Reprinted from Old Paths Advocate, Feb.1942. Bro. Thomasson, at the time he wrote this article lived in Trechadoi, New Mexico. He later moved to California where he worshipped with the Waterford congregation during its most active period. As you can tell from his writing, he was true to the Book and was concerned about those who were not. Though this writing is nearly fifty years old it is still contemporary isn't it?--DLK.

In the June, 1941, issue of the OPA I read an article, under the heading "Is America Forgetting Jehovah?", in which the writer gave us a true, but sad, picture of conditions that prevail here. Since reading that article, I have been wondering why such conditions do prevail. Surely there must be a cause for such conditions. Shall we place the blame on the enemies of Jehovah? No, I think not.

I believe that the so-called friends of Jehovah are the primary cause of all the confusion that is in the world today. Let us consider the Jews and their condition. They were Jehovah's chosen people. They claimed Him as their God. He gave them a law as a rule of action. They boasted about it and were great sticklers for it. They pretended to have a deep and abiding love for Jehovah, but they would not obey the laws He gave them. They added to it, took from it, and substituted for it. Hence, their condition today. The enemies of Jehovah did not cause it. They brought it upon themselves. God was long suffering, bore with them, pleaded with them, sent His prophets to warn them, but they would not heed. So they were destroyed, and a perpetual shame came upon them, which will never be forgotten. When the Jews went down, God setup a new order. He gave a new law through His Son, Jesus Christ; this to all nations. Paul calls it "the law of the spirit of life in Christ Jesus" (Rom 8:2). James calls it "The perfect law of liberty" (James 1:25). Paul says, "it thoroughly furnishes to all good works" (2 'mm. 3:16, 17). In it is revealed all things that pertain to life and Godliness, (2 Pet 1:3). When God gave the Jews their law He meant for them to obey it without mixing any humanisms with it. Disobedience to that law brought shame and confusion to the Jews. Just so now, when we mix a lot of humanism with this new law the same results automatically follow, which are shame, confusion and every evil work. Like God's law in the natural kingdom; when that law functions as it should all is well, but when it does not function as it should we have earthquakes, cyclones, hurricanes, and great upheavals. For example, consider conditions that prevail in the European countries. They have Jehovah's law. In fact, it was written in that country. Millions of people over there claim to be friends of Jehovah and His law, but they will not obey that law, only in part. Three-fourths of what they do in service and worship is human tradition and the doctrines and commandments of men. We have the same Divine, God-given law, here in this country. Millions of people here claim to be friends of Jehovah and His law. Preachers will hold this law up and insist that we take it as a guide and at the same time practice things and teach others to do the same that they couldn't read in that law if their lives depended on it. Like the Jews, when we add to, take from, or substitute the doctrines of men for that law, we are then forgetting Jehovah and we need not be surprised to see any kind of an upheaval. We remember Jehovah by obeying His law without mixture. Jehovah has left us without an excuse. We have His law in all languages. We find it in every nation. It is said that more Bibles are published than any other book; more Bibles sold than any other book. We have His law to the Jews and all the prophets admonitions to them. Paul says (1 Cor 10:11) these are "ensamples: written for our admonition," and still the so-called friends of Jehovah will not obey it without mixture.

When our forefathers left Europe they did it to get away from the so-called Christian Religion they had over there, but they made the mistake of bringing some of it with them. So when they began to operate on these shores they wrote creeds and formed denominations. But these denominations did teach and practice purity of life, modesty and morals, and safeguarding the sanctity of the home. These are things that enter very much into the making of a strong nation. So the nation grew and prospered. Denominationalism also grew, but worse and worse. When A. Campbell came on the scene his battle cry was back to Jerusalem, back to simplicity of the worship, as it was in the days of the Apostles and "speak where the Bible speaks and be silent where the Bible is silent." This spread rapidly for awhile, but not for long. Even before Campbell died they began to build fine meeting houses, install fine organs, and organize all kinds of societies; thus forming the denomination, Christian Church. But there were a few who still contended for the principles of the Church of Christ. They made a long, hard fight and won a magnificent victory. But just as they won this victory the world and denominations gave them a few pats on the back, and they, too, fell in line. Now the majority of the Churches of Christ are running a close second. But I am glad that I can say that there are a few who are not forgetting Jehovah, but are still contending for the old paths and will surely win in Jesus name. A Bible school, a Bible Church, a Bible home, and a Bible business certainly are fine things to have, but a school that trains young men to preach, and sends them out to be "pastors" of local churches on a fixed salary (read Jer. 23rd chap., Micah 3:5 to close), and trains young men in all kinds of ball games, and young women to be "rooters" for them, with yells equal to a wild Navajo, is not a Bible school. A church that has in its worship breads and cups and classes with women teachers is not a Bible church (Please do not tell me that it is). A home that has two or more illegal wives or two or more illegal husbands, or where a dog has the preeminence over a baby is not a Bible home. A business where the greater takes advantage of the lesser and forces the lesser out, is not a Bible business. This will apply to farming as well as other vocation.

When a church meets on the first day of the week to worship Jehovah, and a part of their teaching and practice are the doctrines and commandments of men, they are forgetting Jehovah. They, being the ones who claim to be obeying Him, are the very ones who are forgetting Him, not his enemies, for they never did pretend to remember Him. If people will accept the law as promulgated by Christ and the Apostles and practice the same, they will not then be forgetting Jehovah.