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The Willingly Ignorant Just as Guilty as the Willfully Wicked

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The Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association · Battle Creek, Mich. · Jun 9, 1868

FromReview and Herald, Vol. 31, No. 25.

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The Willingly Ignorant Just as Guilty as the Willfully Wicked.

By Dudley Marvin Canright

Many persons seem to have the idea that, if they keep out of the way of hearing and learning the truth, they will not be condemned if they do not obey it. But both common sense and the Bible condemn this course. The early fathers met with this same idea. They spoke against it unsparingly and attributed it to the Devil. Here is a sample:
“And first of all he [the Devil] suggests to men's thoughts not to hear the words of truth, by which they might put to flight the ignorance of those things which are evils. And this he does, as by the presentation of another knowledge, making a show of that opinion which very many hold, to think that they shall not be held guilty if they have been in ignorance, and that they shall not be called to account for what they have not heard; and thereby he persuades them to turn aside from hearing the word. But I tell you, in opposition to this, that ignorance is in itself a most deadly poison, which is sufficient to ruin the soul without any aid from without; and therefore there is no one who is ignorant, who shall escape through his ignorance, but it is certain that he shall perish; for the power of sin naturally destroys the sinner. But since the judgment shall be according to reason, the cause and origin of ignorance will be inquired into, as well as of every sin. For he who is unwilling to know how he may attain to life, and professes to be in ignorance lest thereby he be made guilty, from this very fact is judged as if he knew and had knowledge. For he knew what it was that he was unwilling to hear; and the cunning obtained by the artifice of the serpent will avail him nothing for an excuse, for he will have to do with him to whom the heart is open.”—Clement.
Let those who are closing their ears to the truth, read this and tremble.    D. M. Canright. Rocky Brook, R. I.