IIIy RClVO THt WORD WITII ALL RAOI-NESS OF NIND AND SEARCHEDTilE SCRIP~/{JRS DAILYWllfTf/ER l7iOSE TIIII/CS WERESO

illREFOR MANY _OF_:-IIEI!!~f.IV;;:sXVI/'

SALISBURY CONFERENCE REPORT.

No. 1. Vol. VI.
OCTOBER, 1882.
DOUBLE NUMBER, TWOPENCE. EDITEDand PUBLISHED by CYRUSE. BROOKS, three of our expected and esteemed officers or Malvern Link, Worcestershire-on behalf of the helpers (H. J. Ward, Esq., Gen. H. Goodwyn, and Mr. Albert Smith) ; this, however, we trust Conditional Im1no1talUy Association. was and will be sanctified to us and to them, as This Number consists of 24 pages, and is sold reminding us that our help is in God and not at Twopence. Early orders are necessary, as man, and in preparing and sanctifying them for only a small reserve will be printed. future service. The Conference was well and generously reported hy the Salisbury Press; the Times deANNUAL CONFERENCE REPORT, voting six columns thereto, whilst the Journal gave above two columns, and the Express about SALISBURY, 1882. the same. The Western Gazette (published in HE Salisbury Conference marks, we trust, a Yeovil), gave a fair notice. In addition to its new era for the Association. Hitherto our report the Salisbury Times gave a very liberal work has been the lowly but useful and necessary and discriminative editorial article, from which one of foundation-laying, now we trust to be we cull a few sentences :-" One thing the visit enabled to divert our means and energies to the of the Conditional Immortality Association to erection of the superstructure. Or to lay figure Salisbury has done-it has torn away the veil of mystery that surrounded it3 opinions. Another aside, as an organization we have been struggling with iunumerable difficulties, arising from a thing it has done-it has presented the Memvariety of causes, but which by Divine grace we bers in the light of earnest, thonghtful men, men have been able to overcome,-for which to God who seek enquiry and who do not seek to evade They are men who be the whole praise and glory-and now we hope investigation or discussion. to be enabled to devote our growing means and do not believe in eternal torment-they divest energies to earnest, active, and efficient testimony the future of its horror. . . These gentlemen have stepped boldly forth-have thrown off the for Divine truth. In tendering an invitation to the Association natural fear surrounding the shaking-off the to hold its Fifth Annual Conference in the City 'dry-bones of the past;' and assert that the of Salisbury, our local friends had the courage past itself is wrong. . No one, however, of their convictions; and though they were could have attended these meetings without somewhat anxious as to their ability to do having been benefited-benefited apart from the justice to their guests, and to secure a successful ability of the speakers, in the light they threw Conference, yet events have amply justified the upon theology." The only exception to the courteous treatment course taken, and the Association has added Salisbury to its Conference towns as a place of received by the Association, was that of the well.meaning but somewhat impulsive Rector of pleasant memory and useful service. As regards the hospitality extended, and the Fisberton, who, in the pages of his Parish warmth of the welcome given, the Association Magazine, noticed the fact that a Conference on has never been better entertained,-a result Conditional Immortality was about to be held in largely due to the earnest and untiring efforts of the city, branded its upholders and witnesses as the local Secretary, Mr. W. R. Moore, and his men guilty of "unholy cavilling," and advised his parishioners to wholly abstain from attendvaluable eo-helper, Mrs. L. Bartlett. In God's providence we were severely chastened ance thereat. We can but regret this breach of by the heavy hand of affliction being. laid on Christian courtesy, this un-Berean spirit shown to. disciples of the same Lord and revere;t students of the same Holy Word; the more especially as Mr. Thwaites is supposed to be at one with the Association on the question of the premillennial Advent, though decidedly differing on that of the Life. Surely it had been better to welcome onr advocacy in the former, and to have heard patiently our testimony for the latter, and -if wrong-to have refuted it. Notwithstanding this, however, the meetings were fairly (and representatively) attended, and the testimony received with an earnest attention that bids fair for a future harvest for Divine truth. One feature which has prominently marked this Conference is the generous way in which members of orthodox Churches have received and entertained the members of the Conference. An example of pleasing catholicity, which we hope will mark all future gatherings. Doubtless we owe much of this to the wise choice of the lady appointed to canvass for homes, but the pleasing responses given to her requests mark a better feeling on the part of the Churches toward reverent (though heterodox) thinkers on the great themes of human nature and destiny, and are an augury of future good. On Tuesday, Augnst 29, at 6.30 p.m., the Executive Committee met. The Treasurer (R. J. Hammond, Esq.) presided. On the same evening, at 8, a Meeting for Prayer was held in Harcourt Baptist Chnrch, conducted by Mr. W. R. Moore (local Secretary). About 45 members and friends attended, and a pleasing spiritual influence was realized. This was followed by an informal meeting for social intercourse, when new acquaintances were made and old renewed. On Wednesday, August 30, at 10 a.m., a meeting of the Committee and Delegates was held, at which the Treasnrer again presided. On Wednesday afternoon, at 3, a Service was held in Harcourt Baptist Church, attended by near one hundred persons. The devotional services were conducted by the Rev. Thos. Vasey,

2
of Bacup, and the sermon eloquently delivered by the Rev. B. B. Wale, of Malvern. The sermon was closely followed by a deeply-interested audience, who showed the most earnest attention -though extending over a full hour-and proved a most noble testimony for the truth of 'Life only in Christ.' We have never seen an audience more deeply interested or intensely moved. Aiter tea, a Meeting for Discussion was held, at 6.30, in the Hamilton Hall, under the presidency of R. J. Hammond, Esq., Treasurer, when an excellent paper was read by A. Watson, Esq., of Salisbury, which called forth marked approval, and the expression of a desire for its separate publication. There were quite 80 persons present, foul' of whom-two being representatives of the Press-took part in the discussion in opposition to the views of the reader. Mr. Watson replied briefly, stating, at the close, his perfect willingness to take up the glove thrown down, and defend in public discussionat any future time-the views advocated in his paper. At 7.45 a Meeting for Addresses was held in the same Hall, when the chair was taken by the Rev. W. Leask, D.D., of London [Vice-Prosident). He was well supported on the platform by a large number of the officers and members, and by the choir of Harcourt Baptist Church. There were above 200 persons present, the tone of the meeting being high and fervent, and each speaker well received and closely followed. The Rev. T. Vasey, of Bacup, opened with a feeling address on "Eternal Life in Christ only; its Importance and Practical Influence." The Rev. G. P. Mackay, of Lincoln, followed with a practical and telling address on "Reasons for Faith in Immortality upon Conditions." Owing to severe illness Mr. A. Smith's address was omitted,-for though he had reached Salisbury for the meeting of the Conference, he was confined to his bed throughout, with the exception of the Tuesday evening. The Rev. J. C. Carlile, of Cheltenham, in a speech of promise, moved the following resolution-in place of Capt. J. E. Dutton, of Liverpool, who was unable to attend owing to having to sail the following morning"That this Meeting-whilst reserving its individual judgment upon the points at issuetenders its thanks to the Association for the opportunity afforded by the Conference of hearing the subject of 'Conditional Irnmortality' publicly advocated, and declares its entire sympathy with free, fair, and reverent enquiry thereon.' This was seconded by Mr. J. J. Hobbs, of Blandford, who referred to the power that could not fail to be exercised by such a meeting, seeing that the wings of the Press would scatter broadcast the seeds of truth then being sown, so that the number of hearers would be multiplied sixty-fold. The resolution was carried without opposition. Mr. W. R. Moore, of Salisbury, then moved the thanks of the meeting to the Chairmen and Speakers of the Day's Meetings. He made special reference to the published strictures of the Rector of Fisherton, and evidently carried the meeting with him in his courteous protest against such treatment. Mr. H. Cliff, of Torquay, seconded the motion in an earnest and feeling speech, which clearly revealed his Methodistic training and fire. The singing of selected hymns, led by a powerful harmonium and choir, materially enhanced the pleasure of a very pleasant and useful meeting. On Thursday, August 31, at 10 a.m., the annual meeting of members was held in Harcourt Baptist Church, the senior Vice-President (Rev. W. Leask, D.D.), presided. There was a good attendance, though the sights of the city claimed the attention of some. Letters were read from the President (H. J. Ward, Esq., of Liverpool), and Gen. H. Goodwyn (of Reading, Vice-President), deeply regretting their enforced absence, through illness. The illness of Mr. A. Smith (of Blackburn), was also reported. Silent prayer followed on behalf of the sufferers. The 'I'rea-

THE

BIBLE

STANDARD.
have been carried to its present satisfactory issue. The whole of the officers were re-elected as follows :-President: Henry J. Ward, Esq., Liverpool. Vice - Presidents: Rev. William Leask, D.D., London, and General H. Goodwyn, Reading. Treasurer: Robert J. Hammond, Esq., London. Auditor: William Mortimer, Esq., Lincoln. Sub-Auditor: Mr. James W. Davis, London. Secretary: Cyrus E. Brooks, Malvern Link. The whole of the members of the Executive Committee were re-elected as follows: -Messrs. William Bausor, Lincoln; W. F. Davies, Liverpool, W. H. Miller, Liverpool; William Laing, Edinburgh; (Rev.) Thomas Vasey, Bacup ; George Walton, Skipton; and J. J. Hobbs, Blandford. The following new members were added to the Committee :-Dr. Edward W. Forster, Darlington; Rev. Burlington B. Wale, Malvern; and Mr. John Paul, Bradford, Yorks. The corresponding members were all reelected 'as follows :-Rev. George A. Brown, Auckland, New Zealand; Lieut.-Col. E. Armstrong, Quilon, S. India; Captain J. E. Dutton, Liverpool and New York; Major G. J. van Someren, India; George A. Winckler, Esq., Assam and Bengal. Votes of thanks were passed to the whole of the above, on re-election. Reports were given on behalf of the following places :-Lincoln, London, Salisbury, Bradford (Yorks.), Torquay, Cheltenham. Time would not allow of further speech. At 3.0 p.m. on Thursday, a service was held in Harcourt Baptist Church, which, although the rain fell heavily, was attended by nearly 100 persons. The Rev. G. P. Mackay, of Lincoln, conducted the opening exercises, and a sermon of much beauty and power was delivered by the Rev. William Leask, D.D., of London. There was a fair representation present of the local ministry, attracted, doubtless, by the well-earned repu ta tion of the honored preacher and pioneer of truth-whom his brethren in the faith delight. to honour. At 6.30 a meeting for discussion was held in the Hamilton Hall, under the presidency ofMr. J. J. Hobbs, of Blandford. In the absence, through illness, of Mr. Albert Smith, the paper prepared by him was read by Mr. W. R. Moore, of Salisbury. There was a good and interested audience of quite 100 persons, five of whom took part in the after discussion. The paper, though practical and pertinent, was somewhat marred by a digression from the subject propel', into speculations touching the resurrection, but otherwise it was cordially received, though the digression was commented on by most of the aft~akers. At 7.45 the closing meeting of the Conference was held, and proved, as previous experience had suggested, the best. The audience wa s much larger than at either of the previous meetings, there being q uite 300 persons present. The chair was taken by Mr. J . .J. Hobbs, who was well sup ported on the platform, and the first address was given by Nathaniel Starkey, Esq., of London, on " The Coming Kingdoms and the Coming Kings." The speaker had come down especially for that meeting at some personal inconvenience, and had to return to London by the following train. His address was closely followed by an eviden tly interested audience. The Rev. Burlington B. Wale, of Malvern, followed with what the Salisbury T'imes justly designated as "The most remarkable address of the whole Conference," on "'rhe Recent Religious Census; audits Lessons." The address extended over a full hour, and was followed with the utmost earnestness by a deeply attentive and unflagging audience. The Rev. W. Leask briefly moved a resolution similar to that of the' previous evening, excepting the change of subject. This was seconded in a few racy an;l telling remarks by the Treasurer, and carried without any contrary opinion being ex-

'-.

surer read the balance-sheet, August 1st, 1881, to July 31st, 1882, showing a gain of above 37 over the previous year's income, and a balance in hand of 36s. The Auditors' report was then read by (in the absence of Mr. W. Mortimer) Mr. W. Bausor, of Lincoln. We give an abstraet :-" In presenting my fourth annual statement of accounts, I have to congratulate the members of the association upon having a small balance to their credit of 116s. 6~d., and also upon the steady increase of the annual income. It is pleasing to find that the income from sale of literature has increased by 80 12s. lld. Thanks, chiefly, to the earnest and energetic efforts of our esteemed treasurer. Perhaps the most gratifying feature of the balance-sheet is the steady gain in the subscriptions and collections, and in the wider representative area from which these have been drawn, showing that the truths we hold are spreading." The Auditor's statement of Assets and Liabilities was then read, showing a balance of 41 8s. 9d. in favour of the Association. The Secretary's report followed, of which we give only a summary:-A net increase of 127 members-the largest gain yet recorded. Three new Branch Associations, viz., London, N. W., Bradford (Yorks.), and Oanada=-a net increase of three. Three additional Subscribing Churches, viz. :Hull, Cheltenham, and Carlisle-a net increase of three. Publications :-28,000 copies of the Bible Standard, 12 pages; 5,000 of" Life and Death," 4 pages; 1,500 of the" Rich Man and Lazarus," 35 pages; 2,000 of " Unconditional Immortality Examined," 16 pages; 5,000 of "Repentance unto Life," 2 pages; 5,000 of "Beware," 2 pages; 5,000 or" A Pastor's Reflections," 4 pages '; :3,000 of" The End Near," 4 pages; 5,00ll of "Divine Immortality," 4 pages; 5,000 of "The Victory \ over Death," 4 pages; 3,000 of "What is Death? " 8 pages; 3,000 of "The Gospel Charter," 8 pages; 3,000 of "Chl'ist is Coming Again," 16 pages; and 5,000 of "The Twentieth Century," 16 pages. Making a total issue of 78,500 copies of tracts, pamphlets, and periodicals. The following is a summary of the resolutions of the Conference To tender the most hearty thanks of the Conference to its esteemed President, for his generous and oft-repeated acts of kindness, together with the expression of its deepest sympathy with him in his enforced absence through illness. That no change should be made in the Bible Standard. or its staff, but to instruct the editor to open its pages to articles (suitable, thereto) on those questions which are deemed open, so that each section of thought in the Association might be made equal. This does not include Church Ordinances and kindred topics. 'I' he editor was also instructed to take such steps as he deemed necessary to make the paper self-supporting. On the motion and generous offer. of A. Pitowsky, Esq., of Barnstaple, a " Special fund" was formed for the delivery of lectures and the holding of public meetings for the advocacy of the special truths held by the Association. Towards this 17 17s. was promised in the meeting. To hold a Spring Session of the Committee in Manchester in March next, at which lectures or addresses should be delivered at one or more public meetings. The most grateful and hearty thanks of the Conference to be given to the officers and membel'S of Harcourt Baptist Church, for their cordial invitation to Salisbury, and generous hospitality. That the Secretary be instructed to prepare and forward to each family taking Conference guests, a suitably written letter of thanks. That we wish to specially select for our ungrudging thanks two members of the Harcourt Bapti-t Church, viz.: our devoted helpers, Mrs. L. Bartlett, and Mr. IV. R. Moore ; without whose constant, energetic, judicious, and untiring efforts on our behalf, the Conference could not

THE

BIBLE

STANDARD.

3
is the Giver of life, and Ohrist is the Word of God, the expression of that life. Let us see what we understand by God being the Giver of life. Wrath is the aspect of the Divine government toward sin; love is the aspect of the Divine heart towards the sinner. Let me use an illustration, to render my meaning clear. Let us suppose a case of the Prince of Wales committing a crime, rendering him amenable to capital punishment by British law. The aspect of the law to him is death, What would be the aspect of the Queen's heart? Love. The aspect of the law to sin is death; the aspect of the Divine heart to the sinner is love; and thus life is the gift of God's love. So we are said to be redeemed from under the law; we were under it, the lightnings of the law were playing around us, we were exposed to all it could inflict. Christ's redemption was from under the law. Take an illustration of our meaning. A child is playing in some Alpine solitude; the father standing at the chalet door sees an impending avalanche-detached by the breeze, or loosened by the impulse of a passing eagle's wing-begin its terrible descent; he rushes to where his child is in danger; takes it to his bosom, and bears it to a place of safety. The avalanchj' falls, crushing and destroying all beneath it inf:ts descent. The child is redeemed from under the law, which, had it remained where it was, would have crushed it. That was our position. The lightnings of the law had been playing-around and about us. Ohrist came and bore uJl away to a place of safety. But the avalanehe Ll law falls, and all that is beneath it will be crushed, destroyed. "The wages of sin is death," and" the gift of God is eternal life."This gIft of the Father, through our union with the Lord Jesus Ohrist, which union is effected by the Holy Spirit, and realized by faith. And thus we dismiss, as we said, briefly, the last proposition of the text. We turn now to the first statement-" The wages of sin is death." What is death? Death is the disintegration of a compound being; its resolution into its original elements. And when God pronounced upon Adam the penalty of death, as a result of transgression,' it must have carried some meaning to Adam's mind. We cannot suppose that God pronounced a penalty which was unintelligible. We all know that death-at least in the animal kingdom-existed anterior to the creation of man. And when God said to Adam-" In the day that thou eat est thereof thou shalt surely die," Adam must have known what it meant, it must have conveyed to him a clear and definite idea. But Jest man in his perversity should attempt to show that death referred only to the death of the body and not of the entire man-not the death of the soul-the Holy Spirit says, "The soul that sinneth shall die." In another text we read, "He that converteth a sinner from the error of his ways shall save a soul from death." Does then" death" mean something different in the Bible to what it means elsewhere? If we were to receive the general teaching of the day, we should say "Yes." But we hold no authority, and recognise no authority, outside the covers of the Book. I ask the question againdoes death in the Bible mean something different from what it means in other works ?-to what we usually understand by it ? The only way to answer the question is by a careful analysis of the different scriptures in which the word occurs. We shall therefore attempt to show how the Holy Spirit in the subsequent texts of the Bible amplifies and explains the prima penalty pronounced against sin. 1 For instance, the word perish is used as representing death. In the 49th Psalm it is, "Man being in honour abideth not: he is like the beasts that perish;" It is written, "God so loved the world that He gave His only-begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him shall not

pressed. Then, very briefly, the' Secretary moved altar and slain, and the blood was poured out the thanks of the meeting to the Chairman and that is the life, the significance was this-that Speakers of the Day's Meetings; to the Officers life was forfeited. by sin, and that the judicial and Members of the Harcourt Baptist Church; desert of sin, from the hand of God, was to the Residents of Salisbury who had enter- death. There was another significance attaching tained the Visitors; and to the Harcourt Ohoir, to this sacrifice, for when the worshipper brought fa!' services freely rendered. He stated that, the victim he was supposed in that very act to had time permitted, he would gladly have given confess that he had committed the sin, the vent to the warm feelings of gratitude and praise desert of which was death, but on the basis of with which he regarded the subjects of the re- that confession-over that sacrifice-his sin was solution. It was carried unanimously, and was forgiven, and he himself accepted and his life followed by a few minutes devoted to questions, preserved. which were replied to by the Rev. B. B. Wale. In the first chapter of the Book of Leviticus Thus ended a truly happy Oonference. Our you will see this put clearly-I won't quote it. chief regret being that we had not arranged (as You will find there-God Himself being the at previous Oonferences) for a third evening Speaker-man was to bring the offering. he was meeting, which, judging from the growingInto lean hard upon it, identifying himself with terest and attendance, would have pretty nearly it; it was to be slain, and after that action it filled the building. was to be accepted for him. Such was the dis'I'he dining, &c., arrangements at the tinct significance of this sacrifice-c-that the " Nelson," Fisherton-street, gave general satis- desert of sin was death. And thus the sinner, faction; and the large and handsomely-furnished who confessed that fact, and through the sacriroom there proved very useful as a gathering fice and confession of it was forgiven, should place for social intercourse. have his life preserved and sustained. But all To the Choir of Harcourt Church the Con- these werebut shadows and types of the fullness ference is much indebted, as their Service of which was to be found alone in Ohrist. So He Song proved a most helpful feature of its meet- says: "Sacrifices and offerings Thou wouldst ings. And we wish also to present our thanks not; in the volume of Thy book it is written of to the friends who so kindly cared for the Book- Me-I come to do Thy will." When Ohrist stall-under the oversight of Mr. Lewis Bartlett. came He represented (as the sacrifices of old There were full 35 Visiting Members or Dele- represented) a physical life without spot or gates present, from the following places, ex- blemish-what was a perfect moral life-and clusive of Local Members: -Blackburn. Bacup, so Ohrist came without spot or blemish repreBlandford, Bristol, Bath. Barnstaple, Bradford senting humanity and what humanity should (Yorks), Oheltenham, Glasgow, London, Liver- render to God-perfect obedience, sinless obedipool, Lincoln, Malvern, Prestwich, Reading, ence, in thought, word, and deed. But inasmuch Swansea, Torquay, and Yeovil. as He also represented sinful man, He had to be The friends left with a warm greeting, and a made a sacrifice by offering up His life for the whispered-" Oome again." For many mercies ransom of the many. of another Oonference we are led to " Thank The Apostle Paul, in drawing an analogy beGod and take courage." tween the sacrifices of the latter economy and Two Sermons were given at Harcourt Baptist that of the Lord Jesus Ohrist, says: "It was Ohurch, on the Sunday following the Conference, not possible for the blood of bulls and goats to by the Secretary (Mr. 0, E. Brooks). put away sin." Why not? For four reasons, briefly stated. First of all, their death was not voluntary; irrespective of their will they were FIRST DAY, AUGUST 30th, slain. Second, their nature did not occupy the same plane with the nature that had fallen, but SERMON at 3 p.m. as follows :was far inferior to it. Third, their actions could not be inspired by moral motives, nor LIFE ONLY IN CHRIST; OR carry with them any moral value. ,And, finally, WAGES AND GIFT. their dea..th was not followed by resurrection, nor could it be-having died they remained dead; By REV. B. B. WALE, OF MALVERN. they-had no power to confer life on others, or HE words which will form the basis of our resume li:fe themselves. All that was lacking meditation will be found in the sixth chapter in this sacrifice was fulfilled in the life and death of the Epistle ~o the Romans, and the last verse: of Christ. His death was voluntary; the Ora ss " The wages of sin is death; but the gift of God did not kill Ohrist ; redemption was accomplished is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord." in that moment when He poured out His soul unto 'I'he text contains two distinct statements. death, in that secret transaction between Him First, that the revealed penalty of sin is death, and Jehovah, when He cried with a loud voice and the other, that the gift of God is eternal life and poured out 'His life. It was a voluntary through Jesus Ohrist our Laid. action'; His nature in relation to humanity ocIn dealing with the text we shall just reverse eupied the same plane: "He was made in all the apostolic order, and take the last proposition respects like unto His brethren, yet without sin; first, dealing with it somewhat briefly; not be- because the children were partakers of flesh and cause it is inferior in importance to the other, blood He also took part of the same." His but because the latter proposition-that the gift motives were all of the most elevated kind; His of God is eternal life-is generally assented to character and actions were of the highest moral by the Universal Ohristian Church, whilst the value. Finally, having died, He had power to first statement of the text. although nominally lay down His life, and had power to take it up received, is as almost universally denied; and again. And having thus, as Man, in His sinless because the maintenance of that proposition, life represented what was due from man to God; pure and simple, is the distinctive feature of the and yet as representing the sinner poured out Association we are here this day to represent. His life: having resnmed His life in resurrection Let us then turn to the second propositionHe had power to confer eternal life upon all that that the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus the Father should give Him. Thus then eternal life is the gift of God through union with Jesus Christ our Lord. All the sacrifices of the Jewish economy, and Christ. Let us not do as many, set up a moral the sacrifices that preceded that economy-from antagonism in the God-head. Ohrist is the life. the sacrifice of Abel, offered at the gates of the We are not redeemed/Tom God, but redeemed to lost Paradise, right downward to Oalvary, were God. Just as the Jews of old were redeemed hieroglyphics carrying with them a distinct but from Egypt up to the peaceful reign 'of Solomon, symbolical significance. That significance was so the Church is redeemed through.the love of God twofold. When the victim was brought to the God right up to the beatitudes of. heaven.

,<

4
perish, but have everlasting life." The antithesis of life, is perish. And what is to be understood from this word we can gather from its use in relation to other objects. In the first chapter of the Epistle to the Hebrews, it is written, " They shall perish, but Thou remainest." Perish is the antithesis tn remaining. The words "cut off" are used to represent what is meant by death. "Shall be cut off" as a branch from a tree. Separate a branch from a tree it loses its vital force, it withers, it dies, and thus it perishes. They shall be ground to powder. "Whosoever shall fall upon this stone shall be broken, but on whomsoever it shall fall it shall grind him to powder," to the smallest particles of dust. They shall be destroued; "The wicked shall be banished from the presence of the Lord with everlasting destruction." The revised version has it, "They shall suffer pnnishment, even eternal destruction from the face of the Lord." They are compared in the 13th of Matthew, by the Saviour Himself, to tares gathered np-burnt up. They are spoken of as chat! separated from the wheat. "He shall gather the wheat into His garner, and burn up the chaff with unquenchable fire." "They shall consume away as the fat of lambs, into smoke shall they consume away." They are compared to stubble. " The day cometh which shall burn as an oven, and all the proud, yea, and all that do wickedly, shall be as stubble, and the day that cometh shall burn them up, that it shall leave them neither root nor branch." We could go on multiplying these quotations, but refrain. And refrain also from comment. We quote the plain statements of the Holy Spirit and the inspired Apostles. Such are the revealed peualties of sin. And we put the question-Had it been the wish of the Holy Spirit and the Apostles to have conveyed to our minds that the ultimate penalty of sin was extinction, could they have used stronger, more decisive terms than they have used, and than we have quoted? You know they could not. You know yourselves you can find no terms to express more clearly the ultimate extinction of the wicked, and nothing more powerful to show that finally the wicked shall not be. Such, then, from Genesis to Revelations is the statement of the Holy Spirit as to the revealed penalty of sin. IT IS DEATH. Is it compared to the broad road which leads to destruction? It is death 1 Is it the pre-announeed penalty before man fell? It is death? Is it the amplification of the penalty when sin has become an accomplished fact? It is death! " In tbe sweat of thy brow thon shalt eat bread, till thou return to the dust from whence thou wert taken-dust thou art, and unto dust thou shalt return." Is it a law in the members? "It bringeth forth fruit unto death." Is it a "way that seemeth right unto a man? The end thereof is death!" Is it 11 servitude, a bondage? Its wage is death! Is it conception and birth? "When it is finished it bringeth forth death." Is it a regal and a reigning power? It reigns unto death! Is it called up for execution? The final penalty is the second death." We need hardly say that the popular theory of the desert of sin flatly contradicts the statement of the Apostle, and affirms that the wage of sin is eternal life in conscious torture in fire and brimstone. And here we shall read. to you one or two extracts that you may see we in no way misrepresent, either the teachings of the past ages, or the teachings of the present in relation to this particular truth or doctrine. We q uote, first of all, from Bishop Jeremy Taylor, author of the well-known work, "Holy living and dying." He says, "We are amazed to think of the brutality of Ph alaris who roasted .meu alive in his brazen bull. That was a joy in respect of the fiery hell. What comparison will there be between burning for a hundred years and to be

THE

BIBLE

STANDARD.

