1. Mr. Buddy Ferguson and the team that was with him are to be commended. They were confronted by a hostile crowd, and he and his team performed admirably.
2. Some of the people present were Mary Elizabeth Todd, Kevin Metz, Jay West, Kevin Brock, Nan Campbell, Charles Blakely, and John Tribble, who had come up from Atlanta to make his thoughts known. I sat at the same table with Mary Elizabeth Todd; however, the noise level was so high that she didn’t know who I was, and we had a civil conversation.
3. The first question was: “Where is David Norman? Why isn’t he here? We have a word for ‘the young man!’” Mr. Ferguson explained that Dr. Norman was in Virginia visiting a donor. Then they wanted to know how many of the chapter meetings Dr. Norman had attended. Mr. Ferguson answered about half. These alums seemed to be very put out that Dr. Norman wasn’t there; they had come for a piece of “the young man.”
4. John Tribble startled me with his question. Erskine has engaged a national recruiting consultant, and he asked: “Where is the money coming from to pay the consulting firm? Why is this money being paid to people who are not Erskine people?” He gave the impression that he was entitled to this information. He gave the impression that the Erskine administration was doing something underhanded. A young lady named Tobe Frierson, an Erskine employee who works in recruiting and who was also a part of Mr. Ferguson’s team that evening, explained the merits of the consultant. She noted that the “old” system was “broken” and that this arrangement was working very well. At this point the tired old canard of the “Bible College” was paraded out like a ghoul to frighten the alums one more time. It was clear that the point of this interrogation was a fear that Dr. Norman’s administration might be focusing on recruiting evangelical Christian students to attend Erskine. Their desire is a secular diversity that only tolerates a generic, insipid, and empty form of Christianity. Such is their broadmindedness that evangelical Christians need not apply. It was astonishing to watch anti-Christian xenophobia at work. Clearly, the attitude was this: we are entitled to what we want and we don’t want the Christian faith taken seriously. John Tribble announced that he was a fifth generation Erskine grad. He then opined that he needed to be heard and that all those people who were trying to “change” Erskine were second- class interlopers.
5. These alums know little of how the Erskine Board of Trustees (BOT) works. They asked: “Why isn’t a representative of the BOT here to speak with us? We are entitled to information!” They failed to understand that the BOT exists to oversee the work of the administration and that the administration is the public voice of the institution.
6. Indeed, the alums are upset with Dr. Norman and his administration. There are too many changes and new people they don’t know or trust! They are going to withhold their gifts to Erskine. The most vocal on this matter was Jay West. After a couple of drinks and a bottle of wine, he was still very clear in his opinions. He stated that he had changed his will again so that a 1.4 million dollar gift had been withdrawn. He said that he would re-instate his 1.4 million dollars if Erskine would listen to him and the alums instead of the ARP Church. Well, I have been hearing this out of West since about 1998 when I was on the BOT. He treats his will like a “Yo-yo.” Yawn! This antic has gotten old. Erskine will never see any money out of Jay West! That you can take to the bank!
7. Regarding the constitution of the BOT, the refrain went like this: “We have the money. We have the voice. We matter. How dare the ARP Church control the appointments to the BOT?”
8. The most bizarre and jaw-dropping question of the evening was this: “How dare David Norman and his administration not speak out on behalf of the EC Foundation and defend the names of Lee Logan, Jim Gettys, John Hunt, and Bill Lesesne since a motion (“memorial”) by the sessions of three congregations in Second Presbytery has been made calling for an investigation of these men as Directors of the EC Foundation”? Incredible!! I didn’t believe my ears! The EC Foundation has no connection to Erskine. In fact, the EC Foundation hurts Erskine by siphoning contributions away from Erskine. Logan, Gettys, Hunt, and Lesesne are not employees of Erskine. The matter before Second Presbytery involves four ordained elders in Second Presbytery. Why are these ARP elders Directors in the EC Foundation (1) when the EC Foundation has paid for litigation against the ARP Church, (2) when the stated purpose of EC Foundation is to collect money in order to sue the ARP Church, (3) when the goal of the EC Foundation is to oppose the ARP Church’s oversight of Erskine, which is one of the agencies of the ARP Church, and (4) when the EC Foundation regards the ARP Church an “outside influence” in its oversight of Erskine? I do not know what those people were drinking for supper; I was drinking water.
9. Generally speaking, the alums’ animosity toward the ARP Church and President Norman in particular and evangelical Christianity in general was palpable.
10. An interesting tidbit is that only about 6% (about 40) of the student body of Erskine is ARP. It seems that ARPs no longer trust Erskine.
11. The BIG surprise of the evening: NOT A WORD WAS SPOKEN IN PUBLIC ABOUT DR. BILL CRENSHAW! I wonder why!?

Well, I’m sure I have missed something; however, I think I have hit on the salient points. I’m sure others will add points I have missed. I’m also sure some will interpret the evening differently. Be that as it may . . .

These are my thoughts,

Charles W. Wilson

This e-mail edition of ARPTalk is in response to an e-mail from a Christian sister and a phone call from a Christian brother.

As you are aware, both ARPTalk and the Editor have never been shy about speaking clearly and boldly to all issues relevant to the health and well-being of the ARP Church. In fact, that is precisely why ARPTalk exists: to promote the well-being of the Associate Reformed Presbyterian Church! This is clearly stated in all ARPTalk documents.

The Editor is aware that in our exceedingly “nice” ARP culture that sometimes his bold speech and manner are probably offensive to some. Prophetic speech is often misunderstood. Indeed, there have been occasions when his passion and zeal for the well-being of the Associate Reformed Presbyterian Church and the integrity of our evangelical and Reformed Christian faith have produced both heat and light. However, the Reader may be confident that everything that the Editor has reported has been accurate, and, on the rare occasions, when a mistake in reporting has occurred, a correction has always followed quickly.

In point of fact, the Editor has apologized when he realized that he had crossed a line in dealing with an individual or two. In pondering this, the Editor wants to remind the Readers of ARPTalk that, as a faithful presbyter and member of Second Presbytery of the Associate Reformed Presbyterian Church, he has always been open and willing to repent when convinced by the Scriptures that he has erred. That is what all faithful presbyters do! That is what all faithful Christians do! Should a Christian or presbyter not be willing to repent when it is clearly demonstrated to him that he is in sinful error according to the Scriptures, there is a serious problem.

