Wilmington daily commercial., 1875-02-06
do The SCRIPTURES Teach Inherent I'm
mortality
An Essay read tCfore Mc Society for Free Rel
giOas Discussion IN the Unitarian Church.
ny 8. CARLISLE.

In presenting this subject for your Thoughtful
and earnest consideration and criticism, am
aware that it is ono of vast, and, l may say, of
vital Importance TO every ono of u.s. Are we so
constituted in our present state and condition
that death itself cannot by any means suspend
our power to think or cause for period, at
least, the cessation of our conscious existence ?
Docs the power of thought survive tho shock of
death, and in higher sphere expand its capa-
bilities far beyond the powers of human concep-
tion, while confined in the human, organic struc-
turo called in scripture, man? Does man pos
sees, inherently, immortality-a deathlcss life
an uneudng conscious existence? And il such
tho teaching of revelation as brought to light in
the bible, tho word of God?
To all these questions, we give the emphatic
answer, no inherent Immortality is no more an
attribute of man than inherent omnIpotonce,
omnlscicnce, or omniprosence. And for man to
claim it, AZ such, ii only II futile attempt upon
his part to rob God of his essential attribute for
" God, only hath Immortality" 1 shall not now
produce the scripture proof of mans materalty,
and CONSEQUENT mortality, as revealed in the BIZ
ble but shall como at once to tho question Of i'm
mortality ITSELF as revealed in the scripture.
Immortality, as defined by Webster, is this
" The quality of never ceasing to live OF exist
exemption from death and aInihilaton life
destined to endure without end, as the immor-
has given us the meaning of this term immortal
ity We accept it, and pass by his assumption of
it as an attribute OF tho human soul. We con-
suit him rs u linqulst, and not rs a theologian
III the scriptures, this word Immortality occurs
five and only five times. Let us examine these
passages somewhat carefully, as they are the
only place where this word il found in tho bible
their testimony Is very important in our present
discussion.
We turn then to Romans II:7-"To them who
in
glory and honor and Immortality" Tho apostle
Paul Is hero speaking of the judgment of God,
who will render to every man according to his
deeds" to them who by patient continuance in
well doing sock for glory and honor and immor-
tality" Do men generally seek for that which
they already arc i'll possession of? Sane per-
SONS do not Then their patient continuance in
seeking for Immortality positive proof that they
did not believe themselves AZ then possessing
it, Again. if tho doctrine of inherent immortal
ity was taught in the jewish scriptures, and this
Apostle knew it not, then he betrays all amount
of ignorance that renders all his other writings
utterly yaueless for he is the only man i'll whose
writings this word can be found. We conclude,
then, that when persons by patient continuance
in well doing seek for Immortality, they can not
be seeking for that which they already possess;
then they do not possess immortality.
But we pass now to another passage, In lst
Cor, Nv: 53, 81, we read AZ follows "Ihis NOR
tai must put on immortality and when this NOR
tai shall put on Immortality then shall be brought
to pass tho saying that is wrltten-dearh is
swallowed up III victory" Here, again, this
apostle betrayH an utter Ignorance of that myth
ical, imaginary entity called ali immortal soul
He says nothing whatever of the escape Of an
immortal soul from its mortal Casket its prison
house, or its old shell. No, nothing. But,
strange to say hc occupies the position of u cold,
rigid materialist He says, this mortal shall
put on immortality and when this mortal shall
put on Immortality, then death is swallowed up
in victory" New, no sane person can suppose
for moment that tins mortal puts on immortal-
ity when it to live and lies unconscious i'll
the grave. And yet this apostle is 30 materialis-
tic in his faith that he can only associate immor-
tality as u future good, with a material mortal
being-'s this mortaP'-not some imaginary con-
scious immortal myth or ghost fly away from
this mortal. No, no this mortal shall put on
Immortality. And when this becomes all ac-
complished fact, men will breathe the pure balmy
atmosphere of an endless life. Itfollows, there
fore, that this passage by no manner of means
even intimates, i'll the remotest degree, the idea
of inherent immortality. On the contrary, it
proves that this blessing is to be confere' upon,
and united with, this mortal body. Hence if
men are to seek for and attain to a state of i'm
mortality, it must be the Immortality of the body
the mortal man-and not something which
men arc pleased to call " a simple essence, un-
compounded, indivisibe, immaterial, and immor-
tai, which imagination has invested with won
derful powers performing Its gyrations through
its appointed sphere. Vain deusion.