..
burning without interruption as long as God is God." It does seem marvellous that the good Bishop could not see the force of his own example, and that what he says of the brutality of Ph alaris reflects with immeasurable intensity on the character of God. Tertullian says, "How I shall admire, how laugh, how rejoice, how exult, when I behold so many proud monarchs and fancied gods groaning in the lowest abyss of darkness; so many magistrates, who persecuted the name of the Lord, liquifying in fiercer fires than they ever kindled against the Christians; so many sage philosophers blushing in the red hot flames with their deluded followers." Bishop Hopkins, all Englishman who lived about 1700, and presided over the See of Haphoe -says, " Should eternal punishment cease, aud the fire be extinguished, it would in a great measure obscure the light of heaven, and put an end to a great part of the happiness and glory of the blessed." But one other quotation, and this shall be from the Rev. C. H. Spurgeon, whom we honor and regard as a most useful and serviceable man; but we call no man master. Listen to what he says: "Only conceive that poor wretch in the flames who is saying, ' Oh for one drop 0.water to cool my parched tongue!' See how his tongue hangs from between his blistered lips! How it excoriates and burns the roof of his mouth as if it were a firebrand! Behold him crying for one drop of water! I will not pieture the scene." (I should say he had done so.) " Suffice it for me to close up by saying that the hell of hells will be to thee, poor sinner, tJ'.a thought that it is to be for ever. Thou wilt leok up there on the throne of God, and on it shall be written' for ever.' When the damned jingle the burning irons of their torments they shall say, 'For ever!' When they howl, echo cries, , For ever! ' 'For ever 1 is written on their racks,
For ever 1 on their chains; For ever! burneth in the fire, For ever 1 ever reigns I'"

One other extract, and that from a clergyman of the Romish Church, from whom, however, we should not expect much better. The gentleman is the Rev. J. Furniss, and it is contained in a book pnblished for the "use of children and young persons." "See on the middle of the redhot floor stands a girl; she looks about sixteen years old. Her feet are bare. Listen; she speaks. 'I have been standing on this redhot floor for years. Look at my burnt and bleeding feet. Let me get off this burning floor for one moment? '-The fifth dungeon is the red' hot one. The little child is in the redhot oven. Hear how it screams to come out; see how it burns and twists itself about in the fire. It beats its head against the roof of the oven. It stamps its little feet on the flOOL God was very good to this little child. Very likely God saw it would get worse and worse, and would never repent, and so it wonld have to be punished more severely in hell I So God in His mercy called it out of the world in early childhood!" I will read no more. You will see I am not exaggerating when I affirm that modern teaching is not that the "wages of sin is death," but that the wages of sin is eternal life in conscious torture. Eternal torment! How easily we pronounce the words-how glibly they roll from the tongue. Did you ever try to realise what they mean? To be burning-to be alive in excruciating torments-for thousands and tens of thousands of ages, and still no further from release. But let us not lose ourselves in a crowd. When Sterne would bring out the horrors of slavery he individualised it-" let us," he said, "take a single captive." Let us do the same. We know that those who hold-this terrible theory, adopt certain palliatives, use certain apologies just to,

soothe the consoience. One good gentlemanProfessor Birks, who cannot give up the idea of man's immortality, yet shudders at this. He palliates it by supposing that in the course of many ages the wicked get used to the flames and have such a soothing sense of the Divine justice that it will only be to them a kind of inferior Paradise. But the general feeling abroad is this -at least among the orthodox party. They believe that all children who die under seven are exempt from this terrible torture; they say that the age of responsibility begins at seven. It would be interesting to know and to inquire on what Scripture they base the thought. We know of none. Of course, their conscience would not allow them to endorse-indeed they could not - the sentiment of Augustine. " That infants departing from the body without baptism are certainly in damnation." But let us suppose a case according to their standpoint-let us take a " single captive"-a single child. Let us suppose a household where there are two children-a sister and a brother. The brother is the first born; and he has reached to within two months of seven years. Then some disease incident to childhood, or it may be a fever, strikes him down; and he dies on the verge of seven. Oh, happy child! He has passed at once into all the joys of heaven, had he lived two months longer, the result would have been very different, he would have been writhing and suffering in the flames of hell. That fever was his saviour, and conducted him straight to heaven. But by-and-bye the little sister, whose merry laugh, and smiling face, was the sunshine of home, "he reaches the age of seven. Two months have scarce elapsed, when she is struck down by disease-or fever, and in a few days or weeks she is no more. Oh, terrible two months! Those brief 6() days have been fraught with a terrible eternity of anguish. Let us suppose that thousands of ages have rolled away, and earth and its history are things of the long gone past. This eternally-tormented child is cast up to the surface of the burning lake. Listen! it speaks. "Oh God, have mercy, I was only seven years on earth, and for each year of earth-life I have had ten thousand years of burning. Oh, God! is it not enough? For three years I was but a baby, and for those three years of baby-life I have had thirty thousand years of burning. 0, God! have mercy! My last memory of earth was my mother's parting kiss, her fond caress, her bitter tears, then the devils fetched me away and plunged me into this burning lake. Oh, God! have mercy." But again the surging billows dash over the shrieking and the shrinking form. And again the mocking anthem rises from the neighbouring heaven, "His mercy endureth for ever." Can you believe it? God, if for one moment in our lives we had ever held such a thought of Thee, Oh, forgive us. Such, according to the popular theory is the desert of sin-embracing children from seven years old and upwards. But of course this theory would not have been propounded and maintained by earnest, zealous, Christian men, and Christian teachers-some of the most excellent of the earth-had they not believed that the theory had a foundation in the Word of God. This do we readily admit; and it behoves us now at once to turn to some of those passages, the strongest we can find, on which the superstructure of eternal torment is supposed to rest. And in doing this I shall take the strongest arguments that can be used against our position, and in favour of the views of orthodoxy. First, then, the 33rd of Isaiah, which has been quoted more than once to me. "'Who among us shall dwell with the devouring fire i [devuuring fire! I] Who among us shall dwell with everlasting burningsv " But by an independent witness-Bishop Lowth, himself a believer in the popular theory, we are told that this chapter does not refer to a future state, or to the suffering

THE
of the lost in the world to come. He shows that the passage has to do with the invasion of J udea by Senacherib.-" Woe to thou that spoilest, and thou wast not spoiled. And dealest treacherously, and they dealt not treacherously with thee. When thou shalt cease to spoil, thou shalt be spoiled." The Assyrians were advancing on Jerusalem. Hezekiah sent out a bribe of 30 talents of gold aud 300 talents of silver to Senacherib to buy him off. Senacherib received the bribe, but in spite of that he surrounded Jerusalem. He" Broke his covenant." "Behold their valiant ones shall cry without. The ambassadors of peace shall weep bitterly." Having destroyed the cities of Libnah, Lachish, and others, he advanced to J ernsalem, and encompassed it with 200,000 men. "Now these hypocrites in Zion are afraid! Here was this dreadful invader. What shall we do-we have no power to defend ourselves? Then was asked Who among us shall dwell with the devouring fire, who among us shall dwell with everlasting (perpetual) burnings." This was no reference at all to the eternal torture of the world to come. But, leaving the Bishop, it is well to note the wicked are not the persons generally supposed to be referred to here, but the righteous! Having put the question into the mouth of the hypocrites, "who among us shall dwell iu these devouring fires" - the Prophet answers the question in the next verse. Who? "He that walketh uprightly, he that despiseth the gain of oppression, that shaketh his hands from the holding of bribes, that stoppeth his ears from the hearing of blood. He shall d well on high, his place of defence shall be the munitions of rocks, bread shall be given him, his water shall be sure." Isaiah and Hezekiah were two, at least, who could, and did, dwell serenely and uumoved, amidst these devouring fires 1 Passing to the next passage, to be found in the closing verses of the 66th chapter of the same prophecies. It tells of the return of the Jews to their own land-an event not yet passed into the region of historic fact; and when they return i l) to the land, certain things are to take place. "They shall go forth and look upon the carcases of the men that have transgressed against Me, for their worm shall not die, neither shall their fire be quenched, and they shall be an abhorring unto all flesh." Yet this passage is supposed to support the doctrine of eternal torment. First of all, the scene of this punishment, be it what it may, is laid near unto Jerusalem; it is not in hell. " But it shall come to pass that from one new moon to another, and from one Sabbath to another, shall all flesh come to worship before Me, saith the Lord." The punishment, then, be it what it may, takes place near Jerusalem. But Isaiah speaks of the carrases. I never heard the most orthodox of preachers' maintain that a dead carcase meant an immortal soul. Then again the allusion is to the valley of Hinnom, the Greek form of which is Gehenna in the New Testament, lying to the south-east of J erusalem, where criminals and malefactors were cast. Of course they were likely to breed putrefaction, and the worm did not die whilst there was anything for it to feed upon; the fire was not quenched because it was necessary to the purification of the city and the neighbourhood. But now, a gentle purling stream flows through the valley of Gehenna. Note, in the next place, when this punishment takes place. "It shall come to pass from one new moon to another." But would this be feasible ? We all know how the phases of the moon are produced, by the moon lagging behind the earth in its passage round the sun. So that it was at a time measured by months. Now, in the next place, it shall be from one Sabbath to another; but we have fifty- two Sabbaths in the year, and the year is determined by the revolution of the earth around the sun. Can we expect anything of this kind to take place in

BIBLE

STANDARD.

5
prove to you that trees in ancient times were in the habit of speaking,-that they were endowed with reasoning faculties and powers, and that they' convoked a parliament. And I should be thus making the Bible ridiculous. Supposing we turn to the New Testament, to the parable of the pJ<9digal son. This parable represents a son being in a far country, and being brought by divine grace to his Father. But there is another element-there is an older brother, and he says he never committed sin. If I am allowed to build a doctrine on a parable, I should prove and expect to find men in the world who never committed sin. That would contradict the plain teaching of the rest of the Bible. Do you, on the other hand, deny, as some have denied, that it is a parable, aqJ'contend that it is a record of an actual fact?- 1 meet you with one sentence of the evangelist, " Without a parable spake He not unto them." Let us now turn to the Book of the Revelation, where we get some of the strongest terms, and what are snpposed to afford some of the strongest proofs of the popular theory. In chap. xiv., verse 11, we read, "And the smoke of their torment ascendeth up forever and ever; and they have no If st day or night, who worship the beast and his image." That is true, I suppose. Whose torment, is the first question? Does this describe the whole human race? It describes all those who worship the beast and his image, and that is generally admitted to be a crime not yet committed. It has reference to the persona I future Anti-Christ. It is a future crime not yet committed, against which a special penalty has been pronounced. Therefore, it does not support the general theory of the eternal torture of the vast majority of the human race. In chap. xix., ver. 3, there is the same language applied to the destruction of Babylon-whether meaning Babylon mystically, or Babylon literally, I do not say. "And her smoke rose up forever and ever." If it be the Babylon of Rome, then the smoke must be still ascending. Have you noticed the language-and they have no rest day or night? Again, there is allusion here to time, and to the present economy. What does this mean? It is a scene to take place on the earth. It is a special punishment for a special sin, which sin is not yet committed. In chap. xix, it is applied to Babylon; and in chap. xx., ver. 10, we meet with it again, " And the devil that deceived them 'was cast into the lake of fire and brimstone, where the beast and the false prophet are, and shall be tormented day and night forever and ever." It is the beast and the false prophet to whom it is here applied. Here, then, it is symbolical, representing Gentile governments, polities, and policies of the earth. It does not represent the vast majority of the human race, but the devil, the beast, and the false prophet. Nor must I leave this part of my subject without recalling to your mind what our good and excellent evangelical friend, the Rector of Fisherton, has said. He has reminded you that the word is in the Revised Version, to the "Age of the Ages," "Forever and forever." It is true, but it is only the usual Greek formula to represent the English forever. The fact is, the human mind can form no conception of an eternal period-only piling age on age. It goes for nothing. And the good rector was anxious to guard you against the heresies he imagined we should preach. The same sentence occurs in the 34th chapter of the prophecies of Isaiah, in the Greek rendering of the Hebrew Scriptures made 280 years before Christ, called the Septuagint. The Hebrew word Gliol-iihsn, is rendered by the same word, and is translated" forever," "etel'llal," and "everlasting." "It shall not be quenched night nor day, the smoke shall go up for ever-from generation to generation it shall lie waste." Now, here the language ill applied to the cities of Edom, which ceased to burn 2,000 years ago. Though never to be

hell? There will be no new moons, nor Sabbaths there. It is an event connected with Jerusalem, and refers to invaders or idolators. It contains its own refutation-when the earth is burnt up then this eternal torment comes to an end; just at the moment when, according to the orthodox teaching, it is to commence in its fiercest form! The Saviour quotes this passage (Alark ix.44). But we all recognise this, that no author can be quoted in support of an opinion which there is no evidence he ever held. Certainly, the Saviour would not have quoted this passage as teaching the immortality of the soul in torment, while the Holy Spirit says by the prophet that it means the material destruction of carcases that are consumed by fire. But coming to the New Testament, we find in Matt. xxv. 46, " These shall go away into everlasting punishment: but the righteous into life eternal." Of course we believe both statements; we must believe them because they are in the Holy Word. We seek to explain away no portion of Divine Trnth. We believe in the everlasting life of the righteous; we believe in eternal punishment; but we do not believe in eternal torment. The distinction is this; First, I lay down this as an emphatic principle :-A thing may be and is eternal in its result, without being eternal in its action. Now, to the proof. I turn to the sixth chapter of Hebrews, first and second verses. The Apostle Paul speaks among other things of " eternal. judgment." Do you believe that Christ will spend eternity in judging the world? That He will be always judging the world? Certainly not! When the judgment takes place, the result will be eternal. When once the sentence has passed the lips of the Judge it is irrevocable; it is, therefore, eternal in its result, not in its action. In Heb. ix. 12, the Apostle, speaking of the Lord Jesus, says, "Having obtained eternal redemption. for us." Is He always redeeming us? Redemption was accomplished in a few moments on Oalvary ; but its results stretch out into the boundless ages of eternity,-in result eternal, in its action almost the work of a moment. It is eternal redemption; it is eternal judgment. There is a. passage in IIla1'k, where the Saviour speaks of the unpardonable sin which shall not be forgiven men, either in this world or the world to come-given in the Revised Version, that the man who blasphemes the Holy Spirit shall be guilty of " eternal sin." Does any man suppose that the blasphemer will be always blaspheming the Holy Spirit ? Of course not. The man who blasphemes the Holy Spirit is guilty of a sin called eternal sin, because eternal in its results, never to be pardoned. You comprehend that in relation to Christ's redemptive work, in relation to the world's judgment, and in relation to the blasphemy of the Holy Spirit, a thing may be momentary in its action, but eternal in its result. So we say it is in this passage, "These shall go away into everlasting punishment," into an irrevocable punishment, that is to say, that the. sentence once passed, it is eternal in its result. It is because men have not sufficiently regarded the Scriptura I usage that they do not see this. We go on now to what is supposed to be a " tower of strength "-1 refer to the parable of the rich man and Lazarus. I am not going to analyse; but I am going to lay down a principle of Bielical exegesis: No doctrine can be based upon a parable that is not cLearly reoealeti in unparabolic language elseuihere, I repeat it: No doctrine mayor can be based upon a parable that is not clearly revealed in unparabolic language elsewhere. Do you dispute this? Very well. Turn to Judges ix. 7-14. Suppose upon this parable is based a doctrine. Here we are told, in the parable of.Jot ham , that the trees' had a parliament, and that the fig and the vine were besought to reign over them; and that they having declined, the bramble accepted. But if this establishes a doctrine, I shall be able to

6
quenched, it burnt out of itself before the Christian era, and the smoke that was to ascend for ever and ever, ceased to ascend about the same time. And this brings me to a principle I wish you especially to note, and it will cut away the ground from these passages which are supposed to offer an insuperable objection to our view. The remark is this: Wo~ds themselves determine nothing; their mean-ing, scope, and limitation must always be determined by the theme of which they treat. Let me proceed to prove it. There are two Hebrew words which are rendered " eternal," "everlasting," "forever." They are "Gad" and" Ghol-iihm;" They are used interchangeably. They do not necessarily carry the idea of endlessness, but of indefiniteness, hence their meaning is limited by the theme of which they treat. For instance, in the 90th Psalm, 2nd verse, " From everlasting to everlasting Thou art God." The same words here carrying the idea of unending duration. But in Ecc, xii. 5, it is applied to the grave, "Man goeth to his long (Ghiil-iihm) home." Now, if in this passage we are to take the word to carry with it the idea of unendingness, then we have here the distinct denial of the resurrection. The translators of the Authorised Version saw this, and so rendered the Hebrew Gholam by the English word" long." The French atheists proclaimed death to be an eternal sleep; but if the word Ghot-iihn always means" eternal," then the Scriptures teach the same, for in Jer. li. 57. we read of some who shall sleep a "perpetual (Ghol-iih1n an eternal) sleep, and shall not awake." In Hab, iii. 6, the mountains are called "everlasting." Now, is it not clear that words themselves determine nothing, but that the theme of which they treat determines the limitation of the word? The everlasting mountains had a beginning, and will come to an end. The same word applied to Jehovah carries the widest extent of meaning; applied to the mountains it is governed by the theme. Again, the everlasting priesthood of Aaron (the 40th chapter of Exodus), came to an end 2,000 years ago, lasting 15 centuries, and hardly that. In the 21st chapter of Exodus we are told the Hebrew servant shall serve his master "for ever,"-a term necessarily limited by the duration of the man's life. Words, we repeat again, and we repeat it to emphasize its importance, determine nothing, they are governed by the theme. Do you admit this principle? Then at once the dispute is over; you have admitted the unsound. ness of your position, and the soundness of ours. Do you dispute it and deny it? We lay the onus on you. You must prove that these Greek and Hebrew words carry with. them, whenever used, the idea of eternity. You will have to prove that the Hebrew servant is still serving his master; that the Aaronie priesthood is still a living fact, and a living power, and has not been supplanted by the priesthood of Jesus Christ. You will have to contend, witl!. Lucretius, that matter is eternal,-that really God did not create the earth. You have to deny the statement of Peter that the world shall be burnt up, because the mountains are eternal. You will have to prove that the cities of Edom are still burning, and that the satyr and the owl still live there, being rendered by Almighty power eternally fireproof. This is really a reductio ad absurdum: W"rds, we repeat, are limited by the theme of which they treat. We have thus gone over the passages urged for and against our belief. "The wages of sin is death." Some may be inclined to ask" What is the destiny of the unsaved? do you believe the wicked will die like the beast and never be raised again?" We believe in a resurrection of the just and of the unjust. We believe it because the Holy Spirit affirms it. We believe that in the day when the general resurrection takes place and the dead are raised for judg-

THE

BIBLE

STANDARD.
by its Maker's hand, shall give forth .the melody that pleases Him; awakening in angelic minds long slumbering memories of Creation's birthday-when God pronounced it good! And then, from the vast dominions of Jehovah, from the frontier lines of illimitable space, shall gather and roll and swell, without one jarring note, the deep diapason of universal praise I

ment, they will stand before the great white throne, and receive the awards of eternity. We believe in the teaching of the Apocalypse, that all whose names are not written in the Lamb's Book of Life shall be cast into the lake of fire, which is the second death. Don't you think that will be sufficient punishment? Resuscitated and reconstituted humanity, freed from all the infirmities and weaknesses of earth, raised in all the force and energy of resurrection-life, endowed with a capacity of living for ever, equipped with all the force and energy of incorruptible being, capable of exploring the amplitudes of immensity with an unfaltering step and an unflagging wing, ever reaping down fresh harvests of knowledge, ever advancing in the glowing extasy of fadeless, deathless being. Within it, all these vast possibilities: before it the limitless landscape of the universe, lit up by sun and star, systems and constellations, the glorious galaxy of God: and then to perish; then to sink to utter night; then to hear its funeral knell toll forth from the outer darkness, which is to be its eternal tomb. Standing on the verge of that awful gulf, what will be the force and energy of that despair with which the soul will wrestle with the last enemy who is commissioned to extinguish it for ever? What will be the bitter cry of anguish that will rise from the perishing host as it sinks to utter night? We can almost imagine, that for an instant, it will drown the music of the spheres, and send a thrill of horror through the ranks of the glorified. Is not this enough? We hasten to a close, aud thus dismiss this part of our subject with one other remark, that while the modern pulpit fills its quiver, and barbs its arrows with the sorrows ot those that perish, and seems to linger with a morbid delight over their excoriated lips, blistered tongues and writhing forms, the apostles-rather shall we not say the Holy Spirit-makes but few and scanty references to that eternal future which awaits the lost! Enough indeed is revealed to appal the stoutest heart and -make the boldest sinner tremble. Like the vision seen by Eliphaz when a spirit passed before his face, and the hair of his head stood up ; so, with form and face half veiled and half revealed, stands that second death, waving back the sinner from a career of iniquity, and crying- though with voiceless lips-flee from the wrath to come! The Holy Spirit says but little of, and dilates but seldom upon, the future that awaits the lost. He exhausts every form of imagery, and lays under tribute every domain of nature to illustrate the felicity of the saints in light. But judgment is Jehovah's strange work. He rises to it reluctantly, ~nd speedily dismisses it. As the judge upon the bench, while in the interests of justice,-he is compelled to pass sentence of death on the criminal, frequently does it with a quivering lip and a tearful eye; so the Almighty, though, while in the interests of His moral government, He must pass the sentence of the second death upon the sinner, will inflict upon him no unnecessary pang. Nay, "the Father Himself judgeth no man, but committeth all judgment to the Son "-because He is the Son of Man, one who has fathomed all life's depths of woe and knows by experience the force of its temptations. The wage of sin is death, not eternal torment, and the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord. Sin has introduced a discord into the music of the spheres ; it shall be hushed for ever,and not till Christ has accomplished the purpose for which He became incarnate, and destroyed sin and suffering and death; cast out all rule, all authority and power,-the last sigh breathed, the last sin committed, and the last tear shed, will He hand back the kingdom to God the Father without the least taint of moral evil, radiant in purity, and resonant with song. And then Creation's harp retuned, and, struck afresh

FIRST
PAPER

DAY,

AUGUST

30th,

and DISCUSSION at 6-30 p.m. Chairman-RoBT. J. IiAMMOND, Esq. THE MORAL AND SPIRITUAL INFLUENCE OF A BELIEF IN ETERNAL SUFFERING. By A. WATSON, ESQ., OF SALISBURY.
ROBABLY the first reflection ofany thoughtful mind will be that this is a matter of far less importance than the question, "Is this belief true?" The earnest student, in whatever departmeut he may be labouring, knows well that the one object he should ever set before him, is to discover what is t?'ue, leaving the consequences that may flow from that discovery to take care of themselves. If, therefore, all truth were capable of mathematical demonstration, such a discussion as the present would be irrelevant and unnecessary, and the only question we need to ask concerning the doctrine under consideration would be, "Is it true 1- " But moral and spiritual tmths-the most important to which our attention can be directed-cannot be so demonstrated. Every theory or creed must be commended to us by the evidence adduced in its favour, and we have carefully to sift that evidence, giving due weight to all that tells either for or against. In finally accepting any such theory or creed as " truth," we must be influenced and assisted by various considerations, and amongst them not the least important is the test given us by the Great Teacher, " By their fruits ye shall know them," a test as applicable to a belief as to an individual. Those who teach the doctrine of eternal torment always seem eager to appeal to this test, and we who believe that doctrine to be untrue, and, therefore, mischievous, are equally ready to accept it, and we are here this evening to take up the gauntlet thus thrown down to us. Our opponents never weary of arguing that if you take away the restraining influence a belief in this doctrine exerts, you will give the reins to every kind of sinful indulgence, and there will be nothing to keep men from saying and practising "Let us eat, and drink, and sin, for to-morrow we die." If this were so, it would indeed be a very serious thing to shake your faith in eternal torment, but Is it so? " Does the experience of the past, or what is occurring around us now, confirm this? Has an almost universal acceptance of this belief deterred men from even the grossest forms of vice in the past, or is it doing so now? We unhesitatingly answer "No." On the contrary, we believe its influence has been a great hindrance to the progress of Christ's cause in the world, and we ask your aid in our endeavour to remove that hindrance out of the way. We reverently take our stand on God's word as revealed through His servants and by His Son, and we protest against a nou- natural interpretation of words so plain and clear iu their meaning as "life" and " death," against the importing into the" glad tidings of great joy" brought by Christ to a sinful world, of a dogma which-if true-would make those tidings the saddest and most terrible the mind can conceive. It is no part of my duty to deal with the few texts that are supposed to countenance this doctrine; on any fitting occasion th-y can-e-I think-s-be shown

THE
not in any way to clash with those countless passages-the spirit of which is so beautifully expressed by the text "The wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life, through Jesus Christ our Lord." My task this evening is to show that the popular belief (which we hold to bo false) cannot have a flood but-has had and stil! exerts-an evil influence, I would here point out that this belief is tainted in its origin. We heal' nothing of it iu the earliest aud purest age of the Church, when the teachings of Christ and His apostles were yet fresh in men's minds. The primitive Christians knew it not-they believed that Cbrist bad brought life and immortality to light by His Gospel; that into that immortality they would be ushered by the resurrection of the dead-of which Christ's .own resurrection had been the type and first-fruits-and that the wicked would be punished with everlasting destruction. from the presence of God. It was not until the unholy alliance between the Christian Church and pagan power had been effected, that this doctrine became rife. Then priestcraft reared its head and began to enslave the consciences of men. To render this enslavement complete it soon found that the most efficient means would be to invest the unknown future with an awful terror, and to keep in its own hands the power to remit or modify a punishment of suffering otherwise without limit. How that power was exercised Church History records. It tells us that men who had lived the most sinful lives, breaking every law of God and violating every duty they owed to man, were, when death approached, torrified by the threat of endless torments into giving their illgotten wealth to a Church which claimed to be alone able to deliver them therefrorn. By enforcing this doctrine with all the authority of the Church, the religion of Jesus Christ-so adapted to impart hope and gladness to life'was made the very embodiment of gloom and despair. 'I'he light and progress of the world was quenched in the overpowering dread of what a future life would bring, and the" dark ages" supervened. It would be an in teresting, and not unprofitable, study, to trace out how much of the darkness, ferocity, and absence of material progress which characterised that period, sprang directly from the acceptance of this dogma, taking away, as it did, the charm of life and sacrificing the present to an ever-impending future, full of horror, Time would fail me to dwell on all the evils wrought by this unscriptural creed. I will only indicate some of them, and leave you in the quiet of your own hearts to ponder the matter more fully. And 1. I would say that to a belief in Eternal Snffering we owe the cruelties and martyrdoms inflicted by the Church, and which form so black a stain on its escutcheon. To those who held sincerely that any who rejected the Church's teachings had so terrible a future as was threatened awaiting them, it was both logical and kind to imprison, torture, and even slay the body, rather than allow the soul to be thus lost. And there was a grim consistency in those who acted on the belief that by inflicting suffering or death on a few, they might save the many from embracing errors that would drag them down to a fate so horrible. To take a notable instance :-'fhe Inq uisition, from whence proceeded most of the fearful persecutions of Protestants by Catholics, was called into existence by Isabella of Spain-a woman as kind and gentle in disposition as any of that age-solely under the mistaken belief that by its agency heretics might be saved from eternal torments; and so our Lord's beautiful and solemn admonition to sacrifice eye, hand, foot, or even life itself, rather than lose the Life Eternal, was perverted into a justification of the dungeon, torture, and stake. And in so far as those who

BIBLE

STANDARD.

