RECAPITULATION | AdventAI

Publishing Committee · Battle Creek, Mich. · Oct 6, 1859

RECAPITULATION.

Let us collect and note the conclusions to which the foregoing investigation has led us. We have found 1. That man was not endowed in his creation with any inherent immortal principle; that immortality and eternal existence are never predica

ted of either the soul or spirit irrespective of character. 2. That there is no inspired description of man in death, which represents him as a compound being surviving the dissolution of the body; but that the whole man is reduced to unconsciousness, and thus sleeps till the voice of Omnipotence shall bring him up again from the grave. 3. That a resurrection is affirmed of the whole race. 4. That the expressions used to describe the punishment of the wicked which then takes place; viz., the smoke of their torment ascending up forever and ever, everlasting and unquenchable fire, and a never-dying worm, were not such terms as would convey the idea of an eternity of existence to those who heard them; but on the contrary, according to the usus loquendi of the age in which they were spoken, they would denote the most utter and complete destruction of all objects to which they were applied. 5. That eternal life is suspended upon conditions, and can never be obtained except through compliance with those conditions; that incorruption and immortality are yet to be put on, but not till the resurrection [1 Cor. xv, 53, 54]; that they are to be obtained alone through Christ, and consequently that all who are out of him will never receive them, but must on the other hand "reap corruption" [Gal. vi, 8], die, be slain, be consumed, be destroyed, perish, be rooted out of the land of the living, be burnt up as withered branches, dried thorns, chaff and stubble, be ashes under the saints' feet, and reach a state which so far as their existence is concerned, will be absolutely as though they had never been. And we hesitate not to affirm with the utmost assurance, that, in all these conclusions both reason and revelation stand fully with us. Are you then ready to inquire how it is that the doctrine of the soul's immortality has come to be so generally received? We will tell you: It has been taken for granted! Says Bishop Tillotson, "The immortality of the soul is rather supposed or taken for granted, than expressly revealed in the Bible." "It is taken for granted" that immortality is an essential attribute of the soul, and that therefore for the Bible to affirm it would be mere tautology. But we reply, Is not immortality an essential attribute also of Jehovah? Yet the Bible has been tautological enough to plainly state this fact. And it would seem that it might have carried its "tautology" a little further, and told us as much, at least once, about the soul, if that too was immortal; for surely its immortality cannot be more essential than that of Jehovah.

FALSE IMPRESSIONS CORRECTED.

But nature everywhere revolts, we are told, against our doctrine of annihilation, and everywhere proves it false; for nothing has ever been, nor ever can be, annihilated. To which we reply, Very true; and here we would correct the impression which some seem to entertain, that we believe in any such annihilation of the wicked; or the annihilation of anything as matter. In reference to the wicked we simply affirm that they will be annihilated as living beings, the matter of which they are composed passing into other forms. The second definition of annihilate, according to Webster, is, "To destroy the form or the peculiar distinctive properties, so that the specific thing no longer exists; as, to annihilate a forest by cutting and carrying away the trees, though the timber may still exist; to annihilate a house, by demolishing the structure." Just so of the wicked: as conscious intelligent beings they are annihilated, being resolved into their original elements. But many are ready to ask with apparent solicitude, Why preach this doctrine even if it be true? What good can result? and will not the tendency be evil? Or rather, to put it in the strong language of some, its tendency will be evil; "it will make more infidels than Tom Paine's Age of Reason; and no conversions to God will ever follow in the track of its blighting and soul-destroying influence." We are acquainted with individuals who take this position, and who have expressed it in almost these words. But we are happy to know that such a view of the subject is an entire misapprehension; and we are still more happy to be able to correct it both from the testimony of our opponents and from our own observation. They entirely mistake the doctrine to which such charges belong. Would they but apply them to their own views, and we say it with all due deference, we apprehend they would be far nearer the truth. Concerning the tendency of the popular doctrine, the eminent Saurin at the close of one of his sermons, thus speaks: "I sink, I sink, under the awful weight of my subject; and I declare, when I see my friends, my relations, the people of my charge,—this whole congregation, when I think that I, that you, that we all are exposed to these torments; when I see in the lukewarmness of my devotions, in the languor of my love, in the levity of my resolutions and designs, the least evidence, though it be only possible or presumptive, of my future misery, I find in the thought a mortal poison, that diffuseth itself through every period of my existence, rendering society tiresome, nourishment insipid, pleasure disgustful, and life itself a cruel bitter. I cease to wonder, that the fear of hell hath made some melancholy, others mad; that it hath disposed some to expose themselves to a living martyrdom, by fleeing from all commerce with the rest of mankind, and others to suffer the most terrible, violent torments." Such is the effect of the doctrine of eternal misery with some, according to the confession of its own advocates. No one can say that such effects are either good or desirable. And why does it not have this effect on more? We answer, It is because the lips only mechanically assent to what the heart and reason either will not try to realize, or else do not seriously believe. But the majority are affected by it far differently. Every better emotion of their nature revolts at the idea, and they will not accept it. They cannot believe that God is thus cruel, tyrannical, revengeful, implacable; the personification, in short, of every trait of character, which when seen in men here, we consider unmistakable marks of debasement and degradation. And believing the Bible and christianity to be identified with such teaching as this, with equal promptness they too are rejected and cast away. But here we need not enlarge. Probably no one will read these pages under whose observation some case has not come, of persons driven into skepticism, yes, driven and held there, by the popular doctrine of eternal misery. But how with the view we have tried to present? Quite the reverse as our own observation proves. Instances have come under our immediate knowledge of persons who, when they saw the divine harmony of God's system of government, as brought to view in his word, when they saw the just and reasonable disposition which the Bible declares that he will make of all those who will persist in rebellion against him,—a disposition in which justice and mercy so beautifully blend, have been able to take that Bible and say that for the first time in their life they could believe it to be the book of God. And believing this, they have been led to turn their feet into its testimonies, and strive by obedience to its plain requirements to escape a doom which they could see to be just, and therefore knew to be certain. This has been the experience of many. Let then the impression no longer exist, and the assertion no more be made, that these views tend to irreligion and infidelity. Their fruits everywhere show just the reverse. Can it then be wondered at that we should be solicitous to disabuse the minds of the people in this respect? Shall we not have a zeal for the Lord, and be untiring in our efforts to wipe off from the book and the character of God, the assertions which are by this doctrine cast upon it? God represents himself to his creatures by his own sweet name of Love; he declares that he is very pitiful and of tender mercy, long-suffering and slow to anger, not hasty to execute sentence against an evil work, not gratified in any manner by the death of the wicked, and not willing that any should perish; he declares that he delighteth in mercy, that he will not contend forever, neither be always wroth. And can it be that while thus representing himself to the inhabitants of earth, he was kindling fiery torture on multitudes of wretched beings in the dreary regions of hell, feeding their flame with his incensed fury, preserving and tormenting them in infinite indignation, exerting all his divine attributes to make them as wretched as the capacity of their nature would admit, and maintaining a fixed purpose to do this, through the endless ages of eternity! If not, "what a portentous error must it be!" How fearfully is his character misrepresented! What a bold and audacious libel is uttered against his holy name! The root and trunk of all this, is the "taken-for-granted" position that the soul is immortal. But search through your Bible and see if you find it so. See if you can find the death that never dies, never-dying soul, and endless torture. If not, we ask you to reject it at once as most dangerous and destructive error. Men are thus rejecting it. The leaven is working in the public mind. Men are growing suspicious of the truth of a declaration, first uttered by a doubtful character in Eden, perpetuated thence through heathenism, and at last through the medium of the Mother of harlots, disseminated through all the veins and channels of Orthodoxy. But truth will work its way up, however deeply the rubbish may have been heaped upon it; and before the bright rising of its light, all antiquated superstitions and traditionary dogmas will be exposed in their native deformity.

