ABSTRACT

A RHEI'ORICAL STUDY OF THE PREACHING AND
SPEAKING OF BATSELL BARRETT BAX'I‘ER

by

John R . Butts

Batsell Barrett Baxter, contemporary preacher and
educator, functioning in the religious culture of the
Churches of Christ, is attempting to promulgate his ideas,
beliefs, and values through several potentially far-
reaching avenues of communication: (1) the pulpit of the
Hillsboro Church of Christ, Nashville, Tennessee; (2) the
Chairmanship of the Bible Department at David Lipscomb
College, Nashville, Tennessee,- (3) the brotherhood pub-
lications of the Churches of Christ: (4) the mass media
of radio and television programs produced bY the ______Herald
W7 (S) the cooperative evangelistic campaigns
Sponsored by Churches of Christ; and (6) the narrating
Of messages on record albums for the Foundation of Human

W.

John R. Butts

This study attempts to apply the principles of
rhetoric to Baxter's speaking career for the general
purpose of determining his competence as a practitioner
ofgmblhzaddress. Rhetoric is defined as pertaining
totheemmumulated body of knowledge concerning man's
Miamx.t01njlize his mind, voice, bodily actions, and
other available resources to publicize and propagate
Rhas,cxmcepts, attitudes, information, knowledge, etc.
Specifically, the research project seeks to describe,
amflyze,ixmerpret, and evaluate related factors such as:
bmflgrmnxiinfluences; personality; cultural environment:
the materials, ideas, and proposals in messages: elements
Ofpnfimratnxn organization, and delivery of speeches:
and the interaction of the speaker and society.

The investigation consists essentially of dis-
covering answers to the following questions: (1) What
arethesfignificant factors related to Baxter's develop-
ment as a speaker? (2) What information is available
Cmmflrnhwithe cultural environments in which he func-
tkmed? (3) What is Baxter's interpretation of the world

in ' -
which he lives? (4) What facts and information are

2

 

John R. Butts

available concerning Baxter's knowledge and use of rhe-
amiafl.theory and skills? (5) What influence has Baxter
Ind upon society?

The study is divided into the following chapter
thfles: (l) "Molding of a Personality,” (2) "Background
of Religious Cultures, " (3) "Baxter and the Hillsboro
CmuchcfifChrist," (4) "Baxter's Interpretation of the
Wnldfl'(5) "Practitioner of the Art of Rhetoric," and
(6) "Summary and Conclusions."

In selecting guiding principles for assessing
Baxter's competence in the art; of public speaking it has
been recognized that modern scholars of rhetoric have
rmdesnmmtantial contributions to the body of classical
rhetorical theory which originated with Aristotle's works
during the ancient Greek period of civilization. Ad-
mittedly, one immediately faces a problem when he attempts
tosetupnorms or standards for appraising public address
duetx>the fact that rhetorical theory continually is
SUIDjecttomodification and change. Because of this Phe-
nomenomof an ever-changing theory this researcher has
Emtaflxed to avoid any rigid formula, and has proceeded

3

John R. Butts

with an awareness of a need for flexibility in the appli-
cation of norms, with critical referents being defined as
clearly as possible.

Findings as reported in Chapters I, II, and III
reveal that Baxter derived basic religious values, atti-
tudes, and beliefs during his formative years in a Chris-
tian home and sub-cultures which are closely related to
Churches of Christ. His personality has been broadened
through new concepts and values gained from graduate
studies while earning the MWA. and Ph.D. degrees in
Emeech and the B.D. degree in religion.

Chapter IV examines five themes which appear with
regularity in the larger context of Baxter's preaching
maing approximately two decades with the Hillsboro
Church of Christ. The objective was to discover infor—
mation relevant to Baxter's analysis and interpretation
of the world's religious needs. Baxter's practices of
sermon-building, style, delivery, etc. are investigated
and evaluated in Chapter V. The final chapter of the
study is designed for summarizing statements and the
expression of value judgments concerning Baxter's compe—

tence as a speaker and of his impact upon society.

4

A RHETORICAL STUDY OF THE PREACHING AND

SPEAKING OF BATSELL BARRETT BAXTER

BY

John R. Butts

A THESIS

Submitted to
Michigan State University
in partial fulfillment of the requirements
for the degree of

DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY

Department of Speech

1970

L: C opyr ight by
JOHN R . BUTTS

1971

Accepted by the faculty of the Department of
Speech, College of Communication Arts, Michigan State
Ikuversity, in partial fulfillment of the requirements

fix the Doctor of PhiloSOphy degree.

 

 

Director of Thesis\fi

mndance Committee: Kenneth G. Hance, Chairman
Walter F. JOhnson
David C. Ralph
Gordon L. Thomas

PREFACE

Time, which gnaws and diminishes all things
else, augments and increaseth benefits: because
a noble action of liberality doth grow contin-
ually by our generously thinking of it and re-
membering it.

The above words of the ancient writer, Francois
Rabelais, seem best to express my feelings concerning this
dissertation. The ordeals and anxieties involved have
diminished, whereas the kindly beneficence of the good
EBOple who have helped me along the way are gratefully
remembered. Especially, I wish to acknowledge the follow—
ing persons:

Dr. and Mrs. Batsell Barrett Baxter, who humbly
and graciously c00perated during correspondence, inter—
xdews, and telephone conversations.

Dr. Kenneth G. Hance, my major advisor, whose
attitude of kindness and helpfulness has been so impres-
sive that I shall try to emulate it as I continue my own
work with university students.

To all the staff members of the Department of

Speech and related departments whose classes helped

iv

prepare me to perform the necessary functions required by
tins project: especially to those who have served on my
guidance committee: Dr. David C. Ralph, Dr. Fred G.
Alexander, Dr. Gordon L. Thomas. and Dr. Walter F. John—
son.

To Dr. Robert B. Capel, my department Head at
Stephen F. Austin State University, who so considerately
extended cooperation and encouragement during the project.

To Barbi Mel, who typed the final copy of the dis-
sertation and made the final phase a pleasurable exper-

ience.

And to all the others who have contributed in

various ways .

John R. Butts

TABLE OF CONTENTS

PREFACE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

INTRODUCTION. . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Chapter
I. MOLDING OF A PERSONALITY. . . . .

Role of Personality . . . . . .
Definition of Personality . . .

The Mold: Shaping of the Personality

II. BACKGROUND OF RELIGIOUS CULTURES.

Historical Background of Churches in

America . . . . . . . . . . .
Churches of Christ. . . . . .
The Hillsboro Church of Christ.

III. BAXTER AND THE HILLSBORO CHURCH OF CHRIST

‘ Expectations of the Hillsboro Church of

Christ. . . . . . . . . . . .
Climate for Communication . .

0

IV. BAXTER'S INTERPRETATION OF THE WORLD.

Baxter's Analysis of the Religious

Scene . . . . . . . . . . . .
Distinctive Ideas and Themes. .

vi

Page

iv

viii

43

45
58
86
95
98
109
163

166
182

TABLE OF CONTENTS (Cont.)

Chapter Page

V. PRACTITIONER OF AN ART. . . . . . . . . . . 227

Audience Analysis . . . . . . . . . . . . 229
Sermon Preparation. . . . . . . . . . . . 237
Materials of Speaking . . . . . . . . . . 248
Baxter's Style. . . . . . . . . . . . . . 290
Baxter's Delivery . . . . . . . . . . . . 300
Interaction with the Audience . . . . . . 319

VI. SUMMARY AND CONCLUSIONS . . . . . . . . . . 327
Personality . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 330
Religious Culture . . . . . . . . . . . . 336
Baxter's Interpretation of Religion . . . 340

Evaluation of Practices . . . . . . . . . 345
Baxter's Impact Upon Society. . . . . . . 356

BIBLIOGRAPHY....................365

vii

INTRODUCTION

This study pertains to an individual, Batsell
Barrett Baxter, who after earning a doctoral degree in
Speech, distinguished himself as a classroom teacher,
as Chairman of a College Speech Department, and as Pres-
ident of the Southern Speech Association. While still
in demand as an educator, he chose to devote his prin—
cipal endeavors to the work of preaching "the gospel of
Christ" rather than to teaching the theories and prac—
tices of rhetoric. Personally, he had to wrestle with
the problem of whether he could exert greater influence
as a "teacher of speech,“ or as a “practitioner of speech"
in areas outside the realm of education. Since 1956,
when he relinquished the chairmanship of a Speech Depart-
ment, he has been giving preeminence to preaching. Edu-
cation continues to serve a secondary role in his life,
but his endeavors are primarily in the area of teaching
the Bible rather than Speech. He is currently serving

as Chairman of the Bible Department at David Lipscomb

viii

College, Nashville, Tennessee; and he considers it a
secondary activity related to his first love--that of
ndnistry to the Hillsboro Church of Christ in Nashville.
Some students in this writer's speech classes
have commented that the majority of competent speakers
<x1the American scene seem to arise from backgrounds
cmher than the Speech field. They wonder whether con-
centrated studies in Speech really provide students with
insights and skills whereby they may exert greater in-
fluences than would otherwise be possible. It is hoped
that an investigation of Baxter's speaking career will
provide helpful information concerning values which may

be drived from thorough training in Speech.

Subject of §tudy

Batsell Barrett Baxter has earned four academic
degrees, including the B.A. from Abilene Christian Col-
lege, 1937: the MmA. and Ph.D. from the University of
Southern California, 1938 and 1944: and the B.D. from

Vanderbilt University, 1957. He served as President of

ix

the Southern Speech Association, 1952-53; Professor of
Speech and Head of Speech Department, David Lipscomb
College, 1946-56; and Head of the Bible Department, David
Idpscomb, 1956 to the present. Among several publica-
tions in the area of public address and homiletics, two
of his books: The Heart of;the Yale Lectures and Speak-
ing for the Master, were published by the Macmillan Com-
pany. In 1960, the Biblical Research Press initiated a
series of books entitled Great Preachers of Today, which
were intended to include collections of the best sermons
of outstanding preachers of the Church of Christ. Dr.
Baxter was selected for the first publication with the
following note in the preface:
The publishers are happy to introduce the

series with the work of Batsell Barrett Baxter,

since he is truly one of the outstanding

preachers of this generation. In addition to

his regular duties as Professor of Bible and

Head of the Bible Department at David Lipscomb

College, he is now in his tenth year as minister

for the Hillsboro congregation of the Lord's
church in Nashville, Tennessee.

 

1J. D. Thomas, Greatggreachers of;Today: Sermons

oleatsell Barrett Baxter (Abilene, Texas: Biblical Re-
search Press, 1960), preface.

Dr. Baxter is now entering his nineteenth year

as the regular minister of the Hillsboro Church of Christ,
Nashville, Tennessee. In addition to preaching and teach-
ing in the Tennessee area, he has done extensive speaking
in religious campaigns in the United States and in foreign
countries. Apparently, he has successfully combined two
very demanding careers--preaching and education. Preach-
ing is undoubtedly his first love, and the demands for
ins services may well account for his decision to turn
from general speech education to almost total attention
to promulgation of "the word of God." Dr. William S.
Ennowsky, a former student of Dr. Baxter and also pos-
sessor of a doctoral degree in Speech, called attention
to the primacy of preaching in Dr. Baxter's life:

He has been a dynamic influence in the train-

ing of hundreds of young men for the ministry

. . . . But Batsell Barrett Baxter is, him-

self, pre-eminently a preacher. His sermons

from the powerful pulpit of Nashville's Hills—

boro Church of Christ are regularly broadcast

over radio station WLAC. He was a recent

speaker at the Protestant Pavilion at the

World's Fair in New York. Through evangel-

istic tours into more than 30 foreign nations,

and through the wide exposure of national

radio and television, the Herald of Truth pro-
gram, he has perhaps preached to more people

xi

than any other advocate for restoration of the
New Testament Christianity in the present age.1

Obviously, if this brief review of his accomplish-
ments can be authenticated, Batsell Barrett Baxter has
utilized his knowledge of rhetorical theory, principles,
and skills so as to have had considerable impact on the
contemporary social scene. The above testimony would
suggest this to be true; nevertheless, the assertion is

nerely an hypothesis at this point.

Statement of Purpose

The general purpose of this study is to apply the
principles of rhetoric to the speaking career of Batsell
Barrett Baxter. The term "rhetoric" has had varying con-
notations since Aristotle, about the year 330 B.C., de—
fined it as "the faculty of discovering in the particular

case what are the available means of persuasion."2 The

 

HNilliam S. Banowsky, "Introduction," Making
God's Way OurgWay, ed. B. B. Baxter (Nashville: Gospel
Advocate Co., 1964).

2Lane Cooper, The Rhetoric of Aristotle (New York:
Appleton-Century-Crofts, Inc., 1932), p. 7.

xii

renowned Greek philOSOpher and scholar believed and taught
that the efforts of successful speakers could be studied,
and the principles of success could be methodized. Mas—
tery of rhetoric, according to Aristotle, calls for:

(l) the power of logical reasoning; (2) a knowledge of
character (gghgs); and (3) a knowledge of emotions (Bathe).
Depending on the degree of mastery, a speaker may:

(1) prove a truth, real or apparent, by argument; (2)
evince through speaking a personal character that will

win the confidence of the listener: and (3) engage the
listener's emotions.

In a book recently published, Gordon F. Hostettler
defined the term "rhetoric" as pertaining to the "theoret—
ical considerations which govern the practice of public
address."2 He explained that "public address" refers to
oral communicative situations which include not only the

speaker-audience format, but also, the many occasions

 

1 .. ...
C00per, pp. XXXVIl-XXXVIII.

2Gordon F. Hostettler, "An Overview: Philosophy,
Objectives, Content," The Communicative Arts and Sciences
of Speech, ed. Keith Brooks (Columbus, Ohio: Merrill
Books, Inc., 1967), p. 8.

xiii

involving groups of people who orally exchange ideas and
information .

A more comprehensive definition has been set
forth by Donald C. Bryant, who has described rhetoric or
the rhetorical as:

the function in human affairs which governs and
gives direction to that creative activity, that
process of critical analysis, that branch of
learning, which address themselves to the whole
phenomenon of the designed use of language for
the promulgation of ideas, information, and
attitudes. Though it is instrumental in the
discovery of ideas and information, its charac-
teristic function is the publication, the pub-
licizing, the humanizing, the animating of them
for a realized and usually specific audience.
At heft it seeks the "energizing of truth,"

For purposes of this study, rhetoric will be per—
ceived as involving the accumulated body of knowledge
pertaining to man's attempt to utilize his mind, voice,
bodily actions, and other available resources to publi-
cize and promulgate ideas, concepts, attitudes, informa-

tion, knowledge, etc. Rhetoric may be used to propagate

 

1Donald C. Bryant, "Rhetoric: Its Functions and
Its Sc0pe," Quarterly Journal of Speech (Dec., 1953),
pp. 412-13.

xiv

truth or falsehood; ethical or unethical materials and
methods may be utilized; and "good" or "bad" motives may
be involved” rI'he body of knowledge now constituting
rhetorical theory is regarded as being subject to modi-
fication and change. In agreement with Karl Wallace's
conception of "modern rhetoric,” the researcher proposes
to include, insofar as possible, "whatever is essential
to explain, to comprehend, and to criticize"1 the speak-
ing of Dr. Baxter.

More specifically, the study will attempt to de-
scribe, analyze, interpret, and evaluate related factors
such as: background influences; personality; cultural
environment: the materials, ideas, and proposals in mes-
sages: elements of preparation, organization, and delivery

of speeches: and the interaction of the speaker and so-

ciety.

 

1Karl R. Wallace, "The Field of Speech, 1953: An

Overview," Quarterly Journal of Speech (April, 1954),
p. 119.

XV

Significance of Project

In selecting a contemporary speaker as a research
area, the writer recognizes he is faced with a problem of
limited perspective because of closeness in time; however,
there are several advantages which seem to justify the
study. Merits of research in contemporary public address
have been cited by Wayne N. Thompson:

The preparation of the thesis can be a rich
educational experience, which (1) provides
training in research methods; (2) requires
the integration of the knowledge and the
skills of several fields, such as classical
rhetoric, rhetorical criticism, history of
oratory, linquistics, persuasion, social
psychology, history, political science, and
economics; (3) makes the student an "expert"
within a defined area; and (4) leads to con-
clusions regarding the theory and the prac-
tice of rhetoric in our own times.

The subject of this study has gone beyond the
realm of learning rhetorical theory and teaching the
skills and techniques of speaking. He has attained

prominence in at least one rather large subculture as a

 

Wayne N. Thompson, "Contemporary Public Address
as a Research Area," Quarterly Journal of Speech (Oct.,
1947). p. 279.

xvi

successful practitioner of the art. The experience
gained through a thorough investigation of his life and
works should help the researcher understand more fully
the concepts involved in his major field of Public Ad-
dress. Also, the finished project should be of signif-
icant value to researchers of future generations who may
need to depend on the subject's contemporary critics for
more accurate reporting, recording, and appraisal of his
life and works.

As it deals with Dr. Baxter's religious background
and beliefs, the study should provide significant findings
regarding the idea of "church unity through restoration";
thus, it will supplement the project contributed by
DeWEtte Holland and others of the “Religious Workers In-
terest Group of the Speech Association of America" who
compiled a recent volume entitled, Preaching in American
History. The editor of the volume indicates a lack of
coverage on some relevant issues:

While this collection is unique, it does

not purport to cover all the important issues
of the American pulpit. Chapters on "Church

Unity through Restoration" and "The Nature of
the Church Reflected in Sect Polemics" were

xvii

dropped. Both of these are especially rele-
vant to the unique experience of the church
in America. Both are probably as important
as some of those included, but time and space
factors forced them out.1
Some distinctiveness may be added to the project

due to the fact that no previous study has been made of

Dr. Baxter's speaking career.

Materials for the Study

One distinct advantage of using a contemporary
speaker for study is the abundance of primary source
materials at the disposal of the researcher. Also, in
this case, there are significant secondary sources avail-
able for consultation. A definition is in order regard—

ing source materials:

 

1De‘Witte Holland, "Introduction," greaghing i3

American History, ed. DeWitte Holland (Nashville: Abing-
don Press, 1969), p. 13.

2Batsell Barrett Baxter, personal letter dated
July 9. 1965 (Baxter states that, so far as he knows,
no previous study has been made of his life or speak-
ing.)

xviii

we commonly distinguish between primary and

secondary source materials, and emphasize the

desirability of uncovering the former. Pri-

mary materials stand as first witness to a

fact, and include speech texts, diaries,

letters, contemporary newspapers and period-

icals, and so on. Secondary materials are

those in which one or more other persons

come between the primary source and the re-

searcher: a general history text or a biog—

raphy falls into this category.1

This definition is considered acceptable except
for qualifying "speech texts" as a primary source.
Printed versions of speech texts do not always represent
"first witness to a fact." Often the printed versions
are drastically different in style from the actual
speeches as delivered, depending on who did the revising.
Regarding Dr. Baxter's sermon texts, he stated in an
interview that the printed texts were revised by himself
with a reading audience in mind.
Fortunately, however, an unusually large number

of Dr. Baxter's taped sermons have been made available to

the researcher. Concerning availability of materials,

Baxter wrote:

 

fi__

1J. Jeffery Auer, An Introduction to Research in
Speech (New York: Harper and Brothers, 1959), p. 29.

xix

I have three hundred-to-four hundred mim—

eographed sermons presented at the Hillsboro

church over the past years. In addition, I

have three books of sermons that have been

published. We also have the radio tapes of

the original drafts of most of the Hillsboro

sermons. The mimeographed copy is a revised

transcript of these sermons in most cases.1
Dr. Baxter and the Hillsboro elders granted the researcher
the privilege of examining the entire collection of over
two hundred tapes which are stored in the Hillsboro church
library. They allowed him to select twenty-four tapes for
study purposes. Selection was made on the basis of topics
so as to obtain a representative cross-section of Dr.
Baxter's speaking at Hillsboro. In addition to these
tapes, the researcher has 127 mimeographed copies of
sermons preached to the Hillsboro audiences.

Four books of sermons by Batsell Barrett Baxter

have been published:

1. If I Be Lifted Up (Nashville: Gospel Advocate
Co., 1956), collection of twelve sermons preached
in the new multi-million dollar Municipal Audi-

torium in Lubbock, Texas, May 13—20, 1956.

 

1Baxter, personal letter dated July 9, 1965.

XX

2.

3.

4.

Making God's Way Dug Way (Nashville: Gospel
Advocate Co., 1964). collection of ten sermons
of the "South Plains Coliseum Meeting“ in Lub-

bock, Texas, Oct. 4—11, 1964.

As A Man Thinketh in His Heart (Nashville: wash-

ington Industries, 1966). a collection of twelve

”favorite" sermons.

Great Preachers of Today: Sermons of Batsell

Barrett Baxter (Abilene, Tex.: Biblical Research
Press, 1960), a collection of thirty of Dr.
Baxter's ”best sermons" preached to the Hillsboro

congregation.

Other materials may be categorized as follows:

(1) copies of the lesson outlines used by Dr. Baxter for

a course in Homiletics entitled, "Preparation and Delivery
of Sermons": (2) nine tape recordings of the "South Plains
Coliseum Meeting“ in Lubbock, Texas: (3) Dr. Baxter's own
published works: (4) his private papers: (5) information
from interviews and letters: and (6) references in peri-

odicals, newspapers, and books.

xxi

In addition to the above mentioned materials, the
researcher has had numerous opportunities to hear Dr.

Baxter as an "on the spot" listener.

Limitations of the Study

This study will be limited primarily to Baxter's
speaking career with the Hillsboro Church of Christ in
Nashville. Tennessee. As the result of a developing in-
teraction between the speaker and the congregation,
avenues of communication other than the Hillsboro pulpit
have become available: thus, Baxter's potential for in-
fluence has been greatly enhanced during his rather long
span of eighteen years with the one church. It is perti-
nent, therefore. that the following areas also be in-
cluded: (1) Baxter's teaching at David Lipscomb College:
(2) his radio and television preaching with the "Herald
of Truth" program: (3) his evangelistic campaigns: and

(4) his work with the "Foundation for Human Betterment."

xxii

Plan 0;,Research

—‘__

Regarding methodology, the historical technique
will be attempted, thus, calling for adequate investiga-
tion of: (l) Baxter's life in the formative years:

(2) the cultures which have influenced his beliefs and
attitudes; (3) his interpretation of the world in which
he lives: and (4) his influence or impact upon society.

Essentially, the researcher will consider his
responsibility as being that described by Baird and
Thonssen in their discussion of "Methodology in the
Criticism of Public Address." These authors describe
the critic's responsibilities:

The speech investigator, although not a
biographer, will summon and test the facts
concerning this orator's entire career: will
have sufficient grasp of the immediate and
surrounding data to interpret authoritatively
that speaker's personality. The historiog-
rapher's skills in weighing the original doc-
uments, his caution in accepting hypotheses,
his objectivity in fashioning complicated
facts into relevancy, this maturity as a
historian in interpreting the materials—-
these are the necessary equipment of the
critic of speeches.

 

1A. Craig Baird and Lester Thonssen, "Methodology
in the Criticism of Public Address," Qparterly qurnal of
Speech (April, 1947), p. 137.

xxiii

Although Baxter is a contemporary speaker, much
of his life and works may already be classified as his—
tory: also, current activities may be observed, described,
and reported so as to serve in the future as source mate-
rials of history. In discussing the role of the historian,
Auer makes some important points in this regard:

The proper historian dedicates himself to

what Allan Nevins calls the "spirit of critical
inquiry for the whole truth." He searches
endlessly for facts and statements accurately
reporting, describing, or classifying, on the
basis of personal observation or authentic
testimony of others, some event, circumstance,
or phenomena that has happened or is happening.1

Auer also explains that the research design in a
historical study "is a plan for discovering, evaluating,
and interpreting the documentary evidence pertinent to
the hypothesis under investigation."2

In this study, the hypothesis under investigation

consists essentially of discovering answers to the follow-

ing questions:

 

1J. Jeffery Auer, An Introduction to Research in

Speech (New York: Harper & Brothers, 1959), p. 122.

2Ibid.. p. 76.

 

xxiv

1)

2)

3)

4)

5)

What are the significant factors related to

Baxter's development as a speaker?

What information is available concerning the

cultural environments in which he functioned?

What is Baxter's interpretation of the world in

which he lives?

What facts and information are available concern-
ing Baxter's knowledge and use of rhetorical

theory and practice?

What influence has Baxter had upon society?

The research problem, then, consists of searching

for data and statements which accurately report, describe,

or classify events, circumstances, or phenomena which are

related to these questions.

Chapters I-V are devoted to the presentation of

data pertaining to Baxter and his practices in the several

areas of rhetoric. Chapter VI consists of evaluative

statements organized in terms of the traditional consti-

uents of rhetoric.

XXV

Plan onOrganization

Chapter
I. Molding of a Personality
II. Background of Religious Cultures
III. Baxter and the Hillsboro Church of Christ
HA Baxter's Interpretation of the World
\L Practitioner of an Art

VI. Summary and Conclusions

xxvi

CHAPTER I

MOLDING OF A PERSONALITY
Role of Pegsonality

Batsell Barrett Baxter made his first adjustments
to the world in the home of a preacher and educator. At
the time of his birth on September 23, 1916, the father,
Batsell Baxter, was Dean of Cordell Christian College,
Cordell, Oklahoma. Because he was the first and only
child, an unusually close relationship developed between
the son and his parents. This initial stage of his life
Possibly served a vital role in the molding of Batsell

Barrett Baxter ' 3 personal ity .

As attested by Aristotle and other rhetoricians
of note throughout the history of public address, per-
sonality contributes significantly to a speaker's effec-
tiveness. Franklin H. Knower, in writing about psychology

0f communication and the behavioral sciences, states:

Observation of man by the classical rhetorician
led him to conclude that one of the sources of
effectiveness in persuasion was a demonstration
of character and good will. This was called
ethos or the use of ethical .Lroof. Early twen-
tieth century psychologists experimenting with
persuasive techniques called it ppestige sug-
gestion. More recent psychologists generally
refer to this factor in communication as source
credibility. A recent study of two hundred
professional communicators, in which the writer
participated, found that "personality" was the
most frequent answer to the question "What is
it about the way a person speaks or writes that
makes him effective?"l

Re-enforcing this concept of the importance of personality
is an observation from a contemporary widely-used speech
text by Hance, Ralph, and Wiksell:

The ancient Greeks knew, and all students
of speaking since that time have known, that
the ethos--the person of the speaker--is fully
as important to the success or failure of com-
munication as are logic, evidence, and devel-
opment. Furthermore, research has shown that
personal appearance, personality, character,
age, competence, and related personal attri-
butes or traits do affect the success of all
efforts to communicate.2

1
Franklin H. Knower, "The Psychology of Communica—
n," The Communicative Arts and Science; of Speech. ed.

:eii‘ngrooks (Columbus, Ohio: Merrill Books. Inc.. 1967).

tio

2
Kenneth G. Hance, David C. Ralph, and Milton J.

:iksell. Princi les of S eakin (2d ed.: Belmont, Ca11f,;
adsworth C0,. 1969), p. .79.

David K. Berlo, writing on the determinants of

effect in speaking, states:

There are at least four kinds of factors within
the source which can increase fidelity. They
are his (a) communication skills, (b) attitudes,
(c) knowledge level, and (d) position within a
social-cultural system.

The "social-cultural system" as described by Berlo offers

a plausible reason for seeking knowledge concerning the

development of the subject's personality:

No source communicates as a free agent,
without being influenced by his position in a
social-cultural system. We need, of course,
to take into account the personal factors in
the source: his communication skills, his
attitudes, his knowledge. But we need to know
more than this. We need to know the kind of
social system in which he is Operating. We
need to know where he fits in that social sys—
tem, the roles he fulfills, the functions he
is required to perform, the prestige that he
and other people attach to him. We need to
know the cultural context in which he commun-
icates. the cultural beliefs and values that
are dominant for him, the accepted forms of
behavior that are acceptable or not acceptable,
required or not required in his culture. We
need to know about his own expectations and the
expectations others have about him.2

Y David K. Berlo, The Process of Communication (New
ork: Holt, Rinehart and Winston, 1960). P- 41-

2
33.153.” p. 49.

 

It is obvious, if one accepts these observations,
that the personality of the speaker is an important fac-
tor to consider when attempting to understand and eval-
uate his speaking career. The extent of its importance
is indicated by Albert J. Croft, who, in discussing the
functions of rhetorical criticism, points out that the
"principal difficulty of speech criticism is that we are
not really able to evaluate a man's skill as a speaker
apart from his ideas (his beliefs, attitudes, etc.) ."1
Another problem is that of determining the relationship

of a man's beliefs and attitudes to his personality.

What is meant by the term "personality"?

Definition of Personality

There are literally scores of definitions for the
term "personality." Jon Eisenson, in the first edition

0f The Psychology of Speech, states:

‘

1
C . . . Albert J. Croft, "The Functions of Rhetorical
r1t1c1sm," Movince of Rhetoric, ed. Joseph Schwartz

:nd4iihn A. Rycenga (New York: Ronald Press, 1965) .

A personality may be said to be the totality
or pattern of the reactive possibilities of
the individual. A personality exists only in
relation to an organism behaving in an envir—
onment . . . . Our personalities begin to
take form.when we make our first adjustments
to the world in which we are born.1

Several years later, Eisenson collaborated with J. Jeffery
Auer and John V. Irwin in revising the text with a new
title, The_2§ycholoqy of Communication. Eisenson is
credited with being responsible for the chapter entitled
"Concepts of Personality." In defining the term "per-
sonality" he does not use the same definition as before:
instead, he goes to considerable length explaining how
the authors had experienced difficulties in finding a
satisfactory definition. Numerous definitions were in-
vestigated including those cited by psychologists, an-
thropologists, sociologists, linguists, philosophers,
and semanticists. After considering hundreds of defini-
tions, the authors agreed upon a comprehensive concept

of personality which appears to be of great value to

speech critics:

 

1Jon Eisenson, The Psychology of Speech (New York:
Apmfleton-Century—Crofts, Inc., 1938), p. 145.

In our study of definitions, characteriza—
tions, and concepts of personality, there were
two underlying aspects that emerged. (l) A
personality is as the person does. (2) A per-
sonality is in large measure what the individ-
ual thinks of himself. The first aspect em-
phasizes the acting out, the behavior that is
apparent to the reactors other than the per-
former himself. The second aspect emphasizes
the self-concept of the individual, the
thoughts and evaluations that determine what
an individual does and what he refrains from
doing . . . .

Personality, as we will use the term, is
an expression of many forces and influences,
inherited and acquired, physical, environmental,
and psychological . . . . Personality is the
expression of the individual's values and atti-
tudes that are modified if not initially shaped
by interaction with a culture at large and a
sub—culture in particular.1
One may readily see a certain continuity in this
definition and the role of personality as indicated by
the various sources already cited. By extending this
definition, the researcher will attempt to answer the
pertinent questions concerning the development of Dr.
Baxter's personality.

It will be assumed that Dr. Baxter's personality

did begin to take form in his infancy as he made his first

 

1Jon Eisenson, J. Jeffery Auer, John V. Irwin, The

IPsychology of Communication (New York: Appleton-Century-
Crofts, 1963), p. 333.

adjustments to the world. Possibly, through inherited
traits, some factors of his personality were already de-
termined at birth; however, this would be almost impos-
sible to assess. There are many conflicting ideas about
the relative importance of heredity and environment.
Dr. John Furbay, philos0pher and world—traveler, in one
of his oft-delivered speeches, "Countdown for Tomorrow,"
summed up his conception of the two by saying, "Heredity
is the most important thing in the world until you are
. . . 1
born; then, enVironment is the most important." The
probable truth of the matter is that one cannot separate
the two. In a recent textbook, Professors Murray, Phil-
lips, and Truby use what they refer to as the "semantic
hyphen" in discussing the term "inheritance-environment"
If we do not find a way to connect inheri-

tance and environment in our minds so that we

do not split them erroneously, we are likely

to begin to believe that the one can be af-

fected without influencing the other. The

best of scientific evidence indicates that,

regardless of biological inheritance, the

environment can drastically shape the life of

the individual; yet, regardless of how nour-
ishing the environment, the individual will

 

1
John Furbay, "Countdown for Tomorrow," Lecture

Raxmding, Delta Record Distributors, 4304 W. Fullerton
Ave., Chicago. Ill.

make no progress without some reasonable bio—
logical inheritance.1

It may prove somewhat profitable to keep this
relationship in mind; however, no Special effort will be
made always to join the two terms with the hyphen as sug-
gested by the above concept. Environment will be con—
sidered as surroundings, persons, ideas, and circumstances
which influence a person after he is born.

To summarize the implications suggested by these
kindred observations, three rather clear—cut tasks are
necessary for adequate investigation and analysis of Dr.
Baxter's develOpment as a personality: (1) to examine
his first adjustments to the world; especially, from the
viewpoint of how attitudes, beliefs, and character were
being formed and influenced; (2) to investigate the so-
cial systems in which he functioned; in particular, the
church and educational institutions which were the prin-
cipal cultural systems wherein he communicated his dom-

inant beliefs and values; and (3) to study the behavior

 

1Elwood Murray, Gerald M. Phillips, and J. David
Tnflwy Speech: Science-App (Indianapolis: Bobbs-Merrill
Co” 1969). pp. 181-82.

of the subject and those being affected by his personality

and speaking.

The Mold: Shapipg of the Personalipy

First Adjustments

Batsell Barrett Baxter was named after his father
and another educator, A. B. Barrett, who founded Abilene
Christian College, Abilene, Texas. Giving their son the
best possible education was clearly uppermost in the minds
of the parents-—and to them the finest education was
Christian education.

“In his lifetime, Batsell Baxter, the father,
served as President of three colleges. He has been fea-
tured as one of the pioneers in Christian education in a
special issue of 20th Centpgygghgistian, June, 1964. He
was born in Sherman, Texas, November 17, 1886; baptized
1w T. B. Larimore in 1895; graduated from Nashville Bible
&flmml in 1911; began teaching career at Thorpe Springs

Uuistian College; taught and served as Dean of Cordell

Christian College, Cordell, Oklahoma; was President of

 

10

Abilene Christian College for eight years (1924-32);
served as President of David Lipscomb College, Nashville,
Tennessee during two periods (1932-34 and 1943-46); was
the first President of Pepperdine College, Los Angeles,
California (1937-89): taught on the Bible faculty at
Harding College, Searcy, Arkansas for a short time; and
later, functioned as Head of the Bible Department, David
Lipscom&»College until his death in 1956.

The father was described as firm in administra-
tion; yet, kind, pleasant, and thoughtful to assistants
and faculty. In and out of classes, he enjoyed the com-
panionship of young peOple, who found him a helpful and
wise counselor with practical, down-to-earth guidance.
The present Dean of Pepperdine College, who taught under

his administration, writes of his influence:

Batsell Baxter lives in the lives and mem—
ory of thousands of those who received their
training under his teaching and administrative
supervision. It would be a mistake to over-
loOk the fact that Batsell Baxter was devoted
to his family, both as a husband and father.
By his counsel and personal example he exer-
cised the care of a Christian father over his
son, Batsell Barrett Baxter. Through the
life of his wonderful son, he continues to
influence hundreds of thousands as Dr. B. B.
Baxter preaches the Gospel from the pulpit,
cwer the radio and over nationwide television

11

and as he teaches the Word of God as head of
the Bible Department of David Lipscomb Col-
lege.1

Another educator, Dr. Carroll B. Ellis, who is
currently serving as Chairman of the Speech Department
at David Lipscomb College, had the experience of being
a colleague of both the father and son. He attributes
the elder Baxter as having a great impact on the son:

Batsell Barrett's father, Brother Baxter,
had a tremendous influence on him. In his
day, Batsell Baxter was the outstanding col-
lege administrator and one of the great
preachers of the church . . . . One of the
reasons Brother Baxter served, in addition
to his ability and dedication, was a talent
he had to pour oil on troubled waters. He
was a man of peace, and one who made for
peace and tranquility.2

‘When writing, teaching, or preaching, Batsell
Barrett Baxter often makes references to the influences
of his parents and his home life:

Of the many memories of my childhood some
of the happiest are of quiet evenings at home
when my father would read to my mother and me.
Sometimes he would read from the Bible: some—
times he would read from other materials. I
remember his reading from the series of fine

 

1J. P. Sanders, "Batsell Baxter," 20th antury

Christian (June, 1964), p. 32.

 

2
Letter from Dr. Carroll B. Ellis, David Lips—
cmfl>College. Nashville, Tenn., dated Aug. 9. 1968.

12

"Scattergood Baines" stories by Clarence Budd-

ington Kelland, which appeared in the American

Magazine. Scattergood was the genial banker,

merchant, businessman, in a little up-state

town of New York, who was constantly serving

as a kindly grandfather to the whole community

. . . . Those evenings more than a quarter of

a century ago are still vivid in my memory.1

In browsing through personal papers of Dr. Baxter,

the researcher discovered a letter from M. Norvel Young,
editor of 20th Centppy Chrigtian, requesting that Dr.
Baxter write an article about his mother, Fay Baxter, for
a special issue entitled "Saints I Have Known." The
editor explains that the article would reach 160,000
readers in the 40,000 copies plus reprints which are
usually made of special issues. A carbon c0py of the
article which Dr. Baxter prepared was attached to the
request. In the introduction, he admits the natural in-
clination which might lead a son to overestimate the
virtues of his mother; but even allowing this, he empha-
sizes that he still believes he had an unusual mother.

He supports his assertion with five reasons which are

used as headings for the article: (1) she loved her son;

 

1Batsell Barrett Baxter, "Homelife in a City,"
unpublished materials, Baxter's personal file.

 

l3

(2) she loved people; (3) she loved the world about her:
(4) she loved her husband; and (5) she also loved God.
He explains that his mother was born in Sherman, Texas,
of Scotch-Irish ancestry. His closing comment concerns
her relatively short lifespan: "She lived only half a
century, but it was a good half—century--one that will
bear fruit for generations to come."1
The statement implies that his mother's life
would bear fruit through his own life, but the tone of
the total article is that her life touched many others.
It is rather significant that Dr. Baxter points to his
mother's love for her son as being the first reason for
her being an unusual mother. It may be a meaningful clue
to her influence on his character:
She loved her son and never allowed a bar-

rier to come between herself and him. Even

when I had done wrong and needed to be disci-

plined, she stood with pp_and helped me fight

against Satan and his temptations. I never

felt the parent-child antagonism that often

comes when a parent must say no to a child.

She was always in my corner, helping me to

fight the battle against my own weaknesses
and faults. She placed such confidence in me

‘— ,—

1Batsell Barrett Baxter, "Fay Baxter," Baxter's
personal file (carbon copy of article prepared for the

20th Century Christian), p. 2 .

 

14

that it was actually harder to do wrong and
disappoint her than it was to do right.1

Dr. Baxter believes that his mother had a certain atti-
tude of mind which constantly rewarded her with new joys
and insights:

Perhaps that was why so many people sought
her company. My childhood friends came not so
much to play with me, as to visit my mother.
Her stories were eagerly listened to by grown-
ups, as well as by children. Her advice was
sought by scores and even hundreds of college
students--the boys as well as the girls. She
'was always interested in the problems and the
successes of everyone . . . . She went out of
her way to encourage young preachers and their
wives, to visit the sick and the bereaved, and
to help in training the young.

Evidence does indicate that Batsell Barrett Bax—
ter's mother, in word and deed, contributed ideas and
impressions which caused the son to believe she was un-
usual. Some sources point to the likelihood of a special
vow on the part of the mother regarding the dedication of
her son's life to God. This introduces another possible
influence which, if true, might be called a "divine in-

fluence."

1Ibid., p. 1.

2Ibid., p. 2.

15
A Possible "Divine Influence"

There is no reliable way of documenting and prov-
ing providential influences in the life of an individual;
however, in order to consider all possibilities, some
attention should be given to available information regard-
ing this factor. A "word-of-mouth" story has been in
circulation that Dr. Baxter's mother, being barren before
his birth, had prayed to God for a son. Much like Hannah
of Old Testament history,1 she vowed that, if God granted
her desire, she would dedicate him to God's service. In
researching for more information, the writer contacted
Dr. Oscar W. Carter of Nashville, Tennessee, who is a
medical doctor and specialist in urological surgery. Dr.
Carter has had occasion to know Dr. Baxter well because
of working with him in an organization called, "The Foun-
dation for Human Betterment." The physician responded
with a personal letter saying:

The following information was given me by

his paternal aunt, Mrs. Dan Hockaday, who

lives at 2817 West End Avenue, Nashville, Ten-
nessee. She told me that Dr. Baxter's father

 

1
I Sam. 1:10-11, Standard Edition.

'-

l6

and mother were two of the most kind, loving
people that she had ever known and that they
loved each other with a devotion that is
rarely ever seen. Dr. Baxter grew up in a
home surrounded by love and this undoubtedly
had a tremendous influence in the formation
of his character.

st. Hockaday also told me the following
story. Dr. Baxter's father and mother had
been married about four years and were child—
less during this period of time. Dr. Baxter's
mother promised the Lord if he would send her
a son that she would "give him back to Him."
As a child Dr. Baxter was brought up with this
inrnind and I am sure that it had a tremendous
influence on the formation of his character.1
True information corresponds to other testimony
cmxerning the character of the parents and the environ-
mam whiclithey created for the young Baxter. The parents
were devout believers in God and His providence. As it
tunmd out, Batsell Barrett was the only child born to
thisccuple; consequently, one could well imagine that
Nth Parents believed that the mother's prayer had been
mmwered and that God had a special work planned for their
son.

Like the factor of heredity, the idea of a "divine

lnfluence" must be treated as an unknown element with
____‘_____7

l
1969 Oscar W. Carter, personal letter, dated June 30,

 

is:

17

respect to personality. Whether or not there has been a
real "divine influence" is not as important as the fact
that people may believe that there has been. Insofar as
the story is known and believed by Dr. Baxter's auditors,
especially those of his own religious beliefs, one may
assume that the idea itself has great potential for en-

hancing personality .

Educational Adjustments

At a very early age the young Baxter started ex-
Periencing the necessity of adjusting to new environments.
In relating biographical information, Dr. Baxter reveals
that his family moved from Cordell, Oklahoma, to Thorpe
Spring, Texas, when he was one year old. After approxi-
mately one year there, his father moved the family to
Abilene, Texas, where he joined the staff of Abilene
Christian College. A few years later, in 1924, he was
named President of that institution.

For younger children of the area, the college
proVided the direction and personnel for the "A.C.C.
Training School and High School." The general philosophy

0 . . . . .
f 8c11001 adm1nistrators in the Christian colleges was

 

r

18

much like that ascribed to the founder of David Lipscomb
College in Nashville, Tennessee:
How Christians can commit children in the

period of life'Which.the mind and heart are

receiving their mold for life to irreligious

influences, or to associations favorable for

the reception of erroneous religious senti-

ments has ever been a mystery to us.
In the training schools and high schools, children were
taught secular subjects, as were children in public
schools; however, there was an additional subject which
received greater emphasis than any other. The Bible,
taught by teachers who believed it to be the word of God,
was a regular textbook at every grade level. Teachers
selected for guiding and molding the young souls were
usually men and women of deep religious convictions who
were willing to make sacrifices because of their love
and concern for youth. The young Baxter received all of
his elementary schooling and part of his high school edu—
cation under the prevailing influences of educators who

taught primarily out of devotion and love for young

peOple. Along with the early influences of his devout

 

1Robert E. Hooper, "David Lipscomb,“ 20th Century
Christian (June, 1964), p. 11.

 

 

 

19

parents, this environment probably had a definite impact
in the shaping of his personality.

Dr. Baxter, in a letter giving biographical in-
formation, sums up a period of his educational experience
in a few sentences:

In the depth of the depression in 1932, my
father moved to Nashville and became President
of David Lipscomb College. I attended Peabody
Demonstration School that summer, for the
first time being a student in a public school,
rather than a Christian school. The following
year I finished David Lipscomb High School, in
1933. After one year of college in David Lips—
comb College, we moved again to Abilene where
my father served on the faculty as a teacher.
The last three years of my college work were
done at A.C.C., where I majored in Education,
graduating in 1937. Immediately I attended
the University of Southern California, where
I changed to the Speech field, taking an M.A.
degree in 193s and a Ph.D. degree in 1944.1

He was twenty-two years of age at the time of receiving

the M.A. degree and was twenty-eight when he was awarded

the Ph.D.

 

1Batsell Barrett Baxter, manuscript of general
information, dated August 1, 1968, p. 7.

 

 

20

Personality and Life Goals

From the time (If his birth until his graduation
from Abilene Christian College, Batsell Barrett Baxter
was the product of three very closely related sub-
cultures: (1) a Christian home; (2) the fellowship of
Churches of Christ; and (3) Christian educational in—
stitutions. His environment had been controlled to a
great extent by certain authority figures who believed
their most important function in life was to teach the
principles and ways of Christ.

This observation provokes a stimulating question.
Can human beings be so controlled by their environment
and teaching that their choices in life can be somewhat
accurately determined? The question and answer might
well have significant relevance to societal problems of
our age. Already, it has been noted that Eisenson viewed
personality as "an expression of many forces and influ-
ences" among which the environment was recognized as one
of the strongest. According to this concept, Batsell
Barrett Baxter's personality should be manifested by the

expression of his values and attitudes which were shaped

 

 

 

21

and modified by his interaction with the cultures in which
he lived.

Of all areas of choice, perhaps the area which
would offer the best opportunities to observe expressions
of values and attitudes would be: (1) selection of a
lifetime marriage partner; and (2) the selection of a

lifetime career.

Marriage and a Career

What type of person did Batsell Barrett Baxter
choose for a wife? The researcher interviewed Mrs. Baxter
during the summer of 1968. He found her to be gracious,
unassuming, and refreshingly modest in dress and manner.
At first she seemed somewhat shy and reluctant to talk.
(The tape recorder may have been one influencing factor
in this regard.) Once it was explained that the inter-
view was to gain firsthand information about her husband's
development as a preacher and the part that she may have
played in it, she immediately displayed a vibrant interest.

After explaining that she had been reared in a

small town and small church where her father served as an

22

elder, she related how she had often dreamed of growing
up and marrying a preacher. In her own words she said:

To be the wife of a minister and to live

in the home of a minister would be just about
as close to heaven as one could come. Now--
of course-—that is the idealism of youth—-
partially--and as time has gone on, I have
come to see that perhaps preachers and their
wives have as many, if not more, temptations
and problems than some other people do--but,
I'm still glad I married a preacher.

For some moments, Mrs. Baxter seemed to relive
her early life as Wanda Roberts, the small-town girl who
dreamed of going to Abilene Christian College and meeting
a young man who would develOp into a great preacher. Her
parents had planned on her going to "A.C.C.," as the col-
lege was called by those familiar with it; however, at
the time of her graduation from high school, the depres-
sion years were upon them. Two years passed before the
picture brightened financially to the point where Wanda's
parents could send her to Abilene. Many Christian parents
were willing to make extreme sacrifices in order for their

children to have the wholesome environment of Christian

campuses. There were unusual opportunities for a son or

 

lWanda Roberts Baxter, taped interview, August,
1968.

23

daughter to get acquainted with a member of the Opposite
sex who had a similar background and the same religious
convictions. Enthusiastic:supporters of Christian col-
leges would often point out how marriages occurring among
their students were much more enduring than marriages on
the whole. It did make a convincing argument and one
which statistics have verified.

Wanda Roberts arrived at A.C.C. in time to have
one year on the campus as a freshman during the same
period which Batsell Barrett Baxter Spent as a senior.

By this time, he was preaching regularlyl each Sunday
for the Church of Christ meeting in Paducah, Texas.

Before he met Wanda Roberts, some directions for
his career were already taking shape. He had experienced
classes and well-planned courses on the Bible and related
subjects throughout his educational career. Preachers
and their families were frequent visitors in the Baxter
home. Many of his teachers had been self-sacrificing

ministers who taught because they loved young peOple.

 

1Baxter preached his first sermon at the age of
seventeen at the Chapel Avenue Church of Christ in Nash-
ville, Tennessee (Manuscript of General Information,

Aug. 1' 1968) I pa 6.

24

Churches in the vicinity of Christian colleges had a
general practice of using promising students as "supply
preachers" when regular ministers were away for some
reason. Through such arrangements Batsell Barrett gained
considerable proficiency in the pulpit and a deep-seated
respect for preachers.

Although neither Dr. Baxter nor Mrs. Baxter went
into any details about their budding romance during the
one year together at Abilene Christian College, it is
apparent that they spent much time together. Dr. Baxter's
kuographical notes cover the period of their meeting and
subsequent marriage rather briefly:

We met at Abilene Christian College where

she was a freshman the year that I was a senior.
The following year she attended Pepperdine and
when she was unable to return the next year we
were married in December. She later finished
her degree, partly at Peabody in Nashville, and
took the degree from Pepperdine.l

The move of the Baxter family to Los Angeles
could have been a rather serious predicament for young

lovers; however, the solution seemed rather simple in

this case. Batsell Barrett's father was assuming the

 

1Batsell Barrett Baxter, manuscript of general
information, dated August 1, 1968, p. 7.

25

Presidency of a very promising new Christian College
which offered the promise of a Christian environment
that was so important to Wanda's parents. Batsell Bar-
rett would be nearby as he continued his education on a
graduate level at the University of Souther California.
Both parents cooperated, enabling Wanda to enroll at
Pepperdine so that the young couple could be near each
other as they prepared and planned for the future.

Mrs. Baxter explained that, before marriage, they
often talked about what each wanted in life. Batsell
Barrett was not at all interested in an administrative
position. He had observed his father's involvement in
the details of administration, problems of fund—raising
for college developmental programs, and his limited con-
tact with peOple in face-to-face situations. Batsell
Barrett wanted to spend his life closer to peOple with
more person-to-person contacts. Mrs. Baxter spoke of
how she could recognize a particular quality or aspect
of his personality which made peOple sense a genuine
love, and she wanted this potential used to its fullest.
Regarding potential she said he stressed preparation more

than personal endowments:

hhn

26

He felt that in order to serve the Lord
best he should prepare himself to the very
fullest of his ability. I knew that he came
with good inheritance mentally and tempera-
mentally. His mother was a warm outgoing
person--very friendly. His father was warm
and friendly, too, but not so much naturally
so as she. I think that Batsell Barrett in-
herited this tendency of loving people and
showing he loved them. Now some love people
and it doesn't come through, but with Batsell
Barrett, it does——he loves peOple and they
know he loves them.1

Mrs. Baxter cited an example of a lady who heard
preach on one occasion and came to her saying,

I felt while he was speaking that he had a
special love just for me which would actually
prompt him to help solve every problem I had;
yet, I knew later that it was physically im-
possible for one man to help everyone.

