Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1902-03-01
THE soUI-DyING THEORY.


The announcement by Or. Parkhurst
nf New York that he believes In the
doctrine Of the death Of the souls OF
some people, IN the same way as the
dissolution of their bodies, has occa-
aioned some stir In the religious world,
md we have received inquiries concern
ing the theory held by the "soul-seep-
ms" and others, who claim that there
10 no separation Of body and spirit
rs generally accepted by Chris
tfan believers.
A great many quotations are offered
nem the Old and New Testaments
which appear TO support the soul
sleeping theory. Some of its adher-
ents believe that all who die win be
raised from the dead, but that only
those who are In Christ will receive
eternal life the rest being doomed to
everlasting destruction, which they un-
dorstand TO mean entire dissolution
Others hold that only those who are
to be saved and enjoy ChrIsts pres
ance and glory, will be raised from the
dead, the rest being left to an eternal
sleep. They do not any Of them believe
in the doctrine Of what is called the
Immortality Of the soul except by spe-
cial gift from God TO those who are
counted worthy OF that eternal exist.
bnce.
These and other peculiar notions are
formed through dependence upon hui
man Interpretation of the dead letter
of ancient scripture, Isolated passages
are selected which give color to the
various Ideas formed and entertained,
and these are dwelt upon as conclusive
evidence. II Is a fact that almost any
theory can be established. and to some
extent maintained, by this process Of
quoting holy writ, Take the Bible as
whole, although II Is composed of
many books written at different per-
idods and under diverse circumstances
by various hands, II Will TO a large ex-
tent explain Itself when thor
oughly understood, Scripture may
be compared with scripture, one
part throwing light on others,
and thus many things that APP
pear obscure and contradictory may be
harmonized and made consistent
But, after all, the writings of old
pannot speak as the living oracles, and
thus the exact meaning Of their au-
thors cannot be explained as they
would expound them - living.
This makes the dead letter an
insufficient guide. Without pres
ent inspiration from God, the
difficulties experienced In constituting
and interpreting the sayings OF former
Prophets and Apostles, will continue
and increase and conflicting theories
VIII be held and taught to add to the
confusion Of modern Chrlstendom,
The Latter-day Saints are blest with
what Peter sailed "A more sure word
of prophecy" which is indeed like
light shining in a dark place II IS the
living, present word OF God by revela-
tion and the manifestations of the Holy
Ghost BY these they have learned
without doubt that there Is spirit
In man." That IT is an independent
entity. II existed before the body was
organized. II continues to exist when
the body returns to the dust or the ele.
ments from which II came That the
body without that spirit is dead. When
IL leaves the body II returns to God
who gave It, and gravltates TO its prop
or sphere, mingllng with its own kind
the just with the just, the unjust with
the unjust untIl the resurrection Of the
body. That all Of Adams race who
have breathed the breath Of life and
thus have become living souls" will
pass through the experience of death;
that Is, the separation Of the spirit and
the body, and will be raised from the
dead, the body and the spirit being re-
united, all TO be judged according to
their wotAs. and then consigned to
those estates or conditions or gloues to
Which they are adapted through their
life and conduct In mortality
Only those who are NJ to dwell In the
society of the Father and the Son will
attain to that celestial glory In that
alone IL fully enjoyed the gift Of eter.
nal life, which means the full develop
ment and exercise and enjoyment Of
every faculty and power and function
Of both spirit and body, immortalized
and capable Of perpetual progress and
Increase. All others win enter into dlf.
terent degrees OF glory, but will not
possess those powers and that domin.
lon and increase which are compre.
hended In the term eternal life" They
viii exist and have the exercise OF such
powers az they are entitled TO- being
Judged according to their several deeds
and adaptabiitles.
With the understanding Of this doc
trlne, which is here necessarily very
briefly and imperfectly expressed, the
believer can understand references
made IN the old scriptures to past pres
INT and future conditions. When they
read such sayings as in Eccles TX, g. 6,
10:
For the living know that they shall
sle; but the dead know not anything,