“The brother has gone a long way from his text for his material tonight,” said Robert Davis.  “He took what we boys used to call a ‘running jump.’  The text he quoted from Proverbs proves nothing whatever against a holy life.  No man can save himself, for salvation is by faith, not by works.  But, again, let me remind Mr. Newby that Christ has come since Solomon spoke, and surely Christ has done something for us.  The other texts he quoted are easily explained.  In Matt. 19:16, 17, Jesus was stating a primary truth, as all goodness comes from God, yet, he was trying to impress upon the young man that he, Jesus, was God.  No man is good in and of himself.  God must come in before he is good.  God’s people are righteous, good.  John says, ‘He that doeth righteousness is righteous, even as he is righteous’ (1 John 3:7).  Now, let us read Rom. 3:10:  ’There is none righteous, no not one.’  I wish Mr. Newby would read the verses following the tenth verse.  What kind of people was Paul writing of?  Christians?  What!  Do Christians have a throat like an open sepulchre?  Is their mouth full of cursing and bitterness?  Are their feet swift to shed blood?  How about it, Mr. Newby?  How about it friends?  What is your verdict?”

“That cannot mean Christians,” said a voice from the back of the room.

“Of course, it can not.  Paul was describing the wayward sinner.  As for Paul being actually the chief of sinners when he wrote 1 Tim. 1:15, it is preposterous.  He does, indeed, speak in the present tense, ’I am,’ but it is perfectly evident that he makes use of a rhetorical expression which is permissible, without being called in question as to his life.  If he was, in reality, the chief of sinners at that time, he could hardly say, as he did, ’Ye are witnesses, and God also, how holily and justly and unblameably we behaved ourselves among you that believe’ (1 Thess. 2:10).  And it is entirely inconsistent to believe that the Christ would permit a chief-sinner to be an ambassador for Him.  Mr. Newby’s text in Romans 7:14 will come up for discussion next week; so I will not speak of it now.

“You did not find your text, Mr. Newby.  The five dollars is ready whenever you find it,” said Robert Davis, as he sat down.

All eyes were now upon Mr. Newby.  Here was an opponent that was not to be stampeded or intimidated, one who knew his ground, and kept close to his texts.  It was easy to see that Peter Newby was nonplused.  It usually had been easy for him to silence an opponent, or to get an expression of agreement, so that he smarted under the feeling that he was near to being defeated.  His texts were gone.  He had no more to offer, and he hardly dared to expound any of Romans 6, so there he sat, red in the face, his right hand pulling nervously at his stubby white mustache.  It was either rise or admit defeat.  So Peter Newby rose.  His voice was cold and sinister.