Hell and Everlasting Punishment, Part 17: Quandry

Quandry means "a state of difficulty, perplexity, uncertainity, or hesitation; a predicament." Surely, Hell will be all of this, and more. "The sinners in Zion are afraid; fearfulness hath surprised the hypocrites. Who among us shall dwell with the devouring fire? who among us shall dwell with everlasting burnings?" (Isaiah 33:14). Here God speaks of those who "dwell with the devouring fire... with everlasting burnings." "One of the horrors of hell is the undying memory of a misspent life." -Anonymous Someone has written as if he were in Hell and of his quandry: "I have told you, my friend, how continuously I am the prey of memories, but how much so- to what extent, I mean- you little guess. That deeds of iniquity and particular sins should assail me, tormenting the soul as with fire, is natural. But this is not all. There are other things, counted for little in the world, which cling to conscience with terrible vividness. Every little falsehood and unjust dealing, every word of deceit and breach of fealty, every evil example and want of kindness,- thy are all, all present now, piercing the heart as with daggers of regret. I thought so little of these things in life, that I scarcely stopped to consider them; they seemed buried on the spot, every year adding its own share to the mouldering heap. They have risen now and stand about me, I see them and I tremble. And further, apart from the evil done, it is the good left undone, the opportunities wasted, which stand around me with pitiless scourge, and their name is legion! Thus everything, you see, both what I have done and left undone, comes to life here in this place of woe,- thakes shape, I ought to say,- rising in accusation against me. I try to escape, but they are about me everywhere, those shapes of terror. Let me conjure you then, brothers and sisters, listen to the voice of your heart while yet it is day! Listen, I say, and obey, lest the bitterness of repentance overtake you with the night, when no man can work! Ah, let no opportunity for doing of good escape you, for it will rise against you when nothing is left but to wail in anguish" "Abandon all hope, you who enter here!" -Dante