convey the proper force of impression. It is true
these intolerable details are merely latent and unappreciated by
the multitude of believers; and when one, roused to fanaticism by
earnest contemplation of his creed, dares to proclaim its logical
consequences and to exhort men accordingly, they shrink, and
charge him with excess. But they should beware ere they repudiate
the literal horrors of the historic orthodox doctrine for any
figurative and moral views accommodated to the advanced reason and
refinement of the times, beware how such an abandonment of a part
of their system affects the rest.

Give up the material fire, and you lose the bodily resurrection.
Renounce the bodily resurrection, and away goes the visible coming
of Christ to a general judgment. Abandon the general judgment, and
the climacteric completion of the Church scheme of redemption is
wanting. Mar the wholeness of the redemption plan, and farewell to
the incarnation and vicarious atonement. Neglect the vicarious
atonement, and down crumbles the hollow and broken shell of the
popular theology helplessly into its grave. The old literal
doctrine of a material hell, however awful its idea, as it has
been set forth in flaming views and threats by all the accredited
representatives of the Church, must be uncompromisingly clung to,
else the whole popular system of theology will be mutilated,
shattered, and lost from sight. The theological leaders understand
this perfectly well, and for the most part they act accordingly.
We have now under our hand numerous extracts, from writings
published within the last five years by highly influential
dignitaries in the different denominations, which for frightfulness
of outline and coloring, and for unshrinking assertions of
literality, will compare with those already quoted.

Especially read the following description of this kind from John
Henry Newman: "Oh, terrible moment for the soul, when it suddenly
finds itself at the judgment seat of Christ, when the Judge speaks
and consigns it to the jailers till it shall pay the endless debt
which lies against it! 'Impossible! I a lost soul? I separated
from hope and from peace forever? It is not I of whom the Judge so
spake! There is a mistake somewhere; Christ, Savior, hold thy
hand: one minute to explain it! My name is Demas: I am but Demas,
not Judas, or Nicholas, or Alexander, or Philetus, or Diotrephes.
What! eternal pain for me? Impossible! it shall not be!' And t