Truth Magazine

By Cecil Willis

In a previous article, I referred to an article entitled “Theological Liberalism At Abilene Christian College,” which was written by a young brother, Randall Mark Trainer, in which Brother Trainer said he had found no evidence of any liberalism on the part of any Bible faculty member at ACC. I also quoted letters from one ACC Bible faculty member, Eugene Clevenger, in which Clevenger resigned a writing position on the Sweet Company commentary set because “I have decided not to have a part in this cooperative effort with such liberals as Everett Ferguson, Abe Malberbe, Tony Ash Dick Batey, Bob Johnson, Pat Harrell: Don McGaughey, J. W. Roberts.” Clevenger also said that many of the commentary writers were “theological liberals.”

Clevenger also stated, “The time is fast approaching when the position of such men as are on the Bible faculty of Abilene Christian College must be made known to the, brotherhood, and I have decided that 1, for one, will do what I can to expose the liberalism that prevails in the Bible Department here at ACC.” Ira Rice, to whom Clevenger sent a copy of his letter, said that he already knew that all the men named by Clevenger as “liberals” were such, except Bob Johnson and J. W. Roberts, and Rice said he merely had no documentation on these two others. Rice said, “I have documentation on most of the others.”

Clevenger indicated he was going to expose the liberals on the ACC Bible faculty. Associated with him as ACC Bible faculty members were Everett Ferguson, Abe Malherbe, Tony Ash, and J. W. Roberts, all of whom Clevenger labeled as “liberals.” Bob Johnson, also included in Clevengers list, formerly taught at ACC in the Bible Department. Tony Ash has since transferred to Pepperdine College, where I think he is now Read of the Bible Department. Some of Dick Bateys liberalism is at this moment being discussed by James D. Bales in a series of articles being carried in the Gospel Advocate.

Unfortunately, Clevengers nerve did not measure up to his boast. He said he was determined to expose the modernism in the ACC Bible faculty. However, Administrative pressure was exerted upon him to retract his statement. Clevenger later publicly stated he could not prove his charges. Did Clevenger deliberately lie? I, for one, do not think that he did, nor did he say that he did in his retraction. I suspect his teaching job was “on the line,” and he compromised and stated that he could not prove his charges. Several years ago, I heard Eugene Clevenger deliver a splendid lecture on the Florida Christian College lecture program. His lecture was entitled, “An Unchanging Charge,” and pertained to the charge Paul gave Timothy to “preach the word.” Clevenger stated that Paul not only told Timothy what to preach, but how to preach it. I then secured a copy of Clevengers fine, detailed outline of his sermon, a copy of which I yet have. Under the heading of his discussion of those who will not declare faithfully the whole counsel of God, Clevenger said: “For a price, doctors acquiesce.” I personally strongly suspect that for the price of his job, Dr. Eugene Clevenger acquiesced,” and made a half-hearted retraction of his former very bold charge of wide-spread liberalism among the ACC Bible faculty members,

Bear in mind that Rice said he had documentary proof to prove the “liberalism” of all those whom Clevenger charged, except Johnson and J. W. Roberts. Keep in mind too, that B. C. Goodpasture also rejoiced to hear that Clevenger had purposed to publicly expose the liberalism on the ACC Bible faculty, and Rice indicated that” Goodpasture wanted to write Clevenger “a word of appreciation and encouragement.” Do you really think that Clevenger, Rice, and Goodpasture had no evidence whatsoever of any liberalism on the ACC Bible faculty? Or might it be more plausible to believe that an undergraduate student who “transferred to ACC last summer” merely did not detect any liberalism on the ACC Bible faculty?

ACC and “Mission” Magazine

Several Bible faculty members at ACC are on the Board of Trustees of Mission magazine, which regularly publishes the rankest kind of liberalism, whether young Brother Trainer recognizes it to be such or not. Everett Ferguson, Thomas Olbricht, and J. W. Roberts are all on the Board of Trustees of Mission. Surely they bear some responsibility regarding the thrust and direction of Mission.

