, 1877-08-12
How Methodist. Polity Affects the
Relations Between Church
and Pastor.
THE Bible as q Political Econo-
mist--The Mutual Duties
of Labor and Capital.
siors Smiles for the Unregenerate---
Personal Notes---Servlces
To-Day.


CHICAGO, Aug. It'll last SuuuAys sAA4o
rsE appeared two articles from the London
s1edator, headed: "Shall all the human race
.nioy future life!n-one in the negative and
The other in the affirmative. A subject SO
deeuay interesting and OF SO great an tmpor-
fance to the human race demands all the light
that can possibly be thrown upon 1t to dispel its
mystery. ask. therefore, the favor Of small
xosce, not to venture my own opinion, but to
show by some few Scripture passages that the
Bible supports much more the negative than the
Affirmative side; and the assertion, therefore,
that there WAS not the least trace Of sanction IN
Revelation for the extinction OF life was not In
accordance with the fnct- But, before give
the Scripture passages, it seems to me necessary
to give a word OF explanation. The word
eternal li1c, OF immortality, is used in the Bible
onlv In reference to the soul or whole man,
body, soul. and spirit,-whie In common life 1t
Is used indiscriminately for the body and soul,
both being looked upon rs only one Life, where
is there is the, physical lie OF the, tue body,
tue spiritual life Of the spirit.
But everything in tine Bible relates to the
moral life oi the soul, the body being sccond-
sry consideration. In no instance is it asserted
In the Bible that eternal life or immortality be-
longs indiscriminately to all, but only to those
who hare by new birth receivcda a new spiritual
power, viz the Holy Ghost, who is the earnest
Or ee-miual power OF eternal life. It begins,
therefore, already here In this lie The grain,
,eed, OF acorn that is dead may have still the
saue outside appearance, while yet it la=ks the
vital power, and, though it we're buried into the
earth, it could not possibly rise into new llic-
because it lacked this quickening lower. The
wicked Or uuregcnerate are always declared to
tr dead, ,-dcad iu tresspasses and sins, even IN
a vigorous physica! lie THIS death, therefore,
cau nave reference only to the soul, and it is
possible, vet very doubtful, when the Bible
speaks Of The eternal death Of the wicked, TINT
Il may mean only the death OF the soul; yet
there are many and grave reasons to make this
r-,r doubtful. / will now proceed to give some
I. lie most positive and direct passages i'll sup
port OF TIE negative side.
Job evidently was asitated WITH the same
thoughts, for We find him ask the momcntous
QUESTION in the fourteenth chapter, tour,
be iiyc asains" and in xiv, 10,
be axswprs this question in regard to the
vlekpd, saying: t' Drought md heat consume
tie epow- -water, go doeth the grave those which
worm shall feed swcctly on him."
Isai.h, xvi, II: s. They are dead, they shall
not live; they are deceased, they shall not rise;
therefore thou hast visited and DESTROYED them,
and made all their memory TO perish.'
Psalms, xix, 70: "a Man that is in honor and
rnderstandeth not, is like the beast that per
1h.n
Proverbs: " The candle OF the wicked shall be
put outs
Passages wherein it is indirectly asserted:
Psalms, xix, $, 9: For the redemption OF
their soul is precious, and it ceases forever.
That he should still live forever and not see cor
suption." Here the redemption OF the soul
not the bouy-insurcs incorruotibility; but II
III live, then there is no meaning IN the - re-
aen2tion OF the SOUL" The redemption OF fthe
js hoYi
Psalms. Xix, is: st But God will redeem my
1oul from the power Of the grave, Tor lie shall
receive me-" What power can the grave pos
1es: al shall i've again, and WY redeem souls
Hosea, Iii, II: II will ransom them Fl ON
The power Of the grave; will redeem them
from death; Q death! VIII be Thy plagues; o
gave! viii be thy destruction
lsaah XIV. 8: ''He will swallow up death IN
Eetoryn
EZEKIEL xvii. 1o: sThcrefore prophesY and
iay INTO them: Thus saith the Lord God: Be-
hoid, mv people; will open your graves, and
Tsqse you to come up ont OF Tour ETaFes., ana
AthaA put my spirit in you, and r shall i've"
had great bitterness; but Thou hast in lore to
ny soul delivered It from the pit OF corruption;
1or Thou hast cast all my sins behind Thy back
fo1 the grave cannot praise Thee, death cannot
Celebrate Thee, they that 20 down into the pit
s7noot hope for Thy truth
=, Corinthians, xi., s: q For the preaching ol
The cross is to them that perish foolishness, but
Goln
Romans Vi, S: ssFor If wc have been planted
together In the likeness Of His (Chrlst's] death.
Eeslall be also In the likeness OF HIS resurrec-
uon." Shall those who have not been planted
II the likeness Of Jesus death nevertheless par
Iage Of the likeness of His resurrection!
n; hebrews. r., Who [Christ] in the days o.
1aas nesh, when he had offered up prayers and
9npplitations, with strong crying and tears, unto
alm that was able 10 save Him [Christ] from
aesth, and was heard In that he feared"
What death did the Lord Jesus Christ so
earnestly pray to be saved from? Was It to be
tsstd from the death Of the body on the cross!
Nua could therefore not be asserted TINT ne
WIS heard it concerned the physical death OF
nae body. It was the death Of the soul, the de-
ta ttsefance from the power Of the grave; the VIC
1ay over death Tor which He prayed With strong
SsJng and tears, and was heard. So VIC read In
A:cfs, Il, "a: "Whom God has raised up, hav-
.ag toosed the pains Of death, because it WAS
not possible that He should beholden By It,
~ Darid speakcth concerning Him, / lore
MW The Lord always before my face; Tor ne Is
9a "a mr. right hand, that should not be moved.
aueseiore did my heart rejoice and my tongue
t sss glad; moreover, also, my flesh shall rest n
none, because Thou wilt not leave my soul IN
1 1stl gravel, neither wilt thou suffer thy Aoly
Ds Ds 10 see corruption" SO lar UaEld. 40"
feter eath to the Jews: "Men and brethren,
iet n me freely speak to you Of the patriarch
uas'd, an, that be is now both dead and buried,
T Taa his .sepulchre is with us this day:
ccne1e1ore being prophet, and knowing tnat
t1ou had sworn with an oath to him, that OF the
rmtoi his loins according to the flesh he would
t!se up Christ to sit on His throne; He seeing
H. fTs neloFe, spoke Of the resurrection Of Jesus
sntast, that his soulwas not left In hell lgrave},
20, Goi us flesh old see corruption. This Jesus
oa uoo naih raised up, whereof we are oil WIT
Acts, XIII, 80: "For David, after he had
Th1sed Ts,, his OWL generation, by the will OF God
e .ea o. sleep, and was laid unto his fathers and
~. komans, viii, II: sand il the Spirit OF Him
saa1 Iafsed up Jesus from the dead dwell ~
a aou1 he that raised up Jesus Christ from the
H. TSa1 shall also quicken your mortal bodF "
his spirit that dwelle1h in you" Here Is the
1;aly y; passage where the body alone is mentioned
~. ~ connection with the resurrection, because Inc
eeul oy the dndwelhng spirit Of God had been
.AteS1I missed futo Life II then QIlr mortal