Jon Gary Williams
Articles / Resources
0069
W. T. Boaz vs J. E. Skinner (Baptist)
January 2, 1908
Stewart County, Tennessee
(By T. W. Thompson)
Poplar Springs Church in Stewart County, Tennessee, November 5-8.
Skinner did his best to locate the church of New Testament before Christ's death, but was met and routed on each argument. He said that the church was organized in Luke 6:13, and then quoted Matthew 16:18 to show that Christ did the building in person. Bro. Boaz showed that Christ called his apostles and ordained them in A.D. 31, while Matthew 16:18, "I will build" was uttered in A.D. 32. Skinner was so pressed upon this, his first argument, that he finally said, "I don't know when Christ completed his church as an organization, but I do know it was done before he died." Skinner repeatedly asked Boaz when was the church set up? He was reminded that it was his business to show when. For the first day, Boaz stayed entirely in the negative; but on the second day, he offered arguments Skinner nor any other man could meet. He set up the church on Pentecost. He met all the arguments the Baptist offered and answered them even when Skinner didn't mention them.
On the design of baptism, Bro. Boaz offered but few arguments, but stayed with them, warding off all blows and answering all objections filed by Skinner. For two days, Boaz stood in the lead defending the truth taught in the commission and preached by the apostles. The debate attracted 500 - 600. The order was fine and the debate pleasant.
Bro. Boaz pressed Skinner so hard that he said "that as a people we do not teach that water baptism washes sins away or that the virtue is in the water." He said that Boaz's position was that baptism was a condition of pardon just as faith or repentance, and that the blood did the cleansing after we do the obeying. I thought this was fair of him. So seldom do they state us thus. The debate did great good, and more should be held where people do not understand us."
View The Original Document
VIEW NEXT REPORT >>