the great controversy-第98章

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of　the　same　nature　and　born　under　the　same　circumstances；　plunged　in　such
misery；　and　they　so　distinguished；　it　will　make　them　sensible　of　how　happy
they　are。〃　Another　used　these　words：　〃While　the　decree　of　reprobation　is
eternally　executing　on　the　vessels　of　wrath；　the　smoke　of　their　torment　will
be　eternally　ascending　in　view　of　the　vessels　of　mercy；　who；　instead　of
taking　the　part　of　these　miserable　objects；　will　say；　Amen；　Alleluia！　praise
ye　the　Lord！〃

Where；　in　the　pages　of　God's　word；　is　such　teaching　to　be　found？　Will　the
redeemed　in　heaven　be　lost　to　all　emotions　of　pity　and　compassion；　and　even
to　feelings　of　common　humanity？　Are　these　to　be　exchanged　for　the
indifference　of　the　stoic　or　the　cruelty　of　the　savage？　No；　no；　such　is　not
the　teaching　of　the　Book　of　God。　Those　who　present　the　views　expressed　in
the　quotations　given　above　may　be　learned　and　even　honest　men；　but　they　are
deluded　by　the　sophistry　of　Satan。　He　leads　them　to　misconstrue　strong
expressions　of　Scripture；　giving　to　the　language　the　coloring　of　bitterness
and　malignity　which　pertains　to　himself；　but　not　to　our　Creator。　〃As　I　live；
saith　the　Lord　God；　I　have　no　pleasure　in　the　death　of　the　wicked；　but　that
the　wicked　turn　from　his　way　and　live：　turn　ye；　turn　ye　from　your　evil　ways；
for　why　will　ye　die？〃　Ezekiel　33：11。

536


What　would　be　gained　to　God　should　we　admit　that　He　delights　in　witnessing
unceasing　tortures；　that　He　is　regaled　with　the　groans　and　shrieks　and
imprecations　of　the　suffering　creatures　whom　He　holds　in　the　flames　of　hell？
Can　these　horrid　sounds　be　music　in　the　ear　of　Infinite　Love？　It　is　urged
that　the　infliction　of　endless　misery　upon　the　wicked　would　show　God's
hatred　of　sin　as　an　evil　which　is　ruinous　to　the　peace　and　order　of　the
universe。　Oh；　dreadful　blasphemy！　As　if　God's　hatred　of　sin　is　the　reason
why　it　is　perpetuated。　For；　according　to　the　teachings　of　these　theologians；
continued　torture　without　hope　of　mercy　maddens　its　wretched　victims；　and　as
they　pour　out　their　rage　in　curses　and　blasphemy；　they　are　forever
augmenting　their　load　of　guilt。　God's　glory　is　not　enhanced　by　thus
perpetuating　continually　increasing　sin　through　ceaseless　ages。

It　is　beyond　the　power　of　the　human　mind　to　estimate　the　evil　which　has　been
wrought　by　the　heresy　of　eternal　torment。　The　religion　of　the　Bible；　full　of
love　and　goodness；　and　abounding　in　compassion；　is　darkened　by　superstition
and　clothed　with　terror。　When　we　consider　in　what　false　colors　Satan　has
painted　the　character　of　God；　can　we　wonder　that　our　merciful　Creator　is
feared；　dreaded；　and　even　hated？　The　appalling　views　of　God　which　have
spread　over　the　world　from　the　teachings　of　the　pulpit　have　made　thousands；
yes；　millions；　of　skeptics　and　infidels。

The　theory　of　eternal　torment　is　one　of　the　false　doctrines　that　constitute
the　wine　of　the　abomination　of　Babylon；　of　which　she　makes　all　nations
drink。　Revelation　14：8；　17：2。　That　ministers　of　Christ　should　have　accepted
this　heresy　and　proclaimed　it　from　the　sacred　desk　is　indeed　a　mystery。　They
received　it　from　Rome；　as　they　received　the　false　sabbath。　True；　it　has　been
taught　by　great　and　good　men；　but　the　light　on　this　subject　had　not　come　to
them　as　it　has　come　to　us。　They　were　responsible　only　for　the　light　which
shone　in　their　time；　we　are　accountable　for　that　which　shines　in　our　day。　If
we　turn　from　the　testimony　of　God's　word；　and　accept

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false　doctrines　because　our　fathers　taught　them；　we　fall　under　the
condemnation　pronounced　upon　Babylon；　we　are　drinking　of　the　wine　of　her
abomination。

