Truth Magazine

By Mike Willis

And beside this, giving diligence, add to your faith virtue; and to virtue knowledge; and to knowledge temperance; and to temperance patience; and to patience godliness; and to godliness brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness charity. And N these things be in you, and. abound, they make you that ye shall neither be barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. But he that lacketh these things is blind, and cannot see afar off, and bath forgotten that he was purged from his sins. Wherefore the rather, brethren, give diligence to make your calling and election sure: for if ye do these things, ye shall never fall: for so an entrance shall be ministered unto you abundantly into the everlasting kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ (2 Pet. 1:5-11).

Many who have been baptized into Christ fall away from serving Jesus. Some become so wrapped up in the cares of this world that they bear no fruit for Christ and have allowed their remembrance of their salvation to fade. Many begin the course without finishing it (contrast to 2 Tim. 4:6-8). Peter wrote the words of the text before us to encourage our perseverance in Christ.

Man’s Part: Giving All Diligence

Earlier Peter declared that God has granted unto us “all things that pertain to life and godliness” through the knowledge of Jesus Christ so that we can become “partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust” (1:3-4). God has provided a revelation sufficient to save men from sin. What must man do in response?

Peter said that man’s response is “giving all diligence.” (Note: The ASV translated “for this very reason” what the KJV translated “and beside this,” thus tying the two thoughts of the text together better.) God’s part was to provide all things that pertain to life. and godliness; man’s part is to “give a diligence. ” There is no excuse for indolence in serving the Lord. When a man shows no diligence, he manifests a lack of appreciation for what God has done for him. Involvement in other affairs choke out the spiritual word in the lives of many Christians. This lack of diligence results in many being barren and unfruitful; many have forgotten their cleansing from sin.

The Christian Graces

The Christian graces must be built on the foundation of faith. The construction of the language is this: “in your faith supply.” Augustine wrote, “Faith is the root and mother of all virtues.” Many try to be holy without saving faith; it is a useless effort; only from faith can those spiritual graces spring whose crown is love to all. Faith in the Lord is the fountain from which all virtues flow (cf. Prov. 1:7; 16:6 – the fear of the Lord). Belief in God and concern for standing before him in judgment causes me to live so as to be pleasing to him. Hence, in my faith, I am to add these Christian graces:

1. Virtue. The word “virtue” (arete) refers to “manly courage to stand for one’s conviction. ” Where this virtue is absent, faith cowers and hides. Where this faith is present, man has the courage to confess Jesus even if it costs his life. Daniel, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego were men who showed virtue in their lives. The apostles demonstrated their manly courage when standing before the Sanhedrin (Acts 4:13-21; 5:29-39,40-41).

2. Knowledge. Faith must rest on the word of God (Rom. 10: 17). Where there is virtue without knowledge, there is blind zeal, the courageous stand for spiritual darkness. Hence, one’s faith must rest solidly on the word of God in order that a Christian may walk approvingly before God (Col. 1:9-10).

3. Temperance. The word “temperance” is translated “self-control” in more recent translations. The word refers to that subduing of one’s passions to bring them into compliance with God’s word. This is what Paul did when he buffeted his body to bring it into subjection to God’s word (1 Cor. 9:27). Self-control needs especially to be practiced with reference to the temper, drinking, sexual appetites, etc. Where temperance is absent, there is knowledge without practice. Each of us has witnessed the Christian who could teach the truth but did not bring his life into compliance with the truth he knew. Hence, self-control needs to be supplied by a living faith.

4. Patience. The word patience emphasizes the need for perseverance in service to Christ. The one lacking this virtue is like the stony ground hearers who “have no root, which for a while believe, and in the time of temptaton fall away” (Lk. 8:13). These hearers are like a fire burning dry grass, which blazes for a moment but quickly dies. The good ground hearers “bring forth fruit with patience” (Lk. 8:15). Where patience is absent there will be no endurance of adversity in the service of Christ.

