From Firm Foundation: Questions About "Herald Of Truth" Answered
A recent article in this paper, signed by my brother, Logan Buchanan, is an obvious answer to certain questions recently raised in connection with the operation of the "Herald of Truth." I sincerely asked some questions and the summary of my good friend's reply is this:
1. The Herald of Truth does have officers outside the Highland church. He furnished the names.
2. Brother Logan says that money is collected from individuals and that Herald of Truth is a scriptural name for an organization because brethren put the names of such as "The Caller," "The Way," etc., on their bulletins and because they pass the collection plate to everyone on the Lord's day.
Brother Buchanan informed me by letter that he planned to write such an article, although the original article he wrote comprises only the latter part of his paper of December 15. I appreciate the sincerity of Brother Logan and I recognize him as my good brother and he also gives me the same recognition. He is one of our best preachers. According to the bulletin be sent me from the place where he preaches, he evidently had the full endorsement of the. Highland elders, as one elder and one of the preachers visited with him on the weekend before his article appeared in the Firm Foundation. My only reason for raising the questions was to provoke study and to make some corrections if possible. I shall add a further word and then my part of the discussion is finished.
The opinions and conclusions expressed in this and in a former article are mine and do not necessarily reflect the conclusions of any congregation or group of elders. I assume full responsibility for what I have written. I respect the elders where I preach and submit to them. They have never tried to dictate to me what I shall preach and I do not attempt to speak for them. They are good men whose wisdom and decisions are for the peace and progress of the congregation and those who know the circumstances cannot question their actions.
Brother Logan has given us the information about the salaries of the workers in the "Herald of Truth" office and although the expenses are some greater than. I had thought, I do not raise a point of scripturalness in regard to the salaries. A good eider of Highland church informs me that they contribute $600.00 per month to this undertaking and that the money is transferred each month to the "Herald of Truth" treasury. Salaries for the three leading men call for $450.00 per week and our brethren at Highland furnish enough money to pay nearly two weeks! salary. The over-all office expense for October was more than $8,000.00 The new budget for the year calls for $1m400,000.00 end besides the above expense, a percentage of this budget must be paid to a brother in Dallas who acts as the agent for this account with the network. The above $1,400,000.00 would support about 269 preachers at an ordinary salary for a year. I feel that I have the Christian right to ask: Can two men, preaching each for only six months out of the year, fifteen minutes once a week, accomplish as much as 269 preachers working full time? Please do not brand me as a crank because I ask a question about a program which I have helped to support.
What of the Name?
My good friend has suggested that churches use such names as: "Minute-Monitor," "The Caller" and other names for their bulletins. He then asks what, is wrong with a title "Herald of Truth" as used by my good brethren. If you publish The Caller" in a community and invite people to do personal work through "The Caller," and if "The Caller" is established at a certain address, receives questions, correspondence and contributions; if the treasurer is a man who lives in another city and if "The Caller" becomes a machine over the church, then you had better kill "The Caller." We have long argued that sectarian names and machines are unscriptural. Would my brother favor the establishment of the "Christian Endeavor Union" for our young people? Would such a "Union" with officers outside of the local group be acceptable?
I believe in the heralding of the truth, but not in a "Herald of Truth" organization. I am a Baptist in that I believe in baptism, but I am not a "Baptist." I believe in Christian endeavor but I cannot accept a "Christian Endeavor." My good brethren of the "Herald of Truth" advertised this past summer, and in one circular, the name "Herald of Truth" appears five times in bold face type. It is impossible to tell what church, if any, is behind the movement. We are told in this circular: "You can do personal work in connection with the 'Herald of Truth' "; "listen to the program, 'Herald of Truth' "; and finally, "send all correspondence to 'Herald of Truth'." Would I be permitted to substitute the name "Christian Endeavor Union" in place of the above named "Herald of Truth"? I call mid-week prayer service a "prayer meeting" but I do not select officers, name a treasurer and advertise to send all contributions and questions to the "Prayer Meeting." Brother Logan, if I am wrong in this reasoning, then I am going to have to undo a lot of preaching and so will you. I have heard you preach some mighty good sermons.
A New Testament Example
Logan suggested that we have a New Testament example in the famine of ancient Judea. The saints in Judea needed help. Paul encouraged Christians to send help. They sent this help to the ELDERS. Brother Logan, for an accurate parallel you would need to show us how the Jerusalem church CREATED A PROBLEM, how they set up the "BAND OF HOPE," and how the brains of it lived in Rome and the treasurer in Philippi. Then show us how Paul urged Christians to send all contributions to the "BAND OF HOPE," Box 999, Jerusalem. This would be more like some of the problems that face us today. I am sincere, can this be justified?
Our brother has told us that a certain church in Abilene, Texas, supports the "Herald of Truth." He concludes therefore, that there are no questions about its operation. This is strange reasoning. If I wanted to prove that sprinkling was wrong, and I suddenly found some of my brethren practicing sprinkling, I would not immediately conclude that sprinkling is right.
The brethren who sponsor the program are my neighbors and 'I fellowship them. There are no in feelings between us. They will contribute 514 percent of the amount of money it takes to operate the "Herald of Truth." I question their good judgment in such an arrangement. They ask me to support it. Have I the right to ask any questions?
I should like to ask some additional questions:
1. If the elders of Highland church should decide to drop the "Herald of Truth" program sponsorship' would that stop the program? It was not born in an elders' meeting. Would it not be possible for the chief brethren of the "Herald of Truth" to simply change membership again find some other eldership to give oversight, and continue?
2. A great part of the present budget comes from individuals and Brother Logan says that such is scriptural and reasonable. Some of the most ardent friends of this program have carried on a solicitation campaign for it, then is it not possible that it could live in the future without EITHER the supervision of an eldership or support from churches? Brethren, the "United Christian Missionary Society" (what is wrong with this title?) started IN the churches. Today, it lives WITHOUT the churches.
3. Did any New Testament church ever create a gigantic problem and then work in mass meetings, by newspaper and pulpit and other such mediums to make it live?
4. If one or two men can create a work and find some elders to sponsor it, then has not every other preacher in the world the same right? Then, in the end, will not the man who can present the most glamorous program create the biggest machine?
5. Is an organization that is larger than a local congregation, a New Testament church?
I have expressed my sincere feelings on a problem that faces our brethren. I may suffer the fate of the ostracized, but none can accuse me of being unkind and insincere. I expressed my feelings to the Highland elders, more than a month before my first article appeared. I talked face to face with the two James; the preachers for the program. God bless them, they are fine young men. Now, if you wish to give your money to a gigantic plan to televise the gospel for fifteen minutes a week, by means of the "Herald of Truth" organization, I have nothing more to say. I simply want to honor my Lord and give him glory "in the church — forever and ever." (Eph. 3:20, 21)
I love everybody. Happy New Year and AMEN.