Editorials

STATEMENT FROM LUBBOCK -- AND REVIEW In this issue we bring our readers a lengthy statement from the elders of the Broadway church in Lubbock, entitled "Facts Regarding the German Work." Brother Sherrod sent us this statement in January, requesting that we publish it in the Guardian. We had already seen the article in print in the Christian Chronicle (it appeared later in the Gospel Advocate and the Firm Foundation), and we try generally to adhere to the policy of not printing material of this sort which has been previously published. We wrote brother Sherrod a note to this effect; and that brought for the following exchange of letters:

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February 5, 1951 Dear Brother Taut:

I have received your letter of January 22 and note that you do not plan to print the statement which we sent to you, "Facts Regarding the German Work." In view of the large number of pages which you have devoted to a discussion of this type of work it seems to me that it would be only fair to your readers to give them these facts about how the work is actually being done. If you had to divide the article and run it in two issues, that would be agreeable. I do appreciate your respecting the request that the entire article be printed if any part of it is published. Would you reconsider and print this statement in fairness to us and to your own readers?

If you do not feel that fairness requires the use of this space in the Guardian would you permit us to send a bulletin containing this statement to your mailing list provided it involved no expense to you or the Guardian? Please let me hear from you at your earliest convenience.

Yours in Christ, Paul Sherrod

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February 19, 1951 Dear Brother Sherrod::

I have your letter of February 5, asking me to reconsider on the matter of publishing the "Facts Regarding the German Work" article.

Certainly, in view of your request, I will publish the material. In my previous letter on the subject, I was thinking in terms of the space, and did not realize the importance which you attach to the material submitted. I can understand, of course, that you would want your report to be read by those who had read our criticisms and questions. While no doubt many of our readers will already have seen the report in the Advocate, the Foundation, or the Chronicle, I will submit the material to our subscribers through the pages of the Guardian.

Ordinarily the Guardian is made up from three to five weeks in advance. Unless something unforeseen arises, your article will appear sometime in March.

I was sorry you could not attend the Florida Christian College lectures. I felt the discussions were helpful in every way. I hope that other such friendly and brotherly meetings may continue to be had, until all of us can find ourselves together in the great work of preaching Christ to the world.

With every good wish, I am, Yours in Christ, Yater Tant

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REVIEW — BY ADAMS On another page in this issue will be found the first of a series of two articles by our associate editor, James Adams, responding to the statement of "Facts Regarding the German work." We ask our readers to give a most careful and earnest reading both to the statement of "Facts" and to brother Adams' comments.

Please note that both the Lubbock brethren and brother Adams are dealing with "Facts." Brother Adams quotes from Lubbock's own statements as to what they are doing. He does not guess, or rely on some far-fetched or second-hand information. He does not use garbled, inaccurate, and undependable representations of the work which some have said were the grounds of all criticism. But on the contrary, giving full benefit of doubt, and placing the most charitable construction possible on every statement, brother Adams shows beyond all peradventure of doubt or question that some dangerous and alarming developments have been taking place. And this has been the case in spite of constant and repeated warnings and urgings to caution and careful study on the part of the Guardian and thousands of interested and apprehensive brethren. One can only conjecture how far the "trend" would be by now if there had been no such restraining influence! Can any intelligent man doubt for one moment that departures from the simplicity of the New Testament pattern would be far, far in advance of the present situation if there had been no such warnings and cautions?

We ask you to read brother Adams' review (this week and next), and then let every faithful Christian pledge himself anew to an unshakeable determination to spread the gospel of Christ to every nation under heaven according to the New Testament pattern!