The Washington times., 1915-01-25

soul In He'll Psalm 1910; Acts 2:2I.
The Pastor declared that the Bible
He'll is very reasonable one. but that
the theological He'll 10 most unreason-
able. as all must agree. The theologi-
cal He'll is a red-hot furnace. manned
with fre-proof devils. and containing
practically all Of the human family who
ever lived except the comparatively few
saints. This He'll Is the common prop
erty Of Catholics and ProtestantA but
the speaker wants none Of 1t. He pro-
nounced it an absurdity; wholly contra
dictory to the Bible: and he seemed to
prove his points well in the estimation
Of nearly all his audience.
He remarked that 1t seemed that each
preacher felt he had a right to make a
hell for non-church members according
to his own conception. None seemed to
think it necessary to 60 to the Bible.
He declared that fire is used in the
New Testament as a symbol Of destruc-
ton. an illustration Of how all the will
fully wicked God will destroy eventually.
People know something about fiery
trials. and about heaping Goals OF nrs
upon the heads Of their enemies fgura-
lively. But whenever the word fire oc-
ours in any connection where It can be
twisted into signifying eternal torment.
those who love that kind Of punlshne
for their enemies are swift to take ad-
vantage of it-eternal torment Is tho
just. the loving thing to give to all the
all the poor. ignorant and degraded who.
born in sin, in weakness, hnd them
selves discouraged and overwhelmed by
the Adversary-to all not church mem
bcrs.-2 Corinthians "a.
This kind of thing has gOne on a0
long that everybody gradually came to
Leiieve 1t. and remarkably few have in
quircd as to it's scripturalness. Many
sehsible people held aloof IRON religion
entirely, unwilling to confess themselves
believers Of such a doctrine or worship-
ers Of such God.
Hells Galore-Modern Theology.
but now we have variations to suit
our more refined feelings. Ministers,
without giving their authority, tell vari-
GUS tales about He'll. Some have 1t
with u slower fire, not SO red-hot Others
have it merely a. place Of mental re-
morse. They do not call the place Pur-
gatoIy, or admit that there will ever be
any release from it. They say that
there 10 nothing In the Bible about Pur-
gato,y. and forget that there Is nothing
in the Bible about their kind Of He'll.
According to the Catholic doctrine, all
Catholics go to Purgatory to be purified
and lifted Cor Heaven. and they rejoice
in that this torture is less than the
eternal torture reserved for others.
| From their viewpoint. happy Is the man,
the woman. the child, that through bap-
ism. holy water, holy candles. the
mass. and Extreme Unction, gets into
| 1t by further masses. etc.
We think this far better than the
protestant theory. but w leave 1t, said
the Pastor. for those who like 1t. We
like 1t for themselves; nearly all prefer
these tortures for their opponents. If
anyone is happy in these beliefs. the
Pastor does not wish TO disturb his
growing multitude who are looking for
a better God and a better future than is
held out by any of the creeds Of the
Dark Ages. Others should not read his
! When once the human mind has be-
come settled upon certain convictions.
40 matter how foolish. 1t seems able
TO find support for Its delusions. con-
tinued the speaker. Thus one OF Our
Lords parallels has been seized upon
to prove that Hell is a place OF torture.
parched tongues, etc. We cannot here
discuss this parable; we must cont,ne
ourselves to our subject. But we offer
| free OF charge a booklet which We have
written with a -iew to making these
| ftgGrative statements clear. Whoever
| Will address me-Pastor Russell, Brook
lyn. N. f.-requesting a copy of a PAM
phlet about He'll. will be promptly
served. That pamphlet will settle all
your questions OIL this subject take
! pleasure In giving it away free, because
| I know the joy. the blessing the relief
it brings to many honest, earnest hearts
| know that many after reading are en-
| abied to love. worship aud serve the
great God Of Love heartily, intellgently
| as never before.
Where Is He'll? Who Are There?
Our English word Hell comes to III
from the German language-hoehle. sig
| nifyinS hole. 1t is. therefore, a very
good translation for the Hebrew wore
Sheol. which signifies a pit, a hole. {
grave. The New Testament Greek givel
us Hades as the exact equivalent O.
Sheol. Whenever Sheol is translated
into the New Testament Greek the wore
Used is Hades The Psalmist wrote
Thou wilt not leave Ny Soul in Sheol'
Oell-the srave); and st. Peter trans
lated it. Thou wilt not leave My SOU
| in Hades' (hell-the gravel.
| st. Peter tells us that these words
were not true respecting the Prophe
David. who used them; that he is still II
Hell. Sheol, Hades The Prophet Davit
had not yet been resurrected out Of tn
| prava condition st pater avnlaip