Quite Immaterial | AdventAI

Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association · Battle Creek, Mich. · Dec 8, 1874

Quite Immaterial.

WHEN popular theology has reduced the essential man to nonentity, and, having made him immaterial, consigns him to a home outside the universe of matter, it is really quite immaterial what his condition may be otherwise. In fact, such a condition could only be absolute nothingness. And this fact many humble folks have always been quick to recognize.

Dr. Chambers, in some of his writings, relates a somewhat amusing account of the way in which a young preacher failed to be invited to the pastorate of a certain church.

By arrangement he preached as a candidate. The discourse which he delivered had been carefully prepared, and the subject of it was the “Immateriality of the Soul.” He was satisfied with his work, being sure that he had proved conclusively that the soul is not composed of matter, but is immaterial. But his logic and its conclusions, both so satisfactory to his mind, were nevertheless fatal to his prospects. The congregation argued, that to say the soul is immaterial is about equal to saying that it is immaterial whether people have souls or not. The church concluded that it was not in need of a pastor who believed in immaterial souls. We think we could find a few churches nowadays that might wisely reach the same or a similar conclusion.—Herald of Life.