The Bible passages quoted by Romanists as in direct support of the doctrine of purgatory, Protestants sim- ply set aside as a ridiculous attempt at malpractice in exegesis. First it is answered that the books of Mac- cabees have no evidence of inspiration, and that the second of these books, whence the support is purported to come, is far from being one of the best books of the Apocrypha (q. v.) ; besides, that the passage referred to would rather prove that there is no such place as pur- gatory, since Judas did not expect the souls departed to reap any benefit from the sin-offering till the resur- rection. The texts quoted from the Scriptures have no reference to the doctrine, as may be seen by con- sulting the context, and any just commentator upon it; they relate to nothing more than prayer for the dead. The text Matt, xii, 32 is explained as relating to the final judgment; and 1 Cor. iii, 11, 15, as relating to a trial of works, and not of persons ; while 1 Cor. xv, 29 is regarded as having nothing more to do with the subject than any verse taken at random from any part of the Bible. (An excellent examination of all these passages was made in the Episcopalian, Feb. 16, 18(57.) What is called the "historical" or critical view of the genesis of this doctrine is well given by Neander {Dogineiu/eschichte, vol. i). This learned Church histo- rian conceives that its source is to be sought for in the ancient Persian doctrine of a purifying conflagration which was to precede the victory of Ormuzd, and con- sume everything that was impure. From the Persians it passed with modifications to the Jews, and from them found its way into the ethical speculations of the more cultivated Christians. It harmonized admirably with the wide-spread philosophical notion borrowed by the Gnostic Christians from Neo-Platonism, that matter is inherently evil. If, then, the body was to rise, it must be purged of evil, and the instrument of purification — fire — was at hand for the purpose. Moreover, the high and pure conception of the character of God revealed in the New Testament, necessitating a corresponding mor- al excellence on the part of his worshippers — " without holiness shall no man see the Lord,T — must have great- ly assisted in the establishment of the doctrine ; for how could men, only lately gross heathens, possessing yet but the rudiments of the new faith, and with most of their heathen habits still clinging about them, be pro- nounced " holy" or " fit for the presence of God V" Their "faith" in Christ was sufficient to save them, but the work of sanctification was incomplete when they died, and must go on. Probably it was a strong Christian feeling of this sort that determined the reception of the doctrine of purgatory into the creed of the Roman Church, rather than any Gnostic philosophizings, though the Neo-Platonic divines of Alexandria are the first to mention it.
It remains for us to speak of the theory in the Chris- tian Church regarding the preparation for final admis- sion into the divine presence. Blunt is pleased to call it the "Judgment-day Purgatory." In its support are pleaded the words of the apostle Paul literally under- stood, that the " fire shall try every man's work," and that even he who has built wood, hay, straw, stubble, on the true foundation " shall be saved, yet so as by fire" (1 Cor. iii, 11-15). In proof of this doctrine is also quoted the frequent use of the word jire in connection