The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1900-01-29
PURIFICATION BY SUFFERING.
REV. {. IL. STRONG DISCUSSES THE
PURPOSE OF PUNISHMENT.

Ire "a Dol OF anu ~
Intended by Christ in His words
TO the ApostIes-The Three Kinds
of Suffering and the Reasons for
Each-sunering Being for Purif-
cation 1t Is Necessarily Not Eter-
nal. He Holds, But Does Extend Be
YOnd the Grave.
"A Prophecy, It's Fuihlment and the
Consequence was the subject discussed
by Rev. c. II. Strong at ST. Johns Church
last night. MI Strong's purpose was to
show that the words of Christ in fulh.ment
of the prophecy in question had been mis-
understood and a false meaning given
them, which had given rise to serious mis-
Interpretation.
The prophecy referred to IS that Of
Malchi, where he predicts the coming of
Christ to the temple where he should sit
in judgment as a refiner and a purifier
who should purify the priests and purge
them as gold and silver The fulflment
of this prophecy, Mr.. Strong said was
found in the gospel of St. Mark, where
Christ, in teaching his apostles tells them
if a hand or foot offend them to cut it
off or an eye to pluck it out. that it is
better to enter into the kingdom of God
MANNED in body than being physically per-
feet to be cast into hell fire, where their
worm dieth not and the fire is not quench-
ed"
The forced Interpretation placed upon
this scripture, Mr.. Strong said, has given
rise to the horrible dogma of everlasting
punishment as authorized by Christ him
self. This, he contended, is entirely mis-
Interpretation, the fallacy of which is
demonstrated by an examination into the
circumstances and surrounding. The scene
of these utterances, he said, was the
porch of Solomons temple, where Christ
sat with his apostles looking out upon
Gehenna, or the valley of Hinnom, where
all the offal and garbage from the city
of Jerusalem was burned and where the
fires were constantly burning.
The idea of fire, as used throughout the
Scriptures, Mr. Strong said, was refin-
ing and purifying element. the means by
which the dross is separated from the pure
metal This idea of publication by fire
was constantly present with the ancient
writers both Jewish and pagan. The
Jews had become accustomed to it in their
departure In former days after Moioch,
when they passed their children through
the fire in worship of this deity Natur-
a
fires destroying the filth of the city and
preserving its health, served to continu-
ally keep before them this idea of purif-
cation by fire. Christ, In His teachings,
dealt in the smiles and ideas to which
the people of his day were accustomed, in
order that they might better comprehend
the meaning of his words.
The effort to construe the words of
Christ, in this instance, as authority for
the doctrine of everlasting punishment, is
a monstrous misinterpretation, Mr. Strong
said. In support of this position, he in
stanced the words of Christ Immediately
following those just referred to: For
every one shall be sailed with fire, and
every sacrifice shah be sailed with salt.
Salt is good, but if the salt have lost his
sadness wherewith will ye season it. Have
salt in yourselves and have peace one
with another" In these words Mr.. Strong
held it was evident that Christ simply con-
tinued his figuratlve illustration of purif-
cation by fire, salt being commonly known
as a preservative, and the words "salted
with fire" very clearly indicating that this
process was for their publication and pres
ervation and not for their destruction
He referred to the words of st. Paul that
every mans work shall be tested by hre,
that which is evil being DESTROYED and
that which is good remaining, and that II
any mans work be burned he snail suffer
loss. but that he himself shall be saved.
Mr. strong held that this figurative test
bv fire is Simply the test of human sur
fering by which souls are tested ana puri-
fed for the world. There ere three kinds
of suffering The first and that which $
most readily understood, is the suffering
which comes as a violation of law, both
natural and physical. The second Kind
and that which is more difficult to compre-
bend is that of the kind inflicted upon
lob who could not believe that God
would inflict suffering upon him for vio-
latng laws which he had faithfully OBJ
served This is the suffering OF conse-
Grafton. which prepares men and women
for higher and noOler duties in life. Inc
Imprisonment of Joseph in Egypt was not
because he had committed any wrong, but
that he might be prepared for the great
work before him.
The third kind of suffering and the high
est and noblest of all, Mr.. strong said, is
that which is incurred when a man goes
forth in answer TO the call of duty or in
defense of some noble principle of truth
and takes suffering upon himself as y
cross for the good OF others. even "a
Christ who said. IF l be lifted up, then
shall / draw all men unto me- There il
no blessing of civilization which we en-
joy to-day" said MT Strong, which does
not represent the sufferings of martyrs
in behalf of truth and principle, of men
who laid down their lives that right might
prevail These are the hero souls. No
truth was ever won that did not cost a
martyrs pains. These are the three classes
of suffering, that of consequence because
OF the violation of law; that of consecra-
ton which fits us for nobler duties. and
that of devotion incurred in the cause of
truth and right"
This. Mr. Strong said, brought out the
idea that suffering is the instrument of
Gods purpose for accomplishing the puri-
1cation Of the souls of men. why should
- aNvfa l,
he asked I'VE have the words of Christ
that the fire shall not be quenched nor
the worm die until all mortal sin is purg-
ed away" 1t must continue for the purg-
inr away of sin, either by physical or
spiritual pains. but this does not require
that it should be everlasting. We have in
snire1 authority for the statement that
Christ descended into hell to preach to
the spirits who were disobedent in the
time OF Noah Did he go there to tell them
[ at they were without hope or to tell
them T. at they might be purified of their
sins The DurDOse OF this punfshnont l,,-