the annihilation of the wicked scriptually considered by rev. w. mcdonald, 1872

8/20/2019 The Annihilation of the WIcked Scriptually Considered by Rev. W. McDonald, 1872

1/101

T I I E

~ ~ N Z H I I J A T I O NF

T11E

WICKZII

SCR IPTURALLY

CONSIDERED

T h e

qiiarrelo

th world with Christianity

aomca

to its issu

up011 th

doctrine

of

future rctrib11tion. Isaac TATLOR


2/101

LMN MMN.VWCMMMM Y YWY

Ente red accord ing to ct of C orgresi;, in t l l e yca1.3872

by

CARLTON LANAIIAN,

in the O E c e o f

t h e

T,il,r;lrinn of Congrers

at

\Vas lington.

Y ~ _ N . _ h - _ ~ I V - Y _ - ~ ~ ~ V

<

. ~ _I. - I


3/101

P R E F A C E .

H S

M N D U A L

N TURE D u r i n g a

long an d tho roug h discussion of th e foregoing

question by an d in t he presence of a la rge

body of Clergymen th e auth ors of this l i t t le

volume presented th eir views upon th e subject

of th e ann ihilation of th e wicked etc. t

th e close of the disc~lss iol~hey were unani-

rnously requested by vo te to pu blish tlie sarnc

in some convenient form. W ith sucli c l~a l lges

as

were deemed necessary to adapt them to

po pu lar use the y are no w offered to th e public.

Tlie authors do not claim to have furnis l~edan

exhallstive treatise on t h e subject bu t a con-

cise statenlent of the scriptural and philosoph-


4/101

PREFACE

ica l arguments by which this baneful error is

o v e r t h r o ~ ~ n-a treatise wliich may be quickly

read an d easily com prehended by all .

N a y this l i t tle volume lead m any a s t he dis-

cussion did a lea din g m iniste r of the

annihila-

t ion fai th t o renounce th e error an d emb race

the t r u th as i t

i s in the

word of God.


5/101

N N I R I L T I O N O F

THE

WICKED.

T

unders tand the pecul iar doctr ines of a

reformer, we should unders tand the sent i -

m en ts of th e people am on g mhorn fie labors.

Je su s cam e, as h e liirnself declares, M att.

xv,

13,

to root up every plant mhicl-i liis heav-

enly Fa the r had not p lanted. I n doing th is , h e

cam e in direct conflict with the Je w s on m an y

questions of faith and practice; exposing their

false interpretations of Scripture, and showing

tha t in many th ings they made vo id the word

of God by the ir t radi tions . B ut upon the

question of t h e existence of

souls

or spirits in

distinction frorn ~li ate ria l rgan ization, th er e ap-

pears t o be n o conflict of selltilnent except w ith

th e Sadducees, who were t h e materialis ts of the

t ime, T h e Jew s, among whom Christ labored,


6/101

ANXIIIILATIOX

OF

THE WICKED.

believed in th e s ep ara te existence of spirits or

souls, wit11 endless punishment for the ~viclied,

an d liappiness of

l ike

du ration for th e r ighteous.

e e annot unders tand tlie O ld T esta lllent rec-

ord without admit t ing that the Hebrews held

and taught the doc t r ine of tlie inlmortality ot'

th e soul.

1

The fac t tha t a

soul

or sp ~ tmight exist

separate frorn the body crops out every-where

through out the Old Testalnent, i r idicat i r~g he

belief of tlie Hebrews.

What other idea could the people receive

fi-om Elijali7s prayer 0 Lord my God, le t

this child's soul colr~ e nt o hi111 again and th e

Lo rd heard th e voice of Eli jah nd th e soul

of tlie cliild cam e in to him again, [or into th e

n ~ i d s t f him again,] at id he revived."

Wllwt oth er m ean ing could hav e been in-

ferred ti orn he l anguage

of

J o b

L

u t his flesh

upon him sllall have pain, and his soul within

hit11 shall monrn."

2.

T h e J e ~ v i d i elief i n

necrom ancy

is proof

of their belief in the separate existence of souls.


7/101

ANNIHILATION

O F THE WICKED. 7

They believed that a aecromancer was one

who

had power to summon n p an d consul t th e dead.

The law concerning this pract ice is in Dent .

xviii, 1 0 l l : There shal l no t be fo u~ ld

r n o r i g

you any one th at rnaketll

liis

son or hi;? da ug ht er

to pass throu gh th e f ire, or th at useth divination,

or an observer of t imes, or an enchanter , or a

witch, or a charmer, or a consulter w ith familiar

spirits, or a wizard, or a necromancer'.

Necromancers, says Ca m pbe ll, are those

w ho consult th e dead. D r . Ja lln says Arecro-

mccncer3spretended th at they were able by th ei r

incantat ions to summon back depar ted spir i ts

from th eir abodes. D r. Stackhouse says

Necromancy is the art of raising up t l ie dead

i n order to pry in to f ~ ~ t u r events. Josephas

says D em on s ar e th e spirits of wicked rnen,

wh o enter into l iving men and destroy then ] ,

unless they $re so hap py as to meet with speedy

relief. I t is adm it ted by onr best wri ters th at

this was the belief of th e Jew s.

TV

have

,z

practical illustration of this belief

i n the case of Snnl , wllo col~ snltc d he witch


8/101

AXNIHILATIOS O F TIIE TTICKED.

of Endor.

Saul went to th is woman wi th the

demand, B rin g m e liiin up whom

I s l l d l n a m e

unto thee. Sh e did not deny her pow er to do

it , but plead that her l ife was in danger from

Saul's proliibition. O n Sau l's assurin g he r

that she should not be harmed, she inquired,

Whorn shal l I bring up u n to t h e e ? I I e re-

plied, B ring m e u p Samuel . Such a request

would never have been m ad e had Sa ul been a

ma terialis t. I I e believed she could call u p t h e

spirits of the dead. A n d i n this h e but reflected

th e belief of' the J ew ish nation .

3 The Je w s held t lie same belief in t he t im e

of Christ.

Tl iere were at that t ime three sects among

the Je w s, namely, th e P harisees , th e Sadduceee,

an d th e Essenes . T h e Essenes are no t named in

th e N ew Testam ent , for t lle reason, as i t is sup-

posed, t h at th ey were a n order of t lie Pharisees,

and hence included u nder t l ~ a t enera l name.

Of th e Pharisees , Josep hus says The y be-

lieved that souls have an imtnortal vigor in

them, and that under the ear th there wil l be


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AXKIHILA\TION O F THE

TYICKED.

rewards an d p uni~ hm er l t s ascording as they

hav e lived virtuously or viciously in thi s life. -

Ant. book xviii, c11. I see. 3 Th is refers to th e

interm edia te state, or the sta te of t lie dead bc-

tween death an d th e resurrection.

T he y ( the Pharisees) ay th at al l souls

a re indestructible, etc. lTrccr ii,

14.

Sp ea kin g of tlie Sadducees, Jose phu s says

The doctr ine of the Sadducees is this : that

souls die with t h e bodies. Again :

''

T h e y

take away thc bel ief

in

immorta l i ty , and the

pun ishm ents an d rew ards of Iladcs.

Of tlle Esseries, Josep llus says T he y tea ch

th e irnrriortality of souls. T h e y teach t h a t

bodies are corruptible, but tha t t h e souls are

im m or ta l arld continu e forever. -Ant. xviii, 5

;

a s I

I .

Of th e soul, Jos eph us says

T h e soul is ever imm ortal .

I-lere is a clear statement of the belief of the

Je w s in th e t ime of C hris t , for th e Yharisees em-

braced tlle inass of th e people. Jo se ph us says,

th e doctrine of t lie Sadduc ees s received b u t

b y few, who, wh en the y beca nie'm agistrates,


10/101

1

ANNIHILATIOS

O F TITE IITICKED.

add ict themselves to the notions of tI ie P h a ri -

sees, because the nlultitudes would not other-

wise bea r them. -Ant., xviii, 1 4.

T h e testim ony of T'hilo, the Je w , is of value,

as indicating the Jewish belief in imrnortali ty

a t tha t t ime. Ph i lo was born in Alex andria,

Eg yp t, a few years only before Christ. I I e

s ays : J f an ~ t a n d s pon the bo rder l i ne of a

m ortal an d imm ortal natu re, participant of each,

as was needful, and th at h e was m ade a t the

same t ime ~ n o r t a l nd immortal-mortal, as to

his body ilnmortal , as to his mind. Death

of th e nian is th e separa tion of the soul from

tlie body but death of the soul is the destruc-

tion q ui7'2ue and assumption

o

vice. --Philo

Juclceus: i, pp. 32

65.)

I n the N ew Tes tament f requent allusions are

made to th e fa i th

of

t l ie Pharisees and Saddn-

cecs, with a g eneral disap pro ral of the doctrines

u f t h e latte r , and app roval of tl ie former.

W h e n Pa ul stood before t he Council a t Je ru -

palem, ancl perceived that the crowd was com-

posed of Pharisees and Sadducees,

he

cried o u t


11/101

in the Council ,

<

en and brethren, I atrl a

Pharisee. T h is annouricement produced a dis-

sension between th e Ph arise es and Sadducees,

a n d divided th e mu ltitude. T hi s division was

purely doctrinal for th e Sadducees say th a t

there is no resnrrection, n eithe r angels, nor sp ir-

i ts bu t the Pha risees confess both. A ct s xxii, 8

Paul takes sides here against t l le Sadducees,

who held the doctrine of the non-existence of

se pa rate souls. T h e belief of tlle Pliarisees is

m ade plain also an d they errlbraced th e gr ea t

mass of the Jew ish people. W e shal l have

occasion to refer to this iliatter again.

