Truth Magazine

It was a typical August Sunday. Already hot when the sun came up. The drive out to the little white frame build- ing was uneventful. Someone had already opened all the windows and distributed the paper fans provided by the local funeral home. In those days there was almost always a noisy, rumbling window fan in one of the back windows. That was several years before air conditioning.

Attendance in worship was about 50. None of the men wore a coat and the only thing that distinguished the preacher was a necktie. And sometimes his tie came off too.

The sermon that morning was a study of: “The Corinthian Church.” When the invitation was extended, a young married couple came forward. We heard them confess their faith that Jesus is the son of God. We all rejoiced and there were the usual tears of joy by the parents of those about to become Christians.

When the service was dismissed, the brethren began to make plans to go to a member’s pond for the baptizing. As I remember there were only two church buildings with baptistries in the entire county. All of the country churches used rivers, creeks, lakes, and ponds year around. (Not bad in summer but bone chilling in winter.)

The church always used this brother’s pond and his wife kept an ample supply of all sizes of clothing both for men and women on hand for these occasions. Those about to be baptized would change clothing in the farmer’s bedrooms and then their clothing would be dry to wear home.

This was my first experience at this place and it left much to be desired. I led the young man out first. The bottom of the pond must have had at least four inches of thick, oozy, gooy mud. Each step was sloop, sloop, sloop, as one pulled his feet up and out of the mire for the next step. If that were not bad enough, the bottom of the pond was also covered with some kind of foot-high, grass-like vegetation. As you walked through that grass it felt like snakes must be swimming all around your legs.

We slugged our way out to a depth a little more than waist high, and there I baptized him. No problem! We made our way back to the bank, and the happy event was half over.

Now it was time to baptize the young lady. She was short and very, very heavy. It was immediately apparent that she was not accustomed to being in water such as this and with the mud and the water grass swirling around her legs, she was in fact terrified! With her weight and fear, I figured I needed more depth, so I led her out to where the water was pretty well up under her arm pits. Over and over I tried to calm and reassure her. I said what I had to say and proceeded to immerse her. As the water came up around her head and face, she panicked! It was obvious that if she could get out of my grasp she would head for the bank. I knew she really wanted to be baptized, but it occurred to me that as terrified as she was, if she got out of the water, it might be almost impossible to get her back. So, with one mighty thrust, I put her well down into the water! She came up like an explosion. It looked like she had at least three legs and four arms as she made for the shore.

As I remember, they did not bother to go in and change their clothes; they all jumped into their cars and sped away. That night none of them attended the service. I became a little uneasy. Were they all mad at me? Did they feel that I had mistreated her? The woman’s husband and father-in-law were pretty husky fellows. I weighed about 125 on a rainy day. Was I going to get whipped the next time we met?

No. It could not have worked out better. When they got home, they all agreed. Even though the lady had been terrified, she really wanted to be baptized. And, she had been. Mission accomplished. It was over. She was a Christian. She had obeyed the gospel and everyone was happy. Of course I knew nothing of their feelings.

By Johnie Edwards

The word “door” can be found about 173 times in the Bible. It is a study worth our time as it points out some valuable truths to us. Thus, we take a look at some doors of the Bible:

l. The Ark Door. When God gave Noah the “fashion” for the building of the ark, He said, “. . . and the door of the ark shalt thou set in the side thereof ” (Gen. 6:15-16). The ark door became the means of entrance into the ark from the flood-waters. After the ark was finished, the Bible says that “. . . the Lord shut him in” (Gen. 7:l6).

2. An Open Door. Even in the midst of many adversaries Paul was always looking for an open door to be able to teach others. He told the Corinthians, “But I will tarry at Ephesus until Pentecost. For a great door and effectual is opened unto me, and there are many adversaries” (1 Cor. l6:9). He further wrote, “Furthermore, when I came to Troas, to preach Christ’s gospel, and a door was opened unto me of the Lord” (2 Cor. 2:12). Every child of God ought to be looking for an open door or a door of opportunity to make people aware of the saving gospel of our Lord (2 Tim. 2:2; 1 Tim. 4:16).

3. Door Of Salvation. John recorded, “Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: If any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me” (Rev. 3:20). Jesus said, “I am the door” by me if any man enter in, he shall be saved . . .” (John l0:9). If we expect to be saved, we must come through the Christ-door if we expect to reach the Father (John 14:6).

4. Heaven’s Door. John said, “. . . I looked, and behold, a door was opened in heaven” (Rev. 4:l). Stephen of Acts 7:56 also saw heaven opened.

When I got the news that brother O.J. Willis had passed away, I must say that it had an effect on me. I got home the other afternoon and there was a message on the machine from Elsie Hale to let us know of his passing, and then I checked my e-mail and there was a message on a list service to which I subscribe from Mike Willis giving the information that I had just heard from Elsie. I must admit, that when I found out O.J. had passed away I had an emotional moment akin to those you feel when you have lost a close relative. My eyes welled up with tears for a few minutes and a touch of deep sadness filled my heart. I hadn’t seen O.J. in a number of years. For the past couple of years I had mentioned to my mother that we needed to go and visit him and Wilhelmina, but time just never was there. It’s sad too, because I don’t think he ever knew what kind of an influence he had on me, my brother, and other young folks that went to church in Groveton when he was there.

