 |
||||||||
| History Religious Issues Heaven Can Be Yours Order Contact Us | ||||||||
|
Table of Contents
|
 |
Dr. Robert Sumner passed away in December 2016. The Biblical Evangelist newspaper is no longer being published and the ministry of Biblical Evangelism has ceased operation. The remaining inventory of his books and gospel tracts was transferred to The Baptist Tabernacle of Los Angeles and may be ordered here. Off the Cuff! (Part 1) Welcome to the 4th of July and thoughts of patriotism and memories of what a great nation our country was throughout the first 200 years. No wonder folks were beating at our doors trying to get in (while others were seeking entrance by sneaking through the back door). Obviously, we think we have another fine paper for your perusal this time. You will note that, while we thought we would have to change to a quarterly publication with this issue (the last three months’ income had been so disastrous), the editor was on the road in May and honorariums were sufficient that we think we can finish the year as a bimonthly. Praise the Lord! Last year we published a strong message from the pen of a Texas pastor, David Brumbelow, dealing with so-called social drinking, “The Bible Speaks on Alcohol.” David did his undergraduate work at In this issue we are presenting a follow-up as he explodes a long-held criticism against prohibition that “the ancients had no way of preserving grape juice” (the Welch’s hadn’t been born yet). He gives a fine scholarly answer to this myth, showing that they did, indeed, know how. There is a brief study on God’s marvelous creation work, our eyes, by longtime friend and frequent contributor, John Lineberry. It will warm your heart. On the more controversial side there is an important look at the scholarship of one of the KJVOnly’s star witnesses, G. A. Riplinger, by a genuine scholar, Doug Kutilek, our former assistant on this magazine. Also there is a ‘combined’ study on the pastor-teacher subject by Samuel Fisk, another genuine scholar who wrote frequently for this magazine. It puts two articles on the subject, which we published four decades ago, together into one. You will see why he calls the idea a “myth.” Two of his books published by Biblical Evangelism Press are still in print and available from our office, Letters to Teresa (a study of Roman Catholicism, 8 chapters, 91 pages, $5) and the blockbuster, Calvinistic Paths Retraced (13 chapters, 240 pages, $10). In honor of the 4th of July the editor has a message about celebrated declarations of independence, including the American one. Please note also the announcement of a new book on evangelism by the editor. MEMORIALS The ranks of our former associates is getting thinner. Back in the early 1950s, Dr. John R. Rice brought in two men to work as his assistants and to be on the staff of evangelists The Sword of the Lord had under the direction of Dr. Bill Rice in those days. One was your editor and the other was Hugh F. Pyle, an up-and-coming evangelist in Hugh didn’t stay in Wheaton (where The Sword was located at the time) very long, but he went on to show the talent Dr. Rice saw in him by writing 42 books and pamphlets (another source said 47). Hugh, who also wrote the Significant Trends column in The Biblical Evangelist for some time, joined his beloved Esther in Heaven last May, just a couple of weeks after she left him for the same destination. They had been wed over 70 years. Hugh was 91, but Esther was a young 81 according to her published obituary (which would have made her 11 years old when they married, obviously a gigantic error; I assume it should be the same as Hugh, 91). Hugh, a Virginia native who trusted Christ as a 10-year-old lad, started his ministry preaching in small country churches in central Florida – somewhere along the line he obtained newspaper experience, which was part of the attraction John Rice saw in him – but soon was pastoring, still in Florida, First Baptist of Groveland, Brent Baptist in Pensacola, and Cove Baptist Church in Panama City. Eventually he came to (or perhaps founded) Central Baptist in Dr. Pyle was especially gifted in taking catastrophes in the news and making evangelistic sermons of them. Several of them appeared in The Sword immediately after the disasters took place. However, in my judgment he was best known for his famous evangelistic sermon, “One More Night With the Frogs,” based on the exchange Moses had with Pharaoh when those pesky jumpers were figuratively knee deep in He entered full-time evangelism in 1973, conducting crusades in 46 of the 50 states. Dr. Pyle and Esther had three children, Barbara Dawkins (husband Grayson), Lucilla Hodges (husband, Robert) and David (wife, Donna). They had 13 grandchildren and 16 great-grandchildren. Other survivors include his brother Homer and his equally famous preacher brothers, Norman and Howard. Memorials may be made to Gideons International or Covenant Hospice. * * * * It is certainly unusual when an evangelical’s decease – especially a controversial one – gets written up in periodicals like The New York Times and The Wall Street Journal, but that happened to Moishe Rosen, founder of the controversial Jews for Jesus, the largest messianic Jewish organization