SHALL WE SEEK TRUTH OR CONTROVERSY?
By T.
SOME of our exchanges seem to take a particular delight in controversy. They frequently quote paragraphs from our columns and give what they think are conclusive arguments against us. Having done this, they challenge us to defend our position. The SIGNS OF THE TIMES takes no equivocal or wavering positions. We are seeking to present what we know to be truth, and are persuaded that this work is so important that controversy should be avoided if possible. We seek to present truth that is self-commendatory to every one who is more anxious to know the right than to maintain some theory. That many will try to overthrow what we are doing may be expected. But we have not the time to follow those who would argue against us. Should we attempt to do so, we would fill our columns with a lot of controversial matter that would not be the most interesting, neither would it do the most good. We are resting in the confidence that what we say is based on the Word of God, and we consider that His Word is strong enough to stand for itself. We do not need to be running with props every time something is said against it. And then those who are disposed to argue, do not, as a general thing, expect to have their minds changed. Then what is the use of arguing with them? For instance, one of our “liberal” contemporaries scoffs at our hope of the soon-coming of Christ, and undertakes to show that it would be quite impossible for Him to return to this earth, because the earth has moved so many millions of miles in space since the Master’s ascension, over 1800 years ago. It is argued that the earth has gone so far during that time that it would have been a physical impossibility for Him to have kept up with it, and therefore He could not return to it. We might reply to the foregoing by saying that the Christ who has promised to return to this earth is the same One who made it in the first place and who gave it all of this great motion in space. And it seems perfectly easy to us for the One who made all these great planets to visit one of them any time He sees fit, no matter how fast it is going. But we are aware of the fact that our friend who presents the objection will not be likely to see much in this or any other reply we might make. Then what is the use in shedding ink in such debating? We can see no good coming from it, and are not in need of amusement. We shall ever stand ready to do anything in our power to answer the honest inquiries for truth in that particular field where we have made a special study. But those who wish to argue merely so that they may ventilate their opinions; those who make it manifest that they are cavilers, together with those who tend to go into fine-spun theories which serve only to mystify, must not feel hurt when we refuse to notice them, even tho they challenge us ever so earnestly and publicly. T.