The Ohio Independent Baptist, March 1969

''Salve, Solace - Sear or Which' ' by Dr. E. G. Griffith Our concern in thi editorial i with wholesome biblical pu]pit work. Could an)r area of human endeavor be more important? Churche may do poorly enough e, en \\ hen the pulpit is clear, balanced and £aithf ul . Ma)· heaven have pity v. hen the pulpit is les . \\i hen a pastor takes h is last teps do~' n the we tern slope, his name will be corned or revered by godly people. lt ~ill be so for many valid and \ 1 aried rea ons. Here we list three. SALVE The u e of alve i not olely evil. Laodecean profe or were command– ed to anoint their "'eyes with eye- alve .·· They were blind to truth and grace. The eye is unspeakably tender, delicate. It matte rs not how entirely blameworthy the ightles may be, the e}'e will demand loving care. The pa tor who uniformly drags a ack of carborundum dust into the pulpit and hurls it indiscriminately will but cause and intensify blindnes . When Vve hurl sand they cannot "see our good points." Childhood memories often recall the case of a man fatally hurt in a train accident, the pathetic victim uncontrollably under the in– fluence of alcohol. But the medic and the other attendant did not aggra– vate his physical rustre s with per– sonal reminder . othing was left undone to alleviate his anguish. Thi is but a standard approach . o be sure the hepherd f a f.lock can over-employ salve. A certain pa tor \\' as ummoned far more than any other local preacher -to m i ni ter to the bereaved. It wa self-evident that his only approach wa a11 artificial wcetcner. He ant1c1- pa~ed the d a}' of accharin and uga1 ub t itutc . Jn side-walk conver a- tion, in the pulpit and at the grave- icfe. \.\ ith \ 'C)ice. tear ancl , ore)~ he d1 11en,etJ hl111e,. c1 life cottl<.i he 'l<..1 poorly lt,ecl. n t1 act cotild be o 1niquitou that he cou ld not glo it over. Tht1 all road led to h eaven. o prophet of God. could, for any monetary or other con ideration pro titute hi calling to uch a di - reputable level. alve will not cure lepro y. SEAR A with alve so ,vith searing, there are areas where it is o d ir– able in fact d emanded. \Vha t culinary artist does not know that certain meat are much more p a latable if eared. Fruits dried on a tin roof under the un may be un- peakably more delectable and de- 1 icious. Yet the exceptions are in– numerable. The per on wanting a healthy tan had better guard against a seared t1rf ace. It i o when we preach. A manly oul gracing a ro trum or an arbor platform will, in the face of mon- trou evil, hurl hi Phillipic . But preacher h ave o ther tasks too. "Feed my heep. ' We are not to 'fleece" them o r to flay them. There are till in tance a-plenty where 1he Edward treatmenrt m ay be in order. So the valiant oul proclaims the h orror of ' a sin1ner in the hands of a n angry God.' ' But Edward was talking to and about inner , n ot to a nd about aved collerugues. God' dealing with Hi own are not puni– tive. H e i a limp expo itor who con– fu es the dealing of God with the impenitent to be the ame as with children. o ca 11 e d, equipped hri tian teacher cottld n1ake that blunder. A preacher' drean1 is to make hi pew helper an army, but not to fight him a nd he to fight them. Let every Chri tian don the arn1,)t1r of ~phe 1a11\ 6, but not to battle 1t:l– Jo\v C hr1c;t1an\, n1t1ch 1 athcr to attack on1n1on f oc ( h ri st l1ad ,l rc ,tl case aga1 n\t Jlctc1 when the\ held tl1c ccl~bratcd l)red~- TH CHILDREN' S GOSPEL HOUR, INC. Livingston, Tenr1 . 38570 Presenting Jesus Chri t to Youth by Radio and TV PRAY FOR THE SALVATION OF BOYS AND GIRLS 1 he Children's Gospel J-four is now on 72 radio and 40 TV stations each wee · Pray that more stations will ta ~e 1he progran1, The youth of An,e, ica n ed lo hear 1he Gospel now. Wr11e f or fu,.ther 1nforn1ation. OHIOANS TA E N,QT : No b ing t elevised on W WS-TV, Ch nnel 5 o f Cl el nd ch SATURDAY at 7 .00 .m. and on WKRC·TV, Ch nn I 12 of Cine: nn ti ch SUNDAY t 7 .30 a. m, H nry C. G ig r, x cutiv Dir ctor Dr. E. G. Griffith fa t dialogue of J ohn 21. But the true h epherd did not hurl bricks at Peter. "Love t thou Me " was a repri– mand not a blast. Thi pulpit iniquity is but brazenly under "cored when accompanied by threat . P aul very ternly "withstood " Peter and that publicly. But there is no intimation that P aul was divinely judged and whipped for taking an e rring preacher to account. Church are beep to feed, not target to hoot. SOLACE Thi represent a decided factor in all criptural mini try. The proto– type preacher aid ,he was ent to '~heal the broken hearted.,. Luke -+: 18. All p ople, Chri tians and their leader are now f ac d \\r ith a "thous– and hock to \.\'hich the fl his heir." Wh ituation i o eth r al that he can ay, "I need no balm f r body or pirit ?" r they n t far in th majorit} who deepl} f el Hth n ed of ,1 lift." the cr1C()t1rragtng ,, ord, the friend l) cot1nten<1ncc. 1n trt1 t1 n th !lt \tin1t1late , nti god f f\\' ard. \\'c Vv ( ) lttll} 11ced pt1 l1ccn1c11. but nl)t 1n pttlp1t, l 'ht:rc the p1.1te1 n1.1l in– \l 111 ~1 r11u,t r1rt:\ ail. l he bct:k.l )ni11g hand . t l1c call l <.) h igher gr 1l111 t the l )llCh of \ O lCl' ,lt1d \ V 1rd th .tt ~~l r l \ ,l ti 1, 111t: tlll' t .. lp\ ,lt l! the ti ng ' rlt n~~ f, O f t }1 j ~ ( I , l C ~ 11 L) l 1 I • "' ) (.'l) (1\ ~ l l tllL l)llf r,it itlt ) ' l ~ l\\ – a l i s l)ul l t - J)l'() t) l \\' i n"I t1 i .. l"I 1, t > "i ·,0 ra t\:: it. ].., l) the sh 'I h tJ 1 s'tid l l> l1ois1.... ti s I sa tt , .. I \\ ill lc::fl l n s)ft l, .,. \ I r , slllll1 Cc r 111 , , }1 t Jr 111 ,, 1 11 1r. tJ1 ,, ii) l in ril I. t1 t 1 11, s "t111i " '"11 11 Ip d, h.. t1c<1I d, 11 i11 11 1, 11 I t11lt. 11 Jlt , 11 d l1ri t ' r 11 l)ttll1cd, t1' br ,, 11 1t , }1.. t r I ,, 11 t t 1 ,, ,, r k g ." r t l1e t l l \\ 111 l l \ \ h 11 I t1 I) l J l I ) k 11 111e, •• 1 t t G d I I I u 1 f r t l1 I t t 1 , I t , n1a r1 t l f 11 • , 1. I J, , r r I MARCH, 1969 11