Public Lecture.

Thames Star, Volume XI, Issue 3743, 23 December 1880, Page 2

Public Lecture.

Mr G. A. Brown gave his lecture upon the " Destiny of the. Wicked" in the Academy of Music last night. There was a very large attendance, and: the. lecturer throughout was listened to with attention. Mr William Vfrod occupied the chair, and briefly ifljrafeced Mr Brow.n.

In introducing his subject the speaker referred to the importance of his subject, and the interest that was being taken in it at the present time. The teachings of orthodoxy were being investigated, and many of the old theories were now not accepted. Men of the present day were beginning to think for themselves, and no doctrine was receiving more study than that of the subject of his lecture. He would aay at the outset he did not bold the belief that God would punish the wicked by plunging them into hell—into a fire giving endless torment. The speaker dwelt at length on "the subject of the influence of love as against fear, and pointed out how, in all his dealings with man, God had shown himself a loTing God, one of mercy and. long suffering^. He did not believe professing Christians believed in the doctriue bfrpunisument - in hell—in fact, did they, they could not be Christians—followers' of Jesus Christ and bis teachings. It was said to him that by his lectures he mad* mm worse; but men who were prepared to believe.in the teachings of orthodoxy, and in the torments of hell cnnld not be worse. The doctrine, however, wai unreasonable, and consequently lost its effect upon reasonable thinking.men. Why should toachert and, ministers of religion delight in daubing and pawling the picture in such awful color*; representing God as taking a deligtrLin inlicting punishment, and havings an^eterlatting fire prepared for thosef-'wh# Jit* - dis- * obedient? He felt confinedUpatnone of those who taught the doctrine believed it. Did they believe that every moment there were millions of human beingi dropping into hell, feeding the everlactiu tames. He thanked God that; h*M« message for humanity, and as foojrXas ha lived he would endeavor to ape*k that message, and prevent men . looking at their God painted in such t) hideout character. He was hot prepared to * say there was no punishment for*^ the wicked—there always followed punishment for breach of laws* In dealing with the words of (he Ittble upon., which the doctrine of evwfesttaff punishment; was 'bowed.;- the: lecturer briefly stated the termi upon which tueh an investigation should lie made. The word* in the original text were to be taken in the primary sense, not what they came to represent in the present" or anjv other, age than that in which thiejl .■■ were spoken and written.' The lecturer then read from Genesis, 3rd chapter, 17, 18 anit;Jl9/verses, where God's.judgment upcta Adam is given. Then he pointed out tjJLtrne meaning of death. The value of t^great atonement made by Christ was nertattitavged upon, and the oonseqaences cf~fl§tig|mition of the offer of the gift of^Ee^pi bv God to those willing to receiv* j^tfclojagh his son. The several meanings gTvei-to the <•- word Hell, and the reasonableness of the belief that it was aot an everlasting plaoe of torment, buta.place where the* wicked were destroyed, consumed, or reduced to nothingness—but not a place for eternal punishment. , In summarising the lector* the speaker said he' believed the wicked would be destroyed in the Gehenna fire, would absolutely cease to exist after the day of judgment, while' the righteous: would participate in, the glories of Paradise in common with the saints and angels that surround the throne of God. . A. number of questions were asked, but • demand upon our spaoe prevents us giving them at length. ' „