In all the history of Christianity, God has had His chosen messengers to defend and uphold His truth in every generation.    Thousands, even millions, of these have died as martyrs rather than renounce the truth for which they stood.   Thus it has been through sacrifice and suffering, that the eternal principles of the Word of God have been preserved on earth to this day.   The words of Paul, "Yea, and all that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution", have ever been proven to be true, for Satan hates the truth and will make the way as hard as possible for those who contend for it.

        In his generation, perhaps no man has more earnestly contended for the faith once delivered to the saints than Elder R. Y. Blalock.    Most of his faithful ministry of more than half a century has been in various states of the West.   Here, it seems almost every false doctrine has been propagated, and Brother Blalock has without fear or compromise met these false teachings and has contended for the truth as it is in Christ Jesus.   Also among Baptist people, he has met and condemned the practice of alien immersion, open communion, the universal invisible church theory, and many other false doctrines that have crept into Baptist ranks.    In so doing, he has had to suffer much, but he has ever trusted in a faithful God whose grace is sufficient for every need.

        In the beginning of his ministry, missionary organizations among Baptists in America were comparatively new.   Some of these have grown to be strong financial organizations, and many others have come into existence during his day.   Knowing however, that all missionary organizations are of modern origin, and that no such thing was known in New Testament days, or for near eighteen hundred years thereafter, Brother Blalock has ever contended for the Bible teaching of the Church as the only Divinely commissioned institution on earth to carry out the Great Commission of Christ her Head.   Here again his stand has brought upon him the opposition and persecution of great human organizations.

        Perhaps noone has founded more true New Testament churches in the western part of the United States than Elder R. Y. Blalock.   Many thriving churches today stand as living monuments to the labors of a man who would not compromise the truth.   This booklet is sent forth with the hope that it may establish and strengthen Baptist people in the truth, and encourage them to contend for the truth as given in the Word of God, until our Lord shall come again.

~ ~ W. A. Reese