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Source: Church History Vol. 4 Chapter 24 Page: 430 (~1884)

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430 him, and on the 8th, about eleven o'clock, they brought him in; and after a few preliminaries the work began. By request of Bro. Montague and consent of Mr. Worley, I acted as spokesman in the debate. We chose for our moderator a Mr. Moore, a member of the Christian Church, who proved himself to be a perfect gentleman. Mr. Worley chose a Mr. Rodgers, of the same church, and they chose a Mr. Cowen. The propositions agreed upon were as follows: First. "The people calling themselves the Reorganized Church of Latter Day Saints, but by others commonly called Mormons, constitute the Church of Christ; and in their doctrine and polity agree with the teachings of the Bible." Second. "The people commonly called Baptists, agree in doctrine and polity with the teachings of the Bible, and are the Church of Christ." Third. "The Book of Mormon and the book called the 'Doctrine and Covenants' and the statements therein contained that purport to be revelation given to Joseph Smith and others, are given by inspiration and are true."

We spent four hours the first day and four hours the second on the first proposition, and came out of it cheered and strengthened in the faith for which we contend. Five hours on the third day were all our opponent asked upon his affirmative, and that closed the debate. Mr. Worley was so sick he could not stay longer, though the third proposition was the one in which he was "particularly interested." You will all know how to sympathize with him in his sickness, when I tell you he was pleading law at Manchester the next day. The investigation of the second proposition convinced me more than ever that "Baptist succession" is a miserable farce. At the close of the debate, Bro. Montague and I went to Squire Hunt's to stay for the night, and after getting there we learned that a mob of twenty-three persons had surrounded Bro. Billingsly's wagon, and had forbidden him keeping us at his house. The next day we went to Bro. Billingsly's, where in the afternoon we were visited by a mob of fourteen persons, some of them members of different churches, who told us we could have until next evening to leave the settlement; if we did not they would put us out. They seemed to think they were doing some meritorious act, and we will give their names to the public that they may not be deprived of any honor accruing from the act. They are W. A. Wilkins, Owen Willis, Hugh J. Rodgers, James Newberry, Nathan Gregory, J. L. White, James Jackson, S. S. S. Warren, Benton Gear, Robert Clark, Doc Moore, Douglas Huffman, John Woods, and James Wilkins. James Newberry is a Campbellite elder (the Christian brethren will excuse me for using the nickname in this case), and several others are members of the same church, while some were Baptists. We shall not hold these churches responsible, however, providing they deal with these members according to their deserts. After consultation, we concluded to go to Clarksville, enter complaint and have them prosecuted. Accordingly, we went; but after sounding the officials, we came to the conclusion that while the judge seemed willing to see the law executed,

(page 430)

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