The following is an excerpt from the Ketcherside-Porter Debate on Orphans Homes and Bible Colleges:
"My respondent said much in conclusion about the spirit of Christ and told about all the good he had done. I want to tell you the difference between Brother Porter's position and mine as it relates to caring for orphan children. Let us imagine that there is an orphan in the community near Neosho, and somebody says, "Brother Porter, we have located a little homeless orphan, destitute and alone. What shall we do with it." My friend says, "We have an Orphans Home at Tipton, ship the child down there, and when the truck comes around once a month, we'll send them a peck of potatoes, fifteen cents worth of sugar, and a box of salt, because that's the way we obey the command to visit the fatherless and widows. If we have anything we can't use we'll send it down there, perhaps once every three months."
But the scene changes. Someone comes and says to my wife and I, "Here is a poor little homeless waif, with no one to care whether she lives or dies." What should we do? We take that orphan child into our home, and when the eventide falls, and all the world is still, my faithful companion holds that babe close to her breast and soothes it with those words she speaks. And the little child says, "Where is my daddy and mother, I want my daddy." My wife whispers to her, "This man is going to be your daddy and I am going to be your mother, and you shall have this golden-haired girl of ours for your sister, and we are going to keep you and take care of you, watch over you, and see that you are protected from the chilly blast of winter, and the heat of the summer. We will try to rear you in the nurture and admonition of the Lord, and you may call me "mother" and him "daddy".' And when that poor child falls asleep at night, with the tears dried from her eyes, my wife tucks her into bed beside our own dear children, and her sleep is happy and contented. I am asking you my friends, if you can con¬trast the difference between this gentleman here, and myself? I am asking you, which one has the most of the spirit of Jesus Christ about it?"
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