,transcriber's ,note3 ,small capitals have been rendered in full capitals4 ,italics are indicated by underscores4 ,apparent typographical errors and inconsistent hyphenation have been corrected4 ,footnote #d is missing1 while ,footnotes #e and #f identical4 ,the first line of the text accompanying an illustration comprises the signature of the person portrayed4 ,any attributions are reproduced in following lines4 ,chapters ,,xi to ,,xix comprise biographical notes on ,universalist ministers4 ,these are separated by two spaces4 ,,fifty ,,notable ,,years4 ,and ,i saw that there was an ,ocean of ,darkness and ,death2 but an infinite ,ocean of ,light and ,love flowed over the ,ocean of ,darkness2 and in that ,i saw the infinite ,love of ,god4--,,george ,,fox',s ,,journal4 ,universalism was the evening star of the church as the night of the dark ages came on1 and appeared as the morning star at the dawn of the ,reformation4--,,thomas ,,whittemore1 ,d4 ,d4 ,illustration3 ,hosea ,ballou4 ,painted by ,h4 ,pratt4 ,engd4 by ,j4 ,andrews ,h4 ,w4 ,smith4 ,,fifty ,,notable ,,years ,,views ,,of ,,the ,,ministry ,,of ,,christian ,,universalism ,,during ,,the ,,last ,,half-,,century4 ,,with ,biographical ,sketches4 ,,by ,,john ,g4 ,,adams1 ,d4 ,d4 ,,illustrated ,,with ,,portraits4 ,,boston3 ,,universalist ,,publishing ,,house4 #ahhb4 ,copyright1 #ahhb1 ,,by ,,universalist ,,publishing ,,house4 ,,university ,,press3 ,,john ,,wilson ,,and ,,son1 ,,cambridge4 ,,preface4 ,every intelligent reader of that expressive line of ,longfellow1 ,let the dead past bury its dead1 understands that if the dead past may be buried1 as it deserves to be1 the living past will be remembered1 recorded1 celebrated1 honored in all time to come4 ,it is well1 always1 that we have our eyes open to this fact4 ,among the many voices heard in the discussions going on in the religious world during the last half-century1 has been that of ,christian ,universalism4 ,it is still speaking more emphatically and widely than ever4 ,a brief and comprehensive notice of its manifestations is surely worthy of consideration at the present time4 ,it is the intent of this volume to keep in sacred remembrance some of the preachers and defenders of the ,gospel of ,god's impartial grace1 who in times when it was frowned upon and misrepresented in and out of the churches1 had the ,christian courage and loyalty to avow and maintain it4 ,they have made the past not dead1 but gloriously alive in their faith and works4 ,in addition to the biographical sketches here given1 other kindred matter of interest to the general reader will be presented1 such as the rise and progress of the ,universalist church in ,america2 its growth in agreement with the genius and civilization of our republic2 its place in the reformatory work of the last fifty years2 its present status2 its educational resources and aspects2 its definite organized work2 its missionary spirit and intent1 with an outlook into the future4 ,the reader will understand that the views here taken are from the standpoint of a ,new ,england minister's observation1 and do not embrace particulars which a wider survey might have included4 ,furthermore1 the author would say1 that in the account of ministers here given1 nothing like a complete biographical encyclopdia is intended2 hence1 he does not consider himself responsible for what is not in the volume1 but presents it as it is1 with a thankful heart that he is able in this humble effort to vindicate the faithful dead1 and to address the living in behalf of that cause which they honored and promoted4 ,j4 ,g4 ,a4 ,,melrose ,,highlands1 ,november1 #ahhb4 ,,contents4 ,,chapter ,i4 ,,the ,,world',s ,,progress4 ,,page ,the ,century just passed4--,last ,half-century and ,changes in it4--,words of ,rev4 ,dr4 ,macleod and ,governor ,long4--,moral ,progress2 ,hopeful ,view4--,enlargement of ,religious ,thought4--,christianity a ,universal ,religion4--,words of ,dr4 ,uhlhorn and ,dean ,milman4 #ac ,,chapter ,,ii4 ,,christian ,,universalism4 ,the ,name2 what it indicates4--,ancient ,universalism4--,dr4 ,e4 ,beecher's ,testimony4--,statements of ,others4--,mr4 ,lecky and ,dr4 ,shaff4-- ,universalism of the ,present ,time4--,in ,europe4 #ai ,,chapter ,,iii4 ,,universalism ,,in ,,america4 ,its ,rise with the ,republic4--,declaration of ,independence4--,its ,christian ,signification4--,mr4 ,bancroft's ,statement4--,spirit of the ,constitution of the ,republic4--,nature1 ,unity1 ,interest1 and ,destination of the one ,family of ,man4--,speech of ,dr4 ,t4 ,whittemore4-- ,murray in ,faneuil ,hall4 #bc ,,chapter ,,iv4 ,,early ,,advocacy ,,of ,,universalism ,,in ,,america4 ,murray and ,de ,benneville4--,universalists as a separate ,sect1 and ,reasons for it4--,statement of ,rev4 ,dr4 ,j4 ,h4 ,tuttle4--,murray's ,associates in the ,ministry4--,their ,characteristics4--,statement of ,rev4 ,dr4 ,j4 ,smith ,dodge4--,description by ,rev4 ,dr4 ,a4 ,d4 ,mayo4 #cj ,,chapter ,v4 ,,growth4 ,ministers at the beginning of the ,present ,century4--,statement of ,rev4 ,dr4 ,miner4--,educational ,aids and ,publications4--,murray ,centenary ,fund4--,woman's ,centenary ,aid ,association4--,theological ,changes4-- ,calvinism1 ,arminianism1 ,universalism4--,evidences of the ,influence of the ,latter in these ,changes4--,orthodox ,concessions4 #cf ,,chapter ,,vi4 ,,universalism1 ,,unitarianism1 ,,rationalism4 ,liberal ,christianity4--,indecision of ,unitarians respecting the ,salvation of ,all4--,ballou on ,atonement4--,bold ,vindication of their ,faith by ,universalists4--,tribute to ,unitarianism4--,its ,defects4--,mr4 ,parker's ,influence4--,difficulty in answering a ,question4--,disavowal of ,mr4 ,parker's ,rationalism by ,universalists4--,resolutions of ,boston ,association4--,mr4 ,parker reviewed by ,rev4 ,o4 ,a4 ,skinner and ,rev4 ,dr4 ,lothrop4--,discussions respecting ,christian ,fellowship4--,dr4 ,ballou's ,article in ,universalist ,quarterly2 never ,answered4--,mr4 ,r4 ,w4 ,emerson and his ,testimony to ,universalism4 #db ,,chapter ,,vii4 ,,reform ,,movements ,,and ,,universalism4 ,universalist ,reform ,association4--,first ,meeting1 and ,festival ,addresses4--,continuation of ,meetings1 a ,feature of ,anniversary ,week4--,anti-,slavery ,resolutions4--,festivals in ,faneuil ,hall4-- ,rendition of ,burns2 ,notes of ,freedom on the ,occasion4 #ej ,,chapter ,,viii4 ,,new ,,england ,,anti-,,slavery ,,society2 ,,universalist ,,protest4 ,mr4 ,garrison and ,his ,associates4--,marlboro ,chapel1 ,eloquence dog-cheap there4--,the ,debaters4--,rev4 ,john ,pierpont and his ,remarkable ,plea4--,wendell ,phillips's ,reply to it4--,mobs in ,boston and at ,concord1 ,n4 ,h4--,denunciatory ,spirit4--,anti-,sabbath ,convention4-- ,n4 ,p4 ,rogers and the ,herald of ,freedom4--,momentum of the ,anti-,slavery ,reform4--,political ,changes4--,war of the ,rebellion and ,downfall of ,slavery4--,universalist ,churches in this ,reform4--,protest of ,ministers against ,slavery4 #eh ,,chapter ,,ix4 ,,reformatory ,,progress4 ,the ,temperance ,reform4--,its ,rise and ,course in the ,past2 ,its ,present ,aspects4--,the ,peace ,question4--,war ,spirit of the ,past contrary to ,christianity4--,growth of the ,christian ,idea4--,peace ,publications4-- ,sumner's ,oration4--,national ,disputes can be settled by ,arbitration2 ,instances4--,victor ,hugo's ,words4--,treatment of ,criminals4--,capital ,punishment4--,position and ,work of ,woman4--,other ,questions4 #ff ,,chapter ,x4 ,,the ,,universalist ,,church ,,and ,,its ,,women4 ,some of the ,gifted ,authors4--,women ,workers in the ,churches1 ,pulpits1 and ,educational ,institutions4--,organized ,effort4--,woman's ,centenary ,aid ,association4--,its ,work in the ,centennial ,year4--,tribute from the ,christian ,leader4--,work of the ,association since4--,mrs4 ,c4 ,a4 ,soule and the ,scotland ,mission4--,church in ,glasgow4--,circulation of ,church ,literature4 #gi ,,chapter ,,xi4 ,,sketches ,,of ,,ministers4 ,hosea ,ballou4--,hosea ,f4 ,ballou4--,massena ,ballou4--,david ,ballou4-- ,moses ,ballou4--,hosea ,ballou1 ,d4 ,d4--,levi and ,w4 ,s4 ,ballou4-- ,edward ,turner4--,sebastian ,streeter4--,russell ,streeter4--,thomas ,jones4--,paul ,dean4--,walter ,balfour4--,john ,bisbe4--,thomas ,whittemore1 ,d4 ,d4--,benjamin ,whittemore1 ,d4 ,d4--,dolphus ,skinner1 ,d4 ,d4--,warren ,skinner4--,otis ,a4 ,skinner1 ,d4 ,d4--,samuel ,p4 ,skinner4--,joseph ,o4 ,skinner4--,nathaniel ,stacy4--,stephen ,r4 ,smith4--,sylvanus ,cobb1 ,d4 ,d4--,menzies ,rayner4 #hd ,,chapter ,,xii4 ,thomas ,f4 ,king4--,thomas ,starr ,king4--,abel ,c4 ,thomas4--,s4 ,w4 ,fuller4--,william ,a4 ,drew4--,i4 ,d4 ,williamson1 ,d4 ,d4--,kittredge ,haven4--,john ,boyden4--,john ,moore4--,henry ,bacon4--,d4 ,k4 ,lee1 ,d4 ,d4 #abi ,,chapter ,,xiii4 ,george ,bates4--,ezekiel ,vose4--,lemuel ,willis4--,john ,h4 ,willis4-- ,theodore ,clapp4--,john ,a4 ,gurley4--,enoch ,m4 ,pingree4--,thomas ,j4 ,greenwood4--,elbridge ,gerry ,brooks1 ,d4 ,d4--,ebenezer ,fisher1 ,d4 ,d4--,rev4 ,seth ,stetson4--,william ,bell4--,calvin ,gardner4 #aeb ,,chapter ,,xiv4 ,josiah ,gilman4--,emmons ,partridge4--,william ,i4 ,reese4--,albert ,a4 ,folsom4--,william ,c4 ,hanscom4--,merritt ,sanford4--,alexander ,r4 ,abbott4--,henry ,c4 ,leonard4--,abraham ,norwood4--,charles ,spear4-- ,james ,w4 ,putnam4--,james ,w4 ,dennis4--,henry ,b4 ,soule4--,obadiah ,h4 ,tillotson4 #afh ,,chapter ,,xv4 ,elhanan ,w4 ,reynolds4--,nathaniel ,gunnison4--,john ,m4 ,austin4--,tobias ,h4 ,miller4--,martin ,j4 ,steere4--,franklin ,s4 ,bliss4--,russell ,tomlinson4-- ,de ,witt ,c4 ,tomlinson4--,levi ,c4 ,marvin4--,giles ,bailey4--,john ,e4 ,palmer4--,william ,w4 ,wilson4--,william ,r4 ,chamberlain4 #aha ,,chapter ,,xvi4 ,samuel ,c4 ,loveland4--,david ,pickering4--,george ,rogers4--,lewis ,f4 ,w4 ,andrews4--,charles ,w4 ,mellen4--,henry ,a4 ,eaton4--,w4 ,a4 ,p4 ,dillingham4-- ,john ,g4 ,bartholomew1 ,d4 ,d4--,e4 ,h4 ,chapin1 ,d4 ,d4--,joseph ,d4 ,pierce4-- ,thomas ,j4 ,carney4--,james ,m4 ,cook4 #aii ,,chapter ,,xvii4 ,a4 ,w4 ,bruce4--,frederick ,a4 ,hodsdon4--,ezekiel ,w4 ,coffin4--,edward ,a4 ,drew4--,norris ,c4 ,hodgdon4--,s4 ,p4 ,landers4--,john ,nichols4--,robert ,killam4--,charles ,h4 ,webster4--,asa ,p4 ,cleverly4--,thomas ,j4 ,whitcomb4-- ,george ,w4 ,whitney4--,robinson ,breare4 #bba ,,chapter ,,xviii4 ,zadoc ,h4 ,howe4--,willard ,c4 ,george4--,mark ,powers4--,l4 ,l4 ,record4-- ,h4 ,h4 ,baker4--,james ,w4 ,ford4--,e4 ,h4 ,lake4--,l4 ,b4 ,mason4--,lafayette ,barstow4--,stillman ,barden4--,t4 ,j4 ,tenney4--,c4 ,h4 ,dutton4--,robert ,bartlett4 #bcb ,,chapter ,,xix4 ,rufus ,s4 ,pope4--,w4 ,m4 ,de ,long4--,w4 ,b4 ,linnell4--,joshua ,britton4-- ,george ,messenger4--,john ,t4 ,goodrich4--,franklin ,c4 ,flint4--,hope ,bain4-- ,woodbury ,m4 ,fernald4--,c4 ,p4 ,mallory4--,elvira ,j4 ,powers4--,fanny ,u4 ,roberts4--,prudy ,le ,clerc ,haskell4--,living ,ministers3 ,c4 ,f4 ,le ,fevre1 ,d4 ,d4--,lucius ,r4 ,paige1 ,d4 ,d4--,a4 ,a4 ,miner1 ,d4 ,d4--,thomas ,j4 ,sawyer1 ,d4 ,d4--,thomas ,b4 ,thayer1 ,d4 ,d4--,william ,s4 ,balch1 ,d4 ,d4-- ,william ,h4 ,ryder1 ,d4 ,d4--,birthplace of ,rev4 ,h4 ,ballou4 #beg ,,chapter ,,xx4 ,,educational ,,aids4 ,universalism and ,education4--,tufts ,college4--,lombard ,university4--,st4 ,lawrence ,university4--,buchtel ,college4--,clinton ,liberal ,institute4-- ,dean ,academy4--,goddard ,seminary4--,westbrook ,seminary4--,green ,mountain ,perkins ,institute4--,other ,aids4--,the ,sunday ,school4--,church ,literature4--,a ,sensible and ,urgent ,appeal4 #bic ,,chapter ,,xxi4 ,,the ,,laity4 ,needed ,support of the ,ministry2 how the ,laity can render it4-- ,instances noted4 #cjb ,,chapter ,,xxii4 ,,the ,,present ,,outlook4 ,changes4--,the ,episcopal and ,congregational ,churches4--,the ,beecher ,family4--,congregationalists at ,plymouth in #ahfe4--,question of the ,divine ,responsibility4--,dr4 ,patton1 ,rev4 ,john ,miller1 ,miss ,elizabeth ,stuart ,phelps4--,orthodoxy at ,andover4--,questions respecting it4-- ,expedients to avoid the ,admission of ,universalism4--,prophecy of ,rev4 ,dr4 ,hosea ,ballou4--,a late ,acknowledgment of its ,truthfulness4-- ,spirit of ,inquiry among the ,sects4--,spurgeon's ,words4--,the ,world and ,church moving4--,growth of our ,nation during the ,last ,half ,century4-- ,words of ,hon4 ,r4 ,c4 ,winthrop at ,yorktown4--,work of the ,universalist ,church ,now and ,henceforth4--,a ,positive ,faith4--,the ,creed ,question noted4--,a ,true ,christian ,life4--,missionary ,inspiration and ,action4-- ,conclusion4 #cjg ,,list ,,of ,,portraits4 ,,page ,,rev4 ,,hosea ,,ballou ,frontispiece ,,hosea ,,ballou1 ,d4 ,d4 #ie ,,thomas ,,whittemore1 ,d4 ,d4 #aaa ,,otis ,a4 ,,skinner1 ,d4 ,d4 #aaf ,,sylvanus ,,cobb1 ,d4 ,d4 #abd ,,john ,,moore #adg ,,henry ,,bacon #adh ,,elbridge ,g4 ,,brooks1 ,d4 ,d4 #afa ,,ebenezer ,,fisher1 ,d4 ,d4 #afc ,,lucius ,r4 ,,paige1 ,d4 ,d4 #bei ,,alonzo ,a4 ,,miner1 ,d4 ,d4 #bfb ,,thomas ,j4 ,,sawyer1 ,d4 ,d4 #bfh ,,thomas ,b4 ,,thayer1 ,d4 ,d4 #bge ,,william ,h4 ,,ryder1 ,d4 ,d4 #bhc ,,mr4 ,,thomas ,a4 ,,goddard #bih ,,fifty ,,notable ,,years4 ,,chapter ,i4 ,,the ,,world',s ,,progress4 ,even now1 after eighteen centuries of ,christianity1 we may be involved in some enormous error1 of which the ,christianity of the future will make us ashamed4--,,vinet4 ,yet ,i doubt not through the ages one increasing purpose runs1 ,and the thoughts of men are widened by the process of the suns4 ,,tennyson4 ,the world moves4 ,this is one of the confident sayings of those who believe in human progression4 ,it is an ordination of ,divine ,providence from the beginning that man should realize mental and moral growth through the successive generations of his earthly life4 ,and this divine purpose has been manifest in the past history of our race4 ,they who think1 taking the amplest view of the present condition of mankind1 any former time was better than the present1 do not rightfully discriminate4 ,if1 says ,sydney ,smith1 you say that our ancestors were wiser than we1 mention your date and your year4 ,enlightened humanity cannot be content with its present attainments4 ,its purest and highest aspirations respond to that clarion word of ,christian heroism1 ,let us go on unto perfection6 ,of all the centuries of human history which have yet been numbered1 none have been more notable than the one in which we are living4 ,since its commencement some of the most remarkable changes that can be recorded of any age or period have taken place4 ,education1 art1 science1 human government and enterprise1 religious thought1 all have made progress4 ,nations have changed1 men have changed1 if not in nature1 yet in convictions respecting man's capability1 obligation1 and destiny4 ,the ,old ,world and the ,new have witnessed these transformations4 ,it is of the changes indicative of human progress within the middle of the present century that ,i desire to speak in this volume2 for during this period there seems to have been a more rapid succession of them than ever1 evincing the capability of our race for an advancement to which no philosophy of the past or present has been able to set bounds4 ,there have been1 during this time1 nobler revolutions than those effected by war1 by the downfall of governments and dynasties1--revolutions more excellent and enduring4 ,we mean those wrought by human thought1 investigation1 discovery1 and invention4 ,apt and forcible are the words of ,dr4 ,norman ,macleod1 written at the close of the year #ahfi3 ,in a few hours the century will have lived its threescore and ten years4 ,i question if since time began1--with the exception of three or four great eras1 such as the calling of ,abraham1 the ,exodus1 the birth of ,christ1 the ,reformation1 the invention of printing1 or1 it may be1 the breaking up of the ,roman ,empire1 the birth of ,mohammed or of ,buddha1--such an influential period has existed4 ,the invention of the steam-engine1 the discovery of gas1 telegraph1 chloroform1 with the freedom of slaves1 the ,british acquisition of ,india1 the opening up of the world to the ,gospel1 the translations of the ,scriptures1 will make it forever memorable4 ,equally expressive are the words recently spoken by the chief magistrate of ,massachusetts3 ,think of what has been done in the matter of education1 of public schools1 of universities of learning for both sexes and all races4 ,in science we have unlocked the secrets of the earth1 the air1 and the sea1 and made them not merely matters of wonder1 but handmaids of homely use4 ,in all matters of comfort1 of use1 of elegance1 of convenient living1 of house and table1 and furniture1 and light1 and warmth1 and health1 and travel1 what thorough and beneficent advance equally for all1 shaming the petty meanness with which1 unjust alike to the old times and the new1 we inveigh against the new times and overrate the old6#a ,and what1 more especially1 of moral revolution and progress during the last half century8 ,the indications are evidently hopeful and cheering4 ,human nature is indeed the same1 but it has been under new and better influences in modern than in more remote time4 ,human governments have improved1 and even the worst of them are better now than they were fifty years ago4 ,human laws have been rendered more human and less barbarous4 ,sympathy for the poor1 the degraded1 the sinful1 has been more truly awakened1 and is at this moment in more active operation than at any previous time4 ,the moral obligations of political rulers1 and those who sustain them1 have been perhaps more vigorously discussed during these years than in any other fifty years preceding2 so that there seems now a more favorable opportunity than at almost any previous day this side that of the ,jewish ,theocracy1 to impress this truth upon the public mind1 that if individuals should have consciences and a sense of responsibility to ,god1 so should communities2 that righteousness exalteth a nation1 while sin is a reproach to any people4 ,religious toleration also has increased4 ,the rigid sectarianism of the past has been giving way1 so that now the hunters of heresy1 and the executioners of those who held it1 are read of rather than seen4 ,the false deity which even some ,christians have worshipped in the past1 and the false humanity with which they have supposed themselves endowed1 have been in some good degree exchanged for more rational conceptions of ,god the ,father1 and of man the offspring4 ,and this change is daily going on2 never was it more perceptible than at the present hour4 ,we should manifest an unpardonable blindness in noting these evidences of human advancement1 if we were to leave out of the account the most significant of all forces in it1--we mean ,christianity4 ,this we regard as the foremost power in the spiritual progress thus far realized in our world1 and which promises to effect for the race its highest exaltation4 ,refinement and barbarism have more or less marked the history of the world in the past2 they do still2 but where does the light of civilization shine brightest among the nations8 ,the answer is1 where the ,christian religion1 in its true spirit1 most widely prevails4 ,and it is the increasing prevalence of it which gives us the assurance of that consummation of the ,redeemer's work with men1 when they all come in the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the ,son of ,god1 unto a perfect man2 unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of ,christ4#b ,christianity is a universal religion4 ,herein is its pre-eminence4 ,it is for man everywhere and in all time4 ,no other religion has so clearly asserted this claim for itself1 and no other promises to do so much for mankind4 ,true1 it has had to make its way against the errors and prejudices and corruptions of the world4 ,it has been mixed with human errors1 and has been professed1 taught1 and practised in too many instances by those who have failed to realize clearly the heavenliness of its spirit1 and its far-reaching1 regenerative1 and overcoming power4 ,its earliest promulgators failed to see at first this grand characteristic of its universality4 ,an able ,christian historian has written3 ,nothing is more remarkable than to see the horizon of the ,apostles gradually receding1 and1 instead of resting on the borders of the ,holy ,land1 comprehending at length the whole world2 barrier after barrier falling down before the superior wisdom which was infused into their minds2 first1 the proselytes of the gate1 the foreign conformists to ,judaism1 and1 ere long1 the ,gentiles themselves admitted within the pale2 until ,christianity stood forth1 demanded the homage1 and promised its rewards to the faith of the whole human race2 proclaimed itself in language which the world had as yet never heard1 the one1 true universal religion4#c ,rev4 ,dr4 ,gerhard ,uhlhorn1 of ,germany1 in his able work1 ,the ,conflict of ,christianity with ,heathenism1 speaking of the early development of ,christianity in the ,roman ,empire1 calls it the first step to its universalism4 ,itself passing out from the ancient narrowness into a world-wide breadth of thought and life1 the old world became capable of accepting the ,universalism of ,christianity4#d ,the old world and the new have yet many steps forward to take in this pathway of a continually increasing brightness4 #a ,oration of ,governor ,long before the municipal authorities and citizens of ,boston1 ,july #d1 #ahhb4 #b ,eph4 iv4 #ac4 #c ,milman's ,history of ,christianity4 ,,chapter ,,ii4 ,,christian ,,universalism4 ,universalism is a living movement1 organized out of the grandest ideas and spiritual facts of the universe2 gathering into itself the richest and mightiest moral forces1 and working towards the most positive practical ends2 and a man is a ,universalist1 and is the better off for being a ,universalist1 only as some sense of what ,universalism thus is1 and of the force of its motives1 and the reality of its work1 flows down1 a quickening power1 into his being4--,e4 ,g4 ,,brooks1 ,d4 ,d4 ,the name ,universalism1 as connected with ,christianity1 has been especially notable during the present century4 ,but the principles which it implies were averred by the ,christian church in its earliest days4 ,it signifies ,god's unchanging paternal interest in all his children2 an interest insuring his just dealing with them for their obedience or disobedience of his beneficent laws1 and their final release from sin1 and life in righteousness4 ,under its present name1 ,universalism is comparatively recent2 its special church history being comprehended in something more than a century4 ,but its principles and doctrines are as old as the ,christian records1 and are found in the ,old ,testament teachings4 ,just as all the sects in ,christendom1 though belonging to modern times1 profess to trace whatever they may deem essential back to the ,apostles1 so believers in ,universalism make the same reference1 as one of their number has well stated it3 ,if we have no business here because we came so late1 our neighbors must fall under the same condemnation4 ,in mere assumption we are neither younger nor older than they4 ,the ,universalist ,church claims the ,new ,testament as the basis of its doctrines4 ,it cites the ,gospels1 the ,apostolic ,history and the ,epistles1 ,christ1 and his first ministers1 as authority for its pretensions4 ,after the apostles1 its lights appear in the early centuries of the ,christian era4 ,dr4 ,edward ,beecher1 in his able work1 ,the ,scriptural ,doctrine of ,future ,retribution1 shows that at about the time of ,origen1 out of the six theological schools in ,christendom1 four taught ,universal ,salvation as the faith of the ,christian ,church1--the one at ,csarea1 the one at ,antioch1 the one at ,alexandria1 the one at ,edessa4 ,that eminent light of the early church1 ,origen1 who so ably and successfully maintained the claims of ,christianity against the abusive attacks of the heathen ,celsus1 was a ,universalist4 ,so was ,alexander1 bishop of ,jerusalem1 and ,gregory ,thaumaturgus1 bishop of ,neocsarea2 and so were the most distinguished by piety and learning of the masters of the great theological seminary of the early ,church1 the ,catechetical school at ,alexandria4 ,doederlein said that the more profoundly learned any one was in ,christian antiquity1 so much more did he cherish and defend the hope that the suffering of the wicked would at some time come to an end4#e ,and ,hagenbach1 commenting on a remark of ,augustine1 says1 that even that great father of ,orthodoxy admitted a relative cessation of damnation4 ,also1 ,gieseler affirms1 ,a belief in the unalienable power of amendment in all intelligent beings1 and the limited duration of future punishment1 was general in the ,west1 and among the opponents of ,origen4#f ,of the very time when the influence of ,origen was so great in the ,church1 and when1 there can be no good reason to doubt1 the doctrine of universal salvation was held by many1 if not the majority of ,christians1 ,mr4 ,lecky1 in his history of ,morals in ,europe1 says1 ,the ,christian community exhibited a moral purity which1 if it has been equalled1 has never for a long time been surpassed4 ,dr4 ,schaff says of the condemnation of ,origen1 which included the doctrine of universal restoration1 ,it was a death-blow to theological science in the ,greek ,church1 and left it to stiffen gradually into a mechanical traditionalism and formalism4 ,the increased light shed upon ecclesiastical history during the present century shows most clearly the growth of this faith from the first centuries of the ,christian era to the present time4 ,it has increased with the mental and moral progress of mankind1 with its best civilization4 ,what is written for these pages will represent especially the rise and progress of the ,universalist ,church in ,america4 ,it is proper1 however1 to say that the faith it represents has had growth also in other lands4 ,it has long been known in ,great ,britain1 where a few churches have made a distinct avowal of it1 while individuals scattered here and there have had strong interest in it4 ,the ,unitarians of ,england generally avow it4 ,in the ,established ,church1 faith in the doctrine of endless punishment is not demanded as a condition of church-membership1 while some of its most distinguished leaders have advocated with marked ability the doctrine of the ,fatherhood of ,god in full agreement with the doctrine of the final reconciliation of all souls to him4 ,we meet with ,universalism in its essential elements in ,neander1 the eminent ,christian historian1 and in commentators and scholars in ,england and on the ,continent4 ,the faith is expressed in the poetry of ,wordsworth1 ,tennyson1 and others4#g ,the able ministers ,coquerel 7father and son7 were advocates of it in the ,reformed ,church in ,france 7,paris74 ,the leaven of this faith is in individuals2 the doctrine is often held and openly avowed from the pulpit and through the press1 as well as in private by a large number of persons in various communions1 who may have but little knowledge of each other1 or of the advocacy of this faith elsewhere through special organizations4 #e ,civitate ,dei1 lib4 xxi41 chap4 #af4 #f ,civitate ,dei1 lib4 xxi41 chap4 #af4 #g ,for evidence of the many utterances of the ,universalist idea in the literature of the past1 the reader is referred to the volume entitled ,a ,cloud of ,witnesses1 by ,rev4 ,john ,w4 ,hanson1 ,d4 ,d41 ,chicago1 #ahhj4 ,,chapter ,,iii4 ,,universalism ,,in ,,america4 ,christianity is recognized as a democratic element1 profitable for all conditions of men1 as the ,declaration of ,independence and our ,constitution are the palladium of our civil and religious rights4--,,dr4 ,j4 ,w4 ,,francis1 author of ,old ,new ,york4 ,universalism in ,america took its rise with the ,republic4 ,the coming of ,john ,murray to our shores1 and the proclamation of the gospel of universal grace1 was but a little time previous to the issuing of the ,declaration of ,independence by the ,american colonies4 ,these colonies had come to the full and bold utterance with which the ,declaration opens3 ,we hold these truths to be self-evident1 that all men are created equal2 that they are endowed by their ,creator with certain inalienable rights2 that among these are life1 liberty1 and the pursuit of happiness4 ,through ages of light and of darkness this sacred truth had had but little growth or power in the human mind4 ,but it was there1 and was not to die there4 ,it lived through all the world's change1 commotion1 and revolution1 and the set time had now come when it should have a clearer and stronger expression and demonstration than our old or new worlds had yet known4 ,this declaration of our fathers signified the inestimable value of man--of every man--to himself1 his fellow man1 and his ,god4 ,it asserts the doctrine of human equality1 not that all men have the same intellectual or moral capacities1 or should possess an equal amount of property1 or be invested with the same political privileges2 but the religious doctrine that all are of one blood1 children of one ,father1 protected by one ,providence1 made to aid1 to bless and build each other up in truth1 justice1 and righteousness henceforth while the world stands4 ,it signifies human equality and human rights in their broadest and most rational sense4 ,as wrote ,alexander ,hamilton3 ,all men have one common origin1 they participate in a common nature1 and consequently have one common right4 ,no reason can be assigned why one man should exercise any pre-eminence among his fellow creatures1 unless they have voluntarily vested him with it4 ,it was this conviction1 based on a principle1 that carried our fathers through the ,revolution1 and gave to us that ,constitution which was afterwards the work of their hands4 ,the object of this ,constitution is explicitly declared1 ,to form a more perfect union1 establish justice1 insure domestic tranquillity1 provide for the common defence1 promote the general welfare1 and secure the blessings of liberty to ourselves and our posterity4 ,this signified not the growth and strengthening of a sentiment that would justify the building up of one class upon the subjugation of another4 ,we have a statement of the whole truth in the emphatic language of ,mr4 ,bancroft1 as he speaks of the intent of the framers of the ,declaration on which our ,constitution is based4 ,the ,declaration1 avoiding specious and vague generalities1 grounds itself with anxious care upon the past1 and reconciles right and fact4 ,the assertion of right was made for the entire world of mankind1 and all coming generations1 without any exceptions whatever2 for the proposition which admits of exceptions can never be self-evident4 ,and as it was put forth in the name of the ascendant people of that time1 it was sure to make the circuit of the world1 passing everywhere through the despotic countries of ,europe2 and the astonished nations1 as they read that all men are created equal1 started out of their lethargy1 like those who have been exiles from childhood1 when they suddenly hear the dimly remembered accents of their mother tongue4#h ,it was meet and right that when this great word went forth to awaken the nations to a new realization1 there should be heard at the same time in our land the trumpet notes of that gospel which proclaims the unbinding of the heavy burdens of humanity1 liberty to the captives1 and the opening of the prison to them that are bound4 ,as ,dr4 ,benjamin ,rush1 one of the signers of the ,declaration of ,independence 7and a believer in ,christian ,universalism71 in a letter to ,rev4 ,mr4 ,winchester1 alluding to ,rev4 ,john ,wesley1 writes3 ,his writings will ere long revive in support of our doctrine--for if ,christ died for all1 as ,mr4 ,wesley always taught1 it will soon appear as a necessary consequence that all shall be saved4444 ,at present we wish liberty to the whole world4 ,the next touch of the celestial magnet upon the human heart will direct it into wishes for the salvation of all mankind4 ,this new political life1 upon which our nation entered1 signified the equality1 true sonship1 brotherhood1 capability1 and earthly destination of man4 ,it meant democracy1 not the democracy of numbers merely1 nor of political parties struggling for supremacy and the spoils of the victors1 but a democracy having in view a common good--the greatest good of all4 ,it means intelligence1 thrift1 education1 and religion for the masses2 it means this for one people1 means it for all nations of mankind4 ,precisely this is signified by the re-affirmation on these western shores of that gospel anciently proclaimed to the ,athenians by the ,christian apostle3 ,god1 that made the world 444 hath made of one blood all nations of men1 for to dwell on all the face of the earth1 444 as certain also of your own poets have said1 ,for we are also his offspring4#i ,a common humanity1 a common interest and destiny1 are declared4 ,it is a common humanity with which ,christ is in sympathy2 which makes him who would be highest in the ,divine estimation the servant of all2 which recognizes the ,golden ,rule1 directs the strong to bear the infirmities of the weak1 and men everywhere to be helpers one of another1 because their interests are not antagonistic1 when the laws that govern their nature are clearly understood4 ,they have unity3 ,what binds one1 binds all1 ,love of things true and right4 ,men have1 too1 a common interest under the ,divine guardianship4 ,wherever there is a man1 there is a being in whose soul ,god has implanted aspirations after himself1 a propensity to religion1 a feeling after him which may be misled by superstition1 or overlaid by ignorance1 or elevated by knowledge into purest piety1 but which is yet there4 ,wherever he exists the ,sovereign ,power holds him in discipline1 demands an account from him at his tribunal of impartial justice1 and will not permit him to go out of his hands4 ,to whatever heights he ascends1 ,god still