Beloved Brethren and Friends:--In Trumpet of June 11, on first page near the middle of first column, the little word "not" denies that God gave our body with food and raiment etc. This is a mistake.

Please read as follows: In many places as in Acts xiv. 15; I Tim. vi. 17 the Bible teaches that God has made or given man's body with food and raiment and all things to enjoy, but this does not teach that any of these things came from heaven. In like manner the Bible teaches that God gave man's spirit, but this does not mean that our spirit came directly from God any more than our body.

Remember brethren, we only "know in part" about anything. So let us fear God, and pray for His humbling grace. Trusting your loving forbearance, I will only say: We do not find in the Bible that the spirit of man came from heaven, but that "God gave it." We find that the Spirit of God comes from Heaven, dwells within and strengthens us, but man’s spirit is created or given by the Lord. "God;' who made the sea and formed the dry land" also “formeth the spirit of man within him." Jonah i. 9; Zech. xii, 1.

Oh, brethren, in love to you as the Church of Christ, I humbly beg you to beware of this unscriptural theory, that man's spirit is uncreated or eternal. Such theory is much the same as Brahminism, Mormonism, so called Christian Science, Pantheism, and eternal philosophy, all of which claim that man's spirit is uncreated or eternal, a part of God, and came from Heaven.

We find in the Bible a "Haughty spirit before a fall" and "Filthiness of flesh and spirit." If man's spirit was an emanation from or a part of God, it could never become filthy, besides, you know we learn in the Bible that God created man, composed of soul and spirit and body; and that man soon became dead in sin--his spirit, soul and body defiled by sin. So our whole spirit and soul and body is created or given by Christ, and is and shall be saved by grace. We believe that the Spirit of God comes from Heaven and dwells within and strengthens us in the inner man; but man's spirit is created and given by the Lord.

We read in the Scriptures of truth where one's Soul or spirit is withdrawn, the person or body is dead. “Her spirit came again and she arose." Luke viii. 55. "The soul of the child came into him again and he revived." I Kings xvii, 22. So we likewise use these words interchangeably. Again the words, soul, spirit and body, are used as composing the entire man; and like the Scriptures we may make some distinction, as spirit, soul and body. I Thess. v. 23.

We have no account in the Bible that man's spirit or soul has ever been in Heaven. We find that our heart, soul or spirit, is changed or made pure by the Holy Spirit's work, and our body shall be changed at its adoption or resurrection.

Then our purified spirit, soul and body, for the first time shall be seated in Heaven. We learn that our body shall die and decay; but our undying soul or spirit shall return or again appear before God who fills immensity. So as when
created, our spirit shall stand the second time before its Maker and Judge, but then to make report or give account to Him, for the "deeds done in the body."

Oh my friends, in view of the fact that we must all give account to God, let us not fear them that kill the body, but cannot kill the soul." Matt. x. 28. Rather let us fear God and by obedience in doctrine and practice, give glory to
Him as our Maker, Judge and Saviour. Let us praise the All-Wise and only Eternal Being that in spirit, soul and body, we are the unworthy creatures of God, saved by His Sovereign and unmerited grace, Now, brethren, "I pray God
your whole spirit and soul and body be preserved blameless."

Yours in love,

Clariette, Tex.      M. D. DENMAN