From Harper To Tant
Dear Brother Tant:
I am asking Brother Goodpasture to publish my answer, if he has space. I want the people to see the attitude and spirit of you men in trying to do as you have suggested in this letter, make us, "yield to the pressure" to do what YOU want done. No you good men can't get down in the type of writing that Brother Harper is engaging in! Read anything I have written and see if I have ever written articles like this. I challenge you to publish your letter to me just as you wrote it. I would love for your readers to see just the kind of man we are dealing with. (Will you?)
Brother Tant, you may be able to "intimidate," "needle" and "heckle" some men but I am not as "berserk" as you may think. I am meeting YOU. YOU are the one who made "fun of me"; "ridiculed my health"; and it is YOU who shall meet YOUR OWN misgivings. This bragging, blowing, threatening, and belittling letter doesn't give my blood pressure even a charge!
You stated in your letter, "I confess that I share the feelings of many others that you have no intention of trying to defend the Herald of Truth before Highland's members under ANY KIND OF CIRCUMSTANCES (my emphasis) which will permit any answer to be made; you can't afford the risk; you dare (your emphasis) not do it." Now, Brother Yater! Aren't you ashamed? Well, I believe YOUR COMING TO HIGHLAND TO DISCUSS IT would at least be "under any kind of circumstances," don't YOU?
I have been told that you would try to find some way to "ease" this pressure that is on you by coming up with some kind of "substitute proposition" by which YOU could defeat YOUR having to meet YOUR OWN ACTS with the Guardian. I am now convinced that is what you are trying to do.
When you meet your own attacks on us, here at Highland, then, if they think YOU have made a colossal failure in your efforts to defend the issues between us it will be time to hear Brother Roy defend the "acts of the Guardian" and show US JUST the "way or ways" that the churches may " cooperate" in doing the work of the Lord. He has been forced to repudiate most of his "cooperation" projects of the past; maybe he has found some new ones. Why not give us some articles from the Bible, in the Guardian showing how they cooperated giving chapter and verse. This, Brother Roy hasn't done. Are you trying to "ride out on the coat tail of Brother Roy"? You will never live this letter and bragging down Yater, with men who respect men for their being willing to stand in defense of what they teach.
Now do not push this off on someone else. Stand up and defend your paper and your actions as editor and your cooperation tantrums or resign as editor. It is YOU, Brother Tant or you and your group can go fishing! I shall make arrangements to be at Lufkin at the time suggested in your letter, but let us make it Monday through Thursday nights. Then at this discussion we can arrange for you to come to Highland to meet your accusations against this good church right before them. I do not blame you, I would hate to stand before people after having said the things about them you have about us! How about publishing your letter to me and also my letter answering Brother Douthitt's ugly letters to me in your paper. You claim to give "both sides."
Brother Roy, aren't you ashamed that you let your temper get the upper hand of you so that you called me a "liar" twice in your paper? There are other words that would have carried the same idea but would have expressed a more Christian attitude. But I really didn't "lie" after all for you admitted in your article that they were not in fellowship when Yater moved there? Which was the "faction"? Where there is no fellowship, either one or both have to be "factious." Isn't it a fact "your group" said a lot of ugly things about the old congregation for "one of you NOT to have been a faction"? Aren't you ashamed of calling me a "liar"? This I have never done in my articles.
Brother Tant it is plain from your October 21st Guardian that you are dreading to meet and defend the "Guardian's practice," for you say, "The proposition should be strictly confined to this simple, clear-cut proposition," meaning our radio program. You aren't by any means afraid to defend your own "changing positions" in the Guardian, are you Yater? If we meet, YOU shall defend your own positions and deeds and I have in writing some things that you may rest assured, they will make what we are trying to do seem very "innocent" even to your own men. I intend to "open" the "eyes" of your own readers to what you men have been doing! Be "seeing you at Lufkin in March, Yater" or will I? This is my only letter to you, only to sign arrangements for discussion, just do as you like! I desire not to go further in a discussion that has degenerated to such a level as to call brethren psychosomatics, chameleons and liars. I shall leave that with your type of journalism.
Most kindly yours, E. R. Harper ERH:vn
Propositions Submitted To Yater Tant
I, E. R. Harper, believe the church of Christ, South Fifth and Highland, Abilene, Texas, is scriptural in ORGANIZATION, and in her teaching and practice of Congregational, Church, Cooperation.
Aff. E. R. Harper Neg.____________
I, Yater Tant, believe the Gospel Guardian with her affiliate organizations, is scriptural in Design, Teachings, and Practice.
AFF.___________________________ NEG. E. R. Harper.
Brother Tant you have now "at least heard from me" and I think your letter was NOT "the last word" you have heard from me. Here you have the propositions. Now really, aren't you men ashamed of such bragging letters? This is my last. It is you sign and defend the above both at Lufkin and here, or it is over. Take your choice.