Dear Sisters and Brothers,

We come now to Richard Nathaniel Hogan. We have caught a glimpse of him as a young man, almost 20 years earlier, through the eyes of FEW: as he travels and shares a bed with the young Ira Y. Rice, Jr., preaches a meeting for a white congregation, and favors "social equality." Now we see him in his maturity, doing what he does best: he is preaching against sin.

The contrast between Hogan and Marshall Keeble could not be more vivid. Hogan is spiritually formed by the formidable George Philip Bowser, whose fierce independence and fearless integrity inevitably deny him the patronage of white power. "Humility" and "meekness" in the forms construed by whites as appropriate for blacks are not a part of Hogan's ethos. Hogan stands erect, a prophetic figure in a proud tradition of twentieth-century preaching among Churches of Christ. Hogan's task as a preacher--a mission that he shares with Bowser, Ira Rice, and a host of others--is to "condemn sin in the flesh" by applying the testimony of Scripture and to execute judgment with "the Sword of the Spirit." For these preachers "truth" is a paramount value; knowing that "truth hurts," they aim to "speak the truth in love." "Truth"--as they understand it--is never to be compromised, but "love" in the service of "truth" often seems diminished. Keeble participates in this tradition, but Keeble, like Jesus, finds his voice in "parables" for those who have "ears to hear." And, like his contemporary, Jefferson Davis Tant, Keeble salves his pronouncements with an ointment of humor containing a lubricant of love. In the preaching of others, including Hogan, "truth" is most often expressed in simple, declarative sentences, emerging with a hard edge, dry and unadorned.

So it is here. In this text, we have a textbook example of the prevailing homiletic form by a master of the art. Here is the blistering thesis in two sentences, supported by a battery of prooftexts, followed by a graphic display of disapproved examples, and the pronouncement of judgment. Yet the sin that Hogan condemns is not the substitution of sprinkling for baptism, nor is it the playing of a piano in worship, nor is it even participation in the peccadilloes and perversions of sex. Here Hogan plows new ground, applying the steamy rhetoric of "truth" preaching to the social sin of racial discrimination. In his mind, clearly, the audience for this jeremiad is white. He will not be invited to say these things from the pulpit of a white church or from the platform of a white lectureship, but he writes it here as he would preach it there. It is the truth . . . "submitted in love."

It is my personal observation that most of our Brethren who are in high places in the church of our Lord, are going to lose their souls because they are respecters of persons. That being a respecter of persons is a sin is without question, for the Bible plainly says that it is a sin.

Listen to the words of God's Book: Jas. 2:9, 10, "But if ye have respect to person, ye commit sin and are convinced of the law as transgressors. For whosoever shall keep the whole law, and yet offend in one point, he is guilty of all". God said that to have respect to person is to commit sin. God also told the apostle Peter to call no man common. Thus Peter was taught that "God is no respecter of persons" Acts 10:15, 34. The apostle Paul withstood Peter to the face "because he was to be blamed" for being a respecter of persons where two nationalities were concerned. Paul said he walked not uprightly according to the truth of the gospel (Gal. 2:11-14). To make it worse he caused others to commit the same sin. "There is no respect of persons with God" (Rom 2:11). Racial prejudice and racial hate have caused multiplied thousands to lose their souls and thousands who call themselves christians are this very day heading for eternal contempt for the same reason.

