From: Pilgrimpub@aol.com
Sent: Thursday, April 01, 2004 10:44 PM
To: Mentonebay@aol.com
Subject: GETTING THRU TO BROTHER WHITE? [04/01/04]
IS THE MESSAGE GETTING THRU TO
BROTHER JAMES WHITE, OR WHAT? [04/01/04]

Although I have had no response directly from James White [as usual], he has put up some caustic retaliatory remarks on his website which you may wish to consult. He alleges that I do not understand him, that I have misrepresented him, and that he "agreed with every quote" I produced.

James' complaint reminds me of the story about J. B. Jeter's meeting with Alexander Campbell. Jeter (1802-1880) was a Virginia Baptist pastor who wrote a book in which he thoroughly exposed the views of Campbell, and Campbell was hamstrung to make any effective response. "His views, he [Campbell] said, had been misunderstood and misrepresented. He had been treated with great injustice."

Jeter said, "There was, in my humble judgment, a screw loose in his mental machinery . . . No writer, within my knowledge, ever repeated his thoughts so frequently, wrote so much that needed explanation, or so glaringly and often contradicted himself, as he did."

We'll not go so far as to evaluate James' mental state as Jeter evaluated Mr. Campbell's, but we will say that James' cry of "misrepresentation," which was Mr. Campbell's favorite evasive tactic, is at least like unto Campbell in this matter. It was also a favorite tactic of Joseph Smith, as it has been in regard to our critiques of Peter Ruckman and Big Texe Marrs.

Every charge I made about James' teaching was backed up with James' own words. If we have misunderstood him, perhaps he should consider the possibility that he may have done a very poor job of clearly expressing his views.

Other than this, James says, "I would appreciate it if Mr. Ross would go back to doing what he does so well: publishing Spurgeon's works. I publicly reject his misrepresentation of my writings, and exhort him to aim his literary cannons where they might do some good. As for me, this is the last I will have to say about it. There are more important issues to address."

Just "for the record," I wish to say that if James has been misrepresented in any way, he is herewith invited to address those misrepresentations to my email list.

In the meantime, there are evidently other Calvinists who are also concerned about the teachings of James White, as the following email, received this evening from a Baptist pastor, reveals:

>>
Dear Bob,
Thanks for weighing in and taking the hits on this topic. Many of us who embrace Calvinism are saddened by the blanket adoption on the part of many Baptists on the teaching of pre-faith regeneration.

Here is a quote from my 1914 original copy of Fundamentals of the Faith by William Dudley Nowlin.

                     REGENERATION

   Regeneration the Work of the Holy Spirit.
    Wrought in the Heart, Through the Use of
    the Appointed Means -- the Preached
    Gospel -- on Terms of Repentance
    and Faith; Which Work Is of Grace and
    Means Eternal Redemption Through the
    Blood of Christ; and Which Work Is
    Evidenced by a Changed Life.

I am mailing the entire chapter to you tomorrow.
>>

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