The Campaign Of Calumny
Reference has already been made to the contumelious campaign that has been waged by Norris and his premillennial abettors among us. That they put Norris up to that kind of a fight against us cannot be doubted. From the time that we began to expose the sinister nature of the premillennial movement among us, dating from the debates with Neal and Norris, the strategy of our opponents has been character-assassination. Now, that the bitter spirit of revenge is at a new high (or low) in Norris, I anticipate a renewal of that campaign. And the "abettors" are still on hand to aid him.
There are several links in their chain of strategy. First of all, there were the anonymous circular letters emanating from New York through Philadelphia, Chicago, St. Louis, and Atlanta - all of which traced back to New Jersey, with the pipeline to Fort Worth.
Then came the Clinton Davidson survey of the preachers, a build-up to the organization of the Davidson Movement designed to crush the gospel papers being published and take over all the enterprises in the church, papers, schools, preachers and churches. During this period, at timed intervals, anonymous documents appeared under various plumes and non de plumes, or no plumes at all, dealing in vitriolic attacks on character, such as J. Frank Norris was being used to wage. They could hardly have proceeded in such co-ordination without collusion.
Next came the National Unity Meetings, promoted by Witty and Murch. Because the Bible Banner opposed the movement and exposed its schemes, its promoters were caught red-handed in an actual plot to destroy the reputation of the editor of the Bible Banner. It is here that the magic promoter of the great National Unity Meeting showed his hand by joining with Davidson, Norris and others in such base schemes. Though the Davidson Movement folded up, as did the National Unity Meeting also, -- the man Davidson is still operating; his methods and his money are easily identified, and his agents cannot cover up the tracks of their guerilla warfare. They care nothing about either the "past" or the "present" of the editor of the Bible Banner as such - they are after him solely because every advance they have made on the church has been smashed. To accomplish their purpose, by any method fair or foul, they have worked the preachers lists and paper lists with documents signed and unsigned, and in a common cause they have used J. Frank Norris with his paper and radio facilities, all of one intent -- the total destruction of all opposition to their diabolical plans and schemes.
So they furnished Norris with "reports on Wallace," he says, from "Nashville, Tennessee, to California." Since that has been made a "major" Norris issue, we are compelled to make it a part of this record, to silence the purveyors of rumor and falsehood in reference to these matters.
Capital has been made of some personal misfortunes, because of obligations that were made through several exceedingly hazardous and trying years, between 1929 and 1934 in Nashville, Tennessee. These obligations were later paid - all of them. My creditors never did cut up half as much as some who were never my creditors. These former creditors were satisfied, and are still satisfied, having been fully paid - but Clinton Davidson and J. Frank Norris are not satisfied.
Another attempt was made - a desperate one - to make it appear that there had been serious irregularities in my financial relations with the church in Los Angeles, California. There is not and never was any foundation for such a thing. All financial matters between me and the church in Los Angeles were always understood and agreed upon in business manner. I went to them in 1927 and helped them through the strenuous years of the depression with the task of building up a church in the heart of Los Angeles, during which time we also built a 75,000 edifice of worship in that metropolis. There were never any affairs between the elders of that church and me that were not fully understood and fully agreeable. They were always satisfied - but Clinton Davidson and some others decided not to be satisfied, and to serve their slanderous cause, some of them decided to get J. Frank Norris not to be satisfied.
For ten years I have had in my possession documents bearing the positive evidence to refute every charge that these assassinators have ever made. While I was editor of the Gospel Advocate, its publisher, Leon B. McQuiddy thought that I should publish some of these documents then, to stop some mouths. Later, some of my best friends wanted me to do it, to put the scandal-mongers where they belong in the corner. I could have put some of them in jail, but that has not been my way of fighting. I have never wanted to enter into a discussion of my character, which with me is not a debatable question.
It appears in this case that these documents belong to this record - and because, I anticipate that the bitter hatred of J. Frank Norris will be stirred to a greater degree of revenge than ever, and this campaign of calumny may be renewed, I am committing them to type. The instruments printed herein are not all, by any means, but they will serve the present purpose. In my files are numerous other documents of the same character to refute every detail of every effort that has been made to prove or even intimate turpitude, financial or otherwise, in my dealings and conduct. I have lived before the public. My life has been open to all. It has, indeed, been subjected to inspection more than any man known to me. If enemies and their agents, with their money and their madness, could have found anything in my life with which to destroy me they would verily have done so. The fact that they have not done so must be the proof that they cannot do so. In that I feel they have paid me a high compliment for which, without any thanks to them, I am humbly proud.
It is for no personal vindication, but for the sake of the cause, that the following articles and instruments are printed.