The Grenada sentinel. [volume] (Grenada, Miss.) 1868-1955, 1891-05-30
WHAT THE DENIAL OF HE'LL MEANS
The Whole System of Theology Must Then
lie Reconstructed

The Whole System Of Theology Must Then
lie Reconstructed.
The Rev. Dr.. Bridgeman, for many
years the pastor of one OF the most i'm
portant Baptist churches in town. has
resigned his charge because of objec-
ticn made to views expressed by him
against the doctrine Of everlasting pun
ishment.
He rejects the orthodox view OF hell
fatty and decidedly, calling it ''ungod-
like and terrible" To his mind the
true hell is not a place Of fire and brim-
stone, of eternal torture and agony in
,expressible, but inward deprayity
which selfshness and unfaithfulness
are certain to breed;" the evil in the
hearts of men against which God burns
"with an ever-increasing intensity, ab-
solutely, perseverlngly: even until
there is no more SIM" Practically,
therefore, this Baptist declares him
self u Univers;llist
1t seems, too, that the great majority
Of his flock agree with him, or at least
are not troubled by his heresy. Since
the preaching of the sermon in which
he rejected hell they have passed II
vote of confidence in him. He also says
that he has received assurances from
many other Baptists that they are in
|sympathy with his views, and there il
doubt that those opinions prevail now
throughout all the branches of PrCtes-
tantlsm. But the few who still cling
to the belief in hell look on the doc
trine as of prime and essential impor-
tance, and acceptance Of it as test of
orthodoxy which should be applied
with severity to all preachers. They
are strong in their aggressive power,
because they have decided conviction,
while those who recoil from the doc
trine of everlasting punishment arc
merely in negative state of mind, un-
der the influence of their human sym
pathics and aversion to every kind of
suffering.
The believers in hell believe because
they believe in the Bible. The others
lceject hell simply because it seems to
Ithcm cruel and unjust that anybody
should be tortured eternally because OF
his failure to accept Christianity in
this short, earthly life, even if, as in
The case of the heather, he knows
nothing about it. It is only another
example of the prevalent disposition in
these days to oppose reason to faith.
The believers in hell unquestionably
have all the standards OF orthodox faith
Oh their side, and therefore. DR.. Bridge
man steps out from the pulpit of the
Madison Avenue Baptist church,
lihoNg h ne is in sympathy with the ma
jority Of his flock, and, probably, with
the great majority of Protestants who
are nominally orthodox.
The Presbyterian demand for the re-
vision of the Westminster Confession
started! in feeling that it would he un-
just to torture the heather in hell ev-
erlastingly simply because of their ig-
1orance Of the gospel. The same re-
vulsion of sentiment against the old
hell doctrine is sapping Congregation
al enthusiasm for foreign missions. If
the heather are not to be damned, the
motive of sacrifice to send the gospel
to them is destroyed. Pious people
who agree with DR.. Bridgeman will not
deny themselves for the conversion of
the heather. They will be disposed
to leave them in the hands of God.
Vet, If the doctrine Of all hell is
thrown overheard, the whole system of
Protestant theology must be rebuilded
on new foundation. II everybody is
to be saved and there is to b. mo more
SIM" the doctrine Of rewards and pun
ishments must be expunged from all
creeds.
If the Obliteration is to be done at
the dictation Of human reason and hu-
man conception OF justice, all other doc
trines of the Bible must be cast aside
at the same demand, and Prof. Briggs
is the true exponent Of the new the
ology.
The appearance Of the new leaven Of
skepticism among the Baptists is very
significant, for as denomination they
have been hitherto the strongest Of
Calvinists, the most devout Of believers
in the authority and absolute and lit
eral inspiration of the scriptures. The
theological revolution is confined to
the Protestant families, but extends to
them all.-Ne,c York Sun.