For some background on Benjamin Banneker (d. 1806), see
here:
Banneker's dream of Heaven & Hell ...
I thought I was dead and
Beheld my Body lay like a corpse, there seemed to be a person in the appearance
of a Man, his Raiment somewhat of a sheep skin or bright fawn color, who said
follow me. He ascended a Hill on the Top
of which was a Large Building. The
outside appeared strongly built, of large rough stone. I followed my guide into
the House, but did not at first see the beauty of it to the full. It seemed white and bright, and a Large Company
sitting, such a number as I never beheld [cf. Rev. 5:11-14]. The farther we went in, the Brighter it
appeared, and more like the reflection of the Sun [cf. Acts 26:12-14] ... There
appeared a sweetness and composure in every countenance, far beyond what I ever
seen in any person while in the Body ... I looked to see if I could Distinguish
Men from Women but could not ... I then asked my guide what is this place. He
answered Heaven. ... My guide turned about to go out and looked at me and said
follow, but I was so much delighted that I was unwilling to follow. ... Then
the guide turned on the left hand ... until we were at a lofty grand arch of
great width where we entered a Large Room ... which appeared grandly wainscoted
and beautifully painted with different colors. The first sight of this beautiful room abated
my sorrow, which was very great, while we came down the descent, from leaving
the other. I had but just time to take a view of this fine place before a
number of persons richly dressed passed us who smelled so strong of Brimstone,
that I seemed almost suffocated. All of them were talking to themselves, and
before they came to us they looked well, but when they came near, there
appeared a blackness on their lips and seemed to mutter to themselves. ... I
was seized with horror and asked my guide what is this place and what are
these. He answered this place is Hell
and them are Miserable forever. ... as I looked round there appeared in my view
a Woman Friend, plainly dressed in a green apron, whom I remembered well when I
was young. I often took notice of her
for the Solidity of her Deportment particularly in Meeting. I eagerly made up to her and said what art
thou among the Miserable, tell me, tell me what brought thee hither. She wept and said, "No wrong that I have
done between Man and Man, but unfaithfulness and disobedience to my God brought
me hither." ... We met many like the other, in appearance and smell, that
I seemed almost suffocated with Brimstone. I then in great bitterness of spirit said to
my guide, tell me am I to remain here forever. I thought a little time past if I had died I
had secured an Inheritance among the first we saw. My guide stood and looking steadfastly at me
said thou art not to remain here, but to return to the World again. If thou art faithful to thy God, thou mayest
have an inheritance among the first, but I have something else to show thee. He went a little farther, when another arch
appeared ... wherein abundance of people were assembled, to worship and saying,
"Amen, Lord have mercy upon us, Christ have mercy upon us." These appeared more plane in their dress and
looked whiter. I said to my guide these
are not Miserable too, and he said these are Miserable, these are they who
thought to be saved by a profession of Religion, but have not the white robes
of Righteousness ... I saw an Intimate Friend whom I much loved (this friend
died in About a Month after) coming towards the Gate and two persons conducting
him he looked very Sorrowful on me, and I on him. I asked him art thou going amongst the Miserable, what is thy offence, what has thou
done? Tell me. He answered, "Beware of Covetousness, and the love of
Money, that brought me hither." We
both wept much and were greatly troubled. ... My guide had me to a place, where
there was just room to go Out, he stood and looked at me, and earnestly said
thou are now going into the World again. Remember what thou hast seen, it is not enough
to be honest to Man, thou must be honest and faithful to thy God. ... then I awoke, but the horror and distress I
felt on my mind I am not capable of Expressing. I seem as if I fetched my
breath in a room where Sulfur and Brimstone were burning. ... I thought I could
not live many Hours if the Almighty in the Extendings of his Boundless Goodness
had not Regard to me a poor unworthy
Creature and caused that Suffocating smell to pass from me ... and enabled me
to vent my sorrow in many Tears, after which my tossed mind was favored with a Calm.
[1]
In these days of #Limbo lollygaggle theology, many
scholars push the doctrine of hell #7734# below the surface. We read this from the Westminster Confession
of Faith (ch. XXXIII, pt. 2):
The end of God’s appointing
this day, is for the manifestation of the glory of his mercy in the eternal
salvation of the elect; and of his justice in the damnation of the reprobate,
who are wicked and disobedient. For then
shall the righteous go into everlasting life, and receive that fullness of joy
and refreshing which shall come from the presence of the Lord: but the wicked,
who know not God, and obey not the gospel of Jesus Christ, shall be cast into
eternal torments, and be punished with everlasting destruction from the
presence of the Lord, and from the glory of his power. (Rom. 9:22,23, Rom. 2:5,6,
2 Thes. 1:7-9, Mt. 25:21,31-34,41&46, Acts 3:19) [2]
We also hear this from Jude, the ½ brother of Jesus:
Though you already know all
this, I want to remind you that the Lord at one time delivered his people out
of Egypt, but later destroyed those who did not believe. And the angels who did not keep their
positions of authority but abandoned their proper dwelling - these he has kept
in darkness, bound with everlasting chains for judgment on the great Day. In a similar way, Sodom and Gomorrah and the
surrounding towns gave themselves up to sexual immorality and perversion. They serve as an example of those who suffer
the punishment of eternal fire. (Jude 1:5-7)
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HW: find the connection between Benjamin Rush (d. 1813)
& Banneker.
Please leave your comments here: https://bit.ly/3Qrnvm1
** graphic source: https://bit.ly/45PMrIr
Notes:
1) Benjamin
Banneker - Surveyor, Astronomer, Publisher, Patriot by Charles Cerami (John
Wiley & Sons, NYC, 2002), pp. 59-61.
2) Westminster Confession
of Faith (ch. XXXIII, pt. 2):
https://www.apuritansmind.com/westminster-standards/chapter-33
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