Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1890-08-20

The pruulgA was 'lo-i- uulll ne
returned home. The antediluvian
world was'-destr0yed" by the flood.
In none Of these passages can
ssdeath'' or obstruction" mean
either humiliation or endless tor
ment. II Is clear, beyond dispute,
that uncOnyerted men on earth,
although they are declared TO he
s'deal, - have n1t been anuihilated,
nor are they in endless torment.
The prOdigal was surely not
annihiIated while he was wan
dering in the foreign land. Nor
were the antediluvians annihilated
by the flood, since Christ preached
to them in prison after a LAPSE Of
1000 years, or more. All these were
living beings, still within the reach
Of saving mercy, although in Bible
language, they are said to lie
''dead, - destroyed, 3, etc.
II We nov follow the well-known
rule Of Protestant Interpretation and
allow Scripture TO be explained 10y
Scripture, We see a. once that future
retributiOn Ia all its unfathomable
awfulness j. neither humiliation nor
endless torment. Those who are
least into help are no more annihi-
lated than they were while living
upon this earth; they are ''de
stroyed,r but they are no more
outside Of the reach Of their Fathers
mercy than were the world ''des-
troyed'' in the flood.
Those who LOOK upon future pun
ishment a. endless torment argue
that the punishment OF the wicked
i always referred - as an eternal
punishment, and that the meaning
Of the wori eternal can he nothing
but eHdlcEs. When the word Is usszi
TO describe the happiness o. the
saints or the qualities Of God, II
must he taken A. indicating an end
less duration Of time. Why should
il denote something else when used
10 denote the punishment Of sinners:
The derivation Of the word, from
Qci, ever, aud cliGi, to bel, it
Is further argued shows, il TO
mean nothing but everlasting.
To this We briefly reply, that the
word eternal" according 10 it,
derivation in Greek means ever
listing, may, perhaps, be true, al
though the above derivation has
been questioned 10y many etymolO-
gisis. But even IL il does it Is Ger
tain that the WORT eternal i IN
many passages applied TO earthly
objects that pass away. And il
must lie noted that the word eternal
often does not refer to duration Of
Zine 1t all. Il Is often used a the
opposite 10 that which pertains 10
this life, much A. the word spiritual
Is used a the opposite Of material.
Speaking 81 the eternal hiesse,in -
Of the Saints, the Scriptures often
mean n bliss TO be enjoyed In
eternity. Aud in the same way,
.'elernal'' punishment means a
punishment 10 be suffered in etern-
ity Is distinguished from punish
ment inflicted in this life. II i
strange that this fact should ever
have teen overlooked.
But the declaration Of the Apostle
Paul should settle the controversy
for ever: "For He Christ must
reign till He has put all enemies
under His feet. The last enemy
that Ei3sl Il abolished i death
that God mag be all in ALL"
II this passage does not teach that
Christ snail reign in order that lie
may reclaim from death it, victims,
and that there Is a glorious work TO
bc done for the dead, then We fail
to perceive any meaning at all in
this comprehensive passage
But It evidently means that God
shall become all in all and that
death itself shall, finally lie abol-
ished.
50 far the teachings Of The Bible
are plain on the subject under con
sideration. But the fall meaning
Of the expression eternal punish
ment," Is given nowhere 20 clearly
n in the Doctrine and Covenants.
See. u, Ole. Eternal punishment
i, in this passage, declared to be
Gods punishment, - as God Him.
self Is eternal. The punishment
itself is always existing, but the
terms Of the Transgressors differ as
their sins differ. Men who have
chosen 10 violate the laws Of God
will suffer this punishment, but
each one according 10 the nature Of
his offence. For God is just in all
His dealings with His children.