Truth Magazine

By Quentin McCay 

An article in the December 1995 issue of Reader’s Digest tells of an effort to determine just how honest the American people are. One hundred and twenty wallets with fifty dollars in them were dropped in various places in twelve cities across the United States. These wallets were watched to see how many people would try to return them to the owners. About 65.8 percent of the people who found the wallets returned them. Almost two thirds of the people were honest in the experiment. And 34.2 percent kept the wallets. I wondered if any of these were Christians. What would you have done?

Are you honest? Are you really honest in everything with everybody at all times? Have you ever been dishonest with your parents, with your teacher in school, with your husband or wife? Have you always been honest with your children? Have you always been honest with God in worship. When you came to “lay by in store” as the Lord prospered you, did you do so dishonestly thinking that no one will know about it? Have you always been honest in paying your taxes to the government? When the clerk at the store gave you too much change as you paid for some article, did you give the extra change back to the clerk? When you forgot to pay for something, but remember later that you did not pay for it, did you return immediately to pay for it? Have you ever found some valuable article and knew the owner? Did keep it? Did you ever fail to pay some debt, however small, thinking that only a few will ever know? We are all acquainted with some preachers who left a community owing debts without arranging to pay the debt later. To these and similar questions we may all desire to plead the 5th.

In representing what someone teaches about a certain subject, did you misrepresent him just a little or maybe a lot? Did you do this deliberately or mistakenly? When you knew that you did not tell the truth about what someone else believes and teaches, did you correct it? Did you just let it slide by without any remorse of conscience? What one says and writes about others has grave consequences. 

Vengeful gossip could well destroy the good name of a brother. Those who do this are not being honest. It may be that everyone has been dishonest at some point in life, so the question should be, “Are you honest now?” What does the Bible teach about honesty? 

Paul said he had, “Renounced the hidden things of dishonesty, not walking in craftiness, nor handling the Lord of God deceitfully; but by manifestation of the truth, commending ourselves to every man’s conscience in the sight of God” (2 Cor. 4:2).

The word “honesty” means the quality or fact of being honest; uprightness, probity or integrity. It means truthful- ness, sincerity, freedom from deceit or fraud. The word “honest” comes from the word meaning honorable, worthy, virtuous. Every individual that has observed the actions of people around him or knows the working of his own heart will recognize that there is a great need for people to be more honest in one’s dealings with others. The “honest and good” heart is the soil in which the word of God, which is the seed of the kingdom, can germinate and produce a life acceptable to God (Luke 8:15).

Honesty and the Marriage Bond

When a man and a woman pledge their love one to the other, they must be honest about these sacred promises. As they make their plans for the wedding, they must be free from deceit. When they stand before the one who hears their wedding vows and say, “I do,” they must be sincere and completely honest in making their vows. If all were sincere in making their vows before God, there would be no unhappy families. All marriage problems would be quickly solved if the relationships were based upon honesty and virtue. One reason marriages fail is that one or both par- ties are not honest. The husband is to love his wife (Eph. 5:25), and the wife is to love her husband (Tit. 2:4). The love that binds them together should last, “till death do you part.” When one becomes a Christian it is forever. There is no thought of forsaking our Lord. So it is when two souls are joined in the holy bonds of marriage, it is as long as they both shall live. Honesty, sincerity, virtue, love, and honor are the ties that bind them together as one. What a great difference it would make if all marriages were built upon honesty!

Honesty Among Christians

When the church was to select men to be appointed over the business of the daily ministration of the neglected widows, the first qualification for those selected was that one be “of honest report” (Acts 6:3). Paul says that Christians must “provide things honest in the sight of all men.” Among the many instructions given to Christians in Romans 12, Paul says, “Recompense to no man evil for evil. Provide things honest in the sight of men” (Rom. 12:17). Paul also says, in 2 Corinthians 8:21, that one is to honestly provide things in the sight of the Lord. “Providing for honest things, not only in the sight of the Lord, but also in the sight of men.” Paul prays that God’s people do that which is honest (2 Cor.

13:7). Christians are to think about things that are honest. “Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report, if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things” (Phil. 4:8). A person is what he thinks (Prov. 23:7). When Christians think honestly about one another, there will be peace among them. One will not wish any harm, but only good things for others. Though people differ sometimes about important things, there is no reason for one to be dishonest in thought or actions toward others. What a difference it would make for peace if all of God’s people would be honest in all things before God and all men!

