ENDLESS TORMENT V. FULL REDEMPTION. WHICH?

Thames Star, Volume VIII, Issue 2853, 6 April 1878, Page 4

ENDLESS TORMENT V. FULL REDEMPTION. WHICH?

(To tho Editor of tho Evening Star.)

Sib, —I was glad to see in your journal a pn§sage from one of Canou Farrar's late sernjons in Westminster Abbey on the above subjects. Now that the big guns are drawing attention to the theological lio of tho Pagans which has deceived mankind for so many centuries, and proving it to be inimical to the doctrine of Christ, perhaps the religious public will begin to reflect upon tho matter, and as certain as they do so certain will its upholders among religious teachers be obliged to relinquish their " trump card, as the Jewish Chronicle so truthfully terms it in the number January 4 of this year. The game of such teachers is played out; they have terrorised and hoodwinked their hearers too long. What card will they now ploy ? TJie Bible rightly understood nowhere teaches such a horrible dogma as an endless hell—such a blasphemy against our merciful and long-suffering heavenly father. No reflecting person can believe it, and I will be bound for it, that not one in a hundred of those who teach it really believe it. It is a word of fear with the jnost of them, as a means to a present advantageous end. In the midst of much oblbquy and with very considerable personal sacrifice, myself and others have for a number of years tried to get religious people on tho Thames and elsewhere to reflect upon this dogma, and not suck in thojj blasphemy as they would some sweetmowel, and, I am happy to say, not without some success;. but lam ■orry to say that these foolish people generally allow their teachers to frjghten them, blindfold them, and then lead them astray for present advantage to themselves. We have had a fine sample of this in the recent bazaar. I. write not this letter with a view to a controversy upon the subject: that is a thing I care nothing about. My object is that earnest minded people iti religious matters may search tho Scriptures for themselves, as I have done, without prejudice; then I am confident that: they will soon learn from them a better fate in store for tbe masses of humanity than endless punishment. From the Bible and the Bible only have I learned there is Bedemption, ultimately, for the whole race of Adam. Jesus died for all, and His great work of humiliation and sacrifice, I am confident, was not in vain; coming ages will make it manifest. Others may learn from that same book, God's revelation to ■ man, the same doctrine that I, have, if they will only set about the enquiry with the earnestness and perseverance the subject demands. Surely it is better to embrace truth than falsehood ; love is better than fear; the Bedemption, of mankind a better doctrine than endless 1 misery. What says common, sense? Tlie height of man's falsehood, folly, and wickedness is far spentf the condition of ;■ the world proves-it, tho-day of Christ's inglorious kingdom is at hand, consequently 1 the truth will out in spite of the army of * modern Pharisees; happy is he who finds the truth and who firmly grasps it, for his reward will be great in that rapidly approaching kingdom of righteousness and " peace of the Lord's prayer. In conclusion, I wish to say that I have written for a supply of Dr Farrar's three sermons, •' and American Beecher's one sermon upon --same subject, which are published to- - -gether in London; When they arrive I .shall take care that my fellow townsmen know their contents through your journal -~i£ you will, or otherwise.—l am, &c, William Wood.