encompasses him2 into whatever depths he may fall1 he is still held by the guardian beneficent power4 ,one destiny1 also1 is affirmed of this great body of humanity2 a blessing instituted in the beginning1 including all families1 kindreds1 nations4 ,no divine favoritism towards one over another do we see4 ,the law and the prophets point towards this universal grace of ,god to man4 ,israel and the ,gentile world shall alike share it4 ,the apocalyptic vision opens it up to the eye of faith4 ,and every creature which is in heaven1 and on the earth1 and under the earth1 and such as are in the sea1 and all that are in them1 heard ,i1 saying1 ,blessing1 and honor1 and glory1 and power1 be unto him that sitteth upon the throne1 and unto the ,lamb1 for ever and ever4#aj ,what is this but the fact1 and the ultimate completeness and glory of the unity of the race8 ,one ,father1 ,brotherhood1 ,saviour1 ,homage1 ,destiny4 ,other theologies had made distinctions and endless separations in representing mankind2 had denied1 as they still deny1 this fraternal relationship1 this positive family connection2 had represented ,god rather as an arbitrary sovereign than loving ,father1 and the ,divine government a wilful monarchy instead of a just and merciful dispensation under which each soul is of equal value1 and the good of one is the good of all4 ,unbelief has said1 as in the language of ,spinoza3 ,the right extends as far as the force of the natural right or law1 jus et institutum natur is nothing more than the rules of the nature of each individual4 ,the divisions and contentions1 classes and castes1 the impositions1 frauds1 and oppressions which have more or less marked the social relations of mankind1 all come of this pernicious error growing out of the unchecked selfishness of the human heart4 ,christian ,universalism forever contradicts this error4 ,it affirms that the great body of humanity is one1 and that it is death to sunder it4 ,if one member suffer1 all the members suffer with it2 if one rejoice1 all rejoice together2 for the body is not one member1 but many4#aa ,in the affirmation of the ,gospel1 religious bigotry and exclusiveness find a constant reproof2 undue boasting1 arrogance1 and pride are hushed by this grand conviction that ,one is our ,father who is in heaven1 and all we are brethren4 ,the broadest philanthropy is awakened everywhere in man4 ,the world becomes the one great field of effort for the enlightenment1 relief1 upraising1 and perfecting of humanity4 ,in the strong and noble words of another3 ,universalism and the ,revolution began to rise together4 ,they were rocked together in the same stormy days1 in the cradle of ,american liberty4#ab ,the banner of ,universalism is love4 ,let that banner be lifted up4 ,it shall symbol yet the true idea of the ,declaration of ,independence1 ',all men are created equal4' ,i look forward to the time when our flag shall wave in unsullied glory1 not over smoking ruins1 at the mast-head of our battle-ships1 on bloody fields1 from the parapets of our forts1 merely2 but the stars and stripes and the white banner together1 floating over slaves redeemed1 sinners converted1 evil statutes abolished1 the people united1 and the ,north and the ,south one4#ac #h ,bancroft's ,history of the ,united ,states1 vol4 viii4 #i ,acts1 xvii4 #bd1 #bh4 #aj ,rev4 v4 #ah4 #aa #a ,cor4 xii4 #ad1 #bf4 #ab ,when ,rev4 ,john ,murray first preached in ,faneuil ,hall1 ,nov4 #bf1 #aggc1 he discoursed from this appropriate text3 ,if the ,son therefore shall make you free1 ye shall be free indeed4--,john1 viii4 #cf4 #ac ,rev4 ,t4 ,whittemore1 ,d4 ,d4 ,speech at ,faneuil ,hall ,festival1 #aheh4 ,,chapter ,,iv4 ,,early ,,advocacy ,,of ,,universalism ,,in ,,america4 ,the voice of him that crieth in the wilderness1 ,prepare ye the way of the ,lord1 make straight in the desert a highway for our ,god4--,,isaiah1 xl4 #c4 ,rev4 ,john ,murray1 from ,england1 landed on the shore of ,new ,jersey in #aggj4 ,he came hither much oppressed in spirit on account of severe afflictions in ,england1 and had determined not to place himself before the public again as a preacher4 ,his published biography tells us how differently the arrangements were made by ,providence respecting him4 ,it is a remarkable record1 that of his meeting with ,thomas ,potter1 who declared that he had been long waiting for the minister who had now come1 that he must preach in the new meeting-house which had been builded for him2 and who1 in face of the preacher's refusal to comply with his request1 declared that the wind would not change for him to leave in the vessel until he had delivered his message4 ,after a severe mental conflict the stranger consented to preach on the following ,sunday4 ,due notice was given1 and the house was filled with attentive listeners4 ,there had been some other preaching of ,universalism in different places in ,america previous to this time1 as there were here and there those who cherished the faith and made public avowal of it4 ,dr4 ,george de ,benneville1 a fugitive from ,france because of religious persecution1 established himself near ,germantown1 ,pa41 as a physician1 and being a devout believer in ,universalism1 took occasion often to advocate it in public1 with much effect4 ,this beginning on the part of ,mr4 ,murray1 however1 opened the way to a systematic1 permanent movement1 and led to the establishment of ,universalist churches4 ,he preached much in ,new ,england1 and was settled in ,portsmouth1 ,n4 ,h41 and afterwards in ,boston1 where he remained pastor of one church for nearly thirty years4 ,in his preaching at first1 ,mr4 ,murray did not design to establish a separate sect4 ,he was welcomed by ministers and their followers into orthodox pulpits1 until his outspoken views respecting the salvation of the race raised a strong opposition against him1 which made him an object of persecution1 and marked him as the propagator of a dangerous heresy4 ,thus excluded from ,christian communion and fellowship by other sects1 it was but reasonable and just that the believers in ,universalism should assume for themselves the rights and privileges of a distinct and independent ,christian fraternity2 so that other sects were responsible for the separation of this branch of the ,christian church from themselves4 ,it has been justly said by another3-- ,if there was sin in this schism1 in this separate religious organization1 it was a sin for which the other sects of those times should bear the blame4 ,they turned us out of doors1 because we dared express our earnest solemn opinions1 and we had only these two alternatives1--to stay out of doors or go in at those which were hung on ,universalist hinges4 ,does anybody to-day condemn us because we chose the latter8 ,we do not uncharitably condemn them for the course they took2 they acted1 in most cases1 conscientiously2 and it was1 perhaps1 a providential necessity of the times that the two elements should separate2 that the two classes of ,christians1 holding views so opposite1 should walk apart for a while4 ,denied the fellowship of other churches at the start1 we have tried to be content with the fellowship of ,christ2 and we neither desire nor ask for any other until we are deemed worthy of it4 ,that we can endure to be called heretics1 even infidels1 that we can stand alone1 and yet live1 and grow1 and win the respect of the best part of the world1 is already demonstrated4 ,our great anxiety in the future will be to show to all right-minded people1 by our life rather than our word1 that we are ,christians1 that this last form of ,protestantism is only more genuine1 because nearer the truth1 than the first4#ad ,contemporary with ,mr4 ,murray during his early ministry in ,america were ,elhanan ,winchester1 a highly gifted and effective minister2 ,thomas ,jones1 formerly of the ,lady ,huntington connection in ,england1 and afterwards settled at ,gloucester1 ,mass42 ,adams and ,zebulon ,streeter1 ,caleb ,rich1 ,thomas ,barnes1 ,noah ,parker1 ,noah ,murray1 ,george ,richards1 ,william ,farwell1 ,joab ,young1 ,hosea and ,david ,ballou1 ,edward ,turner1--most of these preachers in ,new ,england2 ,abel ,sargent in ,western ,pennsylvania1 and a few others4 ,dr4 ,joseph ,priestley was for a time in ,philadelphia1 where he advocated the doctrine of the final restoration of all souls2 and ,rev4 ,dr4 ,mayhew and ,rev4 ,dr4 ,chauncey1 although not identified with the work of the ministers already mentioned1 had made distinct avowals of this same faith4 ,a remarkable fact in connection with the history of most of these men is1 that they were not from theological schools1 nor largely endowed with literary qualifications4 ,they were men of clear mental perceptions1 were well versed in the ,bible1 ready and apt in their references to it1 of sincere convictions1 and of indomitable will4 ,they went forth in readiness for whatever encounters might await them1 never fearing what theological forces might appear in their way1 so long as they felt assured that the sword of the ,spirit would not fail them1 and that they should be made strong in the ,lord1 and victorious in his might4 ,well has it been written3-- ,it will be brave reading when somebody shall display to us how the faith came quietly to exist at far distant points1 ,pennsylvania1 ,new ,york1 ,new ,england1 variously born of widely different antecedents1 but gradually converging to a general likeness by the time ,john ,murray came to be the nucleus around which all should centre1 an organic but unorganized mass1 without form but not void4 ,then will follow the long history of separated and desultory warfare with the established prejudices and partialities of the ,christian sects1 during which every verse of ,scripture was discussed1 every doctrine examined from the base1 every conventional habit of thought dragged to the light and called to account1 every inch of theological ground stubbornly fought over4 ,all this while there were annual meetings called the ,general ,convention and recognized as a centre of denominational union1 but they were little more than voluntary mass-meetings2 all authority was jealously reserved to societies or local ,associations1 with the largest liberty of individual preference1 and ,universalists1 like ,israel under its ,judges1 did as seemed good in every man's sight4 ,men in less deadly earnest1 or dealing with doctrines less profound and fundamental1 would have formed a close compact early in their history4 ,but it was in the nature of the case that these revolted thinkers should be shy of new bonds1 and that these divers searching the deeps should think little of the surface4 ,it was only when there came to be multitudes born in the faith1 with intellectual habits and social affinities based on ,universalism1 with established worship and gathered congregations scattered across the continent1 that the imperative need of a firm union for work and discipline was felt2 and to reach this point had taken almost a hundred years4#ae ,as time passes1 and new phases of the church representing the ,universalist faith appear1 and new advocates of it arise1 these days of its first advocacy in our land may lose their significance to many minds in the increasing attractions connected with the same church in the present time4 ,but he who would see most clearly the hand of ,divine ,providence in the breaking of the light of this new dispensation upon our shores1 will hold in just and sacred estimation this day of small things1 when these faithful ones stood forth to declare its glad tidings4 ,so graphically have the words of another given the deserved tribute to their works1 that we gladly record them in these pages4 ,the early defenders of ,universalism were plain1 earnest men1 aroused to the exertion of all their energies by the presence of a great thought4 ,the truth of ,god's universal love and benevolent purpose in creation possessed them4 ,they saw it everywhere1 prefigured in ,hebrew types1 predicted by the prophets1 implied in every word of ,jesus1 enforced in every letter of his apostles4 ,they taught it in all places1 and by all methods1 in parish churches and district school-houses1 in fields and workshops1 in pulpits with stones flying about their heads1 in rooms filled with the odor of nauseous drugs1 in face of the reckless slander of the undignified and the quiet contempt of the dignified portion of the clergy4 ,they were armed at all points1 like the old war engines that1 overturned every moment1 always stood right side up4 ,they turned the tables upon the literal ,calvinistic interpreters1 and held a text to floor every opponent4 ,they were not moved by ridicule1 for they possessed a keen sense of the ludicrous1 and knew well how to expose the absurdities of the piebald theology of the churches4 ,to the threats of their opponents they opposed ,hudibrastic rhymes2 to their missiles1 words like old ,murray's1 ',while ,i have a thus saith the ,lord for every point of doctrine which ,i advance1 not all the stones in ,boston1 except they stop my breath1 shall shut my mouth or arrest my testimony4' ,to the arguments of their adversaries1 a logic like that of ,ballou1 simple as the talk of a little child1 strong as the tramp of a giant4 ,there were varieties of opinion among them2 they had not all come up to the mount of their elevation by the same path1 but the sublime truth ',god is ,love' burned like an undying flame in their souls1 and united them like brothers4 ,thank ,god that the sleep of the church was awakened by these strong champions4 ,nobly they spake their words in days when it was a disgrace in the eyes of men6#af #ad ,rev4 ,j4 ,h4 ,tuttle1 ,d4 ,d4 #ae ,rev4 ,j4 ,smith ,dodge1 ,d4 ,d4 #af ,rev4 ,a4 ,d4 ,mayo1 ,sermon at ,funeral of ,rev4 ,thomas ,jones of ,gloucester1 ,mass41 #ahdf4 ,,chapter ,v4 ,,growth4 ,day by day the doctrine of the eternity of evil is being driven into its native night before a higher view of the nature of ,god1 and a nobler belief in ,him as the undying righteousness4--,,rev4 ,,stopford ,a4 ,,brooke4 ,at the beginning of the present century1 thirty years from the time of ,mr4 ,murray's first preaching in ,america1 there were a few more than twenty preachers of ,universalism here4 ,by the year #ahac there were forty2 in #ahdj there were four hundred and sixty-three4 ,at the present time our church ,register reports the number seven hundred and thirty4 ,and this increase of ministerial force is not the most noticeable fact in connection with the advancement of this faith4 ,other instrumentalities are to be taken into the account4 ,as the preacher at the centenary meeting of the ,national ,convention stated3 ,our lists1 latterly1 have been more closely pruned2 our parishes have been greatly strengthened2 our bases of operations have been fortified2 our clergy have made great advances in devising liberal things2 and our laity1 possessing far greater wealth1 and holding far higher social positions than formerly1 more nobly respond1 and with greater alacrity1 to the far-sighted demands now so frequently made upon them4 ,there are scores of our parishes in the various sections of our ,zion1 any one of which can now be moved to a greater work for a worthy object outside its own interests1 than could our whole church twenty-five years ago4#ag ,educational improvements have also contributed to this favorable change4 ,at first there were no theological seminaries nor academies in aid of this faith4 ,in process of time these grew up and were made serviceable in the promotion of it1 so that now not less than seven academies1 five colleges1 including three professional schools1 two of divinity and one of law1 having an aggregate property of more than two millions of dollars1 are to be counted among its working forces4 ,the publications in the interests of this faith have had large increase4 ,books1 pamphlets1 tracts1 weekly and monthly journals1 and the ,quarterly1 commentaries on the ,scriptures1 together with well-sustained publishing houses1 are additional influences constantly in operation to aid the efforts of the ministry4 ,the ,murray ,centenary ,fund1 projected in #ahfi1 is designed to aid in the education of the clergy1 the circulation of denominational literature1 and in church extension4 ,this ,fund amounted1 ,oct4 #a1 #ahhj1 to #aba1geg4bi4 ,the ,woman's ,centenary ,aid ,association was organized in #ahfi to assist in raising the ,murray ,fund1 and was incorporated ,sept4 #ah1 #ahgc4 ,it is supported wholly by voluntary contributions and annual memberships4 ,these are all evidences of life and advancement1 and indicate a larger increase in the future1 which may be realized with a zeal in operation like that which has effected the change already noted4 ,of the theological changes realized since the opening of the present century1 what shall we say8 and all of them indicating an approach to this very faith of which we are speaking4 ,when ,murray and his contemporaries entered upon their work in ,america1 the old ,calvinistic theology had almost undisputed sway here2 and for fifty years afterwards it was more or less so4 ,but since #ahcj up to the present time1 including the middle of this century1 the advancement in theological thought has been as marked as have these other changes and signs of progress to which we have alluded4 ,true1 ,arminianism came in with the ,methodistic movement1 and made vigorous warfare upon the old theology1 with its five points so tenaciously adhered to4 ,but ,methodism held fast that abominable dogma1 eternal punishment1 and failed to see ,god's purposes any more effective in the final salvation of souls than did ,calvinism with its full assurance of the salvation of the elect only4 ,the ,arminian deity seems to have had no fixed purpose as to the number of the finally redeemed4 ,though he foreknew1 he was not pleased to ordain1 or in the words of ,dr4 ,adam ,clarke3 ,i conclude that ,god1 although omniscient1 is not obliged1 in consequence of this1 to know all that he can know4#ah ,the ,god of ,calvin1 though having a determinate will1 appeared as a tyrannical sovereign2 the ,god of ,arminius1 as lacking in purpose and in power4 ,the one made the salvation of a certain number sure2 the other left all in uncertainty1 because so much depended solely on the will of the creature4 ,the two systems summed up1 however1 amounted to ,universalism4 ,the one affirmed that every soul for whom ,christ died would be saved2 the other1 that ,christ1 by the grace of ,god1 tasted death for every man4#ai ,opposed as were the two sects representing these theologies1 in the beginning1 they have settled down into quite a fraternal compromise during the last half century4 ,pulpit exchanges are free among their ministers1 and1 although here and there some of the old peculiarities of ,calvinism occasionally find utterance1 the statement of a noted ,congregationalist minister seems to express the thought of both parties1 ,election means1 whosoever will2 reprobation1 whosoever wont4#bj ,it was in face of what were deemed the main errors of both these theologies that ,universalism stood forth as the vindicator of ,god the just and merciful ,father of all his children1 their ,judge and ,saviour1 through ,christ who gave himself a ransom for all1 and whose own expressive statement of the result of his ministry was1 ,and ,i1 if ,i be lifted up from the earth1 will draw all men unto me4#ba ,it has been during the ministry of this faith in the present century that the leading doctrines of the theology formerly prevalent in our land have been questioned1 investigated1 and in many minds outgrown4 ,who now believes in the endless suffering of infants8 a doctrine deemed unquestionable in the churches a century ago4 ,even the existence of it at that time1 in face of the most stubborn facts1 has been denied by those whose parents and grandparents heard it from the ,christian pulpit4 ,who assents to the doctrine of the total depravity of human nature1 its inability to do a good deed or think a good thought1 and its utter odiousness in ,god's sight8 ,what considerations and reconsiderations are there of that doctrine of atonement which involves the assumption that ,god was so incensed against his sinful children that ,christ1 the second and more merciful person in the ,godhead1 came into the world and died to appease the wrath of ,god and render it possible for him to be merciful to the delinquents2 and how much more emphatic is the conviction finding utterance1 so eminently expressive of ,christian ,universalism1 ,god so loved the world1 that he gave his only begotten ,son1 that whosoever believeth in him should not perish1 but have everlasting life4 ,for ,god sent not his ,son into the world to condemn the world1 but that the world through him might be saved4#bb ,and the doctrine of endless punishment1 how1 during the time of which we are speaking1 has this been questioned in the churches of our land4 ,it has been seen that the divine character is involved in this doctrine1 and that one of the most difficult of all theological works is to vindicate this character in the light of it4 ,formerly1 it was deemed little short of impiety to question the justice of ,god when this horrible doctrine was represented as an indication and vindication of it4 ,to cite emphatically the passage in ,matthew 7xxv4 #df71 ,these shall go away into everlasting punishment1 but the righteous into life eternal1 was considered evidence enough that the divine justice could and would be signalized in the utter banishment of great numbers of his children from him1 world without end4 ,to question the exegesis of the passage as generally given--the original meaning of the word rendered everlasting and eternal--was regarded as a direct affront to the human wisdom of the past that had sanctioned it2 and to declare such an explanation of it as derogatory to the ,eternal ,goodness1 was to question the veracity of the ,high and ,holy ,one6 ,but the thoughts of men have kept at work2 inquiry has gone on2 the old explanation has been most confidently and emphatically denied1 and a more reasonable and consistent one given4 ,even the most respectable orthodoxy itself has conceded that the aionian punishment here set forth is not necessarily to be understood as implying endless duration1 and that in the argument henceforth against the doctrine of universal restoration1 this old interpretation of the text need be no longer urged4#bc ,we have reserved a more extended view of this subject1 however1 for the close of this volume4 #ag ,rev4 ,dr4 ,a4 ,a4 ,miner1 ,discourse at ,gloucester1 ,september1 #ahgj4 #ah ,comm4 on ,acts1 ii4 #bc4 #ai ,heb4 ii4 #i4 #bj ,rev4 ,h4 ,w4 ,beecher4 #ba ,john1 xii4 #cb2 #a ,tim4 ii4 #d4 #bb ,john1 iii4 #af1 #ag4 #bc ,dr4 ,taylor ,lewis4 ,,chapter ,,vi4 ,,universalism4--,,unitarianism4--,,rati onalism4 ,and are built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets1 ,jesus ,christ himself being the chief corner-stone4--,,eph4 ii4 #bj4 ,since the growth of the ,universalist faith during the present century in our country1 that phase of ,liberal ,christianity denominated ,unitarianism has had its rise4 ,it was an outcome of the ,arminianism in orthodox churches4 ,it advocated the doctrine of the ,unity of ,god1 in opposition to that of the ,trinity as held by most of the churches in ,new ,england4#bd ,it also rejected the doctrine of total depravity1 affirming that man had within him the germs of goodness1 and needed the work of ,christian culture to insure his true religious growth and perfection4 ,respecting the destination of man beyond the grave it had no uniform affirmation4 ,its leading ministers--,drs4 ,channing1 ,dewey1 ,gannett1 and others--were undecided as to this great question4 ,dr4 ,channing uttered his protest against the horrible thought of interminable suffering1 as affirmed by the dominant sects1 while his statements respecting the wasted and ill-spent life make it an impassable gulf from our ,creator and from pure and happy beings1--a consuming fire and undying worm4 ,dr4 ,gannett has similar opinions3 ,self-reproach1 exclusion from the happiness of heaven1 removal from the favor of ,god2 to live but to suffer1 to feel one's self at variance with all that is true and good and beautiful in the universe2 what more it is1 eternity will disclose4 ,rev4 ,mr4 ,alger thinks no fair critic can say that 1 eternal or everlasting1 when applied to punishment1 means absolutely endless1 nor1 on the other hand1 that it does not so mean4 ,the late ,rev4 ,e4 ,h4 ,sears writes that it is the average opinion of ,unitarians that ,restoration is not a doctrine of ,revelation4 ,the ,american ,unitarian ,association said3 ,while we do generally hold to the doctrine of the final universality of salvation as a consistent speculation of the reason and a strong belief of the heart1 yet we deem it to be in each case a matter of contingency1 always depending on conditions freely to be accepted or rejected4 ,the editor of the ,monthly ,religious ,magazine--the principal of that class published by ,unitarians--writes1 in #ahgj3 ,unitarians do not believe in ,universal ,restoration as a doctrine of ,revelation fairly yielded by the interpretation of the ,scriptures4 ,this1 we mean1 is the average opinion4 ,they do not think the ,bible gives any verdict as to the final salvation of all mankind4 ,dr4 ,dewey1 in later times 7as in his discourse in the volume of ,pitt ,street ,chapel ,lectures71 has defined the doctrine of the ,paternity of ,god so as to seem in agreement with that of the final salvation of all souls4 ,and at the present time perhaps the largest number of ,unitarian ministers would not hesitate to give their assent to this doctrine on philosophical or scriptural grounds4 ,for the full and clear affirmation of the doctrine of the ,fatherhood of ,god and the ,brotherhood of ,man1--the former giving assurance of a merciful care of ,god's offspring1 and the latter of the final union1 and not separation1 of the great human family1--we are indebted to the fathers of ,universalism in our land1--,murray1 the ,ballous1 the ,streeters1 and their contemporaries4 ,the ,universalism which they declared and defended was that of the absolute and universal reign of ,divine love1--love that is ever calling the child to obedience and happiness1 and warning him against the inevitable and dire consequences of transgression2 love that sent ,jesus ,christ into the world as the world's ,regenerator1 unto whom every knee shall bow1 and whom every tongue shall confess to be ,lord to the glory of ,god the ,father2 love that can and will overcome all hatred1 make an end of sin1 destroy death1 and bring in everlasting righteousness4 ,this is the ,universalism that has led the way in this great advance and change of theological thought1 in the ,new ,england and other churches1 which is so widespread at this hour4 ,it did not wait for public opinion to be ready for it1 but went out on its mission1 confronting as determined an opposition as has ever met any rising sect since the apostolic days4 ,its first advocates1 and most of those who have succeeded them1 have had a definite theology1 a positive faith to affirm4 ,they have declared it to the world as the best1 the pre-eminent faith1 standing not in the wisdom of men but in the power of ,god2 and have asked1 as they are still asking1 all the churches and all the world1 to show them a better if they are able to do so4 ,the sincere believers in this faith of the ,gospel are glad to welcome all other ,christians who would work with them in the eradication of religious error and the enlightenment of men by the ,word of ,god1 that liveth and abideth forever4 ,for what the ,unitarian ,churches have done of this work they have reason to be thankful1 and would heartily co-operate with them in every effort to this desirable and heavenly end4 ,the literary culture and scholarship contributed by ,unitarians to the theological thought of the last half-century1 as also the faithful and efficient work which they have accomplished1 are1 we think1 justly appreciated by ,universalists4 ,they would render to all their dues1 while they would humbly but righteously claim their own4 ,it has been a subject of regret on their part1--this was inevitable1--that in consideration of the ,rationalism1 so-called1 which has so marked this period1 ,unitarians could not have taken a more positive and united stand in regard to the ,divine authority of ,christianity1 as made known in the ,scriptures of the ,old and ,new ,testaments4 ,since ,rev4 ,theodore ,parker avowed his ,rationalism1 and began his ,sunday worship service in ,boston1 it has seemed to most ,universalists1 as it has to not a few ,unitarians1 that a more definite theology and an avowed basis of its claims have been called for on the part of those who would displace old errors and establish the older truth of the ,christian ,gospel2 so that when the question is honestly asked1 as it often may be1 ,what is the difference between ,universalism and ,unitarianism8 the answer need not necessarily be another question1 ,what kind of ,unitarianism8 ,such a diversity of opinion as must abound where there is no theological basis of ,christian fellowship in any sect or fraternity1 must fail to give it that concentrated power of ,christian truth so evidently needed to turn a perverted world right side up in its religious faith and life4 ,the ,universalist ,church has all along been aware of this need of a substantial basis of ,christian faith in order to its vitality and success4 ,when the ,rationalism of ,mr4 ,parker was attracting the attention of the public1 a vigorous discussion came up in the ,universalist journals of the time1 whether a man should be sustained as a ,christian minister who denies the peculiarly divine character of ,christ and the account given of his miracles in the ,scriptures1 and of his resurrection from the dead4#be ,the adjourned session of the ,boston ,association at ,cambridgeport in ,december1 #ahdg1 gave special attention to this subject4 ,the resolution presented at a former session a few months before at ,lynn1 and now again reported1 was this3-- ,resolved1 ,that this ,association express its solemn conviction that1 in order for one to be regarded as a ,christian minister with respect to faith1 he must believe in the ,bible account of the life1 teachings1 miracles1 death1 and resurrection of the ,lord ,jesus ,christ4 ,the resolution was sustained by a very large majority of the clergy and laity4 ,it was a plain and honest utterance1 and gave the ,christian world to understand the position of the ,universalist ,church in regard to authoritative ,christianity4 ,as might have been expected1 there was still much discussion as to the grounds of true ,christian fellowship4 ,it was followed up quite earnestly for a time by ,universalists4 ,the question of chief interest was1 ,is not the faith of the heart 7affections7 of more importance than the faith of the intellect8 ,shall not the good man have ,christian fellowship whatever his theological opinions may be8 ,in the light of the apostolic statement1 ,the letter killeth1 it is the spirit that giveth life1 is not the spirit of primary interest1 and the letter comparatively inconsequential8 ,to which it was replied that the spirit of a religion is to be most clearly understood by the letter which explains it2 that the faith of the intellect and that of the heart should correspond1 in order to the most perfect ,christian discipleship2 that the good man may be found in all religious communities1 but that a good ,mohammedan or ,brahman could not properly claim ,christian fellowship1 not receiving ,christ as the pre-eminent teacher of divine truth4 ,dr4 ,a4 ,p4 ,peabody1 of the ,unitarian ,church1 very fairly stated the subject in a discourse given by him at the time of which we speak3-- ,one question is1 whether those who take opposite views of the authenticity of the ,christian miracles shall recognize each other as good men2 and the other1 whether they shall give each other countenance as ,christian teachers4 ,the former question ,i am prepared to answer with a cordial yes2 the latter1 with an unhesitating and an unqualified no4#bf ,about the same time there appeared in the ,universalist ,quarterly for ,october1 #ahdf1 from the pen of its able editor1 ,rev4 ,dr4 ,hosea ,ballou1 an article on ,the ,faith requisite to ,christian ,fellowship4 ,the subject is sounded to its depths1 and presented in all its bearings1 clear as light1 and plain and conclusive as logic can make it2 and all in a spirit of the utmost candor4 ,it has never been answered4 ,it may not be improper to speak in this connection of one who1 in the beginning of his public life1 appeared as a minister in the ,unitarian communion1 but who afterwards very conscientiously left the ministry and became a literary author and public lecturer1 and who acquired a fame everywhere acknowledged in the civilized world as one of its eminent lights and leaders1 ,mr4 ,ralph ,waldo ,emerson4 ,as an author1 lecturer1 and reformer he has made an indelible impression on the minds of men during the last half century4 ,the foremost thinkers acknowledged their indebtedness to him4 ,in his earlier days many of his statements indicated pantheistic opinions4 ,his discourse before the ,divinity ,school in ,harvard ,university in #ahch--so clearly and ably replied to by ,rev4 ,dr4 ,ware--seemed a singular questioning of the personality of ,god1 and his statements in reference to the personal immortality of the soul hardly indicated a strong ,christian hope of this blessing4 ,but in his later expressions of opinion we are differently taught4 ,his biographer says of him3#bg ,he is not a sceptic or a rationalist in the philosophic sense1 and has no real affinity with any of these schools of thought4 ,his own words1 indicative of the ,deity1 are3 ,nature is too thin a screen2 the glory of the ,creator breaks