Yet, while we have no details given us as to the process or the time
required for purification, we have certain suggestions. In the Old
Testament there is a reference to "prisoners of hope." The reference is
somewhat obscure, and taken by itself it is of doubtful meaning. But in
the New Testament it is intimated that Christ went and "preached to the
spirits in prison." There we have a gleam of light as to what is meant
by "prisoners of hope." There were imprisoned souls to whom Christ took
some joyful message. We have no statement as to the purport of the
message, or the circumstances of the prisoners, beyond the fact that
they were confined.
While not going outside of what is revealed, it does not seem too much
to assume that He took to them the good news of Restoration, and perhaps
kindred topics. O yes; the Saviour's death had reference not to
ourselves alone, but it had a relation to those in another world.
* * * * *
Perhaps I ought to say here that this supposed state of discipline is by
no means to be confounded with the Roman Catholic doctrine of
Purgatory.
The term of duration of purgatorial fire is supposed to be determined by
the priest, who can effect a release at any time he pleases. It is
simply a matter of payment. And the idea of purgatory may be held--I
think is generally held--without conceiving of it as a means of
purification. Is it not rather conceived of as a place of punishment?
But the intermediate state we conceive of is a state of purification and
education. There may be intense suffering in certain cases. We can
conceive that such suffering may be required as a means of purification.
In other cases no great suffering, or none at all, may be necessary. By
some means, specially adapted to each case, every soul will be prepared
to enter a state of blessedness.
Even that final state may have lower grades, preparatory for the higher.
It does not seem consistent with God's dealings with man to thrust a
frail human spirit into the blinding glory of heaven. It is far more
likely that there are lower stages, preparatory for higher. When a child
is born into the world it is not even aware for a time that it has
entered on a new mode of existence. But it adapts itself unconsciously
to its new surroundings, and by easy stages develops perhaps into a poet
or a philosopher. In some such way, but on a higher plane, we can
believe that the soul is developed in the future life. We may
confidently leave all details with Him who is "Wise in Counsel, and
excellent in working," and whose love is unchangeable and everlasting.
Just now I have met with a Christian minister whom I know well, and a
worthy man he is, who has tried to evade the payment of a very small
debt. Now is it to be supposed that when that man dies he will go
straight into glory, infected with such a streak of meanness? Then where
will it be purged out of him? Will the process of death effect it?
Certainly not. What remains then, but that between this life and the
next there is some process of purification.
And that case is only a typical one. If we knew all, perhaps we should
find that there is a mean streak of some kind in every one of us. How
then shall we get rid of it? Just ponder that problem for awhile.