7
ing preponderance of them admit their belief in eternal torment, and yet not be in the slightest degree influenced thereby. Perhaps you have not thought of these things, and their presentation in this form shocks you. It is precisely this want of thought, this readiness to accept just what Is taught, without question or personal examination, that has given an error like this so long a life, and enabled an interested ciass to wield a power over the mind and soul, warranted neither by reason or Scripture. And if these l:ave been some of the effects of a belief in eternal torments in the past, I waut for a few moments to point out to you some of the mischief it is doing now. And I. It dishonours Goel, portraying Him, who has revealed Himself as "Love," as a vengeful tyrant, conferring and perpetuating life, to be a curse to its possessors. Jehovah is jealous of His honour and glory, and surely the most certain way to tarnish that honour and dim that glory is to teach such a doctrine as this. Let anyone of us here to-night ask his own conscience, would I inflict a punishment unending? force an eternity of existence, into which not one ray of joy or hope should ever cc-me, even on my bitterest enemy? The instant response, I am sure, would be "No." Or, again, is not an everlasting punishment of torment, an undue retribution for even the most sinful life? So short, and so moulded by circumstances as that life is? I know you will reply" Yes." And yet we ascribe this to Him who is infinite in power and in mercy, and charge Him. virtually, with doing that from which the most vindictive of men would shrink Is not this dishonouring Him of whom we read, that He so loved the world as to give His only begotten Son to suffer and die for its redemption? H. This doctrine is producing more scepticism and alienating more thoughtful minds from Christianity than any other influence of the age. Every creed and institution in the present day is on its trial, and must submit to the most searching tests as to its truth and utility; and the religion of Jesus Christ does not shrink from the strictest examination, it rather courts it, presenting its credentials, pointing to its origin and history, and asking every man to "be fully persuaded in his own mind." A seeker, after truth--with a mind hitherto unbiassed-sits calmly down to examine the claims of the Christian religion on his acceptance. And what does he find? Why, that one of the most prominent articles of its creed is a doctrine against which every faculty of his moral nature revolts, and, startled at this he refuses to examine fnrther, but rejects the whole, casting away the precious grain of God's truth with the imported chaff of human error. 'I'his has happened again and again, and, I believe, if the heart of every sceptic could to-night be laid open to our gaze, from the avowed atheist to him who has only " begun to doubt," we should find this theory of eternal torment to be the cause-or one of the principal causes of his unbelief. If this be so, surely it becomes a solemn duty to those who are praying for the extension of Christ's kingdom, and labouring to win souls for Him, to enquire whether or not this is indeed "The truth of God." IIL The holding of this doctrine as one of the Canons of the Church is paralysing the power of the Christian l\linistry; because the inevitable tendency is to make every minister, who professes to believe it, either insincere or inconsistent. He will be insincere if he teaches or countenances what he does not really believe, and my own experience convinces me that many who nominally accept this doctrine are not convinced of its truth, and do not realize its terrible import. They find it amongst the accepted formularies of their sect. It is one of the articles of the creed in which they have been educated ; and if asked cursorily if they have

perpetrated those horrors really believerl what they taught, they might well argue and think they were doing service both to God and man. U. This belief was the origin of the doctrine of purgatory. Even in its deepest darkness and ignorance the human soul instiueti vely rejected a creed so unjust and hopeless as was here propounded, and partly to mitigate its horrors, aud partly to give increased power and sanctity to the priestly office, purgatory was invented, and a hope was held out that-tor a sufficient considern.tion-the eternal state of those who had passe I away unsaved might be modified, and even that-finally-they might be permitted to join the ranks of the redeemed. We, Protestants, reject this as an unscriptural dogma directly contradicting that word which says, " As the tree falls so it lies," and," There is none other name under heaven given amongst men whereby we can be saved but the name of Jesus;" but, strangely enough, we retain the belief that alone renders purgatory a possibility, and even commends it to the conscience. IIL A belief in Eternal Suffering has been the prolific cause of infanticide, Only when the r-cords of time shall be unfolded and secret things revealed will it be known how mauy mothers,-believing that their darlings would assuredly be wafted to heaven if death claimed them as infants, whilst if they lived to sin, they would in all probability suffer for ever--inflicted that death with their own hands, as the deepest expression of their intense love. And do not start, dear friends, if I avow my belief that this is sometimes the case even now, with weak, ill-regulated minds. Perhaps an elder son 01' daughter has died in open sin, and the tender paren t has known no momeu t of peace since that child was torn from her to enter ou an existence she shudders even to think of. What wonder then as she looks at the yet innocent babe in her lap. and her whole soul goes out in yearning love for it, if she resolves that this precious one at least, shall not be exposed to so fearful a peril? In the agony of her dread, she violates-from pure though mistaken affection-every natural prompting of her heart, and a little grave soon holds that which should have lived to serve God and its fellowman. Aud who shall judge and condemn such a mother? Assuredly not those who by their erroneous teaching have driven her to the conclusion that only thus can she save her darling from endless misery. LV. This belief has caused, and is causing much of the insanity that throws such a gloom over human life. It is passing strange-yet not more strange than true-that the very men and women, who most strenuously maintain this theory, also proclaim their belief in the doctrine of election, as propounded by Calvin ; with the same breath portraying an eternity of suffering, and telling the sinner he can do nothing whatever to save himself from it, for that his fate has been fixed by his Creator long before he drew breath; and when, under the terror and despair, these combined teachings produce in the unsophisticated mind, the braiu reels, and reason is dethroned, one cannot but feel the wonder to be-not that this is so often the result, but tbat any escape. Every lunatic asylum furnishes instances of victims to "religiolls melancholy," and in almost every case enquiry shows it is the horror a realisation of this dogma has produced, that has had this sad effect. And V. It has not deterred men from sin in the past, and does not now. In the age when it was received with the most unquestioning faith, men lived in vice, and indulged to the full their lust, passions, and appetites, unrestrained by the dread of that which they professed to accept as truth. And if you were to put the question to every worldliug, drunkard, and libertine in this land to-day, you would find an overwhelm-

8
adopted it as their own, they would reply " Yes ;" but go with such an one from the pulpit 01' the class to his quiet home, or for a walk under the canopy of heaven, and say to him " Brother, do you really and intelligently believe tbat ninety-nine hundreths of the human race, of tbe men and women who have lived and toiled, sinned and suffered during their life's short day, are now, and will be for ever-for ever, mind you -in pain and hopeless despair?" And he will hesitate, probably begin to talk of God's uncovenanted mercies, of the exceeding sinfulness of sin, of the danger of our sitting in judgment on the Almighty, and other things he knows to be only special pleading; and, if the question is pressed home, will almost certainly confess" I never looked at it in this light," and qniet his conscience by quoting the text, "Sball not the Judge of all the earth do right." The fact is, he does not believe it; and yet he knows that it is used from Sabbath to Sabbath by thousands of his fellow-Christians-as the most powerful appeal to men to" flee from the wrath to come," and seek a refuge in Jesus. FOlhimself he scarcely ever teaches 01' preaches it. From January to December you do not heal' it from his lips. He prefers setting forth the glorious work of Christ, as exemplified in His life and teachings, and he avoids the other as a subject disagreeable, and slightly vulgar. I know this insincerity is unconscious on the part of many, but I know that in other cases the consciousness of it is a source of deep trouble, undermining self-respect, and depri ving Christian work of just that whole-heartedness that would make it successful. But if there are many thus insincere, there are many more who are inconsistent, who believe-as much as tLey believe anything-that those who die out of Christ go into a world of endless misery and despair; and such an one goes into his pulpit and preacbes it to men and women he respects, and to some of whom he maybe tenderly attached. And what then? He knows that many of them have not given themselves to Christ, and are consequently in this fearfnl peril, and yet he goes home with them to share their hospitality, talks with them on general, social, or political matters with absorbing interest, and parts with them as pleasantly and as easy in his mind, apparently, as though all he had been preaching were untrue, or at all events only applicable to some far off people, in whom he Lad no interest. It may even be he lays his head on the pillow with a wife he loves better than his own life, with children in adjoining rooms, also dearer to him than life, and he sleeps as souudly as though he did not believe that they-(not having been born again)-were in danger of being at any moment launched into never-ending woe. Or, it may be, Le COllies Lis insiocere brother, and "lets tbe question alone ;" believing it, he is vi1tually silent about it; knowing that a doom so awful awaits many of those whose souls are entrusted to his care, and for whom he will have to render an account, he yet refrains from warniug them, and preaches on ltny subject rather than thisthe most awfully-important of all. You will say, perhaps, I am drawing too highly coloured a picture, but, surely, if this doctrine 'is true, it is the most terrible fact pertaining to men, and it is the solemn duty of everyone, who believes it, to "sound the alarm," and night and day-in season and out of season-even with tears to tell men of their danger, and beseech and entreat them not a moment longer to remain in such fearful peril. And if he does not do this, his inconsistency suggests the doubt in the minds of his hearers, not only that thi may not be true, but that the other doctrines he preaches may be untrue likewise. Our fathers were more consistent; they believed it and preached it with a fervour find earnestness tbat was a proof of their sincerity; and many" Puritans life was overshadowed with a great cloud, and his death-bed

THE

BIBLE

STANDARD.
has Eternal Life inherent in himself. Christ expressly enjoins us to " fear Him who can destroy both soul and body,"-Theology teaches that God cannot destroy the human soul-Orthodoxy, contradicting the word which says "that which is born of the flesh is flesh," virtually teaches that human parents bring forth immortal children; or, it lands us in the only other possible conclusion that every time a cbild is born into the world (though it may be the consequence of the foulest erime.) the Divine Being is compelled to invest that infant with one of His own infinite attributes-Immortality. I am afraid I may have spoken too strongly for some present, and that my words may offend and perbaps trouble you, if so I cannot help it and I offer no apology. It is high time that; Ohristians who do not in their hearts believe this theory should boldly and honestly avow it, aud not countenance even by silence such an excrescence on their sacred religion. The love of Christ as displayed in Bethlehem, Getbsemane, and Calvary, is potent enough to melt the heart and draw men to Him, and we need not resort to means never used by Himself or His apostles, to terrify them. Let us reverently paraphrase His words, "If they believe not in the willingness of One who died for them to save tbem, neither will they be persuaded by any amount of threatening." Another word and I have done. You will naturally ask, are not the wicked then to be punished, and retribution awarded for the sins committed in this life? To this I reply, "Yes." My Bible tells me there shall be a resurrection, both of the just and unjust, who shall come from their graves (and not from heaven and hell) to appear before the judgment seat. He who is righteous, as well as merciful, shall reward every man according to his works, and we believe, " The Judge all of the earth will do light." That Bible tells moreover of a second death, from which there shall be no resurrection; and that every being in God's universe, iu rebellion against Him, whether man or devil, instead of continuing in existence, to be a blot on His Creation, shall die that death; and God surrounded by those only who are pure and holy like Himself, shall once more be all in all. The Chairman then stated the rules of discussion, and invited the free interchange of opinion.
THE discussion was opened by the Rev. B. B. WALE who remarked that he did 110t know that they could cad \v:hat followed, as far as he was personally concerned, a diSCUSSIOn, as he assented to everything the reader of the paper had said. The remark with which he commenced his paper was one passing through his OWIl mind-that the first thing was not so much the doctrine as its truth. But in coming to the question of the doctrine, he, like Mr. Watson, departed at ~nce from orthodoxy. He had yet to learn on what authonty death meant life and destruction meant preservation, in fire. In reading any other work he should not be expected to take words ill such an unnatural sense, and he saw no reason why-but many reasons against it-he was bound to accept tbe Scriptures in an unnatural sense. If he was told a man was to die why should he believe he was to live for ever? If he wa~ told God alone is immortal, why was he to put it aside as a mistake, and say that every member of the human race was endowed with immortality? Why should he believe that when the Almighty exclaimed-with His tones full of grave ~ignity an~ power-c-" I live forever," He was simply asserting for Himself the same power that every reprobate, felon, and drunkard possessed.-He was simply portraying an example which without pretentiousness could be followed by every man. Immortality was ascribed to God and to God alone, who is the only Immortal. The memb~rs of that Association accepted the plain teachings of Scripture, and .s~ught not to infuse their own thoughts and their own opnuona. Why were not the beliefs of orthodoxy found in the Bible? Why did not the Holy Spirit say what they taught? The Inspired Apostle had quite an equal command of language with those gentlemen; yet they said nought of this. Their essayist had pointed out very clearly how that modern teaching was a libel on the cha~-acterof God. And he confessed that he felt intensely anxious that the rebuke the Almighty brought against one of Job's friends might not be brought against him-c." Ye have not spoken the thing which is true of Me," And he maintained that the man who said God would take children from seven years old and cast them into everlasting fire, m~ligned the character of the Deity. Yes, they owed to Him who offered eternal life, to seek to vindicate

invested with overwhelming grief, because of his dread for the future of some he knew and loved. It is not so now. We still profess to believe as they did, and yet the contrast of the preaching of the present day with theirs, or even with that of fifty years ago, is so striking as practically to give the lie to our profession. Am I not then j ustifled in saying that amongst a people quick to detect signs of insincerity and inconsistency, this conduct is paralizing the power of the Christian ministry? IV. This belief eng enders a selfishness in the Christian that is fatal to the bighest spiritual life. The essential principle of Christ's life and teaching was" Love," self- sacrifice, a deep sympathy with the suffering, and compassion for the lost; and His command to His followers is to love as He loved, and if called upon, to be ready to suffer for others as He did. And how does the belief we are considering influence Christians in this respect? If it does not make life intolerable, and its dearest ties a source of agony, then it engenders a feeling of utter egotism. To look forward witb rapture to oneself enjoying the bliss of heaven, while many of our best loved ones are in unending misery! To praise God for ou? OWn safety, while conscious that so many to whom we are sincerely attached will never know joy 01 even hope, is nothing more 01' less than heartless selfishmess, none the less so because we tbrow off all responsibility, or try to avoid the painful subject; and to believe that bye and bye, in the better land, we shall sing the song of the redeemed, and enjoy un alloyed bliss whilst knowing that those whom on earth were dear as life itself to us, are suffering torments that shall have no end, is to believe that our moral nature will be degraded instead of enabled, when "this corruptible shall have put on incorruption, and tbis mortal shall have put on immortality." Fathers! mothers! you cannot bear now the sight of your child in pain or in danger, and the knowledge that some secret disease or sorrow is sappi "the dear ones health and life fills you with ,lie most anxious solicitude, and yet yon are asked to believe tbat in heaven you will be supremely happy, and know nothing of grief or pain, whilst conscious that your children are suffering where deliverance will never come. You know that your whole nature must be changed for tbe worse ere this can be the case. If the millions of Christian parents in the world would only honestly look at the question in this aspect, this doctrine would soon be banished from our beliefs: for tbere would rise up the deep conviction, it cannot be of God. The love and service we render Him in our regenerate state ennobles and purifies oor nature, whilst a belief such as this only tends to make us careless and indifferent to anything besides our own happiness. Many devoted Christians have felt tbis difficulty, and have tried to solve the painful problem in various ways. I have spoken of the doctrine of Purgatory in the Catholic Church; and amongst Protestants many, like Canons Farrar and Kingsley, have been constrained to cherish a hope for which Scripture, gives no warrant-that all. will be finally saved, and after varying periods of retributive discipline, that everyone who has died un saved shall be permitted to join the redeemed. We honour the kindness of heart that prompts this hope, but we cannot but see it perverts the whole teaching of God's word, and takes away the necessity of exercising that saving faith in Christ's atoning work now, which Scripture expressly says is essential to salvation. My time has expired, or I could point out many other evils wrought by the belief in eternal torment. I will only say in conclusion-It is human pride that gives vitality to the error. Scripture says, " Man is mortal :" human pride says, he is immortal, In God's word, Eternal Life is set forth as the gift of God to them who believe on His Son, human pride declares man

THE
His character, and maintain it from misrepresentation, and they left the result of their efforts with Him. Mr. F. FINCH (Wesleyan) strongly objected to several of the statements and insinuations contained in the paper, and, first of all, he strongly reprobated the principle that the doctrine of eternal punishment was advocated by r modern p.reachers because they had something to gain by , teaching It, That was a libel on the Christian Ministry. and a statement which ought not to have come from a Christian gentleman. They had been told by Mr. Watson that it was unjust to punish a man eternally for the sins of this life: But to that he would reply, that man's sins were continued as l ong as he had the power. He did not stopsrmung because he lost the desire, but he stopped sl11n~ngbecause his life ceased. The essayist said it was unfair thus to punish men for the sins of a lifetime. Vias !t unfa~r on God's part to punish Pharaoh's army? Was It unfair to sweep the world with a deluge? Those of them who held this doctrine believed it was in accordance with Scriptural teaching; not because it was the dogma of the Church, but because of their reading it in the Word of God. Was Mr. Watson going to assert that the teach1I1gof.the present day ~vasinsincere, and that all the great and pIOUS men, now alive, and who brought to their study of the Scriptures an erudite mind and much wisdom had been teaching something they did not believe? That at~ernoon the pre~cher, in ridiculing the idea that the BIble taugh~ eternity of punishment, caustically remarked Oil the allusion to days and nights and months. The only suggestion he could offer was this-that Christ and the Holy Spirit had to adopt language which would convey to the human mind what they wished to convey. They under stood time 111 accordance with days and nights and weeks andmonths , as .humau beings they could not comprehend th~ Idea ,of eter-nity, without it. The essayist said that the Bible did not corroborate modern opinion. There were eminent .men-m~n versed in the classic tongues, men who had studied the BIble from the earlier manuscripts-who asserted an opposite opinion, was Mr. Watson going to say they were hypocrites ? Washe going to say that they taught what they did not believe? As one who had occasionally the honour to occupy a pulpit, he emphatically objected to this proposition, and he would ask Mr. Watscn, In propounding this doctrine, to show his Christianity by employing Christian language. Mr. PRITCHARD (Baptist) regretted that there was not time to meet the arguments of Mr. Watson, but he believed he could read a paper which would completely refute his assertions. "!- stranger in the room asked if, as had been suggested, this paved the. way for the return of infidels to the faith, were they actmg wisely in paring their beliefs to meet their.vain shibboleth of infidelity? Mr. BRADLEY(Episcopalian) wished to call attention to a marginal note in Rev. that the words "for ever and ever" meant from ages to ages." The reverend gentleman (Mr. Wale) in replying to that point in the afternoon, answered 'it in an exceedingly unsatisfactory manner. There could be nothing more expressive than "from ag~s to ages." As to Mr. Watson's argument, as to this bemg a fruitful source of suicide and infanticide, he would ask what had they to do with the weaknesses of the human mind in this? This simply exhibited the frailty of human nature, not the weakness of a belief. ,Mr. WATSON, in reply, said that in his paper there m~ght be, errors in wisdom, diction, and taste; many thUl~s painful to hear. He could only answer that it was the smcere expression of a sincere belief-a belief not the result of a .passing thought, but a belief he had carefully' held ever SInce he had inquired into Christianity, As to the language he employed, that he must leave with his hearers, He had endeavoured to treat it in a solemn way and he ~id not believe it contained one single irreverent expressl?n. With regard to what Mr. Finch said, It That ~ man did not sin longer than life lasted, and it was to be inferred that if his life were prolonged he would continue to Sill." To that he would reply, man's life was in God's hand, and that the God who cut that life short had the power to cut the punishment short. Next, Mr. Finch said that It He .laid upon the Church the sin of hypocrisy." He would remind him that he laid the sin of this on the Church in its most corrupt age; he laid it on the leaders ot the Church in its darkness, and he regretted that though we had thrown off many of the swaddling clothes handed down to us, we had not had the courage to throw off these, As to Mr. Pri tcha rd, he would say that he should be ready at any time-if called on by duty-to enter Into a discussion to maintain the views put forward that evening. The gentleman in the background had said that If they were to pare down their doctrines to please and suit infidels, they would have no doctrines wonb holding long." He would not pare down doctrines, in any way whatever, but he only thought it his duty to remove what was in reality but a false obstacle to their entering the fold, It was a fact that, gradually . .,.the old idea of the future was being abandoned. Fifty years ago- from the first Sunday to the last in the year-they heard it preached with an earnestness that was an evidence of belief. Now, how often did they hear it preached? In this connection, indeed, he might ask how much ofthe current views of the Bible was derived from Dante and Milton? Not a little! No one could have a doubt but that this doctrine was being abandoned-though gradually, it was losing its force. And he believed that the future generation-more educated, more intelligent, and more enlightened-would come to the conclusion that the Holy Spirit of God, in threatening death to those who sinned, and permanent life to those who believed in Jesus Christ, meant precisely what he said,
It 11

BIBLE

STANDARD.

9
and but for His power would desolate the very place of His throne as well as the earth. But who shall solve for us the problem ? how shall doubt give place to faith, and mere theory to fixed eternal truth? God Himself has given us the means of doing this, in His own revealed Scriptures of truth, here and here alone we make our appeal. GOD Is-and He hath spoken, let Him be true though all human inferences and theories be found false. We claim for J shovah that which He affirms of Himself-God is the first great cause and creator of all beings and things. He is the King of eternity-" From everlasting to everlasting He is God." "He is the high and lofty One that inhabiteth eternity." He declared His name to Moses to answer the proud sceptics of Egypt, "I am that I am," hath sent me unto you; and again He affirms by Moses, "See now that I, even I, am He, and there is no God with me, I kill, and I make ali ve; I wound, and I heal: neither is there any that can deliver out of My hand. For I lift up My hand to heaven and say, I live for ever." (Deut. xxxii. 39,40.) The same grand truth is affirmed by the Prophet Isaiah xlii. 5, 8. "Thus saith God the Lord, He that created the heavens, and stretched them out; He that spread forth the earth, and that which cometh out of it; He that giveth breath uuto the people upon it, and spirit to them that walk therein." "I am the Lord: that is My name: and My glory will I not give to another, neither My praise to graven images." The inspired Paul writing to Timothy, says (1 Tim. vi. 13-16) . "I give thee charge in the sight of God, who quickenetli all things and before Christ Jesus, who before Pontius ~ witnessed a good confession; That thou keep this commandment without spot, unreb~able, unt~l t~e a~pe~ring of our Lord Jesus Christ : Which m H1S times He shall show. who is the blessed and only Potentate, the King of kings, and Lord of lords; Who only hath immortality, dwelling in the light which no man can approach unto; whom no man hath seen, nor can see: to whom be honour and power everlasting. Amen." Accepting these solemn affirmations of Jehovah; we are bound to believe that God is the creator and proprietor of the entire universe, that only" In Him we live, move, and have our being." To borrow the eloquent language of (I think) Dr. Pye Smith, "We can go back in thought to the time when God alone existed, infinite space had never owned a world-no seraph bowed before the eternal throne: what forms of creation were to exist existed only in the eternal and infinite mind of Jehovah"-the Logos, the Word was there, the Eternal Spirit was there too, in Israel's and our One Jehovah. What ages passed after the creation of angels, before that of man, we know not; but our content ion is that God is the sole fountain of Being -that only from Him does life in all its forms proceed, from the loftiest intelligence to the tiniest insect, and the continuance or cessation of that life depends solely on the will of God, But our theme is lI1an, a wondrous creature exhibiting the wisdom and goodness of his Divine Creator :who made him out of dust, breathed into him the breath of life, and he became a living soltl or creature. We know the sad story of Eden, the temptation, the fall; the sentence was death, "dust thou art, and to dust shalt thou return." But God's mercy, in the scheme of redemption by Christ as the seed of the woman, came into 'I operation from tbe very moment when the sentence was passed; from that moment only through Christ could God's gift of eternal life be received by any of the race, now brought under the power of death. I say God's Gift, for in no other way but free gift could it come to him. He was a sinner, for the righteous penalty ' of sin is death-this was the awful threatening,

The Rev. B. B. WALE said that he was gratified to find that only one le exceedingly unsatisfactory answer," had been found In his sermon. The passage referred to spoke of the smoke of their torment gomg up for ever and eyerfrom ages to,ages. The good Re,ctor of Eishertou raised the same difficulty. It. was simply the ~sual Greek formula to represent our Idea of. eternity. 1, he fact ~"as the human mind could not coucerve of unendl!lg du rat iou. The very word eternal from the Latin etemus meant simply piling one age upon another, and so on. But supposing it was from ages to ages? In the first place, in th~ rath chap. of Rev., it ran: "And the smoke of their torments asccndeth up for ever and ever." Whose torments? If they referred to the cha]?ter they would find the persons spoken of were the worsh~ppers of the Beast, and who should recerve the mark of his name? W~ll,. were they among them? Pray, was th~ vast majority of the human race among the number? ThIS was understood to refer to Anti-Christ-to a sin not yet cornmitted. That could not affect the yas~ majority of .the human race! That afternoon he laid It down as an lITIport~nt canon of in,terpret~tion Wor9s, determined nothing, and ~hat their meaning, scope, or bmltaho~ m~st always bed,eclded by the theme of whIch,they treated. ~ 1 he word applied to God had a vastly different meaning to what it had w~en applied to the Hebrew servant, ?r the everlasting priesthood. In the case ?f t,he s~rvant It was govern,ed by the duration of the man s Iife ; III !h~ case ot the priesthood ,It terminated before the Christian era. Further than this-unless orthodoxy could prove man was immortal-he could not suffer. The position was this-they simply relied upon God's word, vindicating it from, the crt,tel thought th~t It taught He would plunge httle c~ddren ot seven .1~tO fire, whence they were never to rise. In that posmon they stood or fell. rvt:r. FINCH assured the ,rev, gen~leman that he repud iated as strongly as he did the belief that the child et seven years of age was to be condemned to eternal punishment. ,. The CHAIRMAN then closed the discusslon, which had already encroached upon the after meeting.
:-11

FIRST

. M eetmg f 01' A DDRESSES at 7-45 p.m.

DAY,

AUGUST

30th,

The Chairman-Rev. W. LEAsK, D.D.-after devotional exercises, at once called on the first speaker:

ETERNAL LIFE IN CHRIST ONLY' ITS IMPORTANCE AND PRACTICAL By

THE REV.

.I

INFLUENCE. T. VASEY

I
OF BACUP.

