, 1881-10-09

article Of religion, require our ministers to he-
l1eve more. or differently? l think NOT.
ment; but hold it in that form that is called
moral Or paterna1; or, in other words, 1hotd to
the governmental view with the peEnl idea left
out. deny the doctrine at 4 literal pcnnl sub
unscriptural- 1t Is un o!fense to our deepest
mornt intuitions, and bur1en to Christian fifth.
tho teachings of Wesley and Watson; but I
clatm to be in substantial! accord with Raymond,
and hiicy, and Pope, and to mold III substance
what in its last analysis must be declared to be
the true ArminiAn doctrine
hold to the strength and integrity Of the
government of God,
THAT ALL SIN WILL De PROPERLY Pm
1SIyED;
but do not believe in II material hell fire: nor
in the terrible ideas Of future torment that
have come down to from the past Such
teachings tn my mind negative the very idea OF n
God. l must agree with good Or. Raymond,
" that it is competent to think OF Cod Us milking
hell not as terrible, but MS tolerabe as possible
If God punish sinners, 1t Is because he mist
lie Is vindicatory. but not vin1ictivc. lie IS Il
righteous beng and a righteous sovereign but
he is nor malicious mnrdercr. 1Ht1!. Ent & l can. can
mir Wesley, In bis sermon on He'll,
stntes the doctrine of the Methodist churches
on this subject. From this tcachine, 50 fur aS
should ruther say with DR.. Whedon. :" We
tmngine tho census would be slnal Of American
Methodist ministers who would accept Mr. Nes-
ley's physical views of hell"
- hold to the endlesncss of tho law by which
sin must be punished. and hence to endless
punishment for the endesiy obdurate, It such
there be; hut. assuming MS do, the freedom OF
souls after death, cannot nilrm that any soul
will, or will not forever rcnnin In sin, and hence
can neither affirm nor deny endless ;t punish @
less punishment upon endless snnius' am
logically bound to suppose that, if the SHINING
como to and end. the suffering must also come
fp, anI-
loss that in the nature Ut things seems 10 be
remediless. And have hope-a hope that h,ts
come to me through much suffering aud prayer,
and that seems to be strengthened by tho near
est visions Of God-that,
SOMEHOW,
all the Divine love and striving to win and save
souls will not end with this poor. short i1e; out
go On i'll the immortal world. -And it seems 10
inc thut while there is upon some texts surface
look OF tnality, there is deeper and fur, reach
ing vision of other texts, and OF the scriptures
as Il whole, on which this hone may rest. .
And now, how does this whole case stand! !
think can almost torgct that au1 Oh trlal anu
eau speak impcrsonally; nnd. doing this: It
seems perfectly clear to me that the prosecution
can lind no grounds for conviction on the qt1cs-
tion of the Bible nnd the ntonement: IhtS, t,,;,
gians who may make Il careful Study OF MI Tue
What. then, is left on which to flnd verdict
Of guilty? Only tho question OF endless pun
.ishlnent- Aud what are tho facts IN reterence
to this? There Is not one word III our Articles OF
Religion about endless punishment nor @ aponi or'I
1n the IN Ncene se''I Creed Not one word; Nor
Is tesre " %orH IN 1a9 on to
Church inserted an article ail1rlnfng eno!esS :s3
punishment. and carried tt eleven years, anu
then dropped Ihat was - ene onyS ~ fr y, IA
Articles Of Religion for the Methodist EplsG9pMat ~
Church, di3 not insert that article nor a1o ne
anywhere make ahy allusion 10 II. LUIS ol'47-
sion was
CERTAINLY INTENTIONAL AND NOT Acc1-
And this view Is srrcngtheened oy the we'll
known fact that Wesley was deeply attacheo 70
the Moravian ministers. who we're generaLs
KestoruionEss aud especlahy d 10 ie'et eonc hen
every lost soul In Hell would be redeemed: ana
that Wesley himself In his Inter years came lulu
a broader hope for all mankind. u,,, .,a
Methodist Church, 20 outside OF the Articles "
KeIigion and outside the great creeds Of Chrlstl-
nnity and drag in the cathechism that "ns GER
standard Of aoctrinc; will the Church 90 this TO
find a law to condemn, not pos1tfVe oeEe! "
teaching in reference to the 1ntu1e oa XIV n
condemn a hope that the love OF God tnat IS IS
greater than the measure OF our poor nM.ts nnIle
minds may somGdow nd sara % at least aoue OF those
not saved in time? lhope the CnuFen WILL o''
no such thing.
Docs the Methodist Church believe d ana teacn, Hi
and Iors it require its ministers to believe ana
.tench. that the doom Of every soul is lrrevefsa-
bly sealed at the moment Of death? Is there
cAx.ruEKE Be no HorE IN TIE ETERNAL
AGES?
Where i! your fe5 ths2 b. h;6 wha5 an
Whr. even the catechism does not do this: fof II
speaks Of the final doom only after the oaoe@
ment dag.
me for my views Of future hope t. nas tsst oeea
decided by tho highest courts OF 1at he
discplined for not believing IN endless punish y;
ment that the Church has no law requiring y; 1a
heIief Nor is there any such lay ~ tns M
Church The e'no1s' 1o Us an e1a@ps M
1of tniernnce. viii you 90 outside OF the law, VI
shs snd consdes hss ice thnk
and To let thipky' Will you now declar5 ~. ~
Methodist Church TO be 4asrowes tFad En'scopsl. OF
the Congregational Churches; to oe tae m sch
est Of ali the scots? hope you VIII u9 h,-Sans
r., vot ms bind 0uEuGu.