Truth Magazine

By James R. Cope

About 7:45 Sunday morning, August 28, the spirit of the beloved Paul Andrews took its flight from time to eternity. He was 62. For several years Paul had not been in the robust health characterizing his earlier life. A few months ago phlebitis gave him considerable trouble but he seemingly pulled out of that bout, went back to the pulpit, class work, and his incessant personal work program. Near midnight of the 24th he returned to the hospital but gradually his heart signaled that it could carry its burden no longer. He fell asleep in Jesus. Some months ago the North Boulevard church asked him to serve as an elder. In many ways he had been one of the shepherds of this flock from its beginning fourteen years ago. He never knew what it was not to try to do more if he thought it would advance the kingdom.

To know Paul Andrews was not only to love him; it was to respect and admire him. Evidence of the esteem in which he was held in the Tampa area was seen the evening before his burial when more than 600 people passed his casket in a Tampa funeral home – a far-and-away record for this home, one of the oldest and most popular in Tampa. The large North Boulevard church building was overflowing for the service the afternoon of August 30. Following the services, not less than 250 persons drove some 15 miles to Garden of Memories, for the burial service conducted by Tommy Andrews, the son of Frank, Paul’s brother.

In the meeting house assembly the arrangement was for Sewell Hall to lead the congregation in singing -spiritual songs at the beginning and ending of the service and between the remarks made in order by me, Harry Johnson and Ed Harrell. Roland H. Lewis led in prayer. Harry Johnson, very close personal friend, spoke of Paul’s influence over him as representative of the great number Paul worked with and encouraged in their lives for Jesus. Ed Harrell used several verses from Hebrews 11 and 12 as reflecting the life of our departed brother to motivate those present to “run with patience the race that is set before us.” My efforts were reflective of Paul’s wide influence in Hillsborough County over thousands during the 40 years he spent here.

Nom in Hazel Green, Alabama, Paul was one of twelve children, divided equally among girls and boys, and each of the males become a gospel preacher. At Dasher, (Ga.) Bible School he met Doris Copeland, a Tampa girl. Tampa soon became their home and, since Paul had earlier lost his father, Lloyd Copeland became a father to his new son-in-law. It was a Ruth – Naomi relationship between two men and continued with a growing devotion.

When Florida College opened its first session in the fall of 1946 Paul Andrews was the first to enroll. He later served in and for awhile voluntarily supervised the physical education program. He promoted and for many years directed the summer camp. Each of his children grew up in the school.

The College was not Paul’s first love. He knew the difference between the role of a Christian as a parent and his role as a simple teacher of God’s word in every relationship of life. He was foremost a preacher and teacher of that word and spent the greater portions of his life-span in advancing the kingdom of God.

For just over forty years Paul Andrews lived and labored in Hillsborough County, Florida. He worked on a regular basis with eight different churches and was instrumental in starting others including Drew Park, North Street and North Boulevard. If Tampa had a John T. Lewis within the last 25 years Paul Andrews was that man. In his four decades here, in addition to his labors with Sulphur Springs, Antioch and Dover, he spent six years with Belmont, six with McDill, one with Florence Villa, 14 with North Street and 13 with North Boulevard.

Paul’s success in personal work was remarkable. Actually, it was astounding! Shortly before he left North Street he told me that he had baptized more than 600 people while there. It is estimated that he baptized some 300 at North Boulevard. I doubt not that in his years in Hillsborough County Paul Andrews baptized more people into Christ than all of the other preachers combined. Some of these converts fell from grace but not because Paul fail ed to put forth a determined effort to save them if he knew of their departure. It should be remembered that many of those he baptized moved to other areas, taking with them the gospel learned at Paul’s feet and have become forces of spiritual strength in their newly found communities.

Today there are 28 churches in Hillsborough County standing for the simple gospel and the simple organization, work and worship of God’s people, free from the innovations and, digressive teachings which have turned multitudes from the New Testament pattern in the last 30 years. There is not one of these churches which has not felt the constructive influence of Paul Andrews in the 40-year period he has lived and loved and labored in this area.

