Truth Magazine

By Leslie Diestelkamp

This report must necessarily be brief, yet comprehensive and informative. I shall therefore divide it into various subheadings as follows:

Travel

Brother Jim Sasser, of Rogersville, Ala. 37857 (Rt. 3, Box 3) and I made the trip to Nigeria together. Jim is an ideal travel companion and made the frustrating experiences of such long trips pleasant. He and I “speak the same thing” (I Cor. 1:10) and made the same appeal to the Nigerians everywhere.

We traveled by Pan Am from New York to Lagos and back. Inside Nigeria we drove a Volkswagon Passet rented car nearly 4,000 miles. A few roads are much improved there and quite good, but most roads were very, very bad and a few were almost impossible. Lodging conditions have improved very much there, and we were able to have air-conditioned quarters most of the time.

Health

When I went to Nigeria the first time in 1959 1 was 47 and the oldest American preacher who had gone. Now I am 62 and I know some friends were apprehensive. But I fared real well. I was not sick at all, though I did have a very small amount of diarrhea the first two weeks. I missed no preaching appointments, though, and lost only 10 pounds (result of heat and diet). Jim did quite well also with only slightly more stomach trouble.

Nigerian Conditions

It had been six years since I left Nigeria the last time and I found at least the following changes: (1) City traffic has become almost impossible. There must be at least four times as many cars as we formerly had and the degree of irresponsibility of the drivers, especially the multitude of Taxi drivers, is much worse. It is a nightmare to try to drive there. (2) The cost of living has risen many times until it is almost impossible. A car that costs $3,000.00 here in America will cost $5,000.00 there. Other things are comparable. (3) The country is at peace and the people seem just as friendly as ever. There is more prosperity, but at the same time much inflation, so the people are no better off, and sometimes worse.

The Churches

We are encouraged with the condition of the churches. There are indeed some trouble spots, where divisiveness prevails among brethren who should be in agreement, there is some small amount of promotion of human institutions by a few Nigerians bent on building schools, etc. and there is an ever-present weakness in that the churches are slow to take up support of their preachers. However, even in this last item there is vast improvement in some places, and everywhere there is a mood to go forward in good work and to continue in all scriptural action. Error is resisted with zeal and such teaching is well-received by the Christians. There are plenty of strong Nigerian preachers who know truth and uphold it vigorously. They will not be quickly led astray.

Jim and I preached about 140 sermons in about 90 congregations in seven states, involving us in about 4,000 miles of travel. Everywhere we appealed for peace and purity and with few exceptions were heartily received. We seldom preached on first principles but concentrated on strengthening the weak and encouraging the strong. In spite of this type of preaching, perhaps 15 or 20 were baptized But everywhere the Christians expressed desired that we return.

At least five Nigerian preachers are conducting training classes for the young preachers and are doing excellent work in this regard. There were many appeals for help for native preachers-many of whom work faithfully with no support at all at present. If any readers want to help such men, get in touch with Brother Sasser or me and we can give names and addresses.

As one would expect, there are a few fakes and a few men trying to get money under false pretense. Any Americans who consider helping any Nigerian should first of all receive proper recommendation from some reliable source. There are many, many reliable men whom you can contact. I also will be glad to help in any way possible.

Truth Magazine, XVIII:36, p. 9-10
July 18, 1974

By James L. Denison

I just closed an eight day meeting with the church at No. Broadway in Rochester, Minn. The meeting was well attended. Not one person who normally. worships with this congregation missed even one service!, How many of you ‘who read, this can boast of such dedication by members where you worship? Also there were visitors who were not members at each of the ten services with the exception of two services.

Gary Hargis, formerly of Tampa, Fla., is the preacher at Rochester. Gary and his family moved there in June, 1973. At that time there were only two women who refused to compromise their convictions by remaining with the liberal church in Rochester, that made up the congregation. Since his arrival there has been two baptisms. There are several others who have studied with Gary and his wife, who are good prospects for conversion in the near future.

The Rochester church has, for several months, run a weekly column in the local paper, dealing with the subject, “The New Testament Church Restored Here.” They have just this week started a new column entitled “Ask Your Preacher.” They have received several inquiries as a result of the column, and enrolled 18 people in the Bible correspondence courses.