Christ's controversy w ith th e Sadducees, m en-

tioned in M att . xxii, 2 3 ; & lar k xii ,

18;

L u k e

xx, 27, ind icates t h at th ey mere t h e rriaterialists

of his tirnes, a nsw ering t o t h e annihilati'oriists

of tlie present day.

The opinions enter tained of t l le Lord Je3us

Chr is t by the Jews , s stated by the disciples,

(M att. xvi, 14,) prove th at th ey believed t h at tlie

spirits

of

dead lnerl were still living.

W llo m do rnen say th at th e Son of irlan


12/101

2 A N N I H I I ~ A T I O K

O F

TIIE

K I C K E D .

a m

The disciples replied that there was a

variety of opiniorl expressed concerning him.

Some said he was J o h n the Baptis t others , th a t

he wa s E lias \vl1ile others clainied th a t h e was

Jeremiah; and others s t i l l that l le was one of

th e prophets. These men were al l dead an d

had the Je w s believed th at dead men ceased to

be-had no conscious existen ce, as illaterialists

believe an d teach-they could no t have believed

th at the spiri ts of these men were present in th e

person of Je su s Christ . T his is a s tron g ar-

gument in favor of the Jewish bel ief on this

question.

I f Christ did not believe i n th e separate, con-

scious existence of souls after death

f he be-

lieved that nian ceased to be when he ceased

t o bre ath e; tha t only dust remained-is i t no t

strange , yea, inexplicable, th at , living an d teach-

in g as he did, am ong a people th e gre at m ajori ty

of whom believed in a state of conscions hap-

p i i~essor misery af ter death, h e should no t

only never oppose such an erroneons theory,

but should have employed the Earne terms


13/101

which they employed to set forth their obnoxi-

ous doctrin e; an d th at , too, ~v it t io ut ny qualifi-

cation. D o the advocates of this old Sad du-

cean error keep silent when an opportunity is

afforded to defend their peculiar dogma in the

presence of those who ho ld clifferent se nt im en ts ?

I n speak ing of th e

st te

or pl ce of the de-

par ted, the Je w s called i t a place of dark-

ness. Chri st calls

it

ou ter darl


14/101

4 NNIHILdTIOX

O F

TEE

WICKED

ried by th e angels in to Abraha m 's bosom.

L uk e xvi, 22.

''

A n d these [ the wicked] s l~ a l l

g o aw ay into ever las t ing punishment . Tl le

Jews speak of a chaos deep and large, f ixed

bctwecn th e good a n d bad, over which neith er

th e just nor th e unjust can pass, if he w ere

bold enou gh to at te m pt it. Chris t says, th a t

between the righteous a n d the wicked the re is

a gr ea t gulf' fixed, etc. L u ke xvi,

26.

K o w w here is th e conflict betwcen Christ , th e

so-called An nihila tionis t , and th e gr ea t body

of th e Jew ish pcople who bel ieved in the im-

mo rtality of the soul, a n d i ts separate, conscio~is

exis tence af ter d e at h ? W hen he encounters the

Saddu cees lie ove rturn s their doctrirle

bu t t he

opposite sentiment, held

by

the Pharisees an d

Essenes, he approves; and in no instance does

h e ut ter one word in con de ~n na t ion f i t.

d d ~ r l i t t i n g ha t th is er ror , if i t be one, is as

gigantic and repulsive as i ts opposers ~ v o u ld ave

us belicve-that

t represents our loving God

as an inlplacable tyrant , as one says ha t i t is

''

a horrible collection of revolting absu rdities


15/101

ANXIIII1 ATIOTS O F TH WICKED. 1 5

th a t i t is u tt e rl y opposed, as says anotlier ,

o our r~ a tu ra l onceptions of God ; '. t s tag-

ge rs the faith of tlie rnost devou t

;

th at anotl ier

calls i t a divine despotism; anoth er. h e

s lander of the Alm ighty that i t out rages

reasor1 an d con lmon sense

;

L

mpeaclies G od's

moral character ; is lie most terrific blas-

phemy, the most audacious and unm it igated

libel eve r ut ter ed agains t a Go d of love, ctc.,

-admitting,

we

say, th a t th e doctrine is as hor-

rible as is he re described, does i t riot appe ar

stran ge th at Jesu s sl iould hav e passed i t by w i th

so little notice, an d especially without disappro-

bation that l ie should have employed terms

which must have convinced the Pharisees that

l ie agreed with them , or th at l ie was no t opposed

to thei r no tions of the soul's irn:nortalitg, an d

its

existerlce after d eath , with e t e r i~a l ew ards and

punislimeats 2

Suppose that some advocate of annihilation

should enter a ci ty or vil lage where t he gre at

mass of th e people were believers in

h t

our

opponents call im:nortal soulism, or t h e con-


16/101

scious existence of sepa ra te sonls after death,

with unen ding punishment for the wicked. I I e

is anxious to establish the new faith, and t h u s

correc t t h e error s of tlie people-errors

utterly opposed to our natural conceptions of

God, th e most terrific blasphemy, as well

as an imp each m ent of God's nioral character.

The people are assembled, arid the preacher of

the new fai th anno l~nceshis text- Matt. xxii,

13: Bin d hiln liand and foot, an d ta k e hirn away,

and cast l linl into outer d arkn ess; there s?lall be

weeping an d gn ash ing of teeth. I n th e course

of the sermon he repeats, without qualification,

such Scriptures as, F ea r not them tha t ki ll th e

body, and af te r th a t have no more tha t they

can

do.

But I will forewarn you whom ye shall

fear F e a r him , which, after h e l lath killed,

]lath pow er to cast in to hell. Lu ke xii,

5.

I t

is bet ter for thee to enter into l i fe hal t

or maimed, ra ther t l ian having two hands or

two feet to be he cast into everlasting fire,

(Xatt . xvii i ,

8,

where the i r

worm

diet11 not,

and tlle fire is not quenched. Mark

ix,

43, 44


17/101

A N N I H I L A T IO N O F T H E W I CK E D .

1 1

I l e speaks of one ( the r ich man) as actually

in l iel l , tormented in the f lames; and another

in Ab raham s bosom, or paradise, enjoy ing

tlie good things. I I e professes t o hold conver-

sation with Moses, who h ad for ages slept

ir? the dust of the earth, etc.

W11

wonld con-

jecture that

the

preaclier was doing more than

simply enforcing a doctrine held in common by

h im a n d t h e m ? W h o w ou ld i m ag in e t h a t h e

differed in sent iment f rom t l iein?

her^

is

Clir is t preaching to

a

people who believed

in

th e se pa ra te existence of souls-in et er na l

rc

wa rds and punishments-in th e conscious st at e

of the dead, and yet, instead of refuting t h e

doctrine and exposing the error of tlie people,

h employs terms which prove in tlie clearest

riianner that 11e does not differ in

sentiment

f rom them upon this most imp ortant dogma.

Tllese considerations lay a foundation for

a

direct Scriptl lral argu m ent against the doctrine

we here oppose. To this me call th e reader s

special at trntio n.

JVitll reg:ird

to

the rnnterialisl ie

doctrine

of


18/101

18 ANNIHILATION

O F

THE WICKED

the s leep of the dead, and the annihi lat ion of

the wicked, there is , as is usual among error-

ists, a s tra nge w ant of harmo ny. O n one point ,

however, t liey al l agree, nam ely, th a t dec~th, he

penal ty wi th which God has threatened s in ,

is

ihe absolute eatinction

o

the being o the sinner

J u s t when tl iis ext inct ion takes place? wllcther a t

death: or a t the judgm ent , or a t some subsequent

period, th ey ar e not agreed.

T hey a l l ag ree in a ss er ti ng t li at n ~ n o r tu l -

ity,

by which they mea n e te rna l life, or

simple being, is the gift of God by

faith

i n

Jesus.

By

far th e gre ate r nurnbcr of thei r

authorit ies hold that an extinction of conscio~xs

being takes p lace a t death , to be revived a t the

judgm ent . ma l l num ber only believe th at

th e wicked become extinct a t death, a nd for

the m remains no resurrection . Th ey hold th a t

m an and beas t come a l ike f rom th e du s t ;

both hav e th e same breath, an d both die

alike.

They generally believe that t l ie existence of

a so ul or sp i ri t, as an nt i f y separa te


19/101

from the body, is liomlicrc taught in tlio

Su ril j t~lres, nd th a t no conscious soul or spirit

survives tlle death

of

tlie body. Up on these

points, also, there are differences of opinion

am on g tlleni.

Mr. Zerias Carripbell says

''

KO Scriptu1.e or

philosophy has ever yet been sliown to prove

the mind any th ing niore than an a t t r ibute of

th e l iving, organized dust an d if so,

it

must

cease with the life of the body. -Aye o

oLycl

Light . Th is being th e case, the whole being

becomes extinct at death.

Mr. Jaco b Blain says T h e Bible p la inly

tells u s that men and beasts are made of t l lc

sam e material-' dust,' an d t h a t botli ha ve

'

lie

same breath, ' a n d th at they b ot h die alike.

A g a i n , T l ~ existence of a soul or spirit a5 an

eutity witllin us is only inferred from a

f w

un-

certain texts which can be explained another

way, while numerous plain texts and the s tnee

of the Bible are against it. -Death nut Lzye

Pp. 39

42.

