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MAN NOT IMMORTAL,

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Publishing Committee · Rochester, N.Y. · Dec 19, 1854

FromReview and Herald, Vol. 6, No. 18.

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MAN NOT IMMORTAL,

By D. P. Hall

THE ONLY SHIELD AGAINST THE SEDUCTIONS OF MODERN SPIRITUALISM.
BY D. P. HALL.
[Continued.]

ETERNAL MISERY.

When immortal-soulism cannot sustain itself without an appeal is made to those scriptures which are supposed to teach an eternity of misery to the wicked, all who urge objections from this point, reason something like this: The wicked are threatened with eternal life in misery, i. e., eternal conscious existence in torments, either mental or physical as the case may be; therefore the wicked in the present life have immortal souls. Immortal soul arguments are remarkably convenient, they can run round in a circle just to suit the occasion.
The soul is immortal; therefore the wicked will be tormented forever and ever. The wicked will be tormented forever and ever; therefore the soul is immortal; first make an assumption and then deduct a conclusion as proved; then assume again, and prove the first assumption, and so on. How very convenient and easy. The first assumption is proved by making another. I can hardly refrain from treating this matter as it seems to deserve; i. e., ridiculously. I hardly know how far a serious Chris- tian may go, and have the approbation of God, in treating upon such frivolous objections. I will however try my very best to treat all objections candidly.
And now to the objections drawn from those scriptures which threaten punishment to the wicked. The positions which we lay down as scriptural in this investigation are these: All men righteous and wicked in the present life are mortal. The righteous only will be made immortal. The immortal-soul advocates undertake to meet these positions something like this:
In popular theology the wicked are represented as living forever in misery. This is affirmed as their final doom for impenitence. In order to this it is urged, they must have immortal souls. I cannot see that this must necessarily follow. All may be mortal in the present life, the righteous and the wicked, and all, both wicked and righteous, may be made immortal at the resurrection.
The one class live forever in bliss, and the other class live forever in misery; and all this pertains to the entire, organized man, or being, and not to an abstract ghost, or disembodied soul. I repeat it, that I cannot see that it must necessarily follow that because the wicked are represented as living forever in misery, they must therefore have immortal souls. But our immortal-soul friends seem almost universally to admit by their modes of argumentation, that if they cannot sustain the immortality of the soul, all must go by the board, their Hell of eternal misery and all.
I would not be misunderstood at this point. I say all this might be, but the man who asserts it, must at the same time take upon himself the labor of proving it from the Bible. I will at this point in the investigation, present and examine those texts which are relied upon as proving the soul immortal from the consideration that the wicked are threatened with eternal misery as the penalty for sin. It might be stated something in this form: The wicked will live forever in misery; therefore they have immortal souls. If the premise is proved untrue, the conclusion must of course be unsound. I cannot see any necessary connection as I have before remarked, between this premise and conclusion; but I will be content to show the premise untrue from the word of God. I will select those scriptures which are most frequently quoted, and most firmly relied upon as proving eternal misery, and thereby, in the estimation of many, proving the immortality of the soul.
The first one presented for examination is the threatening of Jesus, recorded, Matt. xxv, 46. “And these shall go away into everlasting punishment: but the righteous into life eternal.”
It is urged by the objector that eternal misery is as clearly proved from the threatening of “eternal punishment,” as eternal happiness is by the promise of “eternal life.” Let me humbly submit to such an one that neither the one nor the other is asserted at all by our Saviour. “Eternal punishment” is placed over against “eternal life.” (Not eternal misery over against eternal happiness.) But it may be asserted, that although it is not so said, it so means. The Bible then in this instance stands corrected by such an one. This is taking higher ground than I care about. Humility, such as is becoming a christian, requires that we humbly inquire after the sayings of the great Teacher, and try to ascertain the sense which attaches to them, by a careful comparison of one with another, rather than substituting our own peculiar notions in their place. Why not let the matter stand just as the great Teacher has left it, and believe it just as it stands? The wicked shall have an everlasting (eternal) punishment: the righteous shall have an everlasting (eternal) life.
