present the idea now conveyed by the terms covered, hid, concealed, &c.

"As

Ray says, "In the West, he that covers a house with slates is called a HEALER, or HELLIER. Dr. A. Clarke says, the word HELL comes from the Anglo-Saxon HELAN, to cover or hide, hence the tyling or slating of a house is called, in some parts of England, (particularly Cornwall,) heling to this day; and the covers of books, in Lancashire, by the the same name. So the literal import of the original word Hades was formerly well expressed by it." And this testimony was confirmed to the writer by a very intelligent Eng. lishman, from Cornwall, England, whom he saw last summer at the Columbia county gold mines. The words helling, hell and hellier are yet in use, he says, in Cornwall, in the sense spoken of by Dr. Clarke. These proofs must satisfy the most sceptical that neither the Hebrew, Greek, Latin or English word, in its primary import, gives any support whatever to the popular Theology of this age, connected with the final destiny of man. "Whoso readeth let him understand."

SECTION II.-DAMNATION.

This word is a translation of two Greek words Krima and Krisis, and occurs nine times in the New Testament. On examination of the passages, we find that it has in several instances a reference to punishment or condemnation which was to be endured in this life; for example: the apostle Paul in Romans xiii. 3, says that those who resist the civil authority "shall receive to themselves damnation.” A. gain in 1 Cor. xi, 29, the unworthy communicant is said to eat and drink damnation to himself, and this is explained in the next verse "for this cause many are weak and sickly among you." In 1 Tim. v. 12, Paul speaks of the younger widows "having damnation, because they had cast off their first faith." This in the present tense. So also in Romans, iii 8, the apostle speaks of some living slanderers "whose damnation is just." The word in Mat. xxiii, 33, is in connection with Gehenna; in the Latin Testament, judicio Gehenna, the judgment of the valley of Hinnom. The word in Mat xxiii 14, is Krima, and in the 33d verse Kriseos, both

translated damnation. In 2 Peter ii 3, the word damnation is a translation from the Greek word usually rendered perdition or destruction,-apoleia. The two remaining instances of the occurrence of the word will receive special notice in their proper order.

The word damned occurs thrice in the New Testament, Mark xvi 16: 2 Thes. ii. 12, and Romans xiv, 23, in the latter place manifestly of limited application. "He that doubteth is damned if he eat." Of the other passages we shall speak hereafter.

The Greek words Krima and Krisis are used synonimously in our common translation, and are rendered Judgment, condemnation, &c. &c. The words condemn, condemned and condemnation are synonimous with damn, damned and damnation, being derived from the same primary word. One instance is found in John iii, 18-19. “He that believeth not is condemned already"-is damned already. "This is the condemnation that light has come into the world," &c.—this is the damnation. From which it will appear that damnation could be experienced in this state of existence.

Again, to show what little reliance can be placed upon the original words, in proof of endless misery, let us see how seve. ral passages would read, had they been translated uniformly by the term damnation. Christ said, John ix 39, "for judgment I am come into the worid." Here the same word is found which is rendered damnation in Math. xxiii, 14. And if the latter word (with its present idea) be a correct translation, we prove that the coming of Christ was for the purpose of damning the world forever! In Peter iv, 17, we read "the time is come that judgment must begin at the house of God," that is, damnation must begin &c. In Jude 14, 15, we read, "behold the Lord cometh, with ten thousand of his saints to execute judgment upon ALL" &c. Here is found the Greek word Krisis, the same translated damnation in Math. xxiii, 33, "how can ye escape the damnation of hell"; if then the latter is the proper rendering, the passage in Jude teaches universal damnation ! damnation upon ALL being the pur

pose of the coming of the Lord with ten thousand of his saints. It will perhaps surprise the reader that there is so little mention made in the Bible of the phrases under consideration. Judging from the frequent use of such terms, by the clergy of the day, many are led to expect to find them in almost every page of the divine testimony. So far however, from this be ing the case, they are seldom found, and in not a solitary instance can their reference to the future and final destiny of man be be clearly established. On the other hand, salvation is the very common theme on which the sacred writers loved to dwell, the word occurring twenty times as often, perhaps, as its opposite.

SECTION II.-EVERLASTING, FOREVER, &c.

The original Greek words which are translated in the New Testament, are Aion and Aionios, the noun and the adjective, concerning which we have the following definitions :

"Aion is a compound of two words, ai and on, always being-it denotes duration or continuation of time, but with great variety." "The Hebrew Olem is the coresponding term for these two words (aion and aionios) in the Greek of the 70, which words denote time hidden from man, whether definite or indefinite, whether past or future."-Parkhurst.

