Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1912-08-10

tinis. honUEe1 topeo ~ fol,oWlrs Il
"Pastor* Russell. Of 0rooklyn. n. FL.
who teaches that thu WICKED WIN not
b tortured, but annihilated.l Here ~
the resolution approved " the 1000
delegates: 81 # " sa
I'VE do not ana the bible Is teach
the doctrine Of 3 literal hell fire' or
place Of fire ana beimstono for The
punishment Of the wicked. but secular
history Of tho formation Of the crssds
Of the middle ages reveals the fact
that TOR various reasons. either wisely
or unwisely. the doctrine Of torment IN
'hell-fire' was added 10 tho gospel -
taught by Jesus and the twelve
apostles necessitating many ridiculous
Interpretations OF the LORDS parables..'
Then follows IN appeal ito every
minister In the United states" to make
known his position on this question
But from even farther aheld comes the
response. q London dispatch to the
Kansas City Star quoting Canon Hen.
eley Henson Of Westminster Abbey. a
leading divine Of the Anglican church.
as saying: You can't get any public
interest about such matter here.
People would say you were 'fiogging Z
dead horse"
The Rev. David 8. Phelan. editor Of
The Western Watchman (Cathoiic).
points to the article on he'll IN tho
Catholic Encyclopedia" In this arr
ticle, written by a priest, the following
conclusions are drawn:
mo cogent reason has peen ad-
vanced for accepting metaphorical
Interpretation in preference TO the most
natural meaning Of the words OF scrip
ture. Hence theoloEians generally ac-
cept the opinion that hell - really
within the earth. The church has de-
cided nothing on this subject: hence
we may say that hell 10 q definite place.
but where 1t IL. we do not know. st.
Chrysostom reminds US: We must
not ask where hell 10, but how We are
to escape It. e
Holy Writ Is quite explicit in teach
ing the eternity Of the pains Of hell
The torments Of the damned shall be
forever and ever. i. God says Of tho
damned. Their worm shall not die. and
their fre shall not be quenched.' Acc
cording to the greater number Of theo-
loglans, the term fire denotes a mater
ial fire. and so a real fire. We hold TO
this teaching as absolutely true ana
correct. However, We must not fos1et
two things: From Catharinis fdied
1851 to our times there nave never
been wanting theologians VINO inter
pref the scrIptural term hre metaphor
ically, as denoting an incorporeal hre;
and. second. thus far the church has
not censured their opinion
we ind The Catholic Universe
(Cleveland) interpreting the action OF
the International Bible Students As
ISOLATION as move 80 attract people
into the protestant churches" These
eminent gentlemen unanimously aereed
that the further existence Of hell was
a menace to the filing Of their pews.
and therefore did away with the OBJ
stacle" But
Hell will not be abolished by the
resolution Of these bible students. Nor
will their futile attempt to destroy hell
by resolution fill their meeting houses.
It will only disgust those outside them
now and drive others away, for with
out the fear Of punishment and the
hope Of reward. there 10 nothing IN
christian doctrine. and II there be
nothing left In christian doctrine. It II
far easier to abandon tho pretense OF
religion.
80 far as they affect the situation.
the bible students have not made the
slightest Impression upon he'll. but they
have pretty effectually abolished thens
selves as far AZ reputation for any.
thing but heresy, and all it's kindre
abominationS 10 concerned"