Cross-Logic by R. F. Cottrell

Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association · Battle Creek, Mich. · Oct 24, 1871

Cross-Logic.

By R. F. Cottrell

MANY persons have a wonderful faculty of deceiving themselves by a sort of reasoning which I denominate cross-logic. One admits that the Bible is right and the religion it teaches is good, but professors don't live up to it; therefore they refuse to embrace and obey the truth. They feel they have a good excuse for living in disobedience to the word of God. For my part I cannot see how they arrive at this conclusion; for I cannot find the conclusion in the premises. It is my duty to obey God, whether others do or not. And if professed Christians do not live up to their profession as they should, it is my duty to set them an example of what a Christian, a true, Bible Christian, should be. They are no more to blame for not setting me the true example, than I am for not doing the same toward them. So my friend show us in your own profession and life, just what a Christian should be.

“But I don't make any profession, if I did, I would live up to it.”

You seem to be enlightened in the truth and know what a Christian should be, and God will hold you responsible both for the profession and the life of a Christian. You owe a duty to God, and you owe a duty to your fellow-men. You are without excuse. Do your duty; be a living example, and not refuse to obey the reasonable requirements of God and be lost, because other people do not do as they should.

Other examples of cross-logic might be named.

One says you are in the right on the law of God and the Sabbath. The law of God is binding, and the Sabbath is unchanged, but—but what?—you are wrong in your views on the subject of immortality, or, if not that, the visions of Mrs. White are not of God, and therefore I do not embrace the Sabbath.

Then if Seventh-day Adventists are wrong in any one point, you feel perfectly at liberty to trample upon a plain commandment of God, which you acknowledge to be binding upon you and all the human race. Are you willing to risk eternal salvation on such logic as this? Will it pass in the Judgment? Will you be excused from obeying God, because somebody held an error in faith? Better obey and so get your eyes enlightened that you may see. Here is the true eye-salve: “If any one will do his will, he shall know of the doctrine.”

In the path of obedience alone is to be found the true light upon doctrine.

R. F. COTTRELL.