The New York herald., 1878-03-05
FUTURE LIFE PROBATION.


WILL SINNERS HAVE CHANGE 10 RtPESr
KEREAFrER?-BAPrIsr MINISTER'S WHO Dr.
FER ON THE QUESTION.
The Baptist Mnisters' Conference yesterday varied
the general discussion ON hell and punishment by a
discussion Of the question Of probation IN tie utnre
life. II there be no probation ana punishment be
certain then the duration OF the latter, instead Of
being eternal ought TO be in proportion to deeds done
In the body 1t to refutr the idea OF future pre-.
baton I'm which restoration also iucden tally ~
cludedl that the Rev. Mr. Metz Yesterday gave
an exegess OF a cilfcur and obscure passage
in l. Peter. H., Is. 10, 20. Those TO
leach that Christ "went and preached The spirits
PRISON. from which II has been inferred that sucn
preaching would imply the possibility If not the
probability that the wicked dead could would
psnt and be saved. Mr. New canvassed the diHerent
theological opinions based on TINS scripture rhesa
are chiefly OF three Kinds painey-fhat Christ, Cy
HIS spirit, preached to the antediiuvans tho duys
OF Noah second that lie preached to all men in the
nesn before HIS incarnaton. and third, that
as this scripture and Christian creeds gen.
erni'y ..I, Assert, "hs descended INTO hell,
Dean AIora. rom whom Mr Metz quoted, holds
the latter view. some theoloslans. however, hoid
tnut admitting TINS Interpretation 10 Ue correct
Cnris preached only to those who perished by the
Deuge ana were IN prison Al the une OF His death,
and that all Tue wicked dead between Noah aud Christ
were anc are irrerievaby lost
TEACH
DIT. MetZ ulsCIameu any Dclel III the doctrines oil
purgntory or OF nuai reslora'iou He cited Scripture
proofs OF call 10 prepare IN this liie tor The future
lie us evidence that there Is no probation hereafter
He claimed that IN the parable OF the royal marriage
and oher scriptures there s evidence that the ability
TO repent VIII DC taken from the ~cKed dead
80 That they cannot become good II they would Aud
tIat Christ Himself taught The Jews very clearly That
II tney dld mol believe that II was the McssaL they
shoulu die III their sine. Mr. Melz also argued from
the absence here aud elsewhere OF any evidence that
the imprisoned spirits repented, tnat they canno,
But on the other nand The preaching OF tho Gospel
ths sae oi the grave Is IN demonstration oil the Spirit
aud with power. Jesus IN the Gospel John, Just
before HIS death, tells His disciples what lie
was gong TO do after His dccease, out
there Is no mcuton that preaching To ini-
passing oy such All important act shows that NJ did
not DO 1t. Nor does He refer attor HIS resurrvc-
.ion @ as having oeen 1one oy Hun rne evangelists
ana apostles are equally SILENT and the general tenor
o! Scripture is asaiust the assumption. The real
meaning OF this passage, Mr.. Metz GAINED. Is that
CHRIST preached by His aprit througa, Noah TO the
anicduviaus, and TINS view Is ~ harmony with
the immediate context ana with all other Scriptures
The Rev. MIR. Hughes though 1t was utterly nipos-
sibo " any lar excgcss O tue Orignai 10 mako any
ihug else out Of tns passage that Christ dad 20
down 10 Hades ami prouch TO the imprisoned spirts
But He aid not 80 there, wnere, thea was HIS spirit
while bis body lay ~ tho graveY Was His spirit IN
the grave alsoY Wne We must agree with Afford,
this gives no encouragement 10 the ungo1y 70 i've
and die IN sin.
Dr. Read remarked thut there Is litllo opportunity
Tor The views thrown out by Brother Hughes. But
thc Greek word Translated ''preachsd" IN
used IN reference to preaching tho Gospel.
Here and IN ono other pussage Il means
simply announcing us herald From which II would
seem that Christ went 10 Hades tU annOunce Him.
SELL not as saviour, but as cOnqueror OF tho devil
and his works, and tue ruler now over all worlds
This - the view also oil Dr. Elder, Of tins city. DR..
Fulton ana Mr.. Macarthur agreed that many men
IN trouble over this question and both had conversed
with ministers OF other denominations during The
week. who expressed either their difficulty about "
their absolute belief in uturo proOaton. But nothing
can be settled by The speculation