The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1892-01-14
The Doctrine of Futuro Punishment.

One ofthe striking characteristics ofthe
liberal tendencies ofthe times, in relig-
ion, is the very general disposition, not
only to ignore, but to deny and repudi-
alto the idea of future punishment. It is
said that the Scr ,'tural doctrine Of fu-
ture punishment is contrary to the JUS
tice Of God. The advocates of this view
have formed to themselves a certain view
of the character and attributes of God,
and they do not hesitate to declare that
the idea Of future punishment is contrary
to that character; they say that God
could not and would not make people in
order to damn them. That certainly is
not the doctrine, the Calvanistic confess
sion of faith Of our Presbyterian friends
to the contrary notwithstanding. The
free agents and made our happiness or
misery to depend upon our conduct.
Life and death are set before us; if we
choose life we shall be happy if we
choose death we shall be unhappy-mis-
erable-and it will be our own fault.
The only real and difficult question in
this case is, has God made US free agents
and placed our happiness or misery in
our own hands? But this question is
answered by our own consciousness. We
know that we are free agents, and we
know without the testimony of revela-
ton, that our Maker has placed within
us monitor that indicates that some ac-
tions are right and others wrong. And
we know from experience that when we
do right we are happy when we do
wrong we are unhappy-miserable-
cording to the degree Of guilt incurred.
We know that when we violate our con-
scientious convictions we do it deliber-
ately and that wo might have done 9TH
erwise. Now renlorse is itself kind of
hell, and we bring it upon ourselves,
and there cannot be any injustice in it
on the part Of God. But it is said the
idea Of hell is contrary to the goodness
and mercy of God. It is impossible to
suppose that SO good and merciful a
Being would intlict such fearful punish
ment upon his creatures. But this mer-
ciful Being has made us capable of suf-
fering, and as matter Of fact we do suf-
fer, Intensely, In this world; and we
suffer the consequences Of our wicked
actions. Bishop Buffers argument from
analogy is unanswerable. The Christian
doctrine Of future punishment for the in
corrigibly wicked is in perfect accordance
with the dealings of Providence as mani
tested in the constitution and course of
nature. If it be said that the Christian
idea of punishment is disproportioned to
the sin we see the same apparent dispro-
portion in this world. In fact God has
so constituted US that, sometimes, from
some slight indiscretion. some apparent
ly small alteration from the path Of
duty, whole life of wretchedness and
misery is entailed upon the unhappy
victim. We have bells on earth, and tile
same reasoning that would do away with
future punishment would, if: consistent
ly carried out, do away with the misery
and wretchedness which constitute the
hells of this world. But these hells exist,
exist by the permission Of Almighty
God; aud although this argument. from
analogy may not prove the fact offuture
punishment, it is full and conclusive
answer to the objection against the idea
Of future punishment founded on the
goodness and mercy Of God.-Catholic
ReUietU,