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
Evangelist Robert L. Sumner

What do we have for you in this issue? Well, one of the favorite writers over the years has been Richard S. Beal, the late Arizona pastor. He is the author of our Labor Day message and it will bless your heart. Share it with friends, especially those who are lost.

In the “Memorial” section below you will find an item about the Homegoing of our friend, William H. Rice. Partly to honor him, but mostly to honor Christ and His Church, we are running a message by Dr. Rice on that theme.

In the old days, one of our most popular writers was the humorous guy who plunked the uke from down under, Pastor Donald Prout. An Australian, he used pungent humor to drive home truth. In 2005 he had a bout with cancer of the esophagus. Later he developed bone cancer and the Lord used it to give him a promotion.

His last preaching stint was a week before he died and his final days were spent trying to convert everyone in the hospital where he was confined. We are running another of his messages in this issue. It has a striking title, but has the usual Prout punch. You’ll enjoy it.

We are also including a talk given by a practicing physician of nearly three decades at a Tea Party rally in Greenville (SC). T. W. Kendall is the noble son of Evangelist Clyde Kendall, whose sermons we have published frequently.

In our Bible Study Corner this time we are featuring a message by one of the early Fundamentalists, Howard W. Kellogg. It is a message he preached in one of those early prophecy conferences.

As for the editor’s contribution, it looks as if he has been appointed chief defender of the reputations of dead men. Having gone to bat for the likes of H. A. Ironside, Harry Rimmer and C. I. Scofield, in this issue we are defending the late J. Frank Norris. We are making our defense through a review of a recent book by David Stokes, Apparent Danger. While Norris may have had a few more warts than the men we previously stood up for, he doesn’t deserve the treatment he is given in this book.

MEMORIALS

One of our favorite people, C. Sumner Wemp – long a columnist with The Biblical Evangelist – has been temporarily separated from his dear wife of approximately 63 years, Celeste Magee Zimmerman Wemp, who went to Glory just four days shy of her 86^th birthday. Her memorial service was conducted and her body laid to rest on that latter date at the Restland Funeral Home and Memorial Park in Dallas.

Celeste and C. Sumner Wemp met when he was a student at the Dallas Theological Seminary in 1946 at the Ross Avenue Baptist Church – where your editor preached in the early 1950s; Dr. George Crittenden, Sr., was pastor at the time – and were joined in holy wedlock the following year. The couple intended at that time to go to Brazil as missionaries, but God had other plans for them. That zeal for missions and passion for souls never left the couple during the remainder of their lives together.

Since she was orphaned by her parents Chester & Jenny Foster early in life, Celeste was lovingly taken into the home of an aunt and uncle, Lucia and Roy Zimmerman, and raised by them as a daughter. Celeste was a graduate of both Moody Bible Institute (1945) and Liberty University (1975), the latter with a degree in Christian Ministries. Those at Liberty who knew her when she and her husband were associated with this institution could not praise her enough for her Christian character and her devotion to the Word of God. Like her husband, she was an ardent witness for Christ and soul winner.

Mrs. Wemp pioneered the concept of Christian Women's Retreats and she ministered to over 1,000 women several times annually for over 20 years through that medium. The committee bringing in Ann Graham Lotts for a special citywide women's crusade in Atlanta asked her to make those arrangements and set it up.

Celeste labored beside her husband at pastorates in Alabama, Florida and Illinois, and when he served educational institutions: Moody Bible Institute (8 years), president of Southeastern Bible College (2 years), and Liberty University (17 years).

Mrs. Sumner and I met her for the first time when there was a special ‘party’ at Liberty University honoring the couple on their 60^th anniversary of marriage and ministry. While that event was planned long in advance, it turned out to be at the time of Dr. Jerry Falwell’s funeral. We also took them to lunch and celebrities there for the funeral were constantly stopping at our table to greet the famous couple, including Drs. Tim & Beverly LaHaye.

Celeste is survived by her husband, Sumner; two sons, Cliff and Charles (wife, Donna); three daughters, Carolyn, Elaine Grill, Janet Herlyck (husband, Jack); three grandchildren; and a sister, Leona Wooten Day. "Blessed are the dead which die in the Lord ... that they may rest from their labours" (Revelation 14:13).

