HELL OR NO HELL.

New Zealand Tablet, Volume VI, Issue 268, 21 June 1878, Page 7

HELL OR NO HELL.

( Concluded. J Theke are many other reasons that I might give you for my "belief in the eternity of hell, I will only quote one or two more. The early Christians believed in it, who had it from the Apostles, who had it from Jesus Christ. The objectors say that there is no word in the Greek to express an idea of endlessness ; but if this be so, how is it that the Greek Church teaches the same doctrine about hell that the Eoman Church ,does ? The Greek schism commenced in the ninth century, and was not about the eternity of hell, but about the Procession of the Holy Ghost. Therefof3,l conclude, that the Greek language has a word equivalent to our idea of eternity. Origen, in the third century, erroneously taught that the blessed in heaven could be banished from that abode of happiuess, for faults committed there, and that the punishment of the damned would not last for all eternity, because at the end of the world Jesus Christ would again bs crucified, and they would participate in the general redemption — St. Lignori's Hist. Her. p. 48. From that day to this the error has been cropping up in one form or another. Some fifteen or sixteen years ago it was resuscitated in the Essays and Reviews, but was condemned by a convocation of English bishops ; however, it was legalised by the Crown in Council, and has been floating through the loose theology of the Anglican Church ever since. It has lately been taken up by Dr. Farrar, a Canon of Westminster, who, by two sermons which he preached on the subject, seems to have set the whole religious world, outside the Catkolic Church, in a commotion. The American pulpits aTe boiling and bubbling and foaming over with it, and some of the most popular of the New York preachers are floating down the stream after the doctor. In the published report of his sermons it is recorded that amongst the crowds who gathered to hear him at Westminster Abbey the Yankee element was conspicuous. This is suggestive. I have no doubt but that these good people felt a keen interest in the subject, and warmly sympathised with the good Canon in his well intended efforts to close the gates of that most uncomfortable habitation. Canon Farrar scouts the idea of God sending any of His own creatures to perdition. He, the Canon, would throw the gates of heaven wide open to all— l suppose the London blacklegs included — and would not restrict God's infinite mercy. About 1847 years ago, there was a greater than Dr. Farrar preaching on this subject, and I doubt not He knew as much about the matter as the Canon, and this is what He said about it : " Wide is the gate, and broad the way that leads to destruction, and many there are who go in thereat. How narrow is the gate and straight the way that leadeth to life, and few there are that find it" — Matt. vii. 13, 14. " Many are called hut fen are c7wsen" — Ibid xx. 16. " Not every one that saith Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven, but he that doeth the will of my Father who is in heaven," — Ibid vii. 21, &c, &c. For my own part I would quite as soon take this testimony as that of the Doctor. St. Paul may also be accredited with some knowledge of this subject, let U3 listen to him : " Be not deceived ;" and he says, •' Neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor the effeminate, nor sodomites, nor thieves, nor drunkards, nor railers, nor extortioners, shall possess the Kingdom of God" — 1 Cor. vi. 9, 10. And 1 quite expect, if the truth was known, that there were a good few of the Canon's admirers who might be numbered in this category. I think that these few texts will prove to you that the gates of heaven are not to be thrown open to the world at large ; the people cannot enter there ad libitum without the " wedding garment," and that '"if you will enter into life you must keep the commandments." All these reasons are sufficient to make one believe in the eternity of hell ; but there is another which I will adduce for your friend, and it ia this : God created the angels to enjoy the beatitude of heaven for all eternity, but some of them, with Lucifer at their head, rebelled against His authority, and they were forthwith expelled from heaven and hell was created for them. Now, an offence against an Infinite King must he punished with an infinite punishment, infinite in its extent, and infinite in its duration, because if this were not so, and if the punishment were to end at any given time, the culprit would find himself free again to commence a fresh revolt. He would again have it in his power to say to the same Infinite Being, " I am now free again, and once more I refuse to bow to your authority. I deny your Supremacy," &c. Therefore you see how reasonable it is that the devil should suffer for all eternity ; and this being conceded, we cannot dispute the eternity of hell, elsewhere i -^puld he suffer ? And as the soul of man is created immortal, and 4 the sinners at the last day are to be condemned to hell, which was prepared for the devil and his angels, it follows that the punishment of the damned must be eternal, that they must dwell in " everlasting burnings," and that " the smoke oE their torments shall ascend up for ever and ever."