The Watchtower, October 1, 1921

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No. 19

.291 .291 .292 .293

Upon the earth distress of nations with perplexity; the sea and the waves (the restless, discontented) roaring; men’s hearts failing them for fear and for lonMnir fa

*"!-Ton th.c/i Orth (society); for the powers of the heavens (ecclesiasticsm) shall be shaken . . When ye see thesethings begin to come to pass then kaow that the Kingdom of God is at hand. Look up, lift up your heads, rejoice, for your redemption draweth nigh".—Matt. 24:33; Mark 13:29- Luke 21-25-31

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Vol. XLII

Semi-Monthly

Anno Mundi 6050—October 1, 1921

CONTENTS

Views from the Watch Tower...............

Non-Conformist Conditions in England. Eastern with Western Union?................

The Paths or Death...............................

Path to Adamic Death also Called Death.. 294

Sacuficial Death of the Saints.....................295

The Second Death of the Incorrigible.........296

New Creation Amenable to Second Death....297

ROGK'OF AGES |;; Ot h e r -frauri d a 11 o n1 c a n-."z m.an^ lay -4. „

. A.RANSOM FOR ALLy i'f'' J

Death of Saints Called a Sleep.....

Will Deatli Ei er Cease?...................

Suggestions to Field Workers.......

Reward ...............................................

Paul's Experiences in Jerusalem. a Supposed Insurrection.................

Paul’s Speech from the Stairs.......

Before the Sanhedrin.......................

....298 -.298 ....299 —300 -.301 -.301 ... 302 . ..302

“I will stand upon my watch and will set my foot upon the Tower, and will watch to see what He will say unto me, and what answer I shall make to them that oppose me”—Habakkuk 8. 1.

THIS JOURNAL AND ITS SACRED MISSION

FilHlS Journal is one of th* prime factors or instruments in the system of Bible instruction, or "Seminary Kitamion”, now being X presented in. all parts of the civilized world by the Watch Towns Bicle & Tract Society. chartered A. D. 1884, “For the Promotion of' Christum Knowledge”. It not only serves as a class room where Bible students may meet in the study of the divine Word but also aa a channel of communication through vhich they may be reached with announcements of the Society’s conventions and of th* coming, of its traveling representatives, styled “Pilgrims”, and refreshed with reports of its conventions.

Our "Berean Lessons” are topical rehearsals or reviews of our Society’s published Studies most entertainingly arranged, and very helpful to all who would merit the only honorary degree which the Society accords, viz., Verbi Dei Minister (V. D. AI.), which translated into English is Minister of God’s Word. Our treatment of the International Sunday School Lessons is specially for the older Bible students and teachers. By some this feature is considered indispensable.

This Journal stands firmly for the defense of the only true foundation of the Christian’s hope now being so generally repudiated —redemption through the precious blood of “the man Christ Jesus, who gave himself a ransom [a corresponding price, a substitute] foe all”. (1 Peter 1:19; 1 Timothy 2:6) Building up on tins sura foundation the gold, siher and precious stones (1 Corinthians 3: Ills ; 2 Peter 1:5-11) of the Word of God, its further mission is to "make all see what is the fellowship of the mystery which. . .has been hid in God, . . « to the intent that now might be made known by the church the manifold wisdom of God’’—“whirfl in other ages was not made known unto the sons of men as it is now revealed”.—Ephesians 3:5-9,10.

It stands free from all parties, sects and creeds of men, while it seeks more and more to bring its every utterance into fullest subjection to the will of God in Christ, as expressed in the holy Scriptures. It is- thus free to declare boldly whatsoever the Lord hath spoken—according to the divine wisdom granted unto us to understand ids utterances. Its attitude is not dogmatic, but confident; for we know whereof we affirm,, treading with implicit faith upon the sute promises of God. It is held as a trust, to be used only in his service; hence our decisions relative to what may and what may not appear m its columns must be according to our judgment of his good pleasure,, the teaching of his Word, for the upbuilding of his people in grace and knowledge. And we not only invite but. urge cun readers to prove all its utterances by the infallible Word to which reference la constantly made to facilitate such testing.

TO US THE SCRIPTURES CLEARLY TEACH

"ghat the church is “the temple of file living God”, peculiarly "his workmanship”; that its construction has been in progress throughout the gospel age—ever since Christ became the world’s Redeemer and the. dmf Corner Stone of his temple, through which, when finished, God's blessing shall come “to all people”, and they find access to him.—1 Corinthians 3: IB, 17; Ephesians 2:20-22; Genesis 28:14; Galatians 3 : 29.

That meantime the chiseling, shaping, and polishing of consecrated believers ia Christ’s atonement for sin, progresses; and when the last of these "living stones”, “elect and precious,” shall have been made ready, the great Master Workman will bring all together in the first resurrection ; and the temple shall be filled with his- glory, and be the meeting place between God and men througho it. the Millennium.—Revelation 15:5-8.

ffhatthe basis of hope, for the church and the world, lies in. the fact that' “Jesus Christ, by the grace of God, tasted death for every man,” “ar ransom for all,? and will be “the. Hue light which lighted! every man that cometh into the world", "in due tune”.— Hebrews 3:9 ; John1:9; 1 Timothy 2:5, 6.

That the hope of the church is that she may be like her Lord, “see him as he is,” be “partakers of the divine nature’,’ and share his glazy as his joint-heir.—1 John 3:2; John 17:24; Bomans 8 17; 2 Peter 1:4.

That the present mission of the. church Is the perfecting of the saints for the future work of service; to develop in herself every grace ; to be God's witness to the world; and to prepare to ba kings and priests in the next. age.—Ephesians 4 :12 ;• Matthew 24 i 14 ; Revelation 1.: 6; 20: 6.

That the hope for the world lies in the blessings of knowledge and opportunity to ba brought to all by Christ’s Millennial kingdom, the restitution, of all that was lost in Adam, to all the willing and obedient, at the hands of their Redeemer and bis glonfled church, when all the wilfully wicked will be destroyed.—Acts 3:19-23; Isaiah 35..