HE supreme importance of my subject is. first of all, the question of its t1'ltth-is it a fact eternal life can only be had by man through union with Christ? If this is not true, we, as an Association ought to be indicted in the High Court of Heaven for libel against humanity, and are deserving of being execrated by heaven, earth, and hell, for conspiring together to rob mankind of the brightest jewel of their beingdeathlessness-the grand inalienable prerogative of immortality. But on the other hand if our thesis is simply the echo of the revealed truth of God, then the libel is on the other side, and Christendom, yea, orthodoxy is guilty (however un designedly) of " teaching lies in the name of the Lord," and deceiving the race with the old falsehood of the serpent," Ye shall not surely die, but be as gods, knowing good and evil." If sin 'is eternal, and sinners angelic, and the human, immortal, then farewell to our cherished hopes of universal holiness, blessedness, and peace, For over must the strife wage between light and darkness, good and evil; and the wrong, the carnage, the blasphemy, the curse of the past 6,000 years be regarded but as the opening scene of an eternity of rebellion and effective opposition to the will of God. Nay, we shudder at the thought; but if sinners are immortal, and in spite of the Almighty can canyon rebellion for eve?', will not the Divine Supremacy come to be doubted? Jehovah's empire come to be divided? and the universe become an arena of eternal strife and discord? Perish. the thought -and the theory-that demands such an alternative; that at. its best requires the huge prison of hell to hold in chains and darkness those immortal rebels who with impunity can dare the Eternal to destroy them,

I I I

10

THE

BIBLE

STANDARD.
can these dry bones live! He then was to prophecy to them, Hear the Word of the Lord. God would give them life. We know this shall be literally fulfilled to Israel. But does it not set forth the grand truth of God's power over death? "He can create and He destroy." But to overthrow the power of death, to bring back from the charnel-house the One who died, is the grand crown of redemption, (he glm'y of Almightiness. It was Christ's restorative to the desponding Baptist-gloomy and doubting in Herod's prison. He sent to know the Divine credentials of Jesus, "Art 'I'hot He that should come? "&c. Mark the answer, "Go and tell John what things ye see and bear; the blind see, the deaf hear, the lame walk, the lepers are cleansed, the DEAD ARE RAISEDUP." This is God's grand testimony to His Son. And the poor who don't know the classics and philosophy have the glad tidings preached to them. The world still lies in the arms of the wicked one, but God has appointed a day in which Christ shall come, cast down and judge the usurper. What is the proof, the assurance that such a time will come. The Eternal turns back to this crowning proof of His power and truth, "He hath given assurance to all men in that He hath raised Him (Christ) from the dead." The Father delights to honour His Son, who is the Resurrection and the Life; and as the Father hath life in Himself, so hath He given to the Son to have life in Himself, and to be the Life-qioer to all who believe on His name. The importance of this great redemption goes beyond forgiveness-vast as is this blessing-and it links me with the Heir of all things, redeems me from death and the grave, puts me in possession of eternal life through resurrection, lilts me to a higher sphere of being, by making me, in this union with Christ, a partaker of the Divine nature! I, who by my Adam nature was sinful, mortal, am by grace a child of God, an heir of God, and joint-heir with Christ of a boundless inheritance, in which to spend the Father's priceless boon of eternal life. The importance of this it seems impossible to exaggerate; it brings honour and glory to the Father and His deal' Son, and exalts the riches of His grace to me, the doomed rebel. And, now, just a word on the Eternal Spiritthe promised Comforter. He is the Holy Spirit, the Spirit of truth, He has come specially to glorify Christ, for, saith Jesus, He shall receive of mine and shew it unto you. He knows the mind of God, reveals it in our Bible as the word of God, which rests on tbe testimony of the Holy Spirit, for "He searcheth all things, yea, the deep things of God." Now this testimony is that eternal life is only the gift of God in and through Christ. He it is that seals the saints of God until the day of redemption. Let us not grieve Him by rejecting His Divine record. Is it not important that God's truth should be told out to men, rather than the dogmas of tradition? Man is a sinner under sentence of death. Bnt God has given the precious gift of Eternal Life to all who will accept it through faith in Christ. While those who reject and despise Him shall be cut off, shall not see life, but be extinguished in the second death. The practical power of this truth is Immense, for it is the truth of God. No theory this, but the revealed will of God. It sets forth the riches of His grace and glery, It also frees the character of our Father in heaven from the foul aspersion. that traditional theology has cast upon it. Our God will not torment devils or men in hell for evC?. This is not their doom. The finally impenitent must perish; be blotted out. The last curse of the relict shall perish w-ith his breath: and purity, love, peace, praise, and gratitude, shall be the pure offering that shall rise before God from a cleansed universe, in which all orders of being shall unite. Redeemed humanity shall lead the strain, the powers and

not eternal torment! Man had rejected the is lost, ruined, under sentence of perishing in then we see the love, mercy, and grace tree of life, and dared to rebel against his Maker, death; risking His displeasure, hence the sentence, dust of God in Christ, iu conferriug this unspeakable thou art and to dust shalt thou return. Such gift. All then is intelligible and clear, and His rectitude and eracitu is the rock on which our being the facts of the case, as stated in Scripture, it is here the importance of our topic is seen. faith can rest secure. n. The importance of eternal life in GMist only I. We observe that the rectitude and the God's veracity of the Divine character proves the is seen further when we contemplate importance of our topic. Man was CAPABLE glorious plan of Redemptiou by His Son, Jesus of death if he sinned, or God would not Christ. The righteousness and holiness of God were have warned him with such a penalty. But if he was naturally deathless he could not seen in the sentence of death on the sinners of The flaming sword of the cherubim dedie, and the devil was right when he said" Ye Eden. shall not surely die." What then becomes of clares the impossibility of immortal.izinq transRebellion must he put down. But the Divine rectitude, to threaten a penalty that gressors. could not be executed? or of the Divine the character of oar God is Light and Love. He veracity, to pass a sentence that could never be has discovered a way by which His love could flow to the guilty. And this has been aecomcarried into effect? Modern theology teaches that man's body dies, plished by the gift of His Son, "Who is the brightness of His glory and the express image of but His soul-his true self, the real man-is immortal, and from its nature must live [or ever. His person," the logos who in the beginning If this wondrous being rejects the salvation pro- was with God and truly was God. To Redeem is vided iu Christ, he misses heaven, he must snffer to buy back, to ransom from that which holds eternal torment; but can never die. We it under its power. This was our condition. We were under the power of sin, had become solsm nly affirm that nowhere in the Scriptures But has God taught this dogma, and challenge con- mortal and exposed to perish in death. Jesus took oar nature, was made sin for us that tradiction. He declares the soul or persou that sinneth shall die-" not live," be "cut off," we might be made the righteousness of God in " He died for us that through death He "utterly perish." It was Adarn on whom the Him. sentence was passed, " dost thou art and to dust might destroy him that had the power of shalt thou return." It is the corporate being, death, that is the devil." Then He rose "in the A new power was the individual that God deals with. Life and. power of an endless life." developed.--ReS1!lTecNon, Eternal Life death, not happiness and misery-are the two thus This really is as the Apostle extremes or poles referred to in the book of God. through death. puts it-" the display of the might of His power Now look further, friends, on this matter :Either eternal life is God's gift to us in Christ, in raising Christ from the dead," (Eph. i. 20.) Sin finished in or what is said about it in the Bible jars with Look at it a moment longer. the rectitude and veracity of the Divine cha- the death of God's fair creature, man. 'I'he racter. 1st, As to its being God', gift as the climax of Satan's malignity reached when man But fruit of redemption by Christ; now we speak was brought under the dominion of death. God's redemption was that His spotless Son reverently, if I am inherently an immortal being, God cannot give immortality to me should bear our sins in His own body on the tree, and in actual death pay sin's penalty, for in Christ. I have it already. A deathless principle that must live as long as God Jesus" laid down His life, poured out His soul Himself. There are things that a man has unto death," died for our sins according to that can be increased: he may have wealth, the Scriptures. The essence of God's re'I'rue, fame, knowledge, virtue, grace, and he can have demption is this fact of Christ's death. more of all these. But if I have already the pewer some of our brethren are timid on this point, to live for ever, God cannot GIVEme this, for it and would contend there is some spark of the is ALREADYINALIENABLYMINE. Then what old life-fire survives death, from which God can becomes of that glorious text, " God so loved the rekindle the old flame. But if Jesus did not world (or race), that He gave His only begotten really die, He could not rise from the dead: His Son, that whosoever believeth in Him should life was not laid down; His sacrifice was not not perish, but have everlasting life." To completed: sin is not put away: His word to perish is to wither like a flower, to die, to the Churches is not correct, " I am He that was cease to be; but if I am naturally immortal, is dead," and behold I am alive for evermore." it not an idle threat to say, I shall perish if I Now, if Christ was not truly dead, He could not reject Christ? Take that other glorious text be made alive again. But the fact rests on the where John, speaking to his fellow-men, says, if sure word. Christ said" It is finished," and We receive the witness (or testimouy) of men gave up the ghost-or spirit of life. God" rent "the witness of God is greater." God is the tb.e veil of the temple from the top to the God of truth: He cannot lie: and He declares bottom." The proofs of Christ's death were of heaven, earth, " H" that believeth on the Son of God hath the complete to the satisfaction witness in himself: he that believeth not God and hell. Death took captive the Eternal Life, hath made Him a liar; because he believeth not and held Him in that rocky prison till the third Paul the record that God gave of His Son. And this day, There He lay, cold, lifeless, dead. is the record that God hath given to us eternal challenged in God's name, saying, "'Vho shall life, and this life is in His Son. He that hath lay anything to the charge of God's elect?" th- SOil hath life: and he that hath not the Son Why ? "It is CHRIST 'l'HATDIED, yea, rather, But Christ could not rise from of God hath not life." (1 John v, 10.12.) There risen again." is no mistaking the meaning of this clear, plain the dead if He had not truly died: and as all statement. God's record is that eternalltfe is admit, the whole scheme of redemption rests HIS GIF1', not throuqli Adam, but in Christ: to upon the resurrection of Christ, so we contend deny this is to insult the character of God, and the whole glory and truth of resurrection rests make Him-s-in the strong language of John->on the fact that Christ was dead. And here comes the majesty of Omnipotence-The Father a liar, Let me beseech you, Christian friends, to reflect upon what tradition has made you raised Him from the dead! That which is irnbelieve, that man is immortal apart from possible to angels 01' men is possible with God. Christ, and if so. then God professes to bestow We ask in the language of Paul, "Why should upon me a gift 1 have already; and i1 gift which it be thought n thing incredible with you that He only could bestow through the suffering and God should mise the dead?" (Acts xxvi. 8.) death of His only begotten Son. 0, friends, God Just look at that vision God showed Ezekiel. will not mock us, nor can we with impunity Dry bones! all life and moisture entirely gone. insult Him by the baseless profession of having They were many and very dry. The prophet an immortal soul; but accept the fact that man was to look upon them, and then he is asked

THE
principalities in the heavenlies shall join in it"Worthy is the Lamb that was slain, to receive power, aud riches, and wisdom, and strength, and glory." And again the strains shall be taken up by all creatures, " Blessing, and honour, and glory, and power, be unto Him that sitteth upon the throne, and unto the Lamb for ever." Amen.

BIBLE

STANDARD.

11

If you believe in immortal sinners, you must believe in the eternity of sin; the most Goddishonouring conclusion to which a man, by any dogma, can be driven. Remember, that sin would for ever be growing blaeker, and more daring. It is its nature. When men had. slighted the messages of God sent through the Patriarchs, they were prepared to persecute the Prophets, and after that they were ready to kill After a hymn, the following Address was the Prince of Life Himself. And what immortal given: rebels would, in distant ages do, God only knows. We believe then that only those who qualify REASONS FOR BELIEF IN for immortality, learning now how to use a IlVIMORTALITY UPON CONDITIONS. never-ending life for the glory of God, shall receive the gift. We believe this, further,By REV. GEO. P. MACKAY, OF LINCOLN. HI. BECAUSEo~' 'rHE OLD TESTAMEN1'STATE. IIIENTSAS TO SIN, SACRU'lCE, \""ID ; SALVATION. A FTER what was said at the close of the As to Sin: Its uniform assertion is, " The soul 11 meeting preceding this, I should like to that sinneth it shall die." From the beginning state that I somewhat endorse the sentiments of It shows that the cousequence of sin is loss of Mr. Fiuch. (Not admitting that Mr. Councillor lifc,-death. This is seen Vel'y distinctly in the Watson brought a railing accusation against the cases of Adam, the men of the Flood, the ministers of religion; but wishing it to' be clearly Sodomites, the Egyptians, and Korah and his understood that we as an Association do not company. The sinful are therefore not immortal. charge these with insincerity.) I have no right .As to Sacrifice ; The lambs and bulls were to question the sincerity of a man simply because substitutes for the transgressors. 'l'hs penalty he differs with me in opinion: and, taking the due to the latter was paid to the former. That ministers of England as a whole, I would chalpenalty was death. Not the death, Ol' destruclenge anyone to find a class of men who are tion, of their well-being: which some tell us more sincere than they. We should always shall be the ultimate doom of the ungodly. speak of them with kindness aud respect. If Nor the death of their ill-being; which others any do not believe as we do, let us not for a say shall be the punishment of such. But it was moment think that it is from a selfish motive the death of their whole-being. The animals they remain in unbelief. They simply do not were utterly destroyed; cut off; burnt up. The see that which appears to us so clear; and it is fate of the finally impenitent was hereby vividly ours. with meekness and fear, to give them portrayed. reasons for the hope we hold, and there to leave As to Salinuion : The light on this was not so the matter. This is the object, at any rate, of clear as we now have it; and it appears all the the meeting of this evening. loss clear to us because of the great light we The prevailing belief is that man is naturally enjoy to-day. A dim light seems as darkness to imrnortal,-once born he can never die. It is those who are in full hght, Yet various passages said, " This is the flat of Heaven's decree, in the Old Testament indicate that thc early Thou art, and thou shalt for ever be." saints had knowledge of a life to come, and a But this doctrine, though orthodox, we take the hope of never-ending days for those who were liberty to challenge. either obedient-like Enoch, Abraham, and Some of those who hold it say they find it in those who kept the law of Moses; or penitent,the Scripture; but when asked for the words of like David and others, who, when they fell into the" Fiat" declaring man to be immortal, they sin, came before Goel with confession and the fail to bring them forth. Others say that the appointed sacrifice. Salvation from the destroyer immortality of man is to be inferred from certain is never promised thcre to others. passages ; but when these are examined it is IV. BECAUREOFTHE NEW TES'l'AMEN'r TATES found that the doctrine is brought to the pasMEN'l'S AS TO SIN, SACRIFICE ANn SALVATION. sages before it can be taken out. Others, again, 'I'hese agree exactly with those of the Old. try to argue for it from certain data of metaAs to "in: While the Old Testament declares physics; for example, they say, "Because man "The soul that sinneth it shall die," the New can think, and .reason, therefore he is an imasserts that" The wages of siu is death." It has mortal being." But the same argument would been objected that tile Old Testament death was hold good for the immortality of dogs. They death of the body, and that that of the New is have certain thinking and reasoning faculties; death of the soul. But the language is so and if the power of man to think proves his imexactly the same, that we cannot think the mortality, the thinking powers of brutes prove inspired writers had such a distinction in their theirs. minds. Indeed, the Apostles frequently quoted The fact is there is not so much enquiry into from. the Old Testament when speaking of the " Seeking the bubble reputation the truth of this dogma as we might expect or doom of sin. For instance, in Acts iii., 22-23, Even in the cannon's mouth." desire. It is too generally taken for granted, Peter speaking of Christ as the Prophet like unto' God bless those men, and bring them back in Moses, takes the words from the mouth of or believed on credit. They prize Moses :-" It shall come to pass, that every soul Sometimes we are appealed to in -this safety to their wives and bairns. "glory," and know that they must fight for it; which will not hear that Prophet, SHALL BE fashion:" 0 listen man 1 and we, lmowing immortality to be a prize, DESTROYED from among the people." If these A voico wilhin us speaks the startling words, lmow also that it can only be obtained upon COII- words meant, in Old Testament usage, that the Man-thou shalt neVC1' die! Celestial voices ditions. Eternal life is for "them who by transgressors would be literally put to death, Hymn it round our souls: according harps ... 11 d . k By ungelIlngera louched when the mild stars patient continuance 111 we - oing, see for glory, why should they not mean the same, when used Of morning sang together, sound forth still and honour, and immortality." iu the New? Or, compare Levit. xxii, 3 with The song of our !lreat imurorbal'ity." If. BECAUSE '!'Hg POWERS o~' AN IIIIMORTAJ,2 1'hes. i. 9. In the one case it is said" That And we have listened; but have never heard a ARE INCALCULABLE. ll things are created for a soul shall Le cut off from My presence," and in A voice within, nor voices around, conveying such purpose, "i\lan's chief end is to glorify God, the other, Be" shall be punished with everlasting It message. But stay! We have! One voice and to enjoy Him for ever." Now, if a tree, (or destruction from the presence of the Lord." has whispered such words in our ears! A.' a nation represented by a tree,) Jails to fulfil the The language is almost identical. Then why voice, alas, we long believed; a voice once heard object of its being, the command is given, "Cut should it be understood, in the Old Testament, in Eden, but A LIAR'Svoice! "The serpru; said it down! why cumberetb it the ground ?" But as a sentence of literal destruction, and in the unto the woman, Ye shall not surely die." if a man be immortal, he can never be cut down. New as one of eternal life in torment? Celestial voices utter words the opposite. To all eternity he can defy his Maker. The As to Sacrifice : Jesus, " The Lamb of God," Hear the experience of Isaiah: "The voice said, purpose of hIS b~ing is unfulfilled; his immortal like the sacrifices of old, took the penalty due Cry. And he said, What shall J: cry?" The I powers are prostlt!lted; and yet of these powers unto the sinful. What was that? Spiritual answer was not, " Cry, all men are immortal;" he cannot be depnved. I death? No! To die spiritually is to commit

but, " All flesh is grass, and all the goodliness thereof is as the flower of the field: the grass witbereth, the flower fadeth: because the spirit of the Lord bloweth upon it: surely the people is grass." The Holy Spirit warned men, sa~g, " Turn ye, turn ye, why will ye die?" The Son said, " If ye believe not that I am He, ye shall die in your sins." The Prophets said, "0 wicked man, thou shalt surely die." And the Apostles declared, " If ye live after the flesh, ye shall die." How then can we believe that men shall never die? We are not Atheists, as some suppose. We do not deny a life beyond the grave. " Believing all things which are written iu the law, and in the prophets, we have hope toward God, which they themselves also allow that there shall be a resurrection of the dead, both of the just and unjust." But we do deny that the unjust who rise to judgment shall be kept alive for over. "The wages of sin is death." Speaking of the time of resurrection, Jesus said, " He that liveth and belieuetli hI Me shall never die." And if these words stood alone they would be sufficient to uphold the doctrine of Immortality upon conditions, But' let us now proceed to give some reasons for this belief. Why do we hold it? I. BECAUSEIM:lfORTALI'rY PRIZED. It is a IS boon to be desired. 'I'he wish for it is preseut in the minds of millions. Almost where'er you turn it may be found. The history of mankind proves this. The dread of extinction is not positively uni versal, The Chinese, for example, are an exception to the rule that man longs to live for ever. Mr. Griffith John, the eminent missionary to that nation, writing lately to the Christi.in World, said, " Here in China the doctrine of the annihilation of the wicked would be good news . to many. Buddhism has been holding the Nirvana before the imagination of its votaries as the reward of the highest and most perfect virtue." Still most men do dread death, and fear oblivion. It has been affirmed that this proves man's immortality. But if immortal, whv should man so thirst to become immortal? A craving for anything does not amount to evidence of possession; it rather reveals the non-possession of the thing desired. What this longing, so nearly universal, does prove, is, that immortality is a thing of value ; something worth having; in short, a Prize, And can a prize be gained except upon conditions? Can you win, unless you rnn? If you prize health, must you not obey its laws? If you would have wealth, must you not labour? If knowledge, must you not study? J f fame, must you not do some special deed? Alas, at this moment we have some soldiers, and sailors with soldiers' hearts,

12
sin; and" Jle did no sin, neither was guile found in His mouth." Like the lambs, He was without blemish. Was it torment? No! He did suffer it is true; but the cup was not drunk untU He died. 'I'here was the penalty! Actual death! The Lamb was slain. His life was taken. "He poured out His soul unto death." And had it not been for the Resurrection, lIe would have been dead to-day. Then death-the literal cess Ition of life-is the award of evil. As to Salvation: The New 'I'estament light on this is clear. "Om Saviou r, Jesus Christ, Lath abolished death, and hath brought life and immortality to light." How? By showing that men are immortal naturally? Nay; hut "By the gospel." What is that? It is the good news "That whosoever helieveth in Him should not perish, hut have everlasting life." Here the conditions attached to immortality are revealed. "He tbat heareth My word, and believeth on Him that seni. Me (he) hath everlasting life." I am the living bread which came down from heaven: if any man eat of this bread HE shall live for ever." Could" life in Christ" be expressed more forcibly than in such passages? But, to proceed, we believe in it,V. BECAUSE IT VINDICATESTHE CHARACTER OF GOD. Tbat doctrine which exalts Him in the estimation of man is likely to be correct. And the doctrine of immortality upon conditions does that. It justifies Him even while He blots the wicked out of being. If men are immortal there are two opposing doctrines supported by the Bible: viz. The eternal torment theory, and the theory of Restoration. Now your sense of justice (a sense God has implanted), rebels against the idea of eternal misery. You cannot recognize the love of God, nor His wisdom in it. And your sense of truth battles with the other theory, when you remember such passages as M att; xii. 32. "Whosoever speaketh against the Holy Spirit, it shall not be [orqiuen. him, neither in this world nor in that which is to come," and 2 Thes, i. 9, These" shall be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord." But both justice and love, wisdom and truth are manifest in the doctrine of conditional immortality. God's character is vindicated, while the sinner is condemned. The way of life, and that of death were set before the doomed. The chance of a choice was given: and their "destruction cometh as a whirlwind;" "for that they hated knowledge, and did not choose the fear of the Lord." We believe in this,VI. BECAUSE IT ADDS NEW LUSTRE TO THE NAME o~' JESUS. "All men should honour the Son, even as they honour the Father;" and we ascribe more honour to Him now than formerly we could. Formerly we honoured Him for having added joy and felicity to an immortality that we supposed we had already: but now we praise Him for the immortality as well. Wc recognise that all our future being is due to Him. He saves us, not from suffering only, but from death itself. VII. BECAUSE1'1' REACHESrrrs HEARTS OFMEN FOR GOOD. It has been stated that "Life in Christ," when fully preached, or broached at all, would do harm; leading men to live more careless and ungodly lives. An embryo ciergyman-sa student about to be ordained-said to me a little time ago :-" If I did believe, as you do, at any rate I would not dare to preach that doctrine." , Why, you little whipper-snapper!' I thought, 'What l'ight have you to take the responsibility of God's Word upon your poor puny shoulders?' And I said, " I presume you would not believe it unless you thought it was the truth of God. In that case you have nothing whatever to do with the re.sult of preaching it. He will take care that His truth does no harm." But does this teaching bring forth, mischief? No. A thousand times, no. It may be abused; as any truth, or any man may be. They abused

THE

BIBLE

STANDARD.
wrong, it was the duty of the Christian world, and especially of the Christian ministry, to show in what way they were wrong, and to endeavour to reclaim them from the error of their way. It became essential in these days of thought that they should inquire. How were they to know. unless they inquired? But there were some good friends anxious to stop inquiry. That was but following the example that had been set right through the ages. When the Church of Rome held dominion, it did its best to stop inquiry. When Galileo taught the fundamental truths of astronomy-truths that were now taught in their every-day schools-the Church tried to arrest their advance. And why? Because it had some idea that astronomy would overturn its system, and go to prove something that was quite in opposition to its shibboleth. Now tbere were other truths-new t~ -being gradually disrobed of the ignorance and superstition of bygone ages. And what saith the Church? Stop inquiry-e-have no inquiry. They had the good Rector of Fisherton pressing them not to attend these meetings; and why? Stop inquiry-' let them go to hell if wrong; if they are right, we will go on in the old jog-trot way.' That was the logical deduction. If they were wrong, they asked to be put right, and the only way to do this was by fair and reverent discussion. They were not afraid of discussion; the friends at Salisbury were not afraid of discussion; they had invited it; the reader of the paper that night had invited it. The result either way would not be a victory for man; it would not be the victory simply of intellect; it would be a victory for God and Truth. If they were wrong, their friendly opponents would be the medium, not simply of defeating them, but of establishing more firmly the truth. If their opponents lost, they would simply have more light than before, and thus they would receive a great blessing. The interest of Christianity was in such discussion and 'inquiry, and he felt sure therefore, that the auclience would acknowledge their indebtedness to the Association for giving them an opportunity of investigation. Every man ancl woman would, he was persuaded, go away with the conviction that, whether right or wrong, their only hope was in God and God's service, and that they had done what they had because they had a conviction it was their duty. Remember tbat even if the Rector of Eisher ton tried to stop inquiry, God called upon His people to reason with Him; God gave His people the power to inquire into human interpretations; God said "Prove all things." And upon that ground alone he felt certain they would thank the Association for giving tbem an opportunity of proving this matter. It was by inquiry that men obtained light.

the Christ of God Himself when here. But from ten years' acquaintance with the doctrine; from five years occasional preaching of it; and from three years regular preaching, I can testify that it works incalculable good. It awakens the ungodly. They can perceive its reasonableness. I should like to see anyone attempt, in the messroom of a Lincoln foundry, to preach the doctrine of eternal misery. That is, with no palliation: no cooling mixture: but as plainly and straight as it should be preached if it be true. The men would simply say they would not hear such talk, and would ask the good man to go and tell it to his grandmother. But in the messrooms there, I have found the doctrine of immortality upon conditions listened to with all respect; and know that it has been the means of bringing some of these dear smokebegrimed men to the Saviour. It has not free course in England; because still branded as heresy by the majority. But this we can say, "It is the power of God unto salvation, to every one that believeth." It establishes and stimulates the godly. These find it a rock beneath their feet: a firm foundation for any fabric they may form: "The faith once for all delivered unto the saints." And it cannot fail to spur them on to " love and to good works," when they" Know that He who converteth the sinner from the error of his way shall save a soul from death, and shall hide a multitude of sins." Here then is our position :-Firstly,We cannot find a single declaration in the Word of God, that immortality is natural to man. This is most significant when you remember how often the affirmation falls from the lips of the preachers of to-day. Evidently these preachers are on a different line from that of the prophets and apostles. Secondly,-Not one only, but scores of passages are found, declaring that the boon can only be obtained through Christ. "The gift of God is eternal life through Jesns Christ our Lord." As to the past: "In Him was life." As to the present: "Yotu' life is hid with Christ." As to the future: "When He who is our life shall appear, then shall ye also appear with Him in glory." In this doctrine Scripture, science, and sense; history, prophecy, and experience fnlly agree, so what can one do but believe? And further,what can an honest believer do but preach? We share in the sentiments of Luther, and would take a humble place beside such men as he. You remember that, at the Diet of Worms, he was requested to recant, but boldly replied, " I neither can nor will retract anything, for it is unsafe for the Christian to say aught against his conscience. Here I stand. I can do no otherwise. God help me. Amen." We feel, with Luther, that we can do no otherwise than believe and teach that which we see is God's own truth. Others may base their hope of never ending life in some supposed inalienable right; but we base ours on Christ alone.
U

ADDRESS

BY MR. J. J. ROBBS,
Ol!' BLANDFORD.

My hope is built on nothing less Tha.n Jcsus' blood and righteousness: I dare Dot trust the se'1'lJent's lie
Re(Ja7'ding i1n11l01'tality.

Mr. Hobbs seconded remarking-e-

the foregoiug resolution,

On QIll'ist, the solid Rock, I stand: All other ground is sinking sand.'

ADDRESS

BY THE

REV. J. C. CARLILE,
which will be found

OF CHELTENHAM.

Speaking to a resolntion, on another page, he said-

HE felt sure that the friends who had spoken at the previous meeting would quite agree with this resolution. It was evident from the tone of that meeting that men were beginning to inquire upon this important subject. This was the ground the Association took: if they were right, it was their duty to advocate this; if they were

THAT he supposed he had been asked to perform that dnty because he had had something to do with starting that Conference. At all events, he was certain they would forgive him if he took a little pride in that meeting, not simply becanse they had a large audience, but because of the inquiring spirit it directly and indirectly, through the medium of the newspapers, would originate. About four or five years ago it occurred to him to suggest that there should be an attempt at a Conference like this, in order that there might be an opportunity of free and fair discussion. This was brought forward in the columns of the RainbolO, and the result had been four or five important Conferences. More than that, indeed,-the general result had been

THE

BIBLE

STANDARD.

