The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1878-02-18

found in the Gospel Tor which Paul suffered martyr
dom. lnndehy has never written ny nm OF JOY or
brought peace or hope TO the dying bed.
WHAT Is HELLs
Tho preacher declared that the very atmosphere
was loaded with doubt concerning the future. Men
were seeking 10 prove that there IS no future, no
eternal punishment; but he, the preacher dared
teacn such doctrine, because he believe II.
Mr.. Beecher and Canon Farrar attacked theorthodox
doclr,no OF future eternal but they By no
denied THAT there WAS not punish men OF some
form and duration in the hereafter What they dispute
Is the character Of hell and lis eternity as specified
the Bible They give different In Nations TO the
Greek word which means everlasting" and give II
fgurative interpretation. The hrsi meaning OF the
give It any other, SAID the preacher. II
lradiction whole spirit of tie Bible assert
that future punishment was not eternal
PUNISHMENT is ErERNAL-REv. NIB. VAN
ALSTYSE.
Rev. Mr. Van Alstyne the pastor Of st. Johns
Methodist Episcopal Church, 10 West Fiity-third
street, preached on the .Cerainty OF Future PUNISH
ment aud the Eternity OF Its Duration" All sins
are known TO God, he SAID. He notes them all,
and they must ~ some time become public More
over, they must all be certainly AMI elernally pun
ished. This DO shown from the nature Of tho
Dyine character and from the demands OF moral gov
ernment God has. provided an atonement tor
published the terms oil pardon, SO that need
suffer the penalty oil SIN. He has published 10 the
world not only the conditions OF pardon puI also The
results Of accepting or refusing them. Now, II the
sinners punishment DO not dde 10 any power external
TO mseii Il must then be the result OF power within
himseli-of moral freedom wrongly used. This con-
ciuson ID supported by the testimony oil conscious
ness, by the testimony OF scripture The moral
OF sinner approve OF she inncton the foresod
penalty, because AZ the outset ne knew the c0nse-
escape them or incur them. How can The infection Of
the penalty upon such be mpeachmcnt oil the
goodness OF tho Judge who administers Bat excep-
lion IL taken punishment OF SIN, but
eternity OF tho punishment, and upon this we remark
that the Bible doctrine Of eternal punishment sup
INV ha rfnt dnnio nofn ra1
science-the law OF tho persistence Of force
Tho nature OF this law the continuance Of an effect
after tho which hrst gave rso 80 II removed
Applied within the realm Of morals tho law teaches
goodness persistcnty brings bliss ana badness
eternity Moral laws are not one thing here and
something else there Right Is right here and
.srn aS hs Which roTsrn. mere s nd
right wrong In mans experience Is not modified
BY any transitions IN time or IN space Death does
modify either the intellectual or moral faculties.
What 10 srue on earth will be true III every other
point OF tho universe. The sinner takes, therefore,
the Law Of punishment with him into eternity. II IL
simply the persistence Of sin and ia consequences.
This will secure h,m an eternity Of punishment by The
operation Of his memory ana conscience. Bit viii
not God Interfere point In future TO stop
the action Of this law and finally restore all
the bliss OF heavenf II argued that He wiz because
He 10 nnnitey good aud the sunerings OF HIS
lures viii be painful to Him; because He is infinitely
powerful and Is able 70 raise The from the realm
Of suffering 70 that OF biss Honce, III claimed hell
10 not eternal. God, however. though good, permits
suffering here and has done SO for I'VE Thousand
power defiance Of justice TO relieve suffering. The
law which holds good here equally applicable to the
action Of the Law Of persistence here why should It
hereafter
TESTIMONY OF THE DEAD-REv DIR. HATFIELD.
Rev. Dr. Hatfield preached to worry large ceugre-
gation In the Eighteenth Street Methodist Church,
taking for bis text Luke XVII. 31-"If they hear
Aoses and the prophets. neither will they be per-
suadsd though one rose from the dead" 1--WE know
nothing about the future, says bold man. who de-
nies revelation; mo ono has ever como back tell
man anything In regard 10 his welfare beyond the
grave As there 10 NO light thrown upon this subject
IRON nature we are a. liberty to think
wo please. There may and there may not
be future world. Whom man dies that
may be the end OF him. no may
enter some fair land BE- free from the Ills Of
the present life But whether II will DO so none
tell It 10 all . mystery" The preacher said those
are tho bold uttsranees Of an inadeL To those who
deny the Bible TO be inspired BOOK the future
mystery profound. Those who reject the SCRIPTURES
yeys Of the future world think II should come
back the dead and tell men just what is true and
what Ialso they would believe; ali doubts would DO
removed by such testimony.
VALUE HUMAN TESTIMONY.
The testimony Of tho most truthful Is not always
received By people In this world. Men on the w.t.
ness stand. when they have motive concealing
the whore property ANA character are Involved
,.pss,s tnev test,iy 20 be sutv of periury Tho ro
ports Of explorers and travellers concerning distant
and mysterious countries are discrsdited. Now, If
man doubt reports that como from newly discovered
lands how much more any Information that might
BIO brought from that land invisible to mortal eye
ity any testimony In regard to interview with
departed spirit. FIRST as addressed 70 the senses.
should narra,s TO You that in such year. sucn a
day or such an hour departed friend from the I'M
seen world appeared and conveyed the most impor.
Of the soul and OF friends long dead, you would
scarcely believe i-rosard II, in iac as delusion.
We cannot oven DO positively certain that wo see
object, matter how clear II may seem to our own
minds what you suppose TO be the In the
heavens sad to be only the reflection OF that mighty
orb What seems TO DO q star In the armament may
be only the shining Of nebuous matter II this DO
migntit not then be also true that what person
supposed 10 be departed spirit only hallucina
ton oil the mndf
Il must be admitted that our ideas OF a future world
are very vague. We believe In such world; We be.
lieve In . heaven whose gores cannot be compre-
hcnded by mortal, and in he'll mseres cannot
alarms man, that drives tho heroic out OF him, 10
brought contact with those things that relate 10
msn fear. Tbey talk about ghosts and specifies and
such like things and those who have most 10 say OF
them fear them the most suppose in the sol.
corpse and II would turn In the coffin aud
address you, saying, ~ have come 10 tell you
that all that is SAID ABOUT hell Is un,ruef ENJOY your
self you Life short, and alter death
every one rs happy" You would DO shocked. You
would not believe When the morning sunligh snot
into your windows you would reason with Yourself
and believe you had been the victim OF some night
mare dream. Ill they hear Moses and the
Prophets neither win they be persuaded though one
rose from the dead"
Here Is the book, said the preacher touching the
Bible, that filings light the darkest subject This
book says the righteous shall be nto heaven
and the wicked shalt down 10 hell '.Come 70
blessed Of my Father Depart cursed into everiast
ing fire."
VIEWS OF BOSTON CLERaYMEN ON The AGI-