Western sentinel. [volume] (Winston [i.e. Winston-Salem], N.C.) 1856-1886, 1877-04-19
ROMANS, Viii. 1922.

| cause anu euCCt SIauQ cIOSelJ
related one to the other but cause
always precedes effect. Where we
find prIvation, confusion, misery
and death, we know that there is a
cluse or causes producing these
effects.
Now we find physical and moral
disorder. and even death existing in
the world and it behooves us, on
the present occasion, to enquire in.
to the causes of this.
1t was not the work nor will Of
the Creator that these things should
be or exist at all. God is not the
anthor of sin, nor does He will
the death of any. 1t was not the
opening of Pandora's Box, as the
heathen vainly imagined /; but these
things are the Legitimate fruits of
mans own doiEgs.
When we investigate this subject
in the light Of Revelations, We find
that God made man in His own
image and likeness, and not only
pronounced him to be good, "but
very good"-and thus it was said
! by Him of all He created, both
animate and inanimate things. And
it would seem, from the Bible, that
God used all the means compatible
with mans free agency, TO prevent
the introduction of sin and death
into the world.
Now where there is no law there
can be no transgression, for the
Apostle says, "Sin is trangression
of the Law" And for the support
of the law there must be penalty
annexed to transgression. AS it
was said to man, Sin the day that
thou eatcst thereof, thou shalt sure
| ly die" Here man, in Paradise,
or the Garden Of Eden, broke the
Divine Law, and by so doing sim
ned, and death entered, by sin, into
this world-and all our woes.
But man, by disobedience, not
only brought misery and death up
on himself; but involved thereby all
the inferior animals in the same
| ruin.
Man, in creation, stood next to
God in rank, and knew how to
love, serve, and honor God but
the inferior ANIMALS had not this
nowledge-they only knew how
to love and serve man, whom God
had made his vice gerent, and they
were consequently, in large de
gree, made dependent upon man
for their happiness but man by
sin has become cruel monster,
and inficts with impunity untold
injuries upon the poor unoffcndung
brute. But the Apostle assures u:
in the text, that "thc creature shall
also be delivered from the bondage
Of corruption into the glorious lib
ertY of-the children of God.
We here have clear intimatior
from the Apostle Of the Immortality
of the inferior animals.
In fact, the inferior animals are
greater than man in point Of dura
tion, for they existed prior to man
and their existence willrun parallel
with that of man to all eternity
Hence, Solomon says, Ecel. III, 1S-
20: 81 said in my heart concern
ing the estate of the sons Of men
that God might manifest them, ano
that they might see that they item
selves are beasts. For that which
bcfalleth the sons OF men bcfalletl
beasts; even one thing befailctl
them; yea, they have one breath
so that a man hath no pre- emiuenc,
above beast; for all is vanity. Al
go unto one place all are of th'
dust, and all turn to dust again.
We here perceive that man has M
pre- eminence above the beast, il
point of duration
And why should it be thought +;
thing incredible that the interio
animals. should enioy future stat,
Of existence? The idea is in exac
accord both with Revelation, rcas
on, and philosophy.
1t is an admitted fact that matte
and spirit are two distinct things
) they may exist eoniointly, or indie
pendently one of the other.
Simple matter is entirely desti
tute Of locomotion and intelligence
: bnt spirit possesses both in yer,
! high degree; therefore, spirit di'
> not derive its existence from, no
is it dependent upon matter for
continuation of its existence.
But we find that the inferior AM
mails have both spirit, mind all,
; reason-mcn have the same there
/, fore, il a man be immortal becaus