13

settle the conflict. He will give the victory to BY MR. H. CLIFF, ADDRESS far more than the most sanguine advocate could conscience, and drive policy beaten from the have expected. In these discussions they took OF TORQUAY. field. He in whom conscience dominates does their stand solely on the Book; and their great Mr. Cliff seconded the previous resolution, not calculate consequences, or weigh probabiliaim was to bring what they believed to be truths sayingties, but promptly obeys the voice within, howbefore the public mind, and that they, as Chrisever adverse the immediate results may be to tians, might have an opportunity of reverently HE seconded this motion with pleasure, as his position, or temporary interests. considering them. affording him an opportunity of stating his joy Never in the history of our world had any He had been rejoiced by the meetings of that in the faith. Brought up in Methodism, having public official a grander opportunity of asserting day - Dot so much because of the eloquence of preached and having been taught as a Methodist, the nobility of manhood, under the sceptre of the speakers as of the principles maintained. he had been accustomed to listen to the much- conscience, than had Pontius Pilate, the resident They rejoiced to know that God was not the reiterated doctrine, "the soul cannot die," from Roman governor 01 Judea, at the time when being He was commonly represented to be. his infancy; from childhood having been taught he uttered these neverto-be-Iorgotten words, From his earliest times, God was a most in- that as soon as life left the body it would inherit "Behold the man!" He might have gained Ior comprehensible being to him. In his earlier eternal life, and be in the enjoyment of the himself imperishable renown had he obeyed.,the days it seemed as though modern ideas associated beauties of heaven, or writhe everlastingly in mandate of conscience, which told him not to Him with purposes of horror. How little they the horrible tortures of a terrible hell. Troubled slay the Innocent, and resisted with lofty inknew Him I Now, he rejoiced to know that exceedingly, he at last grasped the truth, aud dignation the whispers of policy, that it would eternal life was to be had in Christ Jesus; that based his hope upon a loving faith, a loyal life, be greatly to his interests to gratify the Jewish the eternal torment of orthodoxy was no part a glorious resurrection at the second coming of Sanhedrim in the crucifixion of Jesus, whom he of Divine truth. Jesus Christ. Upon the truths of the Bible, and knew and declared to be innocent. To bring ADDRESS BY MR. W. R. MOORE, not upon this mortal theory of the immortal Him forth before His enemies with the blood OF SALISBURY. soul, he had learned to rest. But his freedom of streaming from the wounds caused by the crown Mr. Moore moved a resolution of thanks to thought cost him-to his own unutterable pain, of thorns, in the hope of moving their pitythe chairmen and speakers of the day's meetings. for he had loved Methodism as he loved even if that was Pilate's motive-was an expedient In doing thislife, but not as he loved Christian truth-his showing but slight acquaintance with the workHI~ asked to be allowed to refer to the recom- place in Methodism: at least, he was, in reality, ings of human passion, for the sight of one so mendation of the Rector of Fisherton, claiming banished to the ranks. His forced resignation deeply injured would only exasperate the hatred the indulgence of the meeting as a parishioner of occurred at the same time as the forced resign a- of those who had injured Him; and this was the rev. gentleman. Yet, he desired to do this tion of a minister who was thus excommunicated precisely its effect; for when the chief priests in no spirit of vindictiveness, for Mr. Thwaites -not for believing in Conditional Immortality, and officers saw Him, the wild cry of "Crucify had exhibited a broad Christian spirit towards but-because of a belief in spiritualism. He at Him! crucify Him!" rang over the city, the the striving Church at Harcourt. the time expostulated against the inconsistency ominous herald blast of the doom in store for it. In speaking of the Temperance Mission to be of calling upon that minister to resign; because Pilate understood not the logic of John respecting held in the city shortly, the rev. gentleman said, the rev. gentleman had only carried the belief of the first murderer and his victim: "Wherefore on the covers of his Parish Magazine, it would soul-immortality one step further, and had slew he him? Because his own works were evil, be well to attend, so that they could judge for professed to have had communion with such and his brother's righteous! " And accordingly themselves. But in relation to this Conference immortal souls, after death. "they cried out all at once, saying, Away with on "what is called' Conditional Immortality,'" Had man immortality? If he had, he was this Man, and release unto us Barubbas : who he hoped the parishioners would show their upon the same plane as Divinity in that respect. for a certain sedition made in the city, and for entire disapproval "with such unholy cavilling If man's life, in its conscious activities, still murder, was cast into prison. But Pilate, willby keeping away from the Conference." He existed beyond the grave, was it so ridiculous ing to release Jesus, spake again to them. But hardly felt that he need say a word after he had that spiritualism should seek to have communion they continued crying, Crucify Him, crucify compared the two advices. The latter advice with the dead? Him. And he said unto them the third time, would scarcely stand in comparison with the Theirs was an important question; it was a Why, what evil hath He done? I have found no Scriptural example. Eighteen centuries ago, question far above the ism of Methodist, or any cause of death in Him: I will therefore chastise Paul and Barnabas were commissioned to preach other Church, What was the truth? And they Him, and let Him go. And they were urgent the truth of eternal life in Christ, and in the must feel thankful to the speakers for the light with loud voices, requiring that He might be course of their journey they found great opposi- they had thrown upon the subject. crucified. And the voices of them and of the tion. At last they found themselves at Antioch. What had the orthodox belief done? chief priests prevailed. And Pilate gave sentence They remembered Paul's rebuke: "It was One thing, certainly-it had strengthened that it should be as they required. And he necessary that the word of God should first have infidelity. Men had been unable to conceive the released unto them him that for sedition and been spoken to you, but seeing you put it from Deity of orthodoxy - the Deity of eternal suffer- murder was cast into prison, whow they desired; you, and judge yourselves unworthy of ever- iog. One man, an educated gentleman, who but he delivered up Jesus to their will." lasting life, lo, we turn to the Gentiles." We had, to his own knowledge, been a professed, Alas! Pilate, you have allowed the splendid need not draw the analogy. The successor of and even earnest infidel, had said that Christianopportunity of acquiring immortal fame to pass Paul said, "Don't listen." Paul himself told ity, as understood by the Conditional Immortalby for ever. Your," No! I will never yield to them to search the WO?'d for the truth of what ity Association, he could accept. Orthodox your insensate cry, borne of jealousy, for the he said. Personally, he was sincerely grieved at belief hindered the acceptance of Christ, and death of this good Man," would have crowned the use of the words "unholy cavilling." He therefore he asked them, as a Christiau people, you to all generations as one of the noblest of sincerely protested that it was no "unholy to value the truths of the Bible as above any men and purest of judges. But the golden cavilling" on his or their part. Their friends Church creed. The truth was above denominamoment has gone unseized, the bench is diswho preached eternal misery, doubtless believed tions. honoured, the ermine is stained, and it is not in what they professed; but they were no less The Secretary announced, with sincere regret, the power even of imperial Rome to redeem the sincere in preaching eternal life only through that Mr. Smith would not, perhaps, be able to dishonour or remove the stain. Christ. Mr. Thwaites, and those with him, said, be present on the following day. Since his bold But leaving the representative of 'I'iberius as "the soul shall live for ever." Ezekiel said, avowal of the truth his Bible had taught him, he unworthy of further criticism, let us take the " The sinful soul shall die." Did Ezekiel cavil? bad suffered much; the persecution which he three words he used oq this most solemn Difference of opinion there was between him and had tbus endured, had now culminated in almost occasion, and find ill them a depth of meaning, them, but that did not justify Mr. 'I'hwaites in constant physical pain and weakness. an official call to the study of. J1 marvellous using that language. 'I'he rev. gentleman called person, of which the official himself was entirely attent.ion to Matt. xxv. 46,-eternal punishment unconscious. For the occasional utterance of for the sinner, eternal life for the righteous. 31st, profound truths by men in office, whilst ignorant But what did they understand by punishment? of the full meaning of their words We have What Paul understood? But how often was the A SEltMON was delivered at 3 p.m, apostolic authority: "Then many of the Jews same word (punishment) used in other senses? THE DE SIGN OF THE which came to Mary, and had seen the thiugs They were told that those who did not obey the INCARNATION. which Jesus did, believed on Him. But some gospel of the Lord should be punished-even of them went their ways to the Pharisees, aud unto" eternal destruction." That was its true By THE REV. W. LEASK, D.D., told them what things Jesus had done. 'l'hen meaning. It had been asked by others than (Of London.) gathered the chief priests and the Pharisees a Mr. Thwaites, 'Why did they not use the word "B h Id th M " J I . 5 couucil, and said, What do we? for this man " annihilation"? Because" annihilation" was e 0 e an- - 0 In XIX. . doeth many miracles. If we let Him thus alone not in the Book, a:nd " destruction "~as. Upon WHEN conscienc~ and poli.cy are oppose?, all men will believe on Him; and the Roman~ the Book they relied. Was such reliance to be the opportunity of testing character 1S shall come and take away both our place and characterised as " unholy cavilling"? I given. A man, worthy of the name, will speedily nation. And one of them, named Caiaphas,

SECOND DAY, AUGUST

14
being the high priest that same year, said unto them, Ye know nothing at all, nor consider that it is expedient for us that one man should die for the people, and that the whole nation perish not. And this spake he not of himself; hut being high priest that year, he prophesied that Jesus should die for that nation; and not for that nation only, but that also He should gather together in one the children of God that were scattered abroad. Then from that day forth they took counsel together for to put Him to death." John xi. 45-530 Pilate's invitation to the Jews to 1001< at the bumble, patient, uncomplaining prisoner before them, has been a key W01'd to Christendom through all its generations. "Behold the Man," is the heart and soul and substance of the Christian faith; the Divine text of every Gospel sermon that ever was preached in the world : the direction of the Jewish lawgiver to the Tribes respecting One who was to be raised up aft er him; and the command of God Himself out of the cloud of glory on the holy mount-" This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased; heal' ye Him." What light have we on any subject that concerns our well-being, what solution of any of the problems that come before us with perplexing persistence, and what right to imagine ourselves members of the Divine community called the Body of Christ, if we do not constantly, as a matter of holy habit, behold the Man? Without this the Gospel has no meaning, Christian doctrine no coherence, the Church no foundation, the law no fulfiller, the invisible God no representative, and man no hope. It is vain to tell me that certain abstract doctrines constitute, in their unity, a system, the belief of which will give me peace of conscience and mental rest. It is altogether a mistake. I may be a systematic theologian without a ray of the Shekinah enlightcning my mind, an eloquent advocate of It symmetrical creed without the incense of adoration ascending from my heart, and a loyal member of my ecclesiastical tribe, without a place ill the wonderful edifice which is "built upon tho foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ Himself being the chief corner stone, in whom all the building, fitly framed together, groweth unto an holy temple ill the Lord." No. Your abstract doctrines must have a livin~ person at the heart to give them concrete vitality, a living, loving centre of union, breathing tho warm glow of its own spirit through them, to give them vitalising force upon the human heart and mind. The hemof the garment wlll be as utterly useless to the sin-poisoned sufferer as the rotten rags of Rome, if virtue go not forth from the Lord Himself to heal the disease. Let us, therefore, as we belong to a world and a race that have fallen among thieves, 'earnestly and eagerly behold the Man, if it be true that He has a heart to pity, and a hand to help us. But how comes this "Man" to stand for life or death at the bar of a Roman procurator? It is a marvellous story altogether; and, if thero be not an all-wise God regulating, disposing, controlling the numberless events, social, political, national and international that make up the history of the world, with a settled and unchanging purpose ultimately to realise His own design, whatever that design may be, in spite of all the forces that may oppose it, thon we may give up all reasoning, all logic, all faith, all hope, and full down before the blind, dumb, deaf, brainless idol, "Agnosticism," which some socalled "thinkers" prefer to the Word of the living God. Let me now enjoy the privilege, brethren beloved, of leading your thoughts along the line suggested by our text. 1. Let us behold the Man that we may get ~ome distinct idea of God's estimate of sin: Who

THE

BIBLE

STANDARD.
Christ," is the motto and practical impulse of the Christian. He is bought, redeemed, ransomed ; and, therefore, belongs to the Ransomer. He is his Lord's free man for willing service, and the very soul of that service is imitation of Him who delighted to do the will of His Father. "I have meat to eat that ye know not of. . . . My meat is to do the will of Him that sent Me, and to finish His work. . . . I came down from heaven, not to do Mine own will, but the will of Him that sent Me. . . . 1,delight to do Thy will, 0 My God; yea, Thy law is within My heart." We read these, and statements of similar import, with much thankfulness, as characteristic of Him whose name we bear; but we must not forget that God has declared His purpose that the justified are to be "conformed to the image of His Son." The standard is thus placed before us, not for our admiration only, but also for our imitation. He was obedient in all things; we are to be "obedient children." Translation from darkness to light is a supreme privilege, but , transformation of character must be its sequel and its proof. Sons of light must walk in the light, and must hold forth the light as the Divinely constituted light-bearers in a world over which the prince of darkness has thrown his blinding shadow. Living branches of the True Vine must bear fruit to the glory of the great Husbandman. " Practical Christianity "-a phrase which never would have been invented but for the usurpation by dead creeds of the throne of the living Christ-practical Christianity is Christ living in His people, and honouring God through them. We must show our faith by our works, our citizenship by our lives, our love by our loyalty, our consecration to Christ by unflagging zeal in His holy service. If we thus "Behold the Man" as the model Man of the new creation, the higher Adam of a higher race than that which comes from the man of Eden, we are sure to appreciate the precepts of the apostolic Epistles, which are all, of course, addressed to Christians, or men of Christ. Thoso who are asked to walk in newness of life, are only those who have passed from death unto life. The slaves of Satan are never asked to do the work of God. If they wish a better service, they must change masters. If they wish to be among the citizens, they must cease to be aliens. And if they desire to be counted with the flock, they must come to the good Shepherd, who gave His life for the sheep, and who has given His word that they shall never perish, but shall have eternal life. Eternal life ! What is that? Let us pause and ask ourselves if we understand it. What idea shapes itself on our minds, as we meet these two words in conjunction, as adjective and noun? That they had a meaning certain, definite, and clear, in the mind of our Lord, must be accepted as beyond doubt. He used no words without meaning, and gave no promise which He is unable to redeem. He held out no boon in the distauce, drawn upon imaginary rosources, which might never be within His reach, for the purpose of captivating His hearers and enlisting them in His cause. Imposters, for selfish ends, often by good words and fair speeches, decei ve the heads of the simple; but our Master is faithful and true, and what He has promised He will perform. And Paul's malignant foes, IV ho were utterly incapable of taking the m-asure of that splendid man, said that, being crafty, he caught the money of the Corinthiaus with guile; a libel which he repu.diates with noble indignation. Deception, disguise, religious falsehood, pious frauds, the hideous doctrine that the end sanctifies the means, came in a later age; when the Church had fallen fearfu.lly, the age which witnessed the organised system of hypocrisy which blasphemed the name of our Lord by incorporating it in the word" Jesuitism." With the words "eternal life" we are all

is" the Man" to whom this Roman functionary points, and what has He done to lead to this hour of peril? One of His followers has sold Him, for the price of the meanest slave, to the heads of His Father's temple; and they have handed Him over, with words of abhorrence and execration, to the local executive of the hated' foreign Power then dominating their country; with the request that He may be slain in the manner appointed for the worst Gentile criminals. But He has not sinued either against God, or Cresar. He is not a blasphemer, not a rebel, not the slightest injury has auy human being ever received at His hands. On the contrary, His life, brief as it was, has been one of unparalleled blessing to multitudes. The world's history can show no such glorious page of beneficence as those tbree and a half years of the public career of Jesus of Nazareth. Every possible grace and virtue met in Him. He was the only perfect man that ever walked the earth, No eulogium equals His merits. Neither poet nor artist ever drew His likeness. The loftiest flights of sanctified eloquence cannot reach the sublime height of His character. Prophets were filled with the light of a holy enthusiasm when they saw Him in the far distance coming to OUI' earth, and called Him the Wonderful ; apostles call Him t.he Word of God, the Light of the world, the Unspeakable, and the Mystery of godliness; and once and again the Father break, the silence of the heavens, by saying, "This is My beloved Son! " And will God in very deed permit wicked hands to seize, torture, and slay this peerless One? Yes! Look; there in that pale, bloodstained, silent sufferer, forsaken by His poor disciples, hated by priest and Pharisee, and handed over to a horrible death by the person whom the emperor has sent to the province to administer justice-there, [ say, in that silent sufferer, you behold the protest of the eternal God against the sin which has cursed and ruined His world. 0, it throbs and pains His heart distressingly; but sin must be put away, and everlasting righteousuess must be brought in, and His own beloved Son, in whom He delights exceedingly, will do both; otherwise the god of this world, the prince of the power of the air, will gain the victory, and evil will prove a thing of eternal duration, as a defective theology eveu to this day affirms, notwithstanding the gracious issues of the death of Christ during the ages that are past, and its glorious issues in the ages to come. The prohibitious of law, the threatenings of penalty, even the dread penalty of eternal death for sin-the capital pnnishment awarded by the righteous throne-do not, cannot, give us so impressive au idea of God's estimate of moral evil as we see in the sufferings and death of Christ. Cautions, warnings, appeals, terrible pictures of judgment, have usually but httle effect; but let a man's eyes gaze inteiligently ou the marvellous story 11 nder notice, and he will get such an idea of God's infinite abhorrence of sin, that he, too, will abhor it, and flee from it to the adorable Redeemer, who so loved us as to become a curse for us! God sent His own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, and condemned sin in the flesh; there is therefore now no condemnation to them that are iu Christ Jesus. This is the essence of the Divine purpose in the incarnation of the Son of God. Deeds have an eloquent force which words have not; and when we see God giving up the Son of His heart, that He might press us to His heart as His dear children, we are melted, conquered, won, saved! It must be so ; it is so ! 2. Behold the Man as the Example,' of the Redeemed. We are to follow, imitate, copy Him. He hath set us an example that we should follow His steps.' The design of the incarnation embraced this among other points of supreme importance, that the Deliverer from death should be the model-for life. "Alive'unto God in Jesus

THE
familiar; and, perhaps, this is the reason why their astonishing meaning is not seen, for astonishing it is, if you will but think. What are we but dream-like phantoms, passing our few years of toil and care upon the surface of the earth with the stamp of mortality upon us, whilst a few feet under its surface is our goal! This needs no proof, because the proof is simply the story of man. "Your fathers, where are they? and the prophets, do they live for ever?" Weary and foot~Ol'e, a:ll the generations ha,v.e closed their pilgrimage ID the dust. Eternal life most assuredly belongs not to man, as such. The guess of Plato-for it was nothing morethat man has somewhere within him an immaterial entity upon which the dissolviug chemistry of death cannot take effect, a life that cannot die, may have been adopted in the dark ages by theologians who wished to g~in their pagan neighbours; and the phrase, "Immortal soul" may have come down through the ages, and 'been embodied in song and sermon, book and homily, catechism and creed; but the thing is only fiction; it has no foundation iu fact, in reason, or in Scripture. Alas! however, It belonzs not to the list of harmless fictions. On the c~ntrary, it has produced disastrous effects in relation at once to the nature of man, the meaning of redemption, and the character of God. But is the idea of immortality, therefore, altczether a mistake? We praise God; far, far fro~ it. 3. Behold the Man as the Eternal Life. This is no inference or induction from the collation of many Scriptures. It is the very words of an inspired apostle. In the opening of his first epistle, the mind of the Apostle John is burdened with a great thought which human language is unable fnlly to express. Yet, as he knows its immense value to the whole body of Divine truth, as the sun to the world he enlightens, essential to its very existence, he is anxious so to present it that no one may mistake his meaning. The human mind may not comprehend its breadth, and length, and depth, and height,. ye~ it may be correctly realised as far as the miud IS able. We may see that it means somethi~g of transcendent importance, though all that It means we may not grasp now, nor perhaps i~ the ages to cam? Accordingly, he arrests attention by an emphatic assurance, as an honest and truthful Witness, that he had heard, seen, steadily looked upon, and touched the Word of Life, the same blessed One whose eternity and Deity he declares in the opening of his gospel; and then, .before he proceeds with his letter, penned this grand parenthesis: "For the Life was manifested, and we have seen it, and bear witness, and show unto you that Eternal Life which was with the Father and was manifested unto us." Is there anything in the Bible more striking and important than this? There is apparent repetition in John's introductory words, but it is language trembling under the. weight of its burden; it is the loving heart lmgenng on a theme of surpassing interest; it is the facets of a great brilliant throwing light in every direction ; and the strength of the revelation is condensed in the parenthesis. The apostle sees around him a world of mortals : the failure of the first man was of course, the failure of all men to rise above the state of mortality; the possible prize of Eden has been lost; and corruption, sin, and death are co-extensive with the human race. Yet there is no tone of disappointment in his words as if a man's highest conception, that of immo;tality, were altogether a delusion. No; so far from that, his heart is bounding at the very thought, and he says, "I write this .u~t.o you that your joy may be full." The POSSibility of immortality is not a mistake, only you are to look for it far ahove and beyond the human race; not in Eden, but in Heaven; not in man, but in Christ; for "the Eternal Life was with the

BIBLE

STANDARD.

15
logic than this should be expected from men who generally take refuge from .supposed di~culties in the lizht of their own intellect, whilst they O admit the supernatural in relation to the Atonement and spiritual influence. Are there greater difficulties connected with some departments of the supernatural than with others? Are not a!1 God's ways higher than our ways, and HIS thoughts than our thoughts? Men who believe in salvation through Christ, and yet re~use to believe that the dead in Him will be raised at His coming, are iuconsistent; at least if we may accept Paul's logic on the subject. He says: " But I would not have you to be ignorant, brethren concerning them which are asleep, that ye sorrow not, even as others which have no hope. For if we believe that Jesus died ~nd rose azain even so them also which sleep m Jesus will God brinz with Him. For this we say unto you by the w~l'Clof the Lord, that we which are alive and remain unto the coming of the Lord shall not prevent them which are asleep. ~or the Lord Himself shall descend from heaven With a shout with the voice of the archangel, and with th~ trump of God; and the dead m Christ shall rise first. Theu we which are alive aud remain shall be caucht up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord iu the ail'; and so shall we ever be with the Lord. Wherefore comfort one another with these words." Let us be consistent in our faith. "If we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so them also which sleep in Jesus will God bring with Him." Let us have the Gospel as full as God has made it, the complete triumph over death in the resurrection of the members ot that wonderful body of which the risen Christ is the Head. It was "by the word of the Lord " that Paul wrote thus to the tried Thessalonians. Well might he add, "Wherefore comfort one another with these words." 'I'hey are words of great comfort, of exceeding joy! Adoringly we gaze upon our Lord as the Re5u:rectlOn as well as the Life and the Resurrection just because He is the Life. The oue is the glorious resnlt of the other. His resurrection is the first-fruit of the Divine harvest of immortals in whom God is to find His eternal satisfaction, to see the issue of His infinite grace and wisdom, and the proof that-His great purpose realised-the dark wave of moral evil that rolled over the fall' young world has not left so much as a stain behind. For the risiuz of Christ from the dead Wl1S the crowninc mitacle of a long series, proving that this wasOthe Son of Abraham, the Sou of David, the Son of God, the appointed Heir of all things, the King of kings and Lord of lords, and above all the Head of His Body, the Church. The gates of hades cannot be allowed to remain for ever shut upon the members of the Body of the risen Christ. The stone will be rolled away in their case, as it was in the case of their illustrious Head, .the Conqueror of death, and the Giver of life and immortality. He was delivered for 0111' offences aud raised. for our justification. The death without the resurrection would avail us nothing. ., If Christ be not raised your faith is vain ; ye are yet in your sins. . Thon they also which are fallen asleep 10 Christ are perisued." Nay, so essential is the resurrection of Christ as the Head and Life of the redeemed, tiJat the anostle uses words of profound meaning, when h~ says, "Eor if when we were enemies we were reconciled to God by the death of His Son, much more being reconciled, we suall be saved by HIS life;" or, as the real meaning of the expression is, by sharing in His life. It follows, then, that to share in the life of a risen Redeemer is the Divine salvation which the God of all grace bestows upon the believer; and that, consequently, the resurrection of those .who have died in Christ is an integral part of the DIV1?e arrangement; and, therefore, essential to It" complete realisation.

Father," away back, far, far back, long bel.ore

months and years begau to be, or the measunng line of time was put into the hands of mortals. But the period determined by perf~ct wisd?m has come the fulness of time for the incarnation of the L~gos; and the Eternal.Life which was with the Father has been manifested unto us. The Word. the Life, the Eternal Life, has come from the Father to give sonship and life everlasting. to as many as receive Him; and we declare this unto you that ye also may have f~llowship, communion, participation, with us m this Divine and permanent life; and truly our fellowship is with the Father and with His Son Jesus Christ. But in reality this truth, of eternal life the gift of God in Christ to the believer, sparkles like a constellation of stars of the first magnitude, 01' rather, like a cloudless meridian sun upon the pages of the Bible; ~hich is emphatically, therefore, the Book of Life to all who receive" the record." Just a few passages, out of multitudes, in proof: h "Fight the good fight of faith, lay old on eternal life, whereunto thou ad also called, and hast professed a good profession before many witnesses "-1 'I'im, vi. 12. " In hope of eternal life which God that cannot lie promised before the world began"'I'itus i. 2. "That being justified by His grace, we should be made heirs according to the hope of eternal life "-'l'itus iii. 7. -, "This is the promise that H hath promised us even eternal life "-1 John i;.-25. :, And this is the record, that God hath given to us eternal life, and this life is in His Son. He that hath the Son hath the life. and he that hath not the Son of God hath not the life. These thinzs have I written unto you that believe in the ~ame of the Son of God, that ye may know that ye have eternal life, and that ye may believe on the name of the Son of God. We know that the Son of God is come, and hath given us an understandinc that we may kuow Him that is true and we ~re in Him that is true, even iu His Son' Jesus Christ. 'I'his is the true God and eternal life "-1 John v. 11-13, 20. " Your life is hid with Christ in God.. Christ our life "-Uol. iii. 3, 4. "Because [ live, ye shall live also "-John xiv. 19. 4 Behold the man as " the Resurrection;" It is mournful to think for any length of time over what men have lost in Ohristiau truth by settinz aside the resurrection as not needed. Any s~heme of doctrine that dispenses with this, must be defective. 'I'he ghost-worlds of pagauism and pagauised theology are miserable substitutes for the resurrection. 'I'he Lord's grand purpose is to raise His people from among the dead. at His coming, and to clothe them with incorruptibility. 'I'he majestic words of "the Prince of Life" at the grave. of Lazarus, " 1 am the Resurrection and the Life," have not only been shorn of their Divine splendour by the doctrine that "the souls of believers, perfected at death, immediately pass into glory," but they have really been sent to the region of forgetfulness, as if they formed no part of reve~ation. 'I'ne Church is being plundered of her jewels by the robber Rationalism; and, alas! many of those whom she has appointed as watchman are eith~r asleep, 01' in sympathy With the robber. It IS exceedingly painful to me to speak thus, not only because ofthe deplorable .fact its.elf, bnt also because I know men otherwise estlma.ble, who are, unconsciously let me hope, eoncealiug from view one of the most glorious of God's revealed purposes nnder the fogs of a bewildering metaphorical tbeology. Dispense with the fifteenth chapter of the first E pistle to the Corinthians, because you do not understand how the dead are raised? Better

'I

16
5. Behold the Man as God's Anointed Kin.'}. As a matter of fact, there is nothing more clearly declared in Scripture than this; and, also as a matter of f"CI;, there is nothing in Scripture so much disliked by the world, and by the world's twin sister, the nominal church. It is ensv to trace this dislike to its source. There is no mystery about it. As long as the Christ, the Anointed of God, as the Ruler of all nations, is invisible, that is, remains away from His dominions, the world is quite content to give Him as many royal titles as you please. Hut the belief of His manifestation to every eye, and His assumption of the sovereignty of the world, is too much I This would upset e:verything! The world's masks would be torn off, its miserable social hypocrisies exposed in the glare of an insufferable light, its grasping selfishness brought to the test of Divine beneficence, and its practical dishonesty branded with the rebuke of the King. We are perfectly willing that Christ should have all the crowns that His friends claim for Him, provided He remain in heaven; but to come and reign over the earth as its supreme Sovereign, bringing the family, society, commerce, art, science, Iiteratnre, politics, religion, and everything else, under His control, is too terrible to think of! Yes, it is; poor old blind, bewitched, deluded world, lying in the wicked one, you are right. It is too much both for you and your master. Nevertheless the decree is declared, and the King is coming; and all who know the mind of God on this matter, and whose eyes are open to the awful state of things over the face of the earth, rejoice with exceeding joy. The solution of the mystery of evil comes with the coming of the Son of Man in great power and glory; and, though that will no doubt overthrow the tables of the money-changers in the temple, and serionsly interfere with the conclusions of popular theology, we give it hearty welcome, as the Divine way of meeting the perplexities, and moral and social disorders of mankind.

