Truth Magazine

By H.E. Phillips

Brother Willis asked me to write something on the subject: Where We Are and Where We Are Going as it respects the church. I told him I would do the best I could. I am sure some will not view the present condition of the church and its future as I do, but the facts are before us to make our conclusions in the light of Scripture. I am not a prophet, nor the son of a prophet. But I believe the signs of the times indicate the direction the church of this generation will go if the trend continues.

I am not a pessimist by nature. Neither am I a blind optimist who sees no negatives. There is the middle ground of reality. We live in a real world where there is good and evil, right and wrong, life and death.

Where We Are Now

From about 1945 serious doctrinal issues arose that resulted in a division among churches of Christ which still exists today. This division came because some would not respect the authority of Christ in the areas of evangelism, benevolence and congregational organization. Such a division does not occur without lingering consequences beyond the pain of division. The bitter fruits of this division are left with us today in the form of influences that hinder the gospel of Christ.

I mention three major problems that are besetting churches of Christ:

A. Worldliness. Worldliness is that state of the heart that is ruled by Satan through the lusts of the flesh. It is the carnal heart that is reflected in the words and deeds of the one afflicted. There is so much worldliness in the church today that it is very difficult to get the members to think on spiritual things. Worldliness begins with the love of the world. One who loves the world cannot love God (1 Jn. 2:15). One who would be a friend of the world is the enemy of God (Jas. 4:4).

Immorality in sex is a terribly infectious sin. We are suffering from the immoral attitude and practice of the sex revolution of the 60’s and 70’s. The divorce and remarriage syndrome has seized the lives of many in the church, including some preachers, elders and deacons. The symptoms of this moral sickness is far reaching and is growing rapidly. Men who once stood strong for the truth are now trying to find excuses for ignoring New Testament teaching on divorce and remarriage. When such a practice becomes popular, efforts are made to justify it by perversion of the Scriptures.

Worldly dress is a strong evidence of a carnal mind. Near nudity in our present society has been accepted everywhere in public places. In the movies and on television explicit nudity and sex scenes are pumped into our living rooms, and many members of the church watch it and enjoy what they see. They make no provisions to protect their children from this moral filth. Dress styles reflect the moral corruption of this generation, and much of it is among members of the church. They ape the entertainment world and the depraved of earth. The “come-as-you-are” concept is popular in many churches over the country.

Alcohol and drugs are tolerated by some in the church. Social drinking of alcohol is justified and accepted by many in the church.

Language is a barometer of the heart (Matt. 12:34-37). The language that some professed Christians use is shameful even to the world. Lying, evil speaking, profanity, vulgarity, gossip and slander are commonplace. This is evidence of worldliness in the church.

B. Iniquity. “Iniquity” means “violation of law, iniquity, . . . without law, lawless, transgressor, wicked. ” Jesus spoke of those who had no regard for divine authority in Matthew 7:23. This attitude toward authority is still causing havoc among churches today.

Compromise is one trait of iniquity. An increasing number today shun debating their cause or contending for the faith once delivered (Jude 3). They only debate when they are defending their personal honor and when they debate that it is wrong to debate. Compromise is used to attain some kind of unity. The compromise with the denominational world, as well as with false brethren, does not attain anything akin to Bible unity.

Apathy is like a pall over society today, especially the home and the church. The gross indifference of members of the church is so discouraging that most congregations are doing little or nothing to grow numerically and spiritually. It is discouraging to those who are trying to do the will of God. This sin is the main reason there is little or no learning in Bible classes. It explains why so many of our young people are quitting the church.

Greed is at the root of crime and sins of the human race (1 Tim. 6: 10). Avarice isalways the outgrowth of iniquity. In fact, anarchy exists because man is covetous. The law of the Lord teaches man to be benevolent and obedient to the truth. When man loses respect for the authority of Christ, he becomes self-serving and greedy. Church members are very greedy in this age.

C. Unbelief. Unbelief is the lack of trust and conviction in God’s word. It produces very serious consequences (Heb. 3:12).

Ignorance. The appalling ignorance of the average member of the church certifies the unbelief in Christ and his word. This unbelief is the result of not studying the word of God, and very few seem to want to study any where.

Perversion of worship. Worship in spirit and truth is authorized in the New Testament (Jn. 4:24). The singing has become more entertaining than for worship. The preaching has been toned down to a fifteen minute, flattering oration that excites the people to applaud it. Prayer has become a ritual for both men and women in the public gathering, more for show than the ears of God. Worship is being changed to accommodate the pleasure of the sensual minded members, and that for the increase of membership.

