The Pascagoula democrat-star. (Pascagoula, Miss.) 1878-1920, 1888-11-23
:. WHERE Is HEAVEN 2"
Editor Democrats

) Somewhat III answer to my uTtICl
on the above subject In last week
I DEMooRAT-STAR BRO. Drake, paste
I of the Moss Point M. L. Churcl
preached a sermon Sunday on th
subject of hea ven. 1t is pleasant All,
agreeable for one TO discuss with sue
a kind, Christian brother as Bro
Drake, aud should [ not be able, 70
want OF ability, to treat him as he dc
serves, L hope he and u friends vii
agree that 1t is because of my rougl
nature, and not for want of kindness
and regard for him.
l. l affirm this earth is TO he re
deemed from all sin and its effects
and made a heaven-an everlasting
habitation for man, or for all OF Adj
ans race who are saved by Christ.
2. l deny that there is any Other
planet or world, which is TO be or has
been made Il heaven for man.
3. l affirm that death yet has do
minnion over every sOn of Adam.
4. / deny that righteous Abel,
Enoch, Noah, Abraham, Moses, Da-
vid, Paul or any other SONS Of Adam
are yet fully redeemed.
My negatives are BRO. brakes az
firmatives, as | understand his posi-
ton.
| lay no claim 10 my ideas as being
new. lido not expect a patent on them,
as they are as old as the Word of God,
80 ] begin my proof with the lst chap
ter of Genesis: The garden was in
Eden and Eden was ON this earth, for
we read IN Genesis, 2d chapter, 18th
verse, that the river Euphrates
and other rivers now Known TO as run
out of the garden. Job said in chap
ter 18th and 25th to 9th verses 81
know my Redeemcr livcth, and that
He shall stand at the latter day upon
the earth" "And though after my
skin worms destroy this body, yet in
my flesh shall l sec God. "WhOm l
shall see for myself and mine eyes
shall behold, and not another" job
knew he would not see God until the
tnal redemption of all things at the
latter day after the second coming of
Christ and his own resurrection and
reunion of body aud spirit.
In Genesis, 18th chapter, 10Th verse,
God gave the land of Canaan TO
Abraham and his seed forever. In
the 18th chapter God tells Abraham
why it is lie does not immediately
give Abraham the promised land.
Abraham was then in that land just
as living Christians are.now in this
land, or this earth, or world. But we
all know that ''the meek" have not
net inherited this world as the Savior
promised. In verse 10Th, God tells
Abraham, "The iniquity Of the Amo-
rite is not yet full" but tells him
when it would be full, and then Abra-
hams seed should have the land. This
was and Is but a type of Gods giving
this whole earth ION which we wan
der as strangers) to us as the spiritual
seed of Abraham.
In the seth Psalm, 81 and 4th ver-
ses, God says to David ~ hayc made
a covenant with my chosen. l have
sworn unto David my servant. Thy
seed will l establish forever aud build
up thy throne to all generations" OF
course Christ is the seed and David's
throne is the throne referred to. AS
David never had any throne except
the one at Jerusalem, on this earth,
then that Is the throne that is to he
established forever, which will be
done at Christ's second coming.
In this connection l ask all persons
to read the Ilth chapter of Isaiah,
and the last chapters of Isaiah, Daniel,
Hosea, Joel, Amos, Zechariah and
Malachi. Ali persons who have not
read these chapters in connection
with a study of Chrlst's second COM
ing and the restoration of Israel,
which, of course, means the spiritual
as well as the national Israel should
do so at once.
l have now passed over four thou
sand years of Gods revelations to
man, yet lie has never once limited at
the idea now so universal among men
that lie had or was preparing another
world for mans heaven.
l now leave the types, shades aud
shadows of The Old Testament and
come TO the great light of the New.
In Genesis, Sd chapter, 18th verse, we
hear God say to Adam: "Because
thou hast hearkened unto the voice
of thy wife and hast eaten of the tree
of which l commanded, saying: Thou
shalt not eat of it; cursed is the ground
(this means the eartI) for thy sake,
etc. Not only Adams race fell under
the curse, but this earth, this planet,
this world of ours fell under the curse,
and is yet under The same. l believe
it is accepted by all that Christ is to
remove all the curse sent because of
Adams fall, except to men who will
not accept.
In John, I4th chapter, I'd verse,
Christ says: 81 go TO prepare a place
for you." In Matthew, 18th chapter
and 31st verse, Christ SAYS: "When
the Son of Man shall come in His
glory and all His holy angels with
Him /; then shall lie sit npon the
throne of His glory. In 34th verse,
He says: "Come we blessed of my
Father inherit the kingdom prepared
for you from the foundation OF :he
acOrld. Not from the foundation of
the universe or any other planet, but
this 1DorId. God has from the begin
ming been preparing This world for the
habltation IF man. That He will fin
ally succeed no Christian will ever
doubt.
Bro. Drake referred to ''The rich
man and Lazarus" He thought
"Abraham's bosom" was heaven. This
idea is almost universal, yet l believe
it is wrong. just stop aud think for a
minute, Bro. Drake, it this was
heaven God, The Father, Christ and
the Holy Spirit were there, and even
if the rich man had been such an
idolatOr and applied to Abraham in
stead Of to Christ, the only Savior and
helper, Abraham would at once have
pointed him TO the Lamb of God that