Manuscripts and Memories of Minneapolis

Uriah Smith to W. A. McCutchen, Aug. 8, 1901

Copy of a letter from Uriah Smith to W. A. McCutchen Concerning the Law in Galatians
Battle Creek, Mich., Aug. 8, 1901
Elder W. A. McCutchen
Cleburn, Texas
SDA Campground
Dear Brother:

Yours of Aug. 3 is just at hand. I can help you on the matters you wrote about. The letter from Sr. W, to E. J. W. and A. R. Jones is a correct copy according to the same which I have in my possession. In regard to what Sr. White wrote J. H. W., as to his position on the Law in Galatians, I am knowing something about that. J. H. W. wrote his pamphlet on ‘THE LAW OF GOD’ in Rochester, N. Y., and it was published there before the office was moved to Battle Creek in 1855. In that work he takes the position that ‘the added law’ of Galatians 3:19, and the ‘Schoolmaster’ of verse 24 was the moral law. He says: ‘So it is evident that the law spoken of in Galatians 3:19, 24, is a moral law, one that will detect and convince of sin. p. 81. The Brethren in Vermont were so stirred up over this question, that they sent Eld. Stephen Pierce on here to Battle Creek in 1856 to have a study on the question of the law In Galatians. J. H. W. was then here In B. B.B; but was living in Burlington, Mich. He would not stay to the examination, but returned to his home. So the time was given to Bro. Pierce, and we had meetings at different times for some three days going over the whole question. Bro. W took the position, (or had taken it in his book) that the law in Galatians was the moral law. Bro. Pierce argued that it was the law system, ‘including the ceremonial law.’ I was then quite young in the truth, and as these meetings were new to me, I including both Bro. and Sr. White became convinced that Bro. Pierce had the right view, and J. H. W. was wrong. Sr. White shortly after this had a vision in which this law question was shown her, and she immediately wrote J. H. W. that his position on the law was wrong, and Bro. Pierce was right. Bro White then took Bro W’s book out of the market, for we all then considered the matter settled. MMM 305.1

Waggoner repeatedly solicited that his book or the law be republished, but White said, NOT until you revise your position on the law. He never would do this, and so the book was never republished. We have one copy of it here in the office. The next we heard of it was when E. J. W. came out in the SIGNS and INSTRUCTOR and taught in Healdsburg College taking the old position of his father, which Sr. W. had pronounced wrong. This a stirred up Bro. Butler to correspond with Sr. W. who was then in Switzerland, and that called forth the letter from her to Bro. Butler, a copy of which you unclosed. This course of E. J. W. opened up the whole question again, and the determined men on that side of the question have carried quite an influence and those who have had charge of our publications have given them the field, but those who know the history that I have related cannot change on that account. When men, to save their position, have to take the position as E. J. W. and others do, that the SEED HAS NOT YET COME, they are in a pretty tight place in my opinion. Sons try to make it appear that when Sr. W. said to J. H. W. that his position was wrong, she did not mean his position on the law in Galatians; but I was there when the investigation took place and know that the only issue involved was whether the law Paul speaks of as ‘added’ was the moral law or not. Waggoner said it was the moral law. Pierce said, No, but that it included more. The Jews had come to believe that they could be justified from everything wrong by the law of Moses, Acts 13:39. So, when Paul preached Christ as the sole means of Justification, the Jews said, No, we can be justified by circumcision, offerings, our priestly atonement, and other services. So to make way for Christ, Paul had to take these all out of the way, saying they were only designed to continue till the SEED should come, and they were an object lesson leading and pointing the way to Christ. I could say more; but this will probably be sufficient. I hope the truth will prevail. If you have any other questions you wish to ask, I shall be happy to answer them if I can. MMM 305.2

Very truly yours,
U. Smith