The Conditionalist Faith of Our Fathers, vol. 2

VIII. Baker—Man Not Inherently Immortal; Wicked Will Perish

Another voice was that of Princeton-trained LEWIS CARTER BAKER (1831-1915), editor and author. Ordained in 1860, he became pastor of the Presbyterian church of Camden, New Jersey. From 1885 to 1892 he was editor of Words of Reconciliation, wherein he frequently set forth his views on the immortality question. He also authored The Mystery of Creation and of Man (2nd ed., 1884). In 1888, while still editor, he was brought to trial for his views on “the unseen spiritual world,” and was allowed to withdraw from the Presbytery. ⁸³ Then in 1895 he entered the ministry of the Protestant Episcopal Church, serving two Philadelphia congregations. And from 1901 to 1912 he was chaplain of Christ Church Hospital, Philadelphia. (Pictured on page 520.) CFF2 535.5

1. MAN “NOT INHERENTLY IMMORTAL.”

It was while he was editor of Words of Reconciliation that Baker contributed chapter six to the Symposium in That Unknown Country. In an epitome at the head of the chapter his fuller statement is condensed into these succinct sentences:
“Man not Inherently Immortal, but a Future Life secured for all through Resurrection from the Dead.—... Endless Torment not one of the Alternative States of Future Existence Announced by Christ.—The Soul Perishable as well as the Body, and Torment Can Continue only during such Process of Destruction.” ⁸⁴ CFF2 535.6

2. ETERNAL LIFE FOR SAINTS; TOTAL DESTRUCTION FOR SINNERS

Concerning the Conditionalist position, he writes:
“Man, the sinner, is a perishable creature and can receive eternal life only as the gift of God through Jesus Christ. It shows how a destruction of body and, after bodily death, of soul, awaits him, unless the soul be saved in Christ.” ⁸⁵ CFF2 536.1

3. DESTRUCTION INVOLVES DISSOLUTION OF ELEMENTS

In his Mystery of Creation Baker took a positive stand against the Eternal Torment theory. Thus:
“The punishment of sin is to suffer destruction in this abyss of creation’s fire; the dissolution of the elements out of which we have been built up into this highest form of created life. It is to sink back out of this realm of life and light into utter darkness and chaos.” ⁸⁶ CFF2 536.2

4. THREE CONFLICTING SCHOOLS; ONE IS RIGHT

In harmony with others, Baker lists three conflicting positions held on the fate of the wicked-only one of which can be true:
“1. Restorationism, or the doctrine that all men, after adequate punishment, will obtain eternal life and happiness.
“2. The doctrine of conditional immortality, which affirms that wicked men, failing of eternal life, will be eternally destroyed.
“3. The doctrine of eternal conscious misery, an endless torment.” ⁸⁷ CFF2 536.3

Baker held to the second, or Conditionalist, position. A growing company held to the same. CFF2 536.4

