The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1895-07-17
the Theory.

If divine revelation, on which our
hopes of eternal life are based, could
be worked out in solution, it would
doubtless be found to rest on natural
LaaO, the same as the forming process
by which worlds were merged into
being by bodies of culmulating cOsmi.
raj vapor growing into form and solid
flying into rotary orbs by their specific
gravity, and regulated by their centri-
petal and centrifugal forces and gov
erned according to amount of cosmi-
cal matter gathering into shapes and
left in space to find appropriate orbits
around their central suns. And thus
the repeating process built the universe
into consolidated systems during the
uncounted ages which scientists sur
mise.
All we know of the origin of man is
from revelation where we gather that
his was a special creation by God
made in the Creators own image, and
placed on one of the created worlds
called the Earth, as free-agent local
ruler to do as he chose IN in all things
pertaining to the earth, except to eat OF
certain forbidden fruit. But the
man was tempted to test Gods power
in this one injunction, and in 80 doing
be lost the image of his Creator his
inspired life-and thus was introduced
in the earth the knowledge of good
and evil.
Sympathizing with Adam and Eve
in their fallen state, God promised
relief through the seed of the woman
Son Jesus Christ-that he would re-
store the lost image to all who would
voluntarily sue for it. Thus would
God recover voluntary subjects to
build up his kingdom. And thus two
distinct classes of men were establish
ed on the earth during their natural
lives-according as they "sow to the
flesh" or as they "sow to the Spirit" !"
They that "sow to the 1esh' shall be
raised from the dead by Christ in his
office of second adam according to
seed or germ planted during life.
These, though made immortal, will
still be material flesh and blood body,
subject to earth's law Of gravity and TO
bodily pain and other suffering.
HE that soweth to the Spirit" or
plants and cultivstes the germ Christ,
(aUhich is loue) in his heart during
life, will be raised from the dead by
Christ the Savior in an immaterial or
spiritual body, no more subject TO the
law of grayitstion nor to bodily pain
or other agonies. Being released from
all gravity shackles, and all of earth's
natural laws, these may, by God-given
volition, rise up from the earth with
the redeemed tErong "to meet the
Lord in the air' at his second coming.
This thought, that we may be re-
leased from all tying down laws of the
earth or local confinement, is inspiring
to the Christian. By no other motive
power than volition and Gods draw
ing grace, he may rise from the earth
and 60 from world to world; being
gravitated 10 none, and see the Won
ders of Jupiter aud his belts, and the
mysteries of Saturn's rings and 60 on.
All this this in his spiritual body
with powers of vision and sensitive
enjoyment enhanced, and in manifold
proportions capacitated to take in
those wonderful structures of the Gre
ator which we now see glinting afar
off around US is such starry order, and
consolidated systems of suns and their
satellites, wheeling each in his ap-
pointed orbit with no clash or collision
to disturb the musical harmony of
their whirring melody attuned to the
music of the Spheres" that God has
voiced to the ears of his redeemed mil
lions in their celestial journey to those
promised mansions prepared some.
where in his central kingdom of shin
ing spheres for the good and faithful.
AS there is no intimation in the
Scriptures that the unsaved ever get
a spiritual body it is inferred that they
will remain subject to earth's laws and
abide her fate. From our conceptions
of spiritual matter we judge that the
spiritual body can no more suffer pain
or anguish.
If the foregoing premises are true it
may be calculated that religion
which is not spiritual is not Saluation.
B. f. B., in Christian Neighbor.
SHORT STOPS At PHOENTX.