The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1914-05-14


eat bread. until thou return unto the ground
for out Of II was thou taken; for dust thou
art and unto dust shalt .hou return" What
could be palmer than this? Adam could not
have returned to eternal torment. for he had
never been there. he could not have returned
to heaven for he had never been there.
but Adam created from the dust
Of the earth and when he sinned he was
condemned 10 die and .eturn to dust Is
there single scripture to prove that Adam I'D
not die. or that hts soul went to eternal tor
ment? The Lord told him that the penalty for
sin was death. If the Lord sent him 10
eternal torment. then the Lord fooled Adam.
There Is only text in the Bible that SAYS
man shall not die; this is found in Gen +
Satan said to Eve. ''Ye shall not surely die"
Whom shall we believe, God or Satan? God
told Adam that to sin would mean death ire
wages Of sin Is death; the soul that snneth 1T
shall die Satan said We shall not surely a.
Surely there is no who woul accept Satar G
statement In preference to Gods
Psalm 145: 20 ''Au the wicked will God de-
stroy." Paul tells us q Thes. /: ~ that the
wicked shall be punished with everlasting de-
struction. What does this word destroy meap2
Does il mean TO preserve with everlasting lie
in eternal torment Can n destroy a
house. and still have the house? If a honee
burns mp would say It destroyed ~
fire. Of course he matter ashes. would be
left. but house would be left The house
would go back. or return to dust, as Adam
did. When a man dies he returns to dust, arc.
Of course. his dust or matter, Is there, but the
man is most aseuredlv not in existence. We
read in Dan. -: 2. And many Of them ina.
sleep IN the dust Of the earth shall awake"
This does not say they shall come from eternal
torment, or from heaven. but that all MGR
return at death to dust, and in the tudemen
day they Will awake. ! don't believe It would
be possible for a man to do much sleeping IN
ErFrnat torment irttt-t4f@- f1}@-tells ie--l
tbAy n OF earth
Jesus referred IN Lazarus sleeping. and also
said thar Lazarus dead. Martha said she
knew Lazarus would rise in the last day. John
1I31f.24 Nothing said about Lazarus he~
ing either in heaven or eternal torment hut
that he was dead.
Some people believe that the soul Of m ~ Is
naturally immortal. hut the Bible does MT tca Il
this The Bible teaches that the soul IS no
mortal ROM 2; - Seek for glory, hauaur
and immortality. eternal life" II we already
have immortality and eternal life (to Dc ethee
In heaven or eternal torment}, then why should
we seek for what already have? The Apostle
paal tells us in I Tim. Gle that God only h9th
Immortality. If this be true, [ do not haw
all OF as be Immortal, possess imma stal
souls James (5:2G) speaks Of saving s1ai
from death IL the soul is immortal,..how can
it de- 1t il true that man has not the power
to destroy soul but God has the power %
destroy the soul Matt. I0*2S}, and this VIII he
the punishment Of the wicked in the judgment
day. they shall be punished with everlasting
destruction; all the wicked viii He destroy.
Peter says they shall he destroyed natural
brute beasts Oh Peter 2s124. Ne one would put
a beast in eteSnal torment 70 destroy him. but
ne destruction would he death, and s.1il 4ee
the destruction Of the wicked The word ae-
stracton does not mean everlasting life In eter-
nal torment The wicked Will he destroyed as
one would destroy tree that will not bear
fruit Matt 3;10). burned TO ashes dust.
farmer would not put a tree I'm fire tc
burn for ever, If SO the tree would never b.
destroyed
There is not a single verse or text In the
Bible from Genesis 10 Revelation that teaches
eternal torment; hell is the grave; every ceme-
terry Is a part Of the Bible hell There is no
such place rs eternal torment the word fire
hell fire lake of fire etc, all symbols Of
Distraction. John tells that he lake of FIVE
Is the second death (Rev. % 40; John tells US
again that all who have part In the first resur-
rection Viii not he in danger of the second
death (Rev 20:6). We find there Is no such
expression in the Bible as never dying soul"
all SOILS immortal" The Bible teaches that the
righteous will have everlasting fe and every
where everlasting Nfe is used II refers 10 the
righteous The wicked viii have everlasting
death. There is no text In the Bible referring
to the wicked as having everlasting life; If
the wicked will always live in eternal torment
as some believe. they would certainly have
everlasting life.
Through the ransom Of our lord Jesus II
TIM. 3 81 every man is saved from the first
or Adanic death; they will all be raised dur
ng the Judgment day tActs 24:15). the church
viii not then he In danger of the second death
but all Of tho world who will not learn right
, eouSness during that day Will be cut oft in the
second death referred to in Revelation, and
they viii be forever destroyed.
Very truly yours.
r. G. BEIsTOw