•puBUSHE.0 By

WATCH TOWER. BIBLE TRACT SOCIETY

I24C0LUMBIA HEIGHTS a a BROOKLYN, N-Y U-S A

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(Foreign, translations of this journal appear in several languages)

Editorial Committax This journal is published under the supervision of an editorial committee, at least three of whom have read and approved as truth each and every article appearing in these columns. The names of the editorial committee are: J. F. Rutherford, W. E Van Amburph, F. H. Rdblson, G. H. Fisher, E. W. Buenisen. Terms to the Dord's Poore All Bible students who, by nsson of old age or other Infirmity or adversity, ere unable to pay for this jounud, will be supplied free if they send a postal card each May stating their case and requestroaranch provision. We ere not only willing, but options, that all such bens our list ooniumaily and in touch with the Berean studies.

Nntip* fn • We do not, bb a rale, send a card ef acknowledrmeot for a renew*! of

ivonee IO ibuosenoers. toT B new’sub9Cription. Eecc.pt and ■satrr •»/ ■anawjaro Indimtad within a month by ehanre Id ecxpiratlra date, ae shown on wrapper label.

Entered a» Second Gtua ifaLLer at Brooklyn, N1Y., Fotioffiee vndor tho Aoi of Uareh frd, 1979.

HYMNS FOR DECEMBER

Sunday ---------

1S6

Monday __________

Vow

Tuesday ............

Wednesday ......

1S2

Thursday ........

Friday ..............

Saturday..........

After the close of the hymn the Bethel family listens to file lending of “My Vow Unto the Lord”, then joins In prayer. At the breakfast table the Manna text is considered.

STUDIES IN THE SCRIPTURES

These Studies ara recommended to students as veritable Bible keys, discussing topically every vital doctrine of the Bible. More than eleien million copies are in circulation, m nineteen languages. Two sixes are issued (in English only) : the regular maroon cloth, gold stamped edition on dull lunsh paper (size 5”x7i”), and the maroon cloth pocket edition on thin paper (size 4"'x6j‘’) ; both sizes ara printed from the same plates, the difference bang in the margins; Tmth sizes are provided with an appendix of catechistic questions for convenient class use. Both editions uniform in price.

Series L The Divine Finn of tie Ages, giving- outline of the divine plan revailed in the Bible, i elating to man's redemption and restitution: 350 pages, plus indexes and appendixes, 75c. Magazine edition 20c. Also procurable in Arabic, Armenian, Dane-Norwegian, Finnish, French, German, Greek, Hollandish. Hungarian, Italian, Polish, Roumanian, Slovak, Spanish, Swedish, and Ukrainian; regular cloth style, price uniform with English.

Series EL The Time is at Hand, treats of the manner and time of the Lord’s second coming, considering the Bible testimony on this subject: 333 pages, 75c. Obtainable in Dano-Norwegian. Finnish, German, Polish, and Swedish.

Series III, Thy Klnsdem Corot, considers prophecies which mark events connected with “the time of the end”, the glorification of the church and the establishment of the Millennial kingdom; it also contains a chapter on the Great Pyramid of Egypt, showing its corroboration of certain Bible teachings: 3S0 pages, 75c. Furnished also in Dano-Norwegian, Finnish, German, Polish, and Swedish.

Series IV, The Battle of Armageddon, shows that the dissolution of the present order of things is in progress and that ah of the human panaceas offered are valueless to avert the end predieted in the Bible. It contains a special and extended treatise on our Lord’s great prophecy of Matthew 24 and also that of Zechariah 14:1-9: 656 pages, 85c. Also in Dano-Norwegian, Finnish, Greek, German, and Swedish.

Series V, The Atonement Between God and Mun, treats an all Important subject, the center around which all features of divine grace revolve. This topic deserves the most careful consideration on the part of all true Christians: 618 pages, 85c. Procurable likewise in Dano-Norweglan, Finnish, German, Greek, and Swedish.

Series VI, The New Creation, deals with the creative week (Genesis 1, 2), and with the church, God’s new creation. It examines the personnel, organization, ntes, ceremonies, obligations, and hopes appertaining to those called and accepted as members of the body of Christ: 730 pages, 85c. Supplied also in Dano-Norweglan, Finnish, German, and Swedish.

Series VII, The Finished Mystery, consists of a verse-by-vers« explanation of the Bible books of Revelation. Song of Solomon, and Ezekiel: 608 pages, illustrated, 85c. in cloth, 25c. in magastml edition—latter treats Revelation and Ezekiel only.

AND HERALD OF CHRISTS PRESENCE

Vol. XLII

OCTOBEB 1, 1921

No. Ifl

VIEWS EROM THE WATCH TOWER

“ ‘People will not give money direct for any purpose, however noble,’ Mr. Bradshaw declared. The churches are compelled to appeal to the lowest tastes. Church announcement boards are covered with notices of ham teas, whist drives, social evenings, and so on.

“ ‘The religious news is a weekly record of eating, drinking, and play. Thus the churches are getting very much like working men’s clubs without the beer. The Church, like most institutions in Dewsbury, marches on its stomach.'"

The New York Evening Post recently published some statistics showing the decline in numbers in attendance at American theological seminaries. It is indicated by that article that ten thousand Protestant pulpits will be vacant next year in this country alone. From the paragraph published below it will be noted that the denominations showing the most serious decrease are the Episcopalian, Presbyterian, and Congregational. The article referred to observes that—

“Attendance In Episcopalian theological seminaries decreased from 463 In 1916 to 193 In 1920; In all Presbyterian seminaries, from 1,188 In 1916 to 696; in Methodist, from 1,226 in 1916, to 976, and In Congregational Institutions from 499 in 1910 to 255 last year. Roman Catholic seminary enrollment has increased rapidly, however, bringing up the entire total to an approximate prewar status, although the Protestant Institutions have not recovered. Attendance In all theological seminaries—Protestant, Roman Catholic, and Jewish—Increased very gradually from 3,354 in 1870 to 10,588 in 1915. Before the war there was a noticeable jump in registration to 12,051 In 1916, followed by a slump to 9,354 in 1917-18.”

Some of those ministers who have not yet quit preaching have been purchasing the title of Doctor of Divinity. It seems that a bustling westerner had no small success in .disposing of D. D.’s until he was interrupted by the police. Referring to this fact, and to the disposition on the part of ministers generally to hanker after titles, The Continent, Presbyterian, says:

“Plainly the Church is to blame for keeping this deceptive temptation dangling before the eyes of Its ministers. Either the Church ought to abolish—or at least refuse to recognize — the degree of doctor of divinity altogether, or else It ought to arrange to have It conferred on all its clergy who have taken full theological preparation for their work. It might be well for the doctorate to be granted In course by the seminaries to all graduates at the completion of ten years’ service In the pastorate. At ell events, one way or another, the ministry ought to be rescued from the curse of exaggerated pretensions and trivial jealousies which now darken the whole region included within the range of those pestiferous double D's.”

