EXCHANGING WORLDS by R. F. Cotterill.

Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association · Battle Creek, Mich. · Sep 28, 1869

EXCHANGING WORLDS.

By R. F. Cotterill.

In popular phrase, death is the exchange of worlds. To speak of death in the plain terms in which the Scriptures speak of it, is not expressive of the current theology. So instead of saying a man is called to die, it is said, he is called to exchange worlds. This is the language of those who are called orthodox; it is the language also of Spiritualists. I have heard it from both, on funeral occasions.

A few days ago, I was at a funeral. The subject of discourse was, in part, the resurrection, founded on the conversation between Jesus and Martha, concerning the resurrection of her brother Lazarus, who had been dead four days, and whom Jesus was about to raise again to life. The common expression, “called to exchange worlds,” used in so close connection with this narrative, as related in the sacred record, suggested the following queries in my mind: Had Lazarus exchanged worlds four days ago—a worse for a better? And was he about to exchange worlds again—a better for a worse? And why did he not, on his return from the other world, write an account of what he saw and heard and experienced there? Who would not give more for such a book, than for any book of travels in existence? To neglect to give an account so desirable to men, who have never seen the other world, seems almost like stupidity; and since Lazarus did not think of it, it seems strange that some Romish priest, or monk of the middle ages, has not supplied the deficiency. Perhaps they thought that he was in purgatory, during the four days, and did not get through to the other world.

But how silent are the Scriptures about exchanging worlds at death. Jesus said, “Lazarus is dead.” “Thy brother shall rise again.” “Where have ye laid [not his mortal remains, but] him.” “Take ye away the stone.” And when they had taken away the stone from the place “where the dead was laid,” he cried with a loud voice, “Lazarus, come forth.” “And he that was dead came forth.” Not the slightest hint that Lazarus, “the real man,” was absent from the place where his body was. How strange!

But to me there is nothing strange in all this. If Lazarus was as dead as I was for weeks, while the breath was in me, when sick with typhoid fever, I do not wonder that he did not write a book of his experience, as soon as he revived. I had nothing to write; I presume he had nothing; since we are expressly told that he was dead, and we read that “the dead know not any thing;” hence, Lazarus, while he was dead, knew not any thing. But oh! this idea of a double entity. How naturally it leads to double-dealing, and evasion.

The minister told us repeatedly that death was the good man’s friend. Of course, he quoted no Scripture to prove it. But in referring to 1 Cor. xv, for testimony for the resurrection, he read that the last enemy that should be destroyed, was death, and showed that the resurrection would achieve a victory over death and the grave. Is the good man’s friend to be conquered and slain? Is not the resurrection rather the good man’s friend, which slays his enemy, death, and delivers him from his power? Christ certainly is the Christian’s friend, and he was manifested in the flesh, and made subject to death that “he might destroy him that had the power of death, that is, the devil, and deliver them [from death, by the resurrection] who through fear of death were all their lifetime subject to bondage.” Which is our friend, the power that lays us in the grave, or the power that brings us forth to eternal life?

But here comes in the double entity again. Death takes the soul, the spirit—all that is worth recognizing as the real man—to Heaven, and Christ has the honor of coming after the body. Then it is said the “soul and body are re-united.” The Bible has not given us that information.

But what I have said may seem to our friends to be severe. It may seem like ridicule; but I do not intend it. I do not feel like ridiculing. But I do wish our friends believed a better theory, one that is sustained by the Bible. But the force of early education makes them fear to venture on the express statements of the word of God. Besides this, it is quite a step from the popular to the unpopular side of the question. But all will know the truth, who are accounted worthy to exchange this world for the promised world to come.

R. F. COTTERILL.