Now it is urged by the objector that just as certainly as the righteous will have eternal bliss or happiness, the wicked will have eternal misery. Why continue to substitute happiness for life, and misery for punishment? Unless this is done, the whole force of the objection is lost. For punishment is penalty without any reference to its nature: it may be torture, fine, imprisonment, deprivation or death, or any other thing awarded in vengeance of crime.
Now let me respectfully submit to one and all, that when it is proved that the wicked will be punished with an everlasting punishment, nothing whatever is determined with reference to its nature. The question touching the nature of the punishment is still an open one. Our Saviour promised the righteous eternal life. This becomes the basis of all other things promised them in the Scriptures. Unless they have this, all other things promised would be of no account. He threatened the wicked with an everlasting (or eternal) punishment, without naming the nature of the penalty at all.
Now to ascertain its nature, we must consult other scriptures. Where in the Book is future punishment declared to be torture to all eternity? It is not future limited torture, but never-ending torture. Where? I ask again. But it is very dogmatically affirmed by those who assert this as teaching eternal misery, that the penalty threatened the wicked is placed precisely over against the promised reward of the righteous. Now what is precisely the opposite of eternal life? Is it not eternal death, or eternal deprivation of life? Most certainly. Is eternal life in misery precisely the opposite of eternal life? Who will thus contend after looking the matter fairly in the face? No one, I would charitably believe.
If the position almost unanimously and universally taken touching this text by immortal-soulists, be faithfully carried out, it will deprive them of their eternal misery, and consequently of their immortal souls for the wicked. I repeat it, the nature of punishment is not determined by this text. All that can be proved from this, is the eternity of the punishment, not the nature. Other texts by hundreds, come in to aid us in determining this part of the question. Death, destroy, perish, consume, and every other conceivable variety of expression of which the English language is capable, is used in determining the nature; and instead of being an eternal life of misery, mental or physical, it is eternal destruction, or deprivation of life.
The apostle Paul, speaking upon this same theme, uses the very self-same expressions of the Saviour, with an additional one, which determines the punishment, the duration and the nature of it. See 2 Thess. i, 8, 9. “In flaming fire taking vengeance on them that know not God, and that obey not the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ: who shall be punished with (what? eternal misery? eternal preservation in a miserable life? no!) everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord, and from the glory of his power.”
Here then we have the punishment, the duration, (everlasting) and the nature, (destruction.) This harmonizes with hundreds of plain texts, such as death, consume, be as though they had not been, and so forth. In concluding upon this, one of the very strongest cases upon record in the Scriptures, allow me to say that eternal misery cannot be proved from this declaration by any fair interpretation. But if some still insist that punishment cannot be eternal, unless the process of punishing is eternally going on, will they please explain how the Judgment can be eternal, unless the process of judging is eternallygoing on. Heb. vi, 2. “Of the doctrine of baptisms, and laying on of hands, and of resurrection of the dead, and of eternal judgment.”
Allow me to say that punishment is eternal, precisely in the same way the judgment is: that which makes one eternal, does the other; and neither are eternal in the sense of the process' being eternally going on. So of redemption. See Heb. ix, 12. “Neither by the blood of goats and calves, but by his own blood, he entered in once into the holy place, having obtained eternal redemption for us.” Other instances of this same kind could be adduced, but these are sufficient to lead the honest searcher after truth to examine further for himself.
We leave this theme reluctantly, seeing it is one of the very clearest texts in the Book when properly apprehended. The grand error of those who use this in proof of eternal misery, I believe to be this; viz., understanding punishment and pain to be synonymous. If this were corrected, all the objectionable features would vanish.
