John G Wilson "Atheism and Theism"

Another writer from the late 1800's represented a unique take on future probation. His name is John G Wilson, he lived in Philadelphia and published several books and a Christian journal on prophecy "The Last Times". One of his books is titled "Atheism and Theism" published in 1883. In that he presents a Biblical eschatology that addresses the concerns of atheists who were challenging Christianity based on the unfairness of the mainstream evangelicals exclusivist teachings on future punishment. Many objected to the Christian message that left the overwhelming majority consigned to eternal torment.

On page 110 he says:
" Now, though all who die in Adam shall be made alive in CHRIST, yet every one in his own order,_ in the order appropriate to his own conduct and relation to CHRIST. The order in the resurrection to life has respect to time and condition. The first resurrection is that of the just, of believers in JESUS CHRIST, who shall be made kings and priests unto GOD, and shall reign with CHRIST. Their reward is the glory and blessedness of the kingdom of GOD. They shall be the glorified rulers of the world to come, and all nations and people and languages shall serve them. They shall be on with CHRIST in his glory.
But the unrighteous dead shall not be raised until after the thousand years of millennial rule over the nations shall have ended, and the little season of their trial shall have passed. Then death and hell shall deliver up the dead that are in them, and every one shall be punished for his sins and eventually subjected, and reconciled in that condition of subjection to the righteous government of GOD.."


141 "But no more pain does not prove the dogma of Universalism "that there is to be but one final destiny for all the human family," or that "immortal, incorruptible or endless life of holiness and enjoyment, as the free and unpurchased gift of GOD, will be conferred on all mankind in the resurrection." This would be to destroyball distinction between the righteous and the wicked, and totally subverts the kingdom of heaven by reducing it to a conglomeration of happy immortals. It denies that GOD will reward the righteous and punish the wicked hereafter. It denies that the saints or believers only will be made partakers of a first resurrection, immortal and incorruptible, and glorified with CHRIST as kings and priests unto GOD, and that all nations and people and kindreds shall serve and obey them. It says in effect that GOD is the SAVIOUR of all men, and that there will be no special salvation for believers..."

So, Mr. Wilson's view is rather unique. He believes in two separate destinies that encompass all people, all eventually saved, but to different final levels of nature. He denies the permanent loss of any individual but also denies the label of universalism. He notes that classic universalism erases the difference between saved Christians of this age and everyone else that God will save in future ages. I think is point is an excellent counterpoint to those of the universalist camp. Universalists took exception to even the loss of a few in the schemes of restitutionists like CT Russell of Millennial Dawn fame. Wilson correctly highlights an important critique of universalism by looking at the clearly Biblical statements concerning the final positions, roles and natures that follow from each human beings life history and future salvation.

Mr. Wilson's writings appear to have gotten substantial press in his day, numerous Presybeterian, Methodist and independent Christian journals took note of his publications. In his Vindication of Discources on Prophecy he defends himself against from several critics. One of those critics appears to have been an early mentor of Wilson by the name of David N Lord. As far as I know there are no present day adherents to Wilson's teachings. He appears to have been a courageous, thoughtful and independent preacher.

What are missions accomplishing?

I recently picked up a copy of Edward White's book, The Theory of Missions A Scriptural Inquiry into the Destiny of the Heathen. pub date 1855. Mr. White rightly brings up the question concerning future punishment and the love of God. He asserts that the theory of missions is often flawed since the motivation is based on a concern that all of the unconverted peoples will go to a burning hell. He claims that a gospel based on a positive assesment of God's character is a more effective basis on which to preach about Christ to those who know nothing about Christianity.

Even though Mr White is heading on the right track, he falls short of answering his own question. To be fair to Mr. White he did at a later date admit the possibility of future probation for those who never hear the gospel. See the publications by Nisbett in c. 1887-8 titled "Future Probation A Clerical Symposium" and "Immortality a Clerical Symposium". He removed the negative attribution about eternal hell but does not clearly say why his approach is that much better. I say that since his doctrine still did not solve the problem of how many are lost. There has been a manifest failure of Christian missions over the centuries since Christ. During most of the past 2000 years the majority of people have never even heard of Christ, much less had a good witness concerning him and the gospel. So they can only fail to respond to Christianity positively and are therefore lost anyway. And let's face it, even death that results in dissolution and non-existence is still a terrible fate. Those evangelicals who pretend that annihilation is the easy way out compared to eternal torment are simply suffering from an exaggerated need for extreme wrath and senseless torture and violence throughout all time.

Even the conditionalist position that Mr White advocated was considered soft of sin due to what I just mentioned above. In response I would only mention that the motivation to religion and the Christian message can be just as negative and motivating in either sphere of belief. A case in point is the Jehovah's Witnesses, who adhere to a strongly conditionalist position, but are able to emphasize the fear of "simple" death as extinction of being and terrorize people with the fear of second death. The rate of mental illness and side effects of this fear is legendary. The Watchtower organization isn't any worse than the churches who advocate eternal torment, they are simply more effective in getting the message across. I'd suggest that those who believe in eternal torment for all unbelievers aren't being very responsible to their fellow humans, since few even try to reach out to the unconverted "heathen".

My last point is, all of the missions spawned over the past 200 years have garnered some converts, but overall Christianity is losing the numbers race to Islam and other non Jewish and non Christian religions. I therefore conclude that the present age is not the time for converting the nations (or for pronouncing eternal damnation either). That's going to happen in the time of the kingdom of God and the resurection of the just and the unjust.