Our next passage in which this term occurs ls
1st Tim, vi, 16 "Who only hath Immortality"
The apostle, after giving his charge to Timothy,
cnjoins il upon him TO keep it unrebukable until
tile appearing Of Jesus Christ, which, Che says(
in his times lie shall show WHO lis the blessed and
only potentate, the King of Kings, and Lord OF
Lords, who only hath Immortality" Here then
we find this same apostle, who understood
all the knotty problems of jewish theology, thor
oughly educated i'll the jewish law, Jealous for
tho traditions of tho fathers, and withall con-
E,,.l i'm, lstttf
this solemn affirmation that God only hath i'm
mortality. Would it not be well for Christian
ministers to initiate him i'll this respect, and obey
his injunction to Timothy, and say as little as he
did about inherent immortality, which was not
one word, no, not ono nor did any other writer
in the canonical scriptures. Now if this Apostle
affirmed the truth i'll tho above statement, ID 1t
not at least IL species of robbery Tor man to ar
rogate to himself an attribute which belongs to
God only? And will II man rob God?
Immortality, then, iii this passage, is declared
to be an attribute of God only; consequently 1t
disproyes the doctrine of Inherent immortality
in man, and thus leaves him to seek with patient
continuance in we'll doing. for this godliko at
| tribute. God help us all to give heed TO thiH
truth. 40
our next passage ID found ia I'd Tim, l., 10.
| 1t reads as follows, 'Bnt is now made manifest
| by the appearing of cur Saviour Jesus CHRIST,
who hath abolished death, and brought lie ana
| immortality to light through the Gospel !n
| this passage the apostle declares the abolish
ment of death, and the bringing to light OF llfo
| and immortality as the mission and work OF de-
sus Christ by the gospel that is, the good news,
the glad tidings of great joy which should be TO
| all people. If the patriarch Job had been taught
| to believe the doctrine OF inherent immortality
| wiIy then does he ask tho question, - Ii a man
| die shall ho live AGAIN." Why should he aiirm
| in all seriousness and candor that Man dleth
| and wasteth away; yea, hc giyeth up the ghost
and where il he?" Was not Job a perfect man
| one that feared God and eschewed evil 4 Ana II
not the secret of tho Lord with them that feai
| him? And vet this perfect man know nothing
of inherent Immortality but betrays his naterl
alistic notions of man by asking if dead mater
| inl man can live again and whom man glveth III
| the ghost where is he mot where ID his ghost
| tLat gave him no concern whatever.
Mai, AZ viewed by job, was material Deng
| and not an immateral ghost 1t Is something
then to be n man, but man can never be ghost
Suffice it to say hero that the testimony OF JOB II
| in harmony with all the other Bible writers OF
MANS materiality. s'Tho first man was OF the
| earth. earthly :" and such arc all his progeny
humating as it may be; they CANNOT npe Whil'
dead. And we may ask with Job, " Ii a man die
shall he live again? Or with certain jews IN th'
DAYS of tho prophet Ezekiel, show shall we thel
live" ,e.4os t.
Mortality, according to the eternal nat OF Je
bovah. must return to it's original dust ana a.
u God only hath Immortality, man must ioreVe
remain in the dust of death unless inInite WIS
don goodness and power devise and execute
some method whereby the dead may 1--we again
In onr last cited passage on immortality all thes
- % When tho ful