Search This Blog

Monday, February 4, 2013

More on Horace Randle


 

Horace A. Randle is mentioned in the Proclaimers book (page 418) and his story has been well told on the two history blogs. A medical missionary in China, he resigned after reading Millennial Dawn, and came back home to England. He published an eight page tract on Future Probation in 1901 from London. The census returns for London in 1901 describe him as “Medical Missionary and Preacher, Millennial Dawn Christian.” He was then living with his wife Ellen, and son Arnold.

In 1907 he started a short-lived magazine entitled Good News of the Coming Age published in Salford. At least one issue is in the British Library, but only a small portion can be copied, and then only by someone physically visiting the library.

In the 1911 census, Horace was in Salford at his sister’s home, along with his mother and two brothers. His wife and son Arnold were still living in London. References to Millennial Dawn had disappeared; he was now just described as Medical Missionary retired.

He appears to have left association with ZWT over the New Covenant issue (see Proclaimers page 630) and by 1914 was circulating material critical of both CTR’s revised views on the New Covenant, and also his high profile in the media of the day.

As a result, the St Paul Enterprise – a newspaper mainly published for Bible Students – in its issue for September 25, 1914, printed a response from an Alex Evans of the Olive Branch Ecclesia in Louisiana.

This response was viewed as sufficiently important to be reprinted in a special issue of the St Paul Enterprise in November 1914, where Evans is described as “one of our colored brethren.” This suggests that Randle’s criticism was quite widely circulated at the time in the Bible Student community.

Randle’s subsequent activities are not known, but he died in the Salford area in the latter part of 1926 aged 71.

Below is a transcript taken from the first publication of Alex Evans’ rebuttal.

 

Alex. Evans replies to Mr. Horace A. Randle

 

A Member of an Ecclesia at Olive Branch, Louisiana, in defense of Pastor Russell, Submits this Open Letter.
 
 
Olive Branch, La., Sept. 3d, 1914.
 

Editor St. Paul Enterprise:
 
 
I have read an open letter to Pastor Russell by Horace A. Randle, in which he makes several charges. I wish to make the following reply:
 

The letter is written in an apparently Christian Spirit. But herein lies its Evil Subtility, for we remember the Betrayal kiss by Judas which had the outward appearance of an act of Love, but proved to be the farthest thing from Love.
 

Randle claims that Pastor Russell and the Bible Students’ movement has changed in recent years; to this I quote the following Scripture: "The path of the Just is as a shining light that shineth more and more, unto the perfect day." (Prov. 4:18.) "Walk as children of the light." (Eph. 5:8.) "If we walk (not ‘sit’) in the light." (1John 1:7.)
 

Some claim that the one whom the Lord would use as "That Servant," at His second advent (Matt. 24:46; Luke 12:42) would need be infallible, perfect, and make no mistakes. But there have been only two perfect men on earth, Adam and Jesus. I have heard people say that both of them made mistakes: That Adam made a mistake in thinking that it would be better to transgress and die with Eve than to live alone after her death. And that Jesus made a mistake in going to a certain fig tree for figs and found nothing but leaves. Whether this be so or not, I can’t see why anyone should blame Pastor Russell for making and correcting a few little errors during the long period of the last forty years. Rather we should say, He has done well.
 
 
Randle says that, the pastor errs in saying that the Goat of Lev. 16:15 is a type of the church, and that it signifies that the church is a joint sacrifice with Jesus in the world’s great sin offering.
 

If the Lord’s Goat, and its process of offering did not typify the church and its suffering with Jesus, I ask, What then did it typify? All Bible Students ought to be able to agree that Jesus was an exact corresponding price for Adam, and that justice calls for nothing more. Yet we can see how it could "permit" more to be put on the measure. We remember how Jesus spoke of giving measures. He said: "Pressed down, shaken together, and "running over." (See Luke 6:38.) What if the church is found to be making the measure overflow? And what shall we do with the following Scripture if the church is not a joint sacrifice with Jesus?
 
 
"Let us go forth therefore unto Him without the camp, bearing His reproach." (Heb. 13:13.)
 

"We are members of His body, of His flesh and of His bones." (Eph. 5:33.)
 

"Who now rejoice in my sufferings for you, and fill up that which is behind of the afflictions of Christ in my flesh for His body’s sake, "which is the church:’" ( Col. 1:24.) (There was a portion left behind for the church to fill up according to this Scripture.) Again we read, "Both he that sanctifieth and they that are sanctified are one." (not two.) (Heb 2:11.)
 
 
"I pray for them, I pray not for the world, but for them which thou hast given me." (John 17:9.)
 

"A people for his name." (Acts 15:14.) (What people?)
 

"To whom God would make known what is the riches of the Glory of this mystery among the Gentiles; which is Christ in you (the church) the Hope of Glory." (Col. 1:27.)
 

"If ye be Christ’s then are ye Abraham’s seed and heirs according to the promise." (Gal. 3:29.)
 

"If children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint heirs with Christ, if so be that we suffer with Him, that we may also be Glorified Together." (Rom. 8:17.) (The joint heirship depends upon the joint sufferingship, in the type the Goat suffered with the Bullock.)
 

"If we suffer with Him, (as did the Goat with the Bullock) we shall also reign with Him." (2 Tim. 2:12.)
 

I could cite many more Scriptures showing that the church (His church) takes a part with Jesus in the world’s great sin offering. Not that justice required it, but that wisdom and love arranged it so. It is not an obligation, but a great privilege, the greatest ever offered.
 
 
There are two more standpoints from which we can view nearly everything, and so it is with the subject under discussion. From one standpoint, we can view it as being all done by Jesus, because all the merit resides in Him, and from another viewpoint we see each member of His church presenting themselves to be joint sacrificers with Jesus filling in a place as though the sin offering would not have been complete without them. But from either view point it remains materially the same.
 

Jesus wears the title of priest at the present time and the apostle says every priest must have something to offer (Heb. 8:3) and the intimation is that when He ceases to have anything to offer, then His priestly office will end. Now I ask, what does Jesus have now to offer, remembering that He has long since offered Himself once for all time? Still he has something to offer, and what else could it be but His church, His mystical body in the flesh? Rom. 12:1 comes in right here. We present ourselves to Him, and He presents us to the Father. The High Priest in the type supervised all the sacrificing and the same is being done in the antitype. It is all so beautiful and clear to many Bible Students, including the writer.
 
 
The relation or connection that Christ and His church bear one another, has been the mystery unsolvable for many centuries to not only the world, but also to the nominal church.
 
 
But now in the light of the foregoing we can understand Heb. 5:3. As the church was to become part of Himself, (His wife, Rev. 19:7) in the sense of becoming a member of the great Messianic body of which He was the head, it can thus be said the he made an offering for himself, although he had no personal sin. (Heb. 7:25.)
 

