To illustrate, by assuming for argument's sake the position of the majority of religious teachers, that the sinner goes to hell immediately after
death, we will suppose a case: Cain killed Abel six thousand years ago and if our friends are right, he went to hell immediately after death. Czolgotz killed President McKinley and immediately after his execution, he too, went to hell. Both are to remain in hell throughout all eternity. Now both of these men committed the same crime; Cain went to hell six thousand years before
Czolgotz, and must still remain in hell as long as Czolgotz, or to eternity. Conclusion: Cain is punished six thousand years longer than Czolgotz for the same crime. In view of this I ask: Would this be justice?
Would it be fair? Would it be in keeping with the character of a just God? When we face a proposition like this we can immediately see that the Scriptures are reasonable when they say the sinner is "reserved," and the
popular idea that man goes to heaven or hell at death is unreasonable as well as unscriptural. Where are the Wicked? The question may be asked—Where are the wicked reserved? The Catholic might answer in Purgatory, and some Protestant preachers, driven from
their position that the wicked go immediately to hell, at death, have built up a sort of a half way, purgatorial stopping place, which they call Paradise. But unfortunately for these, the Bible does not sustain the Catholic purgatory, and Revelation 2nd chapter destroys the position of these Protestant
preachers by telling us that Paradise is where God is, and Paradise is no place for sinners. See Revelation 2:7 and Revelation 22:1-3. Again we ask, Where are the wicked reserved? and answer by referring again to the Bible. In Job, 21st Chapter, after telling us in the
30th verse that the "wicked are reserved to the day of destruction;" the 32nd and 33rd verses add this: "Yet shall he be brought to the grave, and shall remain in the tomb. The clods of the valley shall be sweet unto him, and every man shall
draw after him, as there are innumerable before him." The Bible is plain enough if we only believe. The fact stated in these verses, that "he shall be brought to the grave, and shall remain in the tomb,"
is God's answer to the statement that the sinner goes to hell at death. The Judgment Does the reader believe in a general judgment? Does he believe the Bible which says: "He (God) hath appointed a day in which he will judge the
world" Acts 17:31? Nearly all ministers preach most eloquently of this day of judgment, which is still in the future. Now let me ask—Will God consign men to hell before they are
judged? Does the reader see the difficulty here? If the sinner goes to hell at death, will he be brought out of hell at the judgment, to be tried, to determine whether he should have
gone there ? A false doctrine, like any other lie is a dangerous thing, for it leads to some very awkward conclusions, and the hell of orthodoxy clashes most seriously with a coming day
of judgment. No—the dead are in their graves and will remain there until the voice of God calls them forth. Jesus said:— "Marvel not at this: for the hour is coming, in the which all that are in the graves shall hear his voice, and shall come forth; they
that have done good unto the resurrection of life; and they that have done evil, unto the resurrection of damnation."—John 5: 28-29. No sort of mysterious spiritualizing of these texts will do. God means just what he says, and I am just foolish enough to believe God, though every
man be found a liar. Truth is eternal and we can afford to believe the truth. Error is error no matter how long believed, and a lie that has grown hoary with age is not
sanctified by its antiquity. "The truth shall make you free." There is to be a judgment at the end of the age (end of the world) and this judgment will be just. Speaking of the judgment, Paul says:— " But, after thy hardness and impenitent heart, treasurest up unto thyself wrath against the day of wrath and revelation of the righteous
judgment of God. Who will render to every man according to his deeds."—Romans 2:5-6. The wise man, Solomon, speaking of these things, tells us that in the judgment every phase of our life work will be considered. He says:— "For God shall bring every work into judgment with every secret thing, whether it be good, or whether it be evil."—Ecclesiastes 12:14. In the work of God there is perfect order, and the record of the life of every individual will be spread out in the judgment. In the last book of the
Bible we read: "And I saw the dead, small and great, stand before God; and the books were opened; and another book was opened, which is the book of
life; and the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books according to their works."— Revelation 20:12. God says— "He hath appointed a day in which he will judge the world" Acts 17:31. As to the time of this judgment we need only give one text as follows: "And the nations were angry, and thy wrath is come, and the time of the dead, that they should be judged, and that thou shouldest give
