Jon Gary Williams
Articles / Resources

0272

Boone L. Doutitt vs L. R. Riley (Missionary Baptist, Hickory, Kentucky)
July 3, 1941
South Trigg County, Kentucky
(By Thomas A. Wagner, Hopkinsville, Kentucky)

It was conducted in our tent in South Trigg County, Kentucky where Mr. Riley and I had held meetings. Mr. Riley had publicly misrepresented the teachings of the Church of Christ.

The crowds large and attentive. Visitors from many West Kentucky communities: Madisonville, Russellville, Bowling Green, Clarksville and Lebanon. Seventeen preachers of the Church were there.

Mr. Riley made a number of statements that proved fatal to his doctrine, and Bro. Douthitt took advantage of them to show up the absurdity of his doctrine. For instance, Riley claimed that the Baptist Church is the blood-bought institution. He admitted that one can be a Christian and go to heaven and not be a member of the Baptist Church. But one cannot live a Christian life and not be a Baptist. Bro. Douthitt replied that, according to Riley, one can go to heaven and not live the Christian life; for one cannot live the Christian life and not be a Baptist, but he can go to heaven and not be a Baptist. Since he can go to heaven and not be a Baptist, he can go around the blood of Christ, for the Baptist Church is blood purchased.

Since Riley affirmed the Baptist Church to be scriptural in name, Douthitt pressed him for four days to produce the passage that mentions the Baptist Church by name, and he asked him over and over to explain Acts 2:38. Of course he made no attempt to do the impossible. I have heard of two Baptists who said they were through with Baptist doctrine. Bro. Douthitt is an able defender of the gospel.

After the debate in a few weeks, T. W. Flowers, Jr., minister from Clarksville held a meeting and baptized 16 and started a new congregation. Twenty years later Bro. Douthitt went there to preach. He stayed with a middle-aged
couple who were converted by the debate. The man said: "I was a Baptist. They told us we would win the debate. There were two preachers who differed. Douthitt begged Riley to explain Acts 2:38. Riley never did. I ready my Bible and saw Riley was wrong. My wife and I obeyed the gospel."

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