Concerning the "new covenant," I will say, If it has gone into operation as Mr. Randle and others say, I would like them to tell us why it is that the Jews don’t know anything about it? According to the Scriptures it is to be made with them. (See Jer. 31:31, and Heb. 8:10.) And where is the "new heart" and general knowledge that is to result from it? I know that these questions are unanswerable, except from the viewpoint that both Jesus and His church are the world’s great testator; and before the Testament can go into effect, the death of the Testator must take place. As the church, which is a part of the great Testator, has not finished dying. The "new covenant" has not gone into effect yet; for where a Testament is, there must also be the Death of the Testator, says the apostle. (Heb. 9:16.) Though we are now serving, and being made able ministers of the "new covenant," in the sense of preparing ourselves for it.
 

Randle complains about the Pastor’s name appearing in a certain Tower more times than the name of Jesus. There is no virtue in mentioning a name, nor a lack of virtue by not mentioning it. Bible Students will remember that Jesus said that many will say to Him in that day, Lord, Lord, (calling his name double) have we not prophesied in Thy name, and in Thy name done wonders, cast out devils, etc.? And he will answer them saying, I have never recognized you; depart from me ye workers of iniquity. (Matt. 7:23.)
 

Again He asked: Why call ye me Lord, Lord, (so many times) and do not the thing which I say? (Luke 6:46.) Upon the testimony of these Scriptures we can rest assured that nothing is to be gained by calling the Lord’s name so many times. And as to Pastor Russell’s name appearing in the Jan. 1, 1912, Tower a good many times, that is the special Tower setting forth the beginning and development of present Truth, and the Harvest Work as was called for by newspaper editors who were contracting to publish the sermons; because they knew that the world wants to know about the personality of a man, where he came from, etc.; and had Pastor Russell not granted their innocent request, He would not have been acting wisely, because editors would have refused to publish a man’s sermons who had refused to make Himself known, and the Tower contained such, together with newspaper clipping; that all its readers might know how the work we love so much was progressing. The pastor objected to his picture going at the head of his sermons but the editors protested that it must be and he granted it only to keep from hindering the cause he loved so well as to sacrifice his thousands of dollars and himself for.
 

The Pastor made clear his unselfish motive in the start when he sacrificed his prosperous business and himself for the good of others and he maintains this same motive even unto this day. And the facts, when all of them are known about this noble man, will prove that a prophet sent of God has been in our midst, and he will go down in history as one of the greatest of men.
 
 
I am glad that I had the privilege of reading that open letter for it has caused me to research my Bible and Pastor Russell’s writings in the Tabernacle Shadows and to thus review the cloud of Scripture witnesses in the Pastor’s doctrinal favor. And I would suggest to all those who have not read the "Tabernacle Shadows" and "The Divine Plan of the Ages," by Pastor Russell, to do so on the first opportunity and begin to enjoy the feast of fat things therein revealed. They can be obtained from the W. T. B. & T. Society, 17 Hicks St., Brooklyn, N. Y., at a nominal cost or free to those who need.
 
 
"I live for those who love me,
And awaits my coming too;
And the good that I can do."
For the cause that lacks assistance,
For the future in the distance,
For the Heaven that smiles above me,
For the wrong that needs resistance,
For those who know me true;
 
 
Yours in the defense of the Lord’s Truth, and His special servant,
 

ALEX. EVANS.
 
 

(end of transcript)

Thursday, January 31, 2013

Question

Does anyone know if the UK based post card photographer H. A. Randall is Horace A. Randall?

Thursday, January 24, 2013

Paton's Larger Hope Church in Almont




This picture has already appeared on other related blogs, and shows John Paton’s Larger Hope Church in his home town of Almont.
Paton was expelled from the Baptists for teaching conditional immortality, and so built an Advent Church in Almont in 1872. As he moved into Universalism (and so parted from CTR) his Church became known as the Larger Hope Church. According to the book “Almont, The Tale of Then and Now” by Hildamae Waltz Bowman page 91 (1985 edition) from where the picture comes, it was founded in 1872 with fifteen members and folded twenty-five years later due to lack of support. By the twentieth century it was no more. Paton’s Buchanan Church featured in a post below lasted just a little longer.
The church subsequently became an extra school building, a rug factory, and then a private home. It still stands to-day in North Bristol Street, Almont. Intrepid net surfers can try and locate it using Google Earth.

Friday, January 18, 2013

Paton's Larger Hope Church in Buchanan

 


Paton’s Larger Hope Church (a former Advent Christian Church building) in his home town of Almont apparently closed before the end of the 19th century.
Its sister church in Buchanan (pictured above) lasted a little longer. Like the Almont building, it was another former Adventist Church, and Lizzie Allen was pastor there for some time around 1890. There was a direct rail link from Buchanan to Imlay City, about eight miles north of Almont, and this allowed Paton to visit at will. Newspaper records show funerals conducted in Buchanan by John H Paton (sometimes as Elder sometimes as Rev.) for members such as Isaac Marble (1901), Aaron Miller (1904), Clarissa Mead (1905), Mary Miller Mowbray (1907) and Jane Wagner (1907).
The book Greetings from Buchanan (Goodsell and Myers 2005) describes how Paton’s Buchanan Church was ultimately sold off to the Seventh Day Adventists in 1921. It was then sold to the Church of Christ in the 1950s before eventually being torn down to make a parking lot.

Wednesday, January 2, 2013

J. W. Brite

We need to see a clear photocopy of J. W. Brite's Eternity: On the Plan of the Ages. This was published by Paton in 1891. A copy is at Harvard Divinity School Library. Our photocopy fund is at zero. Anyone want to help?

Wednesday, December 26, 2012

More Horace Randle

 
From an eight page tract published in London by Horace Randle in 1901.
You can see his picture and read details of his acceptance of Millennial Dawn further down this blog.

Thursday, December 20, 2012

Wikipedia


The Wikipedia articles relevant to Jehovah’s Witnesses and related groups and personalities are incredibly inaccurate. We do not support their conclusions or the research behind them. While some sections contain no or few faults, Wikipedia cannot be relied on for consistently accuracy.  

This problem is endemic on Wikipedia. Neither Mr. Schulz nor myself allow our students to use it as a reference in any paper or assignment. Wikipedia is the habitation of religious trolls and abusive personalities who consider themselves “expert” but who are neither expert nor particularly talented.

Tuesday, December 18, 2012

The Russell's Baptism

Today someone commented on a post from 2009. They claimed that Storrs baptized the Russells in 1874. Because the comment is now burried in the archives, I'm posting my relpy here too:

There is no evidence that Storrs baptized the Russells. That is mere speculation. It's also wrong.

Storrs did not see water baptism as important. He wrote against it. Stetson, on the other hand, saw water baptism as vitally important.

There are three good candidates for personage who baptized the Russells. Storrs is not one of them.

