Truth Magazine

By Tant Williams, Jr.

After forty-one years in the Union (Republic) of South Africa, preacher W. Ray Votaw and his helpmate, Thena, have retired to the Gist community, deep in the heart of East Texas Pines, about thirty miles east of Beaumont. This is his native turf. His health is day-to-day, inasmuch as he has carotid and cardiovascular blockage plus asbestosis of the lungs. Physicians are working with him.

Following a hitch in the Navy during World War II, Ray completed two years of study at Freed Hardeman College. He preached a couple of years and then enrolled at Harding College. After being invited to preach in South Houston, Texas in 1952, he transferred to the University of Houston. In 1954 he made a decision to preach the Gospel in the Union of South Africa. Heartbroken brethren of the South Houston Church agreed to support him in East London, coastal city on the Indian Ocean. Ray and Thena, with two little girls, departed from the Hobby Airport, flew to New York, caught the Queen Mary, arrived in Southampton, caught “The Mail Boat” Pretoria Castle, arriving in Cape town August 2, 1954. (Ray has received wages from the South Houston Church for nearly forty-five years.)

The Votaws succeeded an anxiously departing evangelist. Ray coped with working among English-Indians, Coloreds and the Black Tribal-people. After a few years, the Votaws moved inland a thousand miles to Springs, Transvaal, near Johannesburg, where he would be more centrally located. Here he be-came more and more active among the indigenous blacks. Although Ray had studied both the Afrikaans and Xhosa languages for awhile at the East London Technical College, he had to depend on trusted translators from twelve different tribal language groups as he went far and near to teach them, living with them, learning their habits, likes and dislikes, developing a trust that would endear him in their hearts. He warned them of false teachers; they protected his physical presence from disenchanted tribesmen.

His home in Springs was always open to the blacks (and others) for teaching, exhortation, and fellowship. The months became years, and the years became decades. There were problems, he sought to guide them from the Americanization of the whites. So, “as shades of the African night descended upon their kraals, and the younger ones crowded about the aged as they sat before the campfires, the old ones would say, `He came only with the Bible, nothing else. He taught us from the Word of God, to tell of a Savior who could help us in our sinful condition. We learned to depend upon him for the truth because he spoke only words of truth. Now, the weight of the world has fallen upon him, his hair has whitened with the ages of his service. He must return to his homeland for his remaining years. We will miss him and his family.

As soon as he announced that he would be returning to the states because of ill health, there began a steady stream of visitors to his home to say their tearful goodbyes, and to wish him better health and a long life. It was a moving experience that the Votaws will long remember.

Ray Votaw has no doubts that the blacks will be all right in their various churches. He had taught them to he independent and do their own work, even when he was with them. He never sent “home” glowing reports of numbers, because there were none. They learned not to depend upon him, but conducted their own service. Sometimes these services might last all day into the night. Baptisms could occur without an invitation song; men might take a candidate to the river for immersion, even while Ray was speaking to them. They learned to do by doing in their own surroundings.

Ray and Thena had their sad moments of twisting anguish. Their youngest daughter died of cancer in a Beaumont hospital; two grandchildren were awarded to the divorced South African husband by the courts of that country. In another year Celeste, the oldest daughter died of a heart attack. His mother, one brother, three sisters, Thena’s mother and father died during this period of time. Now 8,000 miles separate them from the middle daughter, Sharon, the wife of preacher, Eric Reed, and mother of three, of Bellville, Cape, RSA.

How was his rapport or relationship with other preachers and teachers? He tangled often with those of the “institutional persuasion,” finally convinced two prominent figures of the errors of their stand, in addition to one state side preacher, who is now in RSA. With those who stood with him on the above question but had peculiar beliefs on indifferent matters, the full use of Romans 14 was needed to maintain good working relationships. He was considered a leader by all parties.

Amongst the blacks some physical problems sometimes developed, but as a usual rule the blacks took care of such to stave off a fighting confrontation. Outside of religious circles, more than once, brother Votaw had to defend himself against criminal elements, receiving a broken jaw and losing several teeth in one encounter. A strange set of circumstances singled him out by an international crime syndicate. Fearful for the lives of his family and having to be constantly on guard against all kinds of “entrapment,” he worked behind the scenes with just a couple of law officials who were themselves frightened for their lives. The suspected “hit man” was imprisoned in another country; this relieved some pressure. He ultimately fortified his domicile, electronically as well as with physical measures, using a faithful black brother as night watchman and at times as bodyguard for Thena.

Such was the experience of Evangelist W. Ray Votaw and his family in preaching and teaching the gospel of the New Testament in the country of South Africa. His plans are to continue to assist the brethren in any way possible to express his love for them. “Night fires are burning, and aged men are relating the history to young ones inside the kraal.”

