THE MAJORITY BELIEF by Wm. Penniman

Pacific Press Publishing Company · Oakland, California · Dec 20, 1899

FromSigns of the Times, Vol. 25, No. 51.

THE MAJORITY BELIEF.

By Wm. Penniman

"All Nations Have Always Believed in the Immortality of the Soul."

IF it can be proved from the Word of God that the soul has natural immortality, and will never die, then the case of endless torment is greatly strengthened; but because all nations have believed a thing, that does not make it true. All nations have believed many other erroneous doctrines, and the majority have always been in the wrong.

As to the development of this belief we can not do better than to quote from a work entitled "The History of the Immortality of the Soul" p. 48, as follows:—

Another cause, and perhaps the chief, which aided in developing and supporting a belief in this doctrine, was the interest and authority of priests and lawgivers. Commonly those two officers were united in one person. Of course the more importance the priests could attach to the soul, and to rewards and punishments after death, the greater influence would they have with the people, and the more readily would they support them. Hence their interest was to build up this doctrine at every opportunity; and history shows that from the Egyptians to the Roman Catholic priests they have not been slack in doing this. So, also, the magistrate found that it greatly aided him in controlling the people, and in keeping them under, by threatening them with the wrath of the gods, and future torments for disobedience to the laws. Hence, also, says Dr. Horne, the most celebrated legislators of antiquity, as Zoroaster, Minos, Pythagoras, Solon, Lycurgus, Numa, etc., etc., all thought it necessary to profess some intercourse with heaven in order to give the greater sanction to their laws and institutions, notwithstanding many of them were armed with secular power.

Hence he also united his interest with the priest in helping forward this doctrine. Volumes might be and have been written showing that this is the case.

The very learned Bishop Warburton, in his "Drome Legation of Moses Demonstrated in Nine Books," has abundantly proved, by copious quotations from ancient writers, that what was said about the infernal regions, elysium, etc., was all invented by the priests and lawgivers to frighten the people and keep them in subjection.

Reader, let us not "follow a multitude to do evil" (Ex. 23:2), or to believe evil, but let us "prove all things; hold fast that which is good" (1 Thess. 5:21).

WM. PENNIMAN.