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 32X 
 
 1 
 
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 6 
 
b^ 
 
 ■ No. t 
 
 ■Ymt 
 If* 
 
 •ft Tfl 
 
 ft TRACT FOR THE TflVfES 
 
 // 
 
 A Burning Question 
 
 f! 
 
 »;^ 
 
 I 
 
 FUTUHE PUNISHMENT 
 
 III It be endless suffering ? 
 
 ^' 
 
 I IN 
 
 piE^^. jonisr :E>j^urXa. 
 
 F(»r we arc who lli.s oUspiiiiii-. 
 
 Acts xvii. 21>. 
 
 <>. 
 
 MONTREAL, 1883 
 
H 
 
 V* 
 
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 Religion has many dialects, and many 
 tongues, but it has one voice ; the voice 
 of reverence, and humanity, of mercy, - 
 of justice, of righteousness. 
 
 John Morlev. 
 
 • » 
 
 j^ " 
 
 ft 
 
A TRACT FOR THE TIMES 
 
 i :> 
 
 nany 
 v^oice 
 ercy, -^ 
 
 « » 
 
 i!f 
 
 " ^ Burning Question " i 
 
 I 
 
 rUTUHE rUMISHMENl 
 
 ii{ it be endless suffering ? 
 
 \i\ 
 
 These shall go away into (eternal punishment, but the 
 righteous into eternal life. Matt, xxv, 46 (N(!Z(.> Versioji). 
 
 These words were used by Our Lord with reference 
 to two classes of character : those who had wickedly neg- 
 lected his poor " brethren " in times of sickness and 
 persecution, and those who had shown them kindness, 
 for his sake. The I'ormer class, he savs. "' shall jyo awav 
 into eternal punishment ". and the latter " into eternal 
 life ". 
 
 The punishment h«»re thr«»at(Uied to a certain class ol' 
 sinners is generally applied to ali sinners, as if Our Lord 
 had said, every sinner, and all kinds of sinners, " shall 
 go away into eternal punishment '. But is this the cor- 
 
re»'t moaning ^ Do not the words rather mean, that this 
 particular sin, shall have a particular, or specially severe 
 punishment ? However this may bo, these words ol" 
 Christ, form the strong-hold, and staple argument of 
 those who believe in the doctrine of endless torment, for 
 the unsaved. Whatever may be their true meaning, from 
 them there can ))e no appeal : therefore it is of the utmost 
 importance that we should understand what he really 
 did mean wh(»n he said " those shall go away into eter- 
 nal punishment '". It will be observed that the same 
 word is used to express the duration of the punishment 
 of the wicked, as is used to express the duration of the 
 happiness of the righteous. This fact is often (»mployed 
 with some degree of coniidence by those who believe in 
 the doctrine of endless torment, as if that settled the 
 whole matter. They say, theVv? can bo no further question 
 on the subject, for Christ himself has for ever settled it. 
 They listen to anything that can be said on the other 
 side with impatience. But are they infallible *. May they 
 not after all, be mistaken *. There is one rertain rule or 
 law of interpretation, which can never be safely or wisely 
 departed from. It is this. No passtige should be so inter- 
 preted as to contradict, or be out of harmony with othi^r 
 passages, or with the general tenor of the book itself. 
 And the same rule or law must be applied to the inter- 
 pretation of the doctrines and teachings of Our Lord 
 Jesus Christ. Let us then proceed on this principle. 
 
 Our Lord (Matt. 7) when speaking on this subject on 
 another occasion, says : " Enter ye in by the narrow^ gate, 
 for wide is the gate, and bioad is the way that leadeth 
 to destruction ", — not to endless torment. For narrow is the 
 gate, and straitened is the w^ay that leadeth unto life " — 
 the opposite of death or destruction. 
 
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 Here then we have the terms eternal punishment as 
 explained by Our Lord himself to mean " destruction ", 
 and not a life of et<?rnal suffering in hell It is evident 
 that the great apostle St. Paul understood him in 
 this senses , for when si)eaking afterwards of future 
 punishment, he says : ('2 Thes. 1) *' They shall sulfer 
 punishment, even eternal destruction from the fa<'e of the 
 Lord ". S*. Paul further says : " When thev are savins*, 
 pea<'e and safety, then sudden (iestruction cometh upon 
 them. (1 Thes. v, 4.) But they that desire to be rich, fall 
 into a temptation, and a snare and many foolish and 
 hurtful lusts, sueh as drown men in destruction, and per- 
 dition. (1 Tim. VI, li.) Thi.'s language is plain and very 
 strong, we all know what d) owning means. l)o(»s it not 
 ai^wiiy Wk'^. destruction of life, — of all eoiisciousness i We 
 often read in the newspapers irems lnuided, — '' Death by 
 Drowning". Destruction according to Walker aiil W^^bs- 
 ter, means, extinction, 'extermination, — to put an end to, 
 to bring to nought — eternal death. If we accept them as 
 authorities in explaining all others words, wiiy not in 
 tins ^ lilternal destruction is n verv ditterent thing from 
 eternal torment. Destruction as we have seen means extinc- 
 tion of life— death. And this sense corresponds exactly with 
 all thai is said on this subject in St. Matthews gospel, 
 lilvery-where. as in other places in the Bible, the same thing 
 is either alhrini^d or implied. Let us now see what St. Mat- 
 thew savs about it, in other places. He uses a varietv of 
 striking tigures to set forth the way in which, the wicked 
 will be punished. 
 
