The irresponsible of mankind: is a class, forming by far the largest part of mankind, who have never heard the gospel, and are in the darkness of complete barbarism. What is to be done with them? Popular theology says (sometimes), they go to hell; and at other times, they will be admitted to heaven. The first assumption outrages justice; the second violates every divine principle. We submit, on the strength of the following passages, that they are exempted from responsibility, and will pass away in death, as though they had never existed. They will never see the light of resurrection.

O LORD our God, other lords beside thee have had dominion over us...They are dead, they shall not live; they are deceased, they shall not rise: therefore hast thou visited and destroyed them, and made all their memory to perish. (Isaiah 26:13,14).

In their heat I will make their feasts, and I will make them drunken, that they may rejoice, and sleep a perpetual sleep, and not wake, saith the LORD. (Jeremiah 51:39).

The man that wandereth out of the way of understanding shall remain in the congregation of the dead. (Proverbs 21:16; Jeremiah 51:57).

By one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned: (Romans 5:12).

That ye henceforth walk not as other Gentiles walk, in the vanity of their mind, Having the understanding darkened, being alienated from the life of God through the ignorance that is in them, because of the blindness of their heart: (Ephesians 4:17,18).

But if our gospel be hid, it is hid to them that are lost: (2 Corinthians 4:3).

Man that is in honour, and understandeth not, is like the beasts that perish. (Psalm 49:20).

There shall be a resurrection of the dead, both of the just and unjust (at Christ's coming) - (Acts 24:15).

The Lord Jesus Christ, who shall judge the quick (living) and the dead at his appearing and his kingdom; (2 Timothy 4:1).

We must all appear before the judgement seat of Christ; that every one may receive the things done in his body, according to that he hath done, whether it be good or bad. (2 Corinthians 5:10).

We shall all stand before the judgement seat of Christ... So then every one of us shall give account of himself to God. (Romans 14:10-12).