The Ohio Independent Baptist, December 1971

unit have been moved to Paulding and were dedicated to the use of this work on October 24. This group is par– tially upported by ome of the churches in the Nortt1 Bethel A sociation. FAITH BAPTIST HUR H, Kenton , Ohio, started Sunday ervices on February 21, 1971. Thi grew out of a Bible Cla conducted, for everal months, by Rev . Donald Rettger, Pa tor of South Lima Baptist C hurch. Planning es ions were held for everal week in the home of Mr. and Mrs. Calvin Bushong, on Saturday afternoon in preparation for Sunday services. This group is meeting in the Memorial Park Club House. Rev. Rettger accepted the call to pastor this church and under hi able leadership attendance is running in the fifties . Several of the churches in the North Bethel Association are support– ing this church. CHIPPEWA LAKE BAPTIST CHURCH, Chippewa Lake, Ohio, started Sunday services on April 18. After several weeknight meetings, a vacated church building was rented, on a monthly basis. The church was served by pulpit supplies for several weeks until a call was ex– tended to Rev. Merlin Schultz, Lindenhurst, New York. Brother Schultz has moved to the field and attendances are running in the forties and fifties. This church is supported by churches in the Hebron Association and others in northeastern Ohio. A GROUP OF PEOPLE from the Methodist Church, Mineral Ridge, Ohio, started Sunday services last No– vember as the Faith Baptist Church as a protest against the 1 iberalism and ecumenical involvements of their church. This was started under the leadership of Rev . H. R. Lenhart who left the work after abou t six months. In July, thi group asked us to help them. After several weeks of study, they decided that they would like to be– come a Baptist Church. Rev. Kenneth Grubaugh is now serving this group and they are meeting as the Faith Bible Baptist Church. A NEW INTEREST is being shown in the starting of a church at Cincinnati. The names of prospect ive families have been given to Ronald Baker, an Associate Worker with the Fellowship of Baptists for Home Missions, and he i putting forth an effort to start weeknight meetings. Bro. Baker is a Cedarville College graduate and works for the General Electric. Bible C lasses were held at Fremont and Mantua but these efforts have been temporarily discon– tinued. STATISTICAL REPORT: 68 Churches spoken in 114 Messages delivered 53 Meetings with groups in planning essions 22 Sunday School classes and youth meetings 16 Ordinations, Recognition ouncil , Building Dedications 20 Local Pastors and Associational meetings 7 Missionary Conferences and Evangelistic meetings 6 Conferences attended 2 Council of Ten meetings 7 Meetings related to Cedarville College 24 Miscellaneous meetings 34,397 Miles traveled Resolutions Passed GOVERNMENT AND LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICERS Whereas, as Bible believing Christians, we recognize that God has established human government for the benefit of mankind; and Whereas, we are grateful for the freedom and blessing which are ours in this Republic, and although we do not entirely agree with all the practices of our government we still believe that it is the finest and best government that man - has devised, and Whereas there is a growing tide of criticism of this nation, the leaders who were t1sed to found it, the principles upon which it was founded, and the law enforcement officers on all levels, Therefore, be it resolved that we, the messengers of the Ohio Association of Regular Baptist Churches meeting in an– nual session, October 18-20, 1971, at Bellefontaine, Ohio, ex– press our deep love for and devotion to the United States of America, and urge the people of our churches to support our government and its law enforcement officers, depending upon due process of law for redress of any grievances. Be it further resolved that we urge our constituency to constantly intercede for this nation in prayer, beseeching God to send a national revival which will cause our nation to return to Him. PRAYER IN PUBLIC SCHOOLS Whereas rulings of the United States Supreme Court in J 962 and 1963 have been widely used to stipulate that prayer and Bible reading are illegal as a devotional exercise in the public schools, although this is actually far beyond the scope of these rulings; And whereas several polls have shown that a 3 to I majority of the people of this country want the public schools lo allow some form of religiou exercises; And whereas there is before the congress at thi pre ent time a propo~ed constitutiona l amendment which would re– strain the government from interfer1ng with volunt ary par– ticpat1on in ' 'nondemoninat1onal" prayer in public buildings; herefore be it re~olved that we, The Ohio As ociation of J{egular Baptist hurches, meeting in annt1al session, October 18-20, I971 at Bellefontaine, Ohio, call upon our government THE OHIO INDEPENDENT BAPTIST to refrain from any attempt to abridge the right of private ctiizens lawfully assembled (even in government or public buildings) to exercise their God-given rights of prayer and Bible reading. Be it also resolved that, while not completely satisfied with the provisions of the above-mentioned amendment, we support and commend our legislators in thi attempt t~ keep the government from interfering with the free exerc, e of religion. Be it also resolved that we encourage our legislators to regard this amendment as only the first step t<?w~rd .tht: re– covery of free exercise of religion in our public 1nstitut1on , and to take future steps allowing voluntary readin.g of the Bible as well as prayer in the public life of our nation. DRUG ABUSE Whereas drug abuse has damaged and destroyed the lives of thousands of young people in America, and Whereas there is a determined effort on the part . of some misguided persons to legaliz.e m~rijuana in .~he (!.ntted States, despite the fact that . there 1 ~v1dence that . Mar1Ju~na can cause muscular incoordinat1on, distort perception on time and space, impair memory as well as th.e a_bility to make judgments and decisions . . . induce halluc1nat~on . . .. cau e changes in the chemical processes of the ~rain . . . . 1nd~ce changes in personality, " cause the user to .,ncrea 1ngly with– draw from reality, and probably do genetic damage to un– born children, and Whereas drugs are easily available to young people of all ages, Be it re olved that the mes engers of the Ohio A · ·ocia– tion of Regular Baptist Churche in annual meeting. 0 tobe1 18-20, 197 J, in Bellefontaine, Ohio, en ourage the churche~ of the Association to educate their young people to the danger, of drug abuse, and Be it further resolved that the churche trenuou~l y oppose the legalization of the u e of marijuana, and that . the churche" support the law-enforcen1ent officers and courts In the ever e punishment of those who are illegally n1ak1ng drugs ,\\ ,ul ,tble tc> young people. (Continued on page 14) DECEMBER, 1971 5