ExplanationNo August IssueCopied from the September 1, 1932 Volume 5 Number 9 issue of the Old Paths Advocate We were very sorry that we could see no other alternative but to miss the August number of the Old Paths Advocate, and there was just one reason - a lack of funds. We do hope the readers and friends of the paper will not allow this to happen again, but unless you go after subscriptions and donations in earnest immediately it will be inevitable. Brethren, we are more than glad to have your articles and reports for publication, but we sometimes wonder if you appreciate the Old Paths Advocate enough to solicit subscriptions and donations while out in the field. Times are hard, it is true, but subscriptions can still be obtained if we go at it in the right way. H. L. K.
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EditorialSlander is of the DevilThe Devil’s name in Greek is Slanderer, the Greek word itself being Diabolos meaning, literally, Through-caster, slanderer. It is from diabolloo, which means to cast aspersions because of (the accusative form of THROUGH), slander, Diabolos is often used as a name of Satan, as the Slanderer of the Saints, as in Job 1:9. “Slander, a false or malicious report; verbal defamation” (Webster). Jesus said to the slanderous Jews: “Ye are of your father, the Devil, and the works of your father ye will do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and abode not in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaketh a lie, he speaketh of his own: for he is a liar and the father of it” (John 8:44). There is entirely too much slander in the Brotherhood. Last summer, while in Indiana, I heard it boldly declared that Bro. R. H. Boll, Editor of the Word and Work, was teaching “the second chance theory of Russelism.” This report is false - it is a slander! I do not agree with Bro. Boll on several things, but I hate to see him slandered. A jealous and envious spirit is evidently behind it. Bro. Daniel Sommer has been slanderously misrepresented because of his opposition to Bible Colleges. Many brethren say: “He does not believe in education.” The whole body known as the “church of Christ” has been slanderously accused of not believing in doing mission work. This accusation is made by those who advocate Missionary Societies to do Church work. This is a wicked slander. We have been unmercifully slandered because of our opposition to Sunday Schools. Many brethren say: “They do not believe, in teaching the Bible to children.” Some have gone so far as to say: “They think it is wrong to teach the Bible!” The fact about it is, we believe in teaching the Bible to all classes of mankind just as strongly as anyone on earth. The Commission says: “Go, disciple all nations”' - and we believe it. But, as other brethren oppose a Missionary Society as a means of preaching the gospel to the heathen, so we oppose a Sunday School society to teach people in the homeland. We insist that the church is “the pillar and support of the truth” (1 Timothy 3:15-16) and that the work be done through it, thus preserving “the unity of the Spirit” (Ephesians 4:3) and giving God the “glory through the church”' (Ephesians 3:21): for it is through the church that “the manifold wisdom of God” should “be made known” (Ephesians 3:10). Some good honest brethren have been maliciously slandered on the cup question. They have been represented as saying that the “drinking vessel alone is the cup of the Lord”! Nothing is farther from the truth. We teach, and so did the primitive church, that it takes both a drinking vessel and the fruit of the vine to constitute “the cup of the Lord” (1 Corinthians 10:21). Brethren, let us leave all slander with the Devil, where it belongs. God shall bring all things into judgment, and all liars shall have their part in the lake of fire. I am glad that we who stand on the truth do not need to resort to slander to uphold our teaching. “Strong is the truth and mighty above all things, and will prevail.” Homer A. Gay
EditorialDanger of InnovationsFor several years, a number of us have been warning the brethren against innovations, pointing out to them the fact that they lead away from God. Look at Israel. Look at Catholicism. Look at Protestantism. Look at our brethren who call themselves “Progressives.” The sad condition into which many of our brethren have drifted reveals only too plainly the apostate condition into which the practicing of innovations will finally lead their devotees. History is now repeating itself in the so-called “loyal churches of Christ.” The College of the Bible, Lexington, Kentucky, was at one time noted for its sound teaching; but is now noted for its destructive criticism. Bro. R. H. Boll read a letter written by one of its professors, and remarked: “Professor _ _ _ _ _ is full of destructive criticism. He couldn’t keep it out of a short letter like that.” The College of the Bible well illustrates the fact that innovations lead away from God. When its greatest Professor, J. W. McGarvey, died they brought his body into the church he had left because of innovations, and played the organ over his dead body. They had him down so that he could not speak for himself! On March 12, 1917, my friend, Ben F. Battenfield, who was then a student of The College of the Bible, sent a letter to several conservative brethren, asking them “to do all you can to take” The College of the Bible “out of the hands of destructive critics.” The following statements, taken from his letter, show that the College of the Bible was bordering on to infidelity. And it has been getting worse ever since. Professor Snoddy said, “I am a hard evolutionist.” “The first chapter of Genesis is poetry.” “We can’t believe the story of Adam’s search for a helpmate.” “To explain how God answers prayer, I must explain