 " The chall' he will hum up with unquenchable Kre. 
 (Ch.iii,10,12.) Every tre^^ that bringeth not forth good fruit 
 is cut doivn and cast into the fire (vil, 19). For what shall 
 a man be profited, if he shall gain the whole world and 
 
 / 
 
— 4 — 
 
 forfeit his life (XVI, 26) / Shall rust tht^n iiito a t'uriiavf 
 of tire, X, 18, oO. On whomsoever it (stc.i ; shall fall it 
 will scatter hiia as dust, xx, 44. Fear Him who is able 
 to destrov both .-soul and body in hell — Gehenna, x, 28. In 
 all these passages relating to the punishment of the 
 wicked St. Matthew speaks of it as being severe, but 
 short and sharp, in none of them is there any statement 
 conveying the idea of the sulieriug being endless. The 
 ligures employed are very striking and plain.. " Chaff ^^ 
 to be burnt np — fruitless trees to be cut dmvn and burnt up 
 in the tire — ground to powder, or scattered as dust — Gut 
 a sunder — killed — destroyed soul and body in (a-ehenna. 
 Bible metaphors always convey a certain definite idea 
 of the doctrine taught, but no one can fairly extract the 
 idea of endless torment, from any of these metaphors : 
 quite the reverse : therefore may we not safely aflirni 
 that the meaning of the words of Christ, would not 
 be out of harmony with the foiegoing passages, and 
 the rest of the Book ? Neither would the doctrine taught 
 by him in this passage (xxv, 46) be out of harmony with 
 his own tea<.'hing on other occasions, or with his blessed 
 life of loving sympathy and kindness to all, even to the 
 " evil, and unthankful ". 
 
 He who shed tears over the doomed city of Jeru- 
 salem, wlio wept at the grave of Lazarus, and who 
 in due time died • the just for unjust ", would 
 hardly consign them to endless suitering in fhe flames 
 of hell. As this view does not harmonize with the gen- 
 eral tenor of St. Matthew's gospel, nor with the teaching 
 of Christ on other occasions, nor with his spirit and life, 
 nor with the teaching of St. Paul, we must trv to find 
 some other meaning. The sense we have just given to 
 these solemn words of Our Lord accords well with all 
 
 that is .> 
 
 By wa; 
 
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 28). Th 
 
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 that is said on the subject elsewhere in the word of God. 
 By way of coiiHrmation we may mention another pas- 
 sage given by St. Paul in his Kpistle to the Romans (vi, 
 28). The wages of sin is death, but the free gift of GTod is 
 (»ternal life, through Our Lord Jesus Christ. Death here. 
 as in other plaices, is put as the opposite of life. Then as 
 now, men so understood it. Death no where means life 
 in hell. In common conversation, in books, journals and 
 in all legal documents death means death, and life means 
 life — " the wages of sin is death ". It is certainly not 
 likely that St. Paul would preach " another gospel " on 
 this aw^ful subject, differing entirely from that preached 
 by the Master. Destruction and death then are the terms 
 used by this Apostle to indicate the future punishment 
 of the wicked. May we not then from our present finding 
 according to the Scriptures, read Our Lords' words thus ? 
 — " These shall go away into eternal destruction, and the 
 righteous into eternal life "' ^ This reading, as we have 
 already shown, ac<ords more satisfax'torily w^ith a 
 lair interpretation i)f other passages relating to the 
 future destiny of the unsaved, than does that of endless 
 suffering. Besides it is vastly more in harmony with the 
 loving, and beneficent character of G-od, and with our 
 owni moral consciousness, as to what is right and just. 
 
 Again, is it either sate or wise, to build a theory, or 
 found a do(;trine on a subject so momentous, on two or 
 three single texts of S •ripture,especially when they stand 
 to other passages, like a limb out of joint t The few^ texts 
 that seem to favour the doctrine of endless life in hell, 
 when carefully examined, and when interpreted a(3cording 
 to our present just rule, do not favour it at all. But these 
 texts w^hen taken alone, with much that we hear from the 
 })ulpit, on the subject, are easily misunderstood, especially 
 if w^o do not carefully study the Bible as a w^hole. 
 
— (I — 
 
 This has been in the past the (;hiel' <au8e ol' the pie- 
 valence of this fearful doctrine, for when carefully tested 
 by the word, and testimony of the prophets, and of Christ 
 and his apostles, it has no solid scriptural foundation. 
 
 The Bible should be prayerfully read, and searched to 
 sec •• whether these things are so ' or not. 
 
 If wc! read eternal dt^ath or eternal destruction ins- 
 tead of eternal punishment, the duration is the same. In 
 both cases it is endless, but not endless cons(dous suttering-. 
 We read of eternal redemption, and of eternal judj^rnent 
 (Heb. IX, 12, — VI, 2) just as we read of eternal jninish- 
 ment. But this surely cannot mean that the work — or 
 process of redeeming and judging is now going on, and 
 will continue going on to all eternity ? It doubtless 
 means that the effects, or consequences of redemption, 
 and judgment are irrevocable Jtnd eternal, and so with 
 eternal destruction the etfects of the sentence are eternnl 
 in their duration. 
 