Honesty in Politics

If one reads the daily news or listens to the news on radio or television with any discernment, one is aware that there is much dishonesty among the leaders of the nations of the earth. What a wonderful world this world would be if all politicians were transported far beyond the Northern Sea. What the world needs are good, honest, sincere, and virtuous statesmen. As we look about us in the political realm, we discover that dishonesty has been sown with an unsparing hand. And according to the newspapers they are bringing an abundant harvest. What a difference it would make if all politicians would be forced to state accurately what his opponent believes.

Honesty in Religion

One may be honest in religious error. However, when one learns that he is in error and remains so, he is dishonest. When one learns that he is in error, he will cease to be in error or he will cease to be honest. In religious matters, one must be honest. Those who preach and teach the word of God must be completely honest toward God and those he teaches. One who is honest will teach the people the truth, though it may offend and make people quake. A dishon est teacher will compromise with those of the world with little principle or conscience. We need more honesty and godly fear in the pulpit and in the pew. Preachers should be honest with each other as they discuss differences. One should be very sure that what he says about another person is true. One should not rely on what someone else says, but should be very sure. In religious debates with sectarian preachers or debates between brethren one must be hon- est in representing what the other believes and teaches. It would be a good idea in debates if both disputants were required to state clearly what his opponent believes each time he begins to speak and before he answers or refutes his opponent’s position.

There are many contributing factors to dishonesty. Children see dishonesty in their parents and are trained to be dishonest. Selfishness and covetousness contribute to dishonesty. But God demands that one be honest toward everyone, about everything at all times.

Honesty the Best Policy

“Honesty is the best policy,” is an old adage. One should be honest, not because of policy, but because it is the only right and proper policy. Honesty and any other policy can- not be mixed. Like mixing water and oil, one will come to the top and the other will sink to the bottom. One who is honest because it is the best policy would not be honest if it were not for policy. One should live by this eternal principle of honesty because it is right. It is never right to be dishonest.

Ananias and Sapphira

Ananias and Sapphira are examples of dishonesty (Acts 5:1-11). “And Joses, who by the apostles was surnamed Barnabas, (which is, being interpreted, The son of consolation,) a Levite, and of the county of Cyrus, having land, sold it, and brought the money, and laid it at the apostles feet.” This was to assist the needy saints in Jerusalem. Ananias and Sapphira owned some land. They sold it and gave part of the money to be used to assist the needy saints. Because of their desire for the praise of men, and because of their greedy love for money they kept back part of the price. It would have been perfectly permissible for them to do so. But they said in so many words that they gave it all, like Barnabas did. Satan filled their heart. They lied to God, they lied to the Holy Spirit, and they lied to Peter. They both fell dead because of their dishonesty.

By Lewis Willis

Many years ago, a controversy raged in the Lord’s church over church treasury support of human institutions, such as colleges. Faithful brethren contended in those days that there were many other practices, some quite unexpected, that would ultimately be introduced into the practice of those liberal congregations which supported the institutions. Gospel preachers rightly said that the same argument being made in those days to justify church sup- port of human institutions would be used to justify a host of other things as well.

Before long, the controversy moved from church support of institutions to church involvement in recreation through building of gymnasiums, fellowship halls, etc. Brethren used to say that the liberal agenda would be rejected if brethren could only see how far these apostates were willing to go in their departure from the truth. Those who made that statement proved themselves wrong as prophets.

We continue to see and hear one heresy after another, and there is no significant opposition to be found. Some writers are making strong statements about what is happening, but they are powerless to stop the digression because they are not willing to return to the truth themselves. It is difficult for an apostate to halt an apostasy!