reward unto thy servants the prophets, and to the saints and them that fear thy name, small and great; and shouldest destroy them which destroy the earth."—Revelation 11:18. Therefore the only logical conclusion from these texts is that there can be no punishment meted out to the sinner, until all of his deeds have been
weighed in God's balances. And that judgment takes place at the end of the age (end of the world). Punished on the Earth Our second proposition is that the wicked will be punished on this earth. I shall give two texts that ought to be conclusive. I only ask the reader
to believe these Bible statements. Peter says:— "But the heavens and the earth, which are now, by the same word are kept in store, reserved unto fire against the day of judgment and
perdition of ungodly men."—2 Peter 3:7. The word "perdition" in this verse is from the Greek word apoleza and means destruction. Another text here is so directly to the point that it will be
needless to quote more: "And it shall come to pass in that day, that the Lord shall punish the host of the high ones that are on high, and the kings of the earth
upon the earth."—Isaiah 24:21. Our proposition, that the wicked will be punished on this earth, is established beyond cavil, and it would serve no good purpose to give more texts
here, so we will leave this point and proceed to our third and last proposition, that the sinners will be punished with death, and not endless torment. Before doing so, however, it might be
well to remind you that this punishment of the wicked will be in the fires of the last days, when the earth will be purified by fire, and all the works of man destroyed, to give way to the
ushering in of the new heavens and the new earth. Peter expresses it thus:— "But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night: in the which the heavens shall pass away with a great noise, and the elements
shall melt with fervent heat the earth also, and the works that are therein shall be burned up. Seeing then that all these things shall be dissolved, what manner of persons ought ye to be
in all holy conversation and godliness. Looking for an hasting unto the coming of the day of God, wherein the heavens being on fire shall be dissolved, and the elements shall melt with
fervent heat? Nevertheless we, according to his promise, look for new heavens and a new earth, wherein dwelleth righteousness." —2 Peter 3:10-13. We have given four verses so that the reader may get the facts firmly fixed in his mind. Now we can safely believe at least, that we have made it
clear that there is no hell where the wicked are suffering at the present time, but that they are "reserved unto the day of judgment to be punished." They are reserved in their graves. Death is called a sleep all through the Scriptures. "The dead know not anything" says the Bible. On the question of death, so-called orthodoxy is all at sea. It is no uncommon thing at a funeral service to hear them sing: "Asleep in Jesus, blessed sleep
From which none ever wake to weep;
A calm and undisturbed repose,
Unbroken by the last of foes." And in a few minutes after singing this hymn, the minister proceeds to deny it all, by telling the bereaved that their loved one is alive and in
heaven. Is it any wonder the poet wrote:— "One question more than others all
From thoughtful minds implores reply,
It is, as breathed from star and pall
What fate awaits us when we die?"
—Alger. Eternal Death My third proposition is as follows: The punishment of the wicked will be eternal death, and not eternal torture. We have already proven this, but if any reader has failed to see the point I will call his attention to the fact that Peter, in the texts before
quoted, told us that the wicked would meet with "perdition" literally destruction in the fires of the last days. Destruction is defined thus:
"Destruction:—Ruin; overthrow; desolation; death; slaughter." Referring to the wicked, in the fires of the last days, the Revelator, looking with prophetic eyes to that time, says: "Fire came down from God out of heaven and devoured them." —Revelation 20:9. Sinners are compared to the most combustible material and to substances most easily destroyed. Jesus compares them to chaff, in these words: "Whose fan is in his hand, and he will thoroughly purge his floor, and gather his wheat into the garner; but he will burn up the chaff
with unquenchable fire." —Matthew 3:12. Kindly notice the little word "up" in this text. What meaning can be attached to the words "burn up" if not utter consumption or destruction? The
term unquenchable fire will receive due consideration in another part of this work, but suffice it to say that the unquenchable fire is fire that utterly consumes—cannot be quenched,
but after all are burned "up," when it has nothing to feed upon, goes out of its own accord. How often we use this term ourselves. We say of a fire consuming a building and which could not
