READERS' EXCHANGE

 

For many years I was among those opposed to instruments. One of the arguments was that Eph. 5:19 specifies “psalming” to be done in the heart, thereby excluding the instrument. If we apply such reasoning consistently, then Col. 3:16 excludes the use of our voices, for there the singing is to be done “in the hearts.” It also seems strange to me that if we are to sing the psalms, we cannot be prohibited from doing what the psalms enjoin, which includes praise to God on instruments.—J. D. Flanagin, Brownwood, Tx.

(Such letters as these suggest to me that Church of Christ folk are taking a closer look at their old arguments and are not exactly buying them. They are thinking more for themselves, and that is healthful, whatever conclusion is finally reached. I get the distinct impression that the Churches of Christ generally are becoming less dogmatic on the instrument question. I suspect in time that while our people will continue to be acappella, except perhaps in marriage chapels, the non-use of instrumental music will simply be “the way we do it” and will be a non-issue in terms of fellowship. —Ed.)

I think I see a widespread opening of hearts and minds to Christ and I trust God to take advantage of our mellowing convictions and softened hearts.—Jeff Hicks, Johnson Bible College, Knoxville, Tn.

It was suggested at our last meeting that we study your new “Movement book” this fall in our sessions, and I think it is a good idea. One minister, Brint Simmons at Blanchard, said he just couldn’t lay the book down until it was finished.—Darrell Bolin, Lock Haven, Pa.

(Dear friends of mine here in Denton received the following letter from their married daughter, who, along with her husband, works in a children’s home in California, sponsored by Churches of Christ. They thought it would encourage the readers of this journal who are struggling to rear Christian children.—Ed.)

Dear Mom and Dad,

I have just spent a good part of my afternoon cutting up fresh strawberries, which flooded my mind with memories of home. Isn’t it amazing what little things can trigger such great memories of home? Snapping beans, fresh fruit, even washing lettuce makes me think of home. I wish I could really share how my mind was overwhelmed with the tastes, senses, smells, etc. that I associate with you two.

I just want to thank you both again for giving me such sweet memories to recall, instead of the ugly ones the kids in this home have. Every day I live with these kids, I realize more and more what a lucky minority we were! You’ve given me an inner earthly security, and you pointed the way to Him who is the source of eternal security. Your child now “rises up and calls you blessed.” How I wish for the unhappy twisted souls I live with that they could have experienced what I did. I love you dearly. Linda.

(This letter brings to my mind a scene from my experience as a professor. Once when teaching a small class of older students, I asked each to say something about himself or herself. A married woman, now with children of her own, chose to tell us that she had been reared by her grandparents. Tears welled up in her eyes as she whispered aloud, God bless their memory! One blesses her parents, the other was blessing her grandparents. This will encourage even more of our readers. Blessings or not, we must all hang in and do our best, parents and grandparents alike.—Ed.)

As I see it, we really have no legitimate reason for our existence as a separate body, except as we work for the unity of the whole church. Christian unity is our business, and we cannot claim to have any other. The most urgent need in the world today is for the church to start being the church and to start exemplifying in its life the authentic Christian way. Only in this way can unbelievers ever really know what Christianity is. As long as the church speaks with contradictory voices from dozens of different sects, unbelievers cannot be expected to hear the authentic gospel. There is no more important work in the world today than the work of convincing the divided church that this condition of disunity is actually a denial of its true work.—Name withheld

I am not well versed in the history of the Restoration movement. But this I know: the movement bears little resemblance to the movement as it was in the days of the great pioneers, who would not be allowed to preach in many ‘brotherhood’ churches today because of views they held. For all practical purposes, the Restoration movement has been sabotaged and virtually destroyed by men who abandoned the real purpose and genius of the movement to make of it an extremely exclusivist sect. Ignorance was a factor, I am sure, but no doubt ulterior personal motives were also a factor. We have many among us today who deplore the Pope in Rome, but who wish nothing so much as to be ‘pope’ in the ‘brotherhood,’ men who are totally possessed of a ‘big duck, small puddle’ complex. They demand that their opinions at every point must be the index of orthodoxy, and they love to ‘disfellowship’ and to ‘disqualify’ most of society as candidates for salvation. They have sought diligently to prevent you and Carl Ketcherside from having a fair hearing. They do not want to understand you, and they do not want anyone else to understand you. They want total mind-control over the ‘brotherhood.’

I do think these ecclesiastical bully-boys are losing their influence, and I say, less power to them. I hope your new book will strike a blow for liberty and better understanding of how we arrived at the sad state we now are in, and help recover the irenic spirit of earlier days.—(Name and address withheld)

(The above is part of a confidential letter to me by a brother who is very well acquainted in Church of Christ circles. He has said so well what needs to be said that we pass it along to you. As for his expectation that my history book will lay bare certain facts about how we got into this mess, I am glad to report that It does! You had better get your copy by writing to us at once.—Ed.)

We enjoyed very much your June Issue. “On Being Kin to Jesus” was especially inspirational. Another subscriber and I shared the article with two Christian friends during our lunch hour at work. One is a Baptist and one is Church of God. The four of us get together at least once a week to share ideas and experiences.—Phil Elam, Red Bank. Tn.

(Isn’t it great for believers to get together and talk about Jesus! In these parts it is more likely to be the Cowboys. And this is the way to have your own unity movement. It is Jesus and his love that unites us. Nothing else will.—Ed.)

The Clifford church has 8 or 9 speakers now. We oppose the one-man preacher system. We have one brother 93 years old who is part of our teaching program. With the help of almighty God we have defied the critics and proven that God’s system works. We have put into actual practice the system you and brother Ketcherside advocated in the 1950’s. - Mack Rife, Box 183, Richlands, Va. 24641.

We participated in a Round Robin pulpit exchange involving six churches in Conway. I spoke at the First Methodist Church, and the minister of another Methodist church spoke for us. We regarded it as most wholesome.—J. Harold Thomas, College Church of Christ, Conway, Ar.