5. Godliness. The word godliness points to a piety and reverence for God, for his demands on our lives. Godliness causes us to give him the praise, honor, and glory which are due him. There is a respect for the things of God where piety or godliness exists. Where godliness is absent, there exists the endurance of adversity without reverence for God and perhaps with a bitterness of spirit.

6. Brotherly kindness. Brotherly kindness prevents that lop-sided interest in spiritual things to the neglect of the needs of brethren. This kind of “spirituality” was-shown by the priests and Levite in the Parable of the Good Samaritan (Lk. 10:25-37) who walked past the one in need without helping. Brotherly kindness responds to the needs of one’s fellow Christian (Gal. 6:10; 1 Jn. 3:16). This is shown ~v helping one to bear his spiritual and physical burdens.

7. Charity (love). Love is not confined to that small circle of Christians; it reaches out to all of mankind, even as the love of God does. Love responds to the needs of all men, but especially to the needs of the saints (Gal. 6:10). Where this virtue is absent there is the monastic view of life which limits Christianity to those who think and act like we do. Love expresses itself not only to its friends but also to its enemies (cf. Matt. 5:44-48).

What These Virtues Do

Adding these virtud to life contributes these things to the Christian:

1. Positively. (a) “Ye shall neither be barren nor unfruitful. ” God has so ordained life that fruit will be produced where these virtues exist. Just like a seed planted in moist earth with sunshine will grow into a fruit-bearing plant, so also will a Christian be fruitful where these virtues exist. The fruit he bears will be the fruit of the Spirit (Gal. 5:22-23), good works, converts to Christ, etc. Where these things are absent in one’s life, -a person needs to take a personal inventory to see if he is adding the Christian graces to his life.

(b) You make “your calling and election sure.” The growth in these graces is an assurance of an abundant entrance into the eternal kingdom. Where these things are absent, the Christian cannot have the assurance of salvation which Paul had at his death (cf. 2 Tim. 4:6-8). If I want the confidence which Paul had, I must be “giving all diligence” to add these virtues to my life.

2. Negatively. Where these virtues are absent, these results follow: (a) The Christian is spiritually blind, not able to see afar off. Those who are not adding these virtues to their lives can only see temporal things; they cannot look beyond the horizon of today’s pleasure to see tomorrow’s reward of glory in heaven. They are unlike Jesus who “for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God” (Heb. 12-2). They are unlike Moses who chose “rather to suffer affliction with the people of God, than to enjoy the pleasures of sin for,a season” (Heb. 11:24-25). Those lacking these graces can only see the shame of the cross and the pleasures of sin; they cannot see the “joy” beyond the cross and the short-lived pleasures of sin. They are spiritually near-sighted.

(b) The Christian has forgotten his cleansing from sin. The first love which he had for Christ has waned (Rev. 2:4). There is no remembrance of the joy which one had at his baptism, at the time when Jesus’ blood washed away his sins. The cleansing from sin is not viewed as a precious treasure the obtaining of which shall never be forgotten. Instead, it is unimportant to him and the memory of having once possessed it is forgotten.

Conclusion

The closing exhortation of these verses points back to the opening exhortation. In 1 Peter 1:5, the apostle said “giving all diligence” and in 1 Peter 1:11 he again said, “Wherefore the rather, brethren, give diligence to make your calling and election sure.” One’s growth in Christ and personal assurance of salvation are directly tied to “giving all diligence.” How much effort are you making to grow in Christ? Will you be a stronger, more knowledgeable, selfcontrolled, persevering Christian tomorrow than you are today? Will you be fruitful in the Lord’s kingdom and service?

Unfortunately, many of us will not be. In ten years, some who are now professing godliness will be in the clutches of Satan and without the hope of salvation. The cause of this will not be uncertain. This will be caused by our not “giving diligence” to make our calling and election sure. We gave diligence to little league, school activities, television, and other things which root Christ out of our lives. Our failures are not caused by a lack of divine grace, but a lack of diligence.

