Benoni Stinson's Second Speech
STINSON'S SECOND SPEECH.HIS REPLY TO HUME.
After prayer, Mr. Stinson rose and said:
Mr. President, Gentlemen and Ladies: It becomes my duty again this morning to appear before you as the affirmant of the proposition read to us by our worthy President.
On yesterday I undertook, in the time allotted to me, to support that proposition by argument and scripture. How far I succeeded in that attempt, is for you to judge and the community who will read the debate to determine, and not for me. My worthy opponent followed me in an hour's speech, in which he undertook, as was his privilege to do so, to convince you that I had accomplished a signal failure. This he did, or attempted to do, by endeavoring to convince you that my proof texts had no reference to my proposition, and did not establish it.
I may not be able this morning to follow him in all his remarks, or in every point he made in his endeavor to set aside my proofs and arguments. My memory is imperfect, and I am not very active in taking notes. I will, however, endeavor to trace the footsteps of my opponent, and if I should come to a place where he makes so long a stride that I can't see the mark, I will have to guess at the distance.
He commenced his reply by admitting the truth of one of the two arguments I started with; namely, that founded on the necessity of a general atonement or satisfaction to the Adamic law. He admitted the truth of the argument that there was a necessity, if I did not misunderstand him, and if I did he will correct me now; he admitted that the necessity existed with all the fallen race.
[Mr. Hume--I admitted the necessity of an atonement, but not of a general atonement.]
That meets all I intended to show--show that he admitted the necessity of an atonement for the race. This is the point I call your attention to especially. In approaching my second argument he admits all that argument, with one exception. The point was made that Christ, as a mediator or savior, possessed the wisdom sufficient to accomplish a general atonement. (Turning to Hume) Do you admit that? In that argument I made another point--that he was willing to accomplish it. This my brother denied. If I remember he gave a reason for doing so, which was this: that if Jesus had been willing, or had so willed it (which I regard as synonymous), that a general atonement would have been made; but because he did not will it, or was not willing it should be done, therefore it was not done. He undertook, in this connection, to make some very positive remarks. He quoted some passages, which I did not note down, (but I admit the correctness of his quotations,) to prove to you that the will of God must be accomplished in all things, or that God would be disappointed. This point he made distinct and clearly, and it is my privilege to take exceptions to it. I undertake to say, with the judgment and common sense and the little intelligence I possess, that I have not been able to discriminate between God's will and God's law. If the law of God is not the will of God, then I have entirely mistaken the correct understanding of his law. The position that my brother Hume takes, is that the will of God must and will be accomplished, clearly asserts that the law of God must and shall be obeyed, and beyond a possibility of failure. Now, is this true, in fact? Is this position to be sustained by the word of God? If this position was true, then we should have had no trouble over the transgression of Adam in the Garden; there we have the law of God or will of God transgressed. The violation of God's will is the violation of God's law; if it is his will that man should obey the law, (and with all my opponent's firmness, he will not deny this, that it is the will of God that his law should be obeyed;) then every time that law is disobeyed, the will of God is violated and is not carried out. But we are told, forsooth, that if it is not carried out, God must be disappointed. This point is made with something behind the throne. This point would not be made, unless he intended during this discussion at some time to show us that God had a secret will, that was not revealed; and that secret will constituted the binding rule of human action, and then would come forth the consistent idea, that God's will must be done. Viewing this from another standpoint, if God's will must be accomplished in every particular, if every act, and deed and thought of the human race is not agreeable to God's will, does this imply the possibility that God may be disappointed?
We will again approach my proof texts, to show the use he made of them; in order to do this understandingly, let me remind you of the fact, that the proposition embraces two points; it may be called a double proposition. The first refers to the satisfaction of what I have termed the Adamic law; and the other has reference to the mediation of Christ, to the new and everlasting covenant or plan of salvation, as it is proposed in the gospel. Some of the proof texts introduced related to the one, and some to the other.
We will first call your attention to the proof connected with the first proposition, that he made full atonement or satisfaction to the Adamic law. In this connection, I must say, I was much surprised (though I must give my Brother Hume credit for great fairness in general) to see the play he undertook to make over the Adamic law, after I had explained what I meant by the term; that it was to distinguish Adam's transgression from the transgression of men in general. It will be remembered, that the scripture introduced upon this subject, was Romans v, 12, 18; and 1 Cor. xv, 22. These texts were intended to apply directly to the Adamic sin or transgression of the law of God to Adam, and to the atonement made for that sin; but as the scriptures quoted in connection with that, are already reported, I beg leave to be allowed the privilege of quoting them without reading them in the Bible.
First, then, to Romans v. "By the disobedience of one man, judgment came upon all men unto condemnation; even so by the righteousness of one the free gift came upon all men unto justification of life." Now, I say, this refers to the Adamic sin, from the fact, that it alludes to it distinctly, and draws a parallel between the first and second Adam. You will bear in mind, that the transgression of Adam consisted in one sin. I am not aware that Adam ever sinned, the magnitude of which after brought condemnation upon him. Adam is the only active agent in that transgression; the posterity involved in the condemnation were passive; but they were subject to the condemnation, by virtue of their relation to their parental head. I do not know that Elder Hume questioned the meaning of the word "all" here connected with those upon whose the condemnation came. I do not remember his objecting to that meaning the whole of the human race; if he did object to it, let him do it now.
[Mr. Hume--I do object to it now.]
He says he objects to the word all, or to this meaning of it, in connection with the condemnation of Adam, meaning the human race. Here, let me bring Brother Hume against Brother Hume. He admitted and claimed the necessity of an atonement, in connection with the fall; but here he tells us, on the subject of condemnation on account of the fall, that the word all, does not mean the human race; so much for his consistency in that particular. I, however, take the responsibility of saying, it does mean the human race. Now, Elder Hume and myself, in this particular, are at issue; he has a right to his opinion, and I regard that privilege in him as a great benefit and a cardinal blessing; while I do this, I claim the same right, and I am glad to believe he allows it.
The rules of our discussion say, that King James' translation, or the common version, shall be the arbiter to determine different points of the debate; but we may refer to other authorities or commentators. In order to sustain the interpretation I gave of the scriptures, upon this subject, I beg leave to consult others. I shall read from authors, though I know it will take up much of my time; but I wish to make sure work. I do not want this respectable audience to go away with my opinion. I do not want them to be left with my opinions balanced against Brother Hume's; for, perhaps, they would not know to which to attach the most importance. I wish to consult wise and learned men. Elder Hume and myself had the misfortune to be raised without a good education; neither of us lay any claim to a knowledge of the original languages in which the scriptures were first written; we have to take them as they stand, and draw the best conclusions we can. I will consult the distinguished commentator, Dr. A. Clark.
(Time expired.)
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