Memorial gifts may be made to the East West Ministries, P.O. Box 868050, Plano, TX 75086-8050, an international church-planting ministry Celeste was deeply involved in for many years.

Another of the editor’s longtime friends, William R. Rice, took off for Glory in July. Dr. Rice, who had been diagnosed with terminal cancer back in 1949, died of ‘natural causes.’ He went to Michigan in the late 1940s to pastor the First Baptist Church of Melvindale. It grew rapidly and later merged with the First Baptist Church of Allen Park. The union was called Inter-City Baptist Church and Rice served there 40 years, retiring on September 10, 1989.

The area grew rapidly and so did the church. In one 15-year period he was involved with multiple building projects, including the current auditorium. The next year he led the church to launch one of the first Christian schools in Michigan and a decade later they started the Detroit Baptist Theological Seminary, which has grown into a strong graduate school. He also led the church to start the Inter-City Christian Manor, one of the first Baptist retirement facilities.

After 40 years serving the church, he went to the pulpit and announced, “Moses is dead. Long live Joshua.” On retirement, he and Mrs. Rice – who survives him – moved to Florida, living at Cape Coral and Bonita Springs, staying there until last year when he moved to Alabama to be near his son.

I had the opportunity of being invited to conduct a crusade at Inter-City (I didn’t know until later what an honor it was; he carefully screened men he invited to his pulpit) and met him for the first time. We became friends. He invited me back to preach and he served on our board at Biblical Evangelism for a number of years.

Dr. Rice earned his undergraduate degree at Bob Jones College when it was at Cleveland (TN), then went on to earn Master of Divinity, Master of Theology, and Doctor of Theology degrees at Grace Theological Seminary in Winona Lake (IN). He would have been 90 on September 23^rd.

Much of the above was taken from a tribute by his successor, Dr. David M. Doran, who also conducted his memorial service.

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He was a member of the Gospel Music Hall of Fame, but that is not how multiplied thousands of admirers will remember Doug Oldham, who died in July. When they reminisce it will be of the golden-voiced singer with Jerry Falwell and his Old-Time Gospel Hour, and on the platform of the Thomas Road Baptist Church. His sweet music helped make both of those organizations – to say nothing of his traveling around the country with his mentor promoting and raising money for Liberty University – or Lynchburg Baptist College, as it was called in those days.

The last time I saw him was when he was in an area nursing/retirement home recovering from surgery. Then one day recently we received an e-mail requesting prayer for him as he was about to undergo some very serious back surgery. It was followed shortly by another e-mail saying, in effect, don’t bother; the problem is already solved. He had gone to greet the Lord he loved while waiting surgery at the University of Virginia Medical Center.

In addition to his work with Falwell, the ecumenical Oldham worked with Jim and Tammy Bakker’s Praise the Lord (PTL) Club, but he eventually quit them and returned to Falwell. He did stints with Bill Gaither and his Homecomings. He even traveled for a time with Benny Hinn. He also sang with Billy Graham in his crusades and for five different presidents. Over the years Oldham recorded more than 65 albums. His signature song seemed to be “The King Is Coming” and he sang it often. Bill Gaither said he was the first to both sing and record a song he wrote that became very popular, “He Touched Me.”

Dr. Oldham was 79 at the time of his promotion. His memorial service, which opened with a video clip showing Oldham's musical and television career that spanned more than 60 years, was held on July 24 at the Thomas Road Baptist Church with Rev. Jonathan Falwell officiating. The first speaker was Dr. Craig Petry, a medical doctor whom Doug led to Christ. He joked about Oldham’s wisdom in asking him to speak at his funeral (Petry hates public speaking), knowing the latter would do everything in his power to keep him alive as long as possible.

Others playing a huge part in the service were Dr. Elmer Towns, Dr. & Mrs. Bill Gaither (both spoke) and, of course, the musical director at the church, Charles Billingsly. Over 1,000 attended.