These are my thoughts,

Charles W. Wilson

I don’t know if Bob Seger wrote “Turn the Page,” but doesn’t he perform it well!? It is time now to TURN THE PAGE on the “Bill Crenshaw Era” at Erskine. The last chapter of this story has been written. The only dangling question that was left was whether Crenshaw was going to file a lawsuit against Erskine. The e-mail that was sent out last night from the Erskine Faculty Executive Committee and which is posted below settles that question.

The Faculty Executive Committee has met confidentially with President Norman and Dr. Christie concerning the termination of Dr. William Crenshaw’s tenured faculty appointment. From the information we received at that meeting, the FEC is satisfied that the College followed the procedures for dismissal as outlined in the College Faculty Manual (p.35-36), and that Dr. Crenshaw’s procedural rights have not been violated.

The memo asserts that the “t”s have been crossed and the “I”s have been dotted in the matter of Crenshaw’s “termination.” Crenshaw’s attorneys have probably informed him that he has no hope in court. SACS is not going to be interested if the faculty is satisfied with the procedure. And who cares about the AAUP!

The letter that Crenshaw made public on Facebook from the AAUP to President Norman was fascinating in what it revealed. Indeed, it revealed that Crenshaw turned down two years of salary. That is, he walked away from about $140,000 plus benefits. Why would he do that? The answer is obvious. He could not sign the non-disclosure clause of the deal. He wants his freedom to talk and talk and talk!

As I have said, Crenshaw’s attorneys have probably informed him that he doesn’t have a case; however, there is a more compelling reason for him not to go to court. If he did take this to court, it would be publicly and clearly demonstrated that he was terminated from his position “for cause.” In other words, he would be discredited and the next page of the continuing saga of the life and times of Bill Crenshaw would be difficult for him to tell.

Well, what is the next chapter in the continuing saga of the life and times of Bill Crenshaw? Stay tuned!

These are my thoughts,

Charles W. Wilson

Below is a copy of an e-mail that Bill Crenshaw posted on the AFE site today, and I have also been informed that he posted it on the “closed” AFIE site last night. The post is a copy of an e-mail letter that was sent to President David Norman from the AAUP.

Dear President Norman:

Dr. William B. Crenshaw, a tenured full professor and holder of an endowed chair in the Department of English with thirty-five years of service at Erskine College, has advised this Association of your August 12 letter notifying him of his immediate suspension with pay from his academic responsibilities pending the outcome of dismissal proceedings. Professor Crenshaw has informed us that he has been denied access to his office and to his college e-mail account. We understand that the letter was sent after Professor Crenshaw declined to accept an early-retirement agreement which would have paid him his salary through August 2013.

Assuming the accuracy of the information in our possession, we are writing to advise you that this action is unacceptable under the enclosed 1940 Statement of Principles on Academic Freedom and Tenure and the complementary 1958 Statement on Procedural Standards in Faculty Dismissal Proceedings (also enclosed). We note that the procedures for dismissal set forth in pages 35-36 of the Erskine College faculty manual are essentially consistent with the key provisions of the 1958 Statement.

One of those provisions, which the faculty manual incorporates almost verbatim, is the following: “Suspension of a faculty member during the [dismissal] proceedings is justified only if immediate harm to the faculty member or others is threatened by the faculty member’s continuance.”

In an August 21 e-mail message to you, Professor Crenshaw questioned the basis of the suspension “because,” he wrote, “your documents have never indicated that you considered me a harm to myself or others. . . . ” You responded on August 23:

“Immediate harm to yourself or others would be threatened by your continuance. The reasons for this were set out in my letter to you dated August 12, 2011. There is one reason in particular that I would like to call to your attention. The College cannot permit you to hold your position on an active basis and while doing so [permit you to] encourage people to quit donating to Erskine and to quit sending their kids to Erskine.”

As far as we can ascertain, the August 12 letter did not ascribe any bases for Professor Crenshaw’s suspension, much less a perceived threat of immediate harm, and the reason given on August 23, even if true (Professor Crenshaw sharply contests its accuracy), hardly seems to involve an imminent threat to anyone’s safety or well-being, though its being employed as a basis for the suspension does lend additional credence to Professor Crenshaw’s claim that the actions taken against him were based on considerations that violate his academic freedom. In addition, since by your own account Professor Crenshaw’s allegedly “disloyal” speech occurred in an online forum, suspending him from his faculty responsibilities will clearly do nothing to prevent further such expressions.

We find it puzzling, moreover, that the same faculty member who, according to your August 9 proffer of early retirement, is “leaving Erskine in good standing” and whose “many contributions over the years are greatly appreciated” should by August 12 become such a danger that you would be compelled to suspend him immediately.

An administration’s action to suspend a professor from service, absent threat of immediate harm, is a matter of basic concern to our Association. We urge that the suspension be lifted, that Professor Crenshaw’s access to his office and to the campus e-mail system be restored, and that any subsequent action be consistent with the above-cited procedural standards. We look forward to your response.

Sincerely,

I have five points.

First, it is gratifying to see that the stipulations of the deal that was offered to Crenshaw are about what I surmised. It certainly was a good deal. It’s a pity that Crenshaw violated confidence and broke the deal. Indeed, it was a good deal.

Two, look up the American Association of University Professors. It’s an “I-want-to-be-a-professors’-union-and-just-can’t-make-the-grade” organization. The AAUP is like a piss ant’s sting, or a mosquito bite on a blue whale. It’s annoying but not much more! Since 1963 the AAUP has had a ban on Grove City College (a Christian College in Pennsylvania). Now, look up Grove City College. Has the AAUP’s ban on Grove City College hurt the college’s growth or influence? To God that Erskine was as healthy as Grove City College!!!

Three, as of this afternoon, Dr. Norman has sent out two e-mails. The first was sent to Crenshaw that informed him that his employment at Erskine had been terminated. The second e-mail was distributed to the Erskine community and it informed them that Crenshaw was no longer an employee of Erskine College. For the last couple of months, Crenshaw has made an art form out of insubordination to and the bullying and insulting of Dr. Norman. Crenshaw’s past antics do not work with this brave young president. Crenshaw got what he wanted and deserved.

