surviving the decay of nature and the crushing power of death, abiding and rising higher beyond the storms of time and vieing with the intellect of angels throughout revolving eternity. The soul of man is as much superior to matter as the heavens are higher than the earth; and as lasting as the uncrumbling pillars of God's throne.

We draw one argument from the Bible as recorded in Matth. x. 28. And fear not them which kill the body, but are not able to kill the soul: but rather fear him which is able to destroy both soul and body in hell." Men have the power to kill the body of their fellow man, but they have not the power to kill the soul-this they cannot reach with carnal weapons. We shall not stop to prove what is meant by the term soul as used in the text, but presume that it refers to the power of thought, affection, will, consciousness and imagination. This substance they cannot destroy, for it is spiritual and immaterial. If the brain is the power of thought and reasoning, then men may destroy it when they kill the body; for the brain, with the whole system of nerves, is a part of the body, and becomes disordered, prostrate and inactive when the body is dissolved.The above passage, with its parallels, is divine proof conclusive, that the system of Materialism is false in fact and unworthy of confidence; and with the Scriptural argument we might have been satisfied, but in view of the queries proposed and arguments used, professedly based on reason and the structure of the physical frame, we were inclined to travel over the ground and expose the fallacy of such pretended philosophy.

2. There will be a conscious existence between the time of the dissolution of the body, and the resurrection. This position might be inferred from the remarks already made. If the mind is not material, but spiritual, and is not necessarily destroyed with the dissolution of the body, then

while it does exist, it must be conscious, and all its powers be in lively exercise. It is impossible for the mind, with essential life and activity, unaffected by the disposition of the body, to sink into unconscious sleep, when dismissed from the body.

The Bible is the chief source of argument on this point. The nature and capacity of the soul, may afford strong and satisfactory reasons for the ever conscious existence of the soul; nevertheless the word of God is the main support, and is conclusive in this matter. The Old Testament represents individuals as going into the place of departed spirits (Sheol and Hades) immediately after death. Jacob is spoken of as declaring his great sorrow for his son Joseph, and that he would "go down into the grave (Sheol, or place of departed spirits) unto his son mourning," Gen. xxxvii. 35. "The wicked shall be turned into hell”— (into Sheol.) Ps. ix. 17. The rich man and Lazarus died and found themselves in the world of departed spirits, with a conscious existence, the one in torments and the other in bliss. Whatever you may call this portion of Scripture, a parable or an historical fact, it will ever bear testimony in favor of a future conscious existence. If the Bible gave no other assurance of a conscious being after death until the resurrection, this would be sufficient.

But when Christ was on the Mount of Transfiguration, he conversed with Moses and Elias, who had left the world more than a thousand years previous, the one by natural death and the other was translated. If men have no conscious existence after death, then these two saints of God would not have had. But since these had in the intermediate state, there is an assurance that others will have. The thief upon the cross had the promise of Christ that, that very day he should be with him in paradise. No sooner was the body dead and the spirit departed, than the soul

had a conscious existence in paradise, a location in the spirit-world, where happiness and God's presence are benignantly revealed. That Christ's spirit entered into paradise, when the thief recognized him, is evident from the Bible, Ps. xvi. 10. "For thou will not leave my soul in hell (Hades) neither wilt thou suffer thine Holy one to see corruption." The term hell refers to the place of departed spirits, and to that part of Hades, where the rest and glory of heaven is enjoyed; from thence his spirit came when he returned to life and his body rose from the grave. If the soul has no conscious existence after death until the resurrection, how would the dying man have known whether he was with Christ that day in paradise, or not? This proof is conclusive.

The Apostle Paul had a desire to depart from this world. and be with Christ, which would be far better. This could not be said, if the soul sinks into the torpor of the grave after death. Again, he says, that while he was present with the body, he was absent from the Lord; but when absent from the body, the presence of the Lord is secured. All this directly teaches that the soul will not sleep after death, but live and act in the spirit-world.

When a man dies, his spirit immediately takes its flight into the eternal world, and takes up its abode in heaven, or in hell. While the friends are weeping, while the shroud is being made, the coffin prepared, the grave dug, the soul of that earthly tenement has found its eternal destiny, awaiting the sentence of the judgment.

3. That the souls of the wicked will not be annihilated, either after death, or subsequent to the judgment.

There are those who advocate the system, that all the wicked will be annihilated, and that the curse and punishment. for sin will consume their souls "out of the universe of God." Among the advocates of this system were the follow

while it does exist, it must be conscious, and all its powers be in lively exercise. It is impossible for the mind, with essential life and activity, unaffected by the disposition of the body, to sink into unconscious sleep, when dismissed from the body.

The Bible is the chief source of argument on this point. The nature and capacity of the soul, may afford strong and satisfactory reasons for the ever conscious existence of the soul; nevertheless the word of God is the main support, and is conclusive in this matter. The Old Testament represents individuals as going into the place of departed spirits (Sheol and Hades) immediately after death. Jacob is spoken of as declaring his great sorrow for his son Joseph, and that he would "go down into the grave (Sheol, or place of departed spirits) unto his son mourning," Gen. xxxvii. 35. “The wicked shall be turned into hell"— (into Sheol.) Ps. ix. 17. The rich man and Lazarus died and found themselves in the world of departed spirits, with a conscious existence, the one in torments and the other in bliss. Whatever you may call this portion of Scripture, a parable or an historical fact, it will ever bear testimony in favor of a future conscious existence. If the Bible gave no other assurance of a conscious being after death until the resurrection, this would be sufficient.

But when Christ was on the Mount of Transfiguration, he conversed with Moses and Elias, who had left the world more than a thousand years previous, the one by natural death and the other was translated. If men have no conscious existence after death, then these two saints of God would not have had. But since these had in the intermediate state, there is an assurance that others will have. The thief upon the cross had the promise of Christ that, that very day he should be with him in paradise. No sooner was the body dead and the spirit departed, than the soul

had a conscious existence in paradise, a location in the spirit-world, where happiness and God's presence are benignantly revealed. That Christ's spirit entered into paradise, when the thief recognized him, is evident from the Bible, Ps. xvi. 10. "For thou will not leave my soul in hell (Hades) neither wilt thou suffer thine Holy one to see corruption." The term hell refers to the place of departed spirits, and to that part of Hades, where the rest and glory of heaven is enjoyed; from thence his spirit came when he returned to life and his body rose from the grave. If the soul has no conscious existence after death until the resurrection, how would the dying man have known whether he was with Christ that day in paradise, or not? This proof is conclusive.

The Apostle Paul had a desire to depart from this world. and be with Christ, which would be far better. This could not be said, if the soul sinks into the torpor of the grave after death. Again, he says, that while he was present with the body, he was absent from the Lord; but when absent from the body, the presence of the Lord is secured. All this directly teaches that the soul will not sleep after death, but live and act in the spirit-world.

When a man dies, his spirit immediately takes its flight into the eternal world, and takes up its abode in heaven, or in hell. While the friends are weeping, while the shroud is being made, the coffin prepared, the grave dug, the soul of that earthly tenement has found its eternal destiny, awaiting the sentence of the judgment.

3. That the souls of the wicked will not be annihilated, either after death, or subsequent to the judgment.

There are those who advocate the system, that all the wicked will be annihilated, and that the curse and punishment. for sin will consume their souls "out of the universe of God." Among the advocates of this system were the follow