READERS' EXCHANGE

 

It is truly sinful the way we have fragmented and divided Christ’s body by twisting scriptures. If we claim to have Christ in us, yet we love only those in our particular church, we are only fooling ourselves and breaking Christ’s commandments the same as if we were murderers or thieves. Our only salvation is to pray to God to fill our hearts with enough love to overcome the divisions made by man.—C. W. Weinsheimer

I still feel you are a lonely voice among us, but perhaps someday.—Jess Wilburn, Broken Bow, OK.

I feel that the Lord continues to open the eyes of many in Montgomery. I hope and pray that the message of love and fellowship that you teach may spread among our own people until we are filled with the Spirit and are truly united and at peace with all men.—James Hilyer, Montgomery, AL

So you were 60 Dec. 11. I was 58 the same date! Will give an extra harrah next year on the 11 tho I am strengthened by your attitude toward all believers. Hope someday to meet your whole family—Wayne Miller, Newton, IO

It looks as if 60 isn’t going to hurt you any. I pray the Lord will add a couple more scores to you, and that he has someone waiting to take your place. The Disciples Church here will be 150 years old in 1981 and the minister and I have talked about some way to celebrate that would involve both congregatrions.—L. D. Campbell, Florence, KY

The gospel cannot be made very convincing to non-Christians until we put aside our differences and begin to speak as a united voice on the broad basis of all the things on which we are in agreement. The Disciples of Christ came into being over 150 years ago because of the recognition that Christ’s church is essentially, intentionally, and constitutionally one, and that it is made up of all those everywhere who accept Christ in sincerity and who seek to be his disciples. I love my own church, the Park Avenue Christian Church in New York City, because it bears witness in this city to the one denomination in the world that has this understanding of its only reason for continued separate existence, i.e., to work for the unity of the whole church.—Comer Shacklell, Westfield, NJ

The prayer for your front cover was offered in the hope that someone might see the wisdom of bequeathing unto our children something higher, nobler, and grander than the feuds of our ancestors. May our children by God’s grace be given the courage to extricate themselves from the bondage to which so many of us fell prey in days gone by, when by an artful process of juggling, perverting, and taking scriptures out of context we were able to make it appear that the Good Shepherd had no sheep outside our tiny fold worthy of brotherly love and fellowship. It was then that our carnal mind became desensitized to the words: “Not only for these do I pray, but for all those that shall believe on my name, that they may be one as we are one, that they may be one in us, so that the world may believe that thou hast sent me” and “By this may all men know that you are my disciples, if ye have love one for another.”—Stewart Hanson, Sr., Long Beach, CA

It is 18 degrees and a roaring, raging blizzard. Old man winter wants us to know he is still in control, and just because we had a week or so of slow thaw and lost a foot or two of our snow depth (about one-half) we are not through with our ration for the season. We have had at least 12 inches since last evening and high winds, which means drifts up to five feet. We are to get at least six inches more before it blows out, and as of now (noon) all police agencies are ordering all places and all roads closed, for the crews can’t keep up. It looks as if we will have to be “unfaithful” and “forsake the assembly” tomorrow since I can’t find my car in the driveway. We have had 125 inches of snow this winter! What do you do when you are snowbound? I have been reading to Anna while she mixes up some food. Restoration Review of course!—Louis and Anna Blissett, Marquette, MI

(Note to our many California readers: Count your blessings!)