2»1

EX - VICE - PRESIDENT Thomas R. Marshall, speaking as a Presbyterian elder rather than as a politician, has several times given utterance to pointed truths. And but recently he expressed himself again, ruing the drift of the church, with special reference to the Presbyterian body. The Indianapolis Star quotes him as foRows:

“It may not contribute to the harmony of the church music, but after much deliberation, however discordant the note may be, it Is my opinion that it should be struck. And as I have less to lose than anyone else, I have concluded to strike It.

“It is no infrequent occurrence to have some zealous brother inform me that we must be up and stirring as Protestants, or the Roman Catholic Church will seize the reins of government in America. Maybe this foolish statement accounts for the fact that the church to which we belong, in common with other Protestant denominations, In an effort to prevent the union of church and state, Is unconsciously, I hope, doing those things which look very much like an attempt to unite the American republic and the Protestant Churches of this country.

“It is a difficult thing to be a Christian, either Catholic or Protestant. It is a man’s job to be an American citizen. To unite the two under either church or civil rule means the weakening of the one or the other. It is just as true today as it was in the days of the Master, that it is our business to render unto Csesar the things which are Ceasar’s, and unto God the things which are God’s. . . . This religion of ours is a failure if, in order to accomplish its mission, it must be backed up by an act of Congress.”

“There need be no hope of a general revival of the faith given to the Fathers until the Church shall purge itself of its mania for political power and Influence, until it recognizes that its call is to the individual, and that men group themselves together in organizations not as a debating society, but as a harmonious and loving family.

“Let the Presbyterian Church forget Washington for a little while, . . . resume its ancient functions, relive the lives of its founders in faith, and hope, and charity, put not its trust in earthly institutions, and give God a chance.”

NON-CONFORMIST CONDITIONS IN ENGLAND

The Reverend W. Bradshaw, a local Wesleyan minister in Dewsbnry, Yorkshire, is reported by the London (Eng.) Daily News as believing that the non-conformist religious bodies of England are also liable to a little criticism. A part of his remarks follow:

“Of the methods adopted to obtain support for the churches Mr. Bradshaw Is particularly outspoken. ‘The bazaar,’ he said, ‘opened with a hymn and prayer, followed by ‘Heigho I come to the fair'. Another Instance was of a hay-box cookery demonstration being opened with prayer.

The clergy in Mexico do not always get off with a scolding, if the circumstances related by the Winnipeg Tribune are true:

“Archbishop Francisco Orozoco y Jiminez, one of the high Catholic prelates in Mexico, has been fined one hundred dollars by the municipal authorities here [Guadalajara] for appearing on the streets in clerical garb.

“Chief of Police Rivera recently ordered the arrest of all priests appearing on the thoroughfares In cassocks, and several disagreeable incidents are said to have resulted.”

LIKE KIRKMAN LIKE KIRK

Attendance at churches has fallen off very notably, according to several newspaper clippings from the British. Isles. The- London Mail publishes a cartoon of a verger running out from his church and accosting- a passerby with the words: “Hi! Come in for a few minutes, will you? The parson wants to say ‘my dear brethren’, and there’s only one in the church.”

The Berlin Tageblatt gives a resume of the movement away from church membership in Germany. It finds that the Evangelic Church, better known as the State Church (Lutheran), lost 150,000 members in the year 1919. Apparently the 1920 figures are not yet available. Of these 80,000 were in Greater Berlin alone, and 50,000 in. the free city of Hamburg. The- southern states have not felt the movement toward non-chureh-member-ship so keenly yet. The Tageblatt remarks that in those localities where the facts concerning the Romanist Church are available their losses have been even larger m proportion to their membership than the losses have been' in the State Church. In Hamburg alone the Romanists lost 5,000 members in 1919.

EASTERN WITH WESTERN UNION ?

From European advices we learn that there is- a strong movement toward union of the Greek and Roman Catholic Churches; The Natimal-Zeitung of Basle, Switzerland, comments on the matter and gives a summing up of the situation as- reported to them from tha Czech side of the question. In August an important conference was held in Moravia,, at which the most renowned clerical dignitaries of Russia, Siberia, Car-patho-Russia, as also the Balkan States, attended and took part. Concerning the many-sided question the National-Zeitung says:

“In the first place, It must be remembered, that through the upsettings of the World War the question of union between the Eastern Churches and Rome has entered Into a new stage. The hindrances to such a step which existed before the War were largely political In their nature. Both the Czar as head of the Russian Church and the Ecumenic Patriarch at Constantinople were afraid of a show of force which might compel a union with Rome. These weighty political hindrances do not exist today. The Russian Church, which has suffered heavily under the- Bolshevik rule, Is compelled to seek a new head and stable means of support. On the other hand the Constantinople Patriarch is in a similar situation, finding himself, as he does, in a diplomatic blind alley through the collapse of the Turkish Empire and through the strained relationships with the Greek Government.

“The Vatican has conceived that now Is the time for tha realization of the grand plans of Leo XIII. Sagaciously the Papal Government sought to establish friendly relationships with the Czechoslovak Republic, although Roman interests had gone somewhat awry in that state after the upset there. In spite of this fact, Papal diplomacy was persistent and steadily insured Romish interests by securing significant concessions from Czechoslovak Catholics, so that now Rome has in Czechoslovakia a means of access to the Slavish world in general and Russia in particular. It was through this channel that the recent negotiations with the Russian Church were Inaugurated.”

It is quite possible that Roman agents have been steadily at work in the Balkan States to effect a severance between the various Slavish Churches and Russia—as the bulwark of the Greek or Eastern Church. A dispatch published in the Philadelphia Public Ledger lends color to this view. It follows:

“As announced by manifesto, Albania henceforth will be separated from the Greek Church. This follows a religious separatist movement which, already has established a national church in Roumania, Servia, and Bulgaria. Detachment from the Greek Church was' instigated by Fan Roll, president of the Albanian delegation to- the League of Nations.”

