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32X

■ No. t

■Ymt
If*

•ft Tfl

ft TRACT FOR THE TflVfES

A Burning Question

»;^

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

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^ "

A TRACT FOR THE TIMES

i :>

nany
v^oice
ercy, -^

« »

i!f

" ^ Burning Question " 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.

• )

Jit thiH
W severo
ords ol'
lent of
eiit, for
g, from
utmosl
really
o oter-
j same
shment
of the
iployed
ieve ill
led the
uestioii
tied it.
le other
ay they
rule or
' wisely

iiiter-

1 other
i itself.
' iiiter-
r Lord
le.

ject oil

^' gate,

leadeth

is the

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;

sage ffi^

28). Th

eternal

as in ot

now, ra

in hell.

in all

life — '

likely t

this aw

by the

used b

of the

accordi

— '*Th

rightec

alread;

fair ir

tuture

sutteri

loving

own r

A?
found
three
to oth
that t
when
to oui
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pulpi
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I'll r liar (•
1 fall it
ie ablo
2«. Ill
of the
ere, but
atement
88. The
Chaf
unit up
tst—Q\x\

ehenna.
ite idea
•act the
aphors :
affinn
nild not
?es, and
^ taught
ny with
i blessed
I to the

.>f Jeru-
id who
would
J flames
tie gen-
eaehing-
nd lite,
to find
iveu to
vith all

— ,)

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

on, and
ioubtlesR
emption,

so with
e eternnl

s of eons-
1 do not
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

and stil

der the

in a hel

viation,

of a ne

and to

would

dread c

is incre

it seld

though

reactio

have f(

words

Lot ev

per sua

meani

duty i

whicl

and t

shall

cision

not tc

lor th

powe

spirit

takes

" retr

_ !» -

the cor-

to du ra-
le things
fc eternal
i whom
h«» uses
nd that
ment in

la inly ol*
here are
doc'trin(»
Rvidenoit
^ting- if.
ilearned.
just, and
[•e given
1 system
i friends,
ured his
oc^trines,
•t'eptinjOf
wanted
uni'oni-
1 books,
s espec-
)ld doc-
i a new
lie to bt;

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

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

'■I'i

h\i.

;.H>

— 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

— 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 »

— i»; —

«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-

— 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

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.