 But if we admit that the punishment consists of cons- 
 cious suffering, the terms everlasting and eternal do not 
 warrant us in com-luding that it is endless, for they are 
 sometimes used in the Scriptures, in the sense of an in- 
 definite, but limited period, and are applied to things 
 that have passed away. Cruden in his well known orthodox 
 concordance, says — The terms " eternal and everlasting, 
 and/<^;r ever^ are sometimes taken for a long time, and are 
 not always to be understood strictly, but eternity when 
 (rod is the subject, in question, always denotes a real 
 eternity". The nature of the subject determines the mean- 
 ing of the words. God is good and all good is eternal, 
 evil is not, and cannot be eternal. It had a beginning, 
 arid must come to an end, that " God mav be all in all. " 
 
 
< — 
 
 the pre- 
 lly tested 
 |of Christ 
 
 ition. 
 
 xrched to 
 
 tioii iiis- 
 Hame. In 
 milering-. 
 udfifineiit 
 
 punish- 
 ivork — or 
 
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 emption, 
 
 so with 
 e eternnl 
 
 s of eons- 
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 they are 
 )fan in- 
 ;o things 
 orthodox 
 >eriastiug, 
 , and are 
 y when 
 !s a real 
 le mean- 
 eternal, 
 ginning, 
 in all. " 
 
 Therefore Hin and itn direful t^onuequenres, in (^od*s good 
 time, and it may be long, will be dentroyed, and cease 
 lor ever. 
 
 Thc! tiMins " for ever " and " for ever and ever ". are 
 frequently applied to men and things whiih " perish in 
 the using ". 
 
 See Deut. xxix, '1\\ .Tt^r., 7, 7, where the hills were to be 
 everlasting ; things revealed, and the lands, w<M'e to be 
 given to the children of Israel "for ever ", and "for vvcr 
 and ever ". These quotations might be greatly extended, 
 showing that such terms and phrases are often applied in 
 the holy Scriptures to perishable things.Th«»n when we find 
 such words as these, and othcM's akin to them, in the New 
 Testament, it is well to remember, that the Greek terms 
 from which they are derived, generally signify indefinite 
 ])eriods, such as *' an age ", " age lasting ", *' for an 
 age ". or " for ages of ages ". Thi' periods h«»re indicated 
 may be long,but they are not necessarily endless. " The last 
 end ". of ihy^ Jiiiaily impenittuit is designated by St. John, 
 '' the second death (Rev. .\x, 14), a phrase that certainly 
 indicates but a brief period of suffering, and this view 
 accords perfectly with what is said <H)ncerning th&ir fijial 
 destiny in other places. They die, pci sh, are destroyed. 
 " and are not ". Their destruction is '' everlasting ". 
 and " for ever and ever ", If we take these words in 
 their most obvious and currvnit signification, wci shall 
 find no dilhculty in understanding them. 
 
 An able Biblical scholar and commentator (Rev. J. 
 A. Best) to whom the British Quarterly Review assigns a 
 foremost place, says — '• The future lot of the wicked, is 
 not life, but eternal death ". Were it necessary a long 
 array of names of distinguished and learned students of 
 
■i t 
 
 I , 
 
 __ s — 
 
 the Bible could be given, who bear testimony to the «or- 
 riM'tness of this interpretation of Our Lord's words. 
 
 Then the word eternal is not always applied to dura- 
 tion, or endlessness of time. Hence we read — " The things 
 whi(*ii are nusecn are eternal ", and " This is life eternal 
 to kuiK^' thee, the only true (rod, and Jesus Christ whom 
 thou hast sent ". So when we look closely into the uses 
 and derivation of this and kindred terms we Knd that 
 lliev cannot always be fairly used as an argument in 
 favour of the (endlessness of future punishment. - 
 
 There are some fifty passages that speak jilainly ol' 
 the destruction of the finally impenitent, w^hile there are 
 only two or three that appear io teach the terrible doctrine 
 of everlasting suffering. With such a mass of evidence 
 against it, we may well hesitate before accepting it. 
 To many thoughtful persons, both learned and unlearned, 
 the doctrine is incredible, unreasonable and unjust, and 
 therefore they cannot accept it. The i)rominence given 
 to it, has led such to doubt the whole Christian system 
 and Christianity has in this way lost many of its friends. 
 
 • • • 
 
 A returned missionary, an able man, recently assured his 
 audience in London, that this and its kindred doi^trines, 
 was a great obstacle in the way of the heathen accepting 
 Christianity.They were often very inquisitive and wanted 
 to know the reason of things, and it was not an uncom- 
 mon thing to tind them in possession of sct»ptical books, 
 which were well read and understood. This was espec- 
 ially the case in India and Japan. Some of the old doc- 
 trines needed revision, and the truth presented in a new 
 form, or the advance of Christianity would <*ontinue to be 
 slow both at home and abi'oad. 
 
 Had this awful doctrine been true would it not have 
 betMi ins(n'ibed in plainer and stronger language, both bv 
 
 Our Lor 
 
 no caus 
 
 Men eas 
 
 never s 
 
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 ment in 
 
 la inly ol* 
 here are 
 doc'trin(» 
 Rvidenoit 
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 i)t have 
 •oth by 
 
 
 Our J^ord and his apootles '. So that there could have been 
 110 cause for controversy, and no possibility of mistake. 
 Men easily assent to this frightful doctrine, because they 
 never seriously think, as to what endless duration means, 
 and still less do they give themselves the trouble to pon- 
 der the dreadful thought of endless and hopeless sutfering 
 in a hell of hre : suffering too. without a n oment's alle- 
 viation, or ease or comfort, throughout ' the countless ages 
 of a never ending eternity ". If they really believed it, 
 and to some feeble extent realized the meaning of it, they 
 would surely give up sin, that they might escape its 
 dread consequences : but do they .'' To them the doctrine 
 is in(tredible. they do not, and cannot believe it, therefore 
 it seldom iniluences them for good, and they go on 
 tliough life hoj)ing for a '" better gospel ". Hence tlie present 
 reaction against the Bible and against (;hristianity. 
 
