The Destiny Of the Soul, A Critical History of the Doctrine of a Future Life
by William Rounseville Alger (1878)
Note that this is simply a secular study on the future life, including the Bible’s point of view of heaven and hell. Although being from a secular point of view, it is of limited value as far as what the Scripture says, because I (the editor David Cox) don’t believe the viewpoint of the author is a believing person’s viewpoint. Nonetheless, the book has a tremendous amount of material from non-biblical sources, from difference religious and cultural groups perspectives about heaven and hell, and in some case this is of some value in comparing with the truth, therefore I include this work. It should be noted that this has been a standard textbook in some circles for 20 years, and has 10 editions of the book which would seem to indicate that some people think it is of great value.
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Contents
Part First. Historical and Critical Introductory Views.
Chapter I. Theories of the Soul’s Origin
Chapter II. History of Death
Chapter III. Grounds of the Belief in a Future Life
Chapter IV. Theories of the Soul’s Destination
Part Second. Ethnic Thoughts Concerning a Future Life.
Chapter I. Barbarian Notions of a Future Life
Chapter II. Druidic Doctrine of a Future Life
Chapter III. Scandinavian Doctrine of a Future Life
Chapter IV. Etruscan Doctrine of a Future Life
Chapter V. Egyptian Doctrine of a Future Life
Chapter VI. Bramanic and Buddhist Doctrine of a Future Life
Chapter VII. Persian Doctrine of a Future Life
Chapter VIII. Hebrew Doctrine of a Future Life
Chapter IX. Rabbinical Doctrine of a Future Life
Chapter X. Greek and Doctrine of a Future Life
Chapter XI. Mohammedan Doctrine of a Future Life
Chapter XII. Explanatory Survey of the Field and Its Myths
Part Third. New Testament Teachings Concerning a Future Life.
Chapter I. Peter’s Doctrine of a Future Life
Chapter II. Doctrine of a Future Life in the Epistle to the Hebrews
Chapter III. Doctrine of a Future Life in the Apocalypse
Chapter IV. Paul’s Doctrine of a Future Life
Chapter V. John’s Doctrine of a Future Life
Chapter VI. Christ’s Teachings Concerning the Future Life
Chapter VII. Resurrection of Christ
Chapter VIII. Essential Christian Doctrine of Death and Life
Part Fourth. Christian Thoughts Concerning a Future Life.
Chapter I. Patristic Doctrine of a Future Life
Chapter II. Mediaval Doctrine of a Future Life
Chapter III. Modern Doctrine of a Future Life
Part Fifth. Historical and Critical Dissertations Concerning a Future Life.
Chapter I. Doctrine of a Future Life in the Ancient Mysteries
Chapter II. Metempsychois; or, Transmigration of Souls
Chapter III. Resurrection of the Flesh
Chapter IV. Doctrine of Future Punishment; or, Critical History of the Idea of a Hell
Chapter V. The Five Theoretic Modes of Salvation
Chapter VI. Recognition of Friends in a Future Life
Chapter VII. Local Fate of Man in the Astronomic Universe
Chapter VIII. Critical History of Disbelief in a Future Life
Chapter IX. Morality of the Doctrine of a Future Life
Part Sixth. Supplementary Chapters.
Chapter I. The End of the World
Chapter II. The Day of Judgment
Chapter III. The Mythological Hell and the True One; or, the Law of Perdition
Chapter IV. The Gates of Heaven; or, the Law of Salvation in All Worlds
Chapter V. Resume of the Subject: How the Question of Immortality Now Stands
Chapter VI. The Transient and the Permanent in the Destiny of the Soul
The author of this book was a minister and a reverend. Here he writes about the origin of the soul, its immortality, and a future afterlife. It was published in 1878.