While we're glad you read our blog, posting unfounded speculation as fact detracts from our efforts to document the real history. This claim is an example of many speculations given out as fact that find there place on Watch Tower history sites. It is without documentation. You swallowed it whole simply because you read it somewhere.

We are very skeptical historians. If we cannot document something, even if we belive it, we won't include it. This, Russell's "gold mine," claims about his fortune and business, and similar things are usually presented as fact but are at best speculation. Some of the claims made are lies.

Good history is a well documented, connected story. Your claim is fantasy fiction.

Sunday, December 16, 2012

J. F. Rutherford's first book




I have the date 1895 in my files for this, but without consulting the Boonville Advertiser cannot verify that.

This is J F Rutherford’s first book. The forward reads (in part)

“It has been the aim and intention in the preparation of this book to give a brief analysis of the Laws of Missouri in a form easy to be comprehended by every one. THE ADVERTISER has had Mr. J.F. Rutherford, one of the leading members of the Boonville bar, to compile and arrange the laws herein. His fitness for such work is a guarantee of its usefulness to the farmers and business men.”

About a dozen different firms of lawyers are listed in the directory. JFR was part of WRIGHT AND RUTHERFORD, lawyers, Office in the Windsor Block.

The small book of about 128 pages was given away free with the Boonville Advertiser. It may have curiosity value, but has nothing to do with JFR’s later writings for the Watch Tower Society.

Sunday, November 25, 2012

Pastor Russell in the Critics Den



Much reprinted picture that is found in some editions of Great Battle in Ecclesiastical Heavens and also the Finished Mystery.

Monday, October 29, 2012

Russell v. T. T. Shields

Russell lectured in London, Ontario, in 1908. The Essex, New York, Free Press of February 28, 1906, reported:

Friday, October 19, 2012

The sort of documentation we use ...

Letter from H. Randle, Missionary Doctor in China, resigning his appointment.

Our Research

We don’t post key material or chapter extracts here anymore. Because of harassment from some who believe all research into this subject is the province of a small group of men who primarily live on the American east coast but who felt free to ‘borrow’ our work without credit, we’ve moved all of our detailed research to a private, invitation only blog. This was not the only issue. You will find bits of our research on a web page that bills itself as the best short history of the Watch Tower took material from here and mixed it in with stupid, unfounded speculation and outright error.

Still, it may be worthwhile to tell those who still stop here where our research stands. We now have a significantly detailed, nearly finished (we’re waiting on a microfilm) chapter on Russell’s young years. It details his parent’s early years, his education, and his religious struggles. It contains details you will not know. It also puts the lie to most everything written by a recently published author who replaced research with imagination.

We present significant and new detail about Russell’s interactions with Adventists, age-to-come believers, Methodists and others. Almost none of this has been published before. It is drawn from original letters, contemporary magazines and the papers of the individuals involved. As with most of what you see on the internet, the commonly held picture is simply wrong. The story is in the details; we present the details.

We have a nearly 80 page chapter discussing the early Bible Study Group in Allegheny. We tell you what doctrines they accepted and why. We tell you whose books they read, who they corresponded with and what groups influenced them. You will find that the commonly held belief that they were primarily influenced by Adventists is wrong.

We have finished a detailing Russell’s entry into the Barbourite movement. This includes the most detailed biography of John Henry Paton found anywhere. Some of that is drawn from his private letters. We have one year of his diary. In this chapter we give you biographies of Benjamin Wallis Keith, and we include photos of him you will not have seen. We discuss S. H. Withington; you will probably have never heard of him. We profile L. A. Allen, one of the first Watch Tower contributors, and her father. We tell you of Lizzie Allen’s troubled life, taken from her own words. We tell you something of Avis M. Hamlin’s life. It’s almost certain you know nothing of her. Yet, she was important in the early years of Zion’s Watch Tower.

One of the most significant chapters details Russell’s early ministry with Barbour. We know where they preached, what their message was, who they met, what they said. This chapter draws on early newspaper articles, an issue of the Herald of the Morning almost no one has seen, and Russell’s own words.

We follow this with a chapter on the fruitage garnered by their ministry. Names that may appear only once or so in Zion’s Watch Tower are given biographies and put in their proper setting. These include Caleb Davies, a merchant from Cleveland, William I. Mann, an engineer and inventor, Joshua Tavender, an industrialist, J. C.Sunderlin, a Methodist minister and photographer, and others. Among the others is Arthur Adams, Methodist minister. We draw his story from pages of original archival material. This is a good place to observe that no matter how much you might want something, stealing from an archive is wrong. And if the person who stole Object and Manner of Our Lord’s Return from the archive holding these papers has a conscience at all, he will return it. In this chapter we tell in Sunderlin’s own words about his opium addiction and how he overcame it. We draw parts of his story from letters he wrote. We own some of the originals. A number of seldom seen or never seen photos show up in each of these chapters.

The next chapter considers the aftermath of their 1878 failure and the separation into two movements. We note several times from original sources the lack of doctrinal unity and explain the significance of that.

I have summarized just the first few chapters. We continue to find new material, often thanks to interested parties. We have thousands of pages of new material. It came our way through the kind efforts of one of our blog readers. We’ve just arranged to acquire about seventy pages of original letters and such by one of the first Watch Tower missionaries in China. We have a poor quality photo of him and his wife and several of his children. So we continue to work. The real history is far different than we first believed.

We still consider requests to see the invitation only blog, but we tend to limit access to those who can help in some significant way. Curiosity alone may not get you access.

A Mystery?

 

Here is a mystery from a 1928 convention report. The Messenger for July 31, 1928, spread across pages 4 and 5 - The Bethel family at meal-time. You can see W E Van Amburgh and J F Rutherford at the head of tables on the far right of the picture. Below the center pillar is a young Nathan Knorr. Two figures directly below him on the table nearest the camera is a figure that has been drawn in. Who was in this seat originally? Was it just an empty space that someone decided to fill with a bit of art work? Whoever did the drawing gave the character hardly any shoulders.

I will grant readers that this is not the most important question in the world.

Thursday, October 4, 2012

1913 Convention series booklet

 



A 16 page program of the train tour from 1913. The booklet lists all the places scheduled for meetings and gives some handy hints for travellers.

