be found in the teachings of Christ in only five independent
instances, each of which, after tracing the original Jewish usage
of the term, we will briefly examine. Gehenna, or the Vale of
Hinnom, is derived from two Hebrew words, the first meaning a
vale, the second being the name of its owner. The place thus
called was the eastern part of the beautiful valley that forms the
southern boundary of Jerusalem. Here Moloch, the horrid idol god
worshipped by the Ammonites, and by the Israelites during their
idolatrous lapses, was set up. This monstrous idol had the head of
an ox and the body of a man. It was hollow; and, being filled with
fire, children were laid in its arms and devoured alive by the
heat. This explains the terrific denunciations uttered by the
prophets against those who made their children pass through the
fire to Moloch. The spot was sometimes entitled Tophet, a place of
abhorrence; its name being derived, as some think, from a word
meaning to vomit with loathing, or, as others suppose, from a word
signifying drum, because drums were beaten to drown the shrieks of
the burning children. After these horrible rites were abolished by
Josiah, the place became an utter abomination. All filth, the
offal of the city, the carcasses of beasts, the bodies of executed
criminals, were cast indiscriminately into Gehenna. Fires were
kept constantly burning to prevent the infection of the atmosphere
from the putrifying mass. Worms were to be seen preying on the
relics. The primary meaning, then, of Gehenna, is a valley outside
of Jerusalem, a place of corruption and fire, only to be thought
of with execration and shuddering.

Now, it was not only in keeping with Oriental rhetoric, but also
natural in itself, that figures of speech should be taken from
these obvious and dreadful facts to symbolize any dire evil. For
example, how naturally might a Jew, speaking of some foul wretch,
and standing, perhaps, within sight of the place, exclaim, "He
deserves to be hurled into the fires of Gehenna!" So the term
would gradually become an accepted emblem of abominable
punishment. Such was the fact; and this gives a perspicuous
meaning to the word without supposing it to imply a fiery prison
house of anguish in the future world. Isaiah threatens the King of
Assyria with ruin in these terms: "Tophet is ordained of old, and
prepared for the king: it is made deep and large; the pile thereof
is fire and much wood; the breath of Jehova