Jon Gary Williams
Articles / Resources
0111
I. B. Bradley vs John R. Daily
December 10, 1914
Red Spring, Mississippi
(By Frank B. Shepherd)
Very interesting debate, six days at Red Spring, three miles from Stewart, Mississippi.
Daily affirmed: The scriptures teach the doctrine of unconditional and personal election." Daily explained that this doctrine did not make God a respecter of persons because those not elected did not want to be. He based his arguments on the fact that God was omnipotent and had a right to select any he chose to be his elect. The usual argument on Romans 9:10-12 was used. Daily also affirmed that as eternal life, faith, and love are given unconditionally, so people must be chosen unconditionally to receive them; he argued that no person can make himself repent, but that God must change him so that he can repent.
Bro. Bradley took up the arguments and effectually answered them, and showing how inconsistent the arguments were.
The second day Daily violated the rules of honorable controversy by calling Bro. Bradley and his brethren 'Campbellites'. Bro. J. W. Shepherd objected but Daily refused to call us Christians. He also misrepresented continually and ignored arguments.
Second proposition Bro. Bradley affirmed: baptism for remission of sins. He built up an impregnable fortress with the truth, and we enjoyed the spectacle of a disciple of theology battering fruitlessly for a day and a half without making the slightest breach. Bradley used Mark 1:3-5; 16:15-16; Acts 22:8-16; Romans 6:16-18 and supported them with numerous other quotations. Daily tried to place another interpretation on them but failed completely to shake them. He tried to make "eis" mean "because of" but in an unguarded moment he said "eis" never looks backward in the accusative case. Daily closed this session with sarcasm and ridicule.
Daily affirmed: "The scriptures teach that the regeneration of sinners is entirely the work of the Spirit of God, independent of human means or instrumentalities." This was his poorest effort of the debate. He appeared completely beaten. He started out with the old Baptist song about the feeling in his heart and gave us his Christian experience. He appealed to the prejudices of sectarians and telling them Br. Bradley thought they were going to hell. He made arguments on James 1:17; Matthew 27:40-44 and other quotations he read out of a scrapbook. He seldomly referred to his Bible. Bradley examined all his scriptures and either turned them against Daily or showed they did not apply.
At this stage of the debate Bradly offered some very pointed questions and strong objections to the doctrine under discussion but Daily dismissed them with a wave of the hand. Daily paid Bro. Bradley a compliment by stating that he had found out that Bradley was a strong man right at the opening of the discussion. Bradley answered that he was "only one of the Nashville Bible School boys" but he wondered what would happen if a real strong man had come. Daily offered some arguments without a scripture. Bradley moderately objected to this course of action.
The last one and a half day Bradley affirmed: apostasy most interesting part of debate - 2500 verses in Bible against this theory - more than 200 of them found in epistles. He used Acts 10:34; II Peter 2:4; I Corinthians 10:11-12; John 8:51 and many others.
Daily all through the debate had used some Greek. At one time a whole sentence, but in this proposition when he tried to make an argument in Greek, Bro. Bradley effectually silenced him by producing lexicons and said he was ready to use Greek. Daily dropped the Greek. The audience saw the difference between the men: one knew and used the Bible; the other ruled on men's theology.
Great crowds came and interest was high. Bradley conducted himself as an humble Christian should. Daily called us 'Campbellites' several times, but he was clean in his last speech. He said Bradley was the cleanest, fairest and most gentlemanly debater he ever met. The church here is weak, but received strength from the debate. No one could follow this discussion for the six days without being impressed with the great power of the gospel. Jeremiah 23:29
VIEW NEXT REPORT >>