The New York herald., 1878-02-24

Bethlehem ana tneu G0ioR 70 tue 2uult Ueyouo
this blood and his other crimes upon him, we to
conslrue the Saviour as declaring that the old
Edomte's soul. ruthlsss and guit sodden, was IN
some strange way TO oe put With his BODY, the
kingly corpse aad the immaterial soul, down amid
the rottins, harng piles In the valley OF Hnnom@s
cheap ana light punishment for guilt so dire! Inc
Doctor makes point for The orthodox view Of hell
by that that 10 the view which hrst presents
itself to the unscholarly minds OF the masses OF men
and women VINO earn hardly scant livelihood and
with little leisure for reading, but VINO are
YET often devout students OF the b,os
Lord Bacon, in commenting upon the expo
stion of Scripture, prefers the sense which
easily presents isef-iike the wine crushed from the
thinks TO the later runnngs nso which the favor OF
grape seeds and grape skins penetrated. Nov, suen
natural interpretations OF Scripture arc hkey 70 DC
found IN this class OF unprejudiced students From
earliest ages OF the Church they have been ioath 10
welcome the SUGGESTIONS from time 70 mme maae, sao
often by men OF piety and genius that hc was per-
chance, transitory aud paradise only permanent.
A uxIyERsAiIsr rHEoLoGIAs on HELL.
Dr. Thomas j. sawyer Is tho last witness called Dy
the North American this great question. he opens
by calling attention TO the fact that there Is no DIS
TO become oil the neatneu tho Moham medau. the nom
Christian, the iuddel or athcistY He touches the
cure IN nas wnca no sSsms 70 nave ns s lie
rejoices in the change that has como over
orthodox theology and The consequent reversal
OF the relative numbers of the lost and saved
rhe lire aud brimstonc hell Is now seldom preached
and the OLD grounds OF reason on which the doctrine
OF endless punishment was formerly madc 70 rest
have been laid aside and new, though not better,
ones invented. The proof texts, too, have dimin
doctrine IN tue Old Testament and many orthodox
cergynen OF scholarship ana talents begin to doubt
whether ''everiasting punishment IN INC New lesta-
ment Is absolutely without end" The Doctor class
hes the Two schools OF thought on this sub
ject UnIversaiisi and, by courtesy, orthodox
and says the point OF antagonism between them
is the eternity OF SIN. Speaking for himself and h S
denomination no says they recognize tho evil OF SIM
but believe II evil incidental to the develop
ment Of rec powers and relatively transient IN
It's nature, and is ultimately to be overcome ana
wholly eliminated IRON the universe OF God by those
ihut,v md rAdan M mr.
Scripture and manifested IN providence, which'tbo
infinite wisdom ana love mold IN their hand and
Know so we'll how 10 employ, and which they Will
empioy in u way perfectly suited 10 man tree
moral bong, without destroying his personality or
Alter STATING the orthodox belief on this point (il
ready gven) DR.. Sawyer shows that the Unversalist
theology has the advantage IN tina. ends IN gen
eral harmony while the other ends In eternal DIS
cord The former ends in unity. the latter IN du-
allsm. 10 W consistent he thinks the orthodox
faith should begin with dualism as II ends. Then
moral evil would have an eternal ground ana DO
sel-exislent as goodness Is, and be cnthroned IN
Satan az goodness Is In God. But such a theory OF
tho moral universe, common as It the ancient
world, breaks down, under the light OF reason from
the very necessities Of the case. and is reued aud
0vcrtnrown completely by revelation. There is
there be, but one God, and he Is good SIN IL not
'.rom everlasting rs God Is II had beginulng,
and may therefore, have an end-nay, must have
end-un wiling to adopt the absurdty shat
upspotted holiness and perfect love will It's infinite
perpetua.lon. sin, SO far as we know is purely
own work. To be moral man must DC tree; and IN a
fnite beng, freedom is incOnceivable only as
It involves the possibility Of SIM Side by
with these transcendcnt gifts stands forever this
unavoidable peril For this possibility let God, II you
please be held accountable; that sin has become
tual solely Iault. Hero Is once our dignity
and our danger But the danger the sole CONDITION
virtue all the moral goodness and greatness,
the love- the selfsacriilco tnat have thrown their
ent or future tnat deserves the name. In making
such we are With all our liability SIN,
Cod wanting IN neither wisdom nor goodness.
