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Experimental investigation of the spirit manifestations, [electronic ...

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144 WITH THE HEAVEN AND HELL OP SCRIPTURE.eloquent picture <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong>aspirations <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> soul for some realization <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong>vague ideas <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> rcwaVds <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> faithful in a future state <strong>of</strong> existence,he exults that this curiodfi/, as he calls it, should be sanctioned by Christ,^^who approves this curiosity because he satisfies it.'' How does hesatisfy it? Is it by holding up <strong>the</strong> hope <strong>of</strong> a judgeship for each? Itseems it was not <strong>the</strong>n foreseen that instead <strong>of</strong> performing <strong>the</strong>Jewish Messiah, with which he thuspart <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong>identified himself, that <strong>of</strong> ga<strong>the</strong>ringtoge<strong>the</strong>r <strong>the</strong> cltosen people <strong>of</strong> God, he was to put forth opinions whichwere to scatter <strong>the</strong>m through <strong>the</strong> world. ''Wo unto you, Chorazin,"&c., for <strong>the</strong> heinous <strong>of</strong>fence <strong>of</strong> not admitting him to be both <strong>the</strong> Messiahand <strong>the</strong> Son <strong>of</strong> God. The promise <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> judgeships was quite consistentwith <strong>the</strong> former character, and streng<strong>the</strong>ns <strong>the</strong> idea that he never pretendedto any higher mission. With this <strong>the</strong> promise in question is consistent,but is wholly irreconcilable with his divinity, which would make<strong>the</strong>se judgeships worse than giving a stone for bread or a serpent for afish. In order to have bestowed <strong>the</strong>se judgeships, <strong>the</strong> Roman empiremust have been subverted.Harbaugh) <strong>the</strong> ciiriositij <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> disciplesIt seems that if (as stated by <strong>the</strong> worthy Mr.icas truly and correctly satisfied,that this satisfaction was <strong>the</strong> sum total <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> heaven with which <strong>the</strong>ywere remunerated ; since not <strong>the</strong> slightest hint is given that <strong>the</strong>y were,like <strong>the</strong> penitent thief, to be with <strong>the</strong>ir object <strong>of</strong> devotion in paradise.It would seem, on <strong>the</strong> whole, that <strong>the</strong> rewards <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> thief and <strong>the</strong> beggarLazarus were <strong>of</strong> a more heavenly nature than those promised to <strong>the</strong> apostles,even had <strong>the</strong> latter been susceptible <strong>of</strong> realization, instead <strong>of</strong> beingirreconcilable with <strong>the</strong> doom which awaited <strong>the</strong> Hebrews, and consequentlya mere vox ct prccterca nihil. But while, in lieu <strong>of</strong> an eternal progressivehappiness, Christ holds up <strong>the</strong> transient, precarious, and limitedsupremacy from which a truly pious and wise man would turn in disgust,when hell is to be represented, we have eternal torments typified by fire,and weeping and gnashing <strong>of</strong> teeth in utter darkness, in despite <strong>of</strong> thisfire. The situation which Christ, <strong>the</strong> Son <strong>of</strong> God, was to have, was tobear manifestly a relation to that <strong>of</strong> his disciples. His situation wouldbe somewhat analogous to that <strong>of</strong> Washington, when he was in <strong>the</strong> presidentialchair, and <strong>the</strong> thirteen States were governed by as many <strong>of</strong> hisfaithful followers in <strong>the</strong> Revolutionary War. Yet Washington did notfind his chair worth retaining longer than <strong>the</strong> good <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> country madeit important to remain. I am confident that nei<strong>the</strong>r would that great manleave his position in <strong>the</strong> seventh sphere for <strong>the</strong> presidency, nor any <strong>spirit</strong>among those who held <strong>the</strong> gubernatorial dignity, as suggested, find agovernorship now a motive forworld.leaving <strong>the</strong>ir bright abodes in <strong>the</strong> celestial745. Dr. Harbaudi sanctions <strong>the</strong> idea that <strong>the</strong> revolutions <strong>of</strong> all <strong>the</strong>constellations with which telescopic examination has made us acquainted,may take place about a central sun, bearing <strong>the</strong> relation to o<strong>the</strong>r suns

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