Virginia free press. (Charlestown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1832-1916, 1878-03-16
A Lost Soul.

The question which has been discussed for
several weeks by the press Of the country as
10 whether there be hell, is answered BY the
late Rev. W. Z. Muhsey, as delivered 10 one of
his congregations in East Tennessee many
wears ago, and reported from memory by
youog lotiy. IL is as follows -" 4 lost
soul, los, soul two words Of the most mo-
mentous msaning. aad when taken in connec-
iion with those other two, eternal bell. how
expressive Of the utmost agony and profound
est depths of misery have tried 10 believe
there was no hell, and sought in those passages
Of the Bible where the idea Of hell is seypfessed,
90 eliminate their meaning from the words;
but there it stands, still burning 10 the word of
God-eternal hell DO not know where hell
is-whelher a place or state of misery either
Is bad orough. Whether IL DO deep dark
cavern filed with gloom. where serpents hiss.
nnd creep from crack and Granny Of hollovs
deep, aud gloomy rlls and rocks deep riyen.
where devils peep and creep. and goblins
dance on dingy hills and fiery flames ooze out
from lssures deep, while dark fcnds ride on
dragons; or whether ii be a sphere whirlins
through uncreatcd space. volcanic world
whirliug on its course erratic through ethereal
nothing, a rocky sphere. filled with gorees
black and caverns squalid, covered with burn
ing lava and bsckened scora-abstrusely
cleaning through light-half darkness. half
h0zy light or suppose that there is no hol
les, soul-what is il Bring tho word lost
down 10 natural things-a lost ship In tho
midst Of the ocean, the compass overheard, tho
end rudder gone. sails In shreds, sailors unable
70 make their reckoning, the time expired in
nor. for their return-lust lost Ht last sink
Ing 10 ocean caves where rormails stretch the
slilor boys limbs in his wa;ery bed.
Or take a lost child in The woods A child
goes out TO gather berries. goes on and on,
round this hill and up that hollOw-crossing
and recrossing his path, until he Is lost, and
then wonders on. sobblug, lost los, weeping
!or his mother there, the mother at home weep
.ng for her darling until o, last tho weary
child. dispniring and tired lies down md diea.
while birds chirp and sing above his sylvan
deathbcd. But q lost soul oternally lost 4,
thrust ont from God. a spark formed for social
ompauionch!p. cast out from God companion
less while as star shines 20 star, and even the
comet, orratic IN It's course, as IL crosses and
recroeses orbits and elliptic, whrling about Ia
fory circles round the SUM- acknowledge one
common center rs in tho company Of tho
white robed saints together with the tall sons
Of the morning, soul answering 20 soul 10 the
rapturous language Of heaven. while they swell
their peans TO Almighty God-thls SOUL lost
oternally. is cast forth clone 20 wheel lis dis
nal flight forever through uncrcaicd space.
whotting It's pnlons on tho tombstone Of buried
hope. and screaming lost lcst lost ! q
There u goes. !hcro nnd there. eod there 10
goes that way. and screams. lost u comes
this way. and screams. lost Anon. 10 dis
covers city with batt,emonted towers sod
gates. with bolts and bars. and With all ihe
spirit energy Of i,s bc!ng seeks 10 roach vhn'
looks 10 be Q heaven, but Il rccodes and Is
gone Fly on. thou squealing spirit. until
thou become aspeck Of terror 10 ilirnI,oblo
epace. - Lynchburg Nsirs.