Devoted to the Propagation and Defense of New Testament Christianity
VOLUME 9
July 11, 1957
NUMBER 10, PAGE 7,9b

Thomas B. Warren's Accusation Against G. K. Wallace --- No. II.

Cecil B. Douthitt, Brownwood, Texas

In the Gospel Advocate of May 16, Brother Thomas B. Warren indirectly accused Brother G. K. Wallace of lying when Wallace professed to believe that "there is a parallel between an orphans' home that has a board of trustees other than the elders of the church to do the work of the church, and the United Christian Missionary Society."

Here I shall examine the six reasons why Brother Warren charges that "they themselves know that the homes and the Missionary Society are not parallel," even though Brother G. K. and others do publicly "profess to see such a parallel." G. K. and others say they are parallel; but Tom says "they themselves know" that they are not parallel. I am presenting Tom's six reasons under the numbers and names that he gave to them.

"1. Support By Individual Christians."

Here is all that Brother Warren says under this topic heading: "Those who oppose the homes among us admit the homes can be supported by individual Christians. They deny that the Missionary Society can be supported by such means Thus they deny their own argument. They themselves know that the homes and the Missionary Society are not parallel!"

Brother Warren misrepresents G. K. Wallace and other Gospel Advocate writers when he says "they deny that the Missionary Society can be supported by such means," for they do admit that certain types of human missionary societies c a n be supported by "individual Christians." Herald Of Truth is a human missionary society under an eldership; Gospel Press of Dallas is a human missionary society under a board "other than the elders of the church." If Tom does not know that these two brotherhood projects are missionary societies, he does not know what a missionary society is when he sees it. There may be a few missionary societies which the Gospel Advocate staff writers may "deny" that individual Christians can support; but they make the denial because of certain sins characteristic of those particular societies, and not because they are human missionary societies.

Buy A Service."

Brother Warren says, "They deny that churches may buy service from the Missionary Society." He may know more about G. K. Wallace and other Advocate writers than I know, but I never heard any gospel preacher "deny that churches may buy," under certain conditions, either the products or services of a missionary society. There are some products and so-called "service" that churches could not buy from some missionary societies, or from some of the other human organizations; but many churches are buying "service" from Catholic hospitals, and products (such as Bible, maps, etc.) from denominational publishing houses. A church of Christ bought a meeting house from a Baptist Church, with an agreement that the Baptist Church must paint that house. The church of Christ bought two things from that Baptist Church; (1) a product, the meeting house; (2) a "service," the painting of that house. Is Tom accusing somebody of denying that that church of Christ had a right to buy that meeting house and that "service" from that Baptist Church. Does Tom think that churches of Christ may buy products and services from a Baptist Church, but cannot buy the same product and the same service from a missionary society? What is the matter with the man?

Put Under Oversight Of A Set Of Elders."

"They deny that a Missionary Society can be placed under the oversight of a set of elders and thus be made scriptural," says Brother Warren. But I am sure that he is misrepresenting a large segment of the centralized control promoters, including G. K. Wallace, Reuel Lemmons, Roy Lanier and others who have taught that certain brotherhood benevolent societies are "made scriptural" when "put under oversight of a set of elders." I think all of those brethren believe that the Herald Of Truth Missionary Society was "made scriptural" when James Willeford and Walter Nichols put it "under oversight of a set of elders"; I also think that those same brethren believe that such missionary societies as Gospel Press of Dallas would be "made scriptural," if Alan Bryan would put it "under oversight of a set of elders." Tom should not misrepresent his brethren.

Scriptural Right To Exist."

Brother Warren says 'They deny that the Missionary Society has the scriptural right to exist"; but they "deny" no such thing. They deny that some of the missionary societies have a scriptural right to exist, because they think that some of those societies are inherently sinful. Of M1 the conflicting groups of centralization advocates, I doubt that any segment among them denies that such missionary societies as the Herald Of Truth Missionary Society has a scriptural right to exist. Some of them may deny that the Gospel Press Missionary Society has a scriptural right to solicit and accept donations from church treasuries, but I do not think any segment among them denies its right to exist. Tom ought to try to find out what the brethren believe before he accuses them of believing what they publicly "deny," and of denying what they publicly "profess" to believe. Who made Tom a judge over the thoughts of men? I don't think anybody did; he just "assumed" the job and by that "assumption" he made "this work exclusively and peculiarly" his own, which was a work to which all "sustained an equal relationship before the assumption." (See Tom's tract on CO-OPERATION BETWEEN NEW TESTAMENT CHURCHES).

Box-In-The-Vestibule."

Here Brother Warren gives a slap in the face to E. R. Harper and other who used to make rip-roaring speeches to the churches, and then plant themselves in the vestibules with open hands or open pockets or boxes to receive money for school or other organizations or projects as the worshipers passed through on their way out of the buildings. Brother Harper may want to say something in reply to Tom's "box-in-the-vestibule" thrust; but if he says it, he will have to say it in the Gospel Guardian, for one thing is certain: the editor of the Advocate will not let him say one word in the paper against church donations to schools, or one word for his "box-in-the vestibule" practice.

Fellowship."

"They deny that they can fellowship those who believe the Missionary Society is scriptural," says Brother Warren. How wrong he is! I do not think there is a church of Christ on earth that would withdraw fellowship from a brother merely because he believes that some of the missionary societies are scriptural. I do not think the Eastridge church in Fort Worth where Tom is a member would do it.

In almost all the churches of Christ there are a few brethren who believe that the Herald of Truth Missionary Society, or the Gospel Press Missionary Society, or some other kind of missionary society is scriptural. If fellowship is withdrawn from them, they must do more than merely to "believe the Missionary Society is scriptural." If Tom Warren is advocating a withdrawal of fellowship from all who just "believe the Missionary Society is scriptural," then he is about the most sectarian of all sectarians. What do G. K. Wallace, Roy Lanier and Reuel Lemmons think of his insulting accusations?

Since Brother Warren jumped in the bandwagon of one of the segments of the centralization promoters a short while ago, he can make more ridiculous charges against brethren and get himself in more hot water every time he writes an article than any man I know.

"In the light of the facts on the above points," there is only one wise course for Tom to choose. Here it is: Sit down and be quiet and keep his fingers off of the typewriter.