Preaching Opportunities
Dear Bro. Editor,
We endorse and thank you for your editorial (“No Visitors”) which appeared in the November issue of the “Tidings.” It is good to remind us about the need for preaching and offer suggestions, both new and old. Do it again whenever you can.
Our organization (Mid Atlantic ASK) has been doing some preaching work on Staten Island, NY for the last few years. There are no Christadelphians living there and to reach Manhattan, Brooklyn, Queens or ecclesias in New Jersey requires paying tolls. This can be a road block to encouraging contacts to join Bible classes at those various ecclesias. It would be very advantageous if a Christadelphian couple could move to Staten Island and open their home to Bible classes. It has some pretty neighborhoods with trees, grass and a suburban look. Any who are planning to move to the New York area might like to include Staten Island on their list of possible places to live. Their help would be greatly appreciated.
Your sister in Christ,
June Renshaw, Sec.
1805 Tunis Rd.
Silver Spring, MD 20903
1993 Youth Conference
Dear Bro. Don,
I just wanted to write a short note to encourage those planning to attend Manitoulin Youth Conference in 1993. The study for this year is “Prepare to Meet Thy God -The Prophecy of Amos.”
I was very disappointed when I first heard we were going to study Amos. In fact,I thought it was going to be a total flop and I did my best to encourage those involved to change their minds and study something else.
Now I’m halfway through the workbook(thanks to getting an advance copy) and!’ m totally thrilled with the study. I try to do an hour a day. Every time I sit down, I find something new that makes me rethink my spiritual position. I see anew what God hates to see in us and what He really is looking for in our lives.
It is remarkable how much the society in which Amos lived was like our own, even in the ecclesial world, and how much we need to “shape up” before that great day of our Lord comes.
One of the biggest things that has struck me is that we profess to be followers of God, yet many of us find even one hour a day too much to study God’s word. Trying to prepare for our Lord’s return and serve him without personal Bible study every day is like trying to compete in the decathlon while fasting — it’ s impossible to succeed. This is true for sisters as well as brethren.
It’s amazing how daily study of the Word of God changes our perspectives in life and gives us the energy to do what is right. The people in Amos’ time were caught up in doing the ritualistic worship (just going to meeting, Bible class, CYC) but it was not affecting their hearts. They were just sitting there hoping it would soon be over so they could get back to their materialistic way of life.
Let’s get into the Word that it might help us “Prepare to Meet our God!”
A Sister in Christ
Back Issues
Dear Bro. Don,
Greetings in our bonds of love and hope in Christ Jesus.
Great work with the “Tidings” magazine. It is indeed refreshing to read articles pertaining to the Truth from a North American perspective. Many thanks to you and all who contribute to this fine magazine.
Since my baptism in 1983, I have come to realize the great storehouse of knowledge in Christadelphian periodicals. As our ecclesia is rather small, past issues of these magazines are few and far between.
Surely there must be brothers and sisters who have back issues of “The Christadelphian,” “The Testimony” or other Christadelphian magazines that they no longer use. I am prepared to pay for the magazines.
Anyone able to help could contact me by FAX at 1(403)451-3066 or at 12255 Dovercourt Ave., Edmonton, ALBT, Canada T5L 4E1. FAX letters should be addressed to myself and include my home phone number of 453-1412.
I am particularly interested in years 1975-1980 for the “Christadelphian” and all issues before 1970 for both the “Christadelphian” and the “Testimony.”
Sincerely your brother,
Jerome Toronchuk
An inquiry was also received respecting past issues of the “Tidings.” We only have back issues for 1989-1992. They are available for $.50 each from the “Tidings” address.
Letters With Payments
Along with subscription payments, we receive many encouraging notes for which we are most grateful. Following is a sample.
Dear Bro. Don,
Greetings in the one hope.
Hard to believe 1993 is almost upon us. Can there be many days left until our Lord’s return? The world seems so unstable — the world’s economy in tatters, turmoil in the Middle East and uncertainty in Russia to name but a few problems.
The irony is that, for the most part, people go on with their lives as if nothing is wrong. The world of sports, for one, seems to go by the philosophy of “Tomorrow shall be as this day, and much more abundant,” (Isa. 56 : 12 )with their $7 million a year players, free agents and expansion ($50 million for a hockey franchise!?).
We enjoy the “Tidings” and it is a great help in our household. May God continue to bless your hard work. Give our love to Sis. Ellen and the family.
Love in Christ,
Chris Sales, Shelburne, ONT
Appreciating the “Messiah”
Dear Editor,
What a joyous and beautiful part of the year we have just passed through. It is characterized by happiness, love and the great atmosphere of giving with thankful hearts that we are able to give.
