Dr. EZRA ABBOT (1819-1884), distinguished Harvard scholar, Greek specialist, and master of Textual Criticism, after graduating from Boudoin College, taught for a period, then moved to Cambridge, Massachusetts. In 1856 he became assistant librarian at Harvard, as well as a member of several learned societies. His M.A. degree was from Harvard, followed by an LL.D. In 1872 he received the degree of S.T.D., with a D.D. conferred by the University of Edinburgh.CFF2 486.2

Coming from scholarly backgrounds, Abbot was precocious as a child, early displaying the bent of a scholar-ceaseless diligence, patience, thoroughness, and accuracy. He was devoted to duty, and worked congenially with others. He enjoyed not only the satisfaction of tangible accomplishment but also the joy of combat in an era of controversy. He was primarily a teacher and writer rather than a public speaker.CFF2 487.1

1. BIBLE TRANSCENDENT IN ALL DOCTRINAL ISSUES

Dr.Abbot was pre-eminently a man of the Book, his supreme goal being to find and follow the truth. The study of the New Testament, to which he gave every possible hour, became the dominant passion of his life. His greatest accomplishments were in the realm of Biblical science, in which he sought to grasp its great basic principles. He was an expert in Biblical languages and their cognates, and had a profound sense of the incomparable transcendence of Holy Writ as the final authority in all doctrinal and spiritual issues.CFF2 487.2

In 1871 Professor Abbot became the university lecturer on textual criticism, and the next year was appointed professor of New Testament criticism and interpretation of Harvard Divinity School. About the same time he was made a member of the New Testament company for the revision of the English Bible, serving with distinction.CFF2 488.1

Abbot was also a bibliographical expert, seeking to record what was of permanent interest and value on great themes. A lover of books, he was author of seven, and of thirty-three major periodical and encyclopedia articles. He contributed many sections to Smith’s Dictionary of the Bible. With a consuming desire to know the truth, he rejected the “thick darkness of a dreary skepticism” that overshadowed so many intellectuals of his time.CFF2 488.2

2. MATCHLESS BIBLIOGRAPHY SERVES AS INCOMPARABLE CHECK LIST

His History of the Doctrine of a Future Life, issued in 1862, was doubtless his greatest literary contribution. It is a scrupulously prepared, classified, ^{7777) Abbot’s comprehensive classifications include Nature of the Soul, Origin of the Soul, Destiny of the Soul, Doctrine of the Soul and Future Life Among Nations and Sects not Christian-Ancient Egyptians, Persians, Hindus, et cetera; Ancient Greeks and Romans; Jews, Mohammedans, et cetera; Doctrine of the Soul and Future Life in Christian TheologyEschatology; Biblical Psychology; Death Intermediate State Sleep of the Soul; Purgatory; Resurrection; General Judgment; Rewards and Punishments; ‘Hell; Duration of Future Punishment; Modern Spiritualism-compassing 5,300 titles, indexed by author and title, and including the anonymous.} and chronological catalog of 5,300 books and pamphlets dealing directly and indirectly with the nature, origin, and destiny of the soul-with annotations and alphabetical index, including a section on Spiritualism. Since that time the number of such treatises has grown to at least seven thousand.CFF2 488.3

Such amazing figures indicate the interest and importance that mankind attaches to the question of a future life. The ebb and flow of conflicting views has stretched across the centuries. But for the past 150 years the number of those assailing the traditional dogma of Innate Immortality has steadily increased on both sides of the Atlantic. Skepticism and modern materialistic science have also had their bearing, also the complex movement called “modern thought.” Abbot’s own leanings toward Conditionalism are reflected in the periodic annotations. He was a keen analyst.CFF2 488.4

In the preparation of his treatise Abbot spent three full years in the public and private libraries of America and Europe, accurately recording author, title, date, place of publication, size, frequently the standing of the author, with annotations of importance, as well as the location of the rare works. It is thus not only a comprehensive history of opinion but an indispensable tool and reliable check list for anyone studying the subject. It has been constantly used in the preparation of this work. Allibone rightly called it “one of the marvels of bibliography.”CFF2 489.1

IV. Produces the American Conditionalist Classic

VI. Physician Ives-Man Mortal; Dead Asleep; Wicked Destroyed