Truth Magazine

By Anonymous

In facing hard situations, it seems that preachers’ wives would become experts after dealing with so many problems over the years. However, that does not seem to be the way things are in reality. As a matter of fact, we seem to realize more and more that we are helpless without God and faithful brethren on whom to lean.

A particular incident is vivid in my mind, although there have been many years that have gone by since it happened. A family of Christians were attending where we worshiped and where my husband labored as the local preacher when a tragedy struck their lives. Their only daughter was killed in an automobile accident. At the same time their grandson was injured to the extent that he was left a paraplegic. You would have thought that this would have brought them closer to God to rely on his help as well as to depend on brethren for support.

Instead of either of these, they rebelled against God and wanted no one to come around. Of course, since we have to obey God rather than man, we were obligated to try to do what we could to save them. We were accused of not helping. As a result, I had occasion to talk at length with the wife and mother. She tried to tell me that 1, as well as my husband, knew nothing about tragedies since we were too young to have been through very many of life’s hardships. This, of course, proved that others do not always know what anyone else has had to endure. There are always problems, although they may not be the same ones another faces.

At that time I related some things in my life that I considered quite tragic. My father had left my mother, who then had three children still in school, and she had no job skills to help in supporting us. My father had remarried twice and, of course, to me adultery is a serious tragedy. Only my mother and I were Christians at that time in the family. Since then two have obeyed the gospel, but they are not faithful today. My father died in that adulterous state. “What can be more tragic?” I asked her.

When I was expecting my first child, the institutional issues were just beginning to surface, and the brethren where my husband then preached decided they did not want him to preach as he understood the Bible not to substantiate churches building and/or maintaining these institutions for orphans, widows, etc. Therefore, he was relieved of his work. This was not an easy thing for me, and a direct result of this was our child being born two months prematurely. This, to me, was a serious blow physically and mentally. Being abandoned by brethren whom I had known many years was especially depressing, I told this lady. There were others who did come to our assistance, and, of course, God brought us through this crisis. In fact, not long after our son was born, my husband received a call from Kentucky asking him to come there and preach. This we did as soon as our son was released from the hospital, and we were able to travel. Of course, in the meantime, my husband had to take a secular job, and we moved in with my relatives for those few months.

Other problems arose later when I faced three major surgeries before my 32nd birthday. Also, the premature son was constantly ill and had surgery when he was only two years old.

Later, we adopted a son who, while in elementary school, developed many problems which required some psychiatric help.

I continued to tell her that during that very week in which she and I were talking, I had invited someone we mutually knew to our gospel meeting and immediately was accosted with the remark, “I’m not coming to hear those crazy preachers.” Then quickly the person realized how that sounded and replied, “But I didn’t mean your husband.” However, I reminded him that since my husband preached the same as they did that he, too, could be classed likewise. I reminded him, also, that if the Apostle Paul could be bombarded with persecutions and endure, then surely I could endure.

I told the lady these things were all particularly tragic to me.

I reminded her that we, along with many brethren, personally have helped brethren in many places including foreign lands when famines, typhoons, and the like had struck. As individuals and as a collective body many, including my husband and me, have helped by sending food, clothing, and monies, but we don’t go around broadcasting what we do that others will know about it, but rather we just let God keep the records.

I told her that a church can only function effectively as each member participates. I told her that the church was a place where we are to be busy “going in and going out” as Paul did when he joined himself to the disciples in Acts 9:26-29. 1 continued to tell her that God had designed the church this way so we would avoid becoming spiritually isolated, so spiritual growth could be promoted.

I would like to be able to conclude by telling everyone that I convinced this lady of my convictions and tell you that she and her husband came back into fellowship with God, Christ, and the brethren. However, this was not the case. So far as I know they still remain unfaithful. But I can face God at the judgment with a clear conscience that we tried the best we knew to help in this matter.

