Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1881-06-15
Beecher Oh He'll.


Nlr. IS :ech.r c,up.lueutaG ,he slous ones
Who turued out 10 the raio to at:epd bis prGy4r
meeting Friday night. BE talked to them sbGu.
death and about tne future lite, particularly 10
relation to the doc rlna of etcrr ii puaishnent.
H. called the attention Of those who cIiog 70
tue idea OF au cvcr.asiit hell TO the fact thu.
it is not taught at all 10 the Ola Testament.
asserting that in he administrator of uation
whict WAS avowcdy directly u der the Dlvlae
care, ",here Was period of four or FIVE tbous-
and years dutii 6 which the doctrine VAS not
taught oLc." 1t was evident that smors The
Jews there was ctrtslu liea of g hereafter tf
paiu, bat the teaching of g'oss sensusl, ma.
terisl torment belonged to the Roman miou"
II Was tine ores lion Of the N ID a, al age, aud
there bod come dowu 10 US nngell0g rrmnsuts
of it," Mr. Bstcaer touched llghtiY 90 the
Nsw Tesisment sliusions to dssth Pc en- eterosl
sleep. He pointed % the dlstioctiou that tx
isis between the Western and the Oriental
uiod 90 shi' sutj c.. Is the Western n,mts-
ph,r, every oody seemed TO dread death, VT re-
as tie Chinese and other Ofentss had, ss
rule. 20 more fear of des than ihsy hsG of
goiog without a meal Tne Roman Eypirc
WAS bull upon the Tusc.u, and, although ,he
latter was corquered, the Tuscins horrible
ooncap,lous OF iusure torment mad perneated
the Ronau Empire. Wneo the Romsn C,th
oiic Church vrgsuiz.d itself gradually it select.
ed as It's most powerful instrument the keys.
N SC re- in the kius's bsnd, 90 sword 10
prusr.rs b lOd, 90 ilslrum. .nt OF torur. 10 TO-
qusi!orl.l hands ever had the power Ii it that
-.s, 10 the keys. They iypi6td the Chorch's
cl,im to lock aod unlock the gates OF heaven
and ho.l for every human soul and willie tie
Church nsgol6ed the ] ,ys OF toe redeemed n
Paradise their imak,oatlon vas sbsJluiely
dtuuken With the suferings of III, damned :u:s
that went out uoregeuerate at death. v bile
the Pfotestant Reformation threw off great
deal IF this Yet it retained much OF il aud it
might be said that the popular notion of bell
DOW was gtos,, bsrbarlc, de9iilsh. Il be>v.,"
added Dir. Bsecber. There is period of pen
atty that follows traDsgreslon 10 this lie, bu5 it
is mental, 1t 10 moral, is is 10 the other life
add uuder clearer chcunstaLces remurss,
8 sct-condempatiop. As m.n Whu hbs
tquandered his estate and Is brought to poverty
aud the begins to think what be might have
had, so l can understand how mans mind may
torture HIN with c)ns,a 1t reminders of waal b
has lost Pain sLd Pleasure are disciplinary,
and are designed Ia the divine economy to worS
out after warus if not here, salvsole state If
mind" In reply to the question, How should
a Christian look st de.la2' Mr.. Beecner re-
piled, well, in the FIST llIce. he should no,
look st it az sll-on purpose. Or if ne LOOKS g.
it, he should do so only TO stimulate himself to
e.d better life hare and not to brood over the
horrors Of an Imaginary hereafter" " People
wondered how they would feel when dying
"pll tell you how you'll feel-most of you,I'
said Mr., Beecher, You'll feel stupid that's all
you'll feel You' ii want 10 go ~ sl.ep Dying is
as easy IS going to sleep in most instances Once
in while there was triumph h.nt or a radiant
death or re remoraeful death. but not olca il
million times was there such death aa is de-
scribed in books. That was all fummery
Mr.. Beecher attached no Significance to tie
manner in which q man expired, as it was prlu-
cipally The result Of physical accidents. and sf
furded 10 test OF his moral stately Y. Herald.