The Caldwell tribune. [volume] (Caldwell, Idaho Territory [Idaho]) 1883-1928, 1909-11-13
IS There A HE'LL?
Contributed

In Wednesdays issue of the Cald-
well News appeared the splendid
sermon of Rev. G.. l.. Powell on the
above subject, delivered from thu
Methodist pulpit last Sunday even
ing. There must be two sides to
the subject or there would be no
question. There must be people-and
not few of them-who believe that
there is no he'll or there would be
no need of Rev. Powell's discourse.
II there are two sides to the question,
de we presume too much TO
honest conscientious people-on
both sides of it? That one believes
there is no hell is no particular evil
dence of mental unsoundness-that
one does not, is no evidence of mem
tai soundness.
dilemma presents itself at the
outset Is hell place or is 1t
condition? If it is a place it lies
in the future and the doors to the
future only open one way. And when
we discuss events and conditions that
may overtake us, we are all upon an
equal footing. We just simply don't
know-and we can only present what
appears reasonable to us.
If it is a condition, then it be-
comes a matter of experience and
| experiences may differ. We may ex-
perience a hell here and now, and
that is brought about by the minds
attitude. For instance remorse, an
awakened conscience, etc., will pro-
duce serious mental disturbance. And
| having all experienced this sort of
hell, we must, perforce, believe
in it. These are necessary expert
ences and these are promotive of
| changes in character. And there may
be hell or any number of bells in
the future.
No matter what we base them
upon, all our beliefs regarding the
future are merely opinions. And opin-
ions are usually of the things that
dreams are made from.
Mr.. Powell states that everything
must have a starting point-but
while we except time, God and
few other things-we will agree with
him here, only we shall place diff
| ferent starting point. We lay down
this:
| Everything that is came into be-
ing to serve some purpose. Some are
| perverted-as for instance the sex
ual instinct. And we must bring
everything to this measuring rod and
| they must stand or fall as this pre-
mise shall determine If it did not
serve some beneficial purpose 1t would
stultify its creator.
Now what beneficial purpose does
hell serve? And we begin to an
swer this question when we settle
| uyh hi 10 MTr Dnxuo1I thnrn
Is hell. AS he projects the idea
it is up to him to define it. He is
not as clear on the subject as he
might have been but he has given
us the earmarKs and one or two
of the brands. And from his descrip-
ton we CLEAN that 1t is a state or
| place of torment. The torment is
unspeakably severe, and 1t is with
out end. 1t is also a place of pun
ishment. These are sufficient for our
purpose. The more we ponder this
description the greater becomes our
wonder and establishment. No sane
person administers punishment with
out an object. The father takes a
strap to his child, or deprives 1t of
some coveted pleasure for a reason,
for a good purpose, for the benefit of
the child. He does not administer
punishment just to punish. Mary
or John has been naughty; they have
done what they had better have left
undone; or they have omitted to do
some thing that they ought to have
done. Therefore they have incurred
the parental displeasure. Now the
parent does not punish because of
| the superfluous energy manifested by
the child or because of the omission,
but he Furnishes the child to impress
upon 1t very forcibly the idea that
wrong has been done and to dis
courage the child from repeating the
offense. All punishments that men
infiict are for this purpose. All pun
ishments designed by man are to
serve some beneficial purpose. Be
cause of his limitations men some
times punish unjustly, and the result
of their punishments are abortive
But God cannot be changed in this
manner The punishments of man
are designed to At the offense. And
all punishmenfs are administered by
man because of his stupidity and ig-
norance. Now What crime could any
man commit that he should deserve
an endless punishment? And Is Gods
sense of justice inferior to man's2
According to Rev. Powell's descrip
ton, this punishment of Gods be
gins at the change men call death. II
begins then and never ends. Then
1t serves no beneficial purpose 1t is
wanton, brutal. inexcusable torture.
! 1t ceases to be- longer work OF