Guardian of Truth XXXIII: 13, pp. 394, 406-407
July 6, 1989

By Leslie Diestelkamp

Problems, problems, they are everywhere among the people of God who, ideally, should be free from such. But it has always been so. Paul warned again and again that such would be true (see Acts 20:29; 1 Tim. 4:1-3; 2 Tim. 4:1-5). What are some problems for which we must watch and try to prevent great harm from coming to the cause of Christ?

Examples of great problems are found in Revelation chapters 2 and 3: Ephesus had left their first love (2:4); Smyrna would have tribulation (2:10); Pergamos had some false teachers (2:14,15); Thyatira tolerated a teacher of immorality (2:20); Sardis had a name of being alive but was dead (3:1); Philadelphia was not criticized; Laodicea was lukewarm (3:15,16). No doubt many churches today need to study Revelation chapters 2 and 3.

Some Great Problems Today

1. Materialism (“the love of money is the root of all evil,” 1 Tim. 6:10) is everywhere in America. Christians are prevented from full devotion to the Lord and churches are sidetracked into pursuit of physical “things.”

2. Immorality (Gal. 5:19-21) has invaded the ranks of God’s children as they follow the world instead of Christ. Fornication, adulterous marriages, lying, social drinking, and such like disgrace the Lord’s body.

3. Misunderstanding (2 Pet. 3:16) causes the Scripture to suffer abuse. Remember, the Bible misunderstood is no more useful for salvation than the Bible unknown. And it is so necessary that the principles of salvation be understood. If we will believe them, we can understand them if we also use diligence in objective study.

4. Division and strife prevent effective work in the kingdom (1 Cor. 1:10; Eph. 2:10). Christ prayed for unity of his disciples (Jn. 17:21). And division is usually over matters that are trivial and/or matters of personal conviction and that, if all have the right attitude, can be settled in the heart of each individual.

A greater problem may be in missed opportunities. Good preachers become tied to “church administration” instead of evangelism. They may be full of zeal for the local church that supports them abundantly, but unconcerned for the lost in far away lands. “The field is the world,” you know, and the commandment is “Go into all the world.” Instead of watching for places to preach to bigger crowds and richer churches, we must “look upon the fields that are white unto harvest” Un. 4:35). And churches must also utilize our modem transportation systems, communication facilities and affluent financial conditions to be deeply involved in world evangelism.

But the greatest problem, I believe, is a watered-down gospel (Rev. 22:19). By this I mean a diluted message. One dairy farmer I knew’ who sold milk directly to the consumers in town was accused of adding water to the milk. It was a watered-down product. Today, from pulpits and presses among us come forth profound and scholarly messages, sometimes, tickling the ears of the listeners but failing to bring conviction to the hearts, or practical edification, to the minds of the hearers. Please do not assume that I thus condemn all gospel preachers, or even most of them. I do not. I love and respect most men who proclaim the Word. But I have heard some and read the work of others who teach truth just as any Methodist preacher might do sometimes nothing wrong with it except for what it does not contain.

Paul said, “I kept back nothing that was profitable unto you” (Acts 20:20). But there is a concept among some that what we preach and what we write must fill the hearts of listeners and readers with joy. But sometimes we must fill those hearts with shame, and fear of hell, and with aching, broken hearts, convicted of transgression. Indeed, a diluted gospel is a perverted gospel! Truth that is less than all truth will not save or make the saved “strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus” (2 Tim. 2: 10). With malice for none, with love for all, we must “declare unto you the whole counsel of God” (Acts 20:27). A watered-down gospel message, delivered in pulpit or press, may be the Devil’s greatest weapon against God’s people today, especially when those people of God are delighted to have it so!

Guardian of Truth XXXIII: 13, pp. 393, 407
July 6, 1989

By O.C. Birdwell, Jr.

Jesus prayed for his disciples as follows:

I pray not that thou shouldest take them from the world, but that thou shouldest keep them from the evil one. They are not of the world even as I am not of the world. Sanctify them in the truth: thy word is truth. As thou didst send me into the world, even so send I them into the world (John 17:15-18).