Tragedies with me and my family have continued to come. The son who had problems in elementary school continued to have problems in his late teens after he left home, although earlier he had obeyed the Lord in baptism. He spent some time in jail, and I thought my heart would break. But through it all we continued to pray and rely on God for help.

Today as I write I can’t tell you my son is right with God, but I can tell you that he has come a long way. He is attending services of the church more frequently. He has become a good husband and father. And, only this very day in which I am finishing this article, he said to his dad and me, “I know that I need to get myself completely straightened out.” This is the first time since all the problems he’s had, that he’s ever said that. Therefore, prayer does help us. Brethren do help us. God never forsakes us.

When you are ridiculed for standing for truth, when brethren ignore you, when you are accused falsely, just remember that God cares and that he will reward those who endure to the end.

We as preacher’s wives’ can never solve all the problems that come our way, but we can be assured that, with faith and love, we can learn to cope with them and in the end overcome just as John reminds us in 1 John 5.

Guardian of Truth XXXIII: 18, pp. 545, 566
September 21, 1989

By J.T. Smith

In 1959 H.E. Phillips wrote a book entitled Scriptural Elders and Deacons which has provided a great source of information for those who want to study the subject of church organization. (All quotations in this article will, be from this book unless otherwise identified.) In the book, brother Phillips discusses the nature and organization of the church (with special emphasis on elders, their qualifications and work, and deacons, their qualifications and work). As is the general rule with all of brother Phillips’ work, it is complete and true to the Book.

In the late 1960s, the late J.D. Hall financed a periodical called Sentinel of Truth in which he and brother Charles A. Holt began to espouse the doctrine that the church is not an organized, functional unit and that elders are nothing more than older persons. They contended that there is no such thing as the appointment of men to the eldership, for there is no such thing as the eldership.

“Necessity of Organization”

In his discussion of the subject of organization (p. 3), brother Phillips said, “Organization is absolutely necessary to order and to accomplishment to the fullest of ability when two or more people are associated in any given task. The lack of good organization in the church is the greatest hindrance to the efficient administration of the mission of the church. Since the Lord has but one church, and has given us one pattern for all congregations, it follows that the organization revealed in the New Testament is the only acceptable one. Any departure from or substitution for that divine pattern is heresy before God.

“If we allow a deviation from the divine organization of the local church, how can we object righteously to the change or innovation in the worship of the church, or the terms of entrance into the church? One is as important as the other” (Ibid., p. 3).

In the chapter “Perverted Organization of the Church,” brother Phillips points out the danger of changing church organization. He said, “Many religious leaders have departed from the New Testament model of the church in several ways, but no departure is more glaring than that of the organization. Most gospel preachers would contend loudly for sound doctrine in the church, but are careless and indifferent toward the organization. Those who teach and practice a perverted organization in the church are as unsound as the one who preaches another gospel, and should be disciplined as false teachers, for so they are” (Ibid., p. 5).

Brother Phillips then discusses seven unscriptural ways of changing church organization. They are: (1) Elders Just Puppets, (2) Trial Government, (3) Preacher Rule, (4) Leadership Ruling, (5) Majority Rule (Business Meeting), (6) Committee Rule, (7) Inter-Congregation Rule. None of these measure up to the kind of organization which God has set forth for the church. All are perversions of God’s plan.

“The Scripturally Organized Church”

“Since the church of Christ must be organized, and since the Bible teaches the complete will of Christ in all matters relating to the church, we must see what the Scriptures teach about the organization of the church. If we follow the Scriptures in organizing the church, it will be a ‘Scripturally Organized Church'” (Ibid., p. 3). “What do the words ‘organism’ and ‘organization’ as we use them mean? Webster’s Unabridged Dictionary is a good authority and here are his definitions:

“Organism: ‘1. Any organized body or living economy; any individual animal or plant. 2. The state of being organized (rare). 3. An organized body of people; an organization. 4. Any organ of a living body.’

