Tulsa daily world. [volume] (Tulsa, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1905-1919, 1912-12-28

N-----------------~ eyes or our under
standing open to the true beauties OF
Gods Word, we ind that the gross
errors OF the past have, indeed, some
foundation in the truth. Yet the two
are SO different that they might pass
each other without recognition.
As Bible students are allowing the
Word OF God 10 interpret itself they
are being blessed; their faith Is being
strengthened as they find that the real
teachings Of the Bible are beautiful
and harmonious and God-hOnOring and
acceptable to sanctifed common sense
As so much Of our confusion has been
connected with the subject OF future
punishment, it is only reasonable that
much Of our blessing and enlighten-
ment should come from a better un-
Outstanding OF the Scriptures bearing
upon this subject Onr first lesson to
learn was the difference between the
Bible Hell and the hobgoblin torture
chambers Of our bewlIdercd fore
fathers, who had not the Bible in their
possession and who, IL they had pos
sessed it, lacked generally the educa'
tion necessary - read IT,
When we found that the Hebrew
word Sheol is the only word translated
hcH during the Old Testament period
Of four thousand years, we were not
surprised. But when we found that
that word signifies the tomb, the death
state, and that 1t Is translated Craze In
our Common Version Bible more times
than 1t is translated hell, we were sur
prised And when further close in
vestigation showed that the good. as
well as the bad go TO Sheol, and that
/ the Bible declares that all who go TO
Sheol tcere redeemed by Christ's death,
and that eventually He will destroy
Sheol and deliver all the prisoners of
death from Sheol-then we began to
see what serious hlunder had been
made in the transit IN.
But when about to blame the trans
lators for deceiying us, we found that
the trouble lay rather with a change
in the use Of language. All know that
all living languages are gradually
changing And investigation shows
that In old English the word hell was
used as a synonym for hole or pit OF
something covered over, as the grave
Thus an English farmer in olden times
might say, We helled FIVE hundred
bushels Of potatoes this fnll;" or. 1--WE
helled Uhntchedl our cottage
The fault was not so much with the
trnnslntors rs with the wrong idea al
ready firmly imbedded In the human
mind-not the tenching Of the Bible
that God intends to punish In purga
tory or eternal torture all except th'
sanity few From the first SataI
seems to have endeavored 10 deceive
humanity respecting the true charac
ter Of the Creator; and his success Ii
shown by the warped and twisted in
tcrpretations that we all gave to oui
Heavenly Fathers Word.
shool Sometimes Used Figuratively.
I'm probably three or four texts on
OF seventy the Hebrew word Sheo
and ils Greek equivalent llades ar'
used nguratlvcly MS. FOR instance. 81
Paul refers TO llades. the tomb, unde
the figure Of monster which ha'
been cngorging itself with humanity
He represents lt dgurntiyely as yield
ing to the gloincd Messiah at Hi
Second Advent and disgorging its pre-!
I'm the resurrection. Looking forwar,
10 the completion OF the resurrection
at the close of the Millennium, he eN
claims. 20 Death. where is thy sting
O Hadcs. whore is thy victory z
similarly the Prophet David likene'
the tomb to great monster about e
dryour him. and likcncd the pnins O
his sickness To- the teeth Of the mons
ter. saying, The sorrows Of dealt
compasscd me. and the pains Of Shco
gat hold upon me Then cnlle,
upon the name Of The Lord am
He helped mo" psalm cxvi. 3-6l-th
King was raised mp from Illness
Again the Lord through III
Prophet. spcnklng Of the great giau
systems Of this present time declare
that they will 80 down into Sheol, Int
death. and fguratlyely represents thci
meeting in death with the great OF
presSve systems of the past lsaiaI
xiv. 011l Hut there is no suggestion
Of eternal torment connected with th
word Sheol anywhere. And the fac
that the Lord redeems our souls fror
: sheol, and will destroy sheol eventual
" by raising mankind from the stat
Of death. proves positively the gros
srror under which We labored in re
I spect to the meaning Of this word an,
, its equivalent In the New Testamen
Greek