A DISCUSSION
BETWEEN
PROFESSOR ORSON PRATT,
One of the Twelve Apostles of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-daySaints,
AND
REV. DOCTOR J. P. NEWMAN,
Chaplain of the United States Senate,
IN THE NEW TABERNACLE, SALT LAKE CITY,
August 12, 13, and 14, 1870.
TO WHICH IS ADDED
THREE SERMONS ON THE SAME SUBJECT,
BY
PREST. GEORGE A. SMITH,
AND
ELDERS ORSON PRATT AND GEORGE Q. CANNON,
SALT LAKE CITY, UTAH,
1874.
BETWEEN
REVEREND DR. J. P. NEWMAN,
Pastor of the Metropolitan Methodist Church, Washington, D. C.,
AND
BRIGHAM YOUNG,
President of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
———
Salt Lake City, Aug. 6th, 1870.
TO PRESIDENT BRIGHAM YOUNG:
Sir:—In acceptance of the challenge given in your journal, "The SaltLake Daily Telegraph," of the 3rd of May last, to discuss the question,"Does the Bible sanction polygamy?" I have hereby to inform you that Iam now ready to hold a public debate with you as the head of the MormonChurch upon the above question, under such regulations as may be agreedupon for said discussion; and I suggest for our mutual conveniencethat, either by yourself or by two gentlemen whom you shall designate,you may meet two gentlemen whom I will select for the purpose of makingall necessary arrangements for the debate, with as little delay aspossible. May I hope for a reply at your earliest convenience, and atleast not later than 3 o'clock to-day?
Respectfully, etc.,
J. P. NEWMAN.
———
Salt Lake City, U. T., Aug. 6th, 1870.
REV. DR. J. P. NEWMAN:
Sir:—Yours of even date has just been received, in answer to which Ihave to inform you that no challenge was ever given by me to any personthrough the columns of the "Salt Lake Daily Telegraph," and this is thefirst information I have received that any such challenge ever appeared.
You have been mis-informed with regard to the "Salt Lake DailyTelegraph;" it was not my journal, but was owned and edited by Dr.Fuller, of Chicago, who was not a member of our church, and I was notacquainted with its columns.
Respectfully,
BRIGHAM YOUNG.
———
Salt Lake City, Aug. 6, 1870.
TO PRESIDENT BRIGHAM YOUNG:
Sir:—I confess my disappointment at the contents of your note in replyto mine of this date. In the far East it is impossible to distinguishthe local relations between yourself and those papers which advocatethe interests of your Church; and when the copy of the "Telegraph"containing the article of the 3rd of May last, reached Washington, theonly construction put upon it by my friends was that it was a challengeto me to come to your city and discuss the Bible doctrine of polygamy.
Had I chosen to put a different construction on that article, andto take no further notice of it, you could then have adopted the"Telegraph" as your organ and the said article as a challenge, whichI either could not or dared not accept. That I