be extinguished until it had wrecked the place "It could not be quenched." It is so used in the Scripture, as we shall show elsewhere. Another illustration is used in the book of Nahum, to show the perishable nature of the wicked and their utter destruction: "What do ye imagine against the Lord? he will make an utter end: affliction shall not rise up the second time. For while they be folden
together as thorns, and while they are drunken as drunkards, they shall be devoured as stubble fully dry." — Nahum 1:9-10. It is almost unbelievable that men can read these statements, that "He (God) will make an utter end" and "they shall be devoured as stubble fully
dry," and still believe in a literal, endless hell. Jesus compares the wicked to tares: "As therefore the tares are gathered and burned in the fire; so shall it be in the end of this world."—Matthew 13:40. Now if by any manner of reasoning, one can construe these texts to teach eternal hell-fire doctrine, I fail to comprehend his logic. There are other
passages equally plain. Christ compares the wicked to withered branches thus: "If a man abide not in me, he is cast forth as a branch, and is withered; and men gather them, and cast them into the fire, and they are
burned." John 15:6. The destruction of the wicked is compared by the Psalmist to the fat of lambs on Jewish sacrificial alters, in these words: "But the wicked shall perish, and the enemies of the Lord shall be as the fat of lambs; they shall consume; into smoke shall they consume
away."—Psalm 37:20. Like the fat of lambs which is wholly consumed in the sacrificial offerings so shall the wicked be consumed. "Into smoke shall they consume away." It
is unthinkable that men can pass over these texts of Scripture and not understand their import. "The wicked shall perish." How could you more clearly express utter destruction and
death? I will quote two or three more verses from this same Psalm: "For such as be blessed of him shall inherit the earth; and they that be cursed of him shall be cut off."—vs. 22.
"Wait on the Lord, and keep his way, and he shall exalt thee to inherit the land: when the wicked are cut off thou shall see it."—Verse
34. If the above verses mean anything, they mean utter destruction and death,—"Cut off"; and the verses that I shall now give should put an
everlasting quietus on the whole argument, and vindicate the fair name of God, the God of love and mercy: "For evil doers shall be cut off: but those that wait upon the Lord, they shall inherit the earth. For yet a little while, and the wicked
shall not be: yea, thou shalt diligently consider his place, and it shall not be."—Verses 9, 10. Reader, do you get the thought in the verses quoted? "The wicked shall not be" "Thou shalt diligently consider his place and it shall not
be." The sense of this verse is so plain that the only construction possible is, that the time is not far off when there will be no wicked; all will have perished, and there will be no
place where there are any wicked—there will be no hell,—"It shall not be." Now if these verses do not prove the truth of the statements—"The soul that sinneth it shall die" and "The wages of sin is death"—how would
you state it, to make it plainer? Write it down if you can. Put in it the most simple English,—in your own words,—that there is no hell, but that the end of sinners will be
eternal death, and then compare your statement with the texts quoted, and I venture to say that you will agree with me that the Bible has made the ultimate end of the sinner so clear that
there is no room for construction, comment or doubt. One text more and I shall leave this point: "When a righteous man turneth away from his righteousness, and committeth iniquity, and dieth in them; for his iniquity that he hath done
shall he die."—Ezekiel 18:26. The illustrations used to denote the fate of the wicked are such as to leave no room for doubt as to their utter extinction. I will give some of
these in this connection and let the reader draw his own conclusion. It is said of the wicked: They shall be dashed to pieces like a potter's vessel. — Psalm 2:9.
They are like the beasts that perish.—Psalm
49:20.
As the snail that melteth, let every one of them pass away.— Psalm 58:8.
Like the untimely birth of a woman.—Psalm 58:8.
As wax melteth
before the fire.—Psalm 68:2.
He shall take them away as with a whirlwind.—Psalm 58:9.
As a whirlwind passeth so is the wicked no more. —Proverbs
10:25.
As an oak whose leaf fadeth and as a garden that hath no water.—Isaiah 1:30.
Shall be as tow.—Isaiah 1:31.
Like chaff before the
wind.—Psalm 1:4.
Like wool eaten by moths.—Isaiah 51:8.
Consume as the fat of lambs.—Psalm 37:20.
Into smoke shall they consume
away.—Psalm 37:20.
Shall become ashes under your feet.—Malachi 4:3
Like chaff that is burned up.—Matthew 3:12.
Like tares that are burned
in the fire.—Matthew 13:40.
