The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1878-02-09

III Is salu III the mldulc ages hundred tnOus-
sand mighty tones were written in disputation
over the question, "iow many souls can rest at
once on the point Of u needc:' But surely the
discussion was not whit more absurd than that
which has surged up all at once in these days
over the existence of Il hell. 1t is not only the
prominent theme Of the puptcrs and thologians,
but has invaded the lecture platform and occupies
a large place in the secular newspaper. Yet II
any ore h,l, had the courage and patience 10 fol-
! low il, windings thuo far, lie must have been
struck with the melancholy fact that in all this
wild war Of words not Il single new idea, either
in regard to the existence of heaven, hell or the
devil has anywhere found utternce' Sixteen
! hundred wears ago in the same discussion, ST.
Augustine expressed the idea that the punish
mrnt of the lost consisted chiefly in eternal sep
aration from the Deity, aud despair of reforma-
ton; and s.. Chrysostom, that it is matter of
small moment what the specific nature of future
torment is, holding it far more important to
know how to escape hell than to know where it
is or exactly what it is like. We submit that
| from the days of the fathers to this nothing
more definite has ever been uttered on the sub
jcct.
cvcnng, the Rev. +. Is. Nash, to be in keeping
with the times, felt himself called upon to take
up the same theme and he had well filled
church to hear him. He took for his text Gal
vi. :: whatsoever man sOweth that shall he
also reap In all ages, he said, mankind had
agreed that there is to be II judgment of some
kind, before some infaliblc bar and that each
would there receive his exact deserts. Also that
as the good would be inCOnceyably happy, so
the wicked would be proporiOnately miserable
thereafter. This was the general statement, upon
which OF course speculation as to the nature and
degree of the blessing or punishment was ntn-
itc The discussion had surgcd up and down
like the waves of the ocean through the ages,
and after long subsistence had suddenly been
revived in these days AS far as it had gone,
however, it only demonstrated anew the adagc Of
of Solomon that "herc is no new thing under
the sun" One somewhat notorious teacher had
announced with great vehemencc that he would
not believe in Il God who created hell, and man
to be etcrnally punished there, and so on. Who
did believe any such absurdty? Even Calyin'S
iron clad doctrine of predcstination did not go to
the extent Of holding God responsible for mans
damnation. The whole teaching OF Christ and
his apostles is cpitomised in the Apostles creed
and that only speaks of the forgiveness of sins
and the life everlasting. In others words, its
doctrine was that of the text, whatsoever man
sowcth that he shall alsoreap.' As the man who
sows wheat expects to reap wheat, SO in spiritual
things the man who sOwcth to the flesh shall Of
the flesh reap cOrrupton," &c. We need only
open our eyes and see the naturaness and inner
cnt Righteousness Of this law to solve the whole
Iproblcm Of the future state. 1t is all there is
vcacd on the subject and it is useless to look for
any new light. If this law then is truc-and we
have in the operations ofnNturc daily dcmonstr0-
tons that it must be true if there be a@y life he
Iyond, then it is plain you cannot saddle the re-
sponsihility Of your future life on any but your
self Not God, but the Devil and his angels
made hell, and man will reap it only if he sOws
its seeds Either this, or man is wholly ire
sponsiblc for his deeds here and hereafter, and
all punishment is wrong and absurd. To preach
righteousness, If we accept the irresponsible
doctrine, would be insanity, and to advise men
to deal justly, love mercy and walk humbly with
God the height of Stiffness. There would be in
Gods kingdom neither law or order reason or
right and Bcdlam would be let loose on earth.
Christ's mission must be condemned as useless
and laundering waste Of divine effort In
short there is no choice but to accept the doe
trinc of mans accountability here and hereafter,
or to turn Sadduccc or Atheist, dcfyng nature
and reason and doubling ones own existence.
OF course, this rough sketch does no justice to
the language or logic Of the speaker and omits
all his forcblc Illustrations
In this connection it would be hardly fair to
pass by the excellent choir OF this church without
some word of commentator. Itconsists al pres
cnt Of Miss Ncttc, soprano, Miss 49, Smith, alto,
DR.. f. ). Hobcrt, bass, A. T. Barrels, tenor, (thc
two latter volunteering their services and Tony
Simons, organst. Their singing on this occa-
sion unusually good, as have been most Of
their efforts during the past few weeks since they
have become fully broken in" and the ladies
accustomed To the peculiar service. They are
now thought to be the finest choir in the city;
and since the service gives ample play for fine
music, We shall expect 10 hear still further i'm
IprovcmcntS.
| The HroEcd'S monthly report Of losses by fire
in the L. S and Canadas for December, 1873, j.
at hand; also the annual report for lSi1, from