Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1877-12-12
correspondence.
The Critic Criticised.

| AhC SiltAS SIlllClhcC.
EDITOR AGE.-Dear Sir Why do the
heather rage, and the people imagine O
vain thing? The kings of the earth Sc,
themselves, and the rulers take counsel
together against the Lord and against his
anointcd saying Let us break Their
bands asunder and cast away their cords
from us.
As your paper seems TO be open for re.
ports of various things and places, and
last, but perhaps not least of churches
and their ministers, | would like to say
some things about what has been said OF
our meetings at South Woodstock.
Mr.. Ballou, who seems to be very
tender and sincere friend Of ours, says he
has had the honor Of being Pastor Of the
Christian Society or Church in that place
for the past five years. We are little
surprised to learn that such a church is
established there. We have been credibly
informed as l supposed that it was Uni
versalist Church; but let this be as it
may Mr.. b allou says that most of the peo-
pie there have been resting in the belief
that Christ would save all souls, and that
finally they should become holy and vol
UNFAIRLY obedient to the law of God. !
should judge Mr. Editor, that their rest
was little disturbed and we do not Won
der that it is when such res. IS viewed
in the light of Gods word. 7 hat all men
will finally be obedient to the law of God
is shown TO be false by the following
Scripture: "To them who by patient
continuance in well-doing seek for glory
and honor and immortality, eternal life.
But unto them who are contentious, and
do not obey the truth, but obey upright
eousness, indignation and wrath, trbula
ton and wrath upon every soul of man
that doeth evil, Of the Jew first, and also
of the Gentle. "-Romans-2: 7, 8, 8.
"And to you who are troubled, rest with
US, when the Lord Jesus shall be revealed
from heaven with his mighty angels, in
flaming fire taking vengeance Oh them
that know not God, and that obey not the
gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ; who
shall be punished with everlasting de-
struction from the presence of the Lord,
and from the glory of his power."-2
Thes., II: 7, 8, 8. This scripture is very
positive and shows that all men do not
nor will not obey the law OF God. 1t is
easier to assert that discipline extends
into the future state than it is to prove it,
for such IN idea is no where expressed in
the gospel Of Christ, and the foregoing
scriptures decide this point also AS for
our being matcrialist in faith we do not
deny for such were all the writer's of til G
Bible on futurity, and we are content to
believe on Christ as the scriptures say
John = 50.
We are called Second Adventists simply
because we believe and teach the doctrine
of the second coming of Christ, and in
this we think we are not very different
from most evangelical churches, except it
to be near, even at the doors-Mat. "a:
SO.
About ladies fairs nothing was said by
me nor did hear any one else mention
them; but we did speak against sheet and
pillow-case balls, and religious dances,
and church festivals and fairs, which are
nothing less than church gambling, car
ried on to raise money to support the gos-
pei, and we still believe they are dis
grace to the church and the world
1t is false that we stated or maintained
that man has no soul or spirit, for we be-
lieve that such terms are used in the
scriptures when not applied to the body,
but that either are immortal in this state
OF existence we have no proof from the
Bible. The terms immortal soul, immor-
tai spirit, deathless spirit, never diciny
soul, the soul that never dies, etc., ETC.,
are expressions not found in the scrip
lures. But God has promised immortal
ty to them that seek it--Romans, 2:7, and
Paul in LIST Cor, 10: 80, 50, tells us when
1t is to be received and what it is that
shall be made immortal Ifby Il recrca-
ton Of bodies is meant literal resurrec-
ton Of all men, "this we do confess unto
thee, that after the way which (Mr. Bal
lou in substance calls heresy,) so worship
the God Of my fathers, believing all
things which are written in the law and
II the prophets and haye hope toward
iod which they themselves also allow that
here shall be resurrection of the dead,
both of the just and unjust. Acts "a
a and Is. Christ teaches the same
hlngs as is recorded in John, s: 20 and
20.
Our friend says that the phrases "Sec-
md Advent Of Christ" and "Second
joining of Christ" are nowhere to be
ound in the scriptures. Now we don't
eally want to charge the Rev. Sir Of be-
ng Ignorant of the scriptures, but if he
VIII read Hebrews, 9th chapter, and 2Sth
erse, he will get informed on this point
lso. 1t reads as follows $50 Christ
vas once offered to bare the sins of many
nd unto them that look for him shall he
ppear the second time without sin unto
aviation"
lie says we dare not quote any Of those |