Jon Gary Williams
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Bro. Elvis Hufford preached over the radio at Rosiclare, Ill. Mr. L. R. Riley heard him in Ky. and wrote bro. Hufford one of his characteristic letters of misrepresentation. The result was a debate between Riley and bro. W. L. Totty in May of 1942, but left before the debate was over.

Riley will not debate unless his opponent furnishes the property and he gets first and last speeches. He will take advantage of both favors. He will slander, insult, and (figuratively) rub his feet upon the people who furnish the house. And he cannot furnish an audience. He drives his own people away by getting them into such terrible contradictions, while failing to drive Christians away by his insults.

The Baptist moderator for Riley also kept time. He was a fair and pleasant man. He had but little experience with debates. He tried to keep Riley from piling up a lot of new matter (made up of misstatements) in his last speech, which was to be the last speech of the debate. Totty's timekeeper notified both Riley and his moderator that if he so violated common fairness, to say nothing rules governing honorable controversy, Totty would reply.

Riley raved through 13 "charges" and left the building as Totty came to the platform to reply. Riley took his personal group of four with him - his moderator reluctantly leaving , so fair he tried to be - and the packed house remained to hear Totty's brief reply. It was all we could do to persuade Riley not to quit the debate before the second session began, so uncomfortable was he. His excuse was: "If Totty does not promise not to speak up from his seat, I am going home how." Bro. Totty had merely once spoken from his seat.;

I close this report with words stressed during the debate, for those not acquainted with debates or established in truth: "You have no idea how strong truth is and how weak error is til you see each of them tested in debate."

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