Among the apostates trying to stop further digression are H.A. (Buster) Dobbs, editor of the Firm Foundation, and Alan E. Highers, editor of The Spiritual Sword. Dobbs and Highers regularly attack “liberals,” apparently without realizing they are one of those beasts themselves. They praise fellow-liberals when they exclude “anti-institutional people” (that’s us, folks) from a listing of those who are God’s people (FF, 11/97, 2, and, SS, 10/97, 47). According to these heretics, we are not even Christians! We do what the Bible authorizes us to do, but that no longer makes one a Christian, according to Dobbs and Highers. Still, they are terribly upset over the direction their fellow-liberal brethren are going. They regularly oppose men within “the institutional fellowship” such as Max Lucado, Car- roll Osburn, and Rubel Shelly. Dobbs, Highers, and these other birds-of-the-feather liberals, are now at war among themselves, and Dobbs and Highers are losing the battle! What’s the battle about?

They are locked in controversy over whether or not they will accept the Christian Church and its mechanical instrument of music into their fellowship. Lucado, Osburn, and Shelley say “Yes,” while Dobbs and Highers say “No.”

Before a gathering of thousands of liberals in Nashville, called Jubilee ’97, Shelly read a letter from Victor Knowles, of the Christian Church, apologizing for the division over the introduction of the instrument into the worship of the church which occurred over 90 years ago. Knowles apolo- gized for that, asking liberal brethren to accept his apology and to accept one another as they work together “in the kingdom of God.” (You see, according to these men, the Christian Church is in the kingdom, but those of us who insist on doing things as authorized in the Scriptures are not.) When Shelly read the Knowles statement, it was re- ceived “with a mixture of tears and applause.”

Shelly then added a statement of his own, “I sincerely express my own regret and sorrow over the divisions that have existed between us. I ask forgiveness for my contri- butions to them. And I ask all of us to move beyond the rancor and alienation of generations now dead” (From the bulletin where Shelly preaches).

This apology to the Christian Church by Shelly has liberals like Dobbs and Highers in an uproar. They see themselves being lead to the use or acceptance of instru- mental music and into fellowship as a denomination with the Christian Church denomination. Dobbs and Highers will not likely follow this course but they, in time, will be listed with a few radicals who are no longer regarded as Christians, just as they now view those of us who are “anti-institutional.” They want to eat of the liberal pie, but not all of it. They want a morsel here or there, while they curse the rest of the apostate dinner!

In the current issue of Wineskins, (Sept.-Oct., 1997), edited by Shelly, he has begun to lay the foundation for the acceptance of the instrument in worship. If they do not use the instrument themselves, they will fellowship those who do use it. Shelly has begun discrediting the truth about worship, calling it our “tradition” instead of the teaching of God’s word. He says “the acts of worship” are not “good theology.” Shelly tells us, “It is more precise to say that worship is always an attitude of reverence before God that is exhibited by appropriate actions” (my emphasis, LW). His point is, as long as your attitude is right, and you (or he) regards what you do as appropriate, God will accept your worship. Don’t bother him with the limitations on worship imposed by the Bible (John 4:24; Eph. 5:19), that’s nothing but tradition.

Interestingly, an article in the same issue of Wineskins, by Larry Bridgesmith, instructs on how to make worship more meaningful (8). Bridgesmith tells about a young man struggling for meaning in worship following the suicide of his brother. The worship of the church was not inspiring, failed to meet him in his loss, and his pain was not soothed. He was approached by “a church shepherd” who learned that nothing seemed to make sense anymore; God was nowhere near in the young man’s confusion; the church assembly offered no connection with eternity and the answers offered there. The young man was angry as he explained how meaningless worship had become.

Finally, the shepherd asked him where he felt closest to God. He replied, “In my duck blind.” He was then told to go there, talk to God about his loss, anger, and confusion, and “then listen for his response.” Early on Sunday morning, he headed for his duck blind (never mind that God commands that we assemble: Heb. 10:25; Acts 20:7). Throughout the entire day he questioned, accused, and confronted God. He shouted, argued, and cried out. But, he heard no voice, nor saw he a vision. “He sought an encounter with God with all his heart, head and spirit. His plea was simply, ‘If you are there God, if you care about me, show me.’”

Exhausted and emotionally drained after spending the Lord’s Day in this fashion, he headed home. But, as he came to the top of a hill, he noticed a beautiful sunset in his rear-view mirror. He stopped and got out to see it more clearly. When he stepped out he noticed a huge stag deer standing between him and God’s glorious sunset. The deer looked at him briefly and bounded away. The young man fell to his knees “and worshiped.” “The God he thought was not listening came near in ways his heart was pre- pared to encounter. At that moment, Matt’s emotional and spiritual healing began. His questions were answered, his accusations not responded to. But God came near and his presence was unmistakable,” according to Bridgesmith.