Four, what is Crenshaw going to do now? Does anyone want to wager with me that he doesn’t take this to court? So, how is Crenshaw going to pay the fees of his attorneys? Well, how were the attorneys’ fees paid for Chesnut, Taylor, and Young? What is the EC Foundation going to do with the “war chest” of money that they have? BTW, does anyone know how to find out what a 501.c.3 does with its money? Someone needs to look into what the EC Foundation is doing with the thousands of dollars that have recently been donated to the foundation this year. Is it kosher for a 501.c.3 (that was founded to provide scholarships at Erskine College) to pay attorneys’ fees so that a former Erskine employee can sue the college in civil court?

Five, I call on all ARPs and all evangelical Christians who love righteousness to stand with President David Norman. We have asked this young man to do the right things. He is a man of courage and integrity. We should stand with him! Indeed, God help us to stand with him!

Regards,

Chuck Wilson

Editor, ARPTalk

A number of people have suggested that the comment below, previously published as a comment under the article A Vision for Erskine as Articulated by the Erskine Facebook Participants be posted as an article. After discussion with the ARPTalk team, I am turning my comments into a post.

Regards,

Chuck Wilson

ARPTalk

Ms. Stacy Hall wrote a very nasty and demeaning letter to President Norman. President Norman responded with a blunt but respectful letter to Hall. The interesting thing about President Norman’s response is that he didn’t say anything to her that he hasn’t said in public to General Synod, to the BOT, and, yes, to me. However, Ms. Hall is a delicate flower! The BOIs (‘bunch of idiots”) must also be delicate flowers! They seem to be able to give; however, THEY CAN’T TAKE!!

As you read the comments below, it will be helpful to remember that Stacy Hall, Cecelia Hall Dunleavy, and Nancy Hall Gautier are sisters, and, I’m sure, there are others who are their cousins in this cauldron of sensitive feelings and brain dribble. Well, I suppose we now have both the three witches of Due West (TWODW) and the BOIs on the alums Facebook site.

It’s beginning to look like a Due West family reunion! I wonder if Mary Lou Holmes will join in and introduce us to the family connections.

Well, whatever the family relations, it now seems that the BOIs and TWODW want a vote of “No Confidence” in President Norman from the alums.

Regards,

Chuck Wilson

ARPTalk

Another Day In the Life of the FaceBook Alums

[The letter below: from Stacy Hall to President Norman]

My letter – sorry for the length:

Dear Dr. Norman,

I am an alumna of Erskine. As are many others, I have been alarmed at what has been going on the last several years. I wanted to give you the benefit of the doubt to see if you could act as a filter between the people who wish to bring sudden, radical and potentially damaging change to Erskine and the Institution and its heritage. Sadly, it has become apparent that you are not. That’s what the leader of an institution does – work to balance the long-lived heritage of the institution with the whims of short-lived individuals or parts of an institution whose goals and wants will pass on with them. If a leader works to protect the heritage while implementing such goals that help the institution to grow and prosper, his legacy becomes legend. If the leader allows undue small, narrow, divisive and short-lived influence to destroy that heritage and the institution, his legacy becomes nothing, or worse.

I understand that there are clear leadership differences between your generation and mine. Adult boomers have been known for respecting their elders, listening to advice, thinking a decision through thoroughly before implementing it (not so much as adolescents, but as adults). 30-somethings do not do those things, according to research. They have grown up with video games, where if you make decisions that result in catastrophe, you just “do-over”. So for 30-somethings, I understand, the trend is make snap decisions without considering the consequences, and deal with the consequences when they come up. You have removed any number of loyal Erskine employees, whether through your direct action or through concurrence, employees who have nurtured both the institution and its legacy – the students and resulting alumni. The consequence is dire. Beloved professors with inspiring legacies, were they to apply to work at Erskine now, would be denied in the interest of, apparently, eliminating diversity of thought among staff. Elimination of diversity of thought of staff has a likely fallout of eliminating diversity of thought of students. What a shame.

It is also a trait of your generation to surround yourself with those who will simply agree. It may be wise to seek the advice of those who disagree with you. Of course, you didn’t ask for my advice, but I am giving it to you, anyway. I disagree with you, so take or leave my advice as you will. I can’t be “fired” from being an alumna, fortunately.

The alumni have been “dismissed” by some of the folks that want to see Erskine’s legacy go by the way. I believe that’s a mistake. Look at alumni contributions, last year to this year, your first. Look at the names, look at the amounts, be aware of the trend that is shaping up. Alumni dearly love Erskine, and that has been obvious in the past. However, they will not love an Erskine that has been allowed to be destroyed, because that will no longer be Erskine.

Erskine is a wonderful legacy. I hope that you have read or heard of it, and not as a history, but as a living legacy. I can hope that Erskine is a strong enough legacy to recover from the damage of a small number of people who really don’t care about that legacy, but if there is no-one in leadership to filter those narrow goals, to temper them to preserve the legacy, heaven help her. I still have hope that you could be that leader, but it is a diminishing hope. And it may be wise to remember that if one is the pawn of others, it is not the same as being the king. Pawns are dispensable, once they’ve set the strategy in motion.

I do not expect to hear back from you, as that is also, in my experience, a trait of 30-something leaders. And I understand you may have too much correspondence to deal with in a timely manner, at any rate.

Sincerely,

Stacy Hall

Mary Elizabeth Todd: Very well said.

Jim Moore: An excellent letter!

Carrie Ann Shriver: Way to go!

Cecelia Hall Dunleavy: Wonderfully stated!

John Randolph Harrison: Beautifully written Stacy.

Becky Lauderdale: Thanks again, Stacy, for taking the time to write this excellent letter and sharing with us, too!

Stacy Hall: I got a reply:

Stacy Hall:

Wow. How kind of you to write.

I was never much of a video game fan, but it seems you have decided that you have seen enough on the Internet to know the real me, so anything I could say now [to] correct you would just sound dishonest.

I hope, in time, your opinion may change, but please know that I will do what I believe is right whether you or anyone else agree.

I love Erskine, and believe I can help move her beyond the fits of Blog-induced psychosis with which she has suffered these past few years. But if not, I know God will provide for my family another way. Until you are able to run me off, however, please know that I will be doing all I can for the good of your alma mater.

Hope you are having a restful Sunday afternoon.

