Jon Gary Williams
Articles / Resources
0577
C. R. Nichol vs I. N. Penick (Baptist)
April, 1917
Dongola, Illinois
(By F. O. Howell)
At Dongola, Ill. April 3-6.
Establishment of the church, baptism, apostasy, Holy Spirit - one day to each subject.
Mr. Penick seems to me to have lost much of his strength as a debater. His voice is badly cracked and physical condition badly run down, due, to age. He studiously endeavored to avoid contact with his opponent on both scholarship and exegesis. He made many errors in application of the scriptures to his position, for some of which he made apology. In one instance he quoted Acts 11:21, where it said, "the hand of the Lord was with them," and contended that "them" was the alien sinner, in an effort to prove the direct operation of the H.S. in conversion. The next day he apologized for having thus perverted the scripture.
Bro. Nichol is scholarly and capable in every respect as a debater and showed himself to be far more than equal to the occasion. He has a decided advantage over Mr. Penick before an audience of thinking people. Quite a number of those of no particular religious conviction and members of varied religious sentiments were heard to express their disappointment of the way Mr. Penick handled his part of the discussion.
There were more that a dozen Christian preachers and as many Baptist preachers present. This discussion will long be remembered by the people of Dongola, and I am sure that the Baptists will never want another in that section of the country. Everything passed off pleasantly and there was no rupture of feeling in the community. However, an ugly thing was cone by the Baptist preacher in charge some weeks before the debate. He flew into an angry passion and proposed to have physical combat with bro. Lannom, who weighs 110 lbs. The Baptist weighed 225 lbs. This passed off pleasantly.
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