The Universalist. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1884-1897, 1888-02-04

John, who related an incident of their late
journey when they forbade or rebuked one
not one of their company, whom they saw
casting out demons in CHRIsTs name. Such
believers were not to be discouraged in their
discipleship, and the disciples were warned
of the awful danger of selfish narrowness
and Phariseeism in their administration of
the kingdom.
OCCASION OF sTUMBLING.-JEsUs la
ments the fact that the world inevitably suf-
fers from such occasions of stumbling as
have been described, and the calamity which
befalls those by whom they come, and SOL
emnly warns his disciples against the danger
of becoming themselves the occasion of the
worlds woe, or lured to destruction by such
occasion of others. The statement of JESUS
does not include the question of the Origin
of Evil, or the degree of human responsible
ity. The necessity which he declares is his
torical rather than philosophical, and the
danger prophetic, though real, as he forecast
the progress of his kingdom in the world.
The fact that real self interest involves great
self-sacrifce is enforced by an illustration
employed in the Sermon on the Mount ".
%, 29). It is acknowledged to be better to
live manned or halt, or blind, than to suffer
diseased member of the body to destroy
our lives: so it is better to renounce some
cherished ambition or pleasure rather than
to be led into sin by it. By differentiation
the disciples would enter into the blessed
spiritual life of the kingdom; but by self
seeking they were in danger of missing
its blessings and suffering the calamities
which were described as to be inflicted on
those who fell under the condemnation of
the Messiah.
Gehenna Fire, not "Hell."
GEHENNA, the word translated shell, :" is the
proper name of a valley near Jerusalem.
Here, in the reign of Ahaz, the jews prac-
tjced idolatry, offering human sacrifices to
Moloch, /" burning their sons and their daugh-
tiers in the fire" e Kings xiii. 10; 2 Chroni-
ces xvii. 81. The pious king Josiah, who re-
vived the worship of JEHOVAH, desecrated the
place and made it an abomination to the
Jews, by making 1t the place of scavenger
for the city, where the sewerage, the offa',
the dead bodies of animals and vilest GRIM
inals we're cast, infested by worms, and
where fires were kept constantly burning to
consume the offensive contents. 1t became
the symbol of all that was vile, and of the
worst calamities and penalties, and especial
]y by JESUS, of those impending upon the
Jewish nation, when, having rejected the
Messiah it should suffer the Divine condem-
nation. 1t is worthy of notice that in the
New Testament the word is employed only
by JESUS and James, and that JESUS uses it
only when addressing his disciples. "The
eternal (Oe0niGn) fire" is literally the fire of
the age, and is equivalent to Gehenna, which
is employed in the same connection in the
Sermon on the Mount.
vpa tra ha of a tU a
occurs in the Old Testament, we learn that
it should never have been translated by the
word she'll" 1t is proper name of we'll
known locality, and ought to have stood &C.
henno, as it does in the French Bible, in
Newcome and Wakefeld's translation, in the
improved Version, etc. Babylon might have
been translated "help' with as much propri-
ETY. as Gehenna. These passages mean that
it is better to accept Christianity and fore
go some worldly privilege, than to possess
all worldly advantages and be overwhelmed
in the destruction then about to come upon
the Jews. when multitudes were literally cast
into Gehenna. Or it may be fguratively
used, as JESUS probably used it, thus: 1t is
better to enter the Christian life destitute of
some great worldly advantage, comparable
to right hand, than to live in sin with all
worldly privileges, and experience that moral
death which is the Gehenna of the soul. In
this sense it may be used of men now as
then. But there is no reference to an after
death suffering in any proper use of the
terms. The true idea is thie Embrace the
Christian life, whatever sacrifice it calls for.
j. w. Hanson, d. D., "The New Cove
nant."
Whatever may be the meaning of the en-
tire passages in which the word (Gehenno)
occnrs, "hell' must be complete mistrans-
lation, since it attributes to the term used by
CHRIST sense utterly different from that in
which it was understood by our Lords hear
al
sense in which he could have used it.-Canon
Farrar, Eternal Hope"
CHRIsT'S LITTLE ONES MUST NOT BE
DESPISED.-JEsUs warns against the sin of
contempt of the lowly and humble minded.
1t is a much needed warning even now. 1t
is SO common to esteem highly the lordly
and self assertive, that the modest and truly
CHRIsT-like are often unappreciated if not
really thought meanly of. Among the lowly
and supplemented are often to be found the
strongest faith and purest righteousness.
OHRIsTs little ones, that is, child-like be-
levers are most highly favored by COP:
"Their angels in heaven do always behold
the face of my Father who is in heaven"
They are instructed by heavenly messengers,
are controlled by Divine influences. There
is no reference whatever to guardian an
gels" or spirits who have special charge of
individuals. The humble Christian is actu-
ated by heavenly influences rather than by
worldly and selfish ambitious, and for that
reason ought not to be despsed or rejected
from honorable notice by Christians them
selves. The imagery of the passage quoted
is drawn from royal courts, and the inter.
course by messengers (angels) between the
sovereign and his subjects.