Mrs. Baxter, seemingly in meditative thought, added an

idea, "Maybe this is what peOple really need most to be

helped-~the assurance that someone really does care."

Concerning his emphasis in graduate studies, Mrs.

Baxter said that Batsell Barrett determined on his own

that he should shift from Education to the area of Speech.

Others in his family agreed with him:

 

lWanda Roberts Baxter, taped interview, August 5,

1968.

21bid.

27

He wanted to go into speech—-he discussed
it with his parents--then with me. They felt
speech was a field that would prepare him
technically for the work he wanted to do—-and
that preaching was what he wanted to do, too.

How much he understood about the importance of
speech at that time cannot be determined; however, it is
likely that he had already started forming attitudes as
expressed in his book, Speaking gor the Master, published
in 1954. In the first chapter, he discusses the impor-
tance of learning to speak well, pointing out that this
is an age when one of the basic requirements for success
in any field is the ability to speak well. People who
take the trouble to master the art of speaking are usu-
ally persons of influence and power. Places of eminence
are attained because of the ability to talk and to per-
suade people to follow ideas and ideals. Then, he ob—
serves:

Men in every walk of life find it neces-

sary to have this same ability. "There is no
other accomplishment," said Chauncey M. Depew,
onetime president of the New York Central
Railroad, "which any man can have which will
so quickly make for him a career and secure

recognition as the ability to speak accept-
ably." The executive, the banker, the doctor,

 

lIbid.

 

 

 

v0

......

 

 

28

men and women in business, all are called upon
to express ideas effectively. It is important,
therefore, in the most important work on earth--
the Lord's work--that men and women be able to
speak effectively.l
Refering to their planning and praying about his
career,.Mrs. Baxter pointed out how the parents and Bat—
sell Baxter seemed especially mindful that the primary
difficulty of Christian schools was that of keeping well-
qualified personnel. She said, "Our schools have always
needed so much men who are qualified, and yet, they have
not been able to pay enough to keep the men who were qual-
ified."2
Christian colleges had generally benefitted by
being able to employ ministers, ministers' wives, and
other dedicated people who were adequately enthused with
Christian education to teach and work for very small sal-
aries. .Ministers were more suitable for arrangements of
this type because they were usually paid substantial sal-

aries by local churches. Churches in the area often con-

sulted with the college administration when circumstances

’— Y,—

1Batsell Barrett Baxter, Speaking for the Master
(New York: The Macmillan Co., 1954), p. l.

2Wanda Roberts Baxter, op. cit.

29

called for employment of a new minister. Each supple-
mented the needs of the other: as a result, better-
educated ministers were available for churches, and
colleges functioned with a smaller payroll.

In answer to the question concerning the kind of
person whom Batsell Barrett Baxter married, the inter—
view and related materials reveal her to be one who:

(1) shared his Christian ideas and ideals; (2) understood
that his "first love" was for preaching the Gospel of
Christ; and (3) was happily willing to look forward to a
marriage which would require that she be the "second love"
in her husband's life.

Things developed rather fast at this point. Bat-
sell Barrett was graduated from the University of Southern
California with the M.A. degree during the summer of 1938:
started the 1938 school year at Pepperdine College as a
member of the Speech Faculty; and in December, married
Wanda Roberts. They were launched into a planned-for,
combined career of teaching and preaching.

The well-planned course of events suggested that
ncmhing was really haphazard or accidental in the devel-

<epment of Batsell Barrett Baxter for this particular way

30

of life. {Ehe mother, especially, must have felt a sense
of achievement and satisfaction in viewing the direction

being taken by her son.

Preeminence of Preaching

Although Batsell Barrett established the Ph.D.
degree in Speech as one goal for his life, preaching was
solidly the preferable ultimate aim. He lost little time
in seeking out a challenge and Opportunity in preaching.
With a new wife and a new teaching position, he accepted
employment with a recently—formed congregation of Chris-
tians as they started meeting in Whittier, California.
Along with these responsibilities, he initiated his doc-
toral program at the University of Southern California.
It was an unusually busy period for the young couple as
Batsell Barrett attempted to manage a combined teaching-
preaching career, a home, and a graduate program in
Speech. Speaking of the period, Mrs. Baxter said, "Dur-
ing those first years, we were not able to have children

so I*was able to help a great deal in doing typing for

lump-and‘helped some in research."1

 

lWanda Roberts Baxter, Op. cit.

31

It would be erroneous to give the impression that
Batsell Barrett gave preeminence to preaching because of
wanting to please his parents. In his class in homiletics
at David Lipscomb College, when discussing the "call to
preach,"1 he presented students with a list of "wrong mo—
tives" for preaching. These were: (1) expectation of
parents and others: (2) avoidance of military duty;

(3) financial gain: (4) flattering attention; (5) inae
bility to do anything else; and (6) love of a life of
ease. He stressed that a preaching career must be moti-
vated by an individual decision based on personal faith,
and an understanding that the salvation of men's souls
depends on preaching of the Gospel.

The writer, as a student in his homiletics class,
remembers his admonition for the young men not to decide
on a preaching career unless they felt a necessity to
preach. To support his point, he quoted the apostle
Paul's statement to the Corinthians, "For if I preach the
Gospel, I have nothing to glory of: for necessity is laid

. . 2
upon me; for woe is unto me if I preach not the gospel."

 

1Batsell Barrett Baxter, Preparation and Deiivery

cm Sermons (Homiletics course outline), Lesson II, p. 6.

21 Cor. 9:16 (Standard Edition).

.. ...

 

32

At this apprOpriate time, he made reference to a state-
ment which he said Charles Spurgeon and other prominent
preachers often usedw "If you can do anything else . . .
don't preach." Dr. Baxter thought this was a "half-truth
that might lead a person astray." It was intended to
emphasize the importance of men's having an overpowering
desire to preach—~a desire which should be motivated by
ideas taught in Biblical scriptures. The "call to preach"
was not some mystical direct call by the voice of God from
heaven: rather, it was an understanding of scriptural
ideas which point to the need for preaching. He summar-
ized his thoughts, saying, "The scriptures show the salva-
tion of men's souls to be the primary motive for preach—
ing.”l

Dr. Baxter believes that all knowledge of the
Bible was revealed by God to the writers of the Old and
New Testaments. In a sermon on inspiration of the Scrip-
tures, he reasons:

One of the deepest and most fundamental of

our convictions is the belief in the inspira—
tion of the Bible. We believe that the Bible

1‘—

1Baxter (Homiletics Course Outline), op. cit.

 

..«c

5.

.H

 

33

is a book which is from God and not from men.,

Although God used human writers as the medium

of his revelation, the Bible is essentially a

book from God. It is, therefore, an authori—

tative book.
He believes, further, that insofar as a preacher correctly
interprets and preaches the ideas, principles, and infor-
mation of the Bible, his content will promulgate God's
wisdom rather than man's wisdom. He conceives the preach-
ing and teaching Of this wisdom as being God's only plan
for saving the people of the world. In one Of his class-
room lectures on the "Power of Preaching," he emphasizes:

God chose to bring the world to salvation
through the "force of ideas" rather than
through the "force of might." . . . God chose

to have as citizens of his Kingdom only those
who could be won willingly—-only those who

could be won through preaching.2

In the context Of the same outline Dr. Baxter
cites a definition by Phillips Brooks: "Preaching is the
communication of truth by man to men. It has two essen—
tial elements, truth and personality." To Baxter, truth
meant the revelation of God's will for men as set forth

in the Bible. The other element, personality, had

'v

1Sermon NO. 380, preached by Baxter, Jan. 6, 1963.

2Baxter (Homiletics Course Outline), Lesson I,

 

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. _.
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34

reference to the human being who delivered the message.
He summarizes his thoughts on the importance of the per-
sonality by saying:

Man is the channel through which the word
of God flows into the hearts of men. 'We must
keep the channel pure.l

Dr. Baxter stresses not only that the minister
:must live a pure life, but also that he must be a source
of spiritual power for others to grow in purity. One Of
Dr. Baxter's favorite references regarding personality
of the preacher is from Henry Van Dyke:

It is only by dwelling with Him and re-
ceiving His character, His personality so
profoundly, so vitally that it shall be with
us as if, in His own words, we had partaken
of His flesh and His blood, as if His sacred
humanity had been interwoven with the very
fibres of our heart and pulsed with secret
power in all our veins,--it is thus only that
we can be enabled to see His teaching as it
is, and set it forth with luminous conviction
to the souls Of men.

He reiterates the same idea with a quotation from‘William

Fraser McDowell:

 

11bid.

2Baxter (Homiletics course outline), Lesson VI,
p. 17.

35

You cannot give what you have not got.
You cannot create consecration unless you
have consecration. You cannot cause men to
do their best unless you live at your best.
Learning will not do it. Eloquence will not
do it. Even brilliant deeds will not do it.
Life giving is in the hands of life pos-
sessors.

Dr. Baxter's use of quotations setting forth the
ideas of prominent ministers from religious cultures out-
side his Own background suggests that he was influenced
by an enlarged cultural environment as he continued his
higher education. However, it should be remembered that
the references are part of a class outline in Homiletics
taught by Dr. Baxter in a Christian college: hence, the
more broad religious culture influenced the persons being
taught in the limited sub-culture. This was not generally
true in the schools related to Churches of Christ before
Baxter and a few other Christian educators began to see
values in degree programs Offered by other institutions.
Also, it should be noted that the ideas which Baxter rec-
ognizes in the life and works of great preachers in other

cultures are actually ideas which are part Of the Gospel

of Christ. The major benefits from the enlarged cultural

lIbid.

36

background probably had to do with reinforcements of
ideas already held, and more importantly, greater in-
sights into rhetorical techniques which contributed to

preaching effectiveness.

Enlarged Cultural Environment

The period after his graduation from Abilene
Christian College had opened up a new cultural environ-
ment for Baxter. With his enrollment at the University
of Southern California on the west coast, Baxter's world
broadened beyond the sub—cultures previously provided by
the Church of Christ and Christian educational institu—
tions. Along with his interaction with a more general
social culture he continued to function as a minister for
a nearby church, and to teach Speech as a faculty member
at Pepperdine College. Preaching was foremost in his
thoughts, as indicated by his own brief summary of that
period of life:

After graduation in May, 1937, I went to

Los Angeles where I preached for a period Of
six months for the North Long Beach church,

then six months for the York Boulevard church
in Los Angeles, after which I preached for

37

four years for the new congregation in Whit-
tier, California. This was followed by an-
other four years with the Burbank-North
Hollywood church, before moving back to
Tennessee. My first year in Nashville I
preached for the Belmont church while J. P.
Sanders was on leave. The next five years

I preached for the Trinity Lane church and
then since June, 1951, I have preached for
the Hillsboro congregation.

One may well imagine that, as the young man ini-
tiated his program of higher education, he was anxious to
learn about preaching and religious trends outside his
own limited religious sub-cultures.

Some of his attitudes, interests, and emphases
are reflected in his choice of a subject for the doctoral
dissertation: The Heartypf the Yale Lectures, which was
later adapted into book-form and used by the author as a
textbook for his classes in Homiletics. In the preface
of the book, Baxter explains how the lectures originated
in the mind of Henry Ward Beecher in 1871 and had con-
tinued through a seventy-seven year period to that pres-
ent date. Plans called for places on the lectureship
program to be filled from time to time by ministers who

Ihad been markedly successful in their special work of

1Batsell Barrett Baxter, manuscript of general
information, August 1, 1968, p. 6.

38

preaching the Gospel. Concerning distinctiveness of the
lectures, Baxter states:

Because of the eminence of the preachers
who have been called to appear before the Di-
vinity School of the university, this partic-
ular lectureship has achieved a distinction
unequaled by other lectureships in the field
of homiletics.l

He explains that the lectures fell into two distinct
c1asses--one group discussing the content of preaching,
and the other covering the technique of preaching.

By this time Baxter already possessed a firm con-
viction that God's Word should provide the basic content
of preaching: therefore, he concentrated his study more
on the technique of preaching. He explains:

Those lectures on the content of preach-
ing lay beyond the scope of this volume, for,
although even in them there were found scat-
tered suggestions on the technique of preach—
ing, they dealt primarily with theological
concepts rather than with the factors which
determine skill in preaching. The material
in this book is restricted to a study of hom—
iletics: this is a volume dealing with the

art of preaching.2

 

1Batsell Barrett Baxter, The Heart ijthe Yale
iLectures (New York: The Macmillan Co., 1947), p. viii.

2Ibid.. p. ix.

39

This quotation might imply that Baxter does not
consider the content of preaching as a part of the "art
of preaching": however, in the ensuing paragraph, he
clarifies:

In failing to list the preacher's message

as one of the most important elements in the
art of preaching, I do not imply that it is

less important . . . . Rather, the message
is simply beyond the consideration of this
book.

Baxter's conclusions in the final chapter of the
textboOk indicate a rather thorough background in clas-
sical rhetorical theory. He uses the writings of well—
known rhetoricians as a basis of comparison in making
evaluations of the Yale lecturers:

In order that these conclusions may be

even more meaningful, a comparison with the
principles of effective secular speaking is
undertaken. The theory of persuasion set
forth by the Yale lecturers is compared to
the theory of persuasion set forth by secular
rhetoricians both ancient and modern.2

The rhetoricians whom Baxter chose for a basis of

comparison were: Aristotle, Cicero, Quintilian, George

Campbell, Richard Whately, Arthur Edward Phillips, James A.

 

1Ibid., p. ix.

21bid., p. 288.

4O

Winans, William N. Brigance, Ray K. Immel, and Alan H.
Monroe. Baxter views Campbell and Whately as being
worthy of distinction for having formed a bridge between
ancient rhetorical traditions and modern tenets.

After listing nine conclusions, Baxter notes that
not a single persuasive technique or method of approach
is unique--that each can be found among the secular rhe-
toricians. His general summary is:

A comparison of the recommendations of the

preachers who delivered the Lyman Beecher Lec-
tures to the young men of the Yale Divinity
School, with the admonitions of secular rhe-
toricians of all ages to prospective secular
orators, leads to the conclusion that there is
no distinctive set of rules which applies only
to pulpit speaking. With but few exceptions,
the principles underlying all effective speak-
ing are the same. Certain modifications of the
suggestions of the rhetoricians are sometimes
made necessary by the peculiar pulpit situa-
tion and subject matter, but the basic prin-
ciples remain the same.1

Regarding modifications, Baxter notes that the
major difference is found in the pulpit's heightened de-
mand for character and personal righteousness on the part

of its occupant; also, he points out that there is usually

a closer and more intimate relationship between the

 

lIbid., p. 306.

41

minister and his congregation than that which exists be-
tween the average secular speaker and his audience.

The final paragraph of the volume calls attention
to the fact that the words of many eminent men have been
quoted; then, an attitude is expressed by Baxter regarding
the importance he gives to the Holy Scriptures:

It seems fitting, however, that the final

words should be those of the Holy Scriptures
themselves.1

Two appropriate scriptures from the New Testament
are quoted to climax the book.2 Baxter's mother and
father had taught him from infancy that the Bible should
provide the "last word" when there are questions concern-
ing authority for religious belief and practice. This
same idea is fundamental with the religious and educa-
tional institutions which have predominantly influenced
his total personality. While experiences in higher edu-
cation and interaction with a broadened cultural environ-

ment have Obviously given him new insights concerning

Speech, religion, and general knowledge, he still holds

 

lIbid., p. 308.

21bid., p. 308.

42

fast to the ideal that God's wisdom is superior to man's
wisdom.

Thus far, the attention of this study has been
focused on the more obvious sources of Baxter's ideas,
values, and beliefs. Further investigations are in order
concerning the Church of Christ and the Christian educa-
tional institutions wherein he communicated his dominant
beliefs and values. The movement in America which pro-
duced the distinct sub—culture represented by the Church
of Christ and related educational organizations can be
traced as an evolving phenomenon prompted by the need of
early American religious leaders to seek authority and
guidance from sources other than the distant European
religious cultures. The next chapter will concern itself
with background religious developments as related to the

Church of Christ and the idea of "restoration of the New

Testament Church."

CHAPTER II

BACKGROUND OF RELIGIOUS CULTURES

In the endeavor to understand religious develop-
ments in America, some meaningful insights may be gained
by observing the factors which have influenced and shaped
various churches into recognizably distinct bodies with
common religious beliefs, goals, and practices. Churches
seem to gain a certain "personality" or "character" much
like that of an individual. While no true analogy may
be drawn of the two, there are comparable environmental
influences which should add interest to the study.

The term "church" has been defined simply as a
"body or organization of religious believers."1 Churches
differ from one another in much the say way that indi-
viduals differ. Both seem to be molded into distinct
entities by a vast interplay of forces. In the case of
an individual, the parents perform a primary role in

being the immediate example and source of ideas and

 

lwebster's Seventh New Collegiate Dictionary.

43

44

values. Churches, for the greater part, seem to be the
offspring of parent organizations which supply practices,
ideas, and values. American churches were nurtured in
their infancy by parent churches in EurOpe, but the dis-
tance and communication problems seemingly made it necese
sary for them to make adaptations which altered their
features significantly. After several decades, the off-
spring of European churches multiplied: and in some re—
ligious families the progeny did not even resemble the
parents in name, faith, and practices. One religious
historian wrote of it saying:

That complex and diversified phenomenon
known as "American religion" is a product of
the cultural heritage of Old Europe adapted
and molded in the crucible of the American
physical environment. The heritage is not
only British but European, even Asian; not
only of the sixteenth and seventeenth and
eighteenth centuries but of twenty-five hun-
dred years. Granted that the institutions
of American religion are the immediate Off-
spring of Reformation and Counter-Reformation
movements, their roots, nevertheless, lie
deeply embedded in the matrix of ancient
Palestine, Greece, and Rome.1

 

#7,

1Clifton E. Olmstead, Histp£y_of Religion in the
United States (Englewood Cliffs, N.J.: Prentice-Hall,
1960). p. l.

45

This section of the study will attempt to examine
materials which pertain to the development of churches in
America, with particular attention being directed toward
the growth of one specific religious body known today as
the "Church of Christ." The following three stages of
development will be noted: (1) the historical background
of churches in America; (2) the development of the move-
ment which resulted in distinctive bodies bearing the
name, "Churches of Christ"; and (3) the birth and growth
of the Hillsboro Church of Christ in Nashville, Tennessee.

The researcher will seek answers to several per-
tinent questions: (1) What is the cultural context in
which Batsell Barrett Baxter speaks? (2) What are the
dominant beliefs, values, and attitudes of his particular
religious body? (3) What is expected of him in regard
to behavior? and (4) What relationship does the Church

of Christ have with other contemporary religious bodies?

Historical Background o§_Churches in America

Long before America was discovered, there were

established churches in EurOpe with distinctive

46

characteristics and names. These European cultures were
products of a rather strange combination of forces and
influences:

To a unique degree, medieval EurOpe had

achieved a synthesis of Palestinian religion,
Greek philOSOphy, and Roman law. In the

first century, primitive Christianity had
ventured out into the Graeco—Roman world, a
pure and undefiled offspring from Judaism.
Encountering the challenging forces of the
Greek philosophies and oriental mystery reli-
gions, it had found it necessary to systematize
and regulate its faith, presenting it in terms
familiar to the Hellenistic mind.

Limitations of this study will not permit tracing
the history of the church from the time of its establish-
ment in Jerusalem to the medieval period mentioned above
by the historian, Clifford E. Olmstead; however, brief
consideration of developing circumstances is in order so
as better to understand some of the factors which prompted
various religious leaders through the ages to seek restor-
ation of New Testament Christianity. The fundamental
theme of Baxter's preaching is that the church of the

Twentieth century should again be patterned after the

church Of the New Testament period: thus, it is pertinent

 

fif Tfi

lOlmstead, Ibid., p. 2.

47

tx>examine significant developments which resulted in a

departure from the original church.

European Religious Cultures

Mosheim, in his Ecclesiastical History, describes
the condition of the church in the Twelfth Century as
having deteriorated to the point that it is surprising
that the religion of Christ survived:

All orders contributed, though in differ-
ent ways, to corrupt the native purity of true
religion. The Roman pontiffs led the way;
they would not suffer any doctrines that had
the smallest tendency to diminish their des-
potic authority: but obliged the public
teachers to interpret the precepts of Chris-
tianity in such a manner, as to render them
subservient to the support of papal dominion
and tyranny . . . . The priests and monks
contributed, in their way, to disfigure the
beautiful simplicity of religion; and, find-
ing it their interest to keep the people in
the grossest ignorance and darkness, dazzled
their feeble eyes with the ludicrous pomp of
a gaudy worship, and led them to place the
whole of religion in vain ceremonies, bodily
austerities and exercises, and particularly
in a blind and stupid veneration for the
clergy.1

 

1JOhn Lawrence Mosheim, Ecclesiastical History,
Vol. 1 (Rosemond, Ca1if.: 01d Paths Book Club, 1959),
p. 293.

48

Mosheim's record of church history can be expected
to contain a biased view, but even with that taken into
consideration, other evidences bear testimony to similar
developments in the established religion of the period.
The Roman papacy had patterned church government after the
powerful Roman government; and with its close alliance to
secular power, had successfully gained an almost unbeliev-
able authority and control over peOple throughout a large
portion of the world.

Historians seem to be in unanimous agreement that
authority during this period was being erroneously assumed
by popes and that it was being grossly abused. One source
states the following assessment of conditions:

The triumph of the Papacy, the penetration

of society by the Canon Law, the use of the
most sacred mysteries on occasion as sanctions
for mundane claims enforced without reference
to moral considerations, were making the
Christian dispensation take on the aspect of

mechanical legalism.

Lewis Sergeant, a biographer of John Wycliffe,

comments on the circumstances:

 

1J. R. Tanner, C. W. Previte-Orton, and Z. N.
Brooke, The CambridgefiMedSeval History (New York: The
Macmillan Co., 1932), Vol. VII, p. 507.

49

Not only religion, but even morality and
the sanctions Of society were made to depend
on the subtleties of fallible men, who, whilst
discrediting the intellect, applied their own
imperfect intellects to the definition of good
and evil for their fellow creatures.

The corruptness in religion was also referred to
in the literature of the age. Marsiglio of Padua, rector
at the University of Paris, wrote a remarkable work, The
Defender of Peace, which was translated from the Latin
into both French and Italian. In the work, Marsiglio
contends that the exorbitant power claimed by the Pope
has disturbed the peace of the world: also, that in order
to have peace, it will be necessary to reduce the reli-
gious authorities to their proper places in society, and
to recognize the fundamental sovereignty of the entire

. . . 2
community of believers in the church.

Marsiglio manifested an attitude which became
prominent in most nations, especially in England. During

the fourteenth century, England, under the kings, Edward

III and Richard II, became a country of warfare,

v~—v 1

1Lewis Sergeant, John Wycliffp (New York: G. P.
Putnam's Sons, 1892), p. 29.

2Lynn Thorndike, The HiStory 0; Medieval Europe
(Boston: Houghton Mifflin Co., 1928), pp. 561-62.

50

pestilence, and rebellion. This era, and the period
immediately preceding it, wrought important changes.
Distress within the country brought forth some great
literature which gives much light as to social and reli-
gious conditions. It was the age of Rolle, Wycliffe,
Langland, Gover, Froissart, and Chaucer. In the works
of Langland and Chaucer, one can hear the authentic
voices of the two chief sections of the English people.
The condition of the poor is described by Langland:

Making articulate the conscience, the pathos,
the indignation of the plain godly men who
paid in their labour and their lives the mon-
strous price of pomp and war, revolted by the
injustice, the callousness, the hypocrisy, of
the powerful in Church and State, but at
heart conservative, lovers of old ways, sus—
picious of the new age, untouched by any for-
eign influences, the permanent substratum of
English life.1

In Chaucer, one sees a sharp contrast:

We have the voice of the fashionable go ahead
world, Of the society that did the king's
business and made his court brilliant. This
was the society that moulded and used the men
for whom Langland spoke. It was a society
where the number of educated laymen was in-
creasing, a society secular in its temper and
cosmopolitan in its outlook. Its culture and

 

-—— v—— w

lTanner, Previte—Orton, and Brooke, Op. cit..
p. 485.

51

language, its codes and its interests owed
hardly less to France and Italy than to Eng-
lish tradition. In its vivacity, in its
humour, in its combination of kindliness and
cynicism, as in its occasional shallowness,
it represents a civilisation that was ripe
and waiting for a change.1

For a great number of years, Rome had been the
metropolis Of religion, and the French Universities had
been the capitals of scholastic theology and law. Ser—

geant thought that John Wycliffe helped England to break

the bonds of foreign influences:

The time was at hand for the English Church
and the English State to break away from
their foreign trammels: but a series of
mighty efforts was needed in both cases,
and it was only with the eye of faith that
Wyclif could see the chains of Romanism and
feudalism finally snapped.2

"Wyclif," or Wycliffe as more recent authorities
spell the name, was an Oxford schoolman and Priest of the
Catholic church during the fourteenth century, when Cath—
olicism was undergoing the perplexing problem of having

two popes-~one in Avignon, France, and one in Rome.3 This

—_ w—— h a, *

iibid.. p. 485.

2Sergeant, Op. cit., p. 23.

3Williston Walker, A History pgythp_Ch§istian
Churph (New York: Charles Scribner's Sons, 1950), pp.
297-99.

52

"Great Schism" created bewilderment for Wycliffe and all
other Catholics concerning which pope should be the au-
thority for the church.

Wycliffe had been subjected to three years of
intensive study of the Holy Scriptures as part of a ri-
gorous seventeen-year course of study for a doctorate in
Theology.1 He reasoned that many of the doctrines of the
church had originated during a period when church leaders
were not generally enlightened with biblical or secular
knowledge. He was capable and willing to subject every
doctrine to an intense criticism, an attitude and prac-
tice which had a profound effect on the English religious
culture. In commenting on Wycliffe's work, Of the Truth
of ley Scripture, Sergeant said:

God's will, he says, is plainly expressed in
the two Testaments taken together. Christ's
law suffices for Christ's Church, without
requiring the addition or substitution of
another priest—made law, and the Christian
who understands it has enough for his needs

in this world. The direct message and voice
of God to man in the words of Holy Writ, with-
out any necessity for an intermediary—~this

was his "passionate conviction of truth," and
we can understand how such a declaration

f — V

1F. D. Matthew, The English Works pf Wyclifg
(London: Kegan Paul, Trench, Trubner & Co., 1880), p. i.

53
would shock the conventional orthodoxy of the
fourteenth century.1

Contrary to orthodox ideas that only authorized
church leaders could interpret Scriptures, Wycliffe be-
lieved that the common peOple should reason for them-
selves and let the Scriptures serve as the ultimate au-
thority. As evidence to this attitude, Sergeant quoted
from the text of a work by Wycliffe:

Christian men and women, olde and young,
shulden study fast in the New Testament, and
no simple man Of wit shulde be aferde unme-
surably to study in the text of holy Writ

. . . . The New Testament is of ful autor-
itie, and open to understonding of simple
men, as to the poynts that ben most neeful
to salvation.

Some sources hint that Wycliffe Obtained his un—
orthodox views from former teachers and other scholars:
but according to one source, his views were the result
of a keen,analytica1 mind which had an insight into the
needs of his day:

Wyclif conceived that he was calling for a
return to the healthier outlook of an earlier

age. In the dissolution of St. Thomas' syn-
thesis Of reason, the Bible, and Church

 

1Sergeant, Op= cit., p. 196.

21bido : PP. 196'97.

54

customs and belief, Wyclif does not fall back
on ecclesiastical authority. He proposes to
re—establish equilibrium by the more arduous
method of adjusting Church custom and belief
so as to agree with a reasoned interpretation
of the Bible, for the Bible is the most au—
thoritative statement of God's law.1

Wycliffe's method of determining authority for
religious belief and practice is significant to this
study because of the influence it apparently had on the
religious deve10pments which spawned the Reformation
Movement in EurOpe. In discussing the impact of

wycliffe's ideas, the author of The Shorter Qambridge

Medieval History states:

In the exceeding abstract scholasticism
of Wyclif lay the germs of many ideas which
could have and did have momentous practical
applications . . . . In the long, conflict-
ing gestation and transformation of ideas,
theological, legal, and social, which filled
thinking minds in the fourteenth century his
part, curiously enough, was to present a
body of formulated criticism and counter-
doctrine, which could appeal to zealous,
discontented, eager men of that age and
through them reach the stirring elements in
society, knight, bourgeois, and peasant, who
were fumbling for remedies to present ills.2

 

1Tanner, Previte-Orton, and Brooke, op. cit.,
p. 506.

2C. W. Previte-Orton, The Shoppe; Cambridge

Medieval History (Cambridge: University Press, 1952),
V01. II. pp. 949-50.

55

Whether prompted by John Wycliffe's ideas or by
original thinking, history indicates that people of the
following three centuries did start testing the beliefs
and institutions surrounding them. Through the efforts
of John Hus, Martin Luther, Ulrich Zwingli, John Calvin,
and other independent thinkers, the Protestant movement
swept over EurOpe.

The reformers initiated their movements by pro—
testing abuses in doctrine and practices of the Roman
Church. Overall, the resulting churches took as their
common characteristic the rejection Of the authority of
the Roman Church, whether speaking through the pOpe or
through ecumenical council. Various emphases of doc-
trine and practice produced distinctive religious bodies
which retained many features of the parent church. Even—
tually, some of these religious groups became established
as state religions. Olmstead describes them:

For the most part, the earliest products of

the Reformation were the great churchly systems
which retained a Catholic sense of the church
even though they broke with Rome. Closely al—
lied with strong nationalistic forces in their
countries, they were invariably accorded the
privileges pertaining to an establishment.

These systems, which belonged to the right wing
of the Reformation, were the Lutheran, the

56

Reformed, the Anglican, and with some justifi—
cation, the Puritan.1

The sixteenth and seventeenth centuries in Europe
experienced numerous dissenting religious groups as a con—
sequence of zealous and eager religious leaders who were
still unhappy with ecclesiastical systems. They were
generally built around some particular emphasis which the
members believed to be expressive of the essence of Chris-
tianity. Concerning these groups, Olmstead observes:

Their forms Of polity were simple, gener-

ally of the congregational type. Although they
gradually took on a more churchly character,
they neither became nor aspired to become
church establishments. Their strength lay in
the piety of their adherents and the strictness
of their discipline. Symbolic of the common
man as they were, they seldom produced leaders
of more than secondary importance. Yet their
influence was deeply felt in Europe, and in
America their character and type became norma-
tive.2

For the most part, the established churches in
Europe, with their powerful state systems, were able to
hold the dissenting groups in check. It is significant

that the discovery and settling of America were contem-

poraneous with the Protestant Reformation in Europe.

fl

 

1Olmstead, op. cit., p. 4.

21bid.. p. 16.

57

The New World was settled primarily by deeply religious
people who were seeking freedom of conscience, individual
rights, freedom of speech, self—government, and complete
religious freedom. They found the new land favorable for
expression, experimentation, and prOpagation regarding
ideas and beliefs.

Although the idea of religious freedom brought
many EurOpeans to the American colonies, the actual prac-
tice of religious freedom was most difficult for the
various groups once they become dominant in any area.
Once established. churches would often deny freedom of
worship and privileges to other groups. Most of the
colonies developed a Church-State relationship wherein
the dominant church was supported by taxes which were
paid by all members of the colony. Members of the es—
tablished church could vote, hold public Office, and
enjoy other rights that were denied to non-members. This
tight control caused people of strong character and firm
beliefs to seek new territory where they could establish
religious groups in harmony with their own concepts:
thus, American soon became a land with a multiplicity of

churches.

58

Concerning the immigration from EurOpe, the church
historian, William Warren Sweet, notes that the largest
single racial group to find its way to America, and the
last to come, were the Scotch-Irish. These immigrants
were the most widely scattered of any group, with at least
five hundred Scotch-Irish communities throughout the thir-
teen colonies. Because of severe domination by the es—
tablished Church of England, they "brought with them to
the New'WOrld a burning hatred of church establishments
and bishops."1 It was primarily the Scotch-Irish influ—
ences that brought about the religious movement from which

the Churches of Christ evolved.

Churches of Christ

Multiplicity and division of American churches
have presented a grave problem to serious Christian be-
lievers from the very beginning of American settlement.

Many sincere efforts have been made to discover ways of

W 1 ‘7 1 f v w —v—

1William‘Warren Sweet, The American Churches
(Nashville: Abingdon—Cokesbury Press, 1948). p. 21.

59

bringing the differing Christian groups together into one
fold—~one flock with one shepherd.1 The history of many
of the efforts has been compiled into one comprehensive
volume sponsored by the Ecumenical Institute atBossey
near Geneva, Switzerland. Entitled, A History of the

Ecumenical Movement, the volume is introduced by the

Chairman of the Board, Reinold von Thadden-Trieglaff, who

observes:

Divisions have existed in the Christian
society since the period of the New Testament.
Church History has often been written in terms
of those divisions. It had long been felt
that the time had come when the history of the
Church should be treated from the Opposite
point of view, in the light of the earnest
unitive efforts by which almost every century
has been marked.

The Churches of Christ had their beginning in one
section Of the American frontier as the result of two
Scotch-Irish immigrants who were thrilled with new free-
doms found in America, but saddened by the spectacle Of
a divided Christendom. The above mentioned volume gives
an account Of their effort:

T—v—w

1John 10:16.

2Reinold von Thadden-Trieglaff, A History Of the
Ecumenical Movgment, ed. Ruth Rouse and Stephen C. Neill
(Philadelphia: Westminster Press, 1968), p. xxi.

60

On the western Pennsylvania frontier, in
the Opening years of the 19th century, there
lived two Scottish-Irish preachers of the
"Seceder" variety of Presbyterianism-—Thomas
Campbell (1763-1854) and his son Alexander
Campbell (1788-1866). These men developed an
approach to Christian unity which was not only
peculiarly American, but which has provided a
continued impulse to unity into the present
century.

The account continued with pertinent facts about
the approach. While still in the Old Country, Thomas
Campbell had been concerned over Christian divisions in
Northern Ireland, where four separate species of "seceder"
Presbyterians existed after having broken with the Seces-
sion Church, which in turn was a schism from the Church
of Scotland. He labored to reconcile the divided groups
of Northern Ireland: however, he was unsuccessful, and
several factors combined to cause him to seek new Oppor-
tunities in America. His son, Alexander, and the rest
of his family, migrated a short time later. Before they
left Ireland, both of the men had probably been influenced

to some extent by James and Robert Haldane, John Glas,

Robert Sandeman, and Grenville Ewing, who were discouraged

 

1Don Herbert Yoder, "Christian Unity in Nineteenth-
Century America," A History of the Egumenigal Movement,
ed. Ruth Rouse and Stephen C. Neill (Philadelphia: West-
minster Press, 1968), pp. 236-37.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

61

with the rigid formalism and lack of evangelistic fervor
cflnracterized by the established church of Scotland.

Much to his disappointment, the elder Campbell
fOund the same trend developing in America as he had wit-
nessed in Ireland. However, his ideas soon brought
trouble from.the tiny presbytery in western Pennsylvania.
After being rebuked for allowing non-Seceders to parti-
cipate in the Lord's Supper, he withdrew from his church
in 1808, and gathered a group of like-minded people which
first called itself the "Christian Association of Wash-
ington, Pennsylvania."

In order to explain his position, Thomas Campbell
published in 1809 a now famous plea for Christian unity
entitled "Declaration and Address." The principal ideas
cw the document are described by Don Herbert Yoder:

This document, one of the great milestones

on the path of Christian unity in America, was
a Declaration of Independence to all those on
the frontier who desired to transcend the sec~
tarian spirit. His message to the liberated
souls is—-push through the tangled underbrush
Of the Protestant creeds, which are for the
most part human opinions only, to the pure
spring of Bible truth. Unite in Christian
Associations, rejecting human creeds and rally-

ing around the Bible alone. "Sick and tired
of the bitter jarrings and janglings of a party

62

Spirit"--SO Campbell describes himself, after

his tilt with conservative Presbyterianism on

the frontier. "We would desire to be at

rest," he writes, "and, were it possible, we

would also desire to adopt and recommend such

measures as would give rest to our brethren

throughout all the Churches: as would restore

unity, peace, and purity to the whole Church

of God."
Yoder observed that there was something uniquely American
about the restoration movement, which was characterized
by warm-hearted informality in worship, vocal insistence
on congregational independence, and avoidance of cleri—
calism.

These ideas advocated by Campbell will be recog-
nized as being very similar to those set forth by JOhn
Wycliffe during the Medieval period. Circumstances were
entirely different in America, though, and the restora-
tion ideas were destined to have a much greater impact
upon society in America than in England. Churches re-
sulting from the movement started by the restoration ideas

have been noted by recent writers as being among those

which have made great sociological impacts upon America.

1Yoder, Ibid., p. 237.

2Hartzell Spence, The Story of America's Religiopg
(New York: Holt, Rinehart and Winston, 1960), p. ix.

63

In a study of American churches, Hartzell Spence
traces the "restoration movement" by referring to it as
the "Disciples movement." This may be accounted for be-
cause of the fact that two large religious groups resulted
from the restoration ideas: (1) the Disciples of Christ
(also known as the Christian Churches) and, (2) the bodies
commonly known as the Churches of Christ. Both groups had
a common historical background in America until the move-
ment divided in the year 1906 over the issues of mission-
ary societies and church music.

Spence calls attention to three indigenous groups,
other than Campbell's group, which actively started pro—
pagating essentially the same ideas for unity of Christian
believers. He writes:

The idea of designating followers of Jesus

simply as "Christians" without denominational
status was probably first used in America by
James O'Kelly. In 1792, he led a small group
away from the Methodist Church in Virginia and
North Carolina. The group reached a strength
of more than twenty thousand and ultimately

was absorbed by either the Disciples or the
Congregationalists.

1Ibid., p. 186.

64

Another group was formed about 1801, when two
New Englanders, Elias Smith and Abner Jones, broke re-
lations with the Baptists. Of this movement, Spence

states:

By 1807, their group included fourteen
churches, also known as "Christian," which
emphasized the right of all believers to
think for themselves.

The third group originated from the efforts of a
frontier Presbyterian minister named Barton W. Stone, who
showed an intense dislike for the rigidity of his church's
doctrine. He persuaded others to join him in establishing
the Springfield Presbytery. They soon recognized that
this new organization was foreign to the New Testament

pattern. They composed a document called Last Will and

Testament which Spence labeled as satiric; however, other

 

sources indicate that serious thinking and desire for
unity prompted the authors to write it. Another historian

describes it as being of great significance:

The Last Will and Testament contains less
than eight hundred words, but it is one of the
classical documents coming out of the restora-
tion movement. It showed the sincerity and
honesty which characterized Stone in wanting to

 

1Ibid., p. 186.

65

give up everything of human origin in religion
and take only the Bible.1

After this introduction, the volume gaVe the text
of the document. The items especially related to ecumen-

ism were:

(1) We will, that this body die, be dissolved,
and sink into union with the Body of Christ at
large; for there is but one Body, and one
Spirit, even as we are called in one hope of
our calling.

(2) We will, that our name of distinction,
with its Reverend title, be forgotten, that
there be but one Lord over God's heritage, and
his name One.

(3) We will. that our power of making laws for
the government of the church, and executing
them by delegated authority, forever cease:
that the people may have free course to the
Bible, and adopt the law of the Spgrit of life
in Chgist Jesus.

(4) We will, that candidates for the Gospel
ministry henceforth study the Holy Scriptures
with fervent prayer, and obtain license from
God to preach the simple Gospel, with the Holy
Ghost sent down from heaven, without any mix-
ture of philosophy, vain deceit, traditions of
men, or the rudiments of the world . . .

(5) We will, that each particular church, as
a body, actuated by the same spirit, choose her
own preacher, and support him by a free will

 

1Earl Irvin West, The Search for the Ancient
Order, Vol. I (Nashville, Tenn.: Gospel Advocate CO..
1949). p. 25.

66

offering, without a written call or subscrip-
tion--admit members-—remove offences; and
never henceforth delegate her right of gov-
ernment to any men whatsoever.

(6) We will, that the people henceforth take
the Bible as the only sure guide to heaven;
and as many as are offended with other books,
which stand in competition with it, may cast
them into the fire if they choose; for it is
better to enter into life having one book,
than having many to be cast into hell.

(7) We will, that preachers and people, cul-
tivate a spirit of mutual forbearance; pray
more and dispute less; and while they behold

the signs of the times, look up, and confi-
dently expect that redemption draweth nigh

The document was signed by six witnesses: Robert
Marshall, John Dunlavy, Richard M'Nemar, B. W. Stone,
John Thompson, and David Purviance.

Spence notes that the movement by Stone won an
instant hearing primarily because settlers had been so
confused by the denominational preachers, each of whom
claimed an exclusive "ladder to heaven." He describes
the new preaching as being independent, liberal, and in-
tellectual. The Presbyterians were especially attracted
by Stone's preaching. "By 1827," Spence notes, "the
Stoneites numbered 12,940, from Kentucky and Tennessee

to Missouri."

 

lSpence, Op. cit., p. 187.

67

This quotation by Spence points to one of the
bothersome problems faced by each of these groups as they
sincerely tried to get away from distinguishing names.
Other peOple and groups insisted on giving them names of
some type other than what they desired to be called.
Followers of Barton W. Stone's teaching were called
"Stoneites," and those converted by Campbell's preaching
were labeled "Campbellites." When the movements even—
tually merged, the members generally agreed that they
would use no names but those giving preeminence to Christ.
The prevailing attitude of people within the movement was
expressed by one, John Smith, who spoke at one of the
meetings which brought unity to the similar groups:

Let us, then my brethren, be no longer

Campbellites or Stoneites, New Lights or Old
Lights, or any other kind of lights, but let
us come to the Bible and to the Bible alone,
as the only book in the world that can give

us the light we need.1

Pleas by rugged, dedicated, and sacrificial
preachers were heard throughout the land in the early
nineteenth century. Spence cites some facts in Speaking

of the work of "Raccoon John Smith"--the same Smith as

quoted above:

 

1West, Op. cit., p. 33.

68

Raccoon John's greatest achievement was his

role in the merger of between twelve thousand

and twenty thousand Disciples with ten thousand

Kentucky "Christians." Barton W. Stone, the

Christian leader, had long advocated such a

union. On January 1, 1832, both Stone and

Raccoon John were in Lexington, Kentucky, when

the groups were merged.1

After the merger, Thomas Campbell's son, Alexander,

gradually became one of the most powerful influences of
the restoration movement. Research of literature has in—
dicated a tendency by writers who were sympathetic to his
views to refrain from emphasizing Campbell's role in the
movement. Possibly this could be accounted for because
of the desire to escape being labeled "Campbellites."
One example of how he is viewed by those outside his group
may be seen in information revealed by Walter Brownlow
Posey, who delivered the Twenty—fifth Series of the Walter
Lynwood Fleming Lectures in South History at Louisiana
State University in April, 1963. The lectures were pub—
1ished in book form and the second chapter entitled,
"Protestants Against a New Sect," is devoted to the move—

ment in which Campbell functioned. Concerning Campbell,

Posey says:

 

1Spence, op. cit., pp. 191—92.

69

Early in the course of his crusade Campbell
became aware of the great value in a continuing
medium by which his reforms could be promul—
gated, his opinions disseminated, and his crit-
icisms of the Baptists broadcast. For this
purpose he established in 1823 at his home in
Bethany, Virginia, a small monthly magazine,
the Christian Baptist . . . . The output of
Campbell's press was so large that the federal
government established a post office at Beth-
any and made him the postmaster, a position
which he held for thirty years.1

About the movement, Posey summarizes:

The West was admirably suited for the rise
and growth of this new church. Campbell was
always aware of the great vantage ground within
which his followers sought to convince and to
convert. The simplicity of his gospel, freed
from the subtleties of Calvinism and preached
by a nativeborn lay group, had powerful appeal
and bore significant results. By 1860 this
denomination had some 200,000 members. To-
gether Stone and Campbell had built a church
that has been aptly described as "an example
of a religious movement true to the genius of
the democratic peoples of America, riding the
wave of westward expansion and becoming a voice
and vehicle of the religious aspirations.”2

The first signs of a division in the rapidly grow-
ing religious body came about the middle of the nineteenth

century. As often happens, the division originated from

 

lwalter Brownlow Posey, Religious Strife on the

Southern Front (Baton Rouge: Louisiana State University
Press, 1965), p. 55.

2
Ibid., pp. 74-75.

70

attempts to unify forces. Mission-minded leaders were
intent on combining the powers of all the congregations
by establishing an American Missionary Society. As re-
ported by one source, they persuaded many churches to
send representatives to a national convention:

At their first national convention, held

in Cincinnati in 1849, the American Christian
Missionary Society was organized as their
first c00perative endeavor in missionary work.
The objection that such a society found no
warrant in Scripture went unheeded; the trend
toward formal organization had begun.1

The churches which cooperated in that venture
soon crystallized into a separate body known generally
as the Christian Church or Disciples of Christ. The
majority of the churches which Opposed the formation of
the national organization began to use the name Church
of Christ.

The more conservative congregations attempted to
hold firmly to the restoration principles. Since they
had no State or National organizations, they were hardly
noticed by historians or religious statisticians after

the development of the Christian Church. In recent

years, however, Churches of Christ have spread rapidly

 

1Olmstead, op. cit., p. 310.

71

and appear to having a noticeable impact on the American

culture.

Status of Churches of Christ

It is almost impossible to present information
giving the true status of an organization that has no
head on earth, no headquarters, no official publishing
house, and no authoritative body above the eldership of
each local congregation.

Although the churches disclaim being a denomina-
tion, they have been recognized as representing a sig—
nificant religious body; and Frank S. Mead has listed the
”Churches of Christ" in his Handbook of Denominations.
The following quotation will show the status of the group
according to Mead's sources:

Twenty thousand independent congregations

with a total membership of about 2,000,000
constitute the Churches of Christ. They are
located in 50 states with greatest concentra-
tions in the South and West, have congregations
in 65 foreign countries, and in the past 20

years have emerged as one of the top 10 non—
Catholic bodies in North America.1

 

1Frank S. Mead, Handbook of Denominations (New
York: Abingdon Press, 1965), p. 87.

72

In 1964, the Detroit News, a metropolitan daily
with a circulation of 750,000, ran a series of articles
on "What Our Religions Are." For the series, information
about the "Churches of Christ" was presented by Joseph F.
Jones, who was serving as minister of the Northwest Church
of Christ in Detroit, and Professor of Bible and Church
History at Michigan Christian Junior College nearby in
Rochester, Michigan. The information was published and
later printed in booklet form.

Jones was careful to explain in his introduction
that "the very nature of Christianity as viewed by
Churches of Christ makes it impossible for one individual
member to speak officially for these churches throughout
the world." He continued to say,

I do not feel it presumptuous, however, to
note that the general beliefs and practices
set forth in this article are shared by the
main stream of Christian leaders within the
brotherhood of Churches of Christ.1

In speaking of the beliefs, Jones cited essentially the

same basic beliefs as those already noted in this study

 

1Joseph F. Jones, The Churches of Christ Salute
You (Dallas, Tex.: Christian Publishing Co., n.d.), p. l.

73

as being propagated by the original leaders of the resto—
ration movement.

Concerning the status of the Churches of Christ,
he writes:

Churches of Christ in the United States
today constitute a brotherhood of 2,300,000
members, in approximately 19,000 congrega—
tions, and are served by perhaps more than
8,000 ministers. Statistics on the churches,
however, listed in the World Almanac and the
Yearbook of American Churches, must be viewed
conservatively, since there is no national
headquarters for gathering and reporting data
on the churches; and it is a known fact that
some congregations do not report such statis—
tical information.

In metrOpolitan Detroit alone there are
more than sixty churches of Christ, with a
membership exceeding 11,000. These churches
maintain a wholesome congregational autonomy,
working harmoniously in fellowship projects
too extensive for one church: but without any
attempted control from any "national head-
quarters." Some sources cite the churches of
Christ as the nation's fastest growing church
numerically.1

It may be noted in the above quotation that the
term "churches of Christ" is not capitalized except for
the word "Christ." This is intentional on the part of
the writer of the article. Jones explains that the terms

"church of Christ" and "churches of Christ" were not

 

lIbid., p. 3.

74

intended by members to be denominational in sense. Gram-
matically, the terms describe the church as being the
possession of Christ. Various other descriptive words or
expressions indicate the nature of the church: "body of
Christ," "family of God," "church of God," and "church of
the firstborn." He explains that individual members of
the church are designated in terms of their relationship
to God, Christ, or one another. "As learners of Christ's
teaching, they are disciples; in view of their cleansing
in conversion, they are designated as saints: and, in re-
lationship to other Christians, they are brothers and
sisters in Christ." Jones summarizes his discussion of
the descriptive use of terms in the following manner:
It is significant that in the New Testament

such terms or words referring to individual

members are not prOper titles denoting some

special office in the church, but rather de—

scriptive of the Christian's nature.1

As may be noted from the preceding statements from

one who is attempting to describe the "Church of Christ"

to those who may be unfamiliar with it, members of the

religious body desire a non-denominational status for the

 

11bid., p. 4.

75

church; and they would like other people to view them as
a group of disciples who follow Christ rather than as some
denominational creed or doctrine. In a booklet entitled

Neither Catholic. Protestant nor Jew, Baxter attempts to
communicate this same idea:

We are attempting to be in truth and in
fact just what peOple were in New Testament
times, Christians, members of the church. If
Paul were here today and someone would ask him
if he were a Protestant, he would not under-
stand the question. Paul never claimed to be
a Protestant. He refers to himself in I Cor—
inthians 4:1 as a "minister of Christ," and
that is a follower of Christ, a Christian.

He sought to persuade Agrippa to be a Chris-
tian, nothing more (Acts 26:28-29). The church
cannot be called Protestant in the ordinary
sense of the word because Protestant churches
did not exist in New Testament times. Neither
then nor now is the church a party within a
party, built around a powerful personality or
built upon one passage of scripture to the
neglect of others. Paul states the reason why
this could not be the case when he condemns
the people of Corinth for their party divi—
sions by saying, "Therefore let no man glory
in men. For all things are yours; whether
Paul, or Apollos, or Cephas, or the world, or
life, or death, or things present, or things
to come: all are yours; and ye are Christ's
and Christ is God's" (I Corinthians 3:21-23).1

 

1Batsell Barrett Baxter, Neither Cathglig, Protes-
tant Nor Jew (Nashville: Hillsboro Church of Christ,
n.d.), p. 10.