Saturday, August 18, 2012

THE HOUSTON-DAVIDSON DEBATE Part 1

by "Jerome"



PREFACE
There are three posts on this subject which I have published in reverse order – simply so that readers can read them in the correct order. Inevitably, they will knock other material off the front pages of this blog, but readers can easily go to the archives to check past posts on other aspects of Watch Tower history.
This research started with a review of The Day of Vengeance published in ZWT (reprints 2278) which mentions a debate in north-east Scotland featuring Bible student Charles Houston and clergyman Donald Davidson. More on the actual debate is found in an earlier ZWT (reprints 1965). Houston shared in colporteur work, and his efforts in Scotland are also detailed in ZWT (reprints 1884).
Two local newspapers for Houston’s home area of Wick gave him considerably publicity. He organised wide distribution of the tract Do You Know? He also organised a series of public meetings. This attracted criticism that prompted Davidson, then minister of Canisbay Free Church, to challenge him to debate. The resulting event was reported in some detail.
The newspapers in question are not available on the internet, and the relevant issues could only be found in the Wick Public library. I am very grateful to the member of staff who checked four months of papers and sent me full scans of all the material. This is an excellent example for other libraries, which sometimes seem to delight in thwarting researchers’ efforts, especially those who cannot actually physically walk through the door. I transcribed all the newspaper references (which came to over 100 pages) and at the library’s request have sent them all the transcripts with a special introduction.
To get an overview, it would good to read through this introduction which follows. It should be noted that, since this was written for the library, it is designed for the general public rather than Watch Tower historians. It assumes that readers are not familiar with Zion’s Watch Tower, Pastor Russell, Millennial Dawn, future probation, etc. Hence, the explanations about beliefs and the personnel involved, and the attempt to maintain a neutral tone.
Following this preface and general introduction, the two separate transcriptions of the debate are reproduced in full.
All the other material – acrimonious correspondence trying to organise the debate, the aftermath, plus separate debates with local worthies on subjects like the trinity – has not been reproduced here. It would have swamped this blog with far too many pages. However, the whole story, totalling 114 pages, can be downloaded as a pdf free of charge from Lulu.com. Simply type in “Houston-Davidson debate” in the search box. Please feel free to copy on this download for any who may be interested.
Read. And I hope – enjoy!


INTRODUCTION
CHARLES NEAVE HOUSTON OF WICK – AN EARLY CONTROVERSIAL EVANGELIST
For the first four months of 1896, hardly an issue of the weekly John O’Groat Journal and the weekly Northern Ensign (both published in north-east Scotland) went by without a letter or a reference to one C N Houston – full name Charles Neave Houston. Houston, a draper in Wick, had become a convert to the Bible Student movement spearheaded by the writer Charles Taze Russell, who published a magazine Zion’s Watch Tower. The magazine still continues today, now named The Watchtower, published by Jehovah’s Witnesses.
As an enthusiastic convert Houston took time out from his business to spread his new views, culminating in a public debate with the minister of Canisbay Free Church. This was reported in detail in the papers. The surrounding correspondence – often quite acrimonious – can be quite entertaining for a modern reader. In those days before instant communication, people were not prepared to wait a whole week before responding to comments they objected to. So, a letter in the John O’Groat Journal (published Fridays) would often be answered in the Northern Ensign (published Tuesdays) and vice versa.
Some background would be in order. From genealogical records, the business news in the Edinburgh Gazette, and then the actual correspondence in the JOGJ and NE, a little bit of Houston’s personal history can be established.
He was born in Canisbay in 1854. He was apprenticed to Peter MacKenzie, a draper in Wick, and ultimately married his daughter, Alice. No children are mentioned in his obituary. He eventually became sole proprietor of the drapery business in 1895.
He took a keen interest in religious matters. When the Pulteneytown Mission Hall was opened in 1887, as an appendage to the Wick Free Church, Charles Houston was reported as one of those giving an address at its first evangelistic meeting. But around 1893 (“some three years ago” as he expressed it in the February 1896 debate) Houston “saw the light” in what he called “that blessed book ‘Millennial Dawn.’”
His obituary mentioned that he had spent time in America where “he became acquainted with several thinkers and writers whose friendship he greatly valued.” This may have been connected with his interest or even his introduction to Zion’s Watch Tower and Millennial Dawn. Or he may have discovered this theology in Scotland. Russell’s evangelistic efforts had reached Scotland first in 1881 – when an American visitor J J Bender had hired boys to circulate over fifty thousand copies of Russell’s small book Food for Thinking Christians in Glasgow, Edinburgh, Dundee and Aberdeen. Glasgow in particular became an early centre for what became the Bible Student movement. When Houston made an evangelical trip in 1895 he spoke of visiting “the friends” in Edinburgh and Glasgow.
Russell expanded his original small book into a much larger one entitled The Plan of the Ages (later The Divine Plan of the Ages), first published in 1886. This became the first of a series known as Millennial Dawn.
As noted above, sometime in the early 1890s Houston came into contact with Millennial Dawn. He was well-known in his area, and his conversion attracted some attention. He cut down on business to make more time for circulating literature, including the aforementioned tour in 1895, which was written up in Zion’s Watch Tower. He arranged for a widespread tract distribution to promote his new views in his own area; and when Charles Russell suggested that supporters might organise public meetings, Houston did that as well.
The newspapers published fairly polite and neutral reviews of Houston’s efforts, but they attracted negative publicity from offended supporters of orthodoxy. A debate on the trinity ensued (Millennial Dawn did not support the trinity) – and feathers were ruffled. It was suggested that merchants should stick to selling their wares rather than becoming teachers, unless it was a plot to advertise the drapery business not available to competitors. As often happens in debates of this sort, Houston was also accused of misrepresenting his opponents’ position, setting up and demolishing straw men. This correspondence petered out as Houston’s opponents withdrew.
But the main controversy that drew the Reverend Mr Davidson into the fray was a doctrine commonly known as “future probation.” Millennial Dawn taught that countless dead would come back in a future resurrection to receive a chance of accepting Christ and gaining salvation. This was not the orthodox position, which dubbed Houston’s views as “second chance.” The argument then developed along familiar lines – one side insisting this was not a second chance but the real first chance for those affected. A variation on this as taught by Houston was that it was really a second chance for everyone, because everyone lost their first chance through the sin of Adam. The other side accused “Future Probationists” of being Universalists; then “Future Probationists” responded that this was not universal salvation, but universal opportunity. And so on. Questions that orthodoxy would sometimes sidestep by saying that it was not for us to know, were answered with irritating certainty by the non-orthodox.
Houston and Davidson met for the first time in the local newspaper offices in Wick. Houston was accused of spreading Millennial Dawn theology amongst Davidson’s flock by paying a man to circulate a tract called Do You Know? Houston not only agreed he had done this, but was adamant he would continue to do so. The tract in question carried the imprimatur – “’Millennial Dawn’ had done more for me as a Christian, and to make the Bible clear to me, than all other books and pamphlets combined. I will supply this Society’s tracts free, and the book mentioned at one shilling, or the reading of it free – C.N. HOUSTON, Wick.’
Houston was quite unrepentant and the exchange between the two men was described as “exceedingly vehement and declamatory.”
However, it was agreed that a debate could take place. For weeks thereafter the two men wrangled through the pages of the newspapers on the exact wording of the debate. Houston wanted to debate the doctrine called the “ransom”. This was too general for Davidson, who wanted to pin Houston down to exact Yes and No answers on matters where Houston believed he needed to give qualified answers. Eventually, they hit on a formula acceptable – just about – to both men, and the debate finally took place on Wednesday, February 26th, 1896, at the Canisbay Free Church where Davidson was minister.
Both the John O’Groat Journal and the Northern Ensign sent reporters. And the two accounts give quite a full picture of what went on. The church of course was full of Davidson’s supporters, quite capable of cheering their man and booing and hissing Houston. Modern readers can make up their own minds on the balance of truth and error expressed on the occasion, but I think it is fair to state that Houston (a bit of a Daniel in a lion’s den) held his own very well. Davidson actually seemed to run out of steam – running short on his allotted time, and eventually declining to argue further, saying that others could debate Houston – there were subjects on which he, Davidson, would not dream of commenting, whereas Houston seemed to have all the answers (even if all the wrong answers as Davidson saw it).
In the aftermath, one paper published an anonymous write-up that gave Houston lavish praise and strongly criticised Davidson. Unsurprisingly, Houston sent the clipping to America to Charles Taze Russell who published it in full in his journal. Houston was also quick to complain that a long list of worthy gentlemen who had put their name to a document condemning Millennial Dawn had now admitted they had never read the book in question – other than selective quotes as provided by Davidson and taken out of context.
Ultimately, and fairly quickly, the newspapers’ correspondents grew tired of the subject and asked for a line to be drawn.
Charles Houston might have become quite well known in the fledgling (Millennial Dawn) Bible Student movement had he not died quite unexpectedly from pneumonia in December 1902 in his late 40s. The newspapers gave a sympathetic obituary. They mentioned his earlier religious affiliations, and a friend took the main funeral service, with support from several local clergy. His funeral did not take place in a church but rather in his house. He was buried in the Wick New Cemetery.