Does the Bible describe such nonsense as this? Absolutely not! But these liberals are now going to replace “the acts of worship” set forth in the Scriptures with an acceptable attitude and with what they regard as appropriate action. No wonder Buster Dobbs and Alan Highers get upset with this kind of junk. However, they’ll get a lot further trying to call people away from such apostasy, if they will return themselves from the apostasy into which they have fallen, and repent! Is this all of the liberal pack- age? Probably not. Why can’t these brethren see you can’t have “just a little liberalism”?

By Johnie Edwards 

Most effective speakers gesture. A gesture is defined by The American Heritage College Dictionary as “a motion of the limbs or body made to express thought or to empha- size speech.” Surely every gospel preacher should want to emphasize his sermon. Let’s take a look to see what the Bible teaches about such.

The Apostle Paul Gestured

As Paul was asked by the rulers of the synagogue, “. . . if you have any word of exhortation for the people, say on. Then Paul stood up, and beckoning with his hand said, Men of Israel, and ye that fear God, give audience” (Acts 13:15-16). The apostle Paul knew that gestures can help to enforce the oral expression in gospel preaching. In Jerusa- lem, “. . . Paul stood on the stairs, and beckoned with the hand unto the people. And when there was made a great silence, he spake unto them in the Hebrew tongue, saying . . .” (Acts 21:40). Paul knew that gestures help commu- nicate ideas and help get and hold attention. It has been said that gesturing is not in keeping with humility. Paul, who gestured, said, “Serving the Lord with all humility of mind, and with many tears, and temptations, which befell me by the lying in wait of the Jews” (Acts 20:19). Paul was a humble-gesturing preacher! When the apostle Paul made his defence before King Agrippa, he “. . . stretched forth the hand, and answered for himself” (Acts 26:1). The stretching forth of one’s hand is gesturing.

Alexander Gestured

As Alexander made a speech before the people, the Bible says that, “. . . Alexander beckoned with the hand, and would have made his defence unto the people” (Acts 19:33). No one is saying that a speaker ought to go to the extreme and pace back and forth that would reveal one’s uneasiness and disturb the listener’s concentration.

Ezekiel Gestured

The Lord instructed Ezekiel to motion or gesture with his face, hands and foot. “Son of man, set thy face toward Jerusalem, and drop thy word toward the holy places, and prophesy against the land of Israel” (Ezek. 21:2). God told his prophet and watchman, Ezekiel, “Thou therefore, son of man, prophecy, and smite thine hands together” (Ezek. 21:14). Certainly actions speak loud. A lot of preachers put absolutely no enthusiasm in their preaching. God ad- monished Ezekiel to put some life in his preaching when he told him, “Thus saith the Lord God; Smite with thine hand, and stamp with thy foot, and say, Alas for all the evil abominations of the house of Israel! for they shall fall by the sword, by the famine, and by the pestilence” (Ezek. 6:11). A lot of preachers put their audience asleep due to lack of zeal and some action in their preaching; and then blame the people. People don’t normally sleep when I preach, but if they did, I would first examine myself as to my preparation and presentation of the sermon. Beckon- ing with the hands at the close of the sermon for folks to respond, stamping the foot, smiting the hand, snapping the finger, slapping the knee are certainly fitting to emphasize and get people’s attention! 

Lessons From the Titanic

Dennis Tucker

A few weeks ago my family went to the Titanic Exhibi- tion. All summer long we had been learning about the great disaster. The Titanic was built by White Star Line Company. It was a progressive company and was the first to build ships of 40,000 tons. Their aim was to take advantage of those wanting to travel from Europe to America. Remember, this was before TWA and air travel. They wanted to be the luxury liner of the times.

As we went through the Exhibition, a number of facts caught my attention.

The Titanic was the state-of- the-art boat. White Star had used some of the best and most skilled shipbuilders in Europe. This was not their first big ship. A year earlier the Olympic was put into action. Her size was the same as the Titanic, however, she was built to handle a smaller number of passengers. The Titanic weighed

46,324 tons and was powered by two enormous engines with the horsepower of 30,000. She was the best constructed boat of her time. E.J. Smith was an experienced sea- man and chosen to be in charge, partly because he never had a close call in all his years of sailing.

