Sharing Our Mail

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     "May we become followers of the 'law of love' rather than followers of 'lovers of law.' I do not mean by this that I do not regard the law of the Lord as supreme, but I know we can never have unity (Christ centered unity) until we be filled with the Spirit of the Christ, which is the law of love. I believe it is possible for a man to have all knowledge, even of divine things, and have not love. This is to be deformed and of no value to the eternal laws of God, for God is love -- love of a nature that while we are still sinners, Christ died for us. How then we ought to love one another, the strong to help the weak, and not to condemn. These things I know must obtain in every life or there will not be unity among us." --Alan M. Smith (Saskatchewan).

     "If a thing is plainly taught, there should be unity on that particular subject. If there is room for doubt, then, there should be liberty among the congregations. If God has not bound the practice, we dare not do it. If brethren will study, and within themselves possess the love demanded by the Master, then I am sure division will not invade the family of God. I know that I will not be one who will cause more division, or rather, I will not be so dogmatic on some of these controversial subjects, as to divide the people of God into warring factions." --Darrell Bolin (Pennsylvania)

     "Since I have disagreed with you frankly when I felt the urge to do so, I now feel obligated to be just as frank when I agree. With this in mind, I want to say that I consider your treatise "Thoughts on Fellowship" to be one of the most, if not the very most, enlightening articles I have ever read. I have read considerably from the writings of the restorers of an earlier day than ours, but I do not think I ever read any thesis by an uninspired man which caused the scales to fall from my eyes as yours did. I feel moved to compare it in some ways with Thomas Campbell's "Declaration and Address." It tears away the man-made restrictions, and points to a future when all who love the Christ may, if they only will, work together toward the accomplishment of the unfulfilled dream of nineteen centuries -- oneness among all those who bow to His Holy name." --Vernon W. Hurst (West Virginia).

     "I enjoy the paper very much and appreciate your attitudes toward unity. Your articles on 'Must An Elder Be Married?' proved very beneficial to me. I am very interested in the forthcoming issues on Fellowship. I believe that it is our only hope of uniting." --Jerry Lester (Missouri).

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     "Many of the brethren are more ignorant of the true religion than those with whom I come in contact in the sectarian world. It breaks my heart. I was reared in the church and was well grounded in the restoration plea. Now I feel like an illegitimate child at a family reunion in either the Christian Church or the Church of Christ. The first is composed of a bunch of weaklings seeking the plaudits of the world; the latter so full of venom and strife, it seems they would prefer to rasp one's feelings as to convert him. to Christ, and the real results of the Restoration Cause are lost." --M. H. Puryear, M.D. (Mississippi).

.      "I consider the removal of all barriers, prejudices and hates between races to be one of the great underlying principles of Christianity. I am sure you believe that, too, for you are the main one who has taught this to me. This idea goes hand in hand with the idea that all believers in Christ should be one. How can two groups be one, when one considers themselves too good to ride on the bus, attend school, or worship in the same building, with the others. I am sorry the 'Church of Christ' has been slow to recognize these things, but perhaps, if we are patient with them they will learn as we do. It took the Jewish Christians a good while to learn they were not better than the Gentiles." --Lowell Rees (Illinois).