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Vain Religion

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Vain Religion VOLUME XI NOVEMBER, 1961 NUMBER 1 IN THIS ISSUE EDITORIAL, THE SECOND DECADE, TRAINING FOR OBEDIENCE, Stanley J. Lovett Page 2 Irene Sowell Foy Page 7 KEEPING FAITH: THE HOME, THEOLOGY, CHURCH AND STATE, Earle H. West Page 3 INSTITUTIONALISE! (4), ORGANIZATIONAL STRUCTURE OF George P. Estes Page 8 THE CHURCH, A BRIEF STUDY OF CALVIN AND Robert P. Turner Page 4 AUGUSTINE (5), MILITANCE AND VIGOR, Arvid K. McGuire Page 9 Harry Pickup, Jr Page 5 "LEST WE DRIFT," HITHER .... THITHER .... YON, Eugene Crawley Page 6 Jim McDonald Page 10 VAIN RELIGION Dean Bullock "If any man thinketh himself to be religious, while and attention, the church would be in much better con­ he bridleth not his tongue but deceiveth his heart, this dition today. Many professed Christians are not brid­ man's religion is vain." (James 1:26) ling the "organ of speech." Consequently, congrega­ tions are hindered in their mission. Slander, misrepre­ The matter of controlling the tongue is of grave im­ sentation, abusive language, backbiting, falsehood, portance, but stressed very little. Yet, James makes scandal, gossip, blasphemy, perjury, profaneness and it clear that one may think himself pious and devout in obscenity are some of the sins of the tongue "named" God's service and at the same time have an empty, among church members. worthless and unavailing religion. Failure to curb and restrain the "little member" makes rites and cere­ The tongue "boasteth great things." It makes great monies useless and futile. One cannot be too careful claims. It is small, but indeed powerful. Uncontrolled concerning his utterances. He may attend every class and wrongly used, much damage results. "And the and service of the church and still posses vain religion. tongue is a fire." It is a blaze, all consuming and de­ structive. It causes unrest, agitation, disturbance, con­ Some are in danger of making attendance the sole fusion and turmoil. Improper feelings, emotions, pas­ criterion of faithfulness. How often have you heard sions, sentiments and thoughts are expressed by word this question and answer? "Is John Doe faithful? of mouth. Hence, the source of much suspicion, con­ Yes, he attends all of the services." True, attendance tention and strife in society. "A world of iniquity: so is required. It is essential to spiritual growth and de­ is the tongue among our members that it defileth the velopment, but other things are necessary too. If some whole body, and setteth on fire the course of nature; of the other duties had been given due consideration and it is set on fire of hell." CLUB SUBS CUMULATIVE The total number of club rate subscriptions sent in at any time during our present subscrip­ tion drive (see back page ad) may be "saved up" or counted from the cumulative total sent in ending December 31, 1961. We will record the number of each person's THE SECOND DECADE club rate subs sent in as they are received. The sender may elect then to choose a book offered "With this issue, The Preceptor enters her second in the appropriate category as he sends them; decade of publication. The initial issue appeared No­ or, he may choose to wait until the end of the vember, 1951. drive and choose a more valuable book from the more valuable list represented by the cumulative The past ten years have been exciting, turbulent and total sent in. grave. Politically, economically, socially and religious­ ly has this been true. Regardless, send them in now! The Lord's people have been wracked, convulsed and so profoundly affected by events among us that the Subscriptions, except APO addresses) for all new and mark will be evidenced further in the future than any for all renewals after the first of the year. one dare predict. We believe brethren are and should be willing to Most anyone who keeps up with matters at all will pay a reasonable price for religious publications that agree that what ten years ago was only viewed as a stand for the truth and oppose error. Time after time remote possibility has become now an accomplished increases in keeping with inflationary trends as set fact. The stark reality of religious division is now our by our daily newspapers and other secular reading unhappy lot. material are accepted. It is not right that publishers be harried constantly over publication costs and brethren Discussions of matters that now divide us were well be unwilling to pay a just amount to read and benefit underway when The Preceptor made her advent into from the faithful publications among brethren. We the field of religious publications. Her influence has think that most all will be able to see and appreciate been on the side of conservatism