Old Paths Advocate - Church of Christ

PAGE EIGHT THE OLD PATHS ADVOCATE JANUARY, 1946
s$d preachers and leaders were afraid that they
themselves might be criticised by someone.
Recently a number of boys of the Church of
Christ have come back from the Army and the
general rule with these boys is that they either
are-not interested in the church, or, theymake a
full acknowledgement of their wrongs. I have
taken the confessions of some of these boys, and
I have just wondered how I would feel about it
if I had been the preacher that told the boys to
go ahead into the Army. I surely would hate to
be guilty of advising one to do something, and
then be the one who took their confession of
wrong doing as a result of it! It seems to me that
anyway preachers of the gospel should be big
enough to not have to “turn their coat” every
time a war is declared and again every time peace
is declared. What a vast difference it would make
if even all of those who claim to believe in Christ
would agree with Him on the war question!
May the Lord help us to be “strong in the Lord
and in the power of His might” (Eph. 6 :lo).
-Homer A. Gay.
ITEMS WORTHY OF MENTION
I was with the little congregation at Oak Grove
the 2nd Lord’s day in November, and like John
I rejoiced. greatly to find them walking in the
Truth, Bs we have received the commandment of
the Father (2nd Jno. 4).
If you remember, this is where Brother Lynn-
wood Smith and I did some mission work in Sep-
tember and October with good results. They are
blessed with several male members who have a
mind to work for the Lord. I am to be with them
next Lord’s day and will go to a near by c‘ommun-
ity,church house for the evening service where I
have been invited to preach. We expect to go
there monthly. I feel this is a door of opportun-
ity. Brethern pray for me that I may make it
manifest as I ought to speak (Col. 4:3-4).
I closed a good meeting of eight days duration
at Graham, Oklahoma, November 26. This meet-
ing ‘started under very peculiar circumstances.
This congregation was started about 15 years ago
as a result of a division at the Bit Shop congre-
gation over the way the bread in the communion
should be broken. Since that time they have
used preachers who advocate the breaking of the
bread in two pieces for the communion, as well
as Sunday School and cups preachers. Recently
I mas requested by one of the leaders to assume
the leadership of the congregation and take
charge of the keys to the church house, contri-
bution, etc. This I refused to do until it was put
before the membership. It was arranged for me
to preach there Lord’s day evening, November
19. My subject was on True Worship. The mem-
bers assured me that they believed that I had pre-
sented the truth. We continued the meeting till
the following Lord’s day at which time ten con-
fessed their faults. Eleven restored in all. The
leaders decided they could not worship with us
and resigned. We hope that we can sometime
convince them of the truth.
Someone is going each Lord’s day to assist them
until the time when they develop leadership suf-
ficiently to carry on themselves. The Healdton
congregation was a great help in this meeting for
which we are grateful, both for the moral and
financial support. The Bit Shop congregation was
also a great help. To God be all the praise.
Brother J. D. Elmore is back home after a long
absence as a non-combatant, for which we are
thankful. He is a good teacher and will be a
great help here. He gave us a splendid lesson last
Lord’s day evening at Healdton.
Brother Jessie French was also with us re-
cently. He had just lost his mother for which
we sympathize with him, but with all he had to
bear he gave us a splendid lesson on Christian
Duties. We appreciated it very much. I am sure,
if nothing happens to him, he will become one
of our strongest defenders of the truth.
Singing School:- I have not heard directly
from but a few, kelative to the singing nor-
mal at Ardmore. However, I have heard through
others of a number who contemplate attending.
We are going forward with the plans. I have
been corresponding with C. T. McCormack of Dal-
las. He comes highly recommended by J. R. Bax-
ter of the Stamps Baxter Music Co. He is a
preacher of the Church of Christ and is thorough-
ly acquainted with our needs in a school of this
kind. Mr. Baxter says “he knows every phase
of the song work,” and I think he is reasonable
in his price. So, Brethren, we have the place and
the instructor now the question is, shall we have
the school? If so, let me know by hearing from
you. I have no way of knowing for certain what
you want unless you write me. I would suggest
that the school be held sometime in April, if that
is suitable or not suitable to the most who wish
to attend, let me know.
Brother Lynnwood Smith came by on his way
to Wac0 from a meeting. We called most of the
members together and sang, prayed and enjoyed
each other’s Christian fellowship. The congre-
gation here is always glad to have Lynnwood
come by. He is loved and appreciated here.
The get-to-gether meeting at Sulphur the sec-
ond Lord’s day in November for the pueose of
discussing the mission. work in Oklahoma, was
an inspiration to all who attended. Brother J. N.
Hawkins and Brother McNeal both of Oak Grove
accompanied me to this meeting. There were a
number of congregations represented there but
there were a number who were not there. What
is the matter brethren? Haven’t you heard the
Macedonian call? The next meeting is to be held
in the spring at Ada. I hope to see all the loyal
congregations in Oklahoma represented at that
time.
If this does not prove too lengthy and the Pdb-
lisher and Editors of the Old Paths Advocate
think it is worthy of publication, I may come
again sometime under. the same heading.
-Tom E. Smith.
Oratory: the art of making deep noises from
the chest sound like important messages from the
brain.-.H. I. Philips.