In the April, 1969 issue of Mission, Dr. Neal Buffaloe, who is Professor of Biology and Chairman of the Department of Biological Science at State College of Arkansas at Conway, but also an Elder at the College Church of Christ in Conway, openly taught theistic evolution. Brother Buffaloe said: “I believe that any intelligent person who lends himself directly and without prejudice to the data of comparative morphology and physiology, paleontology and cytogenetics will come away with the conviction that evolution (the process) has occurred, that evolution (the theory) is a valid working tool for the biologist and that evolution (the concept) is inescapable as a philosophy of nature.” Brother Buffaloe also added, “Either the Genesis account of the days is non-literal or it is false.” Don McGaughey, who also is labeled as a liberal by Clevenger, simply stated of Genesis Chapters 1-11, “this portion of the Bible is a myth.” (First Century Christian, Dec., 1968, p. 8)

Now what did Mission do about the article by Brother Buffaloe advocating theistic evolution? They gave him an award for the article!!! Their criteria of judgment of articles were as follows: “Articles were judged on the basis of their effectiveness in bringing the biblical message to bear on the Twentieth Century world, their relevance to contemporary religious life, their originality and creativity, and their communications effectiveness and reader appeal.”, Their Award Announcement reads:

“The Trustees of Mission announce awards for outstanding literary achievement in bringing the Christian message to bear on the world of 1969 to: . . . Second Place — Neal D. Buffaloe for God or Evolution.” (Mission, Oct., 1969, p. 30)

Can you imagine what would happen if I printed and commended such an article in Truth Magazine? Imagine what kind of a reaction I would get from Roy E. Cogdill, James W. Adams, Connie W. Adams, Karl Robertson, Luther Blackmon, O. C. Birdwell, Ferrell Jenkins, Larry Hafley, Irvin Himmel, and Jimmy Tuten! Now can you imagine the Truth Magazine staff awarding a yearly award to such a Bible-denying article? Yet that is precisely what happened in the instance of Mission, and Everett Ferguson, J. W. Roberts, and Abraham Malherbe were on the Board of “Trustees” who made the award to Neal Buffaloe. Yet young Brother Trainer would have us to believe, “Neither does there appear to be a trend in the direction of theological liberalism.” Believe it who can, but I cannot. More will be said on this issue next week.

TRUTH MAGAZINE, XVI: 40, pp. 3-5
August 17, 1972

By Robert C. Welch

A great host of preachers and churches are now riding the tide of opposition to the engaging of churches in the support of human systems and organizations which in turn perform the work of evangelism, edification and benevolence. They had and have nothing to do with stirring up or increasing that tide; they are merely riding it.

Some of these preachers are enjoying popularity among the churches; not because they are rigorously opposing the institutional systems which are catholicizing the churches of the Lord, but, to the contrary, because they are, at least publicly, refraining from discussing it. Of course, when asked they are happy to tell you privately where they stand. Many of the churches who are now using these preachers who are riding the tide do not any longer see the need of using some of those preachers who dared to fight the battle when the cause was so unpopular.

Such preachers and churches even consider those who pitched and waged the battle in the heat of the fray as controversial and radical figures, unworthy of the one-time respect, as without any influence locally and throughout the brotherhood. Such churches forget that these men sacrificed their popularity in order to keep the institutional machine from destroying the faith and righteous function of these churches. Such preachers forget that these men counted themselves expendable in order to maintain the independency of the congregations where others are now provided a place to preen their wings and enjoy their popularity.

Much of the teaching which opposed the -institutional movement was done in writings in religious papers. Many of the preachers who are riding the tide of present popularity no longer subscribe to those papers and no longer think it profitable to read what those same men are continuing to say. Perhaps they think that they have outgrown the thinking of these men who made it possible for them to ride the tide.

It is true that the man in the front of the battle does not have the time to polish his gun as does the man who is spending his days back in camp. But the polished gun may not fire as well, or may not fire at all, as does the gun which has been tried on the line. The man who has sat in camp while the battle was raging may have polished his manners and his sermons, but the glint of the steel is meaningless unless his sermon will continue to push back the error and sin.

Churches of the Lord, now as in the last century and always, will have to keep pressing the battle and stirring the tide against error one kind or another. As was the Lord and his apostles they must be controversial in nature. There can be no relenting. There can be no riding the tide.

Written in December 7, 1961 in the church paper of the Nacogdoches, Texas church.

TRUTH MAGAZINE, XVI: 40, p. 2
August 17, 1972

By Robert W. La Coste

Before people go wrong in doctrine or practice, they first go wrong in attitude. The very way you feel toward Bible teaching could very well determine the destiny of your own soul!

Bad attitudes, and consequently false teaching, do not occur overnight. Apostasy in any sense is a slow process by which Satan through his vain deceit captures and rules the hearts of men. When attitudes start souring toward Bible teaching, individuals become disgruntled, indifferent and then finally fall in to apostasy. Those that respect the word of God are those who take inventory of their attitudes and make sure they do not conflict with divine teaching. How about You! What is your attitude toward the word of God? (And I mean everything contained in His word?)

