Claude B. Thomas
1897-1981
Getting To Know Our Brethren
Claude B. Thomas was born at Rutherford, Gibson County, Tennessee, on October 21, 1897. Following the death of his father, which occurred when he was only six years of age, he moved with his widowed mother and two other children to Obion County, Tennessee. Here, and in Lake County together, he lived until about sixteen years of age, when he went to southeast Missouri to live with his uncle, Jas. E. Laird.
While living in West Tennessee, he attended the public schools as much as his circumstances would permit. From early childhood he has entertained the desire of being a gospel preacher, but having to spend most of his time working, his opportunity for getting an education was very limited, so he almost despaired at times of ever being able to realize his dream of becoming a preacher of the gospel.
At the age of fourteen, on August 18, 1911, he was baptized by Brother R. C. White. He was encouraged by the leaders in the congregation where he attended as a boy to take public part in the worship, which he always did.
In further preparation for the ministry, he attended Old Moneo College at Rector, Arkansas, for a part of two years. The schooling was made possible by his uncle, James E. Laird. Later he moved back to Holcomb, Missouri, where he attended the public school for a few months, and where he met and married Miss Lowell Robinson.
Soon after this marriage they went to Flint, Michigan, where for a number of years he worked in the automobile factories. While working at Flint, Brother Thomas also preached regularly for the Maple Avenue Church of Christ for 18 months.
Afterwards he was asked to serve temporarily as minister of the West Side Central Church of Christ in Detroit, Michigan, while Brother Witty was making a tour of Palestine.
Upon going to Detroit, Brother Thomas obtained a leave of absence from his work in the Buick factory, intending upon the return of Brother Witty to go back, but instead he went to Pontiac, Michigan, where he was supported in a missionary effort by the Vinewood congregation of Detroit. Here he spent two years, resigning in order to better prepare himself for his chosen work. He went to Henderson, Tennessee, and entered Freed-Hardeman College for one year.
While attending school at Henderson, he preached monthly for the church at Henderson, Shiloh National Park, Selmer, and at a point near Tupelo, Mississippi.
After one year at Henderson, he worked three years as local minister with the church at Jackson, Mississippi. From Jackson, Brother Thomas moved to Holdenville, Oklahoma, to serve as local minister. After 18 months there, he accepted an invitation to work with the Central Church of Christ in Corpus Christi, Texas. After 15 months in the south Texas city, he returned to Holdenville upon the urgent request of the entire congregation, where he continued to serve as minister.
Brother Thomas had considerable experience in the evangelistic field, having conducted successful meetings in Michigan, Kentucky, Tennessee, Mississippi, Louisiana, Arkansas, Missouri, Oklahoma, and Kansas.
At the time of Brother and Sister Thomas’ marriage, Mrs. Thomas was a Baptist, but it was not long until she obeyed the gospel and was baptized by Brother Thomas. Sister Thomas at all times was a great help to her husband in his chosen work, being willing to “stay by the stuff” while he was away preaching the gospel.
Brother and Sister Thomas had two children born to them. Their only son, Claude Jr., passed away just a short time ago.
C. B. Thomas is a brother to Leslie G. Thomas, who is minister for the church at Corsicana, Texas.
-W. D. Bills, Firm Foundation, December 1, 1937, p. 3
Division
by C. B. Thomas
“Many of the people, therefore, when they heard this saying, said, ‘Of a truth this is the Prophet.’ Others said, ‘This is the Christ.’ But some said, ‘Shall Christ come out of Galilee? Hath not the scriptures said that Christ cometh of the seed of David and out of the town of Bethlehem, where David was?’ So there was division among the people because of him. And some of them would have taken him; but no man laid hands on him.”
From this scripture it is easy for us to observe that the people during the earthly sojourn of our Saviour were divided over him. Thus I would suggest to you in this connection that religious division, or division over Christ, is not something new, but an ancient evil; but whether it be new or old, it has never at any time been justified, and in the lesson this morning I shall endeavor first of all to point out the inconsistency of division as is reflected in the people’s attitude toward Christ.
Turning again to the paragraph read from the 7th chapter of John, we learn that Jesus was in Jerusalem and there was occasion for the people to discuss him, as there always seemed to be when Jesus was around. So they began to question themselves as to his identity. Some of them said he was a prophet, or “The Prophet.” Evidently they were basing their conclusions upon the prophecies that had been made that God would raise up some prophet like unto Moses from among their brethren.
