Christian Chronicle (Abilene, Tex.), Vol. 24, No. 25, Ed. 1 Friday, March 31, 1967 Page: 2 of 8
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CHRISTIAN CHRONICLE
The Law of Propriety
I
Ever-
w.
Executive Editor
Managing Editor
... News Editor
Not many weeks ago the Archbishop
of Sydney, Australia, decided to “pull
into line’’ some of his young ministers
who had stopped wearing the clerical
collar. Some sources estimated that 10
original concern, propreity has many,
many caretakers!
u, * ~
The difficult and dangerous element
in propriety comes in the selection,
conscious or unconscious, of the person
or persons who decide what is “proper,
fitting, standard, acceptable, conven-
tional and correct.” At this point we
repeat our firmest conviction that the
Bible provides unerring direction for all
essential areas of life and thought. The
“inspired scriptures” do give “the man
of God” full equipment for every good
work (II Tim. 3:16-17). But only the
most uninitiated would not believe that
most of our time and energy is spent
with the trivials, the superficialities of
real life.
f
No rebuke is more prominent in
Jesus’ attempts to bring the Pharisees __
to their senses than that of “appear-
ances’* (Matt. 23:27). Our Lord says to
us: “Judge not according to appear-
ance” (John 7:24).
I
B? *
Many of us do not have the educa-
tional and cultural background that
produces understanding of vital philo-
sophical questions. This lack demands
an even greater humility and determi-
nation as we study God’s Word, that we
do not “read into” God’s revelation our.
own illogical and superficial views of
life. The very man who proudly an-
nounces his rejection of all intellectual-
ism and man-made religion, grandly
claiming stedfast loyalty to the Bible as
his source of truth, is often the very
man who spends most of his time, and
that of others, dogmatizing his own
ignorant opinions. And so, back to our
One wonders about how the- poor
“layman” escapes “temptation, com-
promise and embarrassment” without a
collar to wear. One almost suspects that
appearance creates reality instead of
the opposite being true. (Have you ever
noticed how reJieving it is to escape our
own petty “appearances” by laughing
at the ridiculous behavior of others?)
Cbristiap-^Cbronide
An international weekly newspaper, with 12 re-
gional news editions, established June 2. 1943 by
Oian L. Hicks; Now In its 23rd year as a publica-
tion for churches of Christ. It is circulated in 50
states and some 50 countries Published on Friday,
except the last week of June and December, by the
Crown Foundation (formerly Fidelity Press). Sec-
ond Class postage paid at Abilene. Texas, and at
additional mailing offices.
James W. Nichela
James Batts
Gamer Roberts .
One also senses the special privilege
or position of the clergy in this situation
Special clothes must mean special peo-
ple. Has God given something to a few
4 that all can not know? “Called to the
ordained ministry” sounds like my re-
sponsibility without special ordination is
not as great. But then there are other
ways to come to a sense of “special
privilege” and “self-importance,” which
many of us practice.
He admitted that some situations
might require non-clerical dress but “it
is of critical importance,” the Archbish-
op continued, “for all who have been
called to the ordained ministry that in
public we should obviously appear to be
what we actually are.” One minister
immediately agreed with his superior,
saying, “I’m not an old fogey but I think
that the collars are right.”
I
L
If the “hypocrites” of Jesus’ day
sounded trumpets of self-importance,
performed in prominent forums and
wore special “looks” on their faces,
then certainly today’s church people are
no - less caught up in “boastings,”
“public works” and special stances that
bid for the “glory of men” (Matt. 6:1-
18)..
When we talk about “propriety,”
connotations such as “proper, fitting,
standard, acceptable, conventional and
correct” arise in our minds. Jesus faced
the question of propriety, and especially
the harshness of its law, when he heeled
on the Sabbath, allowed his disciples to
gather grain from the field on the Sab-
bath and did not teach them the necessi- “ to 15 percent of Anglican clergy in
Australia had adopted civilian dress.
The Archbishop reasoned with his
charges that “the collars could help
ministers to avoid temptation, compro-
mise or embarrassment.”
Regardless of how much “sound and
— fury” we expend on propriety, God
says, “Ixiok not on his countenance, or
on the height of his stature; ... for
Jehovah seeth not as man seeth; for
man looketh on the outward appear-
ance, but Jehovah looketh on the heart”
(I Sam. 16:7). Why is it that others’
“heart matters” can be treated so in-
sensitively and dogmatically by us?
