The sun., 1891-05-01
TT n a QUESTION OF aML.
Ths Hev. Dr. Brissnssn At.pders . Heiies
IN q Literal Lake or Fire.

IN n Literal Lake ef Fire.
.Ths Rev DR.. @. DIV. Bridemsu. psstortol
the Madison Avenue Baptist Church. the only
Baptist clergyman In the town who wears q
silk gown IN the pulpit. preached on the morn.
ing of Feb, is q sermon In which he avowed
his disbelief In the od-.ashioned everlasting
hell OF eternal fire and birthstone. His text
was the verses In the ninth chapter OF st
Mark. declaring It better to cut of an Offend
ing right hand than having two hands 10 eo
into hell. into tho Gro that never shall be
quenched; where The worm dieth not ,A and
the fire is not quenehed,"
The passage in which he made his confession
OF faith was In part a follows:
Now wo know. without my staying TO de-
scribe r. what the popular opinion is, or hos
been. concerning the hell of which It speaks
in the text; and must needs begin BY rejecting
It, from the constrsint the irreslstible, CON.
straint OF the conviction that It Is directly
opposed TO all that Christ has shown and told
us Of God that tits contrary to the revelation
ho has made to us Of the Father. = /,
1T is obvious that tho Lord had no refer
snce to q state OF eternal torment BY that use
OF tho word. In speaking Of 'dehenna.' He
thought OF It as Q place Of corruption, ss rep.
rssenting the gathering together OF the WORTH
less and the outcast. That is the sense fn the
passage OF the'text Tho hell against
which the Lord had warned the people is Just
the inward deprsvity which selnshnsss and
unbelief and unfaithfulness arc certain to
breed. Such, as understand It, is the doctrine
with reference to hell IRE. "J
This Is my message this morning, mes.
sage long nisditated. and which have spoken
to you with . profound sense Of fts solemnity
and q what is due 70 the gospel Of God"
This sermon excited much comment among
tho members Of tho CONGREGATION A feV nAr.
sons questioned the orthodoxy Of their pastor.
but %n ss sn, to
vote Of confdsnoS in Dr.. Bridaman was passed. passed
All talk. however. was not etilled BY this OK.
81 b. ss
solved to resign When he Quilted the church
sss s sss eer sssd & &'SsRnT s1 e 5
~ ~! SsS[S sSi 70. m%.q. stand in ii. x.y
onn
q aassson the OF 81 Hee doerns sa men
feel that my pastoral relation to you must
e Ss s
.hs
ss7. ss soar hOps a%
I'll. forssd bsisSs I Ss en shs NV w.r.
sss sss ins # as9
herewith tender my resignation Of tho ONCE
s a
% al
to aRa e. a
which have been woven between Us in the va
We have passed t.
decision has been. reached after days ) and and
niehts q painful s9lIoitude and earnest prayer.
n spite q bis declaration that bis dessrmin.
q she
6im 10 rseonsider. TSis co%mittss. @ whsn Z
sSers Argument I Is bsar on NH him. f b. BrdSman dSuH
i .u,i TO- to give an an answer to-day:
.sa fsras nn%Ss.r D
Bapdtiss 81 p =, cisrgymsn thought with him n rs
as fS EaH Sh him In s7.2ssns
m..ss f BsDtss %inistsrs ss IN fh
ss Il ia .5S.eesss e .ss Ssi
Il his bus 10 claimed Ssi sse r,sht %
sonsd.9 H sn, 'dsts' 'sss s: BsD s.e
ss ls fcF bpoi hst bssynS bs Il an s5s
sne Articles the eoafssson
Faith. he continued, are free to believe a. they
please on this point. This Is especially trne Of
NJ Madison Avenue Church. which has
- The Roy. DR.. Macarthur OF Calvary Baptist
;nSrsh dd not think that there were 40 many
.s pr. Brideman had made out He thousht
hat more believed with him that tho ,punish-
10. however does not believe In the literal
AXE q, q are. He believes the wicked will Be
lnless an end 10 found for sin. He did not
hink there was any danger Of DR.. Bridgman
icing disciplined by the Council Of this Part Of
ouncil would refuse to ordain a candidate for
he ministry who did not believe In the ever.
asting punishment OF tho wicked,