JANUARY, 1946
Batsell Moore, -Minersville, Calif., Nov. 21.-I
enjoyed a visit to Oregon recdntly. The check
through the OPA- was much appreciated. There
is nothing definite as to when I may be discharg-
ed from camp.
J. B. Lasater, Jr., 3439 NW 17th. St., Okla. City,
Okla., Nov. 23.-We are really well pleased with
the faithful church in this place. It seems that
all are willing to do anything they believe to be
right.
Lee R. Williams, 234 W. Cherokee, McAlester,
Okla., Nov. 22.-We had a good meeting with
Bro. Kirbo doing the preaching. The result was
one confession of faults. Last Lord’s day, I bap-
tized one. We want to complete our house in the
spring.
Carbs B. Smith Rte. 1, Wesson, Miss., Nov. 21.
-1 was with the faithful brethren at Lawrence-
burg, Tenn., the first Lord’s day, inst., which I
enjoyed. I was with the brethren at Hammond,
La., last Lord’s day. They continue to carry on
in the Bible way, asking the prayers of the breth-
ren.
C. C. Brown, 1016 So., 8th. St., Yakima, Wash-
ington, Dec. 14.-We are still carrying on the
services in the Bible way in our home. We were
glad to have Bro. and Sister Claud Adair and son
visit us in October. We enjoy the OPA very much,
also the book of sermons, Old Paths Pulpit.
L. T. Cryer, Rte. 4 Box 758, San Angelo, Texas,
Dec. 14.-The church here is doing fine. Bro. Reed
Chappell preaches for us once a month. He is do-
ing good work. I hope you are well Bro. King,
but the flu is raging here, and very few families
have escaped it.
Clyde Middick, Davidson, Oklahoma, Dec. 14.-
Brother Bill Rhoden, from Okla. City, was with
us recently, preaching Saturday night and Sun-
day for us. All seemed to enjoy his lessons. We
are enclosing a check for $25.00 to the boys serv-
ing in CPS Camps. .
John L. Reynolds, Ceres, Calif. December 11.-
I preached at Woodlake over Lord’s day recently,
and the interest was the very best, with several
outsiders present, also some from the S. S. breth-
ren. So, I think, all know where and why we
stand as we do now. I feel certain the church in
Woodlake is in a position to grow now, that they
are united. The brethren there extend a hearty.
welcome to all the faithful preachers in Calif. to
come by and preach for them.
THE OLD PATHS ADVOCATE PAGE NINE
Ervin, Waters, 4436 Whittier Blvd., Los An-
geles, 22, Calif., Dec. 14.-Bro. Chester King and
I held a meeting at Glendora, Calif., Nov. 18-Dec.
2. Dec. 9, I preached at Taft for the first time
in over three years, and that night heard Bro.
Thomas at Montebello. May the Lord help us to
exert a greater effort for unity and progress
during the coming year.
M. T. Orear, Rte. 1, Box 302-A, Marysville, Cal-
ifornia, Dec. 18.-For building a place of worship
at Marysville, we have received the following con-
tributions: Church of Christ, Siskiyou St., Los
Angeles--$25.00 ; Whiteharrell church, Levelland,
Texas-$50.00 ; Brother Foy Wilks-$5.00 ; An-
other party-$40.00. We wish to thank all for
their liberality in helping us to build a place of
worship.
E. H. Miller 1003 Truitt Ave., LaGrange, Ga.,
Dec. 13.-The church here continues to grow in
number. I baptized two more last week-end,
making 15 who have obeyed the gospel in the
past two months. About all of these baptized are
from new families who have become interested.
One who obeyed last Lord’s day comes from a
family of eleven, which gives hope of others com-
ing in. We are certainly having fine crowds and
interest. We pray it may continue.
Lee R. Williams, 234 W. Cherokee, McAlester,
Okla., Dec. 15.-I recently baptized a young lady
here. I‘just received the Old Paths Advocate, and
I want ten more copies of this issue. Yes,@and I
want ten copies each month thereafter for at least
a year. I want to scatter them over this town. I
am placing one of the sermon books in the Library
here, and I am passing one out myself. We shall
be glad to have you’come by, Bro. King.
Ray Asplin, 2835 NW 11th. St., Okla. City,
Okla., Dec. 3.-Since I recovered from my illness
this summer, I have been assisting the congrega-
tions at Maud and at Stroud. We were made very
sad over the passing of our good Brother Everett
at Maud, but we know that, “Blessed are the dead
who dies in the Lord-and their works do follow
them.” The little church at Stroud, where Bro.
Robertson held a mission meeting last summer
are meeting in the City Hall. We plan to help
these new and weak places all we can.
Jesse French, CPS No. 107, Three Rivers, Calif.,
Dec. 11.-Recently, I was at my home, Davidson,
Oklahoma, due to the death of my mother. I
want to thank the brethren, of Wichita Falls,
Healdton, and Carter, for their kindness and
sympathy shown to me and my sister. While in
that part I gave two lessons at Carter and one at
Healdton. Since returning to Calif., I gave a les-
son at Parlier, and next Lord’s day I am to be at
Sanger. Bro. Luke Robertson was inducted into
this camp last week. While we are sorry hehad
to come to camp, yet we are glad he is with us,
since he had to go somewhere. Pray for us. We
thank all’for the financial help.
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