| READER'S EXCHANGE |
I would
like to put your and Ouida's picture in the Hall of Fame instead of under
glass on my desk alongside many of my favorite people. If it is the Lord's
will that we remain on this celestial globe that much longer,
your mother-in-law and I will celebrate our 92nd birthday on the
same day. — Stewart
Hanson, Sr., Long Beach, CA.
Tell
Ouida that a great many people out there would like to see her picture on
a regular basis. —
Michael Hall, Grand Junction, CO.
I
have read your writings since Bible
Talk days with interest and profit. 1 congratulate you on the
contribution you have made to a better understanding and to a better
attitude concerning the things of God. - Bill
Gahr, Fenton, MO.
Congratulations
on 35 years of publication. Forget 40 years. Let's go for 50! - Terry Fisher, Cincinnati, OH.
I
enjoyed the 35th Anniversary Edition. Mrs. Garrett's beauty makes your
charming references to
her in your essays
understatements. - Joe Bain,
Decatur, AL
I
discovered that our preacher had a copy of your book, The
Stone-Campbell Movement, and I read his copy from cover to
cover. I loved it and must have a copy of my own. I can honestly say
that I never learned so much from a single book. I always wanted to know
about this movement because I was raised in the church. Boy, was I
surprised to learn that the church of Christ as we know it will be 100
years old this month. I grew up thinking that we were the only Christians
because we followed the correct pattern. The spirit that I have seen has
been one of "We arc right, you are wrong, case closed, unless of
course you want to change." Thanks be to God that our attitude is
slowly changing. — Chris Kirklin, Pearland, TX.
I was pleased to receive your note expressing your desire to
print my remarks in your readers' column. You asked if I minded my name being used. I certainly do not mind. In fact,
you can capitalize it and print it in hot pink if you desire. This rabbit
is tired of hiding in the thickets. Use my name and let them release the
hounds. —
Randy Travis,
Madisonville, KY.
(Dr.
Travis' comments appeared in our September issue. I pass along this
additional comment so that you can see that at least some of our people
who long for change are willing to stand up and be counted. Once we grow
beyond the cowardly mentality of "Don't rock the boat!" the
changes we desire will come sooner. While I like Randy's metaphor about
the rabbit that is tired of hiding in the thickets, I also like the
prophet Malachi's imagery of those who find freedom from "the Sun of
Righteousness." He says, "You will be as free and happy as
calves let out of a stall" (Mal. 4:3 TEV). —Ed.)
I
really appreciate your publication. It constantly stretches my mind and
makes me think. I am renewing for two more years of enjoyable,
enlightening, and edifying reading. —Mark Cameron, Terre Haute, IN.
I
enjoyed attending a seminar on unity at Quaker Ave. Church of Christ in
Lubbock. J. Ervin Waters gave an eloquent review of the unique plea for
unity in our history. Re showed that our forefathers differed on just as
many and just as serious issues as we do, without
dividing. His thesis was that we have lost something precious which
the founders of the movement held in common. Surely he is right! — Curtis
Shelburne,
Muleshoe, TX.
(What
our pioneers had that we have lost is a passion for unity. Ervin Waters,
who is of the one-cup, non-Sunday School persuasion, is a good example of
one who has recovered that passion. — Ed.)