Truth Magazine

By C.W. Scott

The Carnival of Death temptingly deceives the masses regarding worldliness. Satan and the men of the world set the standards by which individuals are to be entertained. This has caused the amusement problem to be one of the greatest of our time. “Less work and more leisure time,” is the clarion cry from all parts of the earth. It should be recognized that recreation is not generally evil but amusements of the present day have gone from bad to worse and have become so polluted and corrupted that every true disciple of Christ must watch and guard against the corrupt and filthy characterizations of men and women devoid of purity. The reason many affirm they do not see the harm and evil is because “the god of this world hath blinded their minds.”

Writing and thinking about amusements in the Carnival of Death, your attention is directed to three besetting evils. First, the game of cards! Spot cards are a game of chance rather than a game of skill. It is nothing but a form of gambling and Christians are as out of place with cards in their hands as a gospel preacher engaging in a dice game. Card playing is incompatible to the ways of Christ. One may talk of ungodly movies and obscene plays around the card table but it would not be the time to talk about God, Christ, prayer, righteousness and purity. Mothers have been shocked to learn about their sons and daughters playing cards for a jack pot of several dollars but think nothing of the cut glass bowl or other prizes won by them at the modern bridge and card social. Pray tell me the difference between the conduct of parents and their children. Christians need to think of their influence in such actions. “Let your light so shine before men that they may see your good works and glorify your father which is in heaven” (Matt. 5:16). It is impossible for card playing, gambling with the use of cards to add to the spiritual statue of the player and neither will it add luster and glory to the majesty of God. Let none of you be deceived!

Let us secondly, take a serious look at the modern theater and the reruns of film with its worldly, carnal portrayals. Never before has there been such widespread publicity been given to the base, grossly immoral and wicked behaviour of men and women as is true in our day. Pornography is created and placed freely before the public by men and women devoid of shame. Galatians 5:19-21 presents to us the Holy Spirit’s warning through the apostle Paul regarding the lusts of the flesh: “Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these; Adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness, Idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies, envyings, murders, drunkenness, revellings and such like.” Surely, these are works that find their place in the Carnival of Death. The Christian is to flee all such carnal works and behavior. Paul added, “They that do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God” (Gal. 1:21). The majority of pictures flashed upon the screens today paint vividly the above evils upon the minds of the viewers.

Immorality is being portrayed today for the amusement of people and the actors and actresses in real life live as wickedly. Language and scenes are both heard and observed by the family that would cause some mothers and fathers to almost faint were they to hear their own sons and daughters speak and act in like scenes before them. What Christian mother or father would take their children to see and observe the activities of the “red light district” or the habitat of the prostitutes? Would any caring parent take their sons or daughters on a tour of the brothels, lounges or the “honky tonks” with their nudity, drunkenness and profanity? Most parents would avoid such action with all their wickedness and yet many will pay others to reveal and expose all of these things to them on the screen! We need to remember that the apostle Paul wrote, “Set your affections on things above, not on things on the earth” (Col. 3:2). Christians that are always following in the “footsteps of Jesus” will never be seen in a dirty theater or sitting in their own homes gazing upon the nudity, promiscuity, fornication, adultery, drunkeness, etc. accompanied by the vile and suggestive double-talk of the players.

The loose morals with all of the debauchery possible displayed in the films or movies of our time has most certainly greatly contributed to the breakdown of homes and home life and are a major factor in the ever increasing number of divorces. Is there any genuine Christian who feels comfortable in hearing and seeing the sordid scenes created for the amusement of the worldling? Would the professed pure-minded child of God feel at ease, comfortable in witnessing or revelling in such things at the second coming of the Lord? I am persuaded to the contrary! Such is to be identified as a part of the Carnival of Death.

The modern dance with all the suggestive and base movements of the participants is another most corrupting and destructive worldly pleasure. Everyone is able to discern that it is truly of the world and not of God. The scanty, immodest apparel worn to the dance is certainly not conducive to holy and pure thoughts. Why is the dance so popular? The modern dance is founded upon sex and the lust of the flesh which are both to be controlled and not encouraged. Think of the near-nudity, long and late hours, the impure air and all the other body destroying factors! Dancing is truly a Carnival of Death to health and spiritual purity. What a hot-bed for evil thoughts, desires and carnal acts! No wonder statistics reveal with each decade of time that seven-tenths of all of the fallen girls and women in the United States can be traced to the influence of the dance. Men and women do not generally seek one of their own sex. Destroy sex in the dance and dance is over! It is sex that makes the amusement popular!

The modern dance is indeed the Carnival of Death to health, modesty, morality, virtue, Christian power and influence. Know ye not that the Holy Spirit has declared, “They that are Christ’s have crucified (put to death) the flesh with the passions and lusts” (Gal. 5:24). It has been written:

“Wherever you go, never go where you fear

Lest the great God should ask you,

‘How comest thou here?’

