The Richmond palladium. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1855-1875, 1861-06-20
For the Palladium.
The Debate on Uniyersalism--No. ,.


cation we gave an outline of the affirm afive /
argument touching the final destiny of the i
human race. In our present article we can |
only note the prominent features OF the dis-
cussion involving the doctrine OF endless
punishment.
Mr.. VS.. main proof support OF the
doctrine of endless punishment WAS seconi
Thess. 1. all. Quite number OF other
passages were introduced. and were
acknowledged as parallels. To save the
necessity OF notice of ths passages emu
merated. we shall present IN brief his state
ment of the argument As 10 zthe tame when
the Judgment and punishment spoken OF 10
these testimonies was to take place lie
says they were to be ful6lled. when Chris;
should come ain poacer and glory. with the
holy angel" he should come to ere
ward every man according TO has ,eorks -
We accepted the proposition thus laid
down, and endeavored 70 show that the
coming in ''power and glory. with the holy
angels" was an event confined TO that age
or generation of the world. We cited the
following testimonies in proof of our position.
to which we invite the careful attention OF
the reader: Matt xiv. 29-3i; Matt. xvi.
81, %; Matt. x 23; John xxi. 20-23;
James V. s. 8; LIST John ii. Is; LIST Peter
iv. Z; Heb. <. 81; lst Tim. vi IA. We
also gave comments Of critical authorities
including the following from Mr.. VS.. great
leader, and the founder of his system,
Alerander Campbell: "Some Of them. the
Apostles,) not only saw the Son OF Man
enter upon his reign, and the kingdom OF
God commence On the day Of Pentecost, and
carry its conquests over Judea, Sammara'
and TO the uttermost parts of the earth, but
they SAW THE LORD come Nth poieer' and
awful glory. and accomplish all his predic
tions on the deserted and devoted city, tenn
pie and people"
We also introduced the following passa-
ges to show that the Judgment seat OF Christ
was established in the earth, and that God
rewards and Furnishes men here according
to their works: Isaiah Kilt l-6; Jer. XIII.
S: John *. 80; John xii. 81; Jer. tx. "a;
Prov. xi. 81 Jer. Wi. 20. 81. Eek. xxi.
80; Eek. xxxvi. 10
We established the proposition that there
could be no reward according to works
in the future state. upon the hypothesis that
endless punishment is the penalty of viola
ting Gods law. For an individual may
live life of piety ana goodness half cen.
tury-may perform during that period
naught but good deeds and benevolent acts
and yet one step aside just before life's close
I is all that is necessary to consgn him &c
endless punishment So that he gets nc
reward for the good deeds Of half @ eentu
sgt While on the other hand an individual
may sin for the same period, and repen
before he dies, thus escaping entirely The
/ penaly of his crimes. So that in these
| cases there is no "rerard according Il
vorhs %
Mr. V. assumed that if men were raised
! unjust in the eternal world, and there suffe
at all, that such suffering would be endless
| This was the very point TO be proven. Ever
| admitting punishment to extend into thu
| eternal world it does not necessarily follow
that it is endless. Many of the most gifte'
| men of the present age. even IN ORTHODOX
! Churches, though believers in futur
punishment, deny its endless exist
| ence. The question is not will God punisl
! men in the eternal world? but can h
as being of love entail upon them end
less misery? Will he render the SHINE
a HELPLESS, miserable, ruined outchast for
or mrs own UTTsprrn1 II
/ endless no and srretchedness2
To these questions Involving the rea
/ issue, Mr.. V. paid no attention, bu, en-
/ deavored to divert the mind to minor con
siderations.
Many quotations were introduced involv
ing the Bible doctrine of hell, but as these
had no bearing upon the duration Of punish
msent, no notice need be taken of them
We presented eleven negatire argument.
against the doctrine of endless punishment
of which we can only make the following
brief mention:
LIST. Upon the Love of God. That the
government Of God is government of love
That all its laws emanate from this princi-
pie, and are executed in accordance with
its dictates. That there is not a law laid
down, not a penalty denounced, nor a
threatening uttered, that is not in harmony
with the truth that "God is love- That all
those passages which speak Of punishment,
of retrlbutlon and judgment. must be ex-
planned IN the light oil Gods love- Hence
his punishments and judgments are the
infections of being of love, and therefore
cannot be endlessl
2. That the doctrine cannot be true from
the fact that God will "reward every man
according to has acorks" The following
testimonies upon the subjec. were adduced
Ecces. xii. IA; Lam. iii. 81; Col iii. 95:
Cor. V. 10. That if the character sus-
tanned at death fixes the immortal DESTINY Of
an individual, then there can be no such
reward in the future state.
3. Founded upon the promise to Abra-
ham. Gen. xii. 1913; Gen. XVI. 8: Gen.
xviii. 1918. That this promise was un
conditional so far man is concerned, being
promise IN Christ. Second Cor i. 1926
We also showed that the lac ,cas not AGAINST
TIE promises! Gal. ill., IT; Gal. III. 81:
Heb. vi. l4-17.
d. Thst the doctrine of endless punish
ment was not taught in the Old Testament.
That for ,foar thousand years in worlds
history this doctrine was not reveaaledl-
That the cases of Adam, Cain. the An,edi.
luvians or Sodomites do not involve the
doctrine. That this fact is conceded bv
eminent Commentators. among whom are
DR.: Whitbv. DR.. Payley, Bishop warbur,on
and DR.. Geo. Campbell.
s. We argued the negative of the propo- |
siaon from the nature and effects of the eos.
pei. which are productive of Joy and peace! !
Such would not be the case If it embodied /