Section III.

An Argument Founded Upon the Well Known Opinions of the Jews.

The Jews have always believed in the conscious existence of the soul after the death of the body, and in its immortality. We might prove this from the Scriptures, but prefer to introduce other witnesses first, and will here treat of the faith of the Jews as a matter of history. It was shown in the preceding section, that the common sentiments of the heathen world have ever been in favor of the doctrine we advocate, and if it can now be shown that the same doctrine has ever been held by the Jews, to whom was committed the oracles of God, it will greatly strengthen our argument. The first witness we will introduce is Josephus, who is the first authority in matters relating to the Jews.

"The Jews had for a great while, three sects of philosophers, peculiar to themselves; the sect of the Essenes, and the sect of the Sadducees, and the third sort of opinions was that of those called Pharisees.

"Now the pharisees believe that souls have an immortal vigor in them, and that under the earth there will be rewards and punishments, accordingly as they have lived virtuously or viciously in this life.

"But the doctrine of the Sadducees is this, that souls die with the body. But this doctrine is received but by a few, yet by those of the greatest dignity. But they are able almost to do nothing of themselves; for when they become magistrates, as they are unwillingly and by force sometimes obliged to be, they addict themselves to the notions of the Pharisees, because the multitude would not otherwise hear them.

"The doctrine of the Essenes is this, that all things are best ascribed to God. They teach the immortality of souls, and esteem that the rewards of righteousness are to be earnestly striven for."-.-Josephus, Book 18, Chap. 1.

It is worthy of remark that of the three sects into which the Jews were divided, two clearly believed in the immortality of the soul. Further, the Sadducees, who alone believed that the soul dies with the body, were very few in number, and had no influence with the common people. This proves that theirs was not the doctrine of the Jews, but an exception to it. They were composed of a few of the wealthy high-livers, and were clearly a set of Jewish heretics, as is proved from the fact that Christ so clearly condemned their doctrine.

The next witness we will introduce is the Jews' service book, containing their creed and prayers.

The seventh article of their creed runs thus :-" I believe with a perfect faith that the prophecy of Moses, our instructor, (may his soul rest in peace) was true." In one of their Sabbath morning prayers we find the following expression :-" Therefore, the members of which thou hast formed us, the spirit and soul which thou hast breathed into us."

In an evening prayer we find the following:-" Blessed be the Lord when we lie down, and blessed be the Lord when we rise up; for in thy hand are the souls of the quick and the dead."

The following is taken from a prayer which they read at funerals. After the lecture or discourse, the prayer is read as follows:-"We beseech thee, O Lord, most merciful King! In whose hand is the soul of every living thing, and the breath of all flesh; let it be willed before thy presence that the lecture and our prayer be in behalf of [here the name of the dead person is pronounced] and be bountiful to her [or him] according to thy great mercy; O unfold for her [or him] the gate of mercy, compassion, and the garden of Eden; and receive her [or him] with love and favor. Send unto her [or him] thy holy angels to direct and to place her [or him]

beneath the tree of life, near the souls of the righteous, virtuous and pious saints."

The above extracts are sufficient to prove that the immortality of the soul is clearly recognized in the Jewish religion. The question here is not, are they right but do they believe in the immortality of the soul

The third witness which we produce, is the Apocrypha. These writings are not quoted as Bible, but as history; and though they are not regarded as being divinely inspired, they are Jewish writings and are good authority in proof of the opinions that prevailed at the time, they were written. A few plain texts will settle this question.

2 Esdras, ix. 11, 12: "And they that loathed my law, while they had yet liberty, and when as yet place of repentance was open unto them, understood, but despised it, the same must know it after death by pain." This certainly looks like a belief in the conscious existence of the soul after the body is dead.

Wisdam, ix. 15: "The corruptible body presseth down the soul, and the earthly tabernacle weigheth down the mind that museth upon many things." This makes a clear distinction between the body and soul. The expression, corruptible body, in contradistinction from soul, implies that the soul is not corruptible; and earthly tabernacle, in contradistinction from the mind, that inhabits it, implies that the mind is not earthly. But there are more distinct proofs.