We pass from this to notice another scripture from which an attempt is made to draw an objection; viz., The worm that dieth not, and the fire that is not quenched. See Mark ix, 43-48. “And if thy hand offend thee, cut it off: it is better for thee to enter into LIFE maimed, than having two hands to go into hell, (Gehenna,) into the fire that never shall be quenched; where their worm dieth not, and the fire is not quenched. And if thy foot offend thee, cut it off: it is better for thee to enter halt into life, than having two feet to be cast into hell (Gehenna,) into the fire that never shall be quenched; where their worm dieth not, and the fire is not quenched. And if thine eye offend thee, pluck it out: it is better for thee to enter into the kingdom of God with one eye, than having two eyes to be cast into hell fire; where their worm dieth not, and the fire is not quenched.”
The expressions seized upon in this discourse, as containing the proof of eternal misery, and as a consequence, the present immortality of the soul, are, first, the casting into hell; and second, the worm's dying not, and the fire's not being quenched. These taken together are supposed to teach a hell of eternal torture for the final incorrigible.
First, hell is named as the place or locality where this shall be done; and second, the worm and fire denote the torture; and third, the worm's not dying; and the fire's not being quenched, show the duration to be eternal, or never-ending. Put all this together and the proposition is most triumphantly proved in the estimation of an advocate of eternal misery.
But suppose we inquire, in the first place, after the Hell, or locality. The Hell named here is none other than the Gehenna, or Tophet, of the Old Testament, and was not a place where people were cast for the purpose of being eternally tortured, but for the purpose of terminating their existence; for the purpose of destruction, or death. See Jer. vii, 31-33. “And they have built the high places of Tophet, which is in the valley of the son of Hinnom, to burn their sons and their daughters in the fire; which I commanded them not, neither came it into my heart. Therefore, behold the days come saith the Lord, that it shall no more be called Tophet, nor the valley of Hinnom, but the valley of slaughter; for they shall bury in Tophet till there be no place.” See also Jer. xix, 11-15; Isa. xxx, 33. We see from these quotations that the locality is not the locality of the orthodox Hell.
Let us note next in order, the nature of the punishment inflicted. As our objectors are so fond of placing the punishment of the wicked in opposition to the reward of the righteous, suppose we try it in this case. What is to be entered if faithful? LIFE! This is twice named, and in the third instance, the kingdom of God. Now what is the opposite precisely of life? Life in misery, or miserable life? No! DEATH! Death, then, stands out in opposition to the life twice promised, and being deprived of the kingdom of God, is the same as being threatened with death; for no one can live forever, who does not enter the kingdom: seeing eternal life is an attribute of the kingdom, and of that only.
Let us look at the case still further. The worm and fire—these are the means or instrumentalities by which this torture is carried on. Now how plain exclaims the objector to the doctrine of death for sin: the worm does not die; the worm therefore must be immortal; and the fire is not quenched; so you see we have immortal worms and fire, as well as immortal souls.
But what does the immortal worm prey upon, and the unquenchably devouring fire consume, during the unknown and untold cycles of eternity? Why, something, to be sure. What? A dead carcass? Oh no: an immortal soul. But where did you get your soul to put into this Hell for worms to feed upon, and the fire to burn? This we have guessed at; for it is the man bodily, and not the immortal, disembodied soul which is the subject of this discourse.
But to let you go on, suppose the body is made immortal, and then cast into this hell for immortal worms, and unquenchable fire to prey upon; what would the result be? let me ask in all candor.
Suppose we present it something in this form: Devouring fire and consuming worms, are brought in contact with an immortal or inconsumable body or soul: what would the consequence be? Very much the same that would follow, were an irresistible force brought in contact with an immovable body. Here is a query for philosophers. But some one is heard saying, This is highly figurative. If so, what would such a figure teach? Suppose a devouring fire, and consuming worm, prey upon men living or dead, what would the result be? If alive, they must soon kill them, and if dead, they must soon consume their carcasses.