76

This ideal for the church as advocated by Baxter,
Jones, and others of the present Restoration movement
calls for abandonment of denominational names, creeds,
and doctrines which are not authorized by the Scriptures.
Their reasoning is that if the widely-separated Jews and
Gentiles could be transformed into one body by the preach-
ing of the Gospel, surely denominational groups today can
also be united by the same method. To these advocates of
New Testament Christianity, the Word of God represents
the "seed" of the Kingdom of Christ as indicated by the
Lord himself when he spoke the parable of the sower.1
When the seed is planted in "good ground" with favorable
circumstances, it will produce'fruit after its kind.
They believe that when the pure New Testament Christianity
is preached, the resulting religious groups will take on
the characteristics and practices of theoriginal parent
church.

0n the other hand, if teaching and preaching of
the Gospel have been or are corrupted by additions of
traditions and philosOphies of men, it may be expected

that the offspring will differ substantially from the

 

v

1Luke 8:5-15.

 

 

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R O.
.._

 

‘.

h‘.

 

 

 

r.
u _.
a...“ ..

‘ I

‘4' 'a.

““ V.y..

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r. .
'1... ..

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',
.- .
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77

pattern set forth in the New Testament for the church
which Christ established. Also, resulting religious
bodies will differ from one another to the extent that
accumulated traditions and creeds differ and are modi—
fied. Those who plead for restoration of the New Test—
ament church recognize that preaching of the Gospel in
the first century did not abolish Jewish or Gentile
sects, but that through the arduous method of teaching
and preaching, great numbers were converted; and these
religious groups were molded into harmonious bodies re—
gardless of location, language, customs, or secular gov-
ernment.

The‘Word of God is viewed by members of the
Churches of Christ as the unifying force. Admittedly,
there are problems of interpretation: problems associated
with maturation: and the manifold problems common to
human failing; yet, insofar as people use the common
source of authority, there is a potential for oneness
as advocated by the apostle Paul in his epistle to the
Ephesians:

Keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond

of peace. There is one body, and one Spirit,
even as also ye were called in one hope of

78

your calling; one Lord, one faith, one bap-
tism, one God and Father of all, who is over
all, and through all, and in all.1

Members of the Churches of Christ believe that
the New Testament represents "the faith" or body of
knowledge revealed by God through Christ and his special
messengers, and that it is complete. To them, this idea
is supported by numerous scriptures such as the following
two:

Beloved, while I was giving all diligence
to write unto you of our common salvation, I
was constrained to write unto you exhorting
you to contend earnestly for the faith which
was once for all delivered unto the saints.2

Therefore we ought to give the more earnest
heed to the things that were heard, lest haply
we drift away from them . . . . how shall we
escape, if we neglect so great a salvation?
Which having at the first been spoken through
the Lord, was confirmed unto us by them that
heard: God also bearing witness with them,
both by signs and wonders, and by manifold
powers, and by gifts of the Holy Spirit, ac-
cording to his own will.3

The reasoning is that since the writers of the

New Testament were eye—witnesses and were given special

 

——

1Ephesians 4:3—4.
2Jude 1:3.

3Hebrews 2:1-4.

79

powers and gifts, their guidance, admonition, and knowl—
edge represent the best possible source for authority and
unity.

Even with this common source of authority, diffi-
culties similar to those of the Corinthian church are
expected. That church had inspired teachers and preachers
who taught the same doctrine; yet because of tendencies to
give men preeminence, some became followers of Peter,
others of Paul, and still others of Apollos. Paul's
epistle rebuked the Corinthians and admonished them to
give Christ all the glory rather than honoring men.1
Members of Churches of Christ believe that the epistles
were written to the various churches for the purpose of
guiding and correcting disorders in those religious
bodies; and also, to serve the same purposes for future
churches.

One of the more significant characteristics of
Churches of Christ is that of critical examination of
doctrines and practices being taught by teachers and
preachers in their own midst as well as those of other

religious groups. Members believe this practice is a

 

11 Corinthians 1:10-13.

80

necessity if they heed the guidance of the epistles. For
example, they note Paul's admonition to the Corinthians:
"Try your own selves, whether ye are in the faith: prove
your own selves."l Also, attention is directed to the
epistle to the Roman church, which admonishes:
Now I beseech you, brethren, mark them that
are causing the divisions and occasions of
stumbling, contrary to the doctrine which ye
learned: and turn away from them. For they
that are such serve not our Lord Christ, but
their own belly: and by their smooth and fair
speech they beguile the hearts of the innocent.2
Because they think peeple can easily be deceived
by conflicting religious doctrines being propagated by
skilled orators, evangelists of Churches of Christ have
often been involved with religious controversy in the
form of oral and written debates and discussions.
Alexander Campbell had numerous debates with out—
standing public speakers of his era. When Robert Owen,
England's champion of skepticism, came to America in 1828
challenging America's clergy to debate concerning the

Christian religion, Campbell accepted the challenge.

The debate was conducted in Cincinnati, Ohio, at the

 

fi ‘— V—w. __ —F . v.7— Wj—w

1II Corinthians 13:5.

2Romans 16:17-18.

81

largest Methodist church house in the city, and is de—
scribed by one source as being wellwattended:
Campbell's moderators were judge Jacob
Burnet, former mayor of the city: Major
Daniel Gene, and Col. Samuel W. Davis. The
debate started on Monday, April 13, 1829, and
with the exception of Sunday, continued over
the twenty-first. The attendance was so
large that many couldn't get in, and had to
return home. On the last day there were
twelve hundred present.l
With the passage of time, it appears that public
debates are not being utilized as often by preachers of
the Churches of Christ as during the Colonial period:

however, current endeavors still show evidence of aggres-

sive activities.

Endeavors of Churches of Christ

It is not possible to examine all facets of en-
deavors by the Churches of Christ as they attempt to
reach and influence the modern world: however, it is
pertinent to observe some recent activities and develop—
ments so as to have a fuller perspective of the religious

culture in which Batsell Barrett Baxter functions.

 

f? Y—

1West, op. git., pp. 74-75.

0v
I...‘

 

 

82

The Time magazine of January 20, 1967 gives the
following report regarding some of the more noticeable
activities during the previous year:

The 2,500,000 members of the Churches of
Christ, who live mostly in the South and
Southwest, have embarked on a new kind of
aggressive evangelism. In order to carry the
Gospel to one corner of the U.S. where they
have few adherents, the churches are sending
entire communities of believers to the urban
Northeast instead of relying on individual
missionaries to do the task.

The first Exodus took place in 1963 when
Dwain Evans, a Church of Christ preacher, led
a trek of 85 families, most of them from
Texas, to West Islip, Long Island. So suc-
cessful was this experiment--the West Islip
congregation now has its own $300,000 church
and has won 100 converts--that other ministers
set up similar communities in Somerville, N.J.
and Stamford, Conn.

This year, the Churches of Christ plan to
organize new congregations in Rochester, N.Y.,
Burlington, Mass., and Toronto, Canada. By
1968, they hOpe to ship a readymade congrega-
tion to Sao Paulo, Brazil.1

An examination of the Britannicapgook of the Year

for 1968 reveals information which suggests rather wide-

spread influences:

Among other evangelistic efforts, Opera—
tion Doorbell, a religious survey approach to

 

1"Religion," Time, Jan. 20, 1967, p. 66.

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an;
I

 

 

 

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83

evangelism, was responsible for setting up

6,500 home Bible Studies across the U.S. The

Faith Corps sent young mission trainees to

assist missionaries in many countries. The

advance guard of Operation 1968, a group of

200 missionary families settled in Bela Hori-

zonte, Braz., for evangelistic purposes.

Perhaps the most notable step of 1967 was the

founding of Campus Evangelism, designed to

train college students to reach their class-

mates . . . . Seminars were held in Cali-

fornia, Florida, and Texas.1

Since Churches of Christ do not have any organie

zational structure above the local congregation, many
observers are amazed at the way churches throughout the
world cooperate in joint ventures. Challenges, needs,
and-opportunities are usually publicized in brotherhood
papers and on nationwide radio and television programs.
If such efforts appear to be scriptural, wise, and func-
tional, the appeals normally receive enthusiastic response
from individuals and churches. Willing churches cooperate
in sending funds, supplies, and skilled individuals to

meet specific needs. A report from Brintannica in 1967,

illustrates the cooperative ventures:

 

1"Churches of Christ," Britanniga Book_9f the
Year, 1968, Ed. W. R. Dell (Chicago: EncyclOpedia Bri-
tannica, Inc., 1968), p. 671.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

84

Across North America "Campaigns for
Christ," in which many churches in a city
c00perate in an evangelistic effort, were
held. Groups of 50 to 100 workers also
conducted such campaigns in New Zealand,
Nigeria, South Africa, and Korea.

Team effort is typical in overseas mis—
sion groups. In Korea the team included a
veterinarian, physician, nurses, civil engi-
neer and printer, as well, as teachers and
preachers. In Nigeria, ten years after the
church was registered with the government,
there were 600 congregations, 275 African
preachers, and 50,000 members.

The program "Herald of Truth" was broad-
cast on 825 radio stations and 152 television
outlets in 49 states of the U.S. and in 12
other countries.1

In other c00perative ventures churches and indi-

viduals in 1966 were Operating sixteen junior colleges,

five senior colleges, and three graduate schools: they

‘were supporting fifty-two children's homes, two mater—

nity homes, and twelve homes for the elderly: and were

gradually expanding work among the blind, deaf, and im—

‘prisoned.2 These efforts have been the source of adverse

criticism by some preachers and churches in the brother-

hood who think of the efforts as being comparable to the

1Britannica Book ofthe_Year,l967, p. 664.

2Britannica Book of the Year, 1968, p. 671.

85

Missionary Societies which caused division earlier in the
movement. In all cases, however, the churches are auton-
omous in government and have the power in their local
bodies to support or refrain from supporting any partic-
ular collective effort of the brotherhood.

Some individual congregations have made great im-
pacts upon their immediate environment. The 20th Century
Christian magazine for April, 1969 published a reprint
from Guideposts magazine which honored the congregation
in Madison, Tennessee, with its 12th annual award for its
"conspicuous initiative and spiritual creativity." Dr.
Norman Vincent Peale made a formal presentation of a
bronze plaque to the Madison Church of Christ on January 7,
1969. The award contains the following information:

The church began with 70 members meeting in

a garage. Today, 34 years later, Madison Church
of Christ in Madison, Tennessee, has some 3,000
members—-white and black--who worship and work
in an enormous complex of meeting rooms, work-
shops and a handsome new auditorium seating
3,000. Attendance at its two Sunday morning
services often tops 6,000: its Sunday school is
the 13th largest in the nation.

The really impressive fact, though, about

.Madison Church of Christ is not its size nor
its fine facilities—-it is the accomplishments

of its congregation. Someone has estimated
tlmt 90 per cent of Madison's members

86

participated in one or more of the church's
special projects. And those projects are
almost uncountable.

Just a few miles from the Madison Church of Christ
there is another congregation that, although not as large,
probably has had an even greater impact upon the world at
large. If so, it possibly can be attributed to the
preaching and speaking of Batsell Barrett Baxter, who has
served as the regular minister for the church since 1951.
The emphasis of this research project will now shift to

this one specific body of religious people known as the

Hillsboro Church of Christ.

The Hillsboro Church of Christ

The initial meeting of the Hillsboro Church of
Christ was held on the first Sunday in October, 1927, in
a residence at 2208 Hillsboro Road. S. F. Morrow preached
the first sermon to a small group of twenty-seven peOple.
On the following three Sundays the group listened to

preaching by V. E. Gregory, J. P. Sanders, and S. P.

 

l"Guideposts Church Award for 1968," 20th Century
Christian, April, 1969, pp. 26-28.

...-

Ov-

 

87

Pittman, each taking the preaching responsibilities in
the order given. These three preachers continued to

supply the preaching for the congregation by appointments
for several years.

The group purchased the land at 2206 Hillsboro
Road during the spring of 1928: built the basement of
the present building during 1929: erected the present
building, including the main auditorium and classrooms
during 1931: and in 1955, constructed the twenty-six
additional classrooms for the educational program.

A brief historical sketch published by the church

cites the following information:

For several years, the Hillsboro congrega-
tion did not have a regular minister. Different
preachers were given monthly appointments.

Among those engaged in this way were J. E. Acuff,
R. C. Bell, F. B. Srygley, E. G. Collins, J. T.
Hinds, Clay Pullias and others. Many outstanding
preachers have held meetings at Hillsboro, among
whom are L. L. Brigance, P. D. Wilmeth, J. P.
Sanders, Horace Busby, G. C. Brewer, Otis Gate-
wood, N. B. Hardeman, James D. Bales, Norvel
Young, James Baird, Willard Collins, L. R.
Wilson, Ira North, Athens Clay Pullias, Howard
Horton, J. D. Thomas, George Bailey, Len Chan-
ning, and others.1

 

1"Historical Sketch," Directory of Hillsboro
Church of Christ (Nashville: Hillsboro Church of Christ,

1966)! p. 1.

88

Other information in the "Historical Sketch" re—
veals that in 1936, J. P. Sanders was called to become
the first regular minister of the church. When Sanders
resigned in 1939 to accept employment with the George
Pepperdine College in Los Angeles, the church secured
the services of B. C. Goodpasture, formerly of Atlanta,
Georgia, who was noted throughout the brotherhood as an
outstanding preacher. He moved to Nashville to assume
the editorship of a well-established and influential
brotherhood paper entitled, The Gospel Advocate. Good-
pasture resigned as minister at Hillsboro in 1951 and
was succeeded by Batsell Barrett Baxter.

Immediately thereafter, Goodpasture was selected
by the church to serve as one of the several elders who
oversee the congregation. Diligent attention is given by
the church to pattern its organization after the New
Testament example. A quotation from one of Baxter's ser-
mons will serve to explain the emphasis on elders for
oversight:

Let us go back and study in some detail the

original plan as given by the inspired writers
of the New Testament. First of all, there was
a plurality of elders in each congregation.

This is shown by the fact that when Paul wrote
his letter to the Philippians he began it with

89

these words, "Paul and Timothy, servants of
Christ Jesus, to all the saints in Christ
Jesus that are in Philippi, with the bishOps
and deacons." (Phil. 1:1) . . . . At this
point we need to pause and demonstrate that
the terms-—elders, presbyters, bishOps, over-
seers, and pastors--are synonyms and are to
be used interchangably. The New Testament
pictures a group of men, all of equal rank,
ruling each congregation.

When the church directory was printed in July,
1966, there were ten elders serving as overseers:
Harmon A. Collins, F. Marlin Connelly, R. K. Evans, B. C.
Goodpasture, James W. McDonough, Prentice A. Meador, H.
Kelly Morton, C. N. Richardson, E. Meredith Shepherd, and
E. W. Smith. These elders were assisted by twenty ap-
pointed deacons, who assumed most of the responsibility
for the functioning of the church program as the elders
directed and supervised various projects.

Concerning the membership the "Directory" pub—

lished in 1966 relates:

The congregation has had a regular and con-
tinued growth. In order to relieve the crowded
conditions at the Sunday morning service, in
September 1951, two identical services were

begun. The congregation is located near col-
leges and universities and many students make

 

1B. B. Baxter, The Structure of the Church (Ser—
mon #383, preached on Jan. 27, 1963).

 

90

this their church home while in the city . . . .

The Sunday morning Bible classes have an attend-

ance of from 800 to 900. These classes are well

graded and are under the direction of efficient

teachers. The congregation has grown in numbers

from the original 27 to a membership at the

present time (July 1966) of approximately 1260.1

The influence of the congregation and its preachers

has potentially reached literally millions of people. For
several years the Sunday morning sermons have been taped
and broadcast Sunday evenings on a local radio station.
Afterward, the tapes of the sermons are filed in the
church library and made available to churches throughout
the area and other parts of the United States at no charge.
Dr. Baxter's secretary, Mrs. G. Paul Crowder, has indi-
cated that small churches, when not being able to secure
preachers for certain periods, will often contact the
Hillsboro congregation for an appropriate number of
Baxter's taped sermons. Records are kept on the tape
containers as to where the sermons have been heard. Also,
mimeographed c0pies of the sermons are made available to
the radio audience and to all interested preachers, stu-

dents, and members of the church who desire to be on the

mailing list.

 

l .
Directory, p. 2.

91

During most of Dr. Baxter's time with the church,
the elders have arranged for him to be available for ex-
tensive radio and television preaching in cooperation with
national brotherhood sponsored "Herald of Truth" programs.
Also, Dr. Baxter has been allowed to serve on the faculty
at David Lipscomb College during most of his association
with the Hillsboro church.

The church activities have extended across the
waters to Europe and other countries. Concerning mission
work, the church directory noted:

Wil and Lee Goodheer were sent to the Neth-
erlands by this congregation in 1959. They
have worked in Haarlem and The Hague.

For the past fourteen years Brother Len
Channing in Aylesbury, England, has been fully
supported by the Hillsboro church. In 1961 a
group of 40 workers went from the States, under
the direction of the Hillsboro elders to help
start a congregation in the Wembley-Harrow sec-
tion of London . . . . Three men in England
receive their support from Hillsboro. Similar
campaigns were held in Aylesbury and Wembley
during the summer of 1963, with ninety workers
from the States going to help the English
brethren strengthen the congregations there.
Batsell Barrett Baxter has been the preacher
in all the meetings during these campaigns.1

 

lDirectory,'p. 2.

92

The church c00perated with Dr. Baxter in making
it possible for him to do extensive traveling and speak—
ing in other parts of the world. He made a trip to EurOpe
and the Holy Land in 1949: was flown to Tokyo at the in-
vitation of members of the churches in the Far East--a
trip that lasted from November 17 to December 12, 1957,
and included visits to Hawaii, Ibaraki (Japan), Seoul
(Korea), and back to Los Angeles: was sent to Lubbock,
Texas for the religious campaign conducted in the new
Lubbock Municipal Auditorium, May 13-20, 1956: and again
to Lubbock during October 4-11, 1964 for another campaign
in the 10,000 seat Municipal building.

Much pertinent information about the Hillsboro
Church of Christ is revealed in an address delivered by
Dr. Baxter on October 2, 1966, the occasion being the
thirty-ninth anniversary of the church. In his introduc—
tion he gave a brief summary of the nature and work of the
church described in the New Testament: then, he spoke of
the Hillsboro church:

This is an auspicious occasion, for this is

the thirty-ninth birthday of the Hillsboro Church
of Christ. It began on the first Sunday in Oc-

tober, 1927, with twenty-seven charter members.
Our new directory lists 1260 members as of this

93

date. These are active working, regular mem-
bers who are currently part of the Hillsboro
church. What are these Christians doing in
carrying out the Lord's work today?

Something of the activities of the church
can be seen in the record of contributions.
In 1943 the average Sunday contribution was
$243.00. By 1951 the per Sunday contribution
had risen to approximately $1000.00. In 1962
the weekly total was $3,071.00. In 1965 the
average weekly contribution was $4,140.95.
This was an increase of $465.00 over 1964 and
was an average of $3.31 per person per week.
Even more significant than the total or the
individual per capita giving, in my estimaé
tion, is the use made of these funds. For
years we have divided our expenditures into
two categories "four ourselves" and "for
others." In 1965, 67.4 per cent was spent
for others, with 32.6 per cent spent on the
home Operation. The figures for the first
six months of 1966 show an increase of $318.00
per Sunday over 1965. Even more encouraging
is the fact that 73 per cent has been spent
for others and only 27 per cent for ourselves
out of the record collections for the first
six months of this year.

Throughout the remainder of the address, Baxter
cited how the work of the Hillsboro church fell into the
same categories as the work done by the early Jerusalem
church: (1) benevolence: (2) edification: and (3) evan-
gelism-~this category received 61 per cent of the 1965

contributions. Examples were given in each of the

1B. B. Baxter, What the Church is Doing (Sermon
NO. 532, preached on Oct. 2, 1966), pp. 1-2.

94

categories so that the church members could understand
how their contributions were being used. A note was added
to the mimeographed copy Of the address explaining:
From time to time the elders call upon the

1260 members of the congregation to give over—

and-above their usual giving for some special

need. On October 2, 1966--the Sunday the

above sermon was preached--the call was for

help in providing the funds to make more color

television films for the Herald of Truth pro-

gram. The baskets were passed as usual. When

the collection was counted it totalled

$33.574.65.1

The available information on the Hillsboro Church

of Christ does indicate an active, giving, and growing
religious body. Apparently, its influence is being ex-
erted in many directions through Christian education,
religious campaigns, missionary activities, benevolent
work, local church programs, and the mass media of na-
tional radio and television. At this stage the researcher
is primarily concerned about determining how Batsell Bar-

rett Baxter has functioned in this particular cultural

environment.

1Ibid., p. 3.

CHAPTER III

BAXTER AND THE HILLSBORO CHURCH OF CHRIST

A sound rhetoric, according to Gordon F. Hostet-
tler, must be concerned "with the humaneness of discourse:
i.e., with its total and long range effect upon society
and not merely with its immediate effect upon a present
audience."1

Since Batsell Barrett Baxter is a contemporary
speaker, it will be somewhat difficult to observe and
evaluate on the basis of Hostettler's "sound rhetoric"
as it pertains to long range effects: nevertheless, it
is possible to observe the basic characteristics of the
subject's rhetoric over the rather long span of eighteen
years--almost two decades.

Earlier, in defining rhetoric, it was noted by
the researcher that rhetoric could deal with either truth
or falsehood, and with either ethical or unethical method.

This is true: however, as pointed out by Hostettler, “in

 

*7

1Hostettler, op. cit., p. 12.

95

..7._.. . g—n—A-w -

96

its best tradition, rhetoric has stressed integrity of
ideas, adequacy of thought processes, and the always
needed ethics for communication."1 Hostettler then noted
that, in this sense, speeches should ultimately be eval—
uated in terms of their relationship to truth, freedom,
and the aspirations of mankind. Baxter's speaking at
Hillsboro will be examined with these concepts of rhetoric
in mind.

The study at this point will concentrate princi-
pally upon a man and his efforts to publicize and promul-
gate his beliefs, ideas, and related knowledge. After
considering what was expected from him by the culture in
which he functioned, the researcher will seek answers to
the following questions: (1) How did Baxter interpret
the needs of the people to whom he spoke? (2) What means
and tools were utilized by Baxter? (3) How successful
were his attempts at creating and discovering ideas,
analyzing and arranging materials, and delivering mes-
sages?

Special interest will be manifested in the content

Of messages and the possible effect Of the content upon

 

f f

11bid.

97

the destinies of listeners. Baxter's major ideas will be
Observed as they are exposed in representative sermons and
written materials. Perhaps this is the best way to under—
stand the speaker. Ernest J. Wrage, a rhetorician of the
modern era, has written an interesting comment in regard
to ideas:
Whether we seek explanations for an overt

act of human behavior in the genesis and moral

compulsion of an idea, or whether we accept

the view that men seek out ideas which promote

their interests and justify their activities,

the illuminating fact is that in either case

the study of ideas provides an index to the

history of man's values and goals, his hopes

and fears, his aspirations and negations, to

what he considers expedient or inapplicable.l

This approach potentially could provide enlighten-

ing information about the culture of this period of time.
Wrage also observed that "it is axiomatic that the extant
records of man's responses to the social and physical

world as expressed in formulations of thought provide one

approach to a study of the history of his culture."

 

1Ernest J. Wrage, "Public Address: A Study in
Social and Intellectual History," Quarterly Journal of
Speech (Dec., 1947), p. 451.

-21bid., p. 451.

 

98

Expectations of the Hillsboro
Church of Christ

On November 10, 1968, Dr. Baxter delivered a mes-

sage to the Hillsboro congregation on the subject of

"preaching." He introduced the sermon with these words:

When a person comes into the Hillsboro
church building his eyes begin to eXplore
the surroundings. He finds, first of all,
that the building is relatively simple.
There are seats, approximately 735 permanent
seats, with carpeted aisles and full length
drapes at the front. There is a baptistry,
implying that at each service there is the
hope that someone will want to become a
Christian. On Sunday mornings the communion
table is spread in anticipation of that time
in the service when the Lord's Supper will be
served. Then, there is the pulpit. The
pulpit is central. It is raised above the
surrounding floor. It is prominent. The
pulpit is for preaching.1

When Baxter came to the Hillsboro church, the
elders and the congregation expected him to "fill the
pulpit." His primary responsibility would be that of
preaching the Word of God and living according to its

principles. Another quotation from the same sermon

fi—

1Baxter, The Place of Pregchinq (Sermon #615,
preached on Nov. 10, 1968), p. 1.

n - ...—‘9 .7- I

99

indicates something about the nature of worship as prac-
ticed by the church:

As one examines each of these New Testa—
ment avenues of worship, it is interesting to
look at them in terms of the makeup of the
human hand. Let each of the fingers repre-
sent one of the avenues: singing, prayer,
the Lord's Supper, and giving. Then, let the
thumb represent preaching. Just as in the
makeup of the hand the thumb is different
from the fingers, so preaching is different
from the other acts of worship. When a con-
gregation sings or prays or gives or eats the
Lord's Supper, it is worship being offered to
God. When the preaching is done it is God
guiding and directing his peOple. Just as
the thumb is in a different plane from the
fingers, so the preaching involves a different
direction in worship. It is from God rather
than to God.

The Hillsboro church expected preaching from their
pulpit to be Bible-centered--with ideas and points either
originating from the Scriptures or significantly related
to Biblical principles and precepts.

Although the church was what many would label as
"fundamentalistic" in regard to doctrine, the membership
was education-minded and cultural-minded. Nashville, with
its replica of the Athenian Parthenon and numerous col—

leges and institutions of higher learning, has been known

 

1Baxter, Sermon #615, p. 1.

100

for years as the "Athens of the South." The city is an
important printing and publishing center, with two daily
newspapers and more than fifty periodicals, most of them
produced by religious or professional groups.1 Most of
the members of Hillsboro live in the vicinity of Vander-
bilt University and David Lipscomb College. There is a
special interest in David Lipscomb College because most
of their children are sent there for their undergraduate
work. In selecting Dr. Baxter for their minister, the
church cooperated with the Administration of the college
in bringing to Nashville a teacher with the doctoral de—
gree in Speech and with a rich background in biblical
studies. The church expected Dr. Baxter to work closely
with David Lipscomb College in its basic goal to "provide
the very best in a Christian liberal arts education under
the direction of Christian teachers in a distinctively
Christian environment."

The church also expected their new preacher in

1951 to carry on the quality of work done by his

 

1Encyclopedia Americana, Vol. 19 (New York: Amer-
icana Corp., 1965), p. 713.

2David Lipscomb College Bulletin (Nashville:
1968). p. 28.

101

predecessor, B. C. Goodpasture. A rather unusual situa—
tion existed in regard to Baxter's predecessor. Good—
pasture, as editor of one of the most widely circulated
religious journals in the brotherhood, finding that he
needed to devote more time to his editorial responsi-
bilities, resigned from full-time preaching responsi- 3
bilities. However, he wanted to remain with the congre- ‘
gation where he had preached twelve years.
In a recent sermon, Dr. Baxter made reference to
Goodpasture's attitude toward the church as expressed bev
fore Baxter agreed to come work with the congregation:
About that time I went down to Brother

Goodpasture's office one day to talk to him

about it. In the.course of the conversation

he said something that I would like to re-

peat to you. He said, "Brother Baxter, the

Hillsboro church is one of the greatest con-

gregations in the entire brotherhood. In

fact, I think there is none greater."l
It happened that the congregation had a good opinion of
Goodpasture, too. Immediately upon his resignation he

'was honored with being appointed to serve with nine other

lnen as bishops to oversee the total program of the church.

 

lBaxter, What Makes a Church Great? (Sermon #603,
preached on Aug. 11, 1968) .

 

 

102

The church leaders at Hillsboro expected Baxter
to be ready for every challenge for proclaiming the Word
of God. With ten elders and twenty well-qualified deacons
to help, the church had outstanding leadership which a1-
1owed their regular minister to be free of administrative
duties that often fall the lot of church ministers where
they are regarded as "pastors."

One example of the eldership's attitude and ex-
pectations in regard to Baxter may be seen in their action
when Baxter was offered the opportunity to become the
principal speaker for the first series of semi-dramatic
programs being produced by Herald of Truth under the spon—
sorship of the Highland Church of Christ in Abilene,
Texas. The work presented the possibility of speaking
to one hundred million viewers each week. Baxter wrote
an article telling how he, his wife, and the eldership

reacted:

The regular duties as minister of the
Hillsboro church, a congregation of 1150
members, loomed large in my thinking. My
responsibilities at David Lipscomb College,
teaching a full load in the Bible Department,
loomed equally large. Where could we find
the time to make twenty—six half-hour tele—
vision films. This would take weeks, possibly
even months. There didn't seem to be much

103

possibility of my helping, but we decided to
talk with the elders about it.

The elders Of the Hillsboro church met for
lunch, to consider this matter. They are busi-
nessmen and made decisions rapidly. Brother
Goodpasture put it in these words, "We at the
Hillsboro church have been endeavoring for
years to preach the gospel to the lost. This
is the greatest opportunity we've ever had."
Someone else said, "We can make arrangements
for the preaching at home. How long will you
need to be away?" Another of the elders sug-
gested that the Hillsboro church furnish the
preacher free of charge, and still another
added, "Let's go all the way, let's pay his
transportation expenses also."1

In many ways the Herald of Truth radio and tele-
vision program is unusual. Sponsors of the program dis-
tribute to all interested people a monthly publication
in which the editor points out the following facts:

(1) More than 2000 congregations and many interested in-
dividuals have COOperated on a completely voluntary basis
for twelve years of successful work. (2) The program
has a world—wide scope with programs currently going out
over more than 450 stations in 48 states and over foreign
countries. (3) The elders of the Highland Church of

Christ have always directed, and had the oversight of,

 

1Baxter, What the Great Opportunity Means (Carbon
copy of article from subject's personal file, n.d.),

pp. 1-2.

104

every phase of the work. (4) Every lesson and sermon to
be delivered on either radio or television is first sub-
mitted to the elders in double-spaced manuscript form.

Since 1960, when Baxter started his work as one
of the principal Speakers on the program, the Hillsboro
congregation has been one of the chief contributors for
the financial needs of the effort. In 1964, when Dr.
Baxter was diagnosed as having malignant cancer which re-
quired an Operation and seven weeks of confinement, the
elders and all concerned tried to COOperate in diminishing
his work load.

When hearing of Baxter's illness, the thousands
that made up his radio and television audience deluged
him with cards and letters letting him know of their in-
terest and prayers on his behalf. He made a remarkable
recovery: and on May 17, 1964, expressed his gratitude
for letters, prayers, and flowers as he delivered a sermon
to the Hillsboro church—-a message which was printed and
mailed to all on the church's mailing list. Concerning

his illness, he said:

 

1W. F. Cawyer, "An Unusual Work," Herald of Truth
(April, 1964). p. 4.

. ..
.1
a.

105

I am deeply grateful for the excellent
doctors and nurses and for advanced medical
knowledge which have restored me to health.
While the word cancer often brings feelings
of fear, I have learned that through the ex-
pert care that modern medical science can
provide these feelings can give way to hope
and even to confidence. We are most encour-
aged so far as future prOgnosis is concerned
in my case. Our encouragement comes from
radical abdominal surgery for the removal of
the malignancy with all surrounding tissues,
and the lack of contamination of any other
organs of the body. My doctors give me rea—
son to believe that my health can be normal
for a number of years to come.

Rather soon after this date, Baxter was again
facing a very taxing speaking schedule and work load.
The prgld of Truth audiences contributed to making him
a well-known personality in almost every corner of Amer-
ica. He made fifty-two half—hour television films during
1960: fifteen additional films in the 1962 series: was
regular speaker on the radio network during the second
and fourth quarters each year from 1961-65: and as the
networks kept adding stations, the program depended more
and more upon the principal speaker of years past. From
1966 until the present, Baxter has spent a great portion

of his time away from his wife, children, brethren, and

 

lBaxter, Our Lord Feeds the Multitudgp (Sermon
#432, preached on May 17, 1964), p. 1.

-.._ ._ _-——._—..A1
..

106

friends in Nashville. The filming of the dramatic-type
pmograms required that he spend more time on location.
Many of those closest to the Baxter family have thought
that too much was being expected of Dr. Baxter and his

loved-ones.

A recent church bulletin from the Hillsboro church
indicates, however, that the pace has not let up. After
explaining the critical need for a new series of film, the
following announcement was made:

Our elders and Brother Baxter have agreed
that it is urgent for him to make 13 new films
for Herald of Truthithis summer, even though
he is already working with the Herald of Truth
radio program, making tapes for use when he
takes over these weekly sermons the first Sun-
day in August. Accordingly, he has been in
Dallas all the past week and hoped to produce
four new films on this trip. He will continue
to make these flying trips to Dallas through
the summer until the new series of 13 is com-
pleted.1

The same publication included an excerpt from a letter
received by the church from one of the Highland church
elders who oversee the Hergld of Truth:

Brother Baxter is ready to face the hot

camera lights this summer. He has accurately
read the critical situation and is sacrificing

 

lSunday Bulletin, Hillsboro Church of Christ
(June 15, 1969).

 

107

to an extent that he personally would never
tell you. The Hillsboro church and David
Lipscomb College are giving up badly needed
hours of his time. And his family will lend
him to us when you know they would rather
have him home . . . . We have no one else
to turn to. We cannot afford to lose what
has been gained by so much past struggle and

prayer.1

This brief resume indicates some of the more de-
manding expectations of the Hillsboro brotherhood concern-
ing Batsell Barrett Baxter. In addition to these, he was
expected to perform wedding ceremonies, officiate at wed-
dings, counsel, visit the sick, and engage in many other
duties Of the ministry. While doing research in Nashville
during the summer of 1968, the writer visited the Sunday
morning services and the Sunday evening services: then,
on Monday morning, attended a funeral service for one of
the elderly members. Dr. Baxter spoke at all three serv-
ices. It was noted that two couples were waiting for him
(after the Sunday evening services--apparently for counsel-
ing appointments. When his secretary was interviewed
regarding Dr. Baxter's work schedule, she replied:

His fault--if it can be classified as a

fault--is that he is too good for his own good--
he can't say no. He will drive himself to the

 

lSunday Bulletin (June 15, 1969).

1‘. .'-_ J I

108

ends of endurance for Others. He has exhausted
himself at times-—he is doing three jobs now.
He has a love for people that is unsurpassed.1

It seems apparent that this attitude and disposi-
tion to serve did put him in a position of being very
susceptible to heavy demands for his time. Yet, this is
essentially the environment and relationship for which
he had deliberately planned and prepared.

In Baxter and the Hillsboro Church of Christ, one
may see the picture of a dedicated preacher working with
a church which will exert every possible effort to create
a favorable climate for proclamation of his message.
While the dominant themes of the message will be con-
sidered later, it seems important first to give more
attention to the rather unusual "climate for communica-

tion" which was afforded Baxter as he started his work

'with the Hillsboro congregation.

w w

1Mary Brown Crowder, taped interview, Aug. 5,
1968.

 

109

Climate for Communication

As Dr. Baxter began his new relationship with the
Hillsboro Church of Christ in Nashville, it must have
seemed to him that he had found an "ideal climate" for
utilizing his abilities in publicizing and promulgating
the ideas, concepts, attitudes, and knowledge which he
had accumulated during his thirty-five year life-span.

Baxter's early goals for life included preparing
himself to the very fullest of his ability so that he
might preach and teach the "truths" of God's word. Early
in life, with his wife's agreement, he decided he could
best serve the Lord and his fellowmen by devoting his
life to preaching for churches which shared his convic-
tion regarding the importance of Christian education for
young people. He wanted to preach for a congregation
near a Christian College where he would have opportunity
to teach in conjunction with his ministerial work.

The Hillsboro church offered him the "perfect"
situation. In accordance with Baxter's views, the people
of the congregation looked upon the Bible as containing

"truth"--the superior wisdom of God. They wanted that

110

"truth" energized, and believed in using the most modern
means and techniques available for preaching and teaching.
They expected Baxter to utilize his vast background in
rhetorical training and Christian education in helping
them meet the needs of the local church and in extending
their influence in every other way possible. At the very
beginning, he had at his disposal the pulpit and class-
rooms of the congregation, plus, a position with David
Lipscomb College. These two avenues Offered unlimited
Opportunities for preaching and teaching.

New avenues of communication soon became apparent
to the congregation and to Dr. Baxter. The former min—
ister, B. C. Goodpasture, who was now serving as an elder
after Baxter assumed full preaching responsibilities,
successfully launched the religious periodical, Gospel
Advocate, into one of the most widely circulated journals
in the brotherhood. As his father had been before him,
Batsell Barrett Baxter became one of the staff writers
for the paper. Another periodical, 20th Century Chris-
plpp, with a rapidly growing circulation, invited Baxter

to become one of its staff writers.

111

Also, the radio and television media soon became
available to Baxter: and a vast new audience thus became
familiar with him. Because the listening audience started
requesting COpies of the messages they heard, the sermons
were printed and sent to all who requested them. Many of
the messages concerned challenging issues and critical
problems: and as the demands for copies increased, the
elders deemed the content as being worthy of being pub-
lished in booklet form. Attractive booklets were printed
on excellent paper stock and distributed free in large
quantities.

When visiting the Hillsboro Church office during
the summer of 1968, this researcher received permission
to take one of each of the booklets currently being made
available. The titles, with the number of copies printed

at that date, are presented in the following list:

1. The Problem of Human Suffering (125,000).

2. Lovg Thy Neighbor (10,000).
3. Come Yp Out From Among Them (135,000).
4. What Is the Church of Christ? (1,535,000).

5. Npither Cgtholic, Protestant Nor Jew (750,000).

 

112

6. The Grpgppst Storyfigver Told (100,000).
7. The Word Became Flesh (10,000).

8. mnoithg Bible Say? (150,000).

9. Understanding The Bible (600,000).
10. A Dangerous Doctrine (75,000).

11. The Old Paths (135,000).

12. The Alcohol Problep (No number stated).

Without counting the last one, this adds up to
3,625,000 copies: One may readily see that Baxter's
ideas, concepts, knowledge, etc. were subject to circu—
lation far beyond the local church and the city of Nash—
ville. The booklets were sent out free to individuals
on request, and were distributed at cost to churches.

When interviewing Mary Brown Crowder, Baxter's
secretary, the writer was astounded at the potential in-
fluence of every Sunday morning sermon being preached by
Baxter. She related that each sermon is taped, and at
8:05 the same Sunday evening, is sent out over the 50,000
watt WLAC radio station in Nashville. Responses have been
received from as far north as Wisconsin and from the south

all the way to the Bahamas. At the time of the interview,

113

1450 copies were being printed: with more than a thousand
copies being mailed, and the remainder being placed in
the vestibule for local members.

Mrs. Crowder told of receiving a letter from a
servicemen overseas who was using the printed sermon in
a rather unique way. He related the problem faced by a
group of military men as they met for worship without a
preacher being available. A solution was found through
having certain men take turns in reading one of Baxter's
sermons each time. He thought the preaching was quite
effective--at least, from the standpoint of content.

Tapes of the sermons were being used in similar
ways. While the writer was in the church Office discuss-
ing the possibility of obtaining a number of the tapes
for research purposes, Mrs. Crowder pointed to a box of
two dozen tapes which had just been returned from Rogers—
ville, Tennessee. She explained that the preacher of the
Church of Christ there had undergone an operation on his
throat which made it impossible for him to continue a
scheduled radio program. The taped sermons by Baxter
were being used until he recovered. It was a rather

common occurrence, she said, for preachers who had been

114

students in Dr. Baxter's Homiletics class, to inform
churches without preachers about the tape service offered
by the Hillsboro Church of Christ. Tapes were being
mailed out on a regular basis.

Baxter had, indeed, found a favorable climate for
rhetoric. His impressive "climate for communication" will
be considered from five aspects: (1) preaching and teach-
ing at Hillsboro: (2) participation in Christian Education
at David Lipscomb College: (3) radio and television work
with the "Herald of Truth" program: (4) evangelistic cam-
paigns: and (5) work with the "Foundation for Human Bet-
terment." This last area evolved as the result of in-
terest by a prominent Nashville physician who was on the
teaching faculty of the Vanderbilt University Medical
School. The physician had a keen interest in helping
people with psychosomatic illnesses. After hearing Baxter
preach on the radio, he was deeply impressed with his
voice and the content which dealt with mental attitudes.
The outcome was a program which afforded Dr. Baxter an
unusual "tool of rhetoric," and an association with sev-
eral prominent doctors who shared a desire to help meet

the needs of suffering humanity.

115
Preaching and Teaching at Hillsboro

When becoming associated with the Hillsboro Church
of Christ in June of 1951, Baxter let the people of the
church know how he felt about his responsibility as a
preacher of the Gospel. Among his first sermons was one
entitled, "My Responsibility."1 In the introduction,
Baxter states:

God's instructions to his preachers are
very clear and very challenging. Paul wrote
to Timothy: "I charge thee in the sight Of
God, and of Jesus Christ, who shall judge the
living and the dead, and by his appearing and
his kingdom: preach the word: be urgent in
peason, out of season:_rpprove, rebuke, ex—
hort, with long suffering and teaching. For
the time will come when they will not endure
the sound doctrine: (helpful teaching) but,
having itching ears, will heap to themselves
teachers after their own lusts: and will turn
away their ears from the truth, and turn
aside unto fables. But be thou sober in all
things, suffer hardship, do the work of an
evangelést, fulfill thy ministry." (II Tim.
4:1-5).-

 

1This sermon was preached before the church made
arrangements to tape the sermons: however, Baxter preached
the sermon again during March of 1969, thus, affording
some idea of what was said in the initial sermon.

2Baxter,My Responsibility (Sermon #634, preached
on March 30, 1969), p. 1.

116

In the revised printed copy of the sermon text,
Baxter underlined the phrase, "preach the work: be urgent
in season, out of season: reprove, rebuke, exhort, with
long suffering and teaching." One may well imagine that
he likewise made it stand out in preaching by giving it
special vocal emphasis.

It is a general practice of Churches of Christ
to have two sermons from the pulpit every Sunday—-one in
the morning and one in the evening. Soon after Baxter
arrived, the Hillsboro Church of Christ started having
three sermons from the pulpit every Sunday. The 735
seats of the auditorium would not adequately seat the
Sunday morning assembly of Christians. The historical
sketch of the congreation reveals that "in order to re—
lieve the crowded conditions at the Sunday morning serv-
ice, in September 1951, two identical services were be-
gun."1

At the rate of three sermons per Sunday over a
period of over eighteen years, Baxter certainly had
opportunity to "reprove, rebuke, exhort, with long suf-

fering and teaching." In an introduction to a sermon

 

l"Historical Sketch," p. 2.

117

preached on January 14, 1968, he made the following reve-
lation:
According to records which I have kept

through the years, this is the 1205th time

that I have prepared a message and stood in

this pulpit to deliver it to this congrega-

tion. Many messages on many themes have

been presented. We have ranged from one end

of the Bible to the other and have dealt with

almost every conceivable subject found in the

scriptures. Some of these messages have been

primarily for those who would hear them in

this building. Some have been primarily for

those who listen by means of radio as the

service is rebroadcast each Sunday evening.1

In that same sermon, Baxter observed that the

church was aware of, and grateful for, the radio audience
scattered over an area of some twenty states. He men-
tioned having received letters from "an area bounded by
Michigan on the north, Texas on the west, Virginia and
the Carolinas on the east, and Puerto Rico on the south."
In thinking of his audience and their needs, Baxter had
the added problem of knowing that the message would have
a completely different type of audience in the evening

on the radio program. The listeners of the Hillsboro

congregation were aware of the opportunities afforded by

 

lBaxter, Man'ppResponse to His Lord (Sermon #580,
preached on Jan. 14, 1968), p. l.

118

the radio audiences, and apparently, were understanding
when Baxter preached sermons designed especially for non-
members of the church.

With the great number of sermons being preached
each year, one would naturally wonder about how Baxter
managed to prepare the messages. When questioned about
this, he wrote a reply:

Each year I have also held an average of

four gOSpel meetings away from the home congre-
gation. During most of these years it has been
my practice to prepare one new sermon each Sun-
day, relying on previously prepared sermons for
the other service each week. Of course, these
Older sermons were revised as they were
preached in new congregations and under new
circumstances.

There is evidence that Baxter was keenly aware of
his audiences in the physical plant at Hillsboro. For
example, on September 18, 1960, which happened to be the
first Sunday that many college students were in attend-
ance as they began the new school year at David Lipscomb
College and neighboring schools, Baxter preached on the

"Responsibility of Listening." He pointed out how it has

been only recently that our educational systems have

 

1Baxter, "General Information," p. 6.

119

begun prOperly to emphasize listening--the skill of hear-
ing. His develOpment and application made it clear that
audiences have responsibilities as well as speakers.

Those who will not hear the gospel of Christ
have no chance of eternal salvation. Those
who do listen with an open mind and with an
understanding heart have the beginning of
salvation.

Baxter's awareness of the audience on that occa-
sion is clearly indicated in his closing remarks:

The lesson of this hour has an applica-
tion to students, who are starting another
school year. Listen carefully to all that
your teachers say and accept that which is
good. It has a special application to col-
lege students, who are entering for the
first time upon this great era of their
lives. Listen carefully and discriminately
to all the things that are said: choose that
which is worthy.

In addition to Speaking at three services on
Sunday, Baxter has the responsibility for the "College
Class" On Wednesday evening. It is the practice of the
Hillsboro church to have classes for all age groups on

Sunday morning and Wednesday evening. Baxter is usually

 

1Baxter, Responsibility of Listening (Sermon
#298, preached on Sept. 18, 1960), p. l.

21bid., p. 4.

 

out

ve-

...

..-
-.

 

120

free from the Sunday morning class schedule: however, his
class on Wednesday evening is always large and requires
extensive preparation because the college students are
capable of confronting him with some of the more difficult
problems and issues Of life. This is the type of commun-
ication situation for which he prepared, though, and he
considers these challenging classes as one of the delights
of his life. Enjoying the work with young men and women,
he devotes much time in being attentive to their needs
and problems: and the young peOple feel he is on their
side. Still, this same feeling is shared by other age
groups too: and according to Mrs. Crowder, his secretary,
the elderly especially love Dr. Baxter because of his
attentive visits and understanding care for them.

Baxter's classes not only challenge the teacher,
but being on controversial topics and issues, motivate
students to think and conduct research. Due to the pop-
ularity Of the classes, arrangements are occasionally
made so that people other than college students can
attend. For example, a church bulletin gives the follow-

ing notice to members:

w .

 

 

121

Brother Baxter is slated to teach his

Lipscomb course in Christian Evidences in the

college's evening program in the winter quar-

ter. The class will meet from 6:30 to 7:20

p.m., Tuesdays and Thursdays, beginning Jan. 7,

1969, in the new Lecture Auditorium. This

course may be taken by adults who do not qual-

ify for college credit, as well as by college

students with full credit.1

The special challenge provided by these classes

and other similar communication opportunities may account
for Baxter's decision to change from the field of Speech
to concentrate primarily in religious work. When he was
questioned concerning the change, he stated that while
in the area of Speech, he occasionally found himself so
involved in the details of debate programs, teaching
fundamentals, etc. that he could not devote time to doing
what he loved most--helping people adjust to life. In
his own words, he states, "I just didn't find the chal-
lenge there that I find in the area Of religion. It was
not quite what I wanted to sink my life into."2

Baxter's concern for the individual and his belief

in the potential of human beings are manifested in ways

 

1Sunday Bulletin, Hillsboro Church of Christ
(Nov. 24. 1968).

2B. B. Baxter, taped interview, Aug. 5, 1968.

122

other than in sermons from the pulpit and messages from
the classroom. Dan Harless, one of the associates with
Baxter in producing the script for radio and television
programs, attributes warmth, compassion, and genuine in-
terest in people as being part of Baxter's personality,
and that persons in trouble often seek him out for coun-
selling. Regarding this area, Harless says:
In addition to his work in the pulpit BBB

is adept in the art of counselling. There

are many calls upon him in this area by people

in all walks of life. There is a preponder-

ance of requests for assistance because of

marital difficulties. Recently, he preached

a strong sermon on the subject of marriage in

which he pointed out the Bible stated reasons

for divorce as well as the safe course to

pursue (among those whose lives have become

dreadfully tangled) in avOiding adultery or

continuing in adulterous unions.

Other than counselling, there is evidence that

Baxter becomes much involved with peOple in ways which
never become known to many members of the church. This
writer was told by his secretary that he does much of

his work "behind the scenes." Acting on her hint, this

researcher received permission to insert a notice in the

 

1Dan Harless (personal letter to researcher,
July 7, 1969).

123

Sunday Bulletin, which is mailed to former members as well
as being distributed to current members, requesting that
people correspond directly with the writer concerning spe-
cific ways in which Baxter had influenced their lives. A
number of letters have been received, most of them prais-
ing Baxter so extravagantly that no significant meaning
may be gained. One of the letters, however, contains in—
formation which suggests a rather unusual change in life
as the result of Baxter's influence.
A man, sixty years of age, relates how he was con—
verted as the result of Baxter's preaching. Becoming a
Christian created a special problem because he was in the
juke box, slot machine, and beer business. He soon recog-
nized that his business endeavors conflicted with the “way
Of life" as taught by Baxter. In the letter, he expresses
how Baxter helped him overcome the problem:
Brother Baxter came to my house at nights

for several weeks and counseled me as to other

means of making a living. Having decided to

go into the tree business (about which I knew

little), I went to Auburn University in Alabama

and to Clemson University in South Carolina and

studied what they call a "short course" about

trees. After returning to Nashville, I was

visited at nights by Brother Baxter who ques—
tioned me at length about my knowledge of trees.

124

One night he came with several thousand
three-paged typed cOpies of letters ad-
dressed to property owners in Nashville
showing them what they could do to save
their trees and shrubbery. Brother Baxter
also had typed envelopes to these people.
. . . That was the beginning of my tree
business and it has continued to grow and
prosper through the years.

The letter was typed on impressive stationery
with the letterhead, Qpeen's Egpert Tree Surgery. wayne
R. Queen stated in his letter that he had done over
$360,000 business in 1968. and expected to surpass that
in 1969. He told of having six children, three Of whom
had graduated from David Lipscomb College, and three
were students at the college. Queen also related how
he and two of his children had gone to England with
Baxter on a religious campaign.

