<TITLE>01. Par 1-4</TITLE>61-0125, Why?, American Legion Hall, Beaumont, TX, 99 min
L-1 Thank you, brother. Be seated. No, I... My wife said, "Bill, I kinda admire you on this meeting, going down to Texas where all that nice weather is."
And awhile ago I called her. I said, "How cold is it?"
She said, "Not very cold. It's just about zero. But what you all doing down there?"
I said, "Just raining and sleeting as hard as it can." I said, "The summer must've went on west to take its vacation." It's sure left the--the lower part of Texas, hasn't it? I see that we got a slick rainy ride tomorrow, and so we solicit your prayers.
And I didn't expect there'd be anybody out. I thought all Texas was afraid of bad weather, but I see some of them are not. So--so we are happy that you're here tonight, and happy that we had this... You showed us this great fine meeting, one of the nicest meetings we've had in years, your fine spirit and cooperation. I want to thank these pastors, each and every one of you, for your fine cooperation. I didn't get to eat dinner with you, just had a breakfast with you all. But I'd like to go over and see how your wife can cook grits and biscuits, and oh, my, I imagine it'd be fine; be dandy. I appreciate our little organist here that's been so sweet, helping us--all you people.

L-2 And they tell me that they give a love offering in the--for the--for me. All the expenses are made, brethren? If it isn't, turn it right in on that. See? And if everything's all right, and there's no particular need of it, I'll put it in the work of the Lord as I travel on. May God ever bless you. And I believe it said in the Scripture, "Insomuch as you have done it unto the least of My little ones, you have did it to Me." So I am that least one, so you have did it unto Him (See?), [Blank.spot.on.tape--Ed.] that you did. I know it's a portion of your living you're sharing with me for the Gospel. I pray that God will so richly bless you. And when life is finished here, at the other side you'll be rewarded, if not here; a hundredfold here, and Eternal Life on the other side.

L-3 Your faith has been tremendous, how you have got together and pressed your faith on, blending your faith. If it wasn't that faith, the meeting would've not've been what it is. But it's because you have believed and believe with me. And I--I appreciate that. I told my brethren and told the friends that's called me up from different parts of the country that it was tremendous, how the--the people here in Beaumont has certainly put their faith and prayer behind the meeting and helped.
There's no doubt but what everything, when it makes a little, a little history, or just something unusual, you have the pro and con of it. You have the--the good and the bad. You have to have the night to enjoy the day. You have to have bad weather to enjoy good weather. That's the way life is. You have to have bad people to make the good people show up. And so you have to have a false to make a real. I'm not saying this because I was asked to say it; I'm saying it because it's out of my heart.

L-4 And I want to say to you, all you people, you churches; I wouldn't want you to think that I was a--a person that tried to disagree with all churches, and they're all wrong and I'm the one's right. If I've left that impression, forgive me. I didn't mean it like that. But I meant to say that there's not an organization in the world, I don't believe, of Christian religion but what's got good people in it, and they got God's people in it.
I do not agree with organization, I--because that the organization... Now, listen close. If the organization would say, "We believe this," with a comma, all right. But if, "We believe this, period," that's all wrong. See, see? If you end your doctrine with a comma: "We believe this, plus as much as God wants to add to it"; but when you say, "We believe this, period, and that's all," then you shut God right out of it. See? And that's the way organizations do. They end it with a--with a period.


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