Like dried and withered branches are burned.—John 15:6.
Like bad fish cast on the shore.—Matthew 13:48.
Like
a house built upon sand is ruined.—Luke 6:49.
Like Sodom and Gomorrah turned to ashes.—2 Peter 2:5-6.
In addition to the above we have the following expressions applied to the sinners: "Burned up"—"Consumed"—"Perish"—"Shall
die"—"Be cut off"—"An utter end"—"Shall not be"—"Be as though they had not been." Reader, add a few words to the foregoing Bible expressions and see if you can make them
any stronger. No, you cannot do it. The doctrine of an endless hell of torture is a lie of the devil, a stain on the religion of Christ, and a dark blot on the mercy of God. Let us, for
God's sake, for the sake of truth, vindicate the fair name of the Christian religion by repudiating this wicked lie. The Bottomless Pit The term "bottomless pit" appears only in the book of Revelation. It is used by some to teach the doctrine that there is a literal burning hell
somewhere in God's creation, where sinners are confined in agonizing torture. This silly notion has given rise to the most foolish speculations and confusing ideas. The term "bottomless pit" appears three times in our English Bible. In one instance, ( Revelation 20 :1 ), it is translated from the Greek words
phreatos tes abussou, and means "pit of the deep." In two instances, (Revelation 9 :11, Revelation 20 :3), it is translated from the one Greek word abussos, meaning literally "abyss" or "deep." The Hebrew equivalent for this word is tehom, and is translated "deep" in Genesis 1:2, as follows: "Darkness was upon the face of the
deep." The use of this word is Genesis, where it is translated "deep," gives us its true meaning. It is this earth in its original chaotic state, hence, as
the same word is translated "bottomless pit" we can only conclude that it means this earth when it is desolated and returns to a chaotic condition again at the second coming of Christ. And
with this interpretation agree all real Bible critics. Everlasting Punishment After all that has been given in the preceding pages, it would seem unnecessary to even mention that old heathen doctrine of eternal torment. There
are, however, some few expressions in the Bible that are puzzling to many, and these are often quoted by our hell-fire advocates to sustain their view. They ring the changes on the terms
"Everlasting punishment"—"Unquenchable fire"—"for ever and ever"—and "the worm that dieth not"— so much, that we shall gladly notice these expressions as found in Holy
Writ. We shall take them just as we find them; no twisting or turning of these texts is necessary. First we will quote the words of Christ; as follows:— "And these shall go away into everlasting punishment: but the righteous into life eternal."—Matthew 25:46. The explanation of this text lies in the meaning of the word "punishment." As to the duration of this punishment we have no controversy with the
text, the word everlasting is the right word and means eternal. Note please, that it says "everlasting punishment," not ever lasting misery or torture. Question:—When a man commits murder what is his punishment? You must answer "death." So the Bible says—"the wages of sin is death."
It is everlasting, eternal death. Now another question,—If a man commits a crime and is sentenced to serve six months in prison, when does his punishment begin? You must answer
"When he is sent to prison"—correct. Now, when does it end? Answer—"When he is liberated"—which is correct again. Now take another case. If a man is convicted of murder and sentenced to die in the electric chair; when does his punishment begin ? The answer is
"When he is put to death." When does it end? Answer: The duration must be estimated by the length of time the criminal would have lived if he had not been executed. It deprived him of all
his life that he might have lived. Now use your reason in the same way in the case of the sinner. He might have had eternal life, but no, he continues in sin,—"The wages of sin
is death"—"The soul that sinneth it shall die"—is the sentence of God. When does his punishment begin? Answer: "When he is executed for his sins." When does it end? Never —he would have had eternal or everlasting
life had he not sinned, therefore, being deprived of an eternity of life, his punishment is everlasting. It is everlasting death. The Greek word for punishment in this text is kolassis, and is defined in Greek lexicons as "A curtailing or pruning," more literally it would
be "cutting off." The righteous go into life eternal and the wicked are everlastingly curtailed, or are "cut off." A simple question suggests itself. Is death a punishment? You do not
require a legal mind to see that it is. Death then, being a punishment; and, as when it is meted out to the sinner there will be no release, it is everlasting punishment, and here we wish to