HOME-MADE MESSIAHS

Man-made schemes for the bringing- in of Christ’s kingdom have- not- yet died out. The recent International Christian Endeavor Convention held in New York City gave an opportunity for expression, on the part of those who should be among the most forward-looking in faith among the inhabitants of Christendom, when their opportunities and privileges are taken into consideration. The Jewish Missionary Mag azine made some editorial comments on the remarks of one speaker, which are well worth, reproducing,:

“At a recent meeting of the Christian Endeavor convene tlon in this-city, Fred B. Smith, chairman' of the Committee on Council of Churches of the Federal Council of Churches of Christ of America, submitted a new slogan, which was adopted by them. It is this: ‘A Warless World in 1923’.

“Of course it-is the Christian Endeavorers and the churches that are to bring this about. We read the report with a shudder. Again they are proposing to rob the Prince of Peace of his glory. He only is appointed and he alone is able to ‘break the sword and the bow and the battle out of the earth’. Who Is this who audaciously suggests such a slogan, ‘A Warless World in 1923’?' One who has turned aside from the truth concerning Christ and his salvation by blood, and who said at the convention that if Mohammedanism or any other religion could promise a speedy end of war, he would renounce Christianity and join the cult that would produce a ‘warless world’. Will Christ long endure this insult?

“In every direction one may see signs of the great conspiracy, unconscious in many, to. do. by human wisdom and power what Christ alone can effect. Now it is Dr. Nicholas Murray Butler; president of Columbia University, who was a guest of honor at a dinner in Paris, July 11. He said there that America was determined that there should, not be a repetition of the World War. He continued1:

“ ‘It shall not happen again. It shall not happen to France. It shall not happen to Belgium. It shall not happen to Britain. It shall not happen to America. It shall not happen anywhere.’ ”

THE PATHS OF DEATH

THE Scriptures recognize death in five different aspects. Four of these are temporary. These four merge into two at the tomb and terminate instantly or gradually in the resurrection, depending upon whether the resurrection is an instantaneous one or a resurrection by judgment.

L ACTUAL DEATH, ADAMIC

The first sense in which the Scriptures use the word ‘death’ and the one most quickly discernible to the comprehension is the actual death penalty in full, extinction of being, which has been the common lot of Father Adam’s posterity. No one could know as well as Jehovah what death really means to humanity and no one could express the sad truth in simpler language than did the Almighty in his words to Adam in the Garden of Eden: “In the sweat of thy face shalt thou eat bread, till thou return unto the ground; for out of it wast thou taken: for dust thou art, and unto dust shalt thou return”. (Genesis 3:19) If the Almighty had wished to convey to Adam and his posterity any hint that after the dissolution of his earthly organism some part of him would still be alive, here was the ideal place to make the statement, but no such statement is found.

The statement that man is but dust and returns to dust appears again in the words of the inspired writer of the book of Ecclesiastes: “That which befalleth the sons of men befalleth beasts; even one thing befalleth them: as the one dieth, so dieth the other; yea, they have all one breath [ruach] ; so that a man hath no preeminence above a beast: for all is vanity. All go into one place; all are of the dust, and all turn to dust again.”—Ecclesiastes 3:19, 20.

In the same book of Ecclesiastes the same thought is repeated in other language when the writer used a passage often quoted and often misunderstood: “Then shall the dust return to the earth as it was; and the ruach shall return unto God who gave it”. (Ecclesiastes 12: 7) We ask the candid reader to observe in the two passages last quoted that so surely as the ruach of man returns to God who gave it, so surely does the ruach of beasts, for “they all have one ruach” and “all go unto one place”.

The understanding of Ecclesiastes 12: 7 has been rendered somewhat difficult by the use of the word ‘spirit’ as a translation of the Hebrew word ruach. The translators of the Common Version made a similar error in James 2: 26. There the passage reads: “As the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead also”. It will be noted that in the margin the explanation is offered that the word ‘spirit’ here means ‘breath’. It is the translation of the Greek word pneuma, from which root come ‘pneumonia’ and ‘pneumatics’.

Some have thought that Jehovah, having created a human being, is unable to destroy him, but the properly instructed Christian realizes that “there is one lawgiver, who is able to save and to destroy”. (James 4:12), and accordingly does truly “fear him which is able to destroy both soul and body”. (Matthew 10:28) Throughout the ages past death has shown no favoritism. It has not furnished blessings to one kind and denied them to another. When their earthly course was finished there were no privileges of praise or worship reserved for those who found their greatest joy in worshiping God during their time of animation; for we have the word of the Psalmist: “The dead praise not the Lord, neither any that go down into silence”.—Psalm 115:17.

The prophets and kings of Israel understood this matter well. They knew that the grave woidd be for them a place of silence, a place where they could not engage in the praises of God, a place where they could learn nothing further of his plans. Hence when the good King Hezekiah was sick and in ansiver to his fervent prayer God had turned away from him the tide of death, he exclaims: “Thou hast in love to my soul delivered it from the pit of corruption: for thou hast cast all my sins behind thy back. For the grave cannot praise thee; death cannot celebrate thee: they that go down into the pit cannot hope for thy truth. The living, the living, he shall praise thee, as I do this day.”— Isaiah 38:17-19.

When David similarly prayed for deliverance from death the same thought is apparent: “Have mercy upon me, 0 Lord; for I am weak: 0 Lord, heal me; for mj bones are vexed. For in death there is no remembrance of thee: in the grave who shall give thee thanks?”— Psalm 6:2, 5.

It is a common statement now respecting the dead that they know all that happens to their loved ones aftei their demise, but there was no such thought in the minds of the prophets of old, Job remarking in this connection of the state of one who had gone into death that “his sons come to honor, and he knoweth it not: and they are brought low, but he perceivcth it not ol them”.—Job 14:21.

Returning again to the words of the Psalmist, w< find him pointing to the fact that it is folly for ain human being to put his trust in princes or in othei human beings, for the reason that it is true of even one of these that when he dies “his breath goeth forth he returneth to his earth; in that very day his thought perish”.-—Psalm 146: 4.

