The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1877-12-31
HE'LL OR NO HE'LL 7
Preachers Of One Opinion and
Preachers Of Another.
THE QUESTION IN STATU QUO.
Some Interesting Considerations
for Wicked People.

At the Universalist Church OF Our Saviour yester-
day Rev. Dr.. Pullman, the pastor discoursed hell
under the title The Recent Dcnials OF the Doctrine
OF Everlasting Punish ment-Is the Doctrine a Safe
guard OF Moras2' After few introd uctory remarks
Mr. Pullman stated that glance az tho history OF
morals SHOWS that thore is principle through ALL
Whatever teaching creed appeals to tho lower pas
sions OF men dcbases them DULY those teachings and
creeds which stimulate tho higher and nobcr nature
OF man arc honorable to mortality The doctrine OF
everlasting punishment has always been ovcr-
estimated as a moral sinction. Its real and only
power In al ages has been TO Affect tho Imagination
with pictures or terror. It's appeal been
tho base and animal passions and II has afflicted
more pure and rightc souls than Il has ever
formed wicked ones Its one sole beaent 10 society
has been 10 increase the power oil priests and govern
mcnts among people just emerging from barbarsm.
NOT TRUTH hut ExPEDlENcy.
In this country, barring lew revivasis, the clergy
rally 10 tho defence OF the doctrine with about as
much zeal aud alacriy as thai with which the Squecrs
school children at Dothcboy's Hail came up 70 their
morning dose OF sulphur aud moasscs. The question
to-day Is not, s'ls It ~? but. ls II sale
pcdicnt TO drop 20 That the doctrine is retained
Of W aye
It's present status will deny. That II possesses any
SUCH moral value few who have made tho subject
study will affirm; while there arc not low
who Will deliberately affirm that It's effects are
positively antagonstic TO morality. These claim that
ncai torment inflicted by the Creator on millions OF
his creatures makes God rcpusive to many. II pro.
duces In otners burning ehso Of ipjustcc In Others
utter hOpo!cssncss; in others reckless despair and
thus actually anagonizes sound morality. Man may
reasonably donbt tho msssi vaiuo OF tho doctrine Of
everlasting punishment IN tho world to-day Tor these
among many other asons:-lt Is against tho best
instincts Of humanity; Il Is felt 10 be conspcu
ously and horribly unjust; Il rcvos strong, elevated
natures and debascs wcak ones, producing ser.
vile and cringing fcari It Is nnspcakaDy cruel
and absolutely nnncccssary-the revenge Of n woak
md tltoe
wise aud strong ruler 1t rcndors the happiness OF tho
saved impossible except by the surrender OF the d.
vinest quality in tnem-lovc II introduces confusion
into mans moral efforts and convictions, by showing
that the morose Governor oil tho UDiverse acts on
different and lower law than that which He commends
to HIS SUBJECTS. Tho TACT the doctrine everlasting
punishment as IL is now Administered s accompanied
by doctrine that nentralzes all its terrors and utterly
destroys whatever restraining power it might have.
That doctrine is the power OF instantaneous ent
ancc to cancel the bad deeds of an evil lifc
REV. WILLIAM P. coRBErT IN ANSWER TO THE
REV. HENRY WARD BEECHER.
Tho Trinity Methodist Episcopal Church in York
street throngcd last night hear the Rev. VIII.
lam =. Corbct tho pastor, in answer to Henry Ward
Beccner's now famous sermon on hell There was no
standing room either IN the body OF the urch or
the galleries, which extend around the three sides of
the church, when the reverend speaker began. on tho
10th day of this month"; said Mr.. Corbett, "the Rev
INQUIRY warn Deeouct, VI Moutu SuuICu, brooklyn,
delivered sermon, in which ho denied in no worry
measured terms the existence OF hell as place OF
punishment" Ai,or reading portions OF one OF Mr.
Beechers sermons Mr. Corbott continued Now.
you will observe in all this declaration that Mr.
Beccher docs not deny that there Is a hell
no only speaks Of the character OF God.
