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Having been a friend of M. E. Burr, I sat and heard him preach and teach, I sat at tables and ate with him and he knew me by name, visited in his home.
I would have to say as far as his stand Tim has it on the target. Yes his writings were direct and sometimes probably too pointed. He was writing what he believed, was he affected by what he believed and what was done to him? Yes he was a man, but was he bitter? You could not be in his presence 5 minutes and see that this charge was unfounded. I NEVER heard him personally attack Weeks-Guidroz-Chambers or the men in the UPC he attacked the system. He was kind and a Southern gentleman in everyway. After helping birth the AMF he did not stay but eventually left because he felt the brethren should move on instead going around the same mountain.
I spoke with a notable Elder from the Gulf Coast that sponsered the Baker meeting in which the AMF was formed he said Elder we had a cause and a conviction and were forced to do what we did, he said I have no idea what the cause and conviction is for this formation? Tim is right those men in that era faced religious tribunals convened illegally according to their manual, faced civil court trials and some lost buildings even parsonages that the local pastor and church family had fund raised to build. But everyone knew what the cause was and the dividing line was clear. Many did not quit they were thrown out like Verbal Bean, M. E. Burr, R.C. Cavaness and others. Elder Burr would not accept the chairman position though elected he was not a politician the UPC broke him from that. Thank you Tim this was touching.
To you other brethren I am in no way excusing any misconduct from any AMF preacher or venom but you wasn't there. Did some keep it going when it should have been laid to rest? No doubt. JUst like some folks are still fighting the Civil war and that has been over 150 years. I was offended by the letter one sponser sent out saying they did not want an AMF attitude well the man won't be facing legal action BECAUSE the AMF pulled the teeth of affiliation policies. They won't have to go to court because our brethren did. But I will be watching their attitude in the time to come. Talk is easy when you are not under the gun. Say what you want about the AMF in those early years but their was no doubt in anyone's mind what the war was over. Enough said.
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