David Norman

Mary Elizabeth Todd: Boy the tone in that one was way different from the tone in mine. He has got p&^%ed.

P. Mark Wilson: Dear David, WE did not start this fire.

John Randolph Harrison: WOW!!!!!!! Thats harsh.

Becky Lauderdale: Obviously intends to keep doing what he’s been doing – ridding the college of good quality people and curricula, and he has no use for us..

Gary Bordogna: WOW-A letter like that to an alum!

Nancy Hall Gautier: Good to know that he and his family will be fine once Erskine goes under.

Rick Beard: UNTIL YOU CAN RUN ME OFF!!!

Nancy Hall Gautier: Anyone else get a similar response?

Ann Clarke Judd: Unusual tone from a chief executive particularly when it might be shared with a wider audience.

John Randolph Harrison: He would have been better off keeping those comments to himself. Guess we are getting the other side of the coin now.

Ann Clarke Judd: Probably not quite enough experience at the executive level to understand the ramifications of this type of response.

Becky Lauderdale: What an opening: “Wow. How kind of you to write.”

Rick Beard: this is not good. I don’t understand why the EC Foundation is tip toeing around this situation. They are afraid they are going to make someone upset? Come on!

Ann Clarke Judd: This is an example of the flippant and churlish behavior that the staff deal with on a daily basis.

Gary Bordogna: Rick: It’s usually best to respond after 24 hours or so. That way emotions have died down and you address the issues.

Mary Elizabeth Todd: I have been debating showing my response- I took a religious direction with him- in that pointed out that just because a person does not sign said statement it does not mean that they do not believe in inerrancy- in fact they may have a problem stating the Bible as being inerrant simply because only God, Jesus and the Holy Spirit are that. I also pointed out matt 7:1-2-which has the Judge not lest you Judged and goes on to say in the second verse that how you judge you will be judged measure for measure- and that by signing that statement they are passing judgement on their fellow Christians who believe differently and therefore can not do it for ethical reasons. I spoke to him about there are two things that drive us- Power and love- If Power rules you become ruthless- and if love rules- you no longer need power- I asked him was he motivated by power or by love. I told him that I did not need answers to this but he needed to examine his heart to determine which kind of man he was- this is a rough summary of what I sent.

Gary Bordogna: Somewhere Dr. Bill Crenshaw is laughing.

Jim Moore: The only two Erskine presidents I ever had a conversation with were Dr. Stan Bell and Dr. Randy Ruble. I thought a lot of Dr. Bell, and hold Dr. Ruble in equal esteem. In my opinion, they would never even consider communicating like this to anyone, let alone an alumni.

I did notice that Dr. Norman disputed absolutely nothing that Stacy stated.

Ann Clarke Judd: That response does not exactly make alumni want to write a big check to the Annual Fund.

Stacy Hall: Or even a miniscule one.

Ann Clarke Judd: And doesn’t help validate the message we received from Nan, the BOT chair, and the Moderator today.

John Randolph Harrison: You took the words out of my mouth Ann. Glad I gave my last check to help save Philo Hall.

P. Mark Wilson: Instead of assuring us that things would settle down and that he saw a great future for Erskine, he fanned the flames and actually said “until you are able to run me off”. Does he mean like he ran off Woody, Cory and others? If you have any connection to the school, you are no longer welcome. If you love Erskine then you are an impediment to the changes they want. He cleaned out the entire admissions department and hired an outside firm to recruit the students they desire. Hmmm let’s see, why on earth would we be suspicious of him?

Nancy Hall Gautier: I am always telling my kids to not put things in writing that they would not like to be posted for everyone to read. Seems like some thirty somethings have not learned that lesson.

Jim Moore: I suggested this before the last alumni association meeting, and will suggest it again. I think it’s time to consider a vote of no confidence in Dr. Norman.[Ed. emphasis] Hopefully, a measure such as this will help communicate to those alumni not aware of what is going on in Due West to start paying attention. Loyalty is a two-way street. If Dr. Norman chooses to talk to alums the way he spoke to (not with) Stacy, I don’t see how we can honestly place any confidence in him.

Whitney Tillman Marcengill: I think I am going to be sick after reading Norman’s response. Are they drinking the koolaid over there?!!

Stacy Hall: I totally agree, Jim. Who can tell us how to go about lodging such a vote of no confidence? It’s a bit tricky, from my understanding.

Jim Moore: If Robert’s Rules or Order are followed, I would think that any alum can be asked to be placed on the agenda. I imagine that Nan Campbell could give you the details. It is, after all, OUR association!

Stacy Hall: I agree, Whitney. What adult responds to a serious letter from their mobile device, where you cannot see and reflect on the entire text?

Stacy Hall: Jim, am corresponding with ACJ, we’ll see what happens.

Jim Moore: Stacy, I really believe that all it takes is a motion, and a vote. Anything over 50% carries.

Whitney Tillman: Marcengill I hear you, Stacy!

Jim Moore: Stacy, I think you should be the one to make the motion, and Whitney second it.

Cecelia Hall Dunleavy: His response is just bizarre. If he thought Stacy’s assessment of him was wrong, that is his prerogative. However, as a president of a college, you have to show diplomacy at all times, ESPECIALLY, when you are putting things in writing. And to make statements like “I will do what I think is right no matter whether you or anyone else agrees” indicates that he has a huge ego with a “my way or the highway” mentality. This letter alone demonstrates poor leadership qualities. Stacy, your letter was very good and obviously touched a nerve. His letter makes him sound a bit paranoid too, with “blog-induced psychosis ” and “until you run me off”. Well, I must say that my opinion of him has changed in time, but not for the better. I actually initially wanted to give him time to prove himself. Silly me.

John Randolph Harrison: He made a couple of strange comments a few months ago on the other site from his IPAD while out of town. It was late and only a few people saw them. He deleted them almost instantly and changed the whole content. Makes you wonder.

Jim Moore: Cecelia, I actually was pulling for the guy too, until he started letting so many employees go. People don’t treat people like that.

Gary Bordogna: Stacy, Jim, and others. IMHO, if you are going to follow the “no confidence” route, you first need to meet with Dr. Norman. If he doesn’t answer your questions, or refuses to meet with you, then proceed. Otherwise, it looks the same to me as when Dr. Norman got rid of Dr. Gid as Dean without even an interview.

