The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1896-05-31

giving the law death was SAID anu
life was meant, that puts it's author in
an awkward and unthoughtful posi-
ton. and if ever Adam finds himself in
the condition of paying the torment
penalty, he would have good ground
to appeal for justice, and claim new
trial. Justice demands that the exact
penalty incurred must be the penalty
paid or redemption would be null and
void. The question arises, is 1T the one
divinely enacted in the Garden of
Eden. or that which was promulgated
in the city of Rome, upwards of four
thousand years afterward? Neverthe-
less. if torment is the penalty, that
penalty must be paid, and the one
who has undertaken it's payment must
now be undergoing the terrible intilc-
ton. which. of course, must be Tor
ever. or the race has not yet been re-
deemed
A school boy can solve that problem:
'"The wages of sin is death. That
ought to settle the whole question OF
life in torment, which hOrrid theory
was unknown to the Patriarchs of past
ages. 1t was unknown to the prophets
Of the Isiah age; it was unknown to the
Lord and the Apostles; it was unknown
to the world until three or four hum
dred wears after the Saviour'S day.
Init that sentence, as far as the first
OF the Isaiah age; twas unknown to the
penalty is concerned, was annulled by
redemption in the atonement, and the
final penalty (f incurred) will be the
second death. which could not be pos
sible without a second life, and the
second penalty could not be inflicted
without a second trial-all of which
have been secured by redemption
which guarantees a resurrection back
to life through a resurrection from
the dead. which is the browning pro-
gramme in the great redemption plan.
The opportunity for the final trial
will be throughout the incoming thou
sand year millennium, or the age OF
the PROSTITUTION of all things, when
Satan will be bound with that cham
which John saw on highly favored
Patmos; and King Emmanuel, in com
pany with his bride, whom he has
been selecting from the world during
the now closing gospel age, Will ascend
his Millennial throne, when for a thou-
sand years both the living and the
reassembled dead viii be on trial for
everlasting life, not on account of what
Adam has done-that was all settled
in redemption, and all who throughout
that long and favorable day (Which is
the general Judgment day., prove
themselves worthy of life will have it
throughout the oIssful ages to come,
and those who refuse to comply with
the easy terms then offered, will be
"cut off from among the people, and
be deprived of life for the second time,
when final separation of body and
spirit takes place never to be reunited
again, each returning to it's native
element-the body to the dust where
its individual identity will be lost,
but the atoms will remain indestruct-
ible: and the disembodied spirit. hay
ing forfeited the Uncomfortable pleas
ures laid up for its enjoyment in conn
pany with it's earthly consort, Will
have no alternative but to return to
the great source of life from whence
il came. when its individual identity
will be lost in that immensely, but not
DESTROYED, which means humiliation
as far as individual identity is con
cerned.
Angels have been alluded to in the
discussion as being immortal. If so,
Satan must be am exception, who, as
a spirit being, is to he destroyed in
like manner as the wicked man. No,
angels are not immortal The divine
penalty for sin, according TO the dis
cussion, is little or no punishment at
all. Just because it is not attended
with cruelty and torture, which has no
affinity with mans depraved pro-
pensities; as a frail race we sought TO
be thankful that our Creator is God
Of Love, whose punishment for SIN is
severe. but merciful. According to the
discussion, He will eternahy destroy
the spirit of the wicked man, which is
nothing less than part and parcel OF
Himself, to accomplish no purpose
Whatever, in response all Heaven would
say no, inspiration says no, reason
SAYS no, common sense says no, and
if Satan could he induced to tell the
truth, his answer would not, the
admirers and supporters OF traditional
theories to the contrary. The self-in-
iicted loss OF life itself would be an
incalculable punishment, more especi-
ally when the blissful pleasures which
are to attend everlasting life are in
cluded in the loss, a glimpse OF which
was given the Apostle Paul in his
vision of what the translators call the
third heaven, but in modern English,
the third dispensation from the com
mencement of the Christian era, which
another Apostle calls 1.-The world to
come, wherein dwelleth righteous
ness" according to the chronological
dates, that glorious time will be due
on the earth at the close OF the incom-
ing thousand year Millennium, when
the earth, instead of being burned UP,
will be transformed into a universal
paradise of which the Garden of Eden
was but type, and which is to be the
blissfu and everlasting abode of that
part Of the human race who have made
their calling and election sure during
the age of the restitution of all
things" The duration of the punish
ment has been alluded to in the dis
cussion as being everlasting which it
certainly is in the effect, but not in
the application. The discussion also
advises, in order to escape the punish
ment to come to Christi" but the adj
vice, however sound, fails to reach the
great majority Of the race, who have
not heard of that sacred name. What
about them, are they outside the plan
of salvation as well as the pale OF
civilization? Wen, if there was no
R+hIa ha oh, II 4