Note on spelling, punctuation and paragraphing etc.
I have decided to let the formatting stand as originally printed. In the actual transcriptions of the debates there is occasional inconsistency in capitalisation for He, Him etc. when talking about God or Christ. This would be down to the reporter, who is trying to make sense of shorthand notes on a subject he may not properly understand. And as often happened in newspapers of the time, there are very long passages where paragraphing is non-existent. However, if readers in Scotland could understand the printed page as presented in 1896, I am sure modern readers can do the same. And spelling has not been adjusted. It is generally very good, but is of course UK spelling rather than US spelling. So any American readers will have to get used to “centre” “honour” etc.

THE HOUSTON-DAVIDSON DEBATE Part 2


Transcript of debate in the Northern Ensign for March 3, 1896




THE “MILLENNIAL DAWN” CONTOVERSY – DEBATE BETWEEN MR HOUSTON AND THE REV. MR DAVIDSON
THE debate between the Rev. Mr Davidson and Mr C.N. Houston on some of the doctrines taught in the book “Millennial Dawn” took place in Canisbay Free Church on Wednesday evening. The circumstances which led up to the debate are well known to our readers and need not be recapitulated here. A good deal of interest was manifested in the event, and it came off in the presence of an audience which quite filled the church. The weather which had been very stormy for a whole week previously had become settled. The bitterly cold wind had ceased to blow, there was a fine serene sunset, and a clear sky and nearly full moon made night almost as bright as day, while a sharp frost converted muddy roads into as pleasant paths as were ever trod upon by shoe leather. The people gathered to the place of meeting from far and near. A party drove from Wick and another from Halkirk, and other districts beyond the Persian frontier sent contingents – one of those from a distance being the Rev. Mr Brims, Keiss – while the parish itself was, as a matter of course, largely represented. When the audience was assembling the strangers who had taken their seats had leisure to take a look round and mentally express satisfaction with the internal alterations and improvements, in virtue of which it may be said that the church has quite renewed its youth and been removed far and forever from the class of sacred edifices which are characterised as belonging to the barn type. Reflections on this subject were distracted for a time by the appearance of a plump and every way well appointed cat – not black – which inspected the elders’ platform, reserved for the chairman and the debaters; and from thence it sprang up in the direction of the pulpit, where for the rest of the evening it is supposed to have watched the interesting proceedings which were going on below. When the hour came – seven o’clock – almost every seat in the large building was occupied. Dr Macgregor acted as chairman, and discharged the duties of his office with ability and fairness. It was bruited abroad that lively episodes might be looked for before the debate was over, and there was even a rumour that extra police were to be in attendance to make sure that all things should be done decently and in order. One preserver of the public peace was in evidence, but one only, and as might have been anticipated, no occasion arose for invoking his intervention. The chairman kept the audience well in hand. At one juncture when there appeared to be some disposition to interrupt Mr Houston, the doctor said that if anything of the kind happened again he would name the interrupter. This, however, was more easily said than done. In a crowded meeting it will often baffle the keenest-sighted president to “spot” every individual who hisses or interjects an unfriendly remark, and this was found to be the case in the present instance. Therefore at the next threatened outbreak, Dr Macgregor said that if order was not maintained he would leave the chair, and this intimation had the effect for a time of allaying the discordant elements. Personally Mr Houston is held in high esteem in his native parish, but there was evidently something more than curiosity to know about “this new doctrine” of which he appeared as the setter forth. Coupled with the feeling of curiosity there was apparently among some an uneasy suspicion that the doctrine in question marks a perilous deviation from the old paths which they and their fathers before them have hitherto been content to keep in their Zionward pilgrimage, and orthodox religious folk are sensitive to nothing so much as meddling with matters which vitally concern their hereditary beliefs. Mr Houston, however, got throughout a patient hearing, and his arguments were closely followed by the meeting. Both gentlemen paid the audience the compliment of coming to the debate well prepared; and although an hour was allowed each for his opening speech, neither had half exhausted his arguments when time was called. After that, each had half an hour in which to reply, but the time limit was not rigidly insisted on; and it was half-past ten o’clock before the debate came to an end. A full report of the proceedings would fill about fourteen columns, and as that is a much larger order on our space than we can meet, a severely condensed summary must suffice. Mr Houston and Mr Davidson, accompanied by Dr Macgregor, emerged in due time from the vestry, and were quietly received. Mr Davidson read four verses of the 19th Psalm, commencing, “God’s law is perfect, and converts The soul in sin that lies,” and these having been sung, led by Dr Macgregor, Mr Davidson engaged in prayer. Thereafter

Mr Houston said he had pleasure in proposing that Dr Macgregor to take the chair. The doctor was known to them all, and he presumed he would have no interest in favouring one side more than the other. (Applause.)
Mr Davidson seconded the motion. In doing so he wished to explain that Mr Houston had the choice of the chairman, and three gentlemen had been named, without, however, consulting them, viz, the Rev. Mr Macpherson, Dr Macgregor, and Councillor A. Sinclair, merchant. Mr Macpherson declined because he had to go from home; and Dr Macgregor also declined on account of his professional duties. He (Mr Davidson) then went to Mr Sinclair, who was willing to take the chair; but Mr Houston preferred the doctor, and that gentleman ultimately consented to undertake the duties of the office. (Applause.)
The Chairman asked the audience to give each gentleman a patient hearing. Truth, he said, could not suffer permanently from anything that was said or done, and they had evidence of this in the history of the past and in the record of quarrels on questions of opinion which had taken place. The chairman then read the terms of debate as follows; -

“I, C.N. Houston, affirm that according to the Scriptures, the ‘ransom for all’ given by the ‘Man Christ Jesus’ does not give or guarantee everlasting life or blessing to any more. It only guarantees for every man an opportunity of life everlasting.”

