Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1898-07-02

| Union Theological seminary famous
flr ths controversy regarding the
ubia. of which ho some years nF1 uuH
tre center. hos recently devoted 70 Hcr.rr
90, articles ln The church Union t1 the
exceedingly interesting and Important
question OF life hryond the grave From
the Scriptures De- draws the conclusion
that death docs not SUBSTANTIALLY
change The conditions 81 existence. Tho
departed ones retain thelr personality.
their chnrncrr. their reasoning power.
affections, moral energies and viii ana
sufficient resemblance % ihnir present
appearance IN b. recognized BY their
friends
There la In an ihlr nothing new. Al
who entertain an intollgont belief in
u future state nrrcc that ne beyond
The grave must be- q continuation ~
this ne. Memory does not cease. Tho
scholar does not forget hls scholarship,
the unlcnrnrd does not, by death be-
come scholar any more than by o.
nights sleep ana awakening In the
morning. hc becomes the pnsseHsor Of
/ learning. Good deeds or Evil deeds arr
/ not fnrEuttcn IN death. friends are not
| forgotten. Undoubtedly those whom We
have learned a. love IN this world ana
who are worthy " affection. will be
bowed hereafter with ailli more inton-
aIty and purity. Tor la % not expressly
stated that his holy passion II stronger
than death. md that 70 remains, to-
grthcr with faith ana hope, even when
other gifts uf grace arc 900 longer
noedcdG So nr an believers In Inn
mortality agree.
Professor nrirra. however. goes one
ston further than most Protestant
Christians and points out that this be-
licf necessarily leads 10 another, that |
spiritual progress ~ possible beyond the |
grave and that. consequently. q H. our |
duty 60 pray for the departed ones Just |
aH u is Incumbent upon M 10 remember |
In our prayers our living friends ana |
oven enemies. ou this subject be-
argues.
There 70 m unreasonable prejudice |
among most Professionals against pray. |
orH Tor tho dead This prejudice pnc- |
ticllly aeHtrnya communion with tho |
saints IN the other world. Hut tho /
practice NJ prayers Cor tho dead goes |
hack Ia the most primitive times among /
the chrihtinna. and Htill earlier among /
the Jews, aud all antiquity H. In IT, /
favor.
~ thorc Il any progress IN holiness
Tor our friends who have gone into the |
blessed ne, Il IL u privilege and II ia
"a duiy for uH 20 pray Tor Thorn that
they may mako that prngrrfs In the
divine grace. Such prayer Tor tho de.
parted friends a. "a Wholesome RELIGIOUS
exercise, which enables us ln d simple
and natural way 10 commune with
them ~ we pray for their advance.
mrnt We feel reasonably certain that
they are Joining with us In prayer for
our mutual advancement since my
attention has been called 90 the matter
! have observed "a considerable amount
" such prayer Tor the dead uuc1n.
rdinuHly. yet logically ana no less truly
uncroh, In funeral addresses ana
Hl'ycta even among the most radical
"a Christian who thinks TINT the
initial " salvation must begin IN this
world before death viii limit his
prayers Tor tho dead Ia their growth
IN grace and holiness. hut Christian
VINO thinks that salvation ntny begin
after death. viii naturally extend hia
prayers so nH 90 include the conversion
ANA regeneration NJ the dead In his
prayers for tho dead. each Christian
VIII make hts practice ~ PRAYER com
form I'm measure az least 10 lilr theory
~ salvation
"rhua prayer for the dead o. a prlvi.
lego ana duty f1r nll who prnctioo
prayer for the living. and nncrlnee To-,
the dead iH o. duty Tor 400 who prnrttce
sacrifice Tor tho living The dead
saints ana tho living saints are no unit.
ed M one holy communion that IN nll
f,llFiouH activities an saints share
alike"
The reasoning h scrIptural ana log.
Zeal and in fun nccord with tho doc.
irIuel and practices ~ tho early Chris.
unuF 10 would undoubtedly have ob.
nin0i among the protrHnnts. GOO. hut
for an ovor-aeaious anxiety IN IN carl,
stages Of Reformation to purse the
church ~ l,omanism. which resulted On
many inriances in the rejection O..
truth ns well ns error. for even Luther
admitted that prayers Tor the dead
would DO no harm n ~ gratifying 10
600 tho subject agnln placed before the
christian world in q manner 10 com.
mrnd attention, Tor It cannot IAN To
commend Itself 20 tho consideration OF
those Interested ln obtaining lu undrr.
standing NJ tho future state NJ man.
Tho faci once admitted tnri spiritual
pf1grgaE or retrogroalpn. o. poss.bi,
ION the other slide of ths ven. DO foiI1tr,
That not only prayer hut ATS, In,
other means NJ gr1ca.rlvpu i.r Che con.
NHraIUu aud F.s.4.s.#"....