Replies to Elder Canright’s Attacks on Seventh-day Adventists

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TANNING A MUSQUITO’S HIDE

ELD. CANRIGHT likens Seventh-day Adventists to men on the shore tanning a musquito’s hide, while the crew is perishing in the water before their eyes. In the Advocate of Aug. 13, 1887 he says:— RCASDA 96.4

Jacob Knapp, in rebuking hair-splitting theologians, said: “It is not God, but the Devil, who sets men tanning a musquito’s hide on shore, while a shipwrecked crew are perishing unhelped before them.” There is a volume of sense in that homely remark. It well illustrates the work of the seventh-day people. They will compass sea and land, and turn the world upside down to get one good old Christian to rest on Saturday and work on Sunday. while thousands of lost souls are dying all around them, uncared for. How much better to assist in the great work of leading sinners to Christ, instead of hindering those who are doing it! RCASDA 97.1

What has seemed to be Eld. C.’s principal work since his new departure?—Exposing Adventism. Now we submit to the reader to decide whether it is any worse to spend one’s time tanning a musquito’s hide, that it is to spend it fighting the men who are tanning the musquito’s hide, while the crew is perishing just the same all the while. From what he said we supposed we should behold in him the sublime spectacle of a man avoiding all strife on controverted points, and devoting himself to the work, pure and simple, of saving souls. But such does not seem to be the case to any marked degree. RCASDA 97.2

He admits that the seventh-day church is a good, devoted, Christian church; and he claims to have brought a thousand into that church during his twenty-two years’ ministry. That averages about fifty a year. Does he think he could have done any better in any other Christian church? or that he will do any better in the future? Do ministers generally average more than fifty converts each a year, for twenty years in succession? Then has he not, as a Seventh-day Adventist, brought as many souls to Christ during this time as he would have done in any other connection? RCASDA 97.3

But he may say, Some of these were brought from other churches. Very well; he seems more anxious now to get all people out of this good Christian S.D.A. church into other churches, that ever he did to get people out of other churches into this. In what respect is his present position, therefore, preferable to his first? U.S. RCASDA 97.4