Another letter, made available from Baxter's
files, was addressed to him from a young man who was
moving from the Hillsboro community. He related how
Baxter had helped him during a very crucial period:

YOu probably won't remember this, but I

could never forget: in the spring of 1952,
while a freshman in high school, I was

 

1Wayne R. Queen, letter, dated July 29, 1969.

125

arrested for stealing articles from vehicles.
As this was my first offense, Judge Tatum
paroled me to my parents. My parents, being
members at Hillsboro, asked you to come by
the house and talk to me. While I don't re-
member all Of the conversation, I do remember
telling you that I couldn't explain my actions
and also I remember you praying for me in the
living room of my house. This had a deep im-
pression on me because to my knowledge, no

one had prayed directly for me before. While
I haven't been perfect since then, I certainly
consider this prayer one of the turning points
of my life.

The correspondence also indicated that Baxter had
baptized the young man and his wife some years later, and
that they had been helped by his sermons. In writing
about Baxter's sermons, he said:

You amaze me on how you keep informed on
current events and how you apply this to your
preaching. I hope I haven't missed the point
all these years, but to me, the thought you
have stressed the most and which I think is
the basic idea of Christianity is Christ's
answer to the Pharisees in what is the great
commandment in the law: 1) Love the Lord thy
God with all thy heart, soul and mind and 2)
Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself.2

It cannot be determined how many of Baxter's

counseling cases turned out as successfullytasithese two

 

f 7——.

1J. R., private letter to Baxter, dated July 20,
1969, p. l.

Zij-dol pp. 2'3.

 

 

~10.
o- .
\
code
on—
....
. .
u
.7 u

 

126

which have been cited, but testimony from a number of
sources seems to verify the statement by Harless that
"there are many calls upon him in this area by people

in all walks of life." His method was to show a sincere,
warm interest in the person and his problems, doing what—
ever he could to help personally, while at the same time,
inspiring and guiding the troubled soul to adjust his
life to God's way.

This action on Baxter's part was in accord with
what he taught aspiring preachers in his Homiletics
classes. He stressed the importance of mingling with
people to learn of their problems and needs: thus, one
would be able to "take aim" with sermons. To him, ser-
mons are not the most important aspect of preaching:
rather, it is the people to whom the sermons are directed.
In this regard, in one class lesson, he quoted Charles E.
Jefferson: "A doctor's business is not to know bOOks,
but to cure people. Your supreme business is not to

bUild sermons, but to build characters."1

 

if

1Baxter used this quotation from Jefferson to
stress the importance of taking aim with sermons. As will
be noted later in the study, he does consider building of
the sermon as vitally important, but it is a means to an
end-—that of building character and lifting people to a
higher level of life.

127

Ministering to the needs of the Hillsboro Church
Of Christ is considered by Baxter as his primary work,
and the congregation definitely receives his first loy-
alties: however, both Baxter and the church are much con-
cerned with reaching out into other areas with the Gospel.
The most obvious avenue for an "outreach," in Baxter's
judgment, is Christian education. David Lipscomb College,
which is located about one mile from the church building,

Offers a unique challenge for Baxter and the church.

Christian Education

David Lipscomb College is situated on a beautiful
shaded campus of sixty-five acres about four miles from
the Nashville courthouse. The residential area around
the campus is considered one of the most desirable in the
city.

"DLC," as it is commonly called, was formerly "The
Nashville Bible School" until April, 1918, when the name
was changed to honor one of the founders who had deeded
his farm to the institution in 1903. The college was an

outgrowth of the efforts of David Lipscomb and J. A.

128

Harding to provide a school to "educate young people for
the greatest usefulness in life." It had its beginning
on October 5, 1891, with only nine young men in attend-
ance on the Opening date. After ten years of gradual
growth, on February 2, 1901, the school was incorporated
as an educational institution and chartered with the au-
thority to confer degrees and issue diplomas.1

The school's purpose was set forth originally in
the following clause:

The supreme purpose of the school shall be
to teach the Bible as the revealed will of God
to man and as the only and sufficient rule of
faith and practice, and to train those who
attend in a pure Bible Christianity, excluding
from the faith all Opinions and philosophies
of men, and from the work and worship of the
church of God all human inventions and devices.
Such other branches of learning may be added as
will aid in the understanding and teaching of
the Scriptures and as will promote usefulness
and good citizenship among men.

Currently, ten objectives are listed by the col-
lege Bulletin as being primary purposes of the school:
1. To provide the very best in a Christian liberal

arts education under the direction of Christian
teachers in a distinctively Christian environment.

 

fl

1David Lipscomb College Bulletin, 1968—69, p. 30.

2D.L.C. Bulletin, p. 31.

129

2. To equip the student to communicate clearly,
logically, and effectively through reading,
writing, speaking, and listening.

3. To give the student a basic economic understand-
ing and ability to choose a vocation that will
make the best use of his talents in earning a
living and in serving God and his fellow man.

4. To encourage the development of an appreciation
for the good and beautiful.

5. To train future leaders in the church.

6. To train future leaders in all honorable profes-
sions and vocations.

7. To develop socially responsible citizens.

8. To prepare young men and women for their future
roles as builders of the home, as husbands and
wives, and as fathers and mothers.

9. To stimulate intellectual curiosity.

10. To hold up Christ as the example to follow in
every field of activity, in elementary school,
junior high, high school, and in college, as
well as in later life.

One may readily note that these objectives corre—
spond very closely with the special interests of Baxter
and the Hillsboro Church of Christ. Baxter and the elder-
ship of this church are especially interested in the

Speech and Bible Departments because of their vital roles

in training church leaders and preachers.

130

Although primarily a Bible college, David Lipscomb
College has attained high academic standards, and is ac-
credited by the Southern Association of Colleges and
Schools. The campus also presently provides facilities
for an elementary, junior high, and high school.

Baxter's family residence is located just one
block from the college campus. His college office is
located on the main floor of the air-conditioned Admin—
istration building. As a full Professor and Head of the
Bible Department, he enjoys one of the more spacious and
comfortable office arrangements.

The Bible Department receives top priority from
the administration, as is evidenced by statements in the

Bulletin:

The Bible is the heart of the curriculum
at Lipscomb. It is taught as the inspired
word of God. Every secular subject in inter-
preted in the light of revealed truth. Spec—
ulation is shunned. Each student is required
to have a lesson in the Bible every day, the
sequence being planned to cover the entire
Bible in four years. Every student at Lips-
comb majors in the Bible, for in the course
of four years he spends more hours in the
study of the Bible than in his secular major
field.1

i

lD.L.C. Bulletin, p. 79.

 

 

 

 

"“

131

The Bulletin carefully points out that constant
efforts are made to insure that the Bible itself is
studied rather than materials about the Bible.

The following courses are required of every stu-

dent before graduation:

1. "Early Hebrew History"

2. "Life of Christ"

3. "Beginning and Growth of the Church"
4. "Christian Evidences"

5. "The Apostolic Church"

6. "Introduction to the Old Testament"
7. "Introduction to the New Testament”

8. "Systematic Christian Doctrine."

Because of the college's emphasis upon the Bible
and Christian living, it receives liberal support from
Christians who share the same convictions and goals. Al-
though the college is not owned and controlled by any
particular church or group of churches, the Board of
Directors and all faculty members are members of the

Church of Christ.

 

1D.L.C. Bulletin, pp. 79—80.

132

While the college is not considered as a seminary
or "preacher's school," it is true that most ministers Of
the Churches of Christ do attend one of the "Christian
Colleges" in preparation for preaching. Most elderships
in the brotherhood who make decisions concerning the em-
ployment of ministers share the thoughts which Baxter
expresses:

Quite often a young man who plans to
preach thinks in terms of needing only a
knowledge of the Bible. Without question he
needs a knowledge of the Bible, perhaps far
more extensive than he yet dreams, but he
also needs a knowledge of a number of other
fields. He needs to know English grammar.
He needs to have speech instruction, he
needs to be familiar with the history of the
past, he needs to study some psychology, he
needs to know the great literature of the
world, and there are still other fields that
can contribute to his ultimate effectiveness
as a preacher. In order to achieve this
breadth of training, this balance, a college
education is highly desirable.1

In discussing contributions being made to the
church by Christian colleges, Baxter points out that while
it is true that the church can function well without
Christian colleges, or any other institution, it is sig—

nificant that institutions often afford training and

 

1 . . . .
Baxter, The Christian College and the Training of
Preachers (Article in Baxter's file, n.d.). p. 3.

133

education to Christian individuals who consequently per-
form more effectively, thus, enabling churches to reap
the benefits.

In particular, Baxter calls attention to the year
1891, the date of David Lipscomb College's beginning. At
that date, the church situation in Nashville, Tennessee,
and Cincinnati, Ohio, was just about the same—-each city
had only a few "loyal Churches of Christ." Then, he

reasons :

Today, seventy years later, there are
still only a few loyal congregations in the
Cincinnati area, but in the Nashville area,
there are 115 congregations in the county of
which Nashville is the center, and a total
of some 800 loyal churches of Christ within
a radius of 150 miles of Nashville. What
has been the difference? The answer is at
least in part the fact that in Middle
Tennessee the church has found many conse-
crated young men and women who have received
at least some of their training in Christian
homes and in David Lipscomb College, which
the church then uses in the great work of
spreading the gospel.1

The environment around each of the Christian in-
stitutions has been influenced much in the same way.

Baxter, himself, is a product of an environmental

 

lBaxter, The Christian College, pp. 1—2.

134

atmosphere centered in a Christian home, an aggressive
church program, and a Christian education. The combined
influences, with each emphasizing prOpagation of the
Word of God, are very effective in influencing lives of
impressionable young people.

Baxter's attitude regarding the influence of
Christian schools may be seen in remarks made in a speech
to the alumni of Abilene Christian College in 1961. The
speech was Baxter's response after having been chosen
"Alumnus of the Year." He calls attention to the influ-
ence Of men and women who have taught at Abilene Chris-
tian College, and adds:

The word influence itself is an inspiring
word. It comes from a Latin participle and
means literally "to flow into," or "in flow-
ing." Influence simply means that one life
flows into another life.

The influence of this school began to flow
into my life even before I enrolled in the
first grade over on the old campus back in
1924. It was then that Miss Essie Rambo
taught me to read and thereby enriched my
life forever. The list of names that fol-
lowed hers is too long to be mentioned, even
in part, but it extends through the years
until finally graduation came in 1937. The
great principles of Christian living were
taught line upon line, precept upon precept,
life upon life. Walter Adams taught me to
think of teaching: Don Morris taught me to

135

speak: Paul Witt taught me physics: R. C. Bell
taught me Bible. These and many others gave
of themselves as they taught their own partic-
ular fields and also the way of the Lord. For
their shadows of influence I, and all of us,
‘will continue to be debtors throughout eter—

nity.1

The examples of Christian teachers who sacrificed
time and money to teach young people had influenced Baxter
early in life. His father had been such a person: and
from.his youth, he had lived on or near the campus of a
Christian college. It is not too surprising, then, to
find him choosing the classroom as one of the important
avenues fOr utilizing his skills as a rhetorician and
teacher.

Baxter's changeover from the Speech Department to
the Bible Department at David Lipscomb College allows him
ins concentrate more on his favorite source of ideas——the
Bible. In this area he is able to utilize the principles
and skills of rhetoric while, at the same time, having
what he considers the. ultimate source of truth. One of

his favorite courses to teach is the one entitled "Chris-

tian Evidences."

1B. B. Baxter, Response to Alumnps of the Yea;
Award (Baxter's file).

136

The course on "evidences," he feels, offers a
greater challenge because, as a required course, it is
always large: also, the classes Often include students
who are not members of the Church of Christ. He has con—
siderable feedback in class, and often receives notes or
letters which give important insights concerning issues
and problems that exist among young people. The following
note will serve as one example of the feedback:

Thank you for being open-minded and kind
toward other viewpoints, especially toward the
theistic evolutionist . . . . And thank you,
too, for your very fair treatment of Joseph
(Fletcher and situation ethics. I felt you
presented your case better than anyone I have
ever heard--and I agree with your viewpoint.
I was extremely glad you were not another one
of those who condemn situation ethics without
knowing what they're talking about. When
someone treats a position which I have won—
dered about unfairly, it make me leap to the
defense of that position and makes me believe
it even though deep in my heart I have no con—
crete reasons for believing it. I know that
such a reaction is unjustified but I want to
go on record for my generation as saying that
it is there and those who expect to influence
us should take it into account, as I believe
you did. They must treat other views fairly
or youth will not listen to them.1

 

1Student's note to Dr. Baxter, June 2, 1968
(Baxter's file).

137

Many of the young people do listen to Baxter. One
of his colleagues1 who teaches in the English Department
was interviewed concerning the reason why Baxter's classes
are always overflowing even though the subject matter does
not appeal to many of the students. She attributes it to
four things: (1) a rare combination of confidence and
modesty: (2) unusual skill in presenting subject matter:
(3) a quiet, unobtrusive thoroughness in delivery which
commands the utmost respect and admiration: and (4) abil-
ity to remain unoffensive in a subject with built—in pre-
judices.

Baxter's greatest potential for influence is a
course in Homiletics, which is designed especially to help
prepare young men to preach. The course is part of the
Speech Department's Offering, and is identified as Speech
346: "Preparation and Delivery of Sermons, " and Speech
347: "Practical Aspects of Preaching."

Because of the fact that every student receives a
large number of hours in Bible regardless of his major,

Baxter often advises preaching students to major in Speech

lenthia Corlew Dilgard (personal interview,
Aug 0 7 I 1968) e

138

and minor in Bible. This advice may more readily be
understood by noticing the purposes Of the Speech pro-
gram:

The speech major's program has been de-
signed to serve student needs in four areas:
(a) to assist in the training of young men
to preach the gospel, (b) to give a broad
basis of instruction for those who are plan—
ning to go on in graduate work in speech,
(c) to provide the instruction necessary to
enable a person to become a teacher of speech
on the secondary level, and (d) to provide a
liberal arts education for those who desire
to enter some specialized field of study or
activity other than speech.

Of the 46 hours required for a Speech major, the
student may take 8 hours in Homiletics, 4 hours in "Oral
Interpretation of the Bible," and 8 more hours in "Res-
‘boration Preaching." Thus, by being selective, one may
study'20 hours of Bible-related subjects on the Speech

program.

For his course in Homiletics, Baxter uses his own

book, The Heart of the Yale Lectures, as one of the major

‘texts. In addition, he hands out mimeographed lesson

outlines prefaced by an assignment sheet with the follow-

ing instructions:

 

1D.L.C. Bulletin, p. 171.

139

1. Each student will be expected to read extensively
from the following texts: Baxter, Batsell Bar-
rett, The Heart of the Yale Lectures, Macmillan
Co., N.Y., 1947: Meyer, Jack, The Preacher and
His Work, C.E.I., Athens, Alabama, 1960: and
Broadus, John A., revised by Weatherspoon, 9p

the Preparatipp_and Delivery o§_Sermons, 1944.

 

2. During the term each student will be expected to
read one book from accompanying list and hand in
an evaluation, not to exceed 300 words. (list of
28 books included).

3. Each student will be expected to read two books
of sermons during the term and hand in an evalu-
ation of each--according to suggested format.

4. Each student will be expected to choose three
printed sermons and make a careful analysis of
each. In addition, each student will be expected
to hear three sermons preached.

In regard to performances by students, Baxter re-
1ates the following general information:

Each student will be expected to deliver sev-
eral carefully prepared sermons during the term.
Each sermon should be planned so as not to exceed
ten minutes. In its preparation, a "full content"
outline should be made. Prior to delivery this
complete outline should be boiled down into a
"keyword" outline. Both of these outlines should
be handed to the instructor on the day of the
delivery Of the sermon. The student should go
over his sermon several times aloud before pre-
senting it to the class. He should take nothing
with him to the platform except his Bible or New
Testament. Outlines should be memorized.1

—r

1Baxter, "Assignment Sheet," Preparation and 09:
livery Of Sermons (Course Outline). p. 3.

140

Baxter, through the years, has made a regular
practice of taking the Homiletics class to the Hillsboro
church building for one of the sermon presentations.
Students are thus able to get the "feel" of speaking in
a large auditorium. While one speaks, others of the
class are dispersed in the auditorium to serve as crit-
ical listeners.

Baxter is often called on to recommend promising
students for preaching appointments at various churches

in the area. Opportunities have never been lacking for
t1"Kbse students who have applied themselves and who have
i“(dicated adequate seriousness of purpose. As is true
in most religious bodies, the Churches of Christ also
have a preacher shortage: thus, the young men who suc—
Ceszully complete Baxter's course in Homiletics are
uBually in demand by congregations in the area who look
to the college for aid in supplying their pulpits with
WeIll-trained ministers. The greatest complaint of
churches is that not enough young men are being trained.
T1'lis fact is a constant source of concern for Baxter as
is evidenced by journal articles directed toward elder-
ships encouraging churches to start instilling the desire

to preach in their young men at an early age.

141

Baxter feels that churches have the primary re—

sponsibility for supplying men to fill the pulpits. In

one article, he relates how an elder of a large, well-
established congregation asked for help in obtaining a
900d minister. In the course of the conversation, the
elder was asked how many preachers had been developed
frontwithin the church's membership during the congrega-
tion's history. The church leader was rather embarrassed

when he had to admit that he could not name a single one.

Baxter then observes :

The great shortage of preachers today is
largely a result of a failure on the part of
congregations to carry out a program of find-
ing and training young men to carry the gos-
pel. Elders, preachers, and Bible class
teachers have a heavy responsibility to do
something about this in the generation to
come, lest the Cause of Christ suffer irre-

parably.

In the article Baxter suggests a positive course
of action. He mentions how he had, for a number of years,
been aware of the pressing need for a textbook on reli-
gious speaking to use in Men's Training Classes among the

churches. To meet this need he wrote the book, Speaking

\—

1B. B. Baxter, Men's Training Classes (from
Baxter's file). P- 3-

142

for the Master, which was published by the Macmillan Com-
pany in 1954. In it, Baxter points out advantages which
churches might expect when they establish training classes:

One of the primary values of men's training
classes is that in every group of ten to fifteen
men who go through a course of study of this
kind, there is likely to be one, or two, or even
three who will eventually become gospel preachers.
As the men learn to make their announcements,
read the Bible and pray in public, and as they
are instructed in the making of simple religious
talks, there begins to grow a confidence that
they could preach the gospel. As further speech
instruction is given concerning both delivery
and the organization of material, there develops
the ability to speak persuasively. Finally,
under the skillful guidance of a mature, dedi-
cated Christian teacher, the young man can be
led to make the great decision to be a gospel
preacher.l

Printed matter of this type obviously has been de-
Signed to help churches and also, to help Christian col—
316%;es in obtaining more young men for their programs. In
the process, too, a greater demand has been created for
Baxter's text, gpgaking fgr; the Magpgp. Significantly,
tflhese communications indicate Baxter's alertness to media
for promulgating ideas and aims. He makes expert use of

the related resources available through the Hillsboro

\

1B. B. Baxter, Men'ngraining Classes, p. 2.

143

Church of Christ, David Lipscomb College, and the reli-
gious journals which are happy to publish all of the
materials which he submits. His opportunities to use

the radio and television media come primarily as a result
of his reputation in Christian education and from his
abilities in the public proclamation of the gospel.

The larger and more influential congregations of
the brotherhood are largely supplied by preachers from
Christian colleges--many are being trained by Baxter. He
has become so well-known that, in addition to being se-
lected for the first issue of Great Preachers of Today,
PUblished in 1960, Baxter was selected to be the featured
Speaker during the same year for the Herald of Truth tele—
Vision program. The preface of the book of sermons con-
tains the following statement by the editor, J. D. Thomas:

Among Brother Baxter's numerous honors, his

choice to be the featured speaker for the HERALD
OF TRUTH Television Series for 1960 is one of
his greatest. This choice is a clear recogni-
tion of his masterly ability in sermon building
and pulpit skill, and is no small indication of
the quality of the work to be expected in this

volume of sermons.

\

1J. D. Thomas, "Preface," Great Preachers oproday
(Abilene, Tex.: Biblical Research press, 1960).

144

Baxter's reaction to this challenge of television
preaching, along with that of the Hillsboro Church of
Christ, has been referred to earlier in this chapter.
Although it is not part of the research plan to make a
detailed study of his speaking on the Herald of Truth
Radio and Television programs, it does appear pertinent
to examine that area from the standpoint of its being an

important avenue for communication of ideas.

Radio and Television

Harold A. Bosley, in an article entitled "The
R01e of Preaching in American History,"1 discusses con—
temporary preaching and points out that the modern
Preacher must now be able to use "radio, television,
Share in panel discussion, participate in talk-back ses-
SiOns, as well as preach the formal sermon at the service
of worship."

Bosley's Observation is especially applicable to
Bafitters situation with Hillsboro. During his first year

With the church, he received an invitation from the
\

1 . . . . .
Preachingpin American History, op. c1t., p. 34.

145

president of Radio Station WLAC in Nashville to speak on
the "CBS Church of the Air" program. Baxter states that,
to his knowledge, this was the first time any preacher
from the Churches of Christ had been asked to speak on a
nationwide network. The experience proved to be challeng-
ing and self-satisfying to Baxter, and made him more aware
of the great potential in radio preaching. Soon after
this experience, a contract was negotiated with the same
radio station whereby his Sunday morning sermons were re—
corded on tape and used for a radio broadcast at 8:05 each
Sunday evening. He learned to preach with a stop-watch on
the pulpit to aid in adjusting his sermons to a precise
25-minute period.

Much more flexibility and adjustment were demanded
0f Baxter after 1960, when he became the featured speaker
on the Heralgpof Truth television program. This addi-
tional avenue of communication, combined with all his
Other activities did serve to test Baxter's ability to
measure up to what .Bosley regarded as essential for suc-
cessful contemporary preaching.

The nature of Baxter's television speaking may

be noted by examining news releases via the weekly

146

bulletin published by the Hillsboro Church of Christ.
Baxter had to fit into somewhat of a ”commercial format"
as indicated by the following quotation:
In introducing the film shown Wednesday

evening, Brother Harless called attention to

the new format designed as the "hook," in

terms of commercial producers, to attract and

hold viewers: and the indispensable--or

nearly indispensable--person to give voice and

personality to the message. All three ele-

ments seem happily combined in the new film,

and even greater response would seem likely

to result when all 144 stations are showing

them.1

The “hook" of the new series consists of fast-

moving sequences of scenes from on-the-spot filming of
actual life-situations such as ghetto episodes, riots,
drunkenness, etc., the filming being designed to focus
attention on current problems and issues of society.
Baxter's role is that of being the "speaking personality"
of the program. It is a central role: and he is well
aware that all the money, efforts, and talents being di-
rected to the other aspects of the program are for the

express purpose of aiding in communicating the message

which he speaks: thus, it remains true that the speaker

 

1Sunday Bulletin, Hillsboro Church of Christ,
Sept. 22, 1968.

147

and his message are the vital components of communicating
the gospel.

Baxter has apparently become very proficient in
functioning as the "personality" of the program. Report-
ing on the program's activities for the year 1968, an
article in the bulletin states:

One hundred thirty more radio stations have
begun giving free broadcast time, adding over
1,000,000 new listeners. The television pro-
grams are now seen in 150 cities. We are now
beginning to broadcast in Central and South
America as a result of a tremendous surge of
interest in Herald of Truth radio programs
among our Latin American neighbors. We have
now reached a point where it is possible to
move aggressively into other broadcast areas
and become the first to reach a vast segment
of an untapped audience: A Herald of Truth
television special on a national network of
stations in prime evening time during 1969: a
l3-week series on one-hour "Phone-in" audience
participation programs dealing with Bible
answers to current problems.1

Baxter's participation on the radio programs does
not require a great amount of adjusting nor does it take
so much of his time in preparation. Baxter states that
most of his radio sermons are selected from his outline
file containing the best Of sermons preached during past

years at Hillsboro and in evangelistic campaigns.

 

1SundaypBulletin, Hillsboro Church of Christ,
Feb. 23, 1969.

148

As a consequence of his Herald of Truth radio and
television work, Baxter has become well-known among the
brotherhood of the Church of Christ, and this has Opened
up another avenue of communication. A trend has developed
in the brotherhood to cooperate in planning extensive
efforts to reach people through "Campaigns for Christ."

In considering well-known personalities to speak for these
campaigns, the committee for the cooperating churches
usually has the name of Batsell Barrett Baxter at the

head of the list.

Evangelistic Campaigns

Although the elders at the Hillsboro Church of
Christ have been keenly aware of reaching out with efforts
to evangelize, they have not thought it wise for Baxter
to plan more than four campaigns or "gospel meetings" per
year. Each of these efforts usually requires seven to
ten days of his time.

Some of the campaigns are extremely well—planned,
skillfully administered, and highly successful in terms

of attendance and responses. For example, in October of

149

1964, Baxter was invited to be the speaker for a campaign
in the 10,000 seat Municipal Coliseum of Lubbock, Texas.
The sermons preached during the series were later compiled
in a book edited by Baxter. The following facts are pre-
sented in the preface materials:

Directed by Lubbock's Broadway Church Of
Christ, the campaign was a co-Operative, area-
wide effort which received the fellowship and
financial support of hundreds of congregations
throughout west Texas and eastern New Mexico.
Dr. Harvie Pruitt, minister of the Green Lawn
church in Lubbock, directed a special "Child-
ren's Class" which attracted nightly more than
1,000 youngsters between the ages of 4 and 10.
Held in the Municipal Auditorium adjacent to
the Coliseum, this class was an epoch-making
event within itself. B. Wayne Hinds, Chairman
of the Department of Music at Lubbock Chris-
tian College, directed the a capella congre-
gational singing. The congregation, averaging
almost 8,000 nightly, swelled the arena with
the inspirational strains of the great songs
of the church.1

This particular speaking situation enabled a large
segment of the brotherhood to become personally familiar
with Baxter. Chartered buses brought people in from 90
towns and cities throughout Texas: also, more than 20
states were represented during the series. The Saturday

evening services were devoted to a special rally for young

 

1Banowsky, loc. cit.

150

people. The announced topic, "God's Way for Sexual Mor-
ality," attracted a capacity audience. A photograph in

the front of the book shows an audience of 10,000 people
on the closing night.

During interviews, Baxter spoke of this particular
campaign as being one of his most rewarding experiences in
public address. Evidence from other sources indicates
that Baxter may have achieved a peak in his speaking
career during the ten successive nights of speaking. The
regular minister of the Broadway Church of Christ in Lub-
bock, Texas, Dr. Banowsky,l is lavish in his praise for
Baxter's preaching:

During the South Plains Coliseum Meeting

his preaching was powerful--c1ear--irresist—
ible. As these messages were delivered from
night to nigh, a total of 528 persons responded
to the invitation of Christ. Of this number,
134 were baptized into Christ. But even these
impressive figures do not tell the complete
story. Innumerable waves of good were set in
motion that will extend to thousands of lives

and scores of congregations for decades to
come.2

 

1Banowsky, after sitting at Baxter's feet several
years as a student, was advised and encouraged by Baxter
to continue in higher education, thus, he may be inclined
to be overly lavish in praise.

2Banowsky, loc. cit.

151

This is rather extravagant praise, coming from
one who holds a Ph.D. in Public Address, but there is no
reason to doubt genuine sincerity on the part of Banowsky.
Having been taught by Baxter at David Lipscomb College, he
is a firm believer in the persuasive power of public
speaking: and more especially so when it pertains to what
he considers as "the power of God unto salvation."1
Banowsky's own success in public speaking has been note-
worthy. Recent polemic encounters with such outstanding
personalities as the late James A. Pike and JOseph
Fletcher have enhanced his reputation among members of
the Churches of Christ. With such positive attitudes
concerning the values in public address situations, there
appears to be some justification for Banowsky to reason
that "innumerable waves of good were set in motion that
will extend to thousands of lives and scores of congrega-
tions.”

After that endeavor in Lubbock, Baxter was deluged
with requests that he speak for campaigns in other parts

of the world: however, activities at David Lipscomb

—.__

1Banowsky's conviction is based on the idea in
Romans 1:16, referring to the Gospel as being God's power
to save those who believe.

152

College and other pressing obligations made it impossible
for him to accept most of the invitations. Due to his
confining responsibilities at his home congregation and
with the college, Baxter must limit his campaign speaking
to three or four engagements per year. The following ex—
cerpt from a letter indicates his situation regarding
availability for outside speaking efforts:
While I wish that it were possible for me
to say yes to your idea Of a campaign in Mt.
Pleasant, I do not see any real possibility
of my coming. Now that we are on the four—
quarter system at Lipscomb my time for meet-
ings is so very limited and I have promised
the available time until the middle 1970's.1
Although limited in his own opportunities to con-
duct special evangelistic efforts, Baxter does not think
the day is over for the "old-fashioned gospel meetings."
His thoughts are expressed in an article regarding a meet-
ing at the Hillsboro Church of Christ in which Banowsky
did the speaking:
In a day when gospel meetings in local
congregations are thought by many to be dy-
ing out, it is refreshing to hear a visiting
Christian medical doctor say, "As we came to

your meeting tonight, we actually saw people
running toward the building in order to get

1B. B. Baxter (personal letter, May 15, 1966).

153

there in time to get a seat." He further in-
dicated that when he arrived at the building
it was yet fifteen minutes before time for
services to start.1

The above meeting, taking place in 1967, attracted
an overflow audience to the extent that listeners were
directed to the basement auditorium, where they could
watch and hear by means of closed—circuit television. At
midpoint in the meeting, on a Wednesday night, there were
1233 people in the building which had been designed to
seat fewer than 800 people.

Baxter has written about the results of the meet—
ing in a manner which illustrates the preeminence which
he gives to public proclamation of God's word.

The real heart and center of the success
of the meeting, however, was in the preaching
of William S. Banowsky, the young, powerful
evangelist of the Broadway church in Lubbock,
Texas. The sermons were eminently Biblical.
They were relatively simple, and dealt with
practical, daily, personal matters. Never
have we seen a preacher adapt the Lord's
teaching more effectively to the needs of the
peOple in his audience. The people who at-
tended got something to help them in living
the Christian life. It was presented simply
but interestingly, as our Lord preached in

1B. B. Baxter, William S. Banowsky Conducts Out-

standing Mgeting (Manuscript of article, Baxter's personal
file), p. l.

 

154

parables with practical applications. The
messages were presented in love, but with
firmness, which is consistent with real love.1

In some ways the successful meeting endeavor by
Banowsky in Nashville may have provided Baxter with even
greater inward satisfaction than that attained by his own
successful campaign in Lubbock. Banowsky was a living
example of the tremendous influence possible through
skillful teaching and guidance of capable young peOple
in an environment such as that provided by David Lipscomb
College. As Baxter listened to the young man speak to
the large and attentive audiences, he must have remembered
the time when he first brought the eager young Homiletics
student over to the Hillsboro building to practice a
sermon in the empty auditorium.

Although Baxter could not continue to conduct as
many campaigns as he would desire, he was in a key posi-
tion to exert influence in many such endeavors through
training of young men like Banowsky. By spending more
time in Nashville, he also had occasion to develop con-

tacts and friendships which opened up another unique

avenue Of communication.

 

1Baxter, ibid., p. 2.

155

"Foundation for Human Betterment"

What endeavors have given you the most satisfac-
tion in your life as a minister and teacher? When faced
with this question during an interview, Baxter thought
for a moment: then, he went over to a cabinet and returned
with several recordings enclosed in impressive album
jackets. His enthusiasm was clearly apparent as he talked
of Dr. Oscar W. Carter and the "Foundation for Human
Betterment."

Although Dr. Carter is not a member of the Church
of Christ, the two have developed an exceptionally close
relationship during their few years of acquaintance.
Baxter explained how Carter had experienced a very un-
happy childhood which left him somewhat embittered with
humanity. One of Carter's most vivid memories of youth
was an accident he had while ice-skating. He experienced
a brOken nose and a resulting disfigurement of face which
was attributed to neglect in taking him to a doctor.

Later in life, Dr. Carter had an expert surgeon repair
the crooked nose so that hardly a scar remained, but the

scars of neglected love were not so quickly removed.

156

Baxter related how Oscar Carter, being endowed
with a brilliant mind, worked his way through medical
school, and how he successfully built a medical practice
which brought him distinction and fame in medical circles.
Yet, Carter was not satisfied because he realized he was
not really helping peOple in the area where they most
needed aid--in their mental attitude toward life. This
realization prompted Carter to organize a non-
denominational, non—profit organization composed of
four ministers, five doctors, and two businessmen. As
one of the ministers, Baxter's role is primarily that
as a narrator of materials prepared by Dr. Carter in
collaboration with other members of the foundation.

The purpose of the foundation is stated on the
album jacket of one recording:

All members of this foundation are very

much concerned over the fact that with all of
our material advances, mankind in general

does not live the happy, useful, radiant life
that he was meant to live. The members of
this foundation thoroughly believe that if we
pool the knowledge that we have in our various
fields: the fields Of religion, medicine,
psychiatry and business, we can do something
to improve this situation. This is the sole
purpose of this foundation. All materials

Which are produced and distributed by the
foundation are aimed at one thing, and that

157

is helping common, ordinary human beings to
better face and solve their day—to-day prob-
lems of living and thus to live happier,
fuller, more useful lives.1

Carter, with all his skill and desire to help
better the state of humanity, apparently realizes he can—
not project his deep concern through his own personality.
He thinks he has been influenced by his environment:

During the past twenty-five years I have

worked rather closely with human beings as a
doctor, and frankly at times I feel like that
in general human beings are a pretty sorry
lot. However, at these times often I think
of Batsell Baxter and this gives me a little
more hOpe for the human race.

Dr. Carter's activities in Nashville have enabled
him to have close association with many influential cit—
izens. As an urological surgeon with over twenty years
of practice, he is a member of the American Board of
Urology, the American Urological Association, and the
American Medical Association: has served as president of

the Nashville Surgical Society during 1965 and 1966: is

on the hospital staffs of Saint Thomas Hospital, Mid-State

E
oh Viv—1W

1Oscar W. Carter, album jacket of recording by the
F'Co‘mndation for Human Betterment, 1921 Hayes St., Nash—
VJ-.'l.1e, Tenn.

2Carter (personal letter, dated June 30, 1969).

158

Baptist Hospital, Nashville General Hospital, and Vander-
bilt University Hospital: and is a member of the teaching
faculty of the Vanderbilt University Medical School.

In attempting to analyze why a medical doctor of
Carter's stature would manifest so much interest in Bax—
ter, it appears that certain attributes of Baxter's per-
sonality have been the primary factors involved. When
asked to express his thoughts concerning the reason for
Baxter's being selected to narrate the materials for the
Foundation For Human Betterment, Dr. Carter writes freely
of his high esteem for the man:

Dr. Baxter is certainly one of the finest,
if not the finest human beings that I have ever
known. He is the most kind, loving, consid-
erate, empathetic persons I have ever seen
. . . . He has a positive goodness and a rad-
iance about him that seems to bring out the
best in everyone with whom he is associated.

I have experienced this quality with him in my
own personal experience. I have seen it work
in people whom he is counseling, and I have
seen this thing work from the pulpit. The

fact is simply this, Batsell Baxter brings out
the best in everyone with whom he comes in con-
tact.1

It is apparent that, to Dr. Carter, Baxter radi-

ates the love and compassion that he missed so much during

¥

Ibid.

 

159

his early life. As an eXperienced medical doctor, he is
convinced that goodness and.love will do more to help
meet the needs of human beings than anything the medical
profession has to offer. Dr. Carter wrote all of the
material for one of the most widely used of the albums
produced by the foundation. In it, he points out that

it is now a well-known medical fact that "the giant de-
structive emotions of hate, envy, jealousy, fear, and
guilt produce diseases just as certainly as do bacteria
or poisons." He then gives the physician's point of view
concerning problems caused by the "destructive emotions":

As physicians, we know that these diseases
are on the increase and that we have very
little success in treating these diseases as
long as the patient harbors these giant de-
structive emotions . . . . We know that as
long as the human personality is dominated by
love, we are able to channel our aggressive
energies into socially acceptable forms. we
know, however, that when this love is absent,
these giant destructive emotions become domir .
nant in the human personality and produce
these psychosomatic diseases. Physicians are
gradually realizing as a plain, cold, scien-
tific, medical fact that love is just as ne-
cessary to promote our health, our happiness,
and our peace of mind as are food, air, and
water.1

 

1Carter, album jacket, lpc. cit.

160

Carter believes that Baxter has the ideal voice
for narrating materials which emphasize love. Other than
the materials composed by Dr. Carter, there are selections
by Henry Drummond and Henry VanDyke which also stress
love. Baxter narrates the materials for eight of the
eleven albums which are available at this date.

Information on the album jacket of A Phygician

Looks at Love and Health states:

This record is finding a rather wide pro-
fessional acceptance and use. At the present
time, it is being used by practicing physi-
cians in their treatment Of patients with
psychosomatic disorders, by psychiatrists,
and by clinical psychologists. It is also
being used by ministers in their counseling
work, and by teachers of psychology at numerous
colleges and universities.

This researcher had an interesting and significant

experience with the recordings during the summer session
Of 1969 at Stephen F. Austin State University, Nacogdo—

ches, Texas. A colleague, Dr. BernardJThomas Hartman,

Professor of Speech Pathology, noticed the recordings and

[requested permission to listen to certain ones. One by

<ane, he listened to the entire group: and two weeks later,

he enthusiastically related how he used one entitled A

k
h, VT— —

1Ibid.

161

Cure for Procrastination in one of his classes. As the
result of interest manifested by Dr. Hartman and others
of the department, the records will become part of the
library being maintained by the Speech Department.

There are indications that Baxter may have reason
to be enthused about the work he is doing with "The Foun-
dation for Human Betterment." He thinks it will have
lasting effects as evidence by closing remarks of an in—,
terview:

Long after we're gone, he and I both can

still be helping peOple--because the record-
ings have good, solid materials.

Each member of the foundation has been active in
promoting the distribution of the recordings in his own
area. One example of distribution is seen in an adver-
tisement which appeared in the 20th Century Christian of
April, 1969.2 Subscribers were offered a one-year sub-

scription to the 29th Centpry Christian for the regular

Price: and as a bonus, each subscriber was promised a

free “LP Record of The Greatest Thing in the Worl “

¥

1B. B. Baxter (interview, Aug. 5, 1968).

220tthentpry Christian (Apr., 1969). p. 67.

162

narrated by Batsell Barrett Baxter and produced by "The
Foundation for Human Betterment."

It is conceivable that Baxter is correct in think-
ing that his influence, and Dr. Carter's, will continue
after both have passed from the world scene. Of all the
avenues of communication available to Baxter, it appears
that this one affords the best opportunity for reaching

people who do not ordinarily listen to preaching.

CHAPTER IV

’

BAXTER'S INTERPRETATION OF THE WORLD

Every age has, no doubt, had special challenges
for concerned religious people who felt compelled to
contribute to solutions for the problems and needs of
humanity. The prosperous twenties faced the perplexing
challenge of the raging secularism of Clarence Darrow
and H. L. Mencken. Secularism provided the background
for new and liberal trends in religious thought and edu-
cation. Theologians of liberal schools, influenced by
the thinking rooted in New England Transcendentalism and
Hegelianism, evolutionary philOSOphy, and Biblical ethics
started serving what one has identified as "a curious
mixture of absolute idealism."l Speaking of the theolo-
gians of this new era, Olmstead said, "Their enthusiasm
for the ethical teaching of Jesus, however exemplary, did
IDOt hide the fact that their theological foundation was

. . 2
more secular than Christian." Whether they were

#

 

1Olmstead, op. cit., p. 547. 2Ibid.

163

164

conscious of it or not, he said, "they were accommodating
themselves to the intellectual currents of the new age,

an age which venerated science and found in the philosophy
of science its way of life."

Baxter's appearance on the American religious
scene came at a time when churches had already undergone
the frustrating attempts of utilizing a "Social Gospel"
to meet the needs of humanity. Deep imprints on religious
thought and education had been made by (1) John Dewey and
his religious humanism; (2) Soren Kierkegaard, Karl Barth,
and Emil Brunner with their forms of existentialism:

(3) Reinhold Niebuhr, Paul Tillich, and others with both
liberalism and neo-orthodoxy; (4) Mordecai Kaplan and new
emphases in American Judaism; and (5) liberal thinkers
within Roman Catholicism. There were, however, some ag-
gressive religious bodies which were not greatly affected
by the philosophical concepts of liberal thinkers.

Henry P. Van Dusen observes that one of the most
Vital and aggressive expressions in American Protestant-
iSHIis what may be called the "Third Force" in religion.

17118 refers to several groups of churches which cut across

tr“? major denominations and which, he states, include

165

about 5,000,000 persons in the several Churches of God,
Adventists, Churches of Christ, various Pentecostal
Churches, the Church of the Nazarene, and the Assemblies
of God.1 He states that these groups put more emphasis
on the Holy Scriptures for authority and guidance.

While it might be helpful to attempt a more de-
tailed analysis of the American religious scene, it is
thought best, however, to forego the effort in order to
focus attention on Baxter's own analysis. First, though,
it may prove helpful to note how Olmstead summarizes a
discussion of the American religious scene:

It seems unlikely that any single contem-
porary analysis of American religion, however
discerning, can hope to accomplish greater
results than to stimulate thinking and en-
courage discussion. The present is too fluid
to justify more than the most tentative ob-
servations concerning possible trends.
Granted, therefore, that there have been
evidences of secularism and humanistic nation-
alism as powerful ideological factors in Amer-
ican religious life, it is equally true that
there have been intelligent and dedicated
efforts to bring life in a disordered world
into conformity to the dynamic will of that
Supreme Being who is the Lord of history.2

 

1Salisbury, Religion in American Culture (Home-
wood, Ill.: Dorsay Press, 1964), p. 157.

2Olmstead, op. cit., pp. 592-93.

166

The hypothesis for this portion of research might
well represent an affirmative answer to the question:
Does Dr. Baxter's analysis of humanity's plight, with the
accompanying effort to meet the needs, represent an intel-
ligent and dedicated effort "to bring life in a disordered
world into conformity to the dynamic will of that Supreme

Being" who, as Christians believe, is "Lord of history?"

Baxter's Analysis of the Religious Scene

In a discussion of the critical approach to speak-
ing, Richard B. Gregg suggests a "phenomenological” orien-
tation, in whichthe rhetor will "attempt to discover the
underlying value judgments present in discourse, for such
judgments are a direct result of the rhetor's concept of
reality." Also, he will

try to determine the degree to which the value
judgments of an intended audience coincide with
those of the rhetor, and if there is a dis-
parity he will examine the rhetor's strategy

for achieving audience identification on the
level of values.1

 

1Richard B. Gregg, "A Phenomenologically Oriented
Approach to Rhetorical Criticism," Central States Speech
Journal (May, 1966), p. 89.

167

In the writer's estimation there is much merit
in these suggestions, and it is felt that such an attempt
will harmonize with the stated intentions to use the
historical methodology combined with whatever else that
might help eXplain, comprehend, and/br criticize. Gregg's
ideas are based on the philOSOphical theory of phenomen-
ology advanced by Edmund Husserl. Gregg cites a defini-
tion:
Phenomenological psychology concentrates
its attention upon man's ability first to in—
tellectualize and symbolize his environment
into cognitive structures and then act upon
the basis of those structures.l
As Gregg points out, "a phenomenological approach
forces the critic to focus on the larger context."2 This
chapter of the study, as already indicated by the Intro—
duction, will deal with Baxter's analysis of the religious
scene and with his value judgments as manifested in se-

lected materials from the larger context of his Speaking

efforts while associated with the Hillsboro Church of

Christ.

 

1Ibid., p. 73.

2Ibid., p. 90.

168

Concerning the Mission of the Church

How does Baxter view the mission of the church
as it functions in the world? In an analysis of religious
changes and trends, Baxter notes that among the changes in
recent decades, none is more radical or fraught with more
serious consequences than the changed understanding of the
mission of the church. As Baxter discusses this in a
sermon of September 15, 1968, he states:

Ilion T. Jones, in an article "The Church's
Defection From A Divine Mission," apprearing in
the May 24 issue of Christianitnyoday, has
said, "Traditionally the church has devoted its
major resources to the evangelization of indi-
viduals. But recently a number of church
leaders have embarked upon a campaign to per-
suade the churches to use their resources to
bring about a revolution. Sometimes this move-
ment is described as the evangelizing of social
institutions, in contrast to the old plan of
evangelizing the people who Operate these in—
stitutions. At other times its proponents say
it is designed to change social structures
rather than to change human hearts."1

Baxter cites proceedings at the Fourth Assembly of
the World Council of Churches in Uppsal, Sweden, in July,
1968, as an example. The chief officer, General Secretary

Eugene Carson Blake, at one point, said,

 

1Baxter, The Church and Its Divine Mission (Sermon
#608, preached Sept. 15, 1968), p. l.

169

The most widely held criticism of the World
Council of Churches is the charge that it is
involved in social, economic, and political
questions, leading the churches away from
their central task of proclaiming the gospel,
worshipping God, and offering eternal salva-
tion to a dying and sinful humanity.l

Baxter cites another quotation which he says would
best give the picture of the emphasis of the Fourth As-
sembly. It is a summary given by Harold Lindsell in an

article published in Christianity Today, August 19, 1968,

 

where two Opposing views are observed. One tends toward
the secular and would make the church a pressure group of
the world and in the world. It sees the church as the
agency of political, economic, and social change and has
for its goal the betterment of men and society. The other
sees the mission of the church as

evangelizing the world, that is, preaching the

Gospel of Christ to all men. It does not re-

ject social concern, properly understood and

used, but it refuses to be satisfied with tem-

poral paliatives instead of external remedies.2

Baxter obviously agrees with the latter View as

indicated by certain emphatic assertions concerning the

aims and ways of Christ:

 

11bid.

21bid.

170

Christ was concerned with changing hearts
and lives and thereby changing the world. It
is exciting to notice that in his teachings
and in the teachings of his apostles there is
throughout the New Testament the-idea that men
are to be "born anew" and that after becoming
his disciples they are "New creatures."l

In his judgment, the best way to change the world-~and any
of the social organizations of the world—-is to be pri-
marily concerned with changing attitudes of individuals
who make up the world.

In his concluding analysis, Baxter points to what
he considers the best solution for the plight of humanity:

It would appear that many modern religious
leaders are "putting first things second." "They
are more concerned about housing than about
heaven," it would seem. The liberal theology of
our time which doubts that there will be a judg-
ment and questions the existence of heaven na—
turally leads men to center their thoughts on
the here and now rather than on eternity. How-
ever, for those of us who still firmly believe
in heaven, as Jesus so clearly did, our primary
emphasis must still be on the importance of sav—
ing the soul. This is not to say that we are
unconcerned about man's welfare on this earth,
but that we are even more concerned about his
spiritual welfare in the hereafter. Real
Christianity when practiced as Christ taught
it will lead to respect for all men. It will
lead to a removal of injustice and discrimina-
tion. It will replace hate, envy, jealousy,

 

171

greed, lust, retaliation, and the like with

love and concern for all men. It is the only

way that the world can permanently be remade.l

Baxter's solution to humanity's plight revolves

around educating the human mind with wisdom from a Divine
Being which became f1esh--Christ the Son of God. He does
not consider it a simple solution; instead, he conceives
it as requiring the utmost in sacrifice from individuals
and churches. While the tendency for man to seek grati-

fication of basic needs is well-known to Baxter, he does

not subscribe to the interpretation of some that man is

basically evil.

Man's Basic Nature

Already, various sources have been noted which
testified to Baxter's apparent love for human beings.
Possibly, this may be accounted for by his interpretation
of man's basic nature. In a sermon on the topic, Baxter
uses the following paragraph for an introduction:

No subject is more interesting than man
himself. Every aspect of man is interesting:

 

lIbid., p. 4.

172

his origin, his destiny, his thought, his
speech, his behavior, his possessions, and
especially his goals and purposes in life.
But nothing is more interesting to me than a
discussion of man's basic nature. Is man
basically good or basically evil, or only
neutral?1

In this message, Baxter considers the evidence
which would tend to verify that the nature of man is ugly
and evil. He discusses the religious position of Augus-
tine, Calvin, and others who believe that all men have
inherited Adam's sin and are, therefore, sinners at birth
and are lost until in some special way the grace of God
has been applied to their lives. He also presents the
view of man as perceived by Charles Darwin and Sigmund
Freud; and in addition, calls attention to what each
person may observe:

Are children evil at birth? Look at a

child and you will see that he is quite sel-
fish and makes demands of his parents that
are most inconsiderate. He cries in the
middle of the night and will not stop until
his mother supplies his every need, even
though she may be exhausted from the endless
procession of duties which accompany child
care. His wish must be her command. He
seems totally unconcerned about her welfare,

or that of other children in the family.
Someone has even described the newborn baby

 

1Baxter, Man's Basic Nature (Sermon #555, preached
on May 7, 1967), p. 1.

173

as a barbarian, totally self-centered and un-
compromisingly demanding. Look at man when
he is grown. Again, he often appears selfish
and sometimes even cruel and ruthless. Often
he is unconcerned about the wants and needs
of others, so long as his desires are met.
Yes, there is a great deal of evidence that
indicates that the nature of man is ugly and
evil.1

Baxter admits the existence of "ugliness" and
"selfishness" in man, but he does not believe this to be
his basic nature. On the other hand, he does not think
man to be essentially neutral--that the whole story is
told in terms of heredity and environment. Of this view,
he says:

This view would be deeply disturbing, if
true. It would mean that the Bible is all
wrong. It would mean that God is totally
wrong in assigning praise to some and blame
to others. There would be no real responsi-
bility on the part of anyone, for it would be
the environment that would be to blame. This
deterministic, behavioristic view of life does
not take into consideration the fact that
there is something within man that determines
what he will do with his heredity and his en-
vironment. This view of man's nature, we also
must reject.

After a consideration of the two views cited above,

Baxter states his own interpretation:

 

11bid.

2Ibid., p. 2.

