Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1922-04-09
The Times-Dispatch Sunday
Sermon
IN THE LIFE BEYOND.
Bs J. 4. Eubank.

Then shall the dust return to the earth ns
II was: and the spirit shall return unto
God who gave it.-Ecclcsiastes xii. :.
This is not to he a doctrinal dclivcrancc-
il is proposed simply to refer to views that
arc entertained by others with respect TO
what becomes OF tho spirit after II leaves the
body.
Solomon in tho quoted text tells how
tho body dissolvcs into it's original clements.
And he goes further and nnrms that the
spirit. which We commonly call tho soul.
turns unto God who gave it,"
What disposition is made OF these spirits
after they return TO God7 What is their fu-
ture employment? Solomon fails tn cnlghtcn
us on this point and he is said TO have
been the wscst the world ever knew.
We assume that he did not know. We doubt
IL any human being does know Wa all
on an equality as to actual knowledge OF the
activities IN tho life beyond tho grave. Job.
after attempting to describe tho oinnipotence
ot God. dcsiSts. abashed At the futiity Of his
own Knowledge to the task and excinims:
10. these arc parts of His ways; but how
little "A portion is heard OF Him? but tho
thunder OF His power who can understa nd %
The accepted general Christian belief is
that tho departed spirits Of the just spend
nhnity in the presented OF and In Worship
ping tho God of their salvation.
Others believe In rcincarnation. And they
surp"rt tina; view with the statement OF
jesus. VIII" referred To John the Baptist in
II.
is Elias. which for to come"
HciucarnatlonIsts &c, large announcement,
from their belief that tho spirits which have
failed I" perfect their mission in their nrst
li" arc sent back to earth again and again.
ihat they might attain tho perfection in love
and wisdom to which they aspire
There are several schools OF relncarna,ion-
ISIS, and all Of them teach theories more or
less plausible: hut to actual knowledge
of TIA" realities Of the unseen world rs before
stated. we arc all on an eQuality--wc know
nothing
Jacob declared. II have seen God face to
face; but John the Baptist to crors
him on this point. for he says. mo man hath
seen God at any time"
Erahmanism and Buddhism agree general
~. in The essential belief that our purnosc
IN hcihE h"rc. Is 10 escape and be delivered
from this world Of sense and time: To he alb
Sorhcd INTO the res; OF eternity. annihilatcd
In tho supreme Existence. as drop of water
TAKEN from the ocean. finds its way back and
IL absorbed The difference between tho two
religious beliefs. lies in the method Of at
tanning this desired delivcrancc and absorb
tion into Deity. yet both concur In total
loss OF personal identity, when "Nirvana" is
reached.
Tho Bcahaists claim that the prc-cxistcncc
OF tho soul the purpose OF its imprisonment
IN the body ami the conditions Of it's cx-
ist"ncc hereafter. have been dlvinclv re-
Garden OF Eden
our race. or Adam (Which is term an
pied not only to our first earthly parents.
nut ais" To the whole human race, az we fro
oren'ly hnd IT used in tho Bibc) was" SAYS
ono OF their clcarest writers. "in tho Garden
or Eden or the Paradise Of God; a race Of
souls perfect In tho limitation In which God
had created th"m. In this spiritual plano.
they existed without sorrow pain or death:
without tho knowledge OF good and evil: In
ca nm In f.f riE i've
possessing knowledge OF wisdom which gave
them thirst or desire to rise into a higher
attitude before God than the Limitation in
which they had been created The SERPENT
that IS To say. the wisdom they gained when
they learned that God. the Infinite the
Creator, had decided from eternity To take
unto himself a Form. Image in order that
His finite creatures might comprehend tho
invisible through the Visible Manifestation:
and that He had appointed this globe 10 ho
the place where He would manifest UI,nsalf
in this Image: the serpent Wisdom urged
them 10 ask their Creator that they rni..h,
take an Image like His Own and rise higher
toward the state Of Divinity In this. They
sought to he Hike Him. to attain His charac.
t"rlstcS. knowing good from evil God
granted this petition Of our race Of souls
npon the condition TO which We now ms
human beings upon tho carth are subject
nder thcs" conditions. we must come here
Imprisoned In this mold of clay. which is m,
Image Of God: our tablets Of memory scale,
ana locked in order that may not remcn.
Der our previous existence and thus have fre,
exercise of our power OF indepcndencc which
Is inc knowledge and choice OF good and
"N!i: our existence hampered and beset upor
every side with earthly hindrances and trials
IN order that through all our probation ant
testing, w" may prove our worthincss for re-
ward, by clinRinG with love to God acknowl
'"e'nS INN IN pain and sorrow we'll ms ir
earthly happiness. 10 he our God. Father an,
~ bo
OF IN" coming Of man upon earth and tn,
true meaning OF. the Fall OF Man"
As we stated in the outset. we do not pro
pos" "octrihai sermon today. We smpl,
make few observations 90 stimulate ,bou.h,
and interest on your part