Guardian of Truth XL: 7 p. 20-21
April 4, 1996

By Max Tice

I remember the first business meeting I ever attended as a young Christian. Some of the brethren had a disagreement over how certain deacons had been chosen. The climate in the room quickly grew significantly warmer as heated accusations and sarcastic comments were being exchanged. I came away feeling somewhat disillusioned and wondering how these could be the same people with whom I had worshiped so often. Little did I realize that this was only a foretaste of bitter experiences yet to come.

Having been a Christian now for over thirty years, I have both witnessed and heard about many scenes in which brethren have displayed less than exemplary and often out-right disgraceful behavior toward one another. These episodes have been especially common in Bible classes and business meetings. Imagine the effect of such conduct upon young Christians and visitors. Imagine also the demoralizing impact upon a local church. Although it is inevitable that brethren will sometimes disagree, it is far from necessary that they wrangle and misbehave. In James 4:1, James asks, “What is the source of quarrels and conflicts among you? Is not the source your pleasures that wage war in your members?” In other words, such things are the product of allowing fleshly lusts to have free reign. Whenever a little thoughtlessness and twisted reasoning are added to these evil desires, then shameful conduct is an absolute certainty. Habits are formed which lead to misbehavior under the slightest provocation.

It is in the hope of promoting peace, that I would like to discuss some of these habits and the means by which they can be broken. I humbly ask you as a reader to own responsibility for your actions. Please do not say, “I’ll be sure to give this article to brother. He’s the one who needs it.” What about you? Do you have any of the habits which are described below?

Failure to Listen to Others

I have sometimes witnessed two brethren arguing with one another who were in complete agreement on the topic under discussion. Why were they arguing? Because they did not know they agreed? Why didn’t they know? Because somebody wasn’t listening. Some brethren are terrible listeners (with a capital terrible)! When they recite what they think someone else has said, it is often the very opposite of what was actually said. Although an entire room full of people may try to tell a brother he has misunderstood another party, he will continue wasting everyone’s time while blasting away at his supposed opponent.

Brethren there is a very simple solution to this problem, assuming that one does not just wish to fight. It is called paying attention. If someone tells you that you have misunderstood what was said, maybe you have. Ask for clarification.

Failure to Listen to Self

I have a strong feeling that if some brethren could watch themselves on video, they would be surprised at how they “come across” to other people. If only they could hear their ill-natured tone and inflammatory language, perhaps they would make some changes. Proverbs 12:18 states that “there is one who speaks rashly like the thrusts of a sword, but the tongue of the wise brings healing.”

Insistence on One’s Point of View

In both Bible classes and business meetings, there are sometimes brethren who have not outgrown the immature self concept of egocentrism. Everything must revolve around them. They seek to dominate discussions, and their point of view has to be right. The controversies which they generate are not really about the meaning of a Bible verse or some decision by the elders or the men of the congregation. They are about ego! These brethren feel a need to control others. Their behavior may be driven by insecurity, jealousy, or pride. The cure for this personality defect can be found in heavy doses of brotherly love and a biblical (rather than a twisted) concept of self.

Exaggeration of Questions Importance

With some brethren, nearly every question is a “matter of life and death.” Those who take the “wrong position” must be fiercely debated in the interest of sound doctrine. For example, consider all of the heated exchanges that have arisen over whether or not people baptized in John’s baptism be-fore Pentecost need to be rebaptized (not that they know too many to whom this would apply). This does not mean that such questions are unworthy of Bible class time. There are many subjects which do not affect basic issues of faith and God’s requirements for our salvation that are interesting to study. Yet, we must not exaggerate their importance. They are worth a limited amount of discussion. However, they are not worth embarrassing arguments with exhibitions of hot temper and rude remarks.

The Tendency to Judge Others

One reason some brethren get so angry during business meetings and Bible classes is their habit of judging others. They assume there are hidden agendas behind proposals. They imagine that the reason for a disagreement over a Bible passage is that the other party has no respect for God’s Word.

In short, they believe that any number of evil motives most likely drive other people’s words and actions. While these assumptions may sometimes be correct, they may also amount to jumping to completely erroneous conclusions. Both Jesus and James warned against unjust judging of others (Matt. 7:1,2; Jas. 4:11, 12). James asked the question: “Who are you who judge your neighbor?” Indeed, who are we to play God and pretend to know with certainty the innermost thoughts of another man’s heart?

Conclusion

Whenever we behave in such a way as to unnecessarily alienate our brethren and cause visitors to our classes to wish they had never come, we should be ashamed. We are allowing worldly lusts, thoughtlessness, and twisted reasoning to take control. Although we cannot avoid having disagreements, we can certainly avoid shameful conduct. If Christ lives in us, it will be so!