In this area of the country the Lutheran and Catholic religions are predominate, along with many Methodists, Episcopalians, Presbyterians and some Baptists. Most of these groups are rank with modernism and the social gospel. As a result, a few of their members who are of a. conservative and Biblically oriented background, are growing disgusted with these churches. The problem however is seeking them out of the thousands and making contact with them, to let them know what we stand for, and why. For example: Gary and I visited one lady in a town about 25 miles from Rochester who has been reading the newspaper articles and has been enrolled in the correspondence course. Nigerian Report She had been reared as a “Free Methodist,” but in recent years has been affiliated with the Lutherans. She had become disgusted with them because of their general laxness, and firing their preacher for being “too religious”! She indicated this was typical of the other churches in that town. Also that there were several others whom she knew that felt as she did-and they had no where to worship! She is presently contacting them to set up a time for Gary to begin Home Studies with them. At present it looks very promising for starting a congregation in this town. If this occurs, they plan for awhile to meet in someone’s home, and Gary will go down on Sundays to aid them in their worship services.

Often we who live in areas where the church is relatively strong (South Florida, California, Texas, Alabama, etc.) do not realize how difficult it is to start a new work, and within one year in an almost virgin territory like Rochester, Minn., to show even a small amount of results. Remember: there are only five faithful congregations in the entire state, and they are all small. Considering these factors, Gary, and his family, and the church there have done an excellent job. Without reservation, I commend them for their year’s work

However, one congregation which has been contributing $300.00 per month to support Gary and his family notified him that, due to a drastic drop in their contributions, they can no longer support him after August! To continue the work he has been doing for the past year, this amount of support must be picked up by someone else.

What about the congregation where you worship? Or, what about you individually? Can you help? If so; contact at once: Gary Hargis,, Box 715, Byron, Minn. 55920 or call 775-6819.-James L. Denison, 813-876-2237.

Truth Magazine, XVIII:36, p. 8-9
July 18, 1974

By Cecil Willis

The Cogdill Foundation, which publishes Truth Magazine, has obtained exclusive publication rights to the six volume Bible Commentary written by Brother E. M. Zerr. This set, covering both Old and New Testaments, is available in an impressive hardback binding. The dark green binding material looks beautiful, stamped in gold lettering, and should serve the average user a life-time. The six books consist of approximately 400 pages each. The set sells for $32.50, and single volumes sell for $5.95 each. A customary trade discount is allowed to other retail outlets. These books may be ordered from Truth Magazine Bookstore, Box 403, Marion, Indiana 46952, or through your favorite religious bookstore.

Information About E. M. Zerr

Brother Zerr was quite well-known among a group of very conservative brethren, but he may not have been known among brethren in general. Hence, a little information concerning him is here given. Edward Michael Zerr was born October 15, 1877 in Strassburg, Illinois, but his family soon thereafter moved to Missouri. He was the second of six children born to Lawrence and Mary (Manning) Zerr. Brother Zerr’s father was reared as a Catholic, but after he married Mary Manning, he obeyed the gospel. At the age of seventeen, young Edward was immersed into Christ in Grand River, near Bosworth, Missouri.

In June, 1897 young Brother E. M. Zerr received a letter from A. L. Gepford asking him to go to Green Valley, Illinois, and to preach in his stead. His first sermon was entitled, “My Responsibility as a Preacher of the Gospel, and Your Responsibility as Hearers.” In the years between delivery of this first sermon on July 3, 1897, and the delivery of his last sermon on October 25, 1959, Brother Zerr preached about 8,000 sermons, from California to Connecticut, and from Washington to Arizona. It is noteworthy that his last sermon was built around Matt. 13:44, and was entitled “Full Surrender.” Brother Zerr preached the gospel for a little over 60 years.

Among the brethren with whom Brother Zerr was most frequently associated, it was then common to have protracted periods of concentrated Bible studies, commonly referred to as “Bible Readings.” Young Brother Zerr attended a three month “Bible Reading” conducted by the well-known teacher, A. M. Morris, in 1899. During this study which was conducted at Hillsboro, Henry County, Indiana, Brother Zerr stayed in the home of a farmer named John Hill. After leaving the John and Matilda Hill farm, “E. M. ” began correspondence with their daughter, Carrie. The following year, while attending a “Bible Reading” conducted by Daniel Sommer in Indianapolis, “E. M. ” and Carrie were married, on September 27, 1900. The newly weds took up. residence in New Castle, -Indiana, where their four children were born, one of whom died in infancy.