Disciples of Christ in our age are faced with the problems associated with living in and working in a world where the “evil one” abounds. He has great influence, and even actively seeks those whom he may devour (I Pet. 5:8). The Bible teaches that he must be resisted (Jas. 4:7). This resistance and opposition to him must be made with truth. In the above prayer, as Jesus speaks to God the Father, he says, “Thy word is truth.” This writer is of the persuasion that teaching truth is the only way we can save our children from the evil influences of the world, including the bad influences of our school systems. When Christians in general and parents in particular wake up to an awareness of who they are and what they are to do relative to training their children, more preparation and work will be done on their part. They will sanctify themselves in the truth and teach their children that truth in order to create in them an abiding faith that cannot so easily and readily be destroyed by worldly influences.

There are thousands of school systems in our country and throughout the world. All of them have tremendous influence on the lives of our young people. Some, quite obviously, have a more direct and detrimental effect than others. Many of our teachers I know personally and I have a high regard for their dedication and devotion as they do what they can to have a proper influence in their profession. Any criticism, therefore, that I may direct toward our school systems is not a blanket indictment of all in the schools, nor is it a criticism of all schools alike. Some schools because of their location, administrators, and teachers are less dangerous in destroying morals and faith than others.

We must not, however, bury our heads in the sand and refuse to see the dangers to our children in any school system. Many of these dangers were pointed out in a special issue of Guardian of Truth (Vol. 28, No. 13) and also in the 1985 Florida College Lectures (the GOT special issue is available only io the bound volume and the 1985 lecture book can be ordered from Guardian of Truth Bookstore). In this short article I shall generally assume that our readers accept the fact that dangers arc present, and proceed to suggest some ways to deal with the problem. However, I do want to give you the following quotation from brother Allen Turner, taken from his 1985 FC lecture:

The 1.8 million member National Education Association has become a very effective tool for inculcating humanistic ideology. It is not surprising to learn that John Dewey, co-author of Humanist Manifesto I and founder of an educational philosophy (“progressive education”) that has dominated colleges for teacher training since the turn of the century, was a past honorary president of the NEA. It was Dewey who said: “Our thinking is enlightened in the degree in which we cease to depend upon belief in the supernatural.” Quickly recognizing it as a means to influence thousands of educators and through them their students with humanistic philosophy, humanist educators have gained control of the NEA.

Through its official organs and recommended texts, the largest non governmental bureaucratic complex in the world has become a gigantic propaganda machine indoctrinating our children with the credos, of humanism: if it feels good do it; nationalism is bad, but One Worldism is good; biblically based morality is passe; materialism and antis-upernaturalism; and evolution, but not creation.

While much of this humanistic philosophy may be filtered through a believing teacher (if the student has such a teacher), it is still in the text books and in much of the officially assigned extra reading material.

Overcoming the Impact

The Private School System. A few locations, such as Athens, Alabama, where Athens Bible School is located, have a dependable private school system that provides classes in grades one through twelve. There are problems, however, that must be dealt with in considering this type schooling. Very few such schools exist. Where they do exist they are expensive and many Christians are not financially able to use them or simply choose not to do so. There are, private schools that oppose humanism and immorality, but are advocates of false religious doctrines that are just as dangerous to the souls of our young people as humanism. Also, even as the world influences the attitudes and morals of church members, humanism and worldly moral attitudes influence the teachers and students of private schools. Having a student in a private school is, therefore, no reason for parents to close their eyes to their duties as parents.

Many parents use such colleges as Florida College to teach their children the basic sciences and humanities. Instructors are Christians and along with the secular curriculum there is a. required daily Bible class. A large percentage of the student body at Florida College are Christians, therefore, peer influence may not be as dangerous as that from state schools. But even at FC some have come under dangerous doctrinal and moral influences and parents have been sadly disappointed. Such colleges are often more expensive than a state institution and too often people are not willing to pay the price. Based on experience, I recommend Florida College to parents as a tremendous help in overcoming the impact of our secular schools.

