Truth Magazine

By Lewis Willis

I saw an article in the March 2000 religious journal The Christian Chronicle which prompted me to write this article. Let me begin by telling you about that Christian Chronicle article, and I shall then make the application I want to make based on it.

Miss USA was recently crowned! The girl who won the beauty contest is Lynnette Cole, of Columbia, Tennessee. The Christian Chronicle was so impressed with this news that they wrote about it on page 1 of their March issue. Readers are informed that Lynne, as she is known at home, is now qualified to enter the Miss Universe Pageant.

What’s so unusual about this? Why would I think to write an article based on this information? Well, Lynne is a member of the West Seventh Street Church of Christ in Columbia, Tennessee! Her preacher, Ted Burleson, says of her, “Lynne is as genuine as she can be. She is the real thing.” 

A Disclaimer

I want you to know that I did not watch the pageant! I do understand, however, that a part of the contest is the “swimsuit competition.” Now, you know why this article is being written, don’t you? What in the world is a young Christian girl doing participating in a contest that is designed to see which contestant is the most beautiful in a skimpy bathing suit? Has she never heard of “modesty”?

Still more mysterious to me is her preacher, brother Burleson. Has he never read the New Testament? If so, how did he miss the passages that prohibit such exhibitions of sexuality as is practiced in ungodly beauty contests?

Consider what the Scriptures teach on modesty. 

In like manner also, that women adorn themselves in modest apparel, with shamefacedness and sobriety; not with broided hair, or gold, or pearls, or costly array; But (which becometh women professing godliness) with good works (1 Tim. 2:9-10).

The aged women likewise, that they be in behaviour as becometh holiness, not false accusers, not given to much wine, teachers of good things; That they may teach the young women to be sober, to love their husbands, to love their children, To be discreet, chaste, keepers at home, good, obedient to their own husbands, that the word of God be not blasphemed (Tit. 2:3-4).

Now, what do those expressions mean? Let’s just list and define them:

• Modest apparel: “orderly, well-arranged, decent” (Vine 79). 
• Shamefacedness: “a sense of shame, modesty, is used regarding the demeanor of women in the church ” (Ibid.)
• Sobriety: “. . . sound judgment . . . it is that habitual inner self-government, with its constant rein on all the passions and desires . . .” (Ibid. 45).
• Discreet: “. . . of sound mind, self-controlled . . . is translated sober-minded” (Ibid. 317).
• Chaste: “. . . signifies (a) pure from every fault, immaculate . . . (b) pure from carnality, modest . . . holy, pure” (Ibid. 183).

There is no way for a Christian to be decently dressed, manifesting a sense of shame, using sound judgment regarding the subject of sinful passions and desires, while parading herself or himself in skimpy attire to win a beauty prize. The same can be said of wearing such immodest apparel while working on the lawn, shopping, or on vacation. I have even seen women wearing shorts in the worship! 

There is a desperate need to rediscover the sense of shame associated with decisions having to do with the way we dress ourselves, or allow our children to dress. We are approaching that time of year when most people (including many Christians) seem to think they are at liberty before God to undress themselves in public. One’s senses are shocked to see what many members of the church think “modest apparel” means. It seems to mean to many folks just do whatever worldly minded people do. Paul said, “And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind . . .” (Rom. 12:2). Do you suppose, Mom and Dad, that “be not conformed to this world” might have anything to do with the way you dress, or with the way you let your children dress? If not, how about telling me what it does refer to.

491 E. Woodsdale, Akron, Ohio 44301

By Tom O’Neal

Many times in print and to him in person I referred to the late Harlan Elwood Phillips as my “second dad.” He was born near Bowling Green, Kentucky on October 31, 1916, and passed away in Tampa, Florida on April 5, 2000. He was baptized into Christ at the 12th Street church building by A.B. Barrrett in November of 1929. In May of 1935 he married Pauline (Polly) Younger. Polly, as most people know her, was baptized into Christ six years later, leaving a denomination for which her father was a preacher. In January of 1941 he began preaching near Nashville, Tennessee. In 1943 he preached his first time away from home at Cottontown, Tennessee.

To Elwood and Polly were born four daughters — Carolyn, Juanita, Elaine, and a little girl who died at four weeks of age.

Foy E. Wallace, Jr. was Elwood’s inspiration to become a preacher of the gospel. In turn, Elwood became an inspiration to many other gospel preachers, including this writer.

In 1940 Elwood moved from Nashville, Tennessee to Tampa, Florida with a sheet metal company for which he worked. His labors carried him to work on the Pentagon from which he carried a piece of metal in a thumb until his death.