174

It is my conviction that there are many
evidences that man's nature is essentially
good. It is also interesting to note that a
large and growing number of psychologists
take this view. On the physical level, there
are several factors which indicate that man
is neither evil nor neutral. For example,
though man's instincts are few,'he’does have“
a strong instinct to live, and to be well and
healthy. This instinct appears to be univer-
sal and through the centuries has driven man
to seek food, water, shelter, and the other
necessities of life. There is this in-born
drive to stay alive and to keep well . . . .
On a higher moral and ethical level, man
further demonstrates that he is intrinsically
good.1

After citing several examples to support his assertions,
Baxter calls attention to Immanuel Kant:

Immanuel Kant, the noted philosopher, once
wrote, "Two things fill me with wonder and awe
--the starry heavens above and the moral law
within." He was referring to the sense of
ought in man. Animals do not have it. Only
man has it. Man is a creature of choice and
by making his choices he determines his course
in life and his destiny in eternity. The
sense of ought in the human heart is one of
the most convincing evidences that man's na-
ture is essentially good.2

In accordance with his usual practice, Baxter goes to the
Scriptures for what is to him, the most meaningful evi-
dence. In regard to the goodness of man's nature, Baxter

says:

 

11bid., p. 2. Ibid., p. 3.

175

It was in this area that the apostle Paul
wrote to the Romans, "When Gentiles that have
not the law (of Moses) do by nature the things
of the law, these, not having the law, are the
law unto themselves; in that they show the
work of the law written in their hearts, their
conscience bearing witness therewith, and
their thoughts one with another accusing or
else excusing them." (Rom. 2:14-15). Paul was
speaking of what Lewis calls the Law of Human
Nature and was saying, in effect, that if the
Gentiles lived up to the law in their hearts,
then in God's sight they would not be sinners.
However, he hastens on to say that no one does
live up to the law perfectly and therefore
they need the saving gospel of Christ which
takes away sin.

He uses several other arguments based on the Scriptures,
and especially emphasizes that man is created in the image
of God; therefore, his basic nature must be good.

Baxter's analysis is summed up in the conclusion
as follows::

In summary we may say that in the beginning
God created man pure and holy. Then man was
contaminated by sin. Ultimately, Christ came
to redeem man. Man's true nature is good in-
deed, but sin has corrupted that nature. It
is in this sense that "as in Adam all die, so
also in Christ shall all be made alive." Man
did not inherit the guilt of Adam's sin, so
does not begin life as a depraved sinner. But
man does partake of the sins of the world and
therefore the inspired writer could say, "All
have sinned and fall short of the glory of

 

1Ibid., p. 3.

176

God." Christ came to redeem man from his sins
and this makes it imperative that we come to
Christ for cleansing.

Because of Baxter's interpretation of man as being
basically good even though he has become evil through par-
taking of sin, he looks upon every human being as being
redeemable and potentially good. This is where God's

grace enters the picture——accompanied by the necessity of

preaching by man.

Conception of God's Grace

Attention has been given to Baxter's attitude
toward preaching and the preeminence it had in his life
even back in his undergraduate days in college. He be-
lieves strongly in God's grace, but he connects the avail-
ability of grace with proclamation of the Gospel by man
and reception of it by hearers.

Baxter defines grace:

Grace literally means "unmerited favor."

It means blessings from God which the sinner

does not deserve or merit. Salvation is thus
conceived as something given to man, not as a

 

1Ibid., p. 4.

177

matter of debt, but as an undeserved gift. In
short, man cannot achieve heaven by works of
merit.

The Gospel of Christ is considered by Baxter as
being the supreme manifestation of God's love and grace
toward mankind. Basically, the Gospel consists of the
facts concerning the life, death, burial, and resurrec-
tion of Christ-—facts which man must know and believe in
order to be redeemed from sin; it consists of commands
whereby man's faith might be tested in obedience: it con-
sists of instruction in righteousness enabling man to live
a better and more abundant life on earth; and it consists
of promises which offer hOpe for the future. These ideas
are summed up by Baxter in a quotation from a sermon he
preached on "The Biblical Doctrine of Grace, Faith, and
Works":

A very significant passage on the subject

of grace is found in Titus 2:11-14, where we
learn that God's grace has already appeared.
"For the grace of God hath appeared (past
tense), bringing salvation to all men, in-
structing us, to the intent that, denying un—
godliness and worldly lusts, we should live

soberly and righteously and godly in this
present world; looking for the blessed hope

 

1Baxter, The Biblical Doctrine of Grace, Faith and
Works (Sermon #422, preached Feb. 23, 1964), p. l.

178

and appearing of the glory of the great God
and our Savior Jesus Christ: who gave himself
for us, that he might redeem us from all
iniquity, and purify unto himself a people
for his own possession, zealous of good
works.” Notice that God's grace has already
come.1

Baxter reasons that since God's grace has already
been manifested through his apostles and inspired writers,
there is no further need of miracles and continued revel-
ations from God: however, there is great need for preach-
ing, teaching, and publicizing of the Gospel. He has de-
fined preaching as the communication of God's truth by
man to men. He elaborates on that definition on one
occasion:

The first of the two elements in preach-
ing is man. When God created man in the be-
ginning he made him a creature of choice and
has, through the ages since, respected man's
ability to choose. Man is never forced to do
God's will. So, when man sinned against God
and needed to be redeemed, God provided the
way and communicated this blessing to man
through his messengers. God has given us his
inspired written word. However, a written
page, necessary as it is for the permanence
of God's inspired word, does not have the
power nor influence that the spoken word has.
God loved man enough that he arranged for his
message to be presented with all of the life
and vitality that comes through a living

11bidol p. 1.

179

person. When a man believes God's message and
feels deeply the value of this message he pro-
claims it with much greater power and influ-
ence than the written word can ever have.1

In this analysis and attitude one may readily see
why Baxter feels compelled to devote himself so fully to
promulgating the Word of God as he understands it.

How does Baxter reconcile the usual religious
problem.of "grace versus works?" He considers grace as
God's part in salvation and faith as man's part. Faith
is possible only through knowledge of the Gospel: there—
fore, it is impossible apart from the grace of God. Man
manifests faith or lack of faith by whether or not he
obeys Christ's commands and does the works which are or-
dained in the Gospel. Works can never save apart from
grace and faith, but they are necessary to show one's
faith in Christ and his love for God and fellowmen.
Baxter's analysis in summary is expressed as follows:

Grace is God's overture toward man: obe—

dient faith is man's response toward God.
Faith is a condition of heart, which involves
obedience to God's commands. If faith does
not involve obedience it is not Biblical,

saving faith. Grace is salvation made pos-
sible: obedient faith is salvation mpde '

 

1Baxter, Sermon #615, op. cit., p. l.

180

actual. Grace made salvation available to all
men of all time, but only obedient faith makes
salvation a reality for any man any time.

When one separates faith from action he has
destroyed faith.l

True, he reasons, grace made salvation available

to all men; yet, that availability depends on whether or
not the Gospel is preached to every generation of man.

In the following discussion, Baxter explains how preaching
by man is vitally important; however, it is only the means
which makes it possible for God's grace to function:

The important element in preaching is the
message of God. Paul wrote to the Romans, "For
I am not ashamed of the gospel: for it is the
power of God unto salvation to everyone that
believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the
Greek." (Rom. 1:16). The same apostle wrote
to the Corinthians, "For seeing that in the
wisdom of God the world through its wisdom knew
not God, it was God's good pleasure through the
foolishness of the preaching (literally, through
the thing preached), to save them that believe."
(I Cor. 1:21). Then, the same apostle said it
even more directly in II Cor. 4:7, "But we have
this treasure in earthen vessels, that the ex~
ceeding greatness of the power may be of God,
and not from ourselves." Man is a means through
which the message comes, but the message itself
is the absolutely essential element in preach—
ing.

 

1Baxter, Sermon #422, p. 4.

2Baxter, Sermon #615, p. 2.

181

Thus Baxter conceives the Gospel as containing
the superior wisdom from God which the world needs for
salvation and for a way of life. The Gospel, made avail-
able by God's grace through Christ's life and sacrifices,
has been revealed in the New Testament. Through the
years, and especially in the present generation, God's
wisdom has been obscured and made ineffective by liberal
philosophies of man; by creeds and traditions of man; and
by failure to preach and teach God's truths. These in-
fluencing factors which hinder the power of the Gospel
have resulted in failureyof the church in fulfilling its
mission: and have allowed man, who is basically good, to
be overcome with sin. Baxter believes that the preaching
and teaching of the Word of God to every individual is
the answer for those who will receive and obey it. Those
who reject the preaching of the Gospel, and consider it
as foolishness, are left to their own wisdom and devices.

Further understanding of Baxter's analysis and
interpretation of the world in which he lives may be
accomplished by considering distinctive ideas and themes

in his speaking.

182
Distinctive Ideas and Themes

What were the distinctive ideas and themes in
Baxter's speaking--the special emphases? An examination
of the available materials containing his messages indi-
cates that certain themes do stand out predominantly in
his sermons, teachings, and published materials. The
themes seem to have a direct relationship to his inter-
pretation of the religious and secular trends in the
world. Many of his ideas seem to be in complete harmony
with those expressed by the recognized influential
preachers of American history. Harold A. Bosley, in his
contribution to the volume, Preachipg in American History,
cites the dominant themes for sermons in the American
churches leading up to the contemporary period:

(1) First and always a primary concern was the
Word of God as found in the Bible . . . .

(2) Secondly, the preachers were concerned
with a vital personal experience of salva-
tion . . . .

(3) Thirdly, the preachers were concerned with
correct doctrine, and here heresies, schisms,
and sectarianism ran rife . . . .

1Harold A. Bosley, "The Role of Preaching in Amer-
ican History," Preaching in American History, ed. DeWitte
Holland (Nashville: Abingdon Press, 1969), pp. 29-30.

183

(4) Fourthly, the acid debate between Protest-
ants and Roman Catholics lost none of its
bite on the long voyage from Europe . . . .

(5) Fifthly, the preachers were always con-
cerned with personal morality and public
order . . . .

(6) Finally, the preachers invariably found
themselves involved in issue of general
controversy in their day.

Baxter has attempted to disassociate himself from
debating or dealing with issues existing between Protes-
tantism and Catholicism. This effort has led to one of
his distinctive themes which is implied in a booklet he
co—authored entitled, Neither CatholicJ Protestant; Nor
Jew. Baxter has a basic and significant idea which per-
meates most of his preaching dealing with doctrinal issues
--to go back beyond Catholicism and Protestantism for
authoritative doctrine.

This fundamental idea and four other related ideas
appear with regularity as themes in his speaking and writ-
ings. Baxter has apparently formulated these ideas as
answers to five obvious questions one confronts in his

attempt to analyze and interpret the religious conditions

of the world today. The questions are:

184

(1) How can unity of religious people be achieved?
(2) What is God's plan for saving man from sin?

(3) What are God's provisions for worship?

(4) What is the way of life for followers of Christ?

(5) What is the future of man after life on earth?

Each of these questions will be considered as we seek

Baxter's answers from available materials at his disposal.

Unity of Religious People

Already, it has been noted that the movement which
resulted in the Churches of Christ became known as the
"Restoration Movement." The "Restoration" theme appears
with regularity in Baxter's preaching. For example, in
his preaching to the Hillsboro congregation, Baxter's
sermon tOpic on January 20, 1963, was "The Restoration
Idea"; on February 20, 1966, his tOpic was "Walking in
the Old Paths"; and his subject for February 9, 1969, was
"The Restoration Principle." The body of each sermon sets
forth essentially the same idea as was noted as being
characteristic of preachers of the early movement. Con-

temporary develOpments in religion wherein even more

185

divisions exist apparently serve to make the idea of
"restoration" all the more essential in Baxter's mind.
In the.l966 sermon, he refers to the movement as having
a definite goal, basis, and method:

Time was when such names as Wycliffe,
Zwingli, Huss, Luther, Calvin and Knox were
household words. These men tried diligently
to pierce the darkness that had settled upon
the church during the Middle Ages. These
men are known as the Reformers. Their ef—
forts to reform certain abuses in the church
led to the beginning in the 16th century of
the great Reformation Movement.

But I speak today of another movement—-a
movement that was not and is not an attempt
to reform but a movement to restore--not an
effort to reform the 16th century church or
the church of any century; but an effort to
rebuild from the original foundations the
original church as the Lord gave it to man
in the first century. This Restoration
Movement goes far beyond the work of the
Reformation Movement. Its goal is the unity
of all believers in Christ. Its basis is
the inspired word of God, the New Testament.
Its method is the restoration of the New
Testament church.1

In his 1969 sermon, the need for "restoration" is
especially emphasized in the introduction:

In our 20th century mixed-up world noth-
ing is more needed than a return to the

 

1Baxter, Walking in the Old Paths (Sermon #504,
preached on Feb. 20, 1966), p. l.

186

scriptures and the restoration and practice of
the apostolic period. Notice the description
of the religious world of our day given by
George Harris, Senior Editor of Look Magazine:
"You feel religious restlessness everywhere

you go. The big denominations, long placid,
are suddenly possessed by turmoil. Pope Paul
needs all his authority to control, or try to,
the revolution in Roman Catholicism. But
Protestantism, with no central machinery, is
rocked even more violently by the same his-
toric disturbance. Many Protestant leaders
believe that the church will not survive as

it is . . . . The main body of U.S. Chris-
tianity has slowed to a rest, ever more at ease
beside the culture it created. A record 64%.of
the population claims status in some religious
body, and millions accept the church as just an
extra luxury built into our architecture of af-
fluence. The church no longer irritates a man
by revealing the wide gap between what he ought
to be and what he is. 'What is the use of get-
ting more peOple into a church that is no
church?‘ asks one religious leader."1

 

Baxter is well aware of the human tendency to
exalt men; thus, the practice of establishing religious
bodies honoring men. In the conclusion of his 1969 ser—
mon, he reasons:

Obviously it was not the purpose of these
pioneer preachers to preach a new system or to
start a new church. They simply wanted all
believers in Christ to join hands and hearts
in going back to Christ and his original church.
Although we who are part of this continuing

 

1Baxter, The Restoration Principle (Sermon #627,
preached on Feb. 9, 1969), p. l.

187

Restoration Movement are sometimes called by
the appelation "Campbellites," we deny the
validity of any such designation. It is our
intention to bypass all of these men and go
all the way back to Christ and his church.
Just as we are grateful for Luther, Calvin,
Knox and the rest of the Reformers, so we
are grateful for these men of the Restora-
tion Movement, but we would miss the entire
point if we made any or all of these men our
religious leaders. We follow them only as

- 1
they follow Christ.

Baxter's sermons include materials which manifest
great concern over the divided state of Christianity. On
June 7, 1964, he preached on the tOpic "Can the Ecumenical
Movement Succeed?" In his introduction, he cites facts
about divisions in American Christianity and among other
religions of the world; then, as evidence of the critical
aspect of the situation, he points to expressions by two
of the "world's most noted historians," Arnold Toynbee,
in his book, The Wgrld and the West, and Hendrik Kramer,
in his book, World Cultpre and World Religions. Both
espoused the view that the international outlook is crit-

ical and that "unity of universal scope is the social and

2
political hope and need of our age."

 

1Ibid., p. 4.

2Baxter, Can the Ecumenical Movement Succeed?
(Sermon #434, preached on June 7, 1964), p. l.

188

After giving a brief history of the ecumenical
movement, Baxter gives his appraisal and attitude regard-
ing the accomplishments. He believes that while the
attitudes of desire for brotherhood and cooperation, and
the motives behind the movement are wonderful, the major
problem still remains after all the years of effort: "No
effective method of achieving the goal of unity has yet
been found." Baxter calls attention to the motto of the
Stockholm Conference, I'Doctrines divide; service unites,"
and says that while it sounds good, it does not bring
about real unity. He then observes that because the basis
of all religious division is primarily doctrinal, the
erasure of division and the achievement of unity must
necessarily deal with doctrines.

In Baxter's opinion, the fundamental issue in
bringing about Christian unity revolves around achieving
a common basis of authority. After illustrating his point
by referring to the way sharp differences are settled in
baseball by umpires who use commonly accepted rules, he
presents a rhetorical question: "What possibilities of
securing such a religious arbiter are there?" He then
answers his own question by indicating that three sources

have been proposed:

 

1.
«l'
I f

3‘

'1

*1
r h

.‘V,

189

Some would suggest the church as the final
authority. Others would suggest individpg;
conscience, or private judgment as the ulti-
mate authority. Still others would suggest
the Holy Scriptures as the decisive authority.

Baxter proceeds in the sermon to develOp the argu—
ment that the Word went out through the apostles as they
were guided by the Holy Spirit and that this Word brought
the church into being and brought salvation to the lost.
The Word, which may be thought of as the seed of the
kingdom (or church), preceded the church: in other words,
it was the Word which produced the original Church of
Christ and which also decreed what would be its nature.
He reasons that the same seed, or Word, when planted in
receptive hearts in any age, would produce a body of
people with the same essential nature and practices. His
reasoning implies that individual churches may spring
forth in various parts of the world with identical char-
acteristics even though they have absolutely no contact
with each other. Their unity would stem from the fact
that the same seed produced each--they had a common

source. This, he explains, is the only way one could

account for the indigenous bodies with identical

 

1Ibid., p. 4.

190

characteristics which resulted in the formation of

Churches of Christ during the Colonial period of America.

Salvation

How can lost mankind be saved? This question
often serves as a basis for Baxter's sermon themes; espe-
cially is this true in regard to messages designed to
reach the audiences which he believes have been confused
by conflicting religious doctrines on the subject of sal-
vation.

The question itself implies that man is lost: that
he is a sinner: and that unless something is done, there
will be unhappy consequences. Baxter seems aware of the
impact of liberal theology, which left many with the im-
pression that man himself could solve his problems through
the power of positive thinking or other applications of
his own wisdom. Baxter has rather notable company who
share his views in regard to the significance of man's
realization that he needs the wisdom of God for salvation.
In discussing neo-orthodoxy, Harold Brack described it as

a movement:

191

Neo—orthodoxy emphasized the historical
character of Christianity. It pointed to the
biblical record of the mighty acts of God and
lifted up the ministry, death, and resurrec-
tion of Jesus of Nazareth. Such an emphasis
led to a revival of the doctrine of the Word
of God. This revived doctrine of the Word
of God declared that the Bible is an author-
itative witness to the Divine self-disclosure.
Hence preaching, i.e., proclamation, rests on
God's Word . . . . Neo-orthodoxy also in-
sisted on a more realistic view of man with
full recognition that man is a sinner. Man's
denial of God's lordship was declared to be
the basic issue.1

Reinhold Niebuhr is cited by Brack as being the
theologian primarily responsible by transmitting Barth-
ianism to America. Brack quotes Niebuhr to illustrate
how he objects to the preaching of Norman Vincent Peale:

The Christian religion is one of repent-
ance and faith, sin and grace. Christianity
stresses the idea that man tends to think
more of himself than he should and there can
be no real meeting with God, except through
repentance and the confession of sin.

The basic sin of this new cult is its
egocentricity. It puts self instead of the
cross at the center of the picture. Chris-
tianity insists that you cannot have faith
without repentance, and since the very ideas
of sin and repentance are negative, the pos-
itive thinkers simply leave them out, or at

 

1Harold Brack, "Neo-Orthodoxy and the American

Pulpit," Preaching in American History, ed. DeWitte Hol—
land (Nashville: Abingdon Press, 1969), pp. 278—79.

192

best. gloss them over. The result is a partial
picture of Christianity, a sort of half-truth.

While Baxter is not of the "neo—orthodox school,"
he agrees with this point; and he is particularly con-
cerned about the impact of preaching by exceptionally in-
fluential preachers like Billy Graham, Peale, Roberts, and
others, who leave out what Baxter considers as "essentials"
in regard to what man needs to do for salvation.

In one sermon entitled "God's way for Salvation,"
Baxter indicates the many answers which sincere people
often receive as they listen to various preachers who deal
with the question. After listing several such answers, he
states:

Still others would emphasize that man is
saved by faith. Their primary emphasis is on
the need of believing in God and in Christ as
the divine son of God and upon a commitment of
one's life to the Savior. This is an action
that can be taken in the privacy of one's own
room, they tell us. There are still others
who emphasize that something more is needed be-
fore one is saved. Man must also obey certain
simple commandments of the Lord. They have in
mind such things as the confession of Christ
before men and baptism. With all of these
ideas before us let us now turn to the Holy
Scriptures to determine "God's Way for Salva—
tion." After all, it is not man's perogative

 

.— v—v— 1 Y

lIbid.. pp. 279-30.

193

to determine how he will be saved, but rather
it is his responsibility to study God's will
to learn God's way for his salvation.

Baxter cites evidences from the Scriptures which
support the special emphases that many were giving as
answers to man's quest for salvation. He agrees on the
necessity of a good moral life, of God's grace, of faith,
of repentance: but he believes none of these alone to be
sufficient. Furthermore, all of these taken together will
not be adequate for salvation without obedience from the
heart. Along with these, he emphasizes that baptism is
necessary because it is the obedient act of faith which
puts one into a covenant relationship with God. He sums
his idea up in the conclusion of the message:

Man's salvation begins with God's great

love for the lost. It begins with God's grace,
manifest in Christ for all men. Then comes the
fundamental act of faith on the part of man.

In order for that faith to be living, saving
faith it must involve obedience to God's com-
mands. Faith is a condition of the heart on
the part of man that involves obedience to
God's will. In addition to believing, man must
repent of his sins. Jesus said, "Except ye re—

pent, ye shall all in like manner perish."
(Luke 13:3). Jesus also said, "Everyone

 

—Y

1Baxter, "God's Way for Salvation," Making God's
way Our Way (Nashville: Gospel Advocate Co., 1964), p. 61.

194

therefore who shall confess me before men, him

will I also confess before my Father who is in

heaven. But whosoever shall deny me before

men, him will I also deny before my Father who

is in heaven." (Matthew 10:32-33). Jesus also

said, "He that believeth and is baptized shall

be saved; but he that disbelieveth shall be

condemned." (Mark 16:16).1

As evidence of this comprehensive view of salva—

tion, Baxter cites the conversion of Paul. Baptism is
included and emphasized only because it was so treated in
the New Testament examples of conversion. Baxter observes
that in the apostle Paul's conversion, even though he had
manifested belief in Christ and had spent three days in
fasting and prayer, he was still considered as being unw
saved. It was only when "Ananias, the God-selected and
God-sent preacher" arrived, that Paul was told specifi-
cally the final condition whereby his sins would be for-
given. Ananias told the penitent Paul to "arise, and be
baptized, and wash away thy sins, calling on his name."
After pointing this out, Baxter adds, "I might further
emphasize that in every one of the eight major cases of

conversion recounted in the book of Acts, baptism is in-

cluded." He then reasons that this is a distinction

 

fifir

lIbid., p. 70.

195

accorded no other act involved in becoming a Christian.
"Not even faith is mentioned in every case, though cer-
tainly it is implied. Only baptism is singled out by
name every time."1

Baxter views baptism as a "rich, meaningful sym-
bol" which has great significance to all believers, even
to the "common people" who might not ever be able to study
the original text in order to get the true meaning as used
in early writings. Baxter develops a convincing argument
wherein he points out that the consensus of Greek lexicons
was that the word translated "baptism" meant "to dip,
plunge, immerse, or submerge," and was so understood and
practiced by the early church for about two centuries. He
believes that one must be adequately taught, and that the
disciple once taught, must express his belief that Christ
is the Son of God. This excludes infants, whom Baxter
considers as innocent and safe; therefore, they do not
need baptism. He believes babies suffer the consequences
of Adam's sin, but that they are not guilty before God

until they become knowledgeable of right and wrong. They

 

Ibid., pp. 70-71.

 

196

should be reared in "the nurture and admonition of the
Lord" so that they will early learn the significance of
God's grace, of faith, of repentance, and forgiveness.
Baptism, he believes, has design or purpose in
addition to its symbolism. Baxter points out that many
believe and teach that the sinner is saved simply by call-
ing out in faith to God in some manner: then, he should be
baptized. This, he says, contradicts the order given in
the Gospel:
In Mark 16:16 we find this order: "He that
believeth and is baptized shall be saved." No-
tice that the sinner comes through baptism unto
salvation.
The same teaching is found in Acts 2:38:
"Repent ye, and be baptized every one of you in
the name of Jesus Christ unto the remission of
your sins; and ye shall receive the gift of the
Holy Spirit." Here sinners are told to be bap-
tized for the remission of their sins.
In the conclusion of one sermon on the subject of
baptism Baxter observes that it is common to hear jests

and humorous comments about the practice and that many

have little concern about "what baptism is, who should

 

1Baxter, "Baptism--What? Who? Why?," Great
Preachers of Today (Abilene, Tex.: Biblical Research
Press, 1960), pp. 62-65.

21bid., p. 66.

197

be baptized, and why it is to be done." Of this attitude,
he says:
This, however, is a careless and dangerous

way to handle a subject which is given so impor-

tant a place in the inspired word of God. If

baptism is important enough to be mentioned more

than one hundred times in the brief book that

God has given us to guide us from earth to

heaven, and if it was important enough that

Jesus made a long journey in order to be bap-

tized, it is important enough for every living

soul to render this act of obedience to the God

who made him. "Why tarriest thou? arise, and be

baptized, and wash away thy sins" (Acts 22:16).1

Baptism is not considered by Baxter as a work on

the part of the person being baptized. Instead, it is
looked upon as an expression of faith wherein the believer
has the assurance from God that all sins of the past life
will be forgiven. Baxter reasons that God has chosen bap-
tism as the point at which man's relationship is changed
from the world into "the kingdom of the Son of his love."
The act of baptism itself, when administered to a taught,
sincere believer, symbolizes the death, burial, and resur-

rection of Christ.2 The subject of baptism confesses to

all witnesses that he believes the facts concerning

 

11bid., p. 67.

2Ibid., p. 62.

198

Christ's life, death on the cross, and resurrection by
God; and it indicates the desire of the person to "die

to the old life of sin" and to "walk in newness of life."
Water is simply an element prescribed by God. That which
saves is not "the washing of the filth of the flesh," but
rather, it is the "answer of a good conscience toward
God."l Man overtly expresses a changed heart and atti—
tude; and God, according to his promises, adds the person
to his family-—the church.

Baxter considers a person as saved at this point
of faith, but looks upon it as only the beginning of the
"more abundant life." He introduces the next challenging
question which pertains to God's provisions for the church

in regard to worship.

Worship

What provision has God made for members of the
body of Christ in regard to worship? This question, too,
has been a great challenge to Baxter. As one of God's

spokesmen, he is obligated to reveal the nourishing

V—v‘vv—

1I Peter 3:31.

199

spiritual food which he feels God has made available for
his family. Also, much like a physician, he feels re-
sponsibility for recognizing symptoms revealing spiritual
illnesses. In his book, Heart_p§_the Yale Lectures,
Baxter discusses the importance of audience analysis and
quotes William M. Taylor:

Another prerequisite to success in the
pulpit is a good knowledge of the human heart.
The physician must understand, not merely the
nature of the remedies which he is to employ,
but also the symptoms and workings of the di-
seases which he desires to cure.

Baxter conceives of the church as being designed
by God to provide man the opportunity to worship with
others in close relationship as a spiritual family.

Once when preaching on the "Glory of the Church,"
Baxter spoke of its relationship with God:

Part of its glory lies in the relationship
which Christians sustain to God and to Christ.
It is wonderful to say that we are God's family:
we are God's household. In I Timothy 3:15,
this expression is used "the house of God,
which is the church." In Eph. 2:19 we find
another expression, "No more strangers and so-
journers, but . . . the household of God." It
is a wonderful thing to be a part of a family.
We are part of God's family when we become
Christians. In Gal. 3:26 there is an

 

1Baxter, Heapppof thngale Lectures, p. 241.

200
additional sentence, "For we are all sons of
God through faith in Christ Jesus.1
Baxter seems to sense the great need for human
beings to worship God and fellowship with others of "like
precious faith." The idea of worship often serves as the
theme for entire sermons, and is emphasized in most
sermons.
In one sermon, Baxter asks rhetorically, "What is
worship?" He answers:
Worship is an act in which the redeemed
person seeks to express his appreciation and
gratitude for salvation, as well as to dis-
cover ever fuller enrichment of life and fel-
lowship with God through Jesus Christ.2
The above definition indicates why one should
worship God. Baxter elaborates further on the "why" in
a sermon entitled "Glorifying God in Worship." Two pri—
mary reasons for worship are stated: (1) God is eminently
worthy of our love and affection: and (2) it is good for

man. As part of the second point, Baxter reasons:

It lifts him up from the hum-drum, run-of—
the-mill life that he is likely to lead. The

,7

1Baxter, The Glory of_the Church (Sermon #604,
preached on Aug. 18, 1968), p. 3.

2 .
Baxter, Making God'§_Way Our Way, p. 94.

201

physical things of this world will perish
within a few generations, so man needs to tie
himself to something that is eternal. Not
only is it good for us because it brings us
into the presence of the eternal, the spir-
itual, but even in our worship we find that
the cares and the turmoils of our lives are
smoothed away. Genuine, deep, soul-filling
worship does more to calm the nerves and
pacify the human spirit than anything else on
earth. Then, too, when we worship we are do-
ing the thing for which we were primarily
created. Man's greatest purpose in life is
to honor and glorify God. We do this most
directly when we worship. The worship of
God, the pouring out of our innermost feel-
ings of adoration and love are in line with
man's number one purpose in existence.1

Baxter thinks of worship as an expression from
the heart of the individual. It may be both private and
public. When the church assembles together, the worship‘
shoud be conducted in such ways that each individual may
participate. It is not to be something designed to enter-
tain or be a "spectator event." He distinguishes between
the worship of the Old Testament and the worship of the
New Testament. To him, Old Testament forms of worship
were "shadows" or "figures" of good things to come in

Christ, whereas:

 

1Baxter, Glogifying Gogin Worship (Sermon #502,
preached on Jan. 30, 1966), pp. 1-2.

202

The New Testament plainly teaches that
there are five, and only five, avenues or acts
of worship. I prefer to call them avenues of
worship because, like an avenue or road by
which men travel to a destination, they are
means through which we offer unto God our wor-
ship. They are: prayer, singing, meditation
on God's word, eating the Lord's Supper and
giving of one's means. Through each of these
acts we offer to God the worship of our hearts.
Notice also that these are the only avenues of
worship authorized by the Scriptures. For this
reason we are not at liberty to introduce addi—
tional acts of worship such as the burning of
incense, the lighting of candles, the keeping
of feasts, or even the use of instruments of
music.

One of the most meaningful scriptures in
all the Bible concerning worship is that found
in John 4:23-24, where Christ says, "But the
hour cometh, and now is, when the true wor-
shippers shall worship the Father in spirit
and truth: for such doth the Father seek to
be his worshippers. God is a Spirit: and they
that worship him must worship in spirit and
truth." To "worship in spirit" means that the
Christian must offer genuine, heart-felt, mean-
ingful devotion to God . . . . To "worship "in
truth" means that the Christian must stay within
the bounds and directions which the Lord has
given for his worship. Man is not at liberty
to take from, add to, nor modify the avenues
of worship which God has specifically given.1

Because of this attitude toward worship, when
churches of Christ worship together, they engage in con-

gregational singing. There is music, but only that which

 

1Baxter, The Meaning ofVWorship (Sermon #533,
preached on Oct. 23, 1966), pp. 2—3.

203

comes from the human heart as made by vocal folds func-
tioning together in singing out spiritual ideas and
thoughts.

In speaking of "Worship in Song," Baxter cites
examples of New Testament music and the admonition given
to Christians in regard to singing:

On the night in which Jesus was betrayed
just a few hours before he was to be cruci-
fied, he ate the Passover with his disciples
for the last time and inaugurated the Lord's
Supper. At the end of this memorable meeting
the scriptures tell us, "And when they had
sung a hymn they went out into the Mount of
Olives." (Matt. 26:30) . . . . Paul wrote to
the church at Corinth, "I will pray with the
spirit, and I will pray with the understanding
also; I will sing with the spirit and I will
sing with the understanding also." (I Cor.
14:15). He also wrote to the church at Ephe-
sus, "Speaking one to another in psalms and
hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making
melody with your heart to the Lord." (Eph.
5:19). It is generally agreed that "psalms"
refer to the actual psalms which we find in
the Old Testament. "Hymns" are thought to be
songs that are directed to God and Christ in
praise and devotion. "Spiritual songs" are
thought to be songs that are directed to
fellow-Christians.l

This practice of acappella music gives a distinc-

tive characteristic to the worship of the Churches of

—.v__ if a.

1Baxter, Worship in Song (Sermon #611, preached
on Oct. 6, 1968), p. 1.

204

Christ which adhere to this particular understanding of
the Scriptures. It is one of the primary distinctions
between the "Churches of Christ" and the bodies known as
the "Christian Churches." The practice, however, is not
as unique as many seem to think. In giving facts about
the "more than 150,000,000 Eastern Orthodox Christians in
the world," Spence notes that "except among some of the
Greeks, the Liturgy is unaccompanied by musical instru-
ments."1 In reviewing historical sources, this researcher
found the following comments concerning use of instruments
in worship:
The earliest reference is to the use of the

flute and harp in the second century. At Alex-

andria, Clement forbade the use of the flute, on

the ground that it was "too wordly," and substi-

tuted the harp. Ambrose is said to have intro-

duced instrumental music in the West in the

fourth century. There was great opposition,

however, and the use of instruments in the Wes-

tern church did not become general until the

tenth century. The Eastern church has never

adopted instrumental music. Some of the six-

teenth century reformers considered organs as

"monuments of idolatry."2

Baxter's rationale for not using the mechanical

instruments is based primarily upon the New Testament

 

1Spence, op. cit., p. 123.

2Klingman, op. cit., pp. 92—93.

205

Scriptures. While he seems to make special efforts not
to appear dogmatic about the position, he is firm in his
conviction as illustrated by the following comments:

I might also mention that the "law of ex-
clusion" does not permit the use of mechanical
instruments of music in our worship. We are
authorized to sing, but not to play. This was
the universal practice in the early church and
for half a dozen centuries after its beginning,
according to the unanimous voice of church
music historians.

Baxter's idea of what church music should be was
influenced by his basic conception that worship must be
an act wherein the individual human heart is involved.
This will be noted in his concepts of the other aspects
of worship also.

The financing of the church program has always
seemed a major problem among religious organizations.
The problem has prompted many efforts and schemes for
raising money—-so much so that churches have been accused
of "making merchandise of religion." Baxter's idea of

”raising money“ for religious purposes would avoid that

criticism. He conceives of giving as an act of worship.

 

1Baxter, Sermon #611, p. 2.

206

During one period at Hillsboro during the year of
1968, Baxter used a series of five sermons to set forth
what he considered the five "avenues of worship." In one
sermon he poses the question: "Is giving also an activity
of Christian worship?“ In answering the question, he
notes that it depends upon the definition of worship. For
this purpose he defines worship as "the human spirit pour-
ing out adoration and praise to the Creator of the uni—
verse.“ He points out that evidences of man's inner feel-
ings toward God ought to be offered according to God's
desires and directives, and that when this is done, it is
worship.

He reasons further:

What has man done in his efforts back
through the ages to worship God? For one
thing, he has built temples and erected al-
tars. He has made pilgrimages, as the an-
cient Hebrews did annually to Jerusalem. He
has listened respectfully and responsively to
God speak, as the Hebrews did at the foot of
Mt. Sinai when God gave his law through Moses.
Man has prayed. Man has sung. Man has eaten
religious meals, as in the Passover or the
Lord's Supper. Man has also fasted. Then,
in addition to all these, man has given gifts.
The sacrifices of the Old Testament were
gifts. Animals and food were given for the
purpose of offering sacrifices unto Jehovah.
In fact, one of the most important and most

207

consistent acts of worship has been that of
giving.

Since giving involves the sacrificing of the whole
"self" to the Lord as well as purposeful giving of money,
Baxter considers it as "one of the most significant and
meaningful acts of worship in which a human being can en—
gage."2 He does not believe nor teach that the tithing
laws of the Old Testament apply to the Christian. The law
of the Spirit in the New Testament is superior, he thinks,
and it puts the individual to a greater test. He points
out that the Christian is to give according to how he has
prospered and how he purposes in his heart:
We are all familiar with I Corinthians 16:2
which reads, "Upon the first day of the week
let each one of you lay by him in store, as he
may prosper . . . ." II Corinthians 9:7 adds,
”Let each man do according as he hath purposed.
in his heart: not grudgingly, or of necessity:
for God loveth a cheerful giver."
During Baxter's eighteen and more years at Hills-

boro, the church has raised all of its money through

"freewill offerings," and it is the general practice of

 

T—

1Baxter, What It Means to Give to the Lord (Sermon
#614, preached on Nov. 3, 1968), p. l.
21bidol p. 20

3Ibid., p. 3.

208

Churches of Christ never to bind certain amounts for its
members to give, nor do they use any merchandising methods
to raise money for financing programs.

Among the other aspects of worship, Baxter's view
of the partaking of the Lord's Supper also deserves some
attention. His position, and that generally of the
Churches of Christ, is distinctive among religious bodies
today. The view conceives the Lord's Supper as having
been instituted to serve as a memorial with special sig-
nificance to the individuals who participate. Although
the partaking can have significance for only members of
Christ's body (the church), no attempt is made to decree
who will partake. Every individual is free to partake or
not by his own choice. The elements, "unleavened bread"
and "fruit of the vine" (wine or grape juice), are looked
upon as symbolic of Christ's body and his blood. The dis-
tinctive aspect pertains to the practice among Churches of
Christ of serving the Lord's Supper every Sunday. Baxter
believes that, in addition to express commands, church
practices should be governed by the examples of the early
church. He notes that New Testament Christians had a

general practice of meeting on the first day of the week,

209

whereas, the Jews gave emphasis to the seventh day in
their worship. To support this, he cites scripture from
Acts:
In Acts 20:7 we read, "And upon the first

day of the week, when we were gathered to-

gether to break bread, Paul discoursed with

them . . . ." It seems that the apostle Paul

had remained at Troas for almost a week in

order to have the opportunity of eating the

Lord's Supper with the disciples there. Sa-

cred History also bears out the fact that the

early Christians ate the Lord's Supper each

Lord's Day. Justin Martyr, Tertullian and

others tell us that the supper was eaten

weekly during the second century.

Sunday, the first day of the week, is regarded by

Baxter as the Lord's Day. During the Lord's life on
earth, he and his disciples observed the seventh day; but
after the church was established on the day of Pentecost,
the records indicate that Christians met on the first day.
Baxter regards Sunday as the Lord's Day rather than as
the Sabbath. He calls attention throughout his preaching
concerning Christian worship that Christ arose from the
grave on the first day; the church was established on the

first day; Christians were told to "lay by in store" on

the first day: and they gathered to "break bread" on the

 

1Baxter, Around the Lord's Table (Sermon #610,
preached on Sept. 29, 1968), p. 4.

210

first day. Consequently, one finds that Baxter's preach-
ing exhorts people to meet for worship every first day of
the week for praying, singing, meditation on God's word,
eating the Lord's Supper, and giving of one's means.
Baxter devotes a considerable portion of his
teaching and preaching to instruction concerning prayer.
In discussing prayer, he reasons that if the apostles
realized the need for instruction as was manifested when
they approached Jesus with the request, "Lord, teach us
to pray," then, certainly we need to display similar
attitudes.1 He conceives prayer as an activity that
avails many blessing when one is prOperly taught concern-
ing what is acceptable to God. He stresses that all
prayer should be addressed to God:
Nowhere in the scriptures is there a
prayer, addressed to "Mary, the blessed
mother of Jesus," to "St. Anne," to St.
Christopher," or to others. If we follow
the Bible, we will pray only to God.2

Also, he thinks prayer should be in the name of

Christ. Baxter argues that when Jesus was upon the earth,

 

1Baxter, Speaking For The Master, p.332.

2Ibid., p. 36.

211

it was not possible to pray through him to the Father;
but once he ascended to heaven, it became necessary for
our prayers to be offered through his name. He notes
that the apostle Paul emphatically stated in I Timothy
2:5 that there is just one mediator between God and men--
Christ Jesus. He stresses that public prayers should be
intelligible and from the heart——"with spirit and with
understanding."
In regard to meditation upon God's word as an
"avenue of worship," much has already been written about
Baxter's attitude concerning the preeminence of preaching.
Since the Word of God represents the superior Divine
wisdom from above, he reasons that the Scriptures should
be the constant source of ideas for instruction in the
ways of righteousness. In addition to proclaiming the
ideas from the pulpit and teaching them in the classrooms,
he stresses that the Bible should be read publicly:
Nothing is more vital in a worship service

than the effective reading of the Bible, for

when the scriptures are read God speaks to men.

Yet the Bible is often read in a careless and

thoughtless way that fails to keep the atten-

tion of the congregation. As a consequence the

reading is often relegated to a minor place in
the worship service.

 

1Ibid., p. 23.

212

He regards a Bible reader as having a sacred re-
sponsibility to read correctly and well. The reading of
the Bible "must in some sense mean the interpretation of
the Divine Spirit and Will to the hearts of men."1 As in
reading any literature, the Bible reader must understand
the message in order to lead others to an understanding.
Baxter observes that in order to select pertinent messages
for the public, the reader should understand and make
clear to whom the passage of scripture was written:

The Bible consists of sixty-six separate
books, written over a span of more than six-
teen hundred years. Various sections have
primary application to the patriarchs, or to
the Hebrew nation, or to the apostles, or to
Christians in general. It is important to
know about any passages whether it deals with
the Patriarchal Age, or the Mosaic Age, or the
Christian Age. Only one who thus "rightly
divides the scriptures" can hOpe to understand
them.2

The reader must ascertain who is speaking and what
is the design or purpose of the message:
Is it a simple narrative? Is it a pro—
phecy? Is it a command? Is it figurative?

Is it literal? Only by understanding the
general design, or purpose, of the passage

 

1Ibid., p. 26.

21bid., p. 27.

213
can one properly understand the specific mes-
sage.

As in preaching and teaching, the reader should
"lay aside private theories and prejudices, for these
prevent that teachable attitude toward the Bible which
is the first essential to genuine feeling and true ex-
pression."

In summary, these references to Baxter's idea of
worship indicate that he thinks of worship as being com-
munion with God, with Christ, and with fellow members of
God's family-—the church. Christian worship consists of
the five aspects which characterized the New Testament
Church: prayer, singing, giving, partaking of the Lord's
Supper, and "feeding the mind" with the Word of God. The
idea of feeding the mind of man is central to Baxter's
preaching. He believes that once man believes the Gospel,
changes his attitudes, and establishes a new relationship
with God and Christ, he is then subject to being led in a

superior way of life.

 

lIbid., pp. 27-28.

2Ibid., p. 28.

214

The Way of Life for Christians

What is the way of life for followers of Christ?
Baxter often speaks of "the more abundant life" available
through following the teachings of Christ. He frequently
gives as examples the accounts of changes wrought in the
lives of people like Peter, John, Mary Magdalene, and Saul
of Tarsus. He believes that one of the most thrilling
stories of the New Testament is that telling about the
wonderful changes that came about in the lives of indi-
viduals who submitted themselves to Christ. Of this he
says in one sermon:
This kind of change is reflected in Paul's
words, "I beseech you therefore, brethren, by
the mercies of God, to present your bodies a
living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which
is your spiritual service. And be not fashioned
according to this world: but be ye transformed
by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove
what is the good and acceptable and perfect will
of God." (Romans 12:1-2).
Although the Christian still wears the same
name and outwardly appears as he did before his

conversion, he is a new creature. In the deep-
est sense he is under new management.

 

lBaxter, The Biblical Description of a Christian
(Sermon No. 421, preached on Feb. 16, 1964), p. 3.

215

Baxter points out how the new creature has new
life purposes and goals, a new outlook on life, and a
new destiny. "He is on his way to an eternal life of
happiness in heaven with God," but all the rewards are
not reserved for the heavenly existence. The Christian's
mind is Open to being re-educated so that he is able to
grow spiritually, and gradually become a partaker of God's
divine nature. Baxter continues his description of the
new way of life:

The Christian engages in new activities. To
quote the apostle Paul again, "For we are his
workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good
works, which God afore prepared that we should
walk in them." (Eph. 2:10). He develops ppy.
habits. Habits of thinking, of speech, of
dress, and of behavior in general undergo sig-
nificant changes. Profanity and vulgarity of
speech are no longer heard. Angry, lustful,
envious thinking gives way to constructive,
helpful meditations. Indecent, suggestive
dress is replaced by modest apparel. Drinking
gives way to soberness and so through all of
the activities of life.

 

While recognizing that the Christian life is not
free of problems, troubles, afflictions, and sorrows,
Baxter sets forth the Christian way as superior because

of the believer's attitudes and hOpes:

 

lIbid., p. 3.

216

The Christian does not bury his head in the
sand, refusing to see the world's problems.
Rather, seeing them he is not concerned with
emphasizing them, but rather he is concerned
with finding a way to overcome them . . . .
The Christian follows a wholesome, construc-
tive, Optimistic way of life. It is free of
destructive criticism. It is full of construc-
tive help for every problem situation.1
A perusual of Baxter's sermons and works shows
that he devotes the greater part of his preaching and
teaching on the general theme of the "Christian Way of
Life." One book of his sermons has been given the title,
Making God's Way 03; Way, in which the themes are con-
cerned with God's way for: man's heart, the nation, the
home, religious unity, his Church, salvation, the wicked,
sexual morality, Christian worship, and the righteous.
Although Baxter recognizes the almost overwhelming
power of temptation on man's part to yield to selfishness
and his general fleshly nature, he believes that man's
mind, with its spiritual inclination, can be so directed
as to lift him to a higher plane of life. This belief on

Baxter's part is indicated by sermon titles of messages

which he has prepared and preached at Hillsboro: "Right

 

1Baxter, Whepeunto Shall I Liken This Generation?
(Sermon #584, preached on Feb. 18, 1968), p. 4.

217

Attitudes," "Too Much of Self," "Overcoming Temptation,"
"Non—Conforming Transformers," "The Challenge to Spiri-
tual Growth," "Internal Restraints," "What Would Jesus
Do?," "Anxious and Troubled About Many Things," "The Con-
quest of Fear," and "The Life of Trust." One may see
evidence of many sermons of this type liberally scattered
throughout Baxter's preaching at Hillsboro.

Reference to one of the above messages will point
out the positive emphasis which Baxter gives to life. In
the printed version of The Challenge to Spiritual Growth,
he compares spiritual growth with physical and intellec-
tual growth; then, observes that in the spiritual realm,
growth does not take place without plan and effort. After
citing several references showing God's emphasis on spir-
itual growth, he adds:

Still another admonition to spiritual growth

is found in II Peter 1:5—7, "Yea, and for this
very cause adding on your part all diligence, in
your faith supply virtue: and in your virtue
knowledge: and in your knowledge self-control:
and in your self-control patience: and in your
patience godliness: and in your godliness

brotherly kindness: and in your brotherly kind—
ness love."l

 

1Baxter, The Challenge to Spiritual Growth (Sermon
#609, preached on Sept. 22, 1968), p. 2.

218

Baxter refers to the means by which the early

Christian grew, and he reasons that Christians today can

grow in the same ways. He lists six ways in which Chris-

tians of the twentieth century may grow:

(1)

(2)

(3)

(4)

(5)

(6)

We grow by association with Christians of our
own day.

We grow spiritually through association with
those in need-—the sick, the disturbed, the
bereaved, the poor, the young, and others.

We grow spiritually by association with Chris-
tians of other generations.

We grow through association with people of long
ago whose lives are described in the scriptures.

We grow spiritually through our association with
Christ.

We grow Spiritually through our association with
God.

Baxter's conclusion is that men can choose to grow

spiritually. "The formula for such growth is very simple--

carefully choose our associations. Let us then desire

this greatest of all virtues."1

This growth, Baxter believes, is in the direction

of God-—man's true destiny is intended to be an eternal

existence with the Heavenly Father. However, Baxter

...K

1;bid.. p. 4.

If

219

thinks that because of the battle for the hearts of men by
conflicting powers, man may be sidetracked and led away
from his intended destiny. This is the subject of the

next portion of the study.

After Life on Earth, What Then?

"What Lies Beyond the Grave?” Baxter has used
this title of a sermon which he designed to answer the
question concerning the future of man after life on earth.
One of his main points deals with what he identifies as
the "universal yearning” for life beyond the grave. Among
other examples, he recounts the occasion when Robert In-
gersoll spoke the "Eulogy at His Brother's Grave.” Ac-
cording to Baxter's account, Robert Ingersoll had the rep-
utation of being an agnostic. He and his younger brother,
Ralph, had entered a pact that whichever one should die
first, the other one would speak at the funeral. In the
manhood of middle life, the younger brother, Ralph, was
taken from his busy activities by death: and it was
Robert's responsibility to deliver his funeral sermon.

Baxter comments:

 

lIbid., p. 4.

220

In Arlington Cemetery near Washington, D.C.,
RObert Ingersoll, the nation's most famous orator
of his generation, stood and spoke of his yearn?
ing to know what lies beyond the grave. I want
to quote a few lines from that speech. Somewhere
near the middle, he says, "Life is a narrow vale
between the cold and barren peaks of two etern-
ities. We strive in vain to look beyond the
heights. We cry aloud, and the only answer is
the echo of a wailing cry. From the voiceless
lips of the unreplying dead there comes no word:
but in the night of death hope sees a star and
listening love can hear the rustle of a wing.

He who sleeps here, when dying, mistaking the
approach of death for the return of health,
whispered with his latest breath, 'I am better
now.’ Let us believe in spite of doubts and
dogmas and tears and fears that these dear words
are true of all the countless dead."

Baxter interprets Ingersoll's remarks as an indi-
cation that he wanted to believe in heaven. Baxter thinks
that most people want to believe, but that they have not
yet grasped the reality of heaven. In setting forth his
purpose in the introduction of his message, after citing
how Christ spoke of the road to heaven as being narrow and
difficult, Baxter states that many people get distracted
and travel down side roads:

They forget where they are going. I would

like in this message to help you forget the
sideroads and make heaven a little more real.

 

T fi fi fi

1Baxter, "What Lies Beyond the Grave?," If I Be
Lifted Up (Nashville, Tenn.: Gospel Advocate Co., 1956),
pp. 109-10.

221

I firmly believe that many people are going to
be lost because heaven is only a vague gener—
ality to them.1

Baxter cites the pictures of heaven as revealed in
the book of Revelation and climaxes the discussion of
heaven with special attention to the promises of God:

There are still other glorious promises.
Listen: "He shall wipe away every tear." We
all have our sorrows, but God shall wipe away
every tear. "Death shall be no more." Who is
there among us who has not been saddened by
death? "Neither shall there be mourning, nor
crying, nor pain, any more: the first things
are passed away." Finally, we read in this
beautiful description that heaven will last
forever.

