MR HENRY SULLEYS LECTURE.

Evening Star, Issue 11658, 19 September 1901, Page 6

MR HENRY SULLEYS LECTURE.

The Agricultural Hall on Sunday evening last was the scene of Mr Sulley’s fifth lecture in Dunedin. Mr Moseley, of Inch Clutna, again presided. The subject selected for consideration was ‘ Where Are Our Dead Friends?’ There was a large audience, and the address was received with marked attention throughout. Mr Sulley said that if we could discover what was the state or condition of our dead friends wo advanced one step in the wa-> r of discovering our own destiny after death. Quoting Acts x., 42, and Revelation xxii., 12, he contended that since Jesus was to jud re all, those inscriptions in graveyards which declared the fate of dead friends were presumptions. They trespassed upon the prerogative of Jesus, who alone could decide whether a man would be rewarded or punished. Popular sentiment was not a safe guide in such matters. Then Mr Sulley contended that the time mentioned by Jesus for judgment precluded the idea that a man entered into his reward the moment the breath left his body. His words as recorded in Matthew xvi., ’27, and Luke xiv., 14, showed that the reward would be administered at the resurrection, when Jesus Christ returned. It was incredible that men should go to Heaven or to a place of punishment before judgment, and since judgment did not take place before me return of Christ it was unreasonable to conclude that the dead went to either the one or the other. Against such a supposition it was stated that David had not ascended to the Heavens (Acts ii., 54), and that no one had ascended there except Jesus (John iii., 13), Mr Sulley declared that the pagan doctrine of the immortality of the soul was contrary to Scripture, quoting many passages of Scripture in support of his contention. Ho argued that the doctrine made void the word of God concerning tne resurrection. Those who believed in a conscious intermediate state between death and resurrection were invited to consider Psalms vi., 5, cxlvi., 2-4, Isaiah xxxviii., 18, 19. Particular attention was called to the case of Lazarus, who, of all people, could have given interesting information about the death state, fo" was he not in the grave four days? And is there ore word placed upon record of his experie ce during that time? Had he been conscious during those four days he would surely have made known his experience. The real fact was that between death and the resurrection man lapsed into a state of unconsciousness, from which be awoke as from a sound sleep. To him who was raised from tho dead the moment, of sleep and the moment of resurrection would appear simultaneous. Referring to Ist Thessaloniamf* iv., 14-17, Mr Sullev explained

that the way in which the Lord Jems “brought the dead with him” was by descending from Heaven, raising the dead. These Mould be united with those living;'at the. time. Henceforth they were ,to be associated with their Lord in the administration of a new government ovet mankind. Thev would be immortal, and would rule the world in peace and righteousness. In conclusion, Mr Sulley said it was one thing to be satisfied as to the condition ot our fnends in death, but it was quite another thing to know what would be our own relation to judgment at the resurrection. Therefore a further lecture would be delivered, on Sunday evening next upon tbe subject ‘ Tlie Foundation of Our Hope in Uinst dpsus.’ The lectures are free, and no collections are made.