“I, Donald Davidson, affirm that according to the Scriptures, the ‘ransom for all’ given by the ‘Man Christ Jesus’ does give and guarantee everlasting life and blessing to some men. It does not guarantee ‘another opportunity or trial for life everlasting’ as taught in ‘Millennial Dawn,’ vol 1.”

MR HOUSTON OPENS.
Mr Houston introduced his opening speech by saying that he appeared before them that evening with great pleasure. He was one of themselves; they knew him altogether; and he need not therefore make any apology about himself. If they believed half that had been said in connection with this controversy, he could not wonder if they had some curious feelings in their hearts; but he hoped to be able to disperse some of the more erroneous ideas which had been formed and which had possibly been crammed into them. He spoke of the changes which had taken place in various departments of life – changes wrought by science and changes in theological opinion, and remarked on the opposition which everything that was new encountered for a time, although by-and-by it came to be accepted as a matter of course and regarded as indispensible, notwithstanding the deceivableness of Satan’s power in getting people to keep back truth by prejudice and religious hypocritical cant. If people charged him with disseminating error, he was sorry for it; but they had known him all his life, and they knew that he had ever sought to do that which was considered good. He described how he had been led to study the question which was to be discussed that night, and how he found that there was not a single iota of the doctrines which he now believed could be gainsaid by the word of God. After his brother-in-law’s death, he had after prayerful consideration and most earnest thought resolved to give up business and devote his life to the study and proclamation of God’s truth alone, independent of any creed, sect or system, but just as he saw it pointed out to him in that glorious book, “Millennial Dawn,” which is the word of God expounded. He got a person to distribute the sample tract, “Do You Know?” and he had every right to be challenged for doing that; but he had an equal right to hold and expound his own opinions. Truth was every man’s possession’ and that was the stage they were at now. He read the proposition which he was to affirm, and said that the latter part was not exactly according to what was in “Millennial Dawn,” but Mr Davidson would not agree to it in any other way, therefore let it go. When Mr Davidson did at last agree on the terms of debate, he was greatly rejoiced, and he was there that night, as the result, to make known the truth of God. What they had to consider was “the ransom.” And what was the ransom? Dr Young of Edinburgh defined it as a corresponding price – an equivalent of some kind – something that you would not take gold for – you must get back for it the same thing – you life or that thing. He drew a picture of the garden in which Adam was placed. It was arranged by God that Adam should be the father of the race; and a law was given him to keep, but he disobeyed and died, and all his posterity with him. But the Second Adam gave his life a ransom for the first Adam and all in him – and that ransom will be testified by God to every living soul in due time. Therefore no man could perish except by refusing with full knowledge and opportunity the Second Adam’s doings. The heathen had not heard the glorious news of a ransom, but still they are responsible; and God condemns them in one – the first Adam – that he may redeem them all in One, and tell them some time or other what has been done for them. He gave his reasons for believing that this would happen at the end of the present dispensation when according to the beliefs of the Jews and the prophets Jeremiah and Daniel the patriarchs would be brought back to the earth; and Paul said, “Why think ye it a thing incredible that God should raise the dead?” The Jews had carnal ideas, and thought they were to be the power in the earth; but Christ had first to die for their sins, and in virtue of his death they shall yet be taken back to the land and shall inherit the earth and be the power in the world. It is God’s fiat that they shall possess the land because they are ransomed. The ransom was paid two “days” in advance, otherwise two thousand years in advance, and when the time is fulfilled, those counted worthy in the Jewish age will be brought forth and constituted the rulers among men in the day of the world’s trial. This period of about two thousand years is marked off for calling out the church, the Bride of Christ, which is to accompany Him in the work of blessing and restoring the world. The time for their favour began in 1878, at the end of their double – the period of disfavour; and as they took 37 years in falling, they take the same number of years in rising again, which brings us to 1915, at which time they are due to possess the land and be the controlling power. Mr Houston next spoke of the second chance, and said it was a great mistake if any one thought that “Millennial Dawn” teaches that God excuses sin. Men could do nothing without knowledge – knowledge to take of one’s free will the blessing which God has provided and offers. Man is meant by God not to be a slave but a noble being, a king; and in the restoring of the race the awfulness of sin was shown in the destruction of those who fall away and remain impenitent, who have possessed knowledge and opportunity, and have tasted the good word of God and the powers of the world to come. For them is reserved the devouring fire which shall devour the adversary.

MR DAVIDSON’S OPENING – A CATECHETICAL INTERLUDE.
The Chairman said they would all agree that they had listened to a very eloquent discourse from Mr Houston, He would say no more than that. It was now Mr Davidson’s turn to speak for an hour. (Applause.)

Mr Davidson, who was received with renewed cheering, said he wished to centre his thoughts on the latter part of the proposition which he was to affirm, viz., “another opportunity or trial for everlasting life,” as taught in the first volume of “Millennial Dawn.” But he would first make one remark by way of answer to Mr Houston’s speech. From his letters and his present remarks his position seemed to be, there is a ransom for all, then why not should all receive blessing through that ransom? No doubt it was a little difficult to reconcile these two positions; but he (Mr Davidson) would endeavour to make it clear by a simple illustration. Mr Houston was a draper in Wick, and being in that line of business, he was quite willing and fully competent to supply all the servant girls who came into Wick at each terms with bonnets and dresses. (Laughter and some hisses.) But he supposed he was not exaggerating or stating what was untrue when he said that many of these persons when they went into Wick did not go into Mr Houston’s shop and buy bonnets and dresses notwithstanding his willingness to supply these articles. Many of them went to other shops – in which they were perhaps mistaken, but it was a fact. He could sympathise with Mr Houston in that position, for he was in the same position himself as regards spiritual matters. There was a ransom for every one in Canisbay, but alas, many would not come and avail themselves of it. The god of this world had blinded their minds, and that explained why though there was a ransom for all, all did not avail themselves of the glad tidings. Mr Davidson went on to say that before proceeding to discuss his proposition he had one or two questions to put to Mr Houston, and he might answer them now or he might decline to answer them. He would put the questions through the chairman. The first was, “Does Mr Houston sincerely believe that according to the Scriptures all who are unsaved in this present life will get a second chance or another opportunity for life everlasting after death?” To that he (Mr Davidson) said No.

