Harper - Tant Debate Next Spring
We think readers of the Gospel Guardian will be interested in the following letter which we mailed to Brother E. R. Harper some days ago.
October 18, 1964 Mr. E. R. Harper
Abilene, Texas Dear Brother Harper:
By the time this letter reaches you will have seen my editorial in the Gospel Guardian of October 21, and will know that the elders of Timberland Drive Church in Lufkin gladly welcome the opportunity for a debate on the "Herald of Truth" issue in Lufkin. They will provide the auditorium for it, and if the church building is too small (which likely it will be), will get the High School auditorium which will seat some 3,000 people. The only stipulation the elders make is that the debate shall be repeated in Abilene within ten days of the time it is held in Lufkin, with Brother Roy E. Cogdill responding to you there as I shall here.
I write you particularly at this time to arrange the exact date for the discussion. Your article simply gave the indefinite time as "early next spring." As I suggested in my editorial my time is completely filled with meeting engagements at that season; but I do have the week of March 7-11, between Sundays. Would that date be agreeable with you? If so, I suggest that we set the time for our Lufkin discussion as Tuesday and Wednesday nights, March 8 and 9.
If this date is not possible for you, please inform me as soon as you can exactly what days you can be in Lufkin, and I will ask a release for two nights from one of my meetings that I may be there at the same time.
If the nights of March 8-9 are agreeable to you for the Lufkin discussion, then you could take the next two nights (March 10-11) for the Abilene discussion with Brother Cogdill responding to you there. You know, I am sure, that the Abilene discussion will write "finis" to Herald of Truth so far as Highland Church is concerned. You cannot be unaware that there has been a rather appreciable opposition to the whole venture among Highland's members from the very start. These misgivings concerning the thing have extended into the diaconate of the congregation, and I have reason to believe reach even into the eldership. Once Brother Cogdill in his clear and forceful manner presents the truth of Bible teaching on how churches can cooperate, and demonstrates the way in which Herald of Truth violates these principles, there are enough sincere and honest people in the membership of that great church to compel an abandonment of the unscriptural project.
Some of my preaching brethren have told me that you and the Highland elders are so painfully aware of this possibility that never, never, NEVER under any circumstances will a debate be permitted on the subject between you and Brother Cogdill before Highland's members. They tell me there is probably not even one elder in the group at Highland who believes you can uphold the scripturalness of Herald of Truth; and that consequently they dare not put it to the test.
I tell you these things, Brother Harper, to let you know how confident many brethren are that you cannot defend the scripturalness of Herald of Truth; that both you and Highland elders know it cannot be defended; and that you brethren are determined at all costs to prevent a discussion of it between you and Brother Cogdill before Highland's members.
Frankly, and kindly, Brother Harper, I do not anticipate a reply to this letter. I think we've heard the last word from you about a "debate" on the scripturalness of Herald of Truth. I confess that I share the feeling of many others that you have no intention of trying to defend Herald of Truth before Highland's members under any kind of circumstance which will permit an answer to be made; you can not afford the risk; you dare not do it. Our brethren will simply have to judge for themselves concerning the convictions and sincerity of one who refuses to defend his practices before his own congregation. I am ready, the Timberland Drive Church is ready, and the elders of the Timberland Drive Church are ready and eager for the discussion in Lufkin. Are the Highland elders as confident of the scripturalness of their teaching and practice as we are of ours? We shall see.
Since this debate involves the elders of Highland Church, may I ask that this letter be shown to them, and that your reply to it (if you deign to make any) include a statement from them confirming their acceptance of the proposal for a discussion in Highland's auditorium. Inasmuch as you have said that the Highland elders read and approve all your articles before they are published, they will know of course of your stated desire for a debate on Herald of Truth. We shall now see whether they are willing to back you or not, or whether, as anticipated, they will back down from your bold and bellicose stand. If you and they are willing to attempt a defense of Herald of Truth before Highland's members, let me hear from you at your earliest convenience.
Sincerely yours in Christ, Yater Tant