Are you one that likes and obeys part of the word and rejects the rest? Is that your attitude? Or perhaps it is your attitude to like what the word says, but delay in your obedience to it. In either case you must change or turn from such attitudes! The only attitude God will accept in relationship to His word is an open acceptation of it and one who lives it openly! Consider the attitude of Cornelius. “We are all present before God to hear all things commanded thee of God.” (Acts 10:33) Consider the attitude of Joshua, “Choose you this day whom ye will serve…. as for me and my house we will serve the Lord.” (Josh. 24:15)

Whatever our attitudes toward Bible teaching, we must make sure they are godly and in respect of that teaching; any other attitude would eventually prove fatal. Is your attitude one that loves and obeys all of Gods teachings? Or is it just possible that your attitude keeps you from having a covenant relationship with God? Consider it well; for where you spend eternity will depend on it!

TRUTH MAGAZINE, XVI: 39, p. 13
August 10, 1972

By George T. Eldridge

The great potential for Christ at Perkins Rd., the attitude of the Tolles, which is seen in their letter that follows, and the crying need for a gospel preacher there influenced my wife and me to move to Baton Rouge by the end of June, 1972. We fully know that no money has been promised or indicated by any Christian or church for my wages, but we are going to Baton Rouge. I will do the work of a faithful proclaimer for our Lord and Savior in that city. The Perkins Rd. Church is not able financially to contribute anything toward my wages yet, but I believe the brethren and churches will respond to my need for wages and money to cover my moving expense.

The Building

The money collected presently by the Perkins Rd. Church pays the $255.36 monthly payment on her building, which only has a $6,300.00 remaining debt, the building utilities, and the cost for some teaching material. Two families (5 in att6ndance) are doing their best to handle these absolute costs.

The building is located in a growing section of Baton Rouge. It will seat comfortably 160 to 175 people and would conservatively have a replacement cost of $40,600.00 to $50,000.00. The building has 4 classrooms, the auditorium, an empty space for another classroom, an adequate preachers study, and a nursery.

The Money Future

At least five years must pass before the church will even be close to what is called self-supporting. By Gods help, much work, much prayer, and declaring “unto all the counsel God,” we will be self-sustaining and a tower of spiritual strength. Peace and fellowship does exist between this church and the church where Brother Bill Crews preaches.

What Happened?

The Tolles described well the attitude seen in “certain actions” which started the church where Bill Crews works, and slowly diminished a 70 plus attendance down to two families, now numbering five in attendance!! Digesting such unscriptural “certain actions,” weak pulpit preaching, unscriptural leadership, and the ideas of Brother W. Carl Ketcherside, where else could the Perkins Rd. Church go but to hobnobbing with the liberals? The congregation also compromised truth, lost a few members to the new sound church and more to churches in error, and then had an attendance of about zero.

The teaching of Brother Ketcherside is many sided, but please read his own written word to an admirer of his at Perkins Road.

“When we arise above the artificial walls and barriers and begin to love all of the brethren, God can give us a whole new dimension of service and he will. We must simply ignore the divisiveness and factionalism of the past and refuse to be trapped inside the narrow enclosures which men have built. . . A great door has been opened to witness to Baptist folk, sincere, eager, and seeking!”

Even with Brother Ketchersides “speech of Ashdod” and having gone to “the plain of Ono,” what conclusion is drawn from his writing? You do not love the brethren when you point out their rejection of Bible authority by their practices, for example, of instrumental music, centralized control, sponsoring church co-operation, churches building and maintaining man-made organizations, one container in the Lords Supper, or pre-millennialism.

This admirer of Brother Ketcherside and the two young preachers of Perkins Road, who were Ken R. Durham and Lynn McCauley, attended the A-C. C. lectures together and heard his unity speech, “Authority of the Word.” He then wrote Brother Ketcherside March 2, 1971 these words.

“You really impressed Ken and Lynn. They have already been to see Max Goins at Calvary Christian Church and he invited Lynn to speak there on a Sunday evening. They are also swapping pulpits with two of the other ministers of churches of Christ in town. They were very impressed with the black minister and he is going to swap out with one of them this month. When I told our “double-trouble” team they were not letting any grass grow under their feet, Lynn said, – Weve got to put all this trivia aside and get on with it. How about that?”

The “double-trouble team” of Ken and Lynn had the right environment at Perkins Rd. to make certain no grass grew under their feet. The church was soft. She would tolerate error. She wanted unity at any price. Men of the stature of B. Hall Davis and Thomas Smitherman had left. These false teachers (Ken and Lyn) could view “make all things according to the pattern” as “trivia  (Heb. 8:5). Imagine so called preachers calling the pattern for (1) music in the church, (2) church work, (3) church worship, (4) church fellowship, or (5) church co-operations as “trivia.” The false teachers got on with their work and destroyed the church more, but the Perkins Road Church had asked for it!!!