Guardian of Truth XL: 7 p. 22-23
April 4, 1996

By Ken McDaniel

During a recent gospel meeting that I preached, the lo-cal evangelist and I went calling on a few individuals in hopes of motivating some to faithfulness and setting up Bible studies with others who have not yet been saved. As is often the case, we struck out several times due to no one being home. On one return visit, however, we found an individual home who welcomed us inside.

We introduced ourselves which, no doubt, clued him in as to why we were there. Still, he seemed glad for our company and asked us to sit for a while. After a bit of small talk, finding some common ground, we got to the point. We invited him to the meeting and then moved into a more personal conversation about his soul and his relationship with God.

The things we had to say came as no surprise to him because, as a youth, he had attended the services of a church of Christ with his parents. We asked him if he felt he was saved. He answered, “No.” We asked if he knew what would happen if he died in that condition. He said, “Yes,” indicating that he would go to hell. We asked if he felt he could be saved without being baptized. He replied, “Not according to the Bible.” With so many years having passed from the time he attended services as a boy  he being an older man now  we asked if he ever gave much thought anymore about being saved.

After a brief moment of silence, he replied, “I’d like to tell you some-thing I have never told anyone before.” He explained that in his home town the church held a meeting every summer. At the age of fourteen, he decided he would be baptized during the next meeting, though he told no one. One day, a week or so before the meeting, he went to the river to fish and was sitting, enjoying the stillness. He began to hear the noise of laughter in the distance. It was coming from a boat drifting down the river toward him. As it rounded the bend, he recognized who was in it  Shady Lane, the town drunk, and the preacher. In bewilderment, he slipped back into the bushes where he watched and listened. He couldn’t believe what he heard. They were telling and laughing at each other’s dirty jokes. When they got directly in front of him, he stepped out and waved hello, much to the preacher’s surprise, who was in the midst of guzzling a “Falstaff” beer.

Our host went on to explain that although he wanted to tell his parents, he was afraid because his dad did not tolerate lying. “Why, if he even thought you were lying,” he said, “dad would whip you, especially if it was about someone else.” The story about the preacher would have probably seemed like a lie to his dad and would have most likely got-ten him a whipping, so he thought. Who would have believed the preacher had been floating down the river with the town drunk, drinking beer and laughing at dirty jokes?

The boy wasn’t baptized during that meeting, and, probably close to fifty years later, has still not obeyed. While at home, he continued to go to church, but when he moved out that ended too.

Who is to blame Shady, the preacher, or the boy, who now distanced from the hurt by several years has still not yielded to God’s will? I tried to express to him that I felt for him, and that surely what he saw must have been crushing for a young boy ready to commit himself to God. However, I tried to help him understand that God has been kind and merciful to him. He has allowed him many years to mend, come to his senses again and be saved. We encouraged him to do so that very day, but he still wasn’t ready.

He said he realizes his reason for not being saved will not excuse him; regardless, that was the motive for his decision.

How sad indeed! A man bound for hell who knows it, but who also knows what to do to avoid it. Yes, he is right. God will not excuse him for refusing to obey the gospel (see 2 Thess. 1:8,9). It was not the Lord who wronged him; it was a hypocritical preacher who had opportunity to make things right but apparently failed to do so.

Though there are many applications that could be made from this story, the one that is most meaningful to me is the effect our actions have on others. Here was a boy ready to obey the gospel. He had made up his mind that when the invitation song was sung at the next meeting, he was going to walk down that aisle, be buried with Christ in baptism and have his sins washed away (see Galatians 3:27, and Acts 22:16). But he still has not done so because he was hurt so deeply by seeing the preacher, who was sup-posed to be a spiritual and godly man, drinking and laughing at dirty jokes. If what our friend said is true, though the preacher was not making a great effort to conceal his sins, he probably wasn’t expecting anyone to be there or to notice him. Then instead of trying to make things right, he inflicted more harm by trying to conceal his sins from the congregation at the expense of a young tender soul. As a result, one is now headed for eternal destruction.

Sometimes we, too, are more apt to give in to temptation when we think no one is watching. But as this story illustrates, the potential always exists. Needless to say, nothing is hidden from the Lord (see Heb. 4:13). Just think! Should someone see you, a Christian, living inconsistently with the teachings of the New Testament, it could cause him to fall away or never become a Christian at all.

As Peter admonished, we must always be careful to keep ourselves pure and our conduct honorable before others: “Beloved, I beg you as sojourners and pilgrims, abstain from fleshly lusts which war against the soul, having your conduct honorable among the Gentiles, that when they speak against you as evildoers, they may, by your good works which they observe, glorify God in the day of visitation (1 Pet. 2:11,12). Similarly, Jesus stated, “You are the salt of the earth; but if the salt loses its flavor, how shall it be seasoned? It is then good for nothing but to be thrown out and trampled under foot by men. You are the light of the world. A city that is set on a hill cannot be hidden. Nor do they light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a lamp stand, and it gives light to all who are in the house. Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven”(Matt. 5:13-16).