Home Schooling. I know of several who do not send their children to any school system but do what is called “home schooling.” This apparently is successful in some cases. It is doubtful, however, that this is the solution to our school problem for the vast majority of Christians. Most people do not have the ability or the time to do the necessary schooling at home. Even if they are able to teach the lower grades, they find it necessary at a later date to place their children in the public school, often at an extremely vulnerable time when there is potentially strong peer pressure. Regardless of when one enters school, be it elementary, junior high, senior high, or college level, the student is going to have to deal with secular humanism, evolution, immorality, and unbelief of numerous sorts. In most school systems, if there is diligent attention and training at home, children can more readily deal with these matters if they face them in a gradual way from the very first day of school. Parents cannot be negligent and succeed. But without diligent effort neither will they succeed with home schooling or a private school.

Overcoming the impact from within the system. Most Christians will find it necessary to overcome the bad influences of our school system while using the system. It is unrealistic to take any other approach. The task will not be easy. The lukewarm, the fainthearted, and the parent with his head in the sand may not succeed. Many have had success and others seem to be succeeding, therefore, I know it can be done. I offer some practical suggestions that may be of help.

1. Start preparing yourself even before children arrive. Study the Bible regularly. Attend all the assemblies of the local church. Be active and faithful in worship and work in the fullest sense of the meaning of the word “faithful.” Avoid bad habits, such as smoking. If you have acquired such a habit, by all means, quit it. You cannot teach your children self-discipline unless you practiced it.

2. Begin immediately to teach and train your child. Before he can read, read to him. To Israel of old, God said, “And these words, which I command thee this day, shall be in thine heart: And thou shalt teach them diligently unto thy children, and shalt talk of them when thou sittest in thine house, and when thou walkest by the way, and when thou liest down, and when thou risest up” (Deut. 6:6,7). Surround him with the right kind of books. Take him to all the assemblies of the church, including every Bible class for his age group. Work with the Bible class teacher. Study with your child. Supplement the class material where necessary. Regularly stress that the Bible contains the word of God and that God is true though all men be false.

3. Select the right kind of friends. “Evil companionships corrupt good morals” (1 Cor. 15:33). This is as important when applied to your friends as it is when applied to your child’s friends. It should apply to both. This needs to be practiced throughout high school. Do not allow to begin such things as “hanging out” at malls, shopping centers, amusement parks, and other such places. It is much easier never to allow such to start than it is to stop after it is started. Some are distressed because they have no control over late hours and questionable friends of their sixteen year old. They really lost control many years before by simply failing to control, Cute rebellion and disobedience in a small child is not so cute in a sixteen year old. Always exercise control, then you will not be confronted with the near impossible task of regaining control.

4. Get acquainted with school teachers. Do this from the very first year. Be cooperative and helpful, not critical and overbearing. By maintaining a good relationship with the teacher, parents will be in a much better position to deal with problems that may arise. Sometimes a parent will become upset, go to the school or call the teacher and rudely and in an abusive fashion “tell her off.” This embarrasses your child and adds to your problem. It will destroy any respect the teacher may have for you as a parent. Remember that Christians should conduct themselves in a Christlike manner.

5. Know what your children study. You may not have time to read their text books, but at least scan them. Discuss any questionable teaching with them in the fight of what the Bible teaches. Do this from the very first year, then it will not be a problem for you or the student when they later get to more advanced and questionable teaching. Show an interest in all your child’s studies and activities, not just that with which you disagree. One parent learned from his son that they were going to view a “sex education” film. Rather than become overwrought and angry about the matter, he took the occasion to discuss with his son how to judge such films and deal with the content. We must try to train our children to get any good that may be available from such teaching and leave off the bad.

Teach your child that he may not be able to answer the arguments of a learned and skilled teacher who advocates evolution or humanism, but that the false positions can be answered. The student should learn that in most cases a classroom confrontation with such a teacher is unadvisable. The student is always at a disadvantage. One needs to learn that a false position does not become true just because it goes unanswered for a period of time.

