The spirit of democracy. [volume] (Woodsfield, Ohio) 1844-1994, 1874-11-24
Written for The Spirit Of Dsmocracy.J
From NashiugtOn Township.
GRAYsy1LLE, ONO, Nov 20, 1871

Drown vi itSuuiSus Ia " t"S wv
Church of Christ, Of Later
Day Saints. (Mormou) and the Rev.
Ephraim Doolittle, Of the Disciples or
Christian Church, on the two following
propositions:
1st. Resolrsd, That in preaching the
Gospel of Christ the signs SHALL follow
the believer through all time.
End. Resolved, That the book Of
Mormon is of Divine Origin
Rules of Debate-lst. The version
known as King James Translation the
standard
End. The discussion to be conducted
in eentlemanly manner.
Naturalization JAS. WATSON, Pres
L. r DEveRE
Rev DANIEL SWEENEY.
There had been considerable feeling
manifested by members and ministers
of both the churches named, on several
occasions, previous to the completion
of the final arrangements for the dis
cussion, and il was looked forward to
with considerable interest by this entire
section, and long before the hour for
the discussion to commence express
wagons could be seen coming from
Lebanon, Antioch, Stafford and many
other places all loaded with men and
women while great numbers of both
sexes on horse back and on foot could
be seen coming from every direction,
vending their way to the place appoin-
ted for the discussion to be held. The
church long before the appointed time
for opening the discussion was filled to
its utmost capacity. Precisely at 10 A.
NJ the disputants and the moderalors
took their appropriate places. The
article of agreement was read by the
President and after prayer by Rev.
Sweeney the debate on the first propo-
sition commenced. 1a4#> 9.
!. Rev Brown, affirming, took the stand
and for thirty minutes by reading va.
rious scriptures. and arguments addu,
ced therefrom, endeavored to show that
the signs comprehended in the first
proposition, and detailed by St. Mark,
last chapter l7th and 18th verses, to
wit:
"And these signs shall follow them
that believe. In my name shall they
cast out devils; they shall speak with
new tongues n
"They shall take up serpcnts; and j
they drink any deadly thing, it shall
not hurt them; they shall lay hands on
the sick, and they shall recover"
! Followed the believer, now. / shall moi
attempt to give the arguments pro and
con-. This proposition. the greater part
of the scriptural passages and theil
renderings adduced by tho different
Evangelical denominations, are doubt
less familiar to most Of your readers
They holding that miracles ceased with
the Apostles The point made bv Rev
Brown was that the church, as eslab
lished by Jesus Christ, while on earth
was perfect and as such was to contin
ue to the end of that world; that these
miraculous gifts and powers were in the
church in the days OF the Apostles ant
as we have no knowledge from the
scriptures that God had ever taken
them out of the church, they are in i
still and will follow the true believer al
well now aud as fully as they did in th'
days OF the Apostles.
The debate on this proposition occu.
pied two entire days, Tuesday and Wed
nesday,. and on Thursday morning th'
End proposition, Resolued, That thu
book of Mormon is of Divine iorigin
was taken up and the interest in the
discussion seemed, if possible, to in
crease. The people here apparentl.
anxious to hear what arguments conit
be adduced from the Dible to prov
that the book of Mormon is Of Divin
origin. ea g5 57..s
Rev. Brown, having the afirmativ,
of this proposition, took the stan'
promptly at the time and commenced
his argument quoting from, Deut. lStl
chapter and 18th verse-"The Lor(
thy God will raise up unto thee
Prophet from the midst of thee, th.
brethren. like unto me; unto him y
shall hearken." Also, Deut. 33d chap
ter, I'd, 9th and 17th verses; Isaiah I'll
chapter and 9Th verse; "Within thre
score and FIVE years shall Ephraim b
'broken, chat it be not people" Hoses
7,h chapter, ,8.h and 9th verses, "Eph
rain, he hath mixed himself among th
people," DC. jeremiah, 3lst chapter
inclusive. Ezekial, 37th chapter, l5tl
| 10Th and Goth verses, The word of th
Lord came again unto me saying, more
over thou son of man take thee on
stick and write upon it, for Judah AM
for the children of Israel his compan
ions then take another stick and writ
upon it, for Joseph the stick Of Eph
rain, and for all the house Of Israel hi
companions, and join them one to an
other into one stick and they shall be
come one in thy hand, and the stick
whereon thou writest shall be in tn
hand before their eyes" Also,the Els
aud 22d verses. ~
i At this point time was called. Nj
Brown gave way and was immediatel
! followed by Mr.. Doolittle, who remark
cd that his friend not having made an
application Of the prophesies read, t
The book of Mormon or to any thin
else. it would be impossible for him t
reply, and that perhaps he had bette
give his friend more time or pursue
negative course Of argument. He pro
ceeded to give history Of the book {
Mormon during his thirty minutes, nal
rating how the golden plates we're CLAIM
ed to he found in hill in the State {
| New York. near Palmyra: how Josep
Smith transcribed the characters on on
of the golden plates on sheet Of p'
4 per and sent it by Mr.. Benjamin Harri
to Prof. Anthon, Of New York, di
tingushed linguist, to decipher. Pro
I Anthon suspected trick and the paps
was returned to Joseph Smith who wa
a very illiterate man also, an accouI
Of the various circumstances surrount