National Republican. (Washington City (D.C.)) 1872-1888, 1875-02-15
CITY Hall Services,

The subject of Mr.. Whitmore's morning dis
course was THE Ethics of Future Punishment"
He took his text in Genesis, xviii 25 shall not
the Judge Of all the earth do right?" After ex-
planning the circumstances under which this
question was asked, he said: Enthusiastically and
emphaticaIly, you and 1 and all who love God
will answer yes, he Will do right. We cannot be-
lieve that God can err in judgment. No, the
Creator of the universe the Father of Spirits the
Judge Of all the earth will do right" He then
made the following points:
l. Abraham's question assumes that Coo VIII
do right. But this assumption is based on A6ra.
hams idea that Gods right and justice were
qualities that men could recognize.
2. Men are entitled to say that certain doctrines
and certain conceptions Of Coos justice are un;
worthy of his character. The moral faculty OF
man Is capable within certain limits Of prOnounc-
ing upon the acts ofGOd.
8 Abraham's question was asked respecting
Gods treatment Of the righteous and the wicked.
Abraham assumed that 1t would be far from God
to mete out the same fate to both Of these classes,
to slay the righteous with the wicked. The I'M
plication is that God would not do right If he
should treat both classes alike.
4. Apply these principles to the subject Of fu-
and justice and our view Of our duties to our Eel
low men largely depend upon our honestly en-
tertained belief respecting the nature and dura-
tiOn Of future punishment.
S. Our ideal Of goodness is based upon our idea
Of God. He is our standard for all the virtues:
He is altogether good, and all his qualities and
o. The majority Of the Christian Church pro-
fess to believe that God will punish all the wicked
with endless misery for what they have done or
for what they have not done in this life.
Z This view is abhorent to the human sense OF
justice, and diEhOnors God by supposing him NOR
ally capable Of Intiicting punishment upon his
creatures infinitely greater than the most cruel
man would lntict upon his greatest enemy, had he
the power. The doctrine Of endless misery, there
fore, is opposed to human reason. We must not
forget that God himself has implanted within us
this moral faculty that spontaneously passes
Judgment as TO what is good or evil, manful or
cruel virtuous or vicious in any specified case.
s. This doctrine Of endless misery has been made
the excuse for many deeds Of human cruelty.
Thus Burnet, the historian, tells us that ueen
MARY, of England, gave as an excuse for her cru.
elty that Fas the souls Of heretics are hereafter
10 Be eternaly burning in hell there can be moth.
ing more proper than for me to initiate Divine
Vengeance by burning them on earth" The sad
history Of religious prosecutions abounds with
amples Of the pernicous effect that the so-called
orthodox doctrine of eternal hell torture had upon
those who believed It.
0. He who truly loves God will delight to honor
him. We cannot, however, be true either to our.
selves to our God IL we advocate doctrine that
contradicts not only the essential notions Of our
own minds, but which stands opposed 70 the re-
Tealed attributes Of the Supreme Being.