The Universalist. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1884-1897, 1888-08-11


this habitable earth, is proved to be
false by these passages we are coDsid-
ering, as these plainly teach a progress
sive resurrection-one that takes place
at the death of our mortal bodies, COM
mencing with the death of Adam, and
continuing from his time to the pres
emit. Our good Father does not delay
his work, but carries it forward to SUBJ
serve the best interests and happiness
of his children. He has made us for
an unlimited growth in mental and
moral attainments. We live on earth
our allotted time, and then our bodies
die and our spirits are clothed with a
heavenly immortal body, spiritual like
the Father who is a spirit, no more to
be subject to any kind of evil, or i'm
perfection, but constantly to approx
mate toward his measureless fulness.
Jesus spoke of the death of his body
as the time when he should be glori-
fed, and will we not be gloriied when
we die, in being clothed in his image,
or in being given spiritual incorrupti-
BILE body like his?
Christ thus beautifully illustrates his
death. His language is very positive
and impressive. 'Verily, verify 1 say
unto you, except a corn of wheat fall
into the ground and die, it abideth
alone; but if it die it bringeth forth
much fruit" John xii, "a. Here he
illustrates his own death by "a corn of
wheat" falling into the ground and
dying, and the apostle may have had
reference to this expression of the
Saviour when he said, "That which
thou sowest is not quickened except
it die" The expressions are quite
similar.
Christ's dying, or falling into the
ground was like the termination of "a
corn of wheat" as he rose from the
dead the third day after his death. So
of the "corn of wheat" Its embryo
plant can easily be seen the third day
after it is committed to the earth,
which shows how true nature is as an
illustration of our resurrection to i'm
mortality.
Paul says, $50 also is the resurrec.
ton of the dead, referring to the "bare
grain" put into the earth. He would
say, mans resurrection after he dies is
like the ''corn of wheat" and he will
rise from the dead as soon as the wheat
will show its embyro plant. The
resurrection is to-day, and tomorrow,
and has been in all time past, and will
be in the future like the "corn of
wheat" which falls into the ground.
There has been no time since the death
of Adam, that we could not truthfully
say, $50 also is the resurrection of the
dead" illustrated by the "corn of
wheat" Christ's resurre ction is illus
trated by it and so is ours. Not only
the truth of man universally rising
from the dead, but the time when this
resurrection takes place, is also clearly
indicated by these references to nature.
Christ was the first visible fruits, or
real demonstration of the resurrection
from the dead. He brought life and
Immortality to light by his Gospel.
He came as a witness of the truths
he taught, and made them certain as
the object of faith. He did not make
the law of embryo life in the ''corn of
wheat" but he used it to illustrate the
life in himself and the intelligent
creation, and the apostle did the same.
And what thought can yield more COM
fort than the consciousness of life and
Immortality clearly proved by the life,
teachings and resurrection of Jesus
Christ? The entire race desired this,
and the purpose of the Father is that
all the nations, families and kindreds of
the earth shall be thus blessed in
Christ. Christ las proved the resur-
rection to Immortality for all, and how
blessed it is to know that at the death
of this mortal body we shall be made
spiritual like the angels in glory and
power. Paul informs US what this
life is and what the future will be
when he says, We are ''sown in cor
ruption;" we are ''raised in incorrup-
tion;" we are s'sown in dishonor," we
are "raised in glory" we are "sown in
weakness" we are ''raised in power"
we are "sown natural body" we are
''raised spiritual body" Our life in
this world is briefly stated to be sin
corruption Gin dishonor," Gin weak
ness" and sin natural body" But
how different is our resurrection life.
We are "raised in interruption" lin
glory, Gin power" and "a spiritual
body" This is worth knowing, and
worth believing, and we can not be
otherwise than happy if we thus be-
lieve-if we fully realizs that we were
made for this glorious inheritance which
is incorruptible and undefiled and never
can fade away. May we be wise and
ready to cross the isthmus of death into
the pleasant land of immortality to
enjoy our spiritual bodies-the heaven