Brother Otey Writes Highland

E. R. Harper, Abilene, Texas

(Editor's Note: Some weeks ago Brother W. W. Otey wrote the elders of Highland Church, asking if they would either make public or send to him a list of all the 1080 churches contributing to Herald of Truth. It was his desire to print his three articles "The Herald of Truth" (which appeared in the Gospel Guardian in August) in tract form, and mail a tract to each of the contributing congregations free of charge. Brother Otey sent along a check to pay for the stenographic work involved in typing off the list of churches. His request was refused, and the following article by Brother Harper was sent to us. Since it contains no new argument, and not a single passage of scripture in defense of the Herald of Truth arrangement, we pass it on to our readers without any rebuttal. We have no disposition to argue this question on the grounds of personalities 'and human judgment, but very eagerly desire to argue it on the basis of Bible teaching.)

Brother Otey surprises us somewhat. He wrote us three letters in which he asked if we had to form some kind of corporation or did we sign as elders for our program. We told him we signed as elders. That we have no corporation. He wanted us to furnish him with the names and addresses of our mailing list and correct addresses of churches. He wanted to write them and sell them his books. We did not cash his "signed checks" sent to us to pay us for our trouble. Since we are not such a "society" down this way and refused to enter such negotiations with him, he now unsheathes his sword and thinks to slay this unscriptural outfit at Abilene.

Strange that being such a stickler for scriptural things, he would try to engage this unscriptural "federation"; "missionary society"; "machine" that has no right to exist, to be his agent by which he might make merchandise of those who write to us that he might fill his own pocket-book. Now that he can't use us for such, he seeks to put us out of business. Better luck next time Brother Otey. Try the "Missionary Societies." Maybe they can help you!

Not The Issue

In Brother Otey's article in G.G. August 12, 1954 he says "The cost and mismanagement was only secondary." That the "waste of the Lord's money is secondary." "The scriptural right of the societies to exist was the vital thing." Now he compares our "radio program" to the "societies." Even if this were true his article is in the realm of judgment for, who is he to say when it has been mismanaged or wasted since he is not here to know? Many thousands think it has been the best spent money during this generation. Brother Otey are YOU the STANDARD of AUTHORITY in such matters? Now may I say to you brethren this: When you divide the church over that which you admit is only "secondary" and NOT the " vital thing" do you not know you have sinned, for over things strictly in the realm of judgment, you have no right to divide a brotherhood.

"Over-Head Per Person"

That there is a difference in the "over-all expenses" per person and the "over-head expenses" per person I am sure all will understand. I am answering Brother Otey's quibbling about our "over-head" expense. Brother Willeford has answered the "over-all expense as of today. I press this question on you G.G. men and especially YOU Brother Otey: Since you based your objection in the August 12th G.G. on the cost of "overhead operations" of this program, let me ask you this: Can you improve on the following "over-head cost per person per week"? The "over-head cost" of this program per week, if your figures are correct was $1,013.51. During the time mentioned in your article we had an audience of some 2,000,000 people per week. Now 2,000,000 into $1,013.51 makes $0.000506 per person per week. This means that for $1.00 we can preach to 1976 people per week. Yet you shout "mismanagement"; "wasting the Lord's money" etc. Is preaching to 1976 people for $1.00 per week "mismanagement" and " waste of the Lord's money." If so I wonder what some of your efforts and that of the G.G. men may have been at $250 to $400, preaching to some 200 to 500 people?

He Belittles Brother Willeford, A Preacher

It could have been, with your preaching Brother Otey, rather expensive, from what a man told me who heard you. He said your preaching reminded him of the story he once heard. There was a preacher who preached from notes. The wind blew his notes out of the house. A cow ate them. His sermon was so "dry" that the cow that swallowed the notes went dry. This man thought they could have spent their money "more wisely" than they did when they had you come. Of course this is his opinion. Now it might have been, had you had this lesson on, "Touching All the Bases" and could have given it "right good," the old cow wouldn't have gone "dry." We are even on that score, aren't we Brother Otey. Try again. I believe were I you brethren I would be ashamed trying to prejudice people against a program by such propaganda. Even the G.G. men can't preach it this "cheap" by way of the G.G. (Really Roy, you and Brother Tant. Can you?) Are you therefore "wasting" the Lord's money? Such propaganda!

