Year: 1879

tlon OF that word, and afterwards upon their
own still more biased md yet more fal'ible
interpretation Of that translation. IT. wonu he
pedantic and altogether useless to enter into q
newspaper discussion as to the literal laeaning
OF OF certain words or phrases in the original text
Inc most ardent Of these hell+lcfcnders will
mol pretend G9 that the men who gave us our
present English version OF the Bible were d-
vinclV inspired, and not being SO they we're
liable to fall into error, no better proof of
which could be adduced' than the fact that our
present version is even at this moment being
subjected to correction and revision.


The mafu motive that inspires the great body
OF the clergy IN cllng1ng to their pct theory Of
He'll would seem to lie Il settled conviction that
men will not accept Christianity nor euter the
Church unless the one Is placed upon them, and
they are driven into the other BY the threat Ut
eternal punishment The clergy fear that, with
out tue prospect Of possible future and eternal
Wo before their minds, men would give them
selves over entirely to the carnal pleasures of
this world. Nor is this fear on their part entire
~ unseltsh, for if men were thus to DRIFT into
worldliness and forsake the Church entirely, the
occupation Of preachers aud ministers OF the
Gospel would be gone.


But is it right TO thus assume that man can
be converted to God and truth and led to ac-
cept Christ and His atoncMcnt with tho in-
definite peace and happiness that this implies,
only through the influence OF deadly fear! Or
to assume thai fear should even be factor in
that conversion "ra acceptonces Man is given
what seems to - weak and fallen nature Il we'll
nigh Impossible task to perform. 'sThe spirit
is willing, but the flesh is weak" aud his pas
slons, those passions that arc woven into his
very being, are overwhelmingly strong. Yet
these ascetic teachers would have him believe
: that his Creator, that Creator who knows and
is responsible for the weakness OF his nature
and the strength of his passions, virtually says
to him, f Perform this impossible task, perform
1t despite all the pitfalls aud temptations you
are now ignorant OF, but that I, in Ny Ali-Sce-
ing Wisdom, we'll know wilt besct your path;
but perform it to the letter, or hopeless aud
everlasting torncnts will be YOUR portion"


Suppose an earthly master were to give his
servant task TO perform which master and
servant alike knew to he impossible, aud at the
time the servant was informed that the only
alternative to the performance Of the task was
death. Would that man be likely to enter
cheerfully and willingly upon his taskt Would
he not rather siuk into the dull apathy Of de-
spair, aud would not his tortured soul rise up In
dark aud pcrilous rebellion against SO cruel and
merclless 8 task-master! And would not bis
despair be decEer, or would his rcbellious heart
be soothed, if lis tyrant were to. come to him III
his misery, and tell him mockiuglv that, il he did
succeed III performing this task, he should have
his freedom, and JOYS and happiness infinitely
SURPRISING nil he had ever conceived or dreamed
Of; and yet, in the same breath, telling him of
the utter hopelessncss Of the attainment OF
such bliss, but assuring him OF the awful Ger
tainty of his doom?


Coward lear anu humping despair are pQLenI
influences for evil, and nothing else. The bright
sun OF hope aud the s'gentlc rain Of mercy
never yet failed in stirring into life the seeds Of
goodness and of virtue that God has sown in
every human breast. That father who teaches
his little child from earliest infancy that to do
right because it is right is the only true path to
peacc and happiness father, should he
live, will see his poy reach d genrfer and a no
bier manhood than the man who makes his sou
do bis will only because it is his will, aud only
with the fear Of punishment for disobedience
before his eyes.


And it the at best but errfng wisdom Of an
earthly father should find the gentle method
the wiser to pursue, how much more genrle,
how much more mcrciful, must be the character
Of that Heavenly Father from whose infinite Wis
dom a1l earthly wisdom derives only q tafut, an
imperfect mold! The more enlightened, the
wiser teachers OF religion are discussing this.
Future punishment rarely if ever furnishes them
with a theme for discourse. Gods Word Is too
full Of bright and glorious promises. Chris
tianity is too great boon to world suffering
from, 1he effects OF its own snfuluess to require
threats to stimulate inquiry into the former Us
to induce men to accept the latter.


Let us no longer either l!nger 10 the chilling
atmosphere Of doubt or beneath the dark clouds
OF fear aud despair, but let us emerge at once
into the bright, glorious sunshine OF faith aud


HOPE.