The Universalist. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1884-1897, 1895-11-16

no Universalist believes in physical
resurrection-no Universalist believes
that any particle of this physical
body will be raised from the dead, or
will constitute any part of the resur-
rected life of mankind. AS we under
stand it, no Universalist even believes
that Jesus, in the resurrection and
heavenly state, inhabits any portion
of that physical body which consti-
tuted the earthly investiture of his
spirit, but some how got rid of it.
How then could there be physical
resurrection is the case of Jesus?
Did that physical resurrection
prove any thing, if there was such
resurrection, since that physical body
had, some how, in some unknown
and mysterious fashion, to be
dropped back again into dust and
death? What use was there in res
direction of this sort? Does it not
SAVIOR Of trick? for doubtless the
Jews believed in the resurrection of
the physical body. They were de-
ceived then, if that body afterward
dropped back to dust and death.
But what is the value of the resurrec-
tion of the body to us who do not be-
lieve in physical resurrection, and
know that if the body was resurrected
it could not stay resurrected, but
must go back to death?
Now, all this seems to us very in
adequate. 1t seems to SAVIOR of some
sort of deception or trickery; and
however the disciples may have been
misled, and honestly misled, we can
not believe that Jesus would be
guilty of any sort of trickery or de-
ception; nor can we believe that God
has ordained any such method of mis-
leading men. 1t seems to us at least,
that all the explanations ever at
tempted of the physical resurrection
of Jesus, by those who do not profess
to believe in physical resurrection,
are the merest subterfuges and thin
nest sophistications, and totally mad
equate to the free and rational mind.
We believe in the resurrection of
Jesus, but not in the resurrection of
his physical body; and the physical
appearances noted in the Gospels, if
they were physical appearances. we
do not doubt were unreal and myth
cal. There are many questions in
volved which we cannot here discuss.
Now, one other point: Let us admit
that Jesus physical body was actu-
ally resurrected, re-animated, inhabit-
ed, or re-inhabited, by his immortal
spirit. Let us admit that there were
many who knew him to be dead as
absolutely as we can know that any
one is dead, and that afterward they
saw him alive by the witness and in
fallible testimony of all their physi-
cal senses. Let us admit that that
was to them of the nature of a per-
sonal, absolute, and immediate dem
onstration of the truth of immortal
ity. But how can it be of the nature
of any such demonstration to us? 1t
is at best only history to us, filtered
through thousand different chan
nels and through fifty generations of
men. To us there is nothing direct,
immediate and demonstrative about
it. 1t is only historical; and has
more than the usual portion of histor-
ical haze and uncertainty that would
apply to ordinary historical events.
What possible reason can be given
why we do not need, just as much as
the people of Jesus time, personal,
immediate, and consequently unques-
toned demonstration of the truth of
Immortality through the instrument
tality of a physical resurrection
Why should the people of Jesus time
have such a vast and exclusive ad-
vantage over us, and over all other
human beings before and since the
time of Jesus?
If they had a demonstration of i'm
mortality in the literal physical res
direction of Jesus, and if that was
necessary to them, is not such dem
onstration equally necessary to every
individual of the human race? Is not
a mere historical demonstration, that
can not be repeated, and that never
has been repeated, inadequate? 1t
certainly is not in this sense, but in
a much higher sense, that "Life and
immortality are brought to light in
the Gospel"
This is part of our thought; and
yet we hold, reverently and profound
ly, to belief in immortality, and in
the spiritual resurrection of Jesus.
We do not believe in immortality be-
cause Jesus rose from the dead, but
we believe that Jesus rose from the