It was a boat of luxury. One reason for the boat’s great size, was the desire by White Star Line to build a boat for the rich and famous to travel on. She had smoking rooms for the first class and second class; lounges, a gymnasium, a grand staircase, a hospital, a library for the second class and there was even a swimming pool. Her second class passengers enjoyed luxury usually reserved for only the first class passengers. Most of the first class passengers were part of the select rich in both America and Europe.

They brought their finest clothes, drink and jewelry. It was said that a lot of women brought jewelry for each day. They paraded around living laviously.

It also struck me the number of people on board. There were 2,278 passengers and crew members. Of that number, 712 were third class. These were the poor immigrants coming to America in hope of a better future. There were whole families who could not speak a word of English, some old and some just babies.

The above facts made this really hit home. Let me mention some lessons we all should learn from this tragedy.

For all that is in the world — the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life is not of the Father but is of the world. And the world is passing away, and the lust of it; but he who does the will of God abides forever (1 John 2:1-17).

This was a time of arrogance. Some people thought this boat was unsinkable. This was due in part to two reasons: first, she had a double hull; second, she was made of a special metal. One quote at the Exhibition was, “God, Himself could not sink the Titanic.” This arrogance, perhaps led to the decision to cut back on the number of lifeboats. Its original design called for 64 lifeboats, later on it was cut back to 48, and eventually, she had a total of 16.

It was said this was the end of the age of innocence. Re- ally this was a reality check. Men learned the Titanic was sinkable. She was destroyed by one big piece of ice. In the late hours of Sunday, April 14, 1912, she hit an iceberg. She sank in the early hours of April 15th.

Can such arrogance be seen today? Look at the people who believe God does not exist. Some feel as if mankind must save himself Others act as if they will live forever. There will come a time we will all have a reality check and realize we are not immortal but very frail and in need of our God.

And He said to them, “Take heed and beware of covetousness, for one’s life does not consist in the abundance of the things he possesses” (Luke 12:15). The words “take heed” are words of warning. They are saying, “Danger Lies Ahead.” Most of the crew and passengers on the Titanic were not taking heed. The winter of 1912 had been an un- usually warm one. Icebergs were drifting toward the south in the Atlantic Ocean. The crew of the Titanic had received not less than six warnings on her final day from other ships in the area. Captain Smith slightly changed the course of the ship to place her more toward the south. Despite these efforts, she entered into an ice field.

At 10:55 PM the ship, the Californian, sent a message warning the Titanic of danger. Jack Phillips, the radio opera- tor, sent back the message, “Shut up. We are busy.”

Even after they struck the iceberg, the passengers did not see the danger ahead. People on deck used some of the ice to have a snowball fight. One man asked for a piece of ice for his drink.

This helps to explain why the first lifeboats sent away were not fully loaded. Each boat had the capacity to hold 65 people, but most of the early boats had less than 40 on board.

They were not seeing the real danger. They were not taking heed. It was not until they could see the water coming up the grand stairway that some realized what was just ahead.

The same can be said today. A lot of people fail to see the seriousness of sin. They think it is funny. Others are busy enjoying themselves. Still others do not see how close the end is in their lives.

Let us take heed to what Jesus said, “Take heed, watch and pray; for you do not know when the time is. It is like a man going to a far country, who left his house and gave authority to his servants, and to each his work, and commanded the doorkeeper to watch. Watch therefore, for you do not know when the master of the house is coming; in the evening, at midnight, at the crowing of the rooster, or in the morning; lest, coming suddenly, he find you sleeping. And what I say to you, I say to all: Watch!” (Mark 13:33-37).

Another fact is how few were saved. Total number of passengers and crew on board was 2,228. Of that number, just 705 were saved. This was due to a couple of reasons. Most importantly, there were not enough lifeboats on the ship. Also, many of the boats were not loaded to full capacity. Some thought the earlier boats could come back and pick up additional passengers. If they had been loaded properly about 420 more people could have lived.