This figure, here used, is in fact borrowed from old times. See Isa. lxvi, 24. “And they shall go forth, and look upon the carcasses (not immortal souls) of the men that have transgressed against me; for their worm shall not die, neither shall their fire be quenched; and they shall be an abhorring unto all flesh.”
But perhaps some one will still insist that an unquenchable fire is one that burns to all eternity; and as there can be no use in keeping up a fire when there is nothing to burn, there must therefore, be immortal souls, or bodies, or something else, to burn.
But it is not quite so certain that an unquenchable fire is one that never goes out. To quench a fire is to put it out, before it consumes the object upon which it is preying. A fire is not quenched, or put out, if it continues to burn until it consumes the material or object upon which it is preying.
An unquenchable fire may, and does go out, when it has done its office-work, when it has accomplished the purpose for which it was kindled.
See several instances: Isa. xxxiv, 10, and context. The land of Idumea. Who supposes, for one moment, that the unquenchable fire or burning, is going on now, and will continue to go on to all eternity? See Jer. vii, 20, also Jer. xvii, 27. Here Jerusalem is threatened with the kindling of a fire in her gates, that should devour the palaces and should not be quenched. See also Eze. xx, 47, 48. See John the Baptist's testimony concerning Christ. Matt. iii, 12. “Whose fan is in his hand, and he will thoroughly purge his floor, and gather his wheat into the garner; but he will burn up the chaff with unquenchable fire.”
Unquenchable fire burns up or devours every thing upon which it kindles. This so far from proving eternal burning, or eternal torture to the impenitent, and, as a consequence, immortality, proves just precisely the reverse. The same can be said in truth of eternal fire. See Jude 7. “Even as Sodom and Gomorrah, and the cities about them in like manner, giving themselves over to fornication, and going after strange flesh, are set forth for an example, suffering the vengeance of eternal fire.” But those who insist upon these texts as teaching eternal pain or torture, and especially this one, are very careful to emphasize the word or phrase which has the suffering in it, and the eternal: all other parts are overlooked.
The above named text is quoted as though it read, Are suffering in eternal fire; whereas it reads quite differently. Note: Suffering the vengeance of eternal fire. Now in the name of reason and revelation what is the vengeance of fire? What does fire by its vengeance accomplish? Ans. The complete destruction of every thing upon which it preys. Are the gates of Jerusalem now burning? Is the land of Idumea, or Sodom and Gomorrah and the cities about them now suffering in the flames? If the waters of the Dead Sea can extinguish the fires of Sodom and Gomorrah, I should certainly think the burning must have ceased ere this; for its waves now roll over the site where once these cities stood.
The truth is that the worm and fire prove the complete destruction of the whole man or being, instead of its eternal preservation, or immortality. What would a Jew understand by being threatened with Gehenna punishment? They were perfectly familiar with this matter, and would laugh you in the face if you should suggest the idea of being thrown into Gehenna, for the purpose of being eternally preserved. What would the inhabitants of our country understand by being threatened with the punishment of the gallows? Certainly not the preservation of life, but DEATH. So of the Jews, when threatened with Gehenna punishment: they understood the signification of Gehenna, as perfectly as we do the gallows. Why try to press life eternal out of these texts, when it is so plain that they teach precisely the opposite?
We pass from this to notice another text from which a vain attempt is made to prove eternal misery; viz., Rom. ii, 6-10. “Who will render to every man according to his deeds. To them who by a patient continuance in well doing, seek for glory, and honor, and immortality; eternal life; but unto them that are contentious, and do not obey the truth, but obey unrighteousness; indignation and wrath, tribulation and anguish, upon every soul of man that doeth evil: of the Jew first, and also of the Gentile. But glory, honor, and peace, to every man that worketh good, to the Jew first, and also to the Gentile; for there is no respect of persons with God.”