in everywhere4 ,there is no chance1 no anarchy in the universe4 ,of the divine beneficence he says1 ,we see the steady aim of benefit in view from the first4 ,melioration is the law4 ,the evils we suffer will at last end themselves1 through the incessant opposition of ,nature to everything hurtful4 ,and of immortality1 ,all great natures delight in stability2 all great men find eternity affirmed in the very promise of their faculties4 ,the being that can share a thought and a feeling so sublime as confidence in truth is no mushroom2 our dissatisfaction with any other solution is the blazing evidence of immortality4 ,and of the divine ruling3 ,every wrong is punished2 no moral evil can prosper at last2 the good is absolute1 the evil only phenomenal4 ,and of the significance of ,christ1 this language is emphatic3 ,you must not leave out the word ,christian1 for to leave out that is to leave out everything4 ,all these declarations1 as we apprehend them1 are in perfect accord with the teaching1 spirit1 and assurance of the ,universalism of the ,new ,testament4 ,in the grandest conceptions to which their author has given utterance1 we know of nothing that reaches beyond this1 and it is for this that we welcome him as a witness to the truth of the ,christian ,gospel4 #bd ,the volume on the ,atonement1 issued in #ahje by ,rev4 ,hosea ,ballou1 was the first of any note1 in this country1 in which the subordination of ,christ to the ,father was maintained4 ,dr4 ,mayhew and ,rev4 ,james ,freeman1 of ,boston1 had already preached anti-,trinitarian views in that city1 and ,dr4 ,priestley and a ,mr4 ,butler had preached them in other parts of the country4 ,but ,mr4 ,ballou's circumstances had not1 it is likely1 allowed him to know what these men believed and taught4--,,rev4 ,,dr4 ,a4 ,p4 ,,putnam1 in ,religious ,magazine1 ,april1 #ahga4 #be ,mr4 ,parker's views were the subject of special note and examination on the part of the ,universalist journals4 ,a candid and able review of his opinions was given in ,the ,universalist ,miscellany of ,april1 #ahde1 by the editor1 ,rev4 ,o4 ,a4 ,skinner4 ,rev4 ,mr4 ,lothrop1 of the ,brattle ,square ,church 7,unitarian71 delivered and published a strong discourse in opposition to the ,rationalism of ,mr4 ,parker4 #bf ,anti-,supernaturalism1 a sermon delivered ,july #ac1 #ahde1 before the ,senior ,class of the ,divinity ,school1 ,harvard ,university4 #bg ,biography of ,ralph ,waldo ,emerson1 by ,g4 ,w4 ,cook4 ,,chapter ,,vii4 ,,reform ,,movements ,,and ,,universalism4 ,universalism is the ultimate of every expansive thought1 of every comprehensive sympathy1 of all action that embraces man as man1 and works in faith for the world's redemption4--,,rev4 ,e4 ,g4 ,,brooks1 ,d4 ,d4 ,the increasing interest awakened by the discussion of such topics of reform as peace1 temperance1 human freedom1 the treatment of criminals1 and others involving the moral uplifting and advancement of mankind1 very naturally had its effect upon the ,universalist ,church4 ,there were not a few in it who saw very clearly that the great ,gospel in which they believed was in the world to do a regenerative work with the human family2 that its first word to every one to whom it came was the call to reformation of character and life2 that it was a direct and perpetual opposition to all that hinders this work1 and that therefore they who profess to be its friends and advocates should embrace every opportunity of applying its heavenly forces to the diminishing of human wrong and the establishing of the reign of righteousness in the earth4 ,as other churches were awakened and agitated on these reform questions1 so was this one1 and in due time it took its stand and made its manifestations in a way creditable to its profession1 and in accordance with its hopeful and catholic faith4 ,one of the organizations for the furtherance of this work of ,christian reform instituted by this church was that of the ,universalist ,reform ,association4 ,the first direct action taken in reference to the subject was at the session of the ,massachusetts ,universalist ,convention in ,hingham1 ,june1 #ahdf1 when the following resolution offered by ,rev4 ,c4 ,h4 ,fay1 of ,roxbury1 was unanimously adopted3-- ,resolved1 ,that this ,convention recommend to the ,universalists of ,new ,england to form an ,association to be known as the ,new ,england ,universalist ,reform ,association1 which shall meet annually in ,boston during ',anniversary ,week1' having for its object the collection of such statistical information relative to the various reform movements of the age as illustrates not only the progress of ,christianity as we understand it1 but the best means of promoting and applying it4 ,a committee was chosen to carry the resolution into effect4 ,an appointed sub-committee issued a circular1 urging upon all interested1 attention to the main objects of the ,association1 which were3-- #a4 ,to consider the influence of ,universalist sentiments in the various reform movements of the age4 ,it must be evident that these sentiments are not essentially confined to the sect which openly professes them4 ,we hold that they lie at the foundation of every true effort for the prevalence of ,temperance1 ,love1 ,peace1 ,freedom1 and all movements which recognize the ,paternity of ,god and the ,brotherhood of ,man4 ,to establish the truth of the ultimate connection of these doctrines with all the philanthropic action of our age1 to collect statistics and facts which demonstrate it1 and to exchange sentiments upon the subject1 constitute one great object of the ,association4 #b4 ,to assume our appropriate position in relation to these reforms2 to exert our legitimate influence in them2 and to show in our actions the practical conclusion of ,universalist premises1--that he who believes in ,god's universal ,paternity and the ,brotherhood of the race cannot in any way countenance ,war1 ,intemperance1 ,slavery1 or ,capital ,punishment1 but consistently opposes and strives to abolish them all4 ,the time of holding the meeting1 too1 deserves consideration4 ,it is on ,anniversary ,week1 a week when almost every moral question now agitating the civilized world is represented and discussed in ,boston4 ,hitherto we have sent out no such influence on this occasion as we believe we may exert if our power shall be concentrated and put in operation4 ,we see not why our ,reform meetings may not be among the most interesting of all now held during this well-known season4#bh ,and they were4 ,they began successfully1 and were steadily and profitably held1 up to #ahei1 during years when these vital moral questions were more intensely considered and debated in ,new ,england and throughout our land than at any previous period4 ,very carefully prepared and able reports were year by year presented to the ,association1 and resolutions involving the merits of these reformatory topics freely and amicably discussed4 ,often in other meetings1 conventions1 associations1 conferences1 where ecclesiastical matters claimed the chief attention1 the introduction of these reformatory subjects would cause uneasiness and elicit much fault-finding on the part of those opposed to the introduction of such agitative themes into these meetings of the church4 ,but at the yearly assemblings of the ,reform ,association the largest liberty was taken by all who desired to express their opinions on these great questions of the day4 ,the first meeting was a success4 ,it was held in the ,second ,universalist ,church1 ,school ,street1 on ,thursday1 ,may #bg1 #ahdg4 ,four addresses were given on these subjects1 ,peace1 ,criminal ,reform1 ,temperance1 and ,human ,freedom1 and appropriate resolutions discussed and adopted4 ,in connection with this session a social festival was held on ,friday morning1 and was an occasion of unusual enjoyment to all who took part in it4 ,the historian1 ,richard ,frothingham1 ,esq41 presided1 and made an admirable opening address4 ,he was followed by others1 among them ,chapin1 then of rising fame4 ,pretending to have in hand only skirts and fragments of ideas1 he magically forms them into completeness1 and endues them with power4 ,he speaks of ,christianity and ,reform3-- ,christianity has not changed or added anything to itself4 ,but we find in it latent truths2 we discern new meaning in old truths4 ,his eye had rested that very morning upon the passage which ,jesus read in the synagogue at ,nazareth3 ',the ,spirit of the ,lord is upon me1 because he hath anointed me to preach the gospel to the poor2 he hath sent me to heal the broken-hearted1 to preach deliverance to the captives1 and recovering of sight to the blind1 to set at liberty them that are bruised1 to preach the acceptable year of the ,lord4' ,what a profound meaning does this passage receive now1 in the light of these stirring reforms6 ,how does the truth open before us1 vast and deep as the blue heaven over our heads6 ,christianity authorizes and animates these social movements4 ,its social spirit and its labors of love make us live more in a year than elsewhere in a lifetime4 ,the early fathers of our faith began their labor in the early morning1 when the light of the truth they announced just tinged the mountain-tops2 and now1 as they are about vanishing from our horizon1 the full effulgence shines upon their gray hairs1 and makes them a crown of glory6 ,the venerable ,ballou made the concluding speech4 ,his words were modest1 sweet1 and patriarchal4 ,from that ancient saying of ,jesus1 ,the kingdom of heaven is like unto leaven1 which a woman took and hid in three measures of meal1 till the whole was leavened1 he brought out fresh and comprehensive words inspired by the scenes of yesterday and to-day1 and eloquently urged home the admonition to his denominational children around him1 that they should seek to accomplish all their reformatory work in the spirit of ,christian love4 ,he concluded1 and at the word of the president ,the ,brave ,old ,oak was sung1 and responded to by the applause of the audience4 ,from year to year1 as these meetings occurred1 there was a strong interest in them4 ,they were meetings where freedom of speech was welcomed and enjoyed4 ,the most searching inquiry was invited1 and the pro et contra of every resolution offered was presented in all the earnestness in which the debaters deemed it their privilege to indulge4 ,the resolutions at the first meetings of the ,association indicate its ,christian basis4 ,they are expressive of gratitude to ,god in view of the development of our faith in all the great reform movements of the time2 that we recognize the ,word of ,god1 especially the ,new ,testament scripture1 as the basis of all genuine reform2 that an age as prolific as is the present in schemes for the improvement of the race1 including such variety1 from the most reasonable to the most ,utopian1 demands of every ,christian the most candid and prayerful discrimination1 that all his endeavors may be wisely directed2 that in these movements we discern the promise of a better time coming1 and of the kingdom of ,god upon the earth2 that as religious sentiment is the controlling element of man's life1 therefore the only true reform is that which seeks to influence men through the medium of religious faith4 ,in discussing topics involving the morals of politics and the great interests of the ,american ,republic1 the members of all political parties were regarded as on equal ground4 ,the minister in these meetings had no hesitancy in preaching the morals of politics as he understood them1 whatever the opinions of his parishioners at home might be4 ,the religion of ,christianity was mixed with politics as the larger quantity1 and wrong1 as wrong1 arraigned wherever it might be found in church or state1 in social or individual habit or life4 ,our public servants in their high places were deemed subjects of note and animadversion1 if their conduct seemed to call for it1 in the spirit of the prayer offered by the elder ,dr4 ,beecher in ,faneuil ,hall3 ,o ,lord1 preserve us from speaking evil of our public servants1 and especially save them from such wrong conduct as may call for such speaking on our part6 ,a resolution passed at the first meeting of the ,association states that1 while the early ,christians were only subjects1 ,american citizens are the constituents of civil government2 and in all ages ,christians are bound to act the ,christian principles in all their relations4 ,during the anti-slavery excitement1 when the hunters for fugitive slaves were desecrating the ground of ,new ,england1 and members of ,congress in their interests were repealing the ,missouri ,compromise1 and many of the ministers of ,new ,england were bold enough to remonstrate with them for such action1 these most emphatic resolutions were freely debated and unanimously adopted by the ,association4 ,resolved1 ,that the clergymen of ,new ,england1 in their ,protest against the repeal of the ,missouri ,compromise1 have pledged themselves anew to freedom and the laws of ,god2 that this ,association cordially approve the course of those who signed the ,protest1 or otherwise labored to prevent the desecration of that vast territory which had been consecrated by solemn compact to liberty forever2 and we request those ,christian ministers who refused to sign that ,protest to review their position in regard to this subject4 ,resolved1 ,that the men from the ,north1 and especially from ,new ,england1 who have voted for the iniquitous ,nebraska ,bill1 have proved themselves traitors to the cause of freedom and to the most hallowed traditions of our fathers1 and that their conduct deserves the united1 unqualified1 perpetual reprobation of all friends to human rights1 which reprobation should be emphatically expressed at the ballot-box4 ,the annual festivals held in those days in ,boston by the ,universalists were essentially pervaded by the spirit of this ,association4 ,the sentiments1 songs1 and speeches on these occasions were alive with the reformatory inspiration of the ,christian ,gospel4 ,the signs of the times were clearly recognized by the speakers1 and whatever the especial excitement of the day might be1 it was sure to find a sympathetic tongue and ear at the festival table4 ,the festival in #ahed occurring about the time of the rendition of ,anthony ,burns1 the anti-slavery feeling was at white heat4 ,when the company entered ,faneuil ,hall and were taking their seats1 some sensitively conservative brethren could not suppress the expression of their wishes that no allusion might be made to that event in the addresses about to follow4 ,but the current was so irresistibly in one direction that these fearful pleadings were as the smallest eddies therein4 ,the notes of freedom made the old hall ring4 #bh ,this circular was signed by the sub-committee1 ,rev4 ,j4 ,g4 ,adams and ,rev4 ,e4 ,h4 ,chapin4 ,,chapter ,,viii4 ,,new ,,england ,,anti-,,slavery ,,society4--,,universalist ,,protest4 ,what concord hath ,christ with ,belial4--#b ,,cor4 vi4 #ae4 ,the ,new ,england ,anti-,slavery ,society was one of the most vigorous and persistent bodies that ever appeared on these western shores as a reformatory institution4 ,its chief leader was the indomitable ,garrison1 who had vowed that on the vexed question of ,american slavery he would be heard1 and whose ,liberator was making its journeys from a ,boston press throughout the land2 hailed and patronized by a goodly company in the ,north1 denounced as incendiary at the ,south1 where a large sum was offered for the head of its editor4 ,he had sympathetic companions of a persistency equal to his own3 ,wendell ,phillips1 ,edmund ,quincy1 ,samuel ,e4 ,sewell1 ,n4 ,p4 ,rogers1 ,stephen ,c4 ,foster1 ,john ,pierpont1 ,theodore ,parker1 ,parker ,pillsbury1 ,frederick ,douglass1 and ,c4 ,l4 ,remond1 among the men of ,new ,england1 and the ,tappans of ,new ,york1 and representatives at the annual gatherings from ,philadelphia1 ,baltimore1 and ,washington4 ,lucretia ,mott and ,abby ,kelley 7afterwards ,mrs4 ,foster7 were among the women expounders of this gospel of freedom1 and ,anniversary ,week in ,boston was made especially notable by their gatherings at ,marlboro ,chapel and ,faneuil ,hall4 ,no matter what other meetings on that week were dull1 there was always an exuberance of liveliness at the ,anti-,slavery ,convention4 ,eloquence is dog-cheap at ,marlboro ,chapel1 said ,ralph ,waldo ,emerson2 and it was4 ,no better could be heard on the continent4 ,the hardest and boldest resolutions were usually up for consideration1 denouncing slaveholders and all their abettors1 political1 ecclesiastical1 of whatever standing or profession4 ,church and state alike were subjects of their maledictions4 ,their defiance of all opposition had a clarion ring in it4 ,nothing pleased them more than to have their positions questioned or assailed4 ,the adventurous wight who was willing to appear as a condemner of their doctrines was the very one for whom they were looking1 and for whose presence and opposition they were profoundly thankful4 ,their meetings were electrifying4 ,such debates and orations1 such questionings and rejoinders6 ,such hymns and spiritual songs1 too1 sung often by the ,hutchinsons to the old tunes of ,amherst1 ,lenox1 and ,new ,jerusalem6 ,we hear them now2 they brought the shouts and tears4 ,we remember a scene in ,marlboro ,chapel one afternoon during ,anniversary ,week4 ,there came up for debate the question3 ,does the ,constitution of the ,united ,states justify slavery8 ,rev4 ,john ,pierpont took the negative1 and very logically maintained it for more than an hour4 ,he appeared in the greatness of his strength1 and at the close of his argument proposed to those of his auditors who wished1 to question his statements4 ,and never was seen a hungrier company of interrogators than then and there came upon him4 ,but he was unmoved as a sea-rock in the midst of the breakers4 ,his side of the question was not popular with most of the speakers and their sympathizers there1 and he was subjected to a most searching cross-questioning4 ,but he came out triumphantly 7as it seemed7 through it all4 ,when three or four would speak at once1 he would say3 ,one at a time1 friends2 the miller's rule holds1--first come1 first served4 ,i desire to hear you all4 ,the afternoon sunshine suddenly blazing in from one of the windows upon his face1 he aptly remarked3 ,some subjects are involved in impenetrable darkness2 but here we seem to have a super-abundance of light6 ,when the last inquirer had been answered1 the speaker asked3 ,are you all through8 ,and no other one questioning1 he said3 ,and now1 after the fashion of the good old divines1 ,i come to the ',improvement'2 under which head he carefully and briefly reviewed the substance of the debate4 ,it was a masterly plea4 ,but the end was not yet4 ,there was an evening meeting4 ,again the hall was filled1 to listen to a reply to ,mr4 ,pierpont by ,wendell ,phillips4 ,the orator was in his best mood1 and his silvery speech kept the audience spell-bound4 ,it was a complete refutation of the arguments adduced in the afternoon4 ,a clergyman sitting near to ,mr4 ,pierpont said to him3 ,how can his arguments be answered8 to which the latter replied3 ,i should like to see the man who could tell me6 ,so ,greek met ,greek in those stirring and stormy days4 ,it was an up-hill movement1 this anti-slavery agitation4 ,it called out spirits of more colors than those mentioned in ,macbeth4 ,the opposition was intense4 ,garrison's life was in peril in the streets of ,boston in #ahce1 and a little company of his sympathizers1 including the poet ,whittier and ,george ,thompson1 the ,english philanthropist1 were closely followed in the streets of ,concord1 ,n4 ,h41 one evening1 that they might be seized by certain mobocratic ones1 and subjected to an immersion in some liquid coloring of transient1 if not indelible1 black2 but the hounded ones escaped1 preserving white men's complexions4 ,they were not to be put down by mobs nor frightened by any human opposition4 ,they had the spirit of ,luther as he went to the ,diet at ,worms4 ,though the pro-slavery devils were thick as the tiles on the houses1 they proposed to fight them in the name of ,god and humanity4 ,politicians could do nothing with them1 and the churches generally discarded them4 ,there was no love lost1 however1 between them and the churches4 ,the churches did not give them credit for the good they were seeking to do1 and they had no words of approval for the humanity of the churches4 ,even the ,national ,constitution was denounced as a covenant with death and an agreement with hell1 and the churches were accused as upholders of this covenant4 ,so they reasoned1 not always1 however1 in that charity which the ,new ,testament commends4 ,there were those in the churches as strongly opposed to slavery as themselves1--but they were slow to recognize action against it outside of their own organizations1--who could say1 as did ,dr4 ,gannett of the ,unitarian ,church3-- ,in principle ,i am with you4 ,but there are those with whom you are connected1 persons who seem to me so to distrust the goodness of all others who differ from them1 and to look down upon all such with so great a consciousness of moral superiority1 that ,i feel myself when in their presence to be in a situation not unlike that of a criminal before his accuser and judge4#bi ,at one time they held an ,anti-,sabbath ,convention for a few days1 in ,boston1 during which they said many hard things against the sanctity of this seventh-day worship-time1 evidently because they could thus castigate the churches for refusing to discuss freely on this day the crying sin of ,american slavery4 ,it seemed a pity to hear such harsh denunciations by the speakers who were advocating a righteous cause1 against an institution that had done so much towards the world's true civilization4 ,but this was one of their methods of carrying on the reform4 ,a leading spirit in this movement in the ,granite ,state was ,nathaniel ,p4 ,rogers1 for a few years the editor of the ,herald of ,freedom1 issued at ,concord1 ,n4 ,h4 ,he was a lawyer of ,plymouth1 ,grafton ,county1 and a member of the ,orthodox ,church in that town1 and was a descendant of him who was burned at ,smithfield1 and had the martyr spirit of his noted ancestor4 ,he was a scholarly1 witty1 and affable man1 and wielded as facile a pen as any editor in ,new ,england4 ,in many of his descriptive sketches he gave to the scenery of ,new ,hampshire a fascination equal to that with which ,sir ,walter ,scott invests the lochs and hills of ,scotland4 ,his plea with ,mr4 ,webster1 the great ,senator from ,massachusetts1 to let his lion voice in one ,numidian roar be heard from his place in ,congress on the abomination of ,american slavery and the claims of ,american freedom1 once read1 could never be forgotten4 ,when his ,herald of ,freedom was first issued1 some of the stage-drivers from ,concord refused to carry it out to the subscribers2 but this hostility1 through the personal influence of the editor1 soon ceased4 ,its columns were opened to all sorts of radical sayings against the churches because of their presumed hostility to human freedom2 but as the columns of the paper were free1 there were sometimes sound and strong answers to them4 ,mr4 ,rogers1 worn out with mental toiling and anxiety1 was called from the earthly life in the midst of his years4 ,and so this work of the anti-slavery reformers went steadily forward with increasing momentum1 till a more general awakening took place all over the land4 ,the churches were becoming more and more alive to it1 and the politicians could in no wise evade it4 ,the seed of ,free-,soilism sown1 ,know-nothingism sprang up1 and one of the two leading political parties became the party of ,freedom--of free soil1 free speech1 free men4 ,the passage and attempted enforcement of the ,fugitive ,slave ,act1 and the repeal of the ,missouri ,compromise1 had served to bring about this result4 ,hence the election of ,mr4 ,lincoln to the ,presidency1 secession1 war1 the downfall of slavery4 ,these first agitators lived to see the end they had striven for attained4 ,they had been heard1 and a stronger than they had heard1 and had answered them1 and an imploring and struggling nation1 in the day of his power6 ,now could one of the first of our poets sing3-- ,ring and swing ,bells of joy6 ,on morning's wing ,send the song of praise abroad6 ,with a sound of broken chains ,tell the nations that he reigns ,who alone is ,lord and ,god6 ,of course the ,universalist churches could not evade this controversy between freedom and slavery4 ,their very faith invited and encouraged it4 ,the ,fatherhood of ,god and the ,brotherhood of ,man are doctrines which forever stand in opposition to the presumption that man can own property in his fellow man4 ,of all the ,christian sects1 ,universalists were the last who could countenance in the light of their beneficent faith the abomination of ,american slavery4 ,if other theologies gave cause for the aspersion that ,god was the greatest slaveholder in the universe1 because it was his intention to keep in spiritual bondage and sufferings great numbers of his offspring world without end1 ,universalism affirmed that this whole human creation now groaning and travailing in pain shall be delivered from its bondage of corruption into the glorious liberty of the children of ,god4#cj ,could this church1 bearing its own significant name1 be silent1 then1 when the test time came8 ,nay1 it was a golden opportunity for her to speak and act4 ,she uttered her voice1 firmly1 freely1 faithfully4 ,true1 there were conservatives at first in this church as in others1 who dreaded the consequences of the agitation of this subject1 who deemed it a political question rather than a religious one1 and feared not only discord and division in the churches because of it1 but a disruption of the national union4 ,this timidity wore off in due time1 and this manifesto went forth from the ,universalists of ,massachusetts and other ,states in #ahde4 ,it is a protest against ,american slavery1 and is signed by three hundred and four ,universalist clergymen4 ,the reasons stated as the basis of the protest are these3-- #a4 ,because slavery denies the eternal distinction between a man and property1 ranking a human being with a material thing4 #b4 ,because it does not award to the laborer the fruits of his toil in any higher sense than to the cattle4 #c4 ,because it trammels the intellectual powers and prevents their expansion4 #d4 ,because it checks the development of the moral nature of the slave2 denies him rights and therefore responsibility4 #e4 ,because it involves a practical denial of the religious nature of the slave4 #f4 ,because it presents an insurmountable barrier to the propagation of the great truth of the ,universal ,brotherhood and thereby most effectually prevents the progress of true ,christianity4 #g4 ,because the essential nature of slavery cannot be altered by any kindness1 how great so ever1 practised toward the slave4 #h4 ,because the long continuance of a system of wrong cannot palliate it1 but on the other hand augments the demand for its abolition4 #i4 ,because we would in all charity remember that peculiarities of situation may affect the judgment and moral sense2 still1 we must not forget that no peculiarity of situation can excuse a perpetual denial of universal principles and obligations4 #bi ,memoir of ,dr4 ,gannett1 by his son1 p4 #bid4 #cj ,heb4 viii4 #ba1 #bb4 ,,chapter ,,ix4 ,,reformatory ,,progress4 ,the crooked shall be made straight1 and the rough places plain4--,,isaiah1 xl4 #d4 ,the half-century just passed has been notable for the progress of thought in reference to the significant reforms now claiming public attention4 ,foremost among these is that of ,temperance4 ,in no other period of the past has its work been so marked and cheering4 ,in ,great ,britain and ,america its manifestations were almost simultaneous4 ,intemperance was seen to be a monstrous national vice1 and societies were formed for the suppression of it4 ,abstinence from distilled liquors was at first the pledge taken2 but subsequent discussion of the subject induced the next and safer step forward1 of total abstinence from all intoxicants4 ,from #ahcd to #ahch nearly the whole of the original societies through ,england and ,scotland extended their principles on the new and broader declaration1 and worked with renewed enthusiasm4#ca ,the same course was taken in our own country1 and similar effects followed4 ,the new pledge was consistent1 because it struck at the root of the evil4 ,the ,temperance reform enlisted the sympathies of ,universalists in the beginning4 ,it was a vindication of the ,gospel of enlightened and pure manhood1 maintaining its supremacy over the sinful inclinations and indulgences that war against the soul4 ,indeed1 one of the first avowed advocates of the practice of total abstinence1 as early as #aggh1 was the well-known and honored ,dr4 ,benjamin ,rush1 one of the signers of the ,declaration of ,independence1 and a firm believer in ,christian ,universalism4 ,he not only advocated this practice himself1 but was especially interested in commending it to the attention of two religious bodies in ,pennsylvania1 the ,episcopalians and ,presbyterians1 at their annual meetings4 ,when in later days the attention of the ,christian churches was called to the consideration of this reform1 no more zealous friends of it were found than those among ,universalists4 ,the ,universalist ministry was well represented1 and its services welcomed by others4 ,an instance is remembered of a deserved tribute1 given in his peculiar quaintness of speech1 by the elder ,dr4 7,lyman7 ,beecher1 to ,rev4 ,edwin ,thompson1 at an annual meeting of the ,massachusetts ,temperance ,society4 ,mr4 ,thompson was ,state agent for the ,society1 and had been very active in its work during the year2 so that a speaker alluded to him as having been in that time the main spoke in the wheel4 ,indeed1 said ,dr4 ,beecher1 it seems to me that he has been the hub1 and all the spokes1 and a considerable part of the rim6 ,the reform in our country was quickened by the ,washingtonian movement1 which involved the reformation of the inebriate1 and his work to redeem others from the destroyer4 ,although there were backsliders in this1 as in all reformatory movements1 yet the number of the saved justified a thousand times the interest taken in the great work itself4 ,it was an indication of what might be done everywhere and in all time by ,divine aid1 and human will at work relying upon it4 ,it seemed also to emphasize the truth that men1 however far overcome by wrong habit1 are not to be given over as irreclaimable4 ,it was in accord with the grand idea that there are no lost ones so far astray as to be beyond the mercy which sent ,him into the world1 who said1 ,i came not to call the righteous but sinners to repentance4 ,they that are whole need not a physician1 but they that are sick4 ,legislation took higher and stronger ground in reference to the evil of intemperance4 ,the subject went into politics more than ever4 ,the doctrine of prohibition gained advocates4 ,a law favoring it was passed in ,massachusetts1 and afterwards in ,maine4 ,prosecutions and law-suits followed1 and appeals went up to the highest courts to test the constitutionality of the law4 ,this was affirmed by them1 just as the framers of the law knew that it would be4 ,despite all sophisms and evasions1 the common sense of every man will settle down into the conviction that the people of a nation1 if they would be really strong and free1 must employ every safeguard against this giant evil1 that has so constantly outraged and cursed our world4 ,the rising of the women of the ,west1 in #ahgc1 to suppress the demoralizing work of the liquor-saloons1 was an outspoken1 providential protest against these scourges of our civilization4 ,jeered by the thoughtless1 and insulted and cursed by the dealers in the death-poison1 it was an indication that made the traffickers in strong drink thoughtful1 the friends of woman to take new note of her righteous demands and of her reformatory power1 and every true soldier in the temperance army to put on new courage in view of the many instrumentalities which ,god is able to raise up in aid of ,his redeeming work with ,his children4 ,one result of the ,woman's ,crusade has been the formation of the ,woman's ,christian ,temperance ,unions in all parts of our land4 ,the signs of progress in this reform are more significant than ever4 ,the popularity of the ,prohibitory ,law in ,maine2 the ,prohibitory clause just put into the ,kansas and ,iowa ,constitutions1 and proposed in other ,states2 the numerous ,reform ,leagues2 the proposal to institute in our ,congress a thorough investigation in reference to the bearing of this question of liquor-making and vending on the industrial1 social1 and political welfare of our nation2 the continued discussion of the effects of the use of intoxicants by leading statesmen1 scientists1 and medical professors of our age1 and the bringing out of new facts1 all showing the vital importance of the ,temperance reform2 and1 also1 the evident tendency of these movements1 as apprehended by the devotees of the liquor interests themselves1 moving them1 as at a recent convention of brewers in ,washington1 to avow their determination to defeat1 if possible1 by all practicable means1 the legal1 moral1 and especially the religious endeavors put forth against the evil by which they are enriched at the expense of the prosperity1 happiness1 and peace of so many millions of our land1--these facts are unmistakable indications of still greater achievements in the days and years to come4 ,like most reforms1 this one must work a long way on to its completion4 ,the evil against which it contends