Clearing Some Misrepresentations
During the recent debate in Abilene between Brother E. R. Harper and Brother Yater Tant, Brother Harper caused to be distributed to the audience a little booklet entitled "Harper's Charts Used In The Lufkin Debate". Because one of these charts (p. 30) deals with some information I had given to Brother Harper, these lines are written.
First, it is true that I wrote Brother Harper a letter on October 15, 1954. In this letter I wrote what I sincerely thought to be the truth concerning some preachers in Lufkin and their employment by the Banner Printing Co.
Brother Harper writes: "This is the chart introduced on Wednesday night that brought the Guardian forces to their feet Thursday night in which Brother Tant lost his temper and called Brother George Jones to repudiate the letter he had written to me. . ." It is not true that this chart was introduced on Wednesday night. It was introduced first on Thursday night. I attended all of the debate and have listened to it, twice since on tape. It was not presented on Wednesday but on Thursday... What Brother Harper's reason for saying it was introduced on Wednesday is, I do not know unless to impress his readers I did not correct him even, when he first presented it. Nor is it true that Brother Tant lost his temper. As everyone who attended the debate knows, Brother Tant was the epitome of coolness and calmness every moment. Nor did he ask me to repudiate my letter. He called on me to make a voluntary statement which I did. I related that the information I had given regarding the Lufkin preachers being paid by the church to work for the Banner Printing Co., I had learned not to be true. I also stated that following six months of study I had reached the conclusion that Herald of Truth was not in harmony with the Scriptures.
Brother Harper thinks there was a plot involving Brother Tant, Brother Cogdill, Brother Porter and myself. He says: "Brother Jones knew I was going to use this, having talked with me on Thursday before the debate when I called him and asked him if he knew this to be true". Brother Harper further states, referring to our telephone conversation: "I told him if they did deny it, I was going to ask him to testify to the truthfulness of it and he was happy at that time to do it." It so happens that I remember that telephone conversation when Brother Harper called me a few days prior to the Lufkin debate. The truth is that Brother Harper did not ask me to testify nor did I tell him I would. He did ask me about another preacher's testifying and asked me if he could be induced to testify. My reply was, "I don't know". But my testifying was not mentioned! Furthermore, I did not know if he was going to use this or not. He asked me about a certain preacher's being his witness and I replied as just indicated. According to the tape recording of the Lufkin debate, Brother Harper told the Lufkin audience I had called him! This is not true. I bare "ever called Brother Harper in my life about anything!
Following the Lufkin debate, Brother Harper wrote me a letter in which he accused me of being involved in a plot with Brother Tant, Brother Cogdill and Brother Porter. In reply to this letter, I stated this was simply untrue. There was no plot of any kind. My action was in all good faith and honesty. It is with deep regret that I find it necessary to call attention to these matters. However, since Brother Harper had my denial in a letter of any existence of a plot and continues to publicize it as he has, I find it necessary to give publicity to these matters.
I, too, am solemnly aware that the judgment is ahead. I am more concerned about being ready for that fateful day than I am anything else. The Lord knows the heart of everyone. He will do the judging.