what I mean by the term ‘God’.” Professor Bower has called Jehovah “the tribal God of the Jews.” He said, “The urim and thummin, and Gideon’s fleece were means of augury.” “Civilization has been traced back as far as 10,000 years B. C.” “The Pithecanthropus Erectus is the missing link between man and the lower animals.” Bro. Battenfield then shows the effect of this teaching by several statements from students. John T. Pugh says, “I hear scarcely any but destructive critical teaching except in Dean Calhoun’s classes.” J. G. Hurst says, “I came to the College of the Bible because of its reputation for sound teaching, but I have found more destructive criticism and Christian Science than anything else.” K. B. Bowen says, “If I had to believe that the Bible is inspired from cover to cover, as Mark Collis said, I wouldn’t preach anymore.” Dr. J. R. Barbee says, “I believe that President Wilson is inspired just as the apostles were.” W. R. Hudspeth says, “I think we should have a new New Testament. I know any number of men I would as soon trust to write it as Paul.” Speaking of a union revival meeting in which the Church for which he preached was to engage, J. L. Finnell said: “The man who is to hold the meeting is not a member of the Christian Church, and no doctrinal points will be touched. People are tired of ‘our plea’.” The foregoing is bad, but no worse than can reasonably be expected from those who have become “wise above that which is written” (1 Corinthians 4:6) and “progressed” beyond it. Those who disregard 2 John 1:9 will, sooner or later, disregard anything else in the Bible that does not suit their fanciful imagination. Such statements as the ones given above do not come from those who refuse to go beyond “that which is written. J. D. Phillips
EditorialGood!“He who sincerely believes that ‘it makes no difference what order is observed in the Lord’s day worship’ relative to ‘the Apostles teaching and fellowship, the breaking of the loaf and the prayers’ of Acts 2:42, should not raise trouble with any congregation if they observe them the order named” (Ira C. Moore in the Christian Leader, May 5, 1931). That this is good reasoning, sound logic, a firm stand on safe and unquestionable ground, and a manifestation of the spirit of unity and charity, no honest Bible student will deny. Any man is to be commended for taking such a stand. And any church that says “it makes no difference what order is observed in the Lord’s day worship, and yet refuses to worship “as it is written in Acts 2:42 when there are brethren among them who conscientiously believe it wrong to worship in any other order, commits a sin against their brethren (see Romans chapter 14) and consequently against our Lord who died for us. (see Matthew chapter 25). But the inconsistency of Bro. Moore’s stand is seen in the fact that in his home congregation, where he serves as both Elder and preacher, the cups are used. He must admit that “On that night when doomed to know, The eager rage of every foe, That night in which He was betrayed,” our adorable Lord “took a cup (poterion, a cup, a drinking vessel) ” and gave it to His disciples, and “they all drank of (ek, out of) it; and that Paul delivered the same to the “church of God which is at Corinth, to them that are sanctified in Christ Jesus, called to be saints, with all that in every place call upon the name of Jesus Christ, our Lord” (1 Corinthians 1:2), and made it binding on them (1 Corinthians 11:23-29). Robert H. Pfieffer, Curator of the Semitic Museum, Harvard University, Cambridge, Massachusetts, answering the question, “How many drinking cups were used in celebrating the Lord’s supper, as revealed in Matthew chapter 26, Mark chapter 14, Luke chapter 22, and l Corinthians chapter 11?” say “One.” And with the rule of logic, “The expression of the one excludes all others,” staring Bro. Moore in the face, he is very inconsistent. I cannot and will not, deny that the use of one cup is Scriptural, and so “he should not raise trouble with any congregation if they observe” the communion “as it is written” in the above-named passages. But worse than all this, he writes for the “Leader” as its chief Editor, and criticizes, in a manner very unbecoming to a Christian, and condemns, as “trouble-makers,” “fault-finders,” “mote hunters.” etc., all who insist that the Scriptural manner of procedure must be observed in partaking of the Lord’s supper. May God help us to be consistent. J. D. Phillips
EditorialGod’s blessings have been so gracious and so abundant upon our little magazine, “Old Paths Advocate,” that we are constrained to publish abroad our thanksgivings, that it may redound yet more to His glory and encourage the hearts of those who have taken such a kindly interest in this effort to exalt His blessed, holy, and revered Name. He has upheld us in this feeble effort, by a kind and friendly Providence. His people have stood by us. We wish to thank all who have sent us letters of encouragement, or have subscribed, or sent in subscriptions, or sent donations. God bless you all. We even thank our enemies for their boosts they have given us by kicking against us and the truths for which we stand. We ask God not to lay this sin to their charge! God has always over-ruled all for His own glory. Thus it is that He makes even the wrath and wickedness in man praise Him. We heartily appreciate unsolicited efforts many have made to spread the magazine among their friends. We shall be glad to furnish extra copies to those who wish to interest others, or who will send names to whom sample copies may be sent. Some truths may appear from time to time which will be new to some of our readers, but we trust that their novelty will in no wise deter any one from testing them by the most exact and searching scrutiny of the Word and God. We