To the Editor:

While preaching at a small rural congregation north of here Sunday morning, I was approached by one of the members who was wielding a copy of the Abilene Reporter-News.

I had been proudly proclaiming my belief in and allegiance to ACU when he showed me the front page. There I saw a young man pretending to be undressed for the benefit of attracting motorists to his social club’s car wash. I looked at the picture, read the caption and fell silent. The man who showed me the picture was embarrassed, as he was a long-time supporter of the university.

What was so disheartening about the picture was the (perhaps unintended) representation of ACU. This would not have shocked me so if the was Texas A&M or the University of Texas, but the heart of our school is “Christian.” I take very much offense at the actions of not only Doug Smith but the social club he is supposed to represent. Perhaps they all forgot that, in a much larger sense, we were all being represented. I realize the need for funds is great in your clubs, but please don’t raise money at the university’s expense.

And one more thing-did you have to be a Smith?

Randy Smith
senior Christian ministry major from Natchez, Miss.

To the Editor:

In Wednesday’s Optimist, a letter to the editor appeared which reprimanded an ACU student for pretending to be undressed for the benefit of his social club’s car wash.

This student was caught in the act of such a heinous crime in a picture that it made the front page of the Abilene Reporter-News. Although I don’t feel that Doug Smith did anything wrong at the car wash (obviously the Abilene paper found it amusing), I do respect Randy Smith’s opinion and his right to complain in the Optimist.

However, if a Christian disagrees with the conduct of a fellow brother in Christ, he should approach him in love and with a gentle spirit. I know Randy Smith was trying to make a point, but the comment addressed to Doug Smith asking, “Did you have to be a Smith?” was out of line and uncalled for.

I think Doug is a fine young Christian man, and I know that the “social club which he is supposed to represent” is full of upstanding Christian brothers.

If you have a problem with a fellow Christian, please handle it in love. We are all in this thing together, so let’s try to get along and help each other out.

Clay Brackeen
junior missions major from Lubbock and chaplain of Frater Sodalis