As soon as I got through, a lawyer commenced reading a long chapter of quotations from the Bible, to prove that there was a _devil_. He had prepared it with much care, and read it loud and emphatically. It was supposed that a preacher or two in town helped him to his texts, and comments. When he closed, a doctor commenced an harangue, but I begged him to hold on till I had disposed of his brother’s sermon. I told the people that I believed in _many devils_--lying, slanderous, revengeful, cruel, superstitious, sectarian devils; that every man was his own devil, and if any of my hearers should become vile and degraded, if they would look into a mirror, they would see a devil. But I had no faith in the devil the lawyer had been preaching about. As soon as I had finished my remarks, the doctor resumed his speech. He launched into the parable of the Rich Man and Lazarus, and did a large amount of special pleading, to show that the hell spoken of in that passage was a place of eternal woe. When he was through, I asked him if he would answer a few questions. He replied that he would. “Do you regard that passage to be a literal relation of _facts_?” “I do.” “Hell is there called a _place_. Do you suppose it is a place having length, width and height?” “Yes.” “It is said to contain _fire_. Do you believe it contains fire?” “I do, for the passage says so.” “The rich man and Lazarus were within _speaking distance_ of each other--they talked together. Do you think that heaven and hell are so near each other, that the saved can see the damned, and hear their groans and lamentations?” “I am not bound to answer that question.” “But you promised to answer my questions.” Several voices--“You must answer”--“You are getting into a tight place.” “Well, if I must answer it, I will say, Yes.” “One more question. Could you be happy in heaven if you should see all the dear ones you now love, roasting in hell? Will you answer?” “To be candid, I do not see how I could be happy.”