HERE AND HEREAFTER

 

or Man in Life and Death:

 

The Reward of the Righteous and the Destiny of the Wicked

 

 

by Uriah Smith

 

Originally published by:  Review and Herald Publishing Association, Washington, D.C., 1897.  Now in the public domain since the copyright has expired.

 

 

Foreword

 

            This particularly brilliant book was written a little over one hundred years ago by Uriah Smith (1832-1903), who was for decades (with a few brief interruptions) the editor of The Review and Herald, the official house organ for the Seventh-day Adventist Church.  Although perhaps best known today for writing Daniel and the Revelation, a detailed analysis of  two of the most important books of prophecy in the Bible, Smith wrote other books as well.  Using the Bible as its foundation and lodestar, Here and Hereafter deals with whether or not the dead are conscious, the soul is immortal, and the wicked will be eternally tortured.  This book provides comprehensive coverage of the disputes over these teachings; almost every relevant text, “pro” or “con,” is brought to bear on the controversies at issue.  The passage of over a century has hardly made this book obsolete, since it deals with fundamental issues of Biblical interpretation on the doctrines concerning the state of the dead. What makes this book truly remarkable is the author’s skill in writing, including his sense of humor and use of metaphor.  Using Scripture alone, Smith decisively destroys the doctrines of the immortality of the soul and eternal torment.  Although he discusses some philosophical arguments favoring unconditional immortality, these are a mere epilogue to the vast bulk of his case.  All people on either side of the dispute, whether they affirm or deny that men and women have souls that go to heaven, hell, or purgatory upon death, will find Smith’s book spiritually profitable to read.

 

            For this Internet edition, some editing has been done to the original text.  Most importantly, the Greek and Hebrew characters originally used in the 1897 edition for many of the words from the original languages have been struck out and transliterated into English.  A leading reason for this change is that many readers find looking at Greek and Hebrew words in their original characters an automatic and immediate turn-off.  Since I wish to encourage the circulation of this book, this is a good enough reason alone to eliminate them in favor of English transliterations.  Also, by eliminating them, they won’t come up as gibberish in many word processing programs that either lack Greek and/or Hebrew fonts or don’t have them activated when file format conversions occur.  In addition, in many cases Smith’s punctuation, and in some cases, his capitalization of words, and that of sources he cites, have also been changed to bring them up to contemporary standards.  Therefore, no scholar or other person who needs exact precision for quoting material from Here and Hereafter in a book, essay, or article they are writing should consult this edition of Smith’s work.  In order to retain the value of the original indexes and table of contents for Here and Hereafter, the original page numbers using double brackets (e.g., [[66]]) have been systematically inserted into the text.  They are placed at the bottom of the material of the page they originally appeared on.  In some cases, to avoid splitting words or a Scripture citation, they have been put after the full word in question in cases in which in the original edition the word (or citation) was started on one page and continued on the next. The general index, obviously done by Smith partially tongue in cheek, has been more systematically alphabetized than it was by his own hand, thanks to the marvels of modern word processing technology.  In this section, the double-bracketed page numbers here have been moved to the end of the alphabetized section (by letter) they originally would have appeared in the cases when a page ended and began while still having the same letter at the beginning.  In a small number of cases, original errors that appeared in the original edition, such as transposed digits in a Scripture citation, have been corrected.  In a few instances, in footnotes using double brackets that have my initials at the end (e.g., [[EVS]], I have commented on where I believe Smith has made a significant error of Biblical interpretation or of philosophy.  Nevertheless, in a book of this length, the number of doctrinal mistakes is remarkably few.  Indeed, in one doctrine, that concerning their belief that the ultimate fate of Satan and the evil angels is destruction, not eternal torment, standard Seventh-day Adventist doctrine has been more correct than that usually taught within the Churches of God that have followed the general teachings of Herbert W. Armstrong and the old Worldwide Church of God (pre-1986).  Therefore, whether you never have heard about the Biblical teaching about conditional immortality or you have known it your whole life, you should find Uriah Smith’s Here and Hereafter spiritually insightful and mentally uplifting.  One of the greatest weights seriously committed Christians can bear is their belief in eternal torment; read this book, and you’ll be amazed how much anxiety can be lifted off your mind by embracing the belief that immortality can only be found by embracing Christ as Savior.

