Dealing In Personalities
While I was in Barrackville, W. Va., my friend, and also a friend of the Bible Banner and its editor, Dr. J. S. Church, came over to see me from Hundred, W. Va. Dr. Church is a dentist and a good one. Some years ago when I was in a meeting in Hundred, his home was mine for the duration of the meeting. He finds time to cultivate an active interest in the church and its work. He buys books which are considered of most interest to preachers and he reads them and keeps informed on matters affecting the cause of Christ. He is also a good song leader. It would be a fine thing if more men in the church would inform themselves as Dr. Church has done. A little, or more, of that sort of information is badly needed in many places. He likes to have preachers around, at least some of them, and possibly that is one reason that some of us like him. While I was in Barrackville, there were several other preachers shelling the woods and towns thereabouts. One day Dr. Church and his wife, as good a woman as he is a man if not better, invited a bunch of us over for lunch. The guests included W. H. Bankes, his son Walter, Fred Dennis, Oliver Johnson, Chester Gray, and Herman Trueax. These men are well liked and doing a lot of good in that part of the vineyard. They even looked good to me across Sister Church's big dining room table. I don't think I said one harsh word on the whole visit. And I do not think even Grover Brewer could have found any fault with the coffee.
Brother J. F. Ice lives at Barrackville. He has suffered a severe physical ailment since he was fifteen years of age but has managed to live to the ripe age of seventy three—in spite of great suffering. He has reared a family, done much preaching and attended the meeting regularly I found him both enthusiastic and congenial. A large number of people are indebted to him for a knowledge of the truth.
Fred G. Ingram came up with his family from Parkersburg the last day of the meeting and I went home with him after the evening service. The distance is something over one hundred miles. He is a deacon in the Lynn Street congregation and usually makes it a point to visit the editor and me when we come within driving distance of him. We have both spent weeks at a time in his home when we were in meetings at Lynn Street. Such friendships brighten the lives of preachers. It is heartening to observe the interest and support the Bible Banner is receiving from brethren generally throughout the country. They are with us because they think we are right. They are not anything like ready to sell out to compromisers and appeasers. I picked up a nice list of new subscribers at Barrackville.
Brother C. D. Plum, one of West Virginia's best preachers and hardest workers, preaches for the Lynn Street congregation in Parkersburg. He and I have been together in several meetings.
The Bible Banner enjoys a large circulation in Parkersburg. It is something, that where the editor is best known, he is best loved, and the paper has the widest circulation. It is a pretty conclusive answer to petulant critics who operate by mail from places like New York and Detroit. It may finally occur to some of these ugly-tempered gentlemen that they are qualifying as boomerang artists. If they could see what I see of the disgust they arouse among brethren generally, it might improve their manners somewhat. We are not supposed to question the motives of our adversaries, because that is not supposed to be nice. They question ours and even make ugly character attacks in a futile effort to stop our influence. What are their motives anyway? They are opposed to premillennialism, so they say. We are fighting premillennialism. They are opposed to digression, so they say. We are fighting digression. They go out of their way to assure everybody that they are for everything we are standing for in the way of doctrine. Then what is the issue? It seems to be personal with them, but it is not with us. They do not like us. It seems to me that if they hate us more than they love the truth we are fighting for, that fact alone condemns the way they are carrying on. As fast as this becomes known, and the process is picking up speed, we are getting more benefit than injury from it. My impression is that cannibals are not very popular with the brethren anyway. They feel, and rightly so, that if the editor's savage critics should succeed in devouring him, when they had completed their feast, they would not be much to lean on in the fight for sound doctrine and pure worship. Just to be plain about it, the brethren are impugning the motives of the men who have dedicated themselves to the task of destroying the editor by attacks on his personal integrity. This is one reason why their efforts along that line have fizzled out to a sort of an anti-climax. It is rather pitiful when you come to think of it. I do not know of anything ugly in the strictly personal affairs of these enemies of the Bible Banner and do not care to hear anything of the kind. If I ever do, I think I'm too much of a gentleman to say anything about it. And I know I have too much sense to insist that they come to see me to discuss the matter. My diocese does not cover that much territory. Of course if I had a Ph.D. on my letterhead, I might feel differently about the matter.
After a very pleasant visit with Fred Ingram and his family, I went directly to East Liverpool, Ohio, where I spent two weeks in a good meeting. This congregation is one of the best along the Ohio River. Dr. C. E. Plum, has had a great deal to do with the development of that church. He is a dentist and has practiced in the same office for twenty-five years. He is a brother of C. D. Plum, the preacher, and stands solidly for the faith of the gospel and against the various isms and the compromises that go with them. They have a good meetinghouse well located and Dr. Plum's interest and liberality have been of great help. I learned this from others in the congregation who volunteered the information. I enjoyed the hospitality of his home during the meeting. Brother Tom W. Butterfield is the regular preacher for the congregation. In addition to his work there, he manages to hold many meetings throughout that section of the country. Brethren who know, speak highly of his ability and devotion to the cause of truth. He is a plain gospel preacher and carries no compromises up his sleeve for the flock of errors that curse this land of ours. I took a liking to him on short acquaintance. His preaching results in many conversions.
One feature about the East Liverpool congregation struck me as somewhat unusual, although it should not be. About thirty or forty young people take the front seats and pour their hearts right into the singing. Several of them are capable song leaders and can do about anything else they are called on to do. Some of them spend their Sunday afternoons calling on people they have reason to believe they can interest in coming to the regular services. The future of a congregation with young people like that in it, is pretty well provided for. They impressed me as being very humble and earnest and intelligent. Some of them know more about the Bible than some preachers do. Whoever is responsible for that situation has done a great work.
After a few days' visit with my family, I am now in Artesia, New Mexico, with my good friend, Allen Johnson, and the good congregation, in my fifth meeting here.