Contract On The Rules Of Debate
It has been the universal expression from all concerned that in the event this debate should materialize there must be a guarantee of orderly procedure. No one has forgotten the unfair advantages taken by Mr. Norris in his own auditorium, under his own dictatorship, in 1934. The public knows about the "doors" and the admission charges. The audiences witnessed Mr. Norris' arbitrary rule of the sessions, accepting no rules and regarding none. Nor have any of us forgotten Mr. Norris' threat, when in his outburst of anger and in white rage, he bellowed that he had one hundred armed men planted there ready for action at his call. He thought it would scare us - but it didn't. Nor have we forgotten the scheming and trickery in reference to the stenographers, his public pledge to supply us with a full and complete copy of the transcript of the debate for corrections and approval, and his subsequent refusal absolutely to do so. It was Mr. Norris himself who prevented the publication of the debate, his libelous oral and printed falsehoods to the contrary notwithstanding. The evidence is abundant that J. Frank Norris never intended to permit the publication of the Fort Worth debate as it was delivered. We have in our possession the documents and letters showing that the very offers which he says in his book were declined were actually not declined at all. Those letters were all answered, his offers accepted, and he paid no attention to them. His offers were made to print in his book, not to be answered and accepted by us - and his disgraceful book was on the press being printed all the time that he pretended to be negotiating with us.
Therefore, everybody will be interested in the kind of a contract and agreement which should be entered into in the event of another debate. No one could expect us to trust J. Frank Norris. That he must be made a party to a legal contract, if and when he comes through on his challenges this time, goes without saying. I am willing for all the people, including the Baptists, to see the sort of a contract that I am willing to enter. In fact, the following contract already bears my signature, sealed by a notary, and is waiting for the notarized signature of J. Frank Norris. If he does not sign it, everybody will know why - including the Baptists.
The Contract The State Of Texas,
County Of Dallas.
KNOW ALL MEN BY THESE PRESENTS: WHEREAS, Foy E. Wallace, Jr., of Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, and J. Frank Norris of Fort Worth, Tarrant County, Texas, do not agree as to the teachings of the Holy Bible on the propositions hereinafter stated, and WHEREAS, they have mutually agreed to meet for a discussion of said propositions: the said Foy E. Wallace, Jr., representing the Church of Christ and J. Frank Norris representing the First Baptist Church of Fort Worth, Texas, and the Fundamentalist Baptist, and
WHEREAS, before said discussion is held, it is mutually desired, that the method of holding said discussion and the place of holding said discussion and the manner of publication and sale of said discussion be mutually agreed upon, prior to the time and place of said discussion; the time and-place-to be mutually agreed upon later.
Now, Therefore, Know All Men By These Presents:
1. Propositions
That the proposition for said discussion and debate shall be the same propositions debated by said Foy E. Wallace, Jr. and said J. Frank Norris in the Norris-Wallace Debate which was held in the auditorium of the First Baptist Church, Fort Worth, Texas, November 4, 5, 6, 1934; said propositions are as follows:
Proposition No. 1.
The Bible teaches that Baptism, to the penitent believer, is essential to his salvation from past or aliens sins. Wallace affirms; and Norris denies.
Proposition No. 2.
The Bible teaches that a Child of God, one who has been saved by the blood of Christ, can so sin as to be finally lost.
Wallace affirms; and Norris denies. PROPOSITION NO. 3
The Bible teaches that Jews, as a nation, will return to Palestine when Christ returns to the earth and then will be converted to Christ.
Norris affirms; and Wallace denies. PROPOSITION NO. 4.
The Bible teaches that Christ will establish a literal throne in Jerusalem, and will reign over the whole earth for a period of one thousand years.
Norris affirms; and Wallace denies.
2. Place Of Debate
It is mutually agreed that the place of said discussion shall be in a public auditorium which shall be neutral in said debate; control of said auditorium and the admission to said discussion to be open and free to the public, and the doors open for the public and the audience under the control of the moderators, as hereinafter stipulated.
3. Moderators
It is mutually agreed that the debate shall be presided over and conducted by three moderators; one moderator shall be chosen by Foy E. Wallace, Jr., and one by J. Frank Norris, and the two moderators shall elect a third moderator, who shall preside at all meetings. The third moderator selected shall be neutral as to side, and shall be a man of honorable, unquestioned fairness and integrity. This moderator shall have complete authority over the order and decorum throughout said discussions, both as to the speakers and to the audience. He shall have authority to suspend the debate or a participant if either participant shall conduct himself in a way or manner unbecoming or ungentlemanly. The moderators' decision shall be final in all questions of conduct of said debate, as herein provided.
