READERS' EXCHANGE

 

Locating Leroy

Everyone knows, of course, that Brother Garrett is an extremist . . . He is not widely known as a man who exercises great restraint either in what he says or how he says it . . . He is “far out in left field”, to be sure.—Editorial in Gospel Guardian

In the night’s late and lonely hours, when you are alone with your conscience and your God, do such statements, that you are disposed to make, never disturb you? . . . The simple truth is, Brother Garrett, you have forsaken the faith. Why not have the candor and honesty simply to say so, and then, if you wish, try to convince those of us who cling to the “Old Paths” that we are in error.—Tennessee

I am wondering where you will go next!—Oklahoma

The first two excerpts come from a fellow editor and a veteran evangelist respectively. I am pleased to read these comments, for it reveals that they still recognize me as their brother, and so I presume they love me as such. The Guardian editor even sees me as yet in the ball park, and not out in the bleachers, if, albeit, “far out in left field.” So, I am still in the game and on the same team. That is all I can ask. Never mind about where you put me on the field! Left field suits me just fine. That’s a good place to be if one is interested in those who hit a long ball!

I will gladly confess to “forsaking the faith” as defined by some of my brethren. As defined by still others I was never in the faith, nor was the Tennessee evangelist. I will lay claim to “the faith” as centered in the Person of Him who died for us all; but if in terms of each man’s demand that his opinions be made conditions of fellowship, I would not make it. It is just as well if we let God judge in these matters.

The brother in Oklahoma is being friendly. He means, I think, that he’s having fun trying to keep up with what’s going on.—Ed.

A Strange Happening

One of the strangest things happened to her. She married a young preacher who also was a graduate of Freed-Hardeman and he became a very able young preacher. Then he went to California, got a job teaching in a Methodist College and joined the Methodist Church, along with his wife, and all their children are Methodists. The boys’ father was a devout Christian and elder of the church and both he and Bettie were brought up to know the truth.—Texas

This is from a veteran Church of Christ minister, now aged and retired. He is answering my question as to the whereabouts of his niece, with whom I attended Freed-Hardeman 30 years ago. This is hard for most of us to take: one of our ministers, trained at one of our citadels of truth and reared in a family of preachers, to walk out on us and join the Methodists. Horrors! Was he mentally ill? Perhaps it was his wife’s fault! How can young people “brought up to know the truth” do a thing like that? Suppose they told their story, what would they say?

While I don’t believe in doing such awful things as running off to the Methodists, I have to realize that they just might be better off where they are than with us. Maybe they were discouraged by legalism and disillusioned by church fusses. Perhaps they have now found peace and still cling to the important truths taught them while with us.

At least we must allow that one is not necessarily demented or degenerate or even indifferent to spiritual values, when he walks out on us. It might even be for conscious sake that he does it. Too, going to the Methodists might not be quite the same thing as going to hell.

You will notice that both of these people were graduates of Freed-Hardeman College. Well, what do you know about that!

More on Tongues

I speak in tongues to praise my Lord and God in private. There has been a mighty change in my ministry since the time a few years back I acknowledged the full ministry of the Holy Spirit in the life of any committed and obedient person in Christ. And I don’t mean just the ministry of the tongues.

What I really mean is that we need to realize that the Holy Spirit is the living person of Christ in our lives. He is ready to bless us with any gift that will glorify the Christ and build the body of Christ.—California

I am afraid we have another sect coming up in the Church, and we do not need another one, for we already have too many . . . I agree that the gift of love, bequeathed by the Holy Spirit, is the only means whereby we can bind up the fractured brotherhood. Col. 3:14.—W. Virginia

I am interested in and wary of the Spirit, and the seekers for same. So I thought your article about the underground church most timely, and as it always true of you, utterly practical. The Spirit, so it seems to me, is best “found” by not seeking his gifts too directly.—Nashville

The first excerpt is from a Church of Christ preacher, who tells us that he speaks in tongues in private and that this has worked a mighty change in his ministry. How could this be alarming to any of us? When one views all the carnage in our recent brotherhood history, we should rejoice when a man can have an experience that brings him peace, joy and love and away from our divisive ways. He is also close to Paul’s position, who chose to use his gift of tongues in private devotion rather than in public.

The other two expressions are typical of many we have received, and they too need to be heard. Scepticism is healthful too, but it should be tempered by the gifts of the Spirit, especially patience.—Ed.

More of This!

Pat Boone will be singing and tcstifying in a David Wilkerson youth rally at the Anaheim Convention Center within the next few weeks . . . A few from the Church of Christ are participating in the forthcoming Billy Graham Crusade in Southern California, including myself.—California

You might he interested in a recent development here in Oregon. . . . . . . has been associating with one of the preachers from the instrumental music groups. They are both interested in the unity of restoration segments of the Lord’s body. Each Tuesday morning they are having a prayer session and discussion for purposes of better understanding, and perhaps for laying groundwork for positive action toward unity.—Oregon

This is happening more and more all across the country, and it is surely the most encouraging development in our changing brotherhood. If fellowship is restored to our fractured ranks, it will have to be at the grassroots level. Let us remember that unity is the fruit of the Spirit and not any clever maneuver of ours. We must seek His leading. The indwelling Christ will make men one if they will but yield to His love.—Ed.

But Less of This!

Maurice Lusk and Helen, his wife, severed their relationship with the Christian Church and were restored to the Lord’s church. . . —Firm Foundation

It is pathetic, as well as downright wrong and unbrotherly, that we are still doing this kind of thing. It is all right, of course, for a brother to cross these sectarian lines we have drawn, from one side to the other, but we are the most sectarian when we imply that in coming over to us he is now in the Lord’s church, whereas before he was not. The truth is that brother Lusk has moved from one faction to another, but we presume in the Lord’s church all along, even if a divided church. We will move toward ending such faction when we cultivate the love for all God’s children that will make such reporting so distasteful that it will not occur. Brother Lusk is no more my brother than before, and he is probably no more right than before. God hasten the day that we might see that “being right” on things like instrumental music has nothing at all to do with being in Christ!—Ed.