Coming now to the writings of the Wise Man in th.-book of Ecclesiastes, we find that until the resurrectioi morning shall come “the dead know not anythm; neither have they any more reward; for the memory c them is forgotten. Also their love, and their hatre-’ and their envy, is now perished.”—Ecclesiastes 9:5. C

The same writer concludes the subject with the ad\ ic1 “Whatsoever thy hand findeth to do, do it with f' might; for there is no work, nor device, nor knowledge nor wisdom, in the grave, whither thou goest”.—Ec clesiastes 9:10.

In view of the foregoing Scriptures which we have seen declares that men are dust and turn to dust again; that they have the same ruach (breath—spirit) as the beasts and go to the same place at death; that God is able to destroy their beings completely; that the dead praise not the Lord but are in silence; that in the grave there is no remembrance of God nor even any memory of one’s own children; that with the expiration of their breath their thoughts cease entirely, so that from the moment of death they know nothing, having neither thoughts of love, nor of hatred, nor of envy, and being unable to do any work, good or bad, nor acquire any knowledge, good or bad, nor operate any device, good or bad, nor make any progress toward heavenly wisdom or earthly wisdom, it will remain for other pens than ours to show that death does not mean death.

IL PATH TO ADAMIC DEATH ALSO CALLED DEATH

In one of the experiences of Abraham he came within the borders of the territory of Abimelech, King of Gerar. Abimelech, observing the beauty of Sarah and not knowing that she was Abraham’s wife, desired her for his own; and Abraham concealed the fact that she was his wife by dwelling upon the fact that she was his half-sister, or, as popularly believed, his niece, the daughter of his older brother and member of his father’s house, saying of her: “She is my sister, the daughter of my father”. (Genesis 20:2-12) Thereupon Abimelech took Sarah with a view to making her his wife. “But God came to Abimelech m a dream by night, and said to him, Behold, thou art but a dead man, for the woman which thou hast taken; for she is a man’s wife. . . . ATow therefore restore the man his wife; for he is a prophet, and he shall pray for thee, and thou shalt live: and if thou restore her not, know that thou shalt surely die, thou and all that are thine.”(Genesis 20: 3, 7) The Loid is not here calling Abimelech’s attention to the fact that he is actually dead, but is calling his attention to the fact that he will be actually dead in case of his disobedience.

When the last plague was visited upon the Egyptians the record is that the Egyptians as one man rose up and demanded of the Israelites that they should go forth with their people and with their flocks and herds. “And the Egyptians were urgent upon the people, that they might send them out of the land in haste; for they said. We be all dead men.” (Exodus 12: 33) The Egyptians were not trying to prove to the Israelites that they were actually dead; but, in view of the death of the firstborn and of the calamities which had proceeded, they anticipated that they would be all dead unless deliverance from the plagues come speedily.

When the Wise Man says that one who is so foolish as to enter the home of an evil woman “knoweth not that the dead are there” (Proverbs 9:18), he is not trying to prove that her guests have actually expired but that they are on the road to complete rum in every sense of the word.

When to the disciple who wished to remain at home, perhaps for twenty years or more, until his father should die and be buried, Jesus said: “Follow me; and let the dead bury the dead” (Matthew 8:22), he was not trying to prove that the living brothers and sisters of the man who was talking to him were actually dead, but that they were in the path to death and it would be folly for him to turn back from the path of life on which he had started, to join his interests with theirs.

When the Apostle made the statement, “To be carnally minded is death” (Romans 8:6), he did not mean that the one who is carnally minded is already in the tomb, but that he is on the way there and unless his course is diverted that will be his destination.

In his famous resurrection chapter the Apostle inquires: “What shall they do which are baptized for the dead, if the dead rise not at all? Why are they then baptized for the dead?” (1 Corinthians 15:29) In this expression the Apostle includes in the word ‘dead’ not only those who are in the tomb and who must be raised up out of it if they are to have everlasting life, but he also includes those who are in the condition which leads to the tomb, because the baptism of the body of Christ into the will of God is as truly on behalf of those that are on the road into death as it is for those who have reached their destination.

When the Apostle tells us that “the love of Christ constraineth us; because we thus judge, that if one died for all, then were all dead” (2 Corinthians 5:14), he is not trying to tell us that all mankind are actually dead, but that all mankind are on the road to death and that death is inevitable unless intervention should come from some source outside of human powders.

When the Apostle again says, “You hath he quickened who were dead in trespasses and sins” (Ephesians 2:1), and when he repeats the same thought in almost the same words in Ephesians 2:5 and Colossians 2:13, he is not trying to prove that at the time we were in trespasses and sins we w'ere physically dead, but is pointing out that we were headed in that direction. When again in 1 Timothy 5: 6 he says of one who is a Christian in name only that “she that liveth in pleasure (margin. delicately) is dead while she liveth’’, he is not trying to prove that she is actually dead but that she is following the general course of the world, which leads finally into the tomb, and is not following in the path of life, which is at present a path of self-sacrifice.

In our Common Version the word ‘dead’ occurs 363 times and the word death 368 times, a total of 731; yet, in the foregoing Scriptures we have cited all but five of the places in the Bible where it is supposed or imagined that in some unexplainable way one can be dead and alive at the time. It will be noted that in every one of these instances the word ‘dead’ is properly used as describing the ultimate destination of those who are on their way thither. The remaining passages will be considered later in this article.

Making no attempt here to explain the philosophy cf justification to life, we mention the fact that throughout the gospel age God has been pleased to release some from the claims of Adamic or, as we might properly call it, penal death. The life which is bestowed upon these fortunate ones is really life, because from God’s viewpoint it is or may be made everlasting. Our Lord refers to this gift of life when he says: "Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that heareth my word, and believeth on him that sent me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation; but is passed from death unto life”. (John 5:24) The life referred to here is justification. This life is again referred to by the Apostle when he says that now “we have passed from death [Adamic or penal] unto life [justification], because we love the brethren”. (1 John 3:14) Our Lord refers to it again: “Verily, verily, I say unto you, If a man keep my sayings, he shall never see death”.—John 8: 51.

This saying of Jesus was perplexing to the Jews, and the record is that they said to Jesus: “Now we know that thou hast a devil. Abraham is dead, and the prophets: and thou sayest, If a man keep my saying, he shall never taste of death.” (John 8:52) These sayings of our Lord are perfectly clear if we keep in mind that the death here mentioned is Adamic or penal death and that the life granted is justification. The Apostle is referring to the same kind of release from death when, in writing to the Roman brethren, he says: “Neither yield ye your members as instruments of unrighteousness unto sin: but yield yourselves unto God, as those that are alive from the dead”.—Romans 6:13.

