The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1903-05-13
On External Punishment"

On next Sunday evening at the First Meth
odist Church, Mr.. Duncan will preach on
External Punishment" This will be followed
% the Tss hra
the series will be on "What is Hell?"-Lau-
rens Advertiser.
While the Press and Banner may not be ac.
knowledged as authority, we should think
that the people who may be forced to listen
TO alleged sermons on such subjects could very
we'll answer the question as TO what is
hell"
We think that licensed preacher Of the
gospel who would use his pulpit for such pur.
poses al the discussion OF the subjects named
should be brought before the church courts.
and, II he processes not repen tance, and gives
not promise for the future, that he should
be dealt with as provided In such cases.
The Reverend Brother knows no more Of
the subjects named than 10 revealed in the
holy scriptures which we all may read, and
in such sermons C7) there may be much harm.
The whole program looks to Us too much like
grand stand display, or some stage perform.
snce for the galleries.
1.-THE Reverend Brother would preach the
gospel. and give his people less fiction and
less imagination, and less Of the decorative
art, he might be useful soldier OF the Cross.
Instead OF running the risk Of doing irrepar.
able injury TO any poor soul he might en-.
courage the weak and struggling, and to the
strong he might add strength.
The idea OF soaring people into the church
by holding up the terrors OF the law, will
make an exceedingly scsbby lot OF Chris.
tians.
To offer prizes or rewards to men who dis
regard the spirit while refraining from diso-
beying the letter OF the law, catches nincom
poops who would gain. by fraud. choice seats
in the choir that surrounds the greet white
throne.
What the country needs and what our Sav.
ionr wants in rs is q religion of principle. A
religion OF truth, honesty. morality, purity.
love and charity. Purer lives and holier Iiy-'
ing-not speculations as to the iuture-is
what our Saviour would have in as. ::
We need men who are Christians, because
the religion which we profess Is right. We
need men who assume our religion from the
love of right, because It is right.
It tis not for rs TO know how our Father will
do!with rs. Our Elder Brother reproved the
curious enquirer who would look beyond the
pavilion OF darkness that separates as from
the scenes Of glory which await the righteous,
and he would not lay bare the particulars OF
the anguish which the lost must suffer.
As TO whether I'VE know each other there"
is another prolific means. or excuse, for neg.
leoting the weIghtier matters Of the law. II
we do not know each other, we may not
know ourselves.
4 The learned Girradeau had q famous 'judg.
ment day" sesmon, which he preached In
many places to the delight OF thousands OF
people. When this editor heard 1t, that
preacher put our thoughts TO thinking what
time the millinery stores would have, and
how the clothing stores would sell ont the
last remnant. All the men would need cloth.
ing, and no woman would think OF going If
she did not have at least new pair Of slip
pers and new hat. We could, in imagina
ton see thousands running from Long Cane
TO Haddon's millinery store. and then the
Idea that the newspaper reporters would have
q great time writing 1t up came irrisistibly.
All this may have been very, very wicked,
but no preacher has q right to shear the great
event Its sublimIty by attempting to des.
cribe 1t more particularly than is done In
Holy Writ No preacher has right to make
30 serious matter appear ludicrous to even
the weakest.
Let Mr.. Duncan use his powers in raising
mp the fallen; let him strengthen the weak ;
let him encourage those who may be at the
parting of the ways, to stand steadfast for the
right; let him urge us all to come nearer TO
the Cross let him not neglect to remind his
hearers that God Is angry with the wicked ;
but lat him also teach bis hearers that q pure
heart Is always an acceptable Offering at the
throne Of Grace. Let him present the need
ofpreserving our bodies. the living temples OF
the soul, pure, and the great demand
for purity Of heart need not be neglected, and
he will have less inclination for vain.glor-
ious speculations as TO those things which we
may not know. BY preaching the gospel
truth. pure and simple, he will be awarded q
much richer crown Of glory than he is likely
to win Dy unwarranted attempts to picture