Searching The Scriptures To Cease Publication

By Connie W. Adams

With the December, 1992 edition, Searching the Scriptures will cease publication. That issue will complete 33 years of service to our readers. Several things have combined to bring us to this decision. The continual financial pressure from printing and postal costs, plus other necessary expenses certainly have been a factor. But the principal cause for this decision is the need for relief from the taxing deadlines with which this editor and publisher has lived for the last 191/2 years.

Since 1975 I have been involved in gospel meeting work for nine months of each year. Every time I have returned from a meeting, there has been one or two monthly deadlines to face. Some work had to be done on the road along with the busy activities of gospel meetings. The years have taken their toll. It is necessary to relieve some of the pressures under which I have been working so I may devote my remaining days to the work which has always been first with me – preaching and teaching the gospel.

Agreement With Guardian of Truth

I have entered into an agreement with the Guardian of Truth to the effect that all rights to the name Searching the Scriptures will be owned by them to prevent any further publication under that name and to guarantee that our subscribers will receive their money’s worth for any unfulfilled portion of their subjections. Guardian of Truth has agreed to supply one and a half issues of their magazine for every one that was due from Searching the Scriptures. In other words, if you still have six months remaining on your subscription to STS, you will receive nine issues of GOT. All church ads will be fulfilled in GOT on a one-for-one basis. Our readers will get more than their money’s worth from this agreement. Guardian of Truth is ably edited by Mike Willis with a staff of capable writers. That magazine is published twice a month and contains 32 pages per issue. We have only had 24 pages once a month.

Editor to Write for Guardian of Truth

I have been asked to write regularly for GOT and have consented to do so. I am comfortable working with Mike Willis and the able men who assist him in his work. The two papers have cooperated with each other through the years. Our general aims and purposes have been the same. It was my privilege to serve as an associate editor for what was then known as Truth Magazine (which later became Guardian of Truth) from 1965 until June, 1973 when I became editor and owner of Searching the Scriptures. I left the staff of that paper with goodwill and continued to urge people to subscribe and read it. It will be a great pleasure for me to do the same again. Those who have followed my writings in STS for the past 191/2 years will now be able to find what I write in GOT. In addition to a column which will appear frequently, though certainly not in every issue, I will continue to write the short items which have appeared in STS under the heading “Editorial Left-Overs. ” This has been a popular feature in STS and many readers have told me that they always look for that first.

In addition to that, it is hoped that many of the writers for Searching the Scriptures will continue to write and submit their good material to GOT. Without the faithful work of these men, we would have been out of business long ago. Their reward for their labors has been the good they have done for their readers.

Our final issue will include a history of the paper from first to last by H.E. Phillips, who, along with James P. Miller began this work in January, 1960. As you might expect, we will take a nostalgic look back and then we will consign Searching the Scriptures to the archives of history where its merits or demerits will be judged by those who have read it through these years, or those into whose hands bound volumes may fall. I will sit down to write that last editorial with mixed feelings. But I am thankful for the opportunity to teach the word through these pages and grateful for the good men who have helped in so many ways and for those who have subscribed for themselves and for others. Over the years many kind words have been written and spoken about this paper (and some not so kind). We will cherish the kind words and try to learn from the other kind.

“Therefore, my beloved brethren, be ye steadfast, unmoveable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, forasmuch as ye know that your labor is not in vain in the Lord” (1 Cor. 15:58).

Guardian of Truth XXXVI: 22, pp. 673, 695
November 19, 1992

Would Your Boss Believe It?

By Glendol McClure

Suppose you decided not to go to work because you didn’t feel good, so you called your boss and told him that you were too sick to come in. Suddenly, around 4:30 p.m. you start to feel a lot better so you decide you will go and pick up a few needed items at the local K-Mart, and who do you run into at the store, but your boss! When he asks you how you are feeling, you tell him how much better you began to feel around 4:30 p.m., explaining that you thought it would be good to get out of the house for a while. How convenient! Do you think your boss would really believe your story?

Yet, many “Christian” (so-called) follow a similar pattern regarding their attendance. They often don’t call anyone when they are “sick” and miss services. Many times they don’t attend for several consecutive services. When it comes time to go work or go somewhere they want to go, they suddenly start feeling better. When another member calls to inquire why they were absent for services, they usually respond by telling how sick they were and how their condition improved, all of a sudden! Oh, how they make a habit of being “sick” conveniently and recovering “miraculously.”

