Brethren Moderators, my Worthy Opponent, and Kind Friends:

     I am before you this morning in the affirmative of the proposition that you have heard read. One of the rules of honorable controversy is that the proposition must be clearly defined, and I am going to undertake to do that.

     The proposition is made up of a compound sentence. We have the conjunction and in it. I am going to discuss the first part of this proposition in my first speech and the last part of the proposition in my concluding speeches. But I will give you the definition of it all.

     The Scriptures teach that the salvation of God's people here in time after regeneration is conditional on them living up to Scriptural requirements; also, their sufferings and afflictions are conditional on them not living as they are commanded. By the term "Scriptures," I mean the Old and New Testaments.

     By the word "teach," I mean to impart knowledge, to instruct, inform, to give instruction.

    By the word "salvation," in the proposition, I mean much of their joy, peace, and happiness in the service of God.

     By "God's people," I mean those who are His by covenant.

     By "here in time," I mean that measure of duration in which they exist as individuals that have been born again here in this world.

     By "after regeneration,” I mean after being born of the Spirit; born again, born from above.

     By "is conditional," I mean those things which have served the dependence of one categorical proposition on another.

     By "on them living," I mean by the way the child of God conforms his or her life.

     By "also their sufferings and afflictions are conditional on them not living as they are commanded," I mean the sufferings and chastisement the Lord promised those who did not keep His statutes in Psalms lxxxix. 30, 31 and 32, "If His children forsake my laws and walk not in my judgments, if they break my statutes and keep not my commandments, then will I visit their transgressions with the rod and their iniquity with stripes." You heard the assertion made on yesterday afternoon that I am an Arminian. An Arminian is one who believes that his home in heaven depends upon what he does in the world, and I deny that. We have heard a lot in this discussion about charging consequences, and if there were ever any consequences charged, that charge was this. I deny the charge. The children of God, after regeneration, are the individuals that are in my proposition, and so, away with your hobby horse that we are Arminians.

     Today is going to be the day. The tough spot is coming. He said on yesterday that "he was sweating blood now, but wait until tomorrow." Well, tomorrow is here and I wonder if he will say, "Let us wait until tomorrow and we will get him." My first argument in support of my proposition is that the child of God, one that has been born of the Spirit, is commanded to seek. "Seek" is a transitive verb, and means to go in search of, to look for, to resort to, to inquire for, to make search or inquire; to try, or endeavor. Colossians iii. 1: “If ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of ,God." To be regenerated is to be raised with Christ. It is the Lord that does that and "if" is the condition. Elder Rhodes, Arminianism says, "If you will seek those things which are above, you will be risen with Christ." Primitive Baptists say-not Absoluters, but Primitive Baptists-"If ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God. Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth."

      My second argument in support of the proposition is this: That without faith, it is impossible to please God. Therefore, those that have been regenerated have faith and they are rewarded in seeking the Lord. Now, you are not paying a bit of attention in the world to this argument which I have made. I am going to make it over. My second argument is that without faith it is impossible to please God; therefore, those that have been regenerated have faith, and they are rewarded in seeking the Lord. Hebrews xi. 6: "But without faith it is impossible to please Him: for he that cometh to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of them that diligently seek Him." Do you believe that He is a rewarder of them that diligently seek Him? If you don't believe it, you can't come to Him in the sense of that text. Elder Rhodes says that He doesn't reward anybody that seeks Him for seeking. Elder Rhodes, do you believe that He is a rewarder of them that diligently seek Him? In Matthew vii. 7 and 8, "Ask, and it shall be given you." Who is it that asks? It is the child of God that asks. It is the child of God that has been regenerated, born of the Spirit of God, that is commanded to ask. The sinner cannot ask. If he cannot ask in the sense of this text, then, it is the child of God that is commanded to ask by the Saviour. "Ask and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find." I wonder if folks are active or passive in knocking. I wonder if folks are active or passive in seeking. I am going to tell you, before we go further, that they are active in knocking and they are active in seeking. It is the child of God that has life that is active. It is the child of God that asks. It is the child of God who seeks; it is the child of God that knocks. "And everyone that asketh receiveth; and he that seeketh findeth; and to him that knocketh it shall be opened." Do you believe that? He is denying it. All right. "Ask" is a transitive verb, and means to seek to obtain by words. That is what the word "ask" means. "Therefore" denotes a condition for the child of God to be performed by him. "Knock" is also a verb, and denotes action on the part of the child of God. It is given to you because you asked. It is opened to you because you knocked; and you found because you sought. Found what? Joy, peace, happiness, and enjoying the joys of your salvation while you live here in this world.

