| 233 In all my life I have never known the truth to be put to a test at once so trying and fiery as the one just referred to. But I knew the Lord would give us the victory, so we awaited patiently till the ordeal was past, when his mercy appeared. The discussion terminated favorably to the cause of truth.
Under a previous arrangement they were to occupy the Sunday before the debate and I the one following. But they refused to stand to this agreement, pleading a misunderstanding. We proposed to divide the time rather than the congregation; but this did not suit them, and still refusing to give us any showing. Some twenty-five men turned out on the morning of July 4, and built a good arbor under which we continued to hold meetings till Monday, July 8, the congregations being large and very attentive. Five were baptized on Monday, and several others will undoubtedly unite with us on my return.-The Saints' Herald, vol. 25, p. 260.
To his letter he appends two certificates, one signed by citizens of Wilson County, and one by moderators in the discussion. They were as follows:
To Whom it May Concern: We, the undersigned citizens of the county of Wilson, and state of Texas, do hereby certify that we were present at a discussion held in Stockdale, within the County and State aforesaid, on the 1st, 2d, and 3d days of July, 1878, between D. H. Bays, of the Latter Day Saints, and A. Marquis, of the Christian Church (so-called). And, as lovers of fair play and even-handed justice, we deem it due to ourselves and the good people of Wilson County, to say that we deprecate the course pursued by both Mr. Marquis, and Mr. Washburn of the Baptist Church, and their friends, during said discussion. Mr. Bays, as his opponents were constrained to confess, deported himself like a Christian gentleman; and we only regret that his opponents did not manifest as much fairness in their course.
When the discussion was about half through, conscious of their inability to sustain themselves by fair scriptural argument, Mr. Bays' opponents began to introduce and circulate evil reports against him and his church, thinking thereby to prejudice the minds of the people against him and destroy his influence. Just before the opening of the forenoon session on the second day, Mr. Marquis made a little speech introducing Mr. Washburn, who read the statements of two men respecting things that should have occurred in Missouri and Illinois. But when put to the test, these men who professed to know so much about Mr. Bays and his church actually refused to be questioned upon their statements, thereby creating a grave doubt as to the truthfulness of their assertions.
Mr. Bays appointed the next day, July 3, at two o'clock in the afternoon to examine the witnesses, but they both, refused to be present and left the town. The whole ground was reviewed, and their effort to stigmatize fell to the ground.
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