The Washington times., 1923-12-21
POLICE CALLED
IN BIBLICAL
DEBATE
Squads Hold Crowd While
ReVs. Straton and Potter
Tackle InfaIIibiIity.

NEW YORK, Dec. 21.-While
Bishop Manning was pleading for
a Christmas peace last night, two
noted clergymen engaged in an
acrimonious debate on the infalli-
bility of the Bible in an atmosphere
suggesting a sporting event.
The debate occurred in the
Calvary Baptist Church between
the Rev. John Roach StratOn,
rIndamentaIiSt pastor of that
church, and the Rev. Charles
FRANCES Potter, mOdernlSt pastor
of the West Side Unitarian
Church, but the cheers, jeerS, pO-
= lice activity, and subsequent us
order were more reminiscent OF
a Madison Square Garden athletic
contest, than a theological discus
sion in a church.
The Rev. Mr.. Potter, champion
of the cause of modernism, won by
a decision Of 2 to l by the judges.
Squads of Police.
Squads of police guarded the in
terror of the church and patroled
the streets outside, holding the crowd
in check. The church was crowded
to the Hobbies so densely that the
fire department representatives fl
nally interfered and stopped further
congestion. More than 1000 heard
the debate More than 1000 were
turned away.
From the outset Mr.. Potter was
the favorite with the crowd, despite
the fact that the event was staged
in Mr.. Straton's own church. At
one point the cheering for Mr.. Potter
was SO prolonged and delnOnstrative
that Mr.. StratOn was unable to pro-
coed for several minutes with his
speech. Several persons in the gal
lery repeatedly interrupted the arsu-
ment with comment and criticism
and there was not moment when
the crowded church was not at a
high pitch of emotional and physical
excitement.
Voice From Gallery.
When DIR. Potter, attacking the
infallibility Of the Bible, cited that
four different TRANSACTIONS of the
letters Il. IN. r.. l." on the cross
are given in the New Testament,
an irrepressible individual in the
gallery reared:
why didn't they write it right
in the first placer"
Outside the church two women
almost came to blows i'm an at
tempt to settle the debate between
themselves.
Bystanders parted them while the
police were breaking through the
impromptu overflow meeting. After
the audience in the church had
sung the hymn, Blessed Assurance,
Jesus Is Mine," the organist, Thurs
ton Noe, announced that popular Sc
lections exclusively would make up
the rest of the program.
AT the outset, the contesting
sclergymen confined themselves di-
rectly to the question. "Resolved,
That the Bible is the infallib1e word
of Cod
Z One experienced observer in the
crowd, who was more familiar
with pugiliSm than theology,
summed up the situation and fore
cast the result with the statement
that StratOn swung wildly, lacked
! control and showed inferior foot
work. while Potter struck with
short .jabs and landed i'm the most
effective places, and was cool
enough to keep himself out of
danger every minute.
Z: Stratton based his defense of the
Bible on the following foundations:
1.-The preservation and increase
in distribution of the Bible in face
of ruthless hostility.
2-The Bibles universally is ex-
emplifieX by the fact that it exists
in written form in practically every
tongue on earth: the only book
that has ever done so in the his
tory Of man.
3-The Bibles unity shown by the
fact that. although it was 1.5OO
years in the making by men in
every walk of life. and was gathered
together in sixty-six divisions. the
uniformity of expressed thought is
constant throughout.
4-The Bibles fulfilled prophecies
from the destruction of Ninevah
and Tyre to the birth Of Christ.
5-The Bibles own proved claim
to infallibility.
6-The Bibles self-proved author.
ity.