     My third argument is that the Lord has promised the salvation put forth in my proposition for keeping the gospel in memory. "Keep" is a verb, transitive, and denotes action on the part of the child of God, and is in the active voice, meaning to guard, preserve, and maintain. First Corinthians, xv. I and 2: "Moreover, brethren, I declare unto you the gospel which I preached unto you, which also ye have received, and. wherein ye stand." What? The gospel, "by which ye are saved." "By which also ye are saved if ye keep in memory what I preached unto you, unless ye have believed in vain." Is that salvation eternal salvation? Let him tell you whether it is eternal salvation. I dare you to tell us whether it is eternal salvation or conditional time salvation. If he tells you it is eternal salvation, then, eternal salvation comes by the gospel. If he tells you it is conditional or time salvation, he will have to quit the Absoluters; they will not have him. Now, you can go either way. You answer that. Be sure and make a note of it. What was Paul talking about? What kind of salvation was he talking about? The text says they were saved by the gospel. Are you a Campbellite? If there is but one salvation taught in the Bible and he is denying that there is such a thing as a salvation to the child of God in time for keeping the commandments of God, then, let him tell us what kind of salvation that is. Believers are born of God. First John v. 1. They were the only folks that could keep it in memory. The believers need not keep it in memory to get a home in heaven, because they were children of God; because it took a believer to keep it in mind. Therefore, a believer is a child of God. First .John v. 1. Why? Because "Whosoever believeth that Jesus is the Christ is born of God." Arminianism would say he had to believe that Jesus is the Christ and he will be born of God. That is Arminianism. You don't know what Arminianism is. You wouldn't know what it was if you were to meet it in the road with a blind halter on it.

     MODERATOR CAYCE: Cut that out.

     ELDER WEST: I beg your pardon.

     Believers are born of God, but believers are the only ones that keep spiritual things in memory. Therefore, it is the child of God that has time salvation for keeping God's gospel in memory. Does eternal salvation come through the gospel, Elder Rhodes? Is there any salvation in keeping the gospel in memory, Elder Rhodes? What do you preach the gospel for? Will you tell us what you preach the gospel for? Is it for the joy, peace, comfort and happiness for the children of God? Or, do you preach the gospel, Elder Rhodes? In what way does the gospel benefit the child of God, Elder Rhodes?

     My fourth argument is that the Lord has promised peace, joy and happiness to His children who call upon His name. Romans x. 1 to 15: "Brethren, my heart's desire and prayer to God for Israel is, that they might be saved. For I bear them record that they have a zeal of God, but not according to knowledge. For they being ignorant of God's righteousness, and going about to establish their own righteousness, have not submitted themselves unto the righteousness of God." Is that dealing with sinners or children of God? Who was Paul praying for the salvation of? He was praying for the gospel salvation. That is what he was talking about. "For Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to everyone that believeth. For Moses describeth the righteousness which is of the law, That the man which doeth those things shall live by them. But the righteousness which is of faith speaketh on this wise, Say not in thine heart, Who shall ascend into heaven? (that is, to bring Christ down from above:) Or, who shall descend into the deep? (that is, to bring up Christ again from the dead.) But what saith it? The word is nigh thee, even in thy mouth, and in thy heart: that is, the word of faith, which we preach; that if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised Him from the dead, thou shall be saved." Is that eternal salvation? Is that eternal salvation, or is that conditional time salvation, depending upon the condition in this text? "For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation." He has already been raised with Christ. He has already been regenerated and born from above. "For the Scripture saith, Whosoever believeth on Him shall not be ashamed. For there is no difference between the Jew and the Greek: for the same Lord over all is rich unto all that call upon Him. For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved." Does the man have to call upon the name of the Lord to be eternally saved? Or does he call upon the name of the Lord because he is saved? We have been talking about cause and effect. If he calls on the name of the Lord because he is saved, then this is not eternal salvation, and eternal salvation is not the salvation in this text, because that individual that does that shall be saved. "How then shall they call on Him in whom they have not believed? and how shall they believe in Him of whom they have not heard? and how shall they hear without a preacher?" Now, there is some gospel salvation for you. I am going to ask you again, Elder Rhodes, how are they saved? What does that mean, anyway? If it doesn't mean what I say it means, will you tell us what it does mean? And if it doesn't mean what I say it means, I will join you if you will let me.

