We are often told that there are a thousand millions of heathen; and our
creed teaches us that they are dropping into hell every? day. What could
be so compelling a motive in any missionary enterprise as to save some
of 'them from such a fate? But it is never mentioned. Is it believed?
Certainly, we profess to believe it. But do we? If we do, would it not
be the paramount, compelling motive? But instead of that, the main idea
is to convert the heathen from savagery to civilization. Make them good
citizens--that is the idea. Especially in regard to the influx of
immigrants, there seldom seems to be no higher motive than to make them
worthy of this great country. I have read just now an article in one of
our religious papers, which affects to be very earnest, but to me it
seems a mere outburst of quasi-patriotism.

Now is it not time to be honest? The trouble is, that men are afraid to
be. We have put the doctrine of endless torment in the Confession, both
of the Methodist and of the Presbyterian Churches, and we are afraid to
go back on it for fear of the pains and penalties of the church.
Moreover, we do not like to confess that for ages we were wrong; and it
seems disloyal to go back on the fathers who framed these confessions.
So we hang on to them in theory, but repudiate them in fact. Is it
not so?

Now, what is the compelling power in all missionary enterprise? To those
who believe in endless torment, surely the controlling motive is to save
the millions of heathen from such a fate. Both the Presbyterian and
Methodist Churches profess to believe in that doctrine. But the singular
thing is, that in neither church is it preached. The suspicion is, that
it is not believed. And this is more than a suspicion. I myself have
heard no sermon on hell, nor any definite reference to it, since I was a
child. A Methodist minister in Canada, largely in touch with his