The central Presbyterian. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1856-1908, 1878-04-03
FoR THE CENTRAL PRESBYTERIAN.
WHAT Is THE STATE OF SEPARATE
SPIRITS?
(CoNCLUDED.)

(C0NCLUDED.)
A third fundamental error into which DR..
McTyerie has fallen, is, that he does not re-
cognize distinction between the animal life
which man possesses in common with the
brute, and his immortal soul; whereas the
Scriptures do. Thus Gen. ii: Z, "And the
Lord formed man out of the dust of. the
ground, and breathed into his nostrils the
breath of life, and man became living soul. "
" Breath of life," in the original Hebrew, is
"breath of lives" Paul accordingly, writ.
ing to the Thessalonians says, 81 pray God
your whole spirit, and soul, and body be pre-
served unto the coming of our Lord" l
Thess. ": 2, 8.
To the Hebrews he said, "The Word of
God is quick and powerful, and sharper than
any two-edged sword, piercing to the divid-
ing asunder of the soul and spirit, and of the
joints and marrow, and is dscerner of the
thoughts and intents of the heart" Heb.
iv: II.
The distinction between {" soul and spirit"
in each of these, shows that one refers to
the animal life, and the other to the immor-
tai part, while the "joints and marrow in
the latter refers to the body mentioned in the
former. With my hand, for example, moved
by my animal life grasp pen, and with
my soul, my immortal part, I dictate letter.
Now as Christ was really human, as well as
divine, while his animal life could die, it was
not 80 with his immortal soul. With these
errors removed, there is not passage in the
Bible that conflicts with the idea that the
souls of the righteous 60 to heaven directly
after death, and the souls of the wicked d.
rectly to hell.
Before proceeding there are three words
or terms which will come up as we advance,
the meaning of which, as used in the Scrip
lures, it is important to explain. "Sour' is
the first of them. This means most frequent
ly.the immortal principle of man, but in ad.
dition to this it means the animal life also.
Job speezing of God says. +" In whose hands
is the soul of every living thing" Job. xii !:
10. Now, as "every living thing" has not an
immortal soul, it must be to the animal life
that the patriarch refers.
Again Isaiah speaking to God the Father,
in reference to Christ says, "Thou shalt
make his soul an offering for sim" And
again, 6 He poured out bis soul unto death. y
lisa. lii 10, 12. And yet Christ himself
speaking of the same matter calls that "his
life" which Isaiah calls "his soul" "The
Son of man came not to be ministered unto
but to minister, and to give his life ransom
for many" Matt. Xxx: %. And again 81
lay down my life that l might take it again,
I have power to lay it down, and I have
power to take it again." John K: II, 18.
"Hell" is the next word that will notice
This most frequently means the place of tor.
ment of the wicked Thus Matt. xiii: 33,
"Ye serpents, ye generation of vipers, how
can ye escape the damnation of hell" Marx
tx: 42-48, Z" If thy hand offend thee cut il
off, for it is better for thee to enter into life
manned than having two hands to be cas-
into hell, into the fire that never shall bt
quenched, where their worm dieth not, ant
the fire is not quenched." And 80 of tht
foot and eye, etc.
2. 1t means the grave. Thus when JONAH
was swallowed by whale, he, supposing tina
he was in his grave, sprayed unto the Lore
out of the fsh's belly" Abiding to thi
afterwards, he said, 81 cried unto the Lore
by reason of mine sfflction, and He heart
me. Out of the belly of hell l cried" Jonal
ii: l, 2:
8. 1t means the extinction of a materia
object. Thus Matt. xi 33, "And thou Ca
pernaum which art exalted to heaven shalt b
brought down to hell, for if the mighty work
which have been done in thee had been don
in Sodom it would have remained until thi
day." Consequently for many years th
wasting shadow of small dying village
all there is of that once favored town. 1t
being "brought down to hell" therefore
meant that it would become extinct. Of thi
there cannot be doubt.
Finally, it means the extinction of anims
life. When our Lord was crucifed, ose q
the thieves crucifed with Him addressed hiI
thus, "Lord remember me when thou comes
into thy kingdom" Jesus answered, 9TH
!, day shalt thou be with me in Paradise. -
Christ being really human being as we'll 9
divine being, had in addition to his immol
tai soul, an animal life like other human b,
ings, and that life could die. Now, the il
animate state into which the animal life {
Christ went when He was crucifed, is Gale
"heR' expressly. Thus the apostle Pete
speaking of his (Christ's) resurrection, quote
. David personifying Christ and saying, {"
foresaw the Lord always before my face, fc
, He is on my right hand that should not
moved. Therefore did my heart rejoice, an
my tongue was glad; moreover also my Aes
. shall rest in hope because thou wilt not leav
+ my SOUL" (that is my life) eli hell Chat i
in an extinct state) neither wilt thou suff'