But they were not true. All these things should have been
refuted by Dr. Berg with great promptness, and refuted so thoroughly
and plainly, that every one should have been made to see and feel that
they were refuted. But they were not. Some of them were left unnoticed.
Others were handled unskilfully. The time and strength that should have
been given to them were wasted on trifles, or unwisely spent in
offensive personalities, unseasonable witticisms, or attempts at fine
speaking.
The objections of this class, which my opponent failed to answer, or
answered unsatisfactorily, we may notice further on.
In January, 1855, while over on business, I had a public debate at
Halifax, England, with Brewin Grant, a congregational minister. This, so
far as its impression on my own mind was concerned, was the most
unfortunate discussion I ever had. My opponent was the meanest and most
unprincipled or ill-principled man I ever met. In a pamphlet which he
had published, giving instructions to those who were called to defend
the Bible and Christianity against unbelievers, he had laid it down as a
rule, that their first object should be to destroy the influence of
their opponents, and that in order to do this, they should do their
utmost to damage their reputation, and make them odious.
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