THE

BIBLE

STANDARD.

the circumference of revelation. We should look gratefully at the things freely given to us of God and not diminish the value of our inheritance by feebleness of vision. We leave this to the advocate of a narrow system of theology, who is afraid to swim out boldly and gladly on the sunlit ocean of Divine love, lest some watching brother should cry, Heresy! He has gone beyond the creed; that is against the standards!" But whilst we look on this CI'y as simply foolish, as it is impossible to put all God's thoughts in any creed of human compositiou; yet, uponfhe other hand, we must not add to the book by believing, or wishing to believe, more than it actually contains. The work that Christ has done for God and men is Let us behold the Man in the sublime majesty confessedly very great, even if we accept the of meekness as He silently listens to His mal- estimate of it given by the narrowest sect in ignaut foas, for this is indeed the Anointed of Christendom. If we limit the issues of that Jehovah. the destined Ruler of all peoples, kin- work as some people take pleasure in doing, imdreds and nations under the whole heaveu. Not possible as it is for me to understand, far less to without meaning is the strange foreshadowing of appreciate their motives, still those issues, it is ad. what is to be. Blind actors have mimicked a mitted, require eternity for their development, Divine reality; for Jesus has been crowned, however few the actual recipients of the Divine sceptered, royally clothed and proclaimed already. life. Well, then, seeing that at the narrowest estiAll this actually took place. The crown was of mate the work of the Saviour is so wonderfully thorns, the sceptre was a reed, the clothing was great and gracious, may I venture to go beyond the royal purple, the proclamation was over His the limits of the most generous orthodoxy, and head on the cross. But the august and imposing say that the work of Christ will not be doue solemnity of the coronation will come, and will while there remains a sin, a sigh, a tear, a pain be witnessed by men and angels, whilst the or a groan in creation? I take the risk of this hosannas of earth and the hallelujahs of heaven position without fear. Whether it be orthodox mingle in triumphant song, as if in exulting or heterodox is a question which I do not ask. answer to the wild cry, "Crucify Him! crucify These words have no meaning to me. I do not Him! " wish to assign to the Son of God and Son of Man more work than He has undertaken; " Let the heavens rejoice and let the earth be but neither can I confine that work within a glad; let the sea roar and the fulness thereof. narrower circle than revelation describes as the Let the field be joyful, and all that is therein; area of its manifestation, and thus deprive OUt' then shall all the trees of the wood rejoice before Lord of a portion of the glory due to His name. the Lord. For He cometh to judge the earth; Let us get the key to our inquiry by a brief He shall judge the world with righteousness, glan~~ back. Let us walk with the wonderful and the people with His truth." Man by the banks of the Jordan, the lake of Galilee, the vineyards of Judea, the slopes of And when we turn to the Church on the "I saw in the night visions and, behold, one Olivet, the hillside, the wilderness, and other question of Messianic royalty, we are not like the Son of Man came with the clouds of spots for ever sacred to us, notwithstanding all surprised at the world's hostility to the truth. heaven, and came to the Ancient of days, and the abominations that have desecrated EmmanIf the teacher is in error, you cannot expect the they brought Him near before Him. And there uel's land for weary centuries. What do we taught to see clearly. The doctrine of the advent was given Him dominion, and glory, and a king- find in this Man? What is our impression conin glory of the Son of Man, to take the reins of dom, that all people, nations, and languages cerning Him? That He is strangely compasgovernment out of the hands of the world's should serve Him. His dominion is an everlastsionate, gentle, tender, loving; that the mysteprovisional rulers, islheld by a few persons here ing dominion, which shall not pass away, and rious power that is in Him, is put forth, without ami there, but it is totally ignored by all our H~~ king~om that ~hich shall not be destroyed." fee or reward, to heal disease, to remove sorrow, great ecclesiastical bodies, as such, and deemed a R~bbI, ,Thou a;,t the Son of God; Thou art to dry tears, to cast out demons, to raise the fit subject for ridicule by many who have been the King or Israel. dead; that He is grieved when men refuse the ;olernnly set ap~rt to preach tbe truth, t~e whole \ "And I saw heaven opened, and behold a blessings He wishes to bestow; that His moral ruth, ~nd nothm~ l:mt the truth, to ,theIr fellow white horse; and He that sat upon him was indignation bursts like a tempest of thunder and lightning upon the official hypocrites whose men. The few ~rnn~ster~ who teach l.t are barel,Y , called Faithful and True, and in righteousness ~olerated. ~helr piety .Is not questioned, their He doth judge and make war. His eyes were as conduct dishonoured Moses, disgraced His lIJtelh~ence IS even admitted, with the qualifying a flame of fire and on HIS head were many Father's temple, and fearfully misrepresented exception, the ever useful "but "-when you crowns' and H~ had a name written that no His Father's character; and that all this time wan t to "~et ~,mau do~n-" but they are rabid man k~ew, but He Himself. And' He was His pity streamed out, a very river of life and rnlllen,allans. " That IS e~ou~h. Leave them clothed with a vesture dipped in blood: and His gladness, to the victims of sin, upon whom lIJ their obscurity. Ecclesiastical honours and name is called the Word of God. And the armies priest and Pharisee looked with contempt, whilst large ~tlpends are not f?r them. They .are n~t which were in heaven followed Him upon white from His lips there fell the gracious words, quulified ; they must live apart; and indeed It horses clothed in fine linen white and clean "Your sins are" forgiven; go and sin no more." In a word, our verdict respecting this Man must WHe better that they did not live at all, f01'.the.y . And o~t of His mouth goetb ~ sharp sword, that ~re only troublers of Israel. Y~s, the doctrine IS with it He should smite the nations: and He be, "He is perfect! " But if perfect He is the ignored ; and so, as far as P?ssIble, are the ~en shall rule them with a rod of iron: and He same yesterday, to-day, and for ever; for perwho teach It.. Where at Episcopal Convoca~IOn, treadeth the winepress of the fierceness and fection has no degrees and knows no change. at Presbyterian A.ssembly, at <:ongregatI?nal wrath of Almighty God. And He hath on His His exaltation therefore to the Father's right Union, at Methodist C,onference, IS the.glonous vesture and on His thigh a name written, KING hand, for a time, has not weakened the flow of appearmg of our SaVIOur Jesus Christ ever OF KINGS, AND LORD OF LORDS." His pity for the sad and suffering of the race relerred to as the blessed hope of the Church? whose nature He took with Him to the ineffable I have read the annual reports of all these gather6. Behold the Man chosen of God to remove light, nor cooled His zeal for the Father's glory, ings for many years, in the hope of discovering all sin and SOrl'OW from. the universe. which glowed in His heart when He lived on an avowal of sympathy with the apostolic hope earth. The revelation of the Father's characrespecting the return of the Master to His own Is this an utterly gratuitous position? Is this ter, so terribJy misunderstood and misrepresented possessions, of which He is the Divinely-anointed exaggeration.imagination, the child of enthusiasm was the very heart of the Saviour's ministry. King; but to this day, alas! my search has been or unreasoning faucy? Is the wish father to the That object is before Him still. He has been in vain. I find, moreover, that when any re- thought without a single human argument or" carrying it on all these centuries in the hearts vealed truth is set aside to make room for a Divine oracle upon which to rest? I have said and minds of millions of our race. He has been doctrine of the creed, written or tacit, held by already in another connection, "let us have the revealing the Father to believers ever since His any church, that doctrine is sure to be un scrip- Gospel as full as God has made it." Surely we ascension-I have declared unto them Thy tural. Hence these reports, which are silent as ought not to take from His Word by narrowing name and will declare it-a.nd when these death concerning the sublime inspired teaching on the return of the Lord, are full of unscriptural utterances on the conversion of the world. Provided you give us men and money enough-a proviso upon which the changes are rung from year to year with astonishing perseverance-we will convert the world. But the conversion of the world, which you have substituted for the coming of Christ, is nowhere made a Christian duty; whilst everywhere it is made a Christian duty to look for the coming of the Lord. Whilst, therefore, a converted world is the unauthorised goal of your labours, you distinctly disobey the Master's command, ""Watch! for ye know not what hour your Lord doth come."

THE
heavens open on the grand day of His return, He comes to put down all authority and power by which the will of the Godhead is opposed. " For He must reign till He hath put all enemies under His feet." That one Scripture is so marvellously comprehensive, that we might rest the case here, and claim for our Lord the glory of subduing all things to God, of stilling the storms of time and bringing in the great calm of the new age. But this is only one of the proof texts to which hope turns so gladly, as the belated traveller to the pole-star when his landmarks are wrapped in darkness, or, to use a Scripture similitude, when the believer longs for his Lord to come and heal the nations he looks for the beautiful day star, the herald of the glorious sun.

BIBLE

STANDARD. 31st,

17
the same natural way !IS He spoke of His departure. " I go . . . I will come again . . . I will receive you to 11I yse!f." It is a gratuitous and an unscriptural assertion to say the Saviour comes at death. An enemy, not a friend, comes then. When the Saviour comes, as a Saviour it is to ransom His people" from the power of the grave;" to "redeem them fro", death" (Hos. xiii. 14). A merely traditional theology may teach that He comes at death to sav.. their immortal souls, or ghosts, from the hands of supposed superhuman devils, and from going to live in eternal flames; but in the name of the Scriptures of Truth I declare it is tra-litional, all traditional. When the Saviour comes, it will be "the second time, without sin, unto salvation" (Heb. ix. 28). 'I'herefore, He does not come at the death of every saint ; otherwise He would have to come mauy times. BLIt we never read of His coming even a third time. A~ain, what is the primary object of His coming ? Orthodoxy, so-called, says it is to bum up our planet; we affirm it is to reign on it as its sole and rightful King! If the latter, it cannot be the former; and if the former it cannot be the latter. What saith the Scriptures? They say He comes to reign sitting on the restored throne of David. His title, the Messiah, the Christ, 01' the Anointed, indicates this. 1'0 this gree the words of the prophets; as it is written " After this I will return , and will build a"ai~ the tab.ernacl.e (~r kingdom, see u. xxxiii.o21l) of David, which 18 fallen down; and I will build 'again the ruins thereof, and I will set it up" (Acts xv, 15). The same prophets teach that when Zion's King cometh, as such, "His dominion shall be from sea even to sea, and from the 'river even to the ends of the earth" (Zech. ix. 10). That He "shall be a priest upon His throne" (Zech. vi. 13). 'I'hat "He is to be Ruler in Israel" (lIIich. v. 2). That" He shall judge the people righteously and govern the nations upon earth" (Psa. lxvii. 4). That" The Lord shall be King over all the earth" (Zech. xiv. 9). That" The Lord God shall give unto Him the throne of His father David; " and that "He shall reign over the house (or kingdom) of Jacob for ever;" and that "of His kingdom there shall be no encl." And, to be brief that "The kingdoms of this world are (to) bdcome the kingdoms of our Lord, and of His Christ : and He shall reign for ever and ever" (Rev. xi: 15). It is, therefore, abundantly testified, and very clear to an unprejudiced mind, that we must reply to our first leading question with an undoubted affirmative, and say, that whether orthodox or not, it certainly is Scriptural to teach that the Saviour intends coming, personally, a second time, to reign on the earth as il s Bole and God-appointed King; for though the kiugs of the earth will oppose, as those now allied with them generally oppose this doctrine, Jehovah says," Yet have I set My King upon My holy hill of Zion." 2. We have now to enquire, secondly, Whether this be a practical doctrine? Does it produce a suitable and practical effect in the lives of those who receive it? Of course it produces no effect where it is not received. It seems to produce but very little effect upon those who acknow ledge it in connection with the orthodox hope of going to Christ at death. But in the case of those whose only hope is the coming of Cb ris] His coming, as their Saviour from sin disease' and death. it lIW8t operate as it pra~tical alld powerful incentive to good works. The Apostle Paul puts it iu this light in his letter to 'I'itus (ii. 11-13), "The grace of God that brinzath salvation hath appeared to all men, Teachin~ 0 us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts we sh?uld live, s~berly, righteously, and godly, in this present evil world; Looking for that blessed hope, aud the gl07'ious appea1'iny of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ." The expectation of a Master's return operates on the

SECOND DAY, AUGUST

PAPER and Chairman-Mr. DISCUSSION.

J. J.

HOBBS,

who very briefly opened the meeting, regretting that Mr. Smith was not able to read the paper he had prepared. The paper was read by Mr. W. R. MODRE;-

THE SECOND PERSONAL COMING AND REIGN OF THE SAVIOUR: IS IT SCRIPTURAL, PRACTICAL, AND IMMINENT?
By MR. ALBER'l' SMI'l'H, OF BLACKBURN.

[In Mr. Smitii: enforced and much-reqretted. On a mountain in Galilee our risen Lord met absence f?'071L illness, this paper was read for tiim. the eleven by appointment, and during the It is but just to the Association to say that the interview made use of these words: "All power ieuie expressed therein, on the" limited" natU?'e is given unto Me in heaven and in earth." No of the resurrection-s-and which wel'e not st?'ictly thoughtful man can read that brief sentence germane to the subject of the paper-form no without feeling that he must pause and reflect. part of the testimony of the Association; and, If you can think at all this great saying must though an open question therein; would be rearrest your thoughts. All power in heaven and pudiated. by the "bulk" of its membel's.-ED. earth to one who three days before was put to B.S.} death as a blasphemer of God and a rebel rf\HERE are three leading qnestions in the against Oassar? His perfect character-un1. heading of this paper, namely, (1) Is th changeable because perfect-is our guarantee doctrine of a second personal coming and reign that He will use tbis supreme power for the best of the Saviour a Scriptural doctriue? (2) Has interests of the universe. He will do right only this doctrine a Practical effect on the life? And and always, whether He deals with friend or foe. (3) Is the Coming itself now Imminent? If because of His regal position the princes of Taking them in the order given us, we have this world are coming to nought, He will do first to enquire, Is the doctrine of a second them no injustice. If He appoint princes of personal Coming and Reign of the Saviour a His own election in their place, it will not be an Scriptural doctrine? This is surely a propel' act of party favouritism but a recognition of question for all those to ask who profess to take their fitness for office, and a reward of their the Scriptures for their guide. 'I'hey ought to faithfulness during the time of His absence. ask a similar question in connection with every If the powers of heaven are to be shaken, it is dogma they promulgate. To do so honestly because spiritual wickedness in high places, would, I believe, open the eyes of many to the under the prince of the power of the air,exercises un scriptural character of the traditions they a malignant influence, and the Lord is about to hold. I speak from experience. My own underpurify the heavens which are now not clean in standing of Scriptural tru th has been gained in His sight. To still the groanings of creation this way. I tried to support all my pulpit utterand to prepare for the new heavens and the new ances with an "It is written." The plan is a earth, in which righteousness is to dwell, will simple one: try it. The Scriptures themselves involve great cos mica I as well as moral and require you to prove all things, and only to hold spiritual changes-in fact a universal revolution fast that which is good. Let us act now on this under the direction of the perfect wisdom and injnnction. power of the Man of God's right hand, the Son Do the Scriptures teach that saints go inof Man, whom He has made strong for Himself. It is a very wonderful thing this alliance of div'idually to the Saviour at death, 01' that He Deity with glorified humanity in removing evil will come again to them, collectively, at some future time? I affirm the latter. Just before from creation. It fills the mind with wonder when the thought is fairly grasped that a man leaving His apostles, to go to the Father, Jesus said, "Little children, yet a little while I am is the chosen executive of the Godhead for the accomplishment of its original purposes in the with you. Ye shall seek Me; and, as I said creation of tbe heavens and the earth and of unto the Jews, Whither I go ye cannot come; so angels and men. What a triumph over the now I say to you" (John xiii. 33,) And again, enemy through the very nature he seduced from " In My Father's house (01' kingdom) are many (or abiding places-ma?. Rev. ver.); allegiance to the throne l The bruised heel mansions shall crush the head of him that bruised it. if it were not so I would have told you: I go to prepare a place (or position-To1Tos, see Luke 'I'be Man of sorrows shall fill heaven and earth with song; and through the despised and re: xiv. 9) for you. And if I go and prepare a place' jected One the time comes when God shall be for you, I will come aqain, and receive you unto all in all. "And I saw a new heaven and a new Myself; that where I am there ye may be also." According to J esus, therefore, His disciples earth: for the first heaven and the first earth were passed away; and there was no more sea. conld no more go to Him than the unbelieving Jews; but He promises to come again to them, And I John saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, and at that time to receive them to Himself. coming down from God out of heaven, prepared be now gone to the as a bride adorned for bel' husband. And I They cannot, therefore, Father, where Jesus has gone. Two reasons heard a great voice out of heaven saying, Behold, the tabernacle of Got! is with men, and He will forbid this: first, because they are yet sleeping in the dust of the earth; and, secondly, becaus~ dwell with them, and they shall be His people, and God Himself shall be with them, and be the Father dwells in the light to which no man can approach, and whom no man hath seen, nor their God. And God shall wipe away all tears can see (1 Tim, vi. 16). Therefore, before they from their eyes; and there shall be no' more can be received unto Jesus Himself, He must death, neither eorrow nor crying, neither shall come again, and raise them from the dead. there be any more pain: for the former things But, some one asks, will He come personally? are passed a way." I ask, and I ask with reverence, Can He" HimMay the Lord graciously hasten this glorious self" come any other way? He went away perconsummation I Amen 1 sonally; and He spoke of His coming again in

18

THE

BIBLE

STANDARD.
follow. Doubtless the redemption of the body draweth nigh. When the Christ comes, He will come secretly as a thief, not in sight of the world. And since we know not the day, nor hour, let UR obey His injunction and" Watch." His coming may be imminent; but it must be near. If we are His disciples. that coming can only be distant, in our life's experience, at the most a few short years; and it may, for aught we know, be only a few fleeting days; for the sleep of death, to the saints, annihilates all further interval. But let us not deceive ourselves in this matter; let us examine ourselves by the Divine Standard, to see whether we be in the faith. Do we Scriptur. ally know the One, the only, true God, and Jesus the Christ, His Son, whom He sent, and whom He is about to send again? Do we obey as well as believe the glad tidinzs of the kingdom of God? If not, and should Christ be revealed in our day, what with all our profession can be our hope? To such, Paul says, "He will be revealed in flaming fire, taking vengeance on them that know not God, and that obey not the Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ, who shall be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord, and from the glory of His power." Not punished with everlasting preservation in that flaming fire; but with everlasting destruction! A destruction so complete that it blots its victims out of existence for ever, even from the sight of the Lord, and from the further operation of His mighty power. Let us, therefore, humbly ask ourselves: Have we scripturally put on Christ; are we, indeed, become Abraharu's seed and heirs according to the promise? lf not, then with all our pretentions we are still" without hope," and without Gael in the world : and if we die thus out' friends will have to sorrow over us as those that have "no hope." But if we have, then let us aRk, are we living Christ, are we faithfully waiting for His return? Let us do so. Remember that _the friendship of the world is enmity against God; that things highly esteemed amongst men are an abomination in the sight of God. Otherwise we shall be in danger of being found amongst that class of saints which shall be " ashamed before Him at His appearing." But whether we die, or live; whether the Advent be immediate or remote, let us each, like Paul, "strive if by any means we may attain to the Resurrection from among the dead; " and seek the same assurance, and the same grounds for the assurance, to say. " Henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Ju.dge, shall gi ve me at that day; and not to me only. but unto all them also that love His appearing" (2 Tim, iv, 8).
The CHAIRMAN. after stating the rules of the disoussioo called on the Rev. G. P. MACKAY to open the same. He saidThat he felt it right to have it thoroughly understood that they did not, as an Association, bind themselves to
the opinion some things of any in that private member paper, to which, of it. There were as a member of that
I

servants of his household in a beneficial manner: have made mistakes as to the time of Christ's it keeps them at the post of duty, and s~il?ulat~s eor-ing ; and this has probably led others to their energies with the hope of recervmg hIS renounce the doctrine altogether. Thus ono good word, his approving smile, and his mistake sometimes, not only leads to another, but generous rewards. So Jesus Himself teaches, as begets its opposite. However, accepting the recorded by the historian in Mor]: xiii. 34. Scriptures as the word of truth, we are sure of 'I'he doctrine has, too, a practical effect in the this, Christ will come; and as it is only a quesconversion of sinners, when proclaimed in con- tion of time, we may be sure that His coming is nection with the saving purposes of His ad vent. nearer now than ever it was before. But is it What are these purposes? I. The resurrection imminent? What is meant by imminent? Apof all pursons given to Christ by the Father for pearing to hang over our heads as if ready at any this purpose. As Jesus said, "This is the moment to fall npon us. In this sense I am Father's will which hath sent Me, that of all not prepared to say it is imminent. It may be; which He hath given Me, I should lose nothing; but I cannot say I tbink so; bnt I do think it is but should raise it up again at the last day. " I near, and that it may at any time become (John vi. 39.) IL The Judgment of all. persons I imminent: . responsible to judgment; as Paul reminds the I Bu~ while .1 cannot .say ~h~t I see the advent IS saints, saying, " lVe must all appear before the now impending, I believe It IS certainly near. I judgment seat of Christ." (2 Cor, v. 10). Ill. admit that. And since the Scriptures teach that The immortalisation afterwards oE all found Christ's coming Will precede His manifestation, worthy. "That everyone may receive the I own that He may come at any time, any day,. things in body, according to that He hath done, or any hour of the day or night. At present, whether it be good or ball," and again, " He that however, I prefer to say I think the Advent is soweth to the flesh shall of the flesh reap cor- near, perhaps very near, rather than to say it is ruption ; but he that soweth to the spirit, shall actually impending. Why do I think it is near? of the spirit reap life everlasting." (Gal. vi. 8). For several reasons. There are to my mind And IV, The association of all those thus born certain foretold signs of its approach. Christ of the spuitjwit h Christ in the kingdom of God, has given His servants these signs whereby they to reign with Him upon the earth. "And he may judge of the approach of that day. 1. He that overcometh and keepeth J\Jy works unto the intimated it would be it day distant from His end, to him will I give power over the nations." first appearing, f01'He represented Himself as" a (Rev. iii. 26). Thus, it. will be seen, I limit the m~u taking a f,u'journey." (D!ark xiii. ~4.) As judgment to the responsible only; for I can find gomg to a far country to receive for HImself a no more support iu the Scriptures for what is kingdom. Sufficient time has already elapsed to called a General Judgment, or for universal allow the fulfilment of these parabolical proresurrection, than J can for the more charitable, phosies. 2. The great apostacy from the faith, but mistaken dogma of universal salvation. predicted by Paul, has been effected. (2 Thess. There may be odd texts which, apart from their ii. 3). (3.) 'I'be Gospel has been preached in contexts, seem superficially to support these all nations, if not in all places, as predicted 'general' doctrines: but to my mind they ill before the return. (Ma,." xiii. 10.) (4), The accord with tho doctrines of "Conditional Im- scoff-re of the last days. foretold by the Apostle mortality," or the general tenor of the Scriptures, Peter, are now appearing. (2 Peter iii, 3,) And which show that "The wages of sin is death." the Apocalypse, which I believe gives a symbolic One death, not two deaths for the same sin. snmmary of the world's dealings with the " He that believeth not," the Saviour said, " Is Church, between the two Advents, furnishes condemned already"; already under condemnaother signs. 5, One notable and near sign is tion without being brought to a judgment of mentioned in Rev. xvi, 12. This can now be which, perhaps, he has never heard. Paul seen clearly shining in t?e political heavens. gives this as the rule of procedure. "As We read here that" The SIxth angel poured out uiany as have sinned without law shall perish his vial upon the great river Euphrates ; and the without law; and as many as have sinned in the water thereof was dried up, that the w'ty of the law, shall be judged by the law." (Rom. ii. 12.) King of the East might be prepared." And Show perishing mortals that apart from undershortly after this a voice suddenly declares (v 15), standing the Scriptures, they are. as the Psalmist = Behold I come as a thief." ha. viii. 7 shows affirms, " li ke the beast" that perish," and some that the River was symbolical of the Assyrian will be led to cultivate that understanding, that' power located therein. The Turkish power occuthey may attain to the Divine nature; show pies this position in our days. The river them that apart from One who is coming as the is represented as having undergone rapid evaporHesnrrection and the Life, they can obtain aticu ; as being dried up. This is a suitable neither, and some will come to Him that they prophetic representation of a fact with whiohwe may have life; show them that Christ is co~ing are all familia':; namely, the gradually decrea.sto reign on the earth, and that He has promised ing power and iufluence of the Moslem rule III to associate His faithful followers with Him in the East. England's present bellicose position His millennial glory, and Christian minded men in Egypt, much against the Sultan's wishes, is will seek to be made kings and priests unto God, even now further expediting the process of and to reign with Christ on the earth. So I find it. evaporation. As soon as the ri vel' is dried up, . The Apostle Peter seems to have considered the way of those kings who are from the suns that the doctrine had this practical effect when rising will be prepared. When it is prepared he said to the Jews, "Repent ye, therefore. and then we may expect the appearing of .those kings he converted, that your sins may be blotted out, and priests of the Deity, and the Rising of the when the times of refreshing shall come from the Son of Righteousness with healing in His wings Presence (or Face, Luke i. 16) of the Lord, and sufficient to heal them of their mortal wounds. He shall send Jesus Christ, which before was (Mal. iv. 2.) But this river is not yet dried up. preached unto you, whom the heaven must re- 'It is, thank God, rapidly drying. The bed of the ceive until the times of rcstiuuion. (or restoration) stream begins to appear. It promises soon to be of all things, which God hath spoken by the quite dry. Even politicians have now become so mouth of all His holy prophets since the world far convinced of this inevitable result, that they began." (Acts iii. 19-21). no longer concern themselves about upholding 'I'ime, however, forbids me further to dwell the integrity of the 'l'urkish empire. They used to upon this interesting topic; so I must pass on to concern themselves so: bnt now ~t is felt that the third question, and ask, the outbreak of war may, at any time, complete Is the coming of Christ Imminent? That is, the drying-up process; and thus remove the Is the second advent of the Messiah now im- last barrier of the promised restoration of Israel's pending? In considering this question we shall kingdom. A partial restoration to the Jews has have need of great caution. Many in the past already begun. Momentous events may soon

Association, he could not subscribe at all; he would not, however, enter in la details, as Mr. Smith was not there to answer for himself. He would s imply say a word or two on the three questions. The first was answered in the Olel Testament in various ways. They found Christ spoken of as coming in humiliation, and coming in glory. The Jews made a mistake; they looked for Him as coming in glory, and when He came in humiliation they did not recognise Him. They seemed somehow to have hidden or neglected the passages which spoke of His humiliation. Therefore when the King came-the King incog.-they did not recognise Him in the man Christ] esus. But there in the Old Testament the promise lies-Christ shall come in glory, For unto us a Child is born, unto us a Son is given, and the government shall be upon His shoulders, and His name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, the Mighty God, the Everlasting Father, the Prince of Peace." So long as that text told of His coming in great glory, His second coming rema lued a Scriptural truth. In the New Testament it is spoken of again and again. I-le consoled His disciples with the thought" Though I go I shall come again." That was the only thing that would prevent His coming again-His remaining with them. And they were told He shall come in like manner." His coming was mentioned no fewer than once for every thirteen verses in
{I 11

~
the New Testament. His coming was introduced in every book in the New Testament. They had taken it as a S~rip~ure. doctrine. And thus he was sorry that Mr. Smith, In hIS paper, had not given them more quotations from the Word. And since Scriptural, it must be practical" All ~c~ipture given by inspiration is practical. God 5 word 15 intended to be practised. This coming was a power to humanity, i-t led the ungodly to the thought that ,there was a day for which they must prepare, and it inspired the godly to the hope of the reward of His gracious mercy. Mr. Smith said little as to the practical power of the hope. The essayist seemed rather to neglect the practical import of the doctrine. Questions as to the responsibilities of man were introduced rather han ~he practical import of the doctrine upon man. The d~ctl'lne was a practical influence, and wherever preached faIthful,Iy and listened to respectfully, it had a good and beneficial effect. But was it imminent? He quite agreed with Mr. Smith that it was well that they should not state t.Imes,.It was well that they should be careful. Some had fixed It for 1862, others for 1866, and others for other dates j and afterwards found they had made mistakes. He repeated, let them be careful. They might put it forward to ta,ke place in a few years j and then find they had made a mistake. But they had nothing to do with the date' that was with God. Christ was nearer to us every day: if he did not cor;te for a thousand years He was near to us; for when we died, we should know nothing until He received u,s into life., It was t?e duty of each to prepare for the cormng ; the ~lme of HIS coming, he knew it not; he professed nothing III regard to it. Mr. JOHNSON could not but say it was a matter for great regret they should be compelled to proceed in the absence of Mr. Smith. From the second part of the paper he gathered that the resurrection would be confined to responsible persons only-that there would be no universal resurrection; and that a universal resurrection did not accord with the doctrines of the Conditional Immortality ASSOCIatIon. He could not but think that it was of the first importance that it should be stated-that that was simply the opinion of the writer. (Hear.) It was not his opmion ; and he should question whether it was the opinion of the majority in that room. He had been only able to gat~er of two classes being recognized- the just and the unjust ; and he thought the most distinctive passages of Scripture could be quoted to show that there would be a resurrection of both the just and the unjust. How their good brother was able to arrive at the conclu-sion of no universal resurrection-only a resurrection of responsible beings, he could not make out, Another point, 11 The wages of sin is death." And from that the ,":riter seemed to infer one death, and not two deaths. If simply one d~ath, then it must be this present death. Under those crrcumstances, the theory of no universal resurrection would be consistent-in that those who merited the wages would not be raised from the dead. In considering the third point, the writer wisely refrained from -a good deal, ~ut he Just ~s unwisely said some things about floods, rrvers, and Afnca. He should not like to say a word he .did not understand. t Hea r, hear.) As to the secret coming ofChrist, he was rather ,sorry that Christ was represented 10 the figure of a thief." If it were to be a secret coming, how did they know it had not taken place? Was this belief in consonance with the statemen! that '!-le would cO?le in great glory? As to the date of HIS coming, all the mistakes of the Christian Church had been in this direction:-it had estima~e~ it to come a great deal sooner than evidently the DIVine hand intended it to be. The Rev. B. B. WALE observed that with much the last speaker said he entirely agreed. But he would refer to his assertions as to Christ coming in secret. And here he would say that the words if coming from him would not be, perhaps, worthy their thought; but this was not a matter of human inference, but of Divine revelation. He was struck by some of the statements which the last speaker seemed to think a. direct contradiction to the plainest statements ofthe Word of God. They knew that there w~s to be a ~esurrection of the just and unjust; that was Scr-iptural. They found, Marvel not at this for the hour is .comi.ng in which all that are in their gra~es shall hear His voice and come forth, those that have done good unto the resurrection of life, and they that have done evil unto the resurrection of damnation." That was as clear as sunlight. So much for the resurrection. As to secret, coming, th~ir brother was right, and yet as was usual III human life, he was wrong. He was right and w~ong. It w~s, indeed, that the] udge should come as a thief. A th~ef would not come having announced his commg; having grven the month and the day on which he would steal their goods. A thief would come unannounced, silently, secretly. He will come as a thief-not to, the Church of God, without being anticipated, but as a thief to the smner. He did not know that he endorsed the idea of secret rapture; but be did not know that he did not. He was in a terra incognita. Between the two stools he hoped he should not fall. (Laughter.) We were told by the Apostle that when the Lord should come, we shall be caught up to meet Him-the word meet being used in the sense of returning, So we should return. Then we were told, 11 His feet shall stand in that day on the Mount of Olives." 11 The Lord will come, and all His saints with Him." He will be there -we shall be with Him. What did this show? That the saints would go up and meet the Lord in the air; that the world's judgment would follow; and that He would inaugurate His millennial ~~igll on earth. (Hear, hear.
If U

THE

BIBLE

STANDARD.

