Dear _ _ _ _ _,
As you’ll recall, the Bible speaks in so many places (New Testament and Old Testament) about the importance of speaking audibly about what we confess, or pray for, or praise God for. In Psalms it says to do so with our lips, voice, and mouth, which I believe was said in those words to show us that it must be done audibly. We often make the mistake of excusing ourselves from doing it as above mentioned, and tell ourselves, “Well, God hears my thoughts; He doesn’t need to hear it audibly.” Which is true, BUT there is a reason for those inspired orders to do so audibly, even though He can hear and know our thoughts alone. Another outstanding example of it being His directions is Romans 10:9, 10. “If you confess with your mouth, Jesus is Lord, it is with your mouth that you confess and are saved.” NIV
Now for example, in both cases mentioned in my last letter, (my mother and Will Sweetland) they said their confession of faith on their death beds only to me in a private way and did not, as far as I know, say it loud enough “to go on record” where the rest of the 2x2s could actually hear it.
That is how it came to be possible for the workers to twist the real, original testimony.
Also in Len’s case, (Ted Arvig’s oldest brother) if he had only said so audibly, June could not have rewritten the letter and twisted it, so the listeners at the funeral (via Jack Carroll) could think he really held to their side of profession. And if my Mom had only said it in front of my brother, instead of just whispering it to me, they couldn’t have told me as they did, (immediately after mother breathed her last) on the phone: “Well, she told us she came back to us (meaning the 2x2s) before she died, so she’s with the Lord now!” – It was a way of getting back at me, against all I had stood for, at a very sad time in my life. My only comfort was that God knew what she had said to me just a few days before and also, knew her heart.
But, I wonder how God sees and judges the ambiguous attitude of the ones who remain too weak to take a firm stand so all can see just how and what they really believe!
It gives the erring sect a lot of fuel for their fire because they think "NOTHING" of lying. I so well remember (when I was so deeply disturbed in my heart about the way June re-wrote and reworded Len’s letter) I showed my astonishment and terrible inner conflict about it to my husband, Ted, but he excused June for it and seemed to think no more about it.
He told me he’d told June how I felt about it and June’s excuse was this: “Well, now that Len is in eternity, he will be GLAD I changed his words, because this is the way he will wish now, that he had said it.”
I wonder if it ever dawned on them – any of them, that it was crooked and deceptive.
To hear Jack Carroll (then one of my idols) read those changed words over Len’s open casket, and later to hear the 2x2 friends “Ohh and Ahh” about how great it was that Len had been "saved" as they determine what that means – Oh! You can imagine what it did to me internally! But that was the first crack in the foundation that started me toward getting out of the whole outfit! So, Praise the Lord!
My attitude changed toward Jack Carroll.
I knew that he knew the truth of June’s life and what was going on and yet he suppressed the truth. Soon after that, other such dishonesties caused terrible quarrels in the meetings where Ted tried to help but Jack always took June’s side. Even though, at that time, I’d hardly admit it to myself, yet subconsciously I knew that Jack could NOT be the honest man I thought he was, and not realize by way of the Holy Spirit that he was taking up for the dishonest side.
Many things happened then, not just in the family, but outside, where Ted felt sure he could quickly set things right by witnessing to the truth where he knew it. But still they took the other side and that was when Ted began loosing his good speaking voice so we sought medical help and ended up with the psychiatrist. Then Ted started having bleeding ulcers and so it was to his death. Now, I wonder if the dishonest consent regarding Len’s letter was why things went from bad to worse with his family for the rest of his life.. Before he died, we had both become Baptists (American Baptists) and had a measure of peace and joy in the Lord together for two or three years before he died.
Since then I personally have had nothing but love, joy and peace with all my new found friends from then on! And you know how happy I am today! When I talk with my friends, most of the conversation is always how marvelously good God has been to us, in every way.
In several places in my home I have small notes that one would soon run onto in case I died suddenly. Each one tells where to find written words about my desires for funeral, etc. Also, in my vault box at the bank, making sure no one will think it must fall back into the hands of the 2x2 workers.
I know of a number of “exes” who were our dearest friends after being freed of the 2x2s, but since they had no “church home” and no special pastor, their relatives put the funeral into the hands of the 2x2 workers.
Then at the funerals, the workers either told the same lie (that the person had repented and came back to them) or they were absolutely cruel to the family about the deceased one.
That kind of action was another nail in the coffin of 2x2ism for me – by Gussie Puckett, back in the 1950’s. A young woman died who was still “on the fence” somewhat. Some of the girl’s close friends wanted to bring food for a meal and gathering right after the service, but Gussie stopped it. She said, “NO! Leave them alone, to show them we "know" they are NOT of us!” And the bewildered family was terribly hurt!
It is important to warn the “exes” to speak up and show their colors. And that is another good reason for becoming a part of a good church.
Bye again, Kay Arvig Downs
Lord, What Shall I Pray?
Sometimes when I will try to pray
I wonder how and what to say.
I know the way to “enter in”
Is by my praise and thanks to Him (Psalm 100:4)
And then the second thing to do
Is pray for others ‘til I’m through.
But when it comes to prayer for me
I wonder what that prayer should be.
Quite oft, God’s Book will chance to open
To special prayers, folks have spoken.
And then the words stand out to me
Revealing what my own should be.
Sometimes it’s Psalms 139,
Verse 24 I underline:
“O, God! I ask for YOU to see
And show what wrong may be in me.”
And then I’ll turn and find the prayer
Of Daniel recorded there – (Daniel 9:19)
Or maybe that of Paul, or Job,
Or someone else - my heart to probe.
Today two Psalms just came alive!
Both twenty six and twenty five.
I found in those two Psalms alone
An awful lot to claim my own!
In fact, there are eighteen requests
In those two Psalms, that I shall list
And pass them on, herewith to you
In hopes that they will bless you, too.
Eighteen Petitions of David
The Sweet Psalmist of Israel, 2 Samuel 23:1
Asked in two short Psalms, #25 and #26
"Psalm 25"
25:4…....Show me
25:4,5 …Teach me
25:5….....Lead me
25:6,7 ….Remember me in kindness
25:9….....Guide me
25:11…...Pardon me
25:16…...Have mercy upon me
25:17…...Bring me out of trouble
25:19…...Forgive me
25:20…...Deliver me
25:20…...Let me not be ashamed
25:20…...Keep me
25:21…...Preserve me
"Psalm 26"
26:1….....Judge me
26:2….....Examine me
26:2….....Prove me
26:2….....Try me
26:11…...Redeem me
Kay Arvig Downs June 1, 1986
FELLOWSHIP
Oh, Holy Spirit and Father and Son,
You who have brought me to know you as One.
I am so glad for your fellowship sweet!
Draw close, I pray, as I wait at your feet.
Cause me to follow Your guidance today;
Help me to know what to do and to say.
Take every member of this flesh of mine,
Cause each to move in Your wisdom divine.
‘Though I’ve been bountif’ly blessed from the start
Yet there’s a longing I have in my heart
That is that friends and acquaintances here
Would give You a thought and a chance to draw near.
They soon would come to the joy that we share
And thereby discover how much You do care,
Your infinite greatness, Your limitless love
Inviting our fellowship with You above.
As fellowship here is with You, Lord, complete
Then that with each other will ever be sweet.
