SOUL AND BODY IN HELL.

"And fear not them which kill the body, but are not able to kill the soul: but rather fear him which is able to destroy both soul and body in hell.”—MATTHEW X. 28.

This language was addressed to the disciples by their Lord and Master, under peculiarly trying circumstances. One prominent object of the Savior, as we learn by the context, was to inspire confidence in God, the universal Father. Jesus labored to impress upon the disciples the necessity of fearing God more than all others more than all earthly tribunals, magistrates, governors, councils, and malignant persecutors. God is worthy the confidence and regard of all, exhibiting a father's interest in all even the sparrow falls not to the ground without the notice of our heavenly Father. He cares for the bird and the flower, clothes the field with grass, and paints the lily of the valley— and shall He not care for his own intelligent offspring, created in the divine image? Why, the very hairs of your head are all numbered: "Fear ye not, therefore, ye are more value than many sparrows." As though the Savior had said to the disciples, "If God, whom you are called upon to

fear, cares thus for the irrational creation, you need not distrust Him, He will care for his own children endowed with intellectual, moral and religious powers which render them akin to the Infinite Mind." Jesus did not design to fill the soul with terror and alarm, and the fear which has torment, but to lead man into a calm and sublime trust in God.

When Jesus commissioned his disciples to preach the gospel of the kingdom, he sent them out as sheep in the midst of wolves, to wrestle with principalities and powers, and spiritual wickedness in high places. They were surrounded by those who thirsted for their blood; hence the admonition of their Master: "Be ye therefore as wise as serpents, but harmless as doves." Preach the gospel of the kingdom faithfully, but excite no unnecessary opposition. Beware of men, for they will deliver you up to councils and bring you before governors and kings, still have faith in God who will assist you in every emergency. Fear them not, proclaim the truth openly, conceal nothing to escape persecution; fear not them who kill the body but are not able to kill the soul. Fear not those persecutors, be not intimidated and deny the truth, powerful as they are; there is a power superior to all councils and magistrates. Jesus endeavored to make his disciples feel that their strength was in God, and if they should become timid and frightened at the power which could take their lives; surely, then, on this ground they should fear God,

for He had ability to do this, which was the utmost that their persecutors could do- and infinitely more. He had the power to strike the soul (psuche) out of existence as well as the body. God had the ability so to destroy man that he should not exist at all. The Being who can give existence can withhold that existence, and annihilate man in the twinkling of an eye. He has ability to do this.

The word psuche is rendered "life, "soul," "souls," "mind," "heart," and "minds." We need not pause here to refer to the numerous passages where it is rendered life. All concede that it is frequently used in the sense of animal life, or existence on earth. It will not do, however, to bend every text to this definition, as all can see by an examination of the passages where it occurs. It is rendered "minds" in Acts xiv. 2: "And made their minds (psuche) evil affected against the brethren." This certainly cannot mean merely the animal life. Again, "with one mind (psuche) striving together for the faith of the gospel." Phil. i. 27. This cannot well be understood to mean merely earthly existence, or animal life. Again, Paul speaks of "doing the will of God from the heart." (psuche.) Eph. vi. 6. Once more: "Lest ye be wearied and faint in your minds." (psuche.) Heb. xii. 3. As this word has a variety of renderings, so has it a variety of significations. Conceding that it frequently means life, we now remark that it appears to be used in a much more compre

hensive sense, and to embrace ALL of man, not merely the animal, but the moral and spiritual part of his being-the entire nature. It embraces what constitutes our personality or individualism— the whole being called MAN. It is sometimes used in the sense of and sometimes it appears persons, to have special reference to the moral and spiritual nature- as in Matthew xi. 29, "Learn of me... and ye shall find rest unto your souls." (psuche.) Christ said, "My soul (psuche) is exceeding sorrowful, even unto death." Matt. xxvi. 38. It was his mind or spiritual nature that was exceeding sorrowful. And so when Mary rejoicingly said, "My soul (psuche) doth magnify the Lord," (Luke i. 46); she meant that her whole moral and spiritual nature magnified the Lord—that her affectional nature was moved and went out toward God. So we read that "fear came upon every soul," (psuche,) that is, upon every person. Again: "Every soul (psuche) which will not hear that prophet." Acts iii. 23. This means every individual. So we read of "three-score and fifteen souls," that is persons. "Let every soul (psuche) be subject unto the higher powers." Rom. xiii. 1. This means, let every person, etc. Again we read of the "hope we have as an anchor of the soul." (psuche.) Heb. vi. 19. The soul in this passage evidently refers to the moral and spiritual nature of man, for the christian hope could alone satisfy its wants and be its anchor.

These references are sufficiently numerous to

indicate the sense in which this word, psuche, rendered soul in the passage which stands at the head of this article, was used by the sacred penman.

Christ exhorted the disciples not to fear them who could kill the body, that is, destroy the animal life; their persecutors could do that; but they were not able to kill the soul, hence, soul here must mean something besides the life, or animal existence, for they certainly would take that away in killing the body, but they were not able to kill the soul. If soul here means mere animal life, then the persecutors could destroy it, or kill it, but the passage asserts that they were not able to kill the soul, though they could kill the body!

Soul here must embrace the whole man, the entire moral and spiritual nature, the same as when Christ said, "Ye shall find rest to your souls," and "My soul is exceeding sorrowful." The enemies of the truth could kill the body, but could not destroy the spiritual part of man, but the infinite God could destroy soul and body in gehenna. He could annihilate man. He who could awaken man into existence, could sweep him away forever. The truth inculcated was, that God was the proper object of fear and trust. He was greater than all, and should be feared above all and loved before all. Under all circumstances, and in every emergency, the disciples were to trust in God. This was the great truth taught, and not that God would destroy soul and body in hell, (gehenna).

To destroy both soul and body in hell, or gehen