The truth very often causes one to have enemies. Paul said to the Galatians or rather asked them, "Am I therefore become your enemy, because I tell you the truth?["] Gal. 4:16. I am afraid that the most of us in the church of Christ here in America are guilty of the same sins that Jesus condemned the Jews for while here on earth. Hear Him, "Well hath Esaias prophesied of you hypocrites, as it is written, This people honoreth me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me. Howbeit in vain do they worship me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men. For laying aside the commandments of God, ye hold the tradition of men". Mark 7:6-8. Now let us take a look at what the tradition is causing some of our brethren to do: Because of tradition and racial prejudice Negroes are not wanted and not allowed to worship with some white congregations. If they go, they are directed to the basement, balcony or a dressing room, or if given a seat in the main auditorium, there is usually enough room around him to lie down on the Pew and stretch out his full length. Thus making it very embarrassing and uncomfortable. These congregations are suppose to be ruled by scriptural Elders. They have preachers teaching them who are well-informed, but think more of their salaries and the people than they do of God and his word. "If ye have respect to persons, ye commit sin." Then there are the so-called christian schools to which every nationality can attend but the Negro. A fine young gospel Minister, as clean as christians come, well qualified, has just received a letter from one of the biggest so-called christian schools in the Brotherhood turning him down, rejecting his application to enter a christian(?) school to be taught the word of God only because he is a Negro, only because of the color of his skin. They use to hide behind the law, but our government has informed the entire country that the practice of segregation because of race or color is unconstitutional. But christians shouldn't have to be told that. Philippinos, Japanese, Chinese, Frenchmen, Englishmen, Germans, Russians, Koreans, Mexicans, and every nationality but the Negro are welcome to these schools, and they call them christian schools.

These schools have men who call themselves God's Elders who are on the Board of Directors and preacher Presidents who call themselves servants of God. Yet, the sin of the 'pride of life' that makes them feel that they are the superior race, the tradition of men that is causing them to lay aside the commandments of God and ignore the 'every creature' that Jesus wants taught is also causing them to reject applications of Negroes to enter christian schools(?) and be taught the Bible. The responsibility doesn't rest upon the students of the schools, but upon the so-called Elders and so-called gospel preachers. It is too bad that young people have to be exposed to such prejudiced Elders, preachers and teachers. The young students know that it is wrong, but can't eliminate this sinful condition. The Negro want[s] these men to know that he is interested only in being their brothers and not their brothers-in-law.
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The fact that Negroes are not allowed in these churches and schools is proof that God is not there; for where God is, no man is barred because of the color of his skin. Brethren, you may fall-out with me because of this article, but you know that I am telling the truth and those guilty will do well to repent. Every Elder on the Board of Directors of these schools and every preacher who heads these schools should either work to change this practice or resign from these schools or resign as Elders of the church or quit preaching the word to others until you yourself make up your mind to obey it.

One of the most embarrassing things that Negro Christians have to face today is the fact that people of our race are admitted to Denominational schools as well as State schools, but cannot enter a christian(?) school operated by members of the church of Christ. One of our Ministers graduated at T.C.U. (Texas Christian University) a christian Church school, but he couldn't go to Abilene Christian College. However, Bro. Figueroa of Mexico graduated there. Negroes are admitted to the State school in Fayetteville, Ark., but they cannot enter Harding College, a christian(?) school. They are admitted in State supported schools in Tennessee, but they cannot attend David Lipscomb College in Nashville, Tenn., nor Freed-Hardeman College in Henderson, Tenn. If these schools will disassociate the name christian from them, their practice would not reflect so badly on the Cause of Christ. Someone may ask, "what about Southwestern Christian College?" Answer: If preachers would preach against being respecters of persons and members of the church would stop practicing it, Southwestern Christian College would be better supported, for all people would go there. It is wrong to support Southwestern Christian College in order to promote segregation. Some of our white brethren are supporting S.W.C.C. because they know that the Negro needs Bible training and due to the practice of our so-called christian schools they cannot get it otherwise. These men have the right spirit. They are doing what they can to help. May God bless them. Others are doing it to keep the Negro out of their so-called christian(?) schools and knowing that they are doing wrong in the sight of God, they support S.W.C.C. to soothe a guilty conscience.

--Submitted in Love.

R. N. Hogan does what he is called to do, "naming names" and making no compromises. No wonder then that FEW had envied and feared him in 1941, for here the rhetorical weapons of condemnation perfected by FEW and his henchmen are aimed by a more skillful hand at other targets, including FEW himself. In the history of race relations among Churches of Christ, we are entering "the fullness of time."

May God have mercy.

dhaymes, his mark +