The objection, if there be any in this, must be found in the threatening of indignation, and wrath, tribulation, and anguish. It is freely admitted that the wicked will have a miserable, and painful destruction. Now let me ask the objector, Where lies the proof that this tribulation and anguish will never terminate? It is one thing to prove that tribulation and anguish is connected with the punishment of the wicked, and quite another thing to prove that this will never terminate.
In order for this text to be of any service to immortal-soulists or those believing in eternal misery, it is not only necessary to prove that pain and misery are connected with their doom, (which I will not deny, but believe as firmly as any one,) but that this pain and misery will continue to all eternity. Do, we pray you, look at the labor which devolves upon you in urging this as an objection. It is freely admitted, that there is tribulation and anguish connected with their doom; but who can prove from the Bible that this will never terminate in their final destruction and death? Hundreds of plain texts come to the aid of the man who will undertake to show that all this tribulation and anguish, however much it may be, or however intense it may be, will terminate in their complete and literal destruction.
But if the favorite mode of argumentation with immortal-soulists be pressed home upon them at this point, it will not aid them much. What is the opposite of glory, honor, immortality and eternal life? for this is so frequently urged, by the objector, that we cannot refrain from reminding him frequently of his own favorite mode of conducting this discourse. Certainly immortality is not the opposite of immortality: eternal life is not the opposite of itself. This may appear strange indeed; but so it is, if popular theology is truthful upon this point.
What, let me ask, is the opposite of immortality and eternal life? Mortality and eternal death. Mortality is life manifested through a corruptible body: immortality is life manifested through an incorruptible body: the one life must terminate; the other never can. Are the wicked any where in the Bible promised immortality? Hear Paul? “*For he that soweth to his flesh, shall of the fleshreap corruption: but he that soweth to the Spirit shall of the Spirit reap life everlasting.*” Gal. vi, 8.
But if the objector is not fully satisfied, let him consult the context. Notice verse 12. For as many as have sinned without law, shall also PERISH without law. This text then instead of proving eternal torture, or immortality of the soul, proves just precisely the opposite; viz., a miserable destruction, or perishing.
We pass from this to notice one more text and must then close upon this branch of this important and interesting theme. Rev. xiv, 9-13. “And the third angel followed them, saying with a loud voice, If any man worship the beast and his image, and receive his mark in his forehead, or in his hand, the same shall drink of the wine of the wrath of God which is poured out without mixture into the cup of his indignation; and he shall be tormented with fire and brimstone in the presence of the holy angels, and in the presence of the Lamb: and the smoke of their torment ascendeth up forever and ever: and they have no rest day nor night, who worship the beast and his image, and whosoever receiveth the mark of his name. Here is the patience of the saints, here are they that keep the commandments of God and the faith of Jesus.”
This text perhaps as much as any other in the Bible, is relied upon as proving a positive eternity of woe to the sinner, or one who does not worship God. The persons named in this scripture are those who worship the beast and his image, and receive his mark in his forehead or in his hand: the same shall drink of the wine of the wrath of God. They are to be tormented with fire and brimstone. This torment is to be in the presence of the holy angels and in the presence of the Lamb. It is not said that they are tormented forever and ever, but that the smoke of their torment ascendeth up forever and ever. They are to have no rest day nor night who worship the beast and his image, &c.
The only feature of this message which is important for me to investigate in this place, is the eternity of this torment. The only expression in the whole discourse from which an inference even in favor of eternal misery can be drawn, is, the smoke of their torment ascendeth up for ever and ever. Now let the issue in this examination be distinctly stated. It is not denied that torment is connected with the future doom of these beast-worshippers.
Our eternal misery friends appear to think the work all done when they produce a text which has torment or pain in it, and would like to have the issue turn upon this point; but this is not the issue; and let me remind them that their work is not even begun, when it is proved that pain and torment is connected with the doom of the wicked of any or all classes; (which is not denied in these remarks, but as firmly believed and as fully advocated as by any.) I repeat it, the work is now fairly before you. I do not deny that pain and torment will be connected with the final doom of these unhappy victims of beast-worship, whenever or wherever they may have their final fate administered; but where is the proof that this is positively eternal? Why, in the expression, “And the smoke of their torment ascendeth up for ever and ever.” Now will you build an eternity of woe upon this lean, and highly figurative expression.