STAFF
Glover Shipp, Assistant Editor. Don Batta, Circu-
lation Manager. Mrs. Carol Fulton, Advertising
Manager.
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South; Will Ed Warrsn, North* Central; James H.
Sewell. West Coast; Gene Robinson, Midwest; J. M.
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Plains; Elsa Huffard, East Coast; John R. Stew-
art, Oklahoma; Clarence DeLoach, Jr., Ohio
Valley; Ottle L. Hilburif, Northwest; James Lundy,
Georgia; Phillip Morrison, Florida; James
Nickene, Northern California,
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** ’»nt Editor. Christian Chroni-
*’39i Ahu'ne. Texas 70004 Special Deliv-
ory:.S01 South 1st St., Abilene. Texas 70004. Phone:
ORchard 4-1242 (Area SIS).
(Continued from Page 1)
Luke—Anthony L. Ash, assist-
ant professor of Bible, Abilene
Christian (B.A., Florida State;
M.A., Abilene Christian; Ph.D.,
Southern California); minister
in Florida, Oregon, Georgia,
California, Texas.
John—Frank Pack, chairman,
department of religion at Pep-
perdine <B.A., Chattanooga;
M.A., Vanderbilt; Ph.D., South-
ern California); minister in
Tennessee, Texas, California.
Acts—LeMoine G. Lewis, pro
fessor of Bible, Abilene Chris-
tian <B.A., Abilene Christian;
ST B., Ph D., Harvard); minis-
ter in Texas, Oklahoma, Mary-,
land, Massachusetts and Con-
necticut.
Romans—Richard A. Batey, V„„(V
assistant professor of Bible and - .
religion, Southwestern at Mem-
phis <B'A., David Lipscomb;
B. D., Ph D., Vanderbilt; post-
doctoral research, Tubingen,
Germany); minister in Tennes-
see.
1 Corinthians—J. D. Thomas,
professor of Bible, Abilene
Christian (B.A., Abilene Chris-
tian; MA., Southern Methodist;
PhD., Chicago); • s-
Texas, Illinois; lecturer in the
Far E$st.
2 Corinthians—John R. Mc-
Ray, associate .professor of Bi-
ble, Greek, and church history,
David Lipscomb (B.A., David
Lipscomb) M.A., Harding Grad-
uate School; PhD.., Chicago);
minister in Oklahoma, Arkan-
sas, and Tennessee.
Galatians—Robert L. Johnson,
associate professor of Bible, Ab-
ilene Christian (B.A., Abilene
Christian; M.A., Butler; Ph.D.,
New York University); minister
in Indiana, Michigan, New
York, Texas.
Ephesians, Colossians. Phile-
mon— Eugene W. Clevenger, as-
sociate professor of Bible, Abi-
lene Christian (B.A., Pepper-
dine; B.D., Southern Baptist,
Louisville; Th.D., Southwestern
Baptist, Fort Worth); minister
in Kentucky, Tennessee, Flori-
da, North Carolina, Texas.
PhiiippipM>-rPat E. Harrell,
minister, Bering Drive Church
of Christ, Houston (B.A., Abi-
lene Christian; S.T.B., Harvard;
- Th.D., Boston University); min-
ister in Massachusetts, New
Jersey, Pennsylvania, Texas.
1, 1 Thassalenians—Raymond
C. Kelcy, chairman, Bible de-
partment, Oklahoma Christian
College (B.A., Abilene Chris-
tian; M.A., Tulsa University;
B.D., Th.D., Southwestern Bap-
Texas and Oklahoma.
1, 2 Timothy, Titus—Carl
ty of ceremonial washings before
meals. Paul felt the circumscription of
propriety when he said, “AH things are
lawful, but not all things are profitable”
(1 Cor. 10:23—NASV).
Friday, March 31, 1967
LIVING CHRISTIANITY. ■ ’
I Count Your Blessings,
| Not Your Troubles
By Ronald L. Willingham
One reason we often feel inferior is because we think certain
handicaps limit us. I suppose that almost every living person thinks
he has some kind of physical handicap. It’s true that some are real,
but many are imaginary.
Often we think we’re too short, our nose is too large or that
we’re overweight. If I asked you if you had a physical feature that
you’d like to change, you'd probably shake your head un and down
And yet, out “thorns in the flesh” usually prove to be assets.
