Personal

There are two things that I hope always to be man enough to do--first, to modify or change my stand on any question when by investigation I find that the truth requires it; and, second, to be willing to apologize to any one whom I may have wronged.

Sometime ago, in connection with the discussion of certain questions, the Bible Banner printed some articles that contained reflections on the personal integrity of Brother C. R. Nichol, in attributing to him ulterior motives in some of his statements in his book, "God's Woman." I have not accepted some of the views set forth in this book, but I do believe in the complete sincerity and honesty of its author. I do not believe that he wrote anything to please any class in the church. If I believed that he did such a thing I could not have any confidence in him, whereas I do hold him in confidence and respect and I have never doubted his complete loyalty in heart to the word of God.

It is one thing to discuss a question; it is quite another thing to question a man's honesty in discussion. Regardless of intent, statements containing such implications appeared in the Bible Banner, and they should not have been published.

I am indebted to my father and G. H. P. Showalter, to R. L. Whiteside and C. R. Nichol, for whatever I may know. They have been my teachers--all of them. It is not required of me, even by them, to accept every point and detail of their teaching--though I did, and do, accept by far the most that they ever taught me, the value of which has been inestimable to me. When I was a lad of sixteen attending Thorp Spring Christian College, I missed a week of school (without permission) to stay through the NicholLockhart debate in a neighboring county. I was disciplined by the school, my father concurring with the president, in prescribing the punishment, until Brother Nichol interceded in my behalf, suggesting that they "lay off" on the ground that I had learned more in "one week" at that debate than I would have learned "all year" in the school! His appeal got results--with my father, if not with the school. I am still using information that I obtained in that debate.

The personal emotions involved in this statement have their origin in family and fraternal ties. Among the earliest recollections of my childhood are things connected with the friendship between Brother Nichol and my father. That friendship has not waned with the years and will endure until "death do them part," which cannot be many years as we count time, for my father is seventy-two; Brother Nichol a number of years younger.

Out of that friendship grew other ties--a similar relation between Brother Nichol and my father's sons, particularly Cled. For years Brother Nichol and Cled have been inseparable friends.

When our mother went to heaven, in 1813, Brother Nichol and Brother Showalter were called by my father to speak the words that would help to heal our hearts. Brother Nichol was overcome with emotion and Brother M. O. Daley completed the talk. But we have not forgotten the words that Brother Nichol in such emotion did say. I remember his words as if they were spoken yesterday.

In their early years my father and Brother Nichol labored much together in the gospel. And it was "labor." I know of an instance years ago when they went from Texas to Oklahoma together to hold a debate with a Mormon. There were no members of the church there. They were entertained in a sectarian home. They did not get expenses for their trip, to say nothing of the ten days work and they knew before they went. But they went, gladly, and none of us ever heard either of them complain about it. That is only one example out of many that could be related, of the things they did because they loved the Lord and His Cause--the Lord and the Cause they still love.

If anyone should say that my father wrote a book, or an article, or preached a sermon to please a certain class of people, I would resent it--and would deal with it. Brother Nichol is not thin-skinned, and he does not take exceptions when his views on any matter are put to the test of discussion. But when it is intimated that he wrote things in a book, or anywhere else, to please a certain element--that such was his object, rather than to teach what he believed was the truth, such could only mean that he would be seeking to please men rather than God, and a conscientious man could not lightly pass by such a charge. All of us who know Brother Nichol know that his entire life has been the very opposite of that and is, in fact, a sufficient denial of it.

Due to the relations that have existed through the years between Brother Nichol and my father, and Cled and me, it doubtless inflicted a deeper wound for such things to be printed in a paper published by one of us, and as I am the one who furnished the medium, I am making a forthright apology, unreserved and unqualified, for permitting anything to appear in the Bible Banner in any article, whether my own or another's, that reflected directly or indirectly on the sincerity, honesty, and integrity of C. R. Nichol.

This has nothing to do with any discussion of issues. It is simply an apology-when we fight, we fight; and when we apologize, we apologize.--Foy E. Wallace, Jr.