Jon Gary Williams
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0541

Walter McMurry vs W. H. Hartgraves (Congregationalist)
September 7, 1922
Haywood, Alabama
(By W. A. Shelnutt)

A 5 day discussion at Haywood, near Wedowee, Ala. - Aug. 15-19.

Mr. Hartgraves affirmed: "The scriptures teach that the Israelitish church is the church of God, of which the Gentiles are m embers." He made his greatest effort here and never equaled it again in the debate. He argued that Christ was with the church in the wilderness; that Christ sat on David's throne; that he did not set up a kingdom, but he built again the tabernacle of David; and that the Gentiles were grafted in.

Bro. McMurry showed that these things exist in type and the covenant only in promise. On the second day bro. McMurry made these arguments still stronger by showing that God promised a "new covenant;" that Christ said: " I will build my church." To this Hartgraves was never able to refute. He seemed to feel his defeat from then on.

On baptism bro. McMurry had an easy task. On the preposition "for" in Acts 2:38 he offered Liddell and Scott to show that "eis" was rendered "unto" - "in order to." Hartgraves raised objection to using the said lexicon on the ground that it was an abridged copy, which objection was sustained by the moderators. ]

The next day on the "mode"[of baptism] Hartgraves offered a typewritten copy from Lyddell and Scott (he said it was a correct copy) on "baptidzo." To this no objections was raised. Bro. McMurry wrote these definitions from Hartgraves on the blackboard. He handed the lexicon to Hartgraves moderator (J. W. Morris) and asked him to look at the lexicon and tell him if he had read any definitions from the copy that were not in the lexicon. "Pour upon" and "drench" were reported no found. Hartgraves was asked to underscore these words on the board, but he refused. Bro, McMurry underscored them and asked: "Where did you get these definitions?" Morris said, "I copied them out of this book." The book was a Methodist novel. All could see his utter defeat here. The congregationalist doctrine met a severe defeat. They will not debate again. Bro. McMurry was not a fast talker but competent to meeting any man of that faith.

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