The true northerner., 1878-01-18

SOIL saturated with blood and heated by eter-
nal fires, sprang up the former definition OF
God. II was put together by men who had
cruel enemies and who longed to zee them we'll
punished, ard who had been reared in a school
where the horrible was the true, the beautiful
and the good. Many OF those men who COM
posed the creeds OF the past had suffered in
self and in their families untold tortures.-
Their lands drpped in blood the year around.
Hence God moved before them ia two qualities
OF savior HIS own and the most fearful avenger
of His chlldren's enemies. The Catholic and
the Protestant creeds both sprang up where
the power to arrest and torment and crush an
enemy was luxury. winch no soul could fore
go. The painters loved TO paint suffering; the
preachers loved to set it forth in words Dante
and Milton both loved 70 set bitter curses TO
the rvthm of their verse. It is little to be
wondered at that out OF a wronged and suffer-
sprung up definition of God from which was
omitted every element Of mercy and justice"
4 DR.. Thomas, OF Chicago, preached last
Sunday upon the topic under consideration.
gestive because coming from one OF the leading
men OF the Methodist church. DR.. Thomas
said -
Take, as an example, the subject of eter-
nal punishment that is attracting so much at
tention. A dreamy age, or an age OF cruel des-
potism might accept such dogma, even in its
most horrible forms. But ours is an age Of
raa lizofi hafr g.
meaning to them. The awful pictures OF bell
in the past ages rise up before the prophetic
realization OF minds in our day, and they zee
the meanipg-the terrible fact set forth, and
they are not afraid to ask if such thing can
be true Before the Reformation, even all the
way from Origen, there was some latitude al
lowed in thinking OF this fearful subject. But
the doctrine Of purgatory had been abused
bv Romanism; this abuse must be stopped
and with one terrible blow Professionalism struck
down all prayers for the dead, and all posslbil-
ity and hope OF any helu or mercy ever reach
ing a soul beyond this life. The history OF hu-
man thought records not another step 60 bold
and far-reachipg. 1t would do in the heat OF
great controversy. and in such days might be
accepted but any philosopher, or student of
human thought, might easily forsee that there
must come reaction. Or. take another doc
trne: the doctrine Of election and reprobation'
that mercllessly consigns unDumbered millions
of human beings to all the pains OF an eternal
hell without any possibility o' escape. This
too, was born out OF controversy, and in such
times might be accepted but there must come
an after-thought-a reaction. Men will rise up
and ask IL the bible teaches such thing? And
if told it does they Will ask who put such things
IN the bible And il not that God put them
there, they will ask. Who is God, that He
should sav or DO such awful thingsi And il
pressed. they will deny both God and the bible.
The religious sentiment is very tender and
deep in the human mind, and II will go great
way with the truths that seem 10 lead along
the paths OF religion; but there ia such a thing
as asking the mind and heart 10 go too far; ;
and then they Will rebel lien must not lie
asked in the name 30 holy sentiment as re-
ligion to give up reason, aud good sense, and
every feeling OF justice. and TO lie down and
be spit upon ard trampled IN the diIt. They
wont do it. and I ana glad OF it. Il isnot strange
that many OF the best minds IN Europe and
America are protesting and protesting in the
nane OF all that is sacred and dear in the
thought OF God and religion. against such over
statements. Men are ready 10 confess that
God is, and should be, sovereign but thew
must not be asked TO believe that He ia an
unfeeling tvrant. and still told TO love Him and
call Him God. They wont do IT They can't
do il. They ought not TO try TO do IT, Men
are ready to believe to punishment for sin here
and hereafter, they feel 1t, they know it.
but they are not willing to believe in all the
terrible ideas of Dante, and Milton ideas that
were possible only in a cold. dark age and that
rob the universe of God and all sense Of jus
tice or right. And am glad OF that. too they
would be worse and not better, for believing
such things"
II is worthy Of remark that none OF these
men repudate the doctrine OF future punish
ment. All concede that the violation Of any
law will be followed by punishment. A law
without penalty for its violation is no law.
There are laws governing the use Of the eye.
Let me read IN the twilight; let me study far
into the night by the bright lamphght,-let me
Keep up these practices for term of years and
ny eyesight is impaired 1 have violated law.
There are laws Of the mind. Memory is
strengthened by exercise. But lot me read
every word Of every sermon, let me never OK
ercise that memory, and weaken It. There
are likewise spiritual laws whose violation
BRINGS punishment.
But these pronounced utterances from lead.
ing men. some OF them in orthodox puipits,
are against such an .over-statement Of tho doc.
time under consideration as to picture God re-
venreful. barbsrous. In States where capital
puni.hment is inflicted on the murderer the
execution must be conducted with as little bru-
talitv ~ possible. Every doctrine OF humanity
cries ont against the barbarous torture OF even
The vilest criminal. These pulpits merely say
don't picture God as moro brutal than any law
maker in our land.
When q boy at achool, would catch flies
aud p,n them here and there upon my desk.
Then would fold my arms and see the poor
creatures writhe in their torments. That sight
gave me exquisite pleasure. That was heaven
s-.,rA for mo Has not this element, on