The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1923-12-21
MODERNISTS
HELD VICT0RS
IN HOT DEBATE
Discussion on Infallibility of
Bible Brings Out Crowd
in New York
FIRST OF A SERIES
Historical Errors in Bible Are
Claimed by Pastor on
Negative Side

scored technical victory over thei1
conservative opponents last nigh
when Rev. Charles Francis Potter
pastor of West Side-- Unitarian
church. was awarded the judges de
cision over Rev. John Straton, pas.
tor Of Calvary Baptist church, in Q
public debate on the question, Re
solved, the Bible is the infallible
word of Cod. Rev. Potter upheld
the negative.
The debate, which was the first Of
a series of five between the two
ministers, drew an audience that
filled the Calvary Baptist church
Hundreds stood in the aislcs and
many more outside crowded to get
within hearing distance.
The Judges vote was two to one,
their decision being merely on the
presentation of the argument and not
upon the merits of the respective
theories. The judges expressed re-
greet that there had not been closer
cooperation between the debaters in
their interpretations of the subject.
drafted their arguments along diff
ferent lines.
UNFOLDING the affirmative, DR..
Straton, at the outset of his pre-
pared speech declared he based his
arguments on facts, and would treat
his subject inf Scientific" manner,
which, he said, was so stressed by
modernists who deny the Bibles
infallibility and other fundamental
list beliefs on the ground that they
DO not coincide with facts proved
by science.
Would Supply Laws
Assuming the existence of a liv-
ing God, said DR.. Straton, which all
followers of Christianity, modern
lists and fundamentalists alike must
concede, it is only logical to presume
that He would reveal Himself to
man Any wise sovereign, he said,
must give his subjects laws, hence
1t would be absurd to suppose that
God would not supply such code.
With this established, the funda-
mentalist leader declared his only
task was to prove that the Bible
is that code. AS evidence to sup
port his argument, DR.. Straton
pointed to the Bibles miraculous
preservation and Increase Down
through the ages, he said, man has
tried to eliminate it and thousands
of persons have been killed because
/ they persisted in reading it, and
(still it is the "world's best seller.
Wodernists who build their creed
Npon scientific theories, he said,
Sould take note that no scientific
vt book, of which hundred,>have
" written, ever has equaled the
te in popularity.
Bible Has Universally
The Bible, said the speaker, has
quality of unique universally.
belongs to all ages and tribes,
4 unlike the Koran and the
a das, has universal appeal. Its
Estery element is necessary to all
feligion, for when man solves mys-
tery he ceases to revere the thing !
that has mystified him. Its univer-
sal appeal has caused the highes: |
lntellects of all the ages to make a |
deep and sincere study of the Bible |
1t took 1900 years for 40 authors |
from every walk of life to write the
Bible, he said, and yet, there is !
unity and lone spirit breathes
through it ALL" Throughout its &C
divisions, the Bible is one harmoni-
Gus whole and this fact is made pos
slblc only because 1.-The holy spirit
OF the living God was the real au-
thor said DR.. Straton.
In closing, Dr.. Straton asked his
hearers to think again on the good
works of this. The Book, as a suffi-
cient credential for its character
and its claims. 1t has justified it's
claims by its deeds and has thus
vlndlcated its right to stand forever
as the one sufficient and final auth
ority among the children of men,"
Points Cont radictions
Mr.. Potter said he consented to
take the negative side in the de-
bate only because of the exact word
ing of the subject, which, he declar-
ed, could be interpreted only as
meaning that "every part of the
Bible is the word of God, and there
fore, infallible". The question, he
said, was whether or not God ac-
tually was speaking in "every verse,
phrase and word in the Bible.'
Declaring his doubt of the Bibles
infallibility began at an early age,
before he had read the writings of
the "higher critics. Rev. Potter
based his arguments largely on pas
sages which he declared were:
"1-Inaccurate, historically or
scientifically.
2-Obvious contradictions.
Notwithstanding God as doing or
approving something which seems
to be morally wrong.
Hares Have Not Cuds
In support of his first premise.
Rev. Potter quoted, among other :
passages, phrase from Leviticus
l1:6' "and the hare, because she
cheweth the cud." Scientists have
|ong. since proved, he said, that the
hare and rabbit are not cud chew
ng animals, although they make
notions which the 'unscientific obser-
'er might mistake for such an cper-
ltion. The same sort Of mistake was
made, he said, when grasshoppers,
'rickets and locusts were spoken of
IS "going on all foprs," whom all
hese insects have six feet. Il
Three errors Of history occur, he
aid, in the second chapter Of Luke.
which relates that . ! decree, went
ut from Caesar Ausustns THAT oil
he world should - enrolled"