Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1879-03-22
SHEPHERDSTOWN JEFFERSON COUNTY, WEST VIRGINIA. SATUR
From the Lutheran Visitor. J
RESURRECTION.
BY REV J. p. SHELTER, D. D.


the dead Acts XVI. S.
Can storied urn, or animated bust,
Back To its mansion call the heeting
breath?
Can honor's voice provoke the silent dust,
Or flattery sooth the dull cold ear of
death!
Will the human race, once engaged
in the busy scenes of life, now sileat in
the grave, rise again? The Christian
philosopher can never deny the ''resnr-
rection from the dead" revealed in the
Word of God. There are others, how
ever, who boast of their deep scientific
research into the hidden mysteries OF
nature, who search after truth with the
earnestness of profound philosophy, and
who think they understand every grand
truth as if written with blazing light on
the blue arch of heaven, deny the resur-
rection Of the dead. The Sadducees of
old, and the Atheists of modern times,
are, with others, the advocates OF the
total annihiIatiou of the body after
death. Some of these would-be philos-
ophers suppose that the human body
contains the seeds of corruption, and
when decay commences it will continue
until its total destruction is effected
Others have denied the existence of any
agent, Omnipotenco being rejected, suf-
licien,y powerful to quicken into I'M
mortal vigor the "dust and ashes lying
! in the earth for centuries.
Those who deny TIE possibility of
resurrection, acknowledge that the grain
of corn buried in the earth must first
decay before the blade, the bloom, and
the full ear are reproduced; that the
bloom of spring follows the ioe-bound
plant of winter; that the busy bee, ac-
tive in the sunshine of summer, has
awakened from its dormant state during
the frosts of winter; that the crawling
caterpillar, never far from its fixed
abode, is changed into the bright wing
ed butterfly, visiting the flowers Of earth
and slipping their nectared sweets. Nev-
ertheless, they deny that there exists
any power that can call into life and ac-
tivity dust and ashes lying in the grave
for ages. When they hear OF the ''reS-
direction of the dead like those OF old,
"some mocked; and others said, we will
hear thee again of this matter.
Some have had The bolduess to assert
that if the many millions of human be-
inos who have been buried III the earth
from the death of Abel to the present
time were 10 arise from their last sleep
the earth itself could not contain the
multitude. Some other place, more
spacious in extent, must be prepared on
which to gather this mighty host when
earth and sea shall pour forth their
many millions 1t has also been assert
ed that the earth has been dug ten times
over 10 give a resting place for Adam S
race. The fallacy OF this objection can
be mathematically shown. Figures will
never deceive. If we allow 6,000 years
for the agt of Adams race, and we have
no records 10 show that is older, aud
l,200,O00,000 for the present population
of the earth, then, rs the increase OF the
human race from Adam to Noah to the
present time may be supposed to be
gradual, it would give 600,00O,00O the
average population ,yr G,000 years.
Now suppose that one-halt of the hu-
man family die under ten years of age,
we have 600 100000 going down TO the
grave every ten years, or GOO times that
number since the creation Of man. This
would give 360,OOO,O00,0 of human
beings buried in the earth. The State
of Virginia including West Virginia,
has 10000 square miles or l8O, 900, ,O0O,-
600 square yards. Thus, an area of land
as large as the old State of Virginia
could hold all the human beings-all
that have lived and are now living
were they assembled in one vast con-
gregatlon, and give two TO every square
yard. How can it be asserted that the
entire earth, with its 10000 plains,
prairies, mountains, and valleys, could
not contain the assembled Sous and
daughters Of Adam!
Another objection has been advanced
against the possibility of resurrection.
It includes several ideas Although it
may not be proved fallacious by a
mathematical demonstration, yet it by
no means proves the impossibility OF a
resurrection. The arm of an infaut am
putated would not be suitable to the
resurrection body of a full grown man.
And again, the particles Of one body,
after decomposition has taken place,
may be incorporated in the body of
another, or even pass through successive
bodies of men and brutes. Chemical
analysis, philosophical tests, and scien-
tiic research, show that tho laws Of
growth, development and decay; and
also dissolution, corruption and scatter
ed dust, belong to the lower order Of
animals as well as the human race. All
this Is no news to any one. But what
does it prove? Does iG prove it 10 be
impossible for God TO reanimate the
human body? Does it make incredible
that God shoald raise the dead?
This objection denies the attributes
of Deity, or shows his indifference to
his purposes. 1t is no greater stretch
of the intellect to suppose that lie who
spake, and worlds now swinging in
space sprang into existence, should
speak again and gather together the
particles composing the human body,
however scattered they may be. 1t is
not necessary that every particle Of mat
ter should be collected fer the resurrec-
tion body. Man OF earth has not the
same particles Of matter 10 day that be
had yesterday. So far as his body is