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Join Date: Apr 2008
Location: Renton, Washington
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Re: Fermentation of the Present Rebellion
Though co-workers, elders and responsible ones among the local churches have had much to say regarding Bill Mallon, they have no interest in hearing the other side of the story
Bill Mallon did have something to say in response to words spoken concerning him in Fermentation of the Present Rebellion:
I hesitate to comment on the following lest I fall into some sort of self-vindication, impose motives on brothers which may not be true, or look at things through the color of my sometimes short-sighted perspective. When things are brought into the light of Christ’s Judgment Seat, I’m sure we all will be found guilty of not viewing things according to His Light. And the brothers who made such statements probably opined them according to their own viewpoints and understanding of things, having no intention for malice.
Here is Ron Madore's testimony from Fermentation of the Present Rebellion
XVI.******** Testimony of Ron Madore From Miami, Florida
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Concerning Miami
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I would like to give you a report from the churches in Florida. Some of the activity that was centered around this conspiracy was also centered in Miami. The damage done there was that approximately ten saints from the church in
Miami have gone to meet with approximately fifteen other saints in Fort Lauderdale. They are not meeting with us any longer.
Here is Bill Mallon's response concerning Ron Madore's testimony
1. Concerning the statements of Ron Madore, I did share with him some of the points as indicate in my letter with Witness Lee in December 1987, because of the grief-strickened depths of mine own concerns. He had joined other brothers who attended and observed the Taipei “New Way.” He returned from the trip and came to me with great concerns about the innuendos and undertones suggested by certain responsible brothers in Taipei regarding certain brothers in the U.S. having “a reputation with the LSM office,” implying that I was not in good standing with the LSM office,
that I was independently doing my own thing apart from Lee, and working contrary to the “new way” of the churches. As far as the damage of 10 saints leaving Miami for Ft Lauderdale is concern, I have no knowledge of this. But this is amusing to me, because about 30 couples had left the church in Miami earlier which precipitated Lee’s decision to send me to Miami in 1985. These couples had been wrongfully accused, suffered intimidation and suppression, and in one case, one of their leaders was excommunicated. I eventually attributed this problem to jealousy by one of the fellow-elders.
Here is Vincent Laviano's testimony from Fermentation of the Present Rebellion
XVII.***** Testimony of Brother Vincent Laviano From Boca Raton, Florida
Concerning Bill Mallon
In our locality we have had a history of being rescued and supplied by the video tapes of Brother Lee’s messages. But in 1984, the tapes were gradually being taken away from the saints by the leading ones. At first the reason for holding back the tapes was that they needed to be reviewed first. Then the reason was that the meetings were elders’ meetings and should therefore be restricted in their being viewed. There always seemed to be a reason for keeping the tapes from being distributed to the saints. By 1987, very few of the saints were viewing the video tapes. At this time, we began to hear speaking against the ministry of Brother Lee. The speaking consisted of innuendos about immorality and misappropriation of funds. Nothing specific was said, but the implication was that a lot of improper things were going on. Such things were being spoken again and again by Bill Mallon at various meetings with the responsible brothers.
Here is Bill Mallon's response concerning Vincent Laviano's testimony:
2. Concerning the statements made by Vincent Laviano, the problem of the video tapes taken away in 1984 from the saints was pre-existent to my moving to Miami in 1985. If he were referring to the time after I moved to Miami, I might have post-pone the hearing of the tapes. I cannot recall the details, but I cannot deny it. However, if I did recommend foregoing the
video tapes, it was because of the desperate problems caused by the dropouts of those 30 couples, and I had the burden from the Lord to minister according to the needs of the saints. It was never my intention at the time to keep Lee’s ministry from the saints; so I feel this is a wrongful spinning of the facts. Furthermore, I never spoke against Lee’s ministry. To me at the time, it was never the issue. My letter to Lee in 1987 addresses the problems heavy on my heart. Also, I never spoke of immorality except that Lee son’s immorality was widely rumored --- a point I was careful not to mention unambiguously, because I lived several thousand miles from the Anaheim Office. Also allegedly reported was the misappropriation of funds, but this
too I made sure not to speak so candidly, for strictly speaking I had no confirmed proof. However, the real issues I was more concern with are detailed in my 1987 letter, a letter which never brought up any of the complaints proposed by Vincent, but mostly indicated what my real uneasiness was.
