A Little Confused by James White

International Tract and Missionary Society · Oakland, California · Jun 3, 1886

FromSigns of the Times, Vol. 12, No. 21.

A Little Confused.

By James White

THE editor of the Tennessee Baptist, having received a copy of Professor Pettengell's book, "The Unspeakable Gift," feels moved to do something to stay the tide of "heresy," and gives the following notice:—

"A RICH TREAT FOR OUR SUBSCRIBERS.—We have engaged our stated contributor, A. J. Frost, D. D., of Sacramento, Cal., to review thoroughly the prevailing theory of Conditional Immortality, or Annihilationism. This is a modern phase of old Universalism and Restorationism, which is extensively prevailing in many parts of the North and West, and is destined, at an early day, to be the most popular delusion of this age."

If Mr. Frost knows no more about the doctrine of conditional immortality than the editor of the Tennessee Baptist seems to, his review will indeed be "a rich treat." To say that conditional immortality is a modern phase of Universalism and Restorationism is about as true as it would be to say that Presbyterianism is a modern form of Catholicism, or that Luther was a special emissary of Pope Leo X., or that Christianity is a modern form of paganism. Conditional immortality is as much different from Universalism as daylight is from darkness. Indeed it is the only doctrine that can successfully combat Universalism. Universalism teaches that all men will by some means be saved, whatever their belief and practice; the doctrine of conditional immortality teaches just what the Bible teaches, that, "He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life; and he that believeth not the Son shall not see life." The one robs Christ of all his glory, making his sacrifice a useless thing, while the other crowns him "Lord of all." No man can be a Universalist or a Spiritualist so long as he holds to the doctrine of conditional immortality; but the one who believes in natural immortality has no safeguard against either delusion.