Mr. Tl~omaateed says N o c.onsciou+ sl)irit


20/101

o r so111 su rvivc s t h e dea th of man. -Bible

versus

T~ a d i t i o n

. 121.

Jlr.

George St orrs is bold, an d says

I

re-

gard the p lir ase mm ater ia l as one w l~ ic h

properly belongs to the things which are not: a

sound w i t l~ ou t ense o r inearling; a mere cloak

to hi de t l ie nakedne ss of th e thecry of' an

i tn-

mortal soul in man. --Six

Se~qmons

p. 29.

T h e question a t issue bein g a question of fact,

our appeal must be to the word of God.

f l e

w ho m ad e us, an d app oints th e dest iny of al l

souls, is supposed to be able to impar t the most

s:ttisfactorj inforiliation on t h e snbjcct. A I I ~

liere i t is bu t jus t t o say tha t our op po ne ~i t s

seem to rely less on t h e word of Go d t h a n upori

other sources of evidence.

Nr . Hudson l ias produced the most able and

elaborate

work

yct wr i t ten in defense of t l~ is

dogma-a voluirle of 470 pages-and j e t only

sixty-seven pages of t h e worli are devoted to th e

Sc riptnre argum ent, a nd even these arc a medley

of Sc rip tu re and som cthin g else. Bn1)seqnently

h e published a sm all volnmc of Scri1)tural argn-


21/101

m er ~ ts , t o meet, h e says, t21e conv er~ien cc

of those wh o re ly for thei r v i e ~ w f fu ture life

upon t l ieir reading and interpretat ion of

the

Scriptures. Th en comes very re~ na rk: tble

confession, w it h most l~uniiliatingr do ub t

W e doubt if an exclus ively Sc r ip tura l argu -

ment will prove satiscrtctory to very rriauy,

21o~~reverlearly i t ln ay ap pe ar to be lnatle out.

Christ

our

L e, p. 3

ut our appeal is to the l aw and to the

test i~n otiy , or if th ey speak no t accol.rling to

these , i t is bec:~use the y have no l ight in

tl1c111.

Le t the reader keep in tn ind what we l i a re

proved, namely, that the Jews, among \r11o11l

Cllrist spent his life, believed in the doctr ine

which our opponents reject, a small sect only

dissent ing; and wi th these la t ter Chr is t was

ever coming in conflict on th is pe cu liar dog111a.

To have been true to his declared mihsion (ac-

cordin g to ou r opponents) h e should have colric

in conflicl vith the great mass of the people.

But

he no t only does not op1)ose t l i c u ~ ll tlris ,


22/101

b u t e i r ~ p l o ~ sanguage well calculated to con-

firm thcin in their belief.

I .

The

Scriptures m ke a clear distinctiou

et lveer~6ocZy and q i ~ i t ,etwecn th i ma terial and

i m v z a t ~ r i a l ,

n

mctn

Nan, as a physical being, is distiriguislled

from God, as a s pi r i t ; from holy angels, an d

froill fallen angels, linown as evil, or

L

un-

clean spirits.

God is said to

e

th e G od of tllc spirits of

all flesh. I f tlicrc be n o distinction betw een

' L ~ l ) i r i t a nd

(

flesh, ther e can be no sense in

such

a use

of

terms.

Job x iv ,

22

But h i s

esh

upon hirn shall

hav e pain, and

his soul

with in liirri sliall mourn .

I I e r e

is

the lesh withoi~t ,or

''

ul~orihill],

in pain, an d th e soul within mo urning,

an d both cons ti tu t ing one man. N o language

can

o

more explicit.

Isa. xxxi, '' N ow th e Egypt ians are men,

and not God

;

an d th eir l~o rse s lesh, an d not

61)irit. Tf the re be an y distinction b e t \ ~ ~ e c n


23/101

ANNIHILATION

O F THE TvICKED 3

nen and

"

God

"

in this verse, then there

must be a distinction bctmeen flesh and

" spirit.

Cor. vi, 20: LLGlorifyGod in your body

and in your spi,%it,which are God's. If there

be no distinction betnreen 6ody and spirit,

how is this duty to be performed

2 Cor. iv, 1 6 : " Tllougl~ our outward man

perish, yet the inward man is renewed day by

day. The "outward man can mean only the

body and while that is perishing or decaying,

there is an nward inan

"

whose vigor is not

affected by this decay of the body. This in-

ward man " is the soul, which

is

not dependent

upon the body for its vigor.

Jesus appeared to his disciples after his resur-

rection, (Luke xxiv, 36-40, and they were erri-

fied and affrighted, and supposed that they had

seen a spil~it. Seen a spirit No, never, if

they had been Materialists. But Jesus disabused

their minds: Behold my hands and my feet,

that

it

is

I

myself: handle me, and see; for

a

sp r t hath not flesh and bones, as ye see me


24/101

4 ANNIIIILATJON

O F TITE

\JrIClil


25/101

between fai th an d ~v ork s . 1 Ie slioms th at

is riot saving unless it prodnces good works,

an y nlore than t h a t a body can l ive \vit llont th e

presence of the spirit.

his

i l lustration would

hav e been ut ter ly meaningless l iad th e people

believed th at body an d spir it mere inclnded

i n

a single entity.

I

I.

ny reasoning w h ic h woulc2 deny t

nan

a n i ? ~ z ~ n o ~ ' t a Ir y7i~'ituaI nn tzc ~e ,uoz~ld l[yrive

God of such

n

nature, as the sume te~-rnsove

a y p l i ~ d o botA,.

1 Let

u s

consirler the term soul. IF .14.

Yonr new rnoons and your appointed feasts

m y soul ha teth. T h is is spolcen of God.

Dent. vi ,

5 :

T ho u s ha lt love the L o rd thy

G od , w ith a11 th y soul. Tliis

is

spoken of mall.

In G od the souZ is the snbject of ha t red ; in

man i t i s the sub jec t of love. Does sou l

mean spi r i t when appl ied to God, and ody

~ v h e n p plie d t o m a n

sa. xlii, 1 Behold rrly servant, wlioln I

upllold

;

rr,ine elect,

in

rnl lo~n

In?

so?:l tlclig11C-


26/101

6 PTKIHIL TION O F THE WICKED.

eth.

T h is is spoken of G od. Isa. lv,

:

L e t

your soul delight itself in fatness.

In these

texts t l ie same word is employed to denote the

mind of rnan tl iat is employed to denote t l ~ e

rrlind of God. Botl-i ar e rep rese nted as th e sub -

jec t of a like passion, w liicli cou ld no t

be

if

Materialism be true.

J o b xxiii,

13

W h a t his soul desireth, even

th a t lie doeth. Th is is spok en of God. P ro v.

xxi 1 0 T h e soul of the wicked d esireth evil.

I I e r e th e soxi1 of God an d of m an ar e ma de sub-

jects of a li k e elnotion.

Of God i t is said, Sh al l not m y soul be

avenged on such a nation as th is ? J e r , v 9.

Of man, Com e un to me hear , an d your soul

shall live. Isa . lv, 3 N o w any criticism by

which

the word soul when appl ied to man is

made to mean

life fircntl~

wind tc., nlakee

with equal force against th e spiri tnal n atu re of

God, and most effectually materializes

h im.

I


27/101

at2icism or pantlleism , we a re not suflicient y

read in tlie system to underatand."

QuarterZy

Beview, January ,

1869.

2. ct

us cm~siderhe term sp i~ i t .

Of Gocl it

is

said, The Sj ir i t of God rrioved upon the

face of tlie water."

Gen.

i, 2.

Of

m a n

it is said,

T h e

spirit

of m a n is the candle of tlie Lord."

Prov. xx, 27.

Of God it is said, " B y his Spirit he hat11

garnislied th e heavens." J o b xxvi, 13.

Of

man

it

is said, B u t there is a spirit in nlan

:

and

the inspirat ion

of

the Almighty g iveth them

understanding." J o b xxxii, 8.

Of God i t is said, W hit he r shall go frorn

tliy

q i r i t Psa .

CXXX~X 17. Of

Lnan it is said,

W11o knowetli the spirit of marl that goetl i

upward

Eccles. iii, 21.

I t

is

said, "God is a spirt;. J o h n iv,

24.

Of man i t i s said , A nd

the q i r i t

shal l return

unto G od who gave it. Eccles.

xii,

7.

Steph en prayed, "Lo rd Jesns , receive m y

spil'it.

Of

God it is

said,

''

Tlle things of Go d

lrrloweth no man, hut the

~ ~ i a i t

f God."


28/101

N o c o r n ~ n e ~ l ts necessary on the forego~ng

Scriptures, furt lier tha n to sag, th at an y

criticism

wllich will m ake those S crip ture s \vhich ap ply

to man Ilarmonize with th e idea th a t liis spir i t

i s an at tri bu te of; or identical with, his Inaterial

nature, must, to be consistent, involve us in the

absurdi ty of n~aking od mater ia l .

T he re are a class of Scripture s which so con-

nect th e spir i t of man w ith th e Sp iri t

of

God

a

to prov e rnost couclasive1~7 he im m ate rial-

it y or man's na tur e, or t h e m ate riali ty of tllc

Divine n ature .

Roln. viii,

1 6

T h e Spiri t i tself beareth wit-

ness w ith our spirit , th at we are the children of

God. T h e sarne word

is

employed in th e origi-

na l to deno te y i r i t in both cases. l f ' b y

our

sp i r i t i s meant our body, or mat ter , or a n y

material substance, then

h Spirit

m a y

mean a material God.

