The Wahpeton times. [volume] (Wahpeton, Richland County, Dakota [N.D.]) 1879-1919, 1913-05-22

u q - E00 H.
(l5.kSI e52SailSSEfNl The Pastor Do
.=@ s 60 CO. clared that hil
tsxt. like many other Bible featemsnts
IL 20 grievously misunderstood a. t
prevent Christian progress. Many no
BILE hearts. he claimed. are famlshinl
for lack Of refreshment Of Gods Truth
The channels Of thought are blocked
by fossilixed errors Of the Dark Ages
The ports Of our hearts should b deep
ened and widened BY the blowing or
Of the false and devilish hell doctrines
which hinder % from receiving spirit
ual nourishment. There exists a fam
Inc for hearing the Word Of God"
II this text were the only one mis-
translated and misunderstood, be said
the ordinary reader would doubtless
pass It BY as figure Of speech. But
It IL merely one Of a combination Of
mistranslations. all Of which are con.
nected with an eternal torment sys.
TEN Of doctrines invented during the
Dark Ages. This power Of error ID
turning intelligent minds away from
the Bible. Hence 1t is our duty to
break down these false doctrines. and
to clear away whatever binders the
dow of Truth to Gods people.
The Psalmist is merely telling Of bis
severe illness. from which BY the grace
Of God he recovered. He w0uid have
it understood that it was not merely q
slight ailment. Hence he described II
as "the sorrows of death''-that is. the
sadness associated with the thought
that be was about to die. about to
leave his friends. In poetic Hebrew,
he repeats the thought in the next
statement-"the pains of hell gat hold
upon me-" They were the pains of an.
preaching dissolution. There is not
the slightest reference to the future.
Why Not the WhoIs Truth.
In their revised translation Of the
Bible. our Baptist friends use the ex-
preston. 1.-THE underworld" instead Of
hell. Yet even here is danger. that the
average reader may not catch the true
thought. Far simpler and wiser It
would be had the translator said, 1.-THE
pains Of the tomb"
Every learned minister knows that
the Hebrew word Sheol really means
the grave. the pit. the state Of death.
Why do they hesitate to tell the people:
Why do they translate it sometimes
the grace. and other times the under
soorlds Why do they use the transla-
ton. the Craze. in one place. the pit in
another. and then refuse to translate Il
In a third place. giving instead the
original word Sheol: Was It their in
tention to confuse the people: What
Is the motive? We wish that some Of
these great men would explain.
The Reason For All This.
We would like to have our minis.
terial brethren state their reasons for
hiding the truth on the subject Of hell.
Only because they decline to do %. do
We feel at liberty to make suggestions.
These ministers seem to be Of two
classes. with slightly different reasons
for silence on this subject. They seem
to agree that It is dangerous to tell the
people that God is really q God Of love.
and that the doctrine Of eternal tor.
ment is unscriptural. promulgated dur
ing the Dark Ages BY men who burn
ed one another at the stake.
The Pastor declared that one class
Of ministers seem to fear that IL PEG
pie snw ttip, errors Of the creeds. the5
would: diseietiit: the ministers who bud
taught: these dbctrines: But why feal
to tell the truth? Perhaps they feaI
that people will lose confidence In theil
teachings. and that the party wallis Of
Chrfstendom. which have 40 long d.
vided Gods people. will fall. Since they
will not tell Us. we can only surmise.
Other ministers. he aaid. have become
higher critics. and do not believe the
Bible. They prefer to pose % belisv
err. and hope for the time when all the
wealthy and Intelligent will have b.
come believers also. Then they will say
we have been unbelievers for many
years. but have kept It secret. featina
to DO misunderstood 40 opponents Of
the best interests Of society,""
The latter class constitutes The great
ct menace to law and order, aud an
Satan's best agents in destroying faitt
In Gods Word. Ingersoll's methods Of
antagonizing the Bible were far len
successful than are those Of modern
higher critirs and ev0iutionists.
Would It not be wise to inquire d
what extent false doctrines are re
sponsfble for the increase Of wicked
ness? Will monstr0ua. unthinkable de
lustons produce better results thar
Will th~ simple Aeasage Of Gods Love,