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transgression。
In the midst of Eden grew the tree of life； whose fruit had the power of
perpetuating life。 Had Adam remained
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obedient to God； he would have continued to enjoy free access to this tree
and would have lived forever。 But when he sinned he was cut off from
partaking of the tree of life； and he became subject to death。 The divine
sentence； 〃Dust thou art； and unto dust shalt thou return；〃 points to the
utter extinction of life。
Immortality； promised to man on condition of obedience； had been forfeited
by transgression。 Adam could not transmit to his posterity that which he did
not possess； and there could have been no hope for the fallen race had not
God； by the sacrifice of His Son； brought immortality within their reach。
While 〃death passed upon all men； for that all have sinned；〃 Christ 〃hath
brought life and immortality to light through the gospel。〃 Romans 5：12； 2
Timothy 1：10。 And only through Christ can immortality be obtained。 Said
Jesus： 〃He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life： and he that
believeth not the Son shall not see life。〃 John 3：36。 Every man may come
into possession of this priceless blessing if he will comply with the
conditions。 All 〃who by patient continuance in well…doing seek for glory and
honor and immortality；〃 will receive 〃eternal life。〃 Romans 2：7。
The only one who promised Adam life in disobedience was the great deceiver。
And the declaration of the serpent to Eve in Eden〃Ye shall not surely
die〃was the first sermon ever preached upon the immortality of the soul。
Yet this declaration； resting solely upon the authority of Satan； is echoed
from the pulpits of Christendom and is received by the majority of mankind
as readily as it was received by our first parents。 The divine sentence；
〃The soul that sinneth； it shall die〃 （Ezekiel 18：20）； is made to mean： The
soul that sinneth； it shall not die； but live eternally。 We cannot but
wonder at the strange infatuation which renders men so credulous concerning
the words of Satan and so unbelieving in regard to the words of God。
Had man after his fall been allowed free access to the tree
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of life； he would have lived forever； and thus sin would have been
immortalized。 But cherubim and a flaming sword kept 〃the way of the tree of
life〃 （Genesis 3：24）； and not one of the family of Adam has been permitted
to pass that barrier and partake of the life…giving fruit。 Therefore there
is not an immortal sinner。
But after the Fall； Satan bade his angels make a special effort to inculcate
the belief in man's natural immortality； and having induced the people to
receive this error； they were to lead them on to conclude that the sinner
would live in eternal misery。 Now the prince of darkness； working through
his agents； represents God as a revengeful tyrant； declaring that He plunges
into hell all those who do not please Him； and causes them ever to feel His
wrath； and that while they suffer unutterable anguish and writhe in the
eternal flames； their Creator looks down upon them with satisfaction。
Thus the archfiend clothes with his own attributes the Creator and
Benefactor of mankind。 Cruelty is satanic。 God is love； and all that He
created was pure； holy； and lovely； until sin was brought in by the first
great rebel。 Satan himself is the enemy who tempts man to sin； and then
destroys him if he can； and when he has made sure of his victim； then he
exults in the ruin he has wrought。 If permitted； he would sweep the entire
race into his net。 Were it not for the interposition of divine power； not
one son or daughter of Adam would escape。
Satan is seeking to overcome men today； as he overcame our first parents； by
shaking their confidence in their Creator and leading them to doubt the
wisdom of His government and the justice of His laws。 Satan and his
emissaries represent God as even worse than themselves； in order to justify
their own malignity and rebellion。 The great deceiver endeavors to shift his
own horrible cruelty of character upon our heavenly Father； that he may
cause himself to appear as one greatly wronged by his expulsion from heaven
because he would not submit to so unjust a governor。 He presents before
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the world the liberty which they may enjoy under his mild sway； in contrast
with the bondage imposed by the stern decrees of Jehovah。 Thus he succeeds
in luring souls away from their allegiance to God。
How repugnant to every emotion of love and mercy； and even to our sense of
justice； is the doctrine that the wicked dead are tormented with fire and
brimstone in an eternally burning hell； that for the sins of a brief earthly
life they are to suffer torture as long as God shall live。 Yet this doctrine
has been widely taught and is still embodied in many of the creeds of
Christendom。 Said a learned doctor of divinity： 〃The sight of hell torments
will exalt the happiness of the saints forever。 When they see others who are
of the same nature and born under the same circumstances； plunged in such
misery； and they so distinguished； it will make them sensible of how happy
they are。〃 Another used these words： 〃While the decree of reprobation is
eternally executing on the vessels of wrath； the smoke of their torment will
be eternally ascending in view of the vessels of mercy； who； instead of
taking the part of these miserable objects； will say； Amen； Alleluia！ praise
ye the Lord！〃
Where； in the pages of God's word； is such teaching to be found？ Will the
redeemed in heaven be lost to all emotions of pity and compassion； and even
to feelings of common humanity？ Are these to be exchanged for the
indifference of the stoic or the cruelty of the savage？ No； no； such is not
the teaching of the Book of God。 Those who present the views expressed in
the quotations given above may be learned and even honest men； but they are
deluded by the sophistry of Satan。 He leads them to misconstrue strong
expressions of Scripture； giving to the language the coloring of bitterness
and malignity which pertains to himself； but not to our Creator。 〃As I live；
saith the Lord God； I have no pleasure in the death of the wicked； but that
the wicked turn from his way and live： turn ye； turn ye from your evil ways；
for why will ye die？〃 Ezekiel 33：11。
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What would be gained to God should we admit that He delights in witnessing
unceasing tortures； that He is regaled with the groans and shrieks and
imprecations of the suffering creatures whom He holds in the flames of hell？
Can these horrid sounds be music in the ear of Infinite Love？ It is urged
that the infliction of endless misery upon the wicked would show God's
hatred of sin as an evil which is ruinous to the peace and order of the
universe。 Oh； dreadful blasphemy！ As if God's hatred of sin is the reason
why it is perpetuated。 For； according to the teachings of these theologians；
continued torture without hope of mercy maddens its wretched victims； and as
they pour out their rage in curses and blasphemy； they are forever
augmenting their load of guilt。 God's glory is not enhanced by thus
perpetuating continually increasing sin through ceaseless ages。
It is beyond the power of the human mind to estimate the evil which has been
wrought by the heresy of eternal torment。 The religion of the Bible； full of
love and goodness； and abounding in compassion； is darkened by superstition
and clothed with terror。 When we consider in what false colors Satan has
painted the character of God； can we wonder that our merciful Creator is
feared； dreaded； and even hated？ The appalling views of God which have
spread over the world from the teachings of the pulpit have made thousands；
yes； millions； of skeptics and infidels。
The theory of eternal torment is one of the false doctrines that constitute
the wine of the abomination of Babylon； of which she makes all nations
drink。 Revelation 14：8； 17：2。 That ministers of Christ should have accepted
this heresy and proclaimed it from the sacred desk is indeed a mystery。 They
received it from Rome； as they received the false sabbath。 True； it has been
taught by great and good men； but the light on this subject had not come to
them as it has come to us。 They were responsible only for the light which
shone in their time； we are accountable for that which shines in our day。 If
we turn from the testimony of God's word； and accept
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false doctrines because our fathers taught them； we fall under the
condemnation pronounced upon Babylon； we are drinking of the wine of her
abomination。
A large class to whom the doctrine of eternal torment is revolting are
driven to the opposite error。 They see that the Scriptures represent God as
a being of love and compassion； and they cannot believe that He will consign
His creatures to the fires of an eternally burning hell。 But holding that
the soul is naturally immortal； they see no alternative but to conclude that
all mankind will finally be saved。 Many regard the threatenings of the Bible