Turn away from each pleasure

You would shrink from pursuing,

If God should look down and say,

‘What are you doing?’ “

Brethren and friends, let us all awaken to the possibility and task of removing all worldliness from our lives that the Savior may receive unto Himself at His coming “a glorious church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing” but a body of faithful believers holy and without blemish. This can never be done, as far as each of us is concerned, if we do not flee those things that compose the Carnival of Death to Spiritual Life. May God richly bless your life of purity.

Truth Magazine, XX:14, p. 6-7
April 1, 1976

By George Welsh Tyler

While walking along the beach during a storm, a Coast Guardsman heard above the roar of the waves and the crash of thunder a cry for help. He called the rescue crew and the life boat was launched. Several of the crew felt that this was a case of pure imagination for surely no voice could be hear above the roar of the turbulent onrush and confusion. Fifty minutes later, two boys who had drifted out too far in a fishing boat, lay in the emergency room in the hospital, not too far away, recovering from shock exposure. They would have perished except for the fellow whose trained ears caught this important sound.

Jesus Christ, who was concerned about the “lost sheep” is also concerned that you and I may search for lost men and bring them into the church for which he died. He said, “The Son of man came to seek and to save that which was lost” (Luke 19:10). In the closing book of the Bible we find these words, “And the Spirit and the bride say, Come. And he that heareth, let him say, Come” (Rev. 22:17). The promise of reward is given in these words, “He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith to the churches, To him that overcometh, to him will I give to eat of the tree of life, which is in the Paradise of God” (Rev. 2:7). Have your ears been trained to hear the cry of lost souls seeking salvation? What did your congregation do last year? How much seeking in the highways and the by-ways did you as members of it do? The members, individuals, make up the congregation as a total. The work of the church must be done by its members. We are not born. in groups, we do not die in groups and neither are we saved in groups. Each soul stands as an individual before God. Salvation of souls depends on you-the individual. Remember this also, James wrote, “My brethren, if any among you err from the truth, and one convert him; let him know, that he who converteth a sinner from the error of his way shall save a soul from death, and shall cover a multitude of sins” (Jas. 5:19, 20). The greatest work you will ever do is to lead lost souls to Christ.

Paul says, “Ye are not your own: for ye were bought with a price” (1 Cor. 6:19, 20). Peter wrote, “Ye were redeemed, not with corruptible things, with silver or gold, from your vain manner of life handed down from your fathers; but with the precious blood, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot, even the blood of Christ” (1 Pet. 1:18, 19). These scriptures clearly state that Christians belong to God and are under obligation to serve Him to the best of their ability. They are stewards as the parable of the talents teaches. Many people think of “stewardship” mainly in terms of dollars. In Matt. 25:14-30, Jesus compares the kingdom with the dealings of a lord with his bond servants. They were his possession, hence he had a right to command them and to expect them to use their time for his profit while he was gone to the far country. He gave commitments to each one according to the abilities he possessed. He knew them, and made his assignments according to their capabilities. Our capabilities are known to both Jehovah and His Son, Christ Jesus, and we will not be held responsible for not doing things we are not qualified to do. The point is that we must use the talent or talents we have and not do like the one-talent steward.

The New Testament Christians lost no time in going to work for the Master. Jesus said, “Come unto me” (Matt. 11:28) and in Matt. 28:19, He said, “Go.” We learn in Acts 8:1: “There arose on that day a great persecution against the church which was in Jerusalem; and they were all scattered abroad throughout the regions of Judea and Samaria, except the apostles.” Who went? “They therefore that were scattered abroad went about preaching the word” (Acts 8:4). The apostles were not among the “scattered abroad.” They that “went preaching the word” were those whom the apostles had converted in and about Jerusalem. “The word of the Lord abideth for ever” (1 Pet. 1:25). God is not willing “that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance” (2 Pet. 3:9). Shout it from the rooftops, let it float on the breeze, and sent it into the homes that are without hope-to men who have gone pleasure mad-to souls that have “gone back” and are lost in the confusion of waywardness and neglect. Can you face God, knowing you have not done your part in saving souls for Eternity? This is personal evangelism. Acts 8:1 to 9 is your example. We pray that a mighty ground-swell of zealous enthusiasm of both personal and public evangelism will sweep across our country and around the world.

Truth Magazine, XX:14, p. 4-5
April 1, 1976

By Cecil Willis

As some of you already know, some health problems that I have encountered have made it necessary for me to change the nature of my work for several months. I have cancelled all my meetings since July, 1975 through December, 1976. So … during this time, I am working on a biography of Roy E. Cogdill. Some know of these efforts, but many do not. The purpose of this article is to inform you of these efforts and to ask your assistance.

Brother Cogdill never kept much in the way of records of where he preached and the number of responses, beyond the period that such records might be useful in dealing with “Uncle Sam” on his Internal Revenue Program. I suppose he felt like most of us do: we will leave the record keeping to the Lord, for after all He alone knows who was added and who sincerely repented, etc.

