Orleans independent standard. [volume] (Irasburgh, Vt.) 1856-1871, 1870-05-31
The Number of the Saved.

statement that the finally lost will be but
a small remnant of the human race, and
thinks that exactly the opposite idea is the
one taught in scripture, and generally ac-
cepted by christians. As to the latter point,
it is of small consequence compared with
the former. and in past ages probably it
has heen the popular conception, and for
various reasons has been encouraged by
ecclesiastics, Romish and Protestant. But
the scripture no where assets such view
of the results of human history The idea
has arisen from several mistaken sources
Some have held that all mankind, infants
and adults, are born under sentence of
eternal damnation because of the Gin of
Adam, and that only those finally escape
who embrace the gospel, if they are adults,
or receive baptism, if they are infants. As
but small part of mankind can be includ-
ed in these two alternatives, it is inferred
that the vast majority will be lost. But as
we deny the abhorrent premises of that ar
gument, we are not bound by the conclu-
sion. Men mistakenly apply to the whole
human race, the word used by Isaiah, and
quoted by Paul, concerning the Israeltes
at particular time in their history, when
Gods judgment should come upon them:
1t was said then "a remnant (only) shall
be saved" But the most rely on the Ian
guage Of Christ. when a certain man, full
of idle curiosity, inquired, care there few
that be saved ?" and, instead of having his
curiosity gratified in the answer, was point
ed to the spiritual condition of men as
Christ daily noticed them, in order that
he might be led to anxiety for his own sal
vation "Striye to enter in at the strait
gate; for many | say unto you will seek to
enter in, and shall not be able" And this
explains the similar language of Christ
ENTER we in at the strait gate; for wide is
the gate, and broad is the way, that lead
eth to destruction; and many there be
which 90 in there; because strait is the
gate, and narrow is the way which leadeth
unto life, and few there be which find it.
1t is without warrant that any one applies
these words, spoken Of adults, and Of the
disposition of those among whom Chris
was laboring, to the whole human rae,
from the birth Of Adam to the judgmen
day
There is no scriptual proof of the theor,
that the mass Of mankind will be final,
lost. There is proof to the contrary.
begins with the earliest promise of Sa
viour, when, at the time of the fall, it wa
said to the serpent in the garden, at 9TH
seed of the woman, the Messiah) shall
bruise thy head Christ is to conquer Sa
tan. From the long and bitter conflict
He, who was "born of woman" is to com
out victor This necessarily implies, thai
in the end, salvation shall far exceed ruin
that those saved through Christ shall ia
mensely outnumber those destroyed by So
tan. Else, on the reverse supposition, tn
victory would be with the tempter, and nc
with the Redeemer 1t would have bee
singular triumph of our government owe
the Confederacy, if, at the end of the strul
gle, Jefferson Davis had retained in rebe
lion the vast majority of the population {
the Union Christ will have mol mere non
inal victory over Satan. The same ide
pervades the numerous Old TestameI
prophecies which, in varied forms, EXPIRE
the idea that the Messiah shall glorious
triumph over all his foes, putting them
rout and shame, and that he shall 'see
80, I,,f III zcV,1 onl hail bo
fed" 1t is involved yet more plainly
the New Testament declarations that 'whe
sin abounded, grace shall yet more abound
and that Christ shall prevail conspicuous
before all worlds over the devil and Il
kingdom Of darkness.
Nor is it difficult to discern the fac
which will substantiate this view. o
readers will not doubt the salvation of tho
who die in infancy and early childhood.
But, in granting this, the salvation of t
majority of the human race is at once co
coded; for more than half Of all who a
born die thus prematurely--a fact viii
lightens greatly the darkness of the pa
and especially of the heather world whe
infant life 50 commonly goes 10 waste
Then, even as to adults, the case as regar
the worlds history thus far is brighter TIL
many picture it because, by reason of t
dtonement made for all men, none a
judged by law Of works, simply, but by
law of grace, which considers every SO
according TO its circumstances, and say
whatever has the smallest element of tr
penitence according to its measure of lie
as to holiness and sin. But the asp,
changes rapidly and gloriously when, u
der the guidance of prophecy, we look il
ultimate future of earth, which in its no
ness is 10 witness reversal of prese
scenes. When the nations shall have be
converted to Christ and the reclaim
earth shall TEEN with ten times its popu
ton, and long ages shall roll on in puri
another face will be put on the mortal h
tory Of man, and the destined results
redemption. What right has any one
judge from the beginning of the divi
system; from the era Of preparation a
of conflict? 1t is as though one should hs
judged of the results of American libe
in the midst of the late civil war, inst,
of thinking what they would be, one c.
fury or five centuries after its terminate
The bible takes no gloomy view of the
man race as such. As race it will
saved The lost will be the exception q
not the rule DIR. Schaff we'll remarks
his additions to LANCE on Romans, Il
from the great stress which Paul lays
the superabundance of grace, which gre
ly exceeds the evils of the fall, we hav
right to infer that by far the greater ?
OF the race will ultimately be saved" A
DIR. Hodge, the personifcation of Puri
theology, than whom no one will be C
sidered more orthodox, in his comment
on the same epistle, used this emph.
language, eve have reason to believe t
the lost shall bear to the saved no grea
proportion than the inmates of prison
to the mass of the community" Sucl
our own faith, and we cannot consent
belle scripture, to dim the glory of the
deemer, or to play into the hands of adv
saries who delight to malign orthodoxy
teaching that the great mass of manki
Tor whom Christ died, will forever peri
The prison convicts shall not outnum
the holy, nor the census of hell exceed t
OF heaven.-AdUaace.
Beautiful and True.
The late eminent Judge Sir Allan P,
once said az a public meeting in Lonf