The belief in heaven and hope of heaven are per-
ceived by Baxter as strong motivating forces for encour-
aging people to keep themselves pure and clean. In a
sermon on the "Power of HOpe," he says:

The apostle John, in I JOhn 3:3 adds this,
"And everyone that hath this hope set on him
purifieth himself, even as he is pure." That
is a very meaningful scripture. If we really
hOpe for a life to come, then we purify our-
selves. We live different, purer, cleaner,
more wholesome lives because of that hOpe.

We are going somewhere: we have not time to be
enamoured of the things of the world: we are

lIbid., p. 103.

21bid., p. 117.

 

(

222

on a journey and no journey is satisfying until
the destination is reached.

It would seem rather inconsistent to believe in
the reality of heaven without also believing in the re-
ality of hell. Baxter does believe and teach the reality
of a place of punishment. In the same sermon in which he
speaks of heaven being promised for the faithful, he also
voices a warning:

In this picture of eternal life there is a
discordant note, and I would not be true to my
trust if I did not read that also. In the same
paragraph from which we have been reading is a
sentence which says that not all men will enter
heaven. Here is the sentence: "But for the
fearful . . ." (that may be talking about the
young man or the young woman who is not really
bad, but who is so timid and fearful that he
never accepts Christ). "But for the fearful,
and unbelieving, and abominable, and murderers,
and fornicators, and sorcerers, and idolaters,
and all liars, their part shall be in the lake
that burneth with fire and brimstone: which is
the second death." (Rev. 21:8).2

In his sermons concerning heaven and hell, Baxter
does not attempt to give literal meanings to the descrip-
tions. Rather, he attributes the language used by God as

‘being necessary because of man's limited capacity for

 

1Baxter, The Power of Hopp (Sermon #512, preached
on May 1, 1966). p. 3.

2Baxter, "What Lies Beyond the Grave?," p. 118.

(D

223

understanding the spiritual world. God's problem, he
believes, was similar to what would be experienced by a
man who visited New York City for the first time, and
returning to his remote home on the western plains, would
attempt to describe the skyscrapers and subways to his
small children. He would have to describe that which
they had never seen in terms with which they were fami-
liar: thus, he might refer to the farm's highest landmark,
the silo, in trying to give the picture of New York's sky-
scrapers. Because of the children's limited perspective,
they could not possibly get the true picture: but the
father could succeed in communicating sufficient meanings
to arouse an intense desire in the children to see what
their father had seen. In much the same way, Baxter rea-
sons that when "God tried to describe a spiritual world
to human beings who know nothing but material things, it
was impossible for the description to be fully under—
stood."1 He concludes, however, that meanings are suf-
ficiently clear regarding the glories of heaven and the
terribleness of hell to convince people of the reality of
each place.

lIbid., p. 115.

 

224

Baxter, in his regular ministry to the Hillsboro
congregation, apparently realizes the strong motivational
value Of speaking on the attractiveness of the possible
life in the hereafter with God. For example, in one
sermon concerning the Christian's attitude toward death,
he cites several examples of faithful members of the local
group who, in their hour of death, expressed hope and as-
surance. He observes that death is never easy for several
reasons: and especially, because it involves our entrance
into the unknown:

Anything that we have not done before, or

anywhere that we have not gone before is likely
to bring with it some uncertainties and fears.

Having the assurance of God's promises, Baxter
adds, one is able to enter such an experience with expec-
tancy rather than despair. He uses an illustration to
provoke thought:

A noted infidel was walking one day with

Alexander Campbell. He observed, ”Yonder ox
has no fear of death." Campbell replied,
after a moment's thought, "But neither does
yonder ox have any hOpe in death." Christ has

taken the fear out of death and has replaced
it with hope and anticipation.2

a,

 

1Baxter, The Christian;§ Attitude Toward Deapp_
(Sermon #509, preached on April 3, 1966), p. 4.

21bid., p. 4.

225

There is rather convincing evidence that Baxter,
himself, has a strong assurance and hope in life after
death. In March of 1964, he was informed by a doctor that
tests revealed that he had cancer. Various people who
witnessed his reaction have been deeply impressed with
the serenity with which he accepted the news and faced the
ordeal of major surgery. One medical doctor who is not of
Baxter's religious faith stated:

I have also observed Dr. Baxter during
periods when he had very deep personal troubles,
both medical and emotional troubles. During
these times he has remained the same with an
equanimity of faith and a calmness of spirit
that was an inspiration to all who knew him.

Speaking of his own reaction upon being told that
there was a malignant growth, Baxter related:

Af first, there was a feeling of unbelief.
Then came a feeling of shock. Over a few days
these wore away and there came a feeling that
everything must be left entirely in the Lord's
hands. The whole experience was not as diffi—
cult as one imagines beforehand. Actually,
such an experience brings one closer to the
Lord.

In the days of waiting and preparation one
prays more often. But strangely, the prayers
are not for one's survival. Rather, one finds
himself praying, "Oh Lord, I leave my affairs

 

1Oscar W. Carter, letter of June 30, 1969, p. 3.

226

totally in thy hands. I do not know what is

best. Thy will be done." There follows a

"peace that passeth all understanding" as

promised in Philippians 4:6—7.1

What lies beyond the grave? What is man's future

after life on earth? Baxter would apparently be the first
to admit that much is unknown and uncertain: but on the
other hand, he has strong convictions that that which is
known through God's word is sufficient to influence man's

destiny during his life on earth——and possibly—-his eter—

nal destiny.

 

1Baxter, "The Doctor Said, 'Cancer,'" Power For
Today (Nashville: Williams Printing Co., 1968), p. 18.

CHAPTER V

PRACTITIONER OF AN ART

"Public address is an art." "Public address is a
science." Which is true? Actually, both statements may
be considered as correct depending upon vieWpoints. For
purposes of this chapter, the practice of public address
will be considered as an art. TO clarify the distinction
between "science" and "art" as related to speech, refer-
ence is hereby made to definitions of the terms by John
Franklin Genung:

Science is systematized knowledge: if then

the laws and principles of discourse are ex-
hibited in an ordered and interrelated system,
they appear in the character of a science. Art
is knowledge made efficient by skill: if then
rhetorical laws and principles are applied in
the actual construction of discourse, they be-
come the working-rules of an art.1
This portion of the study will attempt to examine

how Baxter utilizes his knowledge in applying rhetorical

laws and principles in public address. The above

 

1John Franklin Genung, The Working Principles of
Rhetoric (Boston: Ginn & Co., 1900), pp. 4—5.

227

228

definitions have been selected to serve as working defi-
nitions for "science“ and "art” primarily because of
pertinency to the overall development of this project.

By considering art as "knowledge made efficient
by skill," attention should be more effectively focused
on Baxter's practice of those laws and principles which
he has learned in the form of "systematized knowledge" as
they appeared "in the character of a science."

It is significant that much of what Baxter learned
about rhetorical laws and principles during his pursuit of
the doctoral degree in Speech has been organized in con-
cise form to appear in two books published by the Macmil-
lan Company: (1) The Hgggt of the YaieiLegpures, and
(2) Speaking for the Master.

The Heap: ofgthe Yale Lectures is divided into
three major parts: (1) "The Preacher," (2) "The Sermon,"
and (3) “The Congregation." These correspond to the major
rhetorical divisions of: (l) the speaker, (2) the message,
and (3) the audience. As noted in the introduction of
this dissertation, Aristotle conceived rhetoric as an art,
mastery of which calls for (l) the evincing through speak-

ing a personal character that will win the confidence of

229

the listeners: (2) the use of logical reasoning: and

(3) the understanding of human emotions and how to engage
them through speech. Thus, it is apparent that Baxter
has, in this book, set forth a body of materials which
may be relevant in determining the extent of Baxter's
knowledge regarding rhetorical laws and principles.

Thus far, this study has concentrated on Baxter's
development as a personality, his religious background,
his relationship with a particular religious group, his
major outlets for communication, and the central themes
and ideas of his messages. This chapter will center on
his practices in the following areas: (1) audience anal-
ysis, (2) sermon preparation, (3) materials of speaking,

(4) style, (5) delivery, and (6) interaction with audience.

Audience Analysis

The only defensible speech is one that is
the product of thorough preparation. The price
that must be paid for the privilege of standing
before an audience is work--long and thorough
study.1

 

._,

lBaxter, Speaking for the Master, p. 80.

u .u h U1
‘3 «5

230

Baxter believes that listeners have a right to
expect speakers to deliver pertinent, worthwhile ideas.
This requires thorough preparation which, for a partic-
ular speaking situation, requires that the:speaker have
a clear concept of his audience before choosing his topic
and constructing his speech. He sets forth the following
factors which should be considered:

1. Size of the audience

2. Sex of its members.

3. Ages represented.

4. Educational backgrounds represented.
5. Occupations represented.

6. Organizations--religious, social, and pro-
fessional--represented.

7. Chief interests and motives present.
8. Beliefs, attitudes, and convictions present.
9. Existing knowledge of the subject.
10. Attitude of the audience toward the speaker.1
This foregoing list ends with consideration of the

audience's attitude toward the speaker. Regarding the

speaker, Baxter stresses an attitude of love:

 

—VV wt f fifi.
1

1Ibid., p. 57.

231

In order to persuade men, the man who
stands in the pulpit must have a genuine love
for them, a love characterized by understand-
ing and sympathy. In addition, he must have
a wholesome respect for those to whom he
preaches. When these attitudes are known to
the congregation his sermons will take on new
persuasive power.

The audience receives primary consideration in
Baxter's writings on preaching. In The Heart of the Yale
Lectures, after having discussed the preacher and the
sermon thoroughly in the first and second major parts,
Baxter states:

The preacher and the sermon are without

meaning unless there is a congregation, for
preaching exists for the sole purpose of in-
fluencing men. The aim of preaching is to
move the people from a lower to a higher
plane of living. The final test of the ef-
fectiveness of all preaching is this: What
changes have occurred in the lives of the
people because of the preaching?2

Concerning the importancetof knowing the audience,
Baxter summarizes by using the analogy of the construc—
tion engineer who takes care to consider the services
which a building must render before he sets about to de-

sign and build the structure. In relating this to the

preacher he concludes:

 

W

1Baxter, The Heart pf the Yale Lectupes, p. 125.

21bid., p. 231.

232

In like manner, the wise preacher care-
fully considers the use to which his sermon is
to be put before he chooses the materials with
which to build the sermon and determines the
arrangement of those materials. Just as there
is little possibility that a building cone
structed without thought of its eventual use
could be of much value, so it is likewise im—
probable that a sermon constructed without
thought of its effect could have much influ—
ence. The wise speaker first decides what the
purpose of his sermon is to be, and then bends
every effort to accomplish that purpose.1

Baxter reasons further that "in order to accom-
plish his basic purpose, that of moving men, the preacher
must possess a thorough knowledge of mankind in general
and of his own congregation in particular."2

In these observations from the works of Baxter it
is clearly evident that he places much importance on a
prOper attitude toward the audience, and on an under-
standing of the audience. The central question now is to
determine whether he functions in accordance with his
ideal for audience analysis.

Baxter's Pragtige.--This writer sent Baxter a list
of several questions related to his preparation and de-

livery of sermons. In response, he prepared answers under

fi-i a v— T m— 'w

1Baxter, Ibid., p. 240.

2Ibid., p. 252.

233

the title, General Information from Batsell Barrett

ggxter.

Concerning the procedure which he generally uses
in selecting subjects for his sermon, Baxter's answer in-
dicates that he does attempt to give first consideration
to his audience as he sets about preparing specific ser—

mons 3

For at least two decades my fundamental
thesis by which to be guided in the selection
of subjects for sermons or speeches is the
needsof the audience. This is the primary
conscious objective, however, I find myself
from time to time forgetting this criterion
and choosing subjects more from the stand-
point of what interests me, or what I have
read that was challenging, or what I feel
that I can make a meaningful sermon from,
than the actual needs of the congregation.
Logically, I aim to preach to the needs of
my hearers, though I find myself from time
to time forgetting this high purpose. How-
ever, I would say that in the long run most
of my sermons are chosen because I feel they
are needed by significant portions of the
audiences to whom I speak.

In further consideration of the question, Baxter
cites an incident when he was asked to speak for the
chapel services of David Lipscomb College during the

Spring quarter of 1968. He had leeway to choose any

 

v

1Batsell B. Baxter, General Information, p. l.

234

tOpic which he thought might be interesting to the stu-
dents. Regarding his decision in the matter, he remarks:
I was tempted to choose some light theme of

inspiration or interest for the twelve-minute

speech, for we all like to make interesting

chapel speeches and have a good response from

the student body. However, on second thought,

I realized that the young men in the audience,

facing the question of military service to

their country in wartime, needed some carefully

studied instruction concerning the Christian's

responsibilities to government and to God.

Therefore, my talk was longer than usual,

heavier than usual, but to a pressing need of

the young men who were listening.

In his preaching at the Hillsboro congregation,

Baxter faces a rather unique and challenging task in re-
gard to audience analysis: and more especially, in regard
to taking aim at specific needs. Each sermon preached on
Sunday mornings actually has three different audiences.
Already, it has been noted that two worship services are
conducted during the morning, with the same sermon being
presented at each. While there are slight variations due
to the extemporaneous method of presentation, the topic

and main points are identical. The first sermon presen—

tation is recorded on tape, thus enabling a third

 

1Baxter, Ibid., p. l.

235

audience to hear the message as it is broadcast over the
Nashville radio station.

This naturally creates a rather perplexing situa—
tion for Baxter in regard to concentrating on specific
problems and needs of the Hillsboro congregation. Because
the circumstances call for Baxter to give consideration to
all three audiences, he usually selects topics based on
general problems and issues rather than on local problems
and needs.

Many of Baxter's sermons are doctrinal in nature,
as has been indicated in the examination of his major
themes. Other than the doctrinal topics, research of
sermon manuscripts indicates topics which reflect Baxter's
interpretation of the world in which he lives. He anal—
yzes some of the more critical issues as being rooted in
prejudice, selfishness, anxiety, fear, apathy, material-
ism, lack of discipline, etc. This is evidenced by tOpics
such as: "Respect for People," "The Problem of Preju-
dice," "Too Much of Self,“ "God Loves the Poor," "Anxious
and Troubled About Many Things," "Search for Something
Solid," "The Need for Involvement," "Right Attitudes,"

"The Importance of Discipline," and "Juvenile Delinquency."

236

Baxter is keenly aware of certain trends which he
interprets as constituting grave dangers to the well-being
of our society and the destiny of human beings. One ex-
ample may be noted in a sermon preached on May 19, 1968,
which he entitled, "The Voice of the People." In his de-
velopment of this sermon, Baxter displays a keen insight
into the trends throughout the world wherein people in all
areas of society are being overly influenced by majority
power. He cites five resulting trends which he believes
could be totally destructive to our country if allowed to
continue without the counteracting effect of "God's
voice":

1. The new moral permissiveness and emphasis on the
sensual.

2. The emphasis on materialism.

3. The growing lack of respect for God, for law and
order, for prOperty, for life, and for the tradi-

tion of society.

4. The lack of concern for hard work, discipline,
and sacrifice.

5. The lack of respect for marriage and for the home.

While the above five areas were not develOped to

any significant extent in this particular sermon, they do

237

serve as a springboard for many other sermon topics.
Baxter especially stresses "the home" in many of his
sermons: "The Ideal Family," "Framework of Marriage,"
"The Power of a Christian Mother's Influence," and
"Families and Influence." Possibly, he is deeply aware
of how his own home influenced his personality. Perti-
nent and timely ideas seem to abound in his mind, his
greatest task being that of selecting and arranging ma-

terials.

Sermon Prgparation

Baxter's views and teachings concerning the
preparation of sermons may be examined by Observing what
he teaches his students of preaching. One of the lessons
in the Homiletics sourse is entitled, "Preparing the
Sermon."1

Baxter stresses that preachers should build their

own sermons rather than devising "short-cuts" such as

 

1Baxter, Lesson NO. 7 of Course Outline for
Speech 346.

238

sermon outline books or books containing "ready-made dis—

courses which can be preached on short notice." He lists

the following steps:

1. Remember the needs of the people.

2. Take inventory.

a. Write down on a sheet of paper:

(1)

(2)
(3)
(4)

Every appropriate scripture passage
that comes to mind.

Every idea that seems appropriate.
Every illustration that might fit.
Every poem, quotation, etc. that
you can think of.

b. Let this be a period of "free thinking"
--a period in which you explore the
stock of information which you already
possess.

3. Gather new materials.

a. Read widely:

(1)
(2)

(3)
(4)

The Bible.

Bible dictionaries, concordances,
commentaries.

The sermons of others on the same
theme.

General reading: Religious peri-
odicals, tracts, books, biographies,
histories, current events, etc.

b. Observe carefully.

(I)

If one begins his preparation in
time-—preferably weeks or even
months before the sermon is to be
delivered--he will find that much
valuable material comes without

C.

239

effort. H. W. Beecher wrote out

sermon ideas, put them in pigeon-
holes of his desk for future use.
He had a sermon "in preparation"

sometimes for forty years. "Ser-
mons grow."

(2) Useful illustrations and practical
examples Often come from observa-
tion. These make possible effec-
tive application of the theme to
the lives of the hearers. These
come from all areas of human ex—
perience and are true to life.

Record carefully:
(1) Get the paper habit.

(2) Read with pen or pencil in hand.
(3) Carry a notebook or cards with you.

Organize—~outline.

3.

Begin with your proposition, or purpose
sentence.

Divide your outline into three major
parts: Introduction, Discussion, and
Conclusion.

Include only one item or statement in
each unit.

Select a consistent set of symbols to
show the relationship between main
points and subordinate points.

Show the relationship between main
points and subordinate points by proper
indentation.

Use complete sentences for all main
headings and sub—headings.

240
g. Phrase each statement as it is to be spoken

to the audience.

In his text, Speaking for the Master, Baxter ad—
vises the beginning speaker to draw up a preliminary out-
line after taking inventory of knowledge already in mind;
then, he encourages extensive research in gathering addi-
tional materials. He cites Alan Monroe's "most helpful
analysis" of the various types or kinds of speech mate-
rials: (l) explanation: (2) analogy or comparison:

(3) illustrations: (4) specific instances: (5) facts and
statistics: (6) testimony or quotation: and (7) restate-
ment.

Regarding these materials as suggested by Monroe,
Baxter observes:

Every speech should have a balanced spread

of the kinds of material indicated. Explana-
tion and restatement are necessary, but low in
interest qualities. Illustrations add life and
make the meaning clear. Use them c0piously.
Facts and quotations furnish the meat that
makes a speech worth hearing. Use all these
materials with variety.2

In writing about organization and arrangement,

Baxter reveals the influence of his rhetorical background:

 

1Baxter, Ibid., pp. 18-19.

2Baxter, Speaking for the Master, p. 84.

241

As long ago as Aristotle, three centuries
before Christ, there was a continual emphasis
upon the necessity Of a plan or outline.
Aristotle's division was into two main parts:
proposition and proof. The Roman, Quintilian,
suggested a fivefold organizational plan which
was followed by writers for several centuries
after his day: (1) exordium, (2) statement of
facts, (3) proof, (4) refutation, and (5) per—
oration. The apostle Paul gave the advice,
"Let all things be done decently and in order."
Almost without exception great speakers--Daniel
Webster, Wendell Phillips, Henry W. Grady,
Henry Ward Beecher, William Jennings Bryan,
and Abraham Lincoln, to name only a few-—have
ordered their thoughts by an outline.1

Baxter teaches that once the discussion portion of
the speech is well organized, the speaker should give spe-
cial attention to planning the introduction and conclu—
sion. He states:

The most emphatic parts of a speech are the
beginning and the end. An excellent beginning
goes a long way toward making an effective
speech, and a strong conclusion may turn the
tide in winning the desired audience response.
There is an Old saying about actors: "By their
entrances and their exits shall ye know them."
Speakers sometimes underrate these parts of the
speech and consequently neglect them. Many a
sermon is worked out with great care until the
conclusion is reached, and then is left to take
care of itself. It is wise to master the tech-
nique of beginning and ending speeches with
strength, for no position in the speech is quite
so strategic as are these two.

lBaxter, Ibid., p. 90.

2
Baxter, Ibid., p. 99.

242

Baxter thinks the introduction and conclusion
should be relatively brief--not more than two or three
minutes each for a thirty-minute sermon. He specifies
brevity as a virtue Of great importance regarding all
aspects of sermon preparation. "Get a good beginning
and a good ending, and get them close together."1

In summarizing, Baxter states that the wise
speaker should carefully plan his speech to accomplish
his chosen purpose: then, he should give special atten-

tion to getting it off to a good start and to closing it

with force and power.

Baxter's Sermon Building Techniques

When asked to describe his usual practice of
sermon preparation, Baxter responded by giving a step-by-
step description of how he builds a sermon. Concerning
the first step of his four—step process, he states:

First of all, I sit down with a blank

piece of paper and "brain-storm" for a sig-
nificant period of time, during which period

I list everything that I can think of on the
subject which I have chosen. This includes

1Baxter, Ibid., p. 106.

243

scriptures, illustrations, points I wish to
make, poems, quotations, etc. These are
listed at random as they come to mind.1
Baxter prefers to engage in this first step for
a considerable period of time before it is necessary to
complete his speech organization. He believes that
speeches grow: thus, if a speaker will choose his subject
several weeks before he speaks, he will benefit by having
a number Of ideas come his way from daily experiences.
His second step is also part of what the ancients called
the "invention" process——discovery of ideas:
Step 2 consists of reading, discussions
with others, and general thinking concerning
my subject, thus gathering additional infor-
mation to that which was found in my original
"brain-storming." This covers some days or
even weeks and is basically research for the
ultimate message.2
This emphasis by Baxter on the discovery of mate-
rials for speaking corresponds to what other rhetoricians
have called attention: for example, J. Jeffery Auer

states:

The essential worth of what a speaker says
is determined by the reasoning and evidence

 

1Baxter, General Information, p. l.

2Baxter, Ibid., p. l.

244

that go into it: thus invention is the develop-
ment of facts, opinions, and arguments through
research and contemplation. It includes log-
ical and psychological procedures for selecting
and synthesizing those materials most appro—
priate to the rhetorical problem at hand. The

class

icist described this total process as the

development of proofs—-logical (logos), emo-

tiona

1 (pathos), and ethical (ethos). But

whatever the label, the heart of invention is
Reason and Evidence.1

In seeking information relating to this inventive

aspect of speaking, this researcher interrogated Baxter

about his

method and means of keeping abreast of knowl—

edge, trends, and issues especially related to his minis-

terial duties. In his reply, he states:

I
zines

try to read the various religious maga-
that relate to our brotherhood and to my

particular situation: Gospel Advocate, 20th
Centppnghristian, Powe; for Today, Firm Foun-
gation, Chriptian Chroniclg, Action, Mission,
Restoration Quarterly, Minister's Monthly,
Journalyof Religion and Mental Health, Jour-
pglgof the Society of Biblical_lgterature,
Christianity Today, and several other reli—

gious

journals of regional nature. Of course,

I do not read all of these all of the time,

but I
and r
chang

take all of them, glance through them,
ead them as regularly as I can. I ex-
e a number of church bulletins and try

to keep up with various things happening in
the brotherhood through them. I also try to

keep

up with general current events through

 

1

J. Jeffery Auer, The Rhetoric of Our Times (N.Y.:

Meredith Corp., 1969), p. 222.

245

Time, a daily newspaper, the F.B.I. reports,
and several other secular journals or house
organs. Conversation with other men on our
Lipscomb faculty also enables me to keep up
with affairs somewhat generally, as does the
fact that I travel a good bit and through
meetings and other things visit different
sections of the country, thereby catching up
with affairs in various parts of the land.

I also try to keep up with the latest publi—
cations and read as time permits books in
several different areas of our religious

field.

Although Baxter does not mention his deposit of
materials which he maintains in files, this researcher
has had occasion to see his filing system. He apparently
practices, with a high degree of efficiency, what he ad-
vocates for every public speaker--preservation of mate—
rials for speaking.2

One file is labeled "Illustration File," and con-
sists of illustrations, quotations, poems, statistics,
and proverbs preserved on 4 by 6 inch cards. Another
"Subject File" is a permanent collection of information
kept in 8—1/2 by 11 inch manilla folders. As he finds
information in the forms of pamphlets, tracts, notes,

outlines, newspaper clippings, magazine clippings, etc.,

 

Baxter, General Infgrmation, p. 5.

2Baxter, Speaking for the Mastep, p. 87.

246

he drops them into an appropriate subject folder. His
other valuable file is the one which he will mention in
the last step of sermon preparation—-a loose-leaf note—
book for finished sermon outlines.

Baxter's third and fourth steps involve the
analysis of materials, selection, arranging, and final
organization:

Step 3 comes in looking at all of this in—
formation and working up a tentative outline.
This is a handwritten outline in which I freely
shift materials from the beginning to the end
or back and forth. Some materials are struck
out as not quite on the subject. Other mate-
rials are further develOped and subdivided. It
is during this organization of the total mate-
rial gathered that I decide which would be best
for introduction and which for conclusion.

When this handwritten outline finally takes
shape it is still not in very presentable con—
dition for public viewing. The final step is
the typing of the outline, which I do myself,
onto permanent rag-content, cloth-edged paper.
This outline will be kept, so I try to make it
reasonably attractive in format and grammati-
cally correct. I follow a standard outline
procedure in a somewhat relaxed manner.1

Much as the first two steps correspond to the
classical concept of "invention," these two steps corre-
spond to the concept of "disposition," or the arrangement

of the logical, emotional, and ethical proofs:

 

1Baxter, General Information, p. l.

247

More than merely a matter of outlining
techniques, disposition involves the whole
concept of giving form and structure to ideas.
Its theories are those of orderly thinking,
and its goal is learning how to see things
whole, as well as in parts. In instrumental
terms, of course, the structuring of discourse
must be guided by adaptation to the intended
listeners, since the aim of the discourse is
to get the desired response from a particular
audience.

This introduces the question of the various means
used by Baxter as he attempts to get desired responses
from his audience. As already noted, he places primary
importance on the Word of God as representing the superior
wisdom which has the potential for lifting man from a
lower to a higher plane of living. The Word has to be
communicated, however, and the communication process in-
volves a speaker and an audience: thus, effectiveness of
persuasion depends upon the speaker, the message, and the
audience. For the best results, it is apparent that a
speaker needs an understanding of the factors related to

each area-~the speaker, the message, the audience-~which

have potential for influencing behavior and thinking.

 

T—v' w

1Auer, Op, cit., p. 223.

248

Matggialgof Speaking

 

Throughout the history of rhetorical theory, var-
ious terms have been used to identify the available means
of persuasion in the speaking situation. Aristotle con-
ceived the means of persuasion as consisting of three
kinds: (1) that residing in the character of the speaker:
(2) that possible through producing a certain attitude in
the bearer: and (3) that which appertains to the argument
prOper.1 As already noted in a previous quotation by
Auer, these three means are usually identified as ethical
proofs, logical proofs, and emotional proofs. Regarding
these three general areas, the authors of a current text,
Ppingiples of Speaking, offer a similar division of the

three means:

Most rhetoricians agree that, in a general
way at least, the speaker has available to him
three broad categories of materials-~old timers
have called these heart materials, head mate-
rials, and belly materials: that is, those
materials that affect the credibility of the
speaker, those that seem most closely associ-
ated with what we call the reasoning process,
and those that help the listener to "see into
the speaker" and associate the speaker's ideas
with the listener's experience. Taken all

 

fifi

1COOper, op. cit., p. 8.

249

together these materials we shall call mate-
piglg of speakipg. Separated into their
workable, if somewhat arbitrary parts, we
shall label them materials_o§_personal progf,

materials of develOpment, and materials of
expepience.

For convenience in theoretical discussion there

 

seems to be considerable merit in separating the means
of persuasion into these areas which are especially re-
lated, respectively, to the speaker, the message, and
the audience. Therefore, Baxter's materials of speaking
will be considered under the following three areas:

(1) materials of personal proof, (2) materials of devel-
Opment, and (3) materials of experience.

As applied to Baxter, first an examination will
be made concerning his eXpressed attitude regarding these
three areas: then, some consideration will be given to
his use of the means in communication of his ideas in
preaching. His style, delivery, and interaction with the
audience will be considered under different headings, but
will also be related to his use of the three categories

of materials as identified above.

 

1Hance, Ralph, and Wiksell, op. cit., p. 55.

250
Personal Proof

As the term clearly implies, personal proof ema-
nates from the person who is speaking, and is closely
associated with the personality as broadly conceived.
Other terms are sometimes used in reference to the means
of persuasion provided by the total impact of the
speaker's personality:

This element--personal proof--is often

called source credibility. The concepts of
personal proof and source credibility are
not exactly the same but the differences are

negligible, and the terms will be used inter-
changeably here.l

 

In the consideration of Baxter's attitudes toward
this kind of persuasion, reference will be made to "eth-
ical" proof or persuasion as may be noted in the following
example:

Ethical persuasion lies in the speaker as
a person. It includes what the audience knows
of him before he rises to speak: his reputa-
tion for honesty, integrity, good will, and
other such factors. It includes his appearance
and grooming. It includes also what he dis—
plays during his speech: his background of in-
formation, his wisdom, his trustworthiness, and
his attitude toward the audience.2

 

1Hance, Ralph, and Wiksell, op. cit., p. 80.

2Baxter, Speaking for the Mapper, pp. 108-09.

251

Because Baxter's conception of "ethical persua-
sion" corresponds closely with what other rhetoricians
have labeled as "personal proof" or "source credibility,"
these terms will be used interchangeably in this study.

Baxter's extended work with the Herald of Truth
television series has contributed much toward making his
countenance and other physical features familiar to many
peOple throughout the United States. An example of this
may be noted in a statement by an associate who accom-
panied him on a trip to the nation's capitol:

While accompanying Baxter on a trip to

Washington two events indicated how widespread
he is known. We were having dinner in a down-
town restaurant when a total stranger, not a
member of the Church of Christ, approached our
table and asked if he was the man who preached
each week on television. Later a guard in the
Capitol asked a similar question. Neither had
any connection with the church.

He is especially well-known to church members of
his own faith as the result of his publishing in brother-
hood papers, his religious campaigns, his prominence in

Christian education, his radio preaching, and his tele-

vision work.

 

1Harless, loc. cit., p. 1.

252

When asked about the impact of his reputation upon
his audiences, Baxter wrote out a reply stating:

When I stop to analyze the situation, I
realize that at this particular stage in my
life that reputation as Herald Of Truth radio
and television speaker, teacher in a Christian
college, etc. does have a very favorable ef-
fect upon audience acceptance. However, these
factors are out-of-mind ordinarily at the time
of speaking. This is especially true when I
am preaching to my home congregation. I have
preached there for more than seventeen years
and we know each other so well that degrees,
honors, etc. have less significance than when
I am a stranger in a far distant location.1

In Baxter's estimation, the main value of personal
proof lies in its potential for helping a speaker to get a
good start with an audience. It could be detrimental, he
thinks, if a speaker lets his previous attainments influ-
ence his attitude to the extent of neglecting message
preparation:
When I am before a new audience, then the
books, degrees, positions do make some differ-
ence. However, I would have to say that I
think these things are only good to get off
to a favorable start. The message itself and
the manner of its presentation have to stand
on their own legs if a message is to be ac-

cepted. We dare not rest upon our laurels if
we would influence people.

1Baxter, General Information, p. 3.

2Baxter, Ibid., p. 3.

253

More than anything else concerning personal proof,
Baxter emphasizes the need for a preacher to live a good
moral life that is above reproach. In his book designed
to help develop speakers for the church, Baxter points

this out:

Particularly is it true of religious speak-
ing that high moral character is an absolute
prerequisite to effectiveness. In all public
speaking it is a significant item, but in the

:kind of speaking with which this book is con-
cerned it is the very foundation. A speaker
must have the confidence of the people before
he can persuade.1

There is some evidence that Baxter himself has
gained more confidence from his listeners as the result
of his outward manifestation of serenity during his crisis

with cancer in 1964:

Since his brush with death, having had two
operations because of malignancy, there is an
air of urgency in Baxter's quiet preaching. He
is able to lend strength, because of his own
recovery, to numbers of people who face surgery
because of malignancies similar or identical to
his. On the rare occasions when he mentions his
illness there is a remarkable rapport with his
audience--including those who have never suf-
fered a malignancy.

 

1Harless, loc. cit., p. l.

2Harless, loc. cit., p. l.

254

Baxter is well-known in the Nashville area because
of his sympathetic work with those who are ill, discour-
aged, suffering, and dying. Testimony indicates that some
of his listeners are especially influenced by his speaking
as the result of having been personally aided by kind
deeds of the past. One insurance executive writes:

About four years ago, I was in great dis-
pair because of some current events and it was
Dr. Baxter I turned to for guidance. He mani-
fested the interest and offered me encourage-
ment which restored my confidence to the extent
I have been able to move forward in God's work
and achieve things for Him that would not have
otherwise been possible.1

This executive's zeal for Baxter because of past
association is vividly apparent as he comments on Baxter's
preaching:

One cannot listen or talk to Dr. Baxter
without becoming captivated by his desire to
guide you in the right direction. A couple
who are my wife's relatives and who live in a
small town some distance from Nashville, see
and hear Dr. Baxter on TV. They have told us
on more than one occasion he was their favorite
speaker and one of the highlights of their long
lives would be to meet and greet him. Their
religious affiliation is not in keeping with
Dr. Baxter's teaching.

 

lMalcolm Lucy, Vice President, The National Life

and Accident Insurance Co., Nashville, Tenn. (personal
letter, Aug. 20, 1969).

2Ibid., p. 2.

255

The last statement of this quotation introduces
the question as to whether or not Baxter makes any attempt
to make his proposals coincide with the beliefs and atti-
tudes of his listeners. Minnick, in discussing how to win
belief through the opinion of others, includes a source of
ethical appeal which Baxter does not mention:

The nature of ethos can be clearly understood

if prestige is conceived as arising from three
sources: (1) the tangible attainments or known
reputation of the speaker which the audience
acquires before the delivery of the speech,

(2) the character and personality revealed by
the Speaker as he utters the speech, and (3) the
coincidence of the speaker's proposals with the
rigid beliefs and attitudes of the audience.

Baxter's expression of thoughts concerning his re-
sponsibility as a preacher of the Gospel conflicts with
the idea of necessarily harmonizing his proposals with the
beliefs and attitudes of the listeners: yet, he recognizes
that such a practice is effective, and because it is,
there is all the more reason to preach the Word of God

with urgency. In a sermon entitled, "My Responsibility,"

he states:

 

lWayne C. Minnick, The Art of Pegsuapion (Cam-
bridge, Mass.: The Riverside Press, 1957), pp. 112-13.

256

God's instructions to his preachers are
very clear and very challenging. Paul wrote
to Timothy: "I charge thee in the sight of
God, and of Jesus Christ, who shall judge the
living and the dead, and by his appearing and
his kingdom: preach the word: be urgent in
season, out of season: reprove, rebuke, ex:
hort, with long suffering and teaching. For
the time will come when they will not endure
the sound doctrine, but, having itching ears,
will heap to themselves teachers after their
own lusts: and will turn away their ears from
the truth . . . .

In his letter to the Galatians Paul wrote:
”For am I now seeking the favor of men, or of
God? or am I striving to please men? if I
were still pleasing men, I should not be a ser-
vant of Christ." (Gal. 1:10). To preach "to
please men" by softening the claims of the
gospel is neither satisfactory to men nor to
God.1
In this sermon, Baxter develops an idea which pre-
vails throughout his preaching. It is the idea that the
Gospel is designed by God to transform peOple by changing
their attitudes, beliefs, and actions as needed so that
human beings may rise to a higher level of existence.
There is a tendency for peOple to "heap to themselves
teachers after their own lusts"--teachers who will teach

what they want to hear. Baxter stresses that the preacher

must be an instrument for transforming lives, and that

 

lBaxter, My Responsibility(Sermon #634, preached
on March 30, 1969), pp. 1-2.

257

this cannot be accomplished if he conforms his message to
existing beliefs and attitudes which are out of harmony
with God's will. It should be noted, however, that Baxter
is in accord with the concept of making proposals coincide
with the listeners' beliefs and attitudes if those beliefs
and attitudes are approved of God. In the same sermon al—
ready mentioned above, Baxter uses personal proof in this
way:

Eighteen years ago I stood before this con—
gregation for the first time. During these many
years my life has been greatly enriched by know-
ing you and working with you to the glory of
God. There have been many encouragements.

There is only one regret, but it is a deep one:
There are still many people whom I have come to
know and love who have not yet become Christians.
You attend the services regularly and Often.
Seemingly you enjoy coming. Evidently you are
in sympathy with what we are trying to do. You
certainly believe in God and Christ and the
Bible. But you have never done the things ne-
cessary for the saving of your souls.

In a limited sense, Baxter does coincide his pro-

posal with the beliefs, attitudes, and actions of his
listeners: however, he does not hesitate to point out

clearly certain ways in which the lives and actions of

some listeners do not harmonize with God's prOposals for

 

f ‘ V

1Baxter, Ibid., p. 2.

258

those who are to receive promised blessings. His follow-
ing pleas are based on reasoning wherein he uses examples
of preaching and conversions which are recorded in the
New Testament.

An examination of sermons preached by Baxter dur—
ing his long period with the Hillsboro Church of Christ
indicates that he seldom refers to himself or accomplish-
ments of the past. On rare occasions he does narrate per-
sonal experiences which, in addition to creating vivid
mental pictures, also should serve to enhance his ethical
appeal. An example may be seen in the following Introduc-
tion to a sermon:

One Saturday morning a number of months ago

I was driving into town on Fourth Avenue, South,
when a light changed and I had to stop. As my
car slowed to a stOp I noticed a little Negro
boy of about twelve who was ready to step off
the curb to cross the street. He eyed the front
end of my car with some apprehension, then as

it stOpped, he looked up at me and smiled. His
smile was one of the widest and most appealing
that I have ever seen. His smile seemed to say,
"I should have known you'd stop. You're my

friend." I returned his smile and sure enough
we were friends.1

1Baxter, Little Things in a Day of Bigness (Sermon
#581, preached on Jan. 21, 1968), p. l.

259

Another example, also from an Introduction, serves

to illustrate Baxter's use of personal proof:

It was just a year ago that I paused one day
on a street in a residential district of London
to talk with an elderly man, a retired teacher,
who was picking withered leaves and petals from
his rose bushes. I invited him to attend the
campaign which we were conducting and to hear
the gospel of Christ preached. His reply was
very brief and very direct. I think I shall
never forget it. He said simply, "I wouldn't
be interested." As we talked it was obvious
that he did not even believe in a personal God,
nor that Jesus Christ is the divine Son of God,
nor in the inspiration of the Bible. In short,
he does not believe.

These uses of personal proof serve well in creat—
ing the impression that Baxter is a man who is aware of
what is going on in the world, and that he is concerned
with individuals in all walks of life. His exhibition of
genuine personal interest in peOple is of common knowledge
among those who know him sell. A close associate states:

If I were to choose one word to describe
this man, that word would be concern.2

Baxter's concern for fellow human beings as mani—

fested in his speaking and deeds may be one of the more

 

1Baxter, The Problem of Faith (Sermon #369,
preached on Sept. 16, 1962), p. l.

2Harless, loc. cit., p. l.

260

important factors accounting for his favorable ethical
proof. Along with his concern, he apparently radiates
warmth, friendliness, and good will through his delivery
and choice of language and lines of reasoning. If so,
this should become apparent as attention is turned to
his use of logical and emotional proofs, his style, his

delivery, and his interaction with the audience.

Materials of Development

Materials of development will be considered as
those appertaining to the reasoning and argumentive pro-
cess. These materials are usually called "logical proofs,"
and are characterized by their function in appealing to
the intellect of the listeners through the development of
reasons for believing the proposals of the message. The
constituents of logical proof are generally recognized as
being evidence and reasoning or argument. Regarding defi-
nitions, the following descriptions by Hance, Ralph, and
Wiksell are cited for clarifying how the terms will be

used in this study:

261

Evidence may be defined as facts and opin-
ions used as the basis of reasoning. Facts are
cases, statistics, and physical objects—~phe—
nomena that are observed, described, classified,
reported, and presented. Opinions are points of
view--interpretations and evaluations of facts--
held by persons other than the person doing the
reasoning.

Reasoning may be defined as the process of
inferring conclusions from evidence or from
other conclusions.2

These authors point out that "facts and opinions
are the raw materials of reasoning," and that they must
meet the tests of both logical and psychological adequacy
in order to be considered as "good evidence."

Any materials which help make speeches clear, con-
vincing, and interesting may be considered as helpful to
the reasoning process. Materials which may be found and
used by the speaker are: (l) examples of phenomena,

(2) narratives, (3) statistics, and (4) quotations. Mate-
rials which may be created by the speaker are of four

types: (1) repetition, (2) restatement, (3) comparison,

and (4) contrast.3

 

1Hance, Ralph, and Wiksell, Op. cit., p. 98.

2Ibid., p. 100.

31bid.. pp. 91-98.

262

With the foregoing definitions serving as an
introduction concerning materials and procedures of rea-
soning, attention will now be directed toward Baxter's
concepts and use of the materials related to logical
develOpment of messages.

In response to a question concerning his use of
logical and emotional appeals, Baxter responds:

My own theory is that both are legitimate
and that the subject matter, and the person—
ality of the person and the type of occasion
determine which should be used and in what
prOportion. Because of my educational train-
ing, working with young people as a teacher
in college, and because much of my preaching
has been done before a rather well-educated
church audience, I tend to use logical appeals
more than emotional appeals. They come more
naturally, seem to be more effective, and do
not leave me open to criticism as an emotional
type speaker. I have often felt, however,
that there should be more emotional appeal
than I am able to put into them. Also, I be-
lieve I can feel through the years that I put
less emotional materials in the messages than
in earlier years.1

As noted previously, Baxter made a thorough study
of preachers who have spoken on the Yale Lecture Series,

and the above expressions show quite significantly the

lBaxter, GeneralgInformation, p. 3.

263

influence of his findings. In summarizing an examination
(of the appeals used by Yale lecturers, Baxter concludes:

In his approach to the congregation the ef-
fective minister will use both the appeal to
reason and the appeal to emotion, since both
appeals are held to be legitimate. Some men
respond better to one, some to the other. A
warning should be sounded against the misuse
of either type of appeal. Sometimes preachers
have undertaken to prove propositions which
did not require proof. In such cases the offer-
ing of proof often has served to create more
doubt than confidence. Sometimes preachers have
allowed their use of emotional appeal to degen-
erate into sentimentalism or sensationalism.
Both practices should be avoided. Let it be re-
membered, however, that many of the greatest
preachers have been men who exhibited a high
degree of emotion in their own natures.l

Baxter appears to have been influenced in his
attitudes toward the use of reasoning in his preaching by
the concepts set forth by William Norwood Brigance and
Ray Keeslar Immel in their text, Speechmaking; Pplnciples
and Practice, which was published in 1938, and apparently
in rather common use at the time Baxter was doing graduate
work. In giving conclusions and evaluations, he cites
their "modern treatment" of the subject of "reason and

argument":

~

1Baxter, The Heart of the Yale Lectures, pp. 286—
87.

264

Where do reason and argument enter the pic-
ture? What part do they play in human behavior?
A very impelling part indeed. For one thing,
people desire generally to know the truth, to
recognize quackery, to avoid being gullible, to
resist animal urges--in short, to be rational
beings maintaining self-respect. TO satisfy
these desires intelligent people must turn to
reason. For another thing; although the mass of
people, to be sure, avoid reasoning so long as
there is smooth sailing--they dislike the stren-
uous effort which it demands--yet they resort to
it the instant they get into a jam, or must solve
a perplexing problem, or must find a way out.
Reason, in other words, is the instrument for
solving our problems, for satisfying our desires,
for Obtaining the higher values of life. Argu-
ment, of course, is reasoning set forth in print
or in spoken words. We may not "argue a man
into a desire," but we can, by argument and rea—
son, enable ourselves and others to solve our
problems and so advance toward attaining our
desires.

After using the lengthy quotation above, Baxter
immediately follows it with another from the same source:

It follows, therefore, that, although argument
plays an important part in persuasion, arguments
are not equally persuasive simply because they
are equally logical. The persuasive speaker
must be able to unite argument with the springs
of action in human beings. He must be able to
premise logic upon impelling wants-~self-
preservation, progress, honor, and the like.

His argument must not only impel the hearers to
accept his logic as true, it must also arouse
them to want what their minds have proclaimed as

 

1Brigance and Immel, quoted by Baxter, Heart of
the Yale Lectures, pp. 303-04.

265

true. This is not mere appeal to passions or
mere play on emotions. It is loaded logic.
And rest assured that no other kind of logic--
no appeal to reason which does not interweave
an appeal to want-wwill seriously influence
human behavior.1

This concept of reasoning, which Baxter has
clearly accepted as his own, views logical and emotional
appeals as being most effective when used "hand-in-hand,"
or together. Baxter treats the two areas together in all
the discussions on the subject which have been discovered
by this researcher. The definition which Baxter uses for
persuasion stresses the importance of the two proofs being
used simultaneously:

Now that we have made a somewhat detailed

analysis of what is involved in persuasion, per-
haps we are ready for a definition. Brigance
defines it: "When the aim is to rouse from in—
difference, to inspire, or to stimulate lagging
enthusiasms and faiths, persuasion is a process
of vitalizing Old desires, purposes, or ideals.
When the aim is to secure the acceptance of new
beliefs or courses of action, persuasion is a
process of substituting new desires, purposes,
or ideals for old ones."2

To illustrate how the two proofs, emotional and

logical, may be used with more impact Baxter cites an ex-

ample:

 

1Brigance and Immel, Ibid., p. 304.

2 .
Baxter, Speaking for the Master, p. 114.

266

A father discovers that his teen-age boy is
surreptitiously smoking cigarettes. He could
scold and threaten the boy, but it would not
accomplish his desired goal. Instead, he pa—
tiently shows the boy that smoking will reduce
his chance of making the first string on the
football squad. If he can persuade the boy
that smoking will prevent his achieving some
cherished goal there will be no smoking.

Baxter then Observes that the apostle Paul, in his
message to the Athenians on Mars Hill, began his persua—
sive speaking by referring to convictions which they al—
ready had:

Ye men of Athens, in all things I perceive

that ye are very religious. For as I passed
along, and observed the objects of your wor-
ship, I found also an altar with this inscrip-
tion, TO AN UNKNOWN GOD. What therefore ye

worship in ignorance, this I set forth unto
you.

Baxter points out how the apostle, instead of bat—
tering down beliefs of the Athenians, establishes rapport
by showing interest in their cherished objects of worship:
then, he continues to reason with them concerning the
Christian faith. This, Baxter observes, is an example of

the combined use of emotional and logical appeals--and

lBaxter, Ibid., pp. 112-13.

21bid., p. 113.

267

with favorable results as indicated by the scriptural
account.

"Attention materials" play an important function
in Baxter's theory and practice of persuasion. Regarding
attention, he states:

In the speech, the first step toward per-

suading an audience is to secure attention--not
just any kind of attention, but fair, favorable,
and undivided attention. Attention may be of
several varieties. Voluntary attention is given
because of a sense of duty. Involuntary atten-
tion is given to some spectacular occurrence,
such as the passing of a fire engine. Non-
voluntary attention is given because of intrin-
sic interest in a subject: and of course this
is the only type of attention that a speaker
really wants.

Baxter believes an art is involved in the process
of securing "fair, favorable, and undivided attention,"
and that it may be learned by serious study. He cites
Alan Monroe's list of nine "factors of attention":

(1) activity or movement, (2) reality, (3) proximity,
(4) familiarity, (5) novelty, (6) suspense, (7) conflict,
(8) humor, and (9) the vital. He adds that people are

most interested in those things and ideas which concern

 

lIbid., p. 113.

2Ibid., p. 111.

268

them personally, and that such materials are good for
securing attention. He thinks attention is necessary in
order to develop reasons for believing proposals.1

Baxter's theory of persuasion involves a combined
use of ethical, logical, and emotional materials. A study
of his sermons indicates an intermingling of the three
to the extent that one cannot adequately illustrate his
use of logical development without also calling attention
to the ethical and emotional materials which are directly
related to his reasoning. As a case in point, consider-
ation will again be given to the introduction selected
from his sermon, "Little Things in a Day of Bigness,"
which was quoted previously as an example of personal
proof. His narrative account of his personal experience
with the little Negro boy, in addition to showing his
concern and friendliness, should have enabled Baxter to
secure rapt and favorable attention through the use of
reality, familiarity, and a certain amount of suspense.
It also served a purpose for the argument which he de-

veloped later in his message.

‘

lIbid., p. 111.

269

Out of all the teeming activities occurring in
the busy city of Nashville on a Saturday morning, this
one small incident is set forth as being meaningful and
helpful to two individuals of different races. For a
few moments, Baxter became friends with the small boy,
and it brightened his day and made him feel good toward
all the black race.

From this narrative of personal eXperience, Baxter
lays the groundwork for the develOpment of logical mate-
rials. Before discussing these materials, the remaining
portion of the introduction will be presented. Baxter
states his purpose and central idea:

For some time I have wanted to bring you a
message on the importance of small things. As
I have considered this theme, I have thought of
the possibility of using Proverbs 6:6 as my text,
"GO to the ant, thou sluggard: consider her ways,
and be wise." Another passage that could serve
as text for this theme is found in Prov. 30:24-28,
which reads, "There are four things which are
little upon the earth, but they are exceeding
wise: the ants are a people not strong, yet
they provide their food in summer: the coneys
are but a feeble folk, yet make they their
houses in the rocks: the locusts have no king,
yet go they forth all of them by bands: the liz—
ard taketh hold with her hands, yet is she in
king's palaces." All of these verses suggest
that man, talented and sophisticated though he
may be, can learn from the humble creatures of
the earth.

270

Still another possibility for the text is
Zechariah 4:10, a passage in which God asks,
"For who hath despised the day of small things?"
Yet it is a few verses above this scripture
that I found what I believe to be the essence
of the message which I have in mind. In Zech.
4:6, God has said, "Not by might, nor by power,
but by my Spirit, saith Jehovah of hosts.“

This is it: In a day when power, size and num-
bers seem to determine the outcome of every-
thing, it is good for us to remember that ulti-
mately it is not by might, nor power, but by
the Spirit of God that basic issues will be
decided.1

Baxter's specific purpose is to convince his audi-
ence that each individual human being is important to God.
The central idea developed during the message is that
basic issues will be decided by God on the basis of man's
own individuality rather than upon "power. size. and num-
bers." His first major point is an assertion that our
present era is "a day of bigness":

Ours is a day of bigness. Crowds of people
are everywhere. It is not unusual for a foot-
ball crowd to number as many as 100.000 spec-
tators. Recently. in December. more than 50.000
watched a football game when the temperature was
thirteen below zero. Basketball crowds now com-
monly number ten to twelve thousand people and
on a special occasion in the Astrodome as many
as 52.000 watched a single game. Yet these
numbers. impressive as they are. are nothing

 

___'_

1Baxter. Little Things in a Day of Bigness. p. l.

