Immortality of the Soul.

Thames Star, Volume XI, Issue 3742, 22 December 1880, Page 2

Immortality of the Soul.

The Rev. George Brown last evening delivered a lecture in the Templar Hall, Bolleston street on the above subject. The hall was well filled, and the rev. gentleman was listened to with marked attention throughout the discourse.

Mr William Wood occupied the chair, and introduced the lecturer. He^ expressed the opinion that the darkness of the middle ages was nothing to that which prevailed at the present time. The Lecturer said: Our subject this evening is of great importance, and is naturally so to persons who hare aspirations beyond the present. Few, in this civilised age, at all events, are not looking forward expecting something enjoyable from the womb of the future. This craving—thirst—has never been satisfied — and there is among some nations of the earth a dim conception of a future state. To those who aspire to a future of some kind we shall lay before them the path of life. We shall make that future conditional—as immortality is one of the divine attributes and is in the hands of the Living God alone. Immortality, the inherent apssession of which poets have received inspiration, and theologians have set before people that the means to obtain it consists in believing in Christ, which saves them from the theological Hell. We fiud no such teaching in the Book of God, as we are wholly mortal. We have been placed on earth by God, as probationers, but when the first man paid the penalty of sin by being banished from Paradise, God gave man a gleam of hope when he said— "The seed of the woman shall bruise the serpent's heel." Adam never enjoyed immortality, but it was within his reach. But after he had sinned, he returned to dust, and he is now as he was before he was created. I know very well that the introduction of. such subjects causes a feeling in the breasts of many that we are tampering with religious and Christian subjects. Immortality can-only be obtained through Jesus, who* is the only channel. How is it that existing ideas as to immortality have prevailed and gained such popularity. People will say "Can it be true that the theologians o? past ages were wrong in the grand conception of a future state P Can Wesley, Talbin, or other Christian founders of communities have been wrong?" We instance the birth of Christ. When he came to set all things right the Babbi spurned, mocked and spat upon him, with disdain, and looked at him as an imposter. And yet they knew that God was about to send a Messiah on earth. But the Babbi had brought mysticism and philosophy to bear upon the Book, and by their traditions had buried the truth and crucified the Prince of Life. When we consider what a number of fine scholars the .Roman Catholic Church possesses we wonder that the Church is in error. The reason of them being in error was that they had listened to the voice of tradition rather than to the voice of God. It was from.the Book that the reformation proceeded, and enabled the reformers to deal such death blows to the .Romish Church of that century. Young men now attend colleges and after a time are turned out—some Methodists, some Congregationalists, some Baptists, and they were sworn to defend the sect they belonged to. I wish to God that every creed could be shattered, to atoms, and that each man should make his own creed. (Applause.) The argument brought forward in support of immortality being possessed by man is that for centuries men have thirsted for it, and therefore must have it. This was a very weak argument, as it does not prove that I have anything I want simply because I thirst for it. Christ never said the immortal soul was doomed to eternal torment. He, however, showed them that they could obtain immortality if they chose. When the people would not come to him, he said, "Ye will not come that ye might have Life." The idea of being possessors of immortal souls came from Egypt, and Christ did not recognise it. He made this positive declaration—" He that believeth in me, though that he die, yet shall he live." Orthodoxy speaks of the ressurection of the dead, but how can there be a resurrection when, according to Orthodoxy, the soul does not die. Christ, instead of making the question easier of solution, had made the resurrection still more mythical and obscure. Most writers of note now deny in toto the resurrection of the dead. The miracles he performed—raising Lazarus and the daughter of Jairus from the dead —wero only motes—specks of what was to come when he would raise all. The word immortal occurs only half-a-dozen times in the Book, and each time they are used by Paul. In Corinthians he had said, " What advantage-is it if the dead rise not; let us eat and drink, for to* morrow we die." Orthodoxy is not true, and it is a surprising circumstance that ministers can and do palm off on people the hideous doctrine of eternal; torment. '

In answer to a question the lee Surer said that the meaning of tho verse in Genesis was that God breathed the breath of life into the man, and did not breathe into him a living soul. The Almighty said he was the God of the living, not of the dead, and consequently Abraham, Isaac and Jacob were alive with him in Heaven. There were two bouses prepared for, each one, one in Heaven and the other on earth, and when the breath departed from the earthly frame, it entered into the house prepared for it in the next world.

This evening Mr Brown will lecture on " The Destiny of the Wicked."