Year: 1878

, To the Editor OF the Standard;


An earnest inquiry into the nature and
/ extent of punishment is at this time
/ claiming the attention Of the religious
world. Many men, the former adherents


Of the doctrine Of endless punishment,
have declared their honest convictions,
| by denouncing the orthodox doctrine
upon this subject as false, and not in
harmony with the Divine Attributes OF


God. This subject Of mans destiny is a
proper subject for reflection, and should


be discussed in a Christian spirit, free
from prejudice. and independent OF


former received Opinions or doctrines


heretofore taught by the different creeds


on denominations. The rule that should


be our guide in investigating this subject
should be: rs the doctrine in harmony
with the Divine Attributes-Power. Wis
dom and Lover II il is. it should be ac-
cepted II not, il should be rejected. The
first question that arises in this investi


CATION, did God design that part Of the
human family should suffer endless tor.
ment? Every intelligent mind answers
no but right the reverse. God designs
and wills that the entire human family
shall be saved. The atonement was not
for one, but for all "for as in Adam all
died, so in Christ were all made alive.
God having then willed that all mankind
should be saved, aud having made that
salvation free, without any condition on
mans part, we argue that His power.
wisdom and love, are sufficient to accom-.
plish all his designs and purposes. and
that il would limit bis power, wisdom
and love, TO permit a single human soul
to be eternally damned; that il
would not be in harmony with these
attributes, or the known laws Of Jehovah,
that any being should be punished except


it would result in the good Of the being
thus punished, or TO the good Of his Eel


low men. That the eternal punishment
of any soul would not result in either In
other words, that eternal punishment
would be a malignant and arbitrary pun.
ishment, making God the author Of
malice and revenge. But / am met with
the old aud stale argument that God
wills that all mankind should be happy
on earth. That MI mankind are not
happy That God designs that oil man
kind should embrace the Gospel, and be
saved. / answer that our present saliva.
tion is a conditional salvation. That the
condition depends upon the acceptance
Of the terms The terms are 10 repent
and believe in the Lord Jesus Christ By
these means we get into the Kingdom oi
Heaven that Christ came TO establish on
earth By these gospel requirements we
obtain a present salvation-a freedom
from sin on earth, differing very materi.
ally from the unconditional eternal saliva.
tion obtained as a free gift from God
Our present salvation depends upon our
will, and not the will Of GCd Our fur


ther salvation is a gift Of God. and de.


pends upon the will Of God, and not the
will OF man. Therefore Gods power,


wisdom and love, are not limited because


all mankind do not embrace or accept
the Gospel OF Christ / believe in God
the Father, and honestly believe that He


willis the eternal salvation Of every son


and daughter OF Adam. That this


eternal salvation is free gift Of God


and embraces the entire human family.
But would explode the idea prevalent
in the world. that man may sir with i'm.
punity aud go uDpunished. ] believe
that every trapsgrcssion OF the law must
and will meet with penalty adequate TO
the offense or crime committed. believe
/ il is right and proper 10 accept the terms
| Of the Gospel, and receive a present saliva
tion. or eternal salvation does not de
pend on my believing IN a dcrik keH or
eternal punishment. To believe in
| either, could not have the faith and


confidence in Imy God that / desire. /
I thank God that our present salvation de.
pends in believing in the Lord Jesus
Christ, and that by faith in God we may
realize His presence and hold sweet com
munion with our Father while we remain
on earth in the flesh. But my heart


swells out with heavenly emotions and


praises to the living God for the free


git 10 man that insures and secures


eternal salvation for the entire human


family. l. T. MoNAHAN.


Hayes didn I have he courage to pro


tect, even tor a short time, the three men