Christian Chronicle (Austin, Tex.), Vol. 25, No. 63, Ed. 1 Monday, December 23, 1968 Page: 2 of 23
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the time, to buy up our opportunities in this
season when the whole world is ready to
listen-
If there is anything that pleases Satan any
more than for the people of God to fail to
take advantage of their opportunities, it is
for them to do so wilfully and to feel righ-
teous in so doing. — P. E.
. •
will teach the Christian religion with all
other useful learning to every child in the
community that will accept of it. The Chris-
tian religion and the Church of Christ will
be very weak and . inefficient until this is
done.
From: The Gospel Advocate, Vol. XII,
Number 45 (Nov. 18. 1869)
•
What better time to teach the truths con-
cerning the coming of Christ into the world,
what better time to sing the truth about his
coming than when the world has its ears
open and its heart tuned to receive such a
/ message? Some refuse from fears they would
be celebrating Christmas as a religious holi-
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on Mondays, excepting the last week of
June and December, by the R. B.
Sweet Co., Inc. Ralph Sweet, publisher.
Dudley Lynch, director of periodicals. i
Second Class postage paid at i
Tex. Material for publication should be
sent to the Editor. The Chronicle, P.O.
Box 4055. Austin, Tex. 78751. Offices
are located at 6721 North Lamar,
Austin. Tex. Telephone: GLendale
2-5766 (Area 512).
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not known, will simply celebrate the fact
that he was bom. Some will object to men-
tion of his birth during this season, declaring
that any celebration is unscriptural.
While refusing to attach any religious sig-
nificance to this season, many will decorate
trees, talk of Santa Claus, and exchange
gifts with family and friends. Some will mail
hundreds of cards, careful to select only
those that read “Season’s Greetings.** Some
will celebrate by indulging in wild parties
and liquor.
G||GC(IOU
blOUGGL
Road to Destruction
Editor, the Chronicle:
I read your report on the San Mateo
meeting with a profound sense of sadness
(Dec. 9, p. 2). While I know there is a trend
in this country for them and that our
brotherhood has basically favored them in
the past, some of us had hoped that inquisi-
.. tions had gone the way of the screw, the
> rack, and the pit. Alas, it is not to be.
Mr. Rice, not content to peddle his propa-
gandistic books, now seems intent upon re-
molding congregations to his own view of
“doctrinal soundness.** We are indeed fortu-
nate that he won’t succeed, but it saddens
us to think of the innocents he may disturb
by his efforts.
Surely by this time the study of history
public schools will cause the State to entirely
divorce them from herself. This will throw
them back where they shbuld belong, and
then no excuse will be left in the way of
the Church to prevent her at once assuming
her own true and proper responsibility in
the matter. The first consideration of a
Church should be to provide a teacher that
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At this time of the year, people ail over
the world are thinking about the birth of
Jesus. Some will celebrate the 25th day of
December as the birthday of the Lord. Others,
realizing the exact day of Christ’s birth is so would be to fail to speak where the
.u, Bible speaks.
When should we discuss or sing about the
birth of Christ? One determining* factor
should be the timeliness of it. When will the
most people be receptive to our message? If
one desired to interest a boy in flying kites,
the most logical time would be when all the
other boys are flying kites.
Paul Easley
; Editor
Dudley Lynch
Editorial Director
Jeflry Tindel
Advertising Director
EDITORIAL BOARD: Ralph Sweet,
— S SF* —.a -— • e — mb mmaa — *
and Dudley Lynch.
II E
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By David Lipscomb
The Romanists of Cincinnati have suc-
ceeded in banishing the Bible from the public
schools of Cincinnati by a vote of the City
Council. An injunction against carrying this
into effect has been sued out. before the
courts.
On the other hand, the Methodists of
Illinois, in conference, passed a resolution
condemning all appropriations by govern-
ment to the aid of any religious organiza-
tion or denominational school. Our Protestant
and political friends will learn sooner or
later that all efforts to compete with Rome
on political grounds will be useless. She is
the natural ally of political governments;
the mother, old and artful, can out general
'her daughters in such a conflict.