is deep-seated and far-reaching4 ,appetite1 avarice1 and the drinking usages of society are its strongholds4 ,but all these are not impervious to the inroads of the right upon them4 ,the public conscience is awake to the demands of this reform as it never was before4 ,when that is more truthfully and generally educated1 moral suasion will have freer course1 and restrictive laws will find a stronger support everywhere4 ,peace4 ,the history of our race is one of warfare4 ,wars and fightings have been realized among men from the beginning1 and the world has not outgrown the sanguinary strife4 ,even during the time of which we are speaking in these pages1 when so much has been done for the mental and moral enlightenment of mankind1 these murderous human contentions have been going on in the ,old ,world and the ,new4 ,our own nation has passed through one of the darkest passages of its history4 ,the war of the ,rebellion came of a war that existed previous to the withdrawal of the ,southern ,states of our ,union1 the war of slavery1--for slavery itself is war always1 an outrage on the rights of human beings1 perpetrated by members of a common brotherhood4 ,and thus one war opened the way to another4 ,they who were warring upon others could no longer bear to have their wrong-doings questioned1 but claimed the right to multiply and perpetuate them4 ,so came secession1 so came the fratricidal contest4 ,the majority of the nation did not seek war1 did not desire it4 ,but the ,unionists of the nation deemed themselves justified in resisting the efforts of the secessionists to dismember the nation1 and so through a defensive warfare sought to preserve the ,union4 ,it was a terrible ordeal1 and although the abomination of slavery was swept away1 it was at the cost of tens of thousands of lives1 of a vast amount of treasure1 of suffering as yet unrevealed1 and of a lamentable demoralization4 ,the ,almighty brought out of it a new order of things with our nation1 by abolishing human bondage and placing freedom in the ascendancy4 ,the new order1 however1 is not yet fully effected4 ,it will take time1 wisdom1 patience1 mutual forbearance1 sympathy1 and fraternal help to secure this result4 ,but one reform aids another4 ,a higher view of the claims of human freedom will tend to effect a clearer perception of the great claims of the human brotherhood4 ,if man is too good to be enslaved by his fellow-man1 he is too good to be destroyed by him4 ,if human freedom is sacred1 so is human life4 ,and we are sure that this grand conception has been very clearly realized1 and as clearly affirmed1 during the middle of the present century4 ,in the midst of the world's conflicts during this time1 the advocates of peace principles1 on both sides of the ,atlantic1 have not been inactive4 ,they have had a hearing1 if a limited one1 in ,christendom4 ,peace associations have been more operative than before1 and the pulpit and press have made new appeals to the public for the promotion of peace principles4 ,excellent publications in essay1 sermon1 or oration have been issued from the press4 ,we hear of one ,sunday1 in #ahde1 when one hundred and twenty peace sermons were preached in the city of ,london4 ,our philanthropic countryman1 ,elihu ,burritt1 has done much for this cause4 ,one of the ablest and most admirable of appeals in behalf of peace on earth and good will to men was given in #ahde1 in ,boston1 by ,charles ,sumner1--who may be justly reckoned as one of the brightest lights among philanthropists and statesmen of the present century1--on ,the ,true ,grandeur of ,nations4 ,moved by the threatening aspect of affairs between the ,united ,states and ,mexico1 the orator denounced the war system as the ordeal by battle still unwisely continued by international law as the arbiter of justice between nations1 and insisted that this system ought to give way to peaceful arbitration for the settlement of international questions1 as the private ordeal of battle had given way to such substitutes in the administration of justice between individuals4 ,the oration attracted unusual attention1 led to much controversy1 and was widely circulated both in ,america and ,europe4 ,it was pronounced by ,richard ,cobden to be 'the most noble contribution made by any modern writer to the cause of peace4'#cb ,the delusion that wars must always be expected more or less with mankind is a vagary of barbarism1 and not a true ,christian thought4 ,rather is the poet right1 when he says3-- ,war is a game1 which1 were their subjects wise1 ,kings would not play at4 ,wars may be lessened1 may be outgrown in human society4 ,there are better ways of settling human disputes than by an appeal to arms4 ,facts in the history of our own nation prove it4 ,here are a few of them3-- ,in #agid1 the question of the ,northeastern boundary between the ,united ,states and the dependencies of ,great ,britain was settled by arbitration4 ,in #ahbb1 the question of restitution or compensation for slaves found on board of ,british vessels during the war of #ahab4 ,the matter was referred to the ,emperor of ,russia1 and his award accepted by both nations4 ,in #aheh1 a difficulty between the ,united ,states and the government of ,chili and ,peru1 was referred to the arbitration of the ,king of the ,belgians1 and settled by his award4 ,in #ahfi1 the claims of the ,united ,states and ,great ,britain to landed property in and about ,puget ,sound were adjusted by peaceable reference4 ,in #ahga1 the well-known ,alabama claim1 which caused so much ill feeling between the ,united ,states and ,england1 and threatened to involve the two countries in a terrible war4 ,president ,grant1 referring to the settlement of this claim1 said in his message of ,dec4 #c1 #ahga3-- ,this year has witnessed two great nations1 having one language and lineage1 settling by peaceful arbitration disputes of long standing1 which were liable at any time to bring nations to a bloody conflict4 ,the example thus set1 if successful in its final issue1 will be followed by other civilized nations1 and finally be the means of restoring to pursuits of industry millions of men now maintained to settle the disputes of nations by the sword4 ,is this good possible8 ,assuredly1 if good is able to prevail over evil1 right over wrong1 love over hatred4 ,and what does the ,christian ,gospel signify but this3 ,peace on earth and good will toward men8 ,this good will shall come1 if ,christians will do their duty by insisting on the practicability of it4 ,the undercurrent of a better feeling is gaining force as the great truth of the ,brotherhood of ,man is more deeply and extensively realized4 ,if the present toiling-time is dark1 there is light beyond it1 the unerring prophecy of the time when nations shall learn war no more4 ,as said ,victor ,hugo1 at the ,congress of ,peace in ,paris1 in #ahdi3-- ,a day will come when the only battle-field shall be the market open to commerce and the mind opening to new ideas2 when a cannon shall be exhibited in public museums just as an instrument of torture is now1 and people shall be astonished how such a thing could have been4 ,a day shall come when those two immense groups1 the ,united ,states of ,america and the ,united ,states of ,europe1 shall be seen placed in presence of each other1 extending the hand of fellowship across the ocean1 exchanging their produce1 their commerce1 their industry1 their arts1 their genius1 clearing the earth1 peopling the deserts1 meliorating creation under the eyes of the ,creator1 and uniting1 for the good of all1 these two irresistible and infinite powers1--the fraternity of men and the power of ,god4 ,in agreement with the foregoing statements in reference to the reform movements of our time1 we may note more briefly certain other indications of the increase of that spirit which would lessen the afflictions and wrongs and promote the well-being of society4 ,the ,treatment of ,criminals has been a subject of much thought and discussion during the generation just passed4 ,it has been1 and still is1 an open question among the more thoughtful1 whether the subject of the proper treatment of criminals has been regarded aright4 ,we may justly plead for benevolent sympathy without being the apologist of crime4 ,conscience must be remembered as well as the cry of pitying tenderness1 and punishment must have a meaning1 or the distinctions of right and wrong are lost4 ,it will be a sad day1 as one has truly said1 when those who violate our laws are more pitied than blamed4 ,christians are bound by their religion to labor for the prevention of crime1 and for the strict application of all righteous laws to the criminal2 to impress as they can the awfulness of sin on their own and on other's consciences1 and to recall the fallen back to virtue1 shamed by his sin1 and resolute and strong in the working of a regenerated will1 thus vindicating and imitating the goodness and severity of ,god4 ,the treatment of convicts in our prisons at the present time is generally more in accordance with these considerations than in the past1 when severity was deemed more needful as applied to criminals who were subjects of total depravity1 than a proportionate mercy1 which regarded them not only as lost ones1 but as capable of a possible restoration to their rightful ,owner and ,almighty ,friend4 ,the reform schools in our different ,states are working in this ,christian direction4 ,the subject of ,capital ,punishment has elicited much attention during the time of which we are speaking4 ,it has been discussed in newspapers1 pamphlets1 legislatures1 pulpits1 and lyceum halls4 ,some of our ,states have abolished the gallows1 others are agitating this subject in their legislatures4 ,the present governor 7,long7 of ,massachusetts1 in his annual messages of the last two years1 has recommended the abolition of the death penalty4 ,a large number of ministers of the ,universalist ,church have constantly affirmed their opposition to it4 ,rev4 ,charles ,spear published a sensible work on the subject1 and ,rev4 ,hosea ,ballou1 ,d4 ,d41 thirty years since1 gave the whole question a very thorough investigation1 in reply to ,rev4 ,dr4 ,cheever of ,new ,york1 and others4#cc ,michigan was the first ,state in the ,union to abolish the death penalty1 and a late ,report makes the statement that1 with a population of #a1ejj1jjj1 no man has been executed in the ,state during the last thirty-five years1 and that a less number of murders have been perpetrated during the last ten years1 in ratio to the population1 than during the same decade in any other ,state where public or even private executions have prevailed4#cd ,capital punishment has also been abolished in ,maine4 ,the ,position and ,work of ,woman has also been a subject of deep and widespread interest4 ,christianity has ever given to woman a place denied her by all other religions4 ,as ,christian thought has had freer course1 and ,christian theology and practical work new and brighter development1 the relations of woman to the welfare and progress of human society have been more clearly understood and appreciated4 ,her rights in law are now more plainly and justly defined1 and the importance of her equal education with the other sex admitted and emphasized4 ,she is prominent and indispensable as a teacher1 all over the land2 she is a graduate of the college and a professor there2 she is a successful practitioner in the legal and medical professions2 she is an ordained minister of the ,gospel2 she is a merchant1 a book-keeper and accountant1 an editor1 an artist1 a mechanic1 a farmer1 and has more than average success in all these departments of activity4 ,her right to the ballot is slowly but surely coming to a settlement1 which it will take time and thought on her part 7for when she asks for the ballot it will be hers71 and enlightened legislation to effect4 ,where she has exercised this right1 none but favorable results have been witnessed4#ce ,our ,state legislatures are called upon to give attention to the subject1 and a committee of our national ,congress have just decided to report a proposed amendment to the ,constitution1 declaring that the right of citizens of the ,united ,states to vote shall not be denied or abridged by the ,united ,states or by any ,state on account of sex1 and giving ,congress the power1 by appropriate legislation1 to enforce the provisions of this article4 ,if ,congress will agree to propose this amendment1 and three fourths of the ,states will ratify it1 woman suffrage will be legalized4 ,other ,questions4 ,the philanthropic and successful efforts in behalf of the blind1 the deaf and dumb1 and feeble minded1 of fallen women1 and orphan children1 are becoming more and more apparent every year1 all in cheering accord with that restorative mercy and power evinced in ,him whose mission was to relieve the sorrows and remove the afflictive evils that beset mankind4 ,and no more unmistakable evidence of the decline of that horrible doctrine of endless suffering for the wicked can be realized1 than the instituting and maintaining societies for the suppression of cruelty to animals4 ,surely1 the ,father of our spirits will not be less merciful towards any of his children1 than these children are justly called upon to be to the inferior creatures of his forming hand6 ,these are some of the signs of ,christian progress during the last half-century4 ,laus ,deo6 #ca ,chambers' ,miscellany4 #cb ,new ,amer4 ,enc4 #cc ,universalist ,quarterly1 ,vol4 ,,vi4 ,no4 #d1 ,october1 #ahdi4 #cd ,gospel ,banner1 ,augusta1 ,me41 ,june #aj1 #ahhb4 #ce ,the ,governor of ,wyoming affirms that woman suffrage is an unqualified success in the ,territory4 ,,chapter ,x4 ,,the ,,universalist ,,church ,,and ,,its ,,women4 ,help those women which labored with me in the churches4--,,paul1 ,phil4 iv4 #c4 ,the ,universalist ,church is much indebted to its faithful women4 ,taking into consideration its comparative numbers1 no other church in ,america has been more signally favored in the genial and healthful influence of its writers who have borne the honorable name of ,woman4 ,they have been instrumental in spreading the doctrines of the primitive ,gospel and the moral bearings of their religion before the world in most attractive and impressive forms1 and have disabused the public in its wrong estimate of the character and ability of the advocates of ,universalism and the tendency and influence of its principles4 ,among those worthy to be remembered in this goodly company1 who have passed from the present life during the last half-century1 we may mention the gifted sister poets1 ,alice and ,phbe ,cary1 ,mrs4 ,sarah ,broughton1 ,mrs4 ,julia ,h4 ,scott1 ,mrs4 ,sarah ,c4 ,e4 ,mayo1 ,mrs4 ,charlotte ,a4 ,jerauld1 ,mrs4 ,henrietta ,a4 ,bingham1 ,mrs4 ,elmina ,r4 ,b4 ,waldo1 ,mrs4 ,luella ,j4 ,b4 ,case1 and ,mrs4 ,e4 ,h4 ,cobb4 ,among the living we may note the names of ,mrs4 ,catharine ,m4 ,sawyer1 whose contributions to our church journals are so well known2 ,mrs4 ,mary ,a4 ,livermore1 who in her past connection with our church work and literature has gained such a high reputation with her voice and pen1 as well as in her deeds of benevolence and mercy during the war of the rebellion2 ,mrs4 ,julia ,a4 ,carney1 whose hymns and instruction books have made her name so familiar in our ,sunday-schools and homes2 ,mrs4 ,caroline ,a4 ,soule1 whose consecrated words and works have secured her a name which the church of her love will hold in righteous estimation2 ,mrs4 ,nancy ,t4 ,munroe1 ,mrs4 ,lathrop 7formerly ,mrs4 ,bacon71 ,mrs4 ,e4 ,m4 ,bruce1 ,mrs4 ,j4 ,l4 ,patterson1 ,mrs4 ,s4 ,m4 ,perkins1 ,mrs4 ,p4 ,a4 ,hanaford1 ,miss ,carnahan1 ,miss ,remick1 ,miss ,minnie ,s4 ,davis1--but it is difficult to know where to draw the line in this counting4 ,others might be named1 would space permit1 who have made their contributions to the literature of the church4 ,the older and well known retain their wonted fires1 and the new and younger are coming to succeed and honor them4 ,some of our women are speaking our best and most practical words in our churches1 prayer and conference and missionary meetings2 in our ,sunday-schools1 conventions1 and associations2 in our pulpits1 as evangelists and pastors2 in our educational institutions4 ,if the ,universalist ,church has not at this hour as brilliant a presentation of ,christian literature from the pen of its women as it had thirty years since1 there never was more of the practical and available talent of woman in it than at the present time2 never so much organized effort on their part as now4 ,this effort seems to have taken new form and life since the ,centenary ,year of the church came round1--#ahgj4 ,previous to that date1 the history of many a new movement1 many a new parish or church1 had been the history of woman's fidelity in the inception1 progress1 and success of the enterprise4 ,it was but natural1 then1 that in the inspiration awakened by the approach of this centennial year1 the women of the church should be aroused to new and still greater effort4 ,and thus it was that the ,woman's ,centenary ,aid ,association was organized at ,buffalo1 ,n4 ,y41 in ,september1 #ahfi4 ,the organization was effected1 and the main work under it was to aid in the raising of the proposed ,murray ,fund1 of #bjj1jjj4 ,the total amount raised by that ,association for this object1 in all the ,states and elsewhere1 deducting comparatively moderate expenses1 and placed in the treasury of the ,united ,states ,convention for the ,murray ,fund1 was #ce1jjj4 ,nearly #ac1jjj women thus became members of the ,association4 ,the fact was a new and cheering manifestation4 ,the ,christian ,leader1 a ,universalist journal of ,new ,york city1 thus alluded to it3-- ,if our women need no eulogy1 we need the satisfaction of making a warm1 explicit confession of our admiration of their attempt1 and our gratitude for what they have done4 ,they can well afford to dispense with the acknowledgment1 but we cannot afford not to make it4 ,it becomes us here to raise no question as to woman's fitness for certain employments and political prerogatives1 hitherto the prerogatives of the rougher sex4 ,but should we reach what some call 'extreme views' on the several points1 and should our zeal bring us onto the platform as a champion thereof1 the sledgehammer we should wield is1 the work of the ,universalist women in their ,centenary ,year4 ,god bless and make us grateful for our women6 ,since that time the ,association has taken the title of the ,womans' ,centenary ,association 7dropping the word ,aid used in the beginning in reference to its work in connection with the ,united ,states ,convention74 ,it has much other work of its own now4 ,its tract publishing and circulation1 its ,scotland ,mission1 its endowment of women professorships in one of our colleges1 its special gifts for the aid of theological students1 the helping of needy and worthy parish organizations1 establishing ,sunday-schools in waste places1 and assisting to sustain them and other beneficent works1 are included in its ministries4 ,every year's report of its doings has spoken to the public of the utility and effectiveness of its work4 ,in ,may1 #ahge1 ,mrs4 ,caroline ,a4 ,soule1 the first ,president of the ,association1 sailed from ,new ,york city for ,scotland1 on a mission of observation1 as a company of believers there had for some time received aid and encouragement from the ,association4 ,she passed several months in ,scotland1 preaching in ,dunfermline1 ,glasgow1 ,larbert1 ,dundee1 and other places1 and organized the ,scottish ,universalist ,convention4 ,she also assisted at the dedication of a little church in ,stenhousemuir1 the only ,universalist ,church edifice in ,great ,britain4 ,three years afterwards she went1 by approval of the ,association1 as a preacher and missionary4 ,after preaching awhile in ,dundee and ,glasgow1 in #ahgi she organized1 in the last-named place1 the ,st4 ,paul ,universalist ,church1 and established a ,sunday-school and church library4 ,great numbers of tracts and many books 7twenty barrels of closely-packed matter7 were circulated as helps in her work4 ,the rite of ordination was conferred upon her by the ,scottish ,convention4 ,during her work in ,scotland she has proved1 by her fidelity1 self-sacrifice1 and persistence in her work during many and severe discouragements1 her qualifications for a ,christian missionary worthy to be recorded among the most devoted of any in the other churches who have been strengthened and honored by the accomplishment of devoted women in their missionary fields4 ,her work is a noble beginning of that which may continue to be done by the ,universalist ,church1 if it shall possess a zeal commensurate with the magnitude of that pre-eminent ,gospel to be preached to every creature1 which it is called of ,god to maintain4 ,christian ,universalism and woman1 what ,god hath joined together1 let not man put asunder4#cf #cf ,for a more ample view of the position and work of the women of the ,universalist ,church1 we refer the reader to the volume recently given to the public by ,mrs4 ,e4 ,r4 ,hanson1 entitled ,our ,women ,workers4 ,chicago1 #ahhb4 ,,chapter ,,xi4 ,,sketches ,,of ,,ministers4 ,insignificant as the denomination of ,universalists may now appear in the eyes of the world1 it is not to be doubted that the time is coming when it will occupy in this country1 and throughout all ,christendom1 a much more commanding position1 and men will ask for the beginning of what they shall then see1 and love to read the story of our present struggles and victories4--,,rev4 ,t4 ,j4 ,,sawyer1 ,d4 ,d4 ,it is within the first century of our national republic1 just passed1 that this great faith in the universality of ,god's love and of the work of ,christian salvation with man1 has gained a prominence in the churches which it had not known since the earlier times of ,christianity4 ,it is of the last half century1 in connection with the history of this faith1 however1 that ,i would more particularly speak1 as it is within this period that the work of its promulgation in our own country has been especially realized1 its public advocates multiplied1 and their ministries extended in many of the ,states of our ,union4 ,its publications and other educational forces have increased1 and1 as we have seen1 it has identified itself with some of the most significant reforms of the age4 ,many of its friends and representatives have been among the worthy and excellent of the times in which they have lived1 and not a few of its public advocates deserve to be honorably and thankfully remembered in the present and the future for the contributions they have made to the progress of the church in the knowledge of ,christian truth and the realization and enjoyment of the ,christian life4 ,it is one of the enjoyments connected with the preparation of these pages1 that the writer may call them up in memory and speak of them as they appear to him1 and note some of their characteristics1 and pay them that tribute of respect and honor which they so justly merit4 ,though others may appear as their successors in the same high calling1 they can scarcely be more faithful or effective in their labors than have these earnest defenders of the ,abrahamic faith who have been foremost in its promulgation during the past generation4 ,if many of them now rest from their labors1 their works surely follow them1 and their names deserve tender and thankful remembrance by their survivors in the church for whose prosperity and honor they so hopefully1 bravely1 and faithfully taught and wrought4 ,it should be understood that1 in the succeeding sketches of ministers1 it is not the intent of the writer to present anything like a full record of all who have faithfully served in this capacity in our country during the time of our church history comprehended in these pages4 ,a complete biographical encyclopdia cannot be compassed in so limited a space4 ,it is from his own particular standpoint of observation and recollection that the writer presents his testimony4 ,furthermore1 it is mainly to those now departed that these references are made4 ,the ,,ballous have been conspicuous in this conflict of religious opinions during the present century4 ,foremost among the family of preachers1 most of whom have departed1 stands acknowledged ,hosea the elder1 one of the strongest theologians of the past or present in ,new ,england4 ,he lived through half the present century1 being nearly thirty years old when he entered it1 and was vigorous to the last at the age of eighty-one4 ,the statement of his life-history is not a new one now4 ,the four ample volumes containing it1 by ,dr4 ,whittemore1 have been extensively read1 and will be for years to come4 ,but having known and revered him1 it is an unspeakable pleasure to the writer to state his impressions of the man and the preacher4 ,,hosea ,,ballou 7a native of ,richmond1 ,n4 ,h471 came from the home of a worthy ,baptist clergyman1 whose means of living and supporting a large family were small4 ,he had but meagre opportunities for education1 but employed what he had to the best advantage1 and became a school-teacher in early manhood4 ,he joined the ,baptist ,church when quite young1 but afterwards grew out of its theology1 and became convinced of the truth of ,universalism4 ,discouraged in his first attempts as a public speaker1 he grew more confident1 and soon attracted much attention1 wherever he appeared1 as an advocate of his faith4 ,his pastorates were in ,barnard1 ,vt41 ,portsmouth1 ,n4 ,h41 ,salem and ,boston1 ,mass4 ,he died in the last-named city1 ,june #g1 #aheb1 after a pastorate of more than thirty years4 ,his two sons1 ,hosea ,f41 of ,vermont1 and ,massena ,b41 of ,stoughton1 ,mass41 have served in the ministry many years4 ,mr4 ,ballou was gifted with great logical clearness1 aptness1 and force4 ,his preaching was plain1 scriptural1 and often fervent1 and no one could bring home to the hearer the great themes of the ,divine ,fatherhood and ,human ,brotherhood more effectively than he4 ,wakeful indeed must be the theological opponent who could evade the force of his logic4 ,he employed the ,socratic method1 by drawing the objector out1 so that his own statements would confound or confute him4 ,many valiant ones of the opposite faith were there who could readily assail and denounce his doctrines1 where his replies could not reach them1 but who would be very sure to keep at a respectful distance from that sword of the ,spirit which he wielded with such consummate skill4 ,of the published works of ,mr4 ,ballou1 none have evinced more mental clearness and vigor than his volume on ,atonement1 issued in #ahje4cg ,its plainness and adaptedness to the common reader1 its sharp logic1 and above all its apt and convincing appeals to the ,scriptures1 render it a timely helper everywhere and always1 in the discussion of the theologies which have assumed the ,christian name1 and which are now being so closely scrutinized4 ,every reader and student of theology understands something of the old theory of ,atonement so long dominant in the ,christian ,church1 so exceedingly perplexing to honest and independent inquirers1 so hard to be vindicated by its ablest advocates1 and so surely sowing the seeds of scepticism and infidelity in many minds4 ,volume after volume has appeared in defence and attempted illustration of it4 ,sin an infinite evil1 being a violation of infinite law1 and therefore the law requiring an infinite sacrifice1 short of which no atonement could be made2 the transgression of ,adam bringing the whole human race into the same situation of sin and misery1 and subjecting them all to the infinite penalty of an infinite law1 which they had violated in their parent before they individually existed4 ,in view of this penalty1 which was endless suffering1 ,god himself1 to placate his own wrath against the delinquents1 assumed a body of flesh and blood1 and suffered the penalty of the law by death1--not that ,god himself actually died1 but the human body in which he came1--this is deemed the infinite sacrifice by which it is possible for a part of mankind to be saved4 ,divines of the greatest ability1 writes ,mr4 ,ballou1 and of the first rank among the literati1 have drained the last faculty of invention in plodding through the dark region of metaphysics to bring up a ,samuel to explain the solecism of satisfying an infinite dissatisfaction4 ,now let us note how the author of ,atonement quietly sets forth this absurdity4 ,it is all comprehended in a single page of the volume3-- ,we will state it as it is often stated by those who believe it1 which is by the likeness of debt and credit4 ,the sinner owed a debt to ,divine ,justice1 which he was unable to discharge2 the ,divine ,being cannot1 consistently with his honor1 dispense with the pay1 but says1 ',i must have what is my just due2' but as the debtor has not ability to pay the smallest fraction1 ,divine ,wisdom lays a deep1 concerted1 mysterious plan for the debt to be discharged4 ,and how was it8 ,why1 for ,god to pay it himself6 ,our neighbor owes us a hundred pounds2 time of payment comes1 and we make a demand for our dues4 ,says our neighbor1 ',my misfortunes have been such that ,i am not the possessor of the smallest fraction of property in the world2 and as much as ,i owe you ,i am worse than nothing4' ,i declare to him positively that ,i will not lose so much as a fraction of the interest1 and leave him4 ,a friend calls1 and asks me how ,i succeeded in obtaining my dues of my neighbor4 ,i reply1 ',my neighbor is not1 nor will he ever be1 able to pay me any part of my demand4' ,my friend says he is sorry that ,i should lose my debt4 ,i answer1 ',i shall not lose it4 ,i have very fortunately1 in my meditations on the subject1 thought of a method by which ,i can avail myself of the whole1 to my full satisfaction2 and ,i think it is a method which no person in the world but myself could ever have discovered4' ,my friend is curious and impatient to know the secret1 never before found out4 ,the reader may guess his confusion on my telling him1 'that as ,i have that sum already by me1 ,i am now going to pay up the obligation before the interest is any larger6' ,this has been called the ,gospel plan1 which contains the depths of infinite wisdom4 ,what could be plainer1 and how could the justness of this representation be questioned8 ,questioned it was1 of course1 not by any attempt at elaborate examination and refutation1 but by a sermon now and then given out from some ,orthodox pulpit1 by some honest minister1 entrenched behind the prejudices of his hearers1 and altogether disinclined to meet the whole question in the broadest daylight of investigation4 ,out of this plain exposition1 and others like it1 since made1 have come the examinations1 and statements1 and restatements1 and amendments1 and improvements of the orthodox doctrine of ,atonement1 which are keeping astir at this hour the pulpits and schools of theology all over the land and across the seas4 ,many are the anecdotes of ,mr4 ,ballou given in the biographies already before the public4 ,were we to attempt a selection1 we should be at a loss where to begin4 ,we have one in mind1 given us by ,rev4 ,moses ,ballou1 which we have never seen in our religious journals4 ,a ,mr4 ,buckman1 a relative of ,mr4 ,ballou1 had taken it upon him as a matter of conscience1 with very little mental preparation1 to be a preacher4 ,he had a good deal of self-assurance1 and1 withal1 strong love of approbation4 ,being in company with ,mr4 ,ballou1 at one time1 he was anxious to get an approving word from him1 and said1 ,brother ,ballou1 ,i am awfully tried with myself4 ,ah6 said ,mr4 ,ballou1 ,why so8 ,what is the trouble8 ,why1 said ,mr4 ,buckman1 it is this3 to think that ,i should ever try to preach1 and know so little4 ,now1 what do you think about it8 ,why1 said ,mr4 ,ballou1 hesitating a little1 if you really want to know my mind1 ,i think--that--if you knew a little more1 you would never try again6 ,how welcome was he at the great meetings of the church1--conferences1 associations1 conventions4 ,he was usually called upon to give the discourse at the close of the meeting4 ,and it was often a feast to hear him1 as he would dwell upon the excellency of the divine attributes1 the exceeding great and precious promises1 and the plain and reasonable precepts of the gospel4 ,a prophetic word of good cheer would be spoken by him at such times4 ,he would see1 and make others see1 the clouds receding1 and the clear day opening in the blue and golden sky beyond4 ,however acceptably others had preached before him1 the expectation was that somehow his discoursing would give finish and sanction to them all4 ,and it was so4 ,at ,barre1 ,vt41 where the ,general ,convention met in #ahca1 excellent discourses were delivered by able ministers present1 and so rich and varied were the topics dwelt upon1 that the query was somewhat humorously proposed1 ,what will ,father ,ballou have to say after all this8 ,judge of our interest and delight when the modest man arose1 and in the most quiet way proposed for his text the words of ,elihu1 in ,job1 xxxvi4 #b3 ,suffer me a little1 and ,i will show thee that ,i have yet to speak on ,god's behalf4 ,and such a vindication of the character of the gracious ,father of all in face of the aspersions cast upon it by his weak and erring children6 ,it was simply electrifying4 ,the late ,rev4 ,theodore ,clapp1 ,d4 ,d41 of ,new ,orleans1 and a minister in the ,unitarian ,church1 once related that1 being present in a gathering of ,unitarian clergymen in ,boston1 the conversation turned on the changes which had been effected in the theology of ,new ,england1 and the question who1 of all her great divines1 had wrought the most and greatest changes4 ,of course ,channing had the most advocates2 but there were some who named ,edwards1 ,emmons1 ,hopkins1 and other doctors of the ,orthodox ,schools4 ,at last ,dr4 ,clapp1 who had remained silent1 was appealed to4 ,gentlemen1 said he1 you have not yet named the man6 ,what6 replied all in astonishment1 not named him6 ,no1 gentlemen1 you have not yet named him4 ,why1 who can it be8 ,we have named every preacher of eminence in ,new ,england4 ,and yet1 gentlemen1 you have not named the man4 ,well1 who do you say he is8 ,with great impressiveness1 ,mr4 ,clapp uttered the name4 ,hosea ,ballou has effected more and greater changes in the theological opinions of the people of ,new ,england1 than any man dead or living4 ,there was silence for a time1 and the discussion was not renewed4#ch ,mr4 ,ballou was a vigorous writer4 ,his ,treatise on the ,atonement1 ,notes on the ,parables1 and volumes of sermons1 are among his best offerings to the public4 ,the first-named book ought to be read throughout ,christendom4 ,he was through his professional life a welcome contributor to the periodicals of the church4 ,he has stood and will continue to stand high4 ,his imposing statue at ,mount ,auburn will look out upon generations mentally and spiritually blest through his truthful ministries4 ,the eldest son of ,mr4 ,ballou1 ,rev4 ,,hosea ,,faxon ,,ballou1 was born in ,dana1 ,mass41 ,april #d1 #agii1 and died in ,wilmington1 ,vt41 ,may #bj1 #ahha4 ,at the age of thirty he became desirous of entering the ministry1 but hesitated from anxiety as to the support of his growing family4 ,he began the study of theology1 however1 and in #ahcb1 after a few months with ,rev4 ,benjamin ,whittemore1 preached with success three times in the vicinity of ,boston1 and was called to ,whitingham1 ,vt4 ,he was ordained at ,boston1 ,june #cj1 #ahcc4 ,after a pastorate of nearly twenty-five years at ,whitingham he went to ,wilmington1 where he was pastor until1 in #ahgb1 the infirmities of age led him to abandon the pulpit1 after a ministry of forty years without the loss of a single ,sunday4 ,in person ,mr4 ,ballou was tall1 erect1 and strong1 bearing a marked resemblance to his distinguished father in face and form as well as in mental characteristics4 ,his sermons evinced a high order of intellect and cultivation4 ,during the last seventeen years of his residence in ,whitingham1 he held the office of town clerk1 and in ,wilmington was twice elected to the ,constitutional ,convention and once to the ,state ,legislature4 ,he was ,president of the ,wilmington ,savings ,bank for seven years before his death1 and occupied many other positions of honor and trust4 ,he reared a large family of children1 and it has been said of him1 in truth we may believe1 that during the past fifty years no man in ,southern ,vermont exerted so wide an influence over religious opinions4 ,another son of ,mr4 ,ballou1 ,,massena ,b4 ,,ballou1 was pastor of the ,universalist ,church in ,stoughton1 ,mass41 for twenty-five years1 and now resides in that town1 at an advanced age4 ,an elder brother of ,hosea was ,rev4 ,,david ,,ballou1 of ,munroe1 ,mass41 a man of remarkable acuteness as a reasoner1 and quite as sound a theologian as the more distinguished one just noticed1 but whose success as a preacher was much less1 because of the want of that ease and fluency in the delivery of his discourses which his brother possessed4 ,but those who knew him well have borne witness to the excellence of his character and his great ability as an expounder of the ,word of the ,gospel4 ,his son1 ,rev4 ,,moses ,,ballou1 held a prominent place in our church as one of its talented ministers1 and as a writer of more than ordinary ability4 ,he was born in ,munroe1 ,mass41 ,march #bd1 #ahaa4 ,educated at the academy at ,brattleboro1 ,vt41 he began preaching at the age of twenty-two4 ,one of his earliest charges was at ,bath1 ,n4 ,h4 ,he was subsequently settled at ,portsmouth1 where he had pastorates twice4 ,he had charge of the churches at ,bridgeport1 ,hartford1 and ,new ,haven1 ,conn41 and in later years removed to ,new ,york city1 where he was pastor of the ,bleecker ,street ,church4 ,he then came to ,philadelphia1 and took charge of the ,church of the ,restoration4 ,failing in health1 he gave up his work in that city1 and removed to ,atco1 ,n4 ,j4 ,his friends there erected for him a small church edifice1 where he held service when able so to do4 ,he died in ,philadelphia1 ,may #ai1 #ahgi4 ,he was the author of two books1--one the ,memorial of ,rev4 ,merritt ,sanford2 the other1 ,the ,divine ,character ,vindicated1 a review of ,rev4 ,edward ,beecher's work1 entitled ,the ,conflict of ,ages4 ,this last-named volume indicates the masterly mental strength of the man4 ,dr4 ,beecher himself1 we are informed1 acknowledged it to have been the ablest of any reply made to his work4 ,it has never yet been read by ,universalists as it deserves to be4 ,mr4 ,ballou was not only a strong and logical writer1 but an earnest and eloquent preacher4 ,dr4 ,t4 ,b4 ,thayer writes of him3-- ,in his best days1 when in the vigor of his manhood1 physically and mentally1 few men could hold a thoughtful and intellectual audience to closer attention than he2 and even those who differed from him theologically acknowledged the ability with which he maintained his positions1 and were little disposed to enter the lists of controversial argument against them4 ,and at times when the great truths of the ,gospel seemed1 in the midst of his speaking1 to dawn upon him in new and larger revelation1 he would break into speech that thrilled his hearers1 and lifted them for a space into the fellowship of the angels4 ,he knew for a good while that the end was approaching1 and he was ready4 ,death was to him only the door that opened into the new immortal life1 which was almost as presently real to him as the life he was living here4 ,and when1 at the last1 his life-long friend1 ,rev4 ,james ,shrigley1 said good-bye to him1 he exclaimed1 ',why say good-bye1 when we shall meet again to-morrow8' ,illustration3 ,h4 ,ballou #b;d4 ,from a ,dag4 ,h4 ,w4 ,smith ,sc4 ,j4 ,h4 ,daniels ,pr4 ,of all the worthies in this company of church leaders of which we are speaking1 not one of them is entitled to a higher place than ,,hosea ,,ballou1 ,d4 ,d41 or #b;d1 as he was called before the doctorate was conferred upon him4 ,a rare man was he1 a clear-headed and closely logical thinker1 an untiring student1 one of the soundest of preachers1 and humblest and noblest of men4 ,we have no fear of using language too strong in our statement of his character1 its pre-eminence and worth4 ,an editor of a volume of his discourses has given it1 on the title-page1 from ,laman ,blanchard3-- ,his thoughts were as a pyramid up-piled1 ,on whose far top an angel sat and smiled1 ,yet in his heart was he a simple child4 ,he was of ,guilford1 ,vt41 born there in #agif4 ,his parents were ,baptists1 but the thoughtful and studious boy1 before the age of nineteen1 had embraced ,universalism4 ,he began early the study of ,latin and ,greek1 and gave much attention in later days to ecclesiastical history4 ,he was pastor in ,stafford1 ,conn41 and in ,roxbury and ,medford1 ,mass4 ,he was for some years one of the editors of the ,universalist ,magazine1 and afterwards of the ,quarterly1 a publication which under his supervision was a most creditable addition to the literature of the ,christian ,church4 ,his most valuable contribution to this literature is his ,ancient ,history of ,universalism1 the result of long and patient research in a new field of inquiry1 and which proved to be a work of acknowledged merit4 ,it settled at once and for all time the loose statement that ,universalism was a new doctrine1 not known to any extent in olden times4 ,some of the brightest lights in the ,christian ,church are recognized as its early advocates4 ,harvard ,university1 of which he was for some years a trustee1 conferred upon him its honorary degree of ,d4 ,d42 and ,tufts ,college1 for which he had anxiously pleaded and diligently labored1 elected him her first president4 ,his scholarship1 writes another1 was not only general and varied1 but exact in details1 and frequently astonishing by its minute acquaintance with things and events out of the ordinary channels of information2 and his knowledge was so unostentatiously held1 and kindly and modestly imparted1 that it required special inquiry to elicit it1 and seemed but natural to him4 ,his gentle manners and readiness to impart information1 and his mild and loving spirit1 won for him the esteem of all who became acquainted with him1 so that their admiration of the scholar and teacher were often lost in their affection for the friend4 ,two brothers of ,dr4 ,ballou1 ,,levi and ,,william ,s41 were for years preachers and pastors in ,new ,england4 ,william resided in the ,west for a time1 where he died in #ahfe4 ,levi was pastor of the ,universalist ,church in ,north ,orange1 ,mass41 for nineteen years4 ,clear-minded1 gentle1 and yet forcible men were they1 making good proof of their ministry4 ,rev4 ,,edward ,,turner was for years one of the ablest ministers in the ,universalist ,church4 ,he was born in ,medfield1 ,mass41 ,july #bh1 #aggf1 and was in early life sent to the school of the celebrated ,hannah ,adams and her sister4 ,in #aghf his family removed to ,sturbridge1 ,mass41 and in his seventeenth year he was at ,leicester ,academy4 ,he was educated under orthodox influence1 and used to say that he held the minister in such fearful reverence that he would jump over the wall to hide himself if he saw that he must meet him on the road4 ,the towns in the section of ,worcester ,county in which he lived were among those where ,universalism was first preached4 ,oxford1 especially1 was one of its strongholds1 the first ,convention having met there when he was ten years old4 ,in such a neighborhood he could not have lived long without hearing something of the strange doctrine1 but all that is known is1 that he is said to have been a ,universalist as early as his sixteenth or seventeenth year4 ,he began to preach in #agih1 when1 at the age of twenty-two1 he preached his first sermon at ,bennington1 ,vt4 ,he first appears in the public records of the ,universalists in #ahjj1 when it is stated that a ,letter of ,license was given him by the ,general ,convention4 ,from this time until #ahbd his name appears in the records nearly every year4 ,he is mentioned in the records of the ,convention for #ahjc as of ,sturbridge and also of ,charlton1 from which it is inferred that both these towns had societies of which he was pastor4 ,in #ahji he removed to ,salem1 ,mass4 ,here he remained till ,june1 #ahad1 when he accepted a call to ,charlestown1 ,mass4 ,in ,march1 #ahbd1 he accepted an invitation to ,portsmouth1 ,n4 ,h41 where he continued till the spring of #ahbh4 ,he was afterwards minister in ,charlton1 his old home1 and at ,fishkill ,landing1 ,n4 ,y4 ,in #ahda he removed to ,jamaica ,plain1 to a home left by a son-in-law1 where he passed the remainder of his days4 ,he was twice married4 ,he occasionally preached up to the last4 ,he was present as one of the bearers at the funeral of his old friend and co-worker1 ,mr4 ,ballou1 ,june #i1 #aheb1 and departed this life ,jan4 #bd1 #ahec4 ,with the opinions of the elder ,ballou in regard to future 7or no-future7 punishment he had no sympathy2 and an estrangement somehow grew up1 which led him to connect himself1 later in life1 with the ,unitarians1 instead of remaining with those in the ,universalist ministry1 such as ,h4 ,ballou1 #b;d41 the ,streeters and ,skinners1 ,rev4 ,l4 ,willis1 ,thomas ,f4 ,king1 and others1 whose opinions coincided with his own4 ,a severe illness in #ahaa wrought a marked change in him4 ,before this he was quite robust and erect1 afterwards he appeared more feeble4 ,previous to this sickness1 like ,mr4 ,ballou1 he had been exclusively an extemporaneous preacher1 and is said to have been one of the rousing sort1--live1 vehement1 electric2 but from this period his whole manner changed1 and his ordinary preaching became subdued1 languid1 what is called moderate1 at times1 perhaps1 even heavy4 ,dr4 ,e4 ,g4 ,brooks1 in an excellent biographical notice of him1 says3-- ,he had immense latent power4 ,at times1 when kindled by some great occasion1 or stirred by opposition or some peculiar circumstance1 this came out4 ,then he preached with all his old fire1 and sometimes rose into impassioned and commanding eloquence4 ',all the fountains of the great deep' within him 'were broken up1' and thought and feeling came in a flood4 ,rev4 ,russell ,streeter writes me1 ',on ,convention occasions he was1 on the whole1 second to no one4' ,my parents tell me that he was 'sometimes very animated4' ,they speak particularly of one sermon in ,portsmouth1 called forth by some bitter outbreak of opposition1 when he preached with surpassing effect4 ,others report similar instances4 ,doctrinal sermons in abundance he preached1 but even those most argumentative and most sharply controversial were flavored with a religious meaning and reasoned to practical ends4 ,he never preached a sermon that was merely doctrinal1 but always made dogmatic discussion subordinate to moral impression4 ,though in a mistaken estimate of duty1 as we believe1 he separated from us1 his name can never be taken out of our records as one of the worthiest of our early heroes1 nor his work cease to be an occasion of gratitude and honorable pride to us1 nor his reverent and saintly character fail to be one of the most precious portions of our denominational inheritance4#ci ,the ,,streeter brothers are to be numbered in this company of the preachers4 ,,sebastian was for more than thirty years pastor of the ,first ,universalist ,church1 on ,hanover ,street1 ,boston4 ,he was a minister of marked character1 light-framed1 nervous1 dark-eyed1 of quick movement1 clear and strong-minded1 voluble in speech1 affable1 at home everywhere1 especially in the pulpit4 ,under many disadvantages1 he laid for himself the foundation of a professional education4 ,he intended to qualify himself for the law1 but a superior wisdom and will called him to the ,christian pulpit4 ,at the age of eighteen1 while a school-teacher in ,new ,hampshire1 he was a talented advocate of ,christian ,universalism4 ,at twenty-two he preached his first discourse4 ,he travelled extensively as a missionary in ,maine1 encountering the reproach which awaited the advocacy of his faith in those days in many parts of ,new ,england1 and having the honor of being stoned once while preaching in a ,christian house of worship1 and by a zealous member of a church4 ,with him1 however1 opposition was an incentive to new earnestness in his work4 ,he was singularly gifted as a preacher4 ,he despised all garishness and affectation1 and was usually full of his theme4 ,there was in him a latent fire of eloquence1 which when kindled stirred his audience to the depths of their souls4 ,the writer calls to mind occasions of his preaching3 one1 while the hearer was standing in the doorway of a church at a meeting of the ,general ,convention in ,vermont4 ,the pulpit was between the doors that opened upon the faces of the congregation4 ,the preacher was in the heat of his discoursing on the words of ,jesus1 ,and ,i1 if ,i be lifted up from the earth1 will draw all men unto me4 ,there were no indifferent listeners1 and but few dry eyes to be seen4 ,the remembrance has often been an inspiration4 ,the other was at the session of the ,rockingham ,association1 in ,nottingham1 ,n4 ,h41 in #ahcc4 ,mr4 ,streeter delivered the occasional discourse1 an able and a timely one4 ,he was speaking of reforms and reformers1 and was all aglow with his theme4 ,he thus came to a climax3-- ,we know of a revivalist and reformer infinitely superior in skill and power to those of all sects combined2 one who will continue to move onward1 'conquering and to conquer1' till he has 'renewed a right spirit' in every heart1 till he has reformed fully and forever the countless millions of our race4 ,yes1 blessed be ,god1 we know his name4 ,it is ,jesus of ,nazareth2 the ,lion of the ,tribe of ,judah2 the ,son of ,god2 the ,saviour of the world6 ,amen6 from a brother minister4#dj ,the preacher responded3 ,hallelujah6 ,glory to ,god in the highest6 ,jesus will make all things new4 ,let heaven proclaim his honor2 let earth echo and re-echo his praises2 and let eternity respond them through the long and lofty roll of its interminable ages6 ,said ,mr4 ,streeter to a friend1 one ,monday morning3-- ,i had something tender to put into my sermon yesterday morning4 ,as ,i was going to church1 a poor woman came to me to borrow a dollar to get bread for her children1 and1 as ,i handed it to her1 she offered me a small locket containing a braid of hair from the head of a little child she had buried a week ago4 ',take back the locket1' said ,i2 'it is too sacred for my hands2 but keep the dollar1 you are welcome to that4 ,it does me more good to give it than you to receive it1 and you can have more if you need4' ,then she wept1 and said she was a poor widow1 living in such a street near by1 and her poor children had not had a mouthful since yesterday noon1 and she had nothing to buy them bread4 ,i knew by her looks that she told me the truth1 but to satisfy her ,i went and saw where she lived1 and saw her children1 and gave her more money1 and told her ,i would look to her wants again to-morrow4 ,then ,i went into the pulpit1 and put the incident into a sermon1 and ,i haven't preached so well1 nor enjoyed the service so much1 for many a day4 ,his heart was often overflowing with such charities as this1 through all his ministry4 ,he was the life of a conference meeting1 and his ,friday evening conferences in the ,hanover ,street vestry were never forgotten by those who attended them4 ,as a pastor1 he was always welcomed in the homes of his parishioners1 sharing as he did their joys and sorrows with the sympathy of a brother and friend4 ,as an officiating attendant at weddings1 he was exceedingly popular1 and his yearly marriage list1 for a long time1 exceeded in numbers that of any other clergyman in ,boston4 ,on funeral occasions1 he was eminently a son of consolation4 ,there was such an unction in his usual manner of preaching--a manner so peculiarly adapted to the services of the ,sabbath--that a brother minister who highly respected him1 quaintly suggested that ,sabbathstrain1 rather than ,sebastian1 might properly be used as his name4 ,as another has written of him3 ,he was an intensely magnetic man4 ,it was not simply what he said1 but the spiritual unction with which he uttered the truth1 that won and held you4#da ,mr4 ,streeter lived to the age of eighty-four4 ,in his last days he suffered intensely from asthma1 which had long afflicted him4 ,he has left the example of a true and noble life to the churches4 ,rev4 ,,russell ,,streeter was a younger brother of ,sebastian1 and a man of much mental vigor1--sharp1 witty1 and logical4 ,he had quite a number of ministerial settlements in ,new ,england1 and in them all was noted for his ability as a preacher1 for his peculiarities of character1 and his good qualities as a neighbor and citizen4 ,he was the first editor of the ,christian ,intelligencer1 a ,universalist weekly paper1 published at ,portland1 ,me42 was minister in that city for some years1 and afterwards1 much later in life1 went to pay the society a long pastorate visit of six and a half years1 which proved very agreeable to pastor and people4 ,he died at ,woodstock1 ,vt41 ,feb4 #ae1 #ahhj4 ,mr4 ,streeter was a subject of impulses4 ,when in the happy mood1 no one1 it seemed to us1 could preach a more acceptable sermon than he4 ,when not in this favorable frame of mind1 he would not always do justice to himself4 ,we can never forget a discourse 7the closing one7 at a ,conference in ,orford1 ,n4 ,h41 from the text1 ,behold how good and how pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity4 ,the sermons previously delivered were timely1 and had been well received1 and he was fully in the spirit of them all1 and felt that he had the strong sympathies of his hearers4 ,his words dropped like the rain1 and distilled as the dew4 ,doctrine1 illustration1 exhortation1 application1 all were excellent1 and there was an unction in the whole discourse that left upon the audience impressions most highly favorable to the faith he was setting forth4 ,on another occasion1 at the closing of a session of the ,new ,hampshire ,convention1 at ,lebanon1 he was the last preacher of the occasion4 ,very able and impressive discourses had been delivered by five other ministers4 ,mr4 ,streeter1 in an apparently extemporaneous effort1 took special notice of the matter and manner of them all1 and of the characters of the speakers2 and when he alluded to the sermon of the young and beloved ,hanscom1 as an eloquent appeal from one whose hollow and sepulchral tones seemed to indicate that the youthful and faithful speaker was nearing the tomb1 the effect was exceedingly impressive4 ,during the editorial career of ,mr4 ,streeter with the ,christian ,intelligencer1 he proved himself an able and effective writer1 and did much to call attention to the religious principles which he advocated4 ,while in ,portland1 he was neighbor to ,dr4 ,edward ,payson1 of distinguished memory in the ,congregational ,churches2 a very zealous advocate of ,christianity1 as he understood it1 and who regarded the ,gospel as promulgated by ,mr4 ,streeter as a pernicious and deadly heresy4 ,mr4 ,streeter was somewhat fond of looking after him1 and noting what he considered to be some of his errors in doctrine4 ,one evening the two happened to greet each other at a meeting where ,dr4 ,payson presided and which ,mr4 ,streeter attended4 ,soon theological questioning and cross questioning took place1 and some very strong denunciatory words were used by the ,doctor1 who was evidently much excited4 ,mr4 ,streeter was cool and keen in his replies1 and soon pushed the ,doctor into a very close corner1 causing him to contradict himself1 and to appear to his friends and all present to great disadvantage4 ,it was a triumph of temper as well as of theological ability4 ,the ,doctor1 saintly man as he surely was1 evidently felt the force of his neighbor's replies to him4 ,mr4 ,streeter was an able writer4 ,his ,familiar ,conversations have been much read4 ,they were adapted to the time in which they were written1 and so were some of his works on the revival movements of the ,orthodox ,churches in ,new ,england and elsewhere1 thirty or forty years ago4 ,his little volume entitled1 ,the ,latest ,news from ,three ,worlds1--,heaven1 ,earth1 and ,hell1 was a scorching satire upon the extravagances connected with these movements4 ,scriptural argument and strong logic are mixed with keenest wit1 mirthfulness1 tenderness1 and rhetoric most glowing and redundant4 ,the ministers and churches to whom these reviews were addressed must have seen themselves in no very commendable light in that glass4 ,those who have once read the book attentively are not likely to forget it4 ,while engaged in the ,burchard ,war in ,vermont1 he published a pamphlet entitled1 ,mirror of ,calvinistic ,fanaticism2 or1 ,jedediah ,burchard ,co41 ,during a ,protracted ,meeting of ,twenty-six ,days in ,woodstock1 ,vt4 ,it was an effective issue4 ,during most of his ministry1 ,mr4 ,streeter was a zealous and successful advocate of the temperance reform4 ,his addresses were always lively and interesting1 full of anecdote1 ludicrous hits1 and quaint sayings4 ,he was popular in all places and with all sects in this work1 and many who would hardly consent to hear him advocate his religious sentiments realized much enjoyment in listening to his defence of temperance principles4 ,on one occasion he was in the pulpit with a clergyman whose sense of self-dignity was above the ordinary1 and who evidently had no strong inclination to be the subject of a joke4 ,while ,mr4 ,streeter was addressing the meeting1 he took occasion to describe the different mixtures of strong drink which were in use almost everywhere previous to the temperance reformation4 ,the last article of all1 said he1 added to perfect the dram1 was--was--really1 strange to say1 but ,i have just now lost the name6 ,will some one please to mention it8 ,nutmeg6 exclaimed the dignified clergyman near him4 ,that's it6 responded ,mr4 ,streeter4 ,he's well informed in these matters1 ,i'll warrant you4 ,we have heard an account of his attendance1 in ,western ,new ,york1 at a meeting where a ,methodist and a ,universalist were to preach in the same meeting-house one ,sunday4 ,the ,universalist was to speak in the morning1 and the ,methodist in the afternoon4 ,in the last sermon the preacher was very severe in his treatment of ,universalists and their doctrine4 ,mr4 ,streeter1 seeing that there would be no opportunity for a rejoinder to his statements1 asked his ministering brother the privilege of taking his place in offering the closing prayer1 in which1 in the most reverential1 solemn1 and emphatic manner1 he briefly noted what he considered the misrepresentations of the last speaker1 and left upon the audience an impression decidedly favorable to his own faith4 ,the whole exercise1 quaint as it was1 was so remarkably able and timely1 that all criticism of it seemed to be silenced4 ,rev4 ,,thomas ,,jones was a successor of ,rev4 ,john ,murray1 at ,gloucester1 ,mass4 ,he came from the ,methodists in ,england1 and once belonged to the ,lady ,huntington connection4 ,he was a veritable ,welshman1 honest1 kind-hearted1 blunt in speech1 and unique in his method and style of sermonizing4 ,his discourses were most positive statements of ,universalism1 and abounded in ,scriptural quotations4 ,some one wittily said of ,father ,balfour1 that so great was his reliance on the authority of the ,bible1 that he would go to it to find out whether a suspected bank-note were counterfeit or not4 ,a parishioner of ,father ,jones remarked of him1 that he could hardly get through saying grace1 even at a ,fourth of ,july festival1 without repeating the passage1 ,for as in ,adam all die1 even so in ,christ shall all be made alive4 ,he had a long settlement in ,gloucester1 and died there at a ripe old age 7eighty-three71 ,aug4 #bj1 #ahdf4 ,the discourse at the funeral was delivered by ,rev4 ,a4 ,d4 ,mayo1 the officiating minister and pastor at the time4 ,he paid a just tribute to the honored old ,christian soldier1 and to the early defenders of our faith in ,america4 ,rev4 ,,paul ,,dean received fellowship as a ,universalist minister in #ahje4 ,he afterwards preached extensively in ,vermont and ,new ,hampshire1 and moved to ,whitestown1 ,n4 ,y41 in #ahaj4 ,he traversed frequently large portions of ,central and ,western ,new ,york1 and held several successful discussions1--two1 particularly1 with ,rev4 ,mr4 ,lacy1 then a ,methodist1 afterwards an ,episcopalian ,bishop4 ,he removed to ,boston in #ahac1 and in #ahbc his friends left the ,first ,church1 and built for him the church in ,bulfinch ,street1 now ,unitarian4 ,about #ahbh1 he withdrew from the fellowship of the ,universalists1 and1 with a few others1 formed the ,massachusetts ,restorationist ,association4 ,on its decline he left ,boston1 and settled in ,framingham1 in #ahdj4 ,he was an eloquent and popular preacher1 and was for many years an active ,freemason1 holding1 during the greater part of his manhood1 the highest offices of that ,order in the ,united ,states4 ,he died in ,framingham1 of paralysis1 ,oct4 #e1 #ahfj1 aged seventy-seven years4 ,in his early ministry1 ,mr4 ,dean1 while in ,central ,new ,york1 was subject to the oppositions which others of his fraternity sometimes encountered4 ,on one occasion1 an over-zealous woman was so highly incensed at the expectation of his coming to the house where she resided1 that she had in preparation a kettle of hot water with which to greet him1 but was prevented by others from effecting her evil design4 ,an honest and clear-minded man was ,rev4 ,,walter ,,balfour1 who came from his native ,scotland to ,charlestown1 ,mass4 ,he was first a ,congregationalist1 and afterwards a ,baptist1 and an acceptable preacher with both sects2 a ,greek and ,hebrew scholar1 and well instructed in sacred literature4 ,a most conscientious believer was he in the old theology of ,scottish orthodoxy4 ,he had never dreamed that ,universalism could be true4 ,but he was a reader and thinker1 and especially inclined to the good use of his logical powers4 ,he read the works of ,american orthodox authors1 among whom was ,professor ,stuart of ,andover1 for whose opinions he had profound respect4 ,the ,professor became engaged in a controversy with the eminent ,unitarian1 ,dr4 ,channing1 and ,mr4 ,balfour followed up the discussion with deep interest4 ,in his attempts to set forth ,christ as equal with ,god1 the ,professor cited the words of the ,revelator 7,rev4 v4 #ac71 where things in heaven1 in earth1 and under the earth 7a periphrasis for the universe71 are said to bow the knee to ,jesus1 and ascribe blessing1 honor1 glory1 and power to him4 ,if this be not spiritual worship1 says the ,professor1 and if ,christ be not the object of it here1 ,i am unable to produce a case where worship can be called spiritual and divine4 ,mr4 ,balfour read and pondered4 ,he had not doubted the ,trinity1 the equality of ,christ with the ,father4 ,but what is the import of this statement1 that the universe is offering spiritual worship to ,christ8 ,is this the ,professor's meaning8 ,would he thus avow the truth of ,universalism8 ,he becomes anxious on the subject2 addresses a respectful but earnest letter to the ,andover teacher1 asking an explanation of this statement2 awaits patiently an answer1 but none comes4 ,writes again and again1 still receiving no reply4 ,after nearly a year and a half1 his last appeal is made4 ,an equivocal answer came1 expressing unwillingness to reply to anonymous newspaper writers6 ,frivolous pretension1 and in discreditable contrast with the honesty and sincerity of the inquirer4 ,bound to oppose ,universalism1 as the creed of the ,institution compelled him to1 why would not the ,professor seek to save this inquirer from its fatal enticements8 ,but the ,professor's neglect was the inquirer's opportunity4 ,he continued his inquiries1 and the result was his conversion to the ,universalist faith1 his life interest in it afterwards1 and the writing of volumes in its defence1 which aided in disseminating a knowledge of it widely throughout the land4 ,thus ,andover inadvertently1 through the unwillingness of this its teacher to save the honest inquirer from error1 gave to the ,universalist ,church one of its ablest1 most devoted1 and worthy ministers and defenders4 ,that is a part of its history henceforth4 ,a minister of marked character1 and of much service to the ,universalist ,church1 was ,rev4 ,,john ,,bisbe4 ,he was a ,massachusetts man1 and graduated at ,brown ,university1 in #ahad4 ,he was a student of law for a short time in ,taunton1 and while employed as a teacher in ,new ,hampshire1 became acquainted with ,universalism1 and subsequently a preacher of it4 ,his reading was extensive1 and his knowledge of the ,english language quite thorough4 ,in ordinary conversation he expressed himself with a striking precision4 ,he preached first in ,connecticut and ,western ,massachusetts1 and was settled in ,hartford1 ,conn41 from #ahbd to #ahbg1 when he became pastor of the ,universalist ,church in ,portland1 ,me4 ,he was an impressive preacher1 with no attempt at the sensational4 ,his personal appearance was notable3 a thin man1 of stiff1 perpendicular carriage and measured walk2 with light hair1 pale face1 and very dark eyes1 almost a glittering black4 ,the distinguished literary author1 ,john ,neal1 said of him3-- ,i have heard ,mr4 ,bisbe repeatedly1 and the more ,i hear him the better ,i like him4 ,he is fervid1 free1 and powerful1 uses lofty and generous language1 and where he fails to reason1 it would appear to be not so much from a want of metaphysical power as from a habit of disregarding it4 ,from his appearance you would not expect much2 but1 notwithstanding this1 he is decidedly the most eloquent preacher in our part of the country4 ,he is1 moreover1 a man of exceedingly happy erudition4 ,the editor of the ,eastern ,argus wrote of him as3-- ,a distinguished and talented preacher1 of transcendent powers of mind and eloquence in the pulpit2 eloquence that moved and burned as he breathed it1 and that sunk deep into the heart through the understanding as well as the passions of his audience4 ,he took especial interest in the church institution1 in the ,bible-class for scriptural exposition1 and in all that pertained to personal religious culture and the work of ,christian charity4 ,he died ,march #a1 #ahbi1 aged thirty six4 ,the death scene was indicative of the strength and joy of his faith4 ,soon after ,rev4 ,thomas ,f4 ,king came to ,portsmouth1 ,n4 ,h41 he became acquainted with ,mr4 ,bisbe4 ,he had a high admiration of the talents and worth of the man before they met4 ,previous to the introduction1 ,mr4 ,king had been told of the stiffness and precision of ,mr4 ,bisbe in his salutations of others1 and was humorously inclined to use a little of the same precision in their first greeting4 ,the effect1 to an observer1 was amusing in the extreme4 ,but both parties preserved their dignity4 ,illustration3 ,thos4 ,whittemore4 ,h4 ,w4 ,smith4 ,among the foremost of the advocates of this old and new ,gospel in ,new ,england1 we may justly name the sturdy and indefatigable ,,thomas ,,whittemore4 ,he began earthly life with the present century1 ,jan4 #a1 #ahjj4 ,he came up from life's humblest walks4 ,his parents educated him religiously in moderate ,calvinistic sentiments1 but he grew out of them and became sceptical1 until his attention was arrested and his mind deeply impressed by the preaching