Change organization. For many years there has been a gradual change from the scriptural organization of the local church to a substitute form of government and unqualified men are appointed to unknown posts of authority doing duties never authorized in the New Testament.

Social Gospel. The emphasis upon the social needs and benefits to human life upon this earth, and the pleasure and good will of mankind has become the prime goals of the church in many localities. The benevolent needs of the world are used to build membership of the church. It will not save one soul.

Where We Are Going

Where is all this leading us? What will the church be in another fifty years? History records a surprising change from 1940 to the present time of the movement away from the truth. Attitudes have changed, regard for Scripture has diminished, and love for the truth has waxed cold.

Where are we going? The trend indicates a continuation of the same problem with a faster departure from the truth. It will likely get more radical as denominationalism has done. I think I see upon the horizon of the future, based upon the present trend, and in addition to what we have observed, three major departures:

A. Develop a New Creed. When men and women struggle to work together while holding different beliefs concerning God, the Bible, the church, worship, conditions of salvation, heaven and hell, they must have some creed to hold them together. The Bible will not do it for them. The use of some modern versions to establish the doctrines they want to adopt is being done. Some of these versions are,as bad as the creeds of denominationalism. Some denominations have made their own translations to form their creed.

B. Restructure the Organization of the Church. Already the stage is set for this movement. The elders and deacons are rejected as unnecessary in this day. The qualifications are rewritten or completely rejected. The Feminist Movement and other like organizations will bring pressure to have women appointed to the eldership. Women will also be preaching as the departure goes on. Some of the denominations now have women preachers.

I think the future will have a modification of the present perverted organization of the local church. We will see a more democratic form of government. The signals are already being given. If it keeps going from the truth we will have the “committees” composed of women and men whose duty it will be to advise and guide the elders. Some of these committees will be composed of women, senior citizens, singles, teenagers, and young parents all representing those groups in the -church. They will become a part of the ruling element of the local church. Majority rule will decide the course of the church, and God’s plan, as described in Philippians 1:1,2, will be abandoned.

There will probably be a council of churches from various “sects” of churches of Christ that will form the catalyst for a central rule for unity and fellowship. Some efforts have been made in this direction for some time.

Someone will say: “That is ridiculous; churches of Christ will never go that far.” Do not be naive; some “churches of Christ” have come that far in my lifetime.

C. Pervert the Mission of the Church. As churches move away from the truth, they will follow the lead of denominationalism toward the social gospel and away from its mission to support the gospel. In addition to what is already being done, various endeavors will be created and supported by the church, and some will join the denominational operations that cover the field. Space does not permit the listing of possible operations by these churches. If you think this is impossible, stop and look at what liberal churches of Christ are doing now. In time they will go further from the truth.

Guardian of Truth XXXIII: 17, pp. 528-529
September 7, 1989

By Kerri Leverette

Many times when people write about their memories of someone it is after that person has passed, away. While I am thankful for the opportunity to recall the past, I do hope to make many more memories with Granddaddy. H.E. Phillips has eleven grandchildren and, at this writing, ten great grandchildren. The grandchildren range in age from thirty-three to four years old and I am the second oldest grandchild.

I would have to say my most favorite times were when my sisters and I spent the weekend with Granddaddy and Grandmother. It was the same routine on those Saturday nights. Granddaddy always made the popcorn and we stood on chairs all around him anxiously waiting for the first kernels to pop. After our popcorn and coke it was time to get Granddaddy “fixed up” for church the next morning. With him stretched out in his recliner with his pajamas on, we would go to work. We soaked and massaged his feet, trimmed his fingernails, and combed his hair. Back and forth we would go to the medicine cabinet for lotions, powders, aftershave, and creams. It happened every time; Granddaddy would fall asleep and as is the case with most small children, we would sometimes get carried away. I will never forget the time he woke up and leaped from his chair, his face burning, only to realize my youngest sister had rubbed athlete’s foot powder all over his face. Still, he continued to let us fix him up, although he did take away our electric razor privileges for awhile (but that was only after I had shaved off one sideburn and half of an eyebrow). He has had Vaseline in his hair and Mentholatum all over his feet. Never once through all the little accidents did he become angry with us, but he did fight falling asleep for fear of what would happen to him next.

