The principle opposite to that of eternal increase from the beginning, leads down to hell; the person decreases, loses his knowledge, tact, talent and ultimately, in a short period of time is lost; he returns to his mother earth, his name is forgotten. But where, O! where is his spirit? I will not now take the time to follow his destiny; but here strong language _could_ be used, for when the Lord Jesus Christ shall be revealed after the termination of the thousand years' rest, He will summon the armies of heaven for the conflict, He will come forth in flaming fire, He will descend to execute the mandates of an incensed God, and amid the thunderings of the wrath of Omnipotence, roll up the heavens as a scroll and destroy death and him that has the power of it. The rebellious will be thrown back into their native element, there to remain myriads of years before their dust will again be revived, before they will be reorganized. Some might argue that this principle would lead to the reorganization of Satan, and all the devils. I say nothing about this only what the Lord says, that when "He comes He will destroy _death_ and him that has the power of it." It cannot be annihilated; you cannot annihilate matter. If you could it would prove there was empty space. If philosophers could annihilate the least conceivable amount of matter, they could then prove there was the minutest vacuum, or _empty space_ but there is not even that much, and it is beyond the power of man to prove that there is any.--J of D., Vol. I., p. 118. Because of the weakness of human nature, it must crumble to the dust. But in all the revolutions and changes in the existence of men, in the eternal world which they inhabit, and in the knowledge they have obtained as people on the earth, there is no such thing as principle, power, wisdom, knowledge, life, position or anything that can be imagined, that remains stationary they must increase or decrease.--J. of D., Vol. I., p. 350. Men should act upon the principle of righteousness because it is right, and is a principle which they love to cherish and see practiced by all men. They should love mercy because of its benevolence, charity, love, clemency and of all of its lovely attributes, and be inspired thereby to deal justly, fairly, honorably, meting out to others their just deservings.--J. of D., Vol. I., p. 119. Practical religion is what we all need to prepare us to enjoy that which we have in our anticipations that which we hold in our faith. Merely the theory of any religion does people but little good. This is the great failing of Bible Christians, as they are called. They have the theory of the religion of which the Bible testifies, but the practical part they spurn from them.--J. of D., Vol. IV., p. 341.