It is true that Christ was a prophet. He was the prophet mentioned in that particular statement that we have just referred to, but these people in considering Christ as the prophet did not recognize the fact that he was to be both the prophet and the Messiah, the Son of God. Others were impressed by the fact that he was the Christ, hence they had the correct understanding as to his identity, but some disputed that he was the Christ and said, “Shall Christ come out of Galilee?” The fact that this character whom they were discussing had come from Galilee was evidence sufficient to them that he was not the Christ. According to their understanding of the scripture, Christ was to be born in the city of David, that is, in Bethlehem of Judea, and that was true. But had they been as careful in the study of the divine scripture as they should, and had they been as careful in their efforts to properly identify this character as they should, they would have known that Christ, though living in Galilee, was born in Bethlehem, and should have accepted that scripture concerning his birth as fulfilled, and the fact that he was then living in Galilee did not disprove his being the Christ.
I want now to direct your attention to the 16th chapter of Matthew and learn of another occasion when a similar division among the people was reported. On this occasion Jesus came with his disciples into the coast of Caesarea Philippi, and in order to ascertain from his disciples what conception the people in general had concerning him, he asked the question, “Whom do men say that I, the Son of Man, am?” And they said, “Some say that you are John the Baptist, some Elias and others Jeremiah, or one of the prophets.”
Now notice the division that existed in the minds of the people concerning Christ. Some said that he was John the Baptist, that is, they believed that John had arisen from the dead and this character, the Christ, was he. Others said that he must be Elias or Elijah, one of Israel’s great prophets. Still others, unwilling to identify him in that manner, said that he was Jeremiah, another one of Israel’s great prophets, but others that were not quite so certain said that he was more than an ordinary man; they did not know whether he was John the Baptist, or Elias, or Jeremiah, but said that he was a prophet.
Now then I want to call your attention to this fact: that people of today who endorse, condone and encourage religious division can find no comfort from the word of God, and they will be just as inconsistent in their effort to sustain religious division as were these people. Should I today turn to any person in our community who believes that religious division is all right and ask them concerning this very incident to which we have just referred, was it possible for all of these people to be right, though differing in their understanding of the Christ, and the answer would be, of course not. Christ could not at the same time be John the Baptist, Jeremiah, Elias or some other prophet. In other words, if he was Jeremiah he could not be Elias; if he was John the Baptist he could not be Jeremiah; if he was Elias he could not be the Christ. If he was the Christ, as Peter later confessed him to be, then he could not have been John the Baptist, Jeremiah, Elias or any other prophet, therefore, the apostles in their confession of him as being the Christ, the Son of the living God were right and all the others were wrong.
I have often times made this statement and it has remained unchallenged, that is, no two conflicting theories can be right at the same time. Both might be wrong, but both cannot be right. Take this case here again: all of these people could be wrong, and most of them were, but it is inconsistent to think that all of them were right. Jesus could not be all of these separate characters at one time. If he was one, then he was not the other, and if one group was right, the others were wrong.
Now I want to make an application and since things can better be understood when brought closer to us, I shall refer to a condition existing today in our own community, our own fair city. Here we have a multiplicity of religious organizations. We have a division among the people of this town, which is but a sample of that which exists throughout all the civilized world. As we look around about us we find that the people religiously are divided at least a dozen different ways. For instance, here is a group of people, we call ourselves the church of Christ, we look around and see another group calling themselves Baptists, another group Methodists, another group say they are Presbyterians, still another that they are Episcopalians. Then there is the First Christian Church, Latter-day Saints, Pentecostal Holiness and Catholic. There are ten religious bodies that I have mentioned existing in our town. There are still others that are not included in that list. Ten organizations—divided—all teaching and practicing something that is different. There is no unity existing between us.
Go to any of the religious organizations that I have mentioned and ask them concerning their religious affiliation and they will tell you that—“We believe that the church of which we are a member is the right church.” But in order to court the favor of one another they will say that one church is as good as another and that we are all right. Regardless of the things they teach and practice, and regardless of how much difference there may be between them, still deep in the heart of every true and loyal member of any religious organization there is a feeling that they are right and others are wrong, but they lack the courage to uphold it.