The church kept going down and down before the Tolles awakened. When they did get scripturally aroused, it was too late. The congregation was in shambles! The church now has seven in attendance, counting my wife and me.

Churchs Present Attitude

She will now “hold fast the form of sound words … in faith and love which is in Christ Jesus” (2 Tim. 1: 13). We know we are small in number, but we want all faithful Christians coming to Baton Rouge to work with us. The lazy, the unconcerned, and the indifferent person should not want to come our way because we need workers to labor with us in filling our present building with saved sinners. Our location is easy to find: 1-10 & College Drive; 4270 Perkins Road; near Colonel Sanders; less than four minutes off 1-10.

The City

Baton Rouge is called the “Growth Center of the South.” Her population is a growing 200,000. She has four main pillars to her economy: She (1) is the state capital of Louisiana, (2) is the center of me of the worlds largest petrochemical areas, (3) is home of two large state universities: Louisiana State University and Southern University, and (4) has a major world port.

Industrial Complex. The petrochemical center of the South, the growing industrial development along the Mississippi River is based on petroleum, but it claims chemicals, rubber, plastics, fight and heavy metals and other products. At least one hundred fifty manufacturers employ 18,500 people.

Port of Baton Rouge. It is the seventh largest port in the nation. It is the farthest inland deep water port on the Mississippi. It serves both deep water and river transportation. Vessels from many countries berth here.

Need

Brethren, pray for me. I need your financial assistance for my wages and to pay my moving expense (2 Cor. 11: 8; 2 Tim. 1: 16-18). Also, tracts are needed. I know you will respond because we serve the same God, are guided by the same Bible, are interested in the lost souls of men, and want to go to Heaven together.* Also, you answered the call when I authored an article about the new church in Monroe, Louisiana, which concerned H. Tom Swilley. I await your answer.

Letter

TO: The Elders and Brethren________Greetings in Christ Jesus our Lord!

We want to write you personally and let you know how we stand on the truth of God. About 2 or 3 years ago, certain actions led many brethren to believe my wife and I were no longer Biblically opposed to (1) the centralized control and unscriptural church co-operation seen and taught by the Herald of Truth; (2) churches of Christ building and maintaining human institutions (man-made organizations) such as old folks homes, orphan homes, and colleges; and (3) churches of Christ providing entertainment and recreation for Christians.

Examples of these certain actions were: 11) the meeting with the elders from North Baton Rouge and their preacher on November 10, 1970, (2) Bob Hendren, the preacher from North Blvd. church of Christ preaching in a meeting at Perkins Road church, and (3) brothers Ken R. Durham and Lynn McCauley and others who they got to preach at Perkins Road church of Christ including Lynn Cook of the North Baton Rouge church who believe and practice the actions mentioned above.

We have repented for any participation we had in the aforementioned actions. God has helped us to see the error of the direction in which we were headed … liberalism … away from the old paths revealed in the Scriptures for the pattern and practices of the church Christ built.

God has forgiven us for the error of trying to hob-knob with the “Weighty works” brethren. We now stand on the Scriptural pattern for the church of Christ as revealed in the New Testament and exemplified therein. My wife and I will examine the Scriptures more and more, pray more and more, and work more and more for our precious Lord and Savior so that we may grow steadfastly in grace and knowledge of Him who was crucified in our place.

We are ready at all times to give an answer as to why we are now opposed to the above named unscriptural practices, which cause division among brethren and mark the promoters as being “liberal” or going beyond the things which are written. We also are positive that the Perkins Road church of Christ with her preacher, George T. Eldridge, will be of the same mind, speak the same thing, and be of the same judgment; will hold forth sound doctrine by advertising, debating, and publicly proclaiming the unscripturalness of such yokes of bondage being placed on Gods church by the “big promoters” in the church today.

A debate with North Boulevard or North Baton Rouge churches in defense of these practices they are glorying in will do much good to show if they really believe these things are Scriptural and sound. When one is right scripturally, he has the courage and will uphold what he believes is right.

We have remained members of the Perkins Road church of Christ which is one of only two faithful congregations in Baton Rouge standing for the truth of Christ and exposing and condemning error in the church -and out. Let us remind you that it took a long, long time for us to awaken, so we dont expect you to change overnight; but, remember when you let down on one little point of Scripture, it is not long before you are compromising on all others. If we can assist you in the work of the Lord, do not hesitate to call on us … but, we will not fellowship error.

Your brethren in Christ,

Albert and Evelyn Tolle

TRUTH MAGAZINE, XVI: 39, pp. 10-13
August 10, 1972