A　large　class　to　whom　the　doctrine　of　eternal　torment　is　revolting　are
driven　to　the　opposite　error。　They　see　that　the　Scriptures　represent　God　as
a　being　of　love　and　compassion；　and　they　cannot　believe　that　He　will　consign
His　creatures　to　the　fires　of　an　eternally　burning　hell。　But　holding　that
the　soul　is　naturally　immortal；　they　see　no　alternative　but　to　conclude　that
all　mankind　will　finally　be　saved。　Many　regard　the　threatenings　of　the　Bible
as　designed　merely　to　frighten　men　into　obedience；　and　not　to　be　literally
fulfilled。　Thus　the　sinner　can　live　in　selfish　pleasure；　disregarding　the
requirements　of　God；　and　yet　expect　to　be　finally　received　into　His　favor。
Such　a　doctrine；　presuming　upon　God's　mercy；　but　ignoring　His　justice；
pleases　the　carnal　heart　and　emboldens　the　wicked　in　their　iniquity。

To　show　how　believers　in　universal　salvation　wrest　the　Scriptures　to　sustain
their　soul…destroying　dogmas；　it　is　needful　only　to　cite　their　own
utterances。　At　the　funeral　of　an　irreligious　young　man；　who　had　been　killed
instantly　by　an　accident；　a　Universalist　minister　selected　as　his　text　the
Scripture　statement　concerning　David：　〃He　was　comforted　concerning　Amnon；
seeing　he　was　dead。〃　2　Samuel　13：39。

〃I　am　frequently　asked；〃　said　the　speaker；　〃what　will　be　the　fate　of　those
who　leave　the　world　in　sin；　die；　perhaps；　in　a　state　of　inebriation；　die
with　the　scarlet　stains　of　crime　unwashed　from　their　robes；　or　die　as　this
young　man　died；　having　never　made　a　profession　or　enjoyed　an　experience　of
religion。　We　are　content　with　the　Scriptures；　their　answer　shall　solve　the
awful　problem。　Amnon　was　exceedingly　sinful；　he　was　unrepentant；　he　was　made
drunk；　and　while　drunk　was　killed。　David　was　a　prophet　of　God；　he　must　have
known　whether　it　would　be　ill　or　well　for　Amnon　in　the　world　to　come。　What
were　the　expressions　of　his　heart？

538

‘The　soul　of　King　David　longed　to　go　forth　unto　Absalom：　for　he　was
comforted　concerning　Amnon；　seeing　he　was　dead。'　Verse　39。

〃And　what　is　the　inference　to　be　deduced　from　this　language？　Is　it　not　that
endless　suffering　formed　no　part　of　his　religious　belief？　So　we　conceive；
and　here　we　discover　a　triumphant　argument　in　support　of　the　more　pleasing；
more　enlightened；　more　benevolent　hypothesis　of　ultimate　universal　purity
and　peace。　He　was　comforted；　seeing　his　son　was　dead。　And　why　so？　Because　by
the　eye　of　prophecy　he　could　look　forward　into　the　glorious　future　and　see
that　son　far　removed　from　all　temptations；　released　from　the　bondage　and
purified　from　the　corruptions　of　sin；　and　after　being　made　sufficiently　holy
and　enlightened；　admitted　to　the　assembly　of　ascended　and　rejoicing　spirits。
His　only　comfort　was　that；　in　being　removed　from　the　present　state　of　sin
and　suffering；　his　beloved　son　had　gone　where　the　loftiest　breathings　of　the
Holy　Spirit　would　be　shed　upon　his　darkened　soul；　where　his　mind　would　be
unfolded　to　the　wisdom　of　heaven　and　the　sweet　raptures　of　immortal　love；
and　thus　prepared　with　a　sanctified　nature　to　enjoy　the　rest　and　society　of
the　heavenly　inheritance。

〃In　these　thoughts　we　would　be　understood　to　believe　that　the　salvation　of
heaven　depends　upon　nothing　which　we　can　do　in　this　life；　neither　upon　a
present　change　of　heart；　nor　upon　present　belief；　or　a　present　profession　of
religion。〃

Thus　does　the　professed　minister　of　Christ　reiterate　the　falsehood　uttered
by　the　serpent　in　Eden：　〃Ye　shall　not　surely　die。〃　〃In　the　day　ye　eat
thereof；　then　your　eyes　shall　be　opened；　and　ye　shall　be　as　gods。〃　He
declares　that　the　vilest　of　sinnersthe　murderer；　the　thief；　and　the
adultererwill　after　death　be　prepared　to　enter　into　immortal　bliss。

And　from　what　does　this　perverter　of　the　Scriptures　draw　his　conclusions？
From　a　single　sentence　expressing　David's　submission　to　the　dispensation　of
Providence。　His