He is survived by his wife, Laura Lee; three daughters, Paula Johnson (husband, John), Karen Offenbacker (husband Garry), and Rebekah Cox (husband, Lee); five grandchildren; and two great-grandchildren. Memorial contributions may be made c/o J. W. Hugo, Doug Oldham Concert Hall Scholarship Fund, Liberty University, 1971 University Boulevard, Lynchburg, VA 24502.

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In late July one of our favorite authors went to be with the Lord he honored so faithfully in his writings. John Phillips penned over 50 volumes, including the John Phillips Exploring the Bible Commentary Series, the John Phillips Bible Characters Series, plus numerous works on biblical and theological topics. We reviewed many of them with delight on these pages.

A native of Newport, South Wales, in the United Kingdom – born February 11, 1927 – it was his privilege to serve in the British Army in Palestine during the final years of the British Mandate. He was a firsthand witness of the events which led up to the rebirth of the State of Israel.

After World War II he moved to Canada, worked in a bank, married Jean Phillips, and established a small church. Eventually he came to the States and became the Assistant Director of the Moody Bible Institute Correspondence School. He also taught in the Evening Extension School, became a regular speaker on WMBI and the Moody Radio Network. He also served as Director of the Emmaus Correspondence School, the largest school of its kind in the world at the time.

In addition to his first wife, he was preceded in death by his sister, Grace. Surviving are his second wife, Betty Jean Ferrell Phillips; four children; four stepchildren; 12 grandchildren and 11 great-grandchildren.

His memorial service was held at the Gospel Light Baptist Church with Drs. Bobby Roberson, John Reynolds and Roger Willmore officiating. Memorial gifts may be made to the John Phillips Ministries International, 2528 Huntington Woods Drive, Winston-Salem, NC 27103. Dr. Phillips was 83 at the time of his Homegoing.

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Born Gordon Arthur Kelly but known professionally as Art Linkletter (he took the name of his adopted parents) died in late May. A popular entertainer and humorist, he could be funny without being dirty – something most of today’s brand of comedian is too uneducated to accomplish. Although abandoned by his natural parents when a few weeks old, Linkletter was adopted by a Canadian evangelical preacher and his wife, Fulton and Mary Linkletter.

He originally wanted to attend Springfield College (MA), originally known as the International Young Men’s Christian Association Training School – and the site of the very first basketball game – but finances forced him attend a school where his parents had moved, San Diego State Teachers College.

Especially gifted with handling kids, his programs interviewing them were always a riot. He said he got the idea when his son Jack, five at the time, came home from his first day of school and announced he was never going back. Asked why, the young anti-scholar responded, “Well, I can’t read; I can’t write; and they won’t let me talk. Why go back?”

Linkletter married Lois Foerster in 1935 and their union of over 74 years was one of the longest among the notoriously fickle entertainment crowd. He had five children of his own: Jack, Dawn, Robert, Sharon and Diane. All but two predeceased him. Art was a ripe old 97 at the time of his death.

MILESTONES

We salute our friends at the Baptist Bible Tribune on reaching its 60^th anniversary on June 23. What an excellent voice for Christ and the Bible it has been over the years. Started at about the same time as the Baptist Bible Fellowship, its parent organization, the first editor was the inimitable Noel Smith. A gifted journalist who must have had printer’s ink flowing through his veins, Smith could write on any topic and make it sound exciting. I would have loved to have read an editorial by him about “grass growing in the back yard.” I guarantee you it would have made you want to go out and plant grass.

I first met Dr. Smith when we were both speaking at an annual Bob Jones University Bible Conference and he immediately gained my respect. Succeeding Smith at the Tribune was Wendell Zimmerman (whom we knew only by reputation), then James O. Combs (whom we knew from California days and has been a dear friend over the years), then Mike Randall (whom we knew only through correspondence), and for the past nearly a decade, Keith Bassham, who has been doing a terrific job.

May God keep the Tribune going until He comes again.

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Our dear friends, W. Wilbert Welch and his lovely mate, Myrl, celebrated their 68^th wedding anniversary last June. Dr. Welch led the Grand Rapids Baptist Bible College and Seminary during its greatest years. He was also on the Biblical Evangelism board for many, many years. They are a great couple and we have often printed his messages in this magazine with great profit to our readers.

