Several months ago, in an article in which I mentioned some places where the loose position on fellowship had made some inroads, I made very brief reference to the Tuscaloosa, Alabama congregation. Some apparently have read more into my brief reference to Tuscaloosa than I intended, and I want to do my best to clarify my statement.

It was my understanding when I wrote the article that there was only a little sympathy toward what some have called the "grace-fellowship" position in the Tuscaloosa church. I certainly did not intend to imply that every brother in every congregation mentioned was in sympathy with the position.

In fact, there was only one young man in the congregation who seemed confused on the subject of "grace," but he happened to be the preacher for the congregation. This young brother I held in very high esteem. He had just moved there when I went for a meeting in Tuscaloosa several years ago. The grounds, of my -remarks particularly were some writings that he had done in the Gospel Guardian. Replies to his articles were published in the Gospel Guardian.

If my brief reference to the Tuscaloosa church has damaged that congregation, I am truly sorry that I occasioned it My only intention. was to give some specific instances where the loose position on fellowship already had done some damage among faithful brethren. I also mentioned the Kettering, Ohio church. The young preacher there had become mixed up on the fellowship question. A young friend of this Kettering, Ohio preacher told me, "He has bought the whole ball of wax." That this report is true is evidenced by the fact that this young brother now preaches for the liberal church' in Oxford, Ohio. He even has worshipped with the so-called "Instrumental" group. But is this to imply that the entire Kettering congregation has digressed? I certainly hope no one so misunderstood it.

Reports concerning faithful preaching and zealous work come to me from Tuscaloosa, Alabama. Since some apparently drew some conclusions from my remarks which I did not intend by them, I gladly publish this clarification and correction, and freely apologize to the brethren in Tuscaloosa if I caused any one of them to be misunderstood or misrepresented. If this article of clarification is not sufficient, I invite any brother in the Tuscaloosa congregation to "say on" until the matter is correctly represented, and any wrong done made right.

Truth Magazine, XVIII:6, p. 2
December 6, 1973