Page:The New View of Hell.djvu/84

 forever desires to improve their condition, and perpetually works toward this end. But He cannot overcome their inordinate self-love without their willing co-operation. Before He can do this, they must recognize this love as essential evil when it is allowed the mastery, and must compel themselves to deny its cravings and to obey the laws of neighborly love. So far is the Lord from hating these people, or from any desire that they should suffer one atom beyond what He knows will be for their own good. He pursues them with his infinitely wise and pitying love, in the other world as He had previously pursued them in this.

On their first entrance into the spiritual world, they find themselves attended and cared for by wise and loving angels. And the angels remain with them and perform for them every kind office in their power, so long as their company is agreeable, or so long as the new-comers are willing that they should remain. But soon their interior selfishness becomes active. Their internals come forth into their externals. Their devilish dispositions and feelings manifest themselves in corresponding looks, words and actions. Their interior and real character throws off whatever mask it had previously worn on earth, and reveals itself as it really is. The previously hidden or concealed quality of their hearts comes out there, and is openly and fully revealed. Agreeably to these words of the Lord: "For there is nothing covered that shall not be revealed, neither hid that shall not be