The Universalist. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1884-1897, 1886-07-24


trine that sinners may cease to do evil
and begin to do well when they enter
the s'house not made with hands, /" "has
got beyond control, !" as has been assert
ed, and that it will have $ no conspic-
uous champion in coming generations,
more emphatic than convincing2 And
will not this depend more upon the
truth or erroneousness of the doctrine
and its Scripture proof, than on any
present individual, or even on popular
opinion
2. Does not temptation cause the
mind to sin? Or can it sin without
temptation? And does anything but
the mind sin when conscience yields
right to crafty desire?
8. Does it follow that, because sin is
by and of and in the mind, we must
continue in sin because we have been
sinners, and that we cannot cease to
sin at any time, when conscience is
stronger than temptation to evil; nor
even when temptation is altogether re-
moved, accept the truth, however clear
ly presented, and commence righteous
life?
4. Does not the logic of the contin-
uousness of character, and of destiny
inhering in character, the denial of
which it is said can have no perma-
nent foothold," make it necessary to
continue in sin forever; thus verifying
the old orthodox saying that as death
leaves US, SO judgment will find us, for
there is no change after death?"
S. Do not sinners sometimes change
their characters and become righteous,
when encompassed by new light, new
associations and new opportunities
the profane becoming prayerful, the
drunkard temperate, the quarrelsome
kind and the selfish benevolent, being
controlled by new motives and aspira-
tions, though retaining their personal
identity?
6. Must not this change come to all
sometime, if all are to be savedp And
if so, why may it not come when we
put off the mortal and sensual, and
enter upon the immortal and spiritual
life, as well as come here, or in some
indefinite period in the future?
7. If sin shall continue, through the
freedom of man to choose evil, when he
enters upon the immortal and spiritual
life, why may it not continue through
that same freedom forever?
s. Is there any Scripture evidence of
the continuance Of sin in the resurrec-
ton life which will justify Christian
ministers in teaching it /? Or can it be
made to harmonic with the descrip-
tions given of that life by Christ 6 and
his apostles" such as that we are
+" children of God being children of the
resurrection" equal unto the angels"
raised in "glory" and "power" in 1.-THE
image of the heavenly" and that 4" he
that is dead is freed from sin?" Or
does the philosophy which carries sin
into the resurrection life by the ICON
tinuance of character" and the free
dom of man, provide any certain way
for its removal?
8. Must not the Scripture doctrine of
the resurrection, which introduces man
into the spiritual, immortal, incorrup-
tible, angelic, heavenly life, be ignored,
in order to introduce sin there, Dy the
philosophy of the CONTINGENCIES of
character, and of destiny inherent in
character 20 And then must not this
philosophy and mans freedom OF choice
be ignored to prevent this continuous
ness of character in sin in the resurrec-
ton state from enduring forever, thus
multiplying the declaration of the Saw
Jour that he will draw all men unto
himself?
10. What is the essential difference
in faith between the doctrine of the
Episcopal church, with its indefinite
ness in relation to the duration of sin
and punishment, or the New Ortho-
doxy, which allows future probation,
with mans freedom to choose the right
or wrong, and thus be saved or lost,
and that phase of Universalism which
teaches indefinite future sin, and mans
freedom to choose evil or good, with all
the corresponding consequences?
IL. Do not the principal objections to
the doctrine of the non-existence of sin
in the immortal life arise from the err
roneous ideas that it must take a long
time to stop doing wrong and begin to
do right and that death must be our
Saviour if we Immediately enter upon
the heavenly life when we have passed
through this; and that when thus
saved, our work is done and all are
made perfect and equal, without regard
to previous character?
II. Although death may be the me-
dunn through which we pass to ne|
scenes and new glories, is it not light,
and truth, and goodness which enable
Us to see and know end love, rather
than that which introduces us to themf
And when revealed, as they necessarily
must be in the great change from the
earthly to the immortal, spiritual and
heavenly life, shall we not at once be