The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1896-03-29

in the Hebrew and Greek languages to
signify complete and utter destruc-
ton.
The man, as a man, according to
these Scriptures, will be destroyed;
but what may become Of the constitu-
Ut elements Of which he was COM
posed lis unknown, and, so far as he IS
concerned. il can make no difference.
The "soul substance" which DIR. Yates
discusses, and about which | do not
pretend to have a particle Of informa-
ton. may or may not be used by God
for some other wise purpose, but the
individual of whom it was a part, has
ceased to be, and is, as the Bible says,
las though he had not been"
After discussing the matter how
ever. at some length, he says that he
does not claim "that Infinite Power
cannot annihilate anything He has
created, but that He will not'-which
is, of course, merely an expression OF
individual opinion on his part. But it
is constantly forgotten by those who
hold his views that this lis a matter on
which we have not, and cannot have
any authoritative information except
by Revelation, and that, therefore, we
must rely solely on what the Bible says
about it. We have no right to subst1-
tute philosophy, or ''the reason Of the
thing for Gods word, even if we could
get any positive knowledge on the sub
iect thereby, which we cannot, as they
only furnish food for speculation.
That was just the way the dogma OF
everlasting torment crept into the
church The philosophers taught
that the soul is immortal, that it has
always existed and must always eX-
ist--that is to say, it is self-existent
like God and cannot be destroyed
when the church adopted this view it
became necessary to provide a place
Tor wicked as well as righteous souls,
each being eternal in their nature;
and as they could not occupy the same
realm, they were assigned to a differ
emit everlasting kingdom to be eter-
nally tormented 1t did not seem to
make any difference that this arrange
ment was not in accordance with the
Bible declarations on the subject, but
contrary to them.
Now, what is demanded of the advo-
Gates of the doctrine of the immor-
tality of all men, good and bad, is
Seriptural proof of the doctrine. This
is certainly fair and reasonable de-
mand for one Christian to make of
another. If it is true-and it is true
that among the s58 times that the
words translated "souls,R and among
the 755 times that the words trans
lated spirit" in the Bible occur, in not
one instance is any adjective signify
ing Immortal" used to qualify it, then
it is very pertinent and reasonable to
demand by what authority any one can
assert that the immortality of the soul,
or of man, is taught in the Bible. And
when. in addition to this, are consid-
cred the very many passages from
Moses and the Prophets down to our
Saviour and the Apostles which de-
clare that ''the soul that sinneth, it
shall die" etc, etc, it does seem
strange that any one would persist in
saving that the soul will not, and can
not die, but is immortal according to
the Scriptures. The process, too, by
which such a conclusion is confessedly
reached is still more remarkable, for it
is done by asserting that the Bible
assumes" the natural Immortality Of
All men, and by still further asserting
that when it says die" it means live
forever instorment.
Commenting on that plain declara-
ton that God "only hath immortality
DIR. Yates says lit is so plain that the
Apostle was speaking of Gods eternity
of existence, reign and power, as SUI
perior to earthly potentates, that the
statement is beneath the dignity OF
argument" Well, according to this
method OF interpreting Scripture, any
declaration, however plain and un~
qualified, can easily be avoided, or nul-
lifted, and by much simpler proceed
ing than that attributed to the law
yers Of splitting 'twixt tWeedie dunn
and tweedle dee" that is simply to ig-
more the actual statement and substi-
tute something else in it's place.
DENYING Thy implication that Satan
viii be annihilated, DR.. Yates says that
if God should annihilate the wicked
Satan could shake his finger at the
Almighty and say ] have defeated you;
have forced you into position where
YOU have to annihilate souls which were
created in your own image"
But look at the other alternative:
If the Devil is to have all the unsayed
suffering everlasting torments i'm hell,
IL
at the Almighty and say, II have tri-
umphed over you. ] have got the vast
majority Of mankind and have got
them for just as long as you have got
the righteous forever" The very
thought is impious.
To one unacquainted with the his
tory Of this doctrine Of universal i'm
mortality and how it entered and staid
in the church, but who carefully reads
the Bible, it must seem passing strange
that whenever Scriptural proof Of the
doctrine Is asked for there is given IN
place of it the husks of philosophy and
metaphysics, and that, too, by the
stewards of the mysteries of God,
the ministers Of the Gospel
DIR. Yates's article concludes with
these words: II know of no way TO
escape future punishment but to tly
to Christ for everlasting life" to which
/ say Amen with all my soul, for lie
only hath, and those only to whom He