This man was careful to make everything according to the New Testament pattern. He wanted it all straight down the line without compromise in any point. Kind to the core, he was at the same time firm from center to circumferance. He was a builder, not a wrecker of God’s work; a healer of wounds, not a trouble maker. He knew how to motivate babes in Christ and succeeded unbelievably. He was not a “meddler in other men’s matters”; no “gossip.” He tended to his work in the church employing him as an evangelist and expected every other church and preacher to do the same. The Lord’s business was his business and he was a busy man. His results prove him no sluggard. Withal, the night was never too dark nor the hour too late for his time and attention to be shared with any person needing his consideration and counsel.

Truly, “There is a prince and a great man fallen this day in Israel.” The number of Paul’s generation is lessening, the ranks are thinning. His example of quiet but effective labors should challenge all ages to a life of unreserved commitment in work and his pure life should motivate all to holiness of conduct. As we observe his large footprints upon the sands of time we can profitably reflect that a giant walked here!

Guardian of Truth XXVII: 19, pp. 591-592
October 6, 1983

By Dudley Ross Spears

If you can stretch your imagination for a second or SO, try to imagine that you believe the Lord will soon come secretly and steal His saints out of the world in a mysterious and miraculous way. Here you are, a faithful saint and suddenly, in the twinkling of an eye, you are changed and transported into all the happiness you can imagine. You are in the glorious rapture. You have an immortal body.

Now, you learn that after seven years, you have to go back to the earth with the Lord to stop a great, bloody war that covers the earth. Not only that, but you must be again a mortal if you go into the millennium with Christ after He wins the war. Can you imagine the confusion you will experience. “But, Lord, I like it here,” you say – and why not tell the Lord that? But the Lord says, “Well, you have to march right back down to earth so that we can the win war and let the Jewish nation have another crack at accepting the kingdom.” “Well, how long will it be before we can get back into this place of happiness and back into this body that is immortal?” you might ask. “A thousand years,” the Lord replies. What a disappointment! You were headed in the right direction, nearly got what you had worked for all your life on earth, only to have to come back again. Such, my friends is an insult to the Lord and His purpose for man. But it is the consequence of a foolish speculation based on obscure passages by, unstable interpreters of the Bible.

Guardian of Truth XXVII: 19, p. 590
October 6, 1983

By Nice A. McDonald

In a previous article we called attention to the Apostle Paul’s statement in 1 Corinthians 14:15, “I will sing with the spirit, and I will sing with the understanding also.” We tried to emphasize the importance of understanding what we sing in our worship to God. Night, With Ebon Pinion is the subject of this lesson; it is normally sung before partaking of the Lord’s Supper.

We believe it would be safe to say that a majority of the members of the Lord’s Church could not explain the meaning of the words of this song. The reason for making such a statement is that we have asked several song leaders to explain the meaning, but none has explained its meaning so far. We will attempt to shed some light on this subject.

Verse I says, “Night, with ebon pinion, Brooded o’er the vale; All around was silent, Save the night wind’s wail, When Christ, the man of sorrows, In tears and sweat as blood, Prostrate in the garden, Raised His voice to God.”

To come to an understanding of this song we need to first define some of the words. Ebon – Dark; Pinion – A Wing: Brood or Brooded — to sit as a bird over (eggs or young); Vale – a valley. In other words – Night like a dark wing (ebon pinion) covered the garden (brooded vale), much like a hen would cover her chickens under her wing; all around was silent, save the night wind’s wail.

In Matthew 23, after having denounced the Jews for their unbelief, a great sadness can be detected in the voice of Jesus as He says in verse 37, “O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, thou that killest the prophets and stonest them that are sent unto thee, how often would I have gathered thy children together, even as a hen gathereth her chickens under her wings, and ye would not?” It is possible the songwriter had this kind of analogy in mind when he wrote the preceeding words; because Jesus, having a knowledge of what was going to happen to Him, went to the garden to find solace in its friendly confines. Jesus had feelings of deep despair and dread, and the darkness enfolded Christ as he humbly bowed in prayer to God. Luke 22:44 tells us – “And being in an agony he prayed more earnestly; and his sweat became as it were great drops of blood falling down upon the ground.”

