Jon Gary Williams
Articles / Resources

0867

Foy E. Wallace, Jr. vs E. F. Webber (The Defenders Of The Christian Faith)
December 30, 1937
Oklahoma City, Oklahoma
(By Will M. Thompson)

Dec. 18-12, 1936 in the Coliseum Building in Okla. City.

Subjects: Salvation before baptism , apostasy and the millennial reign of Christ. Webber affirmed every proposition. He had a large tabernacle in Okla. City and a very large fellowship. He is a premillennialist and occupies the Baptist positions on two subjects.

Webber insisted on affirming. Thus bro. Wallace had closing speech every night. Bro. Wallace routed him on every argument made, and filed counter arguments which were never noticed.

Some 13 articles of argument were signed. One of the articles provided for taking a vote at the close of each proposition. This was amended so that Webber could take a vote of the audience as to whether he had won or lost. This rule embarrassed him. Each night when the vote was taken he lost overwhelmingly. This he conceded. The final night the presiding moderator, former Lt. Gov., Robert Burns, announced that the affirmative had lost and the negative had won.

The debate was conducted on a high plane. There was a rule that either speaker who broke a rule forfeited the rest of his speech. Webber twice broke it when he referred to A. Campbell and the church of Christ. This was his first debate so the moderators were lenient. Webber's deportment was as fine as any denominational preacher the crowd ever witnessed. Bro. Wallace is a Christian gentleman with all that the expression implies. He is logical and uncompromising. He disproved the charge that he is "too rough to debate." The charge was groundless as 59 gospel preachers can verify. That many came to the debate.

The elders of the Tenth and Frances church and the Capital Hill congregation were outspoken in their approval of the debate. They say that it was the greatest thing that has ever happened for the cause of Christ in Okla. City and for the cause throughout the state. I join with them in this view.

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