BY J. MORGAN.

ELDER J. M. GRANT CHALLENGED TO DEBATE—BOONE'S HILL CHOSEN AS THE PLACE—HIS ANTAGONIST GETS SIX MINISTERS TO HELP HIM—DEMORALIZED MINISTERS SEND FOR ANOTHER TO ASSIST THEM—INGLORIOUS DEFEAT OF THE EIGHT—ONE OF THEM ABSENT-MINDED—CHANGE OF NAME TO "WAR HILL."

Traveling through the State of North Carolina, I met with many reminiscences of President Jedediah M. Grant, who performed a mission there many years ago, making a vivid impression on the minds of the people, and converting quite a few to the truth.

An old gentleman, who is not a member of the Church, but who was a warm friend and ardent admirer of Elder Grant, relates a graphic and interesting account of a debate that the latter held with some ministers, in what is now Surry County.

Upon the advent of the "Mormon" preacher into that particular locality, a minister of one of the denominations challenged him to debate, which challenge was promptly accepted, and the necessary preparations were immediately made. A chairman and judge were selected, rules adopted to govern the discussion, and the well-known locality of Boone's Hill was chosen as the place to hold the debate. It was the birthplace and former home of Colonel Daniel Boone, the first white settler of Kentucky, and the building located there was known far and near as Boone's Hill Church.

After the preliminaries had been arranged, the minister appeared to have become a little nervous, and requested the privilege of bringing in a friend to assist him.

Elder Grant's reply was, "Yes, as many as you wish."

The result was that when the day came, he found seven sectarian preachers pitted against him.

He claimed and obtained the privilege of replying to each speaker consecutively.

The church proved much too small to accommodate the people; so a platform was erected at the rear of the building, and the people seated themselves under the shade of the trees.

The discussion opened, and the polemical battle waxed hot, and hotter, as hour after hour of debate went by. The Elder followed them whithersoever they saw proper to lead, and, with Bible quotations and historical facts, he struck blows so rapid and strong that his opponents became demoralized on the second day, and posted a runner on horseback off eighty miles, to bring to their assistance a noted divine. By a rapid journey, this theological Hercules soon reached the appointed place, and by his presence revived the drooping spirits of his friends.

But the Elder, after four days of continuous debate, only seemed to have got fairly into a condition to talk well, and doubly astonished the priests and people by the hurricane of thought, truth and logic that came rushing through his lips with such force as to sweep away their arguments and sophistry, holding spell-bound the audience, while he contrasted the man-made system of modern theology with the grand and glorious truths of God's revealed religion. He portrayed the sublimity of holy writ in its forecast of the glorious work of the latter days; the restoration of the gospel; the visitation of angels; the believer blessed with the gifts and signs following; the building up of the kingdom of God; the redemption of the human family and of the earth; until, at last, turning to the crowd of ministers who had been opposing him, he called upon them to turn from their erroneous doctrines and aid him in the promulgation of the true gospel, that must "be preached in all the world for a witness." He promised that if they would do so they should reap eternal life. Raising his hands towards heaven, he declared that he had spoken the truth to the people, that his hands were washed clean of their blood, and that his testimony was recorded in the archives of heaven, to be brought forth on the great day of God's judgment; and said, "you ministers, and you people, will meet it there that day."

At the close of this remarkable scene the men who had been opposing him began hurriedly leaving the platform. So excited were they in their movements, that the leading one of them left his Bible, cane and hat behind him.

Noticing these articles left behind, Elder Grant called and requested some one to carry them to the absent-minded owner, and one of the bystanders did so.

Elder Grant then dismissed the congregation, and from that day to this, Boone's Hill has been called War Hill, in memory of the religious battle fought there.