The Reality of Death

Pacific Press Publishing Association · Mountain View, California · Jun 27, 1911

FromSigns of the Times, Vol. 38, No. 25.

The Reality of Death

It has been proposed in Christian Science circles to raise a fund with which to build a monument over the grave of the late Mrs. Eddy. Mrs. Augusta Stetson, the former leader of the "First Church of Christ, Scientist," in New York City, resents the idea, and sends out a spirited disclaimer against it. She says that to erect a monument over the grave of Mrs. Eddy would be to profess their belief in death, which was against all of Mrs. Eddy's teaching. Mrs. Stetson thinks it would be very amusing to Mrs. Eddy for her to come around and see her friends building a monument over her tomb when she was not there. There is nothing plainer than the teaching of the Word of God that men do actually die. And there is nothing plainer in that Word than that men when they die remain dead until the power of God releases them from death in the resurrection. Any views to the contrary are based upon myth and fables, and are opposed to the plainest facts of common observation. Every outward appearance shows that man in death is actually dead. No reliable test of science, it has to be admitted, can prove by actual demonstration that there is any part of the man that does not die. With these facts the Word of God is in full accord. It is very unsafe to spurn such powerful evidence. It will yet be seen that any doctrine that sets aside the resurrection by teaching that there is no death, will bring its adherents into bitter and irreparable grief.