In 1911, Brother A. W. Harvey arranged for Brother Zerr to conduct a “Bible Reading” which continued for several months at Palmyra, Indiana. These “Bible Readings”, usually consisted of two two-hour sessions daily. Young Brother Zerr’s special ability as a teacher was soon recognized, and he continued to conduct such studies among churches of Christ for 48 years. Edward M. Zerr died February 22, 1960, having been in a coma for four months following an automobile accident at Martinsville, Indiana. His body was laid to rest in the little country cemetery at Hillsboro, Indiana, near the church building in which he had attended his first “Bible Reading.”

Brother Zerr’s Writings in addition to his oral teaching and preaching, Brother Zerr was a prolific writer. He was a regular contributor to several religious periodicals. Brother Zerr also composed the music and lyrics of several religious songs. Two of these, “The True Riches,” and “I Come to Thee,” may be found in the widely used song book, Sacred Selections.

One of the books written by Brother Zerr is entitled Historical Quotations, and consists of the gleanings from 40,000 pages of ancient history and other critical sources which he read over a period of twenty years. These quotations are intended to explain and to confirm the prophetic and other technical statements of the Bible. Another book, a 434 page hard-cover binding, consists of a study course containing 16,000 Bible questions. This book, New Testament Questions, has at least 50 questions on each chapter of the New Testament. A smaller book, Bible Reading Notes, consists of some of the copious notes which Brother Zerr made in connection with the “Bible Readings” which he conducted.

But the crowning success of his efforts was the writing of his six volume commentary on the whole Bible. These six volumes were published between 1947 and 1955. Brother Zerr has the unique distinction, so far as is known to this writer, of being the only member of the church to write a commentary on the entire Bible. Many other brethren have written excellent and valuable commentaries on various books of the Bible, but no other brother has written on the entire Bible.

The writing of this commentary consumed more than seven years of full-time labor. In order that he might devote himself without interruption to this herculean effort, Brother Zerr was supported by the Newcastle church during this seven year period. It is unfortunate, in this writer’s judgment, that other competent men have not been entirely freed of other duties that they might give themselves to such mammoth writing assignments. Through Bible Commentary, Brother E. M. Zerr, though dead since 1960, will continue to do what he liked best to do-conduct “Bible Readings” for many years to come. The current printing is the fourth printing of the Old Testament section (four volumes) of the commentary, and the fifth printing of the New Testament section (two volumes).

Many Christians spend but little money on available helps in Bible study. Some own perhaps only a Cruden’s Concordance, a Bible Dictionary of some kind, and then Johnson’s Notes. It would be interesting to know how many copies of B. W. Johnson’s The People’s New Testament Commentary With Notes have been sold. If I were to hazard a guess, it would be that at least 1,000,000 copies of this superficial commentary have been sold. Johnson’s Notes contains the printing of the entire New Testament text in both King James Version and the English Revised Version (the predecessor to the American Standard Version), and his comments, all contained in two volumes. In fact, a single volume edition also is available. Thus one is buying two copies of the New Testament, and B. W. Johnson’s Notes, in one or two volumes. So necessarily, Johnson’s Notes are very brief.

If brethren somehow could be made acquainted with Brother Zerr’s Bible Commentary, it is possible that it could be as widely used as has been Johnson’s Notes, first published in 1889. Brother Zerr printed very little of the Bible text in his commentary. He assumed you would have your own Bible nearby. To have printed in the commentary the entire Bible would have required at least three other volumes. While it would have been helpful to have the Bible text printed by the comments, this unnecessary luxury would have been very expensive, since we all have copies of the Scriptures already. Furthermore, Brother Zerr intended that one be compelled to use his Bible, in order that his commentary never supplant the Sacred text.

A Word of Caution

I am sure that Brother Zerr, were he yet living, would advise me to remind you that his Bible Commentary is only that of a man, though a studious man he was. In fact, in the “Preface” to this set of books, just such a word of warning is sounded by Brother Zerr. The only book which we recommend without reservation is the Bible! But Bible commentaries, when viewed merely as the results of many years of study by scholarly men, can be very helpful to one.