In verse 2, we rind that Jesus was smitten for offenses which were not His but ours. Paul tells us in Romans 12:15 to “weep with them that weep.” Our Lord had no one to weep with Him, His disciples were asleep. So with the darkness covering Him, He went to the ultimate source of comfort – He went to God in prayer.

In verse 3, our Savior asks the Father, “if indeed it may, Let this cup of anguish pass from me, I pray; yet if it must be suffered, By me, Thine only Son, Abba, Father, Father, let thy will be done. ” We need to always remember the last line of verse 3, not only in our singing but when we pray and also in our daily activities.

We hope this will in some way be helpful in our understanding of Night With Ebon Pinion and in so doing make our worship more fulfilling and acceptable to God. We would also like to thank brother Wayde E. Miller for this consultation on this topic.

Guardian of Truth XXVII: 19, p. 588
October 6, 1983

By Loren N. Raines

Paul made it clear to the church at Thessalonica that before Christ’s second coming there would come a “falling away first.” History makes it clear that a great apostasy has taken place. We have found that the causes of this apostasy were both external and internal, and that these causes resulted in both a falling away from the church, and a falling away of the church. Every Christian should know something about the course which this great apostasy took.

First, there was a departure in organization. Not many years passed after the church was established until there began to be a distinction between the “clergy” (preachers) and the “laity” (members). Preachers elevated themselves to a pedestal, became men of “the cloth,” and insisted that the “laity” call them “Reverend.” Many preachers today still do the same thing. Prior to that they insisted upon being called “Father,” many still do. They ignore the instruction of Jesus, “And call no man your father upon the earth: for one is your Father, which is in heaven” (Mt. 23:9). Any student of the Bible knows that God makes no such distinction, and that a preacher is no better than any member, unless he does better. We should not overlook the fact that the word “reverend” occurs but once in the Bible, and that it is used of God only (Psa. 111:9). No man is worthy of such a distinction.

About the same time there began to be a distinction made between bishops and presbyters. In the Bible the terms are used interchangeably, referring to the same office. Today we usually speak of them as elders. In each congregation the elder with the most seniority, and perhaps with the greatest leadership ability, took the title of “Bishop.” The other elders were just recognized as elders or presbyters. The bishops extended their authority beyond the local church, assuming authority over lesser congregations, and created a diocese. Later the bishops of the largest cities took the name “metropolitians” and assumed the power of presidency over bishops of more limited jurisdiction. They began to look upon themselves as successors of the apostles, and by the middle of the second century they held almost absolute authority in the church. These bishops took under their jurisdiction all smaller and less influential congregations in a given district.

The next logical step in the development of a super organization was to combine all the districts in each province and to elevate one man, known as archbishop, to become head over the entire province. Then, two or more provinces, perhaps in some cases all of a small nation, were placed under a still more powerful man known as a cardinal. There now remained but one step to make the organization complete.

About the year 606 A.D. one man, known as pom was given complete jurisdiction over the entire religious world. The hierarchy was now complete, with a priest over the local congregation, a bishop over a district, an archbishop over a province, one or more cardinals over a nation, and a pope over the world. Any group of people so well and effectively organized should be able to accomplish much. And they did, but the things they achieved were not authorized by, nor in accord with the Scriptures.

At first the power of the pope was merely religious. But nothing can satiate the thirst for power but more power. The pope began to reach out for power over the state. This insatiable thirst for power soon resulted in the union of church and state. It was not too long until the pope became sufficiently powerful that he could and aid crown and uncrown kings and emperors.

The ultimate in power and arrogance came when the pope was declared infallible, that is, when he spoke ex cathedra, or from his papal throne, his pronouncements could not be questioned. According to this apostate church there was now one head in heaven, Christ; and one head upon earth, the pope. Hence they had a-body with two heads – what a monstrosity!

How different from the simplicity of the gospel plan which provides for each congregation to be under local elders, completely autonomous and independent of every other congregation, being guided only by the New Testament, and taking its orders only from Christ, the real and only Head. Let us take heed. Any departure from the faith, however small, will have a tendency to grow. Let us speak and act only as the oracles of God (1 Pet. 4:11).

Guardian of Truth XXVII: 19, p. 587
October 6, 1983