“Organization: ‘1. The act of organizing; the act or process of arranging and getting into proper working order; as, the organization of an expedition. 2. The state of being organized; that which is organized; an organized body. 3. Organic structure; the disposition or arrangement of the organs of the performance of vital functions. 4. The arrangement of the parts of an aggregate or body for work or action; systematic preparation for action'” (Ibid., p. 2).

Now having determined what is meant by organization, brother Phillips says, “We must determine now what the Bible means by ‘Church'” (Ibid., p. 2).

In discussing the organization of the church, brother Phillips draws the following conclusions.

“Different Kinds of Organizations”

“There are principally three kinds of government possible in the local church. If one of these classifications falls into the divine pattern, the others are not possible in church organization.”

He then lists three different kinds of organizations. “Monarchy – A government where all legislative, judicial and executive powers are invested in one man. The Monarch is the law-giver, the judge and executor of the law. The subjects have no power at all except as the supreme ruler delegates. The subjects have two alternatives: (1) To submit to the laws of the supreme ruler and enjoy his promises, or (2) rebel and pay the consequences” (Ibid., p. 4). Of course this fits perfectly the kind of government that we see in the Scriptures as it relates to the Kingdom of God.

The other two kinds of governments listed are, Democracy, and Republic (which space will not permit us to define). These do not fit God’s pattern.

Brother Phillips then lists “. . . four conditions of organization of the church today (only four of which are cited below, JTS). Almost if not all will come in one of these conditions.

“A. Scripturally Organized – having qualified elders and deacons appointed and performing the mission of the church in a scriptural way.

“B. Scripturally Unorganized – having no members qualified for elders and deacons. . .

“C. Unscripturally Organized – having unqualified and unscriptural men ruling as elders, or some human organization as ‘committees’ or ‘business meetings’ ruling the congregation.

“D. Unscripturally Unorganized – having men scripturally qualified for elders and deacons but have never been appointed and are not serving, but where they ought to be appointed” (Ibid., p. 4).

“Scriptural Meaning of ‘Church'”

“There are three ways in which the word ‘church’ is used in the New Testament, each of which must be understood when speaking of the organization of the church.

“A. The church is used in the aggregate or universal sense. This refers to all the people the world over, young and old, men and women, who are in the church. It is used in such passages as Ephesians 1:22,23. Christ is the head of the church.

“B. The church is used in the sense of all the people of God in a district or country. This includes several congregations geographically separated from others, as in Galatians 1:2 – ‘Unto the churches of Galatia.’

“C. The church is used in the local sense. This refers to all Christians living and meeting in a certain place. This is in the congregational sense. Christ is the supreme Ruler, and the apostles exercise His authority in all doctrinal matters. But in addition to this the eldership is delegated with local authority in the church. All work and worship is done through the local church, therefore, all work must be done under the eldership, properly the authority in the church.

No worship, praise or particle of the mission of the church can be expressed outside the local church. All work of the church that is done in a scripturally organized form must be done under the eldership. There is no organization, except the apostles under Christ, in the church in the first two senses. If such an organization can be formed to supervise several local churches, why are not all organized missionary societies and such like scriptural? The same authority that would grant one would grant the other” (Ibid., pp. 11-12).

“No Elder Theory”

“A. There is no such office in the church as elders. It is argued that there is no such thing in the church as an ‘office.’ That the expression ‘office of a bishop’ in 1 Timothy 3:1 is from episcopee which means twice ‘visitation’ and twice ‘oversight,’ but not at any time as ‘official’ authority. It is further argued that this is a work and not an authority.” ‘If any man desire the office of a bishop, he desireth a good work.’

“The word office in 1 Timothy 3:1 is from Episcopee and is defined in Abbott-Smith’s Greek-Lexicon as: ‘Office, charge, esp. office of an episcopos.’ Thayer’s Greek-English Lexicon gives a similar meaning.