When he moved to the Tampa area he began preaching for various churches in the area. He preached for Sulphur Springs, Belmont Heights, Dover, and Clearwater. He preached for the church in Lake City and for the East University Avenue church in Gainesville from 1953-1960. In 1960 he moved back to Tampa where he preached for the Forest Hills church from 1960 to 1975. Then he preached at Fletcher Avenue until that property was sold and the building on South Livingston was constructed. At each of the above churches in Tampa I worked with him in gospel meetings. It was in March 1999 that I worked with him in his last gospel meeting. When he and Harry Osborne met me at the airport, he hugged me as before, but this time three times. I told Harry during the meeting that Elwood was pushing for all he was worth to be present at every service for he probably knew this would be the last meeting in which we would work together. He insisted until the last minute that I would stay with him in his home as I had done so many times before. Finally, he had to give up since he was on dialysis, and he was not able for me to stay with Polly and him.

The printed page was an important part of Elwood’s preaching. He had articles in Gospel Broadcast, Apostolic Times, Gospel Advocate, and Florida News Letter which began in 1958 and became Southeastern News Letter in 1959. It was in 1960 that he and James P. Miller began Searching The Scriptures, which he edited until May 1973, when he turned over the paper to Connie W. Adams. Elwood had edited the paper for 13 years and Connie would edit it for another 19 years before putting it to bed forever.

Besides Elwood’s writings in Searching The Scriptures, his book on the eldership, Scriptural Elders and Deacons, is one of the greatest contributions that has been made to the subject. I take great pleasure in the fact that I talked Elwood into letting the Cogdill Foundation reprint this after the first edition was sold out. Generations yet unborn will be reading this book on the eldership. It is the best on the subject.

From 1960 to 1971 he suffered at least three heart attacks. On August 3, 1971, he suffered a severe heart attack and in 1979 a pacemaker was put in. Then on December 28, 1994, he had triple by-pass surgery. On September 30, 1995, he had to have emergency surgery late in the night on his chest.

He developed diabetes and in time had to go on dialysis, first at home and then three times a week in the hospital. Brethren all over the country were praying for him. On January 26 of this year he had his left leg taken off below the knee and on March 13 he had his other leg off above the knee.

The family searched Tampa in vain for a funeral home with a chapel large enough to accommodate the crowd. This is the reason his funeral was conducted in the Hutcheson Auditorium on the campus of Florida College on April 8 at 11 A.M. by Mike Willis, Connie W. Adams, J.T. Smith, Tom O’Neal and Donnie Rader. Graveside services were conducted by Harry Osborne, preacher for the South Livingston church where the Phillips’ family are members, and Rhymer Knight, long time family friend, led the closing prayer. Ray Hines lead congregational singing.

Tom O’Neal’s Remarks at the Funeral of H.E. Phillips
It was in 1959 that James P. Miller wrote to me and asked that I help promote Searching The Scriptures and write for it, saying that he and brother H.E. Phillips were starting this paper in 1960. At the time I had never heard of H.E. Phillips. Later at the 1960 lectures I met Elwood and obtained an autographed copy of his book on the eldership, Scriptural Elders and Deacons. Over the last 40 years we have become very close friends and I have often referred to Polly and Elwood as my “second parents.” Polly is responsible for my Carolyn and me meeting each other. Elwood’s health prohibited their attending our wedding last year in Texas.

With the publishing of Searching The Scriptures there was a very special relationship between Elwood, Connie Adams, and myself. We have shared some very special times together that I will never forget.

Time does not permit me the opportunity to say a lot of things by way of pleasant memories with Elwood. However, there is one that I must share with this audience today. Several years ago when I was with the church on Fletcher Avenue in a gospel meeting, Elwood and I were sitting at his dining room table talking. With a clinched fist, he hit the table with a confident gesture, and at the same time said, “I am going to heaven; my Lord said I could, and I am going.” I have never known a man who talked about going to heaven more than Elwood and had a more intense desire to do so. I believe with all of my heart that Elwood is among the redeemed of the ages today.

When I think of Elwood there is one passage of Scripture that comes to mind. “I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith. Henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, shall give me at that day.”