Folks who know me know that I’m usually not one to proceed with caution, but IMHO this is the best way to do it to be taken seriously.

Don’t beat me up too bad over this!

Rick Beard: do you have a fever or something tonight Gary?

Jim Moore: If Dr. Norman is to meet with any alumni, it should be those duly elected to represent the association, in my opinion.

John Randolph: Harrison ‎Gary, David Dangerfield and others have had a number of meetings and conversations with him. I think Dr. D has also.

Stacy Hall: Yes, I wanted to give him the benefit of the doubt, myself. No more. Jim,Gary, f I could make such a motion from such a distance, I would. I think it’s an “in-person” action, isn’t it?

Gary Bordogna: No Rick I’m fine. Believe me, I’m not in Dr. Norman’s corner, but I taught for 30 years and it is best to follow certain procedures if you want to remove an administrator and avoid a law suit.

Jim Moore: Stacy, Robert’s Rules of Order have been amended many times in order to utilize technology. I believe that as long as any alum is offered the opportunity to monitor via skype, cellular telephone, or what have you, there is no problem. Still, I would run this by Nan.

Gary Bordogna: Why don’t a group of us ask to meet with Dr. Norman. It doesn’t have to be the Alumni board as frankly, I think a better cross section of alums are here. If he refuses to meet, or if the group doesn’t like his answers, then proceed.

Gary Bordogna: Gee, no likes about my comments?

Nancy Hall Gautier: So ,Gary are you going to do it and hook those of us to far away up with a Skype feed? I would do that. I just can’t necessarily be there in person. Of course, if he finds out I am Stacy’s sister, he might not let me participate.

Gary Bordogna: Nancy: I type with two fingers and my son has to fix any computer problems I have. We need a younger (and smarter) alum to handle IT.

Jim Moore: I think that the college should provide the skype for any meeting with Dr. Norman, and at the alumni association meeting

Nancy Hall Gautier: Gary no one in my family fits that description. I am the youngest and I am well past young.

Nancy Hall Gautier: I have it on computer and I do know how to use it…..more or less.

Mary Elizabeth Todd: Gary- David Tabor courted Doreen using Skype when he was in Germany.

Rick Beard: Skype is very cool

Mary Elizabeth Todd: Can you image David Tabor going into the president’s office and setting all of this up. Somehow that is funny to me

Gary Bordogna: I doubt seriously if Dr. Norman will agree to Skype. I think that well respected people in the Erskine community, like Rick, whose family ties to EC go several back generations, and well respected people (mostly) outside the Erskine community like Jim, who held elected office, and is on several community boards would be great folks to ask questions of Dr. Norman.

Rick Beard: We are checking out the billboard option. The politically correct route seems to be going way to slow.

Nancy Hall Gautier: I agree Rick. We have been way too nice. Where has that left Erskine? The most telling thing to me in his comment is that however it turns out he will be fine.

Rick Beard: we have tried for over 30 years to get help with Philo Hall.

Mary Elizabeth Todd: Yeah- I like the old embarrass them route of the billboards because they cannot hide it anymore.

See the letter below. I commend this ministry to both your prayer and financial support.

Chuck Wilson

ARPTalk

We are in the midst of a revitalization effort at New Covenant ARP Church in Charlotte, NC. Those who want to know more can look at the “about” section on our website www.ncarp.org

By God’s grace, we are growing. The growth is coming from our immediate neighborhood, which is inner-city and multi-ethnic. We are happy to report that the only changes that we have made to our worship hour have been in a more traditional direction; we added Trinity Hymnals to the pew racks. Dean Turbeville’s church, All Saints, gave a generous donation for that. We’ve added the reading of the Law, confession of sin, and assurance of pardon to the liturgy.

We are mindful of the commandment to honor our fathers and mothers, so we are traditional in our worship. The worship hour is not our time for outreach; we do outreach on Sunday afternoons by providing a free meal every week, by doing door-to-door evangelism, and by leading a worship service at a neighborhood nursing home. Ideally the Lord’s Day at New Covenant will begin to look more and more like Isaiah 58:6-14 both in our activities and in the receiving of those promises. Sabbath-keeping, there, is shown to be a means of individual and community revitalization. Sabbath-keeping as a means to church revitalization – that’s the only paradigm we’re aware of which God guarantees to bless (Is. 58:14). We have merely entered into this; we are mindful of our many faults, but we pray that we will be more faithful.

The New Covenant congregation was all Caucasian, when I was called to New Covenant in January 2010; yet the neighborhood is 50% African-American. Thankfully, our Sunday attendance, now, looks very much like the neighborhood. Shortly after my installation as pastor, I took a vacation. On the following Sunday I was told that a very nicely dressed black man had visited. No one had asked him for contact information, but a few people told me that they had nice conversations with him. A couple of weeks went by, and one Sunday morning, a man walked by my office, I called out, “You must be the nicely dressed black man who visited three weeks ago.” Yes, he was the man. His name is Mark Jones. I found out that he sells men’s clothing at Nordstrom’s in Charlotte. I also learned that Mark attended Puritan Reformed Theological Seminary in Grand Rapids for three semesters, prior to moving to Charlotte. Mark is now an elder at New Covenant. He enjoys reading anything by Banner of Truth Publishing, and enjoys listening to recorded sermons by Dick DeWitt and other ministers who are like-minded. Mark is a pastoral intern. He is wrapping up his first class, Greek 1, at Reformed Theological Seminary (RTS).

New Covenant currently supports three interns at the rate of $3,000.00 ea per year (a fourth intern will live in the manse rent free, beginning Sept. 19th). That money is sent to RTS and is doubled by them up to a third of the cost of tuition, so each intern effectively receives $6,000.00 per year. That still leaves a need of about $4,000.00 per year (includes books), if they take classes on a four-year pace. Mark needs help coming up with that amount for each of the next four years. If you wish to help, you may make tax-deductible contributions to New Covenant ARP Church. Simply indicate, separately, that you want the money to be used for Mark’s education or for the education of the interns in general.

Your brother in Christ,

For your information, below is a copy of the ByLaws changes on the table right now at Erskine College. Text marked as strike-through are to be removed, and underlined items are to be added. To make comments directly to the ByLaws Committee, visit www.erskine.edu/bylaws. The ByLaws Committee desires and welcomes all comments.

