READERS' EXCHANGE

 

I had an experience with the Lord Jesus Christ two years ago and have been trying to decide just where I really belong. Love is the answer and this is what God has given me, and I am uncomfortable with legalism. Your articles have helped me. — a physician in central Texas

I appreciate your little paper. I’m a comparatively new subscriber. “The Word Abused” series is very good. I have long held your conclusions, and I supposed everyone did. With whom have you been associating? Or where have I been? We are just a congregation of believers who have mostly come out of the world into a new life in Christ. — Erick Bloom, Box 263, Saginaw, Minn.

I am glad that I have received my last issue of Restoration Review. You can save my issues for someone else as I didn’t ask for them in the first place. We don’t go along with what it teaches and you can tell who ever sent in our name. Thank you for removing our name. — Paden City, WV.

(You’d be surprised how fast Ouida can remove the plate of the likes of this West Virginia brother. We want no one to receive the paper who feels this way about it. To disagree, that is fine, but to dump it without a fair reading, or to allow it to give you the bellyache — well it costs too much in time, money, and labor for that. I wrote to this brother that in all probability the paper was sent to him by someone who loved him and who supposed that he was free enough to consider material with which he might disagree. I explained that I would never grow any at all if I read only what I agreed with. This is a good place for us to say that we do not keep any records of who subscribes for whom. We get lots of request from readers who want to thank somebody for introducing them to the paper. — Ed.)

I read with great interest and sadness your “The Brotherhood’s Finest Hour.” May I encourage you to speak out even more. The article was a masterpiece of righteous indignation, or an event that calls for such a reaction. My sadness is that we have allowed a small group of men to obtain such power. Thanks for your honesty and integrity. Your article was needed. I just wish more would read it, and listen! — a Youth Minister, California

I am so happy that you zeroed in on “the brotherhood’s finest hour.” If that was our finest, the subtle threat and browbeating of an eldership into submission, then God preserve us from some of the worst hours. It is a little like the Mafia writing an encomium upon the final giving in of the government to their demands and agreeing that from now on the godfather will call the shots rather than the president elected by the people. —Carl Ketcherside, 139 Signal Hill Dr., St. Louis 63121

How I praise the Lord for your paper, as well as Integrity, Mission and Mission Messenger, because of the strength and encouragement I have gained from each during these pas few years of painful struggle from legalism to freedom in Jesus. I say painful because my Church of Christ background surely didn’t help. At times I felt I had lost all identity and that is a very insecure feeling, but praise the Lord I have come to a faith built on nothing less than Jesus’ blood and righteousness. — Linda Kelley, 8172 Pine Crest Dr., Chattanooga, Tn.

I have been reading your Restoration Review for several months. Sometimes it is very upsetting because it contains so much error. What a shame for two knowledgeable, good Christian men to be teaching such untruths. —Fredericktown, Mo.

(If those who are concerned about the error we teach would be more specific and tell us the points in which we err and why, it would be more helpful. But still we are thankful for all criticisms. I am at a loss, however, as to who the second man might be who joins me in “such untruth.” One brother happens to be writing his life story. Surely the sister from Missouri is not suggesting that she knows more about another man’s life than the man himself knows. But we both (I) love her, anyhow. — Ed.)

Yesterday I received the following in a single delivery of mail: Contending for the Faith, Restoration Review, Firm Foundation, Gospel Advocate, and a past due notice on my Master Charge. Now wasn’t that a blow for a fellow who was already down in the dumps? — Winston Hamby, Box 7, Hobbs, NM 88240

(We take it that it was the Master Charge bill that added to our brother’s woes, nothing else! — Ed.)

I feel that you have picked my brain and I’m reading my own thoughts, If’s a comfort to know someone else is thinking along these lines, as untraditional as they are. You certainly build my faith and give me lots to think, pray and study about. Praise the Lord! — Mrs. Dave Jones, Rt. 3, Midlothian, Tx. 76065

I am in a wheelchair. Our handicapped should look upon their disadvantage as a blessing in disguise. A blessing in that we can understand those who are different and accept them as they are, which is the doorway to learning to live in peace with others. I have found this true as a cashier and in selling peaches, for I have been able to render many services. — Virginia Cistaro , Point Harbor, NC

Thanks to some thoughtful brother that I have discovered your journal. The few issues I have seen have rekindled my hope that something may yet be done to keep the church from becoming just another sect, or from just fading away. — Larry Dick, 18223. 80th Ave., Edmonton, Alberta

Ray Miller, 4388 Rota Circle, Ft. Worth, Tx. 76133, would like to handle all your newspaper and magazine subscriptions. Though he works from a wheel chair, he is really with it and has a thriving business. It will cost you no more to subscribe or renew to all national publications through him.

Jim Shafer, 405 S. McKinney, Mexia, Tx. 76667, writes of a May 29 meeting on the Restoration Movement at his congregation. The program will be made up of our brothers in the non-class congregations, especially Gene Shelburne, Jr. and Sr., W. J. Leach, Ellmore Johnson, and Thomas Langford. They will be studying the origin, present status, and future of our Movement.

Carl Ketcherside’s fifth installment of “A Pilgrimage of Joy” is in this issue. We are pleased to inform you that this series will be thirty in number, and beginning in January each installment will be longer. We are pleased with the vigorous response to this series, and it is evident that the brother is saying much more than what has happened to him through the years.

Bethany College has announced a joint venture with Pepperdine University, a bicentennial conference on Alexander Campbell, to be held at Bethany, July 7-10. Speakers thus far identified are William Tucker of TCU, Bill Banowsky of Pepperdine, Perry Gresham of Bethany, and Leroy Garrett. Write Hiram Lester, Bethany College, Bethany, WV 26032 or call 304-829-7221 for further information.