Jon Gary Williams
Articles / Resources
0133
G. C. Brewer vs Ben M. Bogard
December 19, 1929
Humphrey, Alabama
(By L. O. Sanderson)
November 18-21 at Humphrey, Alabama.
Each man was a splendid representative of his side of the subjects discussed: the kingdom set up, baptism, depravity, and apostasy.
Bro. Brewer's power and wisdom were always equal, and often superior, to Bogard's cunning. Brewer affirmed baptism. Two fundamental arguments: (1) Grace and faith tell the whole story of redemption; and faith when used in the generic sense includes obedience. (2) We are free from sin when we obey a form of doctrine, and that form is of the death, burial, and resurrection of Christ. Brewer questioned: "Is baptism a part of truth? Is it a part of the word? If a man is in Christ before baptism, how is he baptized "into" Christ? What does baptism save us from?" Bogard quibbled!
In discussing depravity, Bogard contended that the "flesh has a will, a mind, lusts, wisdom, works and a body.: In exposing this perversion, Brewer pointed out that the body, in Colossians 1:22, which Bogard used, refers to the body of Christ. Bogard averred that he knew it did, and further argued that "Christ had our nature." Since Bogard had already said that "all flesh, and all in the flesh, are bad and cannot please God," and that the "flesh is simply the natural man," the most unlearned could see that he made Christ a depraved person. Bro. Brewer easily showed the fallacy of Bogard's argument.
The last day on apostasy Brewer affirmed: (1) Man is a free moral agent, and salvation is conditional; (2) We are saved in Christ, but can be divorced from him; (3) We stand and walk by faith, but we can depart from, cast off, overthrow, and deny faith. It was thought by many that Brewer was stronger the last day, while Bogard was weakest.
The debate was clean and highly instructive. Both men courteous. Such debates bring good fruit and remove much prejudice existing against such investigations.
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