desire for all of our readers the rank of the Berean nobility (Acts 17:11) who “searched (anakrinontes) the Scriptures daily, whether those things were so.” Let us here insist that our confidence in His word is such that the smallest word, or even the slightest variation of a word, if it is His, infinitely outweighs all human reasoning even though it be called “the truth” and be so skillfully harmonized with "other truths," so well interwoven into a system of doctrine that it seems almost a sacrilege to call for its credentials. “To the law and to the testimony” is our watch word: May we ever abide by it! Bro. Paul Hays, of Fresno, California, has been sick, and so he has not been able to write much of late. Bro. Leslie Hawley visited us a short time ago, however, and he says Bro. Hays is better. So we hope he can give us several articles soon. In fact, we have just received a very fine article from him. We thank God for His improvement in health. I have received fifty-copies of my book, THE CUP OF THE LORD,” from the printers, and am well pleased with their work. The book has forty pages of closely printed matter. It cost me about ten cents per copy to produce this book. The postage on a copy is three cents. The book is free to you; but we insist that you send us the postage for as many copies as you can use. If possible, send a donation to help pay the printing bill. All donations will be acknowledged in the paper. We were a little late in bringing it from the press. We hope all who have sent in orders will be patient with us. 1,000 copies were printed. They will reach me soon. I will have time for a few meetings in Oklahoma, Texas, or Arkansas, after my work closes at Healdton, Oklahoma, the first of April. All who wish me to visit you for a few days, should address me at Healdton, Oklahoma, care, Tom E. Smith. Orders for the book, sent to the same address, will receive prompt notice. J. D. Phillips
EditorialAnother Reformation NeededThe Apostolic Church - the church of Christ - originated in Jerusalem, Palestine, in the year, A. D. 33. All who became members of this church confessed Jesus of Nazareth to be the Messiah. They regarded Him their only Priest, their only Law Giver, their only King. Submission to His will, obedience to His laws, and reverence for His word seemed to be uppermost in the minds of all His faithful subjects. They had no feast and fast days; no Thanksgiving Days; no Christmas Celebration. They knew nothing of such things. They had no Sunday Schools; no Missionary Societies; no Christian Endeavor Societies; no Bible Colleges. As the great reformer, Alexander Campbell, said, “In their church capacity alone they moved.” No “Reverends,” “Rt. Reverends,” “D. D.’s,” etc., existed among them. No Pope, no ecclesiastical council, no human creed was recognized by them. They all believed that: “He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved” (Mark 16:16); “Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit he cannot enter into the Kingdom of God” (John 3:5). They believed that the great question: “What must I do to be saved?” should be answered this way: “Repent, and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ, for (Greek eis, in order to) the remission of sins” (Acts 2:38). They believed that all who did these things should “Continue steadfastly in the Apostles’ doctrine (teaching) and fellowship, in the breaking of bread and in prayers” (Acts 2:42). They believed that the disciples should “come together to break bread” “upon the first day of the week” (Acts 20:7). They believed that the teaching should be done by one male member speaking at a time (1 Corinthians 14:31 and 1 Corinthians 1:33-35). They believed in “Laying by in store as the Lord had prospered them” and that this, like the “breaking of bread” should be done “upon the first day of the week, when ye come together” (Acts 20:7; Acts 2:42; 1 Corinthians 16:1-2). They believed that this contribution, or “fellowship” (Acts 2:42) should be for the support of Gospel preachers and for the poor saints. But, this was not the condition of the Church for a long period of time. Paul warned the Ephesians against false teachers (Acts 20:28-30). He warned Timothy of the same (1 Timothy 4:1-3; 2 Timothy 4:1-4). He told the Thessalonians that: “That day (Christ’s second advent) shall not come, except the falling away come first and that Man of Sin be revealed, the Son of Perdition” (2 Thessalonians 2:3). He even saw the great Anti-Christ in his own day, “He that opposeth and exalted himself against all that is called God of that is worshiped (“an object of worship.” - Marginal reading); so that he (the Man of Sin) sitteth in the Temple (Church, 1 Corinthians 3:16-17) of God, setting himself forth as God.” That Man of Sin can be none other than the Pope of Rome, who declares himself to be “the very and Eternal God”; “His Holiness, Lord God, the Pope”; “Another God upon Earth”; and “the King of kings and Lord of Lords.” Such blasphemy and arrogance can’t be found outside of the ranks of Roman Catholicism. Paul declared that this Man of Sin - the Papal Hierarchy was invading the Church in his day. “For the mystery of iniquity (lawlessness) doth already work: only there is one that restraineth now, until he shall be taken out of the way.” Pagan Rome was restraining the development of Roman Catholicism. But that Empire fell in the year 476 A. D. Then Roman Catholicism was fully revealed. “Then shall be revealed the lawless one” (See 2 Thessalonians chapter 2). Now, Paul declares that as long as Pagan Rome existed, Papal Rome could not be developed. Compare with this fact what is said of the Little Horn (Roman Catholicism) coming up among the ten horns of the Roman Beast (Daniel chapter 7). J. D. Phillips
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