The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1878-03-22
EDITOR TRUE NoRrmspxsR |:

EDITOR True NOhIHBkNnk:
As one OF your readers, have been much
interested in perusing the discussion carried
on through your columns on the subject Of
He'll and eternal punishment and perhaps
you will generously allow me to have my say
with others who have interested themselves in
the examination of this subject
"A believer IN every word Of the Bible" says
the theory Of those who wish to forever
obliterate hell would be poor consolation on
death bed
1t does seem passing strange to me mat any
person of ordinary intelligence can become 30
thoroughly imbued with heathenism and super
st,t,on "a 10 derive consolation on death-bef
or elsewhere from such barbarous, unhur an
and revolving doctrine as is the dogn a of
eternal torment for all except small ,por;tv
OF his fellow beings. 1aa
The theology which maintains sue n doctrine
presents the strange anomaly Il an all-wiss
all-powerful God the creator and nreserver Of
the universe, contending with his satanic
majesty, the Devil, the .oirit of evil or what
ever other name may q applied to him for the
possession OF the b imam race Gods children,
whom he loves, W th an affection far exceeding
that of an earthly parent, and the Devil getting
by lar IL best OF the bargain. II 1t is fact
that God loves his children, instead of hating
them, and believe 1t is, then it seems to me
that He'll is an impossibility. 1t would DO
utterly impossible for such God to create
and bring into the world, human beings whom
he loves, we'll knowing all the time that they
would be consigned to everlasting torment, for
this would be doing violence to his own nature.
and make him God OF hate instead of God
of love.
There ls no justice, there is no mercy, there
is no love in such doctrine.
believe God Is better than am. better than
any human being ever created and that man
does not live who would see his own children
IN everlasting torment when he could prevent
it by the simple exercise of his own will Nay
more, there Is not human beng In existence
who would consgn his own worst enemy to
such fate, and yet we are told that God. this
God OF love will allow his children to suffer IN
Hell for all the endless ages of eternity
Let me ask who is to be benefited by this ?
Not God himself for he is already perfect, not
the sinner for he is cut off from all avenue OF
escape or reformation, and the only class left
will be the saints in heaven. and have some
times thought from hearing people talk, and
reading such doctrines as some theologians
hold, that they thought it would add to their
enjoyment to be able to look over the battle
mehts or heaven and gaze upon the unutter-
able and Undesirable tormonts OF their rea-
tives, friends and neighbors in the burning
lake below
IN the words Of a Believer" ray Il do
not think they are talking what they honestly
believe" II they had in their hearts the full.
honest belief that their own friends aud neigh
bors were on the sure and certain road to
damnation, believe they are Human enough
to do more than spend one day or small palt
OF one day in a week IN looking after these
matters. But they don't believe 1t. They feel
that in some manner their loved ones will
manage to escape and Only those who are OF
no particular interest to them will be damned.
Their belief is like the patriotism OF some dur
ing the late war-they were ready to sacrifice
all their " first wifes relations on the altar Of
their country so only themselves should escape
Out upon this gross superstition. this relic
OF barbarous ages that has been handed down
to us from the worlds dark ages 1t Is not
good doctrine to live by. 1t is not good
doctrine to die by, and should be consigned to
the realms OF oblivion just as soon as possible.
No STYLE CHRISTIAN