The Marietta journal. [volume] (Marietta, Ga.) 1866-1909, 1878-03-22

| TOR snort time, consistently with
Gods nature, may exist endlessly
consistently with his nature But is
! this true? Let us see. Mr.. Rich
ardson says /: "a man may suffer in
right doing" This is sometimes the
case in this world and as this is an
indisputable fact, it is in accordance
with Gods nature for ga man to suf
fer in right doing here" Then, upon
the hypothesis we are considering,
it is not only consistent with Gods
nature for "a man to suffer in right
doing" in this world, but it is also
consistent with His nature for "a
man." or an angel, "to suffer in right
doing" it the other world, and that to
ell eternity; for if it is not against
His nature for men and devils to suf
fer forever for wrong doing, because
they may thus suffer for limited
time it is not against his nature for
man to suffer for ever ip we'll doing,
because he may thus suffer for lin
tied time.
But experience and observation
unite with reason and the Bible, in
teaching that Temporary evil even
tuating in good, may be, and often is
inflicted, consistently with our high
est conceptions of goodness, and
mercy. My child disobeys CONS
mand which, if obeyed, would pro,
mote his happiness eventually, though
it may seem grevious to his young
and inexperienced mind. In this
case, every principle of justice to,
and love for my child, commands
that | lay some kind of an inaic,
ton on him, designed to prevent a
recurrence of the given act of dis
obedience, no matter how disagree
able the task be to both him and
me. But would l be justifable, or
even excusable, in the determines
ton to render him miserable as |
could all the balance of his life z
Let every one answer for himself
This is Gods way of doing, just as
the good man may do. He says,
to a people who had disobeyed his
commands that we're given for their
good: 'In a little wrath | hid my
face from thee for a moment but
with everlasting kindness will |
have mercy on thee, saith the Lord
thy Redeemer." See lisa. So: s.
But, says Mr.. Richardson; at
is the will Of God that all men
should be saved" True Well,
will God ever change Answer.
IL am the Lord, change not"
Mat. $50. Then to adopt, with a
slight variation, Mr. Richardson's
language: "If God does not change
in the other world, and the sinner
cannot" God must forever enter
tain an -ungratifed desire for the
sinners salvation. Is this so? |
do not say these things in cap
tious spirit; but with the best of
feelings towards Mr.. Richardson
and because it appears to me that
these consequences follow inevita>
bly, from bis hypothesis. If wrong,
| earnestly desire "more light"
"God gave His only begotten Son
to keep men out of HE'LL" says Mr..
Richardson. This may be the cor
rect theory; but this writer does
not so understand it; nor can he
accept such theory without Bible
proof. AS he reads the New Test
ament, Christ came expressly to
save men from sin, Mat. l:2l from
this present evil world, Gal. Ia !;
from all iniquity, Titus 2:l4; from
their vain conversation, or manner
of life, 1st Peter lis. 1t | could
read Mr.. Richardson's declaration in
the Bible, then | could receive it F;
but not otherwise.
MIR. Richardson ID certainly mis-
taken when be says; "The living
and dead Israelite all declare their
scriptures teach eternal punishment.
The most eminent of the Jewish
j Rabbis in the United States, now
I living, declare that the doctrine is
not taught in their scriptures. DR..
Lilienthall, of Cincinnati, and Rev.
David Levy, of Charleston, have
both spoken out on this subject re
Gently.
Equally as far mistaken is he,
when he says that "the whole church
of God, living and dead, have always
held the doctrine of endless punish
ment, with only one exception" 1t
is too we'll known, to we'll informed
persons, that some of the most emin-
ent of the Christian Fathers held and
Taught the final restoration of all in
teIligent beings to holiness and hap-
piuess, to need proof here; and if
Mr.. Richardson will just think lit>
tie on what he has read, | must think
he will agree with me 10 this. 1t is
established beyond a doubt, that
there we're In the first few centuries
of the christian era six theological
schools in the church at large and
that of these six, only one was de
cidedly in favor of future endless
punishment, while four were in favor
Of the doctrine of Uniye sal neos,ra
ton the other one teaching the an
Inhalation of the wicked. 1t is a
further fact well attested in ecclesi~
IL - Il -