When I finished my meeting with the South Livingston church in March of 1999, Elwood arose and made his way to the front of the building to commend to the congregation the sermons he and the church had requested that I come to Tampa and present on “The Deity of Christ.” He said, 

I think I have been very nice during this meeting. I have kept my mouth shut until now, but I think circumstances demand that I say something lest somebody perceive that I am trying to distance myself from the lessons you’ve heard tonight and the manner in which they have been presented and from Tom O’Neal. I first met Tom O’Neal 40 years ago, maybe a little more, I am not sure. But during that period of time, from that time (I have had various occasions to be with him), we have talked frequently on the telephone and by mail and in other means. We’ve shared time together in the pulpit. I’ve heard him debate. I have recorded debates that he has had with different denominational people and with some brethren — false brethren. I appreciate his sincerity and his determination to preach the truth. 

During the period of time that I have known Tom, I don’t remember us having any cross words. It is not because we have both been little angels; we are not. We’ve made mistakes, but we have talked about them. We have talked about truth. We have talked about the Bible. We’ve talked about problems that each of us have has or been through. I want to commend to you tonight the lessons that you’ve heard and the manner in which they have been preached. I don’t perceive anything arrogant about anything he said or anything evasive about anything he said. But as Harry just now pointed out, the Scriptures teach by Paul and Peter and James and John and the apostles — all of them that we have recorded. They identify sin for what it is. They identified the false preachers by name. That keeps you from being deceived by them. We need to do that. There is a difference between that and assaulting somebody’s character. We are not talking about what kind of person they are, as to their moral standing. That is another issue. But when a man teaches something that is contrary to the word of God, we need to know not only the doctrine, but we need to know the man who teaches it, because that is the way the Bible teaches it. That is what the New Testament teaches. Plain and sound doctrine will convince the world of sin, and it will stop error where it is. And we appreciate that, Tom. And I thank you for the lessons on behalf of,  I guess my family (I don’t know anybody else I could thank on behalf of). We appreciate your presence here tonight, all of you who are here. But I want to commend to you the lessons you’ve heard and the manner in which they have been presented. I love Thomas G. O’Neal very much for his work’s sake through the years. I have appreciated him very much. I thank you very much.

I am thankful to God for permitting our lives to blend so harmoniously for over forty years. I am thankful that I was blessed by knowing H.E. Phillips.

P.0. Box 723, Bessemer, Alabama 35021

By Johnie Edwards

A new movie was recently filmed in Bloomington, Indiana called, “Redemption.” The Bible often speaks of redemption. Thus, we take a look:

1. Christ Died to Redeem Us. Paul wrote Titus concerning Christ, “Who have himself for us, that he might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify unto himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works” (Tit. 2:14). Christ paid the demanded price that we might have remission of our sins. Paul told the Ephesian pastors that the Lord’s church was “purchased with his own blood” (Acts 20:28). Without the death of Christ, there would be no redemption!

2. My Redeemer Liveth. The Hebrew writer said of Christ, “he ever liveth” (Heb. 7:25). Job, of old, said, “For I know that my redeemer liveth” (Job 19:25). Our redeemer is not dead, but much alive. Didn’t Matthew report, “God is not the God of the dead, but of the living” (Matt. 22:32)?

3. Redemption Made Possible by the Blood of Christ. No blood, no redemption! It’s that simple. The Holy Spirit said, “Forasmuch as ye know that ye were not redeemed with corruptible things, as silver and gold . . . but with the precious blood of Christ, as a lamb without blemish, and without spot” (1 Pet. 1:18-19).

4. Redemption is in Christ. The Roman Christians were told, “Being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus” (Rom. 3:24). Paul likewise wrote the Ephesians, “In whom we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of his grace” (Eph. 1:7). Do you know how one gets into Christ, where redemption is? Galatians 3:27 says we are “baptized into Christ” (Gal. 3:27). Have you been baptized into Christ to be redeemed?

5. Eternal Redemption Awaits The Faithful. The writer of Hebrews said, Christ “. . . by his own blood he entered in once into the holy place, having obtained eternal redemption for us” (Heb. 9:12). What a promise to the faithful in Christ! Are you one of the faithful in Christ?

4121 Woodyard Rd., Bloomington, Indiana 47404

By Steve Wolfgang

William Casey Ashworth, Sr., known to friends and Christians as “Billy,” passed from this life about 5:00 A.M. Tuesday, March 7. His loving wife of 57 years, Lois, and other family members were at his side when he crossed over. 

Billy is survived by Lois; a son, Bill; a daughter, Bette (Mrs. Steve Wolf- gang); five grandchildren; a sister and several brothers, and a host of other relatives. 
 
Funeral services were conducted on Thursday, March 9, at the Williamson Memorial Chapel in Franklin, Tennessee. A standing-room-only gathering, estimated by the funeral director to number about 400 persons, assembled to remember his life, and to honor his memory. Services were conducted by Steve Wolfgang, Donnie Rader, and Dorris Rader — Billy’s son-in-law, nephew, and  brother-in-law.

