Sunbury American and Shamokin journal. [volume] (Sunbury, Northumberland Co., Pa.) 1840-1848, 1843-07-15
FOR THE AMERICAN.
Mr., Hall and his Challenge.

again obtrudng myself upon public notice. Eve
ry body knows, and Mr.. Hall knows, that did |
not challenge him to an oral discussion, but,
merely acknowledged my ability to defend
certain position whenever he was ready TO dis.
cuss it--where! Of course in the American, in
which the controversy was being carried on.
So much for his honesty in pervcrting my evil
dent intention. He is the challenger.
An inefficient antagonist will always choose
the platform instead of the pen, because it is !
more difficult for the people in running de-
bate to weigh words and detect sophisms, and.
oracle-lke he can escape under cover of his
antiquities know Mr. Halls disposition too
well to give him such an advantage-for let |
him be beaten and silenced, (Which is no hard /
task,) he would run through the country with /
his pcrversions of the debate procamng him
sefvctor.
But why, some will ask, not engage in an
oral discussion with Mr. Hall Because, in The
first place, there is no necessity, the subject
is already being discussed in the American. If
the aim Of Mr. Hall is the establishment oftruth
he has already the medium through which he
can present all his arguments. But, secondly,
written controversy will be apt to be more full
and fair. II is better for the controversiaists,
because they can mature their ideas, and ex-
press them more accurately, in the Study than
on the platform. 1t is better for the people, as
they can peruse at their leisure what is written,
and thus understand it thoroughly. Itaso pre-
vents dishonest disput'nt from perverting the
assertions he has made, or secures his detec-
tion.
But in the next place. the conditions on which
Mr.. Hall suspended the debate would have pre-
vented me from engaging in it. In the first
place he required that his opponent should be
"a gentleman, man Of good moral character,
and clergyman ofstanding." claim all these
qualifications. But of course would require
them all iu my opponent. In my estimation
however, Mr.. Hall is no gentleman nor, do
consider him clergyman sound in the faith,
and of course not in good standing but, as to
his moral character, | leave those to Judge who
heard him on last Wednesday night.
In the second place he required that my
thuiSh eiiOuiu uS oVcUtu lOI iiIC uistHSSiOI.
That would have been impossible as | can ne
yer suffer Mr.. Hall to open his mouth in my
pulpit or church, while believe him to be ra-
Ideally unsound in the faith.
But the following are the particular reasons
why declined the challenge First, Mr.
Hall felt that I was getting the advantage of
him, in the way Of argument, in the American,
and he wanted to slip away if he could, and CO.
yer his ignorance in noisy debate. But am
not going to yield the advantage which | feel
that have got. Secondly, do not choose 70 give
any unnecessary notoriety either to him or his
cause in this pedobaptst region. Thirdly, be-
cause oral debates usually degenerate intoper-
sonalties and abuse which reflect no credit on
the cause of religion. Lastly, because | feel
that am quite near enough to Mr.. Hall with
the American between us-a closer contact
would not be at all agreeable to my feelings
and know no honor would be gained by per-
sonal debate, though the victory should be ever
SO complete and brilliant.
Mr.. Hall has a long tongue, but he is an it,
literate man. know he carries with him
half dozen Lexicons, and understands nothing
of the Greek language. lie is emphatically
the Scholar armed, while his head is empty.
The very heading Of his piece, challenged and
accepted" shows that he is ignorant of the con-
struction Of the English. He said that he had
examined twenty-sevcn Lexcons. | wish he
would favor us with their names.
But now .or the awful alternative. He says
i'll do not accept the challenge that he will com
mence review of my communications IN the
Baptist Lecture room and continue for several
evenings. What fearful threat But he did
execute it in part, not, however, during several
evenings, for he exhausted his slang in one G.
vening. But whence did he draw his text
was it from the Mormon Bible, or the New Bap-
tist Bible Whatever was the Book, the text
was William II. Smith, and they say that the
fellow did spout away at railroad rate and hot
as steam. The effects he produced were vari-
Gus. Some laughed, and even grinned appro-
baton, others frowned and left the house. Some
ga id that he must be learned man so lumber
ed was he with dictionaries. others said he had
much more tongue than brains, some said that
he used me up very decently, others, that be
was a great blackguard.
Now amid the discordant opinions, as TO the
character of his performance, those who did not
hear him must Judge as best they can. But
my opinion is, there was one auditor who was