SECTION VII. CONCLUDING REMARKS. IF the sentiments advanced in the preceding pages have been attended to by the reader, he no doubt perceives, that the conclusion which results from them is, that-there is no place of endless misery taught in scripture for all the wicked, as is commonly believed by most Christians. This we admit to be the fair inference, which results from what has been stated, unless it can be proved, that such a place of endless misery is revealed in scripture under some other name than Sheol, Hades, Tartarus, or Gehenna. It is our deliberate and candid opinion, that these words are never used in scripture to express such a place of misery. We have laid the evidence on which this opinion has been formed, before our readers, and they are left to judge for themselves as to its truth or falsehood. Some, no doubt, will condemn and reject what we have said, without giving the evidence produced a patient hearing. The popular, but senseless cry of heresy, is sure to be rung in people's ears, to deter them from paying any attention to the subject. From such persons we expect nothing, but noise and abuse, for they have no desire that their faith should stand in the wisdom of God. But there are others, whose good sense, judgment and piety we respect, who, no doubt, will conclude, that my inquiry Such are all the objections, of any importance, which we have heard urged against the views which we have advanced concerning hell or Gehenna. Some of them, we frankly admit, are too trifling to have been noticed. After a consideration of them we must say, that not one of them, nor all of them taken together, have even led us to suspect, that what we have said concerning hell, is contrary to scripture. But let our readers consider them, and judge for themselves. SECTION VII. CONCLUDING REMARKS. IF the sentiments advanced in the preceding pages have been attended to by the reader, he no doubt perceives, that the conclusion which results from them is, that-there is no place of endless misery taught in scripture for all the wicked, as is commonly believed by most Christians. This we admit to be the fair inference, which results from what has been stated, unless it can be proved, that such a place of endless misery is revealed in scripture under some other name than Sheol, Hades, Tartarus, or Gehenna. It is our deliberate and candid opinion, that these words are never used in scripture to express such a place of misery. We have laid the evidence on which this opinion has been formed, before our readers, and they are left to judge for themselves as to its truth or falsehood. Some, no doubt, will condemn and reject what we have said, without giving the evidence produced a patient hearing. The popular, but senseless cry of heresy, is sure to be rung in people's ears, to deter them from paying any attention to the subject. From such persons we expect nothing, but noise and abuse, for they have no desire that their faith should stand in the wisdom of God. But there are others, whose good sense, judgment and piety we respect, who, no doubt, will conclude, that my inquiry getting rid of error, or increasing in knowledge. But to condemn me in the present case, is at the same time to pass sentence of condemnation on all who have dared to think for themselves, and to prove all things by the scriptures, and hold fast that which is good. I have done no more than thousands have done before me; to examine the Bible for themselves, and state the result for the consideration of others. Such as have done so have seldom escaped the appellation of heretics. But the first to condemn others, are generally the last to examine for themselves what is truth on any religious subject. 4th, If in this investigation I have travelled beyond the record, let this be candidly pointed out by an appeal to the same record. If the popular doctrine, that hell is a place of endless misery be true, it can, and it must be supported from the scriptures. Should it be found upon examination not true, but that I have shown it false, no man who fears God, who regards truth, and wishes well to his fellow men can blame me for calling the attention of others to this important subject. If my views are found erroneous, and proved satisfactorily to be so, I shall never regret for a moment what I have written. Am I asked why I should not regret this; I answer, because I shall by this, have the opportunity of seeing where my error lies, and renounce it; and shall also have been the means of exciting attention to a subject which is implicitly believed without examination by a great part of the religious community. If a man under mistaken views of a religious doctrine, avows his mistaken sentiments, and thereby brings more truth to light and excites inquiry, are not these valuable ends served to society? 5th, Supposing the views which have been advanced, had been the universal belief of the religious community feared, and their favor surely I have not courted, by the sentiments which I have advanced. 2d, But if we are not to examine into the truth of relig ious doctrines, unless our examination ends in the belief that the popular and long established views of them are true, all inquiry and investigation may as well be spared. It is much easier to adopt the popular belief at once; for after all the labour and care we may bestow, to ascertain what is truth, about them, to this we must come at last. Besides in this way we avoid all the pain and popular odium, which a change of religious opinion frequently involves. But, had this course been pursued by all who before us, what would our condition now have been as to science or religion? We had to-day been sitting in the region of darkness, and saying to the works of our own hands,—" ye are our gods." have gone The Bible is the religion of Protestants, and among all the various sects into which they are divided, free inquiry is, to a certain extent, inculcated. Most sects, however, have their limits fixed, beyond which if a man goes, he becomes suspected, and perhaps is denounced as an heretic. He may inquire and investigate as much as he pleases to support the peculiar tenets of his sect, but beyond this it is dangerous to proceed. Should he push his inquiries further, and examine the creed of his own sect as well as that of others, by the oracles of God, and find some of them the inventions of men, he must conceal his discoveries, for if he does not, the vengeance of the whole sect, if not the whole religious community, will be poured on his head. I must be very fond of suffering, thus to expose myself. my investi 3d, Since I am to be condemned because gations have not resulted in the popular belief of the doctrine of hell torments, I do not see any possible way of |