The Wilmington daily Republican. (Wilmington, Del.) 1890-1902, 1902-01-23
''HBLL.' y
A Sermon Preached by
: : the Rev. John Shape %
= Jan. 10, 1902:

tons that forget God" Ps. 9: L
! There are three words in tn
Bible from which the English wor
10 translated-sheo hades aud G
hen.na. In the King James Vel
aion shoel 10 translated 81 time
by grave 81 times by "hell,
and three times by pit. In III
New Testament hell occurs 2
tines-l2 times it stands for &c
henna, II times Tor hades. Sheo
and had s are almost synonomou
terms ana usually refers to tn
grave. Gehenna was socalled iron
a deep valley south OF Jerusalem
in which the Idolatrous Jews wer
wont TO cast their children into th,
arms Of Moloch to be burned. Al
terwards it became the refuse pi
for all Jerusalem. The dead DO
dies OF criminals, the decaying car
cases of animals, and all SORTS o.
filth were cast into it and either
by being set on tire, or bv spontane
Gus combustion. it was ignited and
thus there was continual bnru
ing-a gehenna OF fire.
The Master was familiar with
Jewish modes and lorms of speech.
and 80 when he wished figure to
express the horrible punishment OF
the wicked who shall be turned
into hell. he chose the one suggest
ed by this refuse valley. with the
hames and fumes constantly as.
cending, the horror and fear OF all
the people.
!. WHERE IS HE'LL? Itis a place
This We Judge from the words de-
scriptive OF it. in the New Testa-
ment. 1t Is called prison q Peter
3: l2 gehenna, Tartams 1t is a
place with gates and bars, and
keys. It's direction is downward.
"And thou Capernaum, which art
exalted 10 heaven, shalt be brought
down TO hell Matt. II : 25. 1t
has been said that "hell Is any
where outside Of heaven" but taat
is true only in a mod fed sense. 1t
will not do. to insist upon general
location for the place OF torment.
1t has its own peculiar habitatlon.
AS certainly as "heaven is a pre-
pared place for a prepared peo-
pie" Ono. II ,, so hell is pre-
pared place Tor a prepared people,
"pr:narcd for The devil and HIS
angels" Matt. 25 d.. Oh with
what company doomed souls are
obliged to associate. They do not
tnherIl The fire, 1t 10 not prepared
fer them, 1t is prepared for the
devil and his angels, (helt is the
devils inheritance. and they 60
to share the doom of others Go
there, because they desire and de-
serve il, 1t ia rot God s fault. He
cries, through earnest men Tod lay.
turn ye, turn ye. )" and vet watns
that If the wicked will not turn
toward heaven. now. there will
come time when he will be turned
into he'll, with all the nations that
forget Gcd. No Christian Colum-
bus ever sailed across the mys-
terious sea 10 discover this awful
place. but God himself knows its
location The wise man wrote of
superior wisdom when he wrote
"heli and destruction are before
the Lord prov. Is II,
II. WHAT Is HELL. Is it con-
di,ion? Is it principle? Is it an
Is 1t a state? 1t it
literal fire: Is it literal outer dark
ness Is it literal lake burning
with fire and birthstone! Is it a
roe!' S fancy or a creatures sen.i.
ment' Does the smoke OF the fire
ol tie torment OF those doomed and
damned in hell, arise forever?
These are some OF the questions
We must ask ourselves in the dis
cusson of this ditheult subject.
Here are some things we may
say, with which all Will doubtless
agree. He'll is an uneasy cou-
science. 1t Is to be troubled with
The fitting speetres Of for.
mer follies. the Ghosts OF earlier
SINS. The murderer hiding from
an immortal sheriff. and like Plate
IN Dante's inferno. forever wash
ng his hands from the blood stains
that will never wash away. The
hiel forever secreting his booty
md never enjoying it for lear Of
exposure, though continually eX-
,oscd. The mlser. resrctling the
,oor use he has made OF his wealth
'et always shutting his cars TO the
:ry of the needy for the bread re
ould easily have supplied. The
AXE troubled at the sin he can
conceal and fearful Of
Meeting his victim The pleasure
ecker half-recovered IRON recent
evelrv, and conscience smitten at
he loss Of time and health and
lorals.
He'll is to be possessed OF unholy
ct uus, 'ifed desires. 1t is forever
'anting and never obtaining. 1t
, flami. lustlpg, eoveting, un-
atiety.
He'll is memory the memory OF
hings we would forever forget. 1t
) to be held relenllessly to the
asst, as Grimm ais held with chains
II ubrcaKable. 1t is 10 re-rcad pages
an awful record which we would
lin blot out with tears Of repent
nce-but the repentance came too
lte.
He'll is to be in company with
her evil slnners. Wicked men
ven now, shun the wickedest COM
anions. but then they will be
enled the presence OF rightoup
en. 1t will be hell 10 be IN he'll
ith men deserving it.