On a yearly basis, the Toronto Symphony and Toronto Mendelssohn Choir, with the aid of their sponsors, puts on a spectacular performance of Handel’ s Messiah. This year was by no means any exception. This is a beautiful and breathtaking piece of music with words of powerful meaning. They are words of joy, yet so few people seem to grasp the eternal meaning of this sacred theme. God has made great promises to mankind; who will respond?
The golden thread that George Frederic Handel wove through this oratorio, based on God’s word, is astounding! He starts with God’s chosen people and the realization that Christ is Messiah to all nations and then Handel goes forward to unfold the history of that amazing birth of Jesus through a virgin and includes the name that should be upon all lips — Emmanuel!
The picture continues to be painted. Handel shows how Gentiles shall be called by the power of faith in God, through Messiah. But who is Messiah? He is the Son of God and he is to be given all power by his Heavenly Father. He will rule the earth and joy and peace will be present.
We can imagine the sound of the heavenly host singing those well known words, “Glory to God in the highest, and peace on earth, good will towards men” (Lk. 2:14).
Even today, we have not witnessed the fulfillment of these words. When will we? Christ made it clear that, if we follow him and do his Father’s commandments, we will be with him at the time when God establishes His kingdom on earth.
Handel then draws from scriptures which narrate how Christ suffered greatly in his courageous and moving will to serve his Father. He did so that he might overcome his sinful nature, putting God first, not man. He died that we may have away to approach God. Though like us, Christ did not sin; he was a lamb led to the slaughter.
As promised, for the grave could not hold a perfect man, Christ rose the third day. What a glorious day! How can we ever thank God for His mercy in providing His only begotten son for our sakes? We cannot earn salvation; but, through God’s grace, it will be granted to those who recognize their need and desire eternal life with our Lord.
With his Father’s mighty power, Christ will raise the dead and bring them, with the responsible among the living, before him for judgment. Christ, the King and Redeemer, will bring into being that great time when all will acknowledge that the Lord God Omnipotent reigns.
“Blessing and honor, glory, and power be unto Him that sitteth upon the throne, and unto the Lamb, for ever and ever, Amen.”
Yours sincerely,
D.S. Hayles, Scarborough, ONT
Abrahamic Faith
Dear Bro. Don,
Greetings in the Lord.
I was most interested in the account by Mark Drabenstott of the history of the Church of God of the Abrahamic Covenant, and especially of his account of the involvement of Benjamin Wilson. It is not often realized how close was the relationship between Benjamin and the Christadelphians, as I discovered when doing research for the centennial of the Meriden, CT Ecclesia. The account given by Bro. Christmas Evans in the “Christadelphian” (One Hundred Years Ago #32) includes a letter written to Dr. Thomas by Benjamin in 1846 concurring with Dr. . Thomas’ beliefs. The same article confirms that Dr. Thomas baptized Benjamin in 1856, although apparently they had never previously met; the relationship was by correspondence.
Of more interest to the debate on the doctrinal views that separate us is the information that Benjamin Wilson maintained some contact with the Christadelphians all his life. Correspondence in the “Fraternal Visitor,” the magazine of the Suffolk Street Christadelphians, records exhortations given by “Bro. Benjamin Wilson of the Emphatic Diaglott in September, 1891 at the Oakland, CA Ecclesia. His death is recorded in 1900 in the following terms, “…in Sacramento, a few months back…he never permanently identified himself as a Christadelphian, because of immortal emergence…met and broke bread with us only a few months before his death.”
It is clear that a hundred years ago, Benjamin Wilson realized the essential similarity of beliefs between himself and the Christadelphians, but he also recognized that the disagreement on immortal emergence was important enough to separate him from true fellowship.
Your brother in Christ,
Peter Hemingray, Farmington, CT
Dear Editor,
I am writing in response to Mark Drabenstott’s article regarding the history of the CGAF.
Drabenstott’ s article generally follows the outline of Church of God history as misrepresented by the Wilson’s, who slighted Joseph Marsh and ignored the role of the Age to Come Adventists, who made up the first generation of the Church of God.
The Age to Come Adventists (pre-millennial ex-Millerites who proclaimed the restoration of national Israel, most of whom looked to the ex-Millerite, Joseph Marsh for direction), had already organized themselves into loosely-connected congregations using the term “Church of God” before the arrival of the Wilsons. Benjamin Wilson was not the founder of the Church of God. The Wilson’s naturally merged with the Age to Come Adventists because of doctrinal similarities and rapidly became prominent leaders within the movement, but they were not its only representatives. Adventist Historian David Arthur has put it this way:
“In Illinois, it would seem that the ‘age to come’ position was supported and maintained by those whose origins lay in English Adventism rather than in American Millerism. Wilson maintained a small publishing house in Geneva, Illinois and his activities seem to have been the center around which the Illinois group revolved.