6. Put spiritual things first. This means that parents must put spiritual things first. If your main interest is materialism and worldliness, your children will be the first to know. If you often have a “Sunday headache” or the constant urgent need to do something during regular service times other than assemble, they will know this. When early in life children are allowed to spend Wednesday night or a weekend with a friend, and thus miss Bible classes and the assembly, impressions will be made that will bear the wrong kind of fruit.

Conclusion

Generally, conditions around us are not going to get any better. They may get worse. Paul said, “But evil men and impostors shall wax worse and worse, deceiving and being deceived” (2 Tim. 3:13). What is the simple solution? Paul gives the answer.” But abide thou in the things which thou hast learned and hast been assured of, knowing of whom thou has learned them; and that from a babe thou hast known the sacred writings which are able to make thee wise unto salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus. Every scripture inspired by God is also profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for instruction which is in righteousness: that the man of God may be complete, furnished completely unto every good work” (2 Tim. 3:14-17).

This is the best way to overcome the impact of our school systems.

Guardian of Truth XXXIII: 12, pp. 384-385, 389
June 15, 1989

By Donald Willis

Onan J. Willis (June 20, 1908) and Wilhelmina Elizabeth Thompson (February 25, 1916) were united in marriage February 28, 1931. All of their life has been spent in Texas, most of it in Trinity County, about 100 miles north of Houston. To this blessed union, seven children were born: Cecil (1932), Donald (1934), Lewis (1938), Ouida (1941), Sue (1945), Michael (1947) and Barbara (1949). All the children are Christians. The four boys dedicated their lives to preaching the gospel of Christ.

Being born in Early Americana had its own form of hardship. Due to the sickness of his father, Onan left school, after having received only a sixth grade education, and worked in the logging business. Most of the time, he was self-employed, working up to twenty men.

Wilhelmina (affectionately called “Bill”) completed the ninth grade. Mom and Dad began dating when Mom was only thirteen years of age. Marrying at the age of fifteen, Mom never entered the job market. Dad remarked that the only reason for their first date was to stop Mom from dating another boy. Mom replied that she married Dad to keep from picking cotton.

Dating: Neither Mom nor Dad would recommend that children be permitted to marry at fifteen today. However, Mom said “that was all there was back there.” Dad observed, “Everywhere we went, Mama or Papa one was along with us. Nowadays, they just turn them loose.” Mom added, “We did go to the picture show where someone would play the piano while the movie was showing, but that was a ‘no-no’ . . . Jodie (step-father) did not approve of attending movies . . . so we were treading on thin ice when we did that. When we went to parties like we had in the country, as they started square dancing, we immediately picked up and went home. The only places we went were to church . . . and to our neighbor’s house for parties. That was our entertainment. Sometimes we had school activities, like community plays. We had a car and we would go to another community for church and the family would all go.”

How did your parents feel about a 15-year-old daughter getting married?

Mom: My sister married at 16. Mama said she would never let another one marry at 16. Mama was not too excited about my getting married, but she said if Daddy hadn’t been grown (Dad was almost 23), she wouldn’t have let me. A 15-year-old can get on a bus now and go to school. If I had had that opportunity, I probably would have felt differently about it, too. By the time I was 22, I already had three children.

Explain some of the daily family activities in a household with seven children.

Mom: After breakfast, the boys would milk the cows, churn the butter, feed the pigs and chickens, gather the eggs, cut the wood; the other kids would care for the other children, make the beds, wash dishes, and basically clean the house before leaving for school. I would wash on Monday. Mama taught us to do Sunday clothes on Monday, because you never know but that you would need them before the week was up, and we did not have but one good set of clothes (except the babies). All the clothes had to be pressed with a hand-iron you would heat on the cook stove. Besides, the Mother had to work in the fields, and prepare all the meals.

What effect on the children did the assignment of chores have?

Mom: They were all responsible, and are responsible. None of my girls are slobs in the house; they are all very orderly. I would tell my boys I would rather they knew how to cook, iron, clean house, etc. and not have to do it than to have to do it and not know how!

How do you account for all of your children being Christians?

Mom: We tried to teach them properly. You instill in them a desire to go to church. It’s a two-fold thing, the children have to “want” to. go as much as the parents want them to; of course, you realize you have to instill it in them as best as you can.

