A False Report Corrected
Distasteful as the task is, it sometimes becomes necessary to make a public correction of a false report. Such an occasion is now. Brother Roy Henderson of Murfreesboro, Arkansas, held a meeting last summer at Bee Branch, Arkansas, and gives the following account of what happened:
"The meeting at Rabbit Ridge church of Christ, Route 2, Bee Branch, Arkansas, was conducted July 4-13th. However, those in the congregation who oppose Orphans' Homes and Cooperative works moved to cancel the meeting. Having no deed to the property, they had no legal means to close the doors, so sought means. The next day after the meeting started, July 5th, I was asked to stop the meeting because, as they stated, 'You are tearing up the church!' I had merely stated my position relative to the Homes and Cooperative works, pointing out that I held the same position years ago while preaching for the same congregation, and that I had not changed. Leaders of the opposition then called upon the minister of the North-side Church of Christ in Conway, Arkansas, and on July 7th they asked me not to preach on the issues; and forthwith quit attending the meeting until Sunday, July 10. At that time three of their group, including their treasurer, attended and when the contribution was made they took charge and made off with the offering, both theirs and ours. Monday, July 11, they were back with about thirty supporters from other congregations with the intention of taking the floor after my sermon. But when their spokesman, the preacher from Marshall, Arkansas, jumped to the floor and asked the congregation to be seated again and hear him speak in defense of their actions, the congregation filed out leaving them to talk among themselves. The meeting continued without further incident, except that since they held the money bag they refused to pay for the meeting. Is this legalism or Romanism?" Signed: Anthony Latimer, Elmer Moses, T. L. Fitzjerrell, E. H. Jones.
Here are some facts that need to be understood as to this false report:
I. Elmer Moses, one of the four men who signed Henderson's report is NOT a member of the Rabbit Ridge congregation. He has not attended worship there in about three years; and lives at Clinton, Arkansas, some thirty miles away I 2. E. H. Jones, another signer of Henderson's report, is NOT a member of the Rabbit Ridge congregation. For several years he has gone with his wife to the Center Ridge congregation. That means that of ALL the men of the Rabbit Ridge congregation, brother Henderson was able to persuade only TWO to sign his false and malicious document!
3. The report states that "those who oppose orphans' homes and cooperative work moved to cancel the meeting." This is a vicious misrepresentation. I know of no Christian anywhere, and certainly not a single person in the Rabbit Ridge congregation, who opposes orphans having a home. The men brother Henderson accuses, I believe, will do as much as he or any who stand with him to care for needy orphan children. Indeed, it is generally recognized over the nation that those who some sneeringly call "antis" are actually doing far MORE for the good of dependent children than are those who stand with brother Henderson. Faithful brethren oppose the sending of money out of the church treasury to a benevolent society which will then provide the home. Likewise, I know of no brother anywhere who opposes "cooperation." Brethren cooperated with us in a gospel meeting by attending from far and near; and even brother Henderson mentions about thirty who attended his meeting who do not believe as he does. They "cooperated" but they do not believe in working through some centralized organization, either society or "sponsoring eldership."
4. Roy Henderson was invited to Rabbit Ridge by the two men of the Rabbit Ridge church who signed his false report. The other men in the congregation had stated plainly that they did not want Henderson for the meeting, and had insisted that the matter be settled by a business meeting attended by all the men of the church. Their plea was ruthlessly ignored by Latimer and Fitzjerrell, and Henderson was invited; and came. Brother Henderson has something to say about "legalism or Romanism" (showing he understands neither) but the action of these two men certainly smacks of something other than Christianity.
5. Henderson states, "Having no deed to the property, they sought to close the doors by other means." Actually, several years ago brother Latimer told the Rabbit Ridge congregation that if they would pay for the building he would give them a deed to the land on which it was erected. The congregation paid for the building — brother Latimer did NOT deed them the land as he had promised. On various previous occasions, when he did not get his way, he had threatened to close the doors of the meeting-house. Following the Henderson meeting, brother Latimer served the Rabbit Ridge congregation with a court order demanding that the building be moved from his property within twenty (20) days, else he would lock the doors and regard any who entered the premises as a trespasser. Of course, when faithful brethren moved the building (in compliance with Latimer's court order) they were accused of Romanism!!
6. Brother Henderson declares that he stated his position. He did that. And then adamantly refused to let anybody who disagreed with him have anything to say or any discussion at all of his teaching. Brethren asked Henderson to defend, by the Scripture, what he was teaching, but he would not do so.
7. Brother Henderson's report states that the brethren who did not agree with him quit the meeting. And why not? Who wants to hear any man preach who will not allow one single question to be asked him, and who will NOT defend what he is teaching by the Scriptures? Incidentally, the legs of the lame are not equal: for when brother Hayden Mahan was asked to preach at Rabbit Ridge (by considerably more brethren than had asked Henderson to preach there), Henderson and his followers got up and walked out! Mahan had listened patiently and courteously to everything Henderson had to say, but Henderson and those with him refused to hear Mahan at all.
8. About the money. The false report states that three brethren (opposing Henderson) came on Sunday and took the money — "theirs and ours." Brother L. D. Jones, treasurer of the church, took the money in his usual and proper fashion. He had been asked by the entire congregation (including those who stood with Henderson) to serve as treasurer, and had been acting in that capacity for the congregation before brother Henderson ever came for the meeting. Now, just who should have taken care of the money if not the man whom the congregation had selected for that responsibility?
9. Further evidence of false reporting: brother Henderson states that the Rabbit Ridge congregation had invited him to preach in a meeting at Bigelow, and that brother Jim Mahan was to lead the singing. This is false. He was not invited; the brethren there had already had their meeting, and they know nothing of the invitation he mentioned.
Brethren should beware of any man who will not defend his preaching, who is willing to enter into a peaceful congregation on the invitation of only two men and sow seeds of discord and division — and then who falsifies the entire report of such a meeting! There are many other things that might be said about this sad affair, but we trust this will suffice for the present to correct the malicious and derogatory (to the Rabbit Ridge congregation) report which brother Henderson has circulated. In justice to these brethren the record needed to be set straight.