eral sense the equivalent of Sheol in every text, save the last, in which appear the heathen notions respecting its being a place of rewards and punishments, or the region in which are located both hell and heaven. The following facts are worthy of note:

1. If Hades is "hell" in the ordinary definition of the word, then the soul of Christ was in hell after his crucifixion. "Because thou wilt not leave my soul in hell. He spake of the resurrection of Christ, that his soul was not left in hell." Acts ii. 27, 31.

2. It is equally true of all in hell, that they will not be left there; for the Revelator says, "Death and Hell delivered up the dead which were in them; - and they were judged every man according to his works.” xx. 13. If it be said that, after they are judged, they will be sent back again, we demand the proof. But even it be so, we still have to note

3. That hell is to be utterly destroyed. To say nothing of 1 Cor. xv. 55, "O death where is thy sting? O hell (hades) where is thy victory?" we have the direct testimony" And death and hell were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death." Rev. xx. 14. And these two passages are the exact equivalent of Hosea xiv. 14. "I will ransom them from the power of hell (Sheol — Hades,) I will redeem them from death: O death, I will be thy plagues; O hell (Sheol-Hades,) I will be thy destruction." Dr. Campbell says, on Rev. xx. 14, "if we interpret Hades, 'hell,' in the Christian sense of the word, the whole passage is rendered nonsense. Hell is represented as being cast into hell; for so the lake of fire, which is in this place denominated the second death, is universally interpreted." The

phrase "cast into the lake of fire" is a figure of utter destruction. It is simply saying "death and hell were destroyed."

4. Of course, then, Hades, "hell," is not a place of endless torment, otherwise it could not be destroyed. Whatever, therefore, the interpretation given to the narration of Dives and Lazarus, whether regarded as a parable, or literal history, it is plain that the Rich Man was not in a place of endless torment. Or, in the more general phrase of Prof. Stuart: "Whatever the state of either the righteous or the wicked may be, whilst in Hades, that state will certainly cease, and be exchanged for another at the general resurrection." "

Those who would see an argument for Hades as an intermediate state, a view which seems to be growing among the sects, may read an article in the Baptist "Christian Review" for April, 1862, on "The Righteous Dead, between Death and the Resurrection;" and on the other side, see" Bibliotheca Sacra " for January, 1862, " The Spirits in Prison." The last writer thinks the idea of future opportunities for repentance and salvation is "gaining new adherents at the present time;" and refers to Rev. B. H. WILSON's essay on the "M tional Church," in the "Recent Inquiries in Theology by eminent English Churchmen." In this essay, the author, alluding to the Limbus Infantum of the Catholic Church, says there may be mansions hereafter for those who are "infants in spiritual development-nurseries, or seed grounds, where the undeveloped may grow up under new conditions, the stunted become strong, and the perverted restored;" and that finally when" Christ shall have surrendered his kingdom to the Great Father, all, both small and great, shall find a refuge in the Losom of the universal parent, to repose, or be quickened into higher life, in the ages to come, according to his will." p. 232, American edition. Dr. WATTS, even, thought that "the perfections of God will contrive a way of escape for the repentant sinner hereafter," though he has not revealed this.- World to Come, Works, i. 738.

SECTION III.

GEHENNA- ITS SCRIPTURAL MEANING AND USAGE-

DESTRUCTION

OF SOUL AND BODY IN HELL". -WAS IT USED IN THE TIME OF CHRIST AS A SYMBOL OF FUTURE PUNISHMENT?

rievva Gehenna, occurs twelve times in the New Testament, and is in every case translated Hell. Five of the twelve examples are parallel passages, which reduces the actual usage to seven.

It is uni

I. Origin and meaning of the word. versally agreed that Gehenna is the Greek form of Gee Hinnom a compound Hebrew word, signifying the valley of Hinnom. The history of this place is given as follows, by the learned Calmet, a Catholic critic and theologian :

"Gehenna properly signifies the valley of Hinnom, a valley just south of Jerusalem. The valley is called Tophet, (Jeremiah vii. 31,) from the drums which were beaten to drown the cries of the victims. After the captivity, the Jews regarded this spot with abhorrence, on account of the abominations which had been practised there, and following the example of Josiah, they threw into it every species of filth, as well as the carcasses of animals, and the dead bodies of malefactors. To prevent the pestilence which such a mass would occasion, if left to putrefy, constant fires were maintained in the valley in order to consume the whole, and hence the place received the appellation of Gehenna fire."

With this agrees the statement of Prof. Stuart of Andover: "It would seem that the custom of dese

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crating this place, thus happily begun, was continued in after ages, down to the period when our Saviour was on the earth. Perpetual fires were kept up in order to consume the offal which was deposited there. And as the same offal would breed worms, (for so all putrifying meat does, of course,) hence came the expression, where the worm dieth not and the fire is not quenched."'"

Schleusner, the learned German Lexicographer, after stating the same facts, says, "Hence it came, that any severe punishment, especially an infamous kind of death, was described by the word Gehenna, or hell."

II. Old Testament usage. In the Old Testament Scriptures, the word seems to be employed in its literal sense only, as the name of a place, a valley on the south of Jerusalem, which, as above stated, after the time of Josiah, was held in special abomination, because of the idolatrous worship set up there. The following are all the passages in the Old Testament in which it occurs.

Josh. xv. 8. "And the border went up by the valley of the Son of Hinnom, unto the south side of the Jebusite," &c. 2 Kings xxiii. 10. "And he (Josiah) defiled Topheth, which is in the valley of the children of Hinnom, that no man might make his son or daughter pass through the fire to Molech."

'Lexicon on Gehenna. He says, also, that it is used as a symbol of the future torments of the wicked in the New Testament, but this is assuming the point to be proved. It is not enough to quote a passage, and say it means this. We ask, why? where is the evidence? The testimony given in the text is repeated by WHITBY, CLARKE, BUSH, ROSENMULLER, MACKNIGHT, PARKHURST, and Biblical scholars of every denomination.

2 Chron. xxviii. 3. "Moreover he (Ahaz) burnt incense in the valley of the son of Hinnom, and burnt his children in the fire, after the abominations of the heathen." Jer. vii. 31, 32; xix. 2-6, are repetitions of this fact, with the prophet's terrible denunciations of judgment upon the guilty people of Judah, for these idolatrous cruelties, for their wicked apostacy from the law and worship of Jehovah.

It can hardly be said to be used in any of these texts as a figure, or as a symbol of judgment. It is employed rather in the way of contrast or comparison, thus: "I will make this city as Tophet (or Gehenna, Tophet being the place of sacrifice in Gee Hinnom ;) and the houses of Jerusalem, and the kings of Judah, shall be defiled as the place of Tophet," &c., and "it shall be called the valley of slaughter." Jer. xix. Here the sense is evidently literal, and the prophet says that Jerusalem shall become as defiled and desolate as Gee Hinnom or Tophetas we say, by way of comparison, "barren as a desert," "loathsome as a slaughter house."

Isaiah has the following: "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; and they shall be an abhorring unto all flesh." lxvi. 23-24. The entire context shows that this language, which is descriptive of some of the disgusting accompaniments of the valley of Hinnom, is used in its literal sense. Verses 14 and 15, represent the Lord as coming "like a whirlwind to render his anger with fury, . . . for by fire and by his sword will the Lord plead with all flesh; and the slain of the Lord shall be many."