# Title: 'To the Public' (statement on Adamson Bentley), The Evening and the Morning Star II:19, p. 151
# Date: 1834-04
# Source: http://www.sidneyrigdon.com/RigWrit/RigWrit3d.htm | Provenance: signed SIDNEY RIGDON. High confidence.

TO THE PUBLIC.

I feel myself called upon to notice the conduct of ADAMSON, BENTLY, a Campbellite reformer,
as I have had to suffer as much from his hand as he could heap upon me, if the information which I have
received be correct. He has exhausted nearly all his ingenuity, to do what little he could to injure me
and my family, in both character and property. Not contenting himself with injuring my character, thinking,
perhaps, that his influence was rather too small to gratify his malicious feelings, he has had recourse
to other means; exercising his influence over the mind of an old superannuated man, near eighty years of
age, whose mind was so bewildered, that frequently he did not know his own children whom he saw every day;
and has actually succeeded in getting him to alter his will, so as to deprive my family of their just dues.
This he told me himself!

Some time in the winter of 1832, I was in the township of Weathersfield, Trumbull Co. I was then informed
by a number of people, that Mr. Bently had declared publicly, that I dare not meet him and investigate
the subject of religion. At the time when I heard it; I disbelieved it; but seeing Mr. Bently some time
afterwards, I interrogated him on the subject; he to my astonishment, confessed it was true! I asked him
if I were to understand it as a challenge? He said, I had a right to understand it as such. I then
informed him, that I held him bound by it. As a man of truth and veracity he had to acknowledge that he
was bound to support it, and in case I called on him to support his boast as a challenge, he was bound
to meet me. I told him, that I accepted it as a challenge, and I therefore required him to meet me. He
agreed he would, and gave his word so to do before a number of persons whose testimonies can be had at
any time; but said he could not for some weeks, as some engagements he had would hinder. I was going on
a journey, and it was mutually agreed that the meeting should take place immediately after my return.
Accordingly, as soon as I returned, I informed him by letter of my return, and that I was now ready to
make the necessary arrangements for the proposed investigation; but to my astonishment he entirely
declined, and utterly refused, though he had previously pledged his word that he would do it. So the
matter stands up to this date. As I am occasionally hearing of his making many boasts what he can do,
it is but justice to the public that they should be correctly informed on this matter. When this man is
disposed to boast of what he can do, let the public know, that I am ready to meet him on his challenge
at any time, and he can yet have an opportunity of displaying his wisdom and intelligence.
SIDNEY RIGDON.