The same line of thought is running through the Apostle’s mind in his letter to the Ephesians, wherein he says: “Awake, thou that deepest, and arise from the dead, and Christ shall give thee light”. (Ephesians 5:14) Here he is calling attention to the fact that some of those who have been recently justified to life have the same tendency toward sleepiness, sluggishness with respect to the Master’s work and the privileges and responsibilities of life, as a new-born babe has toward the earthly life- It is a familiar fact that the babe spends most of its time in sleep. The Apostle would not have the new-born Christian thus, but would have him awake, alert, eager to be as different as possible from the time when he was dead with the rest of the world, i.e., on the path which leads to dissolution under the Adamic or penal death course.

It is in the same sense of pointing out that Jesus has brought about our justification that the Apostle, writing to Timothy, says that God’s purpose toward us and toward all “is now made manifest by the appearing of our Savior Jesus Christ, who hath abolished death, and hath brought life and immortality to light through the gospel”.—2 Timothy 1:10.

m. SACRIFICIAL DEATH OF THE SAINTS

The laying down of the lives of justified ones in obedience to the will of God during the gospel age is recognized in the Scriptures as death of a different kind from the death of which mankind in general partakes. Nevertheless, the difference in these deaths is discernible only to the eye of faith, for the dissolution of the earthly organism is just as real on the part of those who go into it as if they had never been released from the Adamic or penal death. The Scriptures hold out no hope or expectation to the little flock that any of them will attain to the prize of the high calling without following in the footprints of their Lord and Head all the way into the tomb. The Psalmist makes this clear when he says of these: “I have said, Ye are gods; all of you are children of the Most High. But ye shall die lilie men, and fall like one of the princes.” (Psalm 82:6,7) The one of the princes like whom these sacrifices fall is Prince Jesus. They fall like him, not like Prince Adam. These are the only two real princes earth has ever known because the only ones who ever enjoyed human perfection.

As it was necessary for our Lord Jesus that he should go all the way into death, so it is necessary for each of his followers that they should do likewise. And the Prophet says of him, "He poured out his soul unto death: and was numbered with the transgressors”(Isaiah 53:12); and he says of himself, "I am he that liveth, and was dead”.—Revelation 1:18.

The early church understood the end of their course was to be death. They had the words of the Revelator: “Be thou faithful unto death, and I will give thee a crown of life”.— Revelation 2:10.

They even knew that death would be an experience greatly to be dreaded until a certain time in the history of the church should come, although they understood that when that time should come it would be a blessed thing to die (Revelation 14:13); and we apprehend that that time is now come.

IV. PATH TO IT ALSO CALLED DEATH

As we found that the path to Adamic or penal death is called death and those who are on that path are referred to as dead, so the Scriptures teach that the path to sacrificial death, the laying down of the justified life, is also called death and those who are on that path and who are engaged in dying the sacrificial death are referred to as dead (sacrificially) because, if faithful, they will eventually be dead actually.

This designation of the Lord’s saints who are cooperating with the Lord in the sacrifice of their justified humanity as having reckonedly finished their course is mt before us at considerable length in the Epistle to the Romans. There the Apostle says: "How shall we, that are dead to sin, live any longer therein? Know ye not. that so many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ were baptized into his death? Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even bo we also should walk in newness of life. For if ve have been planted together in the likeness of his death, we shall be also in the likeness of his resurrection: knowing this, that our old man is crucified with him, that the body of sin might be destroyed, that henceforth we should not serve sin. For he that is dead is freed from sin. Now if we be dead with Christ, we believe that we shall also live with him.”—Rom. 6: 2-8.

Again the Apostle discusses the same theme in writing to the Corinthian brethren, reminding them that in his tribulations he was “always bearing about in the body the dying of the Lord Jesus, that the life also of Jesus might be made manifest in our body. For we which live are also delivered unto death for Jesus’ sake, that the life also of Jesus might be made manifest in our mortal flesh. So then death worketh in us, but life in you.” (2 Corinthians 4:10-12) Here the Apostle is reproving the Corinthians because they are not sufficiently active in laying down their justified lives and is seeking to stir them to emulation by pointing to the fact that he is actually carrying out his covenant of consecration even unto death.

Writing to the Colossian brethren, the same Apostle shows that the Colossians had made better progress in following his example, saying to them: “If ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God. Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth. For ya are dead [literally, ye died], and your life is hid with Christ in God.” (Colossians 3:1-3) The Apostle is not trying to prove to the Colossian brethren that they are under the Adamic curse of death nor that they are on the path to death under the Adamic or penal curse, but is pointing out to them that they are justified, that they have made a covenant of consecration even unto death, that their justified lives are all reckoned as sacrificed, that a new life has been begun within them and that their hopes henceforth are heavenly hopes.

The Apostle Peter uses the word ‘dead* in the same sense when, after pointing out that the time is coming for the correction of the world in righteousness, he says: “For this cause was the gospel preached to them that are dead, that they might be judged according to men in the flesh, but live according to God in the spirit”. (1 Peter 4:6) He here points out the well known fact that the Lord’s saints, although reckoned by God as sacrificially dead and alive as new creatures, nevertheless, according to the judgment of their fellow men, look and act very much like other human beings.

When the Psalmist says, “Precious in the sight of the Lord is the death of his saints” (Psalm 116:15), the processes of the sacrificial death are more the thing to be borne in mind than the completed dissolution itself.

V. THE SECOND DEATH OF THE INCORRIGIBLE

The Psalmist says: “The wicked shall be turned into hell, and all the nations that forget God”(Psalm 9:17), but the proper translation of the passage is, “The wicked shall be returned into hell—all the nations that forget God”. The text defines the wicked as the nations that have known God and forgotten him, and these, though having been once in the grave, in the death state, are to be returned thither because their love of righteousness is not sufficient to justify the Lord in granting them the boon of everlasting life. Concerning these the Psalmist also says: “Yet a little while, and the wicked shall not be: yea, thou shalt diligently consider his place, and it shall not be”. (Psalm 37: 10) In the same chapter he also says: “The wicked shall perish, and the enemies of the Lord shall be as the fat of lambs: they shall consume; into smoke shall they consume away”. (Psalm 37: 20) In a later Psalm the same writer declares that “The Lord preserveth all them that love him: but all the wicked will he destroy”.—Psalm 145 : 20.