Preacher He Could Send

Brother Otey and the G.G. men keep talking about what this money could do IF used some other way. Well, Brother Otey you have had more than 80 years to get this work done. Why haven't you been at it before now? (Maybe you spent too long a time with the Sommer group fighting colleges!) There are over 9,000 congregations NOT helping us in our radio program. Can't you get them to send out this 269 preachers we hear so much about? It seems you brethren aren't interested in getting this 269 sent out. You ONLY wish to destroy that which has already been done. Suppose you spent this money for these preachers, how would you "raise it"? "Who" would "raise it"? "How" would you handle details? Would this be some kind of "cooperation" among churches? Tell us how you G.G. men would go about this since you are advocating such?

Brother Otey's Book

Your book, Brother Otey, at $2.50 per copy as advertised in the G.G. if you could sell it to all the congregations and individuals whose correct addresses we have or could have, would bring you over $35,000.00. Had you ever thought that this would send out some 125 preachers at a nice "meeting price" and with them you could start 125 congregations of the Lord? Question Brother Otey while we are on, "what could be done with the money"? Is your book worth more than all these churches? You WOULD sell that many books IF you could wouldn't you? Incidentally you G.G. men WOULD accept THAT MANY SUBSCRIBERS IF you could GET THEM WOULDN'T YOU? Now are the "books and the paper" worth MORE than 230 congregations of the Lord? JUST THINK OF SUCH PROPAGANDA trying to prejudice the minds of the people against a work that is bringing results! Shame on you men! Such matters of expenditure are strictly in the realm of human judgment and to use such to make fun of or ridicule honest brethren doing a good work sinks to the depths of childish quibbling. Again we are EVEN on this score aren't we Brother Otey and G.G. men. Better luck next time.

Brother Otey's Comparison Exploded

Brother Otey this is what you should have had in your comparison, instead of having the "Herald of Truth" and the "Missionary Society," for the " Herald of Truth," as you are trying to use it, does not exist. It is a radio program; it is the "thing being done." It therefore has no program. It is the program and as such can do none of the things you placed under it in your comparison. This is what you and all others need to understand. Now you show that the church Jesus built has no right to do the things in my comparison.

What Now?

Question Brother Otey and our G.G. brethren: Shall we now quit the church and close her down BECAUSE the "missionary society" is "aping the work of the church" and "usurping" the work God has given to His people? The CHURCH and the SOCIETY, according to your "comparison argument" would have to be the same since they are doing the same kind of work. Hence you will have to do away with both. Did God or the "SOCIETY" make a "mess" of this thing? If you and our G.G. brethren can't see this difference, that one is the "church at work"; the other a "human society" trying to do the work of the church, then I give up in despair so far as Brother Otey and our G.G. brethren are concerned. Just because a human society is trying to take the place of the church shall we kill the church or do away with the human society? In our work we have no society: we have no federation of Churches: we have no conference: we have no "corporation" as Brother Otey asked. We just have a "radio program" with sister congregations giving to the local congregation here at Highland to help us, just as they give to "any good work." If this be wrong our entire efforts in the past have been wrong all over the world.

God's Missionary Society

Has it ever dawned upon any of you G.G. men, that the "church" is God's "Missionary Society" and the ONLY one He has and He gave it some rights, duties and privileges that enable it to function in its rightful local autonomous capacity and while it does many things identical with the Missionary Society that there is nothing wrong with the church, God's "missionary society"? That the only wrong is in men "organizing a human society" delegating unto this society the duties granted by him to the church he built? This entire issue narrows down to this one thing "Can one or more congregations help another congregation do a good work?" I believe they can. Do you? If so, give us the Bible plan if we are not doing it that way.