On tho following Sunday he said 'thero
is n hell which everyone carries IN his own
bosom and hell hereafter" We want II 10 be DIS
hnctly understood by TINS congregation that this
question which concerns us ALL We represent the
latin Of the Evangelical churches All the bran hos
oil tho Church OF our Lord Jesus Christ be they Pros
byterian, Lutheran, Baptist. Epscopalian Metho-
DIST or Dutch Reformed, b0lcve in tho doc
trines oil iuturc punishment Taking his text
IRON the Second Epstlo oil Paul TO the Thcssaonians
first chapter, seventh, eighth and ninth verses
And TO you who arc troubled, rest with u.s. he con.
tnued. u might seem 10 tho philosophic MIND that
ought nrst to provo that there Is a hc ana then
that punishment IS eternal But on the other hand
II We demonstrate that punishment rs eternal Il
ment Tho wicked, whom they die, are ami.
hilated Is tho doctrine taken by tho
Of annlhlato Is nowhere taught in Scripture. No
Bblo doctrine teaches that the soul dies and every
where is taught tho futuro conscious existence the
wicked Jonn tolls US that tho wicked carried 10
lake Of fire, and Paul says they must all stand be
judged according 10 their works in inc flesh and how
can this DO unless the soul IIvesi jesus Christ
his hand IN place Of torment. VIII tho wicked DO
annnntcd after thoy have suffered awhile in no as
wicked shall be punished with everlasting
These Scriptures nowhere tell that PUNISH Is
limited but everywhere that tho unrighteous shall
suner eternal damnation.
PUNISH THR ACT OR ACTOR?
Nowhere does God Almighty consisn men to hcl,
as Mr. Scechcr liners, but II Is thero wckcdncss
kinds Of death spoken Jfn the Bible Death IN tho
flesh as we all understand Il; death in the spirit tho
separation Of the soul IRON God and righteousness
Tho death OF the body Is It's separation from the
soul; the dcath OF tho soul Is It's separation
nod u0tgh
fer to tho sinner? San act. win you punish tho
and release the aclors You do not imprison
burglary and lot the burglar frec. Now. other mis-
take which arises is that In rcioronco to punishment
as rcformatory measure. A man deserts the flag
Of his country, Is adjaisod guilty Of treason and
him? When God saw that the earth was corrupted BY
the crimes OF men, and no raned down the dougo
upon tho race did no do It to reform them Did no
destroy Sodom and Gomorrah as a reform measure (?
Punishment is not always Tor reform, any than
a liic sentence OF prisoner is to reform him,
mcnt the devil In hell should be reformed by
hts suncrngs OF ages Tho plea of reform
nne,y sooa" say ,s sOphi unversass
land therefore could not punish for eternity" We
will 20 as far as any Unitarian or Universast In do
monstratins and uphoLiing The goodness OF God.
From tho tall down to the present time God has let
tho earth rms with the lamentations OF mon for the
crimes and sufforings Of the From the time when
Cam struck down his brother to this dry when tho
eroans Of armies slaughtered I'LL the air. and starvation
and pcstiIencc hang over tho earth ike pail, thcro
has been only misery among men Tor their crimes
committed. Yet Is God n being OF ininite goodness,
and God The iahcr Is verify our Father lie punsnes
those who not oil Him. II Is SAID that God will
pardon tnose VINO not Of Him. u Is said that God
will pardon those who arc rcpentant as lie Is mer-
ciiuI. God, by His mercy, saves The sinner
from deserved punishment. But cannot
be both pardoncd ana punished. The Romans wcro
wont, In bcseging city, TO hoist a white nag and
send TO tho enemy message announcing that long
fhat white Nag remained floating IN tho breeze
those who surfenaored should DO secure from harm
But ~ they fingered tin alter the flag was lowered and
N hiack acp maj 100
ana child should be put TO death.
God gives an opportunity to savo our
souls through tho gushing blooa OF Christ But lot
tho black nag Of death be lowered and there Is no
alternative then but tho damnaon which Is eternal
Aoam and Eve were IN the Garden OF Eden, limo
cent as babes and knowing no shame or evil but
Tor the eating OF the apple. All the wars and pcsti-