The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1881-01-06
THE DOCTRINE OF ENDLESS PUN =
ISHM hNT.
What Mr.. BeeCher Said to Reporter AprOpOi
Of the Adams Case,

What Mr.. BeeChef Said TO Reporter AprOpOs
OF the Adams Case,
A Brooklyn Eagle reporter, who asked Mr.,
Beecher apropos OF the diSfellowshipping Of the
Rev. Myron Adams by the Ontario Association of
Congregational ministers, II belief in endless
punishment was binding upon Congregational
iRts, reports Mr. BeeCher as speaking as follows; /;
whether the profession Of doubt as to the eter-
nifty Of future punishment Is inconsistent with
membership In the Orthodox Congregational
churches has been more or less a matter Of diff.
ference and debate among the Congregational
churches, both East and West, but, with grow.
ing tendency to permit such doubt II in all other
respects the minister is Of the right spirit and bids
fair to seek the great practical ends which are
contemplated in ell religious teaching The
whole subject Of eschalolOgy that is, the science
Of last things is coming up for more thorough
discussion than has ever yet been given TO It,
DR.. Philip schaff Of New York, one Of the ablest
Of all church historians, said recently that al
most every other great department Of theological
doctrine had undergone period OF radical dis
cusson and been settled after that, but that there
had never been such period Of discus ion upon
the great subject Of eschatOlogy; and that was yet
to entered upon. In regard to M. Adams the &C
count given states that he Is thoroughly unset
tied in his religious belief that he regards sin as
disease rather than a voluntary transgressioD;
that his views Of the atonement are exceedingly
mystical, as also his views Of divine forgiveness
and regeneration; that he absolutely denies the
doctrine Ct endless punishment that his elo.
quence has been turned against essential truths
and against his brethren and the churches; that
he by no means rep. esents the system of faith
held by Plymouth Church or the Congregational
Association of New York; finally, that he furn.
ishes no satisfactory soriptural or aional basis
for his belief Mr.. Adams is an able man, whose
mind Is in state OF transition as between the ex
PLANTATION of the great moral facts resting together
in medieval days, and as they are presented un.
der the light of scientific discoveries in our day
We are living In an age Of transition; one set Of
men have gone clear over to what may be
called 'naturaistic' grounds; another set of men
are attempting to go clear back to what may be
called strictly medieval theories. Between
these two extremes there is an undeVeloped but
steady developing, process of transition-espe.
cially among educated young men. To that
body, undoubtedly, both Mr.. Adams, Of Reches.
ter and Mr.. Adams Of Dunkirk, his brother-re.
Gently set away by the Presbytery for the same
thing-belong The doctrine Of endless punish.
ment has been, down to within twenty five years
last past, undoubtedly included in the orthodox
belief of Congregational churches, with here and
there dissident. There is, however, very
widespread investigation of the grounds Of evI.
dence on which the former views have been held
going on. AT present 1t would seem as If the
churches held about this attttude-that If in all
other respects a minister was sound in his belief
and did not use his doubts on the subject Of the
endlessness of punishment for the building up OF
new views; If his spirit was good and his labors
acceptable, he should not be molested."
Reporter-on the subj ect Of future punishment,
have you not announced in your sermons a dis.
belief In Its endlessneRs2
Mr. Beecher-Yes; but l should not want to say
anything aboutit just now, without more prepa-
ration and thought than can give to 1t at this
moment.