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Show Page 261 Pratt for a reply. Protestant theology had trained its big gun on Mormonism in a spectacular way, so it was up to Orson to return the volley. His response dealt mainly with the Biblical foundations for the patriarchal order of marriage, and, as he pointed to Abraham, Jacob, and Moses, inquired rhetorically of the distinguished chaplain if such openly polygamous worthies had enjoyed God's approbation, or his anathema. Both points of view were printed in a pamphlet that circulated in Utah; when the editor of the Mormon-leaning Salt Lake Telegraph read it, he smelled headlines and offered to sponsor a public debate between Newman and some spokesman for the Church position, "Orson Pratt, for example." When Newman heard of the challenge, he stoutly announced that he would go to Utah and face the enemy in person; the war against the revolting polygamists held no less importance than the recently concluded conflict over human bondage, and he drew the theological battle line with himself as the attacking general. He and his second, a Reverend Sunderland, arrived on the Utah Central from Ogden on August 6, 1870, with the cheers of the nation's leaders still ringing in their heads. Immediately the chaplain threw the gauntlet to Brigham Young, informing him that he had come "to accept the challenge made in your journal." But the sly older man refused to pick it up. Brigham had never issued any challenge to debate Newman, came the official word from the Beehive House; if he wanted to talk, he could take the matter up with the Telegraph. Edward Sloan, the Telegraph editor who had suggested the exchange, felt somewhat abashed and offered to take full responsibility in an apology to Newman and the Church leaders. It appeared there would be no debate. But Brigham was, apparently, simply maneuvering himself out of the way; he may have been secretly pleased that the Eastern establishment had come for a dialogue on home ground. Such a debate could possibly turn to the |