Mr Houston – I will answer that question afterwards.
Mr Davidson – You will think about it. I have another question and Mr Houston may answer it or not; but I venture to say that the meeting will demand answers from Mr Houston to these two questions – answers that will be plain and straight. (Applause.) If not intelligible and straightforward answers are given, I have no power to extort them; but if such answers are not given we will have something to say. My second question is, “Does Mr Houston acknowledge that the book ‘Millennial Dawn’ teaches the doctrine of a second chance or another opportunity of life everlasting to the unsaved after death?” I say Yes. (A voice, addressed to Mr Houston, “Answer!”)
The Chairman – Mr Houston does not need to answer the question now unless he chooses.
Councillor Sinclair – I think it would save time if the questions were answered now. (Applause.)
Mr Houston – I have no objection to answer them now, but it would lead the meeting to straighter issue if Mr Davidson would go on with his address. (Cries of “No!” and cheers.)
The Chairman thought it would be better if Mr Houston reserved his answers until a later stage.
Mr Davidson was quite willing that this course should be adopted. He said he thought he would make it clear to their minds that the doctrine of a second chance was plainly taught in “Millennial Dawn.” Mr Houston would have them believe that he was as orthodox as himself (Mr Davidson), perhaps more so; but it was not so much with Mr Houston as with the book that he had to deal; and he asked them to bear with him when he read extracts from its pages. The extracts were to the effect that the Scriptures do not teach that death ends all probation; that the heathen and infants will assuredly have an opportunity of being saved in the age or dispensation to come, when all that are in their graves shall come forth, and when they shall have a hundred years of trial during the millennial time; and Mr Davidson further maintained that the book teaches that under certain conditions a second chance will be given to those who have lived in a civilised state and possessed the bible.

A TESTIMONY CONCERNING A SECOND CHANCE.
Mr Davidson said he would now read a document signed by twenty-one persons, including himself – gentlemen who occupied honourable positions and were supposed to be honourable and intelligent men. The document is as follows: -
“We, the undersigned, having read the book ‘Millennial Dawn,’ vol. 1., are decidedly of opinion that it plainly teaches the doctrine of a ‘second chance’ or ‘another opportunity’ of life everlasting to every man after death. (See pages 105, 108, 111, 129, 130, 140, 144, 150, 151, 158, 159, 160, 161.)

                 James Macpherson, E.C. minister of Canisbay.

                 Alex. Sinclair, C.C., Canisbay.

                 Andrew Munro, teacher, Canisbay.

                 Alexander G. Macgregor, medical doctor.

                 James Sutherland, elder, inspector of poor.

                 George Manson, elder, Duncansbay.

                 David Kennedy, elder, Freswick.

                Alexander Dunnett, elder, Brabster.

                David Nicholson, deacon, Seater.

                John Simpson, deacon, Moy.

                Francis Sutherland, deacon, John O’Groats.

                William Dunnet, elder, Huns.

                William Steven, elder, Gills.

                George Malcom, deacon, Gills.

                Matthew Dundass, deacon, Duncansbay.

                Geo. T. Mackenzie, schoolmaster and deacon, Freswick.

                Arthur M’Connachie, divinity student, Zion Chapel, Wick.

                Daniel Sutherland, accountant, Wick.

                 Alex. S. Fullarton, teacher, Wick.

A. Phimester, clothier, Wick.

Donald Davidson, Free Church Minister, Canisbay.

Mr Davidson proceeded to say that he did not see the need of going on with a discussion of this doctrine of a second chance if Mr Houston did not believe in it. Why discuss points on which they were agreed? It would be better to hear Mr Houston himself give plain, definite, intelligible answers to the questions which had been put through the chairman, and leave it to him to say whether thee need be further discussion. (Applause.)
The Chairman informed Mr Davidson that he had still twenty-five minutes to speak.

DEBATE DEVELOPS INTO LIVELY DISCUSSION.
Mr Houston rose and commenced his reply when Mr Davidson asked for a plain yes or no to the question whether there is a second chance for all who are unsaved in the present life.
Mr Houston claimed the right of reply in his own way.
The Chairman – Mr Houston is entitled to do that.
Mr Davidson – Certainly. Go on.
Mr Houston read from the Epistle to the Hebrews concerning those who sinned after having received the knowledge of truth. The point, he said, was based on knowledge, and knowledge was the ground of condemnation. There was no more sacrifice for sin, but God does purpose to give knowledge. (“Question!”)
The Chairman – The question is, Is there a second chance for those who are unsaved in this world? (Hear, hear and cheers.) Is there a second chance for those who go into the other world, both for those who have heard and those who have not heard the gospel. That is the point. (Cheers and cries of “Yes” or “No.”)
Mr Houston – I won’t answer that. (Hisses and general disturbance, which brought from the chairman an imperative demand for order.)
Councillor Sinclair – I don’t see the use of coming here to discuss the subject if these questions are not answered. (Applause.)
Mr Davidson – I said before that I could not extort answers from Mr Houston unless he chose to give them.
Councillor Sinclair – It is a fraud altogether. (Laughter, hisses and cheers.)
The Chairman – There is another half-hour for each side.
Councillor Sinclair – Is it truth we want and not words. (Applause.)
The Chairman – Mr Houston may give us a lot of texts but leave us in the mist. (Applause.)
Mr Houston – If Mr Davidson wishes me to say yes or not to an absurdity I will not answer that.
The Chairman – Mr Davidson says that “Millennial Dawn” teaches that after death there is a second chance for every man who is unsaved. I think Mr Houston should say yes or no whether he believes that that doctrine is taught in the book.
Mr Houston – That is true, but I dare not acquiesce in a proposition that is not stated as it is stated in “Millennial Dawn.” You have heard the extracts read from the book, and I might as well ask you what you think.
Mr Charles Dunnet, Gills – Do you not believe in “Millennial Dawn?” (Laughter and cheers.)
Mr Houston – Every word of it. Mr Houston said he would give an illustration. When a man was flogged on board ship, a doctor stood by and stopped the punishment if he saw that the culprit had not sufficient life and sense to make his conscious of what he was getting. If God had provided a ransom which was as far reaching as the evil that is in the world, would it be just or fair that poor creatures should be cast into destruction because they had heard something about the ransom but did not fully understand and acquiesce in it? That would be doing what the law of this country would not do; and that was his answer. (A voice, “Not straight!”)
Councillor Sinclair – Put the question again.
The Chairman – I understand Mr Houston declines to answer it,
Mr Houston – I believe no living soul will be condemned except those who have had full knowledge, according to the question.
Mr Davidson – that is not according to the question.
Mr Houston – No one will be condemned, is my answer.
The Chairman put to Mr Houston the second question as to whether the book teaches and he believes that there will be a second chance or another opportunity to the unsaved after death.
Mr Houston – Most distinctly – to all and sundry.
The Chairman – That there will be an opportunity for life everlasting for the unsaved after death?
Mr Houston – Yes; but the manner of putting the question has a contingency in it. (Laughter.) The gospel has been preached for nearly two thousand years, and there is no second chance for those who have heard and rejected it; but the ransom secures eternal life to all who will have it, either here or hereafter. (“Oh, oh!” laughter and booing.)

