Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1877-12-05
Letter from South Woodstock.

Letter from South Woodstock.
EDITOR AGE-Dear Sir: During the
last five years and over I have been pas
tor Of the Christian Society or Church in
this place. Most of our people here have
been resting in the belief that God is
good, kind and just, and that through
Christ and his mission all souls will flnal-
ly become holy and voluntarily obedient
to the law of God-that discipline eX-
tends into the future state, and will con-
tnue until sin ceases, and is succeeded by
salvation. But, recently, a Rev. Mr.. Da-
mon, who seems to be a materialist and a
"Second Advent destructionist,' has been
here making strenuous efforts to convince
us of our errors in belief and practice,
especially that "ladies' fairs" are all Of the
devil. He maintains that man has no soul
or spirit; that all who have died in the
past, both good and bad, from the crea-
ton Of man down to the present, are in
nOn-eXstence-in Inconsistencies, mere
disorganized, dead matter; that very soon
the universe is to be destroyed and burned
up; that at that time all who get convert
ed here before they die, and none others
will be recreated in material bodies and
become immortal beings on the earth, and
that this immortal state is what is meant
in the Scriptures by the Kingdom
of God and Kingdom Of Heaven;
t at, sometime after this, all
who die unconverted here are to be recre-
atcd also, in order that all may be judged,
and the unconverted are to be burned in
literal fire until they are tortured into an
initiation as to personality and con-
sciouSncss-are to be struck out of eX-
istence by the power of Almighty God!
Such is the outline of this theory.
The phrases "Second Advent of Christi
and "Second coming of Christ" are no.
where to be found in the Scriptures, yet
we know of no Christian believer who de-
MES that Christ was to 'cOme in His
kingdom" or reign subsequently to his
death; hence it does not seem to be Of
any use to cite fifty, or even a hundred
texts to prove the fact that He was to
come. Nobody denies this. do not deny
his personal appearance at the complete
end Of the Jewish age, and the commence
| I;.I,, 20 l,n icti ~
age. An the passages in the New Tesla
ment which speak of the "coming Of
Christ in His kingdom" tend TO fix the
time of His coming not later than forty
years after His crucllXion. Mr. Damon
dares not quote any Of these passages.
Most Orthodox commentators believe
that a coming of Christ took place at that
time. We know of but one coming of
Christ that was future when he spoke in
the flesh, and the New Testament teaches
that that coming was near at hand then.
1t was His coming in His mediatorial
reign. Mr.. Damon teaches that the
Kingdom Of God Of Christ has not yet
come. We had supposed that Christian
lty in its broadcast sense, with all its
truths, it's principles, its spirit, its opera
tons and influences, constitutes "the
Kingdom of Cod" "the Kingdom of
Heaven" or the reign of Christ, on the
earth and in the spirit world. This king
do &c i,,t ,uNrlI
during the last egbtfG9. rNt3 READ book
written by Professor Crosby, formerly of
Dartmouth college, and author of one of
the best Greek grammars eXtant in which
he proves conclusively by the Bible that
"the coming Of Christ In His kingdom"
and all cognate events, such as judgment
and resurrection, took place during "that
generation" who lived contemporary with
Jesus in the flesh.
There is Il great deal said in the Bible
about punishment for sin, perishing and
destruction, ETC., pertaining to this world,
but we tell him that we cannot prove that
any human being will be destroyed or
perish after "all who die in Adam" (the
earthly nature) shall have been "made
alive in ChrSt"-attcr death the last enc
my shall have been destroyed, and when
call things shall have been subdued unto
Him." so that ''God shall be all in ALL"
Cor. Is: 22-29, The last book in the
Bible is too highly fgurative to be allowed
as proof of any doctrine whatever, and
the book called I'd Peter l.. not sufficiently
authenticated to be allowed as witness
in any court Of judicature, or in the To-
rum Pathological investigation. See DR..
Adam Clarke on these books. We believe
that no man can cite any passage Of
Scripture which declares that any shall
perish or be destroyed, or annihllated, Gf-
ter they have been "made alive in Christ"
We ask for just one authentic passage
which says so in plain words. Yours,
ELI BALLoU.
South Woodstock, Dec. 5.
The Army.