Dad: They enjoyed attending.

Did you have any problems with the children?

Mom: I don’t consider that I had any major problems raising the kids. Just mischievous things.

How did you handle a child when he refused to obey?

Mom: I handed him over to Daddy. That’s just a little higher authority than you, usually.

Was there much physical correction used?

Mom: When you and Cecil were little, I thought whipping was just a part of raising little ones switching you a little bit. I didn’t ever beat you, that I can remember. And I don’t remember any of you getting a hard whipping except Ouida, and Daddy gave her a good whipping one time.

Dad: That was all it took.

Mom: I once gave Sue a pretty good one, but other than that, just little switchings, not real whippings.

How did the children feel when you turned them over to Dad?

Sickness

Mom: We were blessed in that we never had any major illness. Of course, there were measles and chickenpox, but most of them had those while they were little. Lewis had some bad sickness, and Don got his head bashed and had diphtheria, and, of course, Mike’s accident (a mower threw a piece of metal into his arm, DW), and I don’t remember anything else that was major.

Mom: They dreaded it, I think.

Dad: We were fortunate to raise seven children, and all of them still be living.

Church

Mom obeyed the gospel at twelve years of age; Dad was fourteen. Prior to that, Mom’s father, Herbert Thompson, had preached in Groveton; and her stepfather, Jodie Harrott, preached in Groveton, Sylvester, Pennington and Trevat; Dad’s grandfather, Charles Willis, did some preaching and his father, Winslow, did some preaching and song leading. Dad said, “In Possum Walk (community out of Pennington), an old preacher used to come and stay at our house in the winter time for two or three weeks, and preach.”

Mom: Somebody asked me if I worked when the seven children were growing up, and I said, “No, I just stayed home and raised seven kids.”

On Raising Children to Attend Worship

Dad: When we were growing up, the parents made their children go to church. They wanted to go.

Mom: They took them to church services.

Dad: But the children knew they had to go. And I think that is where a lot of folks are laying down on their job, not making them go to church while growing up.

Mom: Our kids enjoyed attending. I can remember when one of the babies was sick, I would keep the next one and they would cry because they didn’t get to go.

Mom and Dad were the least faithful during the period of time we live in Caromona. Dad “felt the trucks had to be fixed, and it went on for years like that.” Mom said Dad was restored during Cecil’s first meeting in Groveton. They would take all seven children to church in that old 1940 two-door Ford. They started attending Groveton after Lewis was born.

How many preachers are in your immediate family?

Mom: Four, and (tongue in cheek, DW) all the women preach, too.

How does it affect you when you say all the boys preach?

Mom: It is certainly a sobering thing and something of which we are very proud. We can’t take all of the praise for it, of course. Mama did a lot to instill religion in you and Cecil especially. She sat down with them when I was too busy to do things, and she would have them sitting around her teaching them Bible verses and getting little sermons up, when you were just kids.

Dad: And different preachers had a lot to do with it. We entertained preachers a lot in our home.

Mom: Bill Thompson (preacher, DW) used to visit frequently at our house, eating Sunday dinner with us. He used to say, “If you stumped your toe going to our table, you just as well turn around and go back.” Nearly every Sunday we had company.

We never dreamed that our four boys would be preachers, and all our children would be Christians, but really have been very fortunate for this to occur. In Cecil’s family: Steve, Dave and Doug all preach, and Brenda teaches; in Don’s family: Marilyn teaches, Don, Jr. and Charles have both done some preaching and both are capable song leaders, Cathy, Dee, Donna and Christie all teach; in Lewis’ family, Scott and Ron both preach and lead singing; in Ouida’s family: Billy is an elder and does some preaching and/or teaching, Ouida and Jackie teach, Phillip assists with teaching, personal evangelism, and song leading, while Mike has given a few talks; in Sue’s family: Sue teaches, Forrest is a deacon, Cary leads singing; in Mike’s family, Sandy teaches and Corey has just begun leading singing. Mom’s two brothers, Alton (deceased) and Butler have both preached and Alton was outstanding as a song leader. Fauchie, H.A. (both deceased) and Jimmy Thompson have all served as elders; Otis Thompson preached; Jim Roy Nichols is a deacon. In 1970, at the Willis family reunion, 160 individuals attended, with only two of these not being family members and most of them Christians. Today, there would be in excess; of 250 Christians in our family lineage.

