Truth Magazine

By Mike Willis

A train was parked on a steep incline with many passengers aboard. All were in merriment as they awaited their trip toward New Jerusalem. While the train was parked and quietly resting, several of the well known men on the train went to the rear of the cars and began to release the brakes on the train. The train began to creep forward.

Several of those on board who were more alert to their circumstances felt the first movements of the train, jumped off and started shouting, “Jump off the train!” Others tried to put the brakes back into a locked position but were unsuccessful in doing so. They began to shout, “Runaway train! Everyone jump off!” A few more on the train jumped off the train but the large majority of the people continued their merrymaking.

Some of those who had jumped off the runaway train ran along beside the track begging other passengers to jump off while they still had the time. Most of the passengers on board the train thought these men were a bunch of alarmists and ignored them.

The train began to build up speed as it continued down the mountain side. At first, the passengers thought that this was just the normal acceleration of the train. Soon, however, they perceived their sad plight. They were racing toward disaster. Many more were ready to jump off the runaway train but now they were afraid to jump. The train was going too fast; they were afraid they would be hurt in jumping off. Besides, they would be leaving their friends and relatives if they did decide to jump off the train. Too, some thought they should stay behind and try to stop the runaway train.

The train was doomed. It was going so fast that it was impossible for it not to jump track, wreck, and kill its passengers. Those on board the train were doomed.

Interpretation of the Parable

The train represents the church of the Lord Jesus Christ. The Lord’s people boarded the train and were headed for the . New Jerusalem, heaven. If, things had continued as God had planned, the train would have arrived there on schedule. However, someone loosed the brakes and the train began its runaway. The well known men who loosed the brakes were men such as Guy N. Woods, Batsell Barrett Baxter, W. L. Totty, G. C. Brewer, Clifton Inman and many others.

They loosed the brakes on the Lord’s church when they contended that there was no pattern for evangelism and where there was no pattern there could be no digression. Consequently, these men who formerly opposed the church support of missionary societies began to organize their own missionary society which operated through the Highland Church of Christ in Abilene, Texas and which was known as the Herald of Truth. A historian in the liberal Disciples of Christ movement, which has used church-supported societies for over a hundred years, could see what Woods, Baxter, Inman and others cannot see; he described the churches of Christ as becoming involved in “orphans homes and other multimillion-dollar `missionary societies by other names’ at Abilene and Lubbock” (A. T. Degroot, The Restoration Principle (St. Louis: Bethany Press, 1960), p. 160). Others who should have known better from the history of previous apostasy wanted to get the church involved in the support of colleges. When this failed, they diverted attention from the college to the orphans’ home. Before long, the churches were sending contributions to the orphans’ home. Brother Baxter wrote a pamphlet in which he stated,

Some who are agreed that the church can contribute to an orphans’ home are not convinced that the church can contribute to a Christian school. It is difficult to see a significant difference so far as principle is concerned. The orphans’ home and the Christian school must stand or fall together.

The brakes were released and the train was now rolling. Some brethren began to oppose the’ digression which they saw in the church. Men such as Roy E. Cogdill, C. D. Plum, Franklin Puckett, Luther Blackmon, James R. Cope, Cecil Willis, Connie Adams, James P. Needham and a host of others tried to get this stopped. They could not.

At first, the matters over which brethren argued seemed immaterial to the vast majority of brethren. Indeed, they considered the matter just a preacher fight. Consequently, they did not get alarmed at the cries of “Runaway train!” or “The church is headed toward digression!” These were mere alarmists among them, so they thought.

Yet, the train was definitely moving. Surely, they thought, this is just the acceleration of the church as it is moving in its local work. The train began to move faster and faster. Things began to occur in the local churches which alarmed even the most unconcerned among them. Things were changing. The church was now sponsoring recreational activities; why some even wanted to build a recreation room in the building. Though some thought about jumping off the train, they persuaded themselves that all was well and that they really did not need to be worrying.

