Devoted to the Propagation and Defense of New Testament Christianity
VOLUME 14
November 22, 1962
NUMBER 29, PAGE 7b,10b-11

Sound Or Loyal?

Charles H. Grider

Which had you rather be, sound or loyal? Well, if you are for building organizations through which churches can work and setting up some church through which other churches may work, you will be referred to as "Loyal" by those of the same stripe. If you stand opposed to said organizations and "sponsoring" churches you will be referred to as "Sound."

It seems to me that "Loyal" brethren are considered loyal though they be rotten from the core out: They can lie, cheat, steal, commit adultery, be a booze-hound and still be "loyal." On the other hand a man may be a liar, thief, adulterer, a beer guzzler and still be "sound."

The "issues" before the church and our battling for respective positions have caused many to lose sight of proper values. A man may be loyal on one point and be so rotten otherwise that he smells to the high heavens. A man may be sound on one point and stink like possum bait on other points.

Freed-Hardeman College teachers are considered "loyal" by digressive brethren for the simple reason they run with them in their digression. Note: It was pointed out in a bulletin where C. P. Roland had falsified on several occasions, yet he is highly esteemed as a "loyal elder of White Street church.

Brad Brumbley, another FHC teacher, took about 20 teen-agers, several sisters from the Estes church, and one young preacher off to the old swimming hole. Before they left, if they were to go swimming they would not have not have mixed swimming. Well one of the teen-agers stated it this way: "The first thing I knew we were all in swimming together. I asked brother Brumbley, in my bulletin, if he considered swim suits as modest apparel, would he unravel one of the suits down to where he considered it immodest. I was desirous to see just what size ball of yarn there is between the suits they wore and one that he would call immodest.

Of course the "loyal" brethren and the Estes church, where Brumbley is the preacher, gave him God speed. One of the Freed-Hardeman teachers called me and stated he didn't believe such of brother Brad. I asked him if he thought the teen-agers came home and lied about the affair. One of the group reported that, dear brother Brad said he was going to have to buy a new suit, that the one he had was just too tight! Quite a scene: Brad and a young "preacher student" from FHC, about twenty teen-agers and several sisters from the Estes church (I would judge them between forty and fifty years old and maybe some of them a wee bit older) some on the lean side and some on the fat side all splashing around in the same old swimming hole. Maybe it is like one lady over in Oklahoma: said she thought it all right to dance if only Christians danced together! No comment.

I am sure FHC endorses Brad Brumbley and his swimming party. And why shouldn't the White Street church endorse such? Many of their young ladies parade the streets of Henderson in their shorts.

One man commenting on a certain beer dive: "They will not bother you, why church of Christ members come there to get their beer!" Then there are those leading and influential members of the White Street church who, according to common knowledge in Henderson, curse by note. All these are counted "loyal."

One other thing: I challenge the young preachers at FHC to say they are free to express their views on what they think the Bible teaches without a first class browbeating by the "brains" of FHC. If you have sent your child to FHC, you can rest assured he is in chains. No, FHC is not a Catholic school and Dixon is not a priest: He is some sort of a "Doctor" and FHC is, in a sense, a parochial school: It is church supported. You know, it is strange what power the "loyal" brethren have: Why they can take a BA or a BS and over night make into a PHD. Take brother Dixon, for instance: A man with a BA and all of a sudden he is at "Doctor. Of course there is much magic these days I believe saw where some magic was performed out in a Valley that is called Magic: They just took an ordinary man and made a doctor out of him in no time at all. If any of you brethren are jealous, I know of a preacher in North Carolina that claims he knows where one can order a Doctor's degree for the low, low price of only $25.00. When one receives a $25.00 doctor's degree, and is a full fledged "anti" hater, he is a real fourteen carat "loyal" brother.

On the other hand, there are so called sound brethren that are rotten from the core out. They are called sound simply because they oppose digression in organization. It would help if "loyal" brethren would clean house and "sound" brethren would scratch around their own front door. These "issues" could be resolved much easier and faster if much pruning were done.

Wild Speculations by "Sound" and "Loyal"

I have heard rumors that since my return to Henderson, I have been on a government pension, "sound" churches have been pouring the money into me, and I have been on the receiving end of every trust-fund in the country. Besides all this I have been getting rich from my "tent making." At least, that's what I hear.

Let me say here and now: I am not on a government pension of any kind. (I did receive a permanent injury while in the peace time army. I lost my right eye while in the department of interior. All the compensation I ever received was for 180 weeks, and that about 12 or 15 years ago.) No church has sent me one thin dime to carry on the work here in Henderson or elsewhere in west Tennessee. I did receive money from both church and individuals immediately on arriving in Henderson. This was to help in paying some hospital and doctor bills. Two distant cousins sent almost half of all that I received. A letter was sent to each party that sent to my need, except one where no address was given.

The good church in Leaksville, North Carolina, did keep my salary going for a short time after I returned to Henderson to help in re-establishing residence.

Now I serve notice that if money from any source is being sent to me please publish it in this paper because if you are sending it, someone else is getting...it!

Let me state again that if anyone is sending me a red cent from any source please publish it, because if you are, someone is embezzling the money. If there is any church paying even my travel expense for the work that I am doing in west Tennessee, please let it be known. I just am not receiving it. Yes! Crider is out for the dollar and he ought to read 1 Tim. How do I know? Semi "sound" brethren said so!

— Henderson, Tennessee