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At their annual meeting in Orlando last June – attended by more than 11,000 messengers, highest since 2006 and well above the approximately 8,800 last year at Louisville – Southern Baptists elected a new president, Atlanta-area pastor Bryan Wright. He leads the Johnson Ferry Baptist Church in Marietta (GA), a work he started 28 years ago. In a runoff, the first for the convention since 1982 during the inerrancy battles, Wright received 4,225 (55.11 percent) votes, defeating Ted Traylor of Pensacola (FL).

Wright’s church baptized 478 in the past year, launched seven new churches in his local county, and gave over $2.7 million to missions. He told reporters he wants the convention to return to its first love and his dream is for every church to send pastor and people on mission trips to see firsthand involvement by other countries (his church sent more than 1,500 people on 70 mission trips to 27 nations last year alone).

He succeeds another Georgian, Dr. Johnny Hunt, who was ineligible for reelection.

Evangelist Ron Herrod (TN) was named first vice president and Pastor Eric Moffett (AR) second vice president.

Morris H. Chapman retired from his post as president of the SBC Executive Committee, a key spot in that movement. He had held the position for nearly two decades, appointed after the “resurgent group of inerrantists” regained control of the denomination from the moderates/liberals. Frank Page, a past president of the SBC, was appointed to succeed him.

Another retirement was Jerry Rankin as president of International Mission Board, after a 17-year stint at the helm. Personally, we were sorry to see Chapman retire, but not Rankin.

Among the many resolutions all conventions pass, there was one dealing with divorce that called upon messengers to preach “the whole counsel of God” on the subject and realize "how damaging Southern Baptist accommodation to the divorce culture is to our global witness for Christ." Admitting the divorce problem was worse in some SBC churches than the unsaved secular world, it asked messengers to confront "… the spiritual wreckage left in our Southern Baptist churches by our own divorce rates and our silence about the same."

It appeared to have passed unanimously (hey, who would want to appear pro-divorce). We hope everyone was listening.

During the Pastors Conference that always precedes the convention, Charles Stanley was honored on the date of his election for a second term as president of the SBC 25 years ago, an event that broke the back of the liberal/moderate resistance. He, in turn, introduced his son, Andy, who proceeded to preach a message, “Some Things I've Been Thinking About Recently Regarding Local Church Leadership."

The SBC is becoming known for its Crossover preconvention soul-winning program and this year there were over 1,900 volunteer workers who saw some 1,500 people make professions of faith in Christ. We commend them.

Speaking of Baptists, the president of Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, R. Albert Mohler Jr., delivered his last live The Albert Mohler Show on June 21. It was heard on more than 100 stations nationally as he dealt with timely ethical and doctrinal problems. Priority for other matters was Dr. Mohler’s explanation for canceling his participation.

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The independent Baptist World Mission in Decatur (AL) experienced a change in leadership last year. Dr. Bud Steadman is now the president, succeeding Dr. Fred Moritz, who led the ministry for nearly three decades. The latter is now working with the Maranatha Baptist College at Watertown (WI).

BWM has approximately 350 missionaries in some 53 countries. This is a group firmly in the fundamentalist camp, emphasizing soul winning and planting indigenous churches.

It will complete 50 years of ministry next year.

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Our friends at C.O.M.E (Committee on Missionary Evangelism) recently changed the name of that mission to COME International Baptist Ministries. Dr. Eldon Stevens is the director of that fine ministry with a number of evangelists on its staff, helping small churches in the states and overseas. Its mailing address is COME, P. O. Box 88085, Grand Rapids, MI 49518.

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Some 40 years ago, Dr. W. A. Criswell had his folks at First Baptist (Dallas) launch a new college, one "based on conservative evangelical Christianity as practiced in our church." The trend in SBC circles at that time was toward liberalism and he wanted to train leaders who were sold on the Bible. The new institution was named Criswell College and it did exactly what the founder intended.

Now, years later, the college and church are parting ways – not because of any friction or divergence of views – in order to give the school more freedom. Instead of deacon-run it will be trustee-controlled, the same as any other college. Lamar Cooper is the current Interim President.