or strict adherence this. to "the faith that was once for all delivered unto the saints" as opposed to liberalism or a loose attitude This coming price increase will add more meaning to toward the gospel. We believe The Preceptor has been (Continued on page twelve) of substantial help in partially stemming the tide of digression that has presently engulfed so many. It is our aim to continue to stand for and uphold right and to oppose wrong. We ask our friends to help us make the second dec­ ade the better of the two. We extend our sincere thanks to so many who have helped in so many ways. Published Monthly at Beaumont, Texas Here is another "first" for us. Entered as second class matter, at the Post Office at January 1, 1962, will see the first price increase in Beaumont, Texas, under the act of March 3, 1879. subscription rates since the beginning of the paper ten years ago. It has not been easy to delay this step- STANLEY J. LOVETT, Editor up in price for this long. Box 187, Beaumont, Texas STAFF WRITERS The first issue of the first decade of our history Dean Bullock, A. Hugh Clark, James R. Cope, Oscar Bill- carried the announcement that the subscription rate son, Geo. P. Estes, Ernest A. Finley, Irene Sowell Foy, Homer Hailey, Clinton D. Hamilton, Arnold Hardin, Bill was $2.00 per year in advance. In the intervening years J. Humble, George T. Jones, W. R. Jones, J. P. Lusby, Gene Martin, Jim McDonald, Harry E. Payne, Harry in the face of ever mounting production, handling and Pickup, Jr., Luther G. Roberts, Herman Sargent, Robert mailing costs, and the end is far, far from being in F. Turner, W. L. Wharton, Jr., Dow Wilson. sight, we have maintained the original subscription $2.00 PER YEAR IN ADVANCE price. Foreign subscriptions, $2.50 per year. Address all communications concerning subscriptions and changes of address to THE PRECEPTOR, Box 187, In keeping with general increase in publication rates, Beaumont, Texas. we find we must increase The Preceptor's yearly sub­ scription price to $2.50 yearly ($3.00 for Foreign 2—(194) lacking. Of such homes must the Laodicean church been composed. Surprisingly, the lukewarm connection is often held with considerable pride. It is regarded as a "reasonable" religion unmarred by fanaticism or a "too serious" attitude. The product of this home generally finds that such a pallid version of Christianity fades even more under the withering attacks of a sceptical college or business KEEPING FAITH: THE HOME world. And often, he will find some secular god that he can honestly worship and to which he can genuinely commit himself. The tension between science and Christian faith "Warm Fire Homes." Here Christianity is an inti­ causes many an inner battle. Faith is not easily lost. mate part of the family's daily living, but often in The comfort it provides in a world of uncertainty a way that is difficult to put into words. Of course causes many to hold on desperately long after they parents and children go to worship together. But it is have abandoned any intellectual confidence in the more than this. There is practice of spontaneous, things believed. The shock we all experience upon joyous, outreaching Christianity. God is a living friend. learning that a friend has lost faith is generally due Serving Christ is no burden. Though often tired in His to the fact that in such instances the battle has been service, they are never tired of it. It is not a form in progress much longer than we've known. adopted "for the children's sake" or for anyone else's "What causes once faithful Christians to lose their sake save the love of truth and God. faith? Put in a more practical way, what can be done It is in such homes that the full significance of to keep one's faith? There are serious tasks here for "nurture" in Ephesians 6:4 is realized. The Greek the church, the home and the individual. Let us con­ term "paideia" is what Paul used. To view it as era- sider the home just now. bracing only the teaching or telling of right principles Chad Walsh, professor of literature at Beloit College is to take far too narrow a view of the word. It is and biographer of C. S. Lewis, has studied the relation­ education in the broadest sense. It refers to the whole ship between a student's home background and his training of children: atmosphere as well as commands; reaction to faith challenging college experiences. Walsh example as well as instruction; spirit as well as word. identified three types of homes. Two of these con­ tributed a high proportion of rebels against faith Greater numbers of young people stable in faith while students from the third type were unusually come from the "Warm Fire Home" than any other stable in holding their faith.
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