We read that "all Scripture is profitable for doctrine." Now is the doctrine of everlasting punishment profitable? If it is true it must be profitable. But is it? Possibly it may be claimed that it is profitable on certain occasions. Then on what occasions? I never heard it directly preached on any occasion since I was a child. It may be hinted at, or implied in some vague way; but so far as I know, it is never insisted on as a vital and saving truth. Yet, it is of such tremendous import that the fair inference is, that the preacher himself does not believe it, or that he is afraid to avow his belief of it, or that he has an instinctive feeling that to proclaim it clearly is never "profitable." Yet, if it is not profitable, it is not "doctrine," but error. And if it be error, it is the most dark and dismal error that ever found its way into this sinning and suffering world. And if this doctrine is not preached in this Christian land, is it preached in heathen lands? I do not positively know; but I have a strong conviction that it is not. I would challenge any missionary to say that it is. Then why not, if it is "doctrine" and therefore "profitable?" I can well believe that hosts of so-called converts might be frightened into an avowal of Christianity by such preaching. If a simple heathen could really believe it, would he not at once adopt Christianity as a means of escape from everlasting fire? But what would such a so-called conversion be worth? I have more faith in missionaries than to believe that they would be so insane. They would realize that such a doctrine would either repel the heathen, or win them to an unreal acceptance of Christianity. In either case, what would be accomplished? So the missionary would naturally postpone this "profitable" doctrine until some more convenient season, and probably that more convenient season would never come. I have heard many missionaries speaking of their work among the heathen; but not once did I ever hear of the "doctrine" of everlasting fire being used as a converting power. Yet the Scripture declares that all doctrine is "profitable." If it cannot be used, the inevitable inference is that it is not doctrine, and is not true. Here then is an idea for the Layman's Missionary Movement. How many men in that movement really believe in eternal torment? Like myself, many of them may have been taught the catechism which speaks of "God's wrath and curse both in this life, and that which is to come;" also "the pains of hell forever." But what is their belief now? In many cases do they not utterly repudiate such ideas? In other cases, and I think the great majority, they may not have seriously thought of the matter at all. But their instincts would strongly favor the more liberal view.