In the release announcing the change it emphasized, "Both institutions hold steadfastly to the core values on which both were established and built. Both institutions will continue to apply these critical values, the college in the development and training of the next generation of pastors and ministry leaders – the church in sharing the gospel with the city of Dallas."

As Cooper put it, "There will be no change in our commitment to the Bible as God's infallible and inerrant Word, nor to any other doctrinal position." The pastor of the First Baptist Church of Forney (TX) serves as the new board chairman.

The radio station the two shared, KCBI-FM, will be under a new nonprofit organization, First Dallas Media Inc., but the church will continue operating it.

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Correction: In our July-August issue we gave the name of the president of Midwestern Baptist College and Seminary (founded by the late Dr. Tom Malone) as Dr. David Cere. His name is actually Dr. David Carr. And, yes, Emmanuel Baptist Church will continue its ministry in the city of Pontiac.

FIFTY YEARS IN PRINT!

Perhaps this should have been mentioned in ‘milestones’ above since having one book remain in continuous print for that length of time is a special occasion. It was a half-century ago last June that the Regular Baptist Press, just in time for its annual meeting in Long Beach (CA), released its very first hardbound book. It was your editor’s tome, Evangelism: The Church on Fire, containing the messages on evangelism delivered at the Grand Rapids Baptist Bible College and Seminary the previous fall. Dr. W. Wilbert Welch, president of the school and who heard the lectures as they were delivered, wrote the Introduction.

It has been continuously in print since that day – and still is, for that matter. (You can order a copy from us for $9.00, postage paid.)

We had forgotten this data until RBP called and said it wanted to do a story on the event and when I agreed, declared they would call me later. Since no one called and the timeline is itself about history, we assume it became another great editorial idea that ended on the cutting room floor.

So we’ll mention it.

After a couple of editions by RBP, Biblical Evangelism Press reprinted it and then the Sword of the Lord Publishers took it over. When we left Murfreesboro, Dr. Al Byers, the Sword’s general manager, kindly gave us permission and we’ve been handling it ever since.

Folks overseas don’t always notify us when they print something, but we do know the Regular Baptist Press of Brazil released a Portuguese edition when Bill Collins headed up that ministry. (It also released a Portuguese edition of Hell Is No Joke!)

In addition to the praise Dr. Welch gave in the Introduction, men such as Dr. John R. Rice in The Sword of the Lord; Editor Glen A. Lehman in The Voice of the IFCA; Dr. Ernest Pickering in The North Star Baptist; Robert S. Wilson in The Fellowship Baptist; Dr. James T. Jeremiah, in selecting it for the Cedarville College Book Club; The Baptist Record, of the Southern Baptist Convention; Dr. Bruce Cummons, founder/pastor of the Massillon Baptist College, and others expressed high appreciation for it.

Dr. Adrian Rogers, three-time president of the Southern Baptist Convention, praised it highly and at his final conference for pastors at Bellevue Baptist, which was videotaped for further use, said that preachers should consider some of the old-time books and mentioned Church on Fire specifically (probably he should have said “old-time” writers, too).

IGNORANCE IN GEORGIA

Another "uniformed" citizen – that sounds nicer than some other nouns we could use – speaks out. We refer to Tim Rutherford, VP of Senior Citizens, Inc. He overheard some of the seniors praying aloud before eating meals (gasp) – the seniors pay 55¢ for the meal and the feds pay the rest – and he said there was a "separation of church and state issue" involved and to protect the funding, he wanted the oral praying stopped.

Oh, and what religion were the elderly folks establishing, which is all the Constitution is talking about? And what about the thousands upon thousands of thousands who receive food stamps from the government? Will Tim follow them home and make sure none say grace before dining?

It sounds like Rutherford needs to have another Rutherford (the legal group) explain the facts of life to him, doesn't it?

By the way, the "uninformed" (see 1^st paragraph above) at the Division of Aging services at the Georgia Department of Human Services put in its two cents and said the state did not permit oral prayer in any senior center. The State promptly denied any such policy ever existed.