Unpopular as the idea is, we must declare
our conviction that the day the civil govern-
ment undertook tq furnish public schools,
was an evil day for the Church of Christ,
and the religious well-being of the world.
The Church herself should educate her own
children; should educate them for fidelity to
her Lord and activity in her own service.
To surrender the education of her children
to any power is to prove false and recreant
$to her most sacred trust. . ,
The State educates for its service, and
wherever it educates makes a nation of
infidels. We will hail it as an auspicious
day for the cause of a pure rpligidn, if " the
complications and strifes in reference to the
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of manhood. Certainly, this is A wonderful
story.
In the midst of all this sentiment, what a
glorious opportunity to speak out boldly
concerning a fact that will be largely neglected
but without which the Christian religion loses
its real meaning. That fact is that in the
birth of Jesus there was something more
than the birth of a child, something more
than the coming into human life of another
human being. In that birth we see God
manifesting himself. “God was in Christ,”
said Paul, “reconciling the world unto him-
_ _ self.” That is the message the world needs
day. Thh is not true any more than holding to hear. God give us the courage to redeem
a religious service on Saturday would make k*"' th*,
one a member of the Jewish faith.
During these weeks preachers all over the
land will be telling how the angel appeared
to Mary informing her that she would have
a-son and that she should call his name
Je$us; about how the shepherds watching their
flocks by night saw a star and heard the
Paul Easley, David Stewart, Jerry Tindel’
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heavenly hosts singing, “Glory to .God in
the highest, and on earth, g°°d will
toward men"; how the Persian magi came
offering gold and frankincense and myrrh,
and how the Christ-child himself was born in
a manger, and Sow through hiip w® learn
the secret of childhood and later the glories
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i Opportunity In the Season
two chapters of Luke. It is not a question,
therefore, of whether is Scriptural to sing
or preach or teach about his birth, but only
when one may do these things. Never to .do
Christian Chronicle is published
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What should be the Christian's attitude
during this season of the year? Should he
sing carols about the birth of Christ? Should
preachers deliver sermons on the subject?
Should Bible classes hold discussions about
it? Or should we simply ignore it and pre-
tend nothing out of the ordinary is happen-
ing all around us?
In the first place, it might be well to
remind ourselves that the birth of Christ is
a Scriptural topic. The first two chapters of
Matthew are devoted to it as are the first
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has taught us that restrictive and rigid doc-
trinal formulations are the road to destruc-
tion. (I seem to recall this is what Alexander
Campbell was fighting against.) Even a
biased view of the Restoration Movement
leads one to the conclusion that the creation
of doctrinal barriers to fellowship among
believers is an utter dead end. Moreover, I
thought that it is fundamental among us
that synods, conferences, councils, meetings,
etc., are non Biblical and exercise no authority
over local congregations. Just which congre-
gations does the San Mateo group propose
to control?
Again it is unfortunate that any segment
of the Restoration Movement wants to draw
its own specific lines when the brotherhood
generally has warmed up to fellowship among
the various sects and cliques. Even the
so-called “doctrinally sound” papers have
spoken favorably of joining hands with such
“separated brethren.” While this effort may
very well have come too late, it has come,
and the number of adherents is growing. At
the very least it has encouraged some of us
over forty to believe that the Restoration
ideal is not dead.
In my opinion any eldership which follows
, Mr. Rice’s suggestions is doomed to failure.
Ten years ago his position and his books
might have made a great impact updri the
churches, the colleges, and the papers. They
will not do so today. Individual members,
after years of being urged to study the Bible
and think for themselves, are now doing
just that. Having done so, they are unlikely
to sell their birthright for his “red pottage.”
Church leaders, beset by many problems,
especially of relating their congregation to
contemporary society, would be well advised
to give the San Mateo suggestions the short
shrift they deserve. If they do not, they may
find, as the Pope is finding in another con-
nection, that they are leading members who
are no longer following.
Edward G. Holley
4837 Briarbend
Houston, Texas 77035
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Easley, Paul. Christian Chronicle (Austin, Tex.), Vol. 25, No. 63, Ed. 1 Monday, December 23, 1968, newspaper, December 23, 1968; Austin, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth1320796/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.