EDITOR'S TABLE. 



627 



changes, but it distances it also in the 

 simplification of its resources. The 

 same bit of dead metal serves equally 

 for both ear and tongue ; the offices of 

 the diaphragm are interchangeable, and 

 the machine works backward and for- 

 ward with exactly the same facility. 



The lesson here taught is, that we 

 are to elevate our conceptions of the 

 powers of matter. Science is making 

 constantly fresh revelations of its poten- 

 cies aud capacities, and we are probably 

 still only upon the threshold of this 

 world of wonders. 



CONCERNING THE BELIEF IN BELL. 



A lively discussion has recently 

 been carried on by the pulpit and the 

 press as to whether there is a future 

 state of eternal torment. Two or three 

 eminent orthodox clergymen spoke out 

 in rather strong denunciation of the 

 idea, and this was followed by an epi- 

 demic of controversy. Certain people 

 seem to have be"en perplexed as to what 

 is meant by so free a handling of a sol- 

 emn old subject. We think it simply 

 means that people have been thinking 

 about it until expression is a relief, and 

 that many have reached conclusions 

 that they are glad to have a chance of 

 ventilating. There has been, thanks to 

 the influence of science, a pretty rapid 

 liberalizing of theological opinion dur- 

 ing the past generation ; and this dis- 

 cussion about hell is an instructive in- 

 dication of the advance that has been 

 made. 



The question of the existence of a 

 veritable hell is, of course, a theological 

 one, which we cheerfully leave to those 

 interested, but the topic has also a sci- 

 entific side. The rise and course of the 

 idea, or what may be called the natural 

 history of the belief in hell, is a subject 

 quite within the sphere of scientific in- 

 quiry. It is legitimate to ask as to how 

 the notion originated, as to its antiquity, 

 the extent to which it has been enter- 



tained, the forms it has assumed, and 

 the changes it has undergone, and from 

 this point of view it of course involves 

 the principle of evolution. "We cannot 

 go into so large a discussion here, but 

 as this is an aspect of the subject not 

 much dwelt upon, a few suggestions 

 regarding it may not be inappropriate. 



In the first place, it is necessary to 

 rise above that narrowness of view 

 which regards the doctrine of hell as 

 especially a Christian doctrine, or as 

 the monopoly of any particular religion. 

 On the contrary, it is as ancient and 

 universal as the systems of religious 

 faith that have overspread the world. 

 The oldest religions of which we have 

 any knowledge Hindoo, Egyptian, and 

 the various Oriental systems of wor- 

 ship all affirm the doctrine of a future 

 life, with accompanying hells for the 

 torture of condemned souls. We cer- 

 tainly cannot assume that all these sys- 

 tems are true, and of divine origin ; but 

 if not, then the question forces itself 

 upon us, how they came by this belief. 

 The old, historic religious systems in- 

 volved advanced and complicated creeds 

 and rituals, and if they were not real 

 divine revelations in this elaborated 

 shape, we are compelled to regard them 

 as having had a natural development 

 out of lower and cruder forms of super- 

 stition. To explain these religions as 

 to explain the earliest political institu- 

 tions we must go behind them. There 

 is a prehistoric, rudimentary theology 

 of the primitive man, the quality of 

 which has to be deduced from his low, 

 infantine condition of mind, interpreted 

 by what we observe among the inferior 

 types of mankind at the present time. 



It is certain that early men, in pro- 

 found ignorance of the surrounding 

 world and of their own natures, must 

 have grossly misinterpreted outward 

 appearances and their internal experi- 

 ences, and analysis of the conditions 

 has abundantly shown how these prim- 

 itive misunderstandings led inevitably 

 to manifold superstitions. Herbert 



