Year: 1878

While the Congregationalists in
this country are discussing the ques.
tion whether there is a hell or not,
Canon Farrar of Westminster Abb
bey is agitating the church of Eng
land by declaring that the word
ought to be left out of the Bible alto
gether. He would get rid not only
tof the word hell, but also of the
word danration and everlasting, as
applied to punishment after death.
| This Is certainly a startling propO-
sttion, for no word in the Scriptures
have had more effect on sinners and
on religious creeds than these very
pnes- Thedoetrine that everlasting
Examination wf'fbe thefft ofthe mn
penitent and unbelieving has been
preached and taught for ages. 1t has
been implicitly believed by millions
oi Christians and has disturbed the
peace of mind of other millions of
wicked men, not drawn into the fold
OF the church. The dread of hell and
the desire to participate in the Joys
OF heaven have been among the most
powerful influences in bringing men
to seek refuge IN the Christians faith.
They have made of religion some
thing which secures a practical gain
hereafter, and provides security
against an awful punishment which
lasts through eternity. Even though
the devout believer suffered on earth
he felt that his sorrows were utterly
insignificant, in comparison with the
anguish of the unredeemed gnashing
their teeth in the place of torment.
The thought of hell was as terrible
to him as the conception of celestial
compdnionship was delightful.


If, therefore, you eXpunge the
word hell, damnati0n, and everlast-
ing from the Bible, and substitute, as
Canon Farrar proposes, more agree
able terms, suggestive of limited
punishment or simple schooling
for eternal happiness, you change
essentially the fabric of Christianity.
Ifthe words we have been accustOm-
ed to use to describe the fate of the
wicked are, as Canon Farrar saws,
mistranslations, which ought not to
stand any longer in our English
Bible, then it will become necessary
t9,revise the old creeus, 50 tIlaI rneS
shall hereafter teach UniveTSuliSm.
If hell is not a place of everlasting
punishment, but only a temporary
state of correction and publication,
orthodox scheme of salvation is based
on falsehood and must speedily go to
pieces.


The startling remarks of Canon
Farrar become of great significance
when we remember that they were
addressed to the learned doctors
who are now engaged in Westmins-
ter Abbey in revising the English
Bible. Did the speaker utter their
convictions as well as his own, and
fOreshadow what they are going to
| do? 1t has long been conceded that
the ripper scholarship now available
could improve the version of the
Scriptures made by King James


translatorS. The work of revisi IN,


therefore, began several years ago,


though many devout men feared


that the result of it would be to i'm


peril the O.d reverence in the Holy
Book. 1t is well known that the


teXtual revision alone is likely to
effect some important chances, per-


haps resulting in the eXcisiOn of
passages consecrated in the memory
of Christians but we now first hear
that the scholars of Westminster
may take the old-fashioned hell out
of the Bible, and write eternal dam
nation.


This is something to set English
and Amel lean orthodox PrOtestants
thinking very seriously. Are they


prepared to give up the old faith,
and to accept that of Universalism =?
Moreover, that is to be the effect on


men Of the dissipation of doctrine
so long taught and so powerful in its
appeal to the mind ?-Nea0 YORK.
SIN.


| RUSSIA FoRTIFYING HER SEA-