MAJOR 19TH CENTURY WITNESSES TO CONDITIONALISM—SECTION B

No.	Page	Name	Date	Place	Religion	Position	Nature of Man	Intermediate State	Punishment of Wicked
1	404	FARRAR, F. W.	1877-90	England	Anglican	Dean (Westminster)	Champions condit.		Ultimate extinction
2	412	Impey, Wm.	1878	Eng.—Afr.	Wesleyan—Ang.	Gen. Supt. (Dist.)	(Conditional immort.)		No eternal torment
3	417	Strang, M. W.	1876-84	Scotland	Independent	Ed. (Messenger)	Not inher. immortal		Ultimate destruction
4	422	Laing, William	1850-51	Scotland	Secession	Author	No immortal soul	Unconscious in death
5	425	Ham, Jas. Panton	1849-50	England	Congregationl	Pastor—author	Immort. only in Christ	No consciousness
6	427	Kellaway, Wm.	1874	England	Independent	Ed. (Bible Echo)	No natural immort.	Death a sleep Extinction
7	438	Homiletic Mthly. (Symp.)	1884-85	England	All faiths	(Stokes & White)	No natural immort.		Utter abolition
8	437	SYMPOSIUMS	1878	Brit. & U.S.	Christian World—Contemporary Review—NA Review—Christian Union—Homiletic Magazine (Conditionalist)
9	443	Denniston J. M.	1874	Scot.—Jam.	Presby.	Miss.—author	(Conditional immort.)		Ceases to be
10	447	Binney, Thos.	1869-74	England	Congregationl	Pastor—prof.	Conditional immort.		Utterly destroyed
11	449	Rotherham, J. B.	1868	England	Disciples	Bible tr.—ed. (Rainbow)	Contingent & dependent
12	451	Morris, Wm.	1878	Eng —U.S.	Independent	Minister—physician	Life only in Christ		Death eternal
13	451	COND. IM. ASSN.	1878-	England	All faiths	Heralds of Conditional ism—Annual Conferences—Bible Standard (Official Organ)
14	452	Brown, Geo. A.	1877	Eng —N.Z.	Baptist	Ed. (Bible Standard)	Conditional immort.		Utter destruction
15	452	Warleigh, H. S.	1878	England	Anglican	Rector	(Mortal)		Total extinction
16	453	Ward, Henry J.	1878-90	England		Pres. Cond. Imm. Assn.	Conditional immort.		Complete destruction
17	453	Goodwyn, Henry	1878-86	England		Layman—author	Conditional immort.		Total destruction
18	454	Vasey, Tos.	1868	England	Bapt.—Ind.	Minister	Life only in Christ		Utter destruction
19	454	Henn, Silas	1873-78	England	Meth.—Ind.	Evangelist	Conditional immort.		Total destructio
20	454	Brooks, Cyrus	1876	England	Meth.—Free Ch.	Min.—Ed. (The Faith)	Immort. conditional		Total destruction
21	456	Cocorda, Oscar	1883	Italy	Waldensian	Evangelist	Conditional immort.		Complete destruction
22	457	Forster, E. W.	1873	England	Anglican	Solicitor—Examiner	Conditional immort.		Total destruction
23	457	Waylen, Jas.	1878	England	Anglican	Hist—artist	Life only in Christ		Total destruction
24	459	“THE FAITH” LIB.	1897-1907	England	All faiths	128 Condit.
25	460	Winckler G. W.		England		Layman—author	Immort. conditional	Asleep in death	Complete destruction
26	463	Bonney, T. G.	1885	England	Anglican	Scientist—prof.	Life only in Christ
27	466	Clarke, Thos.		England	Anglican	Surgeon—prof.	Conditional immort.	Complete unconsciousn.	Total destruction
28	467	Madeley, Frank		Eng —China	Baptist	Missionary	Conditional immort.		Total destruction
29	467	Rowe, V. F.		England		Layman	Immort. conditional	Dead not in heaven	Total destruction
30	469	Moncrieff, Wm. G.	1852-91	Scot.—Can.	Scott. Presby.	Minister—author	Immort. conditional	Complete unconsciousn.	Ultimate non-exist.
31	474	Blain, Jacob	1853	U.S.	Baptist	Pastor	No innate immort.		Total destruction
32	479	HUDSON, C. F.	1857-67	U.S.	Cong.—ind.	Pastor—prof.	Candidate for immort.	Unconscious detention	Second death—destr.
33	489	Ives, Chas. L.	1877	U.S.		Physician—prof.	Immort. conferred	Complete unconsciousn.	Totally destroyed
34	495	PETTINGELL, J. H.	1878-84	U.S.	Cong.—Adv. Chr.	Minister—author	Candidate for immort.		Utter extinct. life
35	505	SYMPOSIUM (21)	1882	U.S.—Brit.—Cont.	All faiths—The Life Everlasting—Presentation of Case for Conditionalism				Total destruction
36	508	Beecher, H. W.	1875	U.S.	Congregationl	Minister—ed.	Conditional immort.		Total destruction
37	509	Abbott, Lyman	1888-90	U.S.	Congregationl	Pastor—ed.—author	Mortal		Utter destruction
38	512	Stowe, Harriet B.	1858	U.S.	Congregationl	Author			Rejects etern. torment
39	516	Hendrickson, C. R.	1882	U.S.	Baptist	Pastor	Immort. only in Christ	Not conscious in death	Total destruction
40	518	Butler, C. M.	1865-90	U.S.	Episcopalian	Rector—prof.	Conditional immort.		Total death
41	520	Bacon, L. W.	1882-90	U.S.	Congregationl	Pastor—prof —ed.	Immort. not inherent		No eternal torment
42	521	SYMPSIUM (52)	1890	U.S.	That Unknown Country (52 participants)—All three views of trilemma presented
43	522	Wilson, Jos. D.	1882	U.S.	Ref. Epis.	Rector—prof.	Immort. conditional		Returns—non-exist.
44	524	Hart, Wm. R.	1882	U.S.		Layman—businessman	No innate immort.		Ultimate destruction
45	528	Kramer, Geo. R.	1882	U.S.	Meth.—Ind.	Pastor	Immort. after resurrec.		2nd death—no resur.
46	529	Mann, Cameron	1888	U.S.	Prot.—Epis.	Bishop	Not inherently immort.		Ultimate destruction

