The Washington herald., 1917-09-09

The destiny Of souls in the hereafter
is a subject OF persistent interest and
concern in human belief and specula-
ton. Even pagan literature and the
languages Of heathendom testify TO a
general, though ofttimcs, vague con-
ception Of two widely separated places
or strongly contrasted states OF fu-
tuTe existence, which are in the main
equivalent 10 the Heaven and the Hel!
of doCmatic theology.
The Holy Scriptures generalize the
future estate Of the righteous as
Heaven, and the opposite as Hell.
without giving warrant. however. for
the belief that but two places or
kingdoms are provided, TO one or the
other Of which every soul is 10 be
consigned, according to the balance
sheet of his life's account and per
haps on a very small margin OF merit
'or guilt. Equally unscriTtural is the
inference that the state OF the soul
at death determines that souls place
and environment throughout eternity,
forever deprived OF opportunity OF
progression.
When left to his imagination. with
centuries up a Haven and a Hell to
suit his fancy. Thus. TO the mInd
Of the savage, Heaven is hunting
ground with game a-plenty; 10 the
carnal. Heaven promises perpetual
qualification OF senses and passions'
10 the lover Of truth and the devotee
Of righteousness, Heaven is the as
surance Of Hmitless advancement IN
wisdom and achievement. And 10 each
Of these, Hell Is the eternal realiza-
ton Of deprivation, loss, olSaNpolht-
ment and consequent anguish
Divine revelation is the only source
OF sure knowledge as TO what aWaits
man beyond the grave. and from ms
We learn that at death the SPIRITS OF
all men pass to an intermediate state
in which they associate with their
kind, the good with the GOOD the
wicked with the wicked and so shau
endure in happiness or awful sus-
pense until the time appointed TOT
their resurrection. Read Whal an
ancient prophet said;
Now concerning the state Of the
soul between death and the resur-
rection. Behold, il has been made
known unto mo by an angel that
the spirits Of all men. as soon as they
are departcd from this mortal body,
yea. the Svirits OF all men. whether
they be good or evil. are taken home
to that God who gave them life. And
then shall it come to pass that the
spIrits Of those who are richtoous
are received into a state Of hap
pincss, which il called paradise; a
state Of rest. a state Of peace. where
they shall rest from all their troubles
and from all care and sorrow.
Now this is the state Of the souls OF
the wicked: yea, in darkness. and a
state Of awful. fearful, looking for
the fiery Indignation Of the wrath Of
God upon them: thus they remain in
this state. as well as the righteous
in paradise, until the time OF their
resurrection" Book OF Mormon,
Alma 4O:11. 12,1D.
Il is plain that Paradise is the dwell
ling place Of relatively righteous
spirits awaiting the glorious dawn Of
The resurrection. The final judgment,
m which all men shall appear before
the bar Of God. is to follow their re-
currection from the dead. We shall
stand in our resurrected bodies Of
flesh and bones to receive from Jesus
Christ. who shall judge the world, the
sentence we individually merit,
whether It he COME YE BLESSED
OF MY FATHER" or DEPART
FROM ME YE CURSED" CSee
Matthew 25:S1-i6).
In His solemn discourse TO the Apos-
ties Immediately prior to the be-
travail our Lord sought to cheer their
saddencd hearts with the assurance.
I'm MY FATHERS HOUSE ARE
MANY MANSIONS: IF IT WERE
NOT so. I WOULD HAVE TOLD
YOU. GO TO PREPARE A PLACE
FOR YOU. AND IF / GO AND PRE-
PARE A PLACE FOR YOU, ] WILL.
COME AGAIN, AND RECEIVE YOU
UNTO MYSELF; THAT WHERE ]
AM. THERE YE MAY BE ALSO"
(John 1923.
Here is conclusive proof OF varied
conditions in the world beyond; and
the teachings Of Paul are incisive as
TO the state Of Tesurrected souls:
THERE ARE ALSO CELESTIAL
PODIES, AND BODIES TERREs-
TRIAL; BIT THE GLORY OF THE
CELESTIAL Is ONE, AND THE
GLORY OF THE TERRESTRIAL is
ANOTHER. THERE Is ONE GLORY
OF THE SUN, AND ANOTHER
GLORY OF THE MOON. AND AN
OTHER GLORY OF THE STARS;
FOR ONE STAR DIFFERETH
FROM ANOTHER STAR IN GLORY.
so ALSO Is THE RESURRECTION
OF THE DEAD" q Corinthians 49,
40-40.
Revelation in the current age AYERS
even more explicitly than do earlier