The Universalist. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1884-1897, 1886-08-21

1t is useless to shut the eyes to the
factor fact it is-that such implicit
confidence in the infallibility and au-
thority of the New Testament is not
characteristic Of the present and once
convinced that an endless, hopeless hell
is doctrine of Christian revelation,
not few will everywhere be found de-
nying the inspiration and authority of
such revelation.
1t is useless, also, to call them inf
dels and unbelievers for so doing. They
believe more in God than in the serv-
ants through which he has spoken, and
with Leigh Hunt would say eff an
angel were to tell me to believe in eter-
nal punishment l would not do it, for
it would better become me to believe
the angel delusion than God mon
strous, and we make him monstrous
when we make him the author of end
less punishment. For Gods sake let
US have piety enough to believe him
better" But we are not forced to this
alternative. We are not obliged to
doubt the authority of the New Tesla
ment because of doctrinal teaching un.
just to humanity and dishonorable to
the Divine Ruler.
The Bible hell is not place of out
ward suffering where sinners will for
ever be tormented for satisfaction of
divine justice, but state of moral dis
cipline having for its object the good of
the Individual who suffers. Christ no.
where asserts the endlessness of pun
ishment, and such doctrine is directly
contrary to all the spirit of his teach
ing. say he nowhere asserts the end
lessness of punishment. / weigh my
words carefully, having in mind that
passage in Matthew upon which reli-
ance for the support of contrary opin-
ion is placed-but the Eonian fire that
burns the wicked is the fire of that love
that in suffering most severe purifies
the sinful soul and fits it for higher
state. 1t is certainly significant fact
that the writer of the Gospel of Mat
thew uses in the 25th chapter, when
speaking of eternal punishment, words
that in the original carry the idea of
punishment as reformatory in it's de-
sign and limited in its duration when
he might have chosen, had he wished,
words conveying both the idea of vindic-
tiyeness, and epdlessness.
The punishments of God have for
their end the well being of the human
race. Men talk about accepting the
atoning sacrifice and escaping them.
The physical blood of Christ is put for
ward as shield for iniquity, and sim
ners are urged to get behind it that
they may not be obliged to endure the
suffering consequent upon their evil
actions. In these days when the COM
mercial spirit rules everything and
when defalcation and fraud are of such
frequent occurrence in the business
world; when children are compelled to
see the father whom they loved taken
to the gloomy prison cell, and, heart
broken, the poor wife realizes that the
companion who for years has been the
strong OAK upon which she leaned, has
yielded to the tempter and walked in
ways of iniquity; when suicide is so
frequently resorted to through fear of
shame that follows the exposure of
wrong doing, the opposite doctrine
that if man sin he must suffer-can-
not be too strongly emphasized. If
there is one truth that needs above all
others to be impressed upon the public
conscience to-day, it is this If a man
sins he must suffer-the harvest of sor-
row and shame will surely ripen in that
field where the seeds of iniquity are
sown.
We are accustomed to pray that Gods
kingdom may come and his will be done
on earth as it is in heaven. If we are
sincere in our petition we will not seek
to escape the discipline of that holy
will so essential to our we'll being.
"Whom the Lord loveth he chasteneth
and scourgeth every son whom he re-
ceiveth."
We reject it finally because it is i'm
possible to conceive of such terrible
outcome to human life. A thrill of
horror went through this city when
few weeks since we read of that little
boy who met terrible death through
burning gasoline. But his suffering was
of short duration. A few hours and all
was over.
HE lay within the light of God,
Like babe upon his breast,
Where the wicked cease from troubling,
And the weary are at rest"
Prolong that suffering. Think of it
as enduring, not one hour, one week or
one year, not one thousand or one mill
ion years, but forever, and you begin
to realize something of the horrors of
an endless hell. To accept such doc
trine as this outcome of life for the
great majority is possible to conceive
it is impossible. Yet you ara asked to
accept it and to worship that God who
has decreed it, thanking him for his
loving kindness and tender mercy.
Call such a being good Worship