“At this point a further word about the English Adventists is in order. Arriving in the late 1840’s, originally they settled in the middle Atlantic states with their center in Philadelphia. Their views differed from those of Miller in their belief that the Jewish nation must be restored to Palestine prior to the second advent of Christ…”
I sympathize with Drabenstott’s feelings about the members of the Ministerial Association for various reasons, but the doctrines of universal resurrection and open communion were not first introduced by them. These Biblical doctrines were well understood by many nineteenth century Church of God congregations and were taught by the pioneer of Age to Come Adventism, Joseph Marsh. (Interestingly, Church of God historian David Graham has pointed out to me that Benjamin Wilson originally believed in universal resurrection.) In addition, Marsh and other early Church of God brethren also believed in a supernatural devil.
These doctrines are not late innovations, but have been propagated among us from the first. At the same time, it is equally true that “Thomasites,” like the Wilsons and Hug gins, were a significant part of our movement, and had a much more narrow view of fellowship. As Drabenstott indicates, when we finally managed to reorganize, some congregations in Florida, Indiana, Kentucky and Ohio refused to participate because of our greater tolerance for doctrinal diversity.
Yes, I suppose it is true that there is no fellowship between the General Conference (to which I belong) and the churches with which Drabenstott is affiliated, or between us and the Christadelphians. It is very unfortunate that you people should have such a sectarian attitude.
Sincerely,
Mark M. Mattison, Wyoming, MI
Dear Editor,
About 35 years ago ,when we lived in Corpus Christi, TX, I advertised in the paper for anyone being or knowing a Christadelphian (my husband was not in the Truth then). I had two answers to my ad.
First, I received a manila envelope from a lady with literature about the CGAF , comparing it to the Christadelphians. It explained that the only difference in the two beliefs was about the question of whether or not the worthy are raised immortal or mortal. Up to that point, I had never heard of the CGAF.
We arranged to meet and then we decided to study together, not mentioning our one difference but studying about what we believed alike. The children and I met with her in Alice, TX every Sunday for several years. When her husband died, she moved away.
She was a Christian woman and a wonderful person. Her name was Betty Thibault. My address is below so that she can get in touch with me if she happens to read this.
The second answer came from a prisoner who was in an Arkansas prison for being an habitual criminal. His mother had been a Christadelphian but he would never tell us her name. Betty and I bought him a Bible and sent him Christadelphian literature. The last I heard, he was out of prison but! have lost touch with him. You can imagine how much I enjoyed the article “Finding the Truth in Prison” in the November “Tidings.”
Your sister in the Truth,
Edith Scott Rt.
2 610 Nancy Dr.
Glen Rose, TX 76043
Ecclesial Politics
To My Bro. Don Styles,
Politics is compromise, of that, there is no doubt. Acts 15, as you point out, records an example of this at work.
Christ’s teaching about the Mosaic Law being fulfilled was ignored by the Jewish believers. As we see, Paul had to step in and arrange a compromise of the Truth which only lasted, as you also point out, for a short time.
You call agreement to this compromise of the Truth a “lovely spirit.” I call it the fleshly mind putting the skids to the Truth that Christ taught and Paul had little or no choice but to go along.
The dictionary says compromise is a combination of two rival systems in which a part of each is sacrificed to make the combination of the two systems possible. This is nothing less than men’s way of watering down the Truth to suit themselves. And you call this a “lovely spirit” between these two factions? I call it what it was, the flesh, as usual, getting in the way of the Truth.
Proof of this is in the history of what took place in less than 50 years. The Truth was overwhelmed and was all but obscured by 300 A.D. Christ’s words to John in Revelation confirm this.
There is a lesson to us indeed in Acts 15 and it is not to resort to the politics of compromise; that should be avoided, not condoned as a “lovely spirit” among us. I know that man cannot live in the flesh without compromise of some sort, but please do not call it a “lovely spirit.” …There will be no compromises with the Truth when Christ is ruling.
The “flesh” is very deceitful and at times hard to recognize…Are we not to be of Christ and not of the flesh? Compromise is of the flesh. The spirit of truth does not compromise with the flesh; rather it wars against it. These days are evil ones, let us recognize it.
The Origin of the Organic World – Part One