"Who Is Losing The Battle?"
In the first issue of The Spiritual Sword, its editor, Brother Thomas B. Warren, asked the question, "Who is Losing the Battle?" The first paragraph of the article reads: "Imagine, if you will, army 'A' set for battle against army 'B'. Army 'A' has drawn its battle lines at line 'C'. The two armies engage in battle for a time. As a result of the battle, army 'A' falls back from line 'C' to line 'if, closer to be pushed into the sea as the British were at Dunkirk. Army 'A' then draws its battle lines at line D. The two armies skirmish once more. Once more army 'A' falls back, this time to line `E'. Again the two armies engage in battle. Once more army 'A' falls back, this time into the sea. Who is losing the battle? Obviously army 'A'."
When I read this article, which was trying to defend, among other things, the Herald of Truth, I was made to think of the "great progress" army 'A' (in this instance, the Herald of Truth) has made. From this "progress" we might be able to tell who has fallen "into the sea." For 1954 the Highland church set the Herald of Truth budget at $1,400,000. This was a sizable amount, but some of the brethren confidently expected the 1955 budget to be $2,000,000, and so predicted. But instead of increasing, the budget for some reason has had to decrease. Of course, in all of the papers they keep talking about "Expansion," thinking that brethren cannot remember 1954, five years ago.
Recently Brother John F. Reese signed his name to an article for the "Highland church of Christ" entitled "Highland Elders Plan Radio-TV Expansion." This article appeared in the December 4th issue of the Gospel Advocate. You would expect the biggest year ever in 1959. In the same issue of the same paper, in another article, Brother Reese says "Brethren, we are now engaged in getting ready for a greater work than ever in 1959." Then he says that they will be able to reach more people with the program "if our projected budget of $385,000 is met for next year." In five years the Herald of Truth has "grown" from a program seeking contributions of $1,400,000 annually to one seeking contributions of $385,000 annually! This is not exactly what I would call growth. From the enthusiastic reports we read in the papers about the program, we might think that many new congregations are beginning to contribute to the Herald of Truth, and that all of the old contributors have tripled their contributions. But facts do not lie. The Herald of Truth is not growing! In five years it has dwindled to less than one-third of its 1954 size. The annual budget has dropped more than $1,000,000 within the last five years. If the program has grown in that time, what did the Highland brethren do with the extra $1,000,000 they intended to collect from the brethren in 1954? Army "A" has been driven, if not yet "into the sea, at least "closer to be pushed into the sea as the British were at Dunkirk" Army "A" obviously has not fared quite as well as its Propaganda Dept. has indicated. "Who is losing the battle? Obviously army 'A'."
When The Spiritual Sword was started in January, 1958, its stated purpose was to fight, and if possible, to destroy, the "Antis." These people ("Antis") were given the "sword" (not the sword of the Spirit) on every page of this new paper. One would think with such powerful opposition as The Spiritual Sword that these "Antis" would by now have been annihilated. But alas! They are still here, and in ever increasing number! And surprise, surprise! The Spiritual Sword (not the Bible) "falls back, this time into the sea" of oblivion.
When The Spiritual Sword first came out, I subscribed. If anything could be said in defense of brotherhood promotions, I wanted to hear it. As I now remember I sent in $1, which should have paid for 16 2/3 issues of The Spiritual Sword at the advertised price 6 cents per copy. For several months I have heard not a word from this paper. The last issue I received was in September (Vol. 1, No. 9). I am a paid subscriber for seven more issues. About two weeks ago a brother told me that he had received another issue of The Spiritual Sword, and behold, it is no more! Don't get excited brother. The Bible has not been destroyed. But army "A" has just fallen into the sea.
The Spiritual Sword was started because the Gospel Advocate was too easy on the "Antis." So for nine months The Spiritual Sword waged heated battle on these weird creatures ("Antis"). At the end of nine short months, instead of the "Antis" being devastated in battle, The Spiritual Sword is quietly being folded up, and put back in its sheath. Army "A" (in this instance, The Spiritual Sword) has been driven "into the sea" of oblivion. The institutional brethren, mourning on the shores of the sea into which she has fallen, are in despair. "We had hoped that it was She that should redeem Israel." But the last faint ray of this hope sank with the last struggle of dear old army "A."
In the words of Brother Warren, we ask: "In spite of every cry of victory in public discussion, who is losing the battle?" The army whose support has decreased from $1,400,000 to $385,000? Or the one multiplying its strength daily? "Who is losing the battle?" The army that is now annihilated? Or the one standing its ground, and having recruits added daily?