Here it may be well to pause long enough to note the fact, that Calvinism in its most loathsome form, and the doctrine of original sin, different though they are, yet land their votaries very near the same mark. Calvinism places infants in hell, for no crime whatever, either of the parent or the child, personal or transmitted. Original sin places them there, for no sin of the child, but for a transmitted one of the parent. According to neither is the infant placed in hell for its own sin. Both, then, alike make God the author of the damnation of the innocent. In other words, both represent God as creating some infants for no purpose but to damn them, and as damning them for no reason except that he has created them. The difference between the two doctrines just at this point is a difference not worth drawing.
The above post is an excerpt from the book, The Reformation For Which We Are Pleading: A Collection of Articles by Moses E. Lard. Follow the link to learn more about the book and purchase your copy today!
“Man is what he eats.” This is an old saying, and it is as true of man spiritually as it is of him physically. Man’s body is made up of that which he eats, or receives into his system by eating, drinking, and breathing. The same is true of him educationally, socially, politically, morally and spiritually. In view of this we do not wish our bodies to be imposed on, nor poisoned, with impure foods. But we are not, generally, so careful about food for our souls. Though, as a rule, we do not take the best care of our bodies, yet we care for them better than we do for our souls. We wash our hands and faces several times each day, and pay some attention to the hairs of our heads. As a rule, we are much more concerned about the appearance of our bodies before mankind than we are about the appearance of our souls before God. If we go into a picture gallery and have a photograph taken of our facial expression we may be so pleased with it that we will order an extra dozen photos made to hand around among our friends. But suppose we could have a picture taken of our souls, especially if we have not fed them well on the word of God. We certainly would not wish the extra dozen of such pictures made. But what avails a well-kept, well-nourished body, if our souls are in a starving condition?