of ,rev4 ,hosea ,ballou1 in ,boston4 ,an acquaintance with ,mr4 ,ballou turned his attention to the ministry1 and he became a diligent student in preparation for that calling4 ,his first sermon1 written upon the bench at intervals between his working hours1 was preached in ,roxbury1 his dress for the occasion providentially coming in to him1 as he was too poor to obtain it himself4 ,his first pastorate was in ,milford1 his second and longer one in ,cambridgeport1 ,mass41 in which place he had his home until his death4 ,his work as editor of the ,trumpet was a long and vigorous one1 and the volumes that came from his pen beside this weekly periodical were of much value to the ,christian ,church4 ,historical1 exegetical1 musical1 were they1 all for the good of the ,christian cause1 in whose interest it was his delight to work4 ,he was a proud banner-bearer of his church4 ,universalism was to him the ,alpha and ,omega of theology and religion4 ,he saw nothing that could take its place1 and held no fellowship with those who were disposed to compromise its claims4 ,his editorial pen was alive with clear scriptural expositions1 watchful warnings against the religious errors of the times1 and bold and defiant defences of what he accepted as ,christian truth4 ,his ,modern ,history of ,universalism is a book of rare merit1 and his ,commentary on the ,apocalypse one of the plainest and most sensible ever given to the public1 and one which theological critics of the dominant sects have been wary enough to let alone4 ,his four volumes of the life and writings of ,rev4 ,hosea ,ballou make out a valuable epitome of the history of ,universalism in ,massachusetts and in other parts of ,new ,england1 from the beginning to the middle of the century4 ,he had ready wit1 a never-failing flow of spirits1 and a genial temperament1 which drew to him hosts of friends4 ,his preaching was always popular with the masses1--scriptural1 logical1 often strikingly illustrated1 if occasionally in a homely way1 fervent and telling with his congregations4 ,he was a welcome evangelist all over ,new ,england4 ,he was a man of rare business qualifications also4 ,he rendered much civic service to the ,state as legislator1 and was highly efficient as president and director of bank and railroad corporations4 ,he was stricken with paralysis more than a year before his decease1 and never regained his vigor4 ,he departed this life in #ahfa1 in his sixty-second year4#db ,mr4 ,whittemore is remembered as a controversialist1 and with those who beheld him chiefly in this light his other qualities may not have been fairly estimated4 ,his very position as a ,christian theologian was aggressive4 ,he came into the field to face what he deemed religious error1 and to give it battle1 asking only that freedom of thought and expression which ,christian faithfulness demands4 ,during his active life1 years ago1 a ministering brother 7,rev4 ,t4 ,j4 ,sawyer1 ,d4 ,d47 wrote of him3-- ,perhaps some may think him wanting in refinement and grace1 and others1 ,i know1 regard him as at times bolder and plainer than necessary4 ,that he deals severely with some of his opposers is certain1 yet1 with all his severity1 there is a frankness and manliness which challenges the respect even of his enemies4 ,then it is but just to remember the school in which he has been disciplined4 ,he who has been called to stand at the head of the prominent ,universalist press of ,new ,england for the last twenty years must have learned ere this to defend himself and his course4 ,it has been no warfare for paper hats and silk gloves4 ,the head needed a helmet of steel1 and the hand must know how to grasp the sword and spear4 ,reflect for one moment on the ,batcheldors1 the ,mc,clures1 the ,cooks1 the ,matthew ,hale ,smiths1 with whom ,mr4 ,whittemore has been called to contend1 and then tell me if the old soldier has not come out of the fight with charity and kindness worthy of admiration4 ,paul fought with beasts at ,ephesus2 ,whittemore has been scarcely more fortunate in ,boston4 ,upon the whole1 ,mr4 ,whittemore is a man whose life and character deserve high consideration4 ,he is supposed by some to be too much a party man1 and to consult with too much exclusiveness the interest of the denomination of which he is so prominent a member4 ,perhaps it is so1 but if this charge is sustained against him1 ,i hope ,i may be included in the same condemnation4#dc ,mr4 ,whittemore's strong traits were3 #a4 ,positiveness of interest in the ,christian ,gospel4 ,he had a positive faith to promote and defend4 ,he seemed to realize the force of ,paul's statements3 ,i know whom ,i have believed4 ,therefore we are always confident4 #b4 ,fervor4 ,he believed in ,christian earnestness and zeal2 was more afraid of frost than of fire in the churches4 #c4 ,industry4 ,this in him was indomitable4 ,one of his sayings was1 ,dead fish float with the tide1--live ones swim against it4 ,he was one of the living ones1 who stemmed opposition and wrought victories4 ,the grand words of our poet ,fields are illustrative of him1-- ,souls that freed from prison bars1 ,struck the blows themselves have won1 ,grappling with their evil stars1 ,stand1 like ,uriel1 in the sun4 ,another minister of the same ancestral family was ,rev4 ,,benjamin ,,whittemore1 ,d4 ,d41 born in ,lancaster1 ,mass41 ,may #cj1 #ahja2 died in ,mattapan1 ,boston1 ,april #bf1 #ahha4 ,he was educated at the academies in ,lancaster and ,groton1 and became in early life a convert to ,universalism1 mainly through reading the writings of ,rev4 ,hosea ,ballou4 ,he felt impelled to enter the ministry4 ,he had successful pastorates in ,west ,scituate1 ,mass42 ,troy1 ,n4 ,y42 ,south ,boston1 ,mass42 and ,norwich1 ,conn4 ,in #ahdc1 he took possession of the old homestead in ,lancaster1 where he remained ten years without pastoral charge1 but working in various ways for the promotion of the ,christian cause4 ,he was instrumental in establishing a ,universalist society in ,fitchburg1 ,mass4 ,in his later years he became blind1 but1 in spite of this infirmity1 he continued to preach occasionally1 repeating his hymns and ,scripture lessons from memory4 ,he was always heartily engaged in his work4 ,as an expositor of the ,scriptures he possessed eminent ability1 and in preaching1 his logical method and aptness enabled him to express his convictions with great force4 ,he was a sturdy defender of ,christianity against the objections of the doubting and unbelieving4 ,he received the degree of ,doctor of ,sacred ,theology1 of ,tuft's ,college1 in #ahfg4 ,his wife was ,mandana1 the third daughter of ,rev4 ,hosea ,ballou4 ,they were united in life for nearly sixty years4 ,his intellect was unclouded to the last1 and his faith grew brighter as his spirit took its flight4 ,an eminent and effective defender of the faith was ,rev4 ,,dolphus ,,skinner1 ,d4 ,d41 whose death took place in ,utica1 ,n4 ,y41 in #ahfi4 ,he was born in ,westmoreland1 ,n4 ,h41 in #ahjj1 and passed his minority in labor on a farm1 attendance at a neighboring academy1 and keeping school4 ,his theological studies were with ,rev4 ,s4 ,c4 ,loveland1 of ,reading1 ,vt41 and he entered the ministry in #ahbc4 ,the most of his life was passed in ,utica1 ,n4 ,y41 where as preacher and editor he proved himself one of the ablest promulgators of the ,universalist faith in the land4 ,the ,evangelical ,magazine and ,gospel ,advocate1 of which he was for many years editor1 had a large circulation4 ,he was a very popular preacher in ,central ,new ,york4 ,of commanding person1 with a voice of great volume and softness1 with the readiest use of language1 he was a favorite with the people4 ,his discourses were strong1 doctrinally and practically1 and his ministries at funerals were exceedingly satisfactory4 ,during his ministry of forty years1 he preached over five thousand discourses4 ,he was the author of valuable books and pamphlets4 ,his letters to ,drs4 ,aiken and ,lansing1 and his discussion with ,rev4 ,alexander ,campbell1 evince much ability4 ,he was a ,christian reformer4 ,the ,clinton ,liberal ,institute has been greatly indebted to his timely and unwearied exertions for its prosperity4 ,he was a ,christian patriot also1 and took a lively interest in the political welfare of his country4 ,the termination of his earthly life was peaceful4 ,i am an old soldier1 said he to his physician1 and am about to receive my discharge4 ,after a night of quiet from his protracted pain1 he entered that morning which opens the resurrection life to man4 ,a brother of ,dolphus was ,rev4 ,,warren ,,skinner1 who passed the great part of his life in ,vermont1 and who was well known there1 and in most of ,new ,england1 as a talented and useful minister4 ,his personal appearance was1 like that of his brother1 imposing1 and his discoursing1 if a little heavy in manner at times1 always methodical and sound4 ,he was a staunch friend of ,universalism1 and had great faith in its evangelizing power4 ,during some part of his ministry he was a useful expository writer in the church journals4 ,he did much valuable missionary work1 and lived to a ripe old age in full possession of his mental powers4 ,he gave a son to the ministry1 ,rev4 ,charles ,a4 ,skinner1 now of ,somerville1 ,mass4 ,illustration3 ,otis ,a4 ,skinner4 ,j4 ,a4 ,j4 ,wilcox1 ,boston4 ,rev4 ,,otis ,a4 ,,skinner was an honor to the church4 ,his native place was ,royalton1 ,vt41 but he came forth as a minister from ,langdon1 ,n4 ,h41 at the early age of nineteen4 ,he was apprenticed to a clothier for a while before his ministry began4 ,from his first school days he was thoughtful and studious1 and succeeded in gaining a very good ,english education1 beside giving some attention to the ,greek and ,latin languages4 ,he was for some time a student with ,rev4 ,s4 ,c4 ,loveland1 of ,reading1 ,vt4 ,the writer first saw him at ,kingston1 ,n4 ,h41 at the session of the ,rockingham ,association1 in #ahbh4 ,he was just twenty-one1 and a most attractive young man to behold1 a sweet sunshiny glow in his comely countenance1 which seemed most agreeably set in his golden ringlets of hair4 ,we heard him preach then1 at a private house1 to a very good audience in the evening4 ,he stood in front of the old family clock1 and gave us a very sensible and well-arranged discourse from the text1 ,he that goeth forth and weepeth1 bearing precious seed1 shall doubtless come again with rejoicing1 bringing his sheaves with him 7,ps4 cxxvi4 #f74 ,it was full of the plainest ,universalism4 ,he was soon settled in ,woburn1 ,mass41 where he gave a good account of himself1 and afterwards in ,baltimore1 ,md41 where he was united in marriage with ,angela1 eldest daughter of ,rev4 ,sebastian ,streeter4 ,he had a vigorous ministry in that city1 including a public theological controversy with ,rev4 ,mr4 ,breckenridge of the ,presbyterian ,church4 ,from ,baltimore he came back to ,massachusetts1 and settled in ,haverhill1 where he edited for a time the ,gospel ,sun1 as he had edited the ,southern ,pioneer in ,baltimore4 ,a new ,universalist society having been formed of worshippers in ,boylston ,hall1 ,boston1 he was invited to become its pastor4 ,so prosperous was his ministry1 that a church edifice was soon erected in ,warren ,street4 ,here his pulpit services and pastoral work were very acceptable4 ,he became a publisher of valuable books1 and again the editor of a monthly journal1 ,the ,universalist ,miscellany4 ,in #ahdf he became pastor of ,orchard ,street ,universalist ,church in ,new ,york city2 and in #ahdh consented to be agent for raising #ajj1jjj for the new college 7now ,tufts7 proposed to be erected in ,medford1 ,mass4 ,for seven years he was in this laudable work1 giving it his faithful attention in addition to his duties as pastor of the ,warren ,street ,church1 to the ministry of which he had been invited again most unanimously4 ,no man could have been in his labors more abundant than he in this canvassing for the new college4 ,he solicited everywhere1 and especially among those of like faith with himself4 ,indifference1 the averted eye or cold shoulder1 chilled not his ardor4 ,he drew1 by his persuasive words1 dollars from pockets that seemed at his first call firmly closed against him4 ,he succeeded in securing the amount needed for the endowment of the college and its necessary expenses1 superintended the erection of the buildings1 and at times when the means could not otherwise be readily obtained1 paid the workmen from his quarterly pastor's income4 ,one of the proudest days of his life was that on which the corner-stone of the college was laid4 ,since then1 the institution has prospered2 larger endowments have given it strength1 faithful teachers have honored it1 and its sons have gone forth bearing with them the evidences of the scholarship which can be secured to its students4 ,beautiful for outward situation1 a literary ,mount ,zion of the ,universalist ,church in ,new ,england1 it gives promise of yet increasing prosperity4 ,but never will it outgrow its indebtedness to its first financial agent1 who wrought so indefatigably1 nobly1 and successfully in its behalf4 ,in #aheg ,mr4 ,skinner was induced by family considerations to move ,west4 ,after residing in ,elgin1 ,kansas ,county1 ,ill41 for a few months1 he was invited and persuaded to become president of ,lombard ,university1 at ,galesburg1 ,ill4 ,here again was work for him1 as the college needed much exertion that it might prosper4 ,and he aided it essentially4 ,but the task was too heavy1 and after two years' hard service his health gave way4 ,the death of his brother ,samuel occurring at ,chicago1 he was called upon to give attention to his financial affairs4 ,this was an additional burden too great for him to bear1 but still his spirit for a while seemed proof against his bodily weaknesses4 ,he removed to ,joliet1 and took upon him more than two healthful men could perform4 ,he would preach to his own congregation in ,joliet on ,sunday morning1 then ride five miles to ,lockport and preach at one o'clock1 thence nine miles to ,plainfield and hold a service at three1 and then return home to meet a crowd of listeners in his own church in the evening4 ,this1 added to his missionary work in the adjoining country towns1 including funeral services on other days of the week1 together with his business perplexities in the settlement of his brother's estate1 proved too much for him4 ,the end of this useful earthly life was near2 fever set in1 and did its work rapidly4 ,it was the ,christian believer's death scene4 ,his faith was strong1 his hope bright1 his face and thought were turned heavenward4 ,the last interview with a beloved daughter was inexpressibly touching1--her heroic self-control and his calm1 heavenly resignation4 ,his departure was the ,christian saint's triumph4 ,it occurred ,sept4 #ah1 #ahfa4 ,there was nothing of the flashy or sensational in the ministry of ,mr4 ,skinner4 ,he was a plain1 logical1 practical preacher1 in doctrine showing uncorruptness1 an able expounder of the ,scriptures1 and a faithful looker-up of religious error4 ,his strictures on the revivalism of ,rev4 ,mr4 ,knapp in ,boston1 and his review of ,rev4 ,theodore ,parker's theology1 in the ,universalist ,miscellany1 were good evidences of his fidelity to the ,new ,testament ,gospel and the intent of its work with mankind4 ,as a pastor he was not to be excelled4 ,he knew his flocks at their homes1 and personal attachments to him as a friend1 adviser1 and companion were very strong4 ,he was in this calling one of the models4 ,he received the degree of ,a4 ,m4 from ,harvard ,university1 and that of ,d4 ,d4 from ,lombard4 ,of his brother ,samuel ,p4 we may say that he was a man of more than ordinary endowments4 ,he was for a time in the ministry1 and preached some in ,new ,england4 ,he afterwards became editor of the ,new ,covenant1 in ,chicago4 ,he was a quiet and sensible preacher1 and excelled as a writer of clear1 compact1 and well-arranged expositions of ,scripture1 many of which enriched the columns of his paper4 ,rev4 ,,joseph ,,oberlin ,,skinner was of ,piermont1 ,n4 ,h41 born there in #ahaf4 ,he came into the ministry through much hard study and striving4 ,trained in the old theology of ,new ,england1 he became a believer in ,universalism by being first awakened to a consideration of its doctrines by the preaching of ,rev4 ,john ,moore4 ,in #ahcd he went to ,lowell1 ,mass41 and was for a time employed in a cotton-mill4 ,he was encouraged by ,rev4 ,t4 ,b4 ,thayer1 then pastor of the ,first ,universalist ,church in that city1 to enter the ministry1 and was afterwards a student of theology in the family of ,rev4 ,sylvanus ,cobb1 of ,malden1 ,mass4 ,he was minister in ,holliston1 ,framingham1 ,dudley1 and ,concord1 ,mass42 in ,ludlow and ,chester1 ,vt42 in ,nashua1 ,n4 ,h42 in ,malone1 ,n4 ,y42 in ,montpelier and ,st4 ,albans1 ,vt42 and in ,waterville1 ,me41 where he died of paralysis1 in #ahgi4 ,he was for a time associate editor of the ,christian ,repository1 published at ,montpelier1 ,vt4 ,his labors were many and successful4 ,his literary accomplishments were of a high order1 and he was a faithful and impressive preacher4 ,at the last of life he was confined to his bed for more than eleven months1 helpless1 but in quiet resignation to the ,divine will4 ,when asked if the faith with which he had comforted others was sufficient for himself in this great trial1 he answered in the affirmative1 adding1 ,i do not want any new revelation2 ,i am satisfied with what we now have4 ,he was a frequent contributor to the denominational and secular papers1 wrote many articles for the ,universalist ,quarterly1 and prepared a history of the ,masonic lodge of ,waterville1 which was very highly appreciated by the members of that order4 ,he was for many years the accurate and able editor of the yearly ,universalist ,register4 ,in recognition of his scholarly attainments1 ,colby ,university1 in #ahgb1 conferred upon him the honorary degree of ,a4 ,m4 ,,nathaniel ,,stacy1 born in ,new ,salem1 ,franklin ,county1 ,mass41 came to manhood at the close of the last century1 and1 after hard toiling in early life1 with but small educational advantages1 he concluded from sincere convictions of duty to become a preacher of the faith which he had embraced in early life4 ,he was small and feeble bodily1 but of sanguine temperament and great firmness and persistence of will4 ,he was encouraged by ,rev4 ,hosea ,ballou to leave a secular avocation and prepare himself for the ministry4 ,his first sermon was preached with much diffidence on his part1 but he was encouraged to persevere in his efforts1 and soon came to be a very acceptable speaker wherever he appeared as an advocate of his faith4 ,he itinerated much in ,massachusetts and ,vermont1 and afterwards much more in the ,middle and ,western ,states4 ,no preacher of the ,gospel was ever more engrossed in his work than he4 ,all the vicissitudes of an itinerant's life were his for many years4 ,yet his ardor never waned1 and his hopefulness helped him to meet all discouragements and surmount all obstacles4 ,he was a veritable ,christian apostle1 and was welcomed everywhere by young and old wherever he came as a messenger to the churches4 ,many remember his ministry with deepest satisfaction1 and his name stands high in the church as one of the most truthful and devoted of its evangelists4 ,his autobiography was published in quite a large volume1 in ,columbus1 ,pa41 in #ahej4 ,it is full of interesting incidents and apt and able expositions of the faith of the ,gospel4 ,mr4 ,stacy departed this life at ,columbus1 ,pa41 ,april #d1 #ahfi4 ,rev4 ,,stephen ,r4 ,,smith4 ,of this eloquent and honored minister1 his biographer1 ,dr4 ,t4 ,j4 ,sawyer1 writes3-- ,few men have risen to a higher position in the denomination of ,universalists1 exerted a wider influence1 or wrought out a brighter or more enviable fame4 ,he was born and educated in the humblest circumstances4 ,being early led by the force of his own convictions to embrace an unpopular faith1 he soon found himself impelled by a stern sense of duty to consecrate his life to its promulgation and defence4 ,his health1 never the firmest1 was soon shattered by incessant application to study and the hardships endured in the early planting of ,universalism in ,central and ,western ,new ,york1 so that a large part of his life was spent and his work done under this great disadvantage4 ,but the soul that burned within him was superior to bodily infirmity1 and flashed and blazed forth from a frame so attenuated and slender that even those most familiar with him were astonished by the vigor and sweep of his transcendent intellect1 the youthful play of his fancy1 and the strokes of his wit4 ,nor was his moral character inferior to his intellectual endowments4 ,seldom does one meet with a warmer heart or a sterner integrity than distinguished him4#dd ,his pastorates were in ,new ,hartford1 ,clinton1 ,albany1 and ,buffalo1 ,n4 ,y41 and ,philadelphia1 ,pa4 ,he was born in ,albany1 in #aghh1 and died in ,buffalo1 in #ahej1 aged sixty-one4 ,it was truly said of him at his death1 ,but one individual in the denomination can expect higher or more heartfelt tributes of love and reverence4 ,his eloquence in the pulpit was often compared with that of ,henry ,clay in the halls of ,congress4 ,it was the delight of the writer to hear him three times at meetings of the ,united ,states ,convention1 the last in ,boston in the ,school ,street ,church1 from the text1 ,and ,i1 if ,i be lifted up from the earth1 will draw all men unto me4 ,the discourse was radiant with the truth1 and electrifying with the spirit and power of the ,gospel4 ,illustration3 ,sylvanus ,cobb4 ,j4 ,a4 ,j4 ,wilcox1 ,boston4 ,a sturdy theologian1 as well as a conscientious ,christian was that stalwart man from one of the villages of ,maine1 the ,rev4 ,,sylvanus ,,cobb4 ,the title ,d4 ,d41 when conferred upon him1 was significant4 ,he was an able theologian4 ,his words in discourse were weighty1 his sentences often as ponderous as those of ,dr4 ,johnson1 and if called to controversial work1 ,longfellow's ,village ,blacksmith was an illustration of him3-- ,you could hear him swing his heavy sledge ,with measured beat and slow4 ,if warmed up in exhortation or appeal1 he was grandly fervent4 ,he never evaded the toughest theological problem proposed to him for consideration1 but seemed always in readiness to attempt a solution of it4 ,his ,compend of ,divinity is an elaborate work1 his ,commentary on the ,new ,testament an excellent helper in the family and ,sunday-school1 and his discussions with ,dr4 ,nehemiah ,adams and ,rev4 ,c4 ,f4 ,hudson1 involving the questions respecting endless punishment and the annihilation of the wicked1 are highly creditable to him as a ,christian theologian4 ,as editor of the ,christian ,freeman for twenty-five years1 and as a temperance and anti-slavery reformer1 he waged a good warfare for the right4 ,he was pastor in ,waterville1 ,me41 and in ,malden1 ,waltham1 and ,east ,boston1 ,mass4 ,during the three years of his service as a lecturing agent of the ,middlesex ,county ,temperance ,society1 he was entertained more or less at the houses of clergymen4 ,on one occasion1 in ,dracut1 at the house of a ,presbyterian minister1 he was thus questioned by his friend3 ,i have been thinking1 my dear sir1 about your doctrine1 and it seems to me1 even if it is true1 it is hardly expedient to preach it1 for all men will finally be saved1 whether it be preached or not4 ,but if it should prove to be an error1 the consequences of believing it will be terrible4 ,you have reasoned erroneously1 replied ,mr4 ,cobb1 from having assumed that my doctrine exerts not so good a moral influence as yours4 ,here is your mistake3 you believe that we are here forming characters for eternity1 and that we carry with us into the future life and retain there the moral dispositions and affections which we cultivate in this life4 ,now if this doctrine of yours proves true1 ,i shall be an eternal gainer from the faith ,i cherish here1 because it produces supreme love to ,god1 sweet reconciliation to his government1 and a cheerful1 happy state of mind4 ,i would greatly prefer to bear through eternity the mind and character formed by my religion1 than such as yours must naturally produce4 ,yet ,i am not expecting the heaven of eternity as a reward4 ,i am more than paid for loving and serving ,god here2 ,i feel that ,i am ,god's poor debtor2 and ,i trust in his grace forever4 ,i was not expecting such an answer as that1 was the sole reply of the questioner4 ,mr4 ,c4 departed this life in ,east ,boston in ,december1 #ahff4 ,in #ahbg ,rev4 ,,menzies ,,rayner entered the ,universalist ministry from the ,episcopalian church4 ,he was born at ,south ,hempstead1 ,l4 ,i41 ,nov4 #bc1 #aggj4 ,his advantages for learning were principally derived from private instruction4 ,he showed early signs of superior abilities4 ,when very young he became a convert to ,methodism1 and before the age of twenty-one commenced preaching as an itinerant4 ,he was ordained at ,lynn1 ,mass41 by ,bishop ,asbury4 ,he continued to itinerate according to the rules of the ,methodist ,church for more than two years1 when he received and accepted an invitation to settle with the ,protestant ,episcopal ,church in ,elizabethtown1 ,n4 ,j41 where he was ordained as a minister in that church by the ,right ,rev4 ,bishop ,provost of ,new ,york4 ,after a pastorate of six years in that place1 he accepted a call to the rectorship of the ,episcopal ,church in ,hartford1 ,conn41 where he continued ten years4 ,he next removed to ,huntington1 ,conn41 and took a joint rectorship of that town and ,new ,hartford 7now ,munroe74 ,he remained there sixteen years1 when from close and prayerful inquiry and study of the ,scriptures he became convinced of the truth of the doctrine of ,universal ,salvation4 ,he asked and obtained an honorable dismissal from ,bishop ,brownell of that diocese4 ,through all his subsequent life he continued to enjoy the respect and esteem of several distinguished clergymen of that church4 ,so much ,bishop ,brownell pledged to him at the time of his withdrawal4 ,soon after becoming known as a ,universalist1 he was called to the pastorate of the church in ,hartford left vacant by the removal of ,rev4 ,john ,bisbe to ,portland1 ,me4 ,he continued in ,hartford four years1 when he was earnestly solicited to remove to ,portland and take charge of the society there left without a pastor by the death of ,mr4 ,bisbe4 ,he accepted the call1 and remained there four years1 excepting one winter1 which he spent in ,north ,carolina1 where1 and in intermediate places1 he preached the ,gospel4 ,afterwards he had pastorates in ,troy and ,lansingburg1 ,n4 ,y41 and preached in ,schenectady1 ,fort ,ann1 ,hartford1 and other places4 ,for a year and a half he ministered to the ,bleecker ,st4 ,universalist ,society in ,new ,york city4 ,he resided in that city until his death1 which occurred ,nov4 #bb1 #ahej4 ,he retained his mental vigor until a few days before his departure at the age of eighty4 ,father ,rayner1 as he was familiarly called1 was a remarkable man4 ,his mental powers were of a high order1 his social qualities made him always attractive1 his wit was keen1 but he had great tenderness and depth of feeling4 ,his appearance in the pulpit was venerable and apostolic1 and his preaching clear1 powerful1 and convincing4 ,he gave to the world some printed works1 which exhibit the clear and logical character of his mind4 ,while at ,huntington1 he published a review of a sermon on ,regeneration1 by ,dr4 ,taylor1 of ,new ,haven1 and another of a sermon by ,dr4 ,tyler1 of ,southbury1 on the ,perseverance of the ,saints4 ,this was replied to by ,dr4 ,tyler1 who was again reviewed in a pamphlet of sixty pages1 which closed the controversy4 ,while at ,hartford1 he edited a paper called the ,inquirer1 and at ,portland the ,christian ,pilot4 ,while at the latter place1 he delivered ,nine ,lectures on the ,parable of the ,rich ,man and ,lazarus4 ,he also published a review of a missionary sermon by ,dr4 ,tyler1 and a sermon entitled ,st4 ,paul a ,universalist4 ,while ,mr4 ,rayner was with the ,episcopalians1 frequent theological discussions took place in the ministerial circles4 ,on one occasion1 among other questions considered1 ,mr4 ,rayner proposed this3 ,has every human being a just reason to be thankful for the gift of existence8 ,he cautioned all who would answer it directly1 ,yes or ,no1 to consider very carefully before giving the answer1 because of one other question which might follow4 ,but all present were agreed in the decision that every man had just cause for thanksgiving for the life conferred upon him4 ,now1 said ,mr4 ,rayner1 answer me this3 ,if any of the human race are to be doomed to unending misery1 have such ones any cause for such thankfulness8 ,why1 ,brother ,rayner1 you are a ,universalist1 said one of the ministers4 ,but that has nothing to do with the question1 was the response2 you are all agreed1 ,i see1 in your answer4 #cg ,a new edition of this valuable work1 with an ,introduction by ,rev4 ,dr4 ,miner1 ,mr4 ,ballou's successor in the ,boston pastorate1 has just been issued by the ,universalist ,publishing ,house in this city4 ,it ought to have a new and a larger circulation than ever4 ,the writer owes his conversion to ,universalism1 by divine grace1 to the reading of this book4 #ch ,account by ,rev4 ,a4 ,b4 ,grosh4 #ci ,universalist ,quarterly for ,april and ,july1 #ahga4 #dj ,rev4 ,a4 ,c4 ,thomas4 #da ,rev4 ,a4 ,j4 ,patterson1 ,d4 ,d4 #db ,for a more particular account of ,dr4 ,whittemore1 the reader is referred to his ,memoir1 by the author of this work4 ,universalist ,publishing ,house1 #ahgh4 #dc ,universalist ,miscellany1 ,vol4 ,,vi41 p4 #bij4 #dd ,memoir of ,rev4 ,stephen ,r4 ,smith4 ,by ,rev4 ,thomas ,j4 ,sawyer1 ,d4 ,d4 ,boston3 ,published by ,abel ,tompkins1 #aheb4 ,,chapter ,,xii4 ,,sketches ,,of ,,ministers--continued4 ,go forth1 all hands6 ,god's fallow lands ,need ploughmen1 seedmen1 reapers6 ,plough deep and long2 uproot old ,wrong2 ,turn ,sin1 turn ,slaveries under2 ,sow ,wisdom1 ,lowliness1 ,freedom1 ,holiness1 ,and reap in joy and wonder6 ,,rev4 ,d4 ,k4 ,,lee1 ,d4 ,d4 ,rev4 ,thomas ,f4 ,king was a minister of rare qualities4 ,he came up from the humble walks of life1 and by hard study and the improvement of every opportunity for mental culture1 became a scholar of excellent acquirements4 ,he was an enthusiastic believer in the ,gospel1 and one of its most eloquent preachers and defenders4 ,he was especially acquainted with the evidences of natural and revealed religion1 and well prepared to present them for the consideration of sceptical minds4 ,his voice was rich1 deep1 and musical1 and as a reader he could hardly be excelled4 ,this1 aside from their intrinsic merits1 made his discourses strongly impressive4 ,an instance is cited of a disaffected hearer who had concluded not to attend his meetings any more1 finding himself at the door of the church one morning1 after the service had opened1 in expectation of hearing a stranger preach4 ,mr4 ,king was there1 reading the ,scriptures1--the invitation in ,isaiah's prophecies1 ,ho1 every one that thirsteth1 come ye to the waters1 c4 ,the hearer stood still1 listened1 attempted to leave1 and was held fast4 ,again he started1 but the words reached him1 ,incline your ear1 and come unto me2 hear1 and your soul shall live6 ,further resistance was useless4 ,his place in the sanctuary was taken again1 and held afterwards while he lived4 ,mr4 ,king had a large1 warm1 sympathetic heart1 and made the joys and sorrows of his people his own4 ,he was the life of the social circle1 and his fund of anecdote and good humor usually insured him a warm reception everywhere4 ,he had an unusually rich bass voice in singing4 ,his pulpit services were pervaded with a profound reverential spirit4 ,he was pastor in ,hudson1 ,n4 ,y41 ,portsmouth1 ,n4 ,h41 and ,charlestown1 ,mass41 in which last-named place he departed this life1 ,sept4 #ac1 #ahci4 ,his death was a ,christian's triumph4 ,of his eminent son1 ,,thomas ,,starr ,,king1 what can we say that most readers do not already know8 and yet the man and his life will always bear noting and will never fail to be admired4 ,he was born in the city of ,new ,york1 ,dec4 #ag1 #ahbd4 ,he early manifested singular aptitude for study and deep conscientiousness4 ,his education was desultory1 but with his quickness of apprehension he acquired ,latin and ,french at an early age4 ,at fifteen1 on the death of his father1 he became the head of the family1 and worked for their support as a clerk and school-teacher4 ,in the mean time he was an untiring student of metaphysics and theology4 ,one of his historians1 ,mr4 ,e4 ,p4 ,whipple1 writes of him3-- ,he mastered the results of the great ,german and ,french critics of the ,bible4 ,to many of our present young students exegesis practically means exit ,jesus2 but ,king1 in all his eager quest of truth1 and dutiful acknowledgment of the service which the great ,german theologians had rendered to the rational interpretation of the ,scriptures1 never lost his original hold on ,christ ,jesus as the express image of ,god1--as the ,son who reveals to us the ,father1--as the ideal embodiment of a perfected ,humanity4 ,such a person had a natural call to the ministry4 ,his first sermon was preached in ,woburn1 in the autumn of #ahde4 ,in the summer of the next year he was invited to the pastorate of the ,universalist ,church in ,charlestown1 then made vacant by the removal of the ,rev4 ,e4 ,h4 ,chapin to ,boston4 ,he accepted the call1 and enjoyed a busy and happy ministry there1 until his urgent call to become the minister of the ,hollis ,street 7,unitarian7 ,church in ,boston4 ,the first invitation he declined1 and made a voyage to ,fayal to recruit his health