I could hardly wait to be old enough to help with the paper, Searching the Scriptures. The first job was to take lunch and sometimes supper back to Granddaddy’s office and run small errands around the house. Then when I was old enough to read, I could help count, stack or sort. The house was always busy with people and papers were everywhere, and sometimes as late as one or two o’clock in the morning the paper would be finished, bagged and ready to go to the post office. Patiently Granddaddy would answer all my questions on the way to the post office. Why did he write a paper? Why was his picture on the front? Where did he get the name, Searching the Scriptures? Wouldn’t it be easier if he just bought a paper from the store?

Granddaddy’s office was like a sacred place to us. We were never allowed to play in there. In fact, we didn’t even go in there unless Granddaddy was in there. It was where you went for help in answering a Bible question or for encouragement when the boy you liked asked your sister out instead. It was also where you went when you were in trouble and often I sat there across the desk from Granddaddy while he talked to me about my behavior. It has always been very easy to talk to Granddaddy. In every discussion, whether it be right at the start or, perhaps, when your talk was finished, he always said, “I love you” and told us how much we meant to him.

Summer vacations usually found us heading to Kentucky to see our great-grandmother. On our drive up, Granddaddy would tell us stories about her and the good Christian influence she had been on his life. They would sit for hours on the porch swing. After dinner we would gather in the living room where Granddaddy would talk of his childhood. On occasion, Grandma Phillips, as we called her, would slip in a story or two of some of granddaddy’s mischievous times as a boy. Since her death, he has talked often from the pulpit about how much she encouraged him to be a gospel preacher.

I guess my biggest disappointment is that my husband and our children do not live as close to Granddaddy as I did growing up. We only get to be together about two or three times a year, so my children sit and listen to me tell stories of my times with Granddaddy.

As I prepared for this article, and my sisters and I talked about our different memories, one thing that kept coming up was that Granddaddy has always been the same. What I mean is that he was not a Sunday gospel preacher and then a different person at home during the week. Whatever the people from church saw and heard from Granddaddy was what we saw and heard during the week. As the years pass, I realize that the day will come when Granddaddy will die, but as long as I remember the lessons he has taught me and that I now teach to my children, he will really be with us for a long time. For all the kind words and fond remembrances, I know the greatest I can do is to live a faithful Christian life and to be the example for others that Granddaddy has been for me.

Guardian of Truth XXXIII: 17, p. 534
September 7, 1989

By Daniel H. King

May 30th is observed here in the United States as a legal holiday commemorating our service men and women who have made the ultimate sacrifice for their country. We must not forget that the freedom from tyranny and individual pursuit of life, liberty and happiness here in this wonderful land have come to us through the sacrifices of others. Memorial Day is a time set aside in our yearly calendar of events for reflection upon the greatest gift that another could ever give – his life.

Lest we forget them, we pause from our daily chores to think about who they were and what they did. Then we go back to being who we are and doing what we do. But because they have a memorial day and we have paused long enough to remember them, they can never be as those whom the wise man of old described in his sagely but depressing remarks: “And some there be, which have no memorial; who are perished, as though they had never been; and are become as though they had never been born” (Ecclesiastics 44:7-9). As a grateful people ought, we thank God for them and their selfless love.

God has ever recognized man’s need for such reminders. Religious praxis is replete with examples. The Hebrew nation remembered yearly the deliverance of Israel from Egyptian slavery at the commemoration of Passover. The Feast of Tabernacles was a symbolic recollection of the days of tent-dwelling, before Israel was given a land of her own. Every week the Israelites celebrated God’s work of creation on the Sabbath, resting as he did on the seventh day.

Christians have such a day. We call it Sunday, but they referred to it unpretentiously as “the first day of the week” (Lk. 24:1; Acts 20:7). It crowns each and every week, similarly keeping pious believers in memory of the most marvelous sacrifice ever made for mortal man. And, in spite of what some think, it is not a time merely for rest or relaxation, that is to say, for fishing, golfing and recreation . It is a time for memorializing and remembering.

On the night of his betrayal, Jesus took the bread and fruit of the vine and blessed them and gave them to his disciples. “This do in remembrance of me,” he said. The early Christians did just that. They partook of these simple emblems of Christ’s death and so remembered him every week. Paul waited seven days at Troas to sit down at the table of the Lord with fellow believers (Acts 20:6-7). When the day came, he was there with them in communion with Christ. Faithful followers of Christ do the same today.

