Jon Gary Williams
Articles / Resources
0489
M. C. Kurfees vs L. A. Moore & Melvin Henderson (Mormon "elders")
August 23, 1900
King, North Carolina
(By W. A. Petree)
At King, N. C. July 12-13.
Proposition: "Resolved, that Joseph Smith was a prophet of God, and that the scriptures teach that through the power of God the elders of the Mormon church can work miracles." M. C. Kurfees denied.
The first speech no argument was made on Joseph Smith. When pressed on miracles they proved miracles were performed in the N. T. (Kurfees admitted this.) Then with no competent testimony they asked: "Is not our testimony worth anything?" The claimed Rev. 14 referred to Joe Smith. "If it was not Joseph Smith, who was it?" Kurfees handed back the burden of proof as resting on the affirmative. One elder said, "I have the evidence in my bosom that Joseph Smith was what he claimed to be." Kurfees insisted that the elder let it out where all can see.
In rebuttal bro. Kurfees offered this:
1) Joseph Smith contradicts himself in his origin of Mormonism written in The Pearl Of Great Price.
2) Smith contradicts the facts of etymology in his efforts to define the word "Mormon" and the word "Bible." He said "Bible" meant "good" and "Mormon" meant "more good."
3) Mormon teaching concerning God contradicts the Bible. They say, "God was once a man, also that God was a polygamist.
4) Joseph Smith was guilt of fraudulent dealing in his famous Kirtland banking scheme. Documentary evidence from standard encyclopedias were produced to establish the charge.
5) Joe Smith's claim of divine aid and infallibility in translating the golden plates - yet the Mormons have made 2,000 changes in the "Book of Mormon." The Book of Mormon was placed on table and a reprint of the original Palmyra edition beside it. The Mormons were challenged to say they were alike, the negative promising, if they accept the challenge, to appoint two people in the audience to read from both and prove the changes made in the books.
6) Based on the literary character of the "Book of Mormon" - mistakes were here pointed out which were shown to be inconsistent with the claim of being infallibly guided in writing it.
7) Based on the identity of the "Book of Mormon" with the work of Solomon Spaulding, which identity is confirmed by some of the founders and friends of Mormonism. The elders attempted to offset this with a letter from president Fairchild, of Aberlin College; but the negative was armed with the facts about the Fairchild letter and claim, and showed that Fairchild's failure to see identity between the two works was not because it does not exist, but because Solomon Spaulding had rewritten the work, changing it at some points, and that Fairchild had compared the "Book of Mormon" with the work as originally written, which is not the one from which the "Book of Mormon" took its plan or was based on.
Before the debate the Mormons tried to get bro. Kurfees to stay inside the Bible for his arguments. Kurfees told them he had to go outside the Bible to show the true character of Joe Smith. The elders grew so angry that they screamed, "We could choke the wind out of you if you would confine yourself to the Bible." This did not ruffle bro. Kurfees. But the people saw the true character of Mormonism.
In justice to Mr. Moore and Henderson, I must say they are sharp, shrewd and good debaters. But their proposition gave them no ground on which to stand. Bro. Kurfees was more than a match for them both. They were as pygmies before his overwhelming arguments and pointed logic. Bro. Kurfees is a fluent and polished speaker; a fairminded, forceful and logical debater. (Reported by: W. A. Petree, in Union Republic, Winston Salem, N. C.)
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