Doesn’t the Bible teach somewhere that miracles have ceased in this age? (1 Cor. 13:8-10)

Guardian of Truth XXXVI: 21, p. 644
November 5, 1992

Abortion and Deception

By Marvin Cossey

Evil causes must rely on lies and deception for their defense. Such is the case with abortion. Let’s look at some of the deceptive terms and arguments used by abortion advocates:

In order to avoid the stigma of being pro-abortion they label themselves “pro-choice.” This sounds better! The word choice suggests liberty or freedom. This is the image they want you to see. They fail to emphasize that the choice they are advocating is the choice to kill unborn children!

Another deceptive term is “reproductive choice.” This is an attempt to equate abortion with acceptable forms of birth control. Abortion is not a reproductive choice, it is choosing to kill that which has already been reproduced! The time to exercise reproductive choice is before conception.

The argument is made that a woman should have the right to control her own body. This is misleading; it implies that only the woman’s body is involved. In reality they are demanding the right to destroy a separate human body, that of the baby.

Abortion advocates appeal for sympathy by saying that thousands of women would die in illegal abortions if abortion is outlawed. Question: Which is the greater loss, the loss of thousands who die while killing their babies or the loss of millions of innocents who die with no ability to choose?

There is a legal right to abortion but no moral right. When forced to choose between the legal and the moral, the right thinking person will ever choose morality. Likewise, whenever two rights are in conflict the greater right should always prevail. The right to life is far superior to any perceived “right” to avoid childbirth.

Guardian of Truth XXXVI: 21, p. 647
November 5, 1992

A Parallel: A Missionary Society and Souther Christian University

By Wayne Goforth

Recently, a paper was sent out by Southern Christian University (News and Notes, 1:2) to advise the brotherhood of their name change from Alabama Christian School of Religion. They had desired to put the word “Seminary” in their title, but feared they might lose some financial support if they did so (p. 4).

In an obvious attempt to justify the church support of the school, Rex Turner Sr., had a chart on page 22 attempting to contrast the school with a missionary society. Webster defines contrast as, “Unlikeness as shown when things are compared.” However, may I suggest that he would have spent his time better by writing a parallel between the school and the society. Webster defines parallel as, “Things moving in the same direction . . . something essentially similar to another.” Brother Turner could also have correctly written a contrast between church supported schools and the New Testament plan for preacher training and edification. Like most institutional brethren, brother Turner used for his contrasts the abuses of these societies which were never the aims or desires of the founders. This is plain dishonesty for all students of church history. We would like to hear brother Turner explain what was wrong with the American Christian Missionary Society of 1849.

Many through the years have attempted to show the parallel between church supported schools and the societies.

Many of these would be heralded as great champions of faith by both the faculty and administration of Southern Christian University:

Alexander Campbell said, “They dare not transfer to a missionary society, or Bible society, or education society, a cent or a prayer, lest in so doing they rob the church of its glory” (The Christian Baptist, 1823, pp. 11-18).

Foy Wallace, Jr. argued, “If it were permissible to have a Bible College as an adjunct to the church in the work of education . . . we quite agree that it would also be permissible to have a missionary society in the work of evangelism” (Gospel Advocate, July 2, 1931).

Guy N. Woods stated, “This writer has been unable to appreciate the logic of those who affect to see grave danger in the missionary society but scruple not to form organizations for the purpose of caring for orphans, and teaching young men to be gospel preachers” (Abilene Christian College Lectures, 1939 54).

J.D. Tant offered, “The church of Christ has its Bible College society with its president, secretary, treasurer, board of directors, etc. to collect money from churches to teach the gospel and do other good works. Then I asked by what process of reasoning could the digressive missionary society be unscriptural and our college society be scriptural” (J.D. Tant Texas Preacher 359).

If one wanted to start an edification society, what would be necessary that Southern Christian University is not doing? When truthfully examined, the only differences between the college and the society exist in the minds of these liberal brethren.

Since brethren now have the benevolence societies through which to do benevolence (orphan homes, unwed mothers home, retirement home, ad nauseum), and evangelistic societies thorugh which to do evangelism (Herald of Truth, World Bible School, etc.), as well as edification societies (Southern Christian University, Memphis School of Preaching, et al), one wonders what is left for the church to do but to be a fund raiser for the societies! Truly the “tail is wagging the dog.”

Guardian of Truth XXXVI: 21, pp. 648-649
November 5, 1992