quote just one text of Scripture:— "For as ye have drunk upon my holy mountain, so shall all the heathen drink continually; yea, they shall drink, and they shall swallow
down, and they shall be as though they had not been."—Obadiah 1 :16. "They shall be as though they had not been"—Eternal, everlasting death; no other punishment could be more severe. Look at the
loss—An eternity of bliss and joy. The book of Job says: "All that a man hath will he give for his life." And the sinner loses all, life, happiness, joy, and an eternity of
bliss. Eternal Damnation There is a text that is frequently used to bolster up the doctrine of endless misery that needs but a few passing thoughts. "But he that shall blaspheme against the Holy Ghost hath never forgiveness, but is in danger of eternal damnation."— Mark 3:29. The word translated "damnation" in this text is the Greek word krisis and is defined by "Robinson's Greek lexicon"—"separation, division,
decision, a decisive moment, a crisis, a turn of affairs. In N. T. Judgment, also judgment in a judicial sense." This same word is translated judgment thirty-nine times in the New
Testament, and is rendered damnation only three times. It means literally a crisis or judgment, decision or separation; hence the sinner is in danger of an eternal crisis, judgment,
decision, or separation. Eternal in its consequences. In no other sense can this text be used, there fore it needs no further comment here. We shall say more on the word eternal under the
next heading. To give a fair and honest rendering of the last part of this verse, it would read as follows: "But is in danger of an eternal crisis or judgment." As before stated, eternal,
not in duration, as applied to time, but eternal in its consequences as applied to its results,—an eternal decision and separation. Everlasting or Eternal Fire "Then shall he say unto them on the left hand, Depart from me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his
angels." —Matthew 25:41. The above text speaks of "everlasting fire." The Greek word rendered "everlasting" in this verse is aionsos and is the same word translated
eternal. We freely concede the fact that the wicked will be destroyed by fire. This has been fully set forth in the foregoing pages; but we must maintain that when the fires of the last day
have destroyed all that there is to destroy, they will go out. We deny the eternity of existence of these fires. It is truly everlasting fire, this we believe. Not everlasting in duration, but everlasting in its consequences. Whatever that fire destroys
will be everlastingly destroyed. Now to prove that this application of the text is correct I will quote a verse from the book of Jude:— "Even as Sodom and Gomorrah, and the cities about them in like manner, giving themselves over to fornication, and going after strange
flesh, are set forth for an example, suffering the vengeance of eternal fire." Jude, verse 7. This text tells us that Sodom and Gomorrah were destroyed with "eternal fire," the words eternal and everlasting, as before noted, are from the same
Greek word. Now if everlasting or eternal in these texts has reference to time, we must conclude that the fire which destroyed these cities of the plains is still burning, and will continue
to burn throughout eternity. But what are the facts? Are these cities still burning? No, the blackish waters of the Dead Sea roll their sluggish waves above the place where
these cities once lifted their mighty structures, and where their abominations were practiced. The Apostle Peter gives us light on this, that none can fail to grasp; he says: "And turning the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah into ashes condemned them with an overthrow, making them an ensample unto those that after
should live ungodly." —2 Peter 2:6. Do not forget dear reader that the seventh verse in Jude says that Sodom and Gomorrah suffered "the vengeance of eternal fire," and Peter, in
the text just quoted says: "turning the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah into ashes." Then the conclusion is clear. Eternal fire turns everything it touches into ashes, and eternal or everlasting fire is "eternal" or "everlasting" in
its consequences. Sodom and Gomorrah will never be restored, but are eternally destroyed and the wicked who go into everlasting or eternal fire will in like manner be turned "into ashes,"
never to be restored. Malachi says of the wicked—"They shall be ashes under your feet." Malachi 4:3—and Peter, in the above verse, referring to the turning of the cities of
Sodom and Gomorrah "into ashes" by what Jude calls "eternal fire," tells us that what happened to these cities, was "an ensample unto those that after should live ungodly." Having then an ensample or example of what shall happen to the sinner we can be sure that we have the truth. The sinner will be destroyed, turned to
ashes, and cease to exist. To oppose this view is of no avail. It is God's eternal truth. Apostles and evangelists of perpetual misery have their guns trained on the Word of
