The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1896-04-07
ANN1H1IATIoN OF THE SOUL.

To the Editor: My friend Col. Wad-
dell. whom / respect very highly,
seems to have taken to himself my
epithet "half-informed persons, which
/ uesd in my former article. l beg to
assure him that / had no intention of
applying that epithet to him, or to any
other cultivated and educated gentle
man who has the ability and leisure,
as he has, for the study of so profound
a subject In truth / was not replying
to my friend at all distinctly and separ-
ately from many others who take the
same view he does Of the question. My
article was written mainly to answer
and help many persons who / know to
be shalf-informed," not to say wholly
gnorant, Of subject which they dis
cuss SO glibly and hold so tenaeiously.
/ thought | made plain two points:
First, that ] did not propose to fol-
low the scriptuIal line of argument, so
large and full in itself, and which is
elaborately discussed in every
'eTheodiey'' and every work on sys-
fematic theology. And / distinctly
stated my reason for such purpose:
VIZ: that there is little to be gained by
such discussion unless the argument
comes from an accepted teacher and
is directed to a willing learner II
two persons, holding preeonceiyed and
preiudged opinions, argue on a scrip
frlra1 doctrine, each one explains a.
way the others scriptural exegesis, and
like two rays of light exactly antagon-
ling each other, produces only dark
ness. And so it proved; for Col. Wad-
dell interpolates the passage ! might
quote exactly opposite to my interpre-
tation, and where is tho good2 man
can prove ito his own satisfaction any
preconceiged opinion from the Bible,
especially if he ignores, or has never
| learned, one of the most important
canons, of Interpretation, viz: that no
single passage in any book must be
interpreted out OF harmony with the
general scope and tenor Of the teach.
ing Of that book, whether it treat OF
law. medicine, theology, or anything
else.
And, secondly, / distinctly stated
therefore. that, treating the subiect
mainly from a philosophical view,
| did not claim a demonstration or 4
/ @. III. ID. argument, but only sugges
| tive line Of thought to the curren1
J literature Of the subject. But i do
/, claim that in my argument ! nave
/ established, on an independent line,
| very strong presumption in favor O
1 the Scripture doctrine that the sou
has Immortality separate and distine
| from the body, and that its annihiia
1 ton is absurd.
/ / shall not discuss "uniyersalism'
with Mr. Won Hermann, nor hi
| proposition that "sin may be q gooC
| thing!' I reassert, upon scientific
| grounds, the conservation Of allcreatet
| substances, and there are no othe.
created eome-whats. He says cleo
tricity is not q substance! Why dit
/ he not then tell MS what ii is2 it d
| either substance or it is not. IT It !
| not. then it is nothing. a thing !
either an entity or nonentity. j
| Mr.. Won Hermann able to think tina
q thing may be something and nothing
at the same time? liz he is he per
| forms an intellectual feat that lay
| Iegerrier in the shade Spirit is sub
| stance. God, Himself, is substance
I The soul is substance or it is nothing
| Electricit, is as much substance a
| atmospheric air or any other refined
| and forceful element of nature
But all this humiliation argument
as well as much else, Is for the avoweC
purpose Of getting clear of "everlast
ing punishment" which the Bibl
teaches so plainly as to neeessitat'
some scheme for getting clear Of il
And ] submit to any candid mind tina
humiliation is not everlasting punish
ment. 1T may be some punishment il
the sense only Of deprivation, but no
everlasting punishment And II Got
does the Furnishing, docs - not i'm
pugn His goodness as much one way a
the other? But the fatherly goodness
of God is IN no way involved in tn
punishment Of the wicked. There j
no necessity fer any scheme to repai
the damaged goodness Of God. If Coz
could use power simply to save tn
wicked from punishment beyonddeath
lie would be under the same obliga
ton TO use His power to save tn
wicked from punishment this side o
death. God never torrents anything