Mr Davidson – May I take it that Mr Houston sincerely believes that there will be a second chance or another opportunity given to the unsaved after death?
Mr Houston – Most distinctly, but I object to the word unsaved, as that implies that they had had an opportunity.
Mr Davidson (offering Mr Houston a document) – Will you put your initials to it?
Mr Houston – I would not word it in that way.

MR DAVIDSON’S REASONS OF DISSENT.
Mr Davidson said he was opposed to the doctrine of a second chance for four reasons - (1), Because it is unphilosophical and unreasonable; (2), Because it is a doctrine which is repugnant to Christian thought and feeling; (3), Because it is highly dangerous to morality; and (4), Because it is wholly unwarranted by Scripture. Mr Davidson dwelt at considerable length on each of these objections to the doctrine. It is, he said, an ingenious theory, but it is a theory spun out of a man’s own brain. It is a human speculation and therefore has the value only of a human speculation. He demanded plain Scriptural warrant for the doctrine; and it lay with Mr Houston to find the proof. Such proof, he maintained, could not be found. The Scripture doctrine is, “Now is the day of salvation;” and no one of the human race could answer the question, “How shall we escape if we neglect so great a salvation?” Let Mr Houston now stand up and give the Scripture proofs which he demanded. (Applause.)

Mr Houston objected that Mr Davidson had not read the whole of the passage in “Millennial Dawn” which implied that there will be a second chance to some of those who live in a state of civilisation. He repeated that it was only those who have had a clear realisation of the terms of the ransom who will be condemned for refusing it. He read from the Confession of Faith with regard to election and predestination; and considering that that was the creed of Mr Davidson’s church, he did not wonder at his vehemence in repudiating the doctrine that the ransom for all must testified to all in due time, he asked where was the justice and consistency, and where was the Scripture, for condemning men for not accepting a ransom which was never offered to them or which they were foreordained to reject. The words “As the tree falls so shall it lie,” bore out his doctrine that as it falls so shall it rise again. No man would be condemned until he had had a full and fair opportunity of accepting the eternal life which God had provided for him. Mr Davidson preaches a universal gospel.
Mr Davidson – I do.
Mr Houston replied that the Confession of Faith did not, notwithstanding the many passages of Scripture which were in the same terms as the one which says that Christ Jesus is the propitiation not for our sins only, but for the sins of the whole world. He proceeded to say that the doctrine of a second chance was the good news which would be unto all people. God had appointed a day in which He would judge the world, and he would bring back man to it, as the Jews would be taken back to the land and remain on it to all eternity. He (Mr Houston) had come to them that night, and it was at their peril whether they received or rejected the glorious truth which he had to tell them about. It would take a little while to make everything clear to them – (laughter, and a voice, “Yer gettin’ more into the mist”) – but what he had stated was God’s word and could not be gainsaid.

A MIXTURE OF ORTHODOXY AND HERESY.
Mr Davidson said, with respect to Mr Houston’s remarks, that he had never listened to such a mixture of orthodoxy and heresy – (laughter) – of sense and nonsense, from the lips of any man. (Renewed laughter.) That was his opinion and judgment. Mr Houston appeared to have no shadow of doubt in his mind regarding those great and solemn questions regarding the state of the heathen, the offer of the gospel and the doctrine of election. He (Mr Davidson) had arrived at no such condition of certainty; and he would like to be a little more humble. He could not reconcile God’s sovereignty with man’s free will while he was placed in the condition in which he was. God was not in duty bound, as a mere matter of justice, to send him the Gospel; and he might have been made an ape, a horse or a worm instead of a human being. If he were cast into hell, he could not say nay. If God had sent him the Gospel, he could only consider it a marvellous act of mercy, condescension and love on His part, for which he trusted to praise Him through all eternity. He had no ambition to continue this controversy any longer. He freely handed it over to any other party who might take his place in answering Mr Houston. He would tread his path humbly and confidently, assured that God in his own time would bring all things to light. His answer as to the present and future condition of the heathen was that a great sin and guilt lay upon the Christian Church for not obeying the command, “Go ye into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature;” but he had this satisfaction to his own mind, that unto whom much is given of them much is required. He believed that there would be various degrees of punishment when the day of judgment comes; and that it will be more tolerable for Sodom and Gomorrah than for the cities where the feet of the Saviour trod, that saw and heard and rejected Him. He dare not go beyond God’s word. He left those matters which were not intended to be solved in the hands of Him who, being a God of justice and love, will not punish any individual beyond what he deserves; and if he, a simple member of the human race, got strict justice meted out to him, he, at least, would have no reason to complain. (Applause.)

MR HOUSTON’S LAST WORD
Mr Houston said that it was because the Judge of all the earth would do right that he sought be there that night; and he was there because he wished to show forth what was a Scriptural, Godlike, philosophical and true doctrine. (A voice, “You’ve no Scripture for the second chance.”)  Mr Davidson said he had spoken some nonsense. Well, he was not alone in that; for it was written that the very wisdom of God had appeared foolishness to men. Mr Davidson said that he (Mr Houston) had not a shadow of doubt; but why should he doubt? for if God’s word said that a ransom is given to all, for all it is. Mr Davidson might seem to be charitable; but when his Church declared against God’s word that only a certain elect number are saved and that the rest are passed by, he thought it behoved men who sought to maintain the honour of God to see, if God had given a ransom, that that ransom ensures what it says, and that it will be declared to all. The problem of God’s sovereignty and man’s responsibility was solved by that doctrine – that God has appointed a day whereby he will judge the world, so that every man who ever lived shall hear the voice of the Son of God. God’s sovereignty in the ages and dispensations was fixed and true and man’s free will was true also.
Mr Davidson proposed a vote of thanks to the chairman for the admirable way in which he had performed his duties. He was pleased to see such a good congregation, and he would be glad if they all came out again next Sabbath. (Laughter and applause.)
Mr Houston seconded the motion, and said the chairman had acted very fairly. He also thanked the audience for the very patient hearing which they had given himself. He may have talked a lot, but he had only said half what he might have done. (Applause and laughter.)
The meeting then dispersed. Hospitality to strangers was generously dispensed by the Rev. Mr Davidson, Dr Macgregor, Councillor Sinclair and others.
The Wick party reached home shortly after 1 a.m., after a comfortable drive in Mr Sinclair’s covered ‘bus, which was carefully piloted by Mr Hugh Falconer.



Immediately following the above report, the column continued with A CRITICISM ON THE CANISBAY DISCUSSION (by one who was present) which was reproduced in full in ZWT reprints 1965.