Jo hn iv ,

24:

God is

a

Spir i t, and they t ha t

worship him must worship him in spir i t

ant?

r ~

truth. H e re th e word spiri t, being applied

to both God ant1 in an, proves t11:it

botli

have


29/101

ANSIFTILATIOX O F THE 'vVICKED. 29

like qua lities of na ture. If th e text proves t l iat

God is spir i t , and not matter?

[ wid

if

it

does no t

prove this, there is no Scripture which does

prove it,] the conclusion must be adm it ted t l ~ u t

n ~ a n also possesses a na ture w hich is not

material.

111.

H av ing proved th a t man has a soul, or

spirit , distinct from matter, we shall proceed to

prove th a t th is s o d , o r s p i ~ i t , s ?lot dependent

on $he bocly, o r m at ter, fo r

its

existence,

ut

may,

a n d does exist separate from it .

1.

Paul believed it possible for the spirit of a

man

to exist out of the body, or sepalnate from

it . Cor. xii,

2-4:

I knew a lnan in Cllribt

about fourteer~ ears ago, (whether in t l le body

I cann ot tell or wh ether ou t of th e body I can-

not te l l ; God knoweth

:

such a one caught up

to th e thir d Ileaven. O n th e supposition tliat

P a u l was a Nater ialist , h a t h e believed tha t

th e bodg is th e whole of rnan h at th e existence

of

an

en tity , as a par t of m an , capab le of exist-

ing

sep arate frolu liis bodg, was an impossibility


30/101

3

ANNII I ILATIOW O F

TIIE

WICKED.

-how is his langua ge to be interpreted H a d

Pa ul been a Material is t h e mus t have know n

whether h e was in the body or ou t of the

body.

I I e rnus t have known that to be out

of th e bo dy was an impossibili ty.

I i e mas

caught

up

in to Paradise , an d heard

unspeakab le words, which i t is not law ful for

a

rnan to utter . N o other interpretat ion can be

given to this than th at i t teaches t h e possibili ty

of a spirit no t only going ou t of th e body,

but going to the third ] leaven, even to Para-

dise ; rid while there, h ea rin g words no t law ful

to be repeated here. I t proves th at P a u l be-

lieved, if M ateria lists do no t, tllat he possessed

a spirit capable of going out of his body, and

existing sep arate from it .

Th is has been the ugliest text in th e Bible for

Na ter ial is ts to ma nage hence their ables t wri t-

ers generally pass i t by in silence. I t has nev er

been f i~ir lymet

; t never can be for i t proves

in the most col ivincing ma nner th e separab i l i ty

of th e spirit from th e body.

2

2 Cor. v,

1 8

For we Itno\v that, if our


31/101

ANNIHILATION OF THE WICKED 31

earthly house of this tabernacle were dissolved,

we have a build ing of God, a house not n ~ a d e

with hands, eternal in the heavens. F o r in tlii;-;

we groan, earnestly desiring to be clotlied upon

wit11 cu r house wh ich

is

from Ileaver~ if so he

that being clotlied we shall not be found naked.

F o r we th at are in this tabernacle do groan, be-

in g burdened no t for th at we would be un-

clothed, b u t clothed upo n, t h a t m orta lity rriiglit

be swallo~ved p of l ife.

.

TLercfore we are

always confident, knowing that, whilst we are

a t l lome in th e body, tve a re absent from t h e

Lord.

. .

W e are confident,

I

say, an d w illing

rathe r to be absent f rom the body, and to be

present with the Lord. O n

the supposition

t h a t

spirit

and body are one, w hat does P a u l

mean by a t hom e in th e body, and absent

f rom the body ? W h a t is meant by pu t t ing

off

th is tabernacle, a n d being clotlied w ith

our house wh ich is from heaven T o be with

Christ is to be absent froni th e body. B u t

t o b e

L

bsent from th e b o d y is an impossibil-

i ty, according to Materialism hence, n o th ir ~ g


32/101

3

A N N I H I L A T I O N O F THE WICKED.

is ga ined by la?-ing off hi s

tabernacle.

I n

fkct there is no such thin g as laying off '< th is

tabernacle for th e I o r Ve who does

it

is sim ply th e ab ern ac le laid off, according

to Materialis ts . I t is th e house or tabernacle

tak in g itself down.

3 Phil . i,

21 24:

Fo r to m e to live is Christ,

an d t o die is gain.

E u t if l ive i n th e f lesh, thi s

is th e fruit of

rn7

l abor : ye t w l ~ s t sha ll choose

wot not. F o r am in a s t rai t betwixt two,

hav ing a desire to dep art , and to be with Ch rist ;

which is far better. Nevertlleless to abide in

th e flesh is more need ful for yon. W lio th at

has not a favorite creed to support would ever

conclude that this declaration could fall from

th e l ips of a Ifateria lis t H ow dea th , o r non-

being, could he gain to a Inan w ho was treas-

ur ing up,

j

his ig h t afflictions, a ar rnore

exceeding a n d etern al weight of glory, wc ar e

unable to determine. W he re

is

the earnest

Christ ian wh o would n ot prefer lab or for Christ

to sleep, or non-b eing TIe is not mortliy of th e

C h r i s t i : ~ ~larne wllo p~efel.;: he s111pg:ird's le ep


33/101

ANiTIEI ILXTION OF TEE WICKED.

to earnest labor.

Abiding

n

tlle flesh nieaus

living in th e body.

T o de pa rt rneans si inply

going out of the body and g oing out, or aw ay

from tlic body, is to b e with Christ . H a d

P a u l been a Materialist , o r an Ann illi lationist ,

he must have known tha t to ab ide in the

flesh for th e salvation of sinners an d th e good

of t l le Church would not have delayed the

period of his being wit11 Christ one hour; for,

according to the doctrine of our opponents, h e

is not with Christ even to this present t ime.

H e could have cont inued his labors unt i l

h

was as old as 14letl1nselah, an d the n be w it h

Christ

just

as soon as though h e had died t ha t

day. I Io w c o ~ lc l 1e have desired to depar t and

be wit11 Christ, unless be ing with Cllrist \$-as to

be the resul t of tha t de pa r tu re? Y et , if t h e

doctrine we oppose be t rue, th a t result was not

has t ened one r r ~o~nen ty liis dep arture. Tliis

text has accordingly annoyed

our

opponents.

They confess that

a

fair construction of this

t ex t would be tha t P au l

':

expected to be with

Cllrist immediately on llis departure.

llt


34/101

4 AXXIIIILATIOR O F THE

WICKED

they think that there are Scriptures against

i t

;

hence the a i r construct ion of th e tex t must

not be accepted.

IV. Paul avows his belief not only i n

the

?*esur,rectiono the

dead,

both of the

ust nd

u??just, but

21'1

the existence o f a~ zye ls

and

spirits.

1

A cts xxiii, 6 B n t when P a u l perceived

th at the one par t were Sadducees, and the other

Pharisees, he cricd out

i n

t h e council, N e r ~

and brethren,

I

am a Pharisee, the son of

a

Pharisee.

T hi s profession of P a u l produc ed a dissension

between t h c Sadducees and the Pharisees.

The cause of this dissension is said to be this

''

For th e Sadducees say th at the re is no res-

urrect ion, nei ther angel nor spir i t :

but

t he

Pharisees confess both.

On

th is announce-

m ent, th e Scribes, who we re of tho Ph arisees ,

arobe an d took Paul 's part , saying, W e

find

no evil

i n

this man. T he y declare wh at seems

to

be a clear confirmation of tlxir belief

n


35/101

ANNIIIII~ATIONO F

THE

W I C K E D .

angels and spirits.

B u t i f a spir i t or an angcl

llatll spoken to hirn, let us not f ight aga inst God.

W h at is mean t here by ange ls and spir

i ts is not difficult to und erstand. M r. B arn es

has t he fo llow i~ ig co~ n ln en ton the passage

ATeit l~er

?z ge G Th at there a re no angels.

T h e y

deny th e exis tence of good an d bad angcls .

i r pirit-Or soul

Th ey lleld th at there was

notl i ing bu t matter . T h e y were Nater ial ists ,

and supposed that al l the operat ions wll ich we

ascribe to min d could be trac ed t o sorne modifi-

cation of matter.

As we have before shown, the controver:-y

between th e Phar isees &nd the Sadducees em-

brace d tw o points-the esnrrection of th e

dead, and th e existence of ang els an d spirits.

P a u l here publ ic ly professes to be of those w l ~ o

held th e ant i-mater ia l is t ic v iew of ~ o u l s rid

spi r i t s ; turn ing a cold shou lder t o those who atl

vocated a doc trine, to the spread of whicli h e lixd

devo ted his l ife, provided h e w ere a Materialist .

T h er e is no w ay to inte rpr et th e apostle 's aver-

ments in this case with a sllado of consistency,


36/101

3

6 ANN~HILATION O F THE

WICKED.

without adm it t ing t ha t he held th e doctr ine of

th e s epa rate existence of spirits or souls

V. Christ 's controversy with th e Sadducees

(Luke

xx, 37

is a defense of the same doctrine.

K om tha t th e dead are raised, even Noses

sho~veclat tl ie bush, when he ca l le t l~ he Lord

tlie God of Ab ra ha m , and t lie God of Iaaac, an d

tlle God of Ja cob. F o r h e is not a God of th e

dead , b ut of th e living for all live unto him.

Matt .

xxii, 31,

38.

