"Gospel Press" And Church Contributions
For many months now there have been charges and denials, growing stronger and more vehement with each repetition that the "Gospel Press" corporation of Dallas, Texas, was both soliciting and receiving contributions from churches. When "Gospel Press" was first organized some six or seven years ago, its founders and incorporators made very plain to the whole brotherhood that they would seek individual contributions only, and would not receive contributions from churches. Their language was clear and explicit; it could not be mistaken. The only point about which any uncertainty at all revolved was the reason for their disavowal of church contributions — was it from conviction or from policy?
Where in their publicity did they declare that this was only a matter of policy with them; but the passing years have fairly well demonstrated the fact. Apropos of that we publish the following letter from Brother J. Arthur Grainger, an elder in the Harding Avenue Church of Christ of Toronto, Canada:
Dear Brother Tant:
The churches in Ontario hold each year what they call the "June meeting", this being a gathering of all who wish to come to some designated location, with a guest speaker for the day. The meeting usually takes place the first Sunday in June. Brother Cogdill has been the guest speaker on several occasions in years past, and he will understand about it.
This year the Strathmore church here in Toronto had charge of the meeting, and invited all Christians from the province who could attend to meet them on Sunday, June 12. Brother Batsell Baxter was speaker for the occasion. Several of us attended the afternoon meeting, and to our surprise they announced a collection would be taken for the "Gospel Press" so that that organization might place an ad in "Maclean's Magazine", one of the leading journals of Canada. We have always been told by those who collect for the "Gospel Press" (Brother Willie Bryson, for one) that they did NOT solicit money from the church. We have also read this in the brotherhood papers.
I approached one of the Strathmore elders about this; he became quite upset and told me we were just like the scribes and Pharisees, and that according to us nobody was going to heaven out of Canada except members from my own congregation and one other which he named. I told him I had never entertained any such thoughts at all; and I didn't get his point, what ever it was, about the scribes and Pharisees. I told him I'd like to ask Brother Baxter some questions, so a few minutes later he brought Brother Baxter to me.
I asked Brother Baxter if he considered the afternoon meeting as a "church" meeting. At first he hedged a bit, but then replied it could be considered a meeting of the "church universal". I told him I was a visitor there, from another congregation, and had come at the invitation of the Strathmore church. I asked him if, under those circumstances, he considered this as a "church" meeting. He agreed that he did. Then I asked him about the "Gospel Press" soliciting church contributions. He said that he personally did not consider such to be wrong.
I have gone into all this to show you that the "Gospel Press" DOES beg money from churches, and they do not tell the truth when they say otherwise. Do you suppose they think we here in Canada are either too ignorant or too stupid to detect what they are doing?
Now, Brother Tant, there has been much said up here about "not bring the problems up here" which are so disturbing the churches in the States. We have been warned against you and Brother Cogdill, and told that you were trouble-makers and church splitters, and that we should not have anything to do with you. But from this letter you can see that the problem HAS been brought to Canada; and it was done at the June meeting; and Brother Baxter himself was the one who made the appeal for the "Gospel Press".
You may use this letter if you wish to do so. I have stated only facts in it.
Yours fraternally,
J. Arthur Grainger
We think Brother Grainger's letter calls for a forthright statement from the "Gospel Press" people. If they have changed their policy, let them make a public declaration of that fact. If they have not changed it, let them so state — and return to the Strathmore church in Toronto all the money that they received from that June 12 collection. But it is certainly nothing less than plain dishonesty for them to continue to say they do not solicit church contributions and at the very same time go right ahead and permit Dr. Baxter to make an appeal for them such as he did.
And all this, once more, but emphasizes the fact that, "Brethren, we are drifting!" Even in so short a time as the "Gospel Press" has functioned it has moved already from a "no solicitation of church funds" to a "begging funds". If these people six years ago had formed their organization and stated frankly that they were going to make a drive for church contributions many would have openly opposed them. But by disavowing church contributions for a few years they now have a great number committed to them as supporters and promoters (people who six years ago would NOT have supported an organization begging church money), and can gradually step up their campaign to infiltrate into the treasuries of the churches.
Why keep writing on such things? Brother Claude Gardner (of Freed-Hardeman College) two or three years ago asked us in great perplexity, "Why do you keep arguing about the orphan homes? You certainly don't think the brethren are going to stop supporting them do you?" To which we respond with an emphatic "No"! We do NOT think brethren will cease their support--brethren who are set and determined to go "on the march". We have no hope at all of getting such to even listen to what we say — much less turn aside from any unscriptural practice. But we do believe there are still a considerable number of sincere brethren who are primarily concerned in going to heaven. And if they could have their choice, we believe any day in the year they had rather go to heaven than to any college lectureship on earth! It is for such brethren that we write. We hope that our words of warning and exhortation do not fall on deaf ears there; and letters from many hundreds of such brethren through the years have sustained and encouraged us. Many of them had "gone along" with the popular trends, never giving much thought to the matter. But once they became aware of what was happening, and which way the "trends" were going, they disassociated themselves from all such things, and renewed their consecration and fidelity to God only — not to the schemes, organizations, and promotions of men.