RESURRECTION.' 



of a wnafl portion of these particles, which by di vim- 

 power u rMontraotad into a body adapted to the soul's 

 new condition. A fourth view limits tins preservation 

 to what is called a " vital gcnn," which, small as it may 

 be, suffices as a link of connection b<-twecn tin old 

 body and the new. A fifth opinion i- that at or soon 

 after the moment of death there is disengaged t'ruin 

 the mortal remains a spiritual body which, in union 

 with the soul, passes into another state of existence. 

 A sixth view is that the vital principle which now ap- 

 propriates earthly materials will still continue to exist 

 and will at the resurrection perform the same office as 

 before, only upon materials of a higher class. 1'ut all 

 these statements are merely theoretical, lor the Scrip- 

 ture, while it often sets forth the fact of the resur- 

 rection, says nothing of the manner in which it is 

 brought about. The only prolonged discussion, that 

 contained in First Corinthians (chap, xv.), states re- 

 sults, not processes^ It clearly teaches that there is 

 not the substitution of a new body, but the trans- 

 formation of the old, and the effects of this change arc 

 set forth with grace and force. "Flesh and olood 

 cannot inherit the kingdom of God;" that is, our 

 bodies as now organized are not suited to the new and 

 exalted state of being. They will therefore undergo 

 the needed change in several particulars. The body 

 now is subject to decay and indeed is in a state of cor- 

 ruption, but hereafter it is to be incapable of decay or 

 dissolution. It is now a body of humiliation (. I'hil. 

 iii. 21), bearing the scars of sin and shame, but when 

 raised it is to be fashioned anew after the pattern ot 

 Christ's glorified body as he sits at God's right hand. 

 It is now weak and subject to many trying limitations, 

 but in the next world it will be instinct with undecaying 

 energy and endowed with faculties far beyond what we 

 now conceive. It is now a "natural body," that is 

 one adapted to the present condition of the soul am 

 the constitution of this world ; but it is to become " ! 

 spiritual bodv," that is, one adapted to the glorifict 

 condition of tlie soul and to the constitution of the new 

 heavens and new earth. The apostle concludes his dis 

 cusion in a lofty strain of eloquence showing that it 

 his view the resurrection of the righteous is not onlj 

 of great significance in nnd for it.self, but is also tin 

 final conquest of the redeemed over every form ol 

 evil. Still there is no answer to the many question: 

 that arise as to the way in which this result is brough 

 about. There always has been, and doubtless alway 

 will be, much speculation on the interesting subject 

 but it is foredoomed to failure. We neither know no 

 can know how the dead are raised up. any more thai 

 we know how the grass grows or how God exists. A] 

 that the Scripture is responsible for is the fact, anil 

 is a very important one. Man here consists of soul an 

 b<ly. and hereafter he will consist of the same. T 

 complete personality is to stand before the judgment 

 eat and to receive its unending retributions. To mak 

 this [xwxible it is ordained that the dead shall IK' raised 

 The whole historical JMTSOII that lived on earth is U 

 live hereafter and to receive the just reward of hi 

 works. It is this fact which takes the tenet out of th 

 domain of mere sentiment and gives it a place amon 

 the most important factors of human thought I 

 away at once and forever with the undue dispar 

 aiicuient of the body which has appeared at tiim -s i 

 the Christian church, arising from the old heaihe 

 notion that matter is essentially vile, nnd hence tht 

 the body is the source of all sin and misery to the sou 

 or from certain ascetic principle? which, regarding th 

 body as an incubus or a burden, aimed not at controllin 

 but at extirpating all natural appetites and pa->iot>s 

 So far from this being the case, the body is an intcgr: 

 and essential constituent of man's nature, and as sue 

 is to IM- neither abused nor punished, but fostered an 

 cared for, since even in a far higher Mate of being 

 will still hold its place in the human economy and be 

 fit temple of the Holy (ihost. 

 The objections which are made to this doctrine ar 



mnded upon a misconception of Its nature and 

 rounds. It has been said that it U opposed to all the 

 inclusions of physical science: for, 80 tar as the 

 lost exact observation shows, the human body is when 

 cad subject to the same laws of decomposition and 

 ispersion as those which prevail over the remains of 

 ic. irrational animals. In no case has there ever been 

 en the least sign of a tendency to resurrection any 

 lore than iu the abandoned carcasses of the brute 

 reat ion. To all appearance the bodies of rational and 

 national beings pass away alike, and are equally and 

 Tevocably mingled with their kindred dust Science 

 icrefore, it is claimed, pronounces decidedly against 

 :ie possibility of a resurrection. But this conclusion 

 s much wider than the premises. Chemistry nirl 

 hysics can tell us what is, but not what may be. The 

 oclrinc is not a deduction from observation and ex- 

 leiimeut, nor does any one seek to establish it by the 

 vidcnoe of natural law. It rests wholly upon divine 

 revelation. Whether it is within the power ol God to 

 econstruct the decomposed body is not a matter of 

 oubt to any intelligent theist. The same hand that 

 aade the human frame can surely restore it from any 

 legree of decay and decomposition. The question is 

 not one of physical inquiry or scientific analysis, but 

 imply of revelation. Has God said that this ex- 

 raordinary event shall occur? If he has, the case is 

 ilosed, for of the future we certainly know only what 

 ic has declared : and that the Scripture declares that 

 his mortal shall put on immortality is beyond doubt. 

 The statement lies on the face of the record, and is 

 lonfirmed by the consentient faith of the church from 

 he beginning. It is identified with the integrity of 

 he gospel and the hope of every believer, living or 

 dying. 



A much more serious difficulty turns upon the ques- 

 ion of identity. The whole value of the doctrine as it 

 s stated in the creeds, and as it is held in consciousness, 

 i -.-is upon the view that the same body that is coni- 

 nitted to the grave rises again, so that there is a real 

 continuity of existence. M hat is said is not that God 

 will create a new body, but that he will restore the old 

 one. Hut it is asked how that can be when the buried 

 physical frame is not simply reduced to dust, but re- 

 solved into elementary principles which become so thor- 

 oughly mixed and confounded with others of the same 

 or of a different kind, that it is quite inconceivable 

 that they should be traced out, and separated and re- 

 combiiied into their old connections. To this it might 

 be said in answer that all things arc possible with God, 

 not even this stretch of power being beyond the re- 

 sources of the Infinite Mind ; but a better answer is 

 that the objection presupposes what is not the ease, 

 viz., that the doctrine implies the raising again of the 

 same elementary particles as composed the former body. 

 The slightest reflection shows that this is not the case. 

 These elementary particles never have been the same 

 during the existence of the body on the earth, but 

 have always been in an unceasing flux. I'Aeiy lew 

 years or, as some say. every year the old material 

 away and new ones take their place : indeed, so con- 

 tinuous is the process that no man s body one day 

 is precisely identical with what it was the day be- 

 fore, or what it will be the day after, fckill to all intents 

 and purposes it is the same body, occupies the same 

 place, and performs the same functions : the man him- 

 self feels it to be such and would be greatly surprised 

 were any one to tell him to the contrary. Hence it is 

 clear that the resurrection body by no means requires 

 to be composed of the identical substance that was 

 committed to the grave. 



The same consideration disposes of the difficulty 

 raised by some when they ask if all the defects and in- 

 firmities of the corporal frame are to be reproduced^ 

 the future life. Is the infant to be raised up as an in- 

 fant ; the aged man as wrinkled and tottering; the 

 Inme as still a cripple ; the leper covered with sorw; 

 the deaf, or dumb, or blind, as still laboring under 



