THE LYALL MISSION.

Press, Volume LX, Issue 11510, 17 February 1903, Page 9

THE LYALL MISSION.

The attendance last night at the Choral Hall was the largest yet present at any oi the mission services. The choir completely filled the platform, and the singing was of the heartiest nature. Miss Cowan sang a solo. The evangelist spoke on "Eternal Punishment; does the Bible teach it?" He said that while the Gospel essentially meant " good news " —good news of pardon, and peace, love and deliverance, there was another side to truth. • The cross could only be appreciated against the dark background of law and sin and retribution. The motive of fear was a legitimate motive to be used in Gospel work. Men were being moved by fear every day. It was fear that made the Israelites spfinkle the blood on lintel and doorpost. There were men who were moved by the tender story of the Cross; there were others moved by the thunderings of Jehovah. After dwelling at considerable length on the nature of hell, as made known by the figures used of it-fire, outer darkness, the worm, the bottomless pit, the second death—the evangelist re-1 ferred to the question of the eternity of the punishment. He eaid there could be no other meaning than that expressed. There were two words used constantly in connection with.the end of the ™£cd— namely, death?" and destruction. Death nowhere meant non-existence, but a state of conscious separation from God. There were four Greek words translated destruction, and in no connection could they be honestly translated to mean destruction ol existence. The words eternal and everlasting, whether they referred to God, the saved, or the wicked, meant unceasing existence. The denial of the eternity of punishment was blasphemous, rebellion against Christ and the authority of Divine revelation. Many remained to the after meeting, and numbers went to the inquiry room. The meetings wiH be continued to-night.