I have … read Professor Ladd’s article on the millennium (Sept. 1 issue) and was impressed by the excellent attempt to prove the millennium in other places beside Revelation 20.… But if it were not for Revelation 20 raising the necessity for the birth of such an interpretation, it would never have been devised or “read into” the rest of the New Testament.
Blaney Memorial Baptist Church
Dorchester, Mass.
In … “Dispensational Premillennialism” (Sept. 15 issue) … Walvoord makes the statement, “Though dispensationalists have tended to contrast Israel and the Church, it is false that they alone make this distinction, as is frequently alleged. Postmillenarians like Charles Hodge and amillenarians like William Hendriksen, though not dispensationalists, also believe that Israel has special promises that belong only to those who are in the racial seed of Jacob, and do not equate Israel and the Church.”
In Theodore Graebner’s book, War in the Light of Prophecy (pp. 34–35), we find a long quotation from Charles Hodge, which in our opinion proves just the opposite of what Walvoord contends.… “The idea that the Jews are to be restored to their own land and there constitute a distinct nation in the Christian Church is inconsistent not only with the distinct assertion of the Scriptures, but also with its plainest and most important doctrines. It is asserted (in the New Testament) over and over again that the middle wall of partition between Jew and Gentile has been broken down; that God has made of the two one; that Gentile believers are fellow-citizens of the saints and members of the household of God; that they are built up together with the Jews into one temple: all this is plain from the entire teaching of the New Testament on this matter.” Where is the distinction, according to this? In our study of dispensationalism, we have come to the conclusion that this system of biblical interpretation is a jumble of contradictions, inconsistencies, misconceptions, and misinterpretations.
Poulsbo, Wash.
The writer of this article speaks of “the charge … that dispensational teaching tends to minimize the cross or declare it unnecessary,” which charge he states is “entirely unjustified” … Recently at camp meetings I have heard some ministers taking the position that if Israel had accepted Christ as their Messiah … the world could have been saved without the death of Christ.
Covina, Calif.
The five tests proposed by God to measure man’s faith before he gave the gospel, really amount to five different approaches to salvation, and as such they are confusing. And the more they are diminished (being subordinated to faith) the less significant the dispensational principles become.
[As to] the … contribution by I. M. Rainey (Eutychus)—the average working pastor puts from 65 to 90 hours a week into his work and his vacation is a matter of economic wisdom. It is an opportunity for him to catch up on his necessary reading, and to revitalize his nervous force.… The … reference to bingo is certainly very regrettable as referring to Protestant ministers. I have never heard of a Protestant church where bingo is made use of.
Browns Mills, N. J.
As a missionary from India I am in complete disagreement with Dr. Boettner that “pagan religions have had their day and are disintegrating” (Sept. 29 issue). As one of the major pagan religions, Hinduism is an integral part of those things which foster India’s strong nationalist spirit, and as such is gaining recognition hitherto unknown. From the visit of St. Thomas in the first century to this twentieth century we find the vast population of India proper still only one per cent Christian, and hardly the “marvelous progress” of which Dr. Boettner speaks. Nor is India’s case an exception. Witness North Africa which was once a stronghold for Christianity now almost 100 per cent Moslem, and the recent revival of Shintoism in Japan. If the pagan religions temporarily disintegrate, it will be through the combined efforts of scientific humanism, materialism, and the subversive tactics of communism, not the “open competition of Christianity.” No, I am not a defeatist, just a premillenialist.
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The Boys’ Christian Home Mission
Dhond, India
I was struck with the shallowness of the paragraph, “Literal and Spiritual.” The implication of this section seems to be that if the Jews had not followed a literal interpretation of Messianic prophecy, there wouldn’t have been the “fearful consequences” of Christ’s crucifixion. If this be true then Dr. Boettner and the rest of us can be very thankful that the Jews were not able to frustrate the eternal purposes of God in redemption by being spiritual in their interpretation of Messianic prophecy. Or was the fault of the Jew rather … that they were not literal consistently enough? Were they literal in that prophecy for which they desired literal fulfillment—spiritual where they did not desire the literal? They looked for literal fulfillment of prophecies concerning the Kingdom but they could not, would not, see a literal death for the King.
First Baptist Church
Port Washington, N. Y.
If our Lord is not to return until after the millennium, there seems no point in Scripture’s exhortations “to watch” nor any fear of his return “as a thief in the night.” We could hardly pray, “Even so, come, Lord Jesus,” since we look first for the millennium.
La Tour-de-Peilz, Switzerland
This perfect nonsense of “amillenialism” is so ridiculous that I cannot understand how you could print it in your otherwise good magazine (Oct. 13 issue). To teach that this church age is the age of Christ’s reign on earth for a thousand years is so ridiculous that even an unbeliever knows better.
Millville, N. J.
PACIFIST QUESTION
Does Mr. Pollard really think that ethics endanger the Christian story? (Oct. 13 issue).… Why need one choose between Christian ethics and Christian doctrine? They go together very well. Does Mr. Pollard know that there is a biblical as well as a humanistic pacifism?
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Mennonite General Conference Secy.
Scottdale, Pa.
To … the non-resistant Christian …, proclaiming the gospel of peace to all men and preparing or engaging in war are separate functions which have nothing in common.
Editor
Missionary Bulletin (Mennonite)
Altha, Fla.
Watered-down Christianity.
New Bloomfield, Mo.
It is true that Christianity is not ethical idealism, but it is certainly a reversal of truth to claim, therefore, that a Christian is not required to work for the realization of Christian ideals.
Dept. of Rel.
The St. Lawrence Univ.
Canton, New York.