19

(To beconcluded

next month.)

bitious device of Satan, God's enemy, and how nearly that device and design of Satan has been accomplished in the Alexanders, Crssars and MEETING FOR ADDRESSES, 7-45 P.lIi. N apoleons of the past, let history tell. But THE Chairman of the previous meeting presided, thwarted, defeated, denied Satan and his friends and after the devotional exercises called on the have been hitherto, because One still ruleth in Secretary to make an announcement, who the heavens and among the inhabitants of the stated that it was the first time in the earth, and His hour has not yet come to give But that history of the Association-and this was their Satan the full length of his chain. Fifth Annual Conference-they had to make hour will come, and with the hour the man in an apology to the audience for the absence whom Satan shall become incarnate, and receive power to exercise his full measure of of any important speaker. He deeply regretted that it should be so now; but it was by the infernal malice against God.]] a! limit never Has God found His man, a hand of Providence. That hand had been laid hitherto attained. upon three of their valued helpers; one of whom man after His own heart, who shall fulfil all His will? Satan shall also find his man, a man was their esteemed President, another their old and valued friend General Goodwyn, and the after his own heart, who shall fulfil all third, Mr. A. Smith. He could only trust that the his will. And if Jehovah will make His man blessing of God would richly rest upon them, King of kings and Lord of lords for ever, Satan He then read portious of letters reeceived from will also make his man king of kings and lord of lords for so long as God will let him. This the two former.-The President wrote: "I regret to say that it is quite impossible for me power has been long ago shewn in vision to to travel to Salisbury, my cold has taken such a the prophets and seers of old, and if it be true, firm hold of me, so you see for some wise as some of us devoutly believe, that the time of reason or other I am not to take a part in this its revelation is at hand, it behoves all devout Conference. I trust, however, that all your de- minds to give heed thereto, that they be not liberations may be presided over by the Master, taken at unawares when that Wicked shall be and that He will direct all your counsels. I have revealed; for this is he whose mark in the hand no doubt the present Conference will be an ex- or in the forehead shall be fatal to all who This power hasj.been variously pensive one, so I enclose you another five pound receive it. donation." General Goodwyn wrote: "It is shown, seen, and expressed in the several portions of holy writ as recorded by the seers and with great and unfeigned regret that I am comattempting to pelled to renounce my attendance at the Con- prophets of old, and without ference. I have been very unwell for some time, solve the problem contained in the mystic and am told that I may not use my voice for fear number of six hundred three score and six, upon of losing it altogether. I cannot express my which the imagination of so many has exhausted sorrow, but I can only say, The will of the Lord so much ingenuity, only to display its own ignorance and folly, this we notice as worthy of be done." remark, that six thrice repeated is said to be "the The Chairman then called upon Mr. N. STARKEY. numbm' oj a man" and that the ruler of this kingdom of man, whoever he may be, is designated by six names in the Scriptures, two by the THE COMING KINGDOMS AND prophet Daniel, three by the apostle Paul and one by the Seer in Patmos. In Daniel ix. 6. we THE COMING KINGS. read of "The prince that shall come," and in By Mr. NATHANIEL STARKEY, OF LONDON. chap. xi. 21. we read "A vile person shall stand up." In 2 Thess, ii. 3. he is called ~",That man of sin," and "the son of perdition," and in N the light of prophetic truth, two kingdoms, v. 8 of same chap., "that Wicked," in the new two kings, and two alone have yet to be re The lawless one," and in vealed, eac? !n its own time, and in its own way. version rendered, Therefore It IS, that upon tbe present occasion the Revelation, in various places, he is generAnd there should be we have chosen to speak of the coming king- ally called the Beast." do~s and the coming kings, both kingdoms to no difficulty in identifying the beast of Daniel with the beast of Revelation, the one described be 10 some sense universal, beiug the greatest as dreadful, terrible and exceedingly strong, on earth fOl:the. time, controlling and includiug ~avi,?g great iron teeth, devouring and breaking all other kingdoms, one the worst in character and the briefest in duration; the other the best 111 pieces, and stamping the residue with his feet;" the other, after carrying the Mother of in character and the longest in duration. Harlots tamely and submissively, at length casts Now upon the principle contained in the words her off, turns round upon her in hatred, makes "That is not first: which is spiritual, but thttt her desolate and naked, eats her flesh, and w~l~h IS natural, and afterward that which is burns her with fire. And when at length shall spiritual," we shall speak first of that which is come the time to judge this harlot, in whom is natural, tbe kingdom of man, for these two are found the blood of saints, a voice shall be heard opposing kingdoms, the kingdom of man being in righteous judgment saying Render unto her the antithesis of the kingdom of God. Ever even as she rendered. and double unto her the SInce man was formed and placed by his Maker double according to her works, in the cup which in Paradise, the arch enemy of God and man she mingled mingle to her double, because has been engaged upon man's ruin, not so strong is the Lord God who judgeth her." much out of enmity to man as to God, conThen this rampant beast, so often applied by cer~ed most of all to tarnish His glory by the Protestant commentators to the Papacy, but spoiling the work of His hands. Indeed whenw1'ongly, seeing that it is not a religious but an ever Satan has succeeded in setting a man infidel power, sitting in the temple of God, against his Maker, and in making the man his showing himself that he is God-shall abolish ally 111 the conflict against God, Satan has beall ?ree~s and churches, expel all bishops from friended the man, given him gold and silver, their dioceses, all church dignitaries from their glory and honour, a name and a place among state-secured benefices, and appropriate their men; for, ,as we take it, ~hat wasno empty lying revenues, which will be but eating up her flesh hoast of hia when to our Saviour he said "All an,d burning her with,fire. And already we see this power and the glory tbereof is delivered this Lawless One rrsmg among the nations of unto me, and to whomsoever I will I give it. If Europe under the various names of Fenianism Thou therefore wilt worship me all shall be Co~munism, Socialism and Nihilism, a spirit Thine." . ' o~ insubordinatiou prevailing everywhere, and Now universal dominion has not heen the disordering everything, in social, commercial ambitious dream of man alone, but also the am- political, and religious life. And let the Lib~

SECOND DAY, AUGUST 31st,

20
erals in politics take the warning we would here give, that advanced Liberalism means Democracy, and Democracy sooner or later crowns King Mob.-But both these, the beast of Daniel and the beast of the Apocalypse, being one are described as coming to one end. Daniel says I beheld till the beast was slain and his body destroyed and given to the burning flame; and John sees the beast taken and cast alive into a lake of fire burning with brimstone; and the apostle Paul tells us exactly when and how this Lawless One comes to his end, "when the Lord Jesus shall be revealed from heaven with His mighty angels in flaming fire taking vengeance on them that know not God, and that obey not the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ, who shall be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord, and from the glory of His power," and then "shaH that Lawless One be revealed whom the Lord shall consume with the spirit of His mouth, and destroy with the brightness of His coming:' And here I must declare my adherence to the principle for which this Association mainly contends, that the terms here employed by the inspired penmen to set forth the utter end and extinction of-not the power only, butthe persons who have comprised that power-are to be taken in all their literalness and fulness of meaning. If the terms everlasting destruction, consume and destl'oy mean not extinction of being, they are surely such misleading terms as we should not expect to find employed in God's book of truth, our rule of faith and life. But I for one rejoice to find it written in that book, that a time will come when "the wicked shall be no more" and those who know not God "shall be as though they had not been." For the terms so employed see Ps. civ., Obad. 16. So much then fer this .< Prince that shall come;" so soon has the Lawless One to come to his end. But now a word or two as to His kingdom, its extent, and duration. Daniel records it thus, the fourth beast shall devour the whole earth, and shall tread it down, and break it in pieces. And he shall think to change times and laws, and they shall be given into his hand until a time, and times, and the dividing of time. But the judgment shall sit, and they shall take away his kingdom to consume and to destroy it unto the end." John says, "all the world wondered after the beast saying, Who is like unto the beast? Who is able to make war with him? And there was a mouth given unto him speaking great things and blasphemies, and power was given unto him to continue forty and two months." Thus Daniel and John are agreed as to the extent and duration of this kingdom of the beast, as 'being umimersal, and of three yearb and a half continuance. Thus when sin has so abounded as to become universal under the dominion of the Man of Sin, grace will much more abound in cutting it short, and so rendering the worst reign on earth one of the briefest. As to the universality of this king-dom, we do not understand it to include the entire globe. TM visions of Daniel and the Apocalypse we take to have been confined to the area covered by the ten horns (or kingdoms) of the Roman earth as then known. How the two continents of America and Australia in the extremes of east and west, together with the British Colonies everywhere, will stand affected by this state of things existing in Europe, Asia Minor, and North Africa, is not revealed. How the members of any body-politic stand affected when the head or heart, the centres of life, become paralysed we too well know, for what the Roman earth was to the civilized world in the days of the Csssars, it remains to the present day, the seat of life and pulsation, healthy 01' unhealthy. Europe beats time for the world. So much for the kingdom of Man which we have seen to be the kingdom of the Beast, for, what is a man better than a beast when he

TILE

BIBLE

STANDARD.
their long sleep of death, aud together with the watching and waiting ones then alive and remaining over, shall be changed in a moment and caught away to meet the Lord in the air, and so to be ever with the Lord. This event we have, some of us, learned to look for daily, believing that it will take place before the period already spoken of, assigned for the development and destruction of the man of sin, because the Manohild is caught up unto God and to His throne prior to the time, times, and half a time wherein the remnant of the woman's seed are nourished in the wilderness from the face of the serpent. Then at the close of this period, and after the Bride has been with the Bridegroom some three years and a half, during which time that Scripture shall be fulfilled, "and I will overturn, overturn, overturn, until He shall come whose right it is, and I will give it Him," then at the close of this period, He shall appear on the clouds of heaven in power and great g-lory for the destruction of enemies, and the establishment of His own kingdom upon the ruin of Satan's empire, for the dethronement of the usurper, and the enthronement of earth's rightful King and Lord. Then at the close of this period, shall "the Lord God give unto Him the throne of His father David, and He shall reign over the house of Jacob for ever, and of His kingdom there shall be no end," for so runs the Father's decree, Yet have I set My King upon My holy hill of Zion;" and to the Son He saith, Ask of Me, and I will give Thee the heathen for Thine inheritance, and the uttermost parts of the earth for Thy possession." The heathen here asked for inheritance, and the uttermost parts of the earth for possession, surely declares, clearly as words can, the universality of that kingdom which has yet to come, when the knowledge of the Lord shall fill the earth as the waters cover the sea, that kingdom for which men have been so long praying, with more or less intelligence of the prayer, " Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done on earth, as it is done in heaven," for, He shall have dominion from sea to sea, and from the river unto the ends of the earth. Yea, all kings shall fall down before Him, all nations shall call Him blessed." For then, shortly after the complete overthrow and destruction of His foes, it shall be said, " Come, behold the works of the Lord, what desolations He hath made in the earth. He maketh wars to cease unto the end of the earth, He breaketh the bow, and cutteth the spear in sunder, He burneth the chariot in the fire. Be still and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the heathen, I will be exalted in the earth." But first the Earth's Redeemer must be known as Israel's Redeemer, for the Redeemer must first come to Zion and turn away ungodliness from Jacob, for then shall they look on Him whom they pierced, and be in bitterness as one in bitterness for his firstborn; for so it is written, If they abide not still in unbelief, they shall be grafted in, for God is able to graft them in again." And that He will, is evident from the words of Isaiah, "All thy children shall be taught of the Lord, and great shall be the peace of thy children. Thy people also shall be all righteous ; they shall inherit the land for ever." And Paul to the Romans adds, " So all Israel shall be saved." For then must Israel be the regal nation upon earth, Palestine its land of Beulah, and Hepbzibah its capital, for "My delight is in her, saith the Lord," and, " She shall he called, Sought out, a city not forsaken." For the sons of the stranger shall build up thy walls, and their kings shall minister unto thee. They shall build the old wastes, and they shall raise up the former desolations. Strangers shall stand and feed your flocks, and the sons of the alien shall be your ploughmen and your vine-dressers; but ye sball be named the priests of the Lord, men shall call you the

ceases to worship, or worships only self and Satan? Howbeit that is not first which is spiritual, for tbat is permanent, but that which is natural .because that is temporarq, and afterward that which is spiritual that it may be permanent. For when the combined force of Satan and his anointed shalt have done their worst 'for the world, their kingdom shall be shaken and removed away; that the kingdom of Jehovah and His Anointed as the best for the world, as a thing that cannot be shaken, may remain; which kingdom, its extent and duration, we have now to consider. In the beginning-whenever that wasJehovah's purpose became revealed to form a world for a race as yet uncreated, a world in which His Son, the Word, should have the preeminence. And willing to create that race in the image and after the likeness of that Son, the purpose of Jehovah became further revealed to elect out of that race a Bride for His Son, a Bride composed of the choicest of the sons and daughters of men, to share the throne and dominion of the newly created ,world with His Son. But the race must have its week of schooling, and so for six millenniums the race shall know by contact with evil what conflict and conquest means, and alas, what defeat means too. And hard have been the tasks, and stern has been the schoolmaster, and long has been the term of schooling too, to some. And all the harder have been the tasks, and all the sterner the schoolmaster, through the intrusion of a dog astray, which the Master of the school house has suffered to continue "wandering about seeking whom he may devour." Chained indeed and limited iu his power, but with so much of license as to compel the scholars oft to cry in agony, "Deliver my soul from the sword, my darling from the power of the dog. Save me from the lion's mouth." For this Bride for Jehovah's Son shall not consist of babes, such as our first parents were, when fresh they came from their Maker's hand. Good indeed, good as Omnipotence could 'make them, and by Him pronounced very good, men in stature, but babes without experience. Rather shall they be a race of men, matured men, overcomers, conquerors, kings, who by contact and contest with evil shall have conquered and overcome evil with good, and so have obtained the inestimable gain of experience. For they must exercise authority over self, sin, and Satan here, ere they can have authority over two, five or ten cities hereafter, whatever that may mean. They must learn to be true worshippers here, before as kingly priests they can teach others to worship truly hereafter. And so Joseph must be first schooled in Potiphar's house, then in prison, and then -on Pharaoh's throne; Moses must be first schooled in the court of Egypt, then in the desert of Midian, then as leader and commander of she people; and David must be first schooled by Saul, hunted like a partridge on the mountains, and then on Israel's throne for the space of forty years. But the long week of sore travail and salutary discipline will have an end. It has been long written, "the night is far spent, the day is at hand," and with the day shall come that kingdom which shall be an age lasting kingdom, and the presence of the King shall make it day. And when six thousand 'years of sin, sadness and sorrow shall have been filled full to the brim, the Master of the feast Himself shall come, and turn our water into wine, and send forth the proclamation->" Gather My saints together unto Me, those that have made a covenant with Me by sacrifice," for, "The marriage of the Lamb is come and His wife hath made herself ready," and Bles~ed are they which are called to the marriage supper . of the Lamb." Then shall the righteous dead awake and come forth from the dust of the ages past; Abel and Noah shall awake from

THE

BIBLE

STANDARD.

21
proprietors of secular newspapers, taken from Sunday to Sunday, by reliable agents; neither influenced by Episcopalian nor Dissenting agencies. What did they find? First of all, briefly comparing the results of the census taken twelve months ago, with the results of the census taken by Horace Mann, 30 years ago, there had been a departure of two-thi1'ds-and that was putting it moderately-s-of the population from religion, or, at least, from attendance on religious worship. The census made by Mann in 1851 gave, as a result, that about 66 per cent. of the population attended places of worship, and that, of course, the remainder did not. The census made twelve months ago gave, as a result, that 23 per cent. only, attended places of worship. Did that denote the conversion of the world? They must not knock their heads against the hard logic of facts. And these facts-produced by independent witnesses-showed that so far from the world being converted by the religions of the day, the world was drifting away from Christianity altogether, and side by side with this fact came these subsidiary facts.-Going back forty tears, they.found there had started into existence ea "grand Catholic revival," inc1uding, not only the 'l'ractarian efforts of Oxford, but inspiring the Church of England itself into a new life of religious activity. T his had been called the era of evangelical missions. From the beginning of the present century up to the present it had heen thought the Church-by its various religious agencies-was to realise the millennium. Denomination had followed denomination in . stronger efforts. The Church had girded herself to the task. Yet with all this there had been a constan~ mourning, for years past, over the strong tide of scepticism and infidelity sweeping over the land-so strong that many professed teachers of the gospel spoke with bated breath as to the result of their attacks, and it would be well the Christian world should recognise itthat modern agencies had entirely failed to convert the world. What strange influences were at work and leading the Churches to resort to stra.njSe means in hope of maintaining their pOSItIOn. In some churches and chapels various and questionable methods were being tried to attract t~e people and to fill the pews. They were ha vmg solos, getting ladies to sing themmaking their services semi-musical entertainments in order that they might influence the masses. When the efforts of the Church could not get the world up to its level, the Church must needs go down to the level of the world. Sad philosophy! Just fancy Paul and Peter taking Lydia and Dorcas with them and getting them to stand up and sing solos for the amusement and attraction of an audience! What would that have been but a confession that the gospel they preached had no power in itself? Would !t not have fastened a blot upon the gospel in Its descent to future ages? Nay, would it have come down to them at all? The power with which the Apostles spoke was the power of the Holy Spirit. And the faith of the believer was this -that the gospel of Christ wanted no such assistance; its power was of God. But had they no reason to accept and believe in the conversion of the world by existing agencies? No, emphatically no. Now to the proof. Of course, it would be uuderstood that he drew no inference outside the covers of the Book. It was written, the Son of Man would come, and when the Son of Man cometh s shall He find faith on the earth?" It was a common question-did they understand it? It was, more. over, a strong question, but one to which an equally strong and definite negative could be returned,-that He would not find faith on the ~arth-or very little. What did the Scripture Itself prefigure? Take this passage -" As it was in the days of Noah, so shall it be" when the Son

After a hymn, Mr. WALEwas called upon. ministers of our God. For so shall a law proceed from Him, and He shall cause His judgment to rest for a light of His people, and THE RECENT RELIGIOUS CENSUS throngh these He shall become a light to lighten the Gentiles, when once more He has become AND ITS LESSONS. the glory of His people Israel. Not yet has the ancient promise made to their father Abraham BY THE REV. B. B. WALE, OF MALVERN. been fulfilled, as it remains yet to be fulfilled, " I will give unto thee all the land of Oanasn Tmight strike them that the subject on which for an everlasting possession, and in thee shall he was announced to speak-" The Recent all the families of the earth he blessed." Religious Census and its Lessons"-had little or Yet not to Zion only shall He come as Zion's no connection with the subjects which had Deliverer, but as the Earth's Deliverer, too, be- occupied the speakers both that and the previous cause the creation also itself shall be delivered evening. Therefore it became his first duty to from the bondage of corruption into the liberty show the connection between this and the preof the glory of the children of God, for then vious subjects. shall the groaning creation cease to groan. Its weary week of work shall then be past, its The distinctive features of the Association Sabbath then shall come, for One then sitting they were there to-day to represent were twoon its throne shall say," Behold, I create all fold. The first was that there was life only in things new." The seventh chiliad of the world's Christ, that apart from Christ there was no history we anticipate as being the' world's eternal life, and that had been the theme of their Sabbath, its day of rest and worship, when all remarks from the beginning of the meetings; things animate or inanimate, with breath or and the second was the second coming of the without it, shall praise the Lord. "Men shall Lord Jesus Christ, and associated with that was be blessed in Him, all nations shall call Him the belief that the millennium would not precede blessed." Beasts of prey shall have their very His coming, but would be introduced and bronght nature changed, for" The wolf shall dwell with about by His coming. Now, in reference to the which they were especially the lamb, the leopard shall lie down with the second doctrine-and kid, the cow and the bear shall feed, their young considering that day-all Christians were agreed ones shall lie down together, and the lion shall that Christ would come; and it was just at this eat straw like the ox. The wilderness and the point that they joined issue. Most of the prosolitary place shall be glad, the desert shall fessing Christian churches asserted and believed rejoice and blossom like the rose, it shall that the millennium was to be brought about blossom abundantly and rejoice with joy and prior to His coming, and were looking for the singing; the parched ground shall become a conversion of the world by existing instrupool, and the thirsty land springs of water." mentalities: and the millennium was relezated For when He that sitteth on the throne shall to an indeterminate, far-off future. If the ;orld create all things new, the heavens and the earth was to be converted prior to the coming of Christ, that are now shall exist under new conditions; at the rate at which this conversion had been going on during the last 100 years, it would take conditions of atmosphere and temperature favourable to health and longevity, and most 144,000 years to accomplish it. They were in probably freed from the extremes of cold and expectation of the Saviour's coming only when heat which now render such vast regions un- that had been accomplished; and consequently inhabitable and nncultivated. But when He the exhortation to "watch and pray," for that day so far in the future-did shall say, " Be ye glad and rejoice in that which blessed day-a I create," all nations shall call Him blessed, seem to be slightly out of place. To tell a man to go immediately to the railway station, and and all regions chant His praise. watch for a train which it was known would not So much, then, for MilIennial blessedness when Earth shall celebrate its jubilee. One arrive till after next Midsummer, would be an analLord and His name One. The knowledge of ogous case, and from their standpoint they could the Lord covering the earth as the waters cover not comprehend the wisdom of the exhortation if an indefinite period were to elapse, and to be the sea. Satan bound and 'saints free. Truth required for the conversion of the world previous springing out of the earth, and righteousness looking down from heaven. Swords beaten into to the coming of the Lord, It was at this point, as he had said, that they joined issue. This was ploughshares, and spears into pruning-hooks, the very art of war forgotten in the arts of a fleeting dream, the idea of the conversion of peace abounding. The days of men like the the world, though it had been cherished long and days of a tree, and long enjoying the work of fondly. A well-known divine had said that if their hands. And, best of all, the tabernacle of the Christian Church had done its duty, the God shall be with men, and He will dwell with world would have been ere this converted to them, they shall be His people, and God Himself Christ. At missionary meetings speakers deshall be with them, and be their God. And claimed with fervid oratory that, if such and this for a thousand yea7"8. Thus shall the such a thing had been done all would have been All this was pretty to hear and to kingdom of man be as it were for a moment of converted. it did not fall within time, while the kingdom of God shall be as it read; but unfortunately the region-not of practical politics-but of were for ever and ever. practicability at all. Never yet had there been a 0 scenes surpassing fable and yet true, solitary city, a town, a village, or a hamlet Scenes of accomplished bliss: which who can see Though but in distant period, and not feel wholly converted to Christ. Modern faith was His soul refreshed with foretaste of the joy. very strong when it still cherished the hope of Rivers of gladness water all the earth converting the world. And clothe all climes with beauty, the reproach

11

Of barrenness is past. The fruitful field Laugbs with abundance, and the land once lean Or fertile only in its own disgraoe Exults to see its thistly curse repealed.All creatures worship man, and all mankind One Lord and Father. In the heart No passion touches a discordant string But all is harmony and love. One song employs a.ll nations, and all ory Worthy the Lamb, for He was slain for us.' The dwellers in the vales and on the rooks Shout to each other, and the mountain tops From distant mountains catch the flying joy, Till nation after nation taught the strain, Earth rolls the rapturous Hosanna round."
I

Courper' " Winter WalkLat Noon."

