The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1877-12-23
Conflicting Views of Hell.

The idea OF eternal punishment tor SINS
committed in limited period of time is
to very many thinking persons illogical and
abhorrent; and various devices have been
found for getting around it if not of utterly
ignoring it. 1t will surprise some OF our
readers perhaps, to-day, as they read the
views of ministers belonging to the Armin-
ian and Calvinistic theologies, to find how
closely they agree on this point; and also
how little divergence there is on the
materiality of hell as place as well rs con-
dition of punishment The views Of the
Catholic and Episcopal churches on this
other denomination of the Christian
Church. And yet there are clergymen
within the pale of the latter who
take broad ground in favor Of Uni
versalism. But to find prominent
Presbyterian pastor declaring that he cam
not conceive of eternal punishment except
on the basis Of eternal SHINING, is, though
eminentIy logical, rather singular. When
in the last General Assembly of the Pres
bytcrian Church (North) Dr. Van Dyke, of
Brooklyn, stood up to defend himself
against the charge that he believe in and
taught the Calvinistic doctrine Of infant
damnation, he stoutly denied it, and chal-
lenged any man in that august body who
did so believe to stand up. But no one
stood. And yet the principle if not the
phraseology of that idea is contained in
the standards Of the Presbyterian
Church. When men ask for revision
of the crceds to make them conform
to the present faith and teaching
of the Church they are told that those
creeds were good enough for their fathers
and ought to be for them. Now Church
creed, like State law, may become dead
letter without any legal force, because it
has no moral force. The law of the State or
of the Church must represent the sentiment
Of the people ere it can be successfully
enforced. Hence no Presbyterian minister
is now prosecuted for creed violations I'M
less his heresies are too glazing to be passed
by. None are troubled for denying infant
damnation or eternal punishment. Our
Methodist brethren are more liberal, per-
haps, than any others on this subject, and as
Mr. Beecher reads the structures on his SER
mon Of last Sunday, together with the views
of those who were pleased to give them to
the HERALD to-day, he will, we doubt not,
be gratified at the large and respectable fol-
lowing which he has in this and other
denominations. One Methodist minister
has vague idea that God will de-
capitate or blot out of existence the
incorriglble sinners at the day of judgment
and that eternal life being found only in
faith in Christ, eternal punishment, which
necessitates eternal life for its subject, cam
not be believed. Another cannot accept it
because material bodies and material fires
are of very limited duration, and either
cannot be eternal. 1t is very evident that
Universalism is spreading itself very slowly
but very surely among all the denomina-
tions, and that Mr.. Beecher, though exc
travagant in his putting" of things is not
very far in advance of ministers who are
considered much more orthodox than he.
1t is also very clear that the time is coming
when the creeds Of Christendom must be
revised in this particular. This similarity
of views accounts now for the ease with
which Baptist ministers become Presbyte-
rians, and Methodists Baptists, and Presby-
terians Methodists. They drop from one
denomination to another as easily as they
would 60 up or down stairs.