Do you think your working hot all your life had any kind of positive effect on your kids? I know one time you told me one of the best lessons you ever taught me was to work.

Dad: I think it ran in the family to “push.” Nearly all of the Willis’ and Pillows’ were that type folks. They worked real hard, they always said Mom would go to the fields and work just like a man; of course, everybody’s wife did that in farming days.

How do you feel about people without initiative?

Dad: If they were working for you and would not work, you would have to get someone else. If they did not do their job, I would tell them they had either to do their job or go, one of the two; because when one lays down on his job, it makes it harder on the other one.

What about their family and kids?

Dad: Well, that was his obligation to take care of his family. I had the job for him if he wanted to work, but he had to produce or I couldn’t use him. In the winter during bad weather, I have borrowed money to pay my men, for they had to eat. If one of the employees was injured, we would always make it light on them. He didn’t even have to go to work if he didn’t feel up to it; and we always saw that his family ate. I never worked a man that I know of in my life, even if I had to let him go for some reason, that I couldn’t go back and hire again. In working I never purposefully mistreated anyone that I know of.

Advice to Parents With Children

Mom: Others attempted to “make” their children go to church whether they wanted to go or not; we taught out kids to “want” to go.

Dad: I think that our trust in the kids had a lot of effect.

Mom: I don’t think I remember not trusting my kids. Some parents are always accusing their children of things they are not even doing. You always choose your friends, and you brought them to church with you or brought them to our house, instead of pushing you off somewhere else. We wanted you to bring all your friends to the house. We didn’t have much to entertain them with, but I remember we used to have New Year’s parties, and they would play ball outside the house. I always wanted to know where my kids were; consequently, I had all the kids in the neighborhood.

Dad: Lack of trust will make children sneak around and probably be rebellious.

Do kids sense parental inconsistencies, causing them to rebel against the positive you are teaching them?

Mom: I wouldn’t be surprised. My uncle’s (an elder, DW) children were strictly governed and, since his death, his children have told us of wrongs with the children, and th knew it; therefore, the children felt religion was just a bi farce, two-faced!

What Is the most important lesson you taught children?

Dad: To mind each of us. When told to do something we expected them to do it. And if they didn’t do it, we would generally get hold of them.

Mom: The kids knew we agreed on things we told them We did not argue before the kids about things like that. They were taught respect for the Lord and their parents grandparents, and people in general, and to respect any old person.

Dad: Whether they were white or black, I had to respect them. My Mother and Daddy made us do it.

What is the most important lesson the children taugh you?

Dad: Certainly, responsibility. A big part of the time I was not there, she was with them more than I was.

Mom: He was a workaholic. Perseverance, I guess. You had to keep at it. You had to stay a step ahead all the time with anything that would come up.

The family consists of 27 grandchildren, and 16 great-grandchildren.

How many of these are members of the church?

Mom: All of them that are old enough.

Grace of God

You have experienced depression, personal life threatening illness, traumatic financial shortcomings, etc. How do you view the goodness of God?

Dad: He blessed us with good health.

Mom: We never had to go hungry. We were always abl to get the doctor’s help when we needed it.

Dad: I have lived to see them all through school and grown, and he blessed me because my work was very dangerous work. My worst accident was playing football with you boys. We live better since we have retired than we ever did before.

Mom: And we haven’t retired, we keep doing what can do.

Postscript: It has been a joy to interview an compose this short article. I have known many Christian couples in my preaching life, but none that I admire more t an! d my parents. I could have written a very enjoyable about their life. What a joy they have been!

Guardian of Truth XXXIII: 12, pp. 380-382
June 15, 1989