"The Hebrew Olem and the Greek Aion, are both used to express a limited time, but, in general, a time the limits of which are unknown." Dr. A. CLARKE. (Methodist.)

"The words Kedesh and od (Hebrew) rendered by Turentine, eternity, are like the Greek aion that also signifies any thing ancient, which has endured, or is to endure for a long period." Professor STUART, (Presbyterian.)

"Olem.-This word is applied to time, and signifieth a du. ration which is concealed, as being of an unknown or great length, with respect to time past or to come." TAYLOR'S Hebrew Concordance.

"Had it been lawful to have coined a new word to express aionion in English, perhaps agical or age-lasting would have been near it.' SCARLETT. On aionios the same translator says, "The word expresses duration or continuance; but it

is sometimes of a short and sometimes of a longer duration." So much concerning the meaning of the noun and the adjective, from which it will appear that a strictly endless existence is not properly expressed by them. Nor, if we examine the translation of the primary word ai, which gives to aion its peculiar meaning, will we find the idea of eternity belonging to it. The following instances of the occurrence of the RADIX AI, in the New Testament, are selected to our hand :*

“ Mark xv. 8—And the multitude crying aloud, began to desire him to do as he had (AEI) ever done unto them," i. e. uniformly since he (Pilate) had been governor-Acts vii. 51.

"Ye stiff-necked and uncircumcised in heart and ears, ye do (AEI) always resist the Holy Spirit, as your fathers did, so do ye": i. e. ye do continually habitually, resist, &c. 2 Cor. iv. 11-"For we which live are (AEI) always delivered unto death," &c. i. e. constantly, at all times, liable to death. 2 Cor. vi. 10-"As sorrowful, yet (AEI) always rejoicing": i. e. continually. Tit. i. 12-The Cretans are (AEI) always liars"; i. e. habitually. Heb. iii. 10-They do (AEI) always err in their hearts"; i. e. uniformly, habitually. 1 Pet. iii. 15- -"Be ready (AEI) always to give an answer to every man," &c. i. e. at all times, continually. 2 Pet. i. 12— "Wherefore I will not be negligent to put you (AEI) always in remembrance of these things"; i. e. constantly. are all the places where AEI occurs in the New Testament, and not one of them does the word signify endlessly, or apply to any period beyond this state of being. And if neither of the two roots signifies endlessly, it is useless to attempt to prove that AION has the radical meaning of endless duration."

These

In addition to which, the following facts and reflections prove that the words translated everlasting and eternal in the scriptures, do, in no instance necessarily teach the idea of unlimited punishment :

1. The word aion, the noun, occurs about 120 times in the Greek Testament, and is translated, never, ages, world,

Skinner's Letter to Campbell.

without end, course, eternal, ever, forever and forevermore, thus showing that it could not be translated uniformly by a definite word, expressive of perpetual existence. The sub. stitution of English adverbs and adjectives for nouns by the translators, proves also, that they had no very clear ideas on the subject, or else that the word is susceptible of most marvellous transformations.

2. The word aionios occurs about 70 times, and is render. ed with the like variation and disregard of the adjective form of the word.

3. The word aion is never translated eternity, as it might have been, had it that particular signification. Instead of this, however, we find the word world frequently used. For instance, Heb. ix. 26. "Now once in the end of the world hath he (Christ) appeared." This should have been rendered "in the end of eternity," provided aion thus signifieswhich is absurd, as eternity can have no end. In Mathew xxviii. 20, we have another instance, "Lo, I am with you always, (or all days) even to the end of the world,”—to the end of eternity!

4. This rendering of aion by the term world would seem to have been designed to avoid the use of the proper English word age, which, in the above instance from Hebrews, and other places, is undoubtedly the correct translation. Christ appeared at the end of the Jewish age or dispensation-not at the end of this physical world. To show that the word world will not answer as the translation of aion or aionios, we need only refer to the question put to the Saviour, "Good master, what good thing shall I do, that I may have eternal life?" In similar cases the word world is used in place of the word eternal. Let that rendering be given to this question, and what a singular one it would have been! "What good thing shall I do that I may have the worldly life? An. swer" If thou wilt enter into (worldly) life, keep the commandments." The fact that all shall be raised to immortal life, whether they keep the commandments or not, proves, furtheremore, that the life here spoken of was the life of the gospel by faith, enjoyed here upon the earth.