Times and Seasons, 1 August 1842

I understand that is a native of , and for many years, a resident of the city of , where, about two years ago, he was converted from Methodism to Mormonism so called, or the doctrines of the self-styled “Latter Day Saints,” since which time he has labored much on both sides the Atlantic, as he says “to bring others to a knowledge of the glorious work of the latter days.” He is rather slim built, about 34 years of age, and his appearance before an audience must certainly give the lie to those who pronounce the Mormons all fools. Dr. West is a robust Englishman, about 50 years old, and he two, I am informed, once stood connected with the Methodist church, and had charge of some congregation in ; but in consequence of some singular transactions, he “took himself off,” and ingratiated himself into the favor of the Episcopalians of , and under the especial patronage of Bishop Chase, performed some feats in and “elsewhere,” in consequence of which he again necessarially changed friends and patrons, and he now calls himself “one of God’s volunteers,” but what society (if any) he now stands connected with, is hard to determine, either from rumor or any answer has yet forced from him. Whether his feats were of so glorious a character that one society sought to get him from the other, or so inglorious that each in turn sought to rid themselves of him, I leave for those that know better than myself to determine. So much for the billigerent parties, and now for the origin of this debate A certain religious society sent for Dr. West to come and deliver a course of lectures in this city against Infidelity and Mormonism. Accordingly while was delivering his lectures in Boylston Hall, the Doctor anhounced bono publico in handbills, that he would furnish a reply to said lectures in Chardan Street Chapel, and show that Mormonism is made up of, and implies the principles of lying, fraud, blasphemy, theft, rob[b]ery treason and murder. read the handbill before the public and challenged the Doctor to meet him on honorable ground, to discuss the subject of his charges, any time after the 19th inst. as his engagements in Lowell, , and elsewhere precluded the possibility of his meeting him sooner. But while is absent, a committee appointed by West and his hearers, announce in the papers that the Doctor having accepted a challenge, would discuss the subject in Marlboro’ Chapel, which they have engaged for that purpose. Admittance by tickets at 12 1-2 cts. The Infidels also were invited to participate in the discussion, but as the rules were drafted by his committee, gave him about two thirds of the time, they declined being used as the cats paws to extract the shilling from the pockets of the people, to line those of West; therefore the Doctor occupied the house himself several evenings, and for aught I know, bore away the spoils, as of course he did the laurels, when there was none to pluck them from him. But Monday evening, the 20th inst. brought , agreeable to promise, to assist the Doctor in his discussion, before a large and respectable audience. The Rev. Mr. Taylor was called to the chair and two sec[r]etaries appointed. The odious portions of his rules were then brought before the audience and abolished. Twenty minutes were fixed upon for each speaker to occupy alternately. Relating to the funds collected, D. West opposed an equal division between the disputants, and therefore proposed to give the nett proceeds of the debate to the Temperance Society—instead of Dr. West first making that proposition as the reporter of “the Mail” stated. By the way, I would caution Mr. “Mail” to watch his dog, for he is very apt to bark up the wrong tree, and in reading his reports of the debate, I was inclined to think that he understood with his elbow or wrote ‘many things that nobody could remember,’ as he said of the sec[r]etaries. However, the question of the funds was referred to a joint [p. [863]]