I am frank to say that I am a member of the church of Christ. I believe the church of Christ is right and all others wrong, that is my conviction and it is based upon the teaching of God’s word, therefore, in my heart is no spirit of compromise. I see the inconsistency of division, as it was impossible for these people all to be right in their understanding as to the identity of Jesus, it is just as inconsistent to say that all of these ten different organizations that exist in our town, differing as they do, to be right. It just can’t be. We may be all wrong, but it is certain that we are not all right. And if the church of Christ is right, all others are wrong. If the Baptist is right, all others are wrong. If the Methodist is right, the rest are wrong, and so on down the line.
But I cannot dwell too long upon this particular phase of our study, as I want now to call attention to some of the evils of division as it exists in our midst today. First of all, division keeps many from accepting Christ. It did in the days of Christ and it continues to do so now.
As a second evil, division hinders the progress of Christianity. And that we need not elaborate upon in order to impress it upon your minds. All we need to do is look around about us and see the condition that exists today and we will be made aware of the truthfulness of that statement. By way of illustration I call your attention to the late World War, when practically all of the world was engaged therein on one side, Germany on the other. For a long, long time it looked as though the small nation of Germany was going to conquer all the other nations of the world. Then the allied forces were put under the head of one commanding general, and from that one head issued forth the instructions governing all the maneuvers of all the allied forces, and the result was that the tide of battle was quickly turned—and the war brought to a speedy close.
All of which goes to show, my friends, that if the Christian people of today were placed under the orders of him who is the captain of our salvation, as a solid phalanx we would march down the aisles of time together, bidding defiance to every force of evil and the devil would soon be disempowered by the force of Christianity. But because of that division, Christianity is hindered in its progress.
And still another evil: division divides homes. I have called this to your attention on other occasions. I like as often as I have opportunity, to point out this evil. It is a sad picture, indeed, and we see it in our own congregation here, we see it round about us. Many of you present today have an experience of that kind or a condition like unto that existing in your home. Some of you are present without your companion, some of you are here without your children, they having gone elsewhere to engage in religious work. When you return to your home you will find it unpleasant to discuss religious matters in the circle of your home. Why? Because of that division. Other things can be discussed, but religion never. And so it causes families to be divided, the husband goes one way, the wife another, and children still another direction, all claiming to be worshipping the same God, all claiming to be following the instructions of the same book, all claiming to be accepting the same Savior, yet there is nothing congenial in that family pertaining to religion. Why? Division is the cause of it, and that is one of the saddest and darkest pictures we can look upon today. You tell me the teaching of the Bible produces that kind of condition? No. Only the doctrines and commandments of men, which are taught in competition to the teaching of Christ, are responsible for a condition of that kind.
Division creates warring religious parties, which I have pointed out to you in the different religious organizations that exist in our midst today. And that is just a sample of what exists throughout the world. I know that there are efforts made to bring about a union of these religious parties, but that cannot be done successfully, and if it could be done, that would not be unity. Union is not unity and can never meet the conditions that are stipulated in the word of God.
Another evil that is a result of religious division is that it fosters religious prejudice, and that, my friends, is a condition that is hard to overcome. Give to me a heart that is unbiased and unprejudiced, that is open and willing to receive teaching from the Book of God and the truth can easily be planted in a mind of that kind and that person can be led to obey the same. But a heart that is filled with religious prejudice, unwilling to study, unwilling to listen, cannot be reached by the simple gospel of Jesus Christ.
Again—division makes ranking infidels. I know that that is a serious charge to make—to say that religious division will make infidels, and yet I know that that statement is true, that many people, being unable to reconcile the denominational interpretation of the Bible with the word of God itself, have been driven into infidelity. Let us suppose, by way of illustration, that as you come into this place from time to time and listen so attentively, as you always do, to the things that I try to say to you, suppose that I take one position and express it with all the power of my being, and next Lord’s day I teach something altogether different and contrary to that which I preached the week before, stressing it with all my ability, and the next day something that denies that which I had taught on the two previous Sundays. And every time you came back I contradicted myself and taught something that flatly denied that which I previously taught. How long would you maintain confidence in me as a man of truth and veracity? How long would you be willing to come and listen to the things I have to say? Your attitude toward me would be: he is not a man of his word, he will not take a position and stand by it, therefore, I have absolutely no confidence in him. And you would be just in saying that. So, friends, the world is being turned into infidelity, many are saying that if the Bible supports all of these different theories, then it can’t be a divine book, then it means no more to us than any other book and might as well be cast into the rubbish and left alone. But thank God, the Bible does not give endorsement to these differences. God’s book is a book of unity, oneness, a book that leads us all to Jesus Christ, our Lord.