They may make this day one for visiting with friends and relatives, or even for recreating, but only after they have first paused to reflect and remember the Lord’s death in his memorial Supper. “This cup is the new covenant in my blood: this do, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of me. For as often as you eat this bread, and drink the cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death till he come” (1 Cor. 11:25-26)

Guardian of Truth XXXIII: 18, p. 548
September 21, 1989

By Weldon E. Warnock

As we devote this issue of Guardian of Truth in honor of H.E. Phillips, it is my assignment to reflect upon the light side of the life of brother Phillips and to share a few of the humorous incidents in his long and illustrious career. It has been my pleasure to have known brother Phillips and his good wife Polly and family for several years, and to have been in his home and in gospel meetings together on many occasions.

Let-Down at Cottonwood

The first time Elwood preached away from his home congregation was at Cottonwood, Tennessee in the early 1940s. He was told the congregation was small, somewhere between 15 to 20 people. He took two young men with him to help out in the services, such as directing the singing and leading prayer. When Elwood and the young men arrived, the house was full of people. He preached with all vim and vigor that he could muster up, feeling good that such a large crowd had come out to hear him. But his euphoria was short-lived as the people informed him when the service was over that they had confused him with another Phillips – that they thought H.M. Phillips was preaching, an old, seasoned preacher who taught at David Lipscomb College. Anyway, one elderly sister, wearing an apron, must have been impressed as he came by and laid a one-dollar bill in Elwood’s hand.

The Tennessee Rooster

During a gospel meeting between Chattanooga and Nashville, Tennessee Elwood encountered a preacher-hating rooster (perhaps the old rooster had seen several of his brothers sacrificed to the ministry). The farmer with whom Elwood was staying, told Elwood to watch the rooster as he loved to flog people, especially preachers. After a few days of self-imposed exile, Elwood asked the farmer if he could kill the old rooster, because if a rooster ever needed killin’, that one did. The farmer consented, except he did not want Elwood to use a gun. So, armed with a tobacco stick and a pocketful of walnuts, he cornered the fighting rooster in the hen house face to face.

When he got the rooster lined up just where he wanted him, he swung with all his might to decapitate the preacherhating rooster’s head. But lucky for the rooster, Elwood missed, except the comb. He peeled the comb off down to the scalp, and the rooster, taking evasive action, darted out of the hen house and took refuge under the farmer’s house. For the rest of the meeting the old rooster had a phobia toward Elwood, avoiding him like he had the plague. Elwood told the farmer that God made man to have dominion over the fish of the sea and the fowl of the air and that he had proved this in his conquering the rooster.

What About Herman?

Some transients, traveling on foot, came to the door while Elwood and Polly were located in Gainesville, Florida. As the story generally goes, they had run into some bad luck and needed something to eat and a place to stay for the night. Elwood agreed to take them to a nearby motel for the night and also buy them something to eat. As they got ready to leave, Elwood noticed a large, mixed-breed dog tied to a bush. He asked, “Whose dog is that, tied to a bush?” The transients replied, “Oh, this is Herman. He belongs to us. We need a place for him, too.” “Well,” Elwood retorted, “Herman isn’t going to ride in my car. I’ll tie him to the back bumper and let him follow along to the motel.”

So, down through Gainesville Elwood and the beggars go with Herman trailing along behind at about 10 miles per hour. A room was reserved for the transients and the basement was allotted to Herman. After Elwood got the beggars something to eat, they brazenly asked, “What about Herman? He is hungry, too.” Elwood replied, with patience exhausted, “Herman will just have to get by on his own!”

Cold Chili

After a Sunday evening service at the Fletcher Avenue church in Tampa, Florida, Elwood, Polly, some of the immediate family and two or three families from the congregation went to Steak & Shake to eat. Elwood had a craving for some chili, so he ordered a bowl of chili, along with a side order. When the waitress brought the chili, to Elwood’s disappointment, it was cold. Nevertheless, he ate it, but complaining every other spoonful about the cold chili.

When all of them lined up at the cash register to pay the bill, the manager was taking the checks and money for the meals. Elwood was in the front of the line while one of his sons-in-law was toward the back. The manager asked Elwood how his meal was and he thought this would be an opportune time to tell him about the cold chili. The manager apologized and told Elwood the meal was on Steak & Shake. About that time, a voice bellowed out from back in the line from the son-in-law, saying, “Pulling that old cold chili trick again, are you?” The manager looked puzzled and Elwood just looked. After some explaining that it was a joke, the manager seemed satisfied. I think I would have hung a son-in-law from the nearest tree.