 

Eric V. Snow

Wixom, Michigan

 

 

Preface

 

            Does the reader ask for what object this book is written?  The inquiry shall be candidly and courteously considered.  There are certain serious questions which, in a world like this, force themselves upon all thoughtful minds. It should be a matter of absorbing interest to all to learn with what nature man is constituted; what his condition in death may be; what future awaits him, if any, beyond the grave; and how that future is affected by his course of conduct here.

 

            These are inquiries of most weighty moment; but all expe­rience proves that man of himself is not able to answer them. Only a revelation from God can throw light on these questions. Happily we have such a revelation which purports to have an­swered them; for it claims to be able to make men “wise unto salvation.” What that answer is, the following pages undertake to show. That is the object of this book.

 

            On the subjects here discussed there is a widespread and daily increasing agitation throughout the theological world at the present time. Breaking away from long-established tra­ditions, men are turning their attention more particularly to what the Bible says upon these points; and in all the leading nations of Christendom the views of Bible students are in a state of transition. The old theology is being brought to the bar of the Bible, and judged accordingly. The doctrine that there is no eternal life out of Christ, and that, consequently, the punishment of the wicked is not to be eternal misery, is now able to present an array of adherents so strong in num­bers, so cultivated in intellect, and so correct at heart, that many of its opponents are changing their base of operations toward it, and taking steps looking not only to a toleration of its existence, but to a compromise with its claims.  [[3]]

           

            In adding another book to the many which have been writ­ten on this subject, the object has been to give in a concise manner a more general view of the teaching of the word of God, the ultimate source of authority, on this topic, than has heretofore been presented. A chapter on the Claims of Philosophy is appended to the Biblical argument, more to an­swer the queries of those who attach importance to such con­siderations, than because they are entitled to any real weight in the determination of this question.

 

            The interest that has of late years arisen on the subject of the state of the dead, is most timely. Spiritualism has arisen and is seeking to spread its doctrines and baneful influence over all the land. This great delusion appeals to the popular views of the condition of man in death as a foundation for its claims. The teaching of the Bible on this point is the most effectual antidote to its seductive poison. Before the true light on the intermediate state, and the destiny of the wicked, not only Spiritualism, with its hosts of darkness flees away, but purgatory, saint-worship, universalism, and a host of other errors all go down.

 

            In this period of agitation and transition, let no man blindly commit himself to predetermined views, but hold him­self ready to follow truth always and everywhere. Let him hold his sympathies entirely at its disposal. This is the course of safety; for truth has angels, Christ, and God, upon its side; and though it had but one adherent on the earth, it would triumph all the same. Truth can receive no lasting detriment from the opposition of the world, and the powers of darkness, all combined. Its triumph is assured by the pledge of Omnipotence; and all who follow it, few in number though they be, at last will triumph with it too.  U.  S.

[[4]]

 

 

Table of Contents[1]

 

 

Chapter                                                                                                               Page

I.    Introduction 5

II.   The Creation of Man     10

III.  Objections Examined... 16

             The Image of God--The Breath of Life--The Living Soul.

IV.   Bible Use of the Terms "Immortal" and "Immortality" 27

              Aphthartos (Immortal)--Athanasia (Immortality)--

                Aphtharsia (Immortality).

V.    The Words "Soul" and "Spirit" 31

              Nephesh--Psuche--Ruahh--Pneuma--N'shahma

VI.   Concerning the Human Spirit 37

              The Spirit Returns to God--From Whence Comes the Spirit?--

                Who Knows the Spirit of Man?--Committing the Spirit to

                God--The Spirits of Just Men Made Perfect--The Spirits

                in Prison--A Spirit Hath not Flesh and Bones--Neither

                Angel nor Spirit--Destroy Flesh, Save the Spirit.