Brother Zerr spent his life-time working among those brethren who have stood opposed to “located preachers” and to “Bible Colleges.” However, he has not “featured” these distinctive views in his Bible Commentary. If one did not know of these positions held by Brother Zerr, he might not even detect the references to them in the commentary. However, I want to call such references to your attention. Along with the opposition to “located preachers,” Brother Zerr also held a position commonly referred to as “Evangelistic Oversight.” This position declares that until a congregation has qualified elders appointed, each congregation should be under the oversight of some evangelist. With these positions, this writer cannot agree. References to these positions will be found in his comments on Acts 20:28; Eph. 3:10, 3:21; 4:11; 1 Tim. 5:21; 2 Tim. 4:5, and perhaps in a few other places that do not now come to memory. Brother Zerr also took the position that a woman should never cut or even trim her hair. His comments on this position will be found at I Cor. 11:1-16.

But aside from a very few such positions with which many of us would disagree, Brother Zerr’s Bible Commentary can be very helpful. Some restoration-period writers of widely used commentaries held some rather bizarre positions regarding the millennium. Brethren scruple not to use Barnes’ Notes, in spite of his repeated injection of Calvinism, and Clarke’s Commentary, in spite of his Methodist teaching.

Brother Zerr’s Bible Commentary is far superior to Johnson’s Notes. Though there are some extraordinarily good volumes in the well-known Gospel Advocate commentaries, there also are some notoriously weak volumes in this widely used set. Viewed from the point of consistent quality, Brother Zerr’s Bible Commentary is superior to the Gospel Advocate set. Some brethren whom I consider to be superior exegetes of the Word have highly recommended Zerr’s Bible Commentary and have praised the splendid and incisive way in which he has handled even those “hard to be understood” sections of God’s Word.

Our recommendation regarding E. M. Zerr’s six volume Commentary can be paraphrased from the words of a well known television commercial: “Try it; you’ll like it!”

Truth Magazine, XVIII:36, p. 3-5
July 18, 1974

By Norman E. Sewell

There was a time when most Christians coming into a new community determined where they wished to worship, and which of the local congregations was worshiping and working in accordance with God’s will, then placed membership with that congregation. The purpose of placing membership was to declare to all that they wanted to be a part of the group, wanted to be called on for participation in the various activities of the local group, and to be under the oversight of the elders. Perhaps explained in the reasons for placing membership are the reasons why many so-called Christians now move into a community, worship from time to time with one congregation or another, but never actually “join” themselves to that or any local group of people. Many times it is because they do not want to be called on for anything, do not want any responsibility, and do not want to be answerable to the elders of any congregation.

I believe the idea of placing membership is a scriptural one. After Saul of Tarsus was converted (Acts 9), he preached in Damascus (Acts 9:19-22), went away into Arabia (Gal. 1:17), returned to Damascus (Gal. 1:17), and finally after three years went up to Jerusalem (Gal. 1:18). “And when he was come to Jerusalem, he assayed to join himself to the disciples” (Acts 9:26). Paul wanted to be counted as a disciple, and apparently wanted to te considered a part of the church which met in Jerusalem. Barnes’ Notes on The New Testament says, “He attempted, he endeavored. . To become connected with them as their fellow Christian.” In the Alexander Campbell Commentary on Acts, Campbell says that Saul attempted to “attach himself” to the disciples in Jerusalem. It seems that the idea of becoming recognized by and attached to a local congregation is an idea plainly taught by scripture.

While some do not wish to actively participate in the worship services, and other activities of the local congregation, it is a thing to be much desired. Many say they do not get anything out of the worship. This is generally because they do not put anything into it. They sit as spectators, possibly not e ‘ ven entering into the singing of praises or partaking of the Lord=s Supper with their hearts. To allow yourself to be called upon to teach a class, to lead in prayer, to help pass the Lord=s Supper to others, or to do the preparing of the Lord=s Supper, or any of many other things to be done by the local congregation is to be made to feel yourself as a real part of the group. Then you stop referring to the congregation as “they,” and start thinking in terms of “us” and “we.”

The idea of being under the oversight of the elders is also a scriptural one. The Hebrew writer urged those Christians to “Obey them that have the rule over you, and submit to them: for they watch in behalf of your souls, as they that shall give account; that they may do this with joy, and not with grief. for this were unprofitable for you” (Heb~ 13:17). It is the elders’ duty to oversee the congregation in which they are elders. This means that they cannot very well oversee those who are not a part of the local group. I believe this is surely one reason that many never place membership in a local group. They do not want to be answerable to anyone. Surely every Christian recognizes that he ultimately will be answerable to God, and the elders are doing what God has ordained that they do.

Why not get involved in doing the work of the Lord. You will feel better about your own relationship to God, and you will feel more a part of the local congregation.

Truth Magazine, XVIII:36, p. 2
July 18, 1974