The Universalist. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1884-1897, 1896-05-16

gave an outline of the views expressed IN
regard to Eternal Punishment by the
Methodist ministers of Columbus, y.
Rev. DIR. Rexford's discourse, Sunday,
NAV 8, was devoted to the inquiry,
"Shall We Give Up Endless Punish
ment?" The selection of this topic was
occasioned by the report of the Metho-
dist ministers meeting to which REFER
ence was made last week, in which IL
appeared that considerable number OF
those present rejected this doctrine. AS
a sign of the times DIR. Rexford regar-
ded this remarkable disclosure as
worthy of more than mere newspaper
item. We give the report OF the SER
mon as it appeared in the Columbus
paper the following NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS.
TT is a feature, said, Dr.Rexford, in a
long continued, and sometimes vio-
lent history. 1t is phase of no little
significance in the evolution of relig-
ious thought, and its bearings upon
our Interpretation of religion and
Providence are such that it challenges
an emphatic approval or an equally
emphatic rejection. | do not know
how widespread this thought OF re-
lection is among the ministers OF the
Methodist church. do not know
that we have any special reason for
thinking that the ministers OF that
church in Columbus are peculiar or
exceptional in this regard. Column
bus impresses me as conservative
city in its religious thinking, and SO
far as this general influence could af-
feet the attitudes of men, it would
tend to hold them in the traditional
forms. I have known individual
members of that communion who
have held what would be called Glib
eral views" of this subject, and one
of their most distinguished bishops is
on record as saying, while speaking,
of the soul passing out of this
body into another state OF existence,
that bird is not necessarily injured
when it's cage is taken in pieces,
illustrative of his idea that soul is
not placed in less advantageous
condition when it leaves this earthly
estate. / undertake to draw no in
ferences, but if the proportion reject
ing the doctrine of endless punish
ment should hold good in the Metho-
dist ministry at large, as it appears
in the Columbus association, you will
draw your own differences. There is
certainly divided judgment, and
when we take note of the tendencies
of our time toward milder judgments,
and the tendencies revealed even in
the report of last Mondays meeting,
we can have little doubt as to what
the result will be in the years to come.
I quote some of the opinions as re-
ported. No one 80 far as | have OBJ
served, has felt called upon to correct
the report.
TIL. C. says: "It is the most diff
fcult subject l ever approached, but
with my idea of fathers love, l can
not accept the doctrine" j. R. T.
SAYS: 81 never had any difficulty in
believing the doctrine" T. G. D.
saws: 81 have studied the subject
carefully, but 1 cannot believe that
future punishment will be eternal"
A. ]. H. says sour feelings are not
to control our opinions. Iaccept the
doctrine on the authority of Christ"
W. B. G. says: 81 accept it on the
basis of the eternal fitness of things"
S. F. H. says: 1.-THE Book of Revela-
ton teaches that the gates of heaven
are Open" P. B. says: II believe
that punishment will last only while
sin lasts" J. G. j. says: II do not
accept the doctrine. I believe in in
definite but not infinite punishment"
N. G. P. "believes it to be matter of
revelation" H. B. W., whose paper
led to the discussion, said: ''In the
Gospels we are impressed with the
utter helplessness of those who die
unsaved. All the Saviour's appeals
are lost if there is hope in hell" j.
w. V. and V. B. E. agreed with the
author of the paper. H. j. S. said;
External death is the absence of eter-
nal life" ]. F. K, quoting another,
said: "God will assign to the wicked
the best place he has for them" G.
NJ. V. P. said: Punishment, like sin,
will be eternal" W. A. said: "Christ
made this a plain and distinct doc
trine."
l copy this report from morning
paper in which it appears that FIVE
out of the fourteen rejected the doc
trine. do not claim that this one
third of those reported are believers
in the salvation of all souls, for some
of them may prefer to believe in the