Clerical Evasion of Truth

Belvidere, Ill.

Mr. Claude S. Moore, Pastor M. E. Church, City.

Dear Sir,

Being something of a Bible student, and desirous of arriving at the truth in all things, that I may lay hold of that gospel which is able to make us wise unto salvation, I am taking the liberty of asking you several questions; which, I trust, you will not think is presumptuous.

I had the pleasure of attending services at the M. E. church last Sunday evening and listening to your discourse on the latter part of the second chapter of Luke. You very beautifully described the visit of Jesus at the age of twelve to Jerusalem: how he was missed by His parents on the return journey, and His being subsequently discovered in the temple asking and answering questions with the doctors of the Law. You commented on the marvelous wisdom displayed here. Then, if my memory serves me, you spoke as follows: “But the learned doctors of the law know not that the incarnate God stood in their midst.” By this I understood you to convey that God – very God – stood before them; that is, “God the Son, the second person of the Trinity;” who, theology says, is co-equal and co-eternal with the first person or “God the Father.” Now you will readily admit that God is omniscient as well as omnipotent. If this be a fact, how then do you reconcile the 52^nd verse, which you quoted? – “And Jesus increased in wisdom and stature, and in favor with God and man”.

If Jesus was God, very God, omniscient, how could it be said of Him that He increased in WISDOM?

If He was omnipotent and co-equal with God the Father, how could He say, “I can of mine own self do nothing”? – Jno. v:30.

Again: “I go unto my Father, for my Father is greater than I.”

The Scriptures say that Christ died. Could the King, eternal, immortal, invisible, the only wise God DIE?

Now if each, God, Christ, and the Holy Spirit, were God, very God, co-equal and co-eternal, how could the first be said to anoint the second with the third in order to impart power from the first to the second through the third? – Acts x: 38.

If they were co-equal the imparting of power from one to another would destroy the co-equality.

If they were co-equal what power would one have to impart to another that the other was not already in possession of?

Would it be possible for one person to anoint a second person with a third person?

Trusting that you may see fit to favor me with an explanation of the foregoing, and thanking you in advance for the same, I remain:

Very respectfully yours,

E. E. Little

Belvidere, Ill.

Mr. E. E. Little

My Dear Sir,

In replying to your letter of recent date will say that I am always pleased to meet my brethren who are interested in the word of God, but that I do not enter into discussions over points of difference, upon paper. I find that argument is of little value to any of us if we are quite set in our convictions, and I take it that you are rather strongly opinionated in the matter of your particular belief.

I trust you may frequently occupy a seat in our church. You will always find a welcome.

Yours sincerely,

Claude S. Moore

The Christadelphian Advocate, June 1908, pgs 183,184.