Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1899-10-14

hnrtaNllle, \, G., oct, Z, lAs9.
TO the Editor
Some time In May last the Rev. II.
Hygcmn, d free gospel" advocate. Ia
sued a challenge 10 any Mormon" Eli
der. In general. and TO Elder w. ].
f'ifn In particular, to "a debate upon the
principles " the Gospel Of Jesus Christ.
After consulting with Elder Geo. a.
Day. the challenge was accepted, the
date set, for Friday. september 22nd,
1899, at Plrcway, n. c., with the UNDER
standing that the principles o. the
Gospel were 70 be taken up one by one
and presented before the people Va a
friendly manner.
Elder W. ]. Fife and myself left so-
cioty Hill. =. g., where we werr labor
lnR. We arrived at Pircway few days
before the debate, and visited among
and Columbus counties. We also at
tended meeting held IN n Baptist
church. The preacher took Tor his text
John .: 10. and exhortcd his hearers TO
believe In Christ no matter II the
'MormonH. he said. do say that
Joseph smith is Christ. and hold him up
nH Christ and teach that he was
Christ" thus imprcHsinE Il on his COM
Tregatlon that we teach that Joseph
Smith was Christ. After the cnngreEn-
ton was dismissed We stepped up to
| the pulpit ana introduced ourselves Ms
called his attention 10 the mistake he
| had made and asked that he would rec
! tlfy n, or allow him TO do 30 before the
| people left the house. This was re-
| fused.
on Monday morning following. we
were arrested az the lnstigatlon u the
deacon Of the church, one Thomas stan
/ 10y. The charge against " was ABB
ruptly aaHaultinE the Preacher CASTOR
stanley, and disturbing the congrega.
ton" We were taken before the said
| deacon, who u the magistrate. and ar
raigned FOR trial. hut managed 10 get
the case continued for three days. ~
we were IN need Of witnesses. Excite
mont was high against US AT the place
where we were taken for trial, rs the
whole neighborhood was bitterly ops
posed 20 us, A friend. Mr.. II. Smith
furnished money sufficient for our bail
TO insure our appearance In court or
Thursday, September 2lat, Al the APP
pointed time We We're there. aa Mcft
also friends from the adjoining count,
| Of brunswick, as well as many from
different parts OF Columbus county. Ou
enemies seeing 80 many friends wer'
natoniahcd and talks OF compromixi
were INDUCED In, but the case wal
called. We plead not guilty and aake'
FOR a change OF venue, which wa
granted, Another Justice was aubHti
tutcd Immediately, and they were read
for trial. Then we demanded a Jurl
trial, which neccaaitnted a postpone
mcnt until jury could be drawn. ~
this time more compromise was tnlkc
about and finally they aRreed TO diamis
the case and pay two-thirds OF IN
costs. We gave them TO undcratan
that we did not do this because We wer
guilty, but to make peace. Thus endr
this little episode on Friday, Septem
Der 22nd. az 10 o'clock. the dlscusHio
between Elder w. ]. Fife and Rev. i
Hygema, was commenced. by Rev. lily
Eema making the opening remarks an
giving a panoramic Wow Of the dos
trinoa he was advocating. Then
went over the same ground In detail
taking nfty minutes, the time agree
upon. Elder Fife replied and aettin
forth the doctrines Of the Church 4
, Jesus Christ OF i.attor-day Saints 10
nifty minutes. Then each took ten min
I, utes to sum up, Two meetings wcr
! held each day for three successive day
closing sunday, September Goth. a goo
Z feeling prevailed, and n large crow
was present. one feature OF the dii
: cusslOn was that there was no ridlcu
ing. All was peace and courtesy. I'll
Gospel was preached 20 many VII
? would not come out 10 listen under an
: other circumstances By the help % q
p Spirit OF God much good has been ai
o oompllshed. Friends have been mad
honest investigators have been aasiste
}, In their Investigations. some who hu
o grown cold have been Infused with ne
x energy and general good feeling pr,
Il walls. As result u our l0hora. NJ
x persons were baptized We were absei
from our regular field OF labor OF
y month, and held twenly-six mectlnl
" " $500 sYL. LAW. JR.
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