“Enter by the narrow gate; for wide is the gate and broad is the way that leads to destruction, and there are many who go in by it. Because narrow is the gate and difficult is the way which leads to life, and there are few who find it” (Matt. 7:13-14). Unlike the Titanic, the number which can be saved it not limited. We all have the ability to be saved. Jesus died on the cross for all of mankind. God wants us to be saved. “For the grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all men” (Tit. 2:11). Why will people be lost? Because they are in sin (Rom.3:23; 6:23). Because they never allowed the blood of Christ to cleanse them of their sins (Eph. 1:7). It is truly sad to see people lost due to either not hearing the word of God or not obeying it (2 Thess. 1:8).

A final fact on the sinking of the Titanic is the time involved. She did not go down immediately. The Titanic struck the iceberg at 12:15 AM. She sunk at 2:20 AM. For those two hours, the people on board had to make choices. Women and children were allowed to get on some of the lifeboats while other lifeboats had some men on board. Fathers and husbands said good-bye to their children and wives. Some families decided to stay together even if it meant dying together. Some spent their last hours living it up. Others were trying to make their lives right with God. Some, such as the crew, sacrificed their lives trying to help the passengers.

“The days of our lives are seventy years; And if by reason of strength they are eighty years, Yet their boast is only labor and sorrow; For it is soon cut off and we fly away” (Ps. 90:10). Our lives are but a brief moment on God’s green earth. We cannot stop the fact of death. We can determine how we will live and the conditions of our soul at the time of our death. We can help those around us (Jas. 1:27). We can be like the apostle Paul, “For I am already being poured out as a drink offering, and the time of my departure is at hand. I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith: Finally, there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will give to me on that Day, and not to me only but also to all who have loved His appearing” (2 Tim. 4:8).

Note: Much of the historical information in these two articles was taken from, Titanic The Exhibition.

By Connie W. Adams

Mark Twain, upon hearing that news was circulating about his death, wrote a notice which said, “The rumors of my demise are greatly exaggerated.” Every now and then someone connected with the institutional folks pronounces the death of what they call “the anti movement.” The most recent announcement of this appeared in The Spiritual Sword (October 1997) and was written by Alan E. Highers, the editor of that magazine. Since brother Highers has been the editor of that quarterly publication, it has contained a wealth of very good material on a variety of subjects. Its tone has been militantly conservative especially in relation to serious struggles now going on among the institutional churches. But every now and then, he or one of his writers, takes a swipe at the detested “antis.”

In this recent obituary, brother Highers says that Max Lucado did them all a favor by bolding stating his denominational views on sinners being saved by prayer, the non-essentiality of baptism, and the notion of joining the church of your choice. He says that has awakened many in the brotherhood to the dangers of liberalism and compromise. Then he likens that to a debate proposition which A.C. Grider signed in Meridian, Mississippi while engaged in a debate there with W.L. Totty on what were then simply called “the issues.” It was a prejudicial proposition. Brother Totty knew that and so did brother Grider. Brother Grider had been trying to get brother Totty to debate him in Indianapolis at Garfield Heights where Totty preached. Up to that point no progress had been made in that direction. During their debate in Meridian, brother Totty baited brother Grider with this proposition and said he would meet him at home in Indianapolis if he would sign it. Brother Grider did indeed shock brother Totty and a host of others by signing it. The result was that they did debate at Garfield Heights. The proposition read: “The Bible teaches that it is a sin for the church to take money from its treasury to buy food for hungry destitute children, and those who do so will go to hell.” In the actual debate, brother Grider showed that in benevolence the church is limited to providing for the needs of saints. He pointed out that should any saints have children for whom they were responsible, their needs would include whatever necessary to provide for their own responsibility.

Brother Highers said that the cause with which brother Grider was associated was already in decline but that with the signing of that proposition “his statement finished it off. The effect was not immediate; it took time for his statement to circulate; but wherever his statement became known, the influence of the movement failed. It has never been able to exert a significant presence since that time, and most members of the church today are not even aware that such a movement exists.” 

