The home journal. (Winchester, Tenn.) 1858-188?, 1871-04-27
Revealed Theology.
Dialogue Between u Phariscc and
NaZarcne.
The Great Question of the Trinity
IL Discussed
Is not the Doctrine Of the Trinity
Roman Catholic DclusiOn?
CONTINUED.

ing of the doctrine of the Matcrialists, and
wish to know if you think that God fills
some particular space in the universe?
Nuzarcae.-I believe that there is but
ONE GOD, and that He, who is the Father
Of all, dwells somewhere in the vast X
pause around us, in UNAPrRoAClIABLE
LIGllr, styled in the Scriptures, "Heaven,
His dpeiking place." (This opinion strikes
at the root OF the popular doctrine of the
Trinity, and destroys the theory which
locates the Deity nowhere, but represents
him us a universal diffusion or principle,)
In support of my position, ! refer to the
following texts, which you can read at
your leisure: | Tim. 80; Deut. "a; Mar.
Il: %; / Co. Sc; Ephe. 4: 6; lisa. 40: 5; Jno.
1873; Mar. II: 30; l Tim. O.: 1G; l XII. s: 80,
81, 80; Mat. SO; Ps. 1926: l.
Wdrisee.-So you deny the doctrine of
the Trinity?
Nasarcne.--Most assurcdly | do. The
only passage in the Bible that allirms the
doctrine of the Trinity is the following:
/" For there are three that bear record in
heaven, the Father, the Word, and the Holy
| Ghost: and these three are one: and there
are three that bear witness on earth. y
Jno. 81. With reference to this verse, we
quote the following commentary from the
improved version" Of the New Testa-
ment, brought forward in the Diaglott,
published by B. Wilson, Of geneva. This
text is not contained in amy Greek man
uscript which was written carlierthan the
fifth century. 1t is not cited by any Of
the Greek ecclesiastical writers; nor by
any of the early Latin fathers, even when
the subjects upon which they treat would
naturally have led them to appeal to its
authority. 1t is, therefore, EVIDENTLY
SPURIOUS; and was first cited Though not
AS it now reads by Virgilius Tapensis. Il
Latin writer of no credit, in the latter end
of the fifth century, but By Whom forged is
of no great moment, as its design must be
obvious to ALL" We may also state that
the verse is omitted by Griesbach in his
translation.
Phdrisee.-If the doctrine of the Trinity
is founded upon a passage of Scripture
which was forged about the time that the
Roman Cathode Church came into exist
ence, then the doctrine is not worthy of
respect and should be rejected by all hon.
est men. Under these circumstances, |
would be pleased to know what you think
OF the Holy Spirit?
Nasarene.-The Spirit is not Il personal
God distinct from the Father, but the in
strumcntal power of the Father, radiant
from his person and presence, filling uni
vcrsal space as the medium Of his omnis-
cicnt perceptions and O%mnipotcnt bchests,
whether in c~reation or inspiration; the
distinction between the Father and the
! Spirit being (not that they are two per-
sons, butt that the former is spirit in focus
so intense as to be substance and light in
conceivable, and the latter, spirit in diflu-
sion continually o%uttlowing from the Di-
c.Ccntre, and therefore viii the Father
forming a unity in the stupcndOus scheme
Of creation, which is in revolution around
the Supreme Source of All Power. I'm
this connection | refer to the following
texts Gen. l:2; Ps. 1892, II; job 1874;
rs: 10; Ps. lGI: 30; Judges ll:G; Mum. 27
10; Neh. 0: SO; = Pc. l:2l.)
The Spirit Of God in official manifesto
ton, is, in the New Testament, styled
" Holy Spirit" 1t is the same spirit men
toned in the testimonies quoted from the
Old Testament, but is styled Holy Spirit
by way of distinction from spirit in its
fee, spontaneous, universal form in ma
ture. 1t is the same spirit gathered up, rs
it We're, under the focalization OF the di-
vine will, for the hcstowal of divine gifts
and the accomplishment of divine results.
(Scc Lu. |: 30; Acts To-: IS; Jno. IA: 2G; Mat.
3: II Acts l.: 5,S; %, 1; II: ID, IS; s: II, 1917
The foregoing testimonies make plain the
New Testament meaning of being bap-
tized with the Holy Spirit. which is Il very
different meaning from that attached to it
by professors OF orthodoxy. 1t means an
immersion or cnSwathment in spirit pow
er, conferring Il miraculous git. No baptism
of the Holy Spirit now takes place. All
that can now be done is to preach the
word, and this having been given through
the agency Of the Spirit. working in an
cicnt prophets and apostles. is the Spirits
instrunl"nt--tlic Spirits sword by which
the natural mind is hewn into the simili-
tudc of the mind of.thc Spirit.
PdrtSee.-But can We not deducc the
personality of the Holy spirit from John
If: 2G! Christ said to his apostles, THE
Comforter, the Holy Ghost whom the
Father will send i'm my name, he shall
teach you all things" etc.
Nazarene.-It is true that some people
deduce from this the personality of the
Holy Spirit as distinct from the Father
whose messenger the Spirit is here repre-
scnted to be. Such forget that it was the
custom of Jesus to personity graf princi-
pies, such as MammOn, Il master: Sin, n
master; also the Prince of the world.
Wisdom is spoken of in Proverbs as a wo-
man-the Spirit here as Il man, but the lit
eral fact in both cases excludes the idea of
personality.
PhdriSee.-Having expressed your views
%candidly and freely concerning God and
the Holy Spirit, l would now ask, What
think We Of Christ?
Neutrality-suspicious. Christ Is not "very
Cod" cO-equal and co eternal with the
Father; but was constituted Son of God
through preternatural begettal of the SUBJ
stance Of Mary a virgin of the house of
David, through the power of the Holy
Spirit divinely directed; and was after
wards inhabitivcly taken possession of by
the Father through the unmeasured eni-
sion of the Holy Spirit upon him, at his
baptism in the Jordan, and hence became
a manifestation OF God in or through the
flesh. 1t follows that Jesus Christ had no
existence before his birth, except as a pur-
pose around which the gradually develop
ing scheme of salvation revOlves as a pivot.
(See Lu. L: 30; Mat. /: 20; lisa. 8: &c; Acts %
y; Mat. 3: lG. II; Jno 3: "a, 50; Jno. 5: 80
l4:2S; 7:lG; Mat. 49, II; Mar. l5:3i.)
Pdrisee.-Bu are there not several pas
sagcs of Scripture which Indicate the con-
scious existence of Christ before his birth
in Bethlehem?
Ndzarene.-The passages considered to
teach Il pre-eXistence of Christ are entire
ly reconcilable with those that plainly
teach the contrary. A comparison of
Scripture will show this. For instance,
take the strongest case. John II 3, "A:
And now, o Father, glorify hot mic with
thine own self, with the glory which | had
with thee before the world was, . = for
thou lOyedst me before the foundation of
the world" Compare with this, Rev. 49,:
8: The Lamb slain from the foundation
of the world" Ephe. la, According as
he hath chosen us in him before the found
alton of the world" God secth the end
from the beginning, and, as the Apostle
in Romans 4: IL. God, who quick
eneth the dead, calleth those things which
be not tbut which he intends to bel AS
THOUGH THEY WERE" Christ declares that
before Abraham was | amino. 8: So.
AS the Word not made flesh. or the purpose
Deity unmanifested, he did exist, but