CONCLUSION.

Before we take the parting hand, dear reader, if you are one whose peace is not yet made with God, allow us to second the tender entreaty which he extends to you, "Turn ye, turn ye, for why will ye die?" "As I live, saith the Lord God, I have no pleasure in the death of the wicked, but that he turn from his way and live." Life and death are set before you. The Saviour bids you look unto him and live. Mercy entreats you to destroy not yourself. The Spirit and the Bride bid you come and partake of the water of life freely. You can no longer take refuge from an awakened conscience under the idea that the threatenings of the Lord are not understood, and may not therefore be so terrific as supposed. The sinner's doom is unmistakably declared; and in the justness of that sentence, however slightly you may now realize the heinousness and just desert of sin, your own reason can but heartily concur. Will you then plunge headlong to ruin? or will you turn and accept the immense gratuity of eternal life? Of course you do not mean to perish. We accuse you not of this. The shining form of Hope is dancing on before you in the path of life—hope that ere it is too late, ere the silver cord be loosed or ever the golden bowl be broken, you will make sure a treasure and inheritance in heaven. We would impress upon your mind that this hope may deceive you. Ere you reach the delusive phantom, the earth may suddenly open beneath your feet, and Hades receive you to its fixed embrace. Ere you overtake the beckoning form, ere the good intention be carried out, ere you grasp the prize, now held only by the uncertain tenure of good resolve, the glory of the coming Judge descending through the parting and dissolving heavens, may suddenly burst upon your unprepared soul. Yes! the great voice from the temple of heaven crying, "It is finished!" may suddenly arrest you in the midst of your delaying and dallying career! The heavenly court of mercy may cease its sitting, ere you have made a friend of the great Advocate who alone can plead your cause! "Procrastination is the thief of time." It may be the thief of your eternal bliss. Its every moment is high-handed and insane presumption. Its path is a path of unseen and innumerable dangers. You have no lease of your life. The present state is one of exposure and peril. The shafts of death are flying thickly about you. Time is short and its sands are swiftly falling. The bliss of heaven or the blackness of darkness forever shall soon be yours. With the saved or lost you must soon take your position. There is no intermediate ground. Choose then, we beseech you, the enduring portion. Choose for eternity, choose wisely, choose now. And may it be ours to join the great song of salvation at last, ascribing blessing, and honor, and glory, and power, unto Him who sitteth upon the throne, and unto the Lamb who hath redeemed us by his blood.