My friend Webster, after being with me about a month, returned to
visit and strengthen the branches of the Church established in
Smith, Jackson, and Overton counties. I continued my labors on
Stone River and Creple Creek about six months. During the most of
this time I availed myself of the opportunity of studying grammar
and other English branches. During my stay I lectured three times
a week, Wednesdays, Saturdays, and Sunday afternoons.

Sabbath forenoon I attended the meetings of other denominations.
During this time I held four public discussions in addition to
those I had with Parson Hall. I held two discussions with the
Rev. James Trott, who for fifteen years had been a missionary to
the Cherokee Nation. I held a closing debate in that settlement
with the Rev. Mr. Cantrall, of the Campbellite faith. He came
from a distance, at the request of friends, to endeavor to save
the flock.

After consultation with Parson Hall and other members of the
flock they refused to submit to moderators or judges; neither
were they willing to be confined to the Old and New Testaments
for authority to disprove the doctrine that I defended. Their
proposition was that Mr. Cantrall should speak first, bringing
out any argument he chose; when he finished I was to conclude the
debate, and the people were to judge for themselves who had the
best of the argument.

My friends would not consent to this arrangement, but I told the
opposition they might have it their own way. If the Rev. Cantrall
wished to condescend to the platform of a blackguard, in a case
of necessity I would meet him there, though I preferred honorable
debate to slander and ridicule. This statement I made to the
assembly prior to the gentleman's mounting the stand, with
Parsons Hill, Crulee, Trott, and Nichols as prompters.

They had provided themselves with a roll of pamphlets and
newspapers, containing many of the low, cunning, lying stories
about the Prophet Joseph walking on the water, being a money
digger, an impostor, and a thousand such tales. Mr. Cantrall read
and emphasized each story, as his prompters handed them to him.
He occupied two hours and a half in this manner, and about half
an hour in trying to point out discrepancies in the Book of
Mormon.

He spoke of the absurdities of the boat that the Nephites built
in which to cross the ocean, from Asia to America, and said that
it was built tight, excepting a little hole on top for air, and
that it wo