A CALL FOR HELP by James White

Publishing Committee · Battle Creek, Mich. · Jan 29, 1861

A CALL FOR HELP.

By James White

In the Millennial Harbinger for Dec. 12, 1860, published at Seneca Falls, N. Y., we see the following:

"A Request.

"Will Bro. Stephenson answer the following question through the Harbinger? Was it the ten commandments that slew Paul? My reason for asking this question is this, James White asserted that it was. I think that the 29th verse of the 20th chap. of the Acts is applicable to him. J. JEFFREY.

"Freeport, Stephenson Co., Ills."

It is supposed from the above that Mr. Jeffrey refers to Paul's conversion and not to his martyrdom, yet he does not state which.

At our recent call at Crane's Grove, Ills., we spoke to the people one evening on the subject of Bible conversion. We referred to the statements of Paul in Rom. vi and vii, where the law of God is shown to act an important part in the conversion of the sinner. We stated,

1. That the epistle to the Romans was written A. D. 60, at least twenty-five years after the "hand-writing of ordinances" was nailed to the cross; therefore,

2. Paul, in such language as is found in Rom. vii, 9, "For I was alive without the law once, but when the commandment came sin revived and I died," must mean, by the word law, the precepts of the moral law; for,

3. It would be folly in the extreme for him to speak thus of a law that had been dead at least twenty-five years.

These plain facts, with many others stated in that discourse, seem to have caused trouble in the no-Sabbath camp at Crane's Grove, and Mr. J. M. Stephenson is called upon for help.

But how is Acts xx, 29 "applicable?" "For I know this, that after my departing shall grievous wolves enter in, not sparing the flock." We went to Crane's Grove single-handed and alone, therefore that part of the passage which speaks of grievous wolves, plural, is not applicable to us. If the passage be at all applicable it must be in this way.

We preached one Pauline discourse at Crane's Grove, and after we left, grievous wolves (Clark, Collins, Jeffrey, & Co.,) entered in to do their work, but as the sheep's clothing has fallen off these men, they appear in their true character, and none of the flock are deceived by them.

In the Millennial Harbinger for Jan. 2, 1861, we have "Response to Bro. Jeffrey's Question." On reading the response our first impressions were that Mr. Stephenson in his round about course had thrown as much darkness as he had light, even upon the mind of his brother Jeffrey, that some would regard it as very deep, while others would discover that it was very muddy. People sometimes make just such a mistake. Because they cannot see to the bottom of a muddy pool of water, conclude it must be very deep. Perhaps Mr. Jeffrey had better send to the Harbinger another "Request," and ask Mr. Stephenson what is meant in his response by "the bond-man whose children are the Jews," and "the Revision party." J. W.