But let us look more closely at it. The fire may torment, and finally burn up a person, and the smoke go on and on: there is no proof even in this when closely examined. But this torment is to be in the presence of the holy angels, and in the presence of the Lamb. Now, if this torment is to be positively eternal, how can Paul's declaration in 2 Thess. i, 9, be true? “Who shall be punished with everlasting destruction from (not in) the presence of the Lord, and from the glory of his power.”
Can any one believe, without good and plain evidence, that the beast-worshippers will live and writhe and weep and be tormented, and all this in the presence of the holy angels and the Lamb, and that to all eternity? A man must have strong credulity to believe such a monstrosity as this upon such testimony as is here adduced, and that too in the face of thousands of plain texts to the contrary. But look again: they are to have no rest day nor night; so that this torment is connected with day and night. How can those who believe the wicked, of all classes, will be tormented in eternity, harmonize these two notions.
Suppose we go to the very last and closing statements touching the wicked in this book, and see how this torment is terminated. Rev. xx, 9. “And they went up on the breadth of the earth, and compassed the camp of the saints about, and the beloved city; and fire came down from God out of heaven, and devoured them.” Compare this with others. Rev. xi, 15-19, under the sounding of the seventh angel: “And the nations were angry, and thy wrath is come, and the time of the dead, that they should be judged, and that thou shouldest give reward unto thy servants the prophets, and to the saints, and them that fear thy name, small and great: and shouldest destroy them which destroy (corrupt, see margin,) the earth.” See another place: Rev. xx, 14. “And death and hell were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death.”
Here is the terminus of their existence. Suffice it to say concerning this text, [Rev. xiv, 9, and onward,] that it comes infinitely short of proving a positive eternity of torture. It proves torment, this is not denied: but it does not prove an eternity of torment. Hundreds of passages show too plain to be mistaken, that the final doom of the impenitent is death, destruction, perishing, ceasing to be, &c. I will give samples under several heads, first.
Death. Deut. xxiv, 16; Eze. xviii, 4, 20, 21, 23, 24, 26; xxxiii, 8, 9, 13, 14, 18; Matt. x, 39; xvi, 25; John iii, 36; vi, 53, 54; xii, 25; 2 Cor. ii, 16; 1 John v, 12. See Rom. ii, 29-32. In this place Paul has enumerated the very worst vices conceivable, and closes up by saying that those which commit such things are worthy of DEATH. If Paul had believed in eternal misery, this would have been an excellent occasion for him to have made it known; but the very worst thing he said is, they are worthy of death, not eternal misery. See a number of texts which speak of the wicked's being burned up. Mal. iv, 1-3; Isa. xxiv, 6; Matt. iii, 10, 12; xiii, 30.
Destroy. 2 Thess. i, 9; Matt. x, 28; Acts iii, 23; 1 Thess. v, 2; Ps. cxlv, 20; Prov. x, 29; xxix, 1. Obadiah in speaking of the heathen says, “They shall be as though they had not been.”
Let me make a very plain statement in conclusion: All the plain literal statements of holy Scripture are in favor of the doctrine of destruction or death, as the penalty for sin: all the figures when properly examined are found to teach the same doctrine. Eternal misery, and the immortal soul, are not found in that blessed volume, the Bible, and must flow to us from another fountain. The soul that sinneth it shall die. The wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ. All are now mortal completely: immortality is the gift of God to those who obey the gospel. No wicked or disobedient one will ever be made immortal: they shall perish. I have noticed some of the most important objections, drawn from the intermediate state and the nature of future punishment, and I cannot see any proof whatever, for present immortality to any, or future immortality to the disobedient.
(Concluded next week.)