“It is admitted in the above that twice the word in 1 Timothy 3:1 means ‘oversight’; and that twice in 1 Timothy 3:10,13 the word means ‘work.’ Is it to be understood that anything that is a work is not of authority? Christ was and is in authority – supreme authority in the church – but he also has work to do. All men in authority, whatever degree it may be, must work in executing that authority. It is true that the ‘office of a bishop’ is a ‘good work.’ But it is also admitted in the above argument that the word means ‘oversight.’ What is oversight? It means to oversee, to look over, to superintend. Does one appointed to look over the affairs of another have any authority at all? Authority always carries the idea of responsibility, and responsibility carries the idea of authority. If one Christian is in any way responsible for another Christian, to that extent he has authority and must exercise it in order to fulfill his responsibility” (Ibid., pp. 19-20).

The conclusion of all this information is described by brother Phillips. “If we submit to men called ‘elders,’ we will have to do away with the authority of Christ, it is said. But to reject the authority of the eldership as Christ has appointed would do away with the authority of Christ. Any man to whom Christ has delegated authority must be recognized as such or we reject the authority of Christ” (Ibid., p. 21).

From the above it is easy for us to understand why brethren Hall and Holt would have pronounced anathema on brother Phillips’ book and would have it cast into the depths of Hell. In fact, there were several articles by brother Holt in Sentinel of Truth regarding the book and brother Phillips’ position.

As with the above material, the remainder of the book deals with many other aspects of the organization of the church, qualifications of elders and deacons and their work. If you do not have the book, it is a must for your library and well worth the price you will pay.

On November 13, 1967, brother Charles Holt published an open letter to brother Phillips in Sentinel of Truth in which he challenged him to a debate on the church and eldership issues. This was in response to an earlier statement by brother Phillips in Searching the Scriptures expressing his intentions to “review some of the things that you and J.D. Hall have written which I believe to be error.” However in his reply December 7, 1967, brother Phillips pointed out that even though brother Holt had challenged him to a debate to be published in Searching the Scriptures and Sentinel of Truth, “After a thorough search through your letter I am unable to find a proposition, or even a hint of one, that you want to debate.”

According to brother Phillips’ statements in Searching the Scriptures, there were a couple of meetings between him and brother Holt at the Florida College Lectures in January 1968. It was his understanding that both men agreed to a suggestion made by brother Phillips. “I suggested again that we agree on propositions, number and length of articles and publish them in book form. I understood ,Charles to agree with this.” Whether he agreed or not, the discussion never came to pass.

It is the considered opinion of this writer that the positions taken in brother Phillips’ book are unanswerable, thus the reason for brother Holt’s failure to engage in the debate.

It is also the considered opinion of this writer that H.E. Phillips possesses one of the greatest minds among us. It shows in the material that he has authored, not only in the above mentioned book, but in all his writings throughout the years.

It has been my privilege to study at the feet of this great man on numerous occasions. He is one of the finest Christian gentlemen I have ever had the privilege of meeting. My thanks to God for him and for his God-given ability.

Guardian of Truth XXXIII: 17, pp. 517-519
September 7, 1989

By Bill Jeter

In our society much is written and said about young people and all the bad things they do. Rarely do we read or hear about the good things they are doing. Even in the church, we are sometime critical of our youth. Possibly, this is because we do not try to understand them. Their problems and temptations are usually so different from ours that they are underestimated and scoffed at and considered to be unimportant.

Over the years people have asked themselves why our young people grow up and leave the church. The problem could be more a reflection on ourselves than on the young men or women in question. We should look at the environment they had, growing up. What kind of spiritual upbringing did they have? Were they taught at home? Did we sit down with our children and teach them from the Bible, or were we too busy? Was a good example always set before them, or were they expected to base their decisions in life on other people’s examples? Did we take as much interest in the subjects they were being taught in Bible classes as we took in their secular classes?

Our youth cannot gain strength from our weaknesses. Many times our young people are given the impression that we as parents are perfect, and that we do not make mistakes. They feel we expect them to live up to this perfect standard. Pressures for perfection within the home, the church, and other areas are often too overwhelming for our young, especially if their need for love, compassion, and understanding has not been met. If we do not take the time to help them through their growing, formative years with these principles, then maybe we have found the answer to the question of why so many leave the church. We are dealing with our children, our young people, the most important asset we have.

