James Smith 
Christian’s Defence [PDF ebook] 
Containing a Fair Statement, and Impartial Examination of the Leading Objections Urged by Infidels Against the Antiquity, Genuineness, Credibility and Inspiration of the Holy Scriptures; Enriched With Copious Extracts From Learned Authors

Whilst the greatest effort has been made to ensure the quality of this text, due to the historical nature of this content, in some rare cases there may be minor issues with legibility. The reader will judge of the correctness of this conclusion from the following statements: During the winter of 1839 ’40, while upon a tour in the south, as an agent for a literary Institution, the writer visited Columbus, Mississippi, at that period the residence of a very artful and violent enemy of Christianity, Mr. C. G. Olmsted, author of a work entitled The Bible its oivu Refutation; who, by his easy manners and gentlemanly bearing, had so ingratiated himself with many of the citizens of the place, especially with the young men, as to exercise a most pernicious influence, by the dissemination of his Infidel principles. Indeed he had notonly cheated many into the belief that the Bible is an imposture upon the credulity of mankind, but he had succeeded, to a considerable extent, in making the impres sion, that so conscious were the ministers of the Gospel of the weak ness of their cause that 110 one of any intelligence would dare, with him, publicly to discuss the claims of the Bible as a Revelation from heaven. This being the state of affairs, from a sense of duty, the writer deter mined, for the benefit of the young men of the place, to deliver a series of discourses upon the nature and tendencies of Infidelity; and another upon the evidences of-christianity. While the former was in pro gress he received from a committee of Infidel gentlemen, and with the sanction of Mr. Olmsted, a written challenge, with their champion publicly to discuss the following questions fere the writers of the different books of the Bible inspired men? Did the facts which they detail occur? Was Jesus Christ miraculously begotten? Did he per form miracles? Did he rise from the dead? Believing that to de cline the proposed discussion, would prove prejudicial to the inter ests of Christianity, by the advice of religious friends, the challenge was accepted. The writer, however, was careful to put off the time of the debate so as to have sufiicient opportunity to prepare for the conflict