The Overflow
G. C. Brewer
G. C. Brewer is dead. A man of unquestioned ability and much influence, he perhaps more than any other single man can be credited with encouraging and promoting the "doing big things in big ways" complex which has lately brought so many problems to the Lord's church. A man of positive, though often erratic, convictions, it has been said of Brewer that he was a man who was "often in error, but never in doubt." Long a friend and defender of R. H. Boll, Brewer's influence during the years when the premillennial fight was the hottest was all for soft-pedaling and ignoring premillennial danger. After the fight had largely been won, he awakened to the danger, and came out with strong and vigorous teaching against Boll's vagaries. It is tragic indeed that Brother Brewer could, not have been spared for another ten or fifteen years. For during the last few months of his life there were clear indications that he was beginning to view with considerable trepidation and misgiving the extremes to which some of his ardent admirers and followers were going in their pressing of the institutional band-wagon. Some of his writings reflected his inner alarm over these matters. Had he lived another ten years, it is entirely possible that he would have made the same switch on these things that he did on premillennialism; and his great influence could have been used to slow down the snow-balling "institutionalism" which he himself, more than any other, had promoted. Brewer's death will leave a void in the ranks of the "institutional" brethren which will not be filled. Others who have written and debated in defense of such promotions are but pygmies in comparison with him. His influence both for good and for evil will be felt for many years to come.
She-elders
At long last the Methodist Church has taken official action to grant full "clergy" status to their women preachers. So that now we may soon expect to see the office of "presiding elder" filled by a female. But for once the churches of Christ have beat the denominations to the draw! As more than one unhappy gospel preacher can testify, we've had "she-elders" in some congregations of the Lord for lo! these many years.
Tant-Harper Debate
Please look at the back page, this issue, for a statement as to the publication of the Abilene debate in which E. R. Harper and this writer engaged in Abilene, Texas, last winter.
It happened in Abilene
A certain brother in Abilene fell into conversation with 'Brother E. R. Harper a few weeks ago concerning the huge new auditorium the Highland church has built. "I think that huge new auditorium is one of the biggest mistakes ever made," said the brother. "Why so?" asked Harper, "I don't think it is a bit too big." To which the brother replied, "That's my very point. The mistake is that the auditorium isn't half big enough. When word gets out that you have been fired from Highland, and all the people whom you have run off from there the last few years begin to return, that new auditorium won't begin to hold them!"
Moyer-Phillips debate
Brethren in California are chuckling over a weird occurrence that took place in the debate at Santa Barbara between Brother Lloyd Moyer and Brother T. W. Phillips a few weeks ago. The subject for discussion was church cooperation, and the debate lasted four nights. The first night Brother Phillips labored powerfully to set forth the position of Brother G. K. Wallace that "there is NO pattern for congregational cooperation." The second night Phillips labored just as valiantly to defend the teaching of Roy Lanier and R. L. Roberts that "there IS a pattern, and it is the `sponsoring church' pattern as set forth in Philippians 4 and Acts 11." The third and fourth nights Phillips' argument was a verbatim reading from the Gospel Advocate of Thomas B. Warren's "total situation, constituent elements" conglomeration. Faithful gospel preachers in California found the "total situation" rather hilarious. Phillips has now "retired" from debating.
Corporate
There is a bit of unconscious humor in the letters an editor sometimes receives. For instance, here is a sentence from a recent letter written by a brother who was trying to show us the similarity between the Herald of Truth and the Gospel Guardian: "In the Herald of Truth we are cooperating with a congregation of the Church of Christ, and in the Gospel Guardian we are cooperating with a human organization .... In your proposed plan how does the pattern for congregations to cooperate work? Where is the abundance? Where is the need? And where is the equality? Yater, I would be ashamed if I were you and Brother Cogdill! Yours, pleading for unity, Eldon W. Rogers, Tallahassee, Alabama."
Douthitt-Warren debate
Brother Cecil B. Douthitt and Brother Thomas B. Warren have signed propositions for a debate in the South Houston meeting house (Houston, Texas) beginning October 23rd. Arrangements for the Tant-Harper debate in San Antonio are still not complete; but announcement as to the time for that discussion will be made as quickly as we can hear from Brother Harper. It will probably be early in December if Brother Harper can meet that date. If he cannot, we will try to work out a date acceptable to him.
The Bakersfield trial
This page is being written in Atlanta, Georgia, on June 29. We will close here Sunday, flying Sunday night to Bakersfield, California, to assist the church in East Bakersfield in defending themselves against a lawsuit brought by a man who was withdrawn from some time ago. We will give a full account of the trial in a later issue. The matter will have probably been already decided by the time this appears in print. This is the first court trial (so far as we know) over current issues. The plaintiff is charging that the East Bakersfield congregation departed from the "fundamental doctrine of the church of Christ" in their refusal to contribute to an orphan home; that they are therefore heretical, and that they should be forced to give up the church property which they have built and paid for. The trial will be far reaching in its consequences.