271

compared to the thirty or forty or fifty mil-
lion that sometimes watch a sporting event or
some specially important happening by means of
television.

Baxter. knowing that he has a number of sports-
minded fans in the audience. uses statistics and examples
which are familiar and meaningful to them. He also has
several business people in the audience to whom the fol-
lowing facts and statistics would be especially meaning-
ful:

In our day governments are bigger. with
multiplied billions of expenditures. Cities
are bigger. as they spread out over the sur-
rounding countryside. Expressways make it
possible for commuters to travel twenty and
thirty miles to and from work without undue
investment of time. Buildings are bigger.
Business is bigger. with more than eight mil-
lion cars and trucks produced in a single year
and with twelve to thirteen million shares
traded on the New YOrk Stock Exchange in a
single day. Along with these ever-increasing
aspects of modern life. we must also recognize
that our problems are bigger.

As the United States population goes past
the two hundred million mark and shows no evi-
dence of slowing down. and as the world popu-
lation reaches toward the three and one-half
billion mark. an individual man is likely to
feel: "I am not important." Lost in a sea of
faces. living on a street of look-a-like houses.

 

‘r

lIbid.. p. 1.

272

and working at a desk like all the others. man
feels his own insignificance.

In the latter paragraph. Baxter focuses on the
individual and makes a transition which involves the lis-
teners in a hypothetical reasoning process:

It is in this situation that man might well
say. “What I do that is good will not mean much.
What I do that is evil will not be noticed.“

But if a man tends to feel that his behavior is
unimportant, he needs to look again. When he
feels that the good he does is not of much value,
he needs to remember that it was one man, Noah,
who saved the human race from extinction in the
flood. He needs to remember that if there had
been ten righteous men the city of Sodom would
have been spared. When he is tempted to feel
that evil behavior will not be noticed, he needs
to remember that Adam and Eve placed a low esti-
mate on disobedience to God, and as a result the
whole human race has suffered in a thousand ways
ever since. The fact is that God's system is
based entirely upon individual behavior.

In using the statistics to present data concerning
familiar phenomena and activities, Baxter indirectly in-
volves his listeners so that they sense the feeling Of
smallness in a world of bigness: then, he leads them back
to his text by citing familiar and specific instances in
Biblical history which support his point that God's system

is based on individual behavior.

 

1Baxter, Ibid.. pp. 1-2.

2Ibid., p. 2.

273

After using this process of inductive reasoning,
Baxter, as noted in the last sentence of the foregoing
quotation, states his conclusion: then, he uses restate-
ment immediately so as to reinforce the point being de-
veIOped:

His [God's] concern is with every man in

an individual, personal way. God blesses and
punishes not on the basis of nations, races,
or even families, but on the basis of man's
own individual thoughts and acts.1

Baxter's second major point concerns the fact that
God, in dealing with human beings, has often used "insig-
nificant people" to accomplish great works. Again, he
uses inductive reasoning as he presents specific instances
of familiar figures from the Old Testament, from which he
draws the inference that ordinary people are Often doing
the things which mean most to God.

Baxter's conclusion consists of a restatement of
the central idea with brief references to hypothetical
examples which give support to the prOposition:

Even in a day of bigness God is more con-

cerned over one soul than over the entire
material world. The great things of our day

 

 

   

274

may not be the public things at all, but the
quiet unnoticed things. An attractive young
Christian girl choosing the longer of two
dresses because she wants to be modest may be
more significant than what the Secretary of
State, or the Secretary of Defense, is doing.
A talented Christian young man at a business
dinner, saying, "Thank you, I don't drink,"
may be far more significant than what the
president of the company, or even the Presi-
dent Of the United States, is doing. When-
ever men make decisions to follow Christ and
to live according to the Spirit, this is more
important than the great spectacular things
that make the headlines.1

In the concluding statement above, Baxter is mak-
ing use of deductive reasoning by stating a general pro-
position which has been arrived at through inductive
reasoning. He, then, proceeds from the general proposal
to instances which support it. Up to, and through, this
stage of his message, Baxter has been indirect in his
approach to the audience. In his final persuasive appeal,
he is direct:

The biggest decision of a person's life is

that which leads him to stand with Christ. We
have just a few years at most and we need to
let those years count fully for our Lord. You
are important in God's sight. Your eternal
destiny is important enough that Christ came

to the world and died that you might have
eternal life in heaven. Do not discard as

 

11bid., p. 4.

275

unimportant that which bears the image of God,
that for which Christ died. Come to him now,
obeying his commandments, so that he may
cleanse you of your sins and add you to his
eternal family, the church.1

With this closing appeal, Baxter utilizes mate-
rials which are designed to move listeners through appeal-
ing to basic impelling wants: especially, the protective
and acquisitive wants.

The foregoing example of Baxter's development of
reasoning, and the use of materials for visualization and
clarification, is typical of most of his preaching. He
uses an inductive approach with much greater frequency
than he does the deductive approach. Most of his sermons
have abundant use of what Baxter refers to as "life sit-
uations" which indirectly guide the thinking of listeners
to understand his proposals. Baxter's findings resulting
from his studies of the Yale lecturers convinced him of
the value of developing arguments indirectly. Regarding
this, he quotes Ralph W. Sockman:

If sermons aim at solving the life situa-

tions of actual persons, they will not fall
into the traditional classifications of topical,

expository, doctrinal and the like. When we
start with life situations we start where men

1Ibid., p. 4.

276

live, than lead the questioning soul to the
doctrinal and Biblical sources. Instead of
the traditional expository type of preaching
which spends the first paragraphs explaining
the Hebrew and Greek roots while the lis-
teners' minds rove over greener pastures,
the sermon will arrest the attention of the
bearer with a real issue and then direct the
quest to the ever-satisfying Scriptures. It
is the project method applied to the Bible.
Such preaching will combine the teaching
quality with the intensely practical.l

Another quotation from Walter Russell Bowie's The
Renewing Gospel reinforces this same idea:

The most characteristic modern preaching
has taken its cue from the psychological ap—
proach. It is not deductive, but inductive.
It does not begin with large religious doc-
trines and then bring these down to their
particular applications. It begins with the
living person, and his confused but vital im-
pulses: and it explores the possibilities for
these, until at last it shows the frustration
of the irreligious life, and reveals the great
highroads of religious faith as the way in
which the man himself must choose to go when
he has found the real direction of his soul.2

It is Obvious that Baxter frequently uses ideas
similar to these which he has quoted from Sockman and

Bowie. An examination of his sermons preached at

 

1Ralph W. Sockman, as quoted by Baxter, The Heart
of the Yale Lectures, pp. 276—77.

2 .
Walter Russell Bow1e, as quoted by Baxter, The
Heart of the Yale Lectures, p. 277.

277

Hillsboro during the past several years shows that he
often begins his message with consideration of problems
and/Or needs which are present in life situations that
are familiar to the audience. An example of this prac-
tice may be observed in the introduction of a sermon en-
titled, "Our Heritage," which he preached following the
assassination of President John F. Kennedy in 1963:

During these past two days we Americans
have passed through a great ordeal. Through
the means of television and radio we have
seen history made before our eyes. We have
been caught up in a great unfolding tragedy.
The first citizen of our nation, and because
of his position perhaps the first citizen of
the entire world, our own chief executive,
lies dead as the result of a wild, irrational,
brutal act of a madman. All of us, nearly one
hundred ninety million of us, have stood
shocked, unbelieving, stunned, silent, and
grieving. We have stood united. For a few
days there have been no political partisans--
only Americans. We have stood united in our
sympathy for a bereaved family, and in our
grief for a fallen leader, for whom all of
us, even those who differed with him in reli-
gion and in political ideas, felt affection.1

From this "life situation" account, Baxter makes
a transition which immediately engages the audience in a

reasoning process with him:

 

l .
B. B. Baxter, Our Heritage (Sermon #411, preached

on November 24, 1963), p. l.

 

278

In times of tragedy we find ourselves ask-
ing, "Why? Why did this happen?"

Baxter then proceeds to guide the thinking of the
listeners concerning the blessings from a rich heritage:
(l) a wonderful land and climate, (2) an excellent system
of government, (3) a great ancestry, and (4) religious
freedom. After a brief discussion of each of these, he
makes a transition:

As we bring our attention from the great
heritage of the past to the examination of the
present, we become deeply concerned about the
drift of our day. The qualities that made our
nation great are gradually slipping away. Ours
is a nation in which vice and crime are much
too prominent. Crime in a recent year was
seven percent above the previous year. Although
we pride ourselves on being a Christian nation,
we have more murders, more sex offenses, and
more of certain other types of crimes than any
similar segment of the world's population. Ours
is a nation in which the taking of dope and the
drinking of intoxicants is much too widespread.
Ours is a generation in which self-indulgence
and sensualism are accurate descriptive terms.
As a result adultery is common and the number
of divorces rises year by year. It is a time
in which materialism has dominated the thinking
of a great host of Americans. Ours is a gener—
ation in which atheism, agnosticism and doubt
loom ever larger. In the realm of religion
liberalism has eaten the very heart out of or-
thodox Christianity. Still further, lawless—
ness has reached the point of anarchy in var-
ious places and at various times.

 

1Ibid., p. 2.

279

Just as Sockman suggested, Baxter has started with
a life situation and has continued to guide the minds of
his audience into reflective thinking about the world in
which they are living: then, he leads the questioning
souls to the doctrinal and Biblical sources. In further
development he vividly shows the consequences and frustra-
tions of the sensual and selfish life, and follows with a
portrayal Of the higher level of life possible through
following the examples of Christ and the early Christians,
who also lived in the midst of evil.
Baxter makes frequent use of John Dewey's "steps
in reflective thinking":
Upon examination, each instance of reflec-
tive thought reveals more or less clearly, five
logically distinct steps: (1) a felt diffi-
culty: (2) its location and definition: (3) sug—
gestion of possible solution: (4) development
by reasoning Of the bearings of the suggestion:
(5) further Observation and experiment leading
to its acceptance or rejection.1
In his text,_§peaking for the Master, Baxter advo-
cates Alan Monroe's adaptation of Dewey's reflective pat-

tern which is commonly known as the "motivated sequence,"

and is defined as "the sequence of ideas which, by

 

1John Dewey, as quoted by Baxter, Speaking for the
Master, p. 94.

280

following the normal process of human thinking, motivates
the audience to respond to the speaker's purpose."1

An example of Baxter's use of the motivational
sequence of thinking may be seen in an outline of one of
his sermons entitled, "E Pluribus Unum":2

E Pluribu§_Unum

Proposition: "To lead all believers in Christ
to want to unite in Christ's
church."

Attention Step:
I. There are too many churches in America.

A. At first this sounds like the ex-
pression of a critic of religion.

B. The speaker, however, is in full
sympathy with true Christianity.

II. We are concerned to find the reasons
why, after more than sixty generations
of time, Christianity is no more ef—
fective in American than it is.

Need Step:

I. The church is divided.

A. The official United States Census
' Reports give the following facts:

1. 1906--l9l religiOus bodies.
2. 19l6—-202 religious bodies.
3. l926--215 religious bodies.
4. l936—-256 religious bodies.

 

1Alan Monroe, as quoted by Baxter, Ibid., pp. 94-
95.

2Baxter, Ibid., pp. 95-98 (sample outline in chap-
ter on "Organization and Arrangement").

II.

III.

B.

281

It is estimated that there are now
more than 300 separate churches in
America. '

Christ desired that all believers be one.

A.
B.

John 17:20-23.
I Corinthians 1:10-13.

Religious division has hindered the pro-
gress of Christianity.

A.

C.

Wars are still raging throughout the
world.

Crime and vice are still running
rampant.

Infidelity is still common.

Satisfaction Step:

I.

II.

"E Pluribus Unum" suggests the answer.

A.

B.

Why
the

A.

The meaning of this motto of the
United States is "From many into one."

We need to do in the religious world
what the early American colonies did
in the political world.

1. In unity there is strength.

2. A handful of sand is impotent--
but bind the grains of sand to-
gether with some cohesive force,
and they become a rock.

not unite on the church described in
Bible?

It would have an appeal to all God-
fearing people.

It would have the approval of God and
Christ.

Let us leave man—made creeds.

Let us "speak where the Bible speaks
and be silent where the Bible is
silent."

282

Visualization Step:

I. The restoration of New Testament Chris-
tianity has already begun.

A. Hundreds of thousands of believers
in Christ have already pledged them-
selves to return to the church of
the apostolic age.

B. Several thousand congregations of
the New Testament church already
exist in America.

II. The Restoration movement, begun a cen-

tury and a half ago, is making greater
progress today than ever before.

Action Step:

I. Let each man study his Bible to discover
the Lord's church.

II. Let each man give himself, his energies,
his talents, and his wealth to the tri-
umph of Christ's church.

Baxter suggests the motivated sequence pattern of
development for situations where there is a problem to be
solved. He uses it in his own preaching most often when
he is dealing with problems confronting religious people
as the result of what he considers to be a departure from
New Testament doctrine and practice. This gives him the
Opportunity to set forth examples from the Word of God as

the best possible solutions to man's problems in the con-

temporary‘world.

283

After this consideration of Baxter's conception of
reasoning and his practices, it is evident that he does
give primary importance to the use of logical appeals:
however, he also sees the urgency of using materials which
are designed to make the messages more real and interest-
ing to his listeners. For this purpose, he includes emo-
tional or sensory materials which help the audience vis-

ualize and experience the things being discussed.

Materials of Experience

Some attention has already been given to Baxter's
view of persuasion and the relationship of logical and
emotional appeals as the speaker attempts to secure the
acceptance of new beliefs or courses of action. Further
understanding about his conception of persuasion through
the use of emotional and/Or sensory materials may be
gained by noting the following quotation:

Experience has taught that each of us has

many basic human urges or drives, sometimes
called instincts, emotions, habitual action
tendencies. To recognize these basic motives

is simply to recognize the way we are made.
They are neither bad nor good in themselves,

284

but can be used either for worth-while purposes
or for unworthy purposes. The public speaker
who wishes to persuade must learn what these
inner drives are and adapt his appeals to them.1

In recognizing this significant category of mate-
rials for speaking, Baxter is in harmony with classical
rhetorical theory which, as stated by Aristotle, asserts
that "persuasion is effected through the audience, when
they are brought by the speech into a state of emotion:
for we give very different decisions under the sway of
pain or joy, and liking or hatred."2 Baxter's view of
emotional appeals is also similar to that advocated by
Wayne C. Minnick in his text, The Apt 9; Persuasion, in
which he states:

The development of moderate emotional re-
sponses is essential to the motivation of
achievement of any kind: indeed, moderate
emotion facilitates intelligent behavior.

Let a man have no feeling at all toward an
event, let him be truly indifferent to it,
and he will not act at all, intelligently or
otherwise. On the other hand, it is true
that if he be too strongly moved by it,

. though he will certainly agt, he may be un-
able to act intelligently.

 

1Baxter, Speaking for the Master, pp. 113-14.
2COOper, op. cit., p. 9.

3Minnick, op. cit., p. 225.

285

Baxter is aware of the ethical problems which may
arise from the overuse of emotional appeals: thus, as
Minnick, he advocates moderate use of such materials. He
recognizes the great power in the use of sensory materials
but carefully guards against using them to motivate people
without proper rational appeals so as to enable intelli-
gent decisions.

In discussing the use of logical and emotional
materials, Baxter cites many of the Yale lecturers as ex-
amples in use of one or the other: then he arrives at his
own observation that the "effective minister will use both
the appeal to reason and to emotion, since both appeals
are held to be legitimate."1 Baxter's own ideal for the
use of emotional appeals corresponds very closely with
that which he quotes from W. Herbert Perry Faunce:

For centuries Christian teachers have apol-

ogized for the emotional element in religion

. . . . The truth is that our feelings are the
mainspring of all we have and are. The feelings
are not signs of weakness, they are the motive
power in all our living. If they are wrongly
directed, we become slaves of passion or ca-
price. If they are strong and steadfast, then

the intellectual and social life becomes potent
and progressive. Every feeling tends to vent

1Baxter, The Heart ofythe Yale Lectures, p. 286.

286

itself in action, and when strong enough issues
in deeds without any conscious choice. That
habitual currents of feelings wear channels in
the very substance of the brain, that through
those channels feeling discharges itself with
ever increasing swiftness and ease, that the
slightest desire tends to eventuate in deeds,
and that no human being can permanently desire
one thing and act another--these are the psy-
chological facts that reenforce the ancient in—
sight: "As a man thinketh in his heart so is
he."

Faunce's thinking may or may not have prompted
Baxter to develOp a sermon on the tOpic, "As a Man
Thinketh in His Heart." Whatever be the case, Baxter does
set forth the idea that the heart or mind of man can be
dominated by emotions. After developing an argument which
infers that no effect is without its cause, and no cause
is without its effect, Baxter states:

This being true it follows that when man
allows his heart or mind to be dominated by
the great negative destructive emotions of
HATRED, which includes anger, jealousy, envy,
resentment and the like, or FEAR, which in-
cludes many different types of anxiety, or
GUILT, which also is of many kinds and many
degrees, and FAILURE or FRUSTRATION, which
means man is inadequate to face his situation

 

lW. Herbert Perry Faunce, as quoted by Baxter, The
Heap: of the Yale Lectures, pp. 267-68.

287
successfully, it is inevitable that his whole
life shall show the effect.1
Baxter continues to point out how certain emotions
cause psychosomatic diseases, and he gives a number of ex-
amples with supporting statistics to prove his point. On
the positive side, he cites emotions which greatly aid the
thinking of man so as to foster health, happiness, and
wisdom. He cites an example to support his assertion:
The Journal of the American Medical Asso-
ciation recently reported a symposium in which
a number of doctors participated in discussing
the treatment of chronic ulcerative colitis.
The final recommendations for prevention and
treatment placed strong emphasis upon faith,
hope, love and forgiveness. It is rather
heartening to the Christian to find the highest
medical authorities in our land today proposing
for the cure of certain physical illnesses the
same things that the apostle Paul advocated in
the long ago.
Baxter's goal in preaching is to lift people to a
higher level of living, and these findings concerning his
ideas and thinking about the relationship of emotions and

thinking clearly indicate that he believes persuasion must

utilize fundamental human drives in creating interest,

 

1B. B. Baxter, A§.A Man Thinketh in His Heart

(Nashville: Washington Industries, 1966), p. 8.

2 . . .
Baxter, As A Man Thinketh in His Heapp, p. 12.

288

attracting attention, and building attitudes. He makes

no attempt to discuss logical and emotional materials
separately because he considers man's thinking and feeling
capacities as being directly related to each other. There
is considerable evidence to support his thinking. In dis-
cussing motivation in 1938, Jon Eisenson states:

The basic drives . . . are for the most part
concerned with the preservation and continuance
of the physical and mental well-being of the in-
dividual. Nor is there any clear-cut distinc-
tion between the physical and the mental. These
drives are not learned: they are universally
present in all naive human beings. The changes,
suppressions, and modifications that take place
in these drives are usually the result of envir-
onmental influences. They are learned, and the
individual who makes the modifications may no
longer be considered naive. For the most part,
however, drives remain basically the same with
most normal human beings.1

Eisenson, Auer, and Irwin, in a treatment of moti-
vation in a textbook published in 1963, state:

In 1938, one of the authors of this book
introduced a discussion of motivation by declar-
ing that: "The amount of organized human be—
havior_that is not determined by an individual's
wants, interest, and purposes is so small as to
merit attention only because of its rarity."
Despite the enormous amount of psychological re-
search in the subsequent quarter of a century,

 

1Jon Eisenson, The Psychology of Speech (New York:
Appleton-Century—Crofts, Inc., 1938), p. 251.

289

there is no reason to modify this statement.
The more we study human behavior the more sure
we are that it is dynamic, characterized by
great energy stemming from basic inner drives-—
wants, interests, and purposes.

Baxter does attempt to make use of the "great
energy stemming from the basic inner drives." He believes
that human beings can be influenced to change their lives
by suppressing, controlling, and modifying the basic human
drives so as to conform to the more divine nature possible
through instruction from the Word of God. In other words,
a man's thinking can be influenced by appealing to emo-
tions: and preaching, in order to be effective, must take
into account man's sensory experiences. Baxter's inter-
mingling of logical and emotional appeals has already been
noted in discussing materials of development. Other ex—

amples will be noted as an examination is made of his

style.

 

lEisenson, Auer, and Irwin, The Psychology of
Communigation, p. 244.

290

Baxter's Style

In making use of the materials Of speaking to in-
fluence human beings, the speaker must depend on language.
The speaker's way of expressing thought in language is
usually referred to as his style. Although there may be
a multiplicity of definitions for style, within the con—
text of speaking, the term is ordinarily applied to the
speaker's distinctive manner Of selecting words and put-
ting them together. The authors Of The Speaker's Resogpgg
2995, after recognizing that "style" is a "loosely used
word and very hard to define," state:

When applied to the use of language, style

is employed most specifically to designate the
selection and arrangement of words.

It is in this sense that style will be considered
as further study is made of Baxter's practice of the art
of speaking. It should, of course, be understood that

much more is involved than just words and their arrange-

ment. In discussing "the language code," Weaver and Ness

 

1Carroll C. Arnold, Doublas Ehninger, and John C.
Gerber, The Speaker's Resource Book (Chicago: Scott,
Foresman & Co., 1961). p. 310.

291

point out how language reveals much about the person who
is speaking:

In a very real sense it is true that style

is character revealed in language. The ancient
rhetorician, Longinus (213—273 A.D.), told his
students that great style is the echo of a great
personality. Edward Gibbon said almost the same
thing, "Style is the image Of character."
Buffon, the French scientist and philosopher,
epitomized this point of View in his memorable
and oft-quoted statement, "Le style est l'homme
meme" (Style is the man himself). Roger Brown
observes that language style is as individual

as a fingerprint.

If it be true that character is revealed in lan-
guage, an examination of his style should give further
understanding of Baxter's personality in addition to pro-
viding information about his knowledge and ability con-
cerning language usage.

Evidence from Baxter's works suggests that he con-
siders style of vital importance in public address. In
his text, Speakipg_for the Master, immediately following a

chapter on "Persuasion," he presents a chapter entitled,

"Words," which he introduces in the following manner:

 

1Andrew T. Weaver and Ordean G. Ness, The Funda-
mentals and Forms of Speech (New York: The Odyssey Press,
1963). p. 175.

292

Words are the tools with which the
speaker works. They are the bridges over
which his ideas are transported into the
minds of his hearers.l

Baxter then observes that the study of style is
a vital matter to every speaker. For supporting material
to back up this assertion, Baxter uses a quotation from
William Pierson Merrill:

A good English style is as essential to the
preacher as a good delivery wagon is to the
grocer. There are too many men in the pulpit
who know a good deal, and think well enough,
but have never gained the mastery of effective
and simple language, through much companion-
ship with the best writers, through deliberate
and painstaking cultivation of a homely force-
ful use of words. A preacher without skill in
words is like a knight with no knowledge of
sword play.2

In another of his books, The Heapt O; the Yalg
Lectures, Baxter devotes two full chapters to a consider-
ation of style. As he initiates a discussion of style,
he quotes William Jewett Tucker, who advocates that the
pulpit, as much as any agency of public speech, should

place insistence upon style:

 

1Baxter. §peaking fogythe Mapter, p. 115.

21bid., p. 115.

293

The truth in itself, however true it may be,
will not insure the preacher a hearing. It is
in preaching as in all good speech, the truth,
plus the man, plus the style.

It is not clear what Tucker means by style, nor
does Baxter clarify the definition in that particular con-
text. However, after considering many other views of
style, he summarizes with the following observations:

While it is true that a poor message cannot
be made good by a good style, it is equally
true that a good message may be rendered inef-
fective by a poor style. The wise preacher,
therefore, gives thoughtful attention to the
development of a good style so that it may
reinforce the content of the sermon.

When developed, the good style first of all
makes the message clear. Its chief function is
to create in the minds of the hearers the exact
ideas which the speaker wishes them to have.

In achieving its goal of clarity, the good
style is concrete rather than vague or indefi—
nite.

Vividness is considered to be of utmost importance.
He states that no "quality of style is more important than
Vividness, the quality of putting your message into such

form that it will capture your hearers' attention and

 

1William J. Tucker, quoted by Baxter, The Heart
of the Yale Lectures, pp. 129-30.

2Baxter, The Heart of the Yale Lectures, pp. 146-
47.

294

imbed itself deeply in their minds."1 Much stress is put

on illustrations to create mental pictures which may serve

four purposes: (1) make the speaker's meaning clear:

(2) help the listeners remember: (3) exert a force of

proof or persuasion: and (4) awaken and sustain interest.

He emphasizes that the speaker should keep the following

qualities in mind in selecting words: clearness, simpli-
. . . . 2

city, familiarity, exactness, and good taste.

In his own practice of using language, Baxter
makes liberal use of illustrations and specific instances
to prompt mental pictures. Evidence in the form of testi-
mony from a colleague3 points to the possibility of excep-
tional talent by Baxter regarding vivid word usage:

While Batsell Barrett has many qualities

which make him an outstanding preacher, the
one above all, to me, is his ability to
vividly, exactly, and concisely picture human
events. He is so observant that in a speech
before the faculty one time, he said, "Listen
just.a minute": and we listened. He said, "Do

you hear the airplane going overhead? This is
the regular 10:00 plane for Dallas." Then he

 

1Baxter, Speakipg for the Master, p. 116.

2Baxter, Speaking for the Master, pp. 116-20.

3Carroll B. Ellis, Chairman of Speech Dept.,
David Lipscomb College (letter, Aug. 9, 1968).

295
was able to weave this into the body of what he
was saying.1
More evidence is available in the form of an ac—

tual sample from one of Baxter's sermons. It is appro-
priate at this point also to note the difference between
Baxter's use of language in the actual speaking situation
and his use of language in the same sermon after it has
been revised by Baxter for publication in written form.
The materials in the first column were transcribed from
a tape recording made during actual delivery in the Hills-
boro Church building.2 Those in the second column were

selected from a published version.

 

Taped Version Published Version

Can we really believe Can we really believe
in a heaven like we've read in heaven? Is it reason-
of tonight? Oh, yes. Our able to believe that God
God, who created the uni- can perform the miracle
verse—-spoke it into exis- that will take us from
tence--can do it. Our God this world of sorrow and
does so many wonderful struggle into the wonder-
things we hardly notice. ful spiritual world of
Have you ever gone out into which we have been speak-
your garden in the fall of ing? Is it reasonable?

11bid.

2Baxter, God's way for the Righteous (delivered
Oct. 11. 1964).

3Baxter, Making God's way Our Way, pp. 111-12.

the year and seen a green,
ugly caterpillar as it
crawls along to a fence
post? And you notice that
it spins a kind of a cocoon
about itself. Nothing very
marvelous about that. It's
a gray-brownish kind of
ugly little shell. And you
notice that it fastens it
to that fence post and you
watch it. You could go
over after a few weeks and
crush it with your fingers.
And if you did, you'd find
only a foul smelling liquid
inside. But you leave it.
And there it goes on some
weeks. And then one day
when the winter's come and
is gone, again you're in
your garden. And in a
bright sunlit afternoon
when the rays Of the sun
warm the air, a miracle
happens. There is a shak-
ing of that cocoon, and a
breaking forth. And in-
stead of the green ugly
caterpillar that went in,
there emerges one of the
most beautiful creatures
that the world has ever
seen. There the gauzy
ring-wings, at first damp,
are dried in the spring
sunlight. And then, behold,
before your very eyes,
floating out into space,
already with the ability to
fly, is one of the most
brilliantly colored, mar-
velously designed of all
God's creatures. A

296

Did you ever go out into
your garden late in the
fall of the year and see

a cocoon fastened to a
fence post? Only a few
week before, an ordinary
caterpillar had woven this
cocoon about himself.
Should you crush this tiny
protective cell, you would
find a foul-smelling
liquid inside. Instead,
you leave it alone through
the winter months until
you have forgotten about
its very existence. Then,
one warm spring afternoon,
you enter your garden
again, and before your
very eyes a miracle hap-
pens. In the warm after-
noon sunlight, the cocoon
breaks Open, and from in-
side emerges a tiny new
creature. Gauzy wings are
dried in the sun. Then,
almost unbelievably, a
beautiful, multicolored
butterfly floats out into
the balmy spring air. God
has transformed an ugly
worm into a beautiful but-
terfly. If God can do
that--and he does it a
million million times
every year--can he not
transform man into a crea-
ture fit for paradise?

Why not become a
Christian and start the
glorious journey toward
heaven?

 

 

297

magnificent butterfly. And
you think back to that worm
that crawled into that co-
coon. And then you think
about the intervening time.
And then you watch the
butterfly as it soars there
in the brilliance of the
sunlight. And you say, "If
God could do that, then He
can transform me, as I leave
this earth and as I go to
that great heavenly home,
into a creature that will
live eternally." You and I
are made in the image of God.
There'll come a time when we
leave this old chrysalis be-
hind. That which is of the
earth will go back to the
dust from whence it came,
and the spirit--the part of
us made in God's image—-will
float upward to spend eter-
nity with God.

In examining the two foregoing columns, it is
noticeable that Baxter uses many more words for oral
speaking than for the written version. His oral style
displays more Vividness, more use of description, and
more spontaneity. There is evidence of his awareness of
the need for instant intelligibility in oral communica-
tion. This may be observed by noting the use of shorter

words, thought groups, and sentences in the taped version:

also, there is more frequent use of personal address,

298

and more use of imagery--words to create sensory impres-
sions.

Other than using words just to create vivid mental
images, it is apparent that Baxter is appealing to reason.
In essence he is reasoning that God is responsible for the
phenomenon which he describes, and if God can transform an
ugly caterpillar into a beautiful butterfly, he can also
prepare the human being for a heavenly environment.

As may be noted in the numerous quotations already
cited during consideration of Baxter's major themes, he
makes extensive use of examples in the form of instances
and illustrations which clarify, support, and add interest
value to his ideas. This, along with his ability to use
narratives, statistics, and quotations, helps him influ-
ence peOple with his ideas. As aptly pointed out by the
following quotation from the text by Hance, Ralph, and
Wiksell, words serve a vital function in the reasoning
process:

We must remind you that words, alone and

in combination, form the major vehicle through
which reasoning, evidence, and all of the

other constituents of persgasion and exposi—
tion reach your listeners.

 

lHance, Ralph, and Wiksell, Op. cit., p. 229.

299

This is essentially what Baxter states about the
function of words as already noted in his treatment of
style. Reasoning, with appropriate evidence and logical
development, is highly important: however, it is obvi-
ously true that words do form "the major vehicle" or
"bridge" by which all the "constituents of persuasion and
exposition" reach the minds of the listeners. This, ap-
parently, is the thinking which prompted Baxter to in-
clude in the introduction to his treatment of style the
following quotation by Joseph Conrad: "He who wants to
persuade should put his trust not in the right argument,
but in the right word . . . . Give me the right word and
the right accent, and I will move the world."1 Baxter,
himself, indicates in the chapter that one does need the
right argument, but stresses that one also needs a skill
in the use of words: otherwise, the argument may not be
understood and accepted by listeners.

Baxter does not always make a clear distinction
between style and delivery in speaking. For example, in

summarizing statements concerning delivery, he states:

 

lBaxter, Speaking for the Master, p. 115.

300

Each preacher has a personal style of his
own which should be retained. Slavishly to
imitate another, even though he be a master of
the preaching art, usually spells disaster.

The best of all the speaking styles is the
plain natural style of animated conversation.
While the formal, artificial manner of speak-
ing leaves congregations cold, the warm, per—
sonal, conversational mode enables the preacher
to reach the hearts of his hearers.

In writing about the "plain natural style of ani-
mated conversation," Baxter is, of course, in the province
of delivery, where words are heard as sounds subject to
the influences of loudness, pitch, quality, time, pronun-
ciation, and other factors which may affect style. Ac-
tually, it is through delivery, or the presentation of

the speaker's message by visible and audible means, that

one's oral style becomes manifest.

Baxter's Delivery

Baxter recognizes delivery as the final test for
the practitioner of public address. In writing of de-

livery, he cites the testimony of several great Yale

1Baxter, The Heart pT_the Yale Lectures, p. 195.

301

lecturers who stress the importance of delivery: then, he

gives a quotation by Charles Reynolds Brown:

ing

Here is the final test: Here you win or
lose: All that has gone before helps or hin-
ders, as the case may be, but the proof of
the pudding is the eating. Here in the de-
livery of your sermon the nourishment which
you have brought for a hungry congregation is
either eaten with relish, satisfaction and re-
sultant strength, or it is left on the plate
as a bit Of cold victuals, uselesi and repel-
lent. Take heed how you deliver:

Baxter tempers enthusiasm for delivery by follow-
it with a pertinent statement by William M. Taylor:

I would not go so far as to say that artic-
ulate, earnest delivery is everything in a
sermon: for truth is in words as well as in
manner, and far more in the former than the
latter. Yet it is undeniable that effective
utterance will give force even to a feeble
sermon: while careless, hesitating, and indis-
tinct speech, will make the finest composition
fall flat and powerless upon the listeners'
ears.

Concerning his own thoughts on the importance of

delivery, Baxter makes the following conclusion:

Just as the manufacturer knows that, no
matter how excellent his product, there are
no profits until after delivery, so the

1Charles Reynolds Brown, quoted by Baxter, The

Heart ogpthe Ygle Lectures, p. 174.

2William M. Taylor, quoted by Baxter, The Heart

of the Yale Lectures, p. 175.

302

thoughtful preacher knows that, no matter how
fine the sermon, there is no profit until
after the sermon is actually delivered to the
minds and hearts of the people.
In the analysis of Baxter's concept and practice
of delivery, the following main topics will be considered:

(1) mode of delivery: (2) visible aspects of delivery: and

(3) audible aspects of delivery.

Mode of Delivery

In summarizing his findings after his doctoral
study of the Yale Lectures, Baxter indicates that the
method of delivery used most widely by successful
preachers is the extemporaneous, wherein careful prepar-
ation is done before delivery, but the manuscript is not
used while Speaking.

Regarding his own delivery, after explaining the
four-step preparation process of building sermons, Baxter

adds:

1
Baxter, The Heart of the Yale Lectures, p. 195.

2Baxter, Ibid., pp. 195-96.

303

All that remains after these four steps of
preparation is oral practice to get the message
in mind before delivery. I like an hour, if
possible, in fairly close connection to the
service when the message is to be delivered.

I try to go over the message three to five
times aloud, reading from my outline, saying
it in my own words, re-saying parts of it that
seem rough or incomplete until finally I have
the whole in mind. I carry this outline with
me to the pulpit, but almost never look at it.
Only when I need to read from it quotations or
statistics do I actually look at it. The de-
livery is extemporaneous from a carefully pre-
pared outline, but I find that I lose audience
attention and interest by looking at the out-
line very much and so therefore have trained
myself to dispense with it in actual delivery
for the most part.

In his Homiletics course, Baxter discusses the
advantages and disadvantages of three modes of delivery:
(1) writing the sermon and reading it to the congregation:
(2) writing the sermon and memorizing it for delivery: and
(3) preparing the sermon thoroughly and delivering it ex-
temporaneously.2 In this same course outline, he lists
the advantages and disadvantages of each mode of delivery.
He chooses the extemporaneous method to practice and teach

because of the following advantages: (1) enables the

 

1Baxter, General Information, p. 2.

2Baxter, Homiletics Course, Outline No. XVI,

304

preacher to spend more time or effort where he feels the
audience is not getting his point: (2) accustoms the
preacher to think rapidly and independently: (3) saves
time for other work: (4) enables delivery to be livelier,
and (5) affords natural and conversational manner. Pos—
sible disadvantages are cited as being: (1) tendency to
neglect preparation: (2) awkwardness in word choice:

(3) danger of making blunders in statements: and (4) de-
pendence upon feelings at time of speaking.

Baxter does not even consider the impromptu mode
of delivery as a possibility, apparently because of his
deep convictions that a preacher must earn the right to
Speak by thorough study and preparation. He acknowledges
that the written manuscript method, wherein the preacher
reads or memorizes his message, may be used effectively
by some speakers: however, he advises his students to de—
velop the extemporaneous method because time and flexi—
bility become of utmost importance to preachers who take
advantage of the numerous opportunities to communicate.

Whatever be the method of delivery, Baxter recog—
nizes that two important aspects are involved-~visible

and audible. The two aspects normally function together

305

except for radio audiences or other situation where only
the voice is heard. As further consideration is given to
Baxter's delivery, each aSpect will be considered separ—

ately.

Visible Aspects

In advising beginning speakers regarding the im-
portance of the visual image presented to the listeners,
Baxter quotes Bacon and gives some pointers:

Francis Bacon told of a question once asked
Of Demosthenes: "What is the chief part of an
orator?" He answered, "Action." "What next?"
"Action." "What next again?" "Action." Surely
this is overstatement: but it is true that what
an audience sees is important. First of all, a
speaker Should be properly groomed before he
stands before his audience: he Should be clean
and neatly dressed: his hair should be combed:
and his clothes should be in keeping with the
style of the day but not showy or distracting.1

As noted in the foregoing quotation, Baxter intro-
duces a chapter on delivery by first considering what
people see before and during the time of speaking. The
nonverbal aspect of communication is in operation before

the verbal face-to-face situations. That which transpires

 

1Baxter, Speaking for the Master, p. 60.

306

before the Speaker utters a word may influence the audi-
ence communicator. Concerning preliminaries to audible
aspects, Baxter advises:

When walking to the platform, walk so as
to create confidence: walk as one who knows
where he is going there. Neither hurry nor
lag, but take your position as one who has a
right to be there. After you have reached
your speaking position, pause a moment to
turn and look the audience squarely in the
eye and see that all are looking directly at
you. Then begin to speak.

Baxter stresses enthusiasm and animation as essen—
tial aspects of public address, and he especially thinks
that enthusiastic movement not only has a favorable impact
on the audience, but also affects the Speaker in a posi-
tive way:

The James-Lange theory of the emotions is
especially valuable for public speakers. It
holds that physical action can arouse or stim-
ulate the emotions. Most people think that
only the opposite is true-~that aroused emo-
tions lead to physical action. Actually, both
are true. If you feel timid and fearful and
unenthusiastic before an audience, force your-
self to be enthusiastic, to move about on the
platform, to use gestures. Then, before you
know it, you will begin to feel enthusiastic.
Try it and see.

 

1Baxter, Speaking for the Master, p. 63.

21.-bide] pp. 62.-63o

307

Concerning posture, another overt element directly
related to appearance, Baxter points out the basic ele-
ments and offers advice to beginning Speakers:

The basic elements of good posture are

dignity, balance, poise, stability, and direct—
ness. Stand erect--stand tall. DO not stand
stiffly erect as in the military posture: this
is artificial and would make natural, easy,
conversational Speech almost impossible. Place
both feet solidly on the floor, but not so as
to appear “planted" and incapable of movement.1

Baxter gives considerable importance and emphasis
to gestures and movement during the speaking process. He
defines a gesture as "a movement of any part of the body—-
head, shoulders, arms, hands-—to convey some thought or
feeling or to enforce the oral expression of a thought or

. 2 _ . .
feeling." He indicates that no Speaker can afford to
Speak without this important means Of supporting his oral
presentation and then gives testimony from Herbert Spencer:

To say "Leave the room" is less expressive

than to point to the door. Placing the finger
on the lips is more forcible than whispering
"Do not speak." A beck of the hand is better

than "Come here." NO phrase can convey the
idea of surprise so vividly as Opening the eyes

 

1 .
Baxter, Speaking for the Master, p. 63.

 

2Ibid., p. 65.

308

and raising the eyebrows. A Shrug Of the
shoulders would lose much by translation into
words.

Baxter stresses that gestures must come from
within the Speaker: however, he still advocates learning
the various types of gestures, and practicing to the ex-
tent that it will come easy for the Speaker to use them
when inner impulses dictate. He names and gives examples
of two basic types of gestures which he labels as:

(l) descriptive and (2) conventionalized. By descriptive,
he refers to those movements which describe or imitate the
object, movement, or ideas being discussed: and by conven-
tionalized, he means those gestures which have come to
have a standardized, universal meaning such as pointing

to indicate direction or clenched fist to Show strong
feelings. He believes that the Speaker should let the
entire body enter into the gestures as one well coordi—

nated unit, with spontaneity and naturalness being the

chief ends being sought.2

 

l .
Herbert Spencer, quoted by Baxter, Speaking for
the Master, p. 65.

 

 

2Baxter, Speaking for the Master. PP. 65-67.

309

When asked about his own use of movement and ges-
tures, Baxter comments:

I try to use gestures, appropriate to the
subject matter and also to the Size of the
audience. These gestures are the usual type,
which we describe in the Speech textbooks. I
also try to use facial animation to let the
audience know the sincerity of my feelings
about the subject being discussed. However,
there is no extensive or overly dynamic phys-
ical accompaniment to my speaking. I believe
the style would be classed as somewhat re-
strained or conservative, rather than enthus-
iastic or Spectacular.1

The above self-analysis corresponds quite well to
a description given by a colleague who responds to an in-
quiry concerning Baxter's audible and visible communica-
tion:

He is a Splendid looking person. His pos-
ture is not the best. AS a result of his recent
Sickness, he does not have any excess weight on
him. He is trim and appears to be in good
health. He is not the fireball or effervescent
personality, but is the quiet, dignified, warm,
and understanding man who people almost instinc-
tively turn to. He is marked by humility, poise,
a nice sense of humor, and always the right word
in the right place . . . . His style of delivery
is conversational. I have never heard him make
an impassioned plea in the sense of arm-waving or
being excited. He Speaks in an animated conver—
sational way. You soon are so wrapped up in the

 

l .
Baxter, General Information, p. 2.

 

310

message he is delivering that you are not aware
of his bodily movement. Being a Speech teacher,
on several occasions I have noticed particularly
the Splendid way in which he uses his body to
re-enforce his thoughts, not in the sense of
overt action, but covert.

This description fits the idea which Baxter advo-
cates in his text as he quotes Archbishop Whately, who
states that when delivery is "really good the hearers
never think about it, but are exclusively occupied with
the sense it conveys, and the feelings it excites."

Another of the more important aspects Of bodily
or visible communication, according to Baxter, is eye con-
tact. With this, tOO, he stresses the importance and then
gives advice:

The eyes should look directly into the faces

of the audience. Nothing is more important in
the study Of delivery than establishing eye-
contact with your hearers. DO not look above
their heads: do not look down at the floor: look
at them. Have no regular pattern of movement,
but cover the entire group from time to time
while speaking. Think of your line of vision as

a kind of invisible bridge over which your ideas
flow into the minds of your listeners.

 

1Ellis, 0 . cit., pp. 3-4.
2Baxter, Speaking7for the Master, p. 60.

3Ibid., p. 64.

311

From the foregoing observations, it is apparent
that Baxter is especially conscious of the importance of
the visible aspects of delivery. Evidence indicates that
he does generally practice the principles which he advo-
cates for desirable visual communication: consequently,
his audience ordinarily receives a visual image of a
Speaker who exhibits a neat, well-dressed appearance:
poise: a warm friendly countenance: subdued enthusiasm:
good eye contact: and a pleasing conversational manner.
This latter item, however, actually depends more upon
audible means than upon visible: thus, the study will now
be directed toward an examination of Baxter's concepts

and practices regarding audible communication.

Audible Aspects

"The voice is best," Baxter Observes, "when with-
out calling attention to itself it presents the message
to the listener loudly enough to be heard and clearly
enough to be understood, and yet without noticeable

. 1
strain."

 

lBaxter, The Heart of the Yale Lectures, p. 195.

312

Apparently, Baxter's own voice does impress
listeners favorably so as to enhance his message. Dr.
Carter, who initially selected Baxter to narrate the
Special messages on the importance of love for the "Foun-
dation of Human Betterment," states that Baxter has "the
most Sincere, convincing voice Of any speaker I have ever
heard," and that the first message he heard by Baxter
"came to life with a freshness and a meaning and an in-
tensity that I had never dreamed possible."1 Other evi-
dences seem to verify that Baxter does have a distinctive
vocal quality which seems to impress most listeners fa—
vorably. After listening to the recording entitled, "The
Greatest Commandment," Dr. William H. Bos, Associate Pro-
fessor of Speech at Stephen F. Austin State University,
gives his reaction:

My immediate reaction to hearing Dr.

Baxter's recording was that his voice is im-
pressive in quality, revealing him as a man
of warmth, goodwill and character, worthy of
respect . . . . Baxter's reading of Scrip—

ture was clear and meaningful, with good con-
versational vocal quality.2

 

;Oscar W. Carter, op. cit., p. 2.

2William H. BOS, Memo (July 2, 1969), p. l.

313

It is interesting and Significant to note that
both Carter and Bos relate personality traits to Baxter's
voice. Apparently, listeners do have a tendency to asso-
ciate one's voice with various aspects of personality.

In regard to this phenomenon, Weaver and Ness comment:

Possible relationships between voice and

personality have long fascinated psychologists
and speech scientists. Their experiments and
empirical observations reveal that, although
voice is not a wholly accurate index of per-
sonality, it most certainly does influence the
responses of the listener, particularly be-
cause it affects the image of the speaker in
the listener's mind.

In the case of Dr. Bos's impression, he noted in
a memo that he had never met Dr. Baxter in person, but had
read ”his well-known volume, The Heart QT the Yale Lec-
tures." It may be that the contents Of the book also had
some impact in affecting the "image of the speaker" in the
mind of Dr. BOS: however, as Weaver and Ness point out,
the voice alone does prompt listeners to make judgments
concerning emotional characteristics of the speaker:

It is a small wonder that voice is related

to personality and that voice reveals the

speaker: the so-called vocal organs are inte-
gral parts of the vegetative, life—giving, and

 

Vi

1Weaver and Ness, Op. cit., p. 124.

314

life—maintaining mechanisms of the human body.
As has been observed earlier, man has no voice
organs as such: the voice is produced by struc—
tures the primary functions of which are to
keep the body alive and working.1

Baxter's listeners do not ordinarily rely solely
on his voice to get meanings from his messages: however,
in the cases of recordings produced by the "Foundation of
Human Betterment" and in his radio preaching, the lis—
teners must depend on voice alone. In either case, the
unusual quality of his voice does seem to be an asset be-
cause people seem quick tO note quality before other
things:

Quality is perhaps the first aspect of an

individual's voice that is noted and evaluated
by a listener. If it seems to suit the
speaker's feelings, ideas, and mood, the qual—
ity will be accepted as adequate and appro-
priate.

It should be noted, however, that a pleasing qual-
ity of itself does not insure successful communication.
As a case in point, Dr. Bos calls attention to what he

considers a weakness in Baxter's recording of "The Great-

est Commandment":

 

v- W . V

1Ile., p. 125.
2

Ibid., p. 133.

315

Despite an impressive voice, the narrow
range of rate and tone used by the preacher
resulted in vocal monotony that was soporific
rather than stimulating in effect. This was
heightened by the absence of pauses to signal
paragraphing and very little change of pace
was used to indicate highlights or minor cli-
maxes.

The recording by Baxter which Bos heard also in-
cluded a reading of Vandyke's "The Other Wise Man." Since
Bos wrote his doctoral dissertation on the preaching of
Henry Vandyke, he was especially interested in listening
to this particular narration. After listening carefully,
Bos writes the following criticism:

In Baxter's reading, as in his sermon, the
soft, warm quality of his voice was immediately
noticeable. On the other hand, I would make
several suggestions for what I would consider
improvement. His diction was clear, except for
pronouncing Danuel for Daniel and Judah for
Judea. His phrasing was weak at several points,
primarily due to a faulty breathing pattern.

As in the sermon, a relatively monotonous pat—
tern of tone and rate developed because of in-
sufficient "centering" on key words and an ab-
sence Of pauses or changes of pace to indicate
paragraphing . . . . In a word, the reading
could use more dramatic vocal expressiveness,
especially in the closing lines.

 

lBos. loc. cit.

2 .
Baxter, General Information, p. 2.

 

316

Since Baxter's pronunciation did apparently dis—
tract this listener to some extent, it can be assumed that
he has sufficient "Southern dialect" to attract the atten-
tion of listeners who are not accustomed to it. Except
for a few words, though, Baxter does not have a distinctly
Southern dialect. Although he has lived in Tennessee
since 1946, it is obvious that his voice has been influ-
enced by other regions in which he has lived in the past.
Baxter thinks of his speech as being primarily "General
American":

My having lived in Tennessee, Texas, and

California for considerable periods of my life
has also enabled me to have something of the
"General American" type of speech, rather than

a distinctively southern or Texas pronuncia-
tion. This has been quite helpful in my preach-
ing by means of radio and television.

When asked to express himself about any particular
problems in audible communication of his messages, Baxter
comments:

I have never felt that I had an unusually

pleasing voice, nor one that was especially
rich or melodious. However, as the years have
gone by the voice has deepened somewhat and I

believe has a more pleasing quality than it had
in earlier years. Perhaps the long period of

 

_,f

1 .
Baxter, Genepal Information, p. 2.

317

training in speech, as I taught others to speak,
and the many years in radio and now in televi-
sion work have improved its quality. At least,
I have been more careful in its use. All of
this has contributed I think to make my voice
acceptable in television work and in the making
of a number of recordings that might be called
religious, or psychological, or success type
records.

Baxter likes to use an amplifying system when he
is speaking. Most of his Speaking Situations do afford
him the use of a public address system of amplification,
and he feels his voice is enhanced by it:

Since my voice is not a strong, powerful
voice, I find the use of a public address sys—
tem is desirable whenever the audience is above
150 people. I do not always have it, but I
feel it desirable at that point. The effec-
tiveness of my speaking is much greater when I
have a good public address system and can let
it provide much of the physical power of the
message. I find that when I am addressing a
particularly large audience--1500 or 2000 or
more--that I tend to strain and put more vigor
into the delivery than at other times. Gestures
are bigger and the voice is louder, and there
is more strain. Voice quality suffers, but
perhaps the dynamic quality is needed for those
larger groups.

Although Baxter recognizes that he does not have

a voice capable of great power in volume, he is apparently

 

1Ibid., p. 2.

2Ibid., p. 3.