4. Speeches
It is mutually agreed that there shall be two sessions on each proposition. At each session, each speaker shall be allowed two--forty-five minute speeches alternately, and if he does not use the forty-five minutes in his opening discussion he shall nevertheless be allowed only forty-five minutes for his concluding speech of said session. In other words, each speech by each party shall be limited to forty-five minutes, which time must be used at the time designated or he forfeits the time not used.
5. Stenographic Report Of Debate
It is mutually agreed that this complete debate and the complete speeches of each debater shall be taken by dictaphone, if available, or by responsible firm of stenographic reporters, and if that is not available, then by three recognized court reporters; one to be selected by Foy E. Wallace, Jr., one by J. Frank Norris, and the two reporters shall select a third reporter, who together shall make all arrangements for a complete, accurate record of the debate, from beginning to end, and shall see to, supervise and actually take down and transcribe and type the complete discussions and proceedings of said debate from beginning to end.
6. Revision And Corrections
It is mutually agreed that after the debate and all discussions and procedure have been completely transcribed, and each party thereto, Foy E. Wallace, Jr., and J. Frank Norris, shall be furnished the complete discussion of both sides fully transcribed, and each party shall be allowed a reasonable time, not exceeding sixty days, to make any corrections or changes of wording, citations, or authorities, and such other changes as to completely and accurately cover said discussions. It is further provided, that after each party has been furnished a complete transcribed report of said discussions, and after the speeches have been put in printer's type, each side shall be allowed to review the proofs in said form before the printing and publication of the debate. No new material shall be added to the transcribed discussions and no material changes made of original transcription, except as herein provided. It is further provided, that all references by the speakers to quotations, citations and authorities, shall be definite and specific, and only such definite, specific citations and quotations shall be incorporated into the transcription.
7.
It is further provided that after each party has been furnished a complete transcription of the debate, if he fails or refuses, within sixty days to make his corrections, then and in that event, said transcription shall be taken as correct and shall be published in the form as transcribed by the reporters, and the reporters shall certify as to the correctness of said discussions as transcribed.
8. Publication Off Discussions
It is mutually agreed that the publication of this debate shall be placed in the hands of a neutral, responsible publisher, and the debate shall be published in accordance with the provisions of this contract. The moderators are hereby specially vested with the authority to make all necessary arrangements for the publication of the finished, transcribed debate with said publisher, and said debate shall be sold at publisher's cost, without profit to either Foy E. Wallace, Jr., or J. Frank Norris.,
9.
It is further especially agreed and understood, that if either party to this contract, fails or refuses to cooperate and carry out unconditionally the terms, covenants and conditions of this contract after said debate, then the moderators are hereby vested with full and complete authority to carry out the terms of this contract for the party failing or refusing for any reason to co-operate in the transcribing, publication and circulation of said discussions.
10.
It is further especially agreed and understood that this discussion being solely for the purpose of obtaining a wide circulation of the complete arguments and speeches of each party hereto on the propositions herein stated, it is agreed that said debate shall be published at cost and sold at publisher's cost without profit to either party hereto, and the moderators are instructed to obtain as reasonable a price from the publisher of these discussions as possible, and said debate when published must be sold by said publisher to all persons, firms or corporations desiring to purchase same at the publisher's cost.
11.
This contract is made in original and four copies and each is hereby declared to be an original for all legal purposes. I WITNESS the hand of Foy E. Wallace, Jr. at Temple, Texas, this 16th day of May, A. D., 1944.
WITNESS the hand of J. Frank Norris at ............... , Texas, this .......... day of ................ A. D. 1944. (Unsigned)
The State Of Texas,
County Of Bell.
BEFORE ME, the undersigned, a Notary Public in and for said County and State, on this day personally appeared Foy E. Wallace, Jr., known to me to be the person whose name is subscribed to the foregoing instrument, and acknowledged to me that he executed the same for the purposes and consideration therein expressed.
GIVEN UNDER MY HAND AND SEAL OF OFFICE this the 16th day of May, A. D. 1944.
(Seal)
Notary Public in and for Bell County, Texas.
The State Of Texas, County Of
BEFORE ME, the undersigned, a Notary Public in and for said County and State, on this day personally appeared
J. Frank Norris, known to me to be the person whose name is subscribed to the foregoing instrument, and acknowledged to me that he executed the same for the purposes and consideration therein expressed.
GIVEN UNDER MY HAND AND SEAL OF OFFICE this the .......... day of .................... A. D. 1944. (Unsigned) Notary Public in and for ................. County, Texas.