THE SOUL.

Thames Star, Volume XVI, Issue 5015, 7 February 1885, Page 3

THE SOUL.

,*; {To tlie Editor of the Evening Star.) Sib,—A remarkable scene took place in GlossopToad Baptist Church one Sunday, morning recently. On the 18th of ; November, the following advertisement . appeared:—" Tho Bey. John Bailey, . 8.A., of the Glosßop-road Baptist Church, :, ii publicly challenged to show from Scrip* tare where we are taught that lie of the pulpit, viz., that man has an immortal torn, wßich does not die at death.—M. Kent, 21, Ha?elock Square." Mr Kent it % member of the congregation, and attended service on the Sunday morning. He wai among those who remained for communion. As soon as the ordinance had been dispensed, and while the cuitomary offertory wai being made, Mr Kent rose, and in a low voice, but evidently in a state of great excitement, demanded that Mr Bailey ahffNd there and then prove the doctrine »pon which he had publicly challenged him. " I rite," he said, "on thiß solemn occasion to refute that lie of ihe pulpit, that man has an immortal soul that does not die at death. There is no existence of the soul.after the denth of the body." Mr Kent added that he bad made this inbject a study for the last four years, - ' and having paid his whole attention to it, he was thoroughly convinced that the doctrine was "a lie of the pulpit." ; < Mr John Eaton, one of the deacons, went ■ Tip to Mr Kent and quietly removed him. from the church. Mr . Bailey afterwards expressed regret at the unseemly secne which had occurred, and mentioned that when the public challenge appeared two deacons were appointed to wait upon Mr Kent in reference to it. The pastor added that he did not know . whether the deacons had discharged their duty or not. Mr Kent was formerly a clerk with a well-known firm of shareholders in Sheffield, and he had evidently a mania in regard to this one particular doctrine. Let us in „ these investigating days be open, inquisi iive, and equal in knowledge, for misery and mischief attend my stery, sectarianism, < and false doctrine. The enormous teach* ing that prevails in all modern so-called Christian churches generally! and particularly as to the resurrection of the body, has possessed the unfortunate Mr Kent with the religious madness or mania above ;/ described. My great object is to instruct my friends on tbe Thames, and Baptists in particular, and not give them or anyone else offence. Let Scripture be compared '" with Scripture, Bnd the Word carefully divided. Christ says—" He that believeth ob me as the Soripture hath said, should receive the spirit, which has not yet been .given fully, but partially; but to him that . is a believer (not a sayer) it will be given in fulness. Man has a spirit, soul, and body,, each distinct and separate; but theologians teach that spirit and soul are one.' The, Scriptures declare the two first to be indestructible, and the latter destrnctible by mortal power: soul and body are destructible by Almighty power, although it is nowhere declared in Script ture such power will be exercised. The soul and body of Jesus descended into - the grave, but neither did the first remain there or corruption follow the latter. That the soul does exist after'death it susceptible of the, fullest Scriptural proof. At death the spirit ■ leaves the body and soul; the last remains torpid or sleeping till the resurrection Two out of many instances will Mtablish this: Elijah prays, " O Lord my j God I pray thee let this child's soul come i into him again"—and "the soul of the | child came into him again." John saw j 'the souls of them that were beheaded for the witness of Jesus, and for the word of | God; and they lived and reigned with Christ a thousand years. He also saw the souls under the altar of them that were j . slain' for the word of God, and the testi- ( mony which they held, &e. t &c.—l am, i jfcc, - . Vebacious. j