Jon Gary Williams
Articles / Resources
0302
A. G. Freed vs T. P. Clark (Methodist)
August 2, 1900)
Friendship, Tennessee
(By T. A. Smith)
Both are young men about 30-35 years. Both are good speakers, quick at repartee, in other ways very different. Clark was boastful and said God sent him to defend Methodism, a debater of experience; debated Baptists four times. Bro. Freed is an humble man but courageous, relying solely on God's word to sustain his arguments, and is logical and forcible. Freed affirmed immersion is Christian baptism and Clark acknowledged that, practiced it, the Methodist discipline taught it, but said something else would do, he offered $5.00 for any passage in the Bible that taught immersion. Freed asked how could he perform an act in the name of the Trinity that the Bible did not authorize. Freed proved "baptidzo" means immerse and asked for his $5.00. Not much debating the first day for Clark agreed with Freed.
Second day, Clark affirmed sprinkling and pouring for baptism, making a strong speech in one hour. This was the strongest speech I ever heard on the subject and Clark did better here than any time in the debate. Of course he made mistakes; his speech could not stand the search light of God's word. Bro. Freed asserted that water unmixed was never authorized by the Bible to be sprinkled at any time, at any place, upon anything, or for any purpose. There were nine Methodist preachers present, and the presiding elder, and all together could not tell where the Bible authorized sprinkling.
Clark affirmed infants were proper subjects for baptism. He made the usual arguments on the Abrahamic covenant and church identity (for an hour speech) relying on the promise that God made to Abraham that the covenant should be an everlasting one -- the covenant of circumcision (Genesis 17). Clark came to the New Testament and changed it. He said God had put baptism in the room of circumcision. He was asked who said it and nobody had said it but Clark. So far as this debate was concerned, no inspired man said it. The Bible nowhere says it. Clark called on Freed to show where God had mentioned anything new in the New Testament. Bro. Freed read Ephesians 2:15-16 and Hebrews 10:19-20 with telling effect.
He (Freed) showed Abraham's covenant was an everlasting one; that the Jews had always practiced circumcision, and did now, and would continue to do so, for God said so. Freed quoted Galatians 3:15, showing no man could disannul or add to. The new and living way was made to stand out in full force. By every passage of scripture that referred to baptism, Bro. Freed showed there was something said or done that excluded infants.
The congregations were very large and orderly, although the people were very busy; the best feeling prevailed. Bro. Freed did a grand, good work; it was a great victory for truth. Great good will come from it. He is well prepared, brave, and loyal to God's truth. There were eight preachers of the Church of Christ at the debate.
VIEW NEXT REPORT >>