Jon Gary Williams
Articles / Resources
0129
G. C. Brewer vs J. I. Walker
March 19, 1925
Columbia, Tennessee
(By H. Leo Boles)
Held at Columbia, Tennessee, March 4-7.
Great audiences each night. The last two nights, hundreds were turned away. The debate was on a high plane. The Columbia Herald gave daily reports of the debate and commanded the high-toned Christ conduct of the debaters. Walker affirmed: "Instrumental music in church worship is scriptural."
Walker gave nothing new, but used the same arguments he used in four other debates. One argument he called the "four dispensations." The Patriarchal dispensation, Jewish dispensation, Christian dispensation, and heavenly dispensation were presented by a chart. He turned to Revelations and read where there would be harps in heaven. Bro. Brewer told him infants also would be in heaven. Things like incense and children in heaven were not authorized to be placed in the church. Hard pressed, Walker took the position that infants were in the "kingdom of innocence" or the church. Bro. Brewer replied to this point by saying that it betrayed a woeful ignorance of what constitutes the church, and wished Brethren J. B. Briney and Z. T. Sweeney could know that Bro. Walker was contending that infants are in the church. He entertained the hope that these brethren would severely castigate Bro. Walker.
Bro. Brewer ranks high among the best debaters. He is a rapid speaker, a clear thinker, a logical reasoner, a well informed speaker, and a Christian gentleman. He is courteous to his opponent and very considerate towards his audience. I commend him to any church as an able champion of the truth.
NOTE: Walker made arguments:
I. Hebrew word "Zamar": Psallo
II. Translations
III. Apostolic example
IV. "Four dispensations"
V. The lexicons -- Psallo
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