Bed Too Narrow

Polly has traveled with Elwood over the years in gospel meetings. However, there was one meeting in particular that she, perhaps, should have stayed home. They were staying with a family who didn’t act like they were expecting Polly to come. They put them in a bedroom that had only a three-quarter bed. Bedtime for the host was much earlier than what Elwood and Polly were accustomed to, like three hours earlier. They sat there in the bedroom for quite sometime, talking, reading and wondering how to sleep in that bed.

Finally, Polly said she would sleep next to the wall and Elwood would take the outside. This worked for a few minutes until Elwood fell out into the floor. Elwood had to preach the next morning, it was agreed that he would take the inside, next to the wall, in order to try to get some sleep and Polly would venture through the night on the outside. As you can image it was a long meeting and each night a challenge just to say in bed.

The Little Rascal

Several years ago during a meeting in the panhandle of Florida, a little boy began using the meeting house for a playground while Elwood was preaching. He would close and open the front door, and then run up and down the aisle, whooping like an Indian, as well as a few other juvenile antics. After he did all of this for awhile, he came down to the front to the table on which was the Lord’s Supper, and began looking under the cloth that covered the bread and fruit of the vine. holders.

Elwood decided it was time to take action. He said to the little urchin, “Little boy, would you like me to find your parents?” When he said this, a big, robust man got up out of his seat and headed for the front (if I had been Elwood, I might have ducked for cover). But the man was not coming for Elwood, but for his “little rascal.” He took him back to the pew, placed him firmly down, where the little fellow stayed as though glued to the seat. Some thought the people might not come back, but they did, every night, and the little boy gave that “mean” preacher “the eye” after each service when he went out of the door with his daddy.

A Stray Golf Ball

Everybody has a hobby. One of Elwood’s hobbies is golf. Four of us were playing a round at the Babe especially at Zaharias Golf Course in Tampa. We were on the at the ninth hole when we spotted an old man coming toward us on the left side of the fairway far out in the rough, walking his dog. Both of them were just wobbling along, coming in our direction. Jokingly, I said to Elwood, “See if you can hit that old man coming toward us way off over there in the rough.”

Elwood took a practice swing or two, and then hit the ball that left the tee like a bullet. Instead of going down the middle of the fairway where he intended, it headed straight for the old man and his dog as if it had been aimed with accurate precision. We hollered “fore” and the elderly gentleman fell to his keens as the ball sailed just a few feet over his head. Elwood ran a few steps toward the old man, pointed to men, and facetiously said, “He made me do it.” Well, nobody got hurt, thankfully – just a little embarrassed. On the back nine, we saw another old gentleman taking cover behind a tree when Elwood was teeing off. We surmised that word got around about the wild golfer out on the course.

The Ugly Woman

While preaching for the church at Clearwater, Florida, Elwood decided to enroll in a course at the University of Tampa. He was in his late 20s or early 30s at the time as the story is told. The city of Tampa had just installed parking meters and on this particular day when Elwood drove up to campus area, he had no change for the meter.

Seeing the only place far or near where he might get some change was this “greasy-spoon” looking joint that when under the guise of a restaurant, Elwood decided he would venture in, get his change for the meter, and hurry out. He had to go down three or four steps to the entrance, and while he was waiting at the cash register for service, he glanced over to a booth wherein was seated one of the ugliest women he had ever seen. She was as skinny as a rail, gray-headed, wearing a short dress and smoking a cigarette in one of those long holders.

The woman, after giving Elwood the eye and a beautiful (?) Smile said in the Mae West style, “What you say, BIG boy?” Well, Elwood didn’t say anything, only wondering what kind of place he had “stumbled” into. He whirled around, without his change, hurried out the front door, up the steps, and headed for class, taking his changes that the could park for an hour or so without being given a ticket. He would have rather faced a policeman, including a fine, than the ugly woman.

Conclusion

These are just some of the many humorous episodes in the life of brother Phillips. We trust you have enjoyed them. Someone said, “To be able to laugh, especially at one’s self, is a necessary attribute. Blessed is the ma who does not take himself seriously.”

Guardian of Truth XXXIII: 17, pp. 532-533
September 7, 1989