When we conduct ourselves in a pure and godly manner, we adorn the doctrine of God instead of defaming it (see Tit. 2:10). By doing so, others are encouraged to be-come Christians  to be as we are  not discouraged. Let us, therefore, always be careful to be godly. A soul other than our own may depend on it.

That Sunday before services, the preacher wasn’t standing in his usual place by the door. He was out on the sidewalk greeting people. As soon as he saw the boy coming, he went to meet him. He warned the youngster not to tell anyone about what he had seen.

Guardian of Truth XL: 6 p. 16-17
March 21, 1996

By Ken Vaughn

No one enjoys being lied too. There is nothing I detest more than being in the company of someone who habitually lies. The greatest damage is in the fact that this type individual deceives himself into a realm where he even believes his own lies. There is one lie that has been given by Satan that has this country spinning in a whirl. There are few families who have not been touched by divorce and of these, few who have not been told this big lie.

So I Can Feel Better

Those that are the cause of divorce attempt to soothe their conscience by saying, “The only one I am hurting is myself.” There are few lies that are more destructive than this one. The purpose is to feel better about the disarrangement they are causing. You cannot know the pain of divorce until you experience it, but you do not have to be ignorant. Peter said, “Moreover I will endeavor that ye may after my decease to have these things always in remembrance” (2 Pet. 1:15). The New Testament was written so that we might have the teaching of Christ and his apostles for our learning. If you have not been hurt by divorce, you still can learn from the pain of others.

Divorce Is Caused By Selfishness The question often asked is,

“Should two people stay married even though they fight like cats and dogs?” This question avoids the true issues. One issue is that they are not living as God would have them. When we give of ourself and think of the other, there will not be fighting of this nature.

Married couples disagree like all people, but when we have the love that is demanded by God we can work through every problem. There is no losing of the love that brought two people together. Another issue is selfishness. Divorce and selfishness are linked. They walk hand-in-hand. The reason a marriage is destroyed is selfishness. Husbands and wives should follow the instruction of Paul in Ephesians 5: “Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it” (v. 25). “Wives, submit yourselves unto your own husbands, as unto the Lord” (v. 22). This is something that is learned. The inter-relationship of two who are married is built one day at a time. Like a child learning to walk, so are couples learning to live and love together. Those that have been married for 50 years have seen this love grow deeper and truer. If I had realized just how little I truly love my wife, I would have never married her. There was not nearly the love that is found now.

The Destruction Of Divorce

Divorce has caused so much pain and confusion in this world. The one causing the divorce cannot say that he is the only one hurt. At first glance this statement appears true, but in fact is false. The one causing the divorce is the only one not hurt by his actions because he is getting exactly what he wants. (This, of course, does not deny the fact that he might be the only one hurt on the judgment day by his actions.) The innocent spouse, children, parents, grandparents, and grandchildren are the ones hurt. The pain that comes with divorce tarries for the life of the individual.

Division Of Families

Feelings are often hurt because there is only half as much time that is spent with each family member as before. “Home” does not have the safe invincible feeling. The relationship of parents with children is strained. It is inevitable that more time will be spent with one parent than the other causing hurt feelings. Siblings are often set at odds by the influence of one parent. All of this is magnified when there is a second marriage. This is further complicated if both parents marry again. In some families there seems to be a tradition of divorce. The only way to Stop this is to focus on what God has given. God hates divorce!(Mal. 2:16) Divorce is a foe of the home, one of the institutions created by God. It destroys at every turn.

A Plea For All

I spent no time talking about the destruction of the souls in the midst of divorce. This has been discussed. When both parties remarry you can rest assured that one is wrong. There is but only one solution. If you are preparing for marriage do not be as those that Malachi reproved, “Yet ye say, Wherefore? Because the Lord hath been witness between thee and the wife of thy youth, against whom thou has dealt treacherously” (Mal. 2:14a). Malachi says that she is still the wife of your covenant. Plan to marry but plan to build a marriage based on the principles established in the Bible. The Psalmist wrote, “Except the Lord build the house, they labour in vain that build it” (127:1). The Lord must be the focal point of the home and the husband and wife must realize their part in the scheme that is laid by God. The Lord knew what he was talking about after all. Wherever you are in your marriage make it better by getting rid of selfishness and focus on your mate. You can do it. Divorce must stop here with you.

Guardian of Truth XL: 7 p. 1
April 4, 1996