The preaching was beginning to change rather noticeably as well. The denominations were no longer being exposed as proponents of false doctrine. As a matter of fact some of the more aggressive preachers were going to the denominations to find out how they were having as much “success” as they were having. The day of “book, chapter and verse” preaching was rapidly drawing to a close as well. The sermons were becoming sermonettes filled with anecdotes and illustrations. Even the missionary society, I mean Herald of Truth, was becoming watered down. Some of the programs sponsored by the Herald of Truth had decided not to mention the name “Church of Christ” or even the name, of Jesus lest it turn someone off. The sermon topics were becoming more and more socially oriented. Bible preaching was gone. But, as Baxter so ably put it, after a person reviews all this evidence, “then he must make a very simple decision. Either he must stand with the criticisms and vote to stop the program, or he must stand with the (Highland church, Abilene) elders and vote for the program to continue” (Batsell Barrett Baxter letter ‘To Whom It May Concern,” on David Lipscomb College letterhead, November 26, 1973). Each person riding the train must stay on board or jump off — “a very simple decision.” Baxter, like most other riders, said that he intended to stay on board.

Before long, the attendance began to lag, so all sorts of devices had to be invented to keep the attendance up. They had all sorts of special services: Mother’s Day, Father’s Day, Oldest-Person-Here Day, Youngest-Person-Here Day, Grandmother’s Day, etc. Special singing groups were brought in to draw the crowd and entertain the people. Soon, even this began to have little success. So, the Bus Ministry was invented. The churches began to buy used school buses, re-paint them, and name them “Joy Buses.” Then, special organizations were devised in the local church to promote the bus ministry. Bus Captains went through the neighborhoods passing out candy and other treats to bribe, I mean persuade, the children to ride the “Joy Bus.” Sometimes, they would hide a five dollar bill under one of the seats to encourage the children to ride the Joy Bus. On many occasions, the bus would stop at Dairy Queen, McDonalds, Burger Chef, or some other fast food restaurant as a special treat to get more riders. Some had even resorted to allowing the bus captain who brought the most riders to the services to hit one of the elders in the face with a cream pie at one of the services of the Lord’s church. Indeed, the train was now going break-neck speed as it raced down the hill of denominationalism toward the abyss of hell.

Many of the passengers were wanting off. To get off, however, was not easy. The preacher who wanted to get off knew that he would be losing his support if he jumped off the runaway train. Many of the members could not stand the thought of leaving their friends and relatives (especially their children) behind and endure the ridicule of those with whom they once worshipped. Tao; many did not know that there was any other alternative. From the descriptions which they had heard of that little radical group of “anti’s” they did not desire to be a part of them.

As the train continued its race down the hill of denominationalism, many of the older men began to get more and more alarmed. The train which they had unbraked was only supposed to move a few miles; it was not supposed to go this far or this fast. Men like W. L. Totty, Fred Dennis, Garland Elkins, Thomas Warren, Ira Rice, etc. began to cry about the liberalism in the church. They detested church involvement in recreation, the bus ministry, church support of colleges, women preachers, tongue-speaking, etc. The younger men among them, looked upon these older men as a bunch of antiquated old men who were clinging to bygone years. Some listened but did not decide to jump off the train. They criticized some of the things which were going on among them such as women preachers, weak teaching against denominationalism, instrumental music, etc. Yet, they were not ready to jump off the train. Indeed, they had no desire to jump off the train. Instead, they would go ahead and use men in their meetings who had accepted every liberal tendency among them. Though they opposed church support of Bible colleges, they continued to want to use Batsell Barrett Baxter in their meetings; though they opposed church sponsored recreation, they used men who believed in it. No, they had committed themselves to riding the train to its ultimate destination or doom, whatever that might be; they were not getting off the train.

Before long, the train passengers spotted a sign in big letters as it continued its down-hill . run. It said, “You have now arrived in the mainstream of twentieth century Denominationalism!” A loud cheer, ascended among the younger men; the older men were groaning, ripping their garments and looking for sackcloth and ashes. The runaway train had arrived! It was now respectable. It was no longer a sectarian group who met on the other side of the tracks. It was a socially acceptable, Protestant denomination involved in all of the activities any of the other denominations were involved in.

Beyond the city limits was a small knoll. What lay beyond the knoll in the tracks? Everyone’s eyes peered ahead. As the train hit the top of the knoll, screams of pain could be heard. The train plummeted into the abyss of Hell.

Who hath ears to hear, let him hear.

