READERS' EXCHANGE

 

So many think they can pick up the NT and find in it exactly how everything must be done. Yet in nothing do people want to be told just how they must do everything. They will say, “Nobody is going to tell me just how I must do a thing!” Such a strait jacket would take out all pleasure in doing anything. Isn’t it true that “Follow me” is the heart of it all? Some here seem to think that all congregations in the U.S. do things as we do here. I would like to be able to tell them how different a lot of the others are who also call themselves Church of Christ. —I. H. Grimes, Woodville, Ohio.

(We regret the passing of this brother at about age 90. His loyalty as a subscriber, friend, and correspondent goes back over 20 years, for he was among our first readers of Bible Talk. I was in his home on several occasions, and his sweet reasonableness is a treasured memory. He had read my last communication shortly before his death, and his daughter wrote that it had always meant much to him that I seemed both to understand him and to love him. Ah, think of the masses in our own churches that have to die both unloved and misunderstood! Brother Grimes was a master penman. When he sent me words of wisdom, beautifully inscribed on cardboard, I would place them on my door at the college. —Ed.)

The man I am sending your paper to once thought he’d like to be a “big name” preacher. But after preaching for awhile he found he couldn’t play politics. So he works and supports himself and family, and preaches for a congregation in Mississippi which he says is a free, wonderful group. I told him your Review is one of the things he needs to encourage him to “hang in” there. —Virginia Adams, Palos Heights, Illinois

One of the major problems with us Church of Christ folk is that we do not have vision. There is a vacuum because of no hope. Why look to death? Why not the Lord’s return? We should look more to Revelation. I saw a film recently on the rapture. Those people, a Church of God, are really looking for His coming and the rapture of believers. They really have hope! Trouble with us is that we are afraid to look at the theology which speaks of His return. It is not a question of premillennialism, but of pro-Israel and the middle East. Why don’t you write about that some. Freedom to look for His return! How’s that for your next article? —C. O. Istre, Jr., Ph.D., Tulane U. School of Medicine, New Orleans, Louisiana 70112.

The article about the origin of the “Church of Christ” sure hit the nail on the head. Founders were Peter Warren, Daniel Sommer and David Lipscomb. The place was Sand Creek, Ill. The time: Aug. 17, 1889. We lived for years as neighbors to sister Della Dowdy, who was a daughter of Peter Warren, She was a cultured lady and a fine person. She died several years into her 90’s, —Lowell Rees, Rt. 2, Nixa, Missouri 65714

I am appreciative of the new series on twisted scriptures. I believe it will be very helpful to many of us. If only we would all attempt to be honest truth-seekers we would make more strides forward. —Terry Nelson, Oakley, Kansas 67748

I know you had a wonderful time over in Europe. I would like to take a trip like that sometime. But I run a dairy farm and it is hard for me to get away that long. I hope to see you at the unity forum in Bethany, July 3-4. —Jennings Buck, Sistersville, W. V.