The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1890-08-23

ducees thought that the soul died with the
body. There are three words in the New
Testament which were translated by hell in
the King James Bible: hades, meaning the
same as elsewhere in Greek literature;
Gehenna. which was properly the hell Of
rendered in the revised version; and Tar
tarus, used only once e Peter iii, ~. which
is the regular Greek word for the place of
punishment after death.
The religion of Islam, characterized by
lack of originality, and the Mohammedan
hell contains nothing but easily made vari-
atoms of the Gehenna of the Jews. To the
man that disobeys the precepts of the Koran
it is promised that God shall cast him into
hell fire; he shall remain there forever"
Further it is written: Verify, those who
disbelieve our signs, we shall surely cast to
be boiled in hell fire. 90 often as their skins
shall be we'll burned, we will give them
other skins in exchange, that they may taste
the sharper torment, for God is mighty and
wise" The physical pain of fire. applied in
various ways. is also the staple of the fol-
lowing torments: "They who believe not
shall have garments OF fire fitted to them;
boiling water shall be poured on their heads;
their bowels shall be dissolved thereby, and
also their skins; and they shall be beaten
with maces of iron.''
In the Greek mythology, which wes cop
led by the Romans, the place of future
punishment is called Tartarus. The uni
verse is represented in the poetry of Homer
and Hesiod as a hollow globe, divided by
the fiat earth. In the top Of the upper hem
isphere was Olympus, the home Of the gods:
IN the hemisphere beneath the earth was
hades, the abode Of all the dead. and in the
lowest depth was Tartarus. An anvil would
be nine days and nights in falling from
Olympus to the earth; nine days and nights
from the bottom of the earth to Tartarus.
around it. moreover, a brazen fence has
been forged. and about it Night is poured
in three rows" In Tartarus there is dark
ness, and the air has no motion. 1t was at
this time regarded as the place of punish
ment for the Titans, who had rebelled
against the powers of Olympus.
Among primitive peoples in various parts
of the world, a variety of notions with re-
gard to future punishments have prevailed,
The African tribes which have not been
affected by Mohammedan or Christian in
fluence, although they may believe in future
rewards and punishments, generally have
no idea Of definite places for heaven and
hell. The Kamtchadales also have no hell
OF the American peoples, the ancient Mexi-
cans affirmed that the wicked went to
Mictlan, dismal cavern within the earth.
The Peruvian hell was also in the earth,
and there the reprobate must endure cen
turtles Of toll and anguish. The Eskimo
believe that hell is among the rocks, ice,
monsters and chilling waters of the sea.
All souls must 60 down into it. but the good
pass deeper to more peaceful abode. The
American Indians have no idea of place
of future torment, except where it has been
derived from white missionaries. "The
typical belief of the tribes of the United
states," says Brinton, was we'll expressed
in the reply of Esau Halo, great medal chief
and speaker for the Creek nation in the ma
tional council, to the question: Do the red
people believe in a future state Of rewards
and punishments? We have an opinion
that those who have behaved we'll are taken
under care of Esaugetuh Emisee and as
sisted; and that those who have behaved
i'll are left to shift for themselves, and that
there is no other punishment.' Z