 By explaining Scripture with Scripture, I think we 
 have found the true and correct meaning of Our Lord's 
 words. But I would not dogmatjze. or dictate to others. 
 Let every one read, and think for himself, and be '* fully 
 persuaded in his own mind '". WhateA'er be the true 
 meaning, that must stand, and that ivill stand, but our 
 duty is '" to prove i\\\ things", and hold fast, only that 
 which is good and true. Christ is '• the way the truth 
 and the life ", and " not one jot or tittle of his word 
 shall fail ". By his word shall we be judged, and his de- 
 <'isions will be final and irrevocable. But let us be careful 
 not to substitute the doctrines and " traditions of men ' 
 for the truth of God. He is infinite in love, wisdom and 
 power and has access to the " inner life " He weighs the 
 spirit and scans the motives of men, and doubtless often 
 takes the will for the deed ", for he knows our frailties, and 
 " remembers that we are but dust ". A tear or a sigh, from 
 
r'(i 
 
 
 — 10 — 
 
 a broken heart in the hint moments of lii'e. may often bo 
 all that He requires, and millions may in this way he 
 saved, for " with Grod all things are possible ". There 
 seem to be strong reasons adduoible from the holy S<ri})- 
 tiires, and from what we know of the ever meniful, and 
 beneficent charatter of God why we may hope that mul- 
 titudes of the heathen, the less fortunate of our race, and 
 of the morally weak, and erring will be saved, while 
 •' the children of the kingdom shall be cast out ". 
 
 But who can tell who are wicked and who are righ- 
 teous, for there is but a slight difference between the 
 best sinners, and the worst saints ! Providential circums- 
 tances are frequently oc<*urring around as in trade, soci- 
 etv, and in families, as if designed to show us. that those 
 whom we have regarded as great saints, are only great 
 sinners, Pharisees and hypocrites of the first water. God 
 judgeth not as man judgeth. " Men look upon the out- 
 ward appearence but God looketh into the heart ". A fine 
 coat, full purse and great swelling words ", are nothing 
 to him. Many shall say at the last day — " Lord, Lord, 
 did we not.... by thy name do many mighty works :* 
 Then will he say : I never knew you. depart from me, 
 ye that work iniquity (Matt, vill, 22, 23) ". " The first 
 shall be last and the last first ". Let those who make 
 a great show, and profit by their religious professions, 
 ponder these words of Our Lord, the Judge of all. 
 
 We will now select a few additional passages from 
 the word of God whi(?h when understood and applied 
 in their plain common sense meaning, go to confirm 
 what I have said in relation to the future destiny of both 
 the righteous and the wicked. — "As I live saith the 
 Lord, I have no pleasure in the death of the wicked, but 
 that the \vi<'ked turn from his wav and liv(\ I urn ye, 
 
— u 
 
 (>i't«ii bo 
 way he , 
 
 ". Thi^rc 
 >lyS(n{). 
 
 iful, and 
 hat mul- 
 "ace. and 
 ^d, whilo 
 
 ire righ- 
 veeii the 
 circums- 
 ade, so<i- 
 lat those 
 nly great 
 ter. God 
 the out- 
 ". A fine 
 nothinn- 
 rd, Lord, 
 works :* 
 from mo, 
 rhe first 
 lo mako 
 fessioiis, 
 all. 
 
 'es I'roni 
 applied 
 «*onlirm 
 of both 
 aith the 
 fed, but 
 urn yc, 
 
 turn yo, from your evil ways for why will yo die. For 
 his iniquity that he hath committed, he shall die for it," 
 Esk 33. " For we are unto Grod, a sweet savour of Christ 
 in them that are saved, and in them X^cvoX perish ! to the 
 one we are the savour of death uuio death, and to the other 
 Ihe savour of life uuio life'' {'1 (;or. II, 1()). The wicked 
 " abide in death ", but the righteous, " pass from death 
 into life. I give unto them eternal life, and they shall 
 never perish " (John x, 28). " None can keep alive his own 
 soul " (Ps. XXII, 29). *' I have set before you this day life and 
 oofld, and death and evil... I have set before you, life and 
 death, blessing and cursing : therefore choose life, that 
 both thou and thy seed may live " (Deut. xxx). '' If ye live 
 after the flesh ye shall die, but if ye through the spirit, 
 do mortify the deeds of ihe llesh, ye shall live (Rom. vili, 
 lo). " Whosoever believeth in him shall not perish, but 
 have eternal life (John III. 14). " 
 
 '■ And ye will not come lo me, that ye might have life 
 (John IV). This is the bread whicli cometh down from 
 heaven, that a man may eat thereof and not die. He that 
 eateth of this bread shall live for ever, I am that bread 
 of life, I am the resurrection, and the life, and he that 
 believeth in me though be were dead, yet shall he live. " 
 " And whosoever liveth and believeth in me shall never 
 die " (John VI and vil). ' lie that converteth a sinner from 
 the error of his ways, shall save a sovd from death " (James 
 v, 20). " And Moses did so, as the Lord commanded him, 
 so did he. And the children of Israel spake unto Mosea 
 saying. Beliold w^e die, we perish, we all perish. Who- 
 soever cometh anything near unro the tabernacle of the 
 Lord shall die : 'iC^'ii)X\t^ eonsnmed ivith dying'' (Num. xvi). 
 " He spared not their soul from death. Let them be put to 
 shame and perish. Tiie vvi^'ked shall not be '' (Ps. xxxvii, 
 
\-2 
 
 I. 
 
