Benoni Stinson's First Speech
On His Third Proposition
STINSON'S FIRST SPEECH
ON THE THIRD PROPOSITION.
[After some conversation between the disputants, as to the propriety of dropping the third proposition, it was agreed to retain it, but that it should be disposed of in a half a day, and that the speeches should be confined to a half hour each.--REP.]
After prayer, the president read the following proposition, as the subject for debate:
"That personal salvation is free to all men, and offered to all on certain conditions, to be performed by man, the performance of which, results in his salvation."
MR. STINSON--
Mr. President, Ladies and Gentlemen:--I again appear as the affirmant, but before I say one word upon this proposition, I wish to occupy a few minutes, if it be in order. Elder Hume in his closing remarks yesterday, took issue on the appeal I made to the experience of Christians, upon the subject of choosing Christ. I suppose he and I would have no difficulty, had he correctly understood me; all he said need not have been brought in. I would not refer to it, but for the fact, that he declared on rising, that if I had stated the truth, then he knew nothing of Christianity by experience. He told us his experience in confirmation of his position. That the point I wish to call your attention to is this: I did state unequivocally that before the penitent sinner received remission, he did choose Christ, or chose to become a Christian. Elder Hume told us that from the time he was enlightened, he had not chosen Christ. I wish to make this remark, to show that however wide we may differ upon doctrinal points, there is nothing I have said intentionally to bring us at issue upon this vital point (experimental religion). We have gained one thing , however; we have learned Elder Hume's experience, which we might never have got, had it not been called forth.
[HUME--I wish to remark, that if what he states be correct, I misunderstood him; he and I are together.]
Now, we take up the third proposition, and the last in which I have to appear as the affirmant. Salvation is free to all, and offered to all on certain conditions, etc. It will not be expected that I can introduce a very great amount of evidence in the time allotted to me. This proposition is but a part of the two that went before it. On the supposition that the others were sustained, this one comes in as a matter of course. I presume it will scarcely be required of me in sustaining this, to prove that salvation, if free to all men--free, I understand, to mean in this connection, offered without money and without price, or bestowed freely on the penitent sinner, without reference to any merit or act he can perform. That it is offered to all, has been already shown, and I would remark, that the evidence which supports the first proposition, will apply to this, and that some of the scriptures that were quoted in that conversation, must necessarily be quoted again.
First, then, turn to Romans x, 12: "For there is no difference between the Jew and the Greek, for the same Lord over all is rich unto all that call upon him." This text in bringing forward the Jew and the Greek, seems to represent the whole human family, that it is free to all, that there is no difference. I do not pretend to say, that the Jews and Greeks were all men, but I understand the apostle as taking them up and making the application in such a way, that it will meet the condition of the whole human race. It is offered to all. See Isaiah xlv, 22: "Look unto me and be saved, all ye ends of the earth, for I am God," etc. This has been introduced and controverted before, and has, by Brother Hume, been interpreted to mean the Jews. If it did mean the Jews, it meant all the Jews. If it meant the ends of the earth occupied by the Jews, it meant all of that nation; then if he was willing to save all the ends of the earth of the Jewish family in those days, he is willing to save them now; and as Paul comes in and says, there is no difference between the Jew and the Greek, then I say he is willing to save all the ends of the earth of the gentile nations. Again, Mark xvi, 15: "Go ye into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature." This has been controverted, and an attempt made to show that it did not mean the race. Brother Hume is too much of a gentleman, to introduce one text to disprove another, or to show that this can not mean the human race. I will anticipate, if he should, by quoting from Rev. v, 13: "And every creature which is in heaven, and on the earth and under the earth, and such as are in the sea, and all that are in them, heard I saying, blessing and honor and glory," etc. Here, the word creature is the word he excepts to. I understand the first quotation to refer to mankind: "Go ye into all the world and preach the gospel."
[HUME--I admit that the commission embraces the human race.]
He admits that the commission embraces the human race; that is coming to the point. The apostles were commissioned to preach the gospel to the human race. By his admitting this, we have accomplished one point in establishing our third proposition, that it is offered to all. The preaching of the gospel and the offer of salvation, I regard as the same thing. With this amount of evidence, we will pass this point, and approach the one where the most opposition may be expected. We allude to that point, when salvation is offered on certain conditions, the performance of which results in his salvation. Before quoting scripture upon this subject, I will explain what I mean by "conditions." It is this: Salvation is offered to man if he will comply with, or do the things God has commanded him to do, before he is regenerated. Among these is that of repentance. The requisition of repentance is as extensive as the proclamation of the gospel. My friend having admitted that preaching the gospel to every creature, means to the race, I assert that repentance is required from the race. In support of this, we will quote enough scripture to keep the reporter pretty busy in dotting them down.
First, we call your attention to Mat. iii, 2: "John the Baptist preached, saying repent for the kingdom of heaven is at hand." Mark i, 15: Jesus preached, "repent ye and believe the gospel." Here, repentance is connected with a condition, the main condition upon the exercise of which we have the promise of salvation. "Repent ye and believe the gospel." Acts iii, 19: "Repent ye therefore, that your sins may be blotted out." Luke xiii, 3: "Except ye repent, ye shall all likewise perish." Acts xvii, 30: "The times of this ignorance God winked at, but now commandeth all men everywhere to repent." Acts x 43: "To him gave all the prophets witness, that through his name whosoever believeth in him shall receive remission of sins."
The next text reads thus: "Sirs, what must I do to be saved?" The answer is: "Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and thou shalt be saved." Here we have faith as the condition upon the performance of which the sinner has the promise of salvation. The question of the power to do all these things will necessarily come up to notice; and as I have but one more speech, I will anticipate my brother, and perhaps supersede the necessity of wasting strength on this point. He will, perhaps, tell us that man is dead and can do nothing; not one of which scriptures will I controvert. He has admitted and allowed man more natural powers than I would have been willing to accord--the power to do all that is good except to be a Christian. Man, independent of God, has no power--he is in the dark, without strength. All the ability, therefore, that is necessary to be called up in the performance of these conditions, comes from the Father of light; all the strength to obey these commandments is from God; all the light necessary to guide the trembling sinner, of course, flows from him who was the true light that lighteth every man that cometh into the world. My opponent need not, therefore, waste strength in controverting this. But the question is, can man neglect to obey what is commanded to do and thereby lose his salvation, when by obeying and using his power, it will result in his salvation? In my next discourse it will be my duty to present this matter, with some additional evidence: as I hope to be able to show that man has thus been saved. We have quoted scripture to show that God's method of salvation is to preach to both Jew and Greek; and we may, perhaps, be able to show some examples in our next speech, if the elder should not be so prolific as to give us too much to answer.
(Time expired.)
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