The herald. [microfilm reel] (Los Angeles [Calif.]) 1893-1900, 1894-02-12
Heaven and Hen.

Chicago.
Heaven and He'll.
At the Grand opera house, DR.. N. F.
Ravlin delivered an eloquent lecture in
the morning on The Higher Spiritual
ism.
An audience OF 500 assembled to lis.
ten to the discourse of the doctor in the
evening. His subject was, The Old
Dogmas OF Heaven and He'll Exploded.
The most of us were taught when young
OF two great beings God and the
devil, or Satan and of two abodes for
men and women in the future life
heaven and hell. We were taught that
God and the devil were in conflict
with each other; that God cre-
ated the earth, everything in it,
man included, and it was all good ;
that the devil and his angels had been
cast down from heaven by the victori-
GUS forces of Michael. This earth is as
a speck of sand among the creations OF
the universe, but here God would create
man and give him His special care. He
would show Himself the master, and no
man was ever started in life, according
to the record. under more favorable con-
ditions than the traditional Adam and
Eve. Everything was faultless, but it
did not last long. The devil defeated
the purpose, and turned all topsy-tur-
vey. The result was that the first-born
son of Adam and Eve was murderer,
and his victim the second son. From
that day to this the devil has been, &C
cording to theology, more powerful than
God.
The depravity of man, the wrath of
God, yawning hell has been the stock
in trade of ministers and priests for
1900 years. How our souls were tor
tured with these dogmasl We did not
stop to reason, but followed in the blind
faith of our fathers; but now we ask
where is heaven? Where hell? Who
is God, and who his Satanic majesty
When all is summed up, nobody has
seen God, nor the other general, and
you are not children of the devil. The
so-called heather OF India could open
theological seminaries and teach Chris.
tian ministers better Christianity. In
telligent men cannot be frightened now
into a profession OF religion by the
ancient terrors OF theology or the
anathemas of priests. You simply
recognize conflict between good and
evil, and both are essential to the de-
velopment of the highest type
of humanity. Take away evil
and you take away that which
gives strength to human charac-
ter. Z have been speaking of God as
the theologians have represented, and
not of the God in whom you and live
and move and have our being. / have
the profoundest reverence for the true
God. The fields and forests, the flow
nd M
among the hills and the melody of
birds, every form of life speaks OF God
of wisdom, love and truth. stand with
uncovered head among the beauties OF
nature and degoutly worship and adore.
You may find within you the key that
unlocks all the mysteries and beauties
of God and heaven.
You will find no heaven that you
do not find In your own bosom,
and no hell that you do not make. Do
your best, and do to others as you would
have them do to you. Let the old tradi-
tions 60, and in the sweet embrace of
universal love you will find the heaven
you seek. Begin to climb, and away up
yonder you may find Esau, whom God
hated, and pass old Jacob long before
you reach Esau. You'll find many
women on the heights who had been
cast out by church and society.
The doctrine of total depravity has
done much harm-it has produced de-
pravity in the offspring OF those who be-
lieved it. Another false idea has been
that that which is banned by the priest
is damned. Danish these theological
falsehoods from the world, and in four
generations, under more rational con-
captions of God and future life, crime
would cease and prisons be of no further
use.