Truth Magazine XXII: 22, pp. 355-357
June 1, 1978

By Leslie Diestelkamp

Of course this may be a matter of opinion, but in the previous article regarding tragedies in the home, I discussed financial ruin and death, and I mentioned that other greater calamities would be discussed in this paper. So, without minimizing the terribleness of those two emergencies, let us consider others, as follows:

Catastrophic Disease

Previously, I said there are worse things than death and this may be one of them. When a companion. is undergoing tests and the sober doctor takes you aside and whispers “cancer,” it is like an arrow in your heart and like a numbing blow to your brain. To see a loved one slowly but steadily becoming blind, or to watch the crippling grip of arthritis, or especially to witness serious mental deterioration-all of these (or any of them) plus many other similar tragedies bring deep, long-lasting grief to loved ones who must stand by and watch in near helplessness.

We dread these calamities so much, not because of duties they impose upon us in caring for our loved ones, for such care becomes a labor of love to be cherished, but we dread these because of the suffering we must see, and yet, which we cannot share. When we have done all that medical science can do, when we vainly but sincerely wish we could take the suffering for our own to relieve our loved one and when there is nothing left to do except to pray, we must yet bear this burden of grief without bitterness and even with a cheerful, uplifting sympathy.

We have not manifested the Spirit of Christ if we deny those who suffer the privilege of grief nor have we been most helpful to them if we refuse to shed the sympathizing tear. However, when we “weep with those who weep” (Rom. 12:15) we must not weep with despair. We must indeed sympathetically share their sorrow so that we may also inspire them with confidence, with courage and with enduring fortitude.

Sin In The Family Circle

But to me the most terrifying word is not “cancer” or “death,” etc., but it is “sin.” I believe the greatest tragedy that can befall a family may be described by no other word than “sin.” Compacted into that three-letter word is all the anguish of heart, the sorrow of spirit, and the bitter depths of grief that can come to the sincere child of God whose heart bleeds for the loved one who has fallen. A few people turn their backs upon the sinful. Many others defend the sinful, even to deny wrongdoing itself. The faithful follower of Christ will surely recognize the sin, hate it with all his might, but look upon the sinner with compassion and pity.

When there is a deep, abiding love in the family, and when there are scriptural attitudes, tragic sinfulness need not destroy the home. Sin must be denounced. The sinner must be made to see his sinfulness. By firm counseling, he must be brought to repentance and then, by compassionate sympathy, he must be brought to courageously “go and sin no more” (John 8:11).

Many family circles would not have been broken if those “who have no sin” would have “cast the first stone.” That is, a family that is broken by sin is not necessarily broken by the sin of one person alone! Sometimes the most unforgiving person is one who is also guilty!

Of course, the impenitent sinner must be treated with firmness and sometimes such impenitence may actually be cause for dissolution of the union. For instance, it seems unreasonable that a pure, undefiled spouse should continue a marital relationship with a companion who continues persistently and without remorse in adultery. Likewise, a wife who would shield and protect a dishonest husband would seem to be a partaker in his evil deeds. However, many homes are broken because one companion is seeking a way out-is glad to pounce upon the one who stumbled and kick him into the gutter, instead of snatching him out of it.

So, to the erring, wandering, wayward ones we need to admonish repentance. In humble contrition, turn from sin and confess to God and to those you have offended. Contemplate the terror of eternal destruction if you continue in sin and take advantage of amazing grace for your forgiveness if you return to God and to your family. And to those who have the opportunity to save a family circle by forgiving a companion, we plead for forgiveness in behalf of those who need you now as never before, and in behalf of a family relationship that may thus be salvaged for happiness for all concerned.

Truth Magazine XXII: 22, p. 354
June 1, 1978

By James P. Needham

In November and December of 1977, I spent 30 days working among American Christians in the country of Iran, which approximates the ancient kingdoms of Babylon, Assyria, and the Medes and Persians. This trip was made at the invitation of the American brethren in Shiraz (a city toward the Southern part of the country), and I spent most of the time there, but was able to arrange short meetings in Tehran (the Capital) and Isfahan (a city about midway between Tehran and Shiraz). The trip was jointly financed by the Palm Springs Drive church in Altamonte Springs (metropolitan Orlando, FL) where I work regularly, and brethren in Iran.

