NOTES OF THE DISCUSSION IN KANSAS by Dudley Marvin Canright

Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association · Battle Creek, Mich. · Jan 18, 1877

NOTES OF THE DISCUSSION IN KANSAS.

By Dudley Marvin Canright

FOURTH SESSION.

In this session I made a lengthy argument upon the two laws. This point, well sustained, takes the heart right out of the no-law position. I here give a synopsis of what I proved concerning the two laws.

The moral law I will term, Law Number 1, the typical law, Law Number 2. I showed as follows:—

THE TWO LAWS COMPARED.

1 { Number 1—Existed in Eden, before the fall. Number 2—Was given after the fall. }

2 { Number 1—Was violated in the transgression which caused the fall. Gen. 3:6. Number 2—Was given in consequence of that transgression of No. 1. Gal. 3:19. }

3 { Number 1—Relates only to moral duties. Ex. 20:1–17, etc. Number 2—Is wholly ceremonial, pointing to the promised seed. Heb. 9:10. }

4 { Number 1—Was spoken by God from Heaven. Deut. 4:12. Number 2—Spoken by Moses. Deut. 1:1–6. }

5 { Number 1—Was written by God. Ex. 31:18. Number 2—Was written by Moses. Deut. 31:9. }

6 { Number 1—Was engraved upon stone. Deut. 4:13. Number 2—Was written in a book. Deut. 31:24. }

7 { Number 1—Was placed in the ark. Deut. 10:5. Number 2—Was put in the side of the ark. Deut. 31:26. }

8 { Number 1—Was “right,” “true,” and “good,” Neh. 9:13. Number 2—Was not “good.” Eze. 20:25. }

9 { Number 1—Was a law “which if a man do, he shall even live in” it. Eze. 20:11. Number 2—Was a law whereby they should “not live.” Eze. 20:25. }

How could these possibly be the same law?

10 { Number 1—Was perfect. Ps. 19:7. Number 2—Made nothing perfect. Heb. 7:19. }

11 { Number 1—Christ did not come to destroy. Matt. 5:17. Number 2—He abolished. Eph. 2:15. }

12 { Number 1—Is to endure while heaven and earth stand. Matt. 5:18. Number 2—Passed away when the seed came. Gal. 3:19. }

13 { Number 1—Is “the law of liberty.” Jas. 2:12. Number 2—Is a “yoke of bondage.” Gal. 5:1. }

14 { Number 1—The apostle delighted in. Rom. 7:22. Number 2—Was a yoke which could not be borne. Acts 15:10. }

15 { Number 1—Is not abolished, but established, by faith. Rom. 3:31. Number 2—Was abolished by the cross. Eph. 2:15. }

How could the same law be abolished, and not abolished, at the same time?

16 { Number 1—Is “spiritual.” Rom. 7:14. Number 2—Is “carnal.” Heb. 7:16. }

Can the same law be both spiritual and carnal at the same time? Yes; if white is black, and black is white.

17 { Number 1—Is “holy,” and “just, and good.” Rom. 7:12. Number 2—Is called “the enmity,” “that was against us, which was contrary to us.” Col. 2:14. }

18 { Number 1—Contains the whole duty of man. Eccl. 12:13. Number 2—“Stood only in meats and drinks, and divers washings, and carnal ordinances.” Heb. 9:10. }

19 { Number 1—Was written by nature in the heart of the Gentiles. Rom. 2:14. Number 2—Was a wall of partition between Jews and Gentiles. Eph. 2:14, 15. }

20 { Number 1—Was “the royal law.” Jas. 2:8. Number 2—Was the law of Moses. Acts 15:10. }

21 { Number 1—Jesus came to magnify and make honorable. Isa. 42:21. Number 2—He disannulled. Heb. 7:18. }

22 { Number 1—Is to be kept with the faith of Jesus. Rev. 14:12. Number 2—Is superseded by the faith of Jesus. Gal. 3:19–25. }

23 { Number 1—Must be kept as a condition of entrance into eternal life and paradise. Matt. 19:16–19; Rev. 22:14. Number 2—Is not a standard of character. Rom. 2:25–27. }

24 { Number 1—Is the law by which the world will be judged. Jas. 2:12; Eccl. 12:13, 14. Number 2—Will judge no man. Col. 2:16. }

This list might be greatly extended, but the above points of contrast are sufficient to show that all inspired writers have recognized and noted the distinction between the two laws, the moral and ceremonial.

[Our preachers may find it convenient to cut out this table and keep it for use in lectures.]

Scarcely one of these arguments was answered by the Elder. Most of them he never touched at all. I find that it is a good thing in a debate frequently to give a summing up like the above. It presents it in a small compass, and generally makes a strong impression upon the audience.

D. M. CANRIGHT.

(To be Continued)