CLICK HERE TO VIEW/DOWNLOAD THE PDF

The R&B song below was recorded in 1966 by Percy Sledge, and, from the first time I heard it, I fell in love in with it. Perhaps it was because her name was Lynda and she had broken my heart. The words read:

At the time, I thought that was a profound observation. It was simply sappy. Years later I would learn the meaning of profound from an old man who really did love a woman and knew her love.

Fresh out of seminary in 1976, I became the pastor of the White Oak Presbyterian Church, Moreland, GA. Two of the kindest and gentlest people in that congregation were JW and Kate Thompson. They had been married for nearly forever. Mr. JW and Miss Kate had scratched a living out of a piece of Georgia red clay that would hardly grow rocks and kudzu. To augment their living, Mr. JW drove a yellow school bus for 43 years. The Governor said that Mr. JW set a record for his service as a school bus driver, and Mr. JW was proud of his plaque. Money was not an item of plenty for them. Nevertheless, there was food enough on the table for the family and for passersby in hard times and for friends and kin who dropped in at any time. Somehow, they raised two sons, Elwood and Bobby, and passed on to them their love of God. Both sons have grown up to be respected and successful members in their congregation and community.

A visit with Mr. JW and Miss Kate took time. The young preacher had to sit and talk a spell and eat and drink something that was delicious, for example, fresh baked pound cake and southern wine (that is, sweet, sweet iced tea). Once when Mr. JW was in the hospital, he sent a thank you note for me to read to the congregation. It read: “For you who opened the door and said Hello and for you who came in and talked awhile, I thank you, but no one stayed long enough for me to finish talking.” Yes, a visit with them took a spell because we took trips back in time that were highlighted with entertaining stories and lessons in the philosophy of living the good life.

Miss Kate was the quiet one and the caregiver. As I have already noted, Mr. JW was the gregarious one who had never met a stranger. The children at church called him “Candy Man.” He was the bane of mothers in the church who wanted clean children. His pockets were full of chocolates and gum. The folks at Arnold’s Grocery in Newnan, GA, reserved buckets full of “candy kisses” and “blow gum” for him. On more than one Sunday, my children came home from church covered in chocolate smears and gum attached to their clothes.

Mr. JW and Miss Kate had lived together so long they even resembled each other. They did everything together. The last time they visited the eye doctor together, they were given new prescriptions for glasses. At first the new spectacles worked wonders for them. However, in a few days, neither one could see much. They called their son Elwood and complained and informed him that the next day he would have to take off from work and drive them back to the optometrist and this matter would be resolved. They had paid an astounding $100 each for glasses that were making them blind.

The optometrist smiled when Mr. JW and Miss Kate were ushered into his office. He took Mr. JW’s glasses and gave them to Miss Kate and Miss Kate’s glasses and gave them to Mr. JW. Their vision cleared instantly. What was even better for Mr. JW was that the optometrist did not charge them for the visit that day. I am told that the optometrist was delighted to have the story to tell.

And then there was the Christmas that Mr. JW and Miss Kate’s son Bobby gave them an electric blanket with duel controls. Mr. JW and Miss Kate’s breezy house was old and located on a hill. When the house was built, insulation was unknown. The old house was so airy that when a winter wind blew cold, the outside came inside and stayed like a misery.

The electric blanket provided a welcome defense against the winter night. But before January was half over, something went wrong with the blanket. Mr. JW’s side of the blanket was about the set him on fire and Miss Kate’s side was about to turn her into an ice cube.

They called Bobby for help, for he was the source of this demon gift. Like a good son, he came over to help. Here was the problem. When they changed the bedding and put on clean sheets, they switched the sides of the blanket. That corrected, they slept in cozy comfort

To be around Mr. JW and Miss Kate was to know that they were thankful for each other’s love. Like a love story in a good book, they were appropriately married on Thanksgiving Day. As good stories from good books come to an end, this story came to an end in September of 1979. In the late evening on September 17, I got a call from Elwood: “Mama is in the hospital. She has an obstruction in her upper stomach, and the doctor is getting ready to perform an emergency operation.”

The surgery revealed a cancer that had metastasized everywhere inside Miss Kate. The surgeon closed her up. With weariness and sadness in his voice, he told the family the dreadful news.

It was early in the morning when Miss Kate was awake enough to talk. Mr. JW and her boys were by her side. She wanted to know. Mr. JW said, “We don’t know yet. The doctor will tell us in a few days when the tests come back. You need to sleep now.” Miss Kate said, “I will if you’ll go home and get some rest too. You look so tired.” Turning to her boys, she said, “Make your daddy go home. He’s not well. He needs his rest too.” With that they kissed and said their I’ll-see-you-tomorrows and JW went home for some badly needed rest and time to grieve.

Just before daylight, God’s angel of mercy visited Miss Kate and she died in her sleep from a blood clot. Mr. JW was not troubled that he had not told Miss Kate the truth about the cancer. “She never knew, Chuck,” he said. “I didn’t like not telling her the truth, but, in this life, she never knew! I didn’t want her to know. I didn’t want her to worry about the cancer!”

The funeral was so large it overflowed into the basement and the churchyard. Somehow, Miss Kate’s granddaughter Kathy, in spite of her grief, played the piano flawlessly at her grandmother’s funeral. The service was a celebration of love and a life spent well before her family and community. The obligatory country meal afterwards was enormous.

I was in my office a few days later and looked out the window at the cemetery. Mr. JW was sitting in a lawn chair by Miss Kate’s grave in the shade of the tall poplar trees. I went out to comfort him. Little did I know, young as I was and sure of myself, that when I stepped out of my office I was about to encounter a moment of profound wisdom that has colored my understanding to this very day of what it is to love a woman.

Mr. JW watched me as I walked toward him. “Chuck, I’m sorry I don’t have another chair for you to sit in. Sit on that grave stone and let’s talk a bit! Whoever is in the grave won’t mind! I’ve got a few things I need to say to you.”