in the world, when he died of cancer in late May. He was 78 at the time of his Homegoing. He was a live wire dynamo from the time of his conversion and in 1973 he launched JFJ in A spokesperson for the mission, Susan Perlman, estimated that JFJ – while having no membership – based partly on subscriptions to print and online newsletters, had “a constituency” of approximately a fifth of a million “interested” Jews and Christians. According to the Times, “Jews for Jesus has branches throughout the Rosen responded to his critics – and boy did he have them – about “Jews” in the mission’s name, “If the Jews didn’t need Jesus, why didn’t He come by way of Born to an Orthodox Jewish family in Kansas City (MO) in 1932 as Martin Meyer Rosen, in the early 1970s he started calling himself Moishe, the Yiddish name by which he had been called since a child. In 1950, he married Ceil Starr, his high school sweetheart, who was also Jewish. However, she began looking into Christianity and Moishe started reading the pamphlets she left around the house so he could answer them. Instead, both came to faith in Christ in 1953. As in most such cases, their families cut off all communication with the couple. He became a Baptist, studied at the Northeastern Bible Institute at Essex Fells in What made JFJ unique was its practice of retaining as much that was Jewish in their worship as possible without compromising Christian tenants, although some felt this conflicted with the biblical instructions of Hebrews 6:1-3 and Galatians 4:9-11. By way of example, he held Seders at Passover, fasted on Yom Kippur and married couples under a huppah, the Jewish wedding canopy, according to Perlman. One thing is for sure: he passionately loved Jesus Christ and did everything in his power to make Him known, especially among his Jewish brethren. In addition to his wife he leaves two daughters, Lyn Rosen Bond, a missionary with the * * * * Most, but not all, references in this column relate to men and women who believed the Bible and stood for it foursquare. Not this one. Cecil Sherman, who met His Maker in April, was a leader in the moderate (liberal) faction of the Southern Baptist Convention in the historic battle for the life of that body, a war that started in 1979 with the election of Adrian Rogers as president. We mention him here because no one today can understand the SBC battle – at least the anti-inerrancy side – without a knowledge of Cecil Sherman and the part he played. While I crossed swords with his younger brother Bill – who pastored in Since we should say something nice about the dead, I can honestly and frankly say that, as far as I know, Cecil always told the truth, was honest about his faith, and his theological positions. He never tried to deceive anyone about those matters, even when it would have helped him. And that is the problem – not that he was honest, but that he was so clear in his unbelief when it came to the Word of God. While I never wanted anyone to go to Hell, I could never convince myself that someone so adamantly opposed to the clear doctrines of the Word of God – like Harry Emerson Fosdick, Nels Ferré, George Buttrick, James Pike, G. Bromley Oxnam and “Boasting Bob” Ingersoll (an outspoken agnostic who traveled the country lecturing against God and the Bible for a fee, but we list him here because his position on the Word of God were basically the same as theirs) – was in Heaven. I would like to think I will meet Cecil Sherman in Heaven, but, then, I’d like to think I will meet Fosdick, Oxnam, Ferré, et al, there too! While I am not the judge for any of these men, I would have a problem convincing myself otherwise on the basis of the ‘facts’ and ‘Scripture’ as I know them. (I’ll just stick to judging angels, I Corinthians 6:3). Thank God, judging them on the Great Judgment Morning is not my job. And, anyway, “Shall not the Judge of all the earth do right?” (Genesis 18:25). * * * * * MILESTONES Our dear friend and fellow evangelist, Dr. Paul Dixon, Chancellor of Cedarville University, and his wife, Pat, are celebrating their 50th wedding anniversary during the period of this issue (August). We salute Paul and Pat. He has been a longtime friend since the day we met on an airplane. (I think he was going and I was coming from meetings.) Dr. Dixon has also long been a member of the board of Biblical Evangelism. * * * * * Another longstanding friend and Christ’s servant in Japan, the Land of the Rising Sun, for well over a half-century, Dr. Jim Norton and wife Audrey, celebrated their 59th year of wedded life last June 4. Jim started preaching at age 19 and has always been a soul winner par excellence who never passes up an opportunity to speak up and speak out for His Lord. Currently he is on a two-month evangelistic tour in the To give you an insight into Dr. Norton’s heart, here is a poem he wrote called “Give me “Give me With all her mountains, her scenery. All of the craggy coasts, tunnels so deep, Each gentle valley, mountainpass steep. “Give me I’d live and die here, contented to be! Her rice and mikans, apples and pear, Her food’s delicious, it’s hard to compare! “Give me Though standing room only, I won’t complain. Many a kind gesture I have received, I’ll give