He That Exalteth Himself
The Gospel Advocate (a weekly religious paper published in Nashville, Tenn, for more than a hundred years) has been read by members of my family for three generations. I have read it regularly for twenty years. In all of this time I have never seen in it a more immodest display of vanity than that carried in the issue of March 5, 1964.
For twenty-five years Brother B. C. Goodpasture has been its editor and controlling voice. With the influence which he inherited from the past reputation of the paper, and with the power achieved by combining influence with David Lipscomb College, The Advocate editor can he held responsible for the digression and liberalism which has engulfed so many of the churches of Christ in the southeast and elsewhere.
On January 21 of this year, in the program of the annual lectures at David Lipscomb College, the institutional forces went all out to exalt B. C. Goodpasture with their lavish "expressions of appreciation and admiration." The article describing it and the nine pictures accompanying it, are featured in a center, double-page spread in Brother Goodpasture's own paper!
Four aspects of the program show the desire for the praises of men. 1. The testimonial dinner was held to give occasion for boasting of his work. 2. George DeHoff came from his school in Albion, Idaho to present to him "the honorary degree of Doctors of Laws" (is this the George DeHoff who used to preach the truth of Matthew 23:512?). 3. Announcement of a forthcoming book which is to contain eight of Brother Goodpasture's sermons, and "Messages of appreciation of Brother Goodpasture's work . . ." and the "...story of his life." 4. Finally, the cap to the stack, Brother Goodpasture allows all of this praise of himself and the fawning over him to be published in his own paper.
The entire institutional movement (to which some of the brethren hereabouts are allied) thrives on giving "chief seats" to men. Men are no longer content to be simply saints of God and brethren in Christ, but seek to be "President" of something, "chairmen," "head," etc. of some school, staff, board or organization. Why not confer a Doctor of Divinity degree? It would be the appropriate degree to confer for honorary recognition to leadership in religious activity, not the Doctor of Laws.
This entire vain spectacle shows how far these men have gone who are looked to by so many for leadership. Ira North, Willard Collins, A. C. Pullias, Joe E. Sanders, Batsell Barrett Baxter, George DeHoff, H. A. Dixon, J. Roy Vaughan, Roy Hearn and others who had part in this spectacle ought to have known better. Such leadership will continue to divide churches and create a man-pleasing, world-seeking, sin-filled denominational sect.
— 328 Clifton Avenue, Lexington, Kentucky