“First of all,” he continued, “I want to thank you for the good job you did with the funeral. You and Kathy did so good. I don’t know how she was able to play so well for her grandmother. And did you see all those people? And there were so many flowers. Kate and I were so honored. Elwood and Mary Jane and Bobby and Alma Jane and the grandchildren were so honored. I didn’t know half the people. They were people who came for Elwood and Bobby and their children. I was so honored. What good boys I have! And did you see the food?! Never in my life have I seen so much food! I’m so thankful to God! Honestly, everything has taken place just the way I wanted it to. People thought I was the sick one. Kate was the sick one. I knew that caring for me kept her going and that’s why I let her. One of us had to be the first one to go, and I wanted her to go first!”

Mr. JW was studying my face. He saw in my eyes the shock of his words. Dropping his head and fighting back tears, he went on with these profound words: “Chuck, you ain’t lost nothing if you know where to find it. I know where to find Kate; I’ll see her soon. The problem is, one of us had to be the first to go and leave the other to the sorrow and this pain of soul-hurt that just won’t go away. I ain’t never felt nothing that hurts so hard. I would never have wished such grief and pain on the woman I love. She loved me as much I loved her. She was my heart. I’ll never stop loving her and hurting for her in this life. When the doctor told me she was going to have a lot a pain before she died, I asked God to take her now and keep her from the pain. I said to God, ‘I’ll take the pain!’ He answered my prayer.”

That afternoon I was privileged to see what it is like when a man loves a woman. Eighteen years later, September 16, 1997, Mr. JW and Miss Kate were reunited. His love for her had not diminished! Neither had his pain!

This story of love for Valentine’s Day is told by,

Charles W. Wilson

The first two weeks of August were always reserved for Vacation Bible School and protracted revival meetings. It did not matter who the preacher was, one of the themes for a night or two was the Second Coming of Christ.

The year was 1957. The evangelist that August was both a preacher and a chalk artist extraordinaire. The second Friday night, he began preaching on and drawing chalk renderings of the Second Coming of Christ. His words were riveting. His drawings were vivid to the eyes and enthralling to the imagination. Angels! Horses! Trumpets! Falling stars! The sky splitting! Returning saints! Ascending saints! Chaos on earth! Heaven coming down! Jesus in power and glory! The events depicted and elaborated were spectacular! But when the sanctuary lights were turned off and a black light was focused on the preacher’s blackboard, even the adults sat back in their seats, awestruck at the hidden images of hell that were revealed behind the preacher’s drawings! Satan! Demons! The anti-Christ! The lake of fire! The lost turned into hell. These were drawn in emotional shades that seemed to spring up from the pit of the earth, so moving and emotive and terrifying that we seemed to feel the heat of hell’s fire and hear the mournful moans of the doomed. The preacher had even bested one of the 3-D horror movies of that day!

Needless to say, my imagination and emotions were supercharged and set on edge when I left the service that evening for home and bed. The preacher’s dramatic presentation of the events of Jesus’ coming was the focus of Mama and Daddy’s hushed but excited conversation as we drove home.

Those days of the 1950s saw the zenith of railroad passenger train service between New York City and Miami, Florida. The Silver Meteor was a non-stop express passenger train of renown that winged Yankees south to sun and sand and adventure and later returned them north to dreariness and concrete and routine.

The southbound passage of what we called “the Yankee express” rocketed through our little Eloise on the Seaboard Railroad’s “carpet made of steel” at an unheard of 75-miles-an-hour at precisely 4:15 AM. The engineer would begin blowing the train’s horn about a mile north of town and hold down the horn’s switch until the train was about a mile south of town. It was a fine racket and a glorious shaking that was something like combining a tornado and an earthquake in a matchbox. Nevertheless, we had learned to sleep through the noise and quaking.

As I said, my imagination and emotions had been over-stimulated by the evangelist’s words and art. Sleep had not come easily to me. Images of the Second Coming invaded my thoughts. I was terrified by visions of angels and demons and fire and destruction and all such things apocalyptic. Then Gabriel began blowing his trumpet. The skies were parted. The earth began to quake and split. Saints were rising to meet Jesus. But I did not move. I was STAYING!!! I did not want to stay. I saw Mama going with Jesus. I wanted to go with Mama to see Jesus. I sat up and jumped out of bed and ran around my room and through the house screaming “Don’t leave me! Don’t leave me! O Jesus, don’t leave me!”

I found myself in the front yard looking up and wondering why I only saw stars against a backdrop of a night sky. I then realized that the trumpet sound and the quaking were the horn and rumbling of the Silver Comet transporting Yankees to Miami to the pleasures of the fabulous Fountainbleau Resort. Still, I was unnerved and not sure!

I was startled by Daddy’s voice. It was an I’m-not-to-happy-to-be-awakened-at-this-time-in-the-morning-and-the-boy-has-lost-his-mind-like-his-mother’s-crazy-brother-in-the-lunatic-bin-at-the-state-hospital voice saying “Son, what on earth are you doing in the middle of the front yard howling at the stars like a fool? Get yourself in this house now! The neighbors will see you and call the police! Good Lord, what’s wrong with you, boy?”

Daddy’s voice, however, did not reassure me that Jesus had not taken the saints and left him and me. I knew that Jesus would leave him. All that church going was not going to save us. I was sure that I had been abandoned to suffer and endure the terrors of the Great Tribulation with Daddy. Then the angel spoke. Mama’s voice rang out gladdening my heart: “Sherman, what’s going on? Why was Charles screaming and running through the house? Is he all right?”

What a relief! Mama was still with us. It was only a dream and the passenger train!

When the Second Coming of Christ Jesus is mentioned in the New Testament, it is spoken of as the “blessed hope” (Titus 2:13). That is, the return of Jesus is the “blessed hope” of the Christian. We Presbyterians rarely think that way nowadays. If we do, it is probably in the privacy of our minds for fear that someone will think that we have gone over to the dispensationalists or the charismatics.

Notwithstanding, the Second Coming is a central theme of the teaching of the New Testament. Jesus taught us to live in expectation of His return. The language is “Watch therefore” (Matthew 24:42). Honestly, I do not see much of that in our ranks these days. If we can get around to it, eschatology is something to be read about, but we do not take it too seriously. Indeed, it has been a long, long time since I have heard a passionate, well-done sermon on the Second Coming. We do not say much about the “cockcrowing” and “the master . . . coming suddenly” and finding us sleeping (Mark 13:35-36). Are we losing the blessing of anticipation (Luke 12:27)?

