Christian Spiritualism by John Norton Loughborough

Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association · Battle Creek, Mich. · Feb 18, 1873

Christian Spiritualism.

By John Norton Loughborough

“THE Evangel,” the periodical of the Baptist denomination on this coast, in its issue of Jan. 9, 1873, gives the obituary notice of D. S. Watson, president of the California Baptist State Convention. After speaking of the services Eld. Watson had rendered to the Baptist cause, the writer of the obituary, C. B. P., says:— “After all, our brother is not dead. He has simply ‘gone before.’ The house he lived in may, and will, decay, but the earnest soul will still serve the Lord. The loved and loving wife, who ministered so faithfully to the suffering body, may find her aching heart soothed by some gentle, silent influence, from the heavenly land; and, if permitted to do so, that angel spirit will thus minister to her, and to his dear church, and to other loved friends toiling for Jesus.”

Should the Elder’s former society hear rapping, they may conclude it is from their former pastor. We prefer the sentiment of the wise man: “Neither have they any more a portion forever in anything that is done under the sun.” And instead of looking for consolation in the doubtful masses of heathen mythology, we would take heed to that consolation Paul gave his mourning friends: “The Lord himself shall descend from Heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God; and the dead in Christ shall rise first; then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air; and so shall we ever be with the Lord. Wherefore comfort one another with these words.” J. N. LOUGHBOROUGH.