When I was in school, I had Carl Spain as a professor. Admittedly, he seemed to be riding out the years he had left until retirement. The classes I had were enjoyable enough, but they mainly consisted of him telling stories about his ministry.
There was a story he didn’t tell us. It happened 50 years ago, on February 24, 1960. Dr. Spain was a popular preacher, holding meetings across the country. He was invited to give one of the main addresses at the Abilene Christian College Lectureship. The ACU website describes the lecture as follows:
At Lectureship, Bible professor Carl Spain gave a lecture entitled “Modern Challenges to Christian Morals.” Word spread that his lecture would concern the issue of integration. When Spain spoke on February 24 in Sewell Auditorium there was standing room only and, for the first time in Lectureship history, the Associated Press carried a daily story.
This was 3 years before Martin Luther King led the march on Washington. Spain’s words sound racist today, but they were courageous in their day. Here are a couple of quotes:
” … I feel certain Jesus would say: ‘Ye hypocrites! You say you are the only true Christians, and make up the only true church, and have the only Christian schools. Yet, you drive out one of your own preachers [from your school] because the color of his skin is dark!”
“We fear the mythical character named Jim Crow more than we reverence Jesus Christ.”
This act of valor virtually ruined Spain’s preaching career. Churches canceled the meetings he was scheduled to preach. Anonymous letters and phone calls made threats on Spain’s life. His own brothers in Christ made his life a nightmare.
The Carl Spain I had in class was a pleasant, godly man. Only later did I learn of his courageous words and the high cost he paid for delivering them.
You can read the text of Spain’s lecture on the ACU website.
Whoa! Don’t have time to read the full lecture, but what courage! Thanks for sharing this. Never having known (or having heard of) Dr. Spain, I have great admiration for him.
Thanks for posting this. I admire his courage an conviction.
Grace and peace,
Rex
Not sure why those words would sound racist. Am I missing something?
nevermind. Yeah, he’d get in trouble for the section on Rabbi Klausner, huh?
Thanks for highlighting the courage of a decent Christian man.
That was the semester I entered ACU. Great time to start! Not growing up in the South, I didn’t realize the significance of what he said until later. For 3.5 years I attended Hillcrest, where he preached. Rich, rich experience. I remember phrases, attitudes, and voice inflections, not particular sermons–but I remember that I wouldn’t think of missing a Sunday morning.
You can see the original reel-to-reel tape of Spain’s courageous speech on display in the Special Collections Reading Room at ACU’s Brown Library (Sp Coll hours: 9 am-5 pm). It is part of an exhibit titled “Facing the Issue” which explores institutional racism in Churches of Christ in the 20th century.
It is amazing that such blatant racism existed among us as long as it did. Thanks for the story and for the reminder that godly people muct stand up for justice…
Years ago I met the Superintendent of Schools in Toledo Ohio. He told about being helped through college by a Christian family on “The Hill” in Abilene. He stayed with them in their home very close to ACC, but, because of his race, he had to take the bus to McMurray.
I had not yet even visited Abilene, and I had trouble imagining what it was like. I formed an image of a place with many good people who were unaware.
Later I found out about Carl Spain and his courageous speech. I am certain that there were others who quietly bucked the written and unwritten rules of the old white only system, but if Carl Spain had not spoken out, I don’t know how long the hill would have continued functioning by those rules. I know of no other lectureship speech that has had such a deep effect on ACC / ACU. It is to their credit that they kept him on the faculty. Some prophets do not survive and most do not continue on a payroll.
Tim, Speaking of racism, are you aware that Tim Wise is coming to Abilene. He wrote “White like Me.” For a brief video of him check out:
http://experimentaltheology.blogspot.com/2010/02/tim-wise-on-race-and-class.html
Jay,
Yes, my students get extra credit if they attend the lecture and write a response paper.
Grace and peace,
Tim Archer
Were ACU and Harding segregationist in the 1960’s when Spain delivered this address? If so, at what point did that change? Was it announced, or did the change come quietly?
Tim,
I’m not sure about Harding, but ACU was segregationist in 1960. The first black student enrolled at ACU in 1965. Someone else might can speak to how the event was announced.
Grace and peace,
Tim Archer
Thank God for mature Christians like Carl Spain who are more influenced by the Scriptures than by their environment! May their numbers increase!
Tim,
i really appreciate you posting about these matters. It deeply disturbs me to conintue to learn of how permeated the church was with racism. Talk about a time in history ripe for us to be a real beacon and model of Christ’s kingdom. And what did we do with that time? A sobering question in any era really.
–Guy
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Thanks for the post. Carl was my grandfather. We called him Papa. I only remember a few years with him but he was an amazing man. He was a real renegade!
How long will it be before some brave soul takes to the pulpit to apologize for the Church of Christ’s anti-LGBT stance? Or for their promotion of corporal punishment for children, or of terrifying children with the threat of hell, or denying the scientific method and all the knowledge it has brought to humanity over the centuries? It’s all very well to feel relief that the Church of Christ isn’t completely racist now, but to the outside world, the Church still appears a bastion of bigotry, hatred, and pre-scientific ignorance. And you all seem to wear it proudly as your birthright.
Hi Alan. I appreciate the comment, though for one condemning judgmentalism you certainly come across rather, well, judgmental.
Let me talk about some of what you brought up, just in case you are interested in a discussion:
Most of what you’ve written just isn’t true. I’m guessing you’ve had a bad experience with some members of the church of Christ in the past. I regret that, but would encourage you not to fall into the same trap of bigotry and hatred that you accuse us of.
Grace and peace,
Tim Archer
I attended ACC in the late 60s. By that time there were a few blacks on campus (athletics). Being Hispanic and one of only a few, I could feel the stress in the air as the issue of integration surfaced around us. I must tell you, though, that inspite of everything that was going on around us, I was always treated with respect all the way from Chancellor Don Morris to Carl Spain whom I was honored to have studied under.
I learned of his speech from others because Dr. Spain, in all his modesty never mentioned it.
Tim…we so need to talk…