glow thereof.' Reaching the nethermost hell, he was shown the Prince of
Darkness, black as a raven from head to foot, thousand-handed and with a
long thick tail covered with fiery spikes, 'lying on an iron hurdle over
fiery gledes, a bellows on each side of him, and a crowd of demons
blowing it.'

"As he lay there roasting, tossing from side to side, filled with rage
and fury, he grasped the souls in his rough, thick hands, bruising and
crushing them, as a man would crush grapes to squeeze out the wine. With
his fiery, stinking breath, he scattered the souls about Hell, and as he
drew in his breath again he swallowed them down with it, and those whom
his hands could not reach he lashed with his tail. This, the angel
explained, was Lucifer."

Unfortunately, however, medieval ages had no monopoly of such horrors.
They have survived almost to our time. In some cases they are reproduced
even yet. It is a painful thing to recall, but even our late beloved
Spurgeon at times fell into this snare.

I have just had an interview with a lady of the highest Christian
character. She was brought up in the orthodox faith, and never doubted
its truth. I hesitated to launch these larger views upon her, thinking
they might only disturb her, and that perhaps she was too old to recast
her opinions. But I found that her mind was perfectly open; and after
some discussion she firmly believed in the larger hope. I was persuaded
that such would be the experience of thousands more, if they would but
give their heart and mind to a devout consideration of these questions.
And oh, what a pall of gloom would thus be lifted from the heart of
the world!