There were pregnant lessons fairly deducible from this. And he was prepared to show, and, he believed, convincingly, to those who were not bound hand and foot in the grave-cloths of modern orthodoxy, or strapped down in the straight waistcoat of sectarianism, or shut up in the prison of priestcraft, that the world was running from Christianity-not towards, but absolutely from it. He would use this census as an instrument. It was taken by perfectly independent persons, by persons with whom they could have no possible connivance, by editors and

l
22
THE BIBLE

STANDARD.

of Man eometh." Was the world subject to God what he said was not in'fhe text. He laboured ultimate result. Christianity had been in its day then? "As it was in the day when Lot went to show "the influence of woman in the dis- subjected to many attacks; but why should they forth from Sodom, so shall it be when the Son semination of divine truth." Very pretty; but tremble in fancied danger? Should Christianity, of Man cometh." 'I'hese were the original state- unfortunately for his deductions, leaven was full of the life of immortal years, he vanquished ments of the Saviour. And were they antagonalways a type of evil, in the Word of God,by the mere egotistic dreamings of mankind? istic to the results of modern investigation-re. never of good. So was it here. Leaven was in No; it would come, pure and spotless from the sults which, taken by independent agencies, were truth sour dough. The woman-taking up the test. No; Christ would come as a Ring such that he felt could not be shaken? parable-insinuated the leaven of evil, of cor- and assert His dominion and rule. Had not Was there, apart from that, anything in the ruption, into the pure meal of the Gospel, and Christianity had to encounter enemies as great Apostle's words that taught them the world by which the whole was leavened. What did as now? Had not every dispensation felt the should be converted to Christ? Every Apostle that mean? It meant the errors of the Church, same? Where was now the prejudice of the recognized that there would be apostaey. Paul, -the infusion of earthy errors into Divine truth. Jew? the scornful philosophy of the Greek, and in nearly all his epistles, repeats the note of They need not hide the truth. Truth should the power of Pagan Rome? Jerusalem diswarning given in 2 These. ii., of the apostacy that not grope in darkness. graced; the philosophy of Greece had succumbed was to be developed and .continue till Christ The Rev. J. RODERTS here interrupted-" But before the power of the Cross. Where were came. Peter said that" There shall come up in the what does the mustard seed teach?" The now the worshippers of Jupiter, Saturn, Bacehus, lastdaysscoffers." Whereinthiswastheprospect lecturerrepJiedCybele? Gone! perished from the way, and of this conversion? Did they find it in the exThe mustard seed taught the same thing. He Christianity remained a thing of life and am pies of the earlier Churches? Did they find would prove it. But it would first render neoes- beauty still. False systems-the systems of it in the messages to the Churches? Nay; for in sary a previous remark-the chain must be corn- a depraved humanity-had risen, seeking to supthe message to the Church at Laodicea, Christ pleted, or it would appear to he unsound for want plant her kingdoms and obscure her glory; they denounced and renounced the entire Church of a link. What was meant by the phrase had lasted but a moment and then had passed bearing His name. He was no longer in it. "kingdom of heaven" in that chapter? Be- away; illuminating the firmament with a meteHe stood at the door-outside the whole system cause every parable, except the first, began with oric brilliancy, and then dipt in endless night, that Hears His name. This was the teaching of this. In the first place, the word was plural in the while she remained a substance, not a mockery the messages to the Churches. The seven Greel<-" the kingdom of the heavens." Now, it of light. Churches of Asia Minor, viz., of Smyrna, did not mean the kingdom in heaven; there were They had no fear of these attacks. They Pergamos, Thyatira, Sardis, and the others, no tares there I It did not mean the kingdom of expected to see not Christianity advanced but pointed the same lesson. The modern assump- God in the heart of the Christian, for the tares infidelity advanced. What I-again might tion was incorrect, that the world would be were the children of the wicked one. Then if exclaim orthodoxy-did they not expect to see converted by the Church,-the world would it did not mean the heavens above, nor the the world converted to Christ? Unquesnever be converted by existing agencies. The kingdom of Christ in the heart, it meant the tionably they did. They believed that at the experience of the present, and the history of the present dispensation. "Christendom "-did it name of Jesus every knee shall bow. They past, pointed to the same result. Every dis- not call itself? The dominion of Christ, and believed that the earth waited for His coming; pensation that preceded the Christian had ended what a dominion it was I crowded with infidels, the hope of the Church, and their hopes as in apostacy and failure, rendering necessary the sceptics, and scoffers, But all were nominal Christian men, were in the coming of the Lord. Divine interposition to arrest the perpetual Christians who were inhabitants of Christendom. How would He come? Let them see what downcourse of poor sinful, depraved humanity. Then this kingdom meant the present dispensa- the Scriptures prefigured? How did He ascend? Was it not so? Let them read and study I tion. As to the text, s : The kingdom of heaven Spiritually Or physically? Physically-He would Where were the ancient Churches now? Silent is like to a mustard seed "-the smallest of return physically. How did He ascend? As the monumental ruins on the world's highway. The seeds, and which afterwards grew into a tree. monarch of Nature's laws earth permitted Him two tribes crowned their mournful history by Its meaning was this: A tree was a type of to rise; heaven stooped to welcome Him to His the crucifixion of the Lord of life and glory. Gentile power (Dan. iv. 22), and the birds of throne. So would He return? How did He asSo the early Apostolic Church became rapidly the air were also types of the world's inhabitants cend? With outstretched hands and blessings absorbed in the teachings and errors of the (Dan. iv. 21)-always impure, What now could on His lips? So would He return-to carry out Romish Church, degrading the truth of God, they gather? That around the ecclesiastical the interrupted blessing of Bethany. And those hiding this precious gem beneath a pile of super- mustard seed all the priests of the world that sleep in the dust, and those that are stitions. Ignoring the only true light-the light gathered, fastened on its fruit, and had their watching, will begin at the same moment the of life-it sought its illumination and kindled its shelter in its branches. The kingdom of heaven glorious activities of everlasting life. Let them lamp at the sepulchres of the "fathers;" for- was like unto it. He repeated-and he hoped look to the Bible-Resurrection, resurrection, getting that that was the phosphorescent light. the rev. gentleman would distinctly understand resurrection was the central hope. This which springing from corruption and decay. Raised 1 it-he did not wish them to accept anything exalted them to the future life and happiness of up by God, Martin Luther for a time arrested the that was not distinctly proved by the Word of redeemed man, was relegated to the coming of downward descent: he snapped the chain which God. If they had anything on their minds, let Jesus Christ. And it was nigh at hand. bound the nations to the Vatican, and bade an them appeal to the Book-the Divine instrument And whether the believer has been the tenant emancipated world go free. Now, Protestantism of arbitration. What did these parables teach? of the sepulchre a thousand years, or the clods was corrupting and losing the vitality of the The dissemination of evil-or the conversion of of the valley have been but an hour before piled truths Luther loved and taught. Where now the world? What did they see around and about upon his grave-each, and all will begin at the would they find the man who would die for the them? Infidelity raising its head in shameful same moment the glorious activities of evertruth of Christ? or hold that there was any dig- egotism; the great scientific leaders of the age lasting life. At the sound of the archangel's tinctive truths worth dying for? almost to a man agnostics, or virtually atheists. trumpet the paralytic bands of death will be They were not called upon to convert the And these spreading among the masses beliefs loosened, tomb and tablet give way, and the world; there was no such commission; and to of an infidel tendency. But let them not be dis- sleeper be clothed in a moment with the incorno one had the Lord commanded it. History heartened because of this. Let them have faith ruptible life of heaven. One moment the worms showed that no town or city had ever been wholly in His promise. Every fresh attack infidelity will cover him, the next, the vesture of immorconverted to Christ. On the site of those early made upon Christianity, every repeated and in- tality: one moment around him .the darkness of Churches, where the disciples ate their bread in effectual assault it made upon the truths. of the the tomb, the next-the splendour of the skies; singleness and gladness of heart, the disciples of Gospel, only indicated the near approach of the -one moment the silence of the sepulchre, the Mahomet rule and reign. Lord at the head of the relieving army. Every next, the song of seraphim, and the anthems of But, apart from that, let them take the teach- advance it made only rang still louder the knell rejoicing worlds. And this the work of an inings of Christ in Matt. xiii. Every parable of its own doom-only prepared them for stant I in the twinkling of an eye,-swift as the taught the same thought-i-declenaion. Take the heralding the time when God would be all in all. light, instant as thought, absent-present-like first parable of the sower. What was the result? At the end of every previous dispensation it music flitting from the strings. The sower went forth to sow. Out of four had been necessary for the Divine interposition "Then lived and reigned at dawn of light classes of hearers, one alone was truly receptive, in order to restore spiritual life. So it would be The dead who died in faith; Long slept they through the lonely night, and brought forth fruit. Take the parable of at the end. of this. The world would grow worse But the trump that Bounds in Jesu's might the tares. As the wheat grew up, tares also ap- and worse, not better and better. They might Has burst the bands of death. peared-the true and the false in the same field, ask the question, do you not believe in the eonverNow rule they with their Saviour God unto the end of the age. Take the teaching of sion of the world? Yes, we do. But we do not The lands in weary Buffering trod i For time's short years of toil and weeping the parable of the leaven. And one word he believe the world will be converted by existing Their blood-bought crown of gladness reaping; might interpose here 'by way of anecdote. A agencies. Could they in the whole Bible find a All peacefully the ransomed earth good minister, preaching in Devonshire, took for passage in which a commission was given to the Smiles in the joy of her second birth, While from her utmost confines ring his text the words, " The kingdom of heaven is church to convert the world? Hosannas to her Saviour King; like unto leaven, which a woman took and hid," This spread of infidelity and scepticism wail Bole Victor: o'er the powers of hell, &c. He preached a very beautiful sermon, only not surprising, They had no fear as to the As God announced when Adam fell."

.THE
THE REV. W. LEASK, D.D.,

BIBLE

STANDARD.

23
N., Paxton, 3s.; W. T., Cumnock, Is. 2d. ; S. C. and Friends, Crewe, 78. 6d.; N. S., London, lls.; G. S., Nottingham, 1: G. W., Skipton, 10s.; Friends at Newcastle-on-Tyne, (per M. S.) 10s.; W. R. G., Loudon, 2 2s.; R. G., Bacup, (per T. V.) 5s.; W. F. D., Liverpool, 1; J. J. H., Blandford, 1; Conference Collections, 1 18s. 7~d.; W. H. M., Liverpool, 10s.; R. K. S., Glasgow, 5s.; J. M., Kirkcaldy, 3s.; M. M., Peckham, 5s.; total 55 18s. 9~d. We thankfully congratulate the donors on this satisfactory result of our annual appeal; and also have pleasure in stating that there remains a credit balance of 5 lOs., which has been carried to the" Special Lecturing Fund." Particulars of this latter Fund will be given in our next Issue.

Of London, moved a resolution similar to that of the previous evening, excepting the change of subject. He saidIN doing this, he should state that man had no hope but in the coming of the Lord,-it was the hope to which the heart clung with the tenderest of emotions; the truths of the Bible rested on it ; as, also, the glory of the Lord.

ADDRESS BY R. J. HAMMOND, ESQ.,

Of London, who seconded the previous resolution. HE said he did not feel called upon to interfere with the teachings and the efforts of scientific men. Let them allow him to read his Bible; gathering out of it a full meed of the Divine blessing, and the assurance of the Divine grace. Let them, if they liked, explore to the full the mysteries of what they termed science. Let the scientist endeavour to prove what he had asserted, as soon as he could, and when he had proved it, let him ask them to believe it; and, as far as he understood 'the principles of conditional immortality, those who held it would have no objection to offer to the deductions of science, when proved. That was simply what they required of orthodoxy. Its discip1es said that man was immortal; they, as disciples of Conditional Immortality, simply required proof of it. This was a matter having an infinite iofluence on Christianity,influencing it in its acceptability by men. They (the Association) said man had not got immortality; and they maintained it strongly and firmly,-not only from the great central fact of the Atonement, but from numberless passages of the Bible. As to the future, he would ask them not to indulge in speculations. There was an editor in the United States who said that the Lord Jesus was to come again last October; unfortunately for human speculation Christ did not come. But the editor persisted in the truth of his statement, and he maintained that He had come. They (the Association) believed in the second coming; they believed that the New Testament prefigured it in the strongest and most decided language. The Church, in all ages, had been waiting for this coming. But modern orthodoxy stultified itself by its apparent forgetfulness of the fact. Christendom had been right in one respect,-but ooly indirectly,-and on this they agreed there, with. When a person died, the Lord came for them and took them up it was said. Practically the Lord did come. A blank followed death ,the last sight of humanity was that of its dearest friends surrounding the death-bed i-the next was the glorious radiance of the Lord. The interim was as nought. A brief discussion followed. Mr. JOHN SON said that among other things Mr. Wale had said-or that were to be inferred from what he had said,-was that the Gospel itself had not lost its power. But what was the gospel? Did he mean the gospel of the tambourine and bagpipe? He was constantly told by his orthodox friends that the gospel usually preached by their evangelical friends received a great deal of power by the element of torture being incorporated in it. When he asked if the doctrine of eternal torment were true, he was told it acted as a powerful incentive in the conversion of men. What he wanted to know was, whether the gospel Mr. Wale spoke of-and that the Association recognised-was such a gospel as that ? Was it-for he believed it was not the same gospel-as powerful an iofluence as the gospel of their evangelical friends? Perhaps, in this connection, he might refer to a communication by an intimate friend recently returned from Alexandria. He went out believing in the doctrine of eternal torment. The first thing an ancient Mshommedan said to him was: "Are you bringing au Allah [God] who can condemn

to torment in hell-fire? Is that your God? because if it is, we will have none of Him." In a letter from another friend, who spoke with much bitterness, and classed the Conditional Immortality Association with agencies that promoted infidelity, he was asked, "If it did not encourage ungodly people to live in ungodliness, believing that they would receive no punishment in the world to come, but would be annihilated." Was the second witness true? or was the first witness true? Was the man who delivered a theoretical opinion-an opinion based upon no right conception of their creed-true; or was the other witness-the witness of experience, the man who saw the effect of the orth idox doctrine in repelling men-correct? Mr. WALE said, This was his conception of the Gospel: "God so loved the world that He gave His onlv begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life." As to the theory of eternal torment, he believed if they understood the meaning of the Gospel itself, they would have no belief in that. The Gospel was the tidings of great joy to mankind. Did this possibility form a tidings of great joy to mankind? Could it have any practical effect? Could it have the effect of a Gospel of loving-kindness? Let him give them an illustration of his meaning: He had a son whom he loved; he might ask, "Do you love me, my boy?" "No, I don't," they might imagine as the reply. Then suppose he thrashed him most unmercifully-" Yes," came the sullen reply. That was the gospel of the world. Fear was the influence used; not the loving graciousness of a Divine Father. He would give his friends of the orthodox camp a story, from whence they could draw an excellent moral, illustrating why he and his friends of the Association saw differently from them. Some time ago a boy was trying to sell some kittens in a country village, and he called on the vicar with his "wares." In order to induce the rev, gentleman to purchase, he called them" Episcopalian kittens." "Go away," said the vicar, "I don't want your kittens." About a week or ten days after, the vicar saw this same boy at a Dissenting Minister's door, and heard him offer what he termed "Nonconformist kittens" for sale. Said the vicar: "They are the same as you brought me last week." "Yes," said the boy. "But how is it they are dissenting kittens now" urged the vicar. "Oh, please Sir," said the boy, "then they hadn't got their eyes open." The meeting closed with a hymn and prayer.

Subscriptions, Donations, and Collections:

. ; R. d. s. d. Devon 0 10 Q H. J. W., Liverpool 10 0 0 ::it. John's Rooms, LiflJohn Bedell, Esq., SOil Grove, London, per B.J. W., LiverN.W 3 17 2 pool. ............ 1 1 0 Torquay Circuit ... 0 10 0 J. J. G., Liverpool, W. J. M., Cheltenham 0 :; 0 per H. J. W ... _... 0 :; 0 Liverpool Association 1 11 0 T. F. H., Liverpool J. H., Louth, per C. H. 0 2 6 per IT. J. W ..... I 00 S. W., Lincoln 0 2 6 W. L., London 1 00 A. S., 0 2 6 J. S., & Mrs., London 0 12 0 A. G., 0 2 6 R. D., Bath 0 :; 0 G. G., 0 2 6 B. B., London 1 0 0 F. C., 0 2 G D. B. S., Glasgow .. e 2 6 W. F., 0 2 6 J. A., Bridguorth .. 0 :; 0 E. H., 0 26 B.B. W., Malvern .. 0 :; (J M. C.,.. 0 2 G A. G., Ware 0 5 0 J. W. B., " 0 2 6 'I'. W. V., Bristol . _ 0 10 0 J. W. T., 0 2 6 I. S. A., Yeovi1 0 10 0 C. S.," "U 2 6 J. W. M. M., BridRW. M., Lincoln 0 10 0 north IOU W. B., ..... 0 10 0 Maberly Friends, per . G. P. M.,,, 1 10 0 W. L ............. 5 0 0 Mr. R., 0 s 0 M. N., Paxton 0 3 0 Mr. W., ..... 0 5 0 W. T., Cumnock 0 I 2 Mr. B., ..... 0 :; 0 S.C. & Frieuds, Crewe 0 7 6 Mrs. G.,,, 0 2 6 N. S., London 1 1 0 Mr. M. .. 0 2 G G. S., Nottingham .. 1 0 0 E. E. B.,,, 0 2 6 G. W., Skipton 0 10 0 Mr. B., () 2 6 Newcastle - on - Tyne C. H., 0 2 6 Friends, per M. S., 0 10 0 Mint Lane Chapel, W. R. G .. London .. :/ 2 0 Lincoln _. 3 3 0 J D. J., Rochdale, F. BOo London, per per T. V .......... 0 5 0 W.B 0 lOOS. B., Bochdule, per A. W. M., London ... 0 :; 0 T. V 0 26 '1'. M., Bacup 0 10 0 R. A., Becup, Do 0 3 6 O. B., & Mrs., London 0 10 0 H. S., Do. Do .. 0 10 0 J. W., London .... _. 1 0 0 R. G .. Do. Do 0 10 0 H. C., Crewe ....... 0 :; 0 T. V., Do. .. _ 0 10 0 E. M. L., Edinburgh 0 5 0 C. D., Louth, per \i. K. S., Glasgow .. 0 10 (J C. H ............ 0 2 6 A. P., Buruatuple .... 1 0 0 P. H., Lincoln, Do. U 2 6 H. G., Reading ..... 3 0 0 W. F. D., Liverpool.. 1 0 0 J. M., France, per G. J. J. H., Blandford .. 1 o 0 P. M., Lincoln .... 4 0 0 J. J., London ..... 0 5 0 J. L., Toronto, per W. Conterence ColleeL., London ...... 2 10 0 tions ....... '" 1 18 7; C. A., London 1 0 0 A. M. P., Newark ... 0 :; 0 'I'otel .. 6:; 18 5~
t1

OFFICE
MONTHLY

NOTES.
STATEMENT.

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS.

July 31st to August 31st, 1882. New lYIembel's received. :-Life Branch-; 1'0 tal 19. -, Annual 19,

~ DUE SUBSCRIPTIONS.-Those Membel's, Assoeiates, and Subscribers who receive the present number 'in a COLORED wrapper, will kindly reqard. it as an intimation that their Annual Subscriptions are now due; they will greatly obliqe by foruiardinq, as ea1'ly as convenient, to the SECRETARY.

ANNUAL CONFERENCE FUND. Previously acknowledged, 21 lOs. Since received.-J. L., Toronto, (per W. L., London) 2 10s.; C. A., London, 1; A. M. P., Newark, 5s.; H. J. W., Liverpool, 10; John Bedell, Esq., Liverpool, (per H. J. W.) 1 Ls.> T. F. H., Liverpool, (per H. J. W.) 1; J. S., (Mrs.) London, 4s.; R. D., Bath, 5s.; B. B., London, 1; D. B. S., Glasgow, 2s. 6d.; T. W. V., Bristol, 10s. ; 1. S. A., Yeovil, 10s.; Friends at Maberly Chapel, London, (per W. L.) 5; M.

A.1'. (South Australia).-Received note, one pound. Applied as directed. Kindest greetings. C.C., sen. (South India).-Received M.O., thirty shillings. Seven vols posted, as required. Also post-card. Debit balance 5s. 4d. Can be sent with next order. B.S. as iustructions. J.C. (South Australia).-M.O., thirty shillings duly received. Credit balance 6s. 3d. Pleased that parcel gave satisfaction. Thanks for kindness in forwarding addresses of Adelaide BookFirms. Owing to heavy expense and loss involved therein, we do not now supply goods "on sale or return," so cannot avail ourselves of your kiud suggestion. Will send a tin-lined case as suggested, per Glasgow, if available. A.B.M. (Virginia, U.S.A.)-Received M.S. The Committee beg to thank you for the motive which prompted your request. The subject, however, is not open to debate in the Association.
SURPRISE PARCELS.

We are glad to note that the Treasurer has despatched the 260th lot of his surprise parcels at 5s., the last going to France. There are still Twentv Parcels on hand, which our Treasurer is anxious to clear out. One further effort, and he

24
will have the stisfaction of seeing his special work-in that direction-successfully completed. Such parcels are carriage-Iree-c-within the United Kingdom-on receipt of Postal Order for Five Shillings. Kindly address-R. J. Hammond, Esq., 62, Maida Vale, London, W.; or 80, Edgware Rd.
SPECIAL TRACT OFFER.

THE
No.1 Price

BIBL~
BIBLE

STANDARD.
PAPERS. with the L01d Jesus Christ; together with a subscription as follow: LIFE MEMBERS, a single subscription of Five Pounds; MEMBERS, an annual subscription of Two Shillings and Sixpence upwards. When the Subscription amounts to 3s. 6d. per annum upwards, one or more copies of the Bible Standard (the Official Organ) are statedly posted. All Communications, Subscriptions, Donations, and Collections, should be forwarded to the Secretary, CYRUSE. BROOKS,Malvern Link, Wor. (England), who will forward post-free to any address, a Catalogue of Publications of the Association, or its rules of Membership. BRANCH ASSOCIATIONS.

LECTURE

Twopence, post-free, Net 10s. per 100, direct from Publisher, carriage unpaid.

Of all Booksellers through London Agent-F. SOUTHWELL,27 Ivy Lane, E.C. THE

Post-free on receipt of Postal Order for Two Shillings and Sixpence, 300 Assorted Tracts-2 to 16 pages. It is in the power of our friends to materially assist our testimony by the purchase and distribution of our tract literature. This offer is under cost-price. Kindly address, Cyrus E. Brooks, Malvern Link, Worcestershire.
SYMPOSIUM: ON THE INTERMEDIATE STATE.

TWENTIETH CENTURY;
OR

A Sketch of Coming Events.

Published at the Office of this Paper Link, Worcestershire. Malvern
11 This is an ingenious and clever lecture, and we are strongly of opinion that [it J has anticipated the telegrams. from many parts ofthe world to the daily papers of the fulfillment of apocalyptic prophecies,"-Bainbow. It treats of things well known to most of our readers. but presents them in a way not usual. We have read the pamphlet with much interest and instruction; it contains much wholesome truth.-lI-IessengC1"
11

In accordance with the decision of the Committee we invite short, pithy, and strictly germane articles on the above, for insertion in November and December issues. Wf5 do not bind ourselves to accept all articles sent -nor to insert, as a whole, those accepted. Oct. and Nov. 7th, is the latest date for each following issue.

BAPTIST CHURCH, MASONIC HALL

NEWLAND, LINCOLN.
SERVICES every LORD'S-DAY at 10-30 and 6-30. SUNDAYSCHOOL,9-30 a.m. and 2-0 p.m. WEEK EVENING MEETING, THURSDAY,at 8. ALL VISITORS MADE WELCOME.

Salisbury Conference Report.

POST-]'REE TWOPENCE. Carriaqe 10s. per 100.--Direc~ from Booksellers through Unpaid.-NET Of all E.C. Publisher. Lane, LONDON AGENT,

LIVERPOOL:-Sec.: Mr. W. H. Miller, 9, Clayton Sqr. NEW ZEALAND:-Sec.: Rev. G. A. Brown, Lindum House, Vincent St., Auckland. Separate Organ the New Zealand Bible Standard, post-free direct 3s. 6<1.per annum. SOUTH AUSTRALIA :-Sec.: Mr. G. H. Glover, Kent Town. LONDON, N. W. :-Sec.: R. J. Hammond, Esq., 80, Edgware Rd., W. 37 MAYFIELD GARDENS, BRADFORD, ORKS.:-Sec.: Y Mr. WaIter Clark, 6, Exeter St. NEWINGTON, EDINBURGH. CANADA:-Sec.: Mr. G. H. Hills, 17, William MISS LEISHMAN and Mrs. FROST (MemSt., Yorkville, Ontario. ber of the Royal College of Preceptors, London,) N.B.-This Periodical, together with the assisted by Masters of eminence, receive YOUNG Literature of the Association, can be procured LADIES to Board and Educate. of any of the above Branches. Members enA Daily Bible Class for Religious Instrucrolled therewith are included in the General tion. Reference permitted to the Editor of this Association. Paper. SOBSCRIBING CHUROHES.

EDUCATION

F. SOUTHWELL, Ready after

27, Ivy

October 10, 1882.

CONFERENCE REPRINTS
No. 1.

"Life Only in Christ; and Gift."

By the Rev. BURLINGTON Malvern. No. 2.

or Wages
B. WALE, of

" The Moral and Spiritual Influence of a Belief in Eternal Suffering."

By ALFRED WATSON, No.3. Esq., of Salisbury.

"The

Recent Religious Census; and its Lessons."

B. WALE, of No. 4.

By the Rev. BURLINGTON Malvern.

" Reasons for Belief in Immortality upon Conditions."

By the Rev. GEORGE P. MACKAY, of Lincoln. Royal 32mo., 16 to 32 pages. Nos. 1, and 2, One Penny each, by post l~d., or Is. perdoz. Netcarriage unpaid-5s. per 100, direct from the Publisher. Nos. 3, and 4, One Half-penny each, by post 1d.,or 6d. per doz. Net-CalTiage unpaid -2s. 9d. perIOD, direct from the Publisher. Of all Booksellers through London Agent, F. Southwell, 27 Ivy Lane, R.C. Published at the Office of this Paper, Malvern Link, Worcestershire.

LONDON,N. :-Maberly Chapel (Congregational), Ball's Pond Rd., Kingsland. Min.: Rev. W. Leask, D.D. S. Services 11 & 6-30. LINCOLN:-Mint Lane Chapel (Baptist). Min.: Rev. G. P. Mackay. S. Services 10-30 & 6. Book Agent: Mr. E. E. Boughton, 23, Park St. SKIPTON(Yorks) :-Mission Church, Temperance Hall. Supplies. S. Services 10-30 & 6. Or, A Scriptural View of the Second GLASGOW :-Christian Meeting, 13, Kirk St., GorComing of Christ, with the Wonderbals. Supplies. S. Services 11 & 3. BRADFORD(Yorks) :-Mission Church, Temperful Signs that will precede it, and ance Hall, Chapel St., Leeds Rd. Supplies. the still more Wonderful Things that S. Services 11 & 6-30. TORQUAy:-Life and Advent Free Church, East will follow it. St., Torre. Snpplies. S. Services 11 & 6-30. BY A STUDENT OF PROPHECY. LONDON,N.W. :-Christian Meeting, St. John's Rooms, Grove St., Lisson Grove. Min.: R. London: ELLIOT STOCK, 62, Paternoster Bow, J. Hammond, Esq. S. Services 11 & 7. and, by order, of all Booksellers. HULL :-Christian Meeting, Protestant Hall. Post-free for the price in stamps, from GEORGE Supplies. S. Services 11 & 6-30. WHITFIE~D, 38, Dudley-rd., Tipton, Staffordshire. CHELTENHAM :-Regent St. Chapel (Baptist). Min.: Rev. J. C. Carlile. S. Services 11 and 6-30. Book Agent: Mr. H. Sparkes 3 Queen St., St. Peter's. ' , CARLISLE:-Christian Meeting. (Private.) LINCOLN. GRAVESEND :-Christian Meeting, Manor Rd. Room. Pres. Min.: Mr. G. Gosden. S. SERVICE::> EVERY LORD'S DAY, at 10-30 Services 11 & 6-30. Thurs. 8-30. Book and 6 O'CLOCK. Agent: Mr. T. Shadick, 48, Wakefield St. N.B.-The above Churches make an Annual Geo. P. MACKA Y, Pastor. Collection. Offertory, or Gran t in aid of the AssoAll Visitors rrracle we.lco rrre. ciation. The same favour is requested from other Churches in sympathy with the teachings thereof. When such possess Local Agents who CONDITIONAL IMl\'WRTALITY supply our Literature, we shall be glad to add their name and address. ASSOCIATION,

Just Published, Crown 8vo., Cloth, Giltlettered, pp. 346, price 3s. 6d.,

THE

KINGDOM AND THE RESTORATION;

MINT -LANE BAPTIST CHURCH,

HODle, Colonia.l, and Foreign.

J!'OUNDED 1878.

CONDITIONS

OF MEMBERSHIP.

The acceptance of the Sacred Scriptures as the Inspired Word of God and Rule of Faith and Life: of the Truth that Immortalitu and Eternal Life are oniyobtainable through personal union

Printed by CHARLES AKRILL, Silver Street Lincoln; and published for the" Conditionai Immortality Association," by CYRUS E. BROOKS, MALVERN LINK, WORCESTERSHIRE, to whom all postal communications orders, and advertisements should be ad~ dressed. LONDON AGENT: F. SOUTHWELL, 27, Ivy Lane, E.C.