Delaware Republican. (Wilmington, Del.) 1843-1874, 1873-09-22
For the Deld,odre Republican

.erhen shall the dust return to the Earth as It
was and the spirit shall return unto God who
gave It," Eccle. XII, 7.
This passage of scripture is frt qilently brought
forward as evidence that what Is called death In
the bible, is simply change in the mode and
manner of mans conscious existence, 1. O. That
DEATH so far from being state OF UNCONSCIOUS
ness, only quickens and enhances mans pow
ers of perception, and increases beyond our
present ability TO conceive, his capacity Tor eil-
joymeat OF suffering, as the case may be. That
this is the prevailing belief OF chrstendom, can
not be doubted but that this belief has no
foundation in the word OF God, but Is simply
the result Of human philosophy, we shall now
eudeayor to prove. We propose then, 10 show
that the text when dvested OF its philosophical
surroundings, teaches this one simple truth, lie.
Then shall man return to his original elements,
| in their original condition. as they existed be-
| fore God said. Iiet us make man. We affirm
| it then, that whatever man was, prior to his
/ creation, death dssolves and returns him TO
| these same elements. "Dust thoI art,and unto
| dust shalt thou return," is the Interchangeable
| fiat of Jehovah, nor can the confused babblngs
of ancient or modern philosophy, change Ifs
law, or alter the word which has gone iorth out
of bis mouth. Death reigus, no matter who
disputes his right, aud will continue TO do SO.
until the life giver comes to raise those who
sleep in him 10 Immortality and endless life,
in the kingdom OF God. Then, ''there shall be
no more DEATH" Now If we can succeed in
our efforts to show that breath or spirit of liie'
In man, is no part of man proper, then our pO-
slion becomes impreguable, and against these
invulnerable rampaIts OF eternal truth, "no
/ weapon formed shall prosper Now for time at
least, let us lay aside our prejudices, and look
calmly and with canlor at the simplicity oil o
problem that has staggered and bafiied the
mightiest intellects OF the ages, |. e. "What Is
Q man ?" DO the scriptures answer this question:
l ,,,.tl hal tact
o say "let God be true, aud every man liar !"-
= If so, then our task is by no means q difficult
' one. And God said let us make man )" and
2 the Lcrd God formed man Of the dust OF nc
Q ground" All, this is man is its Then 1t Il
q not "shell, a cage or prison" TO put men Into
Il by any means. No, 1t Is the man himself, only
s one thing is lacking to make this man livlnt
d SOUL" And God breathed into mans nostril
5, the breath Of life, and man, thus made OF dlis
l. became living SOUL" not living soul of mar
d put In "cage, shell, or prison no, not at al
but the aohoie man, when made alive became
living soul. He was a man before tile breath o
le life was breathed into his nostrils, and will b.
g so, when that breath is taken away, as we shal
i, clearly show. Now, If the breath OF life wa
10 necessary to make man living soul, then |
20 was Just as necessary to have a human organi
1t structure to receive this breath, for dust an
e. life, rs separate and distinct elements or prin
" ciples, existed before man was created, so tina
dust formed into man, and the principle OF life
& are two distinct elements, aud the union
these two, by the wisdom and power Of Got
2. constituted u living soul, whether 1t be Of ma
Ie or the beasts, all are alike "living souls" Ma
ne then, as a creature made Of DUST is one thin.
I'd aud the breath or spirit Of life is totally dii
,rs erent thing, so that man In revelation, ditiel
er widely from man in theological tradition, an
I'D as our evidence is to be adduced entirely froi
III, revelation, we shall not follow tradition throue
for all its philosophical and metaphysical lab
en- rynths and by comparing scripture with scr
ck ture we NAV know just where we are, an
i'm while the old mother and her daughters mt
He wrap themselves about with the mantle
& mystery, 1--WE shall adhere to the teachings
ian Jesus when he said, "unto you, 1t is given
ir. know the mysteries Of the kingdom ofheaven
MT and In our heart We pity those who cannot 8
Ing that mans nature and destiny are so clear
revealed that, che who runs may read, al