The Worthington advance. [volume] (Worthington, Minn.) 1874-1908, 1878-02-07
THE FEAR OF HE'LL.

! THE FEAR OF HE'LL.
The Iowa State Register says of the
fear Of eternal punishment:
! We hear it stated quite frequently
that the abolition of hell in the minds
of the people will tend to a loOser code
of morals, and that the venerable in
stituti01 should be preserved for the
good it has done. There is good deal
of force in this idea, but there is some-
thing to be said on the other side. It
is rather Il paradoxical truth, perhaps,
that if men have no fear of hell they
will be sure to 60 to the devil. Eut the
broad fact remains that mankind have
been Influenced more by the hope of re-
ward than by the fear of punishment.
This is unquestionably true. Chill
dren in family governed by fear are
pretty sure to break away III despera-
ton and do rash things. It is also true
that the criminal classes do not come
from those churches and families which
deny eternal punishment. They come,
as rule, from the churches and fami-
lies in which eternal punishment is i'll
sisted on rs cardinal doctrine.
AS to future punishment, that is an
other matter. All will agree as to that.
The pivot on which the whole discus
sion turns is the duration of the pun
ishment. When the wisest Statesmen
and the best men Of our day are taking
the ground that all punishment is re-
formotory, the theologlans ought to he
willing to admit that their God is at
least as merciful and us wise as the
good men and women of this enlighten-
ed age.
But let no one fatter his soul with
the belief that because punishment is
not eternal and not /, literal lake of fire
and birthstone, that therefore there is
no hell, or no state Of long and severe
reformatory punishment hereafter. Ma
ture, reason and revelation teach that
there is such future state. Into that
state will 60 preachers, church men,
bers, worldlings, criminals, and all men
and women who need discipline to
make them perfect. Those poor souls
who trust to church, a creed or a
mere faith to save them will no doubt
wake up astonished to find that they
are not in the Heaven of theology, but
in the hell or discipline of Nature.
Peter said, "Of a truth 1 perceive that
God is no respector of persons; but IN
ere1y nation, he that feareth him and
worketh righteousness is accepted with
him." And we verify believe that
there is many heather Chinaman,
many a heather Hindu, many a heath
ell Egyptian, many a heather Greek
and Roman, standing higher and en-
joying more in heaven to-day than Lu-
ther, or Wesley or Calvin.
But, it is asked, if this be so, how is
Christ the saviour of the world. We
ask what did God mean when he said
to the prophet, IL girded thee though
thou knewest me not" The churches
generally teach that Christ must he ac-
cepted in their way, that is, that men
must have an intellectual, historical ac-
)quaintance with his earth-life, in order
to accept him and he accepted by him,
that they must have an intelligent con-
ception of the person known us Jesus
Christ. But we believe that the saw
ing power Of Christ, that is the spiritu-
al influence which saves, or as tile
churches say regener0tes, men is appli-
ed to every devout soul OH the earth
whether it ever heard of Christ or not.
1t is painful and even disgusting oany
one who loves the race, to hear the
preachers, so many Of whom are blind
leaders Of the blind, complacently con-
signing the heather to eternal ruin be-
cause they have not accepted the has
to1ic Christ. One cannot help ex.
claiming, 20 fools and slow of heart to
understand the Scriptures.''
CHARA CTER OF THE MURDERED MAN.
The Window Reporter, of last week
contained a three-column account of
the murder Of Smith, at Wilder Sta.
ton. OF the character of Smith it
fsays:~~
Smith was VIGOROUSLY bad and dan.
ger0us man. Three or four years ago
lie shot Johnny Frederickson, in this
place, without any cause. The shot
failed in its purpose, and only scratched
the skin on Mr.. Frederick's neck. For
this lie was bound over to appear be-
fore the grand jury, which did not con.
vene until the matter expired by limit
alton. He has been heard to make his
brags that lie killed two men before
coming to this State, and it is said lis
real name was Pratt. He was contin.
ually in a quarrel with his neigl,bors,
and usually under the influence of liz:
uor, always armed and not unfrequent.
ly exhibiting his revolver and threat.
ening to use it.
Il SHORT TEMPERANCE LECTURE.
A telegram from New York says:
At $50 o'clock this morning Alfred
Trown, aged So. while suffering from
delirium tremens, jumped from win.
dow in the third story of his residence,
337 First avenue, and was instantly
. killed. The spectacle which the sui.
eide presented WAS horrihla in tho ax,