The Gospel Advocate Trust Fund
Brother Goodpasture, under date of November 2, 1944, had this to say about a statement I wrote in the Bible Banner:
"Agencies And Trust Funds"
"Writing under this heading in the Bible Banner of September, 1944, G. K. Wallace says:
In our debates with the Christian Church we defended the work of the Gospel Advocate and other papers on the ground of simply forwarding the money. Now it turns out to be a trust fund.'
If the brother means that the Gospel Advocate is a "trust fund," he is mistaken. The Advocate is not a trust fund, nor does it have "a trust fund" for brotherhood activities. Moreover, it is not a "collecting agency" nor a "forwarding agency." On the other hand, it insists that brethren send money directly to those for whose use it has been collected."
In this connection I would like for Brother Goodpasture to harmonize his statements with the following editorial written by the lamented J. T. Hinds and published in the Gospel Advocate, under date of June 21, 1934.
"A Mission Fund"
"The directors of the Gospel Advocate Company have a trust fund on hand at this time for mission work that is sufficient to hold three meetings in the true sense of that term.
Those in charge of that fund will be glad to hear from three places that are real mission points, and a preacher will be sent to them. The Gospel Advocate will be glad to see at least one hundred congregations join in this kind of mission work. The trustees of this fund will be glad to turn any extra calls for such work over to any congregations that want to do some work of that kind."
Now we have it. The Gospel Advocate does have (or did have) a "Trust Fund" with which to do mission work. Those in charge of this fund will be glad to "send" a preacher. Who is sending this preacher? Is the preacher being sent by the church? No, the preacher is (or was) being sent by the Gospel Advocate. However, the Advocate does say that it will be glad to have at least one hundred congregations "join" it in doing such work. It does not ask for some congregation to do the work but to join it in doing it.
Now, will Brother Goodpasture please tell us the size of the Gospel Advocate trust fund? Do you still have it? What became of it? This will make interesting reading to the subscribers of the Gospel Advocate.
Please note that the "Gospel Advocate will be glad to turn any extra calls for such work over to any congregations that wants to do some work of that kind." The Advocate will turn over the "extra calls" to congregations. They will keep the "trust fund" and let you have the calls.