The Persons And Personalities In The College Controversary - Part 3
Foy E. Wallace, Jr. Denton, Texas, spent two days of last week in Nashville. They were probably two of the happiest days of his life, for he was collecting receipts, every one of which read, "Paid in full"!
Ordinarily no publicity is given to the fact that an individual pays his bills. That is considered a strictly personal matter. But the fact that Brother Wallace was involved in debt had been given publicity. It had become generally known, and had been talked not merely to the detriment of Brother Wallace but to the injury of the cause. It had doubtless been given more publicity because he was recognized as a leading evangelist, debater and writer, and because he had so effectively opposed speculative teaching. It is hoped that similar publicity will be given to the fact that Brother Wallace came back and paid every debt in full, both for the restoration of Brother Wallace to the respect and admiration of all the brotherhood, but for the repair of the damage to the cause as well.
No criticism of Brother Wallace has ever been received by those who knew him except that he had become involved in financial debt—which he candidly admitted. When he left Nashville, it was in the daytime, and with the full intention of returning if and when possible to liquidate his indebtedness. Some of his creditors were so insistent in their efforts and methods of collection that he despaired of returning to Nashville for two meetings several months after his departure. But he made it a point of principle that if he could not preach in Nashville he would not preach anywhere. Several of his friends advised him to take a plea of bankruptcy, so that he could protect himself and family while continuing his preaching. This he did.
He came to Nashville to hold the meetings, scheduled. He first called the elders together and advised them of the action he had taken, and explained that this court action had nothing to do with his sense of moral obligation to liquidate the indebtedness as rapidly as possible. The elders of the two churches told him that it was the only thing he could have done, and invited him to conduct the meetings as they had been planned. Good meetings were held.
Despite some reverses of a financial nature, including illness in his family, he has been retiring some of these debts, and on last week came to Nashville to personally clear up those contracted there. Some accounts are being handled by correspondence elsewhere. In the course of a few days all will have been completely liquidated. Those of us who have known Brother Wallace intimately have never experienced any misgiving as to the nobility of his intentions and the cleanness of his life. Even his financial misfortune had some of its roots, at least, in the abuse or over development of certain virtues—generosity and independence. He was always doing something for others. If the singer was left unsupported by the church, he supported him; if his support did not seem adequate, Brother Wallace made up the deficit. He never worked a day at any secular employment, but has devoted all his life since high school days to preaching the gospel. Even with seven in family, he usually had one or more students of David Lipscomb College living in his home. There are scores of those who have tasted his unstinted generosity who can and will testify any time as to the character and ability of the man. In fact, if all who were indebted to his generosity could have fully repaid him in kind, he could have liquidated his indebtedness long ago—but that is where his independence came into the picture!
But now that all has been paid in full, it is useless to speculate about causes. The future is the thing. Brother Wallace is young, and has many useful years ahead of him. He has not missed a day—except because of illness in his family—but his work will be more pleasant and more fruitful of good throughout the brotherhood. Tell the good news. Let it find as swift wings as did the bad news of financial disaster. No single event has meant more to the good of the cause in years than this visit to Nashville, together with all that it means. A ringing welcome to the man who came back!
Every friend of the truth and of Brother Wallace rejoiced when the debts were all paid. Brother W. Akin made an investment in the preaching of the gospel that has already proved to be the greatest he has ever made in all of his beneficences. He made it possible for Foy E. Wallace, Jr. to go on in the great fight he has waged for the cause of truth and righteousness.
The Bankruptcy Act
The congress of the United States provided by legislative act long ago for relief to be given to the man involved in financial difficulties. That act has been revised from time to time, but every time it has been strengthened and not weakened in behalf of the man in difficulty, and for his protection. The very purpose of this act originally and now is noble and good. It was designed to prevent the man suffering reverses from being utterly and forever crushed into final doom financially, and to unending despair, by those who are his creditors, among whom there are always grasping, ruthless, selfish men without mercy or consideration. The action is pursued through the federal courts of this country and carried out under their jurisdiction. There is not anything dishonorable about taking advantage of this provision thus afforded by our government. That is especially true when the relief it affords is necessary in order to provide a living for one's family. Every Christian understands that such a provision would not settle or discharge any moral obligation to anybody. It simply cancels the legal liability of the debtor under the law and that is the only way such protection could have been afforded. There is no attempt in the act to release anyone from a moral obligation in any sense. This act has often been misused and hence has come to be regarded ignoble and unchristian in the minds of a lot of people. That is largely due to ignorance, prejudice and misrepresentation. When Brother Hardeman plays upon such prejudice to discredit Brother Wallace by his reference to it as a dishonorable thing, he is either ignorant or is purposely stooping to a low, unfair, unchristian and dishonorable thing.