The Wise Man tells us that in the Millennial age “the upright shall dwell in the land, and the perfect shall remain in it. But the wicked shall be cut off from the earth, and the transgressor shall be rooted out of it.”—Proverbs 2: 21, 22.

Returning to the Thirty-Seventh Psalm, in the twenty-eighth verse the writer tells us that “the seed of the wicked shall be cut off” and in the thirty-eighth verse that “the transgressors shall be destroyed together: the end of the wicked shall be cut off”.

These statements regarding the fate of the willful sinners are borne out in the words of Ezekiel: “Behold all souls are mine; as the soul of the father, so also the soul of the son is mine: the soul that sinneth it shall die, . . . the soul that sinneth it shall die. The son shall not [in the second death] bear the iniquity of the father, neither shall the father bear the iniquity of the son.”—Ezekiel 18: 4, 20.

The sentence of the second death, i. e., death from which there will be no resurrection, is the sentence passed upon Satan. Concerning him the Prophet says: “Thou hast been in Eden, the garden of God; . . • thou hast sinned; therefore I will cast thee as profane out of the mountain of God: and I will destroy thee, O covering cherub, from the midst of the stones of fire, . . I will bring thee to ashes upon the earth in the sight of all them that uphold thee. All they that know thee among the people shall be astonished at thee: thou shalt be a terror, and never shalt thou be any more.”— Ezekiel 28:13, 18, 19.

The destruction of Satan will be accompanied by the destruction of all who have his spirit, the spirit of disloyalty and disobedience. “And it shall come to pass, that every soul, which will not hear that prophet, shall be destroyed from among the people.”—Acts 3: 23.

This destruction of those who prefer their own will to the will of God is referred to in highly figurative language by the Apostle in writing to the Thessalonian brethren. There he speaks of the time of the reign of earth’s future King, “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 go ■'pel 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”. —2 Thessalonians 1: 7-9.

In the last book of the Bible and in the next to the last chapter the Revelator pictures the same class coming to the same end. And in language equally lurid with that of St. Paul he says that at the close of the Millennial age “the fearful, and unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone: which is the second death”.—Revelation 21: 8.

This utter destruction was typified by the Valley of Gehenna, which is outside of Jerusalem. The bodies of specially detestable criminals were there thrown with the other refuse of Jerusalem to be destroyed with the aid of brimstone. Standing upon the edge of this valley at night, it had the appearance of a lake burning with fire and brimstone. Burning brimstone is the most deadly agent known and symbolizes utter destructiveness.

NEW CREATION AMENABLE TO SECOND DEATH

It is a solemn thought that is set before us by the Apostle when he says: “It is impossible for those who were once enlightened, and have tasted of the heavenly gift, and were made partakers of the holy spirit, and have tasted the good word of God, and the powers of the age to come, if they shall fall away, to renew them again unto repentance”. (Hebrews 6: 4-6) He repeats the same thought in the tenth chapter of the same book, saying: “If we sin willfully after we have received the knowledge of the truth, there remaineth no more sacrifice for sins, but a certain fearful looking for of judgment and fiery indignation, which shall devour the adversaries. He that despised Moses’ law died without mercy under two or three witnesses: of how much sorer punishment, suppose ye, shall he be thought worthy who hath trodden under foot the Son of God, and hath counted the blood of the covenant, wherewith he was sanctified an ordinary thing, and hath done despite unto the spirit of grace ?”—Hebrews 10: 26-29.

The apostle John tells us that those who were once sons may become so involved in sin that there is no hope of their recovery, saying, “If any man see his brother sin a sin which is not unto death, he shall ask, and he shall give him life for them that sin not unto death. There is a sin unto death: I do not say that he shall pray for it.” (1 John 5:16) And the apostle Peter, writing on the same subject, says of the false prophets “who privily shall bring in abominable heresies, even denying the Lord that bought them” (2 Peter 2:1) that “these, as natural beasts, made to be taken and destroyed, speak evil of the things that they understand not; and shall utterly perish in their own corruption”. —2 Peter 2:12.

WHY DOES DEATH REIGN ?

The story is soon told as to w Ivy death reigns. Our first parents were placed in the Garden of Eden sinless, with the prospect of everlasting life before them if obedient and with the assurance of death before them if disobedient. “And the Lord God took the man, and put him into the garden of Eden to dress it and to keep it. And the Lord God commanded the man, saying, Of every tree of the garden thou mayest freely eat: but of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, thou shalt not eat of it: for in the day that thou eatest thereof dying thou shalt die.”—Genesis 2:15-17.

The New Testament fully supports the Genesis account of the origin of death. In writing to the Corinthians the Apostle says: “By man came death, by man came also the resurrection of the dead. For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive.” (1 Corinthians 15:21, 22) In writing to Timothy the Apostle shows exactly where the responsibility rests, saying: “Adam was first formed, then Eve. And Adam was not deceived.” (1 Timothy 2:13, 14) Writing to the Romans, the same writer said: “By one man [not, by one woman] sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned: for until the law sin was in the world: but sin is not imputed when there is no law. Nevertheless, death reigned from Adam to Moses, even over them that had not sinned after the similitude of Adam’s transgression, who is the figure of him that was to come. But not as the offense, so also is the free gift. For if through the offense of one many be dead, much more the grace of God, and the gift of grace, which is by one man, Jesus Christ, hath abounded unto many. And not as it was by one that sinned, so is the gift: for the judgment was by one to condemnation, but the free gift is of many offenses unto justification. For if by one man’s offense death reigned by one; much more they which receive abundance of grace, and of the gift of righteousness, shall reign in life by one, Jesus Christ. Therefore, as by the offense of one judgment came upon all men to condemnation; even so by the righteousness of one the free gift came upon all men unto justification of life. For as by one man’s disobedience many were made sinners, so by the obedience of one shall many be made righteous.”—Romans 5:12-19.

Death came to Father Adam as a just payment for his disobedience. “The wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.” (Romans 6: 23) “8m, when it is finished, bring-eth forth death” (James 1:15), and Adam’s sin brought forth death to himself and all his posterity.

