PROPOSITIONS FOR DISCUSSION. 1. The Scriptures clearly teach that all hope of salvation, to-day, is dependent upon accepting the Gospel of Christ as revealed in the Scriptures, and that such acceptance is confined to this present life. L. S. White, affirmative. 2. The Scriptures clearly teach that the dead are unconscious between death and the resurrection at the scond coming of Christ. C. T. Russell, affirmative. 3. The Scriptures clearly teach that the punishment of the (finally incorrigible) wicked will consist of conscious, painful suffering, eternal in duration. L. S. White, affirmative. 4. The Scriptures clearly teach that the first resurrection will occur at the second coming of Christ, and only the saints of this gospel age will share in it; but that in the resurrection of the unjust (Acts 24:15) vast multitudes of them will be saved. C. T. Russell, affirmative. 5. The Scriptures clearly teach that immersion in water “in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit," of a believing penitent is for, in order to, the remission of sin. L. S. White, affirmative. 6. The Scriptures clearly teach that the second coming of Christ will precede the millenninum, and the object of both-the Second Coming and the Millennium-is the blessing of all the families of the earth. C. T. Russell, affirmative. RUSSELL-WHITE DEBATE Sunday Evening, February 23, 1908. (Chairman, J. F. RUTHERFORD, Attorney, Boonville, Mo.) FIRST PROPOSITION. The Scriptures clearly teach that all hope of salvation, to-day, is dependent upon accepting the Gospel of Christ as revealed in the Scriptures, and that such acceptance is confined to this present life. L. S. White, affirmative. C. T. Russell, negative. L. S. WHITE'S FIRST SPEECH. Mr. Chairman, Ladies and Gentlemen: I count myself happy to have this opportunity of meeting such a splendid audience of people and to discuss with my present, distinguished opponent a great Scriptural question of much interest and vital importance unto all of us. Any person should be open to conviction; and any person who is not willing to receive the truth as taught from the Word of God, is not yet ready for the Kingdom of God. I take much pleasure in affirming the proposition which has just been read, viz.: "The Scriptures clearly teach that all hope of salvation, to-day, is dependent upon accepting the Gospel of Christ as revealed in the Scriptures, and that such acceptance is confined to this present life;" and I am glad to meet, perhaps, the ablest representative of the opposition in America, or in the universe, for that matter; so that if his cause goes down in this in vestigation, it will not se on account of the weakness of the man, but because of the weakness of the cause which he has espoused. This proposition is one of much interest and great importance unto all of us. God's purpose in perpetuating the human family to-day is that they might seek and find Him. (Acts 17:26-27.) Paul says that "God hath made of one blood all the nations of men for to dwell on all the face of the earth, and hath determined the times before appointed, and the bounds of their habitation; that they should seek the Lord, if haply they might feel after him and find him, though he be not far from every one of us." It is important that the terms of this proposition be clearly defined. One of the rules of controversy, as given in Hedge's Logic, says: "The terms in which the question in debate is expressed, and the precise point at issue should be so clearly defined that there could be no misunderstanding respecting them." Then the definition of the terms of this proposition: "The Scriptures," Word of God; "all hope of salvation," all hope of being saved. "To-day," the present time. And you notice carefully that there will be an issue as to whether this refers to the present time or to some past time. The proposition positively states "to-day"-the present time. "The Gospel of Christ" (the plan of salvation offered through Jesus Christ). "Confined to this present life"—that is, there will be no opportunity to accept the Gospel and be saved after the close of this life. My opponent will not deny for one moment that all hope for salvation to-day depends upon accepting the Gospel of Jesus Christ as revealed in the Scriptures; but the point at issue on this question is, will there be an opportunity of people being saved by the Gospel after the toils and cares of this life are done? He is really in the affirmative of this proposition, affirming that there will be another chance of salvation beyond the grave, which I most gladly deny. I want, now, to introduce a number of Scriptural and clearly logical arguments in support of this proposition: 1. To-day is the day of salvation. Heb. 3:7-11: "Wherefore (as the Holy Ghost saith, To-day if ye will hear his voice, harden not your hearts, as in the provocation, in the day of temptation in the wilderness: when your fathers tempted me, proved me and saw my works forty years. Wherefore I was grieved with that generation, and said, They do always err in their heart; and they have not known my ways. So I sware in my wrath, They shall not enter into my rest)." God says to-day is the day of salvation. We are both agreed upon that fact. The question is, is he right in contending, in addition to what God says, that there will be another chance of salvation in the future life? 2. The reign of Christ began after His ascension. Acts 2:30: "Therefore, being a prophet, and knowing that God had sworn with an oath to him, that of the fruit of his loins, according to the flesh, he would raise up Christ to sit on his throne." And His reign will end at His descension or second coming. Then He will deliver up the kingdom to the Father. I. Corinthians 15:24-26: "Then cometh the end, when he shall have delivered up the kingdom to God, even the Father; when he shall have put down all rule, and all authority and power. For he must reign till he hath put all enemies under his feet. The last enemy that shall be destroyed is death." Any salvation, therefore, offered after that would be salvation without Christ as King, consequently without the name of Christ. But there is none other name given under heaven or amongst men whereby we can be saved. Acts 4:12: "Neither is there salvation in any other; for there is none other name under heaven given among men whereby we must be saved." Therefore, the possibility for salvation at all is confined to the time before the second coming of Christ, when the Master will rise up and shut to the door. Luke 13:23-27: "Then said one unto him, Lord are there few that be saved? And he said unto them, Strive to enter in at the strait gate; for many I say unto you will seek to enter in, and shall not be able. When once the master of the house is risen up, and hath shut to the door, and ye begin to stand without, and knock at the door, saying, Lord, Lord, open unto us; and he shall answer and say unto you, I know not whence ye are. Then shall ye begin to say, We have eaten and drunk in thy presence, and thou hast taught in our streets. But he shall say, I tell you, I know you not whence ye are; depart from me, all ye workers of iniquity." 3. The grace of God brings salvation; but it brings salvation to those only who live in this present world, which precedes the second coming of Christ. We are to look for His appearing. Tit. 2:11-14: "For the grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men, teaching us that denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously and godly in this present world, looking for that blessed hope and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ, who gave himself for us that he might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify unto himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works.” Therefore, any salvation offered after this life, and any saved then, would be without the grace of God. 4. The seal of the covenant of grace is the blood of Christ. The seal, and that of which it is a seal, are co-extensive. Each lasts just as long as the other, and no longer. Christ's blood is to be remembered until he comes. I. Cor. 11:26: "For as often as ye eat this bread, and drink this cup, ye do shew the Lord's death till he come." Therefore, the new covenant sealed by that blood will continue only until Christ comes. Then if any are saved after he comes, they will be saved without either the new covenant or the blood of Christ. But the new covenant, of which the blood of Christ is the seal, is the one which gives life. (Gal. 3 and Heb. 8.) Therefore, salvation without the new covenant would be salva |