The Arkansas banner., 1847-02-03

 nsf.J fisel mt E tn in Ausy bcand b snhjOin . fsw semarks. by way of comment. fpr the Paposs of exposing av vile slAnder that certain renegade dseipiss. srssz ~ssy respectable branches Of the Christian Ckaseh. have pat in eircalaton. evideat- ly to refsci diseredit uPoa me The Psrport of ths charge is.-tlat | af,<s signifying my willingness to meet Rev Mr. Clarke ia debate. backed out. h ssply ta this aliesation. ia wholesale style. viii say. fl I have ever turned away from the eoniem- plated controversy. beiween Rev. Mr. Clarke and myself. am whclly unconscious ef the fact; and how certain InnEasEp SciasAArtcs eouid aseer- tain this fskt. with0as my knowing anything a6cat It, is more tan my powers of mnd are able to di vine. But we hve in an age of ofimptosement. aud. t gay s<. shsss wisc-1eFes have coaeocsed some means hY which to read the secrets of the human mind Ifso, these should be sufficient pgblie spirit among ;he citizens Of Liitle ROek to bring them as prominently before the eoEamani,y their extra ordinary capabilities deserve.
 To set tAis entire business before he people, in 2 proper light. feel inclined to give the history of the whole affair. Then. my feiiow-e;tizens viii fully understand my true position. After this, my Campbsll,te friends may laugh and talk with i'm panty.
 When MsssEs. Johnson and Rickess first visited tiis Cily they met siih considerable success and. being inflated with tbs spirit of ,ha, ProseIytiag religion, properly scStisd caaPbs;llsa. they pub liey deelared that there vas nos man ia the State of Arkansas, who could answer their afgsments or dispute their facts Sending these declarations, eompaned with sort ofrunning ehailenge. through out ihs State. the impression began 10 be made, on sOsas minds. thst these men. and their eoadjators were altogether invincble. Hence arose the neees- siy of paying attention to the nature and ten .!ency of tleii haraagwes.
 Accordingly. on the evening of the I2th of No vem5eF. ISij, delivered discourse in the Metho- dist Church, of this City. in which used great Psaannsss of speech while commenting on the pe- eaiatiies of certain sects, without calling any Rames. IR that discourse, answered the obiee lions usually urged against religious controversies deelarisg, at the same time. my love of religious discasspns, when they are properly condueted.- And. juit here, will inform Rev MF. Clarke, as well several of his brethren, that have been gagged in nany discussions of this nature in another State; and. this general statement will not satisfy their inere6llity, can show them the written and printed documents which are attkc parsonage. The reason why introduce this Aggression from the main subject B. because Rev. Mr. Clarke, as l was inforEed by Mr. --s. whom Bro. Stevenson bur. riet in the Arkansas river, On the = day of the pre- sent month. remarked. in conversation with several Of his brethren, that if stranger 10 the rules of public discussion. icosId De q rare eass. , The sermon. ts which have alluded in the fore gong paragraph gave high offence 10 the disciples of Mir. Campbell aad, forthwith, the news began to circulate, th1 Mr. Rockets would be here some time during the winter and would attend to my case. The ftY. gentleman came. but. fes reasons best known to himself, paid no attention to me- Of course. thez. his brethren were mistaken when they said he woald notice me.
 Rev. Mr. Cialke afterwards visited our City, and made such baners as his predecessors had done be- fore ha. At that time was on q sisit to the them part of the State, but. when returned home,
 remaIkeS. ia several public assemblies al different, places. that would accept ef challenge to meet any of the CaFPbelIite teachers ia debate.
 With this understanding, as suppose, Rev. Afr. CIarke's friends had informed him of my principles and incIinAons. that Rev. gentl-lnan publicly sta led that he would meet me in public discussion of any point oG Christian doctrine. requested him, through the medium of seniieGan who is one of his persuasion to reduce his challenge 10 wri- ting; and declared my readiness 10 accept t I waited for it until was tired = anI fearing tha; hc might leave for Kentucky, I sddFssscd him note through the Democrat, which brought me the ckaI- iengc ever his own siga manual. To hisnote iu- medistcly replied, beliying that the had con- nenced, and Iha, i; would be prosecuted to hon orable termination. In this, however. was sadly mistaken: for have not up to this iime received an answer to my second 1oie. I had not thought Rev. Mf. Clarke capable of so jiscouiteoas pro- cedare But strange things will sometimes hap pen.
 With ny note in his pocket, either himself or some Of his friends, calculated the report that had declined engaging in the discussion, This called crth Aas:y editorial il the Gazette which is cal cula,ed 10 make an unfayorabie impression on the public mind against me, Bat, from the opinion which entertain Of Mir. Bordeh I am persuaded he will have the generosity to conform that brief notice to the laets.-which were not before him when he penned the article.
 True, in my note. did sugyes, the propneiy of commencing the debate on the first Monday in May, and assigned my reasons for the suggestion. But did say, in the same connection. that would dis enss taese questions at no other time Lei the note answer ios itself. There was no impEopriety in naming future period for the eommcnesmelt of an impcrt discussion of some of the geaies, qaes- ,oas that can possibly engage ihe attention of in- teliigens persons For, aisaost every dshlte Ina, shas taken place in this, any other country has been commenced afier ths preparation of months Look at Campbell and Owen, Campbell and Puf- cell. and Campbell and Rice, for examples. Now. with these examples before them, will any paAsng prcseiy,ers still pace about the streets of Little Rock. snd say that debater should be ready at moments warning. and shoaid not wait for any thing however itnneftaAt to the ufcpef inxexti1a