Can someone please tell me...?!

[pelathais]

Originally Posted by Barb

And weak on the doctrine, eh?!

Originally Posted by Barb

Well, they were strong enough on it to be considered worthy of aligning in 1945 and preached in our churches and helped build an orgnization only to be kicked to the curb as a forbidden subject by the powers that be today...interesting, my friend...very interesting.

I hope I wasn't misunderstood. When I put the "weak on doctrine" remark in quotes like that I meant to convey that this is not my opinion of the men you listed.

Of all the names I can say that I only met one, Brother Beesley, personally. But I was greatly influenced by the writings of John Dearing when I was a teenager and greatly admired the man. Brother Greer was a mentor for men that helped to shape my life and beliefs.

That being said, I was brought up and discipled in what many would call the "opposite" school of thought within the UPC. I respect and have appreciated what these "conservatives" (their word for themselves, not mine) have done for me and my family over the years.

However, in the long run I would have to say that those closest to me have probably hurt the fellowship a great deal. I am disappointed to say that it was their criticism of men like Brothers Greer, Dearing, Beesley and the others (and even still some more) that was most hurtful. It was wrong to "kick them to the curb..."

UPC ministers, in order to get a Local License had to read dozens of Bible Studies written by John Dearing (no longer the case). The fact that this was required reading led me to believe at the time that the UPC taught Dearing's exposition of Romans 4:17 - this was Dearing's consolation regarding his saintly grandmother who had passed before the Holy Ghost outpouring in 1900 and the revelation of the Mighty God in Christ. He felt that "by faith..." God would call his grandmother's Matthew 28:19 style baptism as being sufficient for salvation. Since I had to read this and learn this in order to become a minister, I thought that this was our doctrine -that "trinitarians" can be saved.

In 1992, this was all done away with. The UPC told me (and everyone else) to forget what we had learned from them. They were changing the fundamental doctrine and everyone had to line up and agree with the change- without adequate explanation or discussion. Was anyone else in that meeting?

What you call "kicking to the curb..." - I would go even further and say it was a deliberate act of deception against the entire ministerial constituancy. One of our greatest leaders had to apologize the following year for telling a little fib in order to get that resolution passed. This man had the greatest reputation imaginable, and deserved it! Yet our destructive way of doing business forced such a good man to tell a lie. The direct result of that lie is the UPC of today.

I hope this helps. I did find agreement with what you said. This medium of exchange can be kind of bumpy for me when I try to communicate.