They Shall not Surely Die

The Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association · Battle Creek, Michigan · Aug 25, 1863

"They Shall not Surely Die."

In a pamphlet on the Parable of Dives and Lazarus, lately published by H. G. Storer, occurs the following eloquent passage concerning the early corruption of Christian doctrine and its effects:

'Soon, indeed, did the serpent of Eden, exchanging his ancient reptile form for that of a winged philosophy, and borrowing the seductive voice of the seraphic Plato, whisper into the ear of the woman betrothed to the second Adam, while he pointed at the lost, 'They shall not surely die!' Therefore she has long 'propheised in sackcloth!' not joyfully 'looking for and hastening unto the coming of the day of God,' as she did at first (2 Pet. iii, 12; 2 Tim. iv, 8), nay, but rather dreading than desiring his expected coming with 'endless torments' for a world in which the righteous have ever been but a 'little flock.' Therefore, also, for some fifteen centuries now, have the publicans and sinners of our race, for the most part, fled affrighted from this terrified and terrifying bride, as from one less qualified to win, to comfort, and to save, than to 'torment them before the time.'' (Pp. 35, 36.).