DEATH OF ISRAELITES CALLED A SLEEP

Because of the promised Redeemer and the hope thus brought to them the Jews were accustomed to think and speak of death as a sleep, looking forward to the time when the Redeemer would awaken them out of it. Thus the apostle Peter, writing of the scoffers that would come in the latter days, says of them that they would say: Where is the evidence of his presence ? “For since the fathers fell asleep, all things continue as they were from the beginning of the creation.”—2 Peter 3:4.

One of these fathers was David, and St Paul in preaching at Antioch in Pisidia said: “David, after he had served his own generation by the will of God, fell on sleep, and was laid unto his fathers, and saw corruption”. (Acts 13:36) That David did not go to heaven we know from the plain statement of the Scriptures that “David is not ascended into the heavens”.— Acts 2:34.

Another one of the fathers was Daniel, to whom the angel of the Lord said: "Go thou thy way till the end be: for thou shalt rest, and stand in thy lot at the end of the days”. (Daniel 12:13) "And many of them that sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake.” (Daniel 12: 2) It is evident that neither David nor Daniel ascended into heaven, inasmuch as our Lord declares that up to his own day "no man [had] ascended up to heaven” (John 3:13), and many years afterward the Apostle in writing to the Hebrew brethren assured them and us respecting all those ancient worthies that “these all, having obtained a good report through faith, received not the [fulfillment of the] promise; God having provided some better tiling for us, that they without us should not be made perfect”.—Hebrews 11: 39. 40.

When the daughter of Jairus died the Lord Jesus, in order to teach that the power of the resurrection had been entrusted to him, made the statement: “The maid is not dead, but sleepeth”. (Matthew 9:24) But we are not to understand from this that the maid was not really dead, for respecting Ixzarus our Lord Jesus had said to his disciples: “Our friend Lazarus sleepeth; but I go, that I may awake him out of sleep” (John 11:11); and when the disciples understood that he really meant that Lazarus was taking a restful sleep, “then Jesus said unto them plainly, Lazarus is dead”. —John 11:14.

DEATH OF SAINTS CALLED A SLEEP

The first and greatest of all the saints of the gospel age is our Lord Jesus, and the Scriptures say of him that there was a time when he slept in death. “But now is Christ risen from the dead, and become the firstfruits of them that slept.” (1 Corinthians 15:20) Not long after our Lord went into the sleep of death the martyr Stephen followed him. The record is that just as his life was leaving him he “kneeled down, and cried with a loud voice, Lord, lay not this sin to their charge. And when he had said this he fell asleep.”—Acta 7: 60.

We can see now that in the parable of the wheat and the tares our Lord Jesus showed that all of his apostles would sleep in death. This is the significance to be taken from the statement that “the kingdom of heaven is likened unto a man which sowed good seed in his field: but while men slept, his enemy came and sowed tares among the wheat”.—Matthew 13: 24, 25.

Before his death our Lord made it plain that his disciples were not to follow him immediately to heaven, saying to them: “My little children, yet a little while I am with you. Ye shall seek me: and as I said unto the Jews, Whither I go, ye cannot come; so now I say unto you.” (John 13: 33) And when Peter, wondering at this, inquired, “Lord, whither goest thou?” Jesus answered him, "Whither I go, thou canst not follow me now; but thou shalt follow me afterwards”. (John 13:36) In the next succeeding chapter the Lord explained the reason why his disciples could not follow him immediately at death, saying, “I go to prepare a place for you [implying that time would be required]. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will [after the place has been prepared, but not before] come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also ”—John 14: 2, 3.

Only one exception is made to the general proposition that the saints of the gospel age would sleep in death. That is the class referred to by the Eevelator as "blessed are the dead which die in the Lord from henceforth”. (Revelation 13:18) Concerning this special, favored class the Apostle says, “Behold, I show you a mystery; we shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed, in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump”. (1 Corinthians 15: 51, 52) It is our understanding that we are now living in the time when this special favor is due to God’s saints, and that the moment of death is the moment of their resurrection.

WILL DEATH EVER CEASE 7

God’s method for destroying Adamic death is by bringing out of the tomb all who have ever gone into it and enabling all who will to rise up out of death conditions into life. The Prophet Isaiah voices the matter as follows: "He will destroy in this mountain the face of the covering cast over all people, and the vail that is spread over all nations. He will swallow up death in victory; and the Lord God will wipe away tears from off all faces.” (Isaiah 25: 7, 8) In the next succeeding chapter, after referring to the powerful and evil institutions of our day as having passed away, after saying, “Other lords besides thee have had dominion over us: but by thee only will we make mention of thy name. They are dead, they shall not live; they are deceased, they shall not rise; therefore hast thou visited and destroyed them, and made all their memory to perish” (Isaiah 26:13, 14), he proceeds to speak of the Lord’s saints, saying: “Thy dead shall live, my dead body they shall arise. Awake and sing, ye that dwell in the dust: for thy dew is as the dew of herbs, and the earth shall cast out the dead.”—Isaiah 26:19.

Looking forward to Herod’s merciless slaughter of the innocents in Bethlehem, Ramah, and vicinity, the prophet Jeremiah shows that all the children that were then swept into death will in due time be restored to the arms of their mothers. The prophecy reads: “A voice was heard in Ramah, lamentation, and bitter weeping; Rachel [Bethlehem was the place of death of Jacob's favored wife] weeping for her children refused to be comforted for her children, because they were not. Thus saith the Lord: Refrain thy voice from weeping, and thine eyes from tears: for thy work [labors of love in feeding and caring for the little ones up to the time of their death] shall be rewarded, saith the Lord; and they shall come again from the land of the enemy. And there is hope in thine end, saith the Lord, that thy children shall come again to their own border.”—Jeremiah 31:15-17.

Speaking of the reign of death over his people Ephraim, the Prophet says: “I will ransom them from the power of the grave; I will redeem them from death: 0 death, I will be thy plagues; 0-grave, I will be thy destruction”.—Hosea 13:14.

Our Lord in confuting the doctrines of the Sadducees asserted in the most positive way that there is to be a resurrection, saying: “Now that the dead are [to be] raised, even Hoses showed at the bush when he calleth the Lord the God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob. For he is not a God of the dead, but of the living: for all live unto him.” He has not forgotten a single one of them.—Luke 20:37, 38.

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