An Octogenarian Writes
I was baptized in 1916 at the age of 16 and attended Glasgow (Scotland) Ecclesia in the Mid-City Hall.
Working in Glasgow, I resided with Bro. James Craig (no relative) and his family. Bro. James Craig was an exhorting brother and later moved to Irvine, Scotland to sink some coal mine shafts. Irvine had an ecclesia of about 40 members and a Sunday school of about 60. I worked with Bro. Craig and his sons in the coal mines. He later moved to Jasonville, Indiana where he was in isolation until he set up an ecclesia with the help of a Bro. James Mullin of Irvine.
While in Scotland, I met Catherine Kinley whose father and grandfather were Christadelphians. Both of them had attended lectures by Bro. John Thomas and Bro. Robert Roberts. Late in 1922, Catherine and I were married and shortly afterward emigrated to the USA to live in Wyandotte , Michigan. While living there, we had two children, David and Betty. I worked for the Kraft Corporation until 1967.
From 1969 to 1974, I attended classes at the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor, MI and upon graduation became a stockbroker and member of the New York Stock Exchange.
My wife died in 1984 after 62 years of marriage. We had eight grandchildren and six great-grandchildren. After Catherine’s death, I moved to my present address. I am comfortable here and visit the Livonia ecclesia as often as possible but 1 would appreciate hearing from the brethren and sisters who would care to write.
Thanks again for the “Christadelphian Tidings.” I enjoy them very much. Keep up the good work until our Lord returns to straighten out the world’s problems.
As ever your brother in Christ,
Geoffrey Craig
Independence Village
255 Mayer Road, 358L
Frankenmuth, MI 48734
The fact that a person could complete a college degree and start a new career at age 74 speaks volumes of how much our retired brethren and sisters are capable of doing.
In the ecclesial world, we badly need the continuing instruction, exhortation and encouragement that our senior members can supply. Those of us living in colder climates sorely miss them when they retire to the warmer regions.
Back Issues Of Tidings
I have been taking the “Tidings” for a few years and would like to obtain the back numbers Volumes 144. Obviously I will pay for them. Am wondering if it would be possible for you to put a note in the magazine for me to see if anyone has them to spare.
Sincerely your brother,
Marcus Heaster
108 Amblecote Road
Grove Park,
London, S.E.12. 9TS
England
We have no supply at all of back issues and neither does Bro. Lloyd, the previous editor. So if any readers could help in this matter, we ask that they please communicate with Bro. Hester directly.
July-August Editorial
In the September-October 1982 “Tidings,” I wrote an article called “Pornography in the Brotherhood.” I feel we have been reluctant to address the problem; but in today’s world, candid discussion regarding the dangers of pornography is essential. I know of brothers and sisters who allow their children to listen to music with words advocating group sex. They say if they are too strict on their children they will rebel against the Truth. In fact, letting children listen to such music encourages them to be lukewarm. When will we wake up to this problem?
Love in Jesus Christ,
Stephanie Ann Kercel
We find it regrettable to bring up topics about which “it is a shame even to speak of those things which are done in secret.” Nevertheless, the rot produced by the entertainment industry and the endless flow of pornography in all forms presents a temptation and threat to the brotherhood which, we feel, must be adequately defined and warned against.
Church of God of the Abrahamic Faith
Dear Brother Don,
Greetings in Our Lord Jesus Christ.
I am writing about a situation that has caused me some distress in recent years and I was wondering if you would be so kind as to comment on the matter.
As you know, our ecclesia has had several couples from the Church of God of the Abrahamic Faith (in Salem, Ohio) show an interest in attending our meeting. Realizing that doctrinal differences between the two groups exist, we have maintained a position that baptism is required when individuals can not claim to have believed the entire Truth (as revealed in Scripture and as outlined in our Statement of Faith) at their baptism. To date, we have been blessed with the membership of Bro. Don and Sis. June Weingart after their baptism in Indiana, as well as Bro. Roger and Sis. Joy Snyder who were baptized here in North Industry. Currently, another family is showing an interest and we have been encouraging and assisting them along the same lines.
What has been distressing is the increasing practice of some Christadelphian brethren who are accepting speaking engagements at the Church of God of the Abrahamic Faith’s Bible schools and/or study weekends. To me, this appears to establish a “sense of commonality” between two organizations with differing doctrinal beliefs. In effect, such arrangements de-emphasize any need for change on the part of those in the Abrahamic Faith.
Not without concern, I could concede some value to these occurrences if the Christadelphian speakers were stressing the difference in beliefs that exists in their classes. This would at least emphasize a need to resolve the real doctrinal issues that separate us. According to present practice, I am informed by those in attendance such differences are not mentioned or stressed.
While I trust that our brethren are not partaking of the emblems when they visit these gatherings, are they not sending a signal to our children and teenagers that fellowship with a group of people who do not hold the entire Truth of the Scriptures is acceptable? I truly fear the impact on the next generation’s perception of the need to remain separate from other organizations due to doctrinal differences.
I believe this issue to be of serious importance. It is because I care for those associated with the Abrahamic Faith that I view this situation as unintentionally undermining our efforts here in the North Industry Ecclesia.
No matter how “close” the beliefs of the Abrahamic Faith and Christadelphia may be, I think that our brethren are doing a disservice to the brotherhood by accepting invitations to speak at the activities of other religious organizations.
Since the brethren who have accepted invitations to speak at the Abrahamic Faith’s gatherings are from overseas as well as from North America, I would see this as a potential problem elsewhere.
I would, therefore, appreciate your thoughts on this matter.
Your Brother in Christ,
Dan McDonald,
North Industry, OH
We have a certain sympathy with the brethren you allude to, having personally tried their same approach with some Campus Christian groups and a community in southeastern Ohio that seemed close to Christadelphian beliefs. We found that while it looked like a good idea, it did not work. On the surface there appeared, in each case to be a basis of constructive cooperation, but any in-depth involvement exposed the mistake of compromising our uniqueness.
We can profitably speak to such groups if we have an area of expertise such as a knowledge of archaeology, or the Bible and science, etc. We can then come as a useful specialist with no connotation of overall commonality of view.
We can also be useful if we present the Truth as opposed to the erroneous views they hold, much as one might do if invited to address some neighborhood church. But to come as if we are virtually one of them creates confusion and actually inhibits the opportunity to do some significant good.
There may be several reasons why we are separated from the Abrahamic Faith folks, among which may be ignorance, group politics or vestigial remains of personality conflicts. But one of the reasons for the separation is doctrinal.
In their case, the most often encountered wrong view is their widely held belief in immortal emergence. The idea that the faithful rise from the dead immortal may seem inconsequential to some but, in fact, it denies the doctrine of the judgment seat of Christ and ignores the further refinement of character that is needed by those experiencing the judgment before being immortalized. Furthermore, it removes an incentive to right conduct — the fear of facing the judgment seat — and often denies God’s anger with the wicked and His determination to punish some of them.
Until the Truth is accepted in this area, we have no prospect of true fellowship with the Abrahamic Faith members. Conveying any other impression to them by addressing them as if they were Christadelphians under another name confuses reality and impairs the possibility of making any real progress.
Strong’s Concordance