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soul　〃longed　to　go　forth　unto　Absalom；　for　he　was　comforted　concerning
Amnon；　seeing　he　was　dead。〃　The　poignancy　of　his　grief　having　been　softened
by　time；　his　thoughts　turned　from　the　dead　to　the　living　son；　self…banished
through　fear　of　the　just　punishment　of　his　crime。　And　this　is　the　evidence
that　the　incestuous；　drunken　Amnon　was　at　death　immediately　transported　to
the　abodes　of　bliss；　there　to　be　purified　and　prepared　for　the　companionship
of　sinless　angels！　A　pleasing　fable　indeed；　well　suited　to　gratify　the
carnal　heart！　This　is　Satan's　own　doctrine；　and　it　does　his　work
effectually。　Should　we　be　surprised　that；　with　such　instruction；　wickedness
abounds？

The　course　pursued　by　this　one　false　teacher　illustrates　that　of　many
others。　A　few　words　of　Scripture　are　separated　from　the　context；　which　would
in　many　cases　show　their　meaning　to　be　exactly　opposite　to　the
interpretation　put　upon　them；　and　such　disjointed　passages　are　perverted　and
used　in　proof　of　doctrines　that　have　no　foundation　in　the　word　of　God。　The
testimony　cited　as　evidence　that　the　drunken　Amnon　is　in　heaven　is　a　mere
inference　directly　contradicted　by　the　plain　and　positive　statement　of　the
Scriptures　that　no　drunkard　shall　inherit　the　kingdom　of　God。　1　Corinthians
6：10。　It　is　thus　that　doubters；　unbelievers；　and　skeptics　turn　the　truth
into　a　lie。　And　multitudes　have　been　deceived　by　their　sophistry　and　rocked
to　sleep　in　the　cradle　of　carnal　security。

If　it　were　true　that　the　souls　of　all　men　passed　directly　to　heaven　at　the
hour　of　dissolution；　then　we　might　well　covet　death　rather　than　life。　Many
have　been　led　by　this　belief　to　put　an　end　to　their　existence。　When
overwhelmed　with　trouble；　perplexity；　and　disappointment；　it　seems　an　easy
thing　to　break　the　brittle　thread　of　life　and　soar　away　into　the　bliss　of
the　eternal　world。

God　has　given　in　His　word　decisive　evidence　that　He　will　punish　the
transgressors　of　His　law。　Those　who　flatter

540

themselves　that　He　is　too　merciful　to　execute　justice　upon　the　sinner；　have
only　to　look　to　the　cross　of　Calvary。　The　death　of　the　spotless　Son　of　God
testifies　that　〃the　wages　of　sin　is　death；〃　that　every　violation　of　God's
law　must　receive　its　just　retribution。　Christ　the　sinless　became　sin　for
man。　He　bore　the　guilt　of　transgression；　and　the　hiding　of　His　Father's
face；　until　His　heart　was　broken　and　His　life　crushed　out。　All　this
sacrifice　was　made　that　sinners　might　be　redeemed。　In　no　other　way　could　man
be　freed　from　the　penalty　of　sin。　And　every　soul　that　refuses　to　become　a
partaker　of　the　atonement　provided　at　such　a　cost　must　bear　in　his　own
person　the　guilt　and　punishment　of　transgression。

Let　us　consider　what　the　Bible　teaches　further　concerning　the　ungodly　and
unrepentant；　whom　the　Universalist　places　in　heaven　as　holy；　happy　angels。

〃I　will　give　unto　him　that　is　athirst　of　the　fountain　of　the　water　of　life
freely。〃　Revelation　21：6。　This　promise　is　only　to　those　that　thirst。　None
but　those　who　feel　their　need　of　the　water　of　life；　and　seek　it　at　the　loss
of　all　things　else；　will　be　supplied。　〃He　that　overcometh　shall　inherit　all
things；　and　I　will　be　his　God；　and　he　shall　be　My　son。〃　Verse　7。　Here；　also；
conditions　are　specified。　In　order　to　inherit　all　things；　we　must　resist　and
overcome　sin。

The　Lord　declares　by　the　prophet　Isaiah：　〃Say　ye　to　the　righteous；　that　it
shall　be　well　with　him。〃　〃Woe　unto　the　wicked！　it　shall　be　ill　with　him：　for
the　reward　of　his　hands　shall　be　given　him。〃　Isaiah　3：10；　11。　〃Though　a
sinner　do　evil　an　hundred　times；〃　says　the　wise　man；　〃and　his　days　be
prolonged；　yet　surely　I　know　that　it　sha