. Much of the time, less time and attention have been devoted to the paper than I would like to have given it.

For seven years, I edited the paper without being paid a cent. Of course, all the while brethren around the country reminded me, “But youve got Truth Magazine,” whenever financial matters were discussed. Like nearly every other religious journal published by our brethren, Truth Magazine does not pay; it costs! In fact, it has lost about $8,000.00 since I have been editing it. Since January, 1969 I have been associated with the Cogdill Foundation, which is now responsible for the publication of Truth Magazine. About two years of that time, I worked for the Cogdill Foundation on a full-time basis, working to prepare the new series of Bible class material now in process. Presently I am paid the stupendous sum of $25 a week for my work for Cogdill Foundation, which includes editing Truth Magazine.

Brother W. W. Otey told me one time that in seventy years of preaching, he could not remember being discouraged a single time. That statement has bothered me a good deal. I am now only 40 years old, and quite obviously have not preached seventy years, and I have already been discouraged a couple of times! Sometimes when I am very weary, I think I would like to let someone else wrestle with the burden of publishing the paper for awhile. In fact, when we began publishing weekly, I suggested that I resign as editor, and that James W. Adams serve in that capacity. But he turned down the proposal.

But truthfully, I enjoy the work. I wish I were free to devote full-time to editing the paper. It is a sufficiently important work to warrant all of an editors time and attention, in my judgment. I suppose I am occasionally like the retiree. He works all his life looking forward to retirement and when the time comes to do so, he then continues to work as long as he can. When it got down to the final analysis of the matter, I do not think I would want to quit editing the paper. I have no grandiose power-seeking ambitions or intentions, as some have on occasion indirectly and incorrectly charged; I simply like my work!

The burdens of publishing the paper always have been generously shared by a host of willing and helpful brethren. I had better not mention anyone specifically, or I would be starting a never-ending list. Particularly am I indebted to our staff of writers, I am somewhat like the world traveler who returned home and said, “There may be a lot of things wrong with this country, but it is a whole lot better than anything else I have seen.” In like manner, our staff of writers may be lacking in some fields, but I would not exchange them for any other staff of writers known to me.

A good deal of personal satisfaction has resulted to me in that we have been able to use Truth Magazine to help worthy brethren get before the brotherhood a statement of their needs in order to engage in some sacrificial work. In nearly every instance, an informed brotherhood has been a generous brotherhood.

The Future

And what of the future? I do not know what the future holds, but I know who holds the future. I am neither a prophet nor the son of a prophet. However, any observant person can see that the future holds more struggles for the people of God. During the past quarter of a century, a Herculean battle has been waged by thousands to keep Churches of Christ from being devoured by the institutional inventions of men. In most places, that battle already has been f ought, and either lost or won. However, it will startle some brethren to learn that in many places that fight has not even been waged yet. Yet already battle lines are being drawn upon new fields. A soldier of Christ does not finish the fight until God tells him to lay down his armor. So, fight on we will, God being our Helper.

Rank modernism is beginning to show its bead among Churches of Christ, as I have shown in recent articles in this journal. The coming years will see more and more of that monster revealing itself. The Lords people always are facing some kind of a crisis, for the devil is never at rest. But whenever the battlefield and whoever the enemy maybe, we must all he ready continually to “fight the good fight of faith.” Whether we sail briefly through balmy seas, or are pitched upon the turbulence of raging waves, let us hold high the banner of the Lord Jesus Christ … until He mines.

In Closing

For several months now, the demand of other things have so pressed upon our time that we have not been able to give the matter of securing new subscriptions adequate attention. Securing new subscriptions is a never-ending job, for someone is always letting his subscription expire. Within the last six months or so, we have suffered a decline of about 500 subscriptions. This means a loss of about $3000.00 in annual income. Would you please make a little personal subscription drive of your own, and help us to replace those lost subscriptions? A few of our most loyal friends have a never-ending subscription drive going, but right now we need the help of all our readers.

To encourage you to seek new subscriptions, we are going to offer a copy of a paperback book for every new subscription you secure at the regular $6.00 per year subscription price. We have secured perhaps two thousand copies of the classic The Imitation of Christ by Thomas Kempis. One author stated that The Imitation of Christ has been for five hundred years the most widely read book of Christian devotion in the world.” No one knows for sure how many editions of this book have been made, but the municipal library of Cologne, Germany has 400 different editions of the book in its collection. The Latin edition of the book was first published in 1486.

For each new subscription you secure to Truth Magazine, we will send you a free copy of The Imitation of Christ, if you request that we do so. If you want to send, say 25 subscriptions and want 25 copies of the book to give to friends, tell us so when you send in your list of subscriptions. We would like to exchange two thousand copies of The Imitation of Christ for two thousand new subscriptions to Truth Magazine. And we need your help in order to do so.

TRUTH MAGAZINE, XVI: 43, pp. 3-6
September 7, 1972

By Ray Ferris

Along about this time of the year it has been customary for many preachers and editors to have something to say about the immodest apparel that was for years associated with “summer weather.” We bad much to say about shorts, halters, swim-suits, etc. There is no doubt in my mind that such was timely and needed. It seemingly did little good.

However, I am now faced with a problem. How can I be critical of shorts and halters; and swim-suits after mini-skirts, micro-skirts, see-through blouses, etc.? The clothing of the modern female has reached a sad state, indeed, when a Christian who is a teacher in the public school system and who has fought the encroachment of shorts as acceptable dress for years, is constrained to recommend them now! Why? Because he feels it is less immodest than the dresses that mothers and fathers send their daughters to school in today! Many school administrators fought a brave battle for many months to restrain such activities, but alas, the foolish parents sided with the children, and even to the point of taking matters to court. Now a judge with much less sense than nerve has the audacity to say that no dress code at all can be sustained!

Now what does all that mean? Why one dare not be critical of the dress (undress) of a fellow human being, because the law is on his side. He may jolly well wear what he pleases, if be pleases to wear anything at all! Many people in many places, from what I bear, are now pleased to do just that – wear nothing at all. They call them nudists, and I suspect they are not as sexually stimulating to the opposite sex as the tease that will expose almost, but not quite all!

Someone is doubtless saying now, “Preacher, are you saying you think shorts, and halters, and modern swim-suits are all right now?” Absolutely not! I am just saying they are no worse than some things I see on the streets, in the stores, in the homes and in our own church building that supposedly consecrated people who call themselves followers of Christ wear for normal dress! Many times I have heard people talk about modesty being relative. They remind me of grandmothers day, when the dress went to the ankle and a glimpse of the ankle was deemed an immodest revelation. Well, perhaps there may be some relativity involved. Somehow it seems to me that we have just about used up all the relativity by now and must be just about down to the absolute! Mothers, what kind of example are you setting before your children? Fathers, what are you allowing to go out of the house? Boys and girls, do you want to he deliberate in your efforts to arouse one to sin and crime? Read again, I Timothy 2:9-10 and Galatians 5:19-21. Study the word lasciviousness again. Are you helping in the solution, or are you part of the problem?

TRUTH MAGAZINE, XVI: 42, p. 13
August 31, 1972