 1 1 
 
 i i 
 
 III 
 
 20, 10). "The \vi«ked shall perish. The wicked shall be 
 si/ent in darkness (1 Sam. II, 9) ". 
 
 I have taken these passages promiscuously, and vvitli- 
 out order, from the word of God. It will be seen that they 
 arc the words of Moses and the prophets, of Christ and 
 his apostles. They are all of one mind, and speak the same 
 thing, concerning the future destiny of both the righteous, 
 and the wi(^ked. Their meaning is plain and easy to be 
 understood and in perfect accord with the conclusions 
 reached in the foregoing pages, thus confirming and es- 
 tablishing our position, (hat the final destiny, of the diso- 
 bedient is not endless suffering in hell, but " death, and 
 everlasting destruction from the face of the Lord ". It 
 would take some ingenuity, if not perversity, of both 
 mind and heart, to construe all, or any of these i^assages 
 so as to bring them into line, with the traditional and 
 orthodox view. St. Paul alludes to the destiny of the im- 
 penitent twenty-.seven times, but in not one of them does 
 he state that they will go away into endless conscious 
 miserv. If this had been a doctrine of Christ, he must 
 have known it. and consequently would have made it 
 plain to all readers of his Epistles. 
 
 A doctrine of which he had no knowledge cannot 
 surely be an essential article of the Christian faith. II' 
 such a doctrine had been true, and was known to him, 
 he would doubtless have spoken of it in earnest burning 
 words, for it is too awful to be spoken of in words of 
 " uncertain sound ". When he and the other apostles speak 
 so frequently about sin and its punishment and yet never 
 once tell us in plain terms that " the wages of sin ", is 
 not death, but unending torture in hell, have we not some 
 reason for doubting the truth, or Scripturalness of the 
 doctrine ? Suppose you put the Bible in the hands of a 
 
 learned 
 I hey no 
 request 
 they be 
 trov, ail 
 
 * 
 
 hell firo 
 
 which 8 
 
 •' The v^ 
 
 rnent ". 
 
 th(! unj 
 
 whatsoc 
 
 and ma 
 
 I'uture t 
 
 tcrminai 
 
 The 
 
 die l"or < 
 
 Becnus^ 
 
 wicked 
 
 " siM'cm 
 
 life Ihii 
 
 Son 
 
 tion u 
 
 (MlCOUl 
 
 take, a 
 hav(^ r 
 
 lUiMl f 
 
 they a 
 be sa\ 
 long n 
 the pr 
 of tim 
 miser; 
 lirmec 
 
ihall bo 
 
 d witli- 
 
 lat thcv 
 
 rist and 
 
 i« waiiK* 
 
 hteous, 
 
 to be 
 
 lusionN 
 
 and t'ls- 
 
 he diso- 
 
 ith, and 
 
 rd ". II 
 
 of both 
 
 )assag<»s 
 
 nal and 
 ' the iin- 
 om docN 
 >ns(^iouN 
 le must 
 made it 
 
 <annol 
 faith. II' 
 to him, 
 )ui'ninfr 
 rords of 
 's speak 
 it never 
 lin ", is 
 5t some 
 
 of the 
 Is of a 
 
 — m — 
 
 learned Hindoo, or unlettered peasant, or any one else, 
 I hoy not having either heard or read it before, and you 
 request them to- read it without note or comment, would 
 they be able to des(0\'er that the terms death, perish, des- 
 troy, and destruction, meant an eternal life of pain in 
 hell fire ? I trow not. The plain obvious meaning ; that 
 which strikes the reader Hrst is generally the correct one. 
 •' The wages of sin. is death '\ but ' after death the judg- 
 ment ". There shall be a resurrection of " the just and of 
 the unjust ". " Be not decieved G-od is not mocked for 
 whatsoevi^r a man soweth that shall be also reap ". These 
 juid many other kindred passages teach the do<trine of a 
 future and just retribution, but that such retribution is 
 tcnnifiable, I think we have given full proof in thf se pages. 
 
 Th(» righteous shall iive for ever and the wicked shall 
 die i'or <?ver. Christ when speakinii' to his disci^^les said : 
 B(Mausc I live, ye shall live also (John xiv, 19). The 
 wicked die for ever, because they believe not in him. The 
 " stM'ond death " <nits them off from that eternal blessed 
 life Ihat comes from faitli and ol>edience to Christ. 
 
 Some alHrm that the doctrine of a terminable retribu- 
 tion undervalues the atonement of Christ, and tends to 
 (MK-ourage men to continue in sin. This is plainly a mis- 
 take, a mistake that can only be committed by those who 
 hav(» nol fully considered the subject. Christ died to save 
 men from sin, and not merely from its punishment. If 
 I hey are saved from the love and practise of sin, they will 
 be saved from its punishment, whether the duration be 
 long or short, terminable or not t<»rminable. Judging from 
 the present state of the w^orld. and considering the length 
 of time, and energy with which the doctrine of everlasting 
 misery has been preached, in can hardly be truthliilly af- 
 firmed that it has been effectual in deterring men from 
 
m 
 
 '■I'i 
 
 h\i. 
 
