Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1876-12-16
REECHER on IMMORTALITY.

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A .BsIIEF, IN A, FUTURE EXISTENCE
NECESSARY TO SALyATIoN.-At Ply
mouth Church on Sunday, Mr.. Beecher
discoursed on the Immortality Of the
Soul.f's We clip the following sketch
of his remarks from the World: d Is
MIR. Beecher said that the contrast
between the Old aud the New Test:
| ments was nowhere SO extraordinary
as in the doctrine of q future. u As a
working force Immortality was un.
known in the teachings of the Old
Testament, while in the New it was the
chief working force. 1t was not to be
said that there were no iDtimations in
the Old Testament of future reward and
punishment, but it might be said that
whatever of trust existed in a very
| limited degree, aud was never incor-
| porated into the form of divine instruc-
ton nor made the basis of motive, aud
the saints of that day were not consol.
ed apparently by the hope OF immortal
ty. Men were deferred from evil not
by the fear of penalty hereafter, and
| were inspired to faith, courage and hope
by no brilliant picture Of a future
world. When We take the writings Of
christian men on this subject, We sup
posed that they had the golden seed OF
the sanctuary in their hands, aud could
tellus everything; but Paul did not
know so much rs this, and he tells US
that he did not, and John says, "We
| are the sons of God, lint what being
sons OF God ureaiis,S that doth not APP
pear, aud he says that he does not know,
and so these pictGreS addressed TO the
imagination OF men, would not bear the
touch of reason or of fact, and Paul says
that when We come, into the other lite
we shall put awaNall the conceptions
of God which We Ne formed on earth.
In solving this ID IS OFFS future,
men were obtaining gSeat help just now
from the discussion of the disputed
question of evolution.
TIE DOCTRINE OF EVOLUTION.
There was great difference among
knowledgable men as TO the origin or
beginning of things, bat there was no
appreeiable difference or schism among
men that the method of development is
that of opening higher stage from a
lower in constant succession. Whether
! it was by the survival of the tittest, or
in some other way, men were divided,
but as TO the general tact of develop
ment all agree that it was an unfolding
of higher form OF existence develop
ed from an antecedent lower one. This
was the line of fact pursued in science
with reference to things that are, but it
| had also very important relation TO
things that are 10 be. In the passage read
twas represented that in The spirit land,
as distinguished from the flesh land, all
% things would change, and first the body
of flesh would drop of. Among some
sort of folk it was not orthodox to
assert that the Westminster Caiechism
asserted that their bodies should bo
raised again only with different quali7
ties. That was the saving clause, and
il was a very cunning dodge TO say
that the body raised would have differ
ent qualities, and Of course could not
be the same body. Paul says: "Flesh
i and blood shall not inherit the King
dom of God" but he teaches that men
shall preserve their individuality, that
q they shall be cognizant and conscious OF
having passed through an earthly ex-
istenue, land will know and recognize
those whom they knew on earth. We
are distinctly told that we pass to
where there is TO be no day nor night,
4 where there is no sun nor moon nor
shining Of the stars. -1''l t'ar7f..
T. Ed TUE spIRir LAND. -r .-i.
In the spirit land of God is the Gen.
b ter, aud all our conceptions will be
i wholly changed. And yet men have
been pa: to death because they did not
believe Christ was In piece OF bread.
There had beenia time wilson mot 10
believe ia that was held TO be The great
est of crimes; and yet Paul says that
here we are to know nothing, that here
! we are like children. 1t was SO in life;
In childhood ihe kite, the ball, the hoop
were all 10 all aud satisfied the whole
ambition, "But," said Mr. Beecher,
"when a man is fihy.fve1 years old, be
won't run after hoDp---st least not
that kind of hoop" [Laugbter] In
conclusion Mr. Beecbcr said ho could
not conceive in this age of civilization
i how q man could live without hope Of
immortality. ScepticisnI and scientific
4. doubt btiBigbt be born, bnt IL was impos-
sibls for civilization 70 exist il hope Of
! future existence was taken away; the
4 salvation Of the race In this lie was
largely dependent upon faith in On
existence hereafter. J1g s..I 10 nf,..I sYtu,
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