The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1899-03-26
THE FIRE OF HE'LL.
ROMAN ca OPINION AND
n ACHING THAT 1T Is REAL FIRE.

Unanlmity of tho Fathers in Excluding the
Theory of Nero Metaphor-Like Terres-
tial Fire, Except That 1t IL Unquench-
able-A Molten Fluid Applied So as to
Produce the Deepest Possible Suffering.
A very remarkable lecture in defence Of the
proposition that lin hell the demons and the
reprobates are punished by real fire" was de-
livcred last Sunday at the Roman Catholic
Cathedral Of st. Peters. at Cincinnati. by the
Rev. John NJ. Mackey. rh. ID. st. Peters is the
cathedral church OF Archbishop Elder. and
DR.. Mackey is its assistant rector and conse-
quently n man Of an ecclesiastical prominence
which gives the more importance to his very
striking lecture. OF which the principal part
is presented below. taken from the full text
in the OWm ercidl Tribune OF Cincinnati:
THE beggar. Lazarus. died and was carried
by angels into Abraham's bosom. and the rich
man also died and he was buried in hell. And.
lifting up his eyes when he was in torment. he
saw Abraham afar Off and Lazarus in his
bosom. and he said: Father Abraham, send
Lazarus that he may dip the tip OF his finger in
water and cool my tongue. for l am tormented
in this iiame.' Hero the rich man is tormented
by the flame OF the fire of hell. The fro OF hell
is therefore n true and proper fire. as 1t pro-
duces the effect produced by true and proper.
that is to say. real. fire. namely. "A fame that
torments n man exposed to its action in a place
oftorments. to which the rich mar apprehended
his five brethren might come. The flame Is
real, and not metaphorical. as water. even
the small quantity held on the tip OF the
finger OF Lazarus, would cool the tongue OF the
rich man, as he thought in his forlorn and in
%cffectual appeal to Father Abraham. The real
ity. that is to say. the truth Of the fire Of he'll is
manifest. also. from the environments and
conditions under which 1t is presented to us by
our Saviour. Everything in the record is real.
not metaphorical. The beggar Is real. hell is
real, the rich man is real. the tongue to be
cooled is real. the torment of the man is real.
and the real torment is effected by a real flame.
produced, therefore, by a real fire.
IN objective real reprohate. in effectively
Is set forth In the language and conception of
our Saviour, in order to deter us from conduct
inducing the same torments. upon us person
bates forever and eternally. To argue that the
fire iS not true and proper, that l.. real
hell itself: against the realty Of torment.
against suffcrings corresponding to real tor
ments. i is to argue, therefore, against
persons. This would prove too much.
aMnd, therSforS, nothing. It would diysst
therefore. OF legislative and real power. as a
law without sanction j. no law A. all God, di;
power to govern. His providence 4. eliminated.
His creative authorship ncGativcd and His re-
ATTY I'm puEncd. Alas! the sad consequence in
the train OF error impugning the truth of the
objective realities presented by our Saviour in
He Holy Gospel tor our guidance in the con-
1T Is against reason and utterly puerilc and
Ynworthy,of a true philosopher to seek to intro.
makes no distinction. II is against the true
method of theology to deny objective reality
TO truths rnunGiatGd nearly niways and
terms, Fire is the medium OF tormrutS in
ilicteG on tn" rrprohate everywhere il tn" Cos
medium Therefore the fire Of he'll is real. true.
proper fire. The method Of our opponents is
Aenostics. ana The whole flock OF the "Xecralle
modern srcts who deny all reality and make
III. ]iiniv"rs" consist of airy phantoms.
am, tui, OF unc"nsIns horror and intestine dis
cord. TN" r"proh3trs chose to tend away from
their true support. God respected their gift Of
liberty. "" confirmed their choice; and they
VIII iamlsh and lnliGuish in all heir faculties
OF true d"ath-iorrivod Of tod aud without
hope. The rain Of loss is added to the pain OF
NO definition Of the Church exists as to the
true and uroprr IRE, Of he'll; for it is the com
III" FIR" is real and not mctaphorical. Tcmerity
;Gon" would depart from IN" common belief of
is denied rcnitents obstinatrly clinginr to a
m"taphoriral fire. an opinion or "A belief in
proximity to error and, indeed. in real formal
definition Of Holy Church. a. the mind Of the
Church is made manifest hy the CONSENSUS Of
th"oloEians and ~ tn" faithful.
.r,S AuGuS'in". D"FivItate Del NX" 10. saws:
Tn" fire Of he'll is something physical, "xter-
nal. a true body which ,prmiuccs such pain a.
teaching. or III" fathers is the recognized cx-
pon"nt Of III" mind o thc Church. The fathers.
IN every page Of their t~rcHtiNcS on the subject
If the rnInsO t hell. designate them 10y the term
fire, and add such attributes and COMPARISONS
the notion and "nnrcption of such fire.
",lgn"ramc" of he way fire tprmGnts spiritsor
not initiate against tn" facts revealed in Holy
Scripture. For the modes and MENUS between
causes and elects. agents and acts. even IN the
natural order. are profound mysteries. To act
is to produ"" an effect: II produce an effect is
to he II cause. Fire torments the rcprobate.
and therefore it acts upon him. as the tOrmcnts
The fir" Of hell is as real fire rs the natural
ties OF fire rs known TO science. the property
Of un"easing dur0tion-"ternity. Depart
from mo; accurscd. into everlasting, fire Ter:
@restrial fire lie eNtinguiShable by exhaustion Of
air. Hell fire j. not quenchaPle at all-applied
he'll there is no rcdemrtion., From its fires
Their" is no liberation: The subject burns PAS
subject or agent, or disintcCration Of The object
acted upon. These differences in attributes.
powers and qualities are differences as in de-
Icnt elements of fire. aud are known. to us by
induction from tn" facts revealed in Holy Scrip
torment. inflicted. the immortal, y and eter-
nifty of the r"prohate and the elements of his
tortures. How astounding the words Of ST.
Paul Heb. ", 81, II t. a fearful thing to fan
into the hands OF the living God But when
we contemplate the hcn"iiccut goodness of tho
Creator. HIS providence and love. and. above all.
His infinite mercy. Offering pardon and forgive
ness and pleading with the sinner. through his
Church. to accept His gifts, to be recOncilcd and
restored to order and service: and see the sin
her. ON the other hand. fail TO appreciate the
goodness of God III his regard and reject allthe
advances Of divine mercy: then W. cease to be
HstOniShcd that mercy gives way to Justice for
the vindicatIOn of the sovereignty OF God. who
enforced all His nr"ccpts in tho earlier dispen-
sationS by the declaration. i am the Lord.
Terrestrial fire is Il gift of Providence: informal
fire is an instrument of divine justice. Fire
takes many different names. according to the
elements generating heat and light. which
are the dominant properties Of fire aud Ordi-
narily present together in every fire. Metals
burn. stones and clays burn. the oxygen of tho
air burns1-thps we have lightnings. blast fur
nnces and volcanoes. All difrer In accidental
properties. but have this in COMMON. that. act
ing as causes, they produce thu sumo results il
brought under Intelligent control. The fire OF
holI is molten tluid. for it Is perfectly adapted
to receive and contain bodies aud interpene-
trate them. As darkness is ,incQnceivahly an
Woo pf tho damned aa lIUhf would ma fO aOma