The Explanation Does Not Explain
Brother Robert M. Alexander accuses Brother Will M. Thompson of "misrepresentations" in connection with Brother Thompson's criticisms of Brother Alexander's efforts to enlist churches as such in raising funds for Abilene Christian College. Brother Alexander is the official "! Campaign Director." He denies that he ever did such a thing. I thought he did. Brother Otey thought he did. Brother Nichol thought he did. Brother Showalter evidently thought he did. My father thought he did. Brother Douthitt apparently thinks he did. In fact it still looks like he did. If he didn't then I should revise an article I have written but I'm sending it in as is. Brother Alexander evidently thinks he didn't, but if he didn't he has a very awkward way of expressing himself. He should be careful about slinging around the charge of "misrepresentations." I have read carefully his explanation and it reminds me of a fly trying to get out of a saucer of molasses.
"We have not asked congregations to support the school through their treacheries. However, I do not consider that such a practice would be wrong. I think furthermore that congregational autonomy leaves every congregation with the right to decide for itself where it will place its money for the best advancement of the cause of Christ. I do not believe any individual outside of the particular congregation nor any institution has the right to tell the congregation just where and how it shall place its money."
I am under a strong impression that the Campaign Director has been busy for some weeks trying to convince congregations where it shall place some of its money. He says he hasn't asked congregations to support the school through their treasuries but makes it clear that he isn't too good to do it. It isn't expedient to push the matter under present conditions so "any way you do it will be all right just so we get the money." That is a free quotation of course.
"The plan we suggest is for the brethren in the congregation to have a business meeting and set up a goal of money which they think they should raise, select a committee to raise it, and mail in the results.
As the matter now stands, we do not ask congregations as such to raise money for the school, but we suggest that congregations as such do so and send us the results. If Brother Alexander has a better explanation to offer we are anxious to hear it.
Brother Alexander's idea of "congregational autonomy" is interesting. According to him I suppose that if a congregation wants to put the Firm Foundation publishing house or even the American Christian Missionary Society in its budget, it is nobody's business. That might be so in a way, but then I posses a sort of personal "autonomy" which possibly means I might say something about it if it did. If I think a congregation decides contrary to the scriptures, congregational autonomy has nothing to do with my saying what I think about it. How did Brother Alexander get the idea that he can advise a church to do something but that I have no right to advise it not to.