thanks for kindness, a friendship achieved. “Give me I’m over here for precious souls to gain! Deep superstition, by idols misled. Now they from the Bible Bread of Life can be fed! “Give me South down to Each soul is priceless, so would I deem. “Give me Most yet unsaved, pass by the church steeple, By the god of this world blinded, no sight, Now I would show them Jesus the Light! “Give me But thousands and myriads, not one or two. My heart is burdened, my soul reaches out, Thy Message so vital help me to shout! “Give me When Night approaches, ‘fore Thee they must cower Give heart repentance, ecstatic joy, By Thy Spirit empowered, sin’s power to destroy.” * * * * * Midwestern Baptist College and Seminary, a school in Michigan founded by the late Dr. Tom Malone, announced through its board and current president Dr. David Cere, it is moving from Pontiac to Orion, a short move of a dozen or so miles, we understand. The college expects the move in time to start classes in the fall. It is moving to the property of the The church is investing approximately $1.5 million and another equal amount will be needed to build the first college complex at the new location, to be named Tom Malone, Sr. Hall. It will house classrooms and offices. Midwestern is a good school, faithful to the Word of God, and we think this move will help both the college and the local church. We are assuming the * * * * * The Christian song “I Can Only Imagine” became the first Christian music song to become a digital “platinum.” Bart Millard, MercyMe’s lead singer, wrote it after his father died. It has won three Dove awards to date. The editor (who is too old for his own good) confesses he does not know Bart, the group MercyMe, or the song in question, but it is undoubtedly a ‘milestone.’ * * * * * CONGRESSMEN WHO Dar al-Hijrah Islamic Center, a large mosque at Falls Church (VA) considered by the feds a “breeding ground” for known terrorists, held its annual fundraising event in early April. Special guests were two Virginia Congressmen, Gerry Connolly and Jim Moran, both Democrats. This mosque reportedly had ties with the 9/11 hijackers and Army Major Nidal Malik Hasan, the radical who shot up Fort Hood while shouting praises to Allah (his mother’s funeral service was held there), among other Islamic terrorists. Former Governor Tim Kaine, now head of the Democrat Party, also was present. Democrat Senator Jim Webb of A group of patriots had a protest rally prior to the event. Terrorist expert Paul Sperry called the mosque "a terror mill and a direct threat to national security." Imam Johari Abdul Malik, the official spokesman of Dar al-Hijrah, says American Muslims have the right, according to Islamic law, to "blow up bridges" and other infrastructure. He tells his followers, "You can do all forms of sabotage." In fact, he has boasted, "We will see the day when Islam, by the grace of Allah, will become the dominant way of life … You will see Islam move from being the second largest religion in You see what we mean about Congressmen that deserve to be tried for treason – certainly not reelected! THE SUPREMES! When Obama appoints a justice to replace U.S. Supreme Court Justice John Paul Stevens he promised it would be “someone who, like Justice Stevens, knows that in a democracy powerful interests must not be allowed to drown out the voices of ordinary citizens.” While that sounds pretty, it was Stevens & Co. who sneered at the “property rights” of ordinary citizens in ruling the City of New London had the right to seize their property for the financial benefit of big developers out to make big bucks (alas, they didn’t follow through and the property stands vacant and taxless today). In fact, Stevens wrote the majority opinion! Columnist Connie Hair wrote: With Republicans holding an all-important 41 votes in the Senate thanks to the election of Sen. Scott Brown (R-Mass.) in the special election last fall, liberal Democrats including Senate Judiciary Chairman Pat Leahy (D-Vt.) are out in force calling a filibuster of a judicial nominee “irresponsible.” Meanwhile, over in the current Senate hideout, the chairman of the judiciary committee, Senator Patrick Leahy (D-VT) spoke out relative to a possible Republican filibuster, saying it would be the act of lazy people. He waxed loftily to NBC, “The American people pay us and elect us to vote yes or no, not to vote maybe. Every time you have a filibuster, you’re saying, ‘I’m not going to vote yes or no; I’m going to vote maybe.’ That’s irresponsible.” Yet what did the same noble Senator Leahy do when Samuel Alito was nominated to the Court? According to Columnist Hair, he joined a filibuster against him! So did the senator from She quoted Biden, on CNN: “If there is any possibility of keeping [Judge Alito] off the bench, I would support [a filibuster] …” She quoted Senator Obama as saying on ABC: “Well, I will be supporting the filibuster because I think Judge Alito, in fact, is somebody who is contrary to core American values, not just liberal values …” And she quoted Leahy (who now thinks they are “lazy”) in a statement he released at the time supporting the filibuster: “Statement of Senator Patrick Leahy on Nomination of Samuel A. Alito, Jr., to be an Associate Justice of Supreme Court of the Apparently it depends on whose ox is being gored! KUDOS TO CASSELL We salute Dr. Jack Cassell, a Florida urologist who, after Congress rammed ObamaCare down our collective throats so we could see what is in it, as Nancy Pelosi put it, taped a sign to the front door of his office: "If you voted for Obama, seek urologic care elsewhere. Changes to your health care begin right now, not in four years." He is not refusing to see the sick, just suggesting they might do better with another physician. For this, his “representative in Washington” (Alan Grayson, D-FL) pronounced him “a racist” and said Republicans “want sick Americans to die.” With that kind of reasoning, we don’t know what Alan is doing in Washington representing anyone. He says he will “file suit” against the doctor, apparently to put fear into other independent-minded physicians. Cassell responded that ObamaCare "fatally compromises my ability or any doctor's ability to uphold the Hippocratic Oath" and that he "can't believe that more people aren't standing up." It is hard to believe, isn’t it? “GIRLY” GIRLS If you were asked what or which organization was the most ungodly for an adolescent girl to join, what would you say? If you answered “the Girl Scouts of America” you would probably be right. Over the past ten or twenty years its leadership – working hand in glove with Planned Parenthood – has sunk to lows never before realized by any group aimed at young, impressionable girls. Some time back, Austin Ruse writing in the Washington Times, told how Sharon Slater, a mother of seven, attending the United Nations Commission on the Status of Women, “innocently” walked into a panel packed with adolescent girls that was sponsored by the Girl Scouts. She was not welcome. In fact, almost immediately she was ordered out, as were all non-Scout adults. Perhaps her feelings were hurt, or maybe she was just curious, but she waited just outside the door until the girls were dismissed and then rushed back in to pick up the literature on the tables. Wow! What she found would curl hair on a bald-headed man. One stack consisted of a Planned Parenthood brochure, Healthy, Happy and Hot. This not-so-innocent pamphlet assured the female child readers it was “their choice” to “have sex when they have been drinking or using drugs." It went on, "Many people think sex is just about vaginal or anal intercourse. But there are lots of different ways to have sex and lots of different types of sex. Sex can include kissing, touching, licking, tickling, sucking and cuddling.” We are omitting some of the stronger language but the little girls were told, “There is no right or wrong way to have sex. Just have fun, explore and be yourself!" The young teens were also told to explore the man’s private parts. The pamphlet not only gave bad advice, it gave incorrect advice. It told the kids "sexual and reproductive rights are recognized around the world," but as Ruse pointed out, “They are not even recognized here in the sexual paradise of the United States.” It told the children that, although the law requires those with HIV to inform their partners, they should flout the law because it violates “their rights.” The Scout leaders, masters at deception, denied they passed out the pamphlet, denied it was ever in the room, and finally said the mad mom must have dug it out of the trash, something left by a previous group. (Ruse checked and the other groups using the room that day were “the NAACP for a panel on climate change, the UN for an orientation meeting, and a Dutch poverty group for a panel on counter-terrorism.”) Sure, sure. That is exactly (NOT) the kind of literature climate change and terrorism groups would be distributing. Ruse also revealed that at the same United Nations shootout, the World Association of Girl Scouts and Girl Guides produced a document saying young women "demand their sexual and reproductive rights including access to comprehensive sexuality education, and sexual and reproductive services including contraception and emergency contraception, in order to avoid unintended pregnancies." It also demanded access to "safe abortion" (impossible for anyone to guarantee, of course). Actually, such action by the Girl Scout leadership is par for the course. The article also noted that at a “conference in 2004, co-sponsored by Planned Parenthood, the Girl Scouts handed out a brochure to 700 grade-school girls with the title ‘It's Perfectly Normal,’ a guide that celebrated masturbation and that featured explicit drawings of couples having sex and a boy putting on a condom. It also listed, no surprise here, the top ten reasons for having an abortion.” Today’s Girl Scouts are as different from the Boy Scouts (who hold traditional values) as the Democrats are from the Republicans. If I had a daughter associated with them in any way I’d demand she run, not walk, to the nearest exit. Ruse, who is president of the New York/Washington, D.C.-based Catholic Family & Human Rights Institute, a research institute focusing exclusively on international social policy, closed his article, “Girl Scout cookies remain awfully tasty, but it seems the moral price to purchase them is getting higher and higher.” |
 |