Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1877-12-19
Correspondence.
Letters to Rev. Allen Damon.
(NO. u


DEAR You thought then,
that our Church here was a Universa-
list Church, instead of a Christian
Church I! Beautiful liberality! But
we claim that a Universalist Church
IS a Christian Church. notwithstand-
ing your aliberality in denying us the
Christian name
said incidentally that we believe
all will finally become obedient to the
law of God, aud in order to show that
a part of mankind will never obey the
law of God, you cite Rom. 2: 7, 8.
9. This text declares rewards for
right,doing and punishment for
wrong doing. but says not a word
about any remaining eternally disobe-
dient to the law. ''lmmoltaiity' is
no part of that reward, and "eternal
life" is "the gin of God" 1t is, by
no means the same thing as immortal
ity, but is simply the spiritual life OF
God in the soul, and is possessed and
enjoyed by all good Christians in this
world. Jesus teaches us in John II :
3, that knowing God aud Jesus Christ
"is eternal life" "He that hath the
Son hath life, and he that hath not
the Son, hath not life" "IIe that be
lieve,h on him hath everlasting life,
and shall not come into condemna'
ton, but is passed from death unto
Iife," or as Prof Hovey translates it,
"hath passed from, death into life -
John 5: "a. eve know that we
have passed from death unto life, be-
cause we love the brethren. list
John. 3: IA. The word "eternal'
does not denote duration so much rs
the quality or nature OF the 'lite." 1t
is simply divine, spiritual life, enjoyed
in this world. You do not attempt to
prove that either the life or the 'lrib-
ulation, wrath and anguish pertain to
the immortal resurrection state, aud
there is no such proof in the Bible. 1t
is your duty to prove this if you can.
Give me leave Ia assume the aPplica-
ton Of all the texts 1 please, to the
future word, and can prove a
thousand strange things, and make it
appear that "God is not good to all,
and his tender mercies over all bis
works. Psalms 145 8. Paul ex-
pressly declares in Romans 3: 10,
that the reward of "eve'y man that
workelh good is glory, honor aud
peace" but he says not word about
any reward after the resurrection in
the future state. Thus your first
proof text fails 10 prove your doctrine.
TO prove that all souls will finally
become righteous l cite Paul's testi.
mony in Romans 5: 10, ''For as by
one mans disobedence the many (hoi
polloD were made sinners ; so by the
obedience of one shall the many (ho1
polloD be made righteous.
You quote End Thess. l: Z, 8, 9
This text teaches the obstruction" OF
the wicked prosecutors of the Chris
tians of that age, from h> earth-no'
in the resurrection state. Why do
you assume or take for granted, you
begged application of this passage
You must prove that this "deslruc.
ton" is after 1st Cor, Is: 22,-28,
has been fulfilled. find that Christ
Judges and rewards men in this world,
and up to the Tina Of the resurrection
in the future state, but never beyond
the time when "aU shall hare been
made alive IN Christ" because there
is neither sin, judgment, nor punish
ment beyond the resurrection in the
future world. All are holy and happy
there, when "God becomes oil iu all. u
See Matt. %: 29-32 and Luke 20 :
35-3s. GAS in Adam all die, even
SO IN CHRIST shall all be made alive
and eff any man be IN Christ he IS a
new creature, old things are passed
away, behold all things are become
new. "-2nd Cor. 5: II. In Romans
8: 2l, Paul says, ''the creature &. e,
the same ''creatdre" or creation that
the gospel was 10 be preached to-
MARK 16: l5,) shall be delivered
from the bondage of corruption into
the glorious liberty Of the children ot
God. | see no evidence whatever
this "destruc.ion" in 2nd Thess. 9,
was to be after the resurrection. How
can you prove it There il a grea,
deal of destruction in this world, and
from this life, or from the earth
Esther said, "How can / endure to
see the destruction Of my kindred p
Esther 8: 6. In Matt. 21: Al, it is
said, she will miserab,y destroy those