Counterfeit Virtues by Dudley Marvin Canright

The Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association · Battle Creek, Mich. · Aug 22, 1865

Counterfeit Virtues.

By Dudley Marvin Canright

"Every virtue has its counterfeit. It is desirable to be wise, but not as Eve sought wisdom. Gen. iii, 5, 6. Husbands should love their wives, but not as Adam did, in hearkening to Eve when she urged him to sin. Gen. iii, 6. We ought to worship God, but not as Cain did, disregarding God's appointed way. Gen. iv, 3, 4. Wives should obey their husbands, but not as Sarah did Abraham, in consenting to tell a lie. Gen. xii, 11. Servants should take care of their master's property, but not as Abraham's and Lot's herdsmen, to quarrel about it. Gen. xiii, 6, 7. Children should obey their parents, but not as Jacob obeyed Rebekah. Gen. xxviii, 13, 14. We should desire to forward the accomplishments of God's declared will, but not as Rebekah did, by doing evil that good might come. Gen. xxvii, 6.

Other parts of scripture abound with illustrations of counterfeit virtues. Such was Ahab's compassion in sparing Benhadad, and his hospitality in entertaining Jehoshaphat; such was the delight of the Jews in God's service, alluded to in Isa. lvii, 2; such was the zeal of Paul before his conversion, and that of the unbelieving Jews. It has been very justly said, that it is not enough that we act from a sense of duty—that we feel a powerful obligation to pursue a particular course of conduct, and to avoid whatever is inconsistent with it; we must inquire on what grounds our sense of duty is founded.

It is possible to have a high sense of duty, and even to act consistently with it, without a deep reverence for God, without a love to Christ, or those affections which Christianity requires. Our aim must be to do what is right in the sight of God, and our rule must be the word of God. "We never do evil so thoroughly and cordially as when we are led to it by a false principle of conscience;" and the conduct of Paul, as described in Acts xxvi, 9–11, is an instance of this. Conscience can only be a safe guide when enlightened by the Holy Spirit, and directed by the Holy Scriptures." Isa. viii, 20.—The Mine Explored.

That the above is true, is seen in the fact, that the heathens are conscience-smitten, if they neglect to worship their dumb idols; the Catholics are conscience-smitten if they neglect to say their mass; and the Protestants are conscience-smitten if they neglect to keep the Sunday; none of which are required by the word of God.

D. M. CANRIGHT.