It seems to me that some people have a misconception of the basic purpose of the church. Certainly, social, political and economic reforms are necessary, but are they the concern of the organization we call the church? Are they not rather the concern of the church through its individual members living the Christ-centered life in their chosen fields. Christ himself seems to have resisted the efforts of the disciples and others to put him in a position where he was actively and directly campaigning for reforms in man’s interrelational activities. Christ was interested in reforming men.
It is true that the church as a pressure group has power and can agitate effectively for reform, and there is no question that the business of the church is to convert souls. I firmly believe, however, that the soul-saving business is the only legitimate business of the church and when it gets involved in other do-good schemes, the church suffers. As a consequence it loses the esteem of clear-thinking persons and it aggravates the already serious ministerial shortage. The soul-saving job also is slighted and suffers accordingly. The church can best bring about reforms by tending to its own business, the divinely-appointed task of soul-winning. When the souls of men are converted and are thereby properly oriented in their relationships to God and man, the desired reforms will come about automatically. I think we may properly apply Matthew 6:31–34 (“Seek ye first the kingdom of God.…”) to this matter.
Evangelical United Brethren
Bloomsburg, Pa.
Thank you.… This timely Christian study gives valuable insights and guidelines for the understanding of the momentous issues of our time sub specie aeternitatis. Dr. Pollard performs a difficult ask in delineating the place and motives of present day secular moralists. The relationship of these men and organizations to the faith and life of the church has often been a perplexing problem. [Pollard] shows clearly that present-day social secularism is really a manifestation of the fleshly turn “from faith to works,” as Martin Luther would put it.
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First St. Paul’s Evangelical Lutheran
Chicago, Ill
“The Christian and Atomic Crisis” is outstanding. I am deeply convinced the so-called Christian pacifism in alliance with the humanitarian pacifism will allure eventually the Communists to aggress and so lead to World War III.
I sent Dr. Pollard’s article today to the German ambassador in Washington.…
New York City
CHRISTIANITY AND LAW
I read with interest your article on the conference of “Christianity and Law” (Sept. 29 issue). I want to express … my … appreciation for the complete and thorough nature of the report. Your article was by all odds the best of any that I have seen on the conference.
Chicago, Ill.
SCIENCE AND THE MOON
The scholarly reaction to the “Moon Shot” (Oct. 13 issue) reminds me of the reaction of the scholars Tacitus, Pliny and others to the Christian movement. There is a deep gap between the thinking of scholars and existential Christianity. Have we two religions in Protestantism—the religion of scholars and the religion of the churchgoers?… In almost every encounter with science, religion has retreated according to history.… Name one thing that religion has done as miraculous as radio or any other applied scientific wonder in the last 100 years.
Calvary Baptist
Chester, Pa.
One must understand [the] great spiritual truth of man’s and Satan’s mad compulsion to emulate God before he can truly grasp the significance of the devilish impasse to which science, both theoretical and technological, has brought man’s world.
Miami, Fla.
I really cannot recall ever having seen before such a collection of truisms accorded the dignity of publication.
Metropolitan United Church
Toronto, Ont.
You can’t imagine how delighted I was with the article.…
Kewanna, Ind.
RELIGION AND HYPOCRISY
I was … astounded by … your editorial … “Compulsory Chapel Attendance at our Military Academies” (Oct. 13 issue).… To have any attend … compulsorily is but to make them hypocrites … if they are not freely so minded.…
Monterey Park, Calif.
Religious tyranny.… I would be very tempted to start another Civil War if anyone presumed to tell me that I had to attend my own church. Military cadets are still citizens of this country—or are they? The denial of religious freedom is the denial of a basic right.… Military service is a privilege reserved for citizens without reference to their religious beliefs.
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Trinity Lutheran Church
Okmulgee, Okla.
THE GRAHAM TEAM
There was a time when I took a rather dim view of the Billy Graham evangelistic effort, but it was my privilege to join the Graham team for the closing weeks of the San Francisco Crusade, and to remain through the crusade in Sacramento, … as a result of which this attitude has been completely changed.
The team is made up of men and women whose devotion to Jesus Christ and his Word no one has a right to question.…
A close observer will be forced to acknowledge that the spirit of humility and the spirit of oneness that are so outstanding could only be produced by the Spirit of God.…
That mistakes are made is both obvious and inevitable. The remarkable thing is that so few are made, and perhaps even more remarkable is this—the team is as open with its mistakes as with its successes.…
Critics of Billy Graham have drastically overstepped themselves in charging him with failure to preach the cardinal doctrines of the Christian faith. Though he does not lay claim to the title of “theologian,” even the most exacting theological mind would have to credit him with preaching the great truths that have been regarded as basic and proclaimed with zeal by ardent “fundamentalists.” The deity of Christ, the virgin birth, the blood atonement, the resurrection, the second coming of Christ, judgment, hell, heaven, the authority of the Bible, are all clearly presented with the point of emphasis always being salvation by grace through faith.…
That there could be and probably are in each crusade some committee members who do not agree with Billy Graham in regard to important or even essential doctrines no one attempts to deny. Such would be true in any enterprise involving so many people from so many branches of the Christian church. However, the charge that known modernists are given places of responsibility and are allowed to exercise control over team and crusade operations is absolutely false.…
It should be a matter of grave concern to every Christian that there should continue to be so much caustic and unjustifiable criticism of Billy Graham and his ministry. Such is not furthering the cause of Christ. In discussing this with Billy Graham it became quite apparent that he does not mind, but rather welcomes the attacks made by extreme liberal and modernist elements, but that he is grieved by the assaults of those with whose views and ministries he would be in basic accord. However, in no instance, though the criticisms and critics were freely discussed, did Billy Graham utter an unkind word concerning any one of them.
Having had the privilege of “joining” the team for a brief period has made me a team supporter forever.
Fort Lauderdale, Fla.
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