The daily Gate City and constitution-Democrat. (Keokuk, Iowa) 1916-1922, 1920-01-31
WILL MANY OR FEW BE SAW
Our Place Beyond the Grave
BY DR.. JAMES E. TALMAGE
OF the Council Of tile Twelve, Church Of Jesus Christ
ter-Day Saints; Salt Lake City, Utah.
NOTE For free copies Of other articles Of this ser
request to the author.

In the course of our Lords last
journey from Galilee to Jerusalem,
which proved TO be His solemn march
to Calvary and the tomb. He threaded
the towns and villages OF the region,
teaching and preaching by the way.
Multitudes were impressed by His
lofty precepts and His simple expo.
sition of plain, everyday religion;
and many questions were submitted
to Him, some based on curiosity or
even less worthy motives, others. In
spired by gnuine interest
Then said one unto him, Lord, are
there few THAI be saved7" (Luke
1929
The inquiry was and is OF great
moment. We observe as striking
and significant fact, that while the
Lord nowise treated the query as inn
proper, yet He gave no specific or
direct answer. Indeed SO far as the
record enables US to judge. He pur-
posely left the question unanswered;
though He gave most impressive
sermon in connection Herewith. Note
again the question, and part Of the
response:
! "Then said one unto him, Lord,
are there few that be saved? And
he said unts Strive TO enter in
at the strait gate: for many, say
| unto you, will seek to enter In and
shall not be able"
| As the succeeding verses tell. the
instruction was enlarged upon to
show that neglect or representation
walton may result in dire jeopardy to
4 he -
] warned that their Israelltish lineage
would not save them; for many who
were not OF the covenant people
would believe and be admitted to the
| Lords presence. while unworthy
Israelites would be thrust out So is
1T that There are last which shall
be first, and there are first which
shall be last" Verse 3O.)
Uplifting and invaluable as this
teaching is, it has. nevertheless. but
an indirect bearing upon the clean.
cut question; Will many or but few
be saved2 The people to whom
/ Jesus was speaking were incapable of
understanding a plain answer to tho
question, and would have been misled
! thereby For, had He said Few"
| they would have construed the reply
I 10 mean tHht only a lew, anu tHey the
Jews, would find place in "Aera.
hams BOSOM while all the rest
would be consigned to sheol Had
the Lord answered MANY" they
would have taken His word to mean
| that the great majority shall attain
supreme bliss in the kingdom Of
heaven, and only few are to find a
place in hell. Either inference is I'M
| true.
! Later, on the night Of the betrayal,
| the Lord said to the sorrowfIl
| Apostles: Sin my Fathers house are
many mansions; If II were not so |
would have told you" Here we find
conclusive refutation OF the old and
/ still current superstition that but
two states. conditions. or places
heaven and heIl-are established
! for souls in eternity Salvation Is
/ graded; and every soul shall inherit
the condition for which he is pre-
/ pared.
/! Paul comprebended this great
truth, az appears from his declara-
| ton that in the resurrection some
souls shall be of the celestial order,
| comparable in glory to the sun;