The sun., 1918-12-02
HE'LL.
Standardization Of q Favoritc Literary
EXPRESSION Is Needed.

To THE EDITOR OF The SuN--Sh: We
frequently hear tho remark that the in
fiuenco Of the church IL scarcely felt
to-day outside the shadows OF Its own
portals. Whether this be true or not
there Is ono service the church could
ronder that would make its influence felt
in largo measure. 1t could give the
word hell It's proper place and mean
Ing In the English language.
Consider the word hell" as used in
an explanatory sense or as n descriptive
noun.
Pick up almost any magazine and
glance at the first story. The reporter
is speaking to the Colonel.
I'm going up TO the observation pos,
on Hin H." he gays. where 1 tool,
photographs last week"
The Colonel smiles grimly. mo use,
old top" he replies. "the Boche blew Il
to hi yesterday"
Turn over few pages.
Cecil Carruthers is mixing himself n
rye hi, mean a whis,.ey and soda.
Jenkins enters ana lays the morning
mail on the table. Cecil glances at
each envelope with an air OF naughty
lnsouciance. They arc all from creditors.
III he muttcrs under his breath.
Further on we trace the career of
Hugh Bullock, youthful legislator. as It
winds itself through the advertising
pages in the back OF the magazine.
We see him approached by an oily
emissary OF the traction company. We
observe the emissary carelessly lay upon
the table twenty-five one thouand dollar
bills. and then we thrill at the sight OF
Hugh springing TO his feet and adj
vancing upon tho cringing figure OF the
oily one. Hugh is in a mighty rage.
Take your flthy lucre and &C; to
HI out of here" he thunders.
In pronouncing the word as thus used
few men and many women enunciate
only the letter ''h." and this with an
Apologize air. while somewhat holder
spirits mouth tho word In its entirety
as II they we're enjoying an adventure IN
worldly wickedness.
Without number are the good people
who are guilty OF this comical afrecta-
ton.
lii the old days when ministers OF the
Gospel affected iugubrious air and
mourning clothes the youthful genera
ton took readily to the belief in a hell
of fire and birthstone, If such hell
did not exist, how account for the
tragical aspect ana utterance of the
good men who preached It?
But I'm this generation when ministers
OF the larger and moro prosperous con-
gregations dress In the latest fashion,
excel as rnconteurs. play golf and ride
TO their churches in limousines, the old
hell has lost its SAVIOR
1t is preached now only in small
| hamlets where there IL n real demand
for It. Unless he believed in the old
fashioned hell this earthly life would be
wholly inexplcahle TO the stern and
somewhat primitive country minister
who Is forced 20 support himself and
family on five hundred a year and dona-
tons. He feels that Justice beyond the
grave for certain persons he could name
requires a tangible hell OF FIRE and brim.
stone.
But the church, as a whole. and esps-
cially the rich metropolitan church. has
for n long tlmo now accepted he'll as
nothing more or less than O state OF
mind. 1t In not really good form to men,
ton Il at all, but when you have TO you
should refer to Il Just as you would TO
delirium tremens or any other form OF
mental hallucinRtion.
Nevertheless millions of people and
hundreds OF newspapers and magazines
still ,iudder at the word.
IT." church repudiated the orthodox
he'll years ago. Why not destroy the
supe.stitions that were horn OF the old
concept? SIMON CREEr-
ALRASr, November so.