Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1883-02-08

=. :. CONDUCTED BY "a
REV. ROBERT LATHAM.
WE SHALL BE CHANGED.
BY THE REV. j. B. sCULLER, D. d.


ourselves are feeling its daily mutations.
This, however, is gradual and progressive.
But the transition from earth to heaven,
through the agency Of death and the grave,
involves a greater change-sudden, radical
and complete. "In a moment, in the twink
ling of an eye, at the last trump; for the
trumpet shall sound and the dead shall be
raised incOrruptible, and we shall be chan
ged."
First, in body. 'Some man will say, how
are the dead raiscdup, and with what body
do they come" The heather thoroughly
understood the doctrine of the immortality
surrection Of the body. Revelation has
brought it to light Paul assures us that
there will be not only a resurrection, but
that the risen body will be greatly changed
it will be incorruptible and immortal, for it
els sOwn in corruption it is raised in incOr-
ruptiOn." Man was creations masterpiece,
"glorious and perfect from his Makers
hand" His spiritual being was a divine
enlanation, and bearing the impress of its
high origin, was housed in body perfcctin
every point, and fitted up as a suitable hab-
itation. But sin has brought dIscord INTO n!
all its parts, and has planted the seed of dis
ease and decay in every fibre. 1t not only
becomes weary with labor and with watch
ing, and faint from hunger, but pain runs
riot through every nerve and scOrching fever
dries up the sources of all its moisture. Dis
comfort and wasting become its attributes,
and, sooner or later, the mildew of death
gathers thick upon its brow until the breath
of life departs, and it IS consigned to the
grave, where corruption takes possession OF
its disorganized parts. 1t is verify soWn III
cOrruption.s e6a >sy5 ia
But it will be changed. From the grave
it will be brought forth incorruptible and
immortal bearing no evidence of past sor-
Repaired and remodeled by the hand that
formed it at first, there will be no capabill-
ty of pain or wasting, for "there shall be no
more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, nel-
ther shall there be any more pain ; for the
former things are passed away" In har-
mOny with it's new surroundings and enjoy
ments it will be perfect, changcless and inn
mortal.
1t is also "sOwn in dishOnOr." The fester-
ing ulcer will produce disorganizatiOn and
destruction of tibres even in the living body;
and such process of decay may, from differ
ent causes, go on 50 far as to render the once
beautiful and symmetrical body offensive
and lOathsOme even to the eye Of love.
There reissomething naturally repulsive about
Il dead body 50 that even affection makes
haste to bury it out of sight. And the very
circumstances of entOmbing show that the
honor and pectaccorded to the living are
but limitedly extended to the lifeless clay.
The body that had been gaily decked during
life, in silks and furs, and laid to rest and
sleep in sheets of linen, on carved bed, in
a sunnptuOus chamber, is now consigned to
the earth and to the companiOnship of the
roundings. When the immortal tenant de-
parts the mortal body falls into state of
dishOnOr.
But the body will be changed, for it will
be "raised in glory" In this connection
the word glory suggests the idea of bright
ness and splendor, and such will doubtless
characterize the risen body. twill be fash
i0ned like unto Christ's glorious body, and
when he was transtigured "his face did shine
as the sun, and his raiment was white as the
light" And when John saw him in Pat
mos "his eyes were as a flame of fire, and
his countenance was as the sun shinethin his
strength" .'" - -" --'
The body will then be freed from every
marring influence of the curse which drove
man from Paradise, and will bear no marks
of the disgrace or vilenesS, or lOathSOmeness
which marked it during some period Of its
earthly career. In beauty and form and
grace and dignity it will be perfect, for it
will be modelled after our elder brother, the
noblest pattern in all the universe. 1t will
fill worthily the glorious place assigned to
the redeemed, which is inside the circling
throng of angels, and nearest to the throne.
'It is sown in Weakness" In its earthly
structure it is weak and feeble, subject to
many infirmities, and ever prone to decay.
Its strength is soon exhausted by labor or
disease. 1t is continually requiring new
strength from food and refreshments, and
recuperation through rest and sleep. Yet,
in spite of every restorative, the strength Of
its mechanism sooner or later fails, and
prostraton brings it to the grave. But it
will be "raised in power" In its glOrified
state the body will never feel languor nor
WEAKNESS, nor be subject to disease, nor
prostratiOn, nor ask for food. 1t will be
Strong and powerful, for it will ever be en-
gagged in active service, as there is no night
there to invite to cessation and rest. The
countless centuries of eternity may circle
away, but the strength and activity of its
pristine youth will never abate. The fee
bleness of earth will never be allowed tD
enter heaven to interruptits harmonies and
mar its ecStacies.
How can all these things be? These frail
bodies, subject to pain and disease, easily
wearied, constantly needing food and rest,
and finally exhausted and given over to dis
organization and corruption, how can they
be reconstructed, even by divine builder,
50 as to become inc0rruptible and immortal,
glorious in beauty, form and dignity, and
so strong and powerful as to feel neither the
weight of services nor centuries: How can
attributes so transcendently great and glO-
rious be based upon this tritling entity, the
sport of earth and the feast of worms? 1t
is soWn a natural body, it is raised spirit
ua body. There is a natural body, and
there is spiritual body. The precise ma
ture and construction of this spiritual body
we do not know. 1t will not be pure spirit,
but spiritual; partaking of many. of the
characteristics of spirit, but not in com.
plete and perfect way SO AS to be changed
into spirit. 1t will retain substance, and
shape, and form, so that friends will recog-
nize each other. But it will no longer be
"natural" or animal, or subject to the de-
sires and propersites and passions and ap.
petites of the natural body. Neither will
it be dependent upon food and sleep and
exercise and restOratives for health and
strength, for flesh and blood cannot inherit
the Kingdom OfGOd. The animal functions
will all be removed. Their inconvenience
and imperfection, yet present necessity will
be no longer felt. The spiritual body will
be sustained and operated by new laws of
organization which take no c0gniZance of
waste or WEAKNESS, pain or disease Ihe
new organization will delight in the activi-
ties of ce,,seless service, and rejoice in the
pure and elevating associations which will
| fill with glaGness the nightleSs day of heaV-
en-. There will be no safety ever felt, for
this spiritual body, which is like to Christ'S
own risen and gIorifed body, will have ca
pacity to receive and enjoy all that heaven
has to give. In body we shall be changed
indeed Limited Presbyterian.
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