Born October 8, 1919 in Williamson County, Tennessee, Billy lived in or near Franklin all his life, except for military service during World War II. He was a 1938 graduate of Battle Ground Academy in Franklin, and later used his GI benefits to attend David Lipscomb College in the early 1950s. 

Enlisting in the US Army in 1941, Billy rose to the rank of artillery sergeant before accepting an officer’s commission in the Adjutant General Corps, carrying documents and messages under arms to and from the Pentagon. Transferring to the Army Air Corps in 1943, he completed pilot training, serving for the remainder of the war as a pilot of B-17s — the renowned “Flying Fortress.” During the Korean War, he was recalled to active duty, this time as a fighter pilot, flying P-47s. Ever patriotic, he flew the U.S. flag in front of his home and on his cars, and often fretted over the directions he feared his country was heading.  

But as patriotic as he was, his first loyalty was to Jesus Christ. Raised in a devout Methodist family, he often said he was brought up to hate liquor and liars, and love the Bible and the Lord Jesus Christ. It was that devotion, and his basic honesty, which caused him to study the Scriptures and ultimately to renounce all human creeds and churches, become simply a New Testament Christian, and preach the simple gospel of Christ,   eschewing all doctrines and commandments of men.

He was helped in that process by the other great love of his life, Lois Rader. The love story of Billy and Lois is remarkable even now — they had met and dated before the war, and their relationship continued even when Billy went into service. Even though Lois suffered from active tuberculosis in a day when people would cross the street to avoid contact with her, Billy’s love for her was unwavering, and they married on February 5, 1943. Fifty years later, in February 1993, a host of relatives and friends gathered in Franklin to celebrate with them a half-century of marriage. 

Lois’ uncompromising belief in the Lord would not permit her to renounce the Lord’s church to join a denomination, and it was her staunch refusal to compromise her faith that led Billy to study on his own. He was baptized by his brother-in-law, Dorris Rader, on March 3, 1950. But as Dorris observed at the funeral service, his basic honesty and search for the truth led to his conversion.

He often said he was baptized in the middle of a fight, as the churches in Middle Tennessee and elsewhere were in the early stages of the turmoil over the support of human institutions and aspects of the social gospel. Billy soon determined to preach, and when most of the Middle Tennessee churches were swept into an institutional mania, he and a few other stalwarts stood their ground. His preaching was clear, direct, and straight to the point. A common refrain of many in the throngs who visited in the funeral home was, “You never wondered where he stood on an issue.” Billy preached with zeal and conviction — there was fire in his message. 

Billy preached his first sermon at the West End church in Franklin in December 1952, and began preaching regularly during 1953 at Peytonsville, then at Jones Chapel (1953-55), Old Lasea (1955-58), Almaville (1959-60), Berea (1961-63), New Hope (1963-64), and Kingston Springs (1965-67).

From 1968 to 1973, Billy preached at the Hillview church in Nashville where he enjoyed an especially close relationship with many of the brethren, returning there for his last local work from 1987-1990. In 1973 he began preaching at Oak Avenue in Dickson, one of the largest of the Middle Tennessee churches which had resisted the rush to support human institutions. While preaching there, he also served as an elder for several years. In 1982, he and Lois moved to Lewisburg, working with the Hickory Heights church until December 1986. After finishing his second work at Hillview, he and Lois became active members of the Collegevue church in Columbia, Tennessee, where they had retired. Lois still resides in Columbia with their son, Bill. 

Much of Billy’s early preaching was done while employed in a full-time secular occupation. Even before World War II, he had begun a career with the U.S. Postal Service. Returning to the Post Office after his military service, he was appointed in 1957 as Postmaster in his home town, Franklin, by President Dwight D. Eisenhower — a point of particular satisfaction for Billy, who was keenly interested in politics (although prohibited by civil service regulations from participating or publicly endorsing a candidate). 

His secular employment allowed Billy to serve several small churches which could not otherwise afford to have regular preaching. He served as Postmaster at Franklin until 1975 when he retired from government service after more than 35 years (including his military service). His early “retirement” allowed Billy to devote “full-time” efforts to the preaching of the gospel. His meeting work, mostly in Tennessee and the surrounding states of Alabama, Georgia, Arkansas, and Kentucky, also took him further afield to Ohio, Indiana, Iowa, Oklahoma, and Oregon.