God, and against the citadel of the Most High. The Bible is God's Word and it is the truth. No matter how long we have held these false views, nor how strange the facts may be, we should
accept the truth without question. The old proverb says: "Antiquity cannot privilege an error, nor novelty prejudice a truth." For Ever and Ever Another text that is often quoted to prove the theory of an endless hell will now be considered. "And the smoke of their torment ascendeth up for ever and ever; and they have no rest day nor night, who worship the beast and his image,
and whosoever receiveth the mark of his name."—Revelation 14:11 The grammatical construction of this text shows that it does not refer to the future state but to the present, while they worship. The verbs
"ascendeth"—"have" and "worship" are in the present tense, and prove beyond cavil that the class referred to in this text are tormented and have no rest while they worship an apostate
power. The language of this text is figurative and refers to the agony and torment of an accusing conscience. Who has not felt the inward groaning of mind, void of rest, while knowingly
doing wrong? The term "for ever and ever" refers to the present state, in this text, for in the preceding verse the future tense is used when speaking of the
future. It says: "The same SHALL drink of the wine of the wrath of God . . . and he SHALL be tormented with fire and brimstone in the presence of the holy
angels, and in the presence of the Lamb."—Revelation 14:10. "For ever and ever," in this verse, has reference to the torment of a special class living just before Christ's second coming, and can only mean a
comparatively short time. Moreover, this term, although it is also used in connection with all of the wicked, must be understood in the same sense as it is used elsewhere in the Bible. The
prophet Isaiah, declaring the destruction of ancient Idumea, the land of Edom, Southeast of Judea, says: "And the streams thereof shall be turned into pitch, and the dust thereof into brimstone, and the land thereof shall become burning
pitch." "It shall not be quenched night nor day: the smoke thereof shall go up for ever: from generation to generation it shall lie waste; none shall pass through it for ever and ever."
—Isaiah 34 :9-10. Could any language be stronger ? Do we not find here the identical expressions before referred to? But this judgment on Idumea has long since been
fulfilled, and the use of the terms "for ever" and "for ever and ever" in these texts show plainly that they do not mean endless in duration. "Forever" is translated from the Greek word aion, and is defined by all lexicographers to mean—a period of time, limited by surrounding
circumstances,—a lifetime,—and when speaking of God it means as long as God lives, eternally, never ending. When speaking of man it means a lifetime or until
death. Greenfield's Greek lexicon defines it thus: "Duration, finite or infinite, unlimited duration, a period of duration past or future, time, age,
lifetime." It is used in all these ways. An instance where "for ever" means a human lifetime, or until death, is found in Exodus, 21:5-6. "And if the servant shall plainly say, I love my master, my wife, and my children; I will not go out free: "Then his master shall bring
him unto the judges; he shall also bring him to the door, or unto the door post; and his master shall bore his ear through with an awl; and he shall serve him forever." One can plainly see that the expression "forever" in the foregoing text means as long as he lives. The term is similarly used in the book of Samuel. Hannah had just given birth to Samuel and wished to dedicate him to the Lord. Her husband was,
going to sacrifice to the Lord and what follows in the verse relates the facts: "And the man Elkanah, and all his house, went up to offer unto the Lord the yearly sacrifice, and his vow. "But Hannah went not up; for
she said unto her husband, I will not go up until the child be weaned, and then I will bring him, that he may appear before the Lord, and there abide for ever."—1 Samuel 1:21-22. Here we have the same expression (for ever) used again, and to show what it means I will give the facts after the child was weaned and brought to the
house of the Lord. She (Hannah) said: "Therefore also I have lent him to the Lord; as long as he liveth he shall be lent to the Lord. And he worshipped the Lord
there."—Verse 28. The term "for ever," as used in the 22nd verse, means then, "as long as he liveth." One text now to show that "for ever" is used in a very limited sense. Jonah, according to the first chapter of the book of Jonah, verse 17, was in the belly of the great fish "three days and three nights"—and yet,
when referring to his experience in this connection he uses these words: "The waters compassed me about, even to the soul: the depth closed me round about, the weeds were wrapped about my head. I went down to
