Subscribe to this page via e-mail here - Subscribe
0324
Clark affirmed: The Bible teaches that the believer has salvation before baptism. He quoted the usual verses on faith. Bro. Freed showed Clark was misapplying these scriptures in making them apply to a mere assent of the mind as faith, and that as obedience is by and part of faith, faith never saves until it is a faith that obeys. Overt acts show man's faith. Clark had much to say about water and "the high water mark" and the people are not saved "by the preacher through water." He said that Zacchaeus, the man of small stature who climbed up into the sycamore tree to see the Savior pass by, when Jesus stopped and called for him, "may have gotten in between the limbs and the ground," and that "he did not have to have a tank of water." Bro. Freed showed the fallacy in this line of reasoning by kindly submitting that Jesus commands every man to be baptized, and that no man has faith in Jesus who refuses to do what He commands. Freed quoted John 12:42. Faith alone is dead; the mere assent of the mind is nothing; the faith that saves is the faith that obeys.
Bro. Freed showed that our Baptist friends are the last people on earth that should complain of water. Their church is built on water and a man goes through water to get into their church. They say a man is saved before and without going into the water, and if he dies he will go to heaven but they will not let him into the Baptist Church without going through water, thus making it harder to get into the Baptist Church than it is to go to heaven, Baptists themselves being the judges.
Bro. Freed's first speech on baptism included Mark 1:16; Acts 2:38; Acts 22:16; I Peter 3:20-21. This speech was one of the clearest and most lucid presentations of the truth the audience ever heard, and it had great effect. Mr. Clark made no effort to reply to it and passed it by so entirely as to be very noticeable.
On propositions three and four, both affirmed the general church proposition. There were times during the debate when excitement seemed to reach a white heat; but the best of feeling prevailed, and the amenities were quickly restored and observed throughout. Out of the immense crowd present, only six Baptists came and three of them left the Baptist Church.
We cannot understand how any Christian, on seeing the great good accomplished by debates, could be opposed to investigation, howsoever rigid or severe. All such discussions lead to the disintegration of the human denominations around us. A few such public discussions as he Freed-Clark debate, in which the people are allowed to see both sides, would shake the Baptist Church in Nashville from center to circumference. Friend Dew and the Baptists were and are intensely chagrined over the very palpable failure of Mr. Clark, notwithstanding the fact that they are putting on a bold front and offering us another discussion if we want it. And do we want it? We thrive on investigation and grow only as the light is turned on. We cannot thrive in the dark, but leave that sort of thing to the Baptists and sects around us. We wish we could announce another debate, but the Baptists have had enough.
However, we are presenting them with eight specific propositions, embracing a 16-nights discussion to be held at the Ryman Auditorium. Bro. Freed is endorsed by more that 50 congregations in Nashville. We kindly suggest that Mr. Dew select a Baptist preacher that will come endorsed by more than six Baptists. We realize that he can't get the six that heard the debate for three of them are no longer Baptists.
We are ready, the propositions are written out; the Ryman Auditorium can be secured; Bro. Freed stands endorsed. Are our Baptist friends willing to open their mouths boldly and tell us when the discussion may begin?
VIEW NEXT REPORT >>
Print
A. G. Freed vs John R. Clark (Missionary Baptist)
June 3, 1926
(By James A. Allen)
June 3, 1926
(By James A. Allen)
Clark affirmed: The Bible teaches that the believer has salvation before baptism. He quoted the usual verses on faith. Bro. Freed showed Clark was misapplying these scriptures in making them apply to a mere assent of the mind as faith, and that as obedience is by and part of faith, faith never saves until it is a faith that obeys. Overt acts show man's faith. Clark had much to say about water and "the high water mark" and the people are not saved "by the preacher through water." He said that Zacchaeus, the man of small stature who climbed up into the sycamore tree to see the Savior pass by, when Jesus stopped and called for him, "may have gotten in between the limbs and the ground," and that "he did not have to have a tank of water." Bro. Freed showed the fallacy in this line of reasoning by kindly submitting that Jesus commands every man to be baptized, and that no man has faith in Jesus who refuses to do what He commands. Freed quoted John 12:42. Faith alone is dead; the mere assent of the mind is nothing; the faith that saves is the faith that obeys.
Bro. Freed showed that our Baptist friends are the last people on earth that should complain of water. Their church is built on water and a man goes through water to get into their church. They say a man is saved before and without going into the water, and if he dies he will go to heaven but they will not let him into the Baptist Church without going through water, thus making it harder to get into the Baptist Church than it is to go to heaven, Baptists themselves being the judges.
Bro. Freed's first speech on baptism included Mark 1:16; Acts 2:38; Acts 22:16; I Peter 3:20-21. This speech was one of the clearest and most lucid presentations of the truth the audience ever heard, and it had great effect. Mr. Clark made no effort to reply to it and passed it by so entirely as to be very noticeable.
On propositions three and four, both affirmed the general church proposition. There were times during the debate when excitement seemed to reach a white heat; but the best of feeling prevailed, and the amenities were quickly restored and observed throughout. Out of the immense crowd present, only six Baptists came and three of them left the Baptist Church.
We cannot understand how any Christian, on seeing the great good accomplished by debates, could be opposed to investigation, howsoever rigid or severe. All such discussions lead to the disintegration of the human denominations around us. A few such public discussions as he Freed-Clark debate, in which the people are allowed to see both sides, would shake the Baptist Church in Nashville from center to circumference. Friend Dew and the Baptists were and are intensely chagrined over the very palpable failure of Mr. Clark, notwithstanding the fact that they are putting on a bold front and offering us another discussion if we want it. And do we want it? We thrive on investigation and grow only as the light is turned on. We cannot thrive in the dark, but leave that sort of thing to the Baptists and sects around us. We wish we could announce another debate, but the Baptists have had enough.
However, we are presenting them with eight specific propositions, embracing a 16-nights discussion to be held at the Ryman Auditorium. Bro. Freed is endorsed by more that 50 congregations in Nashville. We kindly suggest that Mr. Dew select a Baptist preacher that will come endorsed by more than six Baptists. We realize that he can't get the six that heard the debate for three of them are no longer Baptists.
We are ready, the propositions are written out; the Ryman Auditorium can be secured; Bro. Freed stands endorsed. Are our Baptist friends willing to open their mouths boldly and tell us when the discussion may begin?
VIEW NEXT REPORT >>
| Powered By |
| TheLordsWay.com |
| Click here to host your own church web site today! |
