Daily capital journal. (Salem, Oregon) 1903-1919, 1911-07-22

ton Of birthstone intenslfies the figure,
because burning birthstone is one Of
the most deadly influences known In
the world. 1t Is not only deadly to
humanity and the larger animals but
also to insects and microbes and every
thing that has life.
An Old Testament Reference.
This same lesson Of the destruction
Of wilful transgressors, as represented
In the destructiyeness Of the valley Of
Hlnnom (GehennaJ, is furnished by the
Prophet Isaiah dxvl, 22-24l. A famil-
lar sight in Isaiah's day was the lit
! eral valley of HinnOm. used as figure
by the Holy Spirit speaking through
him, pointing to the antitype and tell
ing Of the New Heavens and New
Earth-the new, religious and secular
organizations of mankind which will
be accomplished by Messiahs reign
and that then evil doers shall not es-
cape but shall be completely. utterly
destroyed. "They shall go forth and
look upon the carcasses Of the men
who have transgressed against Me, for
their worm shall not die, neither shall
their fire be quenched; and they shall
be an adherence unto all flesh" Moth
ing is said about looking at living be-
ings suffering torture. nor Is this the
thought. God never approved Of tor
ture, but always condemned IT, A car
cass is a dead body.
How glad we should be to realize
that Gods great Plan will not include
a great torture chamber containing
countless H.! 'iads Of His creatures but.
as the Scriptures declare, Every crea-
ture In heaven and in earth and under
the earth will be heard saying, Praise
and glory and honor and dominion and
might be unto Him that sitteth upon
the throne and unto the Lamb forever"
Let Honesty and Truth Prevail.
Having demonstrated that neither
the Bible nor reason offers the slight
est support to the doctrine that eter-
nal torment is the penalty for sin, we
note the fuct that the various church
creeds, and confessions, and hymn
books, and theological treatises, are its
only supports: and that under the in
creasing light of our day. and the con-
sequent emancipation Of reason, belief
In this horrible, hendsh doctrine Of the
Dark Ages Is fast dying out But alas!
this is not because Christian people
generally are jealous for the truth of
Gods Word and for His character. and
willing to destroy their grim creed
idols, All no! they still bow before
their admitted falsities; they still
pledge themselves to their defense, and
spend time and money for their sup
port, though at heart ashamed of them,
and privately denying them.
The general influence of all this is
to cause the honest-hearted of the
world to despise Christianity and the
Bible; and to make hypocrites and
seml-lnhdels of nominal Christians.
Because the nominal church clings to
this old blasphemy, and falsely pre-
sents Its own error as the teaching of
the Bible, the Word Of God, though
still nominally reverenced, is being
practically repudlated. Thus the Bible,
the great anchor Of truth and liberty,
Ia being cut loose from by the very
ones who, II not deceived regarding
its teachings, would be held and bless.
ed by 1t.
The general effect. not far distant,
will De, first open inhdelity, then an.
archy. For much, very much Of this
lukewarm Christians, both In pulpits
and pews, who know better, are re
sponsible, Many such are willing tc
compromise the truth, to slander Gods
character, and to stultify and deceive
themselves, for the sake of peace, OF
ease, or present earthly advantage
And any minister, who, by uttering q
word for an unpopular truth. will risk
the loss of his stipend and his reputa
aon for being established" In the bog
OF error, Is considered bold man
even though he lgnomiulously with
hold his name FROM his published pro
aests.
, II professed Christians would be
honest with themselves and true tc
God, they would soon learn that "their
fear toward God is taught by the pre-
,, eepts Of men" dsainh xxx, 49,. II all
would decide to let God be true
though 1t should prove every man a
liar tRomany Ill., ~, and show all hu
man creeds to be imperfect and mis-
leading, there would be a great creed