The facts need to be kept straight in this matter. Ev- erybody knew at the time that it was a loaded, prejudicial proposition. A.C. Grider did not frame it. W.L. Totty did. Did brother Grider sign it? Yes he did. Was it wise? I doubt it. Brother Grider was of the old school which thought that propositions did not matter that much in a debate as long as the basic differences were aired. I do not share that view nor do many others. Honorable men ought not to attempt to put a debate opponent in such a position. It is about like a Baptist asking a gospel preacher to affirm that all deceased Baptists have gone to hell. None of us should knowingly seek to lead someone into signing prejudicial propositions which create an unlevel ground upon which to conduct a proper debate. Neither should we give advantage by sign- ing such statements. 

Wishful Thinking

But Brother Highers is sadly mistaken if he thinks opposition to sponsoring churches, church support of be- nevolent, edification, or evangelistic organizations is dead. He and his fellow-travelers have little association any more with those they consider the real “antis.” I say that because he and others with whom he associates are now being called “antis” by the more liberal element among them. One of the great sadnesses of the divisions which occurred in the 1950s and 60s is the loss of contact among those who once stood side by side in the battle for truth.

In full-time meeting work over the last 23 years, we have gone to every part of the nation. We have worked among congregations small and large, each of which would be dubbed “anti” by brother Highers and others. Brethren who were told years ago that if they did not disassociate them- selves from the “antis,” they would wind up with no place to preach, find their meeting schedules full for the next several years. It is not unheard of for some of these men to have a full schedule for the next five to eight years.

With increasing frequency we are finding people who have fled from institutional churches for a variety of un- scriptural practices and have associated themselves with congregations which brother Highers would consider “anti.” A couple of years back we worked in a meeting in Fresno, California where there were nine families which had all recently left an institutional church in the area be- cause of unscriptural practices which they could no longer tolerate. They were euphoric over getting to hear plain Bible preaching. We have found similar situations elsewhere.

Right here in Louisville the so-called “anti” churches outnumber the institutional churches two to one. This is the city where A.C. Grider preached a number of years and where he spent his last years. In 1962 liberal elements in the city brought Guy N. Woods here to meet A.C. Grider in debate. That was supposed to shut down the “antis” once and for all. What happened? Regardless of what has been told over the years about that debate, it was a watershed event in this area. As a result of it, many people got their eyes opened to the truth and the institutional movement in this city has gradually declined. The Taylor Blvd. congregation where Harold Hazelip was the preacher at the time of the Grider Woods debate, gradually dwindled to less than 100. At one time it was the largest congregation in Kentucky. They finally sold the building and merged with the church on Bardstown Road which also has dwindled to less than 100. Today, the largest institutional church in Louisville is the Okolona church which numbers about 500. According to their bulletin there were 347 present on November 2 at their second morning worship. They have their Bible study Sunday night and no preaching service. They have in the planning stages a multi-purpose building which will include a gymnasium.

There are today 25 congregations within a 25 mile radius of downtown Louisville which brother Highers would call “anti.” There are that many or more in the Indianapolis area where that proposition was debated which was supposed to “finish off” a movement. There are more than that number in Birmingham. Go to the Houston or Dallas areas and take a good look. The congregation in Louisville where we at- tend supports 15 men in the work of gospel preaching in various parts of this nation and in two other countries. One brother in this area has made 17 trips to India to preach and train native preachers. One is right now in Brazil. Another spent several years in Kenya. Another plans to spend time each year in the Philippines. My wife and I are to spend January working with brethren in South Africa. Our regret is that we will only be able to work with a very few of the congregations in that country.

Are There Problems?

Yes, you can be sure there are. Some of us are having to contend with some of the same issues which brother Highers and other writers for The Spiritual Sword are vigorously addressing. Have some churches withered and died? Absolutely. Are the “antis” less in number than the institutional folks? Certainly. That has been true from the beginning. And by the time the dust settles from present struggles among brother Highers’ peers they are going to be less in number by far than they were. In the final analysis it does not all come down to a head count but to the question as to who is faithful to the Lord and his word.

“If we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another” (1 John 1:7). “For we walk by faith and not by sight” (2 Cor. 5:7). “If any man speak, let him speak as the oracles of God” (1 Pet. 4:11). “Buy the truth and sell it not” (Prov. 23:23). “Whosoever goeth onward and abideth not in the doctrine of Christ, hath not God; he that abideth in the doctrine hath both the Father and the Son” (2 John 9).

Like Abel, those committed to these Bible truths, be ing dead, yet speak!