That Leakey Meeting
According to the rule which seems to have been set by critics of such meetings, I am truly qualified for this article. I wasnt there! A case of flu entered the scene, and my paper on Cooperation had to be read by a stand-in. I am told that bro. Hulen Jackson replied to my material — after a sort.
Reports I have from five or six who were there indicate this was not a meeting of the caliber of Arlington — seems to have been a small —arm skirmish, with repeated requests from institutional brethren to cut out this speech, eliminate rebuttal, or hurry on to something else. I am reliably informed that few institutional brethren had prepared manuscripts, as the rules required. Well, this is not an earth-shattering revelation; it simply says human nature and one-of-those-things. There are people, and then there are people.
One thing is outstanding, in this and in the Arlington meeting. Conservative brethren report, discuss, and appreciate those of the opposition who make an effort to produce some kind of scriptural argument. They are disgusted, almost to the point of nausea, with those who seem to think brotherhood practices or what we have done proves a thing right.
Brethren of the opposition, we are interested in your souls! We want to attain and maintain the kind of unity among brethren for which Christ prayed. But we are convinced, and you will admit, that this can only be had within the frame of divine authority. So — we are interested in measuring our faith and practice — particularly those points upon which we differ and which divide us — by Gods word. If you know us well enough to make dialogue meaningful and profitable, you should know that we will not be moved by ridicule or contemptuous treatment. A parrot can say give us the scripture — indeed!!
But we must not despair. Brethren who seem to expect some great result or history-making change in the brotherhood are neither realistic nor mature. Those who think all would be well if such meetings were thrown open to the public are forgetting the facts concerning the case. These have not been conferences of delegated representatives, but private studies, among men who stand as individuals.
As previously announced, the Arlington meeting was recorded, and is being transcribed into a book which will be offered the public. I am told it is about 90% complete now, and we hope will soon be printed.