man's interest to be deceived, or to deceive himself on subjects of such moment.

The proposition that I am to affirm in this discussion reads as follows:

The Scriptures teach the final holiness and happiness of all mankind.

Before introducing any proofs of this proposition, I will define its terms, that the precise point at issue may be clearly understood by all. One of the leading terms is the word "Scriptures.' "" Of course this means the Old and New Testaments-the Bible. It is the Book of proof. The final appeal must be to the Scriptures. All other proof or testimony must be but corroborative, or as tending to a right understanding of the Bible. Whatever arguments I shall draw from reason will be based upon truths found in the Bible.

"The Scriptures teach." That is in the right meaning of the words of the Bible, as decided by the best interpretation of these words, according to the rules and laws of interpretation of any other book or writing.

"The final holiness and happiness of all mankind." The state of mankind referred to is the final state or condition. The final state is the last one, beyond which there is no other. It is, then, the final condition of mankind to which my proposition relates. Any passage of Scripture, therefore, my brother may bring forward as touching the condition of man, will not be pertinent to the question in debate unless it relates to the final state of man. You will please bear this in

mind.

This final condition of man I am to affirm is to be one of "holiness and happiness." I am not to affirm the salvation of men in sin, but from sin. Holiness and happiness is my idea of salvation.

As a Universalist you will not expect me to make any exceptions to the phrase "all mankind." I accept the proposition, therefore, in its fullest, most palpable

meaning, and proceed to prove, without further preliminary, the final salvation of all mankind.

I. THE NATURE OF MAN. Man by nature is body, soul, and spirit. In illustration, I read the following passages of Scripture:

"For which cause we faint not; but though our outward man perish, yet the inward man is renewed day by day. For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory; while we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen: for the things which are seen are temporal; but the things which are not seen are eternal." 2 Cor. 4: 16-18.

"For we know that, if our earthly house of this tabernacle were dissolved, we have a building of God, a house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens. For in this we groan, earnestly desiring to be clothed upon with our house which is from heaven: If so be that being clothed we shall not be found naked. For we that are in this tabernacle do groan, being burdened: not for that we would be unclothed, but clothed upon, that mortality might be swallowed up of life." 2 Cor. 5: 1-4.

"For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart." Heb. 4: 12.

"And the very God of peace sanctify you wholly; and I pray God your whole spirit and soul and body be preserved blameless unto the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ." 1 Thes. 5: 23.

The body is that in which the soul and spirit reside. It is the fleshly covering, "house," or "tabernacle," the "outward man." The soul, the principle of animal life. The spirit, the "inward man," the real man, to be invested in the resurrection with a new, spiritual body; clothed with immortality, to live forever in the spirit world.

Man, in the present life, is an intelligent, reasoning, moral, and responsible being, held accountable under God's moral government. His responsibility includes and necessitates the idea of his knowledge of the law, and ability to obey the law in its requirements. And this constitutes him a free moral agent.

It will be admitted that all along through this life,

that man is free to obey God's law, and thus he is responsible to God. And without this freedom or ability he would not be responsible. Ability is essential to responsibility. Now what does death do for man to change his nature in any of these respects? Has man less ability and responsibility after death than before? Death releases from the body; lets the spirit at liberty; and frees from the body that rational, reasoning, conscio us entity which constitutes the real man, in which resides man's ability and responsibility.

Death, then, is nothing, does nothing that takes away the ability to learn the truth, obey the truth, and thus be saved. It does not change the nature of man so as to be in the way of the holiness and happiness of all men. Yea, more; death frees from the body, the lusts of the body, the temptations that come through the body, and all the wants of man's fleshly nature. Very much that hinders man's growth and development comes from the body with its appetites and passions.

In proof I read the following passages:

"Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world. And the world passeth away, and the lust thereof; but he that doeth the will of God abideth forever." 1 Jno. 2: 15-17.

"But every man is tempted, when he is drawn away of his own lust, and enticed. Then when lust hath conceived, it bringeth forth sin; and sin, when it is finished, bringeth forth death." Jas. 1: 14, 15.

"For to be carnally minded is death; but to be spiritually minded is life and peace. Because the carnal mind is enmity against God: for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be. So then they that are in the flesh cannot please God." Rom. 8: 6-8.

"This I say then, Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh. For the flesh lusteth against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh: and these are contrary the one to the other; so that ye cannot do the things that ye would. But if ye be led of the Spirit, ye are not under the law. Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these, Adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness, idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath,

strife, seditions, heresies, envyings, murders, drunkenness, revelings, and such like: of the which I tell you before, as I have also told you in time past, that they which do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God." Gal. 5: 16-21.

After death, then, the spirit will be more free, will have more ability, with less hinderances than before death. Man, then, will still be responsible to God, with all the freedom that responsibility implies.

Besides, it is the spirit, the rational, thinking part, to which all motives and influences are addressed. It is in that that God's image resides; it is the child of God; it is that that is born of God. And all of this is as true of man after death as before. There is nothing in death, then, that constitutes a reason why those dying in sin will not finally become holy and happy.

Man being in the image of God, the offspring of God, therefore the child of God, has that in his nature which attracts to the "Father of spirits," and makes him a religious, worshiping being. This is a regnant, formative principle in his nature, cropping out in the fact that man universally is a religious being. And this will be his nature in the future world as well as here; and there, being free from the difficulties of this life, and coming to a true knowledge, will respond to the call of his God-given nature, and become holy and happy. "Then shall the dust return to the earth as it was; and the spirit shall return to the God who gave it." Eccl. 12: 7.

II. THE NATURE OF GOD. The nature of God is love. "God is love." 1 Jno. 4: 8, 16.

Love, infinite and eternal, is the basis of his moral nature. All of his moral attributes have their foundation in it; and all his natural attributes are but the infinite instrumentalities of love. It is love that is holy, just, true, righteous, merciful, good, and unchangeable. It is love that is omnipotent, omnipresent, and infinite in wisdom and knowledge. For God is possessed of all

these perfections, and God is love. The great Apostle calls him the "God of love." 2 Cor. 13: 11.

To say that all creatures throughout all space are in God's hands, and subject to his control, is in effect to say that they are in love's hands, and subject to its control. And we may affirm of infinite love, that it rules the universe, and that all its issues are consistent with love. The whole current of the universe flows on the side of infinite and eternal benevolence.

If this is God's nature, then his love must extend to every sentient being that ever did, does now, or ever will exist. For if God is love, then his love, as he is an infinite being, must be unlimited in extent, infinite in degree, and endless in duration!

God's love, then, extends to all mankind. The Bible fully bears me out in this position:

"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." Jno. 3: 16.

"But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us." Rom. 5: 8.

"But God, who is rich in mercy, for his great love wherewith he loved us, even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ, (by grace ye are saved.)" Eph. 2:4, 5.

Thus God loves all men. He loves them while they do not love him; he loves them when sinners; yea, when dead in sin. Now love invariably seeks the good of the object loved. So God seeks the ultimate and eternal welfare of all his creatures, as he loves all, unless we might say that benevolence is a negative principle in his nature. But this cannot be; for his love takes form in the fact of his goodness, impartial and eternal to all mankind. "The Lord is good to all "actively so-" and his tender mercies are over all his works." Ps. 145: 9.

Love prompted God to devise means for the redemption of all men from all sin and error. It prompted him to send his Son, his only begotten Son, into