"Michael the archangel, when contending with the devil he disputed about the body of Moses, durst not bring against him a railing accusation (judgment), but said THE LORD REBUKE THEE!" (Jude 9). Yet, there are men, calling themselves Christians, who rush into a realm of vindicative judgment -- a realm into which angels are fearful to tread.
    Two Greek words, in the New Testament, are translated by the words "rail", "railing", or "railer". (1) BLASPHEMIA (injurious speaking) is translated "blasphemy, evil speaking, and railing", (Mark 7:22; Eph. 4:31; Col. 3:8; 2 Pet. 2:11; Jude 9). (2) LOIDORIA (abusive speech) is trans1ated "to rail, revile, or speak reproachfully", (John 9:28; I Cor. 4:12; I Pet. 2:23; I Tim. 5:4).
    In the Septuagint version of the Old Testament this latter word is used (1) of a "brawling" woman, (Prov. 25:24); (2) Of a "contentious quarrelsome man who stirs up strife", (Prov. 26:21); and (3) Of a "contentious" woman who can no more be restrained than the wind, (Prov. 28:15-l6). The Berkley version renders Proverbs 26:21 "AS

charcoal to hot embers, and wood to fire, so is a contentious (railing) man for keeping a strife aflame".
    After forbidding his brethren to practice this sin (I Pet. 3:9), Peter adds "For he that will love life, and see good days, let him refrain his tongue from evil, and his lips that they speak no guile .... the face of the Lord is against them that do evil", (I Pet. 3:10, 12). In his first Corinthian letter Paul associates "railers" with "thieves, fornicators, idolaters, adulterers, drunkards and extortioners", (I Cor. 5:11; 6:10). No church is to fellowship or eat the Lord's Supper so long as a railer remains within the body -- unjudged and unrepentant. And he states emphatically that such unrighteous people "shall not inherit the kingdom of God".
    It is amazing how many churches are quick to discipline the drunkard and fornicator -- while excusing the railer to ply his vicious trade! What needless shame has been brought on the name of Christ by churches that have become partakers of the railer's sin! No railer, within a church, sins alone; the church that permits such a sin to

    The time has come when a decision must be made. Last Thanksgiving your pastor wondered out loud whether it would be possible for us to do so -- due to the growth we have seen during the past few years. We were crowded.
    Since last Thanksgiving, however, several brethren have indicated that they hoped we would reconsider, and have the meeting in spite of limited facilities. They like coming to Rockford ... something that we are delighted to hear.
    Our women folk here in Rockford (some of the finest I know) have indicated that they do not feel themselves over-worked or over-crowded -- for such a short time -- and that they would like to go ahead with the meeting.
And the meeting has always been such a blessing to our church that I can hardly bear the thought of missing it this year. We must decide NEXT WEEK.    -- Your Pastor

    During the past month three dear brethren have written to express their appreciation and to share in the cost of publishing the CLARION HERALD.
    One young preacher brother wrote : First of all I would like to thank you for faithfully sending the CLARION HERALD. It has been a special blessing to me. I can appreciate the way Jesus is magnified in your paper ... The love it projects has been a great comfort to me .... To me it has shown the need for being longsuffering with each other. Especially now when brethren are cutting each other off and fellowship is being broken. I realize the need for standing firm and protecting first truths, but I thank God that He is more longsuffering with us than we are with each other".
    Such acknowledgement of blessing is very encouraging to this editor; the willingness to share in this ministry is a challenge to his heart.
    Continue to pray that God will enable us to BE A BLESSING E.G.


    Let every member take note of the above date and make plans to be present for our Quarterly Business meeting at 7:00 P.M. on Saturday evening of next week.
    Business Meetings are always an important part of church life. And they are the responsibility of every member.
    Let us pray that God's will may be done in every transaction.

