Maryland independent. [volume] (Port Tobacco, Md.) 1874-current, 1878-01-31


nal punishment If we view this doctrine
in its purely logical aspect, reaching our
conclusions according to tho principles of
finite reasoning, it does not appear insup-
portable If it is claimed that the infection
of everlasting torture is rreconcilable with
the noble attributes of the Deity. more es-
pecially with love, mercy and justice I'M
speakable. as well as fore knowledge, the
position does not seem unteuable. Perhaps
they are just beginning TO be puzzled TO
learn how it is that endless torment awaits
alike all classes of inpenitents, from him
who is barely guilty at all, to the munster
who is covered black and thick with life
long crimes If tits is their reasoning, we
need not be surprised: indeed, must wonder
that SO large portion Of the christian world
have never been able to discover this incon-
sistency,. or rather could never be brought
to adult it: especially in the face Of the scrip
tural declaration that man shall be Judged
according to his works. | say they may
refuse to admit this Inconsistency, for it
seems hard to believe that such vast num-
bers seriously and earnestly believe in such
state as they describe hell TO be. The ac-
tons and lives of mankind certainly throw
doubt upon the sincerity of this belief If
their faith in the existence of so dread
place were as deep and mistaken as they
profess it to be, and the danger of falling
therein SO imminent as they also profess, is
it not reasonable to suppose that their lives
would be filled with uncomfortable terror
and spent in Il far different manner?
Addison makes Cato speak of the raptures
the mind enjoys in the belief and contenl-
pation of immortality Perhaps the Pagan
did see in it visions Of bliss; for, to him, it
appeared as an endless felicity. The chris
tim, too, has been taught to revel in Elori-
GUS possession of deathlcss soul Did he
really believe that eternal anguish threat
cned it he would gladly exchange with the
ephemera. Were the world firmly convinc-
ed that to a large majority, as we are taught,
tins immortality must be an eyer-enduring
agony, could they be happy in the prospect?
/ Could the soul, shrouded in the mortal ter
rors which must accompany such belief.
/ be able. rs Cato says, to smile at the drawn
dagger and defy its point y If such perls
awaited the future would it not rather well
come humiliation?
A fixed belief in endless torment seems
also inconsistent with the leyity in which
the whole christian world indulge, at times,
on this horrible subject: SUCH for instance,
as the various nick names, almost pet terms,
applied to the grim ruler of this fiery king
dom and the bantcring style in which man
kind are wont to remind each other of his
eternal dominion The soul believed to be
meuaced with such frightful doom would be
little inclined to mention it, save with awe
struck, trembling breath
Is this belief then so deeply rooted in the
human mind as is pretended? Is there not
in millions of consciences some sly little
nook Of reservation where turks doubt or
disbelief of this doctrine? Such doubt or
di.belief does not dishonor God. The sub
Ject is pregnant with argument, but l am
already crowding upon your space.
am impelled, however, to mention a
peculiar feeling manifested by the faithful
on this question and one not very honorable
TO human bene, olence. This is the appar-
ent pleasure they seem to take in the exis-
tense Of he'll, and the happiness they seem
to enjoy in the certain damnation of large
majority of the human race. This feeling
IS well illustrated by the following anccdotc:
|
nights entertainment by person who, she
had heard, was a Universaist. Believing
the report she at once, and rudely, denied
his request. Upon questioning him, how
ever OH the subject and finding him willing
to consign three fourtlls Of his fellow-nen
to perdulon. she quickly relented and kind
" granted him the hospitality he desired.
1t is curious to observe the great changes
that religious opinions, among some sects.
Fave undergone in the last fifty years.
Half century and more ago the greatest
political genius of the nineteenth century.
the immortal Byron. was made the object
of the foulest Remuneration and calumny on
account, in part, of what the pious CD were
pleased TO call his infdelity and the hereti-
cal tendencies of his writings. We See now
high church dignitaries, even the Canon of
Westminster, professed savers Of souls and
preseryers Of morality promulgating and
even teaching professionally the same ;heo-
rles which drew upon the great poet such
fierce, unreleutiug wrath. We now find
those who, in his life time, would have been
arrayed among his most hostile enemies, ex-
pressing with HIM the same
''Hopc of bettering future ills
BY crcumscrlbing with some slight restriction
The eternity of heIl's hot jurisdiction"
And 50 another great change has been
wrought by the whirligig of Time, but with
out affecting, in the least, the boundless
eternity whose secrets it has been laboring
to discover.
Having no further time and space at dis
posal, | must put aside tie poor women and
their suffering cause to future time, per-
haps consgn them to limbo-or rather the
cause-whereit properly belongs. | think
the tiresome length to which haze carried
this letter fully viudieates my title to the
name of SAM ScRIBBLEBY.