Jon Gary Williams
Articles / Resources
0352
Man Converted by Debate
May 6, 1943
(By Otis Gatewood)
Jacob C. Vandervis, a Mormon for 31 years, gave reasons why he left the Latter Day Saints Church. Converted in Holland, he came to Salt Lake City. Since then he had gone through the temple 200 times and had been baptized for the dead more than 400 times. He attended Gatewood/Farnsworth debate and was baptized into Christ. Over 300 Mormons heard his testimonial:
1. Their elders and deacons were unscriptural because they were not married. Boys in the Mormon Church are appointed deacons at 12 years of age. Titus 1 and I Timothy 3:12 require elders and deacons to be married.
2. Mormons changed the Lord's Supper. They use light bread and water in communion and cited Matthew 26 and 'Book of Mormon' that condemned the practice (3 Nephi 18:8, 13).
3. Mormon apostles were unscriptural because they were not witnesses of Christ's resurrection (Acts 1:21, 22 and I Corinthians 9:1).
4. The Mormon Church was nothing but a place of entertainment and money making, and the Mormons drink, dance, curse, and revel in going to picture shows.
5. Jude 3 and II Peter 1:3 prove that there is no need for continuous revelation because the Bible is enough. He had all he could do to study and know the Bible.
6. He proved definitely that the idea of laying on of hands to give authority to baptize was absurd because Joseph Smith and Oliver Cowdery baptized each other, and that they also received their priesthood before baptism - a thing that Mormons teach could not be done. He showed that authority had not been taken from the earth according to Mormon arguments, because three Nephite apostles were still supposed to be alive at the time Smith and Cowdery were baptized. He also showed that, according to 3 Nephi in the 'Book of Mormon', Nephi baptized himself - a thing that Mormons ridicule.
7. Isaiah 38:18 and John 9:4 prove the doctrine of baptism for the dead is not right.
He found more love in the Church of Christ in six months than in 31 years in Mormon Church. Mormons told lies on him.
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