Foy E. Wallace, Jr. did not take bankruptcy until he was advised that it was the only way he could make certain unscrupulous men, including some brethren, leave him alone until he could satisfy them. Before he started to Tennessee to hold the meetings mentioned in Brother Brightwell's article he was warned that he would be met at the Mississippi river with a citation issued, a suit instituted and an attachment of his support, by those who were seeking to' destroy him. He went for advise and help to Paul Taliaferro in Tulsa, Oklahoma, an eminent and successful lawyer, and one of the finest men in the church who had known Brother Wallace from his own childhood. He also discussed the matter with Federal Judge Kennamer, also his friend and a member of the church. He discussed the matter with elders of the Tenth and Francis church in Oklahoma City, his home congregation. He went to Weatherford, Texas and talked the, matter over with his brother-in-law,__ Nolan Queen, an honorable man and a fine lawyer. He came to Dallas, and he and I talked it over without exception all of us advised him that his only recourse to prevent being crushed and ruined in his work and to continue to be able to provide for his family was the relief provided in the Federal Bankruptcy Act. He returned to Tulsa and instituted through Brother Paul E. Taliaferro the proper proceedings for such relief.
Brother Wallace today has in his files copies of letters that he had written to all of his creditors assuring them that he did not consider himself released from moral obligation in any sense and that he would see to it through the good providence of God that every debt would be paid as quickly as possible without discount. He was doing that as rapidly as he could when Brother Akin came to his rescue and hastened the conclusion of the matter.
These are the facts concerning the bankruptcy proceeding and they can be misunderstood only through ignorance of the real facts or misrepresentation. Brother Hardeman is guilty of one or the other, and I don't believe he is ignorant. I too am ashamed of you Brother Hardeman, for stooping so low. I am even ashamed for some of the things that we are having to put in the Bible Banner, but I have lived in the west long enough to know that you can't fight a rattlesnake with a pair of tweezers.
When others have accused Foy E. Wallace, Jr. of dishonesty and dishonorable dealing, they have been met with the charge of lying and a demand for proof. Not one time have they presented any proof of any kind. Once more in his behalf, not because he needs me to fight his battles for him, for he does not as every one knows, but because of my appreciation for what he has meant to the cause of Christ and what he stands for and is, and because of my confidence in the good that he can do, and because of the need of the cause for him and his strength, I deny that he is dishonest in any sense or ever has been, or that he has been dishonorable in his dealings. IT IS NOT SO—and Brother Hardeman can't do any better job of proving it than others have done. He stands in the same class with Clinton. Davidson, Burton Coffman, and all the rest of their kind-unless he repents and retracts.
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Gospel Advocate Refuses To Publish R. L. Whiteside's Article
Dear Brother Roy:
If the Banner has not gone to press, say that my article was sent to the Gospel Advocate, and that B. C. G. refused to publish it, and returned it to me. And say anything else about it. When some men are put in a place too big for them, they try to swell up to the needed size; but swelling up does not add weight to them—they are still lightweight.
That so-called apology of N. B. H. was not an apology—he merely tried to whitewash himself, so it seems to me. Or did he mean to say that the things he said about Foy were not true? Hardly would he confess to being a liar.
I hated to bother Leon B., but I knew B. C. G. would say nothing about my article to anyone; so I wrote Leon a long letter, and sent him the article B. C. G. returned, and told him if he could not induce B. C. G. to make amends, I reserved the right to publish the letter I wrote him. B. C. G. will not slip out of that as easily as he thinks—if live. I do not like to be snubbed by a swelled toad.
You cannot know how much I enjoyed your and Cled's visit. In hope and love,
Robertson L. Whiteside