| 495 The writer agreed to act as moderator for Bro. R. J. Anthony in a debate to be held with Elder Andrew Jensen, on the evening of July 20, on the following proposition: "Do the revelations contained in the Doctrine and Covenants (old edition) and the history of the church up to the death of Joseph Smith, as published in the Times and Seasons and Millennial Star, warrant the Saints in locating in the Rocky Mountains. Jensen affirming; Anthony denying.
This same gentleman, (?) after agreeing to affirm the above, went to the lady from whom we had rented a hall for the purpose, (according to agreement), and insisted that she should refuse the building, and demand a return of the key. The lady came, and when a return of the key was refused, wept and stated that this very gentleman (?) had directed her to demand it. Notwithstanding the contract for the house had been fully made, the brother holding the key gave it up rather than permit the lady to suffer at the hands of men whose duplicity places them beneath contempt. Another hall was secured in the little town, (Pleasant Grove,) and the debate advertised. The time arrived, and forth we went; but just imagine, if you can, how we felt when this "defender of the faith," this assistant editor of the Danish paper here, the Bikuben, positively refused to affirm his own proposition; in fact would not lead off in the debate at all. After considerable parley Bro. Anthony agreed, rather than lose the chance for being heard, to affirm the negative of the above proposition. It was the only show, and, at the last minute, without special preparation for such an emergency, he sailed in, and piled up the Doctrine and Covenants' arguments admirably. When the learned editor undertook a reply, he characteristically passed by all the pointers offered, and read from the Juvenile Instructor an item copied from the nineteenth volume of the Millennial Star, which was said to have been copied from Willard Richards' Journal. The reader will please observe that the nineteenth volume of the Millennial Star was not printed until thirteen years after the Martyr's death. . . .
loose on the table, measures three fourths of an inch in thickness. A few leaves were stitched together with linen thread, thus forming them into little sections, or books, easy to handle. Take a sheet of paper thirteen inches wide and sixteen inches long, double twice, so as to leave it six and a half by eight inches, and you have the precise manner of the arrangement of the paper for use. I counted eighty-seven sheets in all. Some are missing. On the large wrapper enveloping the Manuscript, the following is found written with lead pencil, "Manuscript Story-Conneaut Creek." It is known that writing done with lead pencil will remain legible for years. This wrapping-paper, however, looks to be a little more modern in its make-up than the Manuscript paper, but shows age. It is of good consistency, and is a good, durable, buff-colored wrapping-paper. The most probable thing is, that this wrapper was put around the "Manuscript Story" by D. P. Hurlbut when he procured it from Mrs. Davison; and that the pencil writing was done at Conneaut, Ohio, when he, Aaron Wright, John Miller, Henry Lake, et al., were closeted with the manuscript before them, endeavoring to invent a theory that would account for the origin of the Book of Mormon, other than the truthful narrative given of it, and in a way that would tickle the fancy and please the ear of the fable-loving, give to themselves some note, a lucrative business, and to the Devil one more chance to close the eyes of the willingly blind.
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