SIGNIFICANCE OF EVIDENCE REVEALED BY CHART B

1. In 1877 a fresh revolt began against Eternal-Torment that made a worldwide impact, and resulted in a widespread restudy of the issue in Britain, the Continent, America, and beyond, and setting off a chain of developments.

2. Dean Farrar’s epochal Westminster Abbey sermons, in November, 1877, marked a turning point in the consideration of Conditionalism, forcing it to the fore as the center of controversy, investigation, and pulpit discussion, not only in England but out to the ends of the earth, more so than upon any single previous occasion.

3. This resulted in a succession of symposiums-newspaper, periodical, and book-both in Britain and in America, bringing the conflicting positions before multitudes for scrutiny and evaluation. The periodicals were the Homiletic Monthly, Christian World, and Contemporary Review in Britain, and the North American Review, Christian Union, and Homiletic Monthly in the United States. Two of the leading book symposiums were The Life Everlasting (twenty-one contributors), and That Unknown Country (fifty-two participants, pro and con).

4. One abiding result was the formation of a Conditional Immortality Association in Britain-an intradenominational organization, with an official organ (The Bible Standard), and having annual and then semiannual conferences, with noted participants, printed reports, and exerting a marked influence.

5. A large group of able men of all persuasions-not only theologians, but teachers, scientists, historians, physicians, editors, Bible translators, and missionaries, not to mention bishops and deans-affirmed their acceptance of Conditionalism and commanded respect because of their erudition, accomplishments, and prominence.

6. Nevertheless, the awakened interest resulted in a wave of repression and ostracism in some sections, extending out to many lands-not only in Britain and Scotland but in Belgium, South Africa, Japan, China, and the United States-bringing the issue before multitudes from yet another angle.

7. Five additional Conditionalist periodicals in Britain and America-The Messenger, Bible Echo, Rainbow, Bible Standard, and The Faith-provided the medium for contacting large groups of readers.

8. The production of a remarkable pamphlet literature (The Faith Library) with 128 separate items-comprising special contributions, addresses, reprints of choice book chapters or periodical articles, discussions, and research findings-provided choice inexpensive literature for wide distribution.

9. Various publishers arose who continued to give wings to new books, periodicals, pamphlets, and tracts in different lands, but chiefly in Britain and America.

10. Two American writers produced books of exceptional merit-Prof. Charles F. Hudson and Rev. John H. Pettingell—comparable to the writings of Constable in Britain, and lifting the level of Conditionalist scholarship and appeal in North America.

11. Noted American names likewise appear on the Conditionalist roster-like Dr. Lyman Abbott and world-known author Harriet Beecher Stowe. And famous preachers now back the Conditionalist position in a spreading revolt against the dogma of Eternal Torment.

Technical Aspects of This Period

The denominational spread in this time section (B) is more diversified-nine Anglican (or Episcopal), nine Congregational, seven Independent or Non-Conformist, four Presbyterian, two Methodist (or Wesleyan), and one each of Disciple, Waldensian, and Advent Christian.

In geographical distribution there was also a marked shift. While nineteen were in Britain, fourteen were now in America, with the rest spread over Italy, South Africa, New Zealand, Canada, Jamaica, Japan, and China.

And as to positions or vocations of these spokesmen, there were one bishop, one dean, a general superintendent, twelve university, seminary, or college professors, twelve pastors or rectors, six editors, four physicians, and four missionaries, as well as a Bible translator, an evangelist, a lawyer, a scientist, prominent laymen, and military men-and all of them authors. These take up the cudgels, producing books of merit as well as unnumbered periodical articles.