which had been impaired by his incessant labors4 ,the invitation was renewed on his return home1 and he was installed in his new place in ,december1 #ahdh4 ,this course on his part was not agreeable to many of his ,universalist friends1 but they had no doubt that it was conscientiously taken by him1 and most of them always retained their good will and heart-fellowship for him4 ,they knew that his work would be mainly in the right direction always2 and they were not disappointed4 ,as a public literary lecturer1 he was among the foremost in the land4 ,in ,april1 #ahfj1 ,mr4 ,king took charge of the ,unitarian ,church in ,san ,francisco1 ,cal4 ,he saw a field there which he deemed it an opportunity to occupy1 both as a ,christian minister and an ,american patriot4 ,he entered with his whole soul into the defence of the national cause and in opposition to the traitorous intent of the secession conspirators4 ,in the pulpit and on the platform he vindicated the national honor and pleaded for the maintenance of the national ,union4 ,as his biographer1 ,mr4 ,whipple1 writes3 ,as far as regards the keeping of ,california loyal to the ,union during the civil war1 he ranks at least in the first file of its eminent citizens4 ,his reputation was not confined to the ,pacific coast1 but extended over the whole country4#de ,he literally wore out his life in this great and glorious field of exertion4 ,diphtheria came finally1 and he passed into the higher life1 ,march #d1 #ahfe4 ,his words at the last were3 ,i feel all the privileges and greatness of the future4 ,one of our ablest theologians and most devoted ministers was ,rev4 ,,abel ,,charles ,,thomas1 born in ,exeter1 ,berks ,co41 ,pa41 ,july #aa1 #ahjg4 ,he was of ,quaker lineage1 his grandfather ,abel having been a distinguished preacher of the ,society of ,friends during fifty-six years4 ,it was of ,rev4 ,a4 ,b4 ,grosh1 then of ,marietta1 ,pa41 that he received his first knowledge of ,universalism4 ,in #ahbg he went to ,philadelphia as a printer1 and was there encouraged by resident ministers1 ,rev4 ,s4 ,r4 ,smith1 and ,rev4 ,t4 ,fisk1 to enter the ministry4 ,he preached his first sermon in the ,lombard ,st4 ,church in ,november1 #ahbh4 ,in the following ,january he became publisher and co-editor with ,mr4 ,fisk of the ,gospel ,herald and ,universalist ,review in ,new ,york city1 writing editorials1 putting them in type1 conducting the correspondence1 and as he says1 writing his sermons on a pine board by night1 for he had begun his ministerial labors ,april #e1 #ahbi1 preaching in a small frame meeting-house on ,grand ,st4 ,in less than a year from the delivery of his first sermon1 he responded to a cordial invitation to become pastor of the ,lombard ,st4 ,church1 ,philadelphia1 which connection continued with mutual interest of pastor and people for ten years4 ,in #ahcd and #ahce a discussion took place between ,mr4 ,thomas and ,rev4 ,ezra ,stiles ,ely1 ,d4 ,d41 which was afterwards issued in book form1 and has probably been more widely circulated and had a more permanent interest and usefulness than any other theological discussion in our country4 ,it gave to ,mr4 ,thomas a fame which will always be connected with his memory4 ,visiting ,new ,england after the discussion had closed1 he received a most cordial and enthusiastic welcome1 and preached in many places to large and deeply interested congregations4 ,mr4 ,thomas removed to ,lowell in the autumn of #ahci1 and took charge of the ,second ,church4 ,here he and his co-laborer1 ,rev4 ,t4 ,b4 ,thayer1 started the ,star of ,bethlehem1 a vigorous weekly publication in support of the ,universalist faith4 ,while living here1 he established the ,lowell ,offering1 a new movement for that time1 and which elicited much interest in this country and in ,england4 ,after three years' active and efficient work in ,lowell1 and after a few months' travel for his health1 he went to ,brooklyn1 ,n4 ,y41 where he organized a society and was one of eight men who built the first ,universalist church in that city4 ,from ,brooklyn he went to ,cincinnati1 ,o41 in #ahdd2 but declining health and overwork obliged him to resign his charge in #ahdg4 ,after a year's rest he returned to his old parish in ,philadelphia4 ,twelve years later he was induced to go out as a missionary of ,universalism to ,england and ,scotland2 the required funds were promptly raised1 and accompanied by his family1 in ,may1 #aheb1 he sailed for ,england4 ,his time was spent chiefly in ,london and ,edinburgh1 though he preached in all the principal cities of the ,united ,kingdom1 and made careful investigation of the religious aspect of affairs there4 ,at the close of a year's labor he was joined in ,london by his co-worker in ,lowell1 ,rev4 ,t4 ,b4 ,thayer1 and wife1 and for six months they travelled together on the ,continent4 ,he then returned to ,philadelphia1 and resumed his labor there4 ,during the late war1 with its manifold excitements and fatigues1 the visiting and caring for the sick and wounded in the hospitals1 and his active interest in assisting the soldiers constantly passing to and fro1 made serious inroads on his long-enfeebled frame1 so that he was obliged to resign his charge in #ahfc4 ,he removed to ,hightstown1 ,n4 ,j41 where he preached two years1 one sermon a ,sunday1 as a labor of love4 ,he then spent two years in ,bridgeport1 ,conn41 preaching in ,danbury and other places as his strength permitted4 ,in the spring of #ahfg he purchased a farm at ,tacony1 ,philadelphia1 which was thenceforth his home4 ,mr4 ,thomas was the author of several volumes besides the ,ely and ,thomas ,discussion2 his ,autobiography1 ,the ,gospel ,liturgy1 ,the ,songs of ,zion1 ,a ,century of ,universalism1 c4 ,he wrote also some very useful and popular tracts1--among them #bac ,questions without ,answers1 which has had a wider reading and attracted more attention than any other tract ever issued from our press4 ,it has had a circulation of at least a million copies4 ,the questions are strong1 awakening1 and searching4 ,rev4 ,t4 ,b4 ,thayer1 ,d4 ,d41 makes this brief but truthful statement of the character of ,mr4 ,thomas3-- ,as a teacher1 he was a man of wonderful gifts4 ,his sermons were largely doctrinal1 expository1 and defensive1 as the position of our church at the time he began preaching demanded4 ,he was clear1 terse and logical1 and original in the statement and discussion of his subject1 with just enough of quaint ,quaker phrase to give it spice1 yet alive with the beauty and the glow of the poet's vision and illustration2 and sometimes1 when a sudden burst of feeling and inspiration came upon him1 he rose to the highest demands of oratory1 his eloquence became electric1 and1 like a full-charged battery1 thrilled the entire congregation1 until every heart beat with the pulses of his own faith and fervor4 ,as a controversialist1 he had few equals4 ,his discussion with ,dr4 ,ely1 as an exhibition of the ,universalist argument1 was1 and still is1 the best and most persuasive work of the kind in our denominational history1 and admirably displays the skill1 logic1 fairness and manly courtesy of ,mr4 ,thomas as a debater4 ,as a ,christian gentleman1 he was distinguished for the grace and courtesy of his manners1 for his thoughtful kindness towards all1 for his remarkable conversational gifts1 and for the personal magnetism by which he attracted to himself all with whom he came in contact1 young and old1 strangers and friends alike4 ,for the last three years of his life he was confined to his home1 and quietly passed on in full assurance of the immortal life1 ,sept4 #bg1 #ahhj4 ,mr4 ,thomas was married ,feb4 #ad1 #ahdc1 to ,miss ,m4 ,louise ,palmer1 of ,pottsville1 ,pa41 who survives him1 and is one of the active and efficient women workers of our church4 ,contemporary with ,mr4 ,thomas during his ministry in ,philadelphia was ,rev4 ,,savillion ,w4 ,,fuller1 who became pastor of the ,callowhill ,street ,universalist ,church in that city in #ahcc4 ,we are indebted to ,mr4 ,thomas1 who1 in his ,autobiography1 has given us a truthful though brief account of the worthy man3-- ,his mind was comprehensive4 ,his power of analysis was displayed alike in sermonizing and conversation4 ,his perception was quick1 his reflection rigid1 and his stern conscience denounced what logic condemned4 ,as a public speaker he was unequal4 ,sometimes he was tame1 at others mightily stirring by forcible thought embodied in unusually glowing language4 ,the average placed him in a high rank among the eloquent men of the age4 ,in every respect of social nobility ,i never knew his superior4 ',he bore through suffering1 toil1 and ruth1 ,within his heart the dew of youth1 ,and on his lip the smile of truth4' ,he carried sunshine into all circles of the young and the old1 the literary and the religious4 ,even the house of mourning seemed radiant in his visitations of loving trust4 ,his keen wit was without asperity1 and his ardent zeal was uniformly tempered by charity4 ,his beaming face was a true index of the inner man4 ,he united with ,mr4 ,thomas in a letter to four distinguished clergymen of ,philadelphia1 inviting them to lecture in the ,universalist churches in that city on points of doctrinal difference between the parties4 ,the result of the invitation was1 finally1 the ,ely and ,thomas discussion4 ,an instance in illustration of ,mr4 ,fuller's aptness in emergencies is given in the ,companion and ,register of #aheh4 ,entering the stage-coach for ,utica one day1 he found it full of passengers1 among whom was a somewhat noted revivalist of that time1 and his friend1 a deacon4 ,mr4 ,fuller soon became disgusted with the coarse1 brow-beating dogmatism of the revivalist toward the unassuming passengers1 and took up the argument against him4 ,enraged at being foiled in controversy and overmatched in wit1 the elder poured out a torrent of abusive language1 when ,mr4 ,fuller arrested his vulgar tirade by saying in a dignified and authoritative tone1 ,stop1 sir6 ,not another word from your lips6 ,why1 sir1 you are making a mere blackguard of yourself4 ,not another word1 sir6 7arresting the reply before it could be commenced74 ,not another word1 ,i tell you6 ,why1 you have already disgraced yourself and your profession1 and1 if allowed to continue1 would disgrace the company you are in and the very horses that draw you along6 ,the mortified man shrunk into his corner1 cowed by an imperiousness as much excelling his own in energy and power as it towered above him in dignity and truth4 ,but his deacon was determined not to be put down thus1 and spoke up with much spirit1 ,sir1 this is a free country1 and others have a right to speak as well as yourself4 ,most certainly1 my dear sir1 said ,mr4 ,fuller1 with one of his beaming looks and in his blandest tones1 most certainly1 sir2 and ,i hope you will exercise your right4 ,yes1 sir2 and ,i mean to exercise it1 sir2 ,i'll let you know1 sir1 that ,i shall speak as much as ,i please1 sir1 said the now enraged deacon4 ,that's right1 replied the very courteous ,fuller1 speak on1 my dear sir2 we wish to hear you speak4 ,yes1 sir1 continued the choking deacon1 and ,i'll let you know that you can't shut my mouth1 sir4 ,oh1 no1 sir1--,heaven forbid that ,i should attempt it--,i want you to speak--so1 speak on1 sir--we like to hear you4 ,yes1 sir1 and ,i won't ask your permission1 neither6 ,i'll let you know1 sir1 that you are not my keeper1 sir6 said the deacon1 now almost bursting with rage4 ,certainly not1 sir1 was the very quiet but smiling reply1 certainly not1 sir1--,i am a pastor1 not a keeper of swine4 ,a prolonged1 hearty laugh from the passengers finally died away1 and there was a great calm4 ,the deacon reclined in sullen silence1 and the remainder of the journey was enlivened by pleasant and profitable conversation between ,mr4 ,fuller and the other passengers4 ,rev4 ,,william ,,allen ,,drew1 most of whose life was passed in ,maine1 was born in ,kingston1 ,mass41 ,dec4 #aa1 #agih4 ,he fitted for college in early life1 but adverse circumstances compelled him to abandon his studies and go to ,bath1 ,me41 in #ahac1 where he was employed as a clerk for two years4 ,he then spent four years at work on a farm in ,hallowell4 ,in #ahai he accepted an invitation to take charge of ,farmington ,academy1 and remained in that position five years4 ,he preached his first sermon in ,farmington1 ,oct4 #a1 #ahba1 and was fellowshipped the same year4 ,he remained in ,farmington as teacher and preacher until #ahbd1 when he began preaching in ,belfast1 and removed there ,jan4 #a1 #ahbe4 ,he remained there two years1 preaching also in ,camden1 in ,thomaston1 and in other towns in the vicinity4 ,in ,december1 #ahbe1 he began the publication of a religious paper called ,the ,christian ,visitant1 which was afterwards merged in ,the ,christian ,intelligencer1 published at ,portland by ,rev4 ,russell ,streeter1 and ,mr4 ,drew was associated with him in the editorial work4 ,in ,january1 #ahbg1 he removed to ,augusta1 in which place he had his home during the remainder of his life4 ,the ,intelligencer was removed to ,gardiner at the same time1 and he became its sole editor4 ,from #ahca to #ahcc he published ,the ,christian ,preacher1 a monthly journal of sermons4 ,he established the ,gospel ,banner in #ahce1 and edited it with marked ability until #aheg4 ,after his connection ceased with the ,banner1 he was editor of the ,rural ,intelligencer for a few years1 and was at different times connected with the ,maine ,cultivator1 the ,augusta ,courier1 and perhaps some other papers4 ,he was a contributor to the ,gospel ,banner even after the burden of years and infirmities pressed heavily upon him4 ,he was eminently fitted for the editorship of a public journal4 ,mr4 ,drew organized the ,first ,universalist ,church in ,augusta in #ahcc4 ,he was ordained its pastor when the meeting-house was dedicated1 ,nov4 #bf1 #ahce1 preached to it constantly1 and performed pastoral labors until #ahdh4 ,rev4 ,dr4 ,quinby1 who published a biographical sketch of him after his decease1 writes3-- ,as a writer and editor he had few equals4 ,his pen was ever ready1 he never tired4 ,many of his productions bore the marks of great research and deep thought1 though evidently written in the midst of a pressure of other occupations4 ,his theology was plain and straightforward4 ,all could understand him4 ,his descriptions of scenes and places were vivid1 natural1 and generally true to the life4 ,he had many admirers as a controversialist4 ,possessing a wide range of thought1 good knowledge of the ,bible1 a well-balanced and discerning intellect1 a ready wit1 and naturally exceedingly sarcastic1 he was a stalwart defender of ,universalism in ,maine1 and proved himself competent to any emergency4 ,rev4 ,,isaac ,,dowd ,,williamson was one of the ablest advocates of the ,universalist faith4 ,he was born in ,pomfret1 ,vt41 ,april #d1 #ahjg1 and died in ,cincinnati1 ,ohio1 ,nov4 #bf1 #ahgf4 ,in early life he learned the clothier's trade1 and had no other schooling than that of the common district school2 but his ardent thirst for knowledge1 his force of character and enthusiasm made amends for lack of external aid4 ,he was troubled with many doubts in his thoughts about religion until1 at about the age of fifteen1 ,ballou's ,treatise on the ,atonement was put into his hands4 ,he read it with avidity1 and was greatly enlightened and encouraged4 ,he had hitherto thought that all sorrow and suffering were inflicted by ,god in anger upon his children for their sins4 ,the first sermon from a ,universalist to which he listened was delivered by ,rev4 ,kittredge ,haven1 from the text1 ,whom the ,lord loveth1 he chasteneth1 and scourgeth every son whom he receiveth 7,heb4 xii4 #f74 ,it lifted him out of his doubts and sent him away rejoicing4 ,he went into a solitary place and wept for joy1 and upon his knees vowed that if ,god would spare his life1 and he could ever be qualified1 he would enter upon the work of the ministry1 a purpose which he followed out most faithfully4 ,he preached his first sermon ,oct4 #a1 #ahbg1 in ,springfield1 ,vt4 ,after supplying the pulpit a short time in ,langdon1 ,n4 ,h41 he settled in #ahbh in ,jaffrey1 ,n4 ,h41 and was ordained by the ,franklin ,association1 at ,townsend1 ,vt41 ,sept4 #aj1 #ahbi4 ,in ,june of the same year he removed to ,albany1 ,n4 ,y41 where he lived seven years4 ,from #ahcg to #ahea he resided as pastor in ,poughkeepsie a year and a half1 in ,baltimore two years1 in ,new ,york city three1 in ,philadelphia three1 in ,mobile two winters1 in ,memphis1 ,ky41 in ,lowell1 ,mass41 one year4 ,from ,lowell he removed to ,louisville1 ,ky41 remaining there two years1 from there to ,philadelphia1 where he spent three years1 which was his last regular pastorate1 although he supplied in ,cincinnati after his return from ,philadelphia4 ,he was with ,rev4 ,c4 ,f4 ,lefevre1 editor of the ,gospel ,anchor at ,troy1 ,n4 ,y41 about #ahcj1 a paper afterwards merged in the ,religious ,inquirer1 published at ,hartford1 ,conn41 ,mr4 ,williamson continuing to edit it4 ,he was one of the editors of the ,herald and ,era1 published at ,louisville1 ,ky41 and was for about ten years connected with the ,star in the ,west as joint proprietor and editor1 though for several of his last years performing no editorial labor4 ,dr4 ,williamson1 through most of his life1 was afflicted with asthma in its severest form1 but his vigorous will enabled him1 in spite of it1 to perform much labor4 ,he delivered nearly #d1jjj sermons1 published nine volumes1 beside many pamphlets1 and for forty years was connected with our periodicals4 ,he once crossed the ,atlantic1 and preached the ,gospel of ,impartial ,grace in ,great ,britain4 ,he took seven voyages of #b1jjj miles coastwise by sea on the same errand4 ,in his voyage to ,europe1 one of his fellow passengers was ,washington ,irving1 then on his way to ,spain4 ,mr4 ,williamson conducted the religious services on board the vessel1 one ,sunday morning1 discoursing on the ,paternal character1 purposes and requirements of ,god1 in accordance with ,christian ,universalism4 ,after the service1 ,mr4 ,irving1 who had been an attentive listener1 cordially thanked the preacher for his sermon1 adding emphatically1 ,these1 sir1 are my views1 and ,i am trying to live in agreement with them4 ,mr4 ,williamson was a prominent and highly respected member of the ,society of ,odd ,fellows1 lectured far and wide in exposition and defence of their principles1 and went to ,england mainly in their service4 ,he was for many years ,grand ,chaplain of the ,grand ,lodge of the ,united ,states1 and the ritual now in use by the ,order was largely from his pen4 ,he received the honorary degree of ,doctor of ,divinity from ,norwich1 ,vt41 ,university1 in #ahej4 ,the writer of this sketch first heard ,dr4 ,williamson preach at the session of the ,universalist ,general ,convention held in ,strafford1 ,vt41 in #ahcb4 ,the subject was ,lukewarmness rebuked2 the text1 ,rev4 iii4 #ae3 ,i would thou wert cold or hot4 ,no noisy1 declamatory appeal was it1 no clap-trap effort reminding the audience of the smartness of the one to whom they are listening2 but a clear1 strong1 earnest statement of the greatness of the ,truth of ,god and of its pre-eminent claims upon the attention1 love1 and consecrated zeal of every believer in its unsearchable riches4 ,in illustration 7not profuse71 in persuasiveness and application1 it could not have been improved4 ,the large old church was filled1 the audience were in closest attention to the end1 and many were the silent1 sympathetic amens in response when his words were ended4 ,the discourse afterwards appeared in the ,gospel ,preacher1 a monthly publication issued at ,augusta1 ,me4 ,the ,rudiments of ,theological and ,moral ,science may be considered the summing up of ,mr4 ,williamson's theological thinking during his ministry4 ,it is a notable vindication of the ,divine ,sovereignty1 a sovereignty infinitely glorified in the ,divine ,paternity4 ,although some of its reasonings savor too much of what is called fatalism to be accepted as practically healthful when men are called upon to work out their own salvation with fear and trembling1 it is in the highest degree helpful and hopeful to all of weak faith who need to realize that ,god has will and purpose of his own1 and works within his children to will and to do of his own good pleasure4 ,god's beneficent sovereignty was to him the adamantine foundation of the ,gospel4 ,as strong and effective by voice and pen as the ministry of this good man has been1 there were those at the beginning of it who were inclined to wonder at his attempt to enter this profession4 ,light-minded critics uttered their innocent witticisms1 and sober well-wishers of our denomination very plainly hinted to him that he might possibly do quite as much service to it in some other line of effort than that of preaching6 ,but all this to the pure-minded young soldier of the ,cross was but an incentive to renewed exertion4 ,they who doubted knew not that the ,lord had called him1 and had purposed for him a life of honorable labor in his holy service4 ,father ,ballou used to say1 ,when the ,lord undertakes to make a minister1 he always makes a good one4 ,dr4 ,williamson was thus made4 ,he has given full proof of his ministry1 and now having gone up higher1 his works will follow him4 ,one of the ministers of a long pastorate in ,vermont was ,rev4 ,,kittredge ,,haven4 ,he was of a family of nine sons and two daughters1 and was born in ,framingham1 ,mass41 ,feb4 #bd1 #agic1 and died in ,shoreham1 ,vt41 ,may #d1 #ahgg1 aged #hd4 ,his father removed in #ahjb to ,cambridge1 and in #ahaj to ,boston1 where he established himself in a crockery store4 ,the subject of this notice was providentially drawn to attend the ministry of ,rev4 ,paul ,dean1 under whose preaching he was converted to ,universalism1 sang in his choir at his installation as colleague with ,rev4 ,john ,murray in #ahac1 studied for the ministry with ,mr4 ,dean1 and in his pulpit preached his first sermon in ,july1 #ahai4 ,in the spring of #ahbj ,mr4 ,haven made a preaching tour into ,maine1 spending one ,sabbath in each of the towns of ,waterville1 ,brunswick1 ,livermore1 ,winthrop and ,turner1 and in ,portland three ,sundays4 ,after returning to ,boston he received a letter from ,turner1 inviting him to become a pastor there1 but he declined the call4 ,soon afterwards he took a journey into ,vermont1 and in ,dec4 #ahbj settled in ,bethel1 on a salary of #e per ,sunday1 which was the customary pay of a young preacher in those days4 ,he was ordained at ,kingsbury1 ,n4 ,y41 ,oct4 #ad1 #ahba1 by the ,northern ,association1 embracing ,vermont1 a part of ,canada1 and all that part of ,new ,york which bordered on ,lake ,champlain4 ,two ministers only besides himself were present on that occasion1 ,rev4 ,s4 ,c4 ,loveland and ,rev4 ,robert ,bartlett4 ,in #ahbi ,mr4 ,haven moved to ,shoreham1 and there he remained until death1 preaching there regularly thirty-seven years1 and occasionally1 every year1 from ,jan4 #a1 #ahbe1 to ,jan4 #a1 #ahgj1--;in all forty-five years4 ,mr4 ,haven was an earnest and effective preacher4 ,he was not especially noted for learning or eloquence1 but was a plain1 vigorous1 and scriptural advocate of the ,gospel4 ,his preaching was a continuous stream of truth flowing forth in a strong and fervent delivery from the beginning to the close of his discourse4 ,he possessed excellent judgment1 sterling integrity1 an amiable and ,christian spirit1 and unostentatious piety4 ,he won and secured the respect of all men by his kindness of heart1 his gentlemanly manners1 and pure life4 ,he made ,universalism respected wherever he was known4 ,congregational ministers even called him evangelical4 ,he left an honored name to his children and to the church which he had faithfully served for fifty years4 ,he was uncle of the late ,bishop ,gilbert ,haven of the ,m4 ,e4 ,church4 ,the ministry of ,rev4 ,,john ,,boyden was one of the most useful and honored of any in our churches4 ,he was born in ,sturbridge1 ,mass41 ,may #ad1 #ahji1 and died in ,woonsocket1 ,r4 ,i41 ,sept4 #bh1 #ahfi4 ,he attended the public schools in his native town during his youth1 and engaged in teaching schools winters before he reached his twentieth year4 ,in #ahbi he resolved to enter upon the calling to which he had for some time felt drawn1 and began his studies for the ,christian ministry under the direction of the elder ,rev4 ,hosea ,ballou4 ,his first sermon was preached in ,annisquam1 near ,gloucester1 ,mass4 ,in the following year 7#ahcj71 he was ordained at ,berlin1 ,conn4 ,it was his first settlement1 and he remained there four years4 ,he next located at ,dudley1 ,mass41 where he continued as pastor until #ahdj1 when he removed to ,woonsocket1 where he had before preached occasionally1 and became the first pastor of the new society in that place1 which had just erected a church4 ,his pastorate here reached nearly the limit of thirty years4 ,as a preacher1 he was plain1 sound1 and forcible4 ,he never attempted great things in the way of sensational effort4 ,he had too much good sense1 and too refined notions of propriety to do that4 ,his eloquence was in the sincerity1 truthfulness1 and earnestness of his statements and appeals4 ,he was a clear and strong reasoner1 and had always good illustrations of his subject at hand4 ,incidents from his own experience were often made most timely and impressive in his discourses4 ,he was pointedly doctrinal and thoroughly practical in his sermons1 generally using great simplicity and plainness of speech1 but always giving evidence of a deep heart interest in the message he was delivering4 ,as a minister of ,christian consolation he seemed pre-eminent4 ,in this respect no preacher perhaps was more acceptable to our people4 ,his calls to attend funerals1 sometimes at long distances out of his own parish1 were many4 ,old friends1 who had long known him1 when bereaved and afflicted were thankful to hear his voice speaking to them the comforting words of divine truth4 ,he was a true ,christian reformer4 ,all through his ministry this had been his character4 ,clear in his perceptions1 sound in his judgments1 consistent in his positions1 and with an adamantine firmness in his adherence to principle1 he was always ready to give his word and influence in aid of the reforms of the times4 ,as an advocate of temperance and human freedom1 he was surpassed by none in his faithfulness4 ,how his own people loved him6 and how long and closely and happily were they united6 ,that silver wedding celebration of the pastoral union in #ahfd2 what evidence it gave of that unity of the spirit which can bind a good pastor and an appreciative people for so long a time with interest deepening as years increase1 and which is such a reproof of the many injudicious calls and frequent resignations which afflict too many churches6 ,what a golden halo is set around this long settlement of the faithful pastor and his loving people4 ,illustration3 ,john ,moore4 ,rev4 ,,john ,,moore was another of the worthy and beloved of this ministerial company4 ,he was born in ,strafford1 ,vt41 ,feb4 #e1 #agig1 and was early nurtured in the ,puritanic theology of ,new ,england4 ,soon after he had passed out of his teens he became acquainted with the faith of the ,universalist church4 ,it answered to the true call of the manliness that was in him1 and soon became an inspiration to his spiritual powers4 ,he grew in its light1 and his soul expanded in its genial atmosphere4 ,reading1 meditation1 and the culture of his mental powers soon opened the way for him into the ministry1 the work of which he entered upon with hesitancy1 not from lack of zeal in its interest1 but from modesty as to his qualifications for the great calling4 ,the counsellings of friends encouraged him1 and his first messages were received with favor1 and he became one of the most acceptable ministers and missionaries in ,northern ,new ,england4 ,of noble personal appearance and gentlemanly demeanor1 full of plainness and common sense in his discoursing1 a clear expositor to the inquirer after ,christian truth1 and a son of consolation to those who sought its hopes in their sorrows1 he was welcome wherever he appeared as a representative of our faith4 ,his pastorates1 nine in number 7viz4 in ,lebanon1 ,n4 ,h42 ,danvers1 ,lynn1 and ,lowell1 ,mass42 ,hartford1 ,conn42 ,troy1 ,n4 ,y42 ,strafford1 ,vt42 and ,concord1 ,n4 ,h471 all gave evidence of his fidelity4 ,as a moral reformer1 he stood well without the church as well as in it1 and as a man he was esteemed and loved wherever known4 ,even the politicians conferred upon him the nomination for the gubernatorial chair of ,new ,hampshire2 not so much because of his service to them as a partisan1 as from the fact of the excellences in him that were above all mere party considerations1 and which gave them the assurance that his honest and sturdy manliness would prove an honor in any position he might be called to fill4 ,it afterwards appearing that his residence in the ,state had not been quite long enough to render him eligible to the office1 another nomination was necessarily made4 ,his death was sudden4 ,he fell1 of heart disease1 near his home in the city where he had his last pastorate1 lamented wherever his name and ministry were known4 ,a public journal wrote of him1 after his departure1 ,as a man1 he was the very one that ,diogenes with his lamp was looking for4 ,illustration3 ,henry ,bacon4 ,j4 ,andrews ,h4,w4 ,smith4 ,rev4 ,,henry ,,bacon4--,how shall we write of that minister of all work1 of versatile genius1 nervous temperament1 indomitable will1 constantly alive in his love of ,universalism1 rooted and grounded in its theology1 and full of its healthful and hopeful spiritualism as the sea is of water6 ,he was a ,boston boy1 of the old ,north ,end1 born ,june #ab1 #ahac2 a hearer of ,dean and ,streeter and ,ballou in his youth1 and taught at home by precept and example in the excellency of the knowledge of the ,gospel of limitless grace4 ,he was a born minister1 for it was as natural for him to think and speak and write ,universalism as it was to breathe ,god's air4 ,he entered the ministry early in life 7#ahcd71 and was successively pastor of the societies in ,east ,cambridge1 ,haverhill1 and ,marblehead1 ,mass2 ,providence1 ,r4 ,i42 and ,philadelphia1 ,pa4 ,he was for many years editor of the ,ladies' ,repository1 a monthly publication issued at ,boston by ,mr4 ,abel ,tompkins2 and his prolific pen often sent out sermons1 tracts1 and pamphlets in advocacy of the faith of which his soul was so full4 ,as another 7,rev4 ,john ,boyden7 said of him3 ,he was a living encyclopdia of current facts1 and a living philosopher to arrange and expound them4 ,the ,universalist ,reform ,association appointed him their ,corresponding ,secretary1 and an annual report on the topics usually embraced in their discussions was expected from him1 because1 as one remarked1 ,he got hold of everything4 ,he consecrated himself to his labors1 and in them he was abundant4 ,the poet ,quarles describes him3-- ,thy life's a warfare1 thou a soldier art1 ,satan's thy foeman1 and a faithful heart ,thy two-edged weapon1 patience thy shield1 ,heaven is thy chieftain1 and the world thy field4 ,his preaching gave evidence of his consecration to his work4 ,it seemed as though he could never tire of the pulpit service4 ,he was always ready to speak for ,god's truth4 ,his words were earnest1 full1 and strong2 his illustrations inexhaustible2 and there was an unction in all he said which gained the sympathy of every hearer susceptible of religious emotion4 ,up to the last of his working he loved the pulpit1 and stood up in it until exhausted nature would allow him to remain there no longer4 ,and when he withdrew with reluctance from that sacred place1 it was to finish his work in the retirement of his home1 to give his dying testimony to a life full of the beauty and strength of divine truth4 ,he departed this life in ,philadelphia1 ,march #ai1 #ahef4 ,a biography of him by his wife has been given to the public4 ,another of the saintly ministers of our church was ,rev4 ,,day ,,kellog ,,lee4 ,he entered the ,christian ministry early in life1 and1 although his educational advantages in the beginning were not many1 he was so close and constant a student as to become an expert in literature and science1 as well as an able expounder of the ,christian faith4 ,he was one of those who felt that he was called upon to preach1 and that he must not be kept too long from entering upon his work4 ,the text of his first sermon indicates his anxiety in this regard3 ,let me go1 for the day breaketh4 ,gen4 xxii4 #cf4 ,and he went out into the fields of the ,lord to be his faithful and profitable servant4 ,astronomy was a favorite study with him4 ,his sermons were often illustrated and beautified by his presentation of its facts1 and he came to be a most acceptable lecturer on the science itself4 ,he had seven pastorates in ,new ,york and ,massachusetts1 and in them all was deeply loved for his admirable character and intense interest in his calling4 ,he was a son of song1 and put his soul into his verse4 ,what can be sweeter than his tribute to the beloved poet and author1 ,mrs4 ,scott1 inserted in her ,memoir8 ,to say ,i'd pressed her hand1 't was not for me-- ,to share her friendship1 it was not my gladness2 ',t was ne'er the blessing of these eyes to see ,the form whose slumber wakes this note of sadness4 ,but ,o6 ,i weep for those who yet remain1 ,to know so bright a spirit hath ascended6 ,fond of that lyre1 enraptured of its strain1 ,i weep to hear its melodies are ended6 ,short years ago1 in boyhood's rosy morn1 ,when ,aspiration seemed its measure brimming1 ,longing for joys that crown the spirit-born1 ,i heard the lays of life