After the chapter was read, Peter began: 

“Neighbors,” he said, “you have known me for a long time, and all of you know that I am fair and square to everybody.  I try to treat my neighbors right.  I have been a Christian a long time.  I was baptized fifty years ago in the Big Sandy River.  Water baptism is essential to salvation, so somewhere between the time I went down into the water and came up out of it, I was converted.

“Now we are studying the seventh chapter of Romans.  Paul gives his experience in this chapter.  Paul was a great man but he said that he was ‘carnal, sold under sin’ (v. 14).  Now my experience is just like Paul’s.  He says, ’For what I would, that do I not; but what I hate, that do I,’ and then in verse 19, ’For the good that I would I do not:  but the evil which I would not, that I do.’  This is my experience.  I do many things I ought not to do, and I leave undone many things I ought to do.  This old tongue of mine says many ugly things, and when I get with wicked boys and men I crack my jokes too, and these hands often do wrong, but, friends, I am trying in my weak way to serve the Lord and to make heaven my home.  But I do not expect to be better than Paul.  He said that when he would do good, evil was present with him.  This is my experience.  I would like to do good, but the flesh is too weak, and there is too much sin in me.”  Peter sat down.

Robert Davis arose.  Every eye was upon him.  Bibles and Testaments were opened.  Old Mr. Stephenson was there with his Bible, and very attentive was he.  Charley Moss had his Testament open at the proper place.

“At first glance, it may seem,” Robert said, “that Romans 7 upholds a life of more or less sinning in a Christian.  A closer view, however, reveals that it does not.  The first night that I was present at these prayer meetings, Brother Newby laid down one sound method for interpreting the Scriptures.  He said, ’First, one should know who was writing, second, one should know to whom he was writing, and third, one should know what he was writing about.’  This is a sound theory.  Let us apply it to the text in question.  First, who was writing?  Paul.  Second, to whom was he writing?  To the Christians at Rome.  Third, what was he writing about?  His experience under the law.”

This assertion came like a thunderclap from a clear sky.  Peter Newby saw, at once, the significance of the statement, and he shifted uneasily in his seat.  He riveted his eyes to the text, in an effort to discover some point that would be in opposition to Robert’s statement.  The crowd looked open-mouthed.  This was a new doctrine—­they had never heard it explained that way.  The interest was intense.

Continuing, Robert said:  “This is made plain by the first few verses of the chapter.  Please notice them—­’Know ye not, brethren, (for I speak to them that know the law,) how that the law hath dominion over a man as long as he liveth?’ Then he shows in the verses following that Christians have ‘become dead to the law’ through Christ, and that they are married to Christ, and bring forth fruit unto God.  ’But now we are delivered from the law,’ says Paul.