One small anecdote illustrates his painstaking honesty. When Billy took over the Postmaster’s office vacated by his predecessor, the only thing in the office, other than government-issue furniture and official files, were three pennies in an ash tray on the desk. One day, years later, when Lois was in his office, she noticed that they were still there and asked why he didn’t get rid of them. “They’re not mine,” was the simple reply from the man who taught his children “If it’s not yours, keep your hands off it — treat it like a rattlesnake.” When he left the office on 31 July 1975, they were still there.   

But possibly Billy Ashworth’s most significant contribution was his radio preaching. Beginning in 1953, Billy preached for 18 years continuously on station WAGG in Franklin, sometimes paying for the air time out of his own pocket (though the time was often purchased by the local church with which he was working at the time). Through his radio preaching many listeners in Middle Tennessee heard teaching on the nature and work of the church, godly living, and the necessity to contend earnestly for the faith (as well as a host of other issues) which they might not otherwise have heard. He continued his radio preaching on stations in Dickson in the 1970s and Lewisburg in the 1980s, and thus, for nearly 40 years, Middle Tennessee heard the word of the gospel through the radio preaching of brother Billy Ashworth. 

Many friends and fellow Christians have responded upon hearing of his death. Any who wishes to contact Lois may do so at 2148 Nashville Highway, Columbia, TN 38401. Typical of the many tributes received by E-mail was that of James P. Needham, who said, “I always appreciated him for his love for truth and willingness to stand in the face of great odds. His work in Middle TN will be long remembered and will bear fruit long after he has gone the way of all the earth.”

But perhaps the most eloquent tribute was that of brother Don Alexander of Sacramento, California, who wrote: 

I was saddened, as were many other brethren, when I read of the passing of brother Billy Ashworth. I was a child in the 1950s, growing up in Middle Tennessee during a time of great preachers and great preaching, but also sadness and conflict over institutionalism. My family were members at Locust Street church of Christ in Mt.  Pleasant, Tennessee, and my father served as an elder during those days, James A. (“Lonnie”) Alexander. Many wonderful preachers came to Locust Street both as located preachers as well as those who held gospel meetings. I remember these princes of God’s people very well, for they made an impression on a young boy and young Christian trying to do what was right. When my father and other men like brother Robert Jackson, brother Rufus Clifford, brother Martin Lemon, and others made a stand against unauthorized innovations in the work of the church, men like brother Billy Ashworth were right there. My parents loved him and always spoke highly of him. 

Brother Ashworth I remember as a true Southern gentleman with a Christian demeanor. I also remember him, as I think back on him tonight, as the first preacher I had ever met who also had a job besides preaching, which made him a “part-time” preacher, I guess by today’s vernacular. He would often preach at Locust Street on an “appointment” basis, ate in our home, and enjoyed brotherly love. Through the years as I have tried to preach the gospel, usually while working a “secular” job in addition to preaching, I have thought of brother Ashworth, as well as Gilbert Tyler, another Middle Tennessee preacher who “worked” and preached. Though often not mentioned with the “full-time” preachers, these men did their work in an unassuming way for the good they could do without a lot of fanfare. I admired them then without fully understanding the reasons why, other than that they loved the Lord, his Word, and his people and quietly did their work. In fact, I believe men like them have influenced my life in ways I may not have fully known until I read of their passing.

Please stand and salute as another of God’s noblemen passes by and into eternity.” Don Alexander (DMAeagle @aol.com)

One of Billy’s favorite scriptures was Acts 27:25, where Paul said, “I believe God, that it shall turn out just as I have been told.” He lived in his life with firm belief in God, the surety of his promises, and his watchful care for his children, determined to tell others the old, old story.  Let us follow his example.

A sobering addendum: I have often noted, in preaching and teaching my series on the history of efforts to restore New Testament Christianity in this country, that there are certain dates which symbolically demarcate the changing patterns from generation to generation. For instance, an 18-month period during 1940-1941 witnessed the deaths of J.D. Tant, Daniel Sommer, Joe Warlick, and F.B. Srygley — all old stalwarts who had become household names for several generations for their attempts to stand for truth and right and preach the whole counsel of God in the face of opposition and apostasy. 

Within a decade of their passing, the churches were embroiled in a controversy, not unlike a similar controversy sixty years earlier in the 1890s, which swept many of them into a digressive boosterism totally unlike anything revealed in the New Testament. It is sobering to think, in a year gone by which has seen the passing of James R. Cope, Clinton Hamilton, H.E. Phillips, Billy Ashworth, and others, what the next two decades may hold as a younger generation rises up to replace those who, having fought the good fight, have finished their course. 

385 E. Lexington Ave., Danville, Kentucky 40422