ANNIHILATION by Editor

Publishing Committee · Battle Creek, Mich. · Feb 21, 1856

ANNIHILATION.

By Editor

In another column we give a communication on this subject from one of our correspondents. We know not how extensively our friend has read on the subject of "Life and Death," but judge from some of his expressions that he has not acquainted himself with the full extent of the arguments on this question. We are glad to receive from him so frank a statement of the difficulties that exist in his own mind, and, if we are in any way successful in answering and removing them, it may help other minds also on the same points.

First, let us offer a word of explanation as to the term "annihilation," that we may not be misunderstood in our expressions hereafter. To this word there are given two definitions: 1st, "To reduce to nothing; to destroy the existence of." 2d, "To destroy the form or peculiar distinctive properties, so that the specific thing no longer exists." Now in the sense of the first of these definitions, we would not apply the term to the wicked or anything else; as we would consider such application neither scriptural nor philosophical; but that the second expresses the final destiny of the wicked, we regard as both reasonable and scriptural. For instance; subject wood to the action of fire, and it will be decomposed: it will be resolved into smoke and ashes; as wood it no longer exists; as far as that specific form is concerned it is annihilated; yet the matter is still in existence.

Just so in regard to the wicked: when they shall be brought to pass the fatal ordeal of unquenchable fire, as conscious, intelligent beings, they will cease to exist. Into smoke shall they consume away. Ps. xxxvii, 20. They shall be ashes under the soles of the saints' feet. Mal. iv, 3. Whenever, therefore, we apply the term annihilation to the wicked, we mean to convey by it, not the idea of their destruction as matter, but their destruction as conscious beings.

The remark that the wicked and unbelieving desire this to be true, however correct it may be in regard to some, cannot certainly apply to all. Within the limits of our own observation, we have found more who would sooner shrink from the idea of forever losing their consciousness and identity among the works of God, than of continuing in life, though that life be one of fiery torment.

The reasonableness of any doctrine must be made to appear, in order for it to take effect upon the minds of men; for there is no Scripture doctrine which is not in accordance with sound reason. And when we talk to the wicked of their final destiny, we must show them that it is in accordance with that justice and judgment which are the habitation of God's throne. Ps. lxxxix, 14.

Now the doctrine of an eternity of ever-increasing torment for the acts of a life on earth which averages only about a score and a half of years can never be made to appear reasonable. If this be indeed the dealings of God with his creatures, replies the sinner, and justly too, then he is unjust and tyrannical! Thus professors of christianity themselves, by not sufficiently purging their creed from the errors of the Man of Sin, have placed in the hands of infidels a most potent weapon against the Christian religion.

We appeal to the present state of the world, and ask, What has been the result of this teaching? However much sinners would like to have the doctrine of their destruction true, they nevertheless haven't repented, though they have apparently believed in endless misery. Perhaps the world, as a whole, was never more wicked and corrupt than at the present time; yet this doctrine has been preached from the pulpit and the press, and the masses have professed to believe it. What then is the trouble, that the world has grown wicked under such preaching as this? The real truth, if it was known, and it is beginning to be known, is, that the people do not believe such a doctrine; and they never will believe it. Ministers of the gospel, in their fiery attempts to frighten men to heaven by the flames of hell, have driven them within the pales of skepticism, where now either reason or scripture, will scarcely have any effect upon their callous mind. As the result of all this, we see Infidelity pluming its wings all over our land; we see German Rationalism working like leaven among the masses; we see skepticism bursting forth among those communities which have been considered most sound and orthodox; and we see Spiritualism numbering its zealous but deceived votaries.

Those who charge us with making death an eternal sleep, misapprehend us entirely. The "boast of the Infidel" receives no sanction from our views. That sleep of the wicked, which is the result of temporal death, extends only to the second resurrection, [Rev. xx, 5.] when they will be rewarded according to their works. Verse 13. Sin is the transgression of the law; and the wages of sin is death. It cannot be temporal death which is the wages of sin, or personal transgressions; for that was entailed on our race by the sin of Adam, and righteous and wicked have been alike subject to it. But there is to be a resurrection of the wicked, [Jno. v, 28, 29; Acts xxiv, 15.] when they shall suffer the second death, and in that death they will receive full retribution for all their sin, for they shall be rewarded according to their works. The reasonableness and justice of this, is at once apparent to all. Let those therefore who "revel in sin here and all its carnal indulgences," remember that for all these things they are to be brought into judgment, and they shall receive the full penalty for all their sins in the suffering of the second death.

As regards the "forebodings" mentioned by our correspondent, we reply that probably no dying sinner, has had forebodings of anything worse than he will fully realize. But we certainly cannot take the exclamations of a mind which has been schooled in false ideas of the future, when brought up at the point of death, as a basis on which to build a theory!

"The same shall receive the greater damnation." Luke xx, 47. Bro. D. asks how this declaration can be true if all are consumed and perish. With much more propriety we might put the same question to those who believe in endless misery. How can one receive greater damnation than another if all are to burn forever in a lake of fire? The degree of punishment could in this case only be accomplished by the intensity of the suffering, while according to a Bible view of this subject it could be effected both by the intensity of the suffering, and by its duration also.

"These shall go away into everlasting punishment." Matt. xxv, 46. These shall go away, eis kolasin aionion into a punishment which is everlasting; but the righteous, reads the next sentence, into a life which is everlasting. Can any one doubt what the punishment here referred to is? It is the opposite of the life into which the righteous enter. But if this is not sufficient, the Scriptures are elsewhere very explicit on this point. "The soul that sinneth it shall die." "The wages of sin is death." It is everlasting because from the state to which they are then reduced they will never have a resurrection or a reviving.

There is implanted in mankind a strong desire for life. Bring a person to the point of death, and he will plead for life. He cares not if he is stripped of every thing, if life is only still left. Yea, he would be willing to be maimed and mutilated, if he can only still live. Now if we may reason from analogy, what will be the agony of the wicked when they come up around the holy city of the saints, [Rev. xx, 9.] and behold the glories of their inheritance, and realize that they are to be forever deprived of that, and consigned to eternal oblivion. And then there will be weeping and wailing and gnashing of teeth, when they see Abraham, Isaac and Jacob in the kingdom of God and they themselves thrust out. Luke xiii, 28.

With the view that the wages of sin and the doom of the sinner is death, there is harmony throughout the Scriptures on this subject; for all those texts which have been considered objections, can be clearly explained. But if there are certain scriptures which teach eternal misery, then the Bible contradicts itself; for there are multitudes of texts which can never be harmonized with such a view.

We can only refer those who are investigating this subject to the numerous works now extant by which it is clearly proved to be in accordance with Scripture.