Chap. xvi. 14: "A man indeed killeth through his malice; and the spirit, when it is gone forth, returneth not; neither the soul received up cometh again." This cannot be made plainer by comment. Chap. iii. 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 10, 17, 18, 19: "But the souls of the righteous are in the hand of God, and there shall no torment touch them. In the sight of the unwise they seemed to die, and their departure is taken for misery, and their going from us to be utter destruction; but they are in peace. For though they be punished in the sight of men, yet is their hope full of immortality. And having been a little chastised, for God proved them and found them worthy for himself. As gold in the furnace hath he tried them, and received them as a burnt offering. But the ungodly shall be punished according to their own imagination, which have neglected the righteous and forsaken the Lord. For though they live long, yet shall they be nothing regarded, and their last age shall be without honor; or if they die they have no hope, neither comfort in the day of trial, for horrible is the end of the unrighteous generation."

The above quotations are sufficient to prove that the writers of the Apocrypha were believers in the immortality of the soul. It is said of the souls of the righteous, that "in the sight of the unwise they seem to die," that "their going from us is taken to be utter destruction; but they are in peace,-their hope is full of immortality." Nothing could be more to the point. The above is not quoted as inspiration, but only as any other writings would be quoted, to prove what were the opinions that prevailed at the time and place when the authors wrote. The books of the Apocrypha are supposed to have been written before the commencement of the christian era, and were clearly written by Jews, who were familiar with the Jewish religion, and are therefore good authority in proof that the doctrine of the immortality of the soul prevailed at that time.

Our final witness on this point is the Bible. We do not propose to introduce our main Bible argument in this place, but only quote a few texts to show what was the prevailing belief of the Jews. The Jews held the common doctrine of the appearance of ghosts or spirits, which is inseparable from a belief in the existence of the soul after death. A few texts will settle this point.

Matt. xiv. 26: "And when the disciples saw him walking on the sea, they were troubled, saying, it is a spirit: and they cried out fir fear." Mark vi. 49: "But when they saw him walking upon the sea, they supposed it had been a spirit, and cried out." Luke xxiv. 36-39: "And as they thus spake, Jesus himself stood in the midst of them, and saith unto them, peace be unto you. But they were terrified and affrighted, and supposed they had seen a spirit. And he said unto them, why are ye troubled and why do thoughts arise in your hearts Behold my hands and my feet, that it is I myself; handle me and see, for a spirit hath not flesh and bones as ye see me have."

These texts not only prove that the Jews believed in the existence of departed spirits, but they appear to give it the sanction of Christ. He did not even give them the slightest hint that they were in error in believing in the existence of spirits. The fact that he was tangible, he appears to consider sufficient proof that he was not a spirit.

Acts xxiii. 8: "For the Sadducees say that there is no resurrection, neither angel, nor spirit: but the Pharisees confess both." This text taken in connection with other well understood facts, most clearly proves what was the general doctrine of the Jews. The Sadducees were few in number, while the Pharisees were numerous and lead the masses. Again, Christ condemned the doctrine of the Sadducees and approved of that held by the Pharisees. See Matt. xxii. 23: Mark xii. 18: and Luke xx. 27. The Sadducees were clearly a set of heretics, and the Pharisees held the true doctrine on the subject. What then did the Pharisees believe Just what the Sadducees denied, which was the resurrection of the dead, and the existence of disembodied or immaterial beings in the form of angels or departed spirits. "The Pharisees confess both." Both denotes two things, viz: the resurrection of the dead, which is the first thing denied by the Sadducees, and the existence of angels and disembodied spirits, which is the second thing denied by the Sadducees; the existence of angels and spirits being classed together as one article of faith. The Pharisees were the orthodox Jews, and were the representatives of the national doctrine, and they confessed both; that is, they confessed, first, that the dead would be raised, and, secondly, that there are angels and disembodied spirits. This clearly proves the point, that they believed that the soul exists after the death of the body.

The whole of the proof here presented, taken together, can leave no ground to doubt concerning the belief of the Jews. We have proved our point, first, from Josephus, secondly, from the Jewish Prayer Book and Creed, thirdly, from the Apocrypha, and fourthly, from the Bible, and on these testimonials we rest the conclusion that the Jews believed in the immortality of the soul. The force of this position will be more distinctly seen and felt at another point in the argument, yet here it has its force, in view of the fact that they were favor ed with the oracles of God, and that Jesus Christ walked and taught among them, without ever correcting their opinions on the subject, though he rebuked the opposite doctrine of the Sadducees.