Devoted to the Propagation and Defense of New Testament Christianity
VOLUME 10
November 13, 1958
NUMBER 28, PAGE 14

News

Unique Debate With Modernist On "Divine Healing"

Bill H. Reeves, 970 N. W. 52 St., Miami 37, Florida: "On the nights of September 26 and 27, Brother Joseph H. Cox, preacher at the Southwest church in Miami, debated Mr. G. N. Holloway of the New Age Church of Truth, at the 7th Avenue church building. Five or six hundred were present the first night, and a smaller crowd the following night (Saturday). Mr. Holloway did not want the Bible in the proposition, but finally agreed to debate the following proposition: "Divine Healing, as demonstrated by Christ and the Apostles, is being accomplished today."

Mr. Holloway and his wife work as a team; he's the speaker and she, the "healer." Doubtlessly, many of the Fundamentalists of this area, in hearing of the approaching "healing campaign" of the Holloways, thought that they (the Holloways) were of them. But the debate served to smoke out the rank modernism in the Holloways and caused the Fundamentalists to let go of them. They had hoped that the debate would help publicize their forth-coming "healing campaign," but it only served to expose them as they are.

Mr. Holloway disavowed being a modernist during the debate (though to Brother Cox he had admitted being a half-modernist, and "leaning toward Fundamentalism"), but his speech betrayed him. He used such terms as: "so-called miracles," "Pauline authority," "the apostle John insinuates," "inspiration is everywhere," and the like. He claimed to have the "constitutional right" to part company with the apostle Paul on any point, such as, for example, the matter of women preaching (his wife is a preacher!).

Brother Cox is to meet Mr. Holloway on November 7 and 8, and debate the following propositions:

"The final authority in matters of religion is man's direct, internal experience of God."

Affirmative: G. N. Holloway-- Negative: Joseph H. Cox

"The Bible is the complete and final authority in regards to man's duty and obligation to God."

Negative: G. N. Holloway --Affirmative: Joseph H. Cox Eaten Macon, 902 Halifax Square, Brunswick, Ga.: "Six persons were baptized and one restored in a well attended meeting at Pocahontas, Coffee County, Tenn., October 5-12. George and Roscoe Davis directed the congregational singing. I will begin my second year of labor soon with the church here. Four persons were recently restored."

Mack Kercheville, Box 3487, El Paso, Texas: "At the request of friends I wish to report that my father, W. A. Kercheville, pioneer Gospel preacher, is still bedfast, paralyzed, and speechless from a stroke he had three years ago. He loves to hear from old friends or have them visit him when they come through El Paso."

M. A. Mansur, 1000 Lynwood Drive, Rolla, Missouri: "Another fine young man was restored, (a soldier at Fort Wood), and four others came to be identified as members of the Church last Sunday; making eight responses to the gospel in the past two weeks. Please notify friends and relatives of the services each Sunday at 2:40 p. m., Chapel Number Five, Fort Leonard Wood, Missouri."

Vestal Chaffin, 716 Main Street, Charleston 2, West Virginia: "Fred E. Dennis preached in our meeting here at Park Avenue and Main Street, September 14 through 28. He did a very fine job in presenting the gospel lessons in his own inimitable style. Good attendance and a fine interest characterized the meeting throughout. There were nine baptized, and seven wayward members were restored. The church was edified and encouraged. Last week I baptized three more. In August, I was with the church at Hestand, Kentucky, in a meeting. Six were baptized, and three were restored. I am scheduled to do the preaching in a meeting with the church in Nitro, West Virginia, October 20 through November 1."

W. Curtis Porter, P. O. Box 195, Monette, Arkansas: "My recovery from the prostate surgery which I underwent on July 23 has been slow, but as far as I know, satisfactory. I am now able to do a limited amount of work. At present I am in a good meeting with the Silver Street church in New Albany, Indiana. Brother James C. Jones is the regular preacher here and is doing a good work. The meeting will continue through October 22. Then I will be home for a few days before making my trip to the west coast to get my examinations by my doctors who treat my blood malady. Will preach for the church in Montebello on Sunday, November 9 and for most of the week at nights. Then will preach for the church in Ventura on Sunday and Sunday night, November 16. In Ventura it will be the congregation where Brother Voyd Ballard preaches regularly, and in Montebello it will be the congregation where Brother Wright Randolph is the preacher. After these engagements I shall go on to check with my doctors."

Debates Do Good

Gene Frost, 1333 Judiway, Houston, Texas: "We always have been of the persuasion that honest investigation will bear good fruit. Usually, however, one might expect several months to elapse following a debate before this good is manifest. Seldom is reaction immediate. However, we are happy to announce that the latter is the case of our discussion with Don Rudd in Houston, Texas. Since the debate (September 15-20), three weeks, eleven families have renounced the liberal position and have identified themselves with the Oak Forest congregation. Likewise, our attendance records have been shattered. Plans are now being made to enlarge our facilities to accommodate the overcrowded condition. We face the future optimistically, having witnessed the power of truth over error."

You are invited to announce and attend A RELIGION DISCUSSION of the following proposition:

No. 1 "The scriptures authorize by statement, example, or necessary inference, that when the Church of Christ assembles for Bible teaching, the people may be arranged into classes for this teaching, and some of those classes may be taught by women."

Affirmative: Norton Dye -- Negative: E. H. Miller No. 2: "The scriptures authorize by statement, example, or necessary inference, that when the Church of Christ assembles for Bible teaching, the people must be taught in one undivided assembly, and the teaching must be done by men only."

Affirmative: E. H. Miller -- Negative: Norton Dye No. 3: "The scriptures authorize by statement, example, or necessary inference, that an assembly of the Church of Christ for the communion, must use a cup (only one drinking vessel) in the distribution of the fruit of the vine."

Affirmative: E. H. Miller --Negative: Norton Dye No. 4: "The scriptures authorize by statement, example, or necessary inference, that an assembly of the Church of Christ for the communion, may use individual communion cups (drinking vessels) in the distribution of the fruit of the vine."

Affirmative: Norton Dye -- Negative: E. H. Miller RULES: There shall be one night to each proposition with two affirmatives and two negatives of 30 minutes each, and each speaker agrees to act a gentleman and Christian in every way, to use no reproaches or slurs in any way toward the other speaker or those whom he represents.

Signed: E. H. Miller Signed: Norton Dye

November 3, 4, 5, and 6, 1958 at Cottonwood Community Hall, Cottonwood, California, at 7:30 each evening.