 ;.H> 
 
 m 
 
 — 14 — 
 
 the practise olsiii. 80 we may at onee dismiss this thought 
 from our minds. Wp must honestly adhere to the truth 
 of God. as we fine it revealed to us, and leave all conse- 
 quences with Him. Are not these facts somewhat signi- 
 ficanf, that the Old Testament Scriptures should be al- 
 most entirely silent on the siibject of endless misery, and 
 that neither Peter, James nor John should have taught it ? 
 
 If the doctrine had been true, surely these inspired 
 expounders, and defenders of the faith, would have beeji 
 among the first to impress it, most earnestly upon the 
 minds, of their readers. 
 
 Eight hundred millions of our race are still under the 
 shadow of paganism, and idolatry. A generation of them 
 is supposed to pass away, about every thirty years. What 
 becomes of them after death ^ Do they go away into nu/- 
 Icss suffering ! 
 
 We find the following on this subject in the West- 
 Minster Confession of Faith " , The punishments of 
 sin in the world to come , are most grievous tor - 
 ments in soul and body, ivithont intermission, in hell 
 fire, for ever ... shall be cast into hell, to be pun- 
 ished with unspeakoble torments, both of bodv, and 
 
 soul, with the devil and his angels, for ever 
 
 " Thev 
 
 who having never heard the gospel , know not Jesus 
 Christ, and believe not in him, cannot be saved, be 
 they never so diligent, to frame their lives according to 
 the light of nature ". If this be true, then all the so called 
 heathen, are liopelessly lost, and will sutler endless tor- 
 ment. I have no hesitation in saying that suc^h a doctrine 
 is in direct opposition to the plain teaching of the word 
 of G-od. Do those ministers who subscribed to it, at their 
 ordination continue to believe it ? Is it not too shocking 
 to be believed by any serious minded person ! And vet 
 
 be 
 
 ca 
 
— 1.-) — 
 
 thought 
 le truth 
 11 «'onso- 
 lat signi- 
 bo al- 
 sery, iind 
 ught it ? 
 inspired 
 ave been 
 ipoii the 
 
 Liider the 
 I of them 
 irs. What 
 into end- 
 
 the Wtst- 
 1011 ts of 
 >u.s tor - 
 in hell 
 be pun- 
 »dv, and 
 ./"They 
 A Jesus 
 aved, be 
 rding to 
 so called 
 less tor- 
 doctrine 
 le word 
 at their 
 hocking 
 And vol 
 
 it is lound in all orthodox standards and •(\>ntessions of 
 Faith. " Is it not time, they wore revised I 
 
 If this doctrine be ac<'ording to the Scriptures, one 
 would think that all ministers of the gospel, if they be- 
 lieved it, would " «ry aloud and spare not ", and never 
 cease, night nor day to warn men to llee. with all pos- 
 sible speed, to Christ, that they might escape from so ter- 
 rihc a punishment. There is indeed of late a very sigi'if- 
 icant reticence in most of our pulpits conterning this 
 awful doctrine, but that is not sufficient. If true, it should 
 be " proclaimed as from the house top ". with all pos- 
 sible diligence and Z(ial, to the end of life. I well remem- 
 ber one who had been long in the ministry remarking 
 that if he believed this doctrine, he could never smile again ! 
 And yet ministers, church othcers and members who 
 profess to believe it, and who ^vould expel you from 
 chur«'h membership if you ventured to dift'er with them, 
 eat and drink and smile and enjov life, as if thev were 
 sure that all men were goiuo- t(i heaven. Are they so sel- 
 fish and cruel as not to care whether men go down to 
 an endless hell or not, or is it because they do not believe 
 the doctrine * "Which ^ 
 
 I can well understand why a Universalist should feel 
 «alm and hopeful, but I am profoundly amazed, and 
 shocked, to think, that any followers of CMirist should be- 
 lieve in the doctrine of endless torment, for tlie masses of 
 mankind, and yet he unconcerned, and do so little in 
 order, to rescue them from such a fearful doom ! No wonder 
 that a certain good man should remark, that if this doc- 
 trine were true, and seeing the terrible risk they run, it 
 would be far better for all children to die before they ar- 
 rive at the age when the become, responsible for their 
 actions. But does it not ill comport with the loving 
 
 -V » 
 
F 
 
 — i»; — 
 
 Ih 
 
 
 Mi 
 
 «hara<t(M' (►ICtocI, as n^vtniU'd in His word, and nianiii'slod 
 in natuiv and providence, to suv>po.si» that He will con- 
 ^\g\\ millions of His errini;" children to endicss torment, 
 lor the sins of one short life, especially whcMi we remem- 
 ber that they are ever surrounded with tempters, and 
 temi)tations, and also come into the world with a nature 
 in<linin«»- lo evil, throug'h no fault of theirs :* Then it is 
 so utterly repug'nant to ouv sense of justi<M\ that as a 
 good Bishop, has remarked " We may imagiiu^ such a 
 thing, hut we cannot really believe it ". 
 