It is said that the youth of today is the church of tomorrow, but do we acknowledge the fact that many are already the church of today. By our actions, they are often shut out of the work of the church. Many do not speak up in class, ask questions, or take any interest whatsoever because they believe it is the work of the older people. Without becoming involved, boredom sets in, and they feel there is no place in the church for them. They end up leaving the church. In God’s word, we read passages dealing with young people (not necessarily teenagers but young people of all ages). It would do us all good to study again the examples set out in the Bible that commend the youth, and we need to do the same for their faithful service to Christ. Some examples of the youth in the Bible are Samuel, David, Joash, Timothy, Ruth, daughters of Phillip, and Martha. These people are worthy of consideration because they were young in years. Read 1 Samuel 2:26, 1 Samuel 3:1 about Samuel; 1 Samuel 17:33, about David; 2 Chronicles 24:1, about Joash; 2 Timothy 1:5; 3:15 about Timothy; Ruth 1:16 about Ruth; Acts 21:9 about the daughters of Phillip, and John 11:24 about Martha.

Young people continue to be a good example to all of us. They deserve our respect. Youthfulness is not a disability for doing good work. Surely since we are older, the importance of young people in the church can be recognized, They are a great influence on our lives and that places a great responsibility on their shoulders. There are some truths that need to be kept in mind by young people.

1. The idea of a clean life (Psa. 119:9).

2. The certainty of a day of reckoning (Eccl. 11:9).

3. The value of restraint (Lam. 3:27).

4. The power of personal influence (1 Tim. 4:12).

5. Soberness is better than frivolity (Tit. 2:6-7).

6. Moral strength is mightier than physical (1 Jn. 2:13-14; Prov. 20:29).

There are many young people who are living up to these truths.

We give thanks for young men and women, and pray that their example of Christianity will be as someone has said, “You can preach a better sermon with your life than you can with your lips.”

Guardian of Truth XXXIII: 16, p. 491
August 17, 1989

By Connie W. Adams

Among those men who have touched my life and influenced me in the work of the Lord, H.E. Phillips holds a unique place, His faith in the Lord and untiring devotion to the cause of truth have made him one of the true heroes in my lip. This article is written as a tribute to him. Sometimes we wait until people have passed away to say kind things about them. I would like for him to “smell the roses” now.

I first met H.E, and Polly Phillips in 1950 when I preached in Lake City, Florida. I was 20 years old and had just married. There was a family in the congregation there who kept telling us about “Elwood” Phillips and his wife. They had worked in meetings in that area. During a meeting in north Florida, we met for the first time. His knowledge of the Bible and ability to effectively express it made A great impression upon me. Though older and more experienced, he put me at ease and treated me as a fellow-preacher. Polly’s outgoing personality and sense of humor made her a delight. Here was a model marriage.

As the years passed and great changes beset the churches of the Lord, the character and conviction of this servant of God were tested again and again. It was his love for his brethren which prompted him and James P. Miller to start the Florida Newsletter which soon became the Southeast Newsletter in the hope that communications could be kept alive while brethren had time to study the issues of sponsoring churches and the relationship of local churches to human institutions.

Searching the Scriptures

It was in January, 1960 when the first issue of Searching the Scriptures went into the mail. H.E. Phillips and James P. Miller had given birth to a periodical which has lasted now for 30 years. While both men wrote, it was H.E. Phillips who handled the editorial work. James P. Miller did much to gather subscriptions and help with the circulation of the paper. As the years passed, the pressure of the work took its toll. Determined not to let his work as a preacher suffer, he would attend to that during the day and then often work until 4 or 5 in the morning, writing, proofreading and handling correspondence, It was a labor of love and it reached the hearts of many people and taught them the truth. But it exacted a price in terms of failing health. When the bills were greater than the income from the paper, he borrowed money, sometimes against his insurance, to keep printing bills paid.