W hel i God made thi s an -

nouncen lent at H or eb wit11 regard to A brah am ,

Isaac, arid Jacob, tlie last named had been dead

abont

200 years ; and yet God declares that he

s the i r God. Chr is t adds H e is not a God

of th e dead, bu t of t lle l iving. Th en, to m ake

th e do ctrine of universal app lication, h e is care-

ful to add, A ll l ive un to him

;

as

much

as to

s ay , Xo t o ~ l l y re Abrallam, I saac , and Ja co b

l i v i ~ ~ g ,ut th e s tatem ent is t rue of


37/101

AXKIHILATIOS O F TIIE WICKED. 37

and of J a c o b ; therefore Ab raha m

Ian:au

and

Jaco b must be liv ing. Le t i t be remembered

tha t the Sadducees bclieved tha t th e whole r r~ an

became ext inct a t death th a t nei ther soul nor

body IF-ould ever be reproduced. W i t h thern

th e im m ortali ty of t llc soul or spiri t an d the

resurrection of th e dead stoocl or fcll

together

T o prove th at th e soul exis ted af ter de ath was

to s ilence their objections to th e resurrect i~m

of the body. I t was necessary therefore in a

discussion w ith the Sadducees to prove the sepa-

ra te existence of spirits in order to prove tlle

rcsurrection of tlie dead . A s thc re could be no

resurrection unless th e sou l m ainta ined a con-

scious exifitelice after de ath an d as th e Sad -

ducees denied such coascions existence it mas

necessary for Christ to prove i t in order to la y

a p roper fo und ation for a belief in th e resurrec-

tion of th e dead.

T h e fact tha t C hris t al l throug h his ministry

s ided with theP ha rise es against the Sadducees

wh o mere tlie Materialists ofh is tirnes is an a rgu -

tnent aga inst 3Iaterialism no t easily an swered.


38/101

9

ANNIHILATION

O F

TH6 WICKED

VI.

Christ's lan gu ag e to tl ie dy ing thief,

(Luke

xxiii, 43, To-d ay shalt tho u be w ith rne i l l I'ara-

disc, is one

of

the strongest p ~ o o f s f the col2

scious existence o f sozd af ter the d ea tl ~ f the body.

W e will no t de ta in th e reader wi th any c r it i-

cisms

o n

Paradise, or

on

th e a t t em pts of M a-

terialists to cliange the sense of this text, by

cliangirig t lie pointing . I t is only necessary to

say tha t this las t m etho d is a rra nt nonsense.

A s to the locat ion of' Paradise, w e need only

say th at i t mu s t be in or near the h i rd

heaven, wliere people do n ot s leep, as P a u l

heard wo17cls

t h e re rio t l a ~ t f u lo be uttered.

B u t how, i t inay be asked, could the th ief b e

i n

Parad ise tha t day wi th Cli ri st when th ree days

later l ie declares, I atn no t ye t ascended

This quest ion may be sat ishctor i ly answered.

1 A s a

D i v i n e Being,

Chr is t was in Parad ise

tha t day .

I I e says, t l ie Son of m an is in

heaven. J o h n iii , 13.

2.

A s

a disembodied spirit

h e m i g h t h a v e

been in Yaradise th a t day. Fo r , before his

body was placed i r l Joseph's tomb, he

had

said,


39/101

ANNIRILATION

O F

TEE WICKED 30

Fath er , in to th y hands o ~ n i n i tm y spirit aiid

ha vin g said this , hc g av e np th e gllost.

3

B ut as a ris n Sa vio ur lie ]lac? not ascended.

H is ascension d id n ot tak e p lace unt i l m any

day s afte r tlie crlxcifixion. S o as a D iv in c being,

and as

a

disenibodied spirit, C hrist could ha ve

been wit11 th e thief th a t daj-

i n

Parad ise , and yet ,

as a r isen, glorified Saviour, not have ascended

unt i l some for ty days la ter . Th is in terpre ta t ion

mak es the Scrip ture both plain an d sirnple.

VII

Take the case of the appearance of

Moses on th e M oun t of T ransf iguration.

Moses died in t l ic land of Noab, and was

bur ied in a, valley over against Bethpeor, etc. ,

(U eu t. xxxiv,

5

6 : and yet , near ly f i f teen hun-

dred years after he had becorne eztiact-had

ceased to be, soul and body, acco rding to >la -

ter ia li sts, h e appears on I I o u n t Tab or wi th h im

who had gone to heaven in a cllariot of fire.

There

is

not the s l ightest ev ider~ce ha t Noses

was raised from th e dead for this special pur-

pose. 3Ia terialis ts say, th a t if Moqes did really


40/101

1

hh NIEIILSTIOIU O F THE WICICED.

appear-of 1vhic21

they

have serious doubts--

he was mined fkorn non-being for that special

purpose, a n d aft er lle lied p erfor lr~ ed iis missi011

was sent hack again to non-existence, to be

known and to know

n o

n ~ o r c n ti l t h e g en era l

resurrection.

If

this be so, 3Ioses must have

possessed a spirit of snbmission begond most

men , o r he ~vo nid ave p lead earnest ly to have

b ee n q )a l-e d a r ~ o t l ~ e r\ ~ o r th re e thousand

gears ' s lnm ber. T h en , l iow this ide a of Xoses's

reburrcction

is

to be l larmonizcd with the fact

t h a t Ch rist is l l ie irst-fruits of th e rcsurree-

tion , AIaterialists hav e no t been kin d enoug ll

to infonn

us.

l l c r e is the spirit of one wliose

body had s l~ztnbered n a grave, in th e lan d of

Noah, for f i f teen hundred years , s tanding on

N ou n t Tab or , seen of th e favored three , an d

coiiversing with Jesus concerning ll is

passion

proving beyond a l l cavi l th a t th e soul l ives

af ter the body is dead.

VIII. We urg e tlie folloming add itional

argu

ments against t l le doctr ine of Annil l i la t im.


41/101

1

I t makes no dis tinction between th e s tat e

f a s inner before ar~dafter the resurrection,

raising liim from a state of non-existence to

consign l l i~ n o the same s ta te again.

large majority of tliose wilo believe in the

filial ar~ ni l~ i lat io nf the wicked, believe also in

a

resurrection, bo tll of th e just a nd of tlie un-

just. B u t wliy raise tlie wicked from a st at e

of u.nconscious, if not absolute, ~zo7z-bci?zg,o con-

sign then1

to

t l ~ eaune sta te again &Iany A n -

nihilationists, not

l ~ c i l l g

ble to see th e reason

fu r

this2 reject , con sisten tl j , we think, the doctrine

of th e rcsurreution of tlle wicked altoge ther .

2. The doctrine rnalies no disti~ictiori n re-

ga rd to th e dcrgrecs of punish ~n ent-a doctrine

clearly set forth in the word of God.

Rev. Geo rge Sto rrs says,

I h m l d

o Life,)

(

A s to deg rees of pn n i s l~ l l~e n tn

a

fu ture s ta te

we challenge th e evidence in t h e word of Gud

of an y such thing. t is purely a hu m an spec-

ulation.

W e will l e t the word of

God speak for itself.

C l~ r is t a j s of the Scribes and Pl~ at~ise es ,yp-


42/101


43/101

NNIHIL TION O F THE

W I CK E D .

4

Qod who is not able to see degrees of punish-

m ent for th e unsaved.

T he re ar e no degrees in ann ihi lat io n conse-

que ntly, i f t l ia t be th e pen alty for sin i t w ill

fall on al l a l i ke ; bu t as punishme nt will no t

fa11

on all alike, annihilation cannot be the perlalty

for sin.

3 Th is doct rine makes dea th the ex t reme

pen alty of t he law,

i n

opposi t ion to the Script-

ures, which speak of a m uc h sorer pun ish-

m en t " t han dea th fo r t l~o s ewho do "debpite

u n to tlie S pi rit of grace."

I-Teb. x, 28, 29

H e th a t despised IJoses 's

law died ~v i t l iou t l ie rcy unde r tw o or t ll ree

n-itnesses of how m uc h sorer pun ishm ent, sup-

pose ye, sllall he be th o u g h t wo rthy: n-lio hat11

tro dd en un de r foot t h e So n of Go d, arid l latl i

counted th e blood of th e c ov ena nt, mliere\vitli

h e was sanctif ied, a n un ho ly th in g , a nd hat11

done despite un to th e Sp ir i t of g ra ce ?

D eatli, mliich, ou r oppo ne nts say, is capita l

puriistiment-and lience th e ex tre ~ rlcp c l ~ a l t y

of th e law-was inflic ted w itho ut m ercy or


44/101

ANNIHILATION

O F

THE WICKED.

tho se wllo despised Noses's law. T he y re-

ceived, say Annihilationists , by being blotted

ou t of being, all th e pun ishrnent i t was podsible

for tliern to receive. B u t

w e

are infornied by

P a u l t ha t t he re is a sol cr or

worse

punishment

tllari even d ea th for tliose who reject C hrist, an d

tram ple under foot the Son of God, an d coun t

liia blood an u n l~ o ly hing.

I l r . Stor rs nt ter l~pta to dispose of this argu -

me nt in t ile fbl lowing manner . H e says, Th is

objection is fou nded on one solitary text, arid

th at misconstrued. T h e Syriac version, t rans-

lated bv Prof . . llurdocB, former ly of the i ln do -

ver

Theological

Ins titu te, reads, Io w rnllcll

more, think ye, will he receive capital punish-

m ent, ' etc., inste ad of

s o r e y ;

rnakirig th e gre ate r

c e ~ ta in ty f the death punishment . - IIe~aIcl

qf

Life March 10 1869

Th is is a very rem arka ble authori ty .