 The Rev W. R. Dale, LL.D. a leading and able Congrega- 
 tional minister of Birmingham (successor to late Rev. John 
 Angell James) when si)eaking of the state of opiniou in 
 England, on this subject, says : '' The traditional theory 
 of the endlessnt^ss of sin, and of sulFering, has lost its 
 anthority ". If the " traditional theory " has not quite 
 " lost its authority " liere, it is safe to say that it is 
 '• scotched ". Thoughtful Christians and especially young 
 men, are asking: Can this horrible doctrine of endless tor- 
 ment be true ? Is it after all. according to the Scriptures ^. 
 These enquires together with the reticence of the pulpit 
 on the subject, are signs of the times, and doubtless ere 
 long, a revision of the doctrinal portion of our denomi- 
 national creeds will be called for. But this call will not 
 come from the jiulpit. It will come from the pew and 
 the people, and th(» sooner the better. 
 
 Rev. John Foster, the Essayest and preacher, whose 
 letters " are w^eighty and powerful ", says : — " I have dis- 
 carded the do(>triiH^ of everlasting punishment. I acknow'- 
 ledge my inability (I would say it with reverence) to 
 admit thi.-s belief together with a belief in the divine 
 goodness,— the belief that God is love, and that His " ten- 
 der mercies are over all his works " It often surprises 
 
17 -- 
 
 lili'slocl 
 111 <oii- 
 iinoiit. 
 •«*mom- 
 N. and 
 iiiiturc 
 11 it is 
 
 t i\s ;i 
 
 such }i 
 
 igrcgji- 
 r. John 
 ion in 
 thoor\' 
 
 /os/ I'/s 
 
 i quite 
 ii it is 
 
 young- 
 es8 tor- 
 tures .'' 
 
 pulpit 
 :'ss ere 
 i>nomi- 
 ill not 
 \v and 
 
 \vhos<' 
 n^ dis- 
 know- 
 ice) to 
 iivino 
 " ten- 
 prises 
 
 nie that the learliil doctrine Kits, if I may s'.> express it, ho 
 easy on the minds of the reliirious and benevolent be- 
 lievers of it. How <vv/ they have any calm enjoyment of 
 lil'e, how av/ they even be cordially chetn'ful, how <v/;/ 
 they escape the ineessant haunting of dismal ideas dark«'- 
 ning the economy in which their lot is cast '". His imag- 
 ination vividtidly painted l)efore him the horrors of 
 multitudes f his fellow-men. going down to an end- 
 less hell, created surprise, jind stngu'enMl him, when 
 he saw that so many professing christians could calmly 
 look on. tind enjoy themselves ! '* He si'emed lo feel 
 that wer«» he himself among the saved, the knowledge 
 that those with whom, he had once been a fellow - so- 
 journer, were in keen and everlasting singuish, would 
 wtiir him ivcep, upon the plains of heaven ". 
 
 " If the progress of discussion should finally give to all 
 an assurance that the endlessness of iiell was not actually 
 taught by Christ (or the apostles) there would not only 
 be a general feeling ol' relief from n heavy ])urden, 
 but a general consent to regard the superseded belief 
 as an odious night-mare of medevial ignoranc«» and super- 
 tition ". 
 
 If I may be allowed a personal allusion. I should say 
 that this awful doctrine has cast a shadow ov(»r my whole 
 life. In the davs of mv childhood and vouth, I was made 
 miserable by the terriiic* preachingof men who seemed to 
 take pleasure in dwelling vehemently upon it. The 
 thought that the millions whom we call " the heathen ", 
 in other lands, and the tens and hundreds of thousands of 
 the " unconverted ", around us, ineluding some of our 
 own friends, and relatives were hastening on^vard, to a 
 life of hopeless and endless suffering, so oppressed me 
 that I was almost in continual sorrow. My deep sym- 
 
n 
 
 — is — 
 
 patliy for siilli'riiii^ huiiuniity aruuiul nu\ as I worknl 
 and walked throiiL»h lilo. combined with the sad lhouj;^hl 
 (as \v«» liav»' hiH'ii taiij»'ht to hcliovf) lliat tliesi' myriads ol' 
 uiankind won' ronstantly dropi)iii,iJr into an everlasting' 
 liell of pain, was often more than my spirit <<mld In^ur. 1 
 have lonir carefnlly and prayerfully, studied the subject 
 with a Hinrere desire. I beli«'ve to lind the truth, and 
 nothinjaf but the truth, as })rtsented in the word of (iod. 
 I have given, days and nights and years to it. I have read 
 and pondered all the arn-uments and reasons, over and 
 over again, which the best writers on the orthodox side 
 have brought to ])rove the doctrine of (sndless torment, to 
 ])e aci'ordinft' to the Scrii)tures, but they have failed to 
 convince me. 
 
 I now read the Bible in a new and clearer light, and with 
 vastly more comfort. Things that were a mystery to me, 
 and gave me much discomfort, are now dear, quickening, 
 and comforting. God's book of nature around mo looks 
 more bright and beautiful, and tln^ ultimate destiny of 
 the human rac*?, which is a great human brother-hood, is 
 more ciieering and hopeful. I believe that many more 
 than we have becMi taught to believe, will be saved, for 
 " They shall come from the east and from the west, and 
 from the north and from the south, and shall sit down 
 with Abraham, Isaac and Jacob in the kingdom of God ". 
 Christ " gave himself a ransom for all ". He is *' the 
 propitiation for the sins of the whole world ". He is 
 " mighty to save ". " Able to save to t/ic nttcniiost all ^vho 
 come unto (rod by him ". 
 