the bottoms of the mountains; the earth with her bars was about me for ever."—Jonah 2:5-6. "For ever," in this case, was just three days and three nights. It seemed an age to Jonah; hence the definition—"age lasting." Those who hold the endless hell-fire theory have not so much as one text in their favor. Their doctrine has not a leg to stand upon, and for the sake
of truth, for the sake of our kind heavenly Father, this doctrine should be abandoned. You may rest assured that the wicked will be punished according to the deeds done in the body, and the
punishment will be by fire, but the end will be eternal death. The God dishonoring, soul-destroying lie, that there is a perpetual, hopeless hell of eternal torment, should, as Luther said of the
doctrine of natural immortality, be relegated "to the dung-hill of Roman decretals." Their worm dieth not, their fire is not quenched "And if thy hand offend thee, cut it off: for it is better for thee to enter into life maimed, than having two hands to go into hell,
into the fire that never shall be quenched: Where their worm dieth not, and the fire is not quenched."—Mark 9:43-44. The above text has troubled some on account of the expressions "their worm dieth not" and "the fire is not quenched." First let us consider the unquenchable fire. Do not hastily draw the conclusion, that this means that the fire will burn through all
eternity.—No, it has a far different meaning. In the days of Jeremiah, God warned Jerusalem against their sins, and the consequences which would follow their disobedience in these
words: "But if ye will not hearken unto me to hallow the Sabbath day, and not to bear a burden, even entering in at the gates of Jerusalem on
the Sabbath day; then will I kindle a fire in the gates thereof, and it shall devour the palaces of Jerusalem, and it shall not be quenched."—Jeremiah 17:27. From this text we can certainly learn what God meant by "unquenchable fire.' The Jews did not obey, and the fire was kindled as promised. Now
remembering that this was to be "unquenchable fire" read the fulfillment of Jeremiah's prophecy in the verses which follow:— "And they burnt the house of God, and brake down the wall Of Jerusalem, and burnt all the palaces thereof with fire. and destroyed all
the goodly vessels thereof. And them that had escaped from the sword carried he away to Babylon; where they were servants to him and his sons until the reign of the kingdom of Persia: To
fulfill the word of the Lord by the mouth of Jeremiah, until the land had enjoyed her Sabbaths: for as long as she lay desolate she kept Sabbath, to fulfill threescore and ten
years."—2 Chronicles 36:19-21. Jerusalem was destroyed with unquenchable fire. The fire consumed all there was to consume. It was not quenched, but went out of its own accord. Less
than a century after this, Jerusalem was rebuilt, and a new temple was erected. Question:—What does the Bible mean by "unquenchable fire?" Answer:—A fire that will utterly destroy
and not be quenched, but that will burn all that can be burned and go out for lack of fuel. The reader can see this, hence, I proceed to the next point in this text. The word hell in the
text (Mark 9:43) is from the Greek word ge-enna. Greenfield defines this word—"Gehenna—the valley of Hinnom, south of Jerusalem, once celebrated for the worship of Moloch
and afterwards polluted with every species of filth, as well as the carcasses of animals and the dead bodies of malefactors: to consume which, in order to avert the pestilence which such a
mass of corruption would occasion, constant fires were kept burning." Christ, in using the word ge-enna, which is translated hell, pointed them to the valley of Hinnom as an illustration of the punishment of the
wicked. In this valley complete destruction was going on. What the flames left the worm consumed, hence the expression "their worm dieth not." Christ refers here to the worms that would
consume the dead bodies, and is probably quoting from the prophecy of Isaiah where we find these words:— "And they shall go forth, and look upon the carcasses of the men that have transgressed against me: for their worm shall not die, neither
shall their fire be quenched." —Isaiah 66:24. Reference is made, as the reader can see, to the worms consuming the carcasses (dead bodies) and to the fires which assist in the
destruction. So then, what does the text prove ? Just this:—Utter destruction. The fire will consume and the worms devour, until, as Obadiah
says:— "They shall be as though they had not been." Turned to Ashes Having answered the arguments of our friends, who insist on teaching an endless hell of misery and torture for the wicked, I will quote the words of
Malachi, to show that the wicked will be turned to ashes on the earth, and that after the earth is purified the words of Christ will be fulfilled—"Blessed are the meek for they shall