Ins tead

of consult ing the or iginal , or some authorized

translation, M r. Stor rs resorts to a translation

of a ti.analation--Fl.of. M ~ir dock 's tra iislatior i

of t lie S j r ia c trans la tion-and by th is a t t e n ~ p t s


45/101

AIUXIIIIJ~ATION

O F THE WICKED. 4

to

c1i;;yrove the doctrine of the Authorized

Ver-

sion. But

Mr.

Storrs mus t k now tha t the word

rendered sorer, lias n o such m eaning as

T Y L Z I ~ nto?'~,

or

more certain. X ~ ~ p o v

t hciron,)

according to Robinson, mea ns

wor4.\c,

bpolxn of a

state

o r

condition:

of

punishlnint ,

as luorse, ?7zore severe. I t

is

from ~acoq-bad, i l l ,

cvil-and ne ve r llas th e sense of

more cer tai?~,

r

77 uch 7izoix.

I f we consult the N ew Testam eut use of the

word we shall f ind that no suoh ~ n e a a in g s

given to it as Mr. Sto rrs forces ou t of his secor~d-

I-land transla tioil . TVit11 the exception of Heb.

x 29,

th e ~ ~ o r ds irivariably rcnde rcd

worse.

Matt. ix,

I :

N o rrian puttetl i a piece

of

new clot11 unto an old ga rm e n t; for t ha t which

is put.

r to fill

it

up taketl l from tl ie garment,

arlcl

the rent is made (chc ir~on) ol-seg that is,

act-ording

to Nr Storrs,

m u c l ~more certuiw

t h a n before iriended.

Mat t , xii,

45

:

(

T h e last s tato of th at

m a n

is

(ch~i,rona) ol->se

lian the first

;

that is,

muc l t

Illore c,

rtain. I Ie

is more c er ta iu to ]lave an end


46/101

46

ANNIEILATION

O F

THE WICKED.

than a beginning. But how th e taking of ?even

other spirits m ore wiclced th a n hi~zlself could

malie such a result more certain we are not in-

fo~-med.

Matt. xxvii, 61 S o

tlh

last error shall

be

(cheiro n) woyse tllan the firs6

;

that is , m u c h

morp certccin.

N a r k

v,

26 A nd had suffered many things

of many physicians, and had spent all that sht ,

had, and was not li ing bettered, but rather g re p

(chciron) wo?~se,

tha t is,

m u c h m o r e c er ta in .

3111cl1 more c ertain th an w ha t

J o h n

v 14:

Behold, thou art made nrllole:

sir1 n o more, lest a (chciro7z) worse thing come

nn to

thee ;

t h a t

is a

m u c l ~ o re c er ta in thing.

I Io w

a much Inore cer ta in th ing col~ldcome

upon hirn than the hir ty

and

eight years '

inf irmity, we are no t told. B u t how a worse

thing could come upon him m e can easily

understand.

2 Pet . i i ,

8 :

For i f after they have es-

caped t h e pollutions of th e world throngh tho

knowledge of t he L or d and Sariour J es us


47/101

ANNlIIILATION O F THE

WICKED

7

Cliriat , they are again entxrlgled therein, and

overcome,

t l ie latter end is clteirona)worse t h a n

th e beginniug, tha t is,

V Z L L I L~ 2 o r e certuba.

f I o w

the last or latter end of a nlari car1 be

~uo13seh an t lic b e g i ~ l ~ l i r ~ gs not cl i f f ic~~lto 1111-

ders tand

;

but liom i t call be more certain will

require tlie logic of' JIr. Storrs, or some otllcr

Ann il ii la tionis t , to m ake plain.

T i m .

v

:

But

i f any provide not

for his

own, and especially for those of 11% own house,

he 1l:lth denied tlie fa ith , a n d is

cheiron) worse

th an an infidel, th a t is , mu h more certain

than an infidel.

2 Tirn. iii,

13

But evi l Inen and seducers

shall w ax worse a n d worse, deceiving, an d being

dcceived ; h a t is, doubly

eel-tain,

alnountirlg to

a terrible certainty.

Ordinary discernment, coupled with common

honesty, will discover the u tt e r fallacy, not to

say un pa rdo na ble wickednede, of all such at -

ternpts to wrest the Scriptures for t l ie purpose

of

sustaining a favorite dogma.

4.

The

doctrine of a nnihilation

makes

t h e


48/101

48 ANNIRILALTION O F TIIE WICKXI) .

punis l in~entof t h e wicked to consist in

S i i n

ple

non-existence

in direct opposition to thoae

Scriptures which represent i t as co zscious

su f i r i ng .

N r . S torr s s a p , T h e E ib lc affirnis t l ~ c

wages

of

sin is

death

a ~ i d ior~11el.c e ~ r e s e ~ l t s

t h e punisliinent of t h e ~ ~ i c k e dr~h e f i ~ t n r eife

to be conscious suffering."--Zle?>/~I(lqf

Life

May 10 ,

1869.

Let L ~nquire wliat the Sc r ipt-

ures d o teach on this imp ortartt sribject.

Matt .

xxv,

3 :

"Ca s t ye the ur~prof i ta l ) le

servant i n t o outer darkness t l iere sllall be

weeping arid gnashing of teeth."

L u k e xiii,

6

Tliere shal l be werping and

gnashing of tee th , yh e n ye shall see A b r a h a ~ n ,

and

Isaac, and Jacob , and al l t h o propl~e t s ,

n the

kingdom of God , arid you yourselves thr os t out."

L u k e

xvi

23 A n d in

hell

he lifted up his

eyes, being in torments."

Rom. ii ,

8 9

( ' Indignat ion and wrath, t r ib-

ulation and anguish, upon every soul of nian

tliat doeth evil

;

of

th

J e w

first,

and

also of

t ie Gentile."


49/101

IA~lkc xii,

7 I

A n d th a t ~ e r \ ~ a i ~ trliich

knew his lord's

will

and prepared not l i i ir~seli;

neitI ier d id according t o l lis will, s llall be be aten

wit11 Inany stripes.

Luke xvi , 24: S e nd L aza rus, t ha t h e m a y

dip the t ip of his f inger in water , and cool iny

tongue; for

I

an1 tormented in this

flame.

M ark ix , 44 L h e re the ir \\-own tl ie tl ~ lot,

and th e fire is no t cyuenchcd.

These Scrip tures relate to t l ie pun ishm ent of

the wicked.

I f ~ve epir ig and gnasli ir lg of

tee th

;

if be ing in torme nts ; i f t ribulnt ioli

and ang uish ; if being '' beaten wit11 illany

stripe s; if be ing oririen ted in tliis flairle ; if

th e i r w orm d ic th no t -if all tl1e.e d o n o t

teach conscious suffering, they clo not teacli a n y

th in g relatirig to suffcring, If tl le lm n:~ lty of

the l aw

h

anniliilation, conscious suffering is

excluded.

But conscious s~xfiering s not ex-

cluded ; herefore, ann ihilatioil is not the pena l ty

of th e lam.

5. Tlie doctrine of annili i lation inakes the

suffering., nf'tlle wicked terminate a t death, or,

2


50/101

50

ANKIII I I~ATIOS

O F TIIE W I C K E D .

at moi t , a t the judgment , in oppos i t ion to t l ie

S c~ i l ) t u r c s ,wliich repres en t tllcin as eterii:~1.

M r. St orr s says, Nan-Itere is there

I I ~

assertion

i11 tlie B ib le tli at rep rese rits tlie conscious suRer-

ing of the T\-ickccl o be eternal.

L e t i t be ren le rnbcred tha t ~ l i~ n i l l i l a t io n is t s

110ld that the pnnisliunent

of

the wicked , wha t -

e v e r i t rriay be, is etern al . D catl l l iolds

thern, says

Mr.

Storrs , i n i ts eternal t lolnin-

ion

;

he y sliall llcver live again. I I e s a j s agwiu

''

I t i s an nnbroken dea th s ta te tha t is the

punishment. Tlie only qnestioll to l)e sett led

is,

I s t ha t s ta t e one of mere non-exibtence, or is

i t a conscio~xs tate?

A l l pun i s hn ~e n t n~zs t on& e i the r i n pctin

or

loss

or

60th

As Annil l i lut ionis ts exclude

th e idea o fp u in , tllc pel ia l ty uf ' tl ie l aw, in tlicir

view, rllubt consibt sirnply and solely in 2o s~

Elxt what is

it

the loss o f ? not

of

])leasiire, fur

of

th a t tl ie s inner has no ne w hile ou t of' Cllr i -t .

I t m ust be tlie loss of sim ple existence. I l u t tile

loss of birnple existence . uriclcr

t h e

c i r c tu l~~ ta i i ce s ,

canriot

be an

evil to a sinner-n p ~ ~ n i J l i i i ~ l i t -


51/101

but a gre at blessing.

Pu nisliin en t: niust be tlie

lob8 of what, to a sinner, is valuable, or it is no

pun i s li~ncn t. B u t ex i st e i~ce o a s i r i~ ~ e r ,n.tcat1

of' being valuable, is a posit ive a i l , and , corlse-

qucntly, to be deprived of i t

is

n o p ~ ~ n i s l ~ n i c l i t .