How many people have been influenced for eternity by these monumental efforts, only God knows. Always, the objective was to teach the truth, regardless of what it might cost. Error had to be opposed and that was not popular with some. Through it all, there was a spirit of fairness toward all. There was balance and the exercise of good judgment.

Two major heart attacks forced the decision to make other arrangements about the paper. When the agreement was reached that I should carry on with the publication of the paper, we met in Atlanta, along with two other brethren, to work out the details. We all got down on our knees in a motel room, and prayed for my work, for loyalty to the Lord and the Scriptures, for my good health, for lengthening of his days and for his faithful companion, Polly, who stood by his side and sacrificed much in order that he might do the work he had undertaken.

In the years since that spring of 1973, he has been a rock of strength for me. There have been man I y times when I have called on him for advice in dealing with some of the difficult problems an editor has to handle. His concern has always been for truth. He has been open and candid. His writings have appeared on the front page of the paper, except for special issues when there was a sequence to follow. There has been variety in these articles but always there has been an appeal to the Scriptures.

True Friends to Young People

Not only have the Phillipses succeeded in rearing three daughters to serve the Lord, but all of their grandchildren who are old enough to be accountable are faithful Christians. That says a great deal. In addition, they have a large “extended family” of younger people (several of whom are preachers and elders, and their wives) whose lives have been enriched by the love and attention given to them in the home of these good people. When my sons went to Tampa to attend Florida College, I urged them to attend services where brother Phillips was the preacher. I knew they would hear the word of God preached without fear or favor and that they would be blessed by the personal association with the Phillipses. I was right. Our daughters-in-law also attended there and shared in the warmth of this couple as they were often in their home. Among those young people, so blessed, were two young Italian brothers who stayed in the Phillips’ home while attending Florida College.

Common Memories

In 1976 we made a trip to Italy to preach. We met at Kennedy Airport in New York. I’ll never forget the prayer offered by my good brother, as we walked off to a quiet place before boarding the 747 for Rome. The intense Bible discussions with Italian brethren, the adroit fielding of questions, the courtesy and good humor, the sense of gratitude for all the kindnesses shown us – these and many other like things, were incidental lessons to me. We wept together at our parting from the Italian brethren who came to bid us farewell at the airport.

When the darkest hour of my life came and Bobbie crossed over to the other side, leaving me lonelier than I had ever been, Elwood Phillips caught a plane and came to be at my side. He sat with the family at the funeral. The prayer he offered at the funeral home is forever etched in my memory. His presence at the house the evening after the funeral, along with family and a few good friends, meant a great deal more than words can express.

We were with them in Nashville in December, 1988 to attend what has been called “The Nashville Meeting” where we sadly marvelled at how far from the truth some of the brethren had gone.

In March of this year, during a meeting in which I preached at Palmetto, Florida, Elwood and Polly came down and spent a day with us. We had lunch together and spent several hours discussing the work of the Lord in general and that of the paper in particular. Once more, he lifted my spirits and encouraged me to stand for the truth. How could one not love such a friend?

Still at Work

Besides writing for the paper, H.E. Phillips serves as one of the elders of the Fletcher Avenue church in Tampa and shares some of the preaching with Everett Hardin. He still holds some meetings and probably could work in a few more. While health problems continue, his mind is keen and his interest in the kingdom of God undiminished.

Our readers should know that, had it not been for H.E. Phillips, this paper would not be in your hands now. For whatever good you have received from the columns of this paper, you owe a debt of gratitude to H.E. Phillips. Why not take a few moments and write him a note. It will do you good, and it will lift the spirits of a genuine hero of faith. Thanks, Elwood and Polly, for all you have done for the cause of Christ, for this paper and for me and my family.

You may address them: P.O. Box 1631, Lutz, FL 33549.

Guardian of Truth XXXIII: 17, 513, 536-537
September 7, 1989