inherit the earth." Malachi says:— "For, behold, the day cometh, that shall burn as an oven; and all the proud, yea, all that do wickedly, shall be stubble: and the day
that cometh shall burn them up, saith the Lord of hosts, that it shall leave them neither root nor branch. "But unto you that fear my name shall the Sun of righteousness arise with healing
in his wings; and ye shall go forth and grow up as calves in the stall. "And ye shall tread down the wicked; for they shall be ashes under the soles of your feet in the day that I shall do
this, saith the Lord of hosts."—Malachi 4:1-3. Not only the wicked, but Satan as well, will be utterly destroyed. The Prophet Ezekiel, speaking of Satan said:— "Thine heart was lifted up because of thy beauty, thou hast corrupted thy wisdom by reason of thy brightness: I will cast thee to the
ground, I will lay thee before kings, that they may behold thee. "Thou hast defiled thy sanctuaries by the multitude of thine iniquities, by the iniquity of thy traffic; therefore will I
bring forth a fire from the midst of thee, it shall devour thee, and I will bring thee to ashes upon the earth in the sight of all them that behold thee. "All they that know thee among the
people shall be astonished at thee: thou shalt be a terror, and never shalt thou be any more."—Ezekiel 28:17-19. When this Scripture is fulfilled God will have a clean universe. There will be no sin, no sinners, and no devil, and all will be bliss and joy
forevermore. The Revelator, looking forward to those days said: -- "And every creature which is in heaven, and on the earth, and under the earth, and such as are in the sea, and all that are in them,
heard I saying, Blessing, and honor, and glory, and power, be unto Him that sitteth upon the throne, and unto the Lamb forever and ever."—Revelation 5:13. Hell, The Gospel of Fear Modern evangelists and revivalists, as the famous Dr. Torrey and the notorious hell- fire evangelist Billy Sunday, with a lot of other ex-baseball
players, ex-prize fighters, ex-gamblers, ex-convicts, and ex-this and ex that preachers, who should have another Ex" (extremist) added to their names, are hell-fire specialists. All of these play on the emotions of the people, and try to frighten men into religion. Like the old colored lady praying for an ungodly young man,
in a public meeting. She said: "O Lord take his little soul in the hollow of Your hand, and give it a mighty shake over hell." The writer heard this prayer when only a boy, almost thirty-five years ago, but the odor of brimstone was so strong in her supplication that the
words became indelibly stamped on his memory. Let me say once and for all, that this is not Christianity, it is not Christ-like. No, hell-fire is not gospel preaching. Men cannot be frightened into the religion of Christ. It is the gospel of fear—the club of
force—unknown to the true followers of Christ. The True Gospel Incentive Our Savior said: "And I, if I be lifted up from the earth, will draw all men unto me." —John 12:32. The very word gospel means good news or glad tidings, and the man who cannot preach good news and glad tidings should step down out of the pulpit. "God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting
life." —John 3:16. The incentive to Christian living is love; and "greater love hath no man than this, that a man should lay down his life for his friends." The man who can study the Word of God and not see the love, peace and joy in Christ must be a superficial reader indeed. The Christ life of holiness,
love, and sacrifice for us; His suffering His cruel mockings and death, and His glorious resurrection to endless life, will draw men as the magnet draws the steel. No man with a heart can read of what Christ did for us, that we might have life, without loving Him. Read the 26th and 27th Chapters of Matthew. See
Him in agonizing prayer in the garden. See Him betrayed by His friends, forsaken by His own brethren, spit upon, scourged, tormented, mocked, and at last like a vile criminal, nailed to the
cruel Roman cross, and yet, in the midst of all His suffering, His great heart goes out to his enemies, and he says: "Father, forgive them, they know not what they do." See the prints of the nails in His hands. Hear Him, through the Prophet, saying to you and to me
"I have graven thee on the palms of my hands" and at last when He ascended up on high, hear the message that He sends to His people from the pearly gates ajar: "I am He that liveth, and was dead; and, behold, I am alive forevermore." —Revelation 1:18. How can you help loving Him? How can you, in view of His great love, offend or refuse Him? I commend you to God with these words, from Holy Writ: "There is no fear in love; but perfect love casteth out fear; because fear hath torment. He that feareth is not made perfect in love. "We
love Him because He first loved us."—1 John 4:18-19. Written by: E. E. Franke
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