Brother Oler Wants Us To Hang Ourselves
In the Boles Home News of April 10, 1957, brother Gayle Oler delivers himself of another of his journalistic masterpieces on the institutional subject. His piece is entitled "Paralleling the Non-Parallel". His object is to show the institutional orphan home, such as Boles, is not parallel to the missionary society. His failure to establish his position is typical of brother Oler's efforts. This does not purport to be a review of his position in the article. It is his last two paragraphs to which we want to pay our respects. We quote these:
These brethren should repent of their sins. And not only should they repent, but they should bring forth fruits meet for repentance, by going back to disturbed and heart-sick brethren and doing their best to correct their evil deeds. The last semblance of manhood in Judas forbad him to live with his evil deed and compelled him to attempt some manner of retribution." (Emphasis mine, GTJ)
"That is the least those contentionists should do."
It is well-known that a great deal of bitterness has been demonstrated by the brethren who advocate church support of human institutions and unscriptural cooperation. Brother Oler, however, sinks to the lowest depths of disparaging his brethren in the foregoing paragraphs. It is hard to think brethren can find it in their hearts to speak and write in this fashion of their brethren.
Brother Oler thinks those who oppose the churches supporting such institutions as Boles Home need to repent and bring forth fruits meet for repentance by going to the brethren we have confused and correcting our dastardly deeds. Then, he parallels us to Judas. Brother Oler avers that the last manly thing Judas ever did was to refuse to live with the evil he had done. The New Testament says that Judas hanged himself. Brother Oler then urges, "That is the very least these contentionists should do."
It certainly seems that our brother is aware of his inability to answer objections to his practice and it makes him downright angry with his brethren who make these objections. Now if brother Oler had the truth, which he does not, it would be quite simple for him to present it. Then, an appeal to those who oppose the truth to repent would be in order. But it is manifested that he does not have the truth and he likens those who oppose him to Judas and wants us to do what Judas did!
Brethren, is it true that this controversy over church support of institutions has progressed to the point that we must write and speak of one another in this way? Can we not avoid classifying our brethren as modern Judases? Is it not possible for us to adorn our efforts to defend our practice with more honorable thrusts than to tell those who oppose us to do what Judas did? It does reflect the weakness and untenableness of one's position when he resorts to this method of attack. Not only does it reveal a weakness in his position, it shows unmitigated hatred for some of his brethren. We respectfully suggested to brother Oler and those like-minded to open the New Testament and read: "We know that we have passed from death unto life, because we love the brethren. He that loveth not his brother abideth in death" (I John 3:14).