They usually help us achieve something good.
:......... Dr. Bob Pitts recently began a talk by saying: “One of my »
greatest blessings is my poor eyesight. None of you have ever seen
me without my glasses, because without them I see 20/600. Ask
Stewart Webb (an opthalmologist) what that means, and he’ll tell
you that I’m almost blind without these glasses.
“Even so,” Dr. Pitts continued, “these poor eyes have been a
great blessing to me. I once thought 1 wanted to be an accountant
but was advised that my eyes wouldn't do such work. I then
decided to go into the dental field, because the doctor said this
dose work could be done well by someone with my vision.
“My poor eyes kept me out of the army, and this permitted me
to finish college and dental school. While in school, I met and
married my wife. At that time' I was a heathen in aU the ways the
word implies. My wife happened to be a Christian, and caused me
to become one.
“So you see — my poor eyes steered, me toward my profession,
my wife, and helped me become a Christian. They’ve made it
possible for me to obtain my present station in life. This is why
they’ve been such a great blessing to me.’’
. Uke Pitts, many a successful person is successful because of a
physical handicap So whatever you feel is your handicap — don’t
wish it away, but be thankful for it. Think for a few moments and
you’ll see how it has helped you. Do this and you’ll count your
blessings not your troubles.
Ferguson Edits Commentary...
Spain, professor of Bible, Abi-
lene Christian (B.A., Abilene
Christian; M.A., B.D./"Southern
Methodist; Th.D., Southwestern
Baptist, Fort Worth); minister
in Alabama, Arkansas, Texas;
evangelist in Central America
and Europe.
Hebrews—Don H. Mc-
Gaughey, chairman of the de-
partment of religion, Lubbock
Christian College (B.A., Abilene
Christian;" M.A., Harding; post-
graduate study. Oriental Semi-
nar at John Hopkins; S.T.B.,
Harvard; Th.D., Boston Vn*ver-
sity); minister in Missouri, Ar-
kansas, Maryland, Massachu-
setts, California, Texas.
James-James K. Zink, as-
sociate professor of Bible and
church history, Harding (BA.,
Harding; B D., Crozier;’
PhD, Duke; postdoctoral fel-
low, American Schools for Orlen- _
• tai Research, Jerusalem); min-
ister in Pennsylvania, North
Carolina, Tennessee, Arkansas.
1, s2 Peter, Jude—Fred D.
Davis, assistant professor of re-
ligion and Greek, Pepperdine
__________ (BA., Abilene Christian; M.A.,
minister in , Eastern New Mexico; Ph D.,
Southern California); minister
in Texas, New Mexico, Califor-
nia/evangelist in Denmark.
1, 2, 3 John, Revelation—J. W.
Roberts, professor of Bible and ',
director of graduate studies in
Bible, Abilene Christian 'B.A.,
Abilene Christian; M.A., Wichita
University; postgraduate work,
Butler; Ph.D., Texas); minister
in Texas, Kansas, Indiana;
evangeJist in Caribbean, Eu-
rope, Near East, Africa.
Introductory volume:
“History of Palestine,
ett Ferguson.
“History of the Apostolic
Church,” le Moine G. Lewis.
“Transmission of the New Tes-
tament,” Neil Lightfoot, associ-
ate professor of Bible, Abilene
Christian (B.A., M.A., Baylor;
Ph.D., Duke); minister In North
Carolina and Texas.
“Graeco-Roman Religion and
Life in the Time of Jesus,”
Abraham J. Malherbe.
“The Geography of Pales-
tine,” Jimmy J. Roberts, Ph.D.
candidate in Near East Lan-
guages and LiterdtitrtiyMuMWd
'B.A., Abilene Christian; S.T.B.,
Harvard); minister in Texas
and Massachusetts.
“Jewish Religion and Life in
the Time of Jesus,” Roy Bowan
Ward, assistant professor of re-
ligion, Miami of Ohio (B.A.,
Abilene Christian; S.T.B., Th.
D., Harvard); minister in Mas-
sachusetts and Connecticut.
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Nichols, James W. Christian Chronicle (Abilene, Tex.), Vol. 24, No. 25, Ed. 1 Friday, March 31, 1967, newspaper, March 31, 1967; Abilene, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth1320707/m1/2/: accessed July 17, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu.; crediting Abilene Christian University Library.