File Name: Branson, William H. - In Defense of Faith - An Answer to Canright
File Submitter: BH.
File Submitted: 11 Sep 2012
File Category: Reference Books (refx)
Author: Willian Henry BransonSuggest New Tag:: Adventist
IN DEFENSE OF THE FAITH
The Truth About Seventh-day Adventists
A REPLY TO CANRIGHT
by
William H. Branson
Introduction
In the year 1889 D. M. Canright, who had some months before resigned the pastorate of the Baptist church at Otsego, Michigan, and who at one time had been a Seventh-day Adventist preacher, published a book entitled Seventh-day Adventism Renounced. Since that time a number of editions of the book have been issued, and these, together with two other volumes and numerous tracts by the same author, dealing with the same subject, have been widely circulated. {DOF 9.1}
After Mr. Canright. renounced the Seventh-day Adventist faith he became a great opposer of their teachings, spending much of his time following their evangelists from tow to town and publicly denouncing them. He held their teaching of the imminence of the second coming of Christ up to ridicule. He loudly challenged their belief that the Ten Commandments, known as the Ten Commandments, were still binding upon Christians. He made sport of their interpretation of Bible prophecy and declared that there was no evidence proving that Christ's Second Advent was near at hand. {DOF 9.2}
So strenuous was Mr. Canright's opposition to the faith and teachings of Seventh-day Adventists that leaders of various religious organizations who felt the need of assistance in refuting Adventist doctrines turned to him for help. He became recognized a s the "champion" opposer of the Adventists. {DOF 9.3}
The introduction to Seventh-day Adventism Renounced was written by Rev. Theodore Nelson, pastor of the First Baptist Church, Saginaw, Michigan. The Michigan Christian Advocate (Methodist) pronounced it a "dumb founder to the Adventists," and clergymen of various evangelical churches have given it their hearty endorsement and have aided in its circulation. {DOF 10.1}
We grant that Mr. Canright was the most logical of all the various opposers of the teachings of Seventh-day Adventists. Before his day no one had attempted to refute many of their doctrines; since his death no new arguments have been presented by more modern opponents. Practically every succeeding book, pamphlet, or tract that has been published against Adventist doctrines has constituted merely a restatement of the arguments thought out and first published by Mr. Canright. If, therefore, Mr. Canright's arguments can be successfully disproved, the arguments of all those who have made use of his teachings will likewise be refuted. {DOF 10.2}
Mr. Canright died May 12, 1919. During his lifetime a number of brief replies to his lectures and works were published by representatives of the Seventh-day Adventist denomination, none of which are now in print. It was not expected that any further notice would need to be taken of the matter. However, since Mr. Canright's death certain religious organizations have become especially zealous in republishing and circulating his writings. In effect, this means that Mr. Canright's influence still lives and is active through his publications. {DOF 10.3}
In view of this zeal on the part of those who have assumed the responsibility of circulating Mr. Canright's writings, resulting in confusing the minds of some as to the character and work of the Seventh-day Adventist Church. We have felt it proper to prepare this additional giving reply to Mr. Canright's views, publishing our defense in book form so that it may be permanently available to all who may desire it. {DOF 10.4}
Though the work Seventh-day Adventism Renounced constitutes an attack on the doctrines taught by Seventh day Adventists, it is at the same time a challenge to the whole Protestant world, for in this work Mr. Canright renounces not only Seventh-day Adventism but also the fundamental teachings of the great Protestant churches concerning the law of God. It seems more than passing strange that certain religious leaders should give their endorsement as many have done, and as some are still doing-to a book which not only attacks Seventh-day Adventism but also presents arguments which, if they were sound, would overthrow some of the historic foundation principles of their own church creeds. {DOF 11.1}
Says the greatest evangelist of all modern times: "The law that was given at Sinai has lost none of its solemnity. Time cannot wear out its authority or the fact of its authorship. . . . I have never met an honest man that found fault with the Ten Commandments."-D. L. Moody, Weighed and Wanting, p. 11. {DOF 11.2}
In defense of fundamental Bible truths, and especially of the moral law, spoken by the Creator in awful majesty from Mount Sinai, and honored, magnified, and obeyed by our Lord Jesus Christ, this present volume is sent forth to honest-hearted readers everywhere. {DOF 11.3}
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Introduction
Chapter 1 - What Did Mr. Canright Renounce?
Chapter 2 - The Law of God
Chapter 3 - Objections Raised to the Moral Law
Chapter 4 - The Two Laws
Chapter 5 - When and to Whom Was the Sabbath Given?
Chapter 6 - Has the Sabbath Been Lost?
Chapter 7 - The Nature of the Sabbath Commandment
Chapter 8 - The Sabbath of the New Testament
Chapter 9 - Who Changed the Sabbath?
Chapter 10 - The Sabbath on a Round World
Chapter 11 - Doing or Believing
Chapter 12 - The Two Covenants
Chapter 13 - The Nature of Man
Chapter 14 - The Cleansing of the Sanctuary
Chapter 15 - Who Are The Seventh-day Adventists?
Chapter 16 - The Work of Mrs. E. G. White
Chapter 17 - Mr. Canright's Remarkable Admission
Chapter 18 - Let In The Light
Dedicated
To all who believe in the fundamental principles of Protestantism, in the Bible as the rule of faith and practice, and in the law of God, the Ten Commandments, as the foundation of the divine government..
About the Author:
William Henry Branson (1887 – 1961) was a Seventh-day Adventist minister and administrator.
He began denominational service as a colporteur in 1906, and as an evangelist in 1908. In 1911 he was conference president in South Carolina and then in Tennessee. By 1915 he was president of the former Southeastern Union Conference. In 1920 Branson was called as a missionary to Africa, where he organized the division and administered it from 1920 to 1930. He then served as vice-president of the General Conference from 1930 to 1946. From 1946 to 1950 he gave leadership to the denomination's work in China. In 1950 Branson was elected to the highest administrative post in the Seventh-day Adventist Church, president of the General Conference.
Helderberg College (1893), the first College of the Seventh-day Adventist Church established outside the USA, named the administration building "Branson Hall" in honour of Branson who was president of the South African Division at the time when the college moved to its present site in 1928. The Branson Site of North York General Hospital in Toronto, Ontario, Canada is named for Branson.
Books written by WH Branson include: Pioneering in the Lion Country, The Way to Christ, Missionary Adventures in Africa, The Holy Spirit, In Defense of the Faith, How Men are Saved, and Drama of the Ages.
Elder Branson was a builder—a builder of churches, hospitals, schools, and homes for missionaries in Africa and China. More than that, he was a builder of men—men who have served God and His cause in all the earth..(from Obit.)
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