There was another incident that deterred Brother Cogdill from sending many news reports regarding his work to the papers. When he was just a young preacher, he was introduced to some sister who commented, “Oh yes, I have seen your advertisements in the Firm Foundation.” Upon reflection, Brother Cogdill decided that some of those news reports do appear almost to be advertisements, so he very, very seldom sent in one thereafter. This may have made it easier for him to live with his conscience, but it makes it infinitely more difficult to reconstruct a year by year story of his life. This is why I am making this appeal to you, and am asking that you pass along the word and have any who may be of some help to me to write me.

You might possess some photograph that would appear nicely in a book, or you might know of some interesting incident that might enliven a book. Perhaps some humorous incident may have occurred during a gospel meeting or a debate that you may think should be related. Perhaps in travel with Brother Cogdill somewhere, some discussion may have occurred that you deem to be important enough to merit some mention. Surely there must be hundreds of persons who have correspondence files that may contain some information that is germane biographically.

At first, I had thought that I would try to make this book a history of the institutional controversy. Necessarily it must contain considerable material relating to this issue, because Brother Cogdill has been in the very center of the fight since it began. But I have decided that it would make too long a book if I tried to write anything like a complete history of the institutional issue. I will deal only with Brother Cogdill’s part in that controversy.

Along with a biography, I would like to compile a compendium of all he has written, including even bulletin articles. But 1 know that this file cannot be made complete, for even Brother Cogdill did not retain copies of all his bulletins. I have all of the easy-to-get material, such as all the Gospel Guardians, Bible Banners, Gospel Advocates from 1910 to the present, and about the last twenty-five years of the Farm Foundation. But there could be articles in many church bulletins that were never published elsewhere.

If you have any materials that you think would be helpful to me, I would appreciate having you to send me a photocopy of any article, or send any photograph that you may possess. Write your name and address on the back of the picture and the words “Please Return.” All of this material is being kept in a fire-proof filing cabinet, and will be handled as carefully as I know how and some who have sent me manuscripts may not be particularly impressed with my careful handling. However, in my own defense, let me state that I do not think any manuscript has been sent to me that has not been located within three to five years after it was sent. But I promise to handle whatever you send as carefully as possible.

So . . . all of you out there . . . who might be able to lend me some assistance, let me hear from you pronto.

Truth Magazine, XX:14, p. 2
April 1, 1976

By L. Gaussen

Every Christian should be vitally concerned with the verbal or plenary inspiration of the Bible. On this issue the truthfulness of Christianity stands or falls. If the Bible, for example, is not totally inspired, the Christian must elevate himself to the position of a judge to determine which parts are and which parts are not inspired. After he has made that human judgment, he must them humble himself to the status of a believer, thus relegating his trust to his own wisdom. His faith, as a result, rests in himself rather than in God.

So argues L. Gaussen in Divine Inspiration of the Bible, a Kregel Publications reprint of the book originally entitled Theopneustia: The Plenary Inspiration of the Holy Scriptures. First published in French and later translated into English in 1841, this classic work was written to answer the unbelieving rationalists who sought in the 17th and 18th Centuries to reduce the Bible in the minds of men to a human production. Gaussen’s objective was “to set forth, establish, and defend the Christian doctrine of Divine Inspiration.” That doctrine, to him, is that the Bible is fully inspired. He therefore wrote “to establish by the word of God that the Scripture is from God, that the Scripture is throughout from God, and that the Scripture throughout is entirely from God.”

Gaussen lived in Geneva, Switzerland at the beginning of the 19th Century when the influence of German and French rationalism began to effect the National Church of Switzerland. Along with Robert Haldane, Merle D’Aubigne and others, Gaussen led the opposition to this infidelity. They fought it with such uncompromising conviction that the Evangelical Dissenting Church had to be established to receive all who were dissatisfied with the National Church. They also started a school of theology in which Gaussen served as “Professor of Systematic Theology.” Theopneustia, an outgrowth of his opposition to rationalism and of his work as a professor, became the classic answer to objections to verbal inspiration.

The professor’s approach to the subject is twofold. The first part of the book is positive. He begins with a clear and minute definition of the Bible doctrine of verbal inspiration and then follows with a careful and detailed analysis of scriptures which demonstrate the truth of his definition. The remainder of the work, constituting more than half of the book, is negative and contains a forthright consideration of the objections which rationalists offer.

Gaussen’s book is not an antique, of value only for display in a museum of ancient history. The objections he answers are essentially the same ones still bandied about by today’s rationalistic counterparts, the modernists. Gaussen deals, for example, with the variations in the Gospel accounts, devoting special attention to the reports of the resurrection. He also considers alleged historical and scientific inaccuracies, supposed loss of inspiration through manuscript variations and translations and proposed contradictions. Readers who have been favorably impressed with the incomparable value of Warfield’s The Inspiration and Authority of the Bible and have returned again and again to reread it will be similary affected by Gaussen’s Theopneustia.

Serious Bible students live at an extremely opportune time when so many of the classic works are being republished by Kregel, Zondervan and College Press. Such students will want Gaussen’s work in their library and will likely refer to it often as they face objections to the verbal inspiration of the Bible.

L. A. Stauffer, Route 7, Box 105, Indianapolis, Indiana 46240

Truth Magazine, XX:14, p. 2
April 1, 1976