I then said in substance: "Mr. Hyde asks why did not God make a dozen wives for Father Adam, and thus forever set the question of plural marriage at rest. I am surprised that a man of Mr. Hyde's intelligence should ask such a question. Your Bible, King James' translation, says God made man from the 'dust of the earth,' then caused a deep sleep to come upon him, and took a rib from his side, of which He made woman. Now, I will answer Mr. Hyde's argument by asking him a question. If God had taken twelve ribs from Adam, out of which to have made twelve wives, would not Adam have been a weak reed for the twelve women to lean upon? "He says he went to France, and converted thousands of the French people to the Mormon faith. I never knew before that thousands of the French people were converted to the Mormon faith. I understand that our Elders met with poor success; in fact, that they had to leave France to avoid arrest. But grant for argument's sake, that Mr. Hyde converted thousands of them. In the next breath he tells you that he has awakened as from a dream, to find that Mormonism is false. So he confesses that he persuaded thousands of people to believe a lie. My Christian friends, what confidence can you place in a man who has persuaded thousands of people to believe a lie?" Here they interrupted me and closed the meeting. I walked across the street, mounted a horse block, and preached for an hour to an interested audience. This was my first experience in debate. Opposition strengthened my faith, and added members to the Church. On Sunday, November 9, 1856, two foreign gentlemen, evidently of the wealthy class, called on me and asked if Joseph Smith and the Mormons believe in a plurality of wives, and a plurality of Gods. I answered yes; to which they replied: "The moral sense inherent in man compels us to reject such doctrines." I answered that the moral sense in man caused the pious Jews to reject Jesus Christ; yet He was the Son of God, all the same. Mormonism, moreover, is the power of God unto salvation to all who receive it. In the afternoon meeting Brother Kiama asked forgiveness for having starved me on my first arrival here. I forgave him, especially when he explained that he had been living in Mr. Emerson's house, and that this pattern of piety had threatened to turn him out if he kept me. I called later upon the reverend gentleman, told him of his unchristian-like conduct, and said, "If I get into the Kingdom of Heaven first, I will stand at the door and keep you out until you make this thing right with me."