The Idaho world. [volume] (Idaho City, Idaho Territory) 1864-1918, 1874-02-05

D1sAGREE.-We have been reading. OF late
two religious newspapers-the Christian at
rocate and the Gospel Banncr-the former, an
exponent of the doctrines of Methodisln. and
the latter, of Universalism-and though their
cre.ds are both founded in, and their argu-
ments based upon the same foundation, (the
Bible) the conclusions reached are markedly
dissimilar. The Adr0cate still clings to the
idea of literal he'll, varionsly modified. Of
course, since the days of the blasphemoas Jon
athan Edwards: while the Banner sets the
whole thing aside. and even denies that the
Bible or Testament anywhere teaches that an
endless or eternal hell exists "When doctors
disagree who is to decided" in other words,
when theologians. after two thousand years OF
dispute are unsettled as to one of the cardinal
points of Their faith. how are the common peo-
ple, who are without theological education, to
know what to do to be saved4 Good creeds
are good enough things in their way. and the
fear Of hell may be necessary to keep the
vicious in some kind Of endurable bounds.
Further than this it cannot be useful. With.
out denying the reality of future rewards and
punishments, which We believe in after fash
ion of our own. we deny, rs the Universalist
does, the fact of literal hell. 1t is wholly in
consistent with, and repugnant to our c"ncep-
tons Of the character OF Deity, and unneces-
sary to the ful6llment and perfection OF the
Divine plan That punishments are insepara-
bic from, and follow Immediately upon the
commission of Off.nses against nature. and that
those punishments are prOportiOned with the
greatest nicely to the fault committed, we opine
no intelligent observer will deny; that if the
offense has been one of a gross nature. the pun
ishment will continue with more or less sever
ity to the end Of this life, is also fact within
the grasp ,,f the most commonplace intellect.
From this latter fact, we think it is proper tn
infer, and do infer. that the same punishment
will continue in the life To come. until complete
reparation has been made. until complete har
mony between the soul and its God has been
restored II we put our hand in the fire it is
burned, and the pain which follows is the pun
ishmenr We suffer for our misdeed. II we
commit murder, conscience stings us with
remorse fercer than the pangs of fire; we be-
come unfit for the society Of the good-outcasts
here and hereafter-untl the wound our great
crime has inflicted upon ourself is healed. And
no amount Of pentence nor prayer. no priest'y
nor ministerial mediations, no sacrifcial offer
ings, nor works Of charity and beaevolence.
will avail to influence God to pardon our Of.
fense-if for no other reasOn-because He has
no power to pardon outside Of the lac. The
human soul, however. being aspiring and pro
gressive, may, in its onward and upward march.
eventually outstrip the recollection of the
weaknesses of this life. and find peace, no mat
ter how vile its deeds have been, in q restored
harmony. Without harmony with those around
US there ia no happiness. We should not. then
expect God to perform miracle for every one
Of us-tO save whom we would save, and to
damn whom we would damn-but should enter
upon and lead unselfsh. moral and pure lives
here, that it may be well with US hereafter.