The herald., 1898-08-24
SOME IDEAS ON HELL
THE UNIvERSALIsT MEETING AT
LONG BEACH
Interesting Discussion on Theological
Subjects-A Wife Beaten Sent to
Jail-Beach Notes

LONG BEACH, Aug. s3.-The Universal
list Chautauqua grows more and more inter-
esting as the sessions unfold. the morning
session especially. "the Universalist hour
in which the beliefs entertained by Univer-
salists will be presented and discussed
what Christianity Is,'' as understood by
this denomination, will be thoroughly ex-
planned, and friends of other faiths are cor
daily invited to be present at these morning
meetings and listen to the exposition OF
Universalist gospel.
49, Universalist Hour
In the absence Of Rev. Vim. Jones, DR..
J. W. Hanson led the discussion. He said
an just punishment is a means to an end.
The difference between revenge and punish
ment is that revenge is suffering inflicted
with no good end in view, while punish
ment always has a good purpose. The
poet says: There's a purpose in pain,
else 1t were devilish." True punishment
possesses three characteristics: ~ The
prevention of sin; (2) the reformation Of the
sinner; co the general good. Endless pun
shment Is a contradiction Of terms, for it
Is destitute of all these features: ~ 1t does
not prevent, 1t postpones sin; (O It does not
cure the sinner, but renders his malady in
durable; (0 1t fatally ruins the general
good. All Gods punishments are those of a
father. They are described in the Bible as
ending in the reformation of the punished.
In Heb. xii we are told that he Furnishes
men for their profit and that the punished
"afterward yield the peaceful fruit of
righteousness" The worm and the fire
that torment the soul are not literal-they
are analogues Of the worms that prevent
putrefaction and the fire that purifies. "Our
God is consuming fire." the fire Of love
that consumes the sin, but saves yhe sin
ner. 1t is the refiner's fire that purges the
dross from the gold Of humanity. The word
rendered punishment" In Matt. XIV, 46,
signifies to purge, to cure. He'll is tenn
porary condition. to be emptied and de-
stroyed when its work is done. (See Rev.
XXX Earthly parents, earthly governments,
do not reform those they punish, for lack
Of wisdom to adapt their penalties to secure
the result they wish. Gods goodness is to
cure his children and he is wise enough to
plan and powerful enough to execute an he
wishes to secure. Every stroke of divine
punishment is a part of the process by
which God is eradioating sin from the moral
universe.
Afternoon Lecture
David Heap of Pasadena, before large
and appreciative audience, gave 45-minute
talk on Thomas Paine, Fighter for Free
dom in Country and Conscience" He stated
at the outset chat the main objections in
the popular mind against Thomas Paine
arose from popular misconception of both
the man and his writings. Believing that
It was the duty of every sincere seeker
after truth 10 render justice to the memory
of every man who. like Thomas Paine, had
been for hundred years maliciously ma
ligned and misunderstood leader of liberty
in America, England and France-especial-
ly in the wide domains of public politics and
In the nearer relation of private religion.
Referring to the scheme for interesting the
school children of America in Keeping alive
the memory of Paine's dear friend Layfay-
cite, Mr.. Heap said: ''This is all right 80
far as it goes, but am free to confess that
it does not go far enough. January 29.h
should be held in America of far more i'm
portance, since 1t gave to the country and
the world one who, If only we were bold
enough, would be nationally honored In
each succeeding birthday. OF course, 1t was
impossible to say what would have taken
place If something else had failed, but all
his 0he speaker's) reading had led him to
the conviction that but for Paine's timely
appearance on the scene, American inde-
pendence would have been indefinitely post
poned, II not abandoned altogether" In
deed, some writer's go SO far as to claim
that he originated the conception Of sepa-
ration from the mother country, and GER
tan 1t Is that Paine first wrote the phrse,
''free and independent states ofAmerica.'
The scene which took place In the city OF
William Penn in 176 was wildly recalled,
showing John Adams, Benjamin Rush,
Franklin and Washington listening to the
burning words of Thomas Paine, who
turned their irresolution into a steadfast
new purpose, as he begins to speak of the
independence of America-her glorious tu-
ture, her people, who shall swell with
countless millions; her navy, that shall
whiten the uttermost sea, that shall stride
over the wrecks Of thrones. to the universal
empire of the western continent. Speaking
of Common Sense" the speaker said:
written by an Englishman in ridicule OF
the British monarchy, no American printer
would touch it. Written by an Englshman,
it remained for a Sco,chman to printit, and
on the LIST of January, 1776, Common Sense
burst on the people Of the New World like
prophecy" Referring to Paine's life
long efforts in the cause of freedom 1t was
pointed out how Paine improved upon
Franklin by adopting as his motto. ''Where
liberty is not, there Is my country" A
resume Of Paine's great work, THE Rights
of Man." followed, and the lecturer closed
with a glowing peroration, proving that
Paine was no atheist nor infidel. Sure, he
emphatically asserted, that he believed in
one God, and no more. I'VE yet may hope"
said the lecturer, chat honest orthodoxy
will cease to vilify his name, consequent
upon his purely creedal unbelief, to the
end that differences may be minimized and
agreements amplified, that mutual love and
sympathy may become universal the
fatherhood of God and the brotherhood of
man alone our bond OF union, our only
prayer, which Foot described so happily
as 1.-THE magnificent liturgy OF the human
race"
Evening Session
The illustrated lecture on Yellowstone
park, with 100 stereopticon views, by Rev. |
T. c. Douglass. was a splendid thing, the
views and word painting Of the lecturer
bringing the scenes depicted wildly before |
his audience. There wasJa large audience
present and the stereopticon worked mag.