The sun., 1883-10-31
The Do trine of Hell.

1t is rare In these days to hear sermon on
He'll, in a Protestant church especially, and
rarer still for the pulpit to handle the awful
subject in plain and positive terms, and with
out attempting to cvade the logical conclu-
sions OF the doctrine OF eternal retribution.
The subject Is usually avoided altogether, or
ills treated in such q way as not to offend
the sensibilities OF the congregation. Even
the word He'll, SO terrible in its very sound,
and once familiar enough to the churchgoer,
is commonly dropped, and some more or less
synonymous term less grating and startling,
is uttered by the preacher.
1n the Baptist and Methodist denomina-
tions sermon was formerly not regarded as
complete unless in the application at the end,
at least, the sinner was warned to flee from
the wrath to come, and the torments Of He'll
were described with thrilling emphasis. The
main theme OF the old revivalists was He'll
FINNEY and KNAPP. for instance would have
felt that they had neglected their first duty
II they had closed one OF their dscourseS
without picturing the awful fate OF the i'm
penitent sinner. In the Congregational and
Presbyterian churches, also. the subject was
not shirkcd; for, beyond doubt, the doctrine
OF eternal reward or punishment is necessary
to the integrity Of the evangelical system Of
theology and salvation.
But OF late years the doctrine OF He'll Is
smoothed over. left untaught, or substan-
TALLY Or deiinitively abandoned by preachers
who hold evangelical commissions. The
tendency OF tho Protestant denominations is
now, unquestionably, toward Universalsm.
The younger generation under the influence
OF those communions are growing up without
the fear Of He'll which OF old caused tho hearts
OF their fathers to quake and trembe.
1t Is only In the Roman Catholic Church
that the doctrine Of He'll is now preached
without equivOcation and without any at
tempt to soften Its terrors Last Sunday,
Tor instance, the Rev. Mr.. CLARKE OF the
Society OF Jesus. delivered a very impressive
sermon at st. Francis Xavier's Church on
Some OF the Agnostic Objections to He'll" in
which he laid down In very positive terms the
Catholic teaching concerning eternal punish
ment. The sermon was the second OF course
OF four sermons on agnostcsm.
Father CLARKE described He'll as q state
and not place-a state Of rebellion against
GOD. which Is the state Of the agnostic, ac-
cording to Catholic teaching. ut is a lake
OF fire." he explained. "inasmuch as those
condemned to He'll will be surrounded by tor
ments as he who Is In lake is surrounded
by water. Tho fire OF He'll, though it is a
true, real fire, Is not the gross, material fire
with which We are conversant on earth. It
IL supernatural fire. 1t produces on the
| bodies and souls OF the lost the same effect
| That fre produces here on our material
bodies. and through them on our souls, ex-
cept that the agony II causes will be thou
sand times more intense. The gnawing agony
OF eternal remorse and reproach will be far
worse than any bodily agony. The chief tor
ment OF Hell Is eternal separation from COP. u
Ihis Is teaching, 1t will be seen, which the
simplest can understand. There Is no eva
sion about 1t. There Is no mitigation Of the
terrors OF the subject, and no attempt Is
made to reconcile the awful doctrine with
the now prevalent desire Of men. theologians
and others, to construct some theory Of the
future life which shall admit OF the abandon.
ment OF He'll and yet preserve the consist.
ency OF Christian theology. The Roman
Catholic Church stands unflinchingly by the
old doctrine, whatever the consequences. II
makes no compromises and no concessions
and both its friends and its enemies under
stand exactly It's unalterable position.
Undoubtedly its firm adherence to ixeC
principles, and the rigid consistency witt
which 1t sustains Its convictions and require
ments as to morals and religion, are grea
source OF strength TO that Church. Whel