VII.  Concerning the Human Soul 56

              Departure and Return of the Soul--Can the Soul be

                Killed?--The Souls Under the Altar--Body, Soul, and

                Spirit.

VIII. The Death of Adam            66

IX.   Condition of Man in Death   72

[[5]]

X.    Objections Answered.. 76

              Gathered to His People--Samuel and the Woman of Endor--

                The Transfiguration.  Matt. 17:1-9--The God of the

                Living--The Rich Man and Lazarus--With Me in Paradise--

                Absent from the Body--In the Body and Out--Departing

                and Being with Christ--Remaining Texts Considered.

XI.   The Resurrection of the Dead.. 115

              The Doctrine of the Resurrection Destroys the Theory of

                the Immortality of the Soul--The Resurrection a

                Necessity--Identity in the Resurrection--Bible

                Testimony for the Resurrection--The Resurrection of

                the Wicked.

XII.    The Judgment to Come   130

XIII.   The Life Everlasting 132

XIV.    The Wages of Sin            134

XV.        Objections Answered 142

                Shame and Everlasting Contempt--Everlasting Fire--

                  Everlasting Punishment--Degrees of Punishment--The

                  The Undying Worm and Quenchless Fire--Tormented

                  Forever and Ever.

XVI.    God's Dealings with His Creatures            154

XVII.   The Claims of Philosophy 158

XVIII.  Historical View of the Doctrine of Immortality            165

XIX.      Influence of the Doctrine.. 172

Appendix. 174

            The Doctrine Illustrated

Index of Authors Referred To            176

Index of Texts of Scripture 178

General Index            ….184

[[6]]

 

 

Chapter 1

 

Introduction

 

            FORTUNATELY there are some things which men can­not deny. There are plenty of them who deny God, deny Christ, deny the Holy Spirit, deny divine revelation, and deny any hereafter. But they cannot deny that which may be called the “Here.” The present state of existence is a fact which cannot be ignored. Man finds himself in a real, material, world, on a plane of existence which is full of mystery and marvel. He finds himself with a bodily organism wonderfully constructed; with capabilities opening before him a wide field for activity; with a mind able to reason, reflect, draw conclusions, and lay plans for the future. He can pry into the secrets of nature, resolve substances of the earth into their original elements, and with instruments that multiply his vision a thousandfold, explore the blue expanse above him, and study the stellar worlds in their grand procession through boundless space. The wonders of nature and the marvel­ous achievements of his fellow men excite in his own mind conceptions of almost infinite possibilities.

 

            But amid all the phenomena of life, he sees another, if possible stranger still — the phenomenon of death. The [[7]] man of most skilful acquirements and mightiest intellect, falls in death. Immediately, so far as anything appears to the outward sense, his powers are gone. His mind ceases to act; his body, unable longer to resist decay, disintegrates and mingles with the dust. Truly one must be of very stolid and stupid mold, who under such cir­cumstances does not let his mind run out beyond the limits of his visible horizon, and have some inquiries to make in the regions of “things not seen.” And the broad plane of one’s present existence— a realm of reality not shadow, of fact not fancy— affords a firm basis from which to extend one’s deductions into other fields, even the hereafter.

 

            Without either counsel or co-operation of our own, we find ourselves on the plane of human existence, subject to all the conditions of this life, and hastening forward to its destiny, whatever it may be. A retinue of mysterious inquiries throngs our steps. Whence came this order of things? Who ordained this arrangement? For what purpose are we here? What is our nature? What are our obligations? And whither are we bound? Life, what a mystery! Having commenced, will it ever end? Once we did not exist; are we destined to that condition again? Death we see everywhere around us. Its victims are silent, cold, and still. They give no outward evidence of retaining any of those faculties, mental, emotional, or physical, which distinguished them when living. Is death the end of all these? And is death the extinction of all human beings? These are questions which have ever excited in the human mind an intensity of thought and a strength of feeling which no other subjects can awaken.

