Brother Harper's Paralogistic Paralysis
Paralogistic paralysis — a preacher's and writer's disease to be feared, a contagious thing — has set in on our Brother E. It. Harper in Abilene. The disease is characterized by reasoning contrary to good logic and has in the past been known to have centered especially among Baptists and Digressive preachers, but now shows up within us quite prominently. The only real cure I suppose, would be some lessons in parallelism, but these treatments depend upon the mental attitudes of the afflicted ones and it seems that E. R. Harper is too intent on destroying the influence of the Gospel Guardian to accept proper treatment now. In attempting to put the Gospel Guardian in disrepute, he uses such logic as to amuse the humour of brethren and incite the disgust of the Almighty in Heaven. Truly Brother Harper is a case of reasoning contrary to good logic set in on "ramblin' wripin' liberalists." He has exalted himself as the defender of the anti-New Testament concept of one congregation handling a universal work for the church universal. Did you read that article of his that appeared in the Gospel Advocate of June 24? Brother Harper has the audacity to appear before an intelligent brotherhood in print and attempt to draw a parallel between the local teaching program of a congregation in divers classes and a nationwide brotherhood work handled by one congregation! There is as much difference between the two as there is between a goose and a mongoose. Note the chasm between the two:
| "Sunday School" | "Herald of Truth |
| 1. Local classes of Bible study. | 1. Nationwide radio program. |
| 2. Supported solely by the local congregation. | 2. Supported by brotherhood. |
| 3. Does not solicit funds. | 3. Solicits funds from the brotherhood. |
| 4. A local work designed to edify the local church. | 4. A universal work designed to do the brotherhood's radio work. |
| 5. A local teaching program under the local eldership. | 5. A brotherhood teaching program under a local eldership. |
| 6. One method or opportunity of performing a local teaching program. | 6. "One method or opportunity of preaching the gospel universally. |
| 7. Depends upon the support of the local congregation. | 7. Depends upon the support of the brotherhood. |
Brother Harper, you have sho got yourself into an awkward position. You are defending something that is bad, not something that "could" be bad. When and if you write an article entitled "What's Wrong With the Missionary Society," maybe you will see what is wrong with the church universal concept of doing church work and all related subjects. And in writing that article it would be for you to pay close attention to the principles of parallelism, and apply them to some present day situations in the church.