Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1858-09-02
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For the Yorkville Enquirer:
uRReRs EXAMINED.

Mr. Editor :-Y ouD- will remember Or,
that the boon for contention between ga
Presbyterian" and myself now is, to find
rule for the moral obligation on man to God,
which rule is is notwritten in the Bible: l do
affirm, that .athe revealed will Of God is the
fnle-the only rule Of moral obligation on
man, bindiughimip obedienceto Cod "a "a
Presbyterian" denies the truth of my prop:
osition. I did, in my last communicationto
YOU (Aug. .26J' prove the truth Of my propo.
sitiou, by the Holy Scriptures, BY the Con-
fession Of Faith3of the Presbyterian Church,
and by every Christian denomination among
US. ~
ga Presbyterian" on the other hand at-
firms, that tsGod has given all his creatures
laws, in forms oAlsr than written in the Holy
Bible, for rules of moral action in man, of
equal authority with the Holy Bible: l do
deay the truth of his proposition. - =
"a Presbyterian" appeals for the proof Of
the truth Of his proposition to the Holy
serlpt6rss, to the Confession of Faith of the
Presbyterian Church, to the published opin=
ions of some Divines, and to Preamble of
certain Constitution of a total abstinence
Temperance Society, of York District, 4da-
ted about A. D., 1880. ~Inow contest the
proof be has offered, as unsupported BY his
Witnesses. -.-.s-'~ 80 -
lst. Holy Scripture: In support of his
cause, ga Presbyterian" quotes lst. Cor.
II: IA. This Scripture says, "Doth not
eveu.natu itself teach you" &c. answer.
Teach what? Teach to man his moral duty
to God? No. ga Presbyterian" .hasquoted
this Scripture in order to prove for him, that
"the hight of nature" tesches to man his
moral duty to God, independently of the
written Bible. In this Scripture, allusionis
made to some manners or customs then in use
among the Corinthian people, viz: that if a
man wear long hair like women, it is shame
to him. From YER. 4 to Is, we are taught,
that In a worshipping assembly, every man
should have his head uncovered; and every
woman should have her head covered; and
a married woman should wear the veil (the
sign of her subjection) on her head. "lsit
comely (says PauD that woman pray Qn
public) unto God uncovered?" (ver. 49,
That no moral duty is here (ver. IA taught
by "nature," or the light of nature, is very
plain; for St. Paul says, eff any man a
mong you'll seems to be contentious about
shese customs ] We Apostles have no such
customs, neither the Churches Of God."-
(ver. 16.) "Nature" here is only the com.
mon feelingof persons in relation to customs,
and is no more. And so far from being a
rule for moral ACTION in all, (ver. l6,l teaches
here the liberty Of conscience in all.
To the same end, viz: To find rule Of
moral obligation, imposed by God on man,
which rule is not written in the Scriptures
and yet, is of authority equal to the written
Scriptures, GA Presbyterian" has quoted
Rom. 2:14, Is. This Scripture says, "Fol
when the Gentiles which have not the law,
do by nature the things contained in the
law, these having not the law, are a law unto
themselves; which show the work Of the
law written In their hearts; their conscience
also bearing them witness, and their thoughts
the meanwhile accusing or else excusiugene
another" From this Scripture, ga Pres
byterian" contends is proved that the light O
nature, conscience, and reason becomes
rule of moral action to man, which rule is
not written in the Bible. o.. ---
answer. In order to establish his prop
osition by this Scripture, ga Presbyterian
has assumed (without proof that "the Gen,
tiles" spoken of in yer. IA are heather
idolatrous Gentiles, the same as described in
chap. l 20, &c. He has assumed, that the
word "nature" in chap. 2:l4 !, means "the
light of nature" or reason, common to al
men, independently of the written Bible
and of the grace of God. He also has as
sumed, that where it is said of these Gen
tiles yer. IA, that they ssare law untt
themselves" that this law consists in ths
operation in them of "the light of nature, .
conscience, aud reason, common to all men
and that this law is in them, teaching them
and all other men to distinguish between
moral right, and moral wrong correctly, a
greeably to, and of equal authority with the
revealed will of God independently of any
information by revelation, or by the writ
ten Bible afforded them as their rule. Al