The Jackson standard. [volume] (Jackson C.H., Ohio) 1847-1888, 1875-01-21
NUTS FOR ANNIHILATIONISTS.
Number Three.
BY J. H. ACTON.

The force of the argument as now Civ
en- will be more clearly apprehended
when we rel las complete theories
both the A. .Iiationist and Recon
structionist depend almost entirely upon
the terms death, life, destroy. perish,
consume, and the like, giving to each
such a construction as suits the use he
makes of it.
Death, destroy. perish and consume are
all defined to mean -Annihilate. As it
has already been shown that their use as
applied to this life cannot mean to Ami
hilate if the soul lives on, what right
have our opponents to so define them
when applied to the lives of the future :?
Yet in this they persist. They entirely
overlook the fact that the use of these
terms occurs almost universally in refer
ence to matters in this life; whatever is
their meaning as applied here, therefore,
must determine their meaning in the fu-
ture, unless some good reason for attach
ing a different one can be shown. 1t is a
sufficient criticism upon them all to say
which we do most positively that not of's
of them ever means to Annihilate, and it
is burlesque upon the English tongue
to assume it as these writers have done.
Death is the strongest term of all, and
its meaning is clearly shown in Christ's
words, Except corn of wheat fall into
the ground and die, it abideth alone, but
if it die, it bringeth forth much fruit" "
So far from die, here meaning Annihila-
ton, it is made condition to life. Paul
has words almost identical. Thou fool
that which thou sowest is not quickened
except it die.
If then it cannot be proven from these
with the body in any such sense as 10
Annihilate, how can it be proven from
them that they will die in this sense in
the future? 1t cannot, and with the es
tablishment of eternal soul substance the
whole theory falls to the ground. giving
us the only clear meaning of the term, it
pleads in its own utter extinction.
Let US resurrect it for the present and
assume that the Immortality of the wick
ed has not yet been proven, that we may
follow this theory through its struggles
with a few of the proof texts for eternal
punishment.
ing: Depart from me ye cursed into
everlasting fire. prepared for The devil
and his angels; and these shall go away
into everlasting punishment; but the
righteous into life eternal" In Mark
x: at is better for thee to enter into
life MANNED than having two hands go
into hell, into that fire that never shall
be quenched, where the worm dieth not
and the fire is not quenched"
The comments of Annihilationists on
these passages, as indeed upon all similar
ones, are utterly without sense Mat
thew is paraded as referring to the Val
ley of Hinnom on the South of Jerusa-
lem, and thus they account for Christ's
use of the term fire. What has all this
to do with the facts stated? Did Christ
simply warn his followers that they
might be cast into the burning Valley of
Hinnom? Was there any danger of this?
These fires had died out more than six
hundred years before. That he had no
reference to the Valley of Hinnom is
plain from the fact that he speaks of a
future day; for the Son is to come in His
"glory with the holy angels" and seated
upon His throne" He is to have all ma
lions before Him, and is to separate the
sheep from the goats" 1t is also plain
| from the fact that the worm" here in
positive contrast to that of the Valley
among the carcass of Tophet is said TO be
undying; and the fire is to last forever.
The only attempted explanation OF
this everlasting fire. by Annihilation-
lists is, that we can conceive of fire
burning forever without necessarily be-
lieving that it will burn the same objects
forever. We reply.
The worm here spoken of is their
worm, and is undying. 1t is there only
in the sense that it feeds upon Their
bodies, and though literal rendering ot
the original here will not allow US tc
translate their fire, yet the everlasting
fire in harmony with the undying worm
is theirs in the same sense, and in Isaiah
Is rendered their fire; both feed upor
thsiR bedlss and san have life enly si