Often times living in Groveton when mom or pop would invite someone to attend services with us they would often say, “Oh, nothing but old folks go there,” as their excuse for not coming. I don’t think any of them meant it in a derogatory fashion, but the connotation was that as far as children were concerned, the Highway 287 church of Christ had only a handful, mainly my brother and myself. At times we longed for companionship at church of those in our own age group. We couldn’t go and spend the night at friends’ houses on Saturday night because we knew where we were supposed to be on Sunday morning, and going somewhere else wouldn’t be right. But, having grown up in a congregation with “nothing but old folks” I can see some true advantages I had over those who had a younger crowd to hang around with.

First of all, they taught us. In Bible classes they gave us solid information that came from years of experience in serving the Lord. In Deuteronomy 32:7 we have a reading from the “Song of Moses” where he says, “Remember the days of old, consider the years of many generations, ask your father and he will show you; your elders and they will tell you.” Having the benefit of the wisdom of these “old folks” was far better than having anyone our own age to play with. They helped to bring us to a maturity far greater than any amount of play with our peers could have. Someone once said, and I can’t remember who it was, “Those who do not learn about the past are destined to repeat it.” We learned about the past. The struggles they went through to maintain their faith and to fight the liberal influences that came their way. Far better teaching than we could have gotten anywhere else.

Second, they taught us the importance of brethren to one another. We all need each other, and we cannot deny it. Not only for our spiritual well-being, but in a lot of instances for our physical and mental well-being. In Hebrews 13:1, the Apostle Paul, if he is the writer of He- brews, and I believe that he is, states, “Let brotherly love continue.” A short verse, but filled with power. Many of these “old folks” didn’t have anyone but their brethren. Some had children who lived far away and they never really got to see them. When there was a problem they called one of their brethren. Romans 12:10 sates, “Be kindly affectionate to one another with brotherly love, in honor giving preference to one another.” I saw these “old folks” open their homes to one another. Take care of each other and love one another enough to say, “what’s mine is thine.” My mother always said that when she got old she hoped there was someone like O.J. and Wilhelmina Willis to take care of her. As I sit here and think about it I know of three brethren, right off the top of my head, they shared their home with for years.

There were many other things I learned from these “old folks” that would take too much space to mention. But one more thing is appropriate. In Revelation 2:10 Jesus said,  “. . .be thou faithful unto death, and I will give you the crown of life.” I learned faithfulness from these “old folks.” If people like O.J. and Wilhelmina, Jim Money, Butler Thompson, Madge Hill, James Turpin, Jody Harrott, Fred and Ruby Morris, and many others weren’t at the church building when the doors were open, we knew that they were sick and just couldn’t make it.

Hebrews 10:25 says, “Forsaking not the assembling of yourselves together as is the habit of some, and so much the more as you see the day approaching.” No matter how they felt, and many times they were in pain, agony, and misery, most of these “old folks” were in the assembly. Their bodies may have ached, their eyes may not have focused just right, their hands trembled many times, but they knew the rewards of faithful service to God, and I thank God that I was able to witness that faithfulness myself.

I suppose an ideal thing would be for children to have a good mix of “old folks” and their peers in the assembly. We need to go about and do our best to train children so that their will always be a faithful group of brethren teaching the truth. However, if and or when I ever have children of my own, if I have to make a choice between the congregation that has the high percentage of younger people or a high percentage of “old folks,” believe me, I choose the “old folks.” They did so much for me when I was young, and I want my children to have the benefits.

Two young boys were spending the night at their grandparents. At bedtime, the two boys knelt beside their beds to say their prayers when the youngest one began praying at the top of his lungs. “I pray for a new bicycle. I pray for a new play station. I pray for a new VCR.” His older brother leaned over and nudged him saying, “Why are you shouting your prayers? God isn’t deaf.” To which the little brother replied, “No, but Grandma is!”

Men who lead prayer in our public assemblies need to pray to God, not to the audience. Jesus said, “And when ye pray, ye shall not be as the hypocrites: for they love to stand and pray in the synagogues and in the corners of the streets, that they may be seen of men. Verily I say unto you, They have received their reward. But thou, when thou prayest, enter into thine inner chamber, and having shut thy door, pray to thy Father who is in secret, and thy Father who seeth in secret shall recompense thee. And in praying use not vain repetitions, as the Gentiles do: for they think that they shall be heard for their much speaking. Be not therefore like unto them: for your Father knoweth what things ye have need of, before ye ask him” (Matt. 6:5-8).

There is a real temptation, when leading public prayer, to pray to people rather than to God. We have all heard public prayers that preached a sermon. Another temptation is to make long prayers. The effort to extend a prayer will cause one to repeat the same things over and over. I believe Jesus referred to this as vain repetitions.

To avoid these temptations, do we stop having public prayers? The answer is no! We should pray at every opportunity and what better opportunity than when the whole church is come together in one place? The solution is to always remember that prayer, public or private, is a means by which Christians approach the throne of God. The nature of prayer is not for preaching lessons. It certainly isn’t a time for self-aggrandizement or to appeal to personal vanity.

It makes me wonder if men who lead public prayers haven’t forgotten that it is God who answers prayer not other men. I fear we are like the boy in our little story. We think if we are to get what we want, it must come from the people who hear us. God and God alone can grant our petitions provided they are within the scope of his will.

After giving the aforementioned warning, Jesus then gives a model prayer. After this manner therefore pray ye. Our Father who art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done, as in heaven, so on earth. Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors. And bring us not into temptation, but deliver us from the evil (one)” (Matt. 6:9-13). The prayer is profoundly simple.

We don’t need to only confine ourselves to the model. For example, we cannot pray, Thy kingdom come, for it has already come. It is the church. We do need to pray from the heart to God, not from the street corners to be heard by men.