12.  The "Not Invented Here Syndrom"

The twelfth thing, and a newly added complaint is that we Bereans do not like to use "Outsider" works, even if they are good, or, if we do use them, we are unwilling to give credit to the individual who complied said work.

• RC's tend to have the 'not invented here' syndrome. If a work or works come from an 'outsider' -- even if they are useful -- they may be shunned, or evil spoken of, or if used, uncredited. To acknowledge outside help would be to admit that 'Camelot' is insufficient or flawed. Burning 'outsider' works (even though they are doctrinally sound and really useful) are spoken of by the most rash.

This is just another of those statements that makes a reasonable man ask, what are these "loving" Central "conservative" folks talking about?  Surely they must understand that we use unlimited numbers of books, reference works, commentaries, dictionaries, encyclopedias, geographies, etc   

As for Christadelphian writings, generally speaking I think it is fair to say we, as Berean Christadelphians, don't read very much of the modern stuff   This is not because we have some rule against it, but because those writings do not measure up to the writings of the Pioneer brethren  There are no doubt exceptions among the Bereans, and therefore you will find brethren who will read the modern stuff, but for me, and I'm sure for most others, it is a question of using what free time I have, in the most beneficial manner possible  Therefore, we don't take the time to read a lot of modern works, period   As works used for study in the ecclesia, we as Bereans, strongly lean towards the writings of brethren Thomas and Roberts    Some meetings will experiment from time to time with modern writings   In almost all cases, they soon leave the pabulum of the moderns, for the meat of the Pioneers.

I know our Central "conservative" brethren do not believe that their writings are so far exceeded by the Pioneer brethren   They chaff under such a comparison,  but to each his own, in this matter   Further, there is no question that brethren will sneak in their pet peeves into their writings  Rarely do moderns write in a disinterested manner that sound study requires as did bre Thomas and Roberts

For example, compare this modern article on fellowship which we are examining, with the articles found here .  Then ask yourself why would you read the modern writings!  Bro. Thomas points out the Scriptural command to judge nothing before the time, when Christ shall make manifest the secrets of the heart.  This article spends all its time judging the hearts and motives of the brethren.  This article teaches a different hireling than bro. Roberts, a different message concerning fellowship from the ecclesia at Corinth than did bro. Roberts.  A different conclusion as to the ecclesias in the Apocalypse and fellowship than did bro. Thomas.  It denies that we can be guilty of fellowshipping errorists, which bro. Roberts affirms.  The question really is, if this is typical of the new writings, why should we use it?  Do we wish to be led astray from the Truth discovered by bro. Thomas?  If we do, then read it!  But if not, why shouldn't we ignore it?  Bre Thomas and Roberts wrote with the goal of enlightening their reader as to the truth of the Scriptures.  This current article on Fellowship is a blatant attempt at defending an ideology.

As to giving credit, the concept of receiving credit for work in the truth is not a concept that Berean Christadelphians are comfortable with.  I remember being allowed to read personal correspondence between John Carter and bro. G. V. Growcott from the 1940s when visiting bro. Growcott  John Carter was complaining in that letter, about the Dawn brethren having reproduced some of bro. Roberts' work, and John Carter complaining, giving the suggestion that the material in question belonged to the Christadelphian office, and he should have control over it.  Bro. Growcott was appalled by John Carter's suggestion.

Bro. Growcott's, and indeed all Berean material can be reproduced by anyone, at any time without permission or credit.  Our position is that if it is truth, then it is God's, and not ours, anyway.  To seek, or require the attention that goes with "credit" is an arrogant idea which should forever remain foreign to us.