Mr. Lewis G. Hale
Oklahoma, City, OK 73109

Dear Bro. Hale:

I read with interest and approval your article in the January issue of the Christian Chronicle that responded to earlier articles by those who have evidently become disenchanted with the idea of New Testament Christianity.

Many years ago I read and profited by your book on the issues of church cooperation and benevolence that was then troubling our people.  I still have the book.  It appears to me that we in the midst of a serious apostasy that involves a sizable number of our larger churches and not a few of our Christian Schools.  I realize that some folks have been talking about apostasy for 50 years, but what we are now facing is the real thing. We have folks who are longing to introduce instrumental music and choirs into our worship.  They want to distance themselves from the churches of Christ that have existed in this country for the last 200 years. They think they have found another, broader and more generous way of salvation and a broader, more flexible fellowship.  It seems to me the honorable thing for the preachers and educators of this band to do would be to resign and go to those denominational bodies they so dearly love. But that might work economic hardship on them, so they stay among us, sailing under false colors, trying to seduce and take their supporting congregations with them as they evolve ever further away from the New Testament of Christ.

I am pleased to hear that you are still able to actively serve the church there in Oklahoma City.  May God bless and keep you.