 ^ An American lady while travelling in Europe visited 
 the Cathedral at Milan. In solemn silence she slow^ly paced 
 its sacred isles, lost in wondering admiration, at its interior 
 richness and beauty, and afterward w^hile gazing on its 
 
 »nagniiic< 
 
 said, " ^ 
 
 from a hi 
 
 that nnv 
 
 estimate 
 
 Our Fat 
 
 even toV 
 
 2). The 1 
 
 and sav< 
 
 Wei 
 
 about m 
 
 know t 
 
 niercy. 
 
 will arc 
 
 if they 
 
 assured 
 
 (|uench 
 
 comes 1 
 
 Hath h 
 
 wise cas 
 
 multiti 
 
 kindred 
 
 hope, t 
 
 burn ill 
 
 during] 
 
 medial 
 
 Some 
 
 in coiv 
 
 Of 
 
 Redee 
 
 shall 
 
 ])lain 
 
 or, cl: 
 
|\v()rk(*(I 
 
 Jriads ol" 
 |rJ{i«tiiig' 
 hear. I 
 subject 
 ill), and 
 [>i' (lod. 
 ivo read 
 vcr and 
 ox sido 
 n«>nt, to 
 lili'd lo 
 
 id with 
 
 to mv, 
 
 koning-, 
 
 <• look-s 
 tiny ol' 
 
 liood, is 
 r more 
 ■ed, for 
 !st, and 
 down 
 God ". 
 > " the 
 He is 
 II who 
 
 isited 
 paced 
 iterioi' 
 :>n its 
 
 - 10 -~ 
 
 magniliceiit ♦•xterior. sh<' lookrd iq) lowurd heaven, and 
 sjiid, " Yes. that is })eautit'ul lo look npon. I mt <>;/<• .v/;'-// 
 frof/i a broken heart, is more aeeei)ta)»le to (rod. than nil 
 that nniu'nilieent Tenii)l(> ". Slie was rifflit. lor who ean 
 csliinatv the value ol' a .sijji'li en* tear IVoni a broken heart ! 
 Our FathiM- in heaven saith. — " To this man, will I look 
 ev«Mi to him. that is poor, and oi'ix eo///ri/e spirit" (Isa. LXVi, 
 2). The Lord is niuh unto them that are ol' a broken heart ; 
 and saveth such as he ol" a contrite spirit (]\sl. XXXIV, IH). 
 
 We know what is said by the advocates of tiiis c^/,'v///^ 
 about moral iirovernment and divine justice, but we also 
 know that Clod is love, and inlinite in compassion and 
 mercy. " a lather intinitely fatherly ". He can see. anrl 
 will accept, even the '^ ^ernis ol'laith and penitence '. as 
 il* they were fully developed, ripe spiritual fruit. We are 
 assured that, " lie will not br(>ak the l)ruised reed, nor 
 quench the smokinur (lax ". The feeblest reliii'ious desire 
 comes from Him, and is jnoof ol IHs willinjiiiess to save. 
 Hath he not said, " Him thai cometh tome, 1 will in no 
 wise east oNt " / Therefore we brieve that in this life, "a 
 multitude whi<'h no man <an num])er, o[ every nation, and 
 kindred, and people, and ton^i^nc, ivill be saved ". May we not 
 hope, that myriads will be snatched ' asl)rands from the 
 burning "', in " the hour and article ol' death ", and also 
 during- the long interval that will elai)se (in the inter- 
 mediate state), between death and the resurre<tion ? 
 Some portions of holy Scripture seem to fully justify us, 
 in conlidentlv indulijinir such a hop<'. 
 
 Of om; thing we may be «'ertain, that Christ the 
 Redeemer, — " Shall see of the travail of his soul, and 
 shall be satisfied''. H' He be satisfied, who shall com- 
 l)lain ! He will finally triumph, and destroy all evil, 
 or, <'hange it into good, and reign, as King for ever. 
 
— 20 — 
 
 " () ln'otln'is I ilinv lUith is vnin. 
 If lioiH'M lik«' ihfse hetray. 
 Pray lor me, thai my loci may gain, 
 The sun' and sulrr way. 
 
 And thou, () Lord, by whom ar»» s(»on. 
 Thy rreaturos as thev l>e, 
 Forjjivo mi', il' too rloso I loan, 
 Mv iiuman hoart on Th(^c I " 
 
 The Lord is merciiiil and grarious, s/iTiC to anger, and 
 plcfiteoHs in meiey (Pslm. 10;}, 8). 
 
 » 
 
 " IJy death, Kom«» men understand endless torments 
 in hell-Kre. 15ut it seems a strange way of under- 
 standing a law which requires the plainest and directest 
 words that by death should be meant eternal life in mis- 
 ery. Can any one be supposed to intend by a law whic^h 
 says, ' For felony thou shalt surely^ die, ' not that he 
 should lose his life, but be kept alive in exquisite and 
 perpetual torments / " 
 
 (1704) John Locke. 
 
 = I i • " ..- 1 
 
i"vr, and 
 
 torments 
 f under- 
 directest 
 'e in mis- 
 \\' vvhi("h 
 that ho 
 lisite and 
 
 I am the resurrection and the ///e... 
 whosoever liveth, and believed in me, 
 
 shall never die. 
 
 (John ii, 2."), 25). 
 
 OCIvE. 
 
He that hath the Son, hath the life, he 
 
 that hath not the Son of God, hath not 
 
 the life. 
 
 John v, 12. 
 
 A