 

            To these questions, so well-defined, so definite in their demands, and of such all-absorbing interest, where [[8]] shall we look for an answer? Have we any means within our reach by which to solve these problems? We look abroad upon the earth, and admire its multiplied forms of life and beauty; we mark the revolving seasons and the uniform and beneficent operations of nature; we look to the heavenly bodies, and behold their glory, and the regularity of their mighty motions — do these answer our questions? They tell us something, but not all. They tell us of the great Creator and upholder of all things; for, as the apostle says, “The invisible things of him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even his eternal power and Godhead.” They tell us upon whom our existence depends, and to whom we are amenable.

 

            But this only intensifies our anxiety a thousandfold. For now we want to know upon what conditions his favor is suspended. What must we do to meet his require­ments? How may we secure his approbation? He surely is a being who will reward virtue and punish sin. Sometime our deeds must be compared with his require­ments, and sentence be rendered in accordance therewith. How will this affect our future existence? Deriving it from him, does he suspend its continuance on our obedi­ence? Or has he made us self-existent beings, so that we must live forever, if not in his favor, then the conscious recipients, of his wrath?

 

            With what intense anxiety the mind turns to the future! What is to be the issue of this mysterious problem of life?  Who can tell? Nature is silent. We appeal to those who are entering the dark valley. But who can reveal the mysteries of those hidden regions till he has explored them? And the “curtain of the tent into which they enter, never outward swings.” Sternly the grave closes its heavy portals against every attempt to catch a glimpse of the [[9]] unknown beyond. Science proves itself helpless on this momentous question. The imagination breaks down; and the human mind, unaided, sinks into a melancholy, but well-grounded despair.

 

            Multitudes, however, profess to be able to answer these queries. The world has so long been so taught on this sub­ject, that hundreds upon hundreds of minions now believe, and have believed, that man has, inherent in his own nature, an undying principle, an “immortal soul,” which is the real, intelligent, responsible man — the living element in the body — but which is independent of the body, and can exist as well without the body as with it; which is just as much alive after the body is dead as it was before; which is therefore conscious, active, and in­telligent in that condition known as death, or while the body is in the grave; and which, after the Judgment, according as that great tribunal decides, must live in conscious happiness or misery through all eternity.

 

            One cannot but stand dazed and confounded before the awful possibilities involved in such an answer; and before accepting it, one would do well to search most carefully to ascertain beyond all reasonable question whether it be true. For if it be true, the first great appalling fact that stands out before us is that the greater portion of the human family are destined to exist forever in conscious torture beyond the power of language to describe — torture inflicted without the intention or possibility of accomplishing one iota of good either for themselves or others, and from which they can never gain one moment’s relaxation through an agonizing duration that shall never, never end. And all for what — Generally speaking, as a punishment for a life of less than fifty years of carelessness and sin in this world. Is there a man with a spark of human kind­ness in his soul, or the least shadow of a sense of justice [[10]] and mercy in his heart, who could endure the sight? Is there one who can tolerate the thought? Then how must the Creator of mankind be looked upon who can thus deal with them, even though they be sinners? Is it any wonder that God, under such teaching, has come to be regarded by an ever-growing army of skeptics, as a heart-/’ less, revengeful tyrant, who delights in rendering as mis­erable and wretched as possible, the creatures of his hand, whom he preserves alive for that very purpose?

 

But aside from the overwhelming terror of eternal con­scious misery, a long train of conclusions follows, con­cerning which we should consider whether we are prepared to accept them or not, before we subscribe to the answer above given. If it be true that man has an immortal soul that cannot die, it follows (1) that he who assured our first parents in Eden that they should not surely die (Gen. 3 4, 5), told the truth, and a belief of the truth was the deception which brought sin into the world to destroy the peace and happiness of mankind; (2) that the deification of dead men and the worship of ancestors, which prevail throughout heathendom, and upon which so much of idola­try is founded, has at least some foundation; (3) that the saint-worship, Mariolatry, purgatory, and mass, of the Roman Catholic and Greek churches, are true doctrines (4) that the future coming of Christ, and a future general Judgment, and a resurrection of the dead, can all be set aside