The Situation In Iran

Some readers might wonder why there are so many American brethren in Iran. As you know, Iran is one of the richest oil countries of the Middle East (though experts say its oil will be depleted in the near future). It is a strong ally of the United States, and occupies a strategic location insofar as Russia is concerned. Also, it is strongly anti-Communist, but its neighbor, Iraq, has fallen into the Communist camp. This makes for a tense situation, and Iran has heavily armed itself with sophisticated American military hardware. Yet, the level of modern technology in the country cannot even begin to operate and maintain such complex machinery which involves engineering, electronics, computer science, etc.

Consequently, Iran has contracted with the American Government and American corporations to operate and maintain this equipment while teaching native Iranians to do the same (it is called counterpart training). There is also a movement to industrialize the nation. Many native Iranians are trained in engineering and other science-related fields in other industrialized nations like West Germany, France, the United States, etc. The 1975-76 academic, year found 179,000 Iranian students in foreign colleges and universities, Of this number 19,630 were in American schools (the largest number in any one foreign country). (Source: Institute of International Education). But President Carter stated recently that there were 30,000 Iranian students in the USA in 1977, and 40,000 Americans living in Iran! (President’s speech welcoming the Shahanshah and Impress Farrah to Washington, D. C. on Nov. 15, 1977).

This accounts for the presence of so many Americans in Iran, as well as many citizens of other countries. One can hear a half-dozen languages being spoken orr any, given day in the market places of Iran. As stated earlier, there are some 40,000 Americans there, and by 1985 it is estimated that there will be between 80 and 100,000.

Naturally, among so many thousands of Americans, there will be a certain percentage of Christians. I am not sure anyone knows how many Christians are in Iran, but I met about one hundred in three congregations meeting in three of the major concentrations of Americans in the country. It is highly possible that there are others, but I did not hear of them, and no American Christians I met knew of others. If anyone happens to know of others than those mentioned in this article, I would be happy to hear about them. I shall now give a summary of the works in the localities I visited:

Shiraz

The work at Shiraz goes back about 5 years. The Frank Herrlein family went there with the Westinghouse corporation and began meeting, as a family, in their home. Then, two years ago the Marion Grants (who were charter members where I work regularly) took a foreign contract with Westinghouse in Shiraz. They soon met the Herrleins and began meeting with them. Soon thereafter the George Snyders took a Westinghouse contract in Shiraz, and began meeting with the group, though Mrs. Snyder was not a Christian at the time. (She was baptized during my work there.) Then just recently the Harold Hollands came to Shiraz. Brother Holland is a Professor of Library Science and is teaching at the Pahlavi University in Shiraz. He is on a year’s leave of absence from the University of Missouri.

In the course of time, Marion Grant began teaching and preaching for a Baptist group with no strings attached, in addition to his work with the brethren. He and the other brethren influenced many from the Baptist group, and others, to attend the services of the local church. Sister Grant began teaching a children’s Bible class in a Presbyterian group. Opportunities to preach the gospel multiplied

The Grants approached the group in Shiraz about having an American preacher to come over and work with them for a few weeks and survey the situation, not only in Shiraz, but throughout the country, to evaluate the feasibility of perhaps moving a preacher there to work on a more permanent basis. The decision was made to do this. When the Grants came home for a leave, they asked me if I would be willing to make this trip. I agreed to do so, and we began making plans.

I arrived in Shiraz on Saturday, November 19, and was met at the airport by Marion Grant and Frank Herrlein. We went to the Grant’s house and visited a few minutes before they had to return to their employment. (The work week in Iran is Saturday through Wednesday. Our Thursday and Friday are the Muslim’s days off, their “week end.”) That evening the men assembled at the Grant’s home for a get-acquainted session, and some planning for the first gospel meeting to begin the next evening in the home of the Frank Herrleins.

This meeting got under way on Sunday evening (since Sunday is a work day in Iran as mentioned above), and lasted through Wednesday night. It was well attended by the four families that make up the Shiraz church, and many of their friends, both American and Iranian. Upon more than one occasion the majority of the audience was made up of non-members: Baptists, Methodists, Presbyterians, Muslims, etc. (It is amazing how the Americans can lay aside their traditional religious prejudices when they are separated from family and community pressures! This within itself makes Iran a very fertile field of labor.)

