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0580
C. R. Nichol vs Mr. Coones (Primitive Baptist)
October 27, 1921
Lebanon, Missouri
(By D. S. Ligon)
This debate was set for Sept. 27 - 14 miles from Lebanon, Mo. at New Hope Primitive Baptist meeting house.
Mr. H. Caye was scheduled to debate bro. Nichol. For some unknown cause Mr. Cayce failed to appear. Mr. Cayce sent a telegram Sept. 24 saying he was unavoidably delayed and could not get there for the 27th, but asked if he could come on the next day. Mr. Cayce did not say one word about putting the debate off in this telegram. Neither did the Baptists say a word about postponing it.
There were several Primitive Baptist preachers on the ground and all seem to be self-confident and feeling that they were called and sent of God. They seemed to feel sure their doctrine would not suffer in their hands. So they got together and "cast lots" to see which one of the "called-sent" should fight their battle. The lot fell upon one Mr. Coones, in whom all seem to confide, and they started into the debate as confident of victory as they could well show by word and action, and feeling in their hearts that their cause would not suffer in their hands. Bro. Nichol accepted Mr. Coones as a substitute for Mr. Cayce.
Mr. Coones, in full assurance of his faith and ability stepped out upon the arena in the defense of the following : "The scriptures teach that God gives spiritual or eternal life to dead (alien) sinners without conditions on their part." Mr. Coones arguments and definitions were very strange. He saw spiritual or eternal life was life given that a sinner did not possess, and this life is without end. Bro. Nichol insisted that Mr. Coones give a clearer definition of eternal life. This, Mr. Coones did not attempt to do. Bro. Nichol then showed him as he himself believed, that the devil, false prophets, together with all the wicked, a the end will be cast alive into hell, and there will have an eternal existence - a life without end- and, therefore, if spiritual or eternal life is no more than to live on and on, the devil and all the wicked will possess eternal life. On the word "dead," Mr. Coones argued that the sinner was so dead that he could not think or act, could not seek after righteousness. He quoted Eph. 2:8,9 for his defense. Bro. Nichol ruined his contention with Tit. 2:11; Titus 3:9; and Rom. 5:1-2.
At the close of Mr. Coones' second speech I told his moderator that they better wire for Mr. Cayce to come on, for Mr. Coones could not debate with bro. Nichol. To this I received no reply, but they went right on after noon, thinking, perhaps, that Mr. Coones would do some better; but by the last speech he was so dead he could hardly wiggle, and his brethren could both see and feel his weakness.
The Baptist, no doubt, began to think just how they could stop the debate. Luckily, to save Mr. Coones from further embarrassment, they received another telegram from Mr. Cayce requesting that the debate be put off till some future time. So they came to us requesting that the debate be put off. Bro. Nichol's moderator told them that the debate was the result of a contract between the Baptists and Christians and that no one a party could or should jump up and close the debate without an agreement between the parties concerned. The Baptists closed the debate but promised to secure Mr. Cayce for the debate at some future time, he and bro. Nichol to set the date for July or August, 1922.
While it was quite a disappointment to all the people that Mr. Cayce did not show up, yet it was an enjoyable occasion. Several preachers were there. Our brethren were Gay, Harrell, Walker, and King,.We have few brethren there, but they are good brethren.
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