, 1870-10-20
and 1t ia thit subject that l,as puzz1ed theo-

and it Is this subject that has puzzI.d theo-
log1ana moro han~auy other. All these
reasons hsyc conspired to work the change
That il taking place on this subject, and
these F1eWs are Vroug they are tho result Of
tue highest susceptibility. md tLes spring up
in mo6s edncatcd minds. It is. therefore, 4
matter that demands still further looking into.
What arc the theoriea which prevail today?
There is first tie Saddnceean, that there "a no
resurrection; next, there are those that get
over the unqueetiouable Scripture truth Of
the tnspisatien OF the Eible and tho authority
OF ha teachings. Among these arc what
Me called tho most libcrsl interpreters
Of tho Scriptures, who admit that 4
belief e., in what was tausht IN the
that The frst three Gospels taught that there
Eaa future pun!shment. but then Chnst
vas hut falli4le man, and SO he got nd Of it
by denyinC the inspiration Of the Bible. a
third clae- haye taken tho ground Of what I
may call old Univcrsaliem, By which nnder-
stand they taught that men suffer ia this Life
for their sins and are rewarded for their
virtues. Then there is.another class, who
think that all who believe in Jesus Christ will
be eayed, but that all otllerH will be aunihi-
lated, that anuihlatlon simply Will be the por-
tion Of The wicked; and there are others who
teach that there are series Of spheres or
planes, and that men SO first to that particular
fits them, and that al IL tins will roach per-
fcction. This may ba called croes between
Swe edepb0rgiAnia1n and modern epiritualism.
Then there are few who 1aya fallen into this
same doctrine of spheres and planes, bat they
have sought to escape through the do:tsfns OF
second time; that they have already lived aud
fallen, and that God has given them one mora
chaace- The time ia coming when men Will
demand tie right to think and to open again
these questions Of destiny. do not saE that
they arc right or wrong; but there is no
point where We should be more tolerant or
charitable towards those who bold opinions
contrary to our own than on this subioct- But
contrast ali these dognta with the simplicity
OF ChristH teaching, and YOU will understand
tho difference between an inspired and phi
losopl,ical teacher. II We had oulr tho Old
Testament, We could not tell Il thera Was any
future punishment; il is Only in tho New Tes-
lament that i. is taught, and the foundation
and main ground OF coutidenrs is that our
Master, the gentle, loving Savior who so loved
men that he came to die for them-taught us
that there was future state
! OF punishment There waa no at-
tempt at philosophical demonstration: he
taught that m;n AZ elnners we're In profound
danger, and he went about saying, '' Repent,
repent !" Tho universal sinfnluesa OF mar
never had TO much sympathy, nor 20 mucl
| fidelity AZ in the teaclinga OF Christ He
taught that the danger wns not in this life :
he did not say that there was literally ire il
hell. nor that men were tormented rs in mon
| aschicsl dungeons; but he taught men sha
their sins would bring upon them the nan
altv. 10th hero and hereafter auil th.t tht
danger was serious, it was real. 1hsve hat
my doubts as much IS any man
1 hare suffered and shlull hav,
| given M but for tue simple tcachln,
Of Jesus Christ. That il enough fo
me. There are things Witch do not under
stand; child can ask mo questions which,
cannot answer, but I do bslieve in the Lor,
Jesus Ehr,rt. and do not boliere TINT h,
would deceive nc or deceive yor. teach til
love Of Christ, and know tht I am right
and whilc We must troat with all tolerance Al
differences OF opinion, We must not Admit an
theory which takes away the burden Of fen
which Chri-t taught; and whilo modification
OF viewu hitherto held ia permissible, the
must not lessen the responsibility We ore t
Christ, and the substance Of hia teaci,!nG wal
II il damuahle 10 sin.