Following a 3 or 4 day interim, we had a second meeting in the home of the Grants. It began on the following Sunday evening and went through the following Thursday. While it was attended by some outsiders, it was mainly supported by the local members.

The lessons were well received in Shiraz. The local Christians were greatly edified, non-members were impressed with the simplicity of the gospel, and some Muslims spoke favorably of the preached word. One American lady, Mrs. George Snyder, was baptized. A later report is that the effort is still bearing fruit.

It was a real joy to be associated with these wonderful people. It was a special joy to live in the home of the Marion Grants with whom we have been associated in gospel work for many years. They made my visit most pleasant and, profitable from a personal standpoint.

Tehran

Tehran is the Capital of Iran, and a thriving city of some 8,000,000 souls. There is a large concentration of Americans there, and the church in Tehran goes back several years and has ranged in attendance to as many as 80. The number stood at about 40 while I was there.

I made contact with the Tehran church through John Nix, a brother I had known for several years, and a son-in-law to Brother Robert Bolton. At that time he was an accountant for Blount Brothers Corporation in Iran.

I flew from Shiraz to Tehran on December 2, and was met at the airport by John, and made my home with him while there. I began a short meeting with the Tehran group on the night of December 4, and ended on the 7th. The meeting was fairly well attended in view of the fact that it came on such short notice. (Communication in Iran is very poor. There are telephones,but one may spend 2 or 3 hours making a long distance call, and then be cut off in the middle of the conversation, then spend that much more time calling back!)

Isfahan

The work at Isfahan also goes back to 1976. Bell Helicopter is a big contractor in Iran and much of its establishment is in Isfahan. Many Isfahan brethren are employed at Bell. The church there numbers 35 or 40, but has been as high as 60. The tremendous fluxuation in membership is due to the transient nature of the members. Contracts are for 1, 2, and 3 years, and many do not renew. Some Americans like to live in Iran, but many do not like it at all!

I had difficulty contacting the brethren in Isfahan. I spent the entire two weeks- at Shiraz trying to make contact with them, and finally succeeded just before leaving for Tehran, but it was too late to avoid going to Tehran then back-tracking to Isfahan. Thus, I went to Tehran for the meeting, then flew back to Isfahan for a short meeting the next week end.

(Concluded next week.)

Truth Magazine XXII: 21, pp. 348-349
May 25, 1978

By Raymond Harris

Yes, the plague of the bus ministry, with the accompanying reward motivation, children’s Bible hour and puppet ministry, seems to be dying out here in Northwest Alabama. Here in one of the places where the bus ministry was first promoted among churches of Christ, the church bus population is dwindling. It appears that in the not too distant future we may have about as many active Joy Bus Programs as we have hula hoops. It took about five or six years for the fad to run its course.

The bus ministry cycle is quite interesting. Most bus ministries around the country that are still flourishing were promoted two, three or four years after they began here. The life span of most bus ministries will be determined by the tenacity of the local preacher. However, most bus ministries will finally have almost identical histories.

The bus ministry almost always starts with a preacher. Yes, with few exceptions it was an aggressive, promoting preacher who pushed, pressured and demanded that elders accept the bus ministry! Elders and others who resisted were shamed as being lazy, without vision and insensitive to the needs of the lost. So, in order to initiate a bus program it was essential to line up the elders and gain access to the church treasury.

From that point forward the story is almost always the same. Buy the buses, train the workers, work the routes and haul in the kids. At first there is always the excitement and enthusiasm that the activity and the bigger crowds will spawn. Next comes the building program! With dozens more attending it is supposed that the church needs a new building with a larger auditorium and more classrooms. Then comes the reality! The mortgage payment is staggering. The confusion at services is unbearable. The continual week after week work load on the bus workers and drivers is exhausting. The buses get old and the maintenance cost soars. The damage to the building and the discipline problems are unbelievable. Tempers flare and patience wears thin. Bus riders quit in droves. And finally when everyone has about reached the breaking point, the buses are sold — and there is a sigh of relief.

Truth Magazine XXII: 21, p. 346
May 25, 1978