Here is Tony Buford's testimony from Fermentation of the Present Rebellion concerning Bill Mallon:
XVIII.*** Testimony of Brother Tony Buford From Miami, Florida
We were down in the Southeast with Bill Mallon. I am a contractor, and I got involved with him in a business deal. He was selling a particular product that I could perhaps use in my business. On one occasion he made a mistake with
me. First he was rather careful with me. He said, ‘Oh, I am trying to cover our brother.” He made reference to the fact that Brother Lee is getting old and is saying a lot of things. In the midst of Bill’s speaking, he exposed himself. Right away, I realized something. Then he invited me to go to pray with some other brothers. The sense in me was not to go. I went along with that sense. After this, the Lord began to make a lot of things clear to me. After this there was the Pasadena conference. Although Bill had said a lot of things, after I watched Brother Lee, all I had to say was Amen.
I can testify that there was no real and genuine intention in them to solve the problems. In certain meetings, one of them would say that he had a problem with this or that. At one of the meetings I could not sit still. I got up and told him that what he was doing was the very same thing that he was accusing Brother Lee of. I saw then that his intention was just to keep saying what Brother Lee did wrong. Up to a point, even we, the little potatoes, could realize this. We told him, “Look, if you have a problem, why don’t you go and take care of that in a good way? Why keep bringing the same thing to us? Why don’t you have a proper regard for the saints here? Why bring them into this? This shows what the real intention of these ones was. Ever since then, the little bug has become a big and clear fruit. I saw the development myself. It went from trying to be smooth to eventually a direct conspiracy. They were actually going to execute their plans. Up to a point they were determined to do something. Brothers, there is a proper way to take care of problems, and we need to do it in the right way and in the right spirit.
Here is Bill Mallon's response concerning Tony Buford's testimony:
3. Concerning the statements recorded by Tony Buford, he makes no clear, specific charges, and is very ambiguous. Instead, it would appear that he is casting some foggy, cloudy, shady acts. Moreover, I made it a habit to never speak of these issues in the meetings, because I felt the meetings were not the proper place for such matters, for I considered the saints were coming
for their spiritual nurturing and encouragement. Yes, I will not deny having some fellowship with Tony, but it was to clear up some of his concerns. You can imagine how rampant rumors were flying around, the source of which was caused by brothers out of State, especially Texas, who through many phone calls incited many of the saints, troubling the churches in Miami and
Ft Lauderdale. Eventually, “fellowship over concerns” outside the meetings became a conspiracy. Tony speaks about “executing their plans,” but again he is vague. What plans? Contrary to what they heard, I was trying to pacify the situation. It was never my intention to instigate a so-called rebellion.
Here is Wally Hill's testimony from Fermentation of the Present Rebellion concerning Bill Mallon:
XIX.******** Testimony of Brother Wally Hill From Greensboro, North Carolina
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Concerning the Southeast
When one meets authority, he recognizes authority. I have been sorrowful for those who have been drawn away. I have a grandfather who is 105 years old. He did not retire until he was 100. To talk about Brother Lee being an old
man is very disrespectful. The way the enemy worked over there in our part of the country was quite subtle. They were trying to turn the whole region. They were working on me , and were trying to keep me out. Last year we were at a retreat. One of the brothers who was going to share came by my wife and I and invited us to sit on the front. They were trying to influence myself and others to turn everybody else. Last summer, while I was here for the Numbers training, my wife, who did not come, got a call from a brother and his wife, who said that they were open and would like to go over and talk because they had some concerns. They did this while I was away in Anaheim. Then when Brother Lee was in Cleveland the second time, my daughter received a call from a couple of brothers who did not go to Cleveland. That weekend they gained another family. In December, when the brothers in the Southeast were gathered together, they tried to make me go along with them. But I could not give true amen. I praise the Lord for His preservation. But the subtlety of the enemy is to try to gain all the families.
Here is Bill Mallon's response concerning Wally Hill's testimony:
4. Concerning the statements brought out by Wally Hill, I notice he does not explicitly mention me by name. He merely is speaking generally about some of his troublesome experiences with others saints, but to the best of my memory those charges do not involve me. The only thing remotely close is that I did attend the retreat he mentioned. In North Carolina, Don Rutledge gave some messages on the book of Ruth, and I believe I gave one message on Psalm 133, if I recall correctly. In these messages, there were no references to issues prevailing in the wind at that time, though some may have read some things into them. I have no recollection of speaking with him, and for good reason, because our relationship was a bit strained. He had been excommunicated by other brothers in another locality (which frankly I did not agree with), but he probably assumed I was partied with those who did. Since that time, our relationship was somewhat distant. So why would he make those charges? Only the Lord really knows, but perhaps it was due to his wanting acceptance back with the brothers. These comments which I have made is as accurate as I can remember. May the Lord forgive me wherever I have erred.
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