brethren, told me lately most positively, that Methodist ministers do
not believe in endless torment. Many Presbyterian ministers with whom I
have spoken take the same ground.

Now, it is a hard thing to say that a doctrine of such eternal moment is
openly professed, yet inwardly repudiated. But if it were really
believed, would it not be preached--yes, preached morning, noon, and
night? For there are reckoned to be a thousand millions of heathen in
distant lands, besides all the other millions that we have here at home.
So all these heathen are supposed to be dropping by the thousand into
hell every day. And consider; there are a thousand millions of them, and
their number is continually increasing.

Would it not then be the main incentive to give these uncounted millions
the Gospel, in order to save them from such a doom? There may be other
considerations; but in all consistency, is not this the pressing one?
Yet not once have I heard this matter referred to in any late missionary
address. There was a little spiritual truth in them all. But the chief
motive presented was, to convert the heathen from savagery to
civilization. So the whole performance usually seemed to me not much
more than an exploitation of materialism.

Then, if ministers do not believe in endless torment, why do they not
say so? I can imagine two reasons. First, as I have said, there is the
fear of pains and penalties. A man may lose his position; and that is a
serious consideration. Then there is an unwillingness to go back on the
fathers who framed these creeds.

But do either or both of these reasons justify conscientious men in
suppressing a truth of such momentous importance? A thousand times, No!