Another evil of division is it produces a spirit of indifference. To get people to seriously consider the matter of Christianity is a most difficult undertaking today. Why? Because the influence of religious division upon them has caused them to come to the conclusion that it doesn’t make any difference whether you are a member of the church or not, whether you are a Christian or not. We are told by many preachers that we can be saved just the same. If such teaching is true, we have no need of the Bible. We have no place for the teaching of Christ and just as well to eat, drink and be merry, take life as it comes. But I am confident that teaching of that kind is just as far from the truth as darkness is from light. Therefore, the Bible is still our guide and we are going to go by the things that are written therein and not by the creeds that have been devised by uninspired men. May God help us to realize our responsibility in that sense and drive from us the spirit of religious indifference.
There used to be a time when sound gospel preaching stirred people to study; there used to be a time when people would hear preaching and take down scriptural references and take them home and compare them with their Bible and if they found them to be true would accept it. There used to be a time when the denominational preachers would meet with gospel preachers in religious discussion and things would be openly discussed in order to elicit the truth. Today there is a spirit of indifference and religious division is the cause of it.
Let us now notice some divine exhortations in reference to unity. I call your attention to the 17th chapter of John, that prayer prayed by our Savior on the night he was betrayed. Jesus included in that prayer a petition for all who would believe on him through the preaching of his apostles—“Neither pray I for these alone, but for them also which shall believe on me through their word; that they all may be one; as thou, Father, art in me, and I in thee, that they also may be one in us; that the world may believe that thou hast sent me” (John 17:20, 21). That is the prayer that is being trodden beneath unholy feet today, that is being ignored, that deaf ears are being turned to as people seek after the doctrines and commandments of men.
Now let us read from 1 Corinthians, first chapter, beginning with verse ten: “Now I beseech you, brethren, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that ye all speak the same thing, and that there be no divisions among you; but that ye be perfectly joined together in the same mind and in the same judgment. For it hath been declared unto me of you, my brethren, by them which are of the house of Chloe, that there are contentions among you. Now this I say, that every one of you saith, I am of Paul; and I am of Apollos; and I of Cephas; and I of Christ. Is Christ divided? Was Paul crucified for you? Or were ye baptized in the name of Paul?”
Every person of today who endorses, condones and encourages religious division ought to ask themselves that question. Is Christ divided? Were you baptized in the name of John the Baptist? In the name of Wesley? Calvin? Alexander Campbell? In the name of any other uninspired man? If so, you have become obedient to the doctrines of men instead of Christ.
Now reading from Ephesians, 4th chapter, verses 1 to 6, we learn more on the subject of unity: “I therefore, the prisoner of the Lord, beseech you that ye walk worthy of the vocation wherewith ye are called. With all lowliness and meekness, with longsuffering, forbearing one another in love; endeavoring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. There is one body, and one Spirit, even as ye are called in one hope of your calling; one Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God and Father of all, who is above all, and through all, and in you all.”
The final scripture in this study is Philippians 3:16, and is as follows: “Nevertheless, whereto we have already attained, let us walk by the same rule, let us mind the same thing.”
Division because of Christ in his day, division now, has never been justified. Division was inconsistent then, it is inconsistent now. It is incompatible to the teaching of God’s word, therefore division must be wrong. Let us stay with the word of God and march down the aisles of time together, thus we will mete out a crushing defeat to all forces of evil, and under the bloodstained banner of Prince Immanuel, Christianity will march steadily on until the end of time.
May God help us to stand solidly upon the teaching of his word.
-Firm Foundation, December 1, 1937, p. 3, 5 - The article was precursored with the following: [This sermon was recently preached by Brother Thomas at Holdenville and is stenographically reported.]