I find it peculiar that we are so careful to observe the Lord’s Supper and yet so rarely celebrate the Supper’s anticipation of Christ’s return (1 Corinthians 11:26). Paul speaks of “the Lord” as “at hand” (Philippians 4:5), James says that the Judge is standing “before the door” (James 1:7); Peter encourages us to “be sober, and hope to the end for the grace that is be to be brought unto you at the revelation of Jesus Christ (1 Peter 1:13); and John exhorts us to “abide in him; that, when he shall appear, we may have confidence, and not be ashamed before him at his coming” (1 John 2:28).

1 John 3:2 reads: “But we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is.” That has become my favorite passage in the Bible. I love the words about SEEING Jesus. Indeed, those words have become very precious to me in the last nine years.

Many of us lose a lot as we grow older. I have struggled with glaucoma most of my life. I have nearly lost all my vision. Only one eye works well enough to see and that not much. I type this article in front of a 30-something inch monitor with the screen set at 124% and use Arial Black font set at 28 points and with my face about a foot from the screen. I am so thankful to God that I still have a little vision to use!

John writes that “we shall see him.” I do not see many colors now. I see men like “trees walking” (Mark 8:24). Nothing is ever clear. Faces are a mystery unless I am a foot away. Dark is the color of my world. The only time I see well is in my memory and dreams.

John writes that “we shall see him.” Do you know what that means to a person with extensively compromised vision? It has a double meaning. It means that I will behold my Savior and Lord. It also means that I will have eyes that work again. This means that the next time I see well is when I see Jesus. Even so, Lord Jesus, come!

These are my thoughts,

Charles W. Wilson

A big snow in Oconee County, South Carolina, is rare. The last time we had one was in 1988. Winter weather for this part of the Upstate comes up I-85 from Atlanta. Seneca, South Carolina, is ensconced at the foot of the Appalachian Mountains, which act as a shield from snow. Wind currents from the mountains usually blow east and push snow away. This time, January 10, 2010, the weather front coming up from Atlanta stalled and drifted west. According to my ruler, we had 81⁄2 inches of snow in my backyard.

Before the snow fell, many of the trees in my yard were bare and the grass was winter brown. With two varieties of cherry trees, red and white dogwood trees, three kinds of oak trees, pine trees, pecan trees, sweet gum trees, a native maple, a ginkgo, a Bradford pear, a magnolia, a Chinese maple, a eucalyptus, and a Japanese snowball tree. Grass struggles to survive in my yard. A few barren spots are scattered about.

One of the most esthetically satisfying qualities of snow is that it temporarily covers the gaunt limbs of trees and the open spots of a yard in white beauty. Snow makes everything a white winter wonderland of beauty.

The snow began to fall about three on Monday morning. Like a 10-year-old boy, I was excited about the snow. I could not sleep. I got up, put on a pot of coffee and turned on the outside lights. The snow had just begun. I stayed up and watched it fall for over two hours. I watched as the barren spots were slowly covered with a carpet of stunning white. The gaunt limbs were dressed in dazzling garments of loveliness. The black of the driveway and street were blanketed with a brilliant topcoat as stunning as white fur.

I returned to the warmth of my bed and bride at about 5:30 AM, and the snow was still falling when I threw the covers back in the light of the morning. My world had been transformed by a blanket of white that hid the barren and ugly under its clean and pure beauty. That is the magic, the wonder, the power of snow!

The sound of snow in my neighborhood is the sounds of laughter. We have children in our neighborhood: eight boys and a very tough little girl, who played joyfully and briskly in the snow. They built snowmen. They builtsnow forts. They had snowball wars. They slid down hills and across the landscape. They laughed and hollered and squealed to their hearts’ content. Their smiles were the smiles of abandonment to joy and delight. How I would have liked to be a boy again to run and laugh and sport with them in the snow.

In the Bible, the word “snow” is used twice as a metaphor for the forgiveness of sins. The two passages are found in the Old Testament: (1) Psalm 51:7 – “Purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean: wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow”; and (2) Isaiah 1:18 – “Come now, and let us reason together, saith the LORD: though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they be red like crimson, they shall be as wool.”

The impact of these two verses on Christian poets and hymn writers of the church has been profound. Let me share a little of what I found in a ten minute search of hymnals.

James L. Nicholson wrote:

Lord Jesus, I long to be perfectly whole;

I want Thee forever to live in my soul.

Break down every idol, cast out every foe;

Now wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow.

Elvina M. Hall wrote:

Jesus paid it all,

All to Him I owe;

Sin had left a crimson stain,

He washed it white as snow.

Franklin E. Belden penned:

Look upon Jesus, sinless is He;

Father, impute His life unto me.

My life of scarlet, my sin and woe,

Cover with His life, whiter than snow.

Lewis E. Jones gave us these words:

Would you be whiter, much whiter than snow?

There’s power in the blood, power in the blood;

Sin stains are lost in its life giving flow.

There’s wonderful power in the blood.

Finally, Ira D. Sankey lifts us with these comforting thoughts:

Behold a fountain deep and wide,

Behold its onward flow;

’Twas opened in the Savior’s side,

And cleanseth white as snow,

And cleanseth white as snow!

The hymnbooks of the church are replete with the use of “snow” as a metaphor for the washing and cleansing and renewing power of the purifying, sacrificial work of Jesus Christ.

Just as snow covers with beauty that which is barren and ugly in the landscape, the forgiveness of God through the sacrifice of Jesus on the Cross covers the stains of our rebellious souls and the horrid sins in our lives and clothes them with the spotless righteousness of Jesus. No wonder the Psalmist and Isaiah saw snow as a metaphor for God’s forgiveness! No wonder the poets and singers of the church have delighted in using it to depict the beauty of forgiveness and salvation!

Well, if the sound of snow in my neighborhood is the laughter of delighted children, then the sound of forgiveness and salvation must be the laughter of forgiven and delighted souls that are set free from sin and its penalty. That marvelous reality leaves us like children laughing and hollering and squealing in delight. We slide down the hills of salvation and through the open fields of forgiveness on the purifying snow that covers all our sins. We sing and cheer and shout for “My sin – O the bliss of this glorious tho’t – My sin not in part, but the whole – Is nailed to His cross, and I bear it no more! Praise the Lord, praise the Lord, O my soul!”

Yep, I like snow! These are my thoughts,

Charles W. Wilson