The Elk advocate. [volume] (Ridgway, Elk Co., Pa.) 186?-1868, 1866-11-15
CORRESPONDENTS Of iht bttceats.
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LETTERS re .nEDICUS.
NUMBER TWO.

you quote John l9 chap. 25 and -
verses, to justify the special houor Civ
IN to the Virgin Mary. You say, the
church "believcs that our Lord Jesus
Christ, when dying rpon the cross gave
her to US, through the person Of st.
John. as our Mother, aud that she will
lie our mott powerful iutercessor at the
throne Of grace" This Interpretation
eecms to be entirely grntuitous. II it were
Peter instead Of John to whom Jesus
said Behold thy mother" then what
you gay would have some show OF rea-
sen. Bat since it was "that disciple
whom lie loved" | can only see 10 this
passage au example Of flial piety.
When a child Jesus set an example Of
obedience to PARENTS when about to
dle-though oppressed "ith tLo Lu'de"
OF human guilt-he took care to pro-
vide home for his mother; commend
Ing her to the Glial love and care Of his
most intimate friend. So john under.
stood it, as is evident from the follow
irE statement: "And from that hour
tie disciple took her to his own home
S, that we initiate the example OF our
d,ius Savior wien We observe the ftth
COMMANDMENT, aud honor, not Mary,
int orr "iathcr aG mother"
In proof that departed saints can
lear us you quote John B, and V.
Eut observe the passage does not rea |
"uhrn ,rc die we shall be like Him."
ut "'chrn lie shall ~ pear, We shall be
ike Him" 1t does not follow that be
fore the "coming Of our Lord Jesus
Christ, and our gathering together unto
him." the saints VIII b. "c1nal to the
angels" Other scriptures indeed teach
that between death and the rcsurrec.
ton the saints are with Christ thar
they e.ris' and are J{csscd. But that
does not warrant us in saying that their
state is precisely the 'an'e that IL will be
after their bodies are raised and trans'
igured-"llke unto His glorious body"
And il it did If the saints are at death
sll that we know they will be in the res
urection it does not by any means fol-
low that "being like to Him who knows
all things, they shall be cOgaiEa"t Of al
thiagS concerning u.s." For that would
make them omniscient, which is absurd
You might as well argue that Adam pos
scssed every attribute of deity, because
he was created "ia the likeness OF God. y
So this text proves nothing to your pur
pose. The saints can know only what
God is pleased to communicate to them
and we know not what his pleasure
might be. You next quote from the
book of Tobias "direct proof OF pgeilc
intercession." The text, even if iuspir
ed-which 7 do not believe would bt
nothing to your purpose, until you have
pro we'd that the saints resurrection ART
"cqual TO the angels in this respect
OF the angels Paul says care they no
all 'ministering spirits, sent forth to min
lister for them who shall be heirs of sal
walton ?" (Hebrew, |, and H. DO ~
anywhere read the like Of departeC
saints? You quote Matt. 22, aud 30 v
but omit the words ain the resurrection.
Passing (tor the present) TO your las
quotation, Cor. l., aud l3, verses,
must say that your Interpretation is
quite new to me; and 40 less strang
than new. | fld nothing in the tex
or context to suggest your explanation
. Hereafter | shall know others even a
i am kno'ca nrr hy the saints in Heav
en-" Paul in contrasting love witt
those gifts which the Corinthians esteem
SO highly. "Love never tuillth; !" bu'
prcphesies shall fail, tongues shall cease
and even knowledge "shail vsuish away.
Why knowledge! ! Because We "kuow i
part" Know what? ''All mysterie
aud all knowledge" Y. 2. This portic
knowledge Of gospel doctrines and my
teries will be oi no account "when II
perfect is come )" Tor 'aea 81 shall
know as an known"oi God ; my know
edge-so Jcr as ii goes will be hh
Gods complete, uuniXed with iaac
ance and error.
cannot see iu these texts one part
Gle of proof Of your doctrine. But OF
ers remain to be considered at auoth
time Y,urs truly,
EVANGELIST.