Gospel Advocate Obituary
POPLAR BLUFF, MO.-C. B. Thomas, 83, associate minister of Highland Drive Church of Christ died at 3:00 p.m., Sunday, March 1, 1981, at the Doctors Regional Medical Center. He had been ill two months, suffering from lung cancer.
C. B. Thomas was born Oct. 21, 1897, at Rutherford, Tenn. He was married to Lola Robinson on Feb. 15, 1919, at Holcomb, Mo. She died Oct. 5, 1974. He attended Freed-Hardeman College in Henderson, Tenn., and Monette College at Rector, Ark. He first began preaching in 1915. In 1924, he began preaching full time and since then has served churches in Michigan, Oklahoma, Texas, Mississippi and Missouri. He had served as minister at the Highland Drive Church of Christ since September 1961.
Surviving is one daughter, Betty Martin of the home, one brother, Leslie G. Thomas of Chattanooga, Tenn., grandchildren Thomas and DeAnn Martin; two great-granddaughters, Alison and Caroline all of Tulsa, Okla. Bro. Thomas endeared himself to the church and community as a kind, yet aggressive and effective evangelist. In 1972, Bro. Thomas rearranged his work schedule less than full time because of failing eye sight; he continued teaching and preaching; his last public proclamation from the pulpit being in September 1980 at a special service on Sunday evening conducted by the elders and followed by Bro. Thomas' charge to the congregation in reaffirming their faith and encouraging their support in expanding the work at Highland Drive including immediate future plans of a new auditorium; he continued until his last period of hospitalization conducting weddings and funerals.
Those in Poplar Bluff, Mo., and others who remember Bro. C. B. Thomas cherish the memory of one who endured to the end and who inspired us to a greater love for God, his word and his church. Among his talents was the ability to quote long passages from the Bible he loved so well. He was a lover of poetry and was able to quote with ease his favorite writings. Those who knew him well, remember that he had a story or joke for every conversation. He loved to talk, and he never met a stranger. Very seldom did he forget a name or face. He always became acquainted with the people around town. They knew him and respected him even if they never attended the services of the church. He loved people genuinely, and they loved him very much in return. Bro. Thomas was a happy person. He was one who could and did "weep with those who weep" and "rejoice with those who rejoice." He was firm in what he believed to be right but his happy disposition, his goodness, did always shine through in his beautiful life.
The funeral was held at 11:00 a.m., Tuesday, March 3, 1981, at Highland Drive Church of Christ. The elders of the congregation officiated. The singing was provided in an excellent way by the congregation.
Burial was in Lloyd Cemetery, Holcomb, Mo.
He lived and died in faith, and that is our source of comfort in our time of sorrow.-Leamon L. Fowler, elder Highland Dr. Church of Christ, Poplar Bluff, Mo. for· the family . . .
C. B. Thomas was a friend of mine for fifty years. I never knew a finer, better man. His love for the Lord, his dedication to the cause of Christ and his commitment to the scriptures in all matters were without limitation. His hope is now fruition, his ultimate salvation assured.
-Guy N. Woods, Gospel Advocate, May 7, 1981, p. 280.
Fort Smith Times Record, Fort Smith, Arkansas
Saturday, June 14, 1930, p.3
Elk City Journal, Elk City, Oklahoma
Thursday, January 18, 1940, p.1
Directions To Grave
The Thomas family plot is in the Lloyd Cemetery, near Holcomb, in SE Missouri. From Holcomb head west on Main St. - Road B - The cemetery will be on your left. Head into the first drive and as the drive turns to the right, the Thomas graves will be on the right.
GPS Location
36°23'49.9"N 90°02'44.7"W
or D.d. 36.397192,-90.045758
Lloyd Cemetery
BROTHER
He was the joy of our life.
The sunshine of our home.
Claude B. Thomas, Jr.
February 7, 1923
August 30, 1936
THOMAS
Lola (Roopie) - January 19, 1900 - October 5, 1974
Claude B. - October 21, 1897 - March 1, 1981
Photos Taken 05.08.2025
Webpage Produced 05.30.2026
Courtesy Of Scott Harp
www.TheRestorationMovement.com
Special Recognition: Your webeditor had the privilege of visiting the grave of Claude B. Thomas and family. I was in Missouri to preach a gospel meeting for the South Hwy. 5 church of Christ in Lebanon, Missouri.