Southern Argus. [volume] (Columbus, Miss.) 1834-1842, 1840-01-28

Should Mr.. olmslead have ~
ton tOmake to me. verbally Or h. s, I'm
be found at the residence. ofa,rp 'es'el' Ieaa
until thursday next. = CaAoA
lam
Gentlemen
Very Respectfully
Your Friend
JAMES SMITH
| -. So. c0lvnHus. Jan. Is, 1910.
Your note has been received -,
satisfactory. We sever assarte5 %.. u
Olmstead would calla meeting to .,t a's' NJ
positions. '''aeR your
We have frequently said that Mr. o,-
would, and still say, that he win NM ,,'''sad
preacher or advocate Of christianitv -. say
debate, and discuss the question ryba,t puoas
facts on which the Christion religion r.s, 'e
occurred. Soon after your arrival ~ s.'sseF
Goodrich, understood Mr.. Fuller "a - !. ~
you bad said, You were wiling to mo - IA IA
or Mr.. olmstead in public debate and An. .a
this question. We, on this inforn.i;on '.uss
pared note to you, similar to the ona pc
you day or two since,which we dianos.s s'''
because, Mr.. Fuller informed rs q. =
Goodrich had misunderstood him. ''
/ Soon after this your host Mr.. CaIbom
med Mr. Goodrich, that you expected -.
from some ofthe fnidels Of this town ,., '..s
Mr.. Olmstead, and that you were viIra-
meet. him. Accordingly we prepared -
sent the note, the receipt of which u, -
Acknowledged. You will be pleased tor o. ,.e
that in the above paragraphs, we han
you sinapIy, The part we have acted ms..l
fair
That there may be no mismden,sas..
f we now sayto you, that the authors Oftbe,,s
eraI books ofthe Bible, were not insured <.
that they are not worthy of credit. that 4.
f facts they detail, and on which the Cb1s,i.,
Religion rests, never occurred-that The MI
j. yidual named in the New Testament Je.u,
Christ, (supposing person by that name ever
lived was not miraculously begotton, nor did
? he after he was dead rise from the dead and
ascend to heaven. You hold the affirmative
!, these and other questions like them. We
now formally invite you or any other clergy-
n man to meet Mr. Oinlstead and discuss them
; publicly. W1lyou, or viii. you not do 50, you
: can choose your time,-the place must be Co
q lumbus.
n We would here remark, that we do not
wish to excite any amnesty Offeeling on your
Q part, butou object is merely to have the sub.
ject discussed for the satisfaction Of the public
! as well as ourselves, and believing that yoI
Il are man capable of explaining the mystere
G of that great work (the Bible,) We merely as
\ you IT. friendship, that the public may judgef
e themselves.
e Very Respectfully,
g Your ob't. servants,
!. J. II. HAND,
= L. N. HATCH,
; H. JOHNSTON,
HB. GOODRICH.
s, The gentlemen who have. signed the. for
:. going, had permission to. use my name as Tx
: have done.
: C. G. oIMsTEAD.
# corvnsus, Mss. Jan 20 1910
!. GENTLEMEN:
y Yours ofthe 18th INST, was duly recsE-
al ed. You say my note q is unsatisfactory
This 1 regret.
or Ny object in that note was to show 70
I. my true position, (vlz:) that had not sOug
= a public controversy, When publishedi h
would preach on the subjects already Fefer
e to, IN this correspondence, did not do 50
le elicit controversy. had no exPectai
: that ! woald bel challenged by ron
y Others. I believe it .uubecoming IN
b minister of the Gospel to traverse the cOun
seeking controversies with the oppOsen
s. christianity. Nevertheless, he may be pa
in circumstances, which may render II
imperious duty to meet these opposers S
I believe is my present position Theef
! thatthere may be no misunderstanding On
subject, I SAY to yo.s that the authors Of
several books otthe Bible were sinspredm
that they are aentitled TO credit, that the f
they detail, and on which the Christian R
/ gion rests did occr-tbat Jesus Christ
d live, that he was miraculorsly begotten. t
J after he was dead he arose and assembled
e Heaven,fron whence he Will come again,
! judgethe quick and dead.
; The truth ofthese positions, 1 am wiling
o. discuss with Mr.. Olmstead or any other In
z. deI,-in Columbus. For the time &c. Ire
y you to my friends. Messrs. Calhoun and Pr
$ ton.
y In conclusion, Gentlemen, permit me
say that I.haye not viewed you as wishing
n excite any aninlosity of feeling on my part .
y that / am The subject Of no such feelings 3. !
% I trust that my conduct throughout u =. "a,
affair shall be such as VIII convince! e W.
truth of this statement
remain, gentlemen,
Very respectfully,
Your Friend &c,
JAS. SMITH