THE CHANGED MESSAGE

     Once in a little village there lived a man who had lost his
health and his wife, and all he had left of his family was one
daughter. She remained single in order to be near her father in the
lingering years of a severe illness. He finally got better and one of
the things the doctor said would help would be to take a trip across
the ocean and go to some health resort of Europe and stay for several
months. This he did, leaving his daughter at home. She had lost her
health nursing her father. When the ship on which her father was
returning was a few hours out from shore he decided to send his
daughter a message. It read: "PAPA WELL ON BOARD---HAVE BEST HORSE TO
MEET HIM." The operator who received the message said, "It has been
mis-spelled, that isn't what it means," and so this sad and tragic
change was made: "PAPA FELL OVERBOARD --- HAVE BEST HEARSE TO MEET
HIM."
     When the message was delivered to the daughter, delicate in
health, her heart failed and she fell dead in her tracts. When the
ship landed the sad news was brought to her father that his daughter
had died instantly. Upon arriving at the house, the father found his
daughter lying on the floor with the message in her hand stating that
"Papa fell overboard." What did it? The operator who changed the
message.
     There is something ten thousand times more tragic than this
incident. I stand on the shores of time; a messenger to passing
humanity, and having the message given by God in the book we call the
Bible.  What right have I or any other religious teacher to change one
word or one jot or tittle; for if I do, it means death to someone.
     God's message of salvation has been given to the world, and who
is man to change it. No one has ever had the right nor authority to
altar, change, mis-apply or leave out any of the commandments given
unto us by the Christ. Let us accept what the Bible says and if our
lives differ with it, then we must change our way of living. This and
only this will prepare us to meet our Maker in Judgment.
    --- Jack Thompson, preacher for the White Park church of Christ.

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