On a notable occasion the Methodists, who had become greatly stirred by Dr. Bullard’s preaching, chose one of their preachers, T. J. Stone, to represent them in a debate with Dr. Bullard on the “Act of Baptism.” The debate was to be held in a grove at a place some distance from Dr. Bullard’s home, and he had to start the day before in order to reach the place in time. Late in the afternoon of the first day’s journey he fell in with the preacher who was to be his opponent in the debate. Stone had been studying the Campbell and Rice Debate in search of arguments to sustain his side of the question. As they rode along together their conversation turned on the debate, and Dr. Bullard noticed rather a lack of confidence in the language of his opponent. The doctor turned the conversation so that he might learn the cause of this, and soon reached the conclusion that his opponent had little relish for the debate, and, in short, in his research his confidence in affusion had been overturned. Dr. Bullard finally said: “You had better let me baptize you to-morrow instead of debating.” Stone replied: “If it were not for two or three things in the way, I would.” That night they spent at Stone’s home, and the doctor soon perceived that one of the greatest things in the way was Stone’s wife. Accordingly he gave her much attention, and the three searched the Scriptures the greater part of the night. A large crowd assembled the next day to hear the discussion. Dr. Bullard announced that there would be no debate, but that he would preach that morning and Stone in the afternoon; also that there would be an immersion immediately after the morning discourse. Much to the surprise of all, both Mr. and Mrs. Stone presented themselves for baptism when the invitation was given. CHAPTER II. BARTON W. STONE We have already learned that efforts were being made to return to apostolic Christianity in different places in the East, and I mentioned these efforts first because as emigration is most usually westward, the influences thus exerted spread far and wide. This is one of the reasons why the plea to return to the original practice of the apostolic churches has been more effective in the West than in the East.