New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1883-01-15
COyDEMNING MR.. BEECHER.

Hell: A Review OF Mr. Beecher's Cooper Union
Lecture" was the COMPREHENSIVE subject from
which the Rev.J H. LighttOun in the seventh street
Methodi,t Episeopal Church, drew several lessons
last evening. AT the close of the sermon he an
nonnced that he would begin q sGries OF dis
courses next week on Evolution in which
h bo would antagonize Darwin, Huxley. Tyndall
and Spencer. While the collection was being
taken, Mr.. Lgh tbourn said that he would rather
hell. and go he sang, am stranger here, Heaven
is INV home" Before he sat down lie renal ked
81 could sing better you would have heard peter
singing" His text was from Mat thew XIV, ~: ana
these shall go away into everlasting punishment,
but the righteous into life eterna" The sermon was
in substance as follows:
1t has aroused the bitterest opposition
Human prejudice has ;, curled ITS up at
it., Infdehty has leyelled its heaviest ar,
has failed 1t stands tonight as the test OF ortno-
doxy. Those who heard Mr.. Bcecher's recent lee
ue mpSt have been borriiied at the avn "a tRs
Bible, but the one no had been taught 10
believe in-the Calyinistic hell. II Mr. Beecher
Cslvinisiic Church teaches, wonl! say, Neither
will l." II an angel from heaven should come 10
me with message about such place. ! wonld say
"Avaunt" The doctrine of reprobaiio has had
q terrible reac ion wherever taught. CARLYLE
rebelled against it and became an lhauci.
lie said it gave him Tho dyI aPSSayitr b IRON
over Germany, and Ratonailsm is Ill possession Oh
New England because of the teachings OF that ter
God that sent man to he'll because tie foreordane9
him 10 90 there. But God does no such tnin8. III
God is as wise as am, He will never foreordaln
what He does not desire to come 10 pass. ISL
| thai plain9 The only difference between the
man weltcrlg in SIN and myself Is that believe III
Jesus Christ and he doesn't, but God Isnot to blame
| for the difference. God never sends any man 10
he'll VoitaIre said that lie tried 10 prevent men
| from going there but could not. CALVIN took IN
| other horn OF the dilemma - that Goa
could prevent q man from gong the W
| but wouldn't. / agree with Noltalre we
can raise tho same objections against natural pun
ishment Ia this world that Mr.. Beecher ana otners
do against future punishment. Theodore farKer
said taat lie could not be happy IN heaven IL ne
knew there was one soul III hell. why was lie
happy i'll his cottage, with q prison ana cancer
hospital in sight Simply because he kept out oi
them. A.,
Ii it were not for future punishment and the
dread of H. your wives and daughters would not
be safe in the streets l AIN kent from steallus
and lying only from the dread OF future pun
ishuent The reason why lobbyists bride our law
makers is because they all have no fear OF punish
nient here nor hereafter. Hang say hang the nrst
lobbyist and the first lawmaker caught oiieTlng or
taking bribe No other bTiDes would be offered i'll
.hIs generation. Mr. Beecher and men like hm are
destroying the wholesome influence upon whlcn our
Government rests. L do not beheve that HcHiy
Ward Beecher himself has grown IN grace mucn
since he gave up the doctrine OF hell wouid not
be RESPONSE BILE for the influence which he exerted
in that lecture Tor great deal. We must be very
careful how we unsettle the faith OF any man.