The Albany register. [volume] (Albany, Or.) 1868-18??, 1873-03-07
this spot had been consecrsted 10
worship from the earliest time.

this spot had bean cOilsecFated u
worship from the earliest time.
The great California and Oregon
stage road went past the school
house to climb the mountains, 70,
the Siskiyou range was right ahead,
and les lesser spurs came down on
each side, and made the beautiful
valley of which | write, and on The
very summit Of The Siskiyou vast
be seen Pilot Rock, rising q thous.
and feet prone and precipitous above
the very mountain summit. There
was never q more romantic region
discovered, nor ever q more enter.
prising people therein It was won.
derfnl how rich was the soil Of iii
valleys, and very wonderful was
the treasure of gold that caused
the miners to delve and dig III search
of fortune.
The school-house soon filled, The
doors and windows were displaced
to give a chance to the crowd with
out, who sat under she black oak
boughs or clustered At the openings,
determined 70 hears fair share Of
the important debate on d subject
that has unsettled The minds and
tempers Of theologlana since bap-
tism was preached tO fallen man.
In one corner Of The school-house
sat the combatiye Baptist, longing
for the Tray. Around him were
piled his books and authorities, tie
weapons Of Hid Christian chivaIry,
with which be had won many 4
victory. He wasa hVawny veteran,
with q red head, 4 red, freckIed
face, and q neck tnat laid in wrink-
les, and he was burly between the
shoulders and the ears.
The meeting organized with
County Judge Nllman as chair
man, and the audience chose q jury
to decide the iss,,e-inen Of iudg-
tnent, some Of them looking dila-
pidated, miners who were "down
on their lnck, " fighting cn the
underside," but known to be men ot
sense, if not children Of fortune.
All was ready, and the audience
sat in suspense that wrought silence.
This became fearful, aud ended In
whispers, The circuit rider had
not come. Sprinkling had no ad-
vocate, and the case must 90 BY
default. The men looked iorlorn; !;
the women, who are always the
true church pliers, sat determined
and unyielding. Some of them
cast glances toward where Apple.
gate sat. He had come with q
Methodist girl. Wouldn't he lock
horns with brother EIillf III defense
Of sprinklingp The question was
propounded to him, and he con-
sented. Among bis books he had
studied the Bible critically, alm
gathering several copies Of the
sacred word, he gave one into The
hands Of each Of the sisters who
Taught Sunday school and spoke III
class-meeting, and bade them search
for passages in the Old Testament
Of which lie had recollection. Iii
ten minutes bis preparation was
made, and lie was on the floor.
Claiming rights as the challenged
party be insisted on debating tile
rules. The only hook Of reference
was to be the Bible. Brother Hill
was to open and to affirm his prop
osition, and the debate was to con-
time until tho eschallenger was salts
fed, each to occupy the same length
IL time. This was agreed to, and
the judge decided that Hill must
affirm and prove that plungilg or
immersion WAS the true and only
baptism. Then followed 4 long
and powerful speech ii favor ii
baptism BY immersion, which great
y elated the friends Of that faith,
and made them quite jnbilant.
His opponent, III 4 tell-iniuutes
speech, claimed that the New 1'esta-
ment did not define baptism, b..
cause il had been already defned
III the previous Scriptures, and he
prOfessed to be able to show by the |
s.xlI AkmA L. .,4s.s..s An.,1l