Feliciana sentinel. [volume] (St. Francisville, La.) 1877-1892, 1878-01-12
THE DOCTRINE OF HE'LL.
OPINIONS OF SOME OF OUR EMINENT d.
VINES on THE SUBJECT.
N o. Democrat.

iiiSp''"'Aop VI lIlc scriptures, tile uoCtIlil
of the Trinity, and the belief in a litera
he'll. has reached this city, as well a
Others throughout the country. Beecher'
sermon itself has not made q very pro
found impression, because, as it appears
nc enjoys but poor repute as theological
and his views are but little respected b,
doctrinarians. But the individual view;
held by the number of clergymen of va
rious denominations as reported in the
New York EeraH, have produced a dc
cided sensation. 1t is matter of sur
prise to many that from among so many
divines there should be but one who re-
terred the matter entirely to the accep
ted theology of his denomination. The
l. tercst manifested in the matter has in
duced us to call upon several Of the more
eminent of the clergy of the various de-
nominations of tiiis city for an EXPIRES
sion of their views upon the disputed
doctrine, the result of whicl, we give be-
low. 1t will be seen that our clergy, as
Il rule, stick to the orthodox teachings of
| their various deDOniI ations.
Onr first visit was paid to
HIS GRACE ARCHBISHOP PERCItE.
We found the reverend pfeiate in his
rooms at the archbishopric, at the corner
of Chartres and ST Ann streets, and We're
received by him with his usual courtly
atlabiity of manner, which combines :he
prince in the church, the christian before
his fellow men and the gentleman of the
world.
Without many p;climinaries we stated
to his grace that the o. Hject of our visit
was purely journalistic, and asked wheta-
er he had any objection to giving his
ideas on the delicate question of eternal
punis. ment hy fire which IS now agita-
ting The intelligent and religious world.
Finding no objection TO this we inquired
whether he had read the varions articles
hat have been lately published III the |
Northern, Western and European papers,
all of which, the expressions Of thought |
OF eminent divincs and tEeologians, con- |
Cured in Il denial OF cttrna! punishment |
by material fire, some Of them going even |
so far as
TO DO AWAY ENTIRELY WITH HELL.
'''ro tell you the TRUTH" answered his
grace, "thongh these publications. have
c"ne to my notice, l have paid very lit
tie attention and attached small impor-
tancc to them. Inu see, these arc only
expressions of opinions frnn men. The
lrnieSta:t sects, with their liberty of
conscience and Of Interpretation, have
done away with faith, and their sayings
have simply the weight of individual
opinions. Opinions, rs you well Know
vary according to different natures. ten
!encies, characters and idinSyncracles.
A man may honestly change his opinions,
ont faith is one, Interchangeable and eter-
iai. The Catholic Church is not governed
)y opinions, it is governed by faith. l
AN. therefore, only tell you about the
'nl.ect on hand, that ! believe all that
he Catholic Church teaches, and that its
eachings agree not only with Holy Scrip
ure, but with the doctrines Of true phil
'snphy. No sincere Catholic doubts that
here is material as well as an inmate
ial punishment in hell.
The human being is made up of mate .
ial and nitnatcrial parts, the body and
he soul; both live and sin together.
Death is but the separation of the two.
t is, therefore, logical that both should ,
re punished in the hereafter, and this i'll
vitably brings us to the conclusion of t,
he necessity of material punishment.
;od, it is true, may so ortlain in His in
mite wisdom that, until the end OF the !
'orld and the day of resurrection the :
nul will be made to suffer alone, but it
ill experience material suffering. 1t ,
lay appear paradONical to say that an , !;
body should suffer material
y; but, after all, is it not during life the
oul that receives impressions. that per-
elves them; does it not experience JOY ;
rom caress, or shame or anger from a
low?
Upon the question of the belief in Il !
al fire in hell, his grace stated that |
here was not a doubt, unless we deny the il
'orIls of our Lord Jesus Christ himself "
be Savj"nr spoke of an "etcrnal fire."
Il it would be q wilful and unauthor r
ed misconstruction of his words not t" t
tie -pret them, as he evidently meant y
lem, literally. What that fire is there :
no basis upon which to fix Il theory, {
ut that it is a material fire b
THERE Is NO DOUBT.
e would have liked to stay longer and II
j y the interesting conversation OF the +,
rchbishop, but many people we're call II
q upon him and we had to withdraw.
REV. B. NJ. PALMER. "
DR.. B. NJ. Palmer was at tea when call c:
upon, and had but Il few momcnts to ii
are, having other engagements for the d
pninU. lln Ind lnncl Of thI clanlNr [ ~