     The Lord gives to His people a reward, for keeping His commandments. The reward is something given as a return for something good, or recompense. Matthew vi. 1 to 7: "Take heed that ye do not your alms before men, to be seen of them: otherwise ye have no reward of your Father which is in heaven. Therefore when thou doest thine alms, do not sound a trumpet before thee, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, that they may have glory of men. Verily I say unto you, They have their reward." Now, I am going to find a good reward. "But when thou doest alms, let not thy left hand know what thy right hand doeth: that thine alms may be in secret: and thy Father which seeth in secret, Himself shall reward thee openly." He is going to reward them. He is going to reward them openly. He sees in secret; all things are naked unto Him. And that Father that sees in secret is going to reward His child in keeping His commandments in this world. He will reward them openly. That is a plain statement of God's Word. That is God's eternal truth, and it will stand when this world is on fire. It is to the child of God because dead, alien, sinners do not pray. It is a child of God who prays. It is the child of God who is commanded to pray. It is the child of God that does pray, and the child of God is the only individual in the world that can pray. I say to you this morning that just as sure as you have ever lifted a sincere prayer to God in heaven, He has rewarded you in your soul with peace and joy and happiness, and answered your prayer. "And when thou prayest, thou shall not be as the hypocrites are: for they love to pray standing in the synagogues and in the corners of the streets, that they may be seen of men. Verily I say unto you, They have their reward. But thou,”-talking about the child of God now. Don't be like those folks. That is the commandment, not to be like them. "But then, when thou prayest, enter into thy closet, and when thou hast shut thy door, pray to thy Father which is in secret; and thy Father which seeth in secret shall reward thee openly." Elder Rhodes, tell us why those folks were rewarded. Tell us upon what condition they were rewarded. I will give you some more Scriptures on reward in the same chapter, beginning with the 16th verse, talking about the folks that fast. "Moreover, when ye fast, be not, as the hypocrites, of a sad countenance: for they disfigure their faces, that they may appear unto men to fast. Verily I say unto you, They have their reward. But thou, when thou fastest, anoint thine head, and wash thy face; that thou appear not unto men to fast, but unto thy Father which is in secret: and thy Father, which seeth in secret, shall reward thee openly." Will you please tell me why they were rewarded? Upon what condition they were rewarded when they anointed their heads? Was anointing their heads a condition? Was washing their faces a condition? Or was it not a condition? Isn't your face being clean conditioned upon your washing your face? Or does your face get clean without any condition? Numbers xviii. 31: "And ye shall eat it in every place, ye and your households; for it is your reward for your service in the tabernacle of the congregation." Eating is a reward for your service. Here is somebody being rewarded for service; they got a reward for service in the tabernacle. I wonder if you tell folks when you preach to them that they are rewarded for their service in the tabernacle? Or do you tell them that they have got all the blessings that they will ever get, and there is no blessing in the world for obedience. Luke vi. 35: "But love ye your enemies, and do good, and lend, hoping for nothing again; and your reward shall be great, and ye shall be the children of the Highest; for He is kind unto the unthankful and to the evil." Colossians iii. 22 to 25: "Servants, obey in all things your masters according to the flesh; not with eyeservice, as menpleasers; but in singleness of heart, fearing God: and whatsoever ye do, do it heartily, as to the Lord, and not unto men; knowing that of the Lord ye shall receive the reward of the inheritance: for ye serve the Lord Christ." Now, turning around and telling you what the consequences are if you do wrong: "But he that doeth wrong shall receive for the wrong which he hath done: and there is no respect of persons.” Those are not Arminian texts. They belong to Old Baptists. Why, the Lord, when He said those things, didn't even have Arminianism in mind to support it. Proverbs xi. 18: "The wicked worketh a deceitful work: but to him that soweth righteousness shall be a sure reward." The only individual who can sow righteousness is the child of God, who is born again of the Spirit, or from above. That is the only individual who can do it. Ecclesiastes iv. 9: "Two are better than one; because they have a good reward for their labour." Is their labor a condition for that reward? I am telling you, frankly, that their labor is a condition for their reward in the text. Let the gentleman say it is not, by any rule of grammar, and I will surrender the proposition and go home.

Time expired.