George I. Butler, president of the General Conference, was in Healdsburg, California, by mid-April, 1886. What he discovered on the West coast was anything but reassuring to him. Elder Butler gave a full report of his visit in California to Ellen White:
One other matter I will speak of, which makes me feel badly. I learned when upon the Coast by the inquiries of those who had attended the College at Healdsburg, of me [sic.], that there had been quite strenuous efforts made by E. J. Waggoner and A. T. Jones to impress upon the minds of the theological students that the "added law" of Galatians 3 and the law which is "our Schoolmaster" to bring us to Christ is the moral law of the commandments. The same arguments are passing more or less occasionally through the Signs. Some of these students come to me to enquire [sic.] about this and wanted my opinion. You cannot fail to remember that this question has been agitated largely in the past.
I am positive that by far the largest number of our people and of our ministers hold the view that the "added law" added because of the transgression of the moral law is the typical remedial system pointing to Christ and that law which is the main subject of discussion by the apostle in Galatians is the ceremonial law.
Elder J. H. Waggoner was always much opposed to this view, and I judge the young brethren in the office share his sentiments. Your husband, Elder Smith, Canright, myself and many others have held this view. But some of us have felt we ought to keep rather quiet on this subject, seeing there was not unanimity of opinion on it by all our leading brethren. But when we learn that the opposite view held by the minority is being vigorously pushed in one of our colleges among our Bible students and published to the world in the Signs, I confess it does not please me very well. I have written Brother Jones about it and talked with Brother Brownsberger and E. J. Jones about it. They know this to be true and Professor Brownsberger regretted it much. I heard it intimated years ago that you had light concerning the added law, to the effect that it related to the remedial system rather than the moral law. I think this question ought in some way to be set at rest. It would be a most bitter pill to many of our leading brethren to be compelled to see the idea taught generally, that the law which was added because of transgression was the moral law itself. tself.
We believe that law to have always existed but that its transgression required another law to be added because of sin, viz., a remedy for sin. This brings in the law of types and shadows, leading to Christ.
Thus Elder Butler framed his position on the ceremonial law in Galatians 3.
Elder Butler held his position on the ceremonial law in Galatians 3 because he believed Ellen White was given light on the subject. He believed that the only law that could be "added" (Galatians 3:19) at the time of Sinai was the ceremonial law, since the Ten Commandments had always existed. He was not pleased with the alternate view that was published in the Signs by E. J. Waggoner and taught at Healdsburg College by A. T. Jones.