T o cease to exist canliot be pun ishm ent of

loss, orily

SO

f a r a s t h e e x i s t c ~ ~ c eaken a\v:Ly

involves happ iness b u t th e existence of binners,

wllo shall e sucli after the res lxrre ctio~ ~,ill iiot

involve 21appiness, b u t misery and tllerefore t o

cease to exibt

will

not irlvolvc a loss of happi-

ness, bnt an exemption from suffering, arid

c a r i n o t b e a p e n a l t ~or pnnib1iiilent. -lec's

T ll~o loy y, . 326.

Tlie terl ii puuishincnt, according to t l ~ c

best Eliglisll a u tl ~ o r it y , iiealla pain or

trifler-

in g inflicted on'a person for a erirne or oEensc.

T o afflict wit11 pain , loss, or ca la~ rii tg , or

criine or h ul t. T o cliastiso. T o rew ard

wit pain or suffering, ctc.- Wc6s t~r .

The Greek word

~ ~ o k n o ~ volasilz,

f rom

kol'nzo,

signifies

chastis~lnelzt,27l~niahme?zt,or-

nle~zt orticrc,

etc. T he E ~ ~ g l i J irid t h e Crlcek


52/101

terms , i n the ir significations, ar e 2s far reiliored

froin the idea of annihilation as ligllt is from

darkness. T o chastise,

t o r n~en t

~f l i c t

it

Loss,

cannot be affirmed of those wlio liave ceased to

be, 'out of tliose m21o possess coi~ scio us xis tence.

As, then , th e punish rnent of th e miclted, wllat-

ever

t

may be, is confessed by Annih ilationiata

to be eternal, the coilclusion is irresistible,

tlirzt

it must be endless conscious suffering.

6.

Tlie doctrine of anniliilatiori stamps as a

deceptiori all tlie horrors of the wicked, as well

as tlic bliskful hopes of the righteons at dcatli.

Hear t l ie dying Altslmont This body is

all ~ve akn ess and pain bu t my soul, as if

s t r nng up by to r~ n e n t o greater s t rength arld

spirit , is full powerful to reason

;

fu ll ~r l igh ty o

suffer. A n d tha t which t r iump hs in the jaws of

m ortali ty is doubtless in~ino rtal .

Dids t thou

feel half the mountain that

s

on me, thou

mouldat s truggle with t l ie martyr for his stake,

and bless heaven for tlle flames th a t is not an

everlnstiilg flame

;

tha t i s not

an

nnqnencl~abla

firc.


53/101

Al l r 'KIHILITIOK

O F TIIE

\JTICKED. 5

Sa id an E n g l i s l ~ 1oble111an

11

his dcat11-bcd,

I t is no t g iv ing u p my brea th , it i;; not being

for ever insensible, a t w l~ ic li sllrinl<

; t

is tlie

terrible I~e/qeaftcr-the sometl iny beyond tllc

g~avc-at which I recoil." Tlie la st ho ar s of

I'aine, Voltaire , Ches terfield, an d otlierri, prove

th a t before apostates an d enem ies of Clirist close

their probation, Go d pernii ts them to sec the

coming torm en ts which aw ait tllelu in th e woi-ld

of woe.

Stephe n, ~v l ien yin s , ins tead of looking into

the g rave , wl iere, accord ing to ~ ln n i l l i l i ~ t i o n i s t~ ,

h e in~ xs t em ain uncoliscious for ages, looks 11p

steadfast ly into heaven, and sees Jesus at the

r ight ha nd of God and, while gazing upon l l i s

inefyable glory, his face b c c a n ~ e l~inirig ike t l iat

of a n angel, and he cr ied, "L ord Jesus , receive

my s pirit W l ~ e r e ? K o t w llcrc J e s n s w a s

not, but where he was, namely,

in

heaven, at

t h e

right

han d of God." A s died Step hen , so

die good men.

TITllen D r . Fis k was dy ing , as h e was being

moved f r o~n l i a cha ir h e excl:~inied, Fro n


54/101

5 A N N I I II L I IT I O N O F T I IE

\171CPED

th e cha ir to t lle thr on e " I llstead of th e

throne, was i t to be the slecp of ages in t l le

g rave

Rev. W illi am Gri1llsI1&11-, a few ~ n o m c n t s

before his death, being asked by a

fr iend how

he mas, said:

I

am as happy as

I

can be on

earth, and as sure of glory as i f

I

was in it.

I

have no th ing to do bu t to step out of this bed

into heaven.

I

l ~ a v em y feet on t he threshold

already." W e re thehe heav en-iuspired hopes to

be rewarded

wi th

unc:or~scious ex isten ce

i n

t he

g ra ve for a period to m orta ls u n k n o ~ x ~ ~ ?

D r. l'n json said, ~ v ll e n about to die,

'.

I t

scelns as

if

m y

soul had found a pair of new

wings , and was so eager to t ry them that ,

in

h e r f l u t t e r i n g , s h e \ ~ o u l drend th e f ine net-

works of t l ~ e ody to pieces."

V c r e t l ~ e a e oly

inen deceived?

id

God open heaven to their

v ision only to c lose i t and send t l ~ e n i o th e

sleep of ag es ? Inste ad of their feet res t ing

11

th e tllre9llold of th e city of God, rea dy to ente r,

were they only staridillg at tlie gra,ve's 1nont11,

yihieli was t o be tllc llorne of their spirits for


55/101

iZSSIHILAl IOh

O F TIIE WICKED.

5 5

a g e s ?

W e re tlieir irnmortal songs, sung so

sweetly at the door of the cterrlal mansion, to

be hushed in tlie slee p of ages G od never

deceives llis cliildren thus.

7. T h e d o c t r i ~ l ewe oppose is a prinie doc-

tr in e of infidelity, a n d sE~ould be rejecled by

every Cllristian.

W e call b ut regre t t lla t men who c la im to

lovc Go d a n d believe in Jc sn s sho111d be aid-

ing , as v e believe

they

are, th e P r ince

of

darltness in forw arding his designs

t o

1.uir1 m cn,

by lessening tlie force of tl ie D ivin e tl~ re at ei i-

i i ~ g s gainst s in . I saac Tay lor llns rc ry jus tly

said The quarrel of the world wit (:Ilris-

t i a ~ i i ty comes to i t s i s sue upon th is doct rine

of future retribution."-Eat.

A7i9hi

13

219.

Speak ing of D en~ ocr i tn ,and E p icu rus , P lu t a r c h

says, Tiley ta l~ g li t ha t th e soul is corr aptib le,

and peris llcs w ith th e body." I t is know n th a t

Ep icuru s ta ng ht th a t t lle soul cornea from

a

niaterial source, exists in a material system, is

~~o l l r i s l i cdy m ate rial t 'ood, grows an d is ma-

tnrccl with the lrixterial body, and decliries witla


56/101

6

A S K I I I I L A T I O N

O F TH WICKED

its decline, and heuce must die m11en it dies.-

L a n d ~ s .

1Ie was

a

most determined foe of

tlie doctrine of imm ortality. Bay le speak s of

tlieir theory thus : Deatl i disuni tes the par ts

of these bodies, but destrojs nothing of the i r

substance. Tliose t h a t th e eilrtl i supplies are

restored t o t lie earth , and those w l~ icl l escend

fium th e rcgions of' ether, ascend thith er again.

In

a work

by llis

and Reed, ( Bib le versus

Trcldition, ) they say on Eccles. xii, 7 T h e

run

[spirit] goes to Gocl who gav e it. N ow if

God inteuds to restore this rucch to th e marl so

t l ~ a t ie m ay live again , where does God br ing

tl.iis rualz

t iorn

W e sllal l see that i t is not the

same ~ u a l ~ ,n t ti ah of tlie same kind, though

perliaps less d il ~ lt e d wit11 cctr~zo ~yl~ eric

i~ .

Tilu s we see

that

i t is God's rziah-ouc un iver sal

prii iciple pervading t lie atm o~ phe rc. I t is a

l iving thing, tho~z gh th e cause of life, bnt

which our honest translators have translated

wind.

Zenas Campbell says, N o Sc ripture or phi-

losophy ha s ever y et been sliown to prov e th e


57/101

ANXIIiILATION

O F

TIIE

WICKED

7

m i i d any th ing inore than an a t t r ibute of t lie

living organized du st an d if so, i t must cease

w ith tlie life of th e body. -Age o osptl

Light

IIow do these view-s d i f k r from those

of Epicurus

Eusebius, who l ived i n th e third ce ntury,

and wrote t lic f irst H is to ry of th e Prinl i t ive

Church, after th e A cts of th e Apostles, i n

spexlting of t lic heretics of his tirnes s a ~ s ,

But

about this t ime, also, other men sprang

up

in Arabia, as tlie propagators of false opin-

io~is. These ahserted t h a t tllc Imnian solll, as

lorig as tllc p resent sta te of th e world existed,

perished a t dea th, an d died with tl ie body, b u t

th a t it would bc raised again wit11 th e body a t

tlie time of th e resurrection. Ant1 as a considor-

a l ~ l e ouncil was held on acco unt of 'tliis, Origcli

being agniri requested, liliewise here discussccl

tlie po int in question with so rnncll force, th a t

those who Lad before been led astray, complete-

ly c l~ an ge d h ~ i r pinion. -P. 263.

Voltaire says,

(Z hil.

