Daily State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis, Ind.) 1861-1865, 1865-10-20
DAILY SENTINE Ell
IFrsn he Ss. Isrs Espesl
II Deversna ur. Bceehers
on He'll.


IFron he xsx Isrk Exprsnl
Deversna ur. Beechers res<hing
on Hell,
Have rot only been criticized. bet hare become
20 event 70 The pulpit. OF The ~eou1tr. and some
OF The Cnlversslists are claiming that IS be
doesn't bslieve in bell, be 10 one Of them Last
Sontay, The pastor of the Cniversahs, Church
= Hartford, Conn addressed . large congrega~
tcn OF this interesting question.
He used for bis text. Romans 1913. The
night Il far spent, the day q ~ hand; lee Us there
isrs csst Of the works Of darkness. and let us
Pa en the garments Of light" Ard also, Ro-
mans 1919: lie, rs therefore follow after the
tbings which make for peace, and the things
vhsrsvisb nc may sdify another"
That Mr.. Beecher both was, and was not, a
Universalist, and was standing in 4 very peculiar
pesition, enthusiastically connected with the Con-
pszstionslist Church, standing 10 the froni rank
Of thai Denomination AID leading them on, they
not knowing vhere. and peFchanoe be not know.
ins whittier he NAY go. God knowing what be
vas doing WITH bin, and for what He wss using
him a. sn instrumsnt: that theologically and
synpaihstcally, Mr.. BeecheE was q CnivsrsaIis..
Mr.. Peters then qso,ed from the New YORK
Esangsliss. Of 1852. which says:
"beechsrs words are like millions VI drops Of
rain falling upon the mouniain-side and loosen
ing the soil. The result Of which by and BY will be
. trsassdous slide over into UnivsrssIism or
UnitahanIsm."
Showing that Mr.. Beecher's d~stsrnined and
psfsistsnt course for several years. was not acct
dental, or pursued By him In Ignorance OF It's
Inevitable influence upon the thousands Of hls
hearers.
Mr.. BsscheF denies-and with such decided
emphasis that none can misunderstood him
the doctrine Of q material hell jus, VIA. the
Univsrsalist ministers have been preaching
against for sixty or serenity years.
HI. beechsf confessed that the doctrine OF
tature punishment vas wholly unknown 10 the
Old Testament writer's, and that nowhere in the
Old Testament 10 there any reference to such a
eoesriue 80 endless or future punishment. Mr.
Bsecher, 10 speaking Of this doctrine Of future
psnishnent. says thai a very remarkable feature
10, that this doctrine does not appear in the Old
Testament at all, and In the New Testament.
We might almost say, but just alluded to any
where except in The teaching Of the Saviour.
Mr.. Bsecher said. in 1857: The great lever
oy which 20 raise and save the world Is to preach
the unoounded love and mercy Of God"
Mr.. Beecher shrinks from converting on the
doctrine Of endless punishm sat; very seldom re
fers TO u. ss the article clearly shows.
That 10 was 4 popular error 10 believe tn a, the
majority OF the Universalists believe that death
10 going to save us. and tha, when we die We go
from this world into q land Of eternal glory and
everlasting peace and happiness; while The truth
10, on The testimony, that they believe in future
discipline, and so imply future punishment; bur
that when the object OF punishment 10 accom-
piished, the punishment will cease; and tha, the
salvation Is not limited to this world.
Mr Peters then referred 70 conversations be
had with members Of Mr.. Beecheris Church,
showing the comparative Indifference with which
10 regarded that portion Of their creed which re-
fess 10 endless punishment; and alluded TO q lee
ture delivered q few months ago by Mr.. Bescher,
10 DR.. Chapin's Church, In New York, the pro.
eeeds OF which were TO assist in the establish
msnt OF a Unlversalist College,, the Clinton
Liberal Institute" and TO remarks made by him
that when men were almost animals, when
they were pressed down to the earth 10 igno.
rance and sel6shness, and covered all over with
the darkness OF superstition, then ERE, and hell,
and awful fears OF damnation were appropriate
Tor them; but when they were stirred up and
driven toward the right. then God cent higher in
rueuce TO act upon them. He gave bic son for
their good. AID that they might be drawn by love
tom the darkness of sin" clearly stating that az
long a. man was In the low valley OF sensualism,
covered over by superstition, Ignorance and sin,
these awful pictures OF everlasting heaven and
bell, may prevail to drive them from thar
wieksdness; but when men cons up to q certain
state Of cultivation, aud take ia the right Of
knowledge, then the time has come when yos
may preach Univsrsalism.
de said that Mr.. Beeoher was q religious CO.
lumbus, who now aud then goes ost on a great
voyage OF discovery-goe out Of the old into the
new world OF religious thought. Like Columbus,
be likes exceedingly to sail ever the forbidden
sen OF investigaton; to touch the shores Of the
new world OF religious promise, look over the
TAR landscape and beautiful prospec, that lies be-
fore him, and then return TO bis brethren and
people, and to tell them all about What he has
found there in that better land, and his PEOPLE
open their hearts AID drink in what he tells them
snd applaud his originality.
He then remarked that there was a sense ia
.hich IL might be said that DR.. Tying, of the
New York Episcopal Church, Hatfield and
stockton. of the Methodist Church; MsEoos. of
the Baptist; DE-. Bellows. Of the Unltsrian; DR..
Chspln, OF the Universalist. and Dr.. Beecher. OF
the Congregationalis,. ars linked together in
ths noble work OF ~bresking up the old s~eetarian
hates IN this country. the great prejudices which
are anemblematic Of this country; are working
TO denolish the middle war Of partition erected
N tho furious old times between the churches;
and mus they are li6sralizing the country; thus
bringing the people OF The different churches into
closer sympathy on all the great main questions
OF religion aud Christianity, whatever opinions
may prevail upon minor questions.
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