Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1901-09-27
HEAVEN A HOT PLACE,
Colored Preacher Gives His Reasons for
Thinking So.

Colored Preacher Gives His Reasons for
Thinking So.
Heaven is place much warmer
than Tophet is popularity supposed to
be. At least that is the opinion OF
the Rev. j. Allen Viney, the pastor OF
the African Methodist church of Gen.
terville, o.
The Rev. Mr.. Viney proves to his
own satisfaction at least that the
temperature OF heaven is 826 degrees.
He proves his position from various
texts taken from the words of the
Prophet Isaiah and from the songs OF
Solomon.
At the request OF the Chicago Tri.
bune the Rev. Mr.. Viney has written
the following article explaining his
theories:
The prevailing high temperat ure
OF this season is suggestive and forces
upon the mind the question whether
there is temperature in heaven, and
at what degree, for its uniformity is
adm tilted, is that temperature fixed.
"For scriptural basis we choose
Isa. xxx, 2G: Moreover, the light of
the moon shall be as the light of the
sun, and the light of the sun shall be
sevenfold, as the light OF seven days
in the day that the Lord bindeth up
the breach of his people and healeth
the stroke of their wound
"The Interpretation of a text, in
order to be faithful, must allow the
fullest scope to the conditions named,
nor must truth be limited, side-tracked,
or explained away by concealing it
within whatever figurative express
sions may be employed to assist it.
Here we get rid of both the literal
moon and sun, the latter of which is
substituted by another light sevenfold
brighter than the former. The key
to the situation is offered in Revela-
tions, xxi, %: And the city had no
need of the sun, neither of the moon
to shine in it, for the glory OF God did
tighten it,
ITO satisfy the conditions of the
text 1t must have two fold interpre.
tation. The figure seven emblemizes
perfection, but in this case infinite
perfection, since the eight OF the
text is the glory of God in Revela-
tions xxi, %. The literal interpreta.
tation can but refer to that degree of
the glory OF God provided for "the
new heaven and the new EARTH for be
it remembered that no finite creature
can any more endure the fullest dis
play of Gods infinite glory than his
finite capacities would admit an in
finite endurement of wisdom and
power. We are driven to a literal
Interpretation Of the text in order to
determine the degree of light allotted
to heaven.
"Under the most favorable condi.
tions the thermometer has been
known to register lis degrees in the
sun. Seven times this number gives
S26 degrees, which, with its CORE.
spending degree of sevenfold bright
ness, brings us approximately to the
knowledge of the ineffable glory and
temperature OF heaven. In this cal
culation we have no scriptural au-
thority to leave out OF the account the
temperature of the literal day. Heat
and light are inseparable. If the
spirit of prophecy has seen fit to re-
veal the degree Of light OF our future
home by means of the light allotted to
our earthly existence, who is he that
would dare eliminate the property of
heat from the calculation?
"There are many passages in the
Bible that could be produced to con.
firm the theory advanced that heaven
sustains high temperature, at least
sevenfold in brightness and heat of
that OF our most uncomfortable of sum-
mer days"