Hypothe tically, 1t IS true, being morally free
may continue to SIN on and on forever; and u IS
effort OF modern orthodoxy Is Its
urgent necessity, to show that II Will actually 10
DR.. Sawyer quotes Mr.. Cock and President Porter
here but hopes Tor the honor OF Gods name that tho
moral OF the universe has not been ordained
by Infinite wisdom and holiness, chiefly in the interest
OF evil, TO multiply and perpstuats u. and hnay to
reason aud revelation, God sees the end from tho
beginning, aud u, As Dr. Dwisht said,
The su sGls SAID long nd as0s hm
an Intense and eternal flame of uncompouuded good
WILL" TO be believed tnat He ever has created,
shall prove even through its own taulL an endless
and ip6uite curse? He thinks the supposiIion mad
mIssibie that cd will leave the sinner to himself He
could not do without renouncing the responsible
tiles He willingly assumed iu his creation. He re-
spects the powers which he himself has conferred,
but he permits no sin with approval, CONCESSION or
indifference He protests against II; he arms the
sinners own conscience and meuacss It with right
eous punishmenI
VICTORY OF GOD ovxR EVIL.
The whole government vi God, DR.. Sawyer thinks
is tepding toward the victory OF good over evil ana
the lnal acknow Of the mission He has
done all things we'll Justice and mercy. law ANA
gospel have but one object and are alike
by Minute love- The hrst victory ot good over evil ID
only the dictate OF right reason, but ia also the
doctrine oil revelation Stu had entered tho
world, than there came, AS Hengstenberg says, tho
consoatory promise that the dominion oil SIM and Of
the owl arsi0g from sin shall not last forever" That
promise was repeated in various forms aud with In
creasing light I'LL the Messiah, TO whom 1t pointed,
finally appeared Through repentance toward God
aud latin Lord Jesus Christ souls beng
gathered into His kingdom; and the apostle assures
us He continue HIS redemptvc work I'LL He
has subdued all things to himself when, sin baviug
been abolished aud death destroyed, the kingdom
shall be delivered up to The Father, that GOD may
all IN all
In closing discussion President Porter gives his
reasons Tor holaiuy that the doctrine oil eternal pun
ishment is not offensive 10 tue moral reason Ia
require US deny that Christ has taught or TO af
Ho assumes the tact o sin The participants IN thii
discussion, with perhaps one exception all assume
TINS. Ho refutes Mr.. Frothlnghani's idea that any
theolcgans accept his three startling propositons
and says he made them not as = theologian bnl
as q man. He then retorts on his critic who
mus. have spoken as theoIoglap, and u not as a man
ho would have US believe that 'the moral order
OF the world," to ''us rational thinkers" involves
neither freedom, nor responslbity, nor retrbution.
A sinful will Is the most dangerous and destructive
OF all evil lorces IL IS set-reying, ssilJustfyiDi
anu selt-perpeiuatng. II gathers Lew iorce II lei
alone II rises III sturdy resistance If opposed, III
one or many passions cruel debasing and malignant
In answer 10. tue question, Why does God permit
sin? DIR. Porter SAYS The only answer tnat be
given Is iound IN the tresdom whcn Is essential u
personality. Cod cannot exercise personal influenced
except with persons, ana personality involves The
possibility oi perversion. For this possibility le
God 0e responsible, says Dr. Sawyer; that sin has bc
come actual Is auit. But II stu Is TACT ana Goo
good permitting it ana in punisning II, who shsl
say hat He may not De good should He pcrmlt per
son to continue to exist, anu 10 continue tt
aud 10 suffer- DR.. Bellows asserts that God wouit
dish0nor His own personality should He, says Dr.
Porter, voluntry oring into An existence winch HI
toresaw Wouid be Intntely miserable single spirit
being made IN HIS Image" DR.. Sawyer says tnat Coo
could not leave the sinner finally TO himself 'wthou
rencuncing the moral responsibilities He willingly as
sumcd His creation" would suonit tnat those wnt
dc hat Cod can permit the sin which he hates ant
tue sinner whom he must PUNISH TO exist at all can
assert that God Is morally bound not 10 create
beng VINO He i0reknows wld SIN forever We may
not Know why God creates such a being, but we hav
such moral insight us warrants US IN saying
tnat reasons are possible which Justify Him II
doing IT. The existence OF sin in any being All,
for any time the one comprehensive mystery
This is expressed IN the problem. now could Go'
create beng and suffer him at all Had Drs
Bellows and sawyer Deen asked, before SIN existed
whether perfect God could make u being In HIS owi
image who would dlshonor that image by SIN, The!
would have said "No--a thousand tin,cs mol" by III
logic which they use against tho possibility Of con
mi ned Al A ll ~ Of ud