Shall We Go Straight to Heaven?
“Shall we go straight to Heaven?” is the subject of a sermon recently delivered by H. W. Beecher, a newspaper synopsis of which has been sent us. It is of no sort of consequence what Mr. B. believes on this subject, in itself considered; but it becomes a matter of interest, painful many times, to see what views of the Bible some of these men hold, who have had so much influence with the masses, and to whom some perhaps still look as spiritual guides. Mr. B. disposes of Saint Paul’s testimony in the following summary manner: “Paul at the beginning of his preaching held that Christ would reappear during his time; and during three hundred years this more sensuous belief lingered in the church. Every succeeding letter of Paul, however, showed that other ideas had arisen and were growing in importance in his mind.” Could Mr. B. tell us at just what point Paul became so wise that his teachings could be taken as completely reliable? We wonder if he ever reached that point? If anything in Paul’s writings doesn’t suit us, can we not set it aside at once on the ground that it was written when he was in his puerile state, his thoughts immature, and his belief “sensuous,” notwithstanding he takes pains to assure us that the gospel which he preached he received by direct revelation from God? Gal. 1:11, 12. Eternal shame on such contemptible handling of the word of God! Open infidelity is a saint by its side. That does its work in a way that is comparatively manly. That would never be guilty of such a slip-shod, emasculated method of trying to get around the language of Inspiration.