Dic., vol. i,

pp

42-45,)

b l j

b ei r~ g rewarded or punislied after de:~tl l


58/101

requires tha t something wliicll feels alid thiilks

in lrle m u > t coiitinue to subsist after me. E o w

as no par t in me

has any tl lougllt or sense

before my birth, why sliotild it after lriy death

W h a t car1 this incom prehensible p a rt of myself

b e ? W il l t lie 2lurnming of the bee corit il lue

a ft er tlie e ~ i d f i ts e x i s t e r i ~ e ? T h u s t h e so ul

itself, \vliicl~signifies ou r m em ory, ou r reuson,

ourpassions, is orily a hare word.

IIow can be retvarded or punished when

shall cease to be my;;elf, svl~ennoth ing

which

const i tuted

~ n y

erson will

be

remaining

Volney, in his Bililzs, says, T h e soul is

b u t the vital principle whicli results from th e

prop rti s o matter, and from t h e act ion of t l lc

elem ents in these bodies, wllere they create a

spontaneous movement . T o suppose tha t th is

prodnet of th e p lay of the organs, born wit11

them , m a tu red w i th t hem , arid ~ ~ r h i c hleep with

t l l e ~ n ,can subsist w he n they cease, is th e ro-

uiarlce of a wa nder ing imagination .

TT11en Abner Krieeland, in

1821,

was half

way be t~v ec n G ni \ ersal ib~n an d Inf idel ity , le


59/101

A N ~ I I l I L A T I O ~F TIIE

\ITICILED

9

published a volurrlc of lectllrea, i a ~ v l ~ i c l ile says,

Altllongll the consequence of dcath would

ha ve been et er na l had it no t bee11 for et er na l

life, ye t t h e consequence would not have been

etern al misery, but an etern al ext inct ion uf

being for deatli

is

an extinction of life. ' '

I t wi ll be perceived th at th e author does no t

believe

in

an interm edia te s ta te of conscious

existence between deatli

a n d

the resurrect ion,

and of course death to l i i ln is an extinction of

being, an d all his ideas of a fu tu re sta te of exibt-

ence are predicated on the glor ious doctr ine of

t h e resurrection. -P.

48

JIr

Ualfour says, N o sacred w rite r ir lentions

a n iinillortal soul.

T h e r e i s n o inamaterial

immot tal

so ul wllic11 lives

in

a conscious state

of happiness or r~iisergr

i n

a diseinhodied con-

dition.

W e see by these references that hnnihi la-

tiorlis ts have taken u p the dogma regarded as

f i ~ ~ l d a u l e i i t a ly tliese old enemies of Clirib-

tiauity,

~ n t l

i a ~ e dopted it as

a

pl . i~nal octr ine

of tlieir creed,

a n d

euliibit a zeal in its 1)rop:iga-


60/101

6 ANNIHILATION O F THE WICKED.

ti011 far exceeding t h at of it s hoary-headed an d

corrupt anthors . W e regret tha t our oppo-

nents are found

i n

such company, for

w e

believe them , i n this particil lar , to be far better

th an their creed would indicate.

W e notice, in closing o ur brief exarriination

of this strange dogrna, two objections urged by

it s advocates.

Tlie first we denominate

Tllis rnay be rcgarded as tlie nucleus of tlie

theory.

T h e ter111

inzmo~tc~l i t y ,

t is claimed,

lias th e sense of sim ple cxistc~zee,an d not a s tate

or

co~zclition

of cxistcnce.

T l ~ e rgument is s tated as follows:

1.

God

alone possesses immortality

1

Till].

vi, 16,)

rneaning eternal existence.

2.

Nan is requi red to seek immorta l i ty ,

Itom. ii,

7,)

meaning simple existence.

3

I t is c la il ~ ie d ha t i111111ortality s th e gi ft

of Cliris t as l t e d c e ~ n e r , nd depcnderlt on t lre

resurrection.


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ANNIHIIJ~ ~ ION F THIS W I C K E D . I

Let us

ex:lrnino

these statem ents. Tlle firbt

fact stated

is,

that God only, or alone, hath in,-

mortali ty and, if possessed by m an , it inu st be

co~~Ser r edy th e gra ce of Christ. T lie in11nol.-

talit y possessed by God only, a t tlie tinic tile

apostle rnade this announcement, will, it deen~s,

ultilnately b e possessed by all t h e saints, mid

tl leii i t will no longer be said, G od only b a th

im ~n ortali ty . B u t is i t true, according to tl ie

views of Anniliilationists that God

was

tlie

only being in th e universe a t that t ime who

possessed immortali ty? f we are not mis-

taken, a t the t in le Paul made th is annonnce-

iilcnt, some, in t he ir senpe, w er e alrea dy pos-

sessed of immortal ity . E n o c l ~and E l i j ah , s t

least, were im m ortal in their sense so tha t

God

a t tha t time was no t the only being in t ile uni-

verse who possessed immortality.

Tlle apostle's sta tem en t, Go d only hatli

irrirnortality, will re rn ai i~ ru e to ail eternity.

I t is general ly admit ted that the tor in, as hero

ernploged, means an

zbnc erived existence

in

61icEi

a

sense as no Inere creature can or will


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6 NNIHIL TION O TIIE

11-ICKEI).

ever pos:;ess it , liowever ea rnes tly h e seeks it.

But w he n applied to man, it sigr~ifies h at lie is

not l iable to corrupt ion or decay. W it h God i t

is

uncZet*ived;

wit11 ina n i t i s

de~ i v ed .

Tlle two

iinmortnlities differ widely.

Tlie term is errlplojed also to describe th e

believer's crown- incorruptible. t is ap-

plied to the resurrectioll body-'. raised n in -

corruption.

I t is emplo yed also t o describe tlie

1)eliever7s inheritance-

incowuptible.

A n d

get ,

God

only liatll imm ortality.

Tile second fact sta ted is, th a t Inan is re-

quired to seek immortali ty, which would not

be if all men possessed it.

I n the sense of im m orta l inlleri tancc an d

L

crown of life, im m orta lity

is

conditional. But

t l ~ i s s not simple existence, as Ariniliilationists

claim,

but ineffable happiness, which all rneri

inay accept or refuse. I t is not imn iortality

abstractly, but a blessed imm ortality. T o i llus-

tra te t l iere is a sense i n which we ar e re-

quired to seek tlic re surrection of th e deatl,

(Phil, iii,

7-11,) and get me are assured that


63/101

a l i men- th e ju st a n d th e un just l'--sliall be

raised. N o oiie ~ v i l l la im tha t th e resurrection,

in t l ~ e bs tract , i s to be soug llt, b a t s i rr~p ly

lessed resurrection, o r a bette r resurrect ion,

as the Scriptures describe it .

I n

l ike manfier

tliere is a sense

in

wliich irnrnortality is to be

sought ; and yet t l ie re i s a sensc

ia

~ v h i c h ll

1:leii mill possess it. 11s mere exis tence, ~vith-

out reference to th e cl iaracter of tha t e xis te~ lce,

irnniortality is possessed by all bu t as a lcsscd

existence it is possessed only by those who seek

i t by faith in Christ .

Tl le t l i i rd fact s tated

is,

tha t i lnmor ta l i ty i s

thc gift of Christ as: Redeemer. .

Tliat w owe our ent ire exis tence to Chris t

as

Creator

will

not be denied b ut that we owe

our existence to llinl as

It?fcZeclne? ,

s

a

p u r e

assumption. I t would

c

jus t as prope r to say

that our nlater ial bodies came

b,y

Clirist as

Redeerncr, as to sa y th at ou r i i iimortal spirits

carne by hirn. Christ, as Iied eem er, has but one

wo rk, th a t of saving sinrlers from tlieir s ins, a n d

prepar ing them for

a

blissful immortality.


64/101

6

AXNIHILATION O F TIIE

WICKEI) .

The sccorid objection we denoniinate

That God has the power to

blot

frorn being

al l things an d beings created by him t l ~ e r e a n

be no doubt

;

bu t t ha t

e

will do i t , there is

110

evidence in th e word of inspir

a

' on.

1

T h e terms $e an d de th are fre-

quelltlp employed

by

Annihilationists. Life,

with them, signifies

simpl

eaistence, and

death, cessation or e x ti ~ ~ c ti o nf

existence,

or

being. Death, being th e pen alty of th e

law,

i t s inflickion upon sinners is th e blo ttin g of th em

out of bcing. Life, bein g th e gif t of God to

believers i n Ch rist, i t s bestow m ent is sirriply th e

gift of being.

E o w we deny t ha t such

is

th e exclusive mean-

in g of tl lese terms. Ta ke the ter m

death. I n

fiornc instances you cannot force extinction, or

even suspension of vitality or existence, ou t of it.

Jcsus says: ( (E xc ep t a corn of w heat fall into

t21c ground and

e,

i t abideth alone ; but i f i t

dip it

bringetll forth rnucll fruit. P a u l says


65/101

That which thou sowest is not quickened ex-

cept it die. Here the term death has its

ordinary signification. But instead of the an-

~~ihilatiouf being, its vitality is not even sus-

pended for through the whole process of de th

the living germ retains its vital power un-

harmed. The outer coat molders away, but

the principle of life is still vital and active.

f

the corn can stand the infliction of this death

penalty without a suspension of its vitality, may

not the spiritual nature of man endure it with-

out annihilation

Lazarus died, and, instead of ceasing to be, he

was carried into Abraham's bosom.

The rich

man died, and, instead of being annihilated,

hc

i lifting u p his eyes n hell, being in torment.

To say that the wages of sin is death, is not

saying that the wages of sin is annihilation.

Death is

the annihilation of the wicked scriptually considered by rev. w. mcdonald, 1872

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