Jon Gary Williams
Articles / Resources
0322
A. G. Freed vs J. T. Banks (Methodist)
August 23, 1923
Obion County, Tennessee
(By J. R. Glass)
At Old Harmony meetinghouse, Obion County, Tennessee. Great crowds came.
Debated: Form of Baptism, Design of Baptism, Establishment of Church, Infant Baptism. The people were kind and hospitable and entertained quite generously. Ample lunches were prepared by the good ladies for the noon hour, and ice water was provided by thoughtful brethren.
Bro. Freed presented the message of salvation with force. Many heard for the first time both sides of the controversy. Some little opposition to religious discussions was expressed by a few, but after Bro. Freed explained the object and value of debate I heard no more from them. No preaching is so illuminating and effective as in debate, when done in the love of truth by fair and able disputants. We should remember that the Principles of the Restoration Movement inaugurated by the Campbells, Stone, Scott and others received powerful momentum from the debates held by Alexander Campbell with Walker, Owen, McCalla, Rice and Bishop Purcell. And moving with irresistible force, it spread broadcast over this country the restored gospel of the Son of God, bringing an assured salvation to thousands of rejoicing men and women who had struggled for light in the fogs of sectarianism.
With few exceptions, the debate was characterized by dignity, fairness, and courtesy. Bro. Freed opened the discussion by affirming that "immersion in water of a penitent believer in Christ is the only Christian baptism." He quoted several scriptures that strongly teach that immersion only is baptism, and made a number of vigorous arguments to prove his position. Mr. Banks made the usual Methodist arguments to try to prove sprinkling and pouring. His main argument against immersion was the cold of the extreme Northern countries presented an impossible barrier to immersion. [NOTE: Baptists make same argument against remission of sins.]
Mr. Banks on Acts 2:38 said it does not mean what it says, but means "because of remission" but offered no grammatical or logical reason. He made a confused effort to show that the church of the New Testament began with the promise made to Abraham. He affirmed that infant baptism is scriptural, and based his argument on the assumption that baptism came in the place of circumcision, saying that God put them in the church by circumcision and that no one had ever put them out of the church.
Bro. Freed met and refuted these attempts at argument with ease, and had much time for preaching the gospel to the delight and edification of the audience composed of most respectful and attentive listeners.
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