a
dominion over the earth.
him the
(Psalm 8: 4-8.)
It is easy to see where the terrible
danger of the doctrine of the immortality
of the soul lies. If a man should believe
that he has an undying nature, he would
most naturally be tempted to trust in it
for the perpetuation of his life. There-
fore, coming to the day of judgment he
discovers that he is indeed mortal, and
having trusted in his supposed immor-
tality, he will be lost because he has not
availed himself of God’s plan of salvation
through Christ.
The Bible teaches us that God ‘only
hath immortality’ (1 Timothy 6: 15, 16),
hereas man must “by patient con-
tinuance in well doing seek for glory and
honor and immortality, eternal life.”
Romans 2: 7. We would charge God
with folly if we should say that He tells us
to seek for that which we already have.
No, man is mortal. He may become
immortal by following the counsel of the
NovEMBER — 1944
Robert Hughes, 18, of Mount Sterling, Illinois, tips the
scales at 709 pounds. He has a waistline of 95 inches. Does he
have inside that enormous pair of overalls an immortal self?
Lord. Where is immortality to
be found? It is found in “our
Saviour Jesus Christ, who hath
abolished death, and hath
brought life and immortality
to light through the gospel.”
2 Timothy 1: 10. If a man be-
lieves that he already possesses
inherently an unending life, he
need not bother to seek that
which God has provided
through His Son. When man
became lost in trespasses and
sin, God set forth one pian of
salvation, and He first revealed
it to Adam and Eve in Genesis
3:15. “For God so loved the
world, that He gave His only-
begotten Son, that whosoever
believeth in Him should not
perish, but have everlasting
life.” John 3: 16.
The human race is offered
immortality—eternal life—on
the conditions of faith in Christ
and obedience to God’s word.
Said Jesus to Martha at the
time of her brother’s death:
“Whosoever liveth and be-
lieveth in Me shall never die.”
John 11: 26.
clared: “This is that bread
which came down from heaven:
not as your fathers did eat
manna, and are dead: he that
eateth of this bread shall live
for ever.” John 6:58. “It is
the Spirit that quickeneth; the
flesh profiteth nothing: the
words that I speak unto you, they are
spirit, and they are life.” Verse 63.
Still again from the Saviour: “If that
which ye have heard from the beginning
shall remain in you, ye also shall continue
in the Son, and in the Father. And this is
the promise that He hath promised us,
even eternal life.” 1 John 2: 24, 25. Itis
clear from the Holy Scriptures that those
who believe in, and obey, Christ will
never die. (John 11:26; Matthew 7:
21, 24-27.) The wicked will suffer death
in the lake of fire (Revelation 21: 8), but
the righteous will receive a crown of life
and shall not be hurt of the second death.
(Revelation 2: 11.)
There is but one way to gain immor-
tality, and that is from the Person who
“has it (John 5: 40), and who will freely
give it to us without cost. “For the
wages of sin is death; but the gift of God
is eternal life through Jesus Christ our
Lord.” Romans 6: 23. A full surrender
to Him is necessary.
Again he de-
World Calendar X-Rayed
(Continued from page 3)
vantages’ represent no benefit for the
vast majority of men.
The would-be calendar reformers over-
look or ignore the fact that large seg-
ments of humanity work on a schedule of
round-the-week activity. Trains run
every day, filling stations operate,
theaters are open, restaurants serve
hungry people, hospitals cannot shut
down, public utilities carry on, many
branches of government continue work
as usual. Indeed, many types of public
services are put to extra work whenever
holidays occur, particularly when two
holidays come together.
Consequently, no juggling of days in a
calendar will advantage such groups.
Simple accuracy in bookkeeping will
require that the blank day be accounted
for. This will be done in most of these
essential businesses by simply adding it
to the end of December. Thus the entire
statistical benefit sought by the calendar
reform enthusiasts, of having four equal
quarters, will have to be abandoned in
practice. It is too much to ask that men
stop eating, traveling, telephoning, re-
ceiving medical care, or driving their
automobiles just to make perfect sta-
tistics.
Most people do not keep statistics.
Statistics concern and interest them least
of all. Eating, sleeping, working, play-
ing—these are life’s considerations, and
they are done regularly, usually every
day. Bills may be run up by the week,
the month, the year, and they must be
paid regularly, no matter how they are
incurred. A pleasant interlude to and
diversion from the routine of life is occa-
sioned by holidays—but they have slight
statistical value.
It is for this insignificant advantage in
the keeping of records, however, that the
new World Calendar would sacrifice the
uniformity of the days of the week in order
to establish uniformity of quarters. The
true identity of the days would be lost.
Those who feel that they must keep a
particular day of the historical week as it
has been known to us, would be thrown
into interminable confusion and com-
pelled to endure unending hardships and
economic disabilities. They would have
to keep their own reckoning, maintain
their own calendar, be relieved from
work on different days each year, and
find themselves keeping a day called
Sunday one year and Monday another
year and Tuesday the next year and so
on through all the week.
Every Catholic, every Protestant, and
every Jew should strongly oppose this
affront to their religion.
PAGE 77