318

aware of the possibility of having at his disposal an even
greater power which is of the nature described by Henry
Ward Beecher. In writing of his power, Baxter quotes
Beecher:

You may fire an audience with a loud voice,
but if you wish to draw them into sympathy and
to win them by persuasion, and are near enough
for them to feel your magnetism and see your
eye, so that you need not have to strain your
voice, you must talk to them as a father would
talk to his child. You will draw them, and will
gain their assent to your propositions, when you
could do it in no other way, and certainly not
by Shouting.l

Although Baxter gives much importance to develop-
ing maximum vocal effectiveness along with appropriate
visible communication, his overall view of delivery re-
veals that he considers other factors as being even more
important than vocal or audible codes. In a final sum-
mary of conclusions regarding the outstanding Yale lec—
turers, Baxter states:

When a preacher is known to be a man of ex-

ceptional piety and godly character, and when
he sustains to his congregation the role of
loving friend, his hearers make less rigorous

demands on points of style, delivery, language,
technique, and other similar elements. He can

 

lBeecher, quoted by Baxter, The Heart of the Yale
Lectures, pp. 178—79.

319

I

be eminently successful, without possessing the
finer techniques of the Speaking art.

There is considerable evidence to suggest that
Baxter enjoy the role as a "loving friend" to the Hills-
boro congregation. Attention will now be focused on his

interaction with the audience.

Interaction with the Audience

In its most simple form, the term "interaction"
refers to the action that occurs between the Speaker and
the audience. In this sense, it is clearly apparent that
communication is interaction. In discussing rhetorical
criticism, Richard B. Gregg points out the process:

Rhetorical discourse Occurs whenever a
human agent tries through the vehicle of lan-
guage to affect the attitudes, beliefs, and
actions of another human being. At the heart
of the rhetorical act is the interaction that
occurs between the rhetor (one who attempts
to influence), the linguistic message (which
constitutes the discursive instrument of per-
suasion), and the auditor (who may react both
to the rhetor and his message). This process

 

l
Baxter, The Heart of the Yale Lectures, p. 306.

320

of three-way interaction may be called a rhe-
torical transaction.

Language ih the vehicle, according to the above
conception, through which the Speaker affects the audi-
ence. AS already noted in a discussion of Baxter's vis-
ible aspects Of communication, the oral use of words is
not the only bridge between the speaker and audience.
Much communication takes place other than on a verbal
level. As they discuss the use of language in a recent
text, professors Murray, Phillips, and Truby observe:

The verbal symbols of speech and writing
cannot be separated from nonverbal associa—
tions. Silence may communicate the emotional
inner state of a person. The empty spaces
that surround words may be so powerful that
they cancel out the impact Of the Spoken
words. The movements Of faces, eyes, hands,
or bodies may transmit more meaningful ideas
than our words. Speech is a behavior and it
can never be considered apart from the other
behaviors in which it is embedded. Together
speech and surrounding behavior represent a
projection of our total personality. Often
meanings we wish to conceal are transmitted
by nonverbal behaviors: all our words cannot
mask our real intentions. So powerful are
nonverbal communications that our bodies can

 

1Richard B. Gregg, "The Study of Rhetorical Crit-
icism," The Communicative Arts and Sciences of Speech,
loc. cit., p. 39.

321
communicate ideas we have suppressed or do not
wish to admit we have.1
If it is true that significant meanings are trans-
mitted nonverbally by the Speaker, it iS reasonable to
assume that listeners may also communicate ideas back to
the Speaker as they respond to verbal and audible stimuli.
The usual term to define this phenomenon is "feedback,"
which is defined by one speech authority in the following
manner:
For speech purposes we may think of feedback
as useful in a self-correcting sense, or perhaps
we Should say audience-adapting sense. As our
transmitted signal is bounced Off our receiver,
it feeds back information which allows us to
correct and refine our Signal. A quizzical
look, a frown, a yawn, the sound of our own
voice—-any of these may cause us to re-evaluate
and recode our own emitted signal.2
David K. Berlo points out that the action-reaction
relationships of Speaker and audience are Significant in
analyzing communication-~especially in analyzing the

Speaker's effectiveness:

An awareness and utilization of feedback
increase the communication effectiveness of

 

1Murray, Phillips, Truby, Op. cit., p. 20.

2Raymond S. ROSS, Speech Communication (Englewood
Cliffs, N.J.: Prentice-Hall, Inc., 1965). PP. 7-8.

322

the individual. The ability to observe care-
fully the reactions others make to our mes—
sages is one of the characteristics of the
person we designate as being good at "human
relations," or "sensitive as a communicator."

Baxter gives careful consideration to the audience
as he speaks. On the three occasions that this researcher
sat with the Hillsboro congregation as Baxter Spoke, he
noted that the listeners were very quiet and attentive,
and that they seemingly were looking at the Speaker
throughout the discourses. A front view of a rather large
section of the audience could be observed by the re-
searcher due to the fact that the balcony seating is U-
shaped, thus affording a face-to—face situation for one
who is seated near the rear of the auditorium. Throughout
all of his discourse, it was Obvious that Baxter included
every section of the upper and lower levels with eye con-
tact. Whether seated On the main floor or balcony, one
may readily notice that Baxter is directing attention

toward him at times, and is very much aware of his pres-

ence .

 

lBerlo, op. cit., p. 115.

323

Baxter believes that he can sense audience reac-
tions, and he does attempt to adapt so as to improve

effectiveness:

Through the years I have become quite
adept in reading audience reactions. I be—
lieve I know pretty well what an audience is
thinking as I Speak to them, for I can tell
by the degree to which they listen, physical
responses, eye-contact, quietness, etc., how
well a message is going over. I try to adapt
to the signals that the audience unconsciously
is giving to make the message as effective as
possible. Sometimes, of course, I misread an
audience, or maybe some individual in the
audience, but generally I think I am reason-
ably accurate in knowing how well an audience
is responding.

Baxter is much more concerned about the long range
effectiveness of his preaching than he is with immediate
reaction, which although it may help him be more effective
at the moment, does not let him know whether ideas are
changing beliefs, attitudes, and behavior. He has been
preaching for the Hillsboro congregation for sufficient
years to enable him to make certain deductions which are
pertinent to understanding more about his prolonged in-
teraction with the congregation. Regarding this he

states:

 

l .
Baxter, General Information, p. 3.

324

In measuring the effectiveness of sermons,
there are, of course, many ways to approach the
matter. The most obvious is in number of re-
sponses. As I analyze the meetings and local
work that I have done in recent years, I find
that the number of responses seems to be smaller
than when I was fifteen or twenty years younger
and more vigorous in my delivery. AS time goes
by I find myself a little more deliberate, and
a little less enthusiastic in speaking . . . .
As one grows older I think the effectiveness
can be measured in other manners better than in
overt responses. General respect, attendance,
returning attendance, invitations for meetings,
etc. indicates the effectiveness of one's
preaching.

By the term “responses" Baxter has reference to

people of the audience who come forward as an "invitation

song" is sung at the end of each sermon. It is customary

for preachers of the Church of Christ to conclude each

sermon with an invitation for listeners either to obey

the commands of the GOSpel or to express other desires of

the heart.

Another form of interaction occurs in the form of

comments from members in regard to his preaching. Accord-

ing to his own testimony, expressions from listeners do

influence his speaking behavior:

 

‘V

1Baxter, General Information, p. 4.

325

Compliments and criticisms definitely in-
fluence my attitudes and actions. Criticisms
are more influential than compliments. Com-
pliments tend to be over-done and are somewhat
embarrassing. Criticisms are less often given
but have far more influence in changing or
modifying the speaker's behavior.

In seeking expressions from various members of the
Hillsboro congregation concerning Baxter's preaching, this
researcher discovered many more compliments than adverse
criticisms. This possibly can be accounted for by the
tendency of people to refrain from being identified pub-
licly with negative criticism. Some members did express
deep concern over the fact that he was allowing himself
to be overly burdened with work other than ministering to
the local church. All other expressed evaluations of his
preaching were favorable. It is clearly apparent that
Baxter is highly respected and loved by the greater part
of the congregation.

Concerning interaction, congregational activities,
as manifested in the overall church program, are more
significant than verbalisms from individuals. There is

evidence that the congregation has reacted favorably to

Baxter's basic goal for his preaching--that of raising his

*f w 1 w— 7* v—

1Baxter, General Information, p. 4.

326

hearers to a higher level of life. To Baxter, this
"higher level" consists primarily of a life of unsel-
fish service to other human beings. Statistics quoted

in the Spnday Bulletinl during the early days of 1969
demonstrate that the congregation is growing consistently
in serving those outside their own local group. The fi-
nancial statement for the year 1968, Shows total receipts
as $262,607.56. Facts concerning disbursements of this
income indicate that 51.3 percent was spent for others:
27.9 percent was used for the local operation: and 20.8
was transferred to the Building Fund.

Though benevolent programs, foreign and American
mission efforts, radio and television communication, and
religious campaigns, the Hillsboro Church of Christ is
reaching out in attempts to influence. While there is
no valid way of measuring the part that Baxter's preach-
ing has played in this outreach, an attempt will be made
in the following chapter to set forth some meaningful

value judgments and conclusions.

 

1Sunday Bulletin, Hillsboro Church of Christ
(Jan. 19, 1969).

CHAPTER VI

SUMMARY AND CONCLUSIONS

The general purpose of this study, as expressed
in the Introduction, was to apply the principles of rhe-
toric to the speaking career of Batsell Barrett Baxter.
Specifically, it was stated that the research project
would attempt to describe, analyze, interpret, and eval-
uate related factors comprising background influences:
personality: cultural environment: the materials, ideas,
and proposals in messages: elements of preparation, or—
ganization, and delivery of speeches: and the interaction
of the speaker and society.

Rhetoric has been described as involving the
accumulated body of knowledge pertaining to man's attempt
to utilize his mind, voice, bodily actions, and other
available resources to publicize and promulagate ideas,
concepts, attitudes, information, knowledge, etc. Admit-
tedly, a problem exists concerning guiding principles and
standards of appraisal because of the fact that rhetorical
theory is continually subject to modification and change.

327

328

Recognizing the hazards of man's tendency to view stand—
ards as absolute, this writer has endeavored to heed the
advice set forth by Baird and Thonssen concerning meth-
odology in criticism:

Whatever yardstick is used, the critic will

wisely refuse to succumb to the rigidities of
any formula: he will define clearly his crit-
ical referents but will exercise reasonable
independence and flexibility in the application
of his "norms": he will proceed with full rec-
ognition of the limitations of his materials:
he will recognize, for example, that speeches
have their birth and end in a situation that
cannot be repeated, that no two speeches are
exactly alike, that the same measuring device
can hardly be indiscriminately applied.

Regarding evaluation of Baxter's speaking, one
central question has been in the forefront throughout the
study: How has Baxter utilized the available means of
communication for publicizing and promulgating his ideas,
information, values, attitudes, etc.? The "available
means" have been categorized as: (l) the use of "personal
proof": (2) the use of "materials of development": and
(3) the use of "materials of experience."

Essentially, these three areas correspond to those

which Aristotle set forth as being necessary for "mastery"

 

fl a 1 r #7

lBaird and Thonssen, op. cit., p. 136.

 

 

329

in order for one to become proficient in the art of rhe-
toric. In the process of investigation and the selection
of guiding principles for appraisal, it has been recog—
nized by this writer that, since Aristotle's time, many
other scholars have observed public speakers and have
through their analyses, interpretations, and evaluations
made valuable contributions to the body of knowledge com-
prising rhetorical theory and criticism. This accumulated
"traditional“ body of knowledge is viewed with respect by
this researcher: and has been used primarily as a basis
for standards of appraisal.

The general procedure in studying Baxter's speak-
ing has been to discover pertinent information concerning:
(1) his development as a personality: (2) the cultural
context in which he functions: (3) his interpretation Of
the world about him: (4) the central themes and ideas of
his messages: and (5) his practices in the areas of audi-
ence analysis, sermon preparation, materials of speaking,
style, delivery, and interaction with the audience. Each
of these areas has been set forth in the study as separate
chapters, and in each case, a certain amount of analysis,

interpretation, and evaluation has been included. At this

330

stage, the above general areas will again be used as a
format for purposes of summarizing and making value judg-
ments concerning Baxter's competence as a speaker and his

impact upon society.

Personality

What are the significant factors related to
Baxter's development as a speaker? This study was ini-
tiated with the assumption that a speaker's personality
is an essential factor to consider when attempting to
analyze and evaluate his competence as a communicator.
As noted when discussing the role of personality, "the
pthpg--the person Of the speaker-~is fully as important
to the success or failure of communication as are logic,
evidence, and development."1

The term "personality," as used in this study has
been defined as

an expression of many forces and influences, in-
herited and acquired, physical, environmental,

and psychological . . . of the individual's
values and attitudes that are modified if not

 

1Hance, Ralph, and Wiksell, loc. cit., p. 79.

331
initially shaped by interaction with a culture
at large and a sub—culture in particular.
It is principally on the basis of this definition and its
significant relationship to the concept of "personal
proof" that Baxter's development as a personality has re-
ceived primary attention.

Evidence indicates that Baxter's basic attitudes
and values were acquired from three sub-cultures compris-
ing a Christian home, the fellowship of Churches of Christ,
and Christian educational institutions. His homelife in
particular radiated an atmosphere of love, peace, and con-
cern for others which apparently affected Baxter's per-
sonality positively to the extent that he is characterized
by the same attributes. Also, testimonies from several
sources indicate that Baxter's parents, by their examples
and teaching, prOpagated in their son the attitude that
the most important function in life is that of exemplify—
ing and teaching the Gospel of Christ.

This basic attitude regarding his function in life
motivated Baxter to choose public address and preaching as

related fields which, in his judgment, would best prepare

 

1Eisenson, Auer, and Irwin, loc. cit., p. 333.

332

him for realization of his primary aim in life. In the

process of attaining the Ph.D. degree in the field of

speech he gained an extensive background in rhetorical

theory which he concurrently used as he preached regu-

larly for Churches of Christ in the vicinity of the Uni-

versity of Southern California. His dissertation topic

was ideally suited to his goals because it permitted him

to compare theories of outstanding preachers of the past

with concepts he had gained.

Baxter's findings prompted him to draw nine gen-

eral conclusions which have Served as a model for his own

preaching and speaking. AS listed by Baxter in the final

chapter of The Heart of therYale Lectures, the nine con—

clusions are:

l.

The most vital element in the persuasion of
a congregation is the person who stands in
the pulpit. In turn, the paramount quali-
fication Of the man in the pulpit is his
Christian character.

In order to achieve his maximum effective-
ness (and in addition to the possession of

a genuine Christian character), the preacher
must be sincere, must be earnest, must be
original, must be well informed and stu-
dious, must possess a strong healthy body,
and must possess a good mind.

333

The preacher must be confident in his own
ability, yet not conceited, must have a
high respect and genuine love for his audi-
ence, and must possess a strong liking for
all of the work of the ministry.

In order to reach its peak of effectiveness,
the clear sermon must be presented in a
style which is clear, concrete, interesting,
original, and coherent. Sensationalism and
elegance are undesirable elements. The
style may profit from the judicious use of
appropriate illustrations. Its language
must be simple, familiar, and precise.

After thorough preparation, the sermon is
most effective when delivered extemporan-
eously.

The order of the service, and the physical
setting in which the sermon is delivered
must be so planned as to aid the sermon in
accomplishing its purpose.

The sermon must have a definite purpose,
the selection of which is determined by the
needs of the congregation.

In order to persuade men, the preacher must
possess a thorough understanding of his own
congregation and of men in general.

The most effective approach to the audience
is the one which begins with the preacher
and audience "en rapport," which appeals
judiciously both to the reason and to the
emotions, which makes use of indirect rather
than direct appeals, which is audience-
centered rather than subject-matter—centered,
which appeals to man's basic motives, which

334

repeats the chief elements to be grasped,

and which includes the sparing use of

humor.1

These conclusions represent value judgments re-
garding Baxter's ideal for methods and techniques in
preaching. They have served as measuring devices or guid—
ing norms for his own Speaking career, and also, for stu-
dents in his Homiletics classes. He asserts that each
suggestion which he advocates in these nine conclusions
"can also be found among the secular rhetoricians, ancient
or modern, and sometimes in both."2

In summary, it is clearly evident that Baxter de—
rived basic religious values, attitudes, and beliefs dur—
ing his formative years in a Christian home and in sub-
cultures which are closely related to Churches of Christ.
His personality was broadened considerably through new
concepts and values derived from graduate studies while
earning the M.A. and Ph.D. degrees in Speech. The find-

ings in Chapter I are considered especially pertinent to

the research project because as Croft aptly observes, the

 

lBaxter, The Heart of the Yale Lectures, pp. 288-
99.

2Ibid., p. 300.

335

"principal difficulty of Speech criticism is that we are
not really able to evaluate a man's skill apart from his
ideas (his beliefs, attitudes, etc.)." Croft, in his dis-
cussion of the functions which rhetorical criticism Should
serve, reasons:
Rhetorical evaluation will attempt to discover

the following things: (1) the basic values on

which the Speaker rests his proposals themselves:

(2) the Specific prOposals themselves: (3) the

manner in which the Speaker attempts to connect

values with proposals in the minds of his audi-

ence: (4) the extent to which these connections

were appropriate to the audience being addressed.1

Since Baxter's parents were members of the Church

of Christ and all of his undergraduate education was ob-
tained in schools related to the Churches of Christ, Chap-
ter II of the study was designed to discover information
about this cultural environment which supplied Baxter with
most of his basic values and beliefs. It Should be noted
also at this point that Chapters III, IV, and V of the

project are aimed at discovering relevant information re-

garding items 2, 3, and 4 in the above quotation.

 

lCroft, Op. cit., p. 289.

336

Religious Culture

 

Throughout his life and preaching career, Baxter
has been affiliated with the Churches of Christ, which
emerged on the American religious scene as the result of
three indigenous church movements during the latter half
of the eighteenth century. The movements were precipi-
tated by frontier Protestant leaders who were unhappy with
the authoritarian creeds which they thought contributed to
sectarianism and division. The eventual crystallization
of the movements was accomplished when the respective
leaders discovered they Shared one common goal—-that of
restoring the church of the Lord according to the pattern
set forth in the New Testament scriptures.

It was believed that the "restoration plea," when
taught and adhered to in practice, would bring forth au-
tonomous bodies (churches) distinguished by names which
give preeminence to Christ, by worship patterned after
the New Testament church, and by a righteous way of life
corresponding to the principles and precepts of Christ's
teaching. The churches resulting from the aggressive

evangelism of those early American leaders are described

337

as being "characterized by warm—hearted informality in
worship, vocal insistence on congregational independence,
and avoidance of clericalism."l The ideal of the move-
ment which stressed "unity through restoration" Offered
an attractive appeal to pioneering American settlers.
The fundamental ideas of the movement were remarkably
similar to those set forth by John Wycliffe during the
Medieval period of history. Aggressive evangelism by
zealous preachers resulted in rapid growth during eigh-
teenth and nineteenth centuries to the extent that mem-
bership grew to over 200,000 followers. The movement was
split over the question of missionary societies in 1906,
and the resulting two religious bodies became known by
the names "Churches Of Christ" and "Disciples of Christ."
The latter group of churches are currently identified by
the name "Christian Churches."

The Churches of Christ represent the sub-culture
which supplied Baxter with his religious background and
dominant ideas and values. According to a recent report

giving statistics on the independent groups listed under

 

lYoder, loc. cit., p. 237.

338

the name "Churches of Christ," there are about twenty
thousand congregations with a membership of approximately
2,000,000. Expansion has been impressive during the re—
cent period contemporary with Baxter's preaching career
as is verified by statistics in Mead'S Handbook of Denom-
inations which states that in the past twenty years,
Churches of Christ "have emerged as one of the top ten
non-Catholic bodies in North America."1

One may readily recognize that fidelity to the
restoration ideal for the church demands aggressive
preaching and teaching which prOpagates New Testament
doctrine: otherwise, there is the ever-prevailing ten—
dency for churches to conform to established traditional
doctrines which are more in harmony with contemporary
trends. The nature Of the Gospel calls for it to be a
transforming influence which instructs human being to deny
"ungodliness and worldly lusts" and to live "soberly and

. 2 . . . . .
righteously," thus, Baxter conSiderS his primary aim in

 

— 7’

lMead, loc. cit., p. 87.

2Titus 2:11-12.

339

preaching to be that of moving "the peOple from a lower
to a higher plane of living.”1

AS a preacher functioning in this particular re-
ligious culture, Baxter is expected to have firm convic-
tions regarding the use Of the New Testament as authori—
tative doctrine for the church. Churches of Christ do
not generally permit ministers to preach in their pulpits
unless they subscribe to this basic conviction. They re-
gard denominational creeds and all philosophical doctrines
as being a reflection of man's limited wisdom, and thus,
inferior to the divine wisdom of God. Consequently,
Churches Of Christ do not fellowship with the contemporary
religious bodies which use sources of authority other than
the New Testament. This practice has limited Baxter in—
sofar as being able to function in religious cultures out—
side the environs Of Churches of Christ.

Findings reported in Chapter III suggest that the
Hillsboro Church of Christ recognizes this problem and
has made Special efforts to cooperate with Baxter in

reaching out with new avenues of communication. During

 

lBaxter, The Heart of the Yale Lectures, p. 231.

 

340

almost two decades with the congregation, Baxter has had
a rather ideal climate for publicizing his beliefs and
values. Other than the Hillsboro pulpit and David Lips-
comb College classrooms, he haS had extensive use of the
mass media of radio, television, and the printed page.
Attention will now be given to an evaluation of the prin-
cipal ideas and themes which he chose for communicating

through these various means.

Baxter's Interpretation of Religion

Among the possible methods Of measuring effective-
ness in speaking, this researcher believes that the com-
municator's ability to understand and interpret major
trends and happenings is among the more important. Espe-
cially, it seems that this Should be true in the investi-
gation of preaching effectiveness. Those familiar with
the Bible may recall that Christ, on one occasion, up-
braided the Pharisees and Sadducees because they could not

”discern the signs Of the times.”1 These peOple whom the

 

1Matthew 16:3.

341

Lord criticized exhibited unusual skills in some areas,
but they were not alert to the tremendous historical and
prophetical event which was taking place before their
eyes. They failed to understand that the Messiah had
come, and that he was actually accomplishing his work on
the outside Of the framework of their established reli-
gious structures. One may well imagine that some "doctors
of the Law" would have rated very high on the basis of
oratorical skills other than those involved with inter-
pretation of the world about them.
Regarding this idea Of interpretation, Marie Hoch-
muth Nichols states:
Our topical concern may be with "style" and
"content" or "language" and ”truth," but the
function of the rhetorical critic remains the
same. He must serve his society and himself by
revealing and evaluating the public speaker's
interpretation of the world around him and the
peculiar means Of expressing that interpreta-
tion.
With this function in mind, therefore, the objec—
tive in Chapter IV was to provide information relevant to

Baxter's analysis and interpretation of the world's reli-

gious needs. For this purpose, an attempt was made to

 

1Marie Hochmuth Nichols, "Introduction," Rhetoric
and Criticism (Baton Rouge, La.: L.S.U. Press, 1963),
p. vi.

342

discover the underlying value judgments which Baxter ex—
hibits in the overall context of his Speaking.

To Baxter, the problems and ills facing the world
today are chiefly the result of failure of churches to
fulfill the mission which Christ intended for his people
to perform. In his judgment many churches have become so
involved in social, economic, and political questions that
they have been negligent of their central task of force-
fully proclaiming the Word of God which has the power to
convert and mold attitudes of individuals who may then
serve as leavening influences in all realms where corrupt-
ing trends are eroding society.

The task of changing hearts and transforming
people into followers of Christ is not considered by
Baxter as an easy one: rather he views it as requiring
the same sacrificial endeavors as were characteristic of
preachers and churches during the aggressive spread of
Christianity in the first century.

Baxter conceives man's basic nature as being good
rather than evil or neutral. Regarding the latter, he
admits the powerful influences of heredity and environ—

ment, but denounces the "deterministic, behavioristic

343

view of life" for not taking cognizance of the "something"
in man that enables him to determine himself how he will
use his inherited traits and how he will react to his sur-
roundings. This "something" is what Baxter interprets as
a God-given conscience which causes him to yearn for good-
ness and a supreme Being. He accounts for this with evi-
dence from the scriptures which asserts that God made man
in his own image, thus, setting him apart from all other
creatures.

He believes God's grace has made provisions for
man to overcome the seemingly overpowering tendencies
toward selfish gratification of his basic desires. He
interprets God's plan for lifting man to higher levels
as being accomplished by teaching him to deny "ungodli-
ness and worldly lusts," and supplant his life with sober—
ness, righteousness, and godliness.1 This, in effect,
makes God's grace depend upon two significant factors:

(1) proclamation of the Christian way of life by faithful
desciples, and (2) willingness to be instructed by

hearers.

 

—T_v f

lTitus 2:11-12.

344

Baxter believes that if preachers fail to preach
the Gospel in any generation, or if the Word of God is
adulterated, used deceitfully, or superseded by man's
wisdom and philosophy, sin, with all its ugly forms, will
win a victory in the minds of mankind.

Concerning solutions for the major ills of our
world, Baxter advocates going back beyond the current
philosophical approaches and traditional church doctrines
to the gospel preached by contemporaries Of Christ and
his chosen apostles. He reasons that the New Testament
doctrine has been thoroughly tested regarding its useful-
ness in promoting unity, its uniformity in teaching man
what to do to be samed, its provisions for meaningful
worship, its influence in guiding man to live righteously
and compassionately with other human beings, and its
promise of hOpe for a future life. These five positive
themes are predominant throughout the larger context of
Baxter's preaching. Findings in Chapter IV indicate that
Baxter used the five basic ideas with regularity as he
planned his sermons throughout his years with the Hills-
boro Church of Christ. His practices of sermon—building,

style, delivery, etc. are examined in Chapter V.

345
Eyaluatipn of Practices

Materials in Chapter V were introduced with refer-
ence to Genung's definition of science as "systematized
knowledge" which, when pertaining to public address, in—
cludes "the laws and principles of discourse" as they
appear in an ordered and interrelated system. This defi-
nition was immediately followed with Genung's conception
of art as "knowledge made efficient by skill," and then
his conclusion: "if then rhetorical laws and principles
are applied in the actual construction of discourse, they
become the working rules of an art."1

Applying these concepts to Baxter's case, we may
apprOpriately ask: How competent is he in applying his
"systematized knowledge" of rhetorical laws and princi-
ples? This question served as the basic objective for
the investigation in Chapter V, with attention focused
on: audience analysis, sermon preparation, materials of

speaking, style, delivery, and interaction with the audi-

ence .

 

._.,_.

1Genung,.loc. cit., pp. 4-5.

346

By his own testimony Baxter attempts to practice
what he preaches regarding skills involved in the art of
public speaking. He admits freely that he falls short of-
the ideal criteria which he sets forth for himself and
his students of Homiletics, but he believes that by util-
izing all available knowledge pertaining to every aspect
of communication he can enhance the power Of God's word.
As any other type of speaking, Baxter views the art of
preaching as involving the careful selection and skillful
blending of many elements, mastery of which will certainly
entail careful experimentation and study. His attitude
toward perfection in speaking is similar to that expressed
by the apostle Paul regarding perfection in life. In his
letter to Christians of Philippi, Paul states:

Not that I have already Obtained, or am al-

ready made perfect: but I press on . . . . I
press on toward the goal of the high calling of
God in Christ Jesus.

Whether it pertains to the above conception of

perfection or to perfection in speaking, Baxter considers

the goal as a lofty one worthy of lifetime pursuits:

 

Vfi‘r— *7 v '1 w—j —w

1Philippians 3:12-14.

347

He who gives himself to preaching must be
willing to dedicate his best efforts through
all his lifetime to the learning and perfect-
ing of the art.

As is evidenced by findings concerning audience
analysis and sermon preparation, Baxter is constantly
seeking to improve his understanding of human beings and
their needs, concerns, and problems. He makes himself
available to people for counseling: he keeps in close
contact with the younger generation and mingles often
with other age groups: he spends many taxing hours in
hOSpital visitation and with lonely members who are con-
fined to their homes: and, through extensive travels in
other countries and close association with missionaries
being supported by the Hillsboro congregation, he is
gaining wider perspectives of societal problems in for-
eign countries.

Possibly, one of the greatest voids in human un-
derstandings pertains to an area right "at his own door-
step" in Nashville, Tennessee. The city has a large Negro

pOpulation: yet, according to available information, the

membership of the Hillsboro congregation has been all

 

1Baxter, Heart of the Yale Lectures, p. 12.

348

white during Baxter's career with the church. Segrega-
tion in churches, schools, and other institutions of the
city has been, until recently, a generally accepted prac-
tice by both the white and black population.

Regarding the Hillsboro church and congregations
of Negro brethren in the area, evidence points to a re-
lationship characterized by love and cooperation. When
asked about possible consequences when and if Negro people
seek membership, Baxter stated that the elders' policy is
to accept them and to seek solutions to resulting problems
as they occur. It is apparent that, due to lack of con-
frontation and experience, Baxter and the congregation
have not been exercised in ways whereby they might gain
the insights and knowledge which apparently are necessary
for maximum understanding of the needs and problems of
the black population.

Baxter's attitude toward involvement in problems
of the Negro race seems to coincide closely with that ex-
pressed recently in an article by Gregg, McCormack, and
Pedersen:

The most useful rhetoric in the years ahead

will be a rhetoric of coexistence: "Coexis-
tence primarily calls for maximum feasible

349

participation by blacktown, minimum participa-

tion by whitetown. Let blacks do it themselves.

Let them choose their own leaders. Don't try

to run things. Stay away until you are in-

vited, and go away when you have provided what-

ever it is that you can offer blacktown. Don't

offer advice unless you are asked for it.1

The desire to coexist, to be helpful, to be alert
to every avenue of promoting solutions to problems and
bortherhood is clearly discernable in Baxter's preaching
and actions. He is much concerned about the plight of all
downtroddened peoples of the world: and especially, he is
alarmed about the widening gap occurring between the black
and white people on the American scene. His concern and
‘perception are apparent in materials of a sermon which he
preached August of 1965, a few days after the devastating
Watts riots in the Los Angeles area. After giving several
quotations describing the "holacust,,the burning, the
destroying," and other examples of senseless desturction,
Baxter reasons:
It's easy for me as a white man to look and

say, "How terrible, how wrong." And yet I've
got to look beyond the immediate wrongs and think

 

a Yfi v , v—v—fi ‘7 ‘_fi— ,- 1,..—

1Richard B. Gregg, A. Jackson McCormack, and
Douglas J. Pedersen, “The Rhetoric of Black Power: A
Street-Level Interpretation," QQSJ Vol. LV, No. 2 (April,
1969). p. 160.

350

about the days and months and years that have
preceded. There have been discriminations,
There have been things that made people seethe
in white hot rebellion. And I guess my place
to start thinking is not with the burnings of
the moment but with the feelings that led to
those burnings and those riots.

These expressions are consistent with his basic
belief that the world can be changed for the better: but
he thinks it will have to be done by first changing atti-
tudes of minds. He recognizes that he is faced with
listeners among the congregation and in the radio audience
who do have deep-seated prejudices, and he seeks dili-
gently to build sermons which will eventually replace
harmful attitudes with love, compassion, concern, and
other Christian attributes.

In the area of invention, or discovering and ori-
ginating good and useful ideas for speaking, Baxter func—
tions with an exceptionally high degree of proficiency.
He carefully maintains an "Illustration File," a "Subject

File," and a file for "Finished Sermon Outlines." These

resources, along with a well-supplied library, enable

 

VTri f
v

lBaxter, Our Disintpgpating World (Sermon #483,
preached Aug. 15, 1968), p. 4.

351

Baxter to have at his disposal a wide range of materials
for use in sermon preparation.

Concerning the three general categories of speak-
ing materials consisting of (1) materials of personal
proof, (2) materials of development, and (3) materials of
experience, Baxter displays facility in use of each as he
skillfully intermingles the materials to meet the needs
of the particular speaking situation. Because he views
Christianity as requiring rational acceptance of divinely
revealed "facts" pertaining to the life, death, and res-
surrection of Jesus Christ: and because the path to a
higher level of living demands constant education of the
mind, Baxter gives primary emphasis to logical reasoning
in the development of his sermons. He favors the moti-
vated sequence structure, by which he attempts to follow
the normal process of human thinking. Although he stresses
logical appeals, he is very conscious of the vital func-
tion served by maintaining a favorable personality and of
utilizing the fundamental human drives in creating in-
terest, attracting attention, and in building desirable

attitudes.

352

Regarding Baxter's style, testimony from a number
of sources combined with this writer's personal observa-
tions, confirm what Baxter's colleague, Carroll Ellis,
analyzed as being the primary quality which accounts for
Baxter being an "outstanding preacher."1 This quality is
his ability to "vividly, exactly, and concisely picture
human events” by his distinctive way of selecting words
and putting them together to form.”word pictures." He
practices what he teaches his students: thus, his sermons
are characterized by language which is familiar, clear,
exact, and in good taste.

He conceives words as “bridges“ over which the
speaker's ideas are transported into the "minds of his
hearers." The delivery of ideas through the medium of
words, then, is the final test for the practitioner of
public address. He views delivery of a speech as having
two significant aspects--what people see, and what people
hear.

As Baxter enters the pulpit, listeners of the

Hillsboro congregation are accustomed to seeing a

 

7‘

1Ellis, loc. cit.

353

well-dressed and neatly groomed preacher who pauses calmly
as he positions his Bible, then briefly acknowledges the
presence of the congregation with directed eye contact to
each area of the auditorium. His posture and stance are
suggestive of dignity, poise, and balance. They see a
countenance which exhibits friendliness, warmth, and
pleasantness: yet with a manner which denotes seriousness
of purpose. As he begins his sermon, they hear a voice
which is characterized by a predominantly General American
dialect, distinctness in articulation, pleasing vocal
quality, and good variety in volume, pitch, and rate. By
his own testimony, skills in vocal communication vary
according to his physical and mental states: and his vis—
ible aspects also may be affected, but to a lesser degree
because of deliberate attention to keeping the visual
image up to the standards he has set for himself.1 In
other words, when handicapped by sub-normal physical or
mental states, he thinks he can control the visible as-
pects more successfully than he can the audible aspects.
Baxter's mode of delivery is extemporaneous with

subdued enthusiasm and a natural, conversational manner.

 

 

1Baxter, Gepegal Information. p. 2.

354

One is almost unaware of gestures and bodily movement:
yet, he does definitely use his entire body for well-
coordinated gestures which re-inforce his thoughts with-
out calling attention to themselves. Although he usually
has a complete sermon outline on the pulpit, he rarely
refers to it: and when he does, it is with such efficiency
that his audience seldom notices any head movement. He
has high regard for the values in maintaining good eye
contact with his audience, and consequently, has refined
his talents to the point that he feels he can profitably
adapt his Speaking to audience signals.

It is clearly apparent that, from the standpoint
of Baxter's overall performance in pulpit and classroom
speaking to the Hillsboro congregation, he is making max-
imum use of the knowledge he possesses regarding rhetor-
ical concepts and principles. There is no evidence to
indicate any unusual natural endowments except possibly
in the element of vocal quality. After about nineteen
years in the same pulpit he is highly respected by his
listeners-~a reapect which seems to grow more and more
the longer they know him. It is not one-sided as evi-

denced by the fact that he chooses to remain with the

355

congregation when he could so easily justify giving up
the pulpit there to devote more time to mass media tele-
vision and radio preaching. He looks upon his long tenure
with the Hillsboro Church of Christ as one during which he
and the congregation have grown together to attain a .
higher level of life and of service to society. He is
optimistic about the future as may be noticed in a sermon
preached during 1969, on the general theme of "Encourage—
ment." After calling attention to some of the things
which discourage, he cites a list of things which are
encouraging: among which is the following:
The Opportunities of our time in transpor-

tation and communication are unique. Never

before have we had the opportunity on any given

Sunday of preaching the gospel on 522 radio

stations and 151 television stations, many of

which are located in major cities of our na-

tion. These are not vague hopes for the future,

but present Opportunities in hand. The picture

is encouraging also in terms of magazines and

papers that are effectively telling the story

of Christ. Many activities both in America and

throughout the world are being mafe possible by

these modern communication media.

This is indicative of the positive attitude which

Baxter manifests in approaching all problems: also, it is

 

1Baxter, What is There to be Encouraged About?
(Sermon #635, preached on Apr. 13, 1969), p. 2.

356

illustrative of his alertness to the potential for good
in modern communication media. This attitude, and his
alertness to the value of making maximum use of every
available means of communication, possibly more than
speaking techniques, account for his numerous opportun-

ities for influencing the world.

ngter's Impact Upon Society

Is it possible to measure and evaluate Batsell
Barrett Baxter's impact upon society? If so at this
point, it could well be that after another decade it would
represent only a small portion of his total impact after
his ideas have had the benefit of their continuing influ-
ence. Regarding this thought, Ernest J. wrage, in a dis-
cussion of “Public Address and Social History," observes:
The techniques of the speakers are often
highly individualiZed and perish with their
bones: their ideas live after them. From the
study of speeches may be gained additional
knowledge about the growth of ideas, their

currency and vitality, their modifications
under the impress of social requirements, and

357

their eclipse by other ideas with different
values.

At the age of fifty—three, and after having al-
ready lived five years beyond the date of major surgery
for malignant cancer of the abdomen, Baxter possibly is
just beginning to have his greatest impact upon the
world: however, if he never spoke another word, there is
unlimited potential influence in the ideas which he has
set forth thus far in his Speaking career.

In their treatment of measuring effectiveness in
speaking, Thonssen and Baird state that response "is the
key determinant of effectiveness" in speaking: then, they
explain:

This presupposes the speaker's intelligent
recognition of the necessity of adapting his
materials to listeners: of his keeping the audi—
ence, rather than formal rules, constantly in
mind. Unlike the writer who may deliberately
prepare his copy for the ages, the orator must
direct his remarks to the immediacy Of the pres-
ent occasion. This does not close the door to
statesmanlike conduct. But it does require that
the speaker adapt himself to conditions as he
finds them, and that he communicate his ideas

with a view to their taking root in the lives
of the hearers, and, either immediately or

 

1Ernest J. Wrage, "Public Address: A Study in
Social and Intellectual History," QJS, Vol. XXXIII (Dec.,
1947). pp. 453-54.

358
subsequently, influencing their belief or ac-
tion.1
AS Baxter communicates his ideas, he adapts to
his immediate audience comprised of local church members:
however, he realizes that his ideas may have an impact
upon many other people on future occasions. This poten—
tial impact is made possible due to the fact that each
sermon is recorded on tape and heard later by a large
radio audience. Also, as already noted, Baxter carefully
revises each sermon into a more appropriate written style
for publication and distribution. Baxter strives for
maximum impact from his own preaching, and stresses the
same principle for students in his Homiletics course. He
advises them to mimeograph their sermons for distribution,
and cites the Hillsboro church as an example:
Hillsboro church sends its Sunday morning

sermon to a list of 1200 or more shut-ins,

service men, former members, prospects and

people who have requested it. In addition,

300 sermons are picked up by the congregation
and scattered abroad.

 

hf

1Lester Thonssen and A. Craig Baird, Speech Crit-
icism (New York: Ronald Press Co., 1948). p. 460.

2 . .
Baxter, Preparation and Delivery of Sermons
(Course outline), p. 35.

359

Greater impact yet for the same sermons is pos-
sible through the preservation of the recorded sermons
in the church library, where they are filed and loaned
without charge to churches, radio stations, and other in—
stitutions. His Opportunity for impact, thus, comes not
only from having his ideas take root in the lives of im-
mediate hearers but also through other people who are
influenced and who often promulgate the same ideas.

Still greater propagation Of ideas is achieved
through Baxter's practice of working with the Hillsboro
church in selecting his most useful and timely sermons
for the purpose of making attractive tracts or booklets
which are distributed at cost. It was noted in Chapter
III that over 3,625,000 of these booklets had already
been printed, and some of the popular tracts were being
reprinted on a regular basis: for example, the one en—
titled "What is the Church Of Christ?" has already reached
a total of 1,535,000 cOpies. Other pertinent sermons are
selected for books of sermons, four of which have been
published to date. During his long span at Hillsboro he

has been honored in having many of his sermons published

360

in brotherhood journals: and these in turn, are often used
by preachers and church leaders as sources for ideas.

As one contemplates the possible long-range ef-
fects of such wide distribution Of Baxter's ideas, it
seems to add emphasis to the following comments by Thons-
sen and Baird:

Clearly, the response to a Speech need not

be immediate. Sppeches may be inadequate to
produce a certain effect at once and still be
none the less great. But a good idea, ini-
tiated by a speaker, may in turn be supple-
mented by other addresses and writings, and
eventually result in wholesome action. This
may be referred to as the theory of cumulatiVe
effects in oratory.1

Although the cumulative effects of Baxter's
preaching and Speaking cannot be accurately measured,
there is no hesitancy on the part of people who know
Baxter well to give what appear to be lavish value judg-
ments concerning his impact upon the contemporary reli-
gious scene. For example the current President of Pep-
perdine College, Los Angeles, California gives the fol-

lowing appraisal of Baxter's preaching:

Through television and radio, over Herald
of Truth, Dr. Batsell Barrett Baxter has

 

1Thonssen and Baird, op. cit., p. 460.

361

probably spoken to more people than any other
advocate of the restoration movement. In addi—
tion to his impact through the media, he has
had a tremendous impact as a local preacher,
primarily at the Hillsboro Church of Christ,
and as a college educator at Pepperdine College
and at David Lipscomb College.l

Facts do seem to verify this assessment. At this
date, as this study is being summarized, Baxter's ideas in
the form of sermons on video tape are being supplied to
over 150 television stations who have contracts for the
Herald of Truth program: also a still wider distribution
is being achieved by taped sermons which are supplying
over 525 radio stations.

Regarding impact, there is evidence that Baxter
had much influence also in the face-to-face conversational
speech occasions. An example is revealed in a letter this
writer received from Canada in which a former serviceman
explains that while he was serving with the U.S. Army in
Seoul, South Korea, he met Baxter, who was visiting a
missionary. He relates how Baxter heard him make a short

talk during religious services, and later, as they were

sharing a meal at the home of the missionary, Baxter

 

lM. Norvel Young (Personal letter, dated Sept. 17,

1969).

362

talked seriously with him about devoting his life to
preaching when he finished his army service. He states
how he reacted to Baxter's persuasion at the time:

I told Dr. Baxter I didn't want to preach,
that I had other plans in the speech and hear-
ing therapy field. He replied kindly, "That
is a noble ambition, but ypg ought to preach."
Once again, a few moments later, he repeated
that statement. Four years later, although I
had majored in Speech and social sciences, I
was preaching, and still am preaching elfven
years after his strong suggestion to me.

This man credits Baxter with being directly re-
sponsible for turning his mind toward a search for a
higher plane of life:

Baxter is directly responsible for turning

my interests from secular pursuits to a full-
time ministry of the Word . . . . His urging
has placed me in a position to lead over 500
people to Christ, and to do mission work in two
fields.

The impact was accomplished in one meeting with
one conversation as is evidenced by the following state-
ment:

I never had a class under Dr. Baxter, never

attended David Lipscomb3 and only met brother
Baxter once in my life.

 

1Floyd Lord (minister, Church of Christ, 1708

Bayview Ave., Toronto 17, Ontario, Canada--letter of
Sept. 4. 1969).

2Ibid. 3Ibid.

363

Baxter himself may not know about the impact he
has had on the lives of many others with whom he has had
brief encounters. Some have been called to his attention
and, undoubtedly, must serve as encouraging "feedback" to
Baxter-—and it surely must add to his pthgp. An example
may be noted in the following announcement which appeared
in an issue of the Sunday Bulletin of the Hillsboro Church
of Christ:

Billy Smith, president of Ibaraki, credits

brother Baxter with having influenced him to
give up a position with the airlines and pre-
pare himself at Lipscomb for mission work, after
he was past college age.

Ibaraki refers to Ibaraki Christian College in
Japan, a growing educational institution which is well-
accepted in Japan, and has great potential for prOpagation
Of ideas which harmonize with those being advocated by
Baxter. Through the years Baxter has had a profound in—
fluence on the men who have been encouraged to attend
David Lipscomb College for the express purpose of prepar-

ing for the ministry or mission work. Other than being

influenced by Baxter's religious ideas, these men who

 

1Sunday Bulletin (Hillsboro Church of Christ,
Sept. 22, 1968). p. 3.

364

"Sit at his feet" in courses on Homiletics, Christian
Evidences, and Bible are usually guided and strongly
encouraged to continue in higher education for advanced
degrees which will enable them to have greater impacts
upon the world, therefore, the "cumulatiVe effects" of
Baxter's Speaking may continue to multiply.

It is appropriate that this research project be
concluded with a final reference to a basic lggg which
Baxter carefully implanted in the minds of his hearers:

God chose to bring the world to salvation

through the "force of ideas" rather than
through the "force of might."1

 

1Baxter, Preparation and Delivepy of Sermons
(Course Outline), p. 3.

BIBLIOGRAPHY

Books

Arnold, Carroll C.: Ehninger, Douglas: and Gerber, John C.
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Auer, J. Jeffery. An Introduction to Research in Speech.
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. The Rhetpric of Our Times. New YOrk: Meredith
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Baxter, Batsell Barrett. Asfa Man Thinketh in His Heart.
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. Great Preacheps of Today. Abilene, Tex.: Bib-

lical Research Press, 1960.

. Making God'p Way Our Way. Nashville: Gospel
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. If T Be Lifted Up. Nashville: Gospel Advocate
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. Speaking for the Master. New York: The Mac-
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Berlo, David K. The Process of Communication. New York:
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366

367

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West, Earl Irvin. The Search for the Ancippt Order.
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Articles and Periodicals

Baird, A. Craig and Thonssen, Lester. "Methodology in
the Criticism of Public Address." Qparterly
Journal of Speech, XXXIII (Apr., 1947), pp. 134-
38.

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ScOpe." Qparterly Journal of Speecp, XXXIX (Dec.,
1953). pp. 401-24.

Gregg, Richard B. "A Phenomenologically Oriented Approach
to Rhetorical Criticism." Central States Speech
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Gregg, Richard B.: McCormac, A. Jackson: and Pedersen,
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Hooper, Robert E. "David Lipscomb." 20th Century Chris-
tian_(JUne, 1964), 11.

"Religion," Time (Jan. 20, 1967), 66.

Sanders, J. P. “Batsell Baxter." 20th Century Christian
(June, 1964), 32.

Thompson, Wayne N. “Contemporary Public Address as a Re-

search Area." Qparterly Journal of Speech, XXXIII

(Oct., 1947). 274-83.

Wallace, Karl R. "The Field of Speech, 1953: An Over—

view." Qparterly JOurnal of Speec , XL (April,

1954), 117-29.

Wrage, Ernest J. "Public Address: A Study in Social and

Intellectual History," Qparterly Jgurnal of Sppech,

XXXIII (Dec., 1947), 451-57.

Unpublished Materials

Baxter, Batsell Barrett. "Homelife in a City.“ Baxter's
File (typewritten).

"Fay Baxter." Baxter's File (typewritten).

 

"General Information." Written by Baxter in
response to series of questions submitted by this

researcher. (Aug. 1, 1968).

. "Men's Training Classes." Baxter's File (type-
written).

. "Preparation and Delivery of Sermons." Course
Outline for Speech 346 (mimeographed).

”Response to Alumnus of the Year Award." Bax-
ter's File (typewritten).

 

Baxter,

371
. "The Christian College and the Training of
Preachers." Baxter's File (typewritten).

. "What This Great Opportunity Means." Baxter's
File.(typewritten).

. William S. Banowsky Conducts Outstanding Meet-
ing." Baxter's File (typewritten).

Pamphlets

Batsell Barrett. "A Dangerous Doctrine." n.d.
“Come Ye Out From Among Them.“ n.d.

. "Love Thy Neighbor." n.d.

. "Questions and Issues of the Day." (Presented

in a series of three sermons to Hillsboro Church

of Christ, during Nov. and Dec., 1963).

. "The Alcohol Problem." (Preached January 22,
1967).

. “The Greatest Story Ever Told.“ (Preached
December 23, 1962).

. "The Old Paths." n.d.

“The Problem of Human Suffering." n.d.
. "The ward Became Flesh.“ n.d.
“Understanding the Bible.“ n.d.
. "What Does the Bible Say?" n.d.

. “What is the Church of Christ?" n.d.

"Directory." (Booklet form.with Historical Sketch of the

Hillsboro Church of Christ), July, 1966.

372

Jones, Joseph F. "The Churches of Christ Salute You."
Dallas, Tex.: Christian Publishing Co., n.d.

Other Sources

NaShville, Tennessee. Personal interviews with Batsell
Barrett Baxter, Aug. 4 & 5, 1968.

. Personal interview with Wanda Roberts Baxter,
Aug. 5' 1968.

. Personal interview with Mary Brown Crowder
(Baxter's Church secretary). Aug. 5, 1968.

. Personal interview with Cynthia Corlew Dilgard,
member of faculty, David Lipscomb College, Aug. 7,
1968.

Letters, papers. Baxter's file of miscellaneous letters,
notes, papers. Correspondence received from:
Batsell Barrett Baxter: Dr. Oscar W. Carter,
Carter's Urological Clinic, Nashville, Tenn.:
Reuel Lemmons, Editor, Firm Foundation Publishing
House, Austin, Texas: Floyd Lord, minister,
Church of Christ, 1708 Bayview Ave., Toronto, On-
tario, Canada: M. H. Lucy, Vice President, The
National Life and Casualty Insurance Co., Nash-
ville, Tenn.: Wayne R. Queen, P.O. Box 7198,
Nashville, Tenn.: Dr. M. Norvel Young, Predident,
Pepperdine College, Los Angeles, California.

Bulletins. Sunday Bplletin, Hillsboro Church of Christ

(Church File). David Lipscomp College Bulletin,
1968-69.

Record Albums. Seven LP Records of narrations by Batsell
Barrett Baxter consisting of following titles:
"The Greatest Commandment," "The OtherFWise Man,”
"The Greatest Thing in the World," "A Physician
Looks at Love and Health," "The Cure for Procras-
tination," "Acres of Diamonds," "A Way of Life,"
"How to Relax," "You Can Stop Smoking," and "Med-
itations on Love.”

373

Sermons. Mimeographed manuscripts and tape recordings
(selections from Church Library, Hillsboro Church
of Christ, Nashville, Tennessee).

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