    1. Reading, hearing and keeping that which is written in the Revelation, (1:3).
    2. Dying in the Lord -- resting from one's own labors, while assured that one's works survive, (14:13).
    3. Watching and keeping one's spiritual garments, (16:15).
    4. Being called to the marriage supper of the Lamb, (19:9).
    5. Participation in the first resurrection, (20:6).
    6. Keeping the sayings of the prophetic Word, (22:7).
    7. Doing what God commands -- thus, being granted "right to the tree of life" and entrance into the New Jerusalem, (22:14). E.G.


    This foolish question is often raised by people who are in spiritual darkness -- who have no understanding of God's Word, and no experience of His saving grace. NO, baptism DOES NOT SAVE, Never did save, and never can save a single sinner from the depths of sin, shame and condemnation.
    JESUS SAVES! and He alone. The experience of salvation from sin guiltiness is WHOLLY "by grace, through faith" (Eph. 2:8-9) and apart from any works or meritorious deeds wherein vain man might boast, (Titus 3:5).
    A guilty, sin-burdened soul may be plunged beneath the waters of baptism a thousand times without receiving the slightest benefit. Faith in an ordinance, a figure, or

a picture is a misplaced faith. But whenever a burdened soul comes to Jesus Christ -- trusting only and wholly in His merit -- it finds blessed relief. The burden of sin is rolled away. The guilt of sin is banished. The consciousness of liberation from death unto life is gloriously real.
    If YOU have never brought your sins to Jesus, Why not cast them upon Him TODAY? He saves, keeps and satisfies!              E.G.


    Many sincere people assume that if baptism does not SAVE, then it is unimportant -- non-essential to spiritual life and service. In this they greatly err. While baptism has no role in the OBTAINING of salvation, it is ABSOLUTELY ESSENTIAL to the order of life that God has commanded for His people. Baptism is essential:
    l.To a proper confession of faith, and the identity of one's self as a bond-servant of Jesus, (Rom. 6:3-6).
    2; To membership in the Lord's body, the church. One is never pictured, in the New Testament, as being born or saved into the church. Without baptism no one can experience, from within, the true fellowship of the Lord's body, (Gal. 3:26-27; Eph. 5:30).
    3. To orderly participation in the Lord's Supper. This is a church ordinance to which no one outside the church has any right -- even though he is saved. (Heb. 13:10).
    4. To a walk of obedience --

according to the Lord s instruction (Matt. 28:18-20).
    5. To fulfill all righteousness, (Matt. 3:5).
    6. To properly portray the means whereby one was delivered from the guilt of sin -- the death, burial resurrection of Jesus Christ, our Lord, (Acts 22 16; I Pet. 3:20-21).
    7. To experience the fulness of the Spirit's ministry as promised by our Lord to His church, (John 14:26; 16:7; Acts 2:38; 5:32).
    Let no one declare "non-essential" what God has specifically commanded of His people!

ARCHANGELS ...... Continued

go unchallenged and unjudged becomes GUILTY OF THE SIN!! (See Joshua 7).
    Railing may start out as a, seemingly justified, innocent complaint. But, like drunkenness, with which it s so closely associated, it becomes a consuming HABIT. Through an undisciplined tongue, churches have been wrecked and the health and influence of many a faithful pastor utterly destroyed. And any church that will permit such a sin to develop cannot expect to be found guiltless in the day of judgment.
    Let us learn to take our "gripes" to the Lord (but only after we have carefully counted our blessings!); and let us NEVER FORGET that all vengeance belongs to Him a1one!
    There IS FORGIVENESS for the "railer" who will confess and turn away from his sin. But for one whose pride must attempt to justify his sinful deed, there remains "no more sacrifice for sins, but a certain fearful looking for of judgment and fiery indignation, which shall devour the adversary" .... "The Lord shall judge HIS people", (Heb. 10:26-27, 30-31). The truly wise will give heed.
"He whispered on the preacher,
And talked about the folk;
His fellow-members in the church
He loved to slur and joke.
His neighbors on the right of him
Were filthy, low and base;
And those upon the other side.
He said were in disgrace."