that she was hymning4 ,who that hath drunk those melodies that rose ,sweet as the murmur of celestial fountains1 ,hath not in fancy pictured her with those ,whose feet are beautiful upon the mountains6 ,the seraphs all had joy in fuller streams1 ,when her pure lips their symphonies were swelling2 ,they'll want her there1 while ,god's own glory beams1 ,and while the ransomed keep their starry dwelling1 ,to hymn the beauty of immortal mind1-- ,for1 of that world1 mind is the greatest splendor1-- ,lift holier anthems as new bliss they find ,and drink new life as loftier praise they render4 ,he was a writer of attractive volumes containing ,tales of ,labor2 ,summerfield1 or ,life on a ,farm1 ,the ,master ,builder1 or ,life at a ,trade1 and ,merrimac1 or ,life in a ,factory2 works of merit1 which have been extensively read4 ,his modesty1 conscientiousness1 devotion to duty1 and religious spirit1 all serve to make blessed his memory1 a memory that can never be dwelt upon but with affection by those who knew most of him in life4 ,in #ahfh ,st4 ,lawrence ,university conferred upon him the degree of ,doctor of ,divinity4 ,he passed suddenly but peacefully away from the earth1 in ,new ,york city1 ,june #b1 #ahfi1 aged #ec4 ,his son1 ,rev4 ,charles ,f4 ,lee1 is at present pastor of the ,universalist church in ,charlestown1 ,mass4 #de ,the mother of ,mr4 ,king was a woman of keen intellect and of many virtues1 and her talented son held her in highest esteem4 ,as his popularity in ,california was increasing1 there was a serious talk at one time of sending him as senator to ,congress4 ,the mother1 hearing of this1 wrote in a letter to her son3 ,be on your guard4 ,don't let ,satan take you to the top of ,mt4 ,shasta1 and show you ,washington6 ,,chapter ,,xiii4 ,,sketches ,,of ,,ministers--continued4 ,there be of them that have left a name behind them1 that their praises might be reported4444 ,their bodies are buried in peace2 but their name liveth evermore4 ,the people will tell of their wisdom1 and the congregation will show forth their praise4--,,ecclesiasticus1 xliv4 #h1 #ad1 #ae4 ,rev4 ,george ,bates1 one of the faithful ministers of ,maine1 was born there in the town of ,fayette1 in #agih4 ,in early life he was a mechanic1 but in due time1 as ,rev4 ,w4 ,a4 ,drew wrote of him1 ,he laid down the sledge of ,vulcan1 and put on the ,gospel harness4 ,he was a student for a time in the family of ,rev4 ,hosea ,ballou1 at ,boston4 ,he was pastor in ,livermore1 and afterwards for twenty-five years in ,turner1 ,me4 ,it is worthy of note that after a suit at law1 in which the town recovered the ministerial fund against the ,congregational society1 the people of ,turner1 by legal votes1 dismissed the clergyman of that church1 ,rev4 ,allen ,greeley1 and settled ,mr4 ,bates as the town's minister4 ,with true liberality1 on acquiring possession of this fund1 the town parish made a per capita distribution of it to all the societies in ,turner1 that each might enjoy its proportional share of support from the same fund4 ,mr4 ,bates was one of the best of country pastors4 ,he was at home everywhere1 and a welcome visitor in most homes where he went4 ,he was clear and scriptural in his expositions1 and in his discourses a workman that needed not to be ashamed4 ,he was a minister of consolation far and near1 and had many calls to officiate on funeral occasions4 ,no clergyman in ,maine was more respected and honored than he4 ,his departure took place at his home in ,lewiston1 ,me41 ,jan4 #bd1 #ahge1 at the age of #gg4 ,,ezekiel ,,vose4 ,a small1 lame1 modest1 but wide-awake-looking man was this minister1 as the writer remembers his first meeting him in ,northern ,new ,hampshire4 ,he came from the ,first ,universalist ,society in ,boston1 and settled in ,st4 ,johnsbury1 ,vt41 preaching there and in many other places in ,vermont and ,new ,hampshire for some years4 ,he had enjoyed only common educational advantages1 but was a studious man and a strong and clear thinker4 ,he wrote but little4 ,his preaching was usually extemporaneous1 not always very methodical in plan1 but usually successful1 especially in making his subject plain4 ,he could say a great many things in one of his missionary discourses1 and would bring them in quite miscellaneously4 ,but they were usually things which proved interesting to his hearers1 especially to those who had seldom1 if ever1 listened to ministers of our faith4 ,long remembered will be a discourse which he gave in the writer's hearing one winter evening in ,dorchester1 ,n4 ,h4 ,a large corner school-house was packed full1 and the speaker stood in one corner with his little ,bible in hand4 ,his text was1 ,prove all things2 and so wide was his range in topics1 and so many things did he undertake to prove1 and so long1 and rapidly and earnestly did he talk to that attentive audience1 that it seemed as though no man in the same time could come nearer than he to a compliance literally with the direction of the text6 ,he was a sincere1 humble1 warm-hearted ,christian4 ,every one who knew him thought and spoke well of him4 ,from ,st4 ,johnsbury he moved to ,orleans1 ,mass41 and afterwards to ,north ,turner1 ,me41 where1 after a busy and useful life1 he died in #ahfa1 aged #fg4 ,rev4 ,,lemuel ,,willis of ,windham1 ,vt41 was born ,april #bd1 #ahjb4 ,his father was a convert to ,universalism as taught by ,rev4 ,elhanan ,winchester1 and the son was educated in the same faith4 ,at an early age he became the student of ,rev4 ,s4 ,c4 ,loveland1 of ,reading1 ,vt41 and in ,july1 #ahbb1 preached his first sermon4 ,his first professional labors were in ,washington1 ,stoddard1 ,marlow and ,acworth1 ,n4 ,h4 ,his subsequent pastorates were at ,troy1 ,n4 ,y4 from #ahbf to #ahbh2 then in ,salem1 and afterwards in ,lynn and ,cambridgeport1 ,mass4 and ,portsmouth1 ,n4 ,h4 ,at the time of his death1 ,dr4 ,g4 ,h4 ,emerson wrote of him justly3-- ,he always preached well4 ,there was in his preaching a good basis of thought1 with a practical application1 and a tone of fervent piety4 ,but he had and has no 'earthquake' gifts4 ,the city did not run mad because ,lemuel ,willis preached4 ,we have heard one of his supporters say that he does not remember one sermon that would be called poor2 but in all his ,salem ministry he never once startled his hearers4 ,his manner is best described by the word impressive4 ,steady work1 steady power1 and ever-increasing influence1 and the radiation more than the example of a good life1 made him successful in the purest sense of this much abused word4 ,but not alone in ,salem1 but everywhere1 ,mr4 ,willis did good in his character of minister4 ,literally he was all minister4 ,he cared to know only ,christ and ,him crucified4 ,and to this end all personal interests were subordinate4 ,not alone in the pulpit1 but on the street1 in the house1 at the private gathering1 he was the minister4 ,but as he never put the minister off so he never put the minister on4 ,it was his nature to be a minister and he could never seem to be otherwise4 ,mr4 ,willis seemed the embodiment of a dignity1 not offensive but agreeable4 ,it is said that on one occasion he was in company at a store in ,salem with one of the orthodox pastors of that city1 who was a very animated and cheerful man in conversation4 ,after they had left the store1 a gentleman who had quietly listened to them both1 on asking the proprietor what clergymen they were1 was told1 and was asked to guess which one was the ,orthodox and which the ,universalist4 ,his decision was directly contrary to the facts4 ,mr4 ,willis departed this life at his home in ,warner1 ,n4 ,h41 ,july #bc1 #ahgh4 ,a younger brother of ,lemuel1 ,rev4 ,,john ,h4 ,,willis1 was born in ,windham1 ,vt41 ,march #f1 #ahjg4 ,at the age of eleven he became deeply interested in a ,calvinistic ,baptist revival1 and was immersed in the ,connecticut ,river in very cold weather1 when the ice1 a foot thick1 had to be cut away for the purpose1 and soon afterwards joined the ,baptist church in ,chesterfield4 ,by reading and reflection he became an intelligent and zealous ,universalist4 ,he was a good scholar1 and taught school successfully when quite young4 ,he worked as a mechanic for some years1 and in #ahcj went to ,salem1 ,mass41 where his brother ,lemuel was then settled1 and after studying a year under his direction he began to preach1 speaking in several places in ,worcester ,county1 to the acceptance of the people4 ,he was ordained at ,greenwich1 ,mass41 ,nov4 #bc1 #ahca4 ,he was pastor for varying periods at ,dana1 ,greenwich1 ,petersham1 ,west ,boylston1 ,annisquam1 ,wakefield1 ,irving1 ,orange and ,warwick1 ,mass41 in ,brattleboro'1 ,cavendish and ,chester1 ,vt41 and in ,stafford1 ,conn4 ,in #ahej he was elected to the ,mass4 ,legislature1 and was for several years station-agent at ,irving on the ,vermont and ,massachusetts ,railroad4 ,yet amid his secular labors and cares he still preached and lectured often1 especially in behalf of the ,temperance reform4 ,he was noted to the end of his days for his spiritual fervor and religious enthusiasm4 ,he died ,oct4 #i1 #ahgg1 at the house of his daughter1 ,mrs4 ,w4 ,r4 ,shipman1 at ,college ,hill1 ,mass41 aged seventy years4 ,there went out from ,new ,england a talented advocate of the ,universalist faith in the person of ,rev4 ,,theodore ,,clapp1 a native of ,easthampton1 ,mass41 and a graduate of ,williams ,college1 in the same class with ,william ,c4 ,bryant4 ,his theological studies were pursued at ,andover1 ,mass41 and he was licensed as a minister of the ,presbyterian church in #ahag4 ,he became pastor of the ,first ,presbyterian church in ,new ,orleans1 succeeding the brilliant ,sylvester ,larned1 whose fame as a pulpit orator was far extended4 ,mr4 ,clapp proved a fitting successor of him1 and achieved great celebrity for his pulpit gifts4 ,henry ,clay pronounced him the most natural pulpit orator he had ever heard4 ,his church in ,new ,orleans was usually crowded4 ,some twelve years after his settlement in ,new ,orleans changes occurred in his theological opinions1 which led to the dissolution of his relations with the ,presbyterian ,church4 ,he was deposed from his ministerial office for heresy1 and was afterwards known as an independent minister1 cherishing ,universalist and ,unitarian opinions4 ,this change of relations however did not alienate his parish from him4 ,the church building at an earlier date had passed into the hands of the well-known ,hebrew millionnaire1 ,judah ,truro1 and by his liberality ,mr4 ,clapp occupied the church and preached to his old hearers4 ,his services will long be tenderly remembered in ,new ,orleans4 ,during twenty seasons of epidemic cholera and yellow fever1 ,mr4 ,clapp was at his post of duty1 and by his ministry of consolation carried comfort to the great multitudes stricken by the pestilence4 ,his ,autobiographical ,recollections is largely devoted to these memorable seasons1 and is one of the most interesting volumes ever published4 ,in later years of his life he felt compelled by failing health to relinquish the work of the ministry1 and in #ahff departed this life in ,louisville1 ,ky41 aged #gd4 ,of him it was said by ,dr4 ,alexander ,campbell that he could not believe the doctrine of endless misery if he tried3 ,you have too much benevolence1 added the ,doctor4 ,he read this in the face of ,mr4 ,clapp1 in the soft lines1 and in the warm and benignant glow1 that told of a heart full of sympathy and pity4 ,a stirring and industrious laborer in the propagation of the ,universalist faith was ,rev4 ,,john ,a4 ,,gurley1 of ,connecticut4 ,at the early age of twenty he was preaching in ,maine1 and after a short settlement in ,methuen1 ,mass41 he purchased a denominational paper1 the ,star in the ,west1 and went to reside in ,cincinnati1 ,ohio4 ,he became pastor and editor in that city4 ,he did much missionary work1 journeying into distant ,states and ,territories1 holding discussions and preaching wherever he had opportunity1 the circulation of his paper constantly increasing4 ,his bodily powers becoming weakened by over-exertion1 he deemed it advisable to change his mode of life somewhat1 and disposed of his paper and ceased to preach4 ,he subsequently became an active politician1 served two terms as representative in ,congress from ,ohio1 and was at the time of his death the appointed ,governor of ,arizona4 ,although apparently a frail man1 he was capable of great endurance1 and few of his years have put more diligent work into a life4 ,he was emphatically an executive man1 and had the faculty of making all his plans and movements tell to advantage4 ,he was fond of theological debate1 and during the presidency of the elder ,dr4 ,beecher at ,lane ,seminary1 he sought to draw out that noted man in a statement of his arguments against ,universalism4 ,he received promises more than once from the doctor that his request should be answered to his entire satisfaction1 but the fulfilment of them was never realized4 ,mr4 ,gurley was a genial man and an attractive companion4 ,he made many friends in his life1 and will not be forgotten by the ,universalists in ,ohio1 who regretted that he could not have devoted the last of his life solely to the interests of the church4 ,rev4 ,,enoch ,m4 ,,pingree was by birth a ,new ,englander1 born in ,littleton1 ,n4 ,h41 but through some of the most important years of his ministry a laborer in the ,west4 ,he was one of the born ministers1 and had good opportunities for study at the ,methodist ,seminary in ,newbury1 ,vt4 ,at this school he was an earnest advocate of the ,universalist faith1 which rendered him unpopular with most of the students and teachers4 ,he distinguished himself in the lyceum and debating society1 and exerted such an influence as to call out the professors to defend their cause against the arguments and bold positions of this ardent youth4 ,after preaching a little in ,new ,england1 he started for the ,west1 in #ahcg4 ,he was pastor in ,cincinnati and ,louisville1 and a missionary in various places in the ,western ,states4 ,here he became developed from a quiet and diffident man into a bold and confident advocate of his sentiments4 ,he became a public debater1 and waxed valiant in fight in many controversies4 ,his published discussion with ,dr4 ,rice1 an able and distinguished ,presbyterian divine1 does him great honor4 ,he was a busy1 sympathetic1 and faithful pastor1 also a ready thinker1 fluent speaker1 and rapid writer4 ,his industry was untiring1 and it wore him out at last4 ,in discussion he was candid as well as strong1 never descending to any low or unmanly reference to his opponent1 no matter how much abused1 nor attempting to take advantage of the prejudices of the people4 ,religious discussions were matters of purest conscience with him4 ,his ministry was brief1 but one of intense vigor and action4 ,greatly beloved by multitudes of friends1 he departed this life in #ahdi1 at the early age of thirty-three4 ,rev4 ,,thomas ,j4 ,,greenwood1 before his entrance upon the work of the ministry1 held the position of overseer in one of the mills in ,lowell1 at the beginning of the growth of that city4 ,he was born in ,newton1 ,mass41 and was a fairly-educated1 strong-minded1 and trustworthy man4 ,an attempt had been made to establish a ,universalist ,society in ,lowell1 and ,mr4 ,greenwood was deeply interested in it4 ,the mill authorities were opposed to the movement1 and intimated to this their employee that his heresy could not be favorably regarded by them1 and that if he continued to be its active supporter1 they and he must part company4 ,his conscience was true to principle as the needle to the pole1 and he readily accepted their terms1 and turned away from their service to enter and honor another1 to which he afterwards gave the most of his life4 ,he had profitable pastorates in ,new ,england1 his last three having been in ,dover1 ,n4 ,h41 and ,malden and ,saugus1 ,mass4 ,his good reputation was in all our churches1 as a ready and vigorous writer1 an eloquent preacher1 a loving and industrious pastor1 and1 more than all1 a royal man4 ,a faithful biographer 7,rev4 ,a4 ,j4 ,patterson1 ,d4 ,d47 has written of him3-- ,he was the central figure in the entire community where he dwelt4 ,his manly1 dignified presence1 his genial manners1 his willing1 helpful hand in every worthy cause1 his charity towards other sects1 his kindness to the poor1 his pity for the erring1 his sympathy in chambers of sickness and towards all kinds of suffering1 his words of more than human comfort at the open grave1 and withal his rare good judgment and solid common sense in everything1 caused him to be respected and consulted far beyond the circle of the church4 ,he was devoted to all public interests1 served several terms in the ,legislature of ,massachusetts1 and was once nominated for the ,national ,congress from his district4 ,he departed this life in ,malden1 ,sept4 #ab1 #ahgd4 ,illustration3 ,fraternally ,yours1 ,e4 ,g4 ,brooks4 ,rev4 ,,elbridge ,,gerry ,,brooks1 ,d4 ,d41 was born in ,dover1 ,n4 ,h41 ,july #bi1 #ahaf1 and died in ,philadelphia1 ,pa41 ,april #h1 #ahgh4 ,during his infancy his parents removed to ,portsmouth1 where he passed the years of his boyhood4 ,he was a strong1 healthful youth1 and was blessed with parents who were devoted to his highest welfare1 and whose exemplary religious characters made a deep impress upon his after life4 ,just previous to his ninth birthday1 a sad accident occurred1 by which his leg was so severely injured that amputation became necessary4 ,he bore the painful operation with manly fortitude1 and during the consequent confinement saw many of the pleasing visions of his coming life dispelled4 ,when he recovered1 however1 his brave nature did not brood over his misfortune1 but his heart was made more tender by it1 and as he grew older was filled with a strong religious interest1 and he early decided to devote himself to the ,christian ministry4 ,his pious parents1 rejoicing in the zeal and enthusiasm of their crippled boy1 did all in their power to encourage his aspirations and to have him suitably fitted for his chosen calling4 ,at that time1 ,rev4 ,t4 ,f4 ,king was settled in ,portsmouth1 and1 discerning the rare promise of his young friend1 gave him hearty and effective encouragement4 ,after acquiring such knowledge as the ,portsmouth schools could give him1 he was aided by his faithful pastor in the further pursuit of his studies1 and at the early age of nineteen he began to preach4 ,his first sermon was delivered in ,portsmouth1 and gave great satisfaction to those who heard it4 ,he was first settled in ,exeter1 ,n4 ,h42 then in ,amesbury1 ,mass41 where he was ordained1 ,oct4 #ai1 #ahcg2 then in ,east ,cambridge1 ,mass42 then in ,lowell1 and1 in #ahdf1 took charge of the parish in ,bath1 ,me4 ,in #ahej he returned to ,massachusetts and settled in ,lynn1 where he remained nine years4 ,in #ahei he was called to the ,sixth ,church in ,new ,york1 where he remained eight years1 and until he was chosen1 in #ahfg1 ,general ,secretary of the ,united ,states ,convention4 ,his duty in this new capacity was to direct and take the lead of the missionary enterprises and to visit all sections of the country4 ,his labors were manifold and arduous1 but very efficient and successful1 until his health became impaired1 and he was obliged to resign his office and return to his family4 ,after resting a few months1 and partially recovering his strength1 he accepted1 in ,november1 #ahfi1 an invitation to the ,church of the ,messiah in ,philadelphia1 to which he gave the last years of his useful life1 and where he joyfully resigned that life ,april #h1 #ahgh4 ,as a preacher1 ,dr4 ,brooks was in the front rank of our ministers4 ,as another has written3-- ,he was entirely consecrated to his work1 and in the pulpit he spoke as one having authority4 ,his sonorous voice and majestic bearing were in perfect harmony with his clear and forcible presentation of his thought1 and emphasized his urgent appeals to the conscience of his hearer4 ,he was by nature an ardent reformer1 and was always true to his convictions4 ,he could not keep back the smallest fragment of what he believed to be ,god's truth4 ,he early threw himself1 heart and soul1 into the anti-slavery cause1 and during the war of the rebellion his clarion voice gave no uncertain sound4 ,he was a clear and vigorous writer4 ,his two volumes1 ,universalism in ,life and ,doctrine1 and ,our ,new ,departure1 evince this4 ,they are valuable additions to our church literature4 ,he was one of our best organizers4 ,seldom absent from our conventions1 and nearly always serving on executive boards and important committees1 nearly every department of our church work received an impression from his hand4 ,in #ahfg ,tufts ,college conferred on him the degree of ,d4 ,d4 ,it has been truly said of him3-- ,he was born into ,universalism4 ,he was cradled in its arms4 ,he was taught it at his mother's knee4 ,he believed it from his earliest conscious years4 ,he never was influenced by any other faith4 ,what he was it made him4 ,let no man say it is not the power of ,god unto salvation1 while we can point to such examples of its influence in life and death4 ,he has gone to that home which his faith made so real to many souls4 ,illustration3 ,eben ,fisher4 ,h4 ,w4 ,smith4 ,rev4 ,,ebenezer ,,fisher1 ,d4 ,d41 has won honorable distinction in the ,universalist ,church4 ,he was born in ,charlotte1 ,me41 ,feb4 #f1 #ahae1 and died in ,canton1 ,n4 ,y41 ,feb4 #ba1 #ahgi4 ,his father was one of the pioneers of ,eastern ,maine1 and the son passed his early years in a new country1 in the midst of hardships incident to such a condition4 ,with the exception of a single term at the ,readfield ,seminary1 he had no advantages beyond what were afforded by the common schools of his native town4 ,his early religious training was in the ,orthodox church1 against whose gloomy doctrines his whole soul revolted4 ,when about sixteen years old a few ,universalist books and papers were put into his hands1 the perusal of which1 in connection with the ,bible1 brought him out of darkness into marvellous light1 and he gradually formed the purpose to fit himself for the ,christian ministry4 ,he sought and obtained fellowship of the ,maine ,convention in #ahdj1 and in #ahda settled at ,addison ,point1 ,me41 until in ,april1 #ahdg1 he accepted a call to ,salem1 ,mass41 where his pastorate was eminently successful4 ,in ,november1 #ahec1 he removed to ,south ,dedham 7now ,norwood71 where he remained until #aheh1 when he was appointed ,president of the ,theological ,school at ,canton1 ,n4 ,y41 and thenceforth he gave his time1 labor1 thought1 and strength to a work for which he proved himself peculiarly fitted4 ,for more than twenty years he was the honored head of the first ,universalist ,theological ,school1 and during that time one hundred and three students were graduated1 who are now scattered over the country1 and bearing testimony to his faithful teaching1 his rare devotion to duty1 his profound scholarship1 and his eminence in all ,christian virtues4 ,however marked may have been the results of his labors in other fields1 his work in the ,theological ,school was the most important and conspicuous1 and will be his most enduring monument4 ,the degree of ,d4 ,d4 was conferred upon him in #ahfb by ,lombard ,university4 ,rev4 ,i4 ,m4 ,atwood1 ,d4 ,d41 his successor as ,president in the ,canton ,theological ,school1 thus truly and graphically presents him to us3-- ,a grand man1 made up in a large and noble fashion1 with paternal benignity in his face and a note of sonorous warning in his voice1 able1 acute1 aggressive1 unmovable1 the sturdy strength and wintry rigor of his nature relieved by a certain charm of tenderness which affected one like the scent of sweet flowers amid the majesty of the primeval woods2 in his preaching a strain of deep sincerity which made the hearer feel the solemn reality of those things about which there is so much superficial prattle1--a great1 brave1 patient spirit1 loyal to the truth1 trustworthy as a star1 and of such a breadth and strength of moral build as made him an imposing ,christian force in the community1--such to our thought was ,ebenezer ,fisher1 who fell asleep ,friday morning1 ,feb4 #ba1 #ahgi1 having just passed his sixty-fourth birthday4 ,a well-remembered elder of apostolic aspect and spirit was the ,rev4 ,,seth ,,stetson1 born in ,kingston1 ,mass41 in #aggf1 and dying at the age of ninety-one in ,brunswick1 ,me4 ,he was reared in the faith of the ,puritan fathers1 near the old ,plymouth rock2 learned the trade of a ship-carpenter1 emigrated to ,maine1 gave himself to much study1 entered the ,congregationalist ministry1 and was pastor in ,maine and ,massachusetts for some years4 ,when the ,unitarian controversy arose in ,new ,england1 he became deeply interested in it1 accepted ,unitarianism as the truth of ,god1 preached it as a missionary1 and soon saw clearly the doctrine of the salvation of all men as a revelation of the ,scriptures4 ,he was minister of this faith in ,charlestown and ,salem1 ,mass41 and afterwards had several pastorates in ,maine4 ,his heart and life were full of the spirit of the great ,christian ,master4 ,universalism to him was not only a divine word1 but a regenerative power4 ,the love which it inculcated he possessed and exercised4 ,his heavenly spirit beaming from his pleasant countenance and pervading his sweet conversation made him welcome everywhere4 ,what the ,new ,testament says of another was applicable to him3 ,a good man1 and full of the ,holy ,ghost1 and of faith4 ,rev4 ,,william ,,bell1 son of a ,calvinistic clergyman1 was for many years an active advocate of the ,universalist faith4 ,the rigid theology of his father had the tendency to push him into ,deism1 until the light of the greater ,gospel broke upon his mind4 ,after years spent in mechanical pursuits1 with a moderate education1 under the instruction of the senior ,rev4 ,hosea ,ballou1 he began to preach1 obtained fellowship1 and spent the first ten years of his ministry in ,new ,hampshire and ,vermont4 ,subsequently he became editor of the ,watchman and ,christian ,repository1 at ,woodstock1 ,vt41 and in after years of the ,star of ,bethlehem1 in ,lowell1 ,mass4 ,he preached much up to his seventy-eighth year1 retaining his vigor of body and mind4 ,he was plain and direct in his style as a preacher1 keen in his expositions of what he deemed error1 a good logician1 strongly doctrinal in his discourses1 and deeply religious in feeling4 ,one of the last occasions of his speaking in public was at the ,centennial ,convention in ,gloucester in #ahgj4 ,near the close of his life he wrote a strong and searching letter to ,rev4 ,henry ,ward ,beecher in review of a sermon on future punishment published by him4 ,he died in ,boston in #ahga4 ,an able minister of the ,new ,testament was ,rev4 ,,calvin ,,gardner1 a native of ,hingham1 ,mass41 and pastor in ,charlestown1 ,duxbury1 ,lowell1 and ,provincetown1 ,mass41 and for twenty years in ,waterville1 ,me4 ,in early life he wrought at his trade in one of the mechanic arts4 ,becoming interested in the doctrine of ,universal ,salvation1 he entered the ministry in #ahbe4 ,he was a reader and thinker1 a sound theologian1 and forcible preacher4 ,he was always welcomed at associations and conventions1 and listened to with interest by those who came to be fed with the plain and wholesome food of the ,gospel4 ,he was a genial companion and high-minded man4 ,he passed suddenly away by death while seated in a store which he had entered but a little while before4 ,,chapter ,,xiv4 ,,sketches ,,of ,,ministers--continued4 ,the weapons which your hands have found ,are those which ,heaven itself has wrought1 ,light1 ,truth and ,love2--your battle-ground ,the free1 broad field of thought4 ,,whittier4 ,rev4 ,josiah ,gilman was another of the sturdy mechanics who came from the forge1 and after his best endeavors to gain a tolerable preparation for the ministry1 entered it1 if not with much mental culture1 yet with a heart full of love of the new faith into which he had grown out of that theology which one of the ,beecher sisters has said evinces an awful mistake somewhere4 ,he was always alive with his theme4 ,his work in the pulpit was as strong and as faithfully done as any which he had wrought out upon the anvil4 ,he was a useful missionary4 ,no one could have been more conscientious than he respecting the religious qualifications of a ,christian minister4 ,his own character was the best illustration he could give of his ideal4 ,that was above reproach4 ,mr4 ,gilman had a stentorian voice when excited in speaking1 but was often slow in speech1 and to some hearers might seem at times wanting in animation4 ,it is related that while preaching in a country place in ,new ,hampshire one hot summer afternoon1 a part of his audience being hard-working haymakers1 his discourse became somewhat quiet in its manner1 so that an evident drowsiness had taken hold of some of the listeners4 ,the speaker1 perceiving it1 suddenly paused for some seconds1 and then bringing his clenched hand down quite loudly upon the desk before him1 exclaimed good naturedly1 ,come brethren1 wake up6 and let us take another view of this subject4 ,the call was effective1 and both speaker and hearers were in sympathetic wakefulness to the end4 ,the good man departed this life in ,lynn1 ,mass41 in #aheh1 aged #fg4 ,another comer from the anvil1 a strong1 cheery1 blunt1 warm-hearted man1 deeply in love with the truth of the ,gospel1 and running over with zeal in his advocacy of it1 was ,rev4 ,,emmons ,,partridge4 ,he was superintendent of the ,sunday school in the ,first ,universalist church in ,providence1 ,r4 ,i41 while ,rev4 ,david ,pickering was its pastor4 ,he entered the ministry with but little scholarly preparation for it2 but somehow1 by divine grace1 he did quite an acceptable work as a missionary and as pastor of a number of societies4 ,god chooses his own instruments in his work1 and this minister was one4 ,without the graces of oratory1 he was a plain and often instructive preacher1 because he was usually highly charged with his subject and eager to declare it to his hearers4 ,if his illustrations were sometimes homely1 they were usually to the point1 and if they excited a smile carried a conviction4 ,he was ready in expedients1 if these were necessary1 to win the good will of his neighbors who might be strongly prejudiced against his theology4 ,i had hard work1 said he1 to get the kind attention of one man4 ,i tried many ways3 but at last1 as we were both very much interested in raising rare kinds of poultry1 ,i opened his heart towards me by occasional exchanges of choice eggs with him6 ,he could meet pulpit embarrassments coolly and more successfully than others might have done4 ,lecturing one evening in his pulpit at ,watertown1 ,mass41 he came to a place in his manuscript where the matter was confusedly mixed4 ,the leaves had been wrongly stitched together1 and he vainly tried to put them in order4 ,despairing of this1 he quietly and quaintly remarked1 ,well1 this is strange4 ,i thought ,i put these leaves in as they ought to be1 but they are so mixed that ,i can't make anything out of them4 ,i think ,i will say the rest without the notes6 and he did1 to the satisfaction as well as amusement of the audience4 ,he died somewhat advanced in years1 highly esteemed by all who knew him4 ,rev4 ,,william ,i4 ,,reese began to preach in ,central ,new ,york1 in ,onondaga ,county1 and was ordained at the session of the ,cayuga ,universalist ,association in #ahbd4 ,for a few years he was the minister of the ,universalist societies in ,east and ,north ,bloomfield1 and then of the church in ,portland1 ,me4 ,he went to ,buffalo on call of the church there in the early spring of #ahcd1 and there in the succeeding summer his earthly ministry suddenly came to a close4 ,it was the second year of that terrible visitation1 the ,asiatic cholera1 and the city to which he had only just removed was awfully ravaged by the sweep of the dark-winged pestilence4 ,unfalteringly at his post of duty in all those dark days1 devoting himself to loving ministries among sick and suffering and dying people1 showing himself everywhere an angel of mercy and consolation1 he fell a victim at last to the desolating scourge1 and in the prime of his grand manhood1 the good fight fought1 the faith kept1 the course finished1 he passed on to receive his crown1 and to be enrolled among the brightest and most faithful of ministering spirits4 ,rev4 ,,albert ,a4 ,,folsom1 an active and devoted minister1 was born in ,exeter1 and passed his early life in ,portsmouth1 ,n4 ,h4 ,he had settlements in ,maine and ,massachusetts1 and departed this life1 aged #ci1 at ,springfield1 ,mass41 in #ahdi1 after a ministry there of five years4 ,he was very acceptable to his congregations1 in all his pastorates4 ,he had a rich voice1 subject to a wise control1 was a ready speaker1 and could acquit himself in a most happy manner4 ,he often had texts handed him when entering the church1 which he discussed to the evident satisfaction of his hearers4 ,he was social and companionable1 and his views of life and ,providence were very hopeful4 ,in his home he was a light and blessing4 ,no minister ever had warmer friends than he4 ,,william ,,cutter ,,hanscom1 a sincere and zealous young man1 a clerk in a prominent dry goods store in ,portsmouth1 ,n4 ,h41 left his secular pursuits to prepare himself for the ministry in the study of the ,rev4 ,t4 ,f4 ,king of that town4 ,he was soon known as an acceptable preacher1 and1 receiving ordination1 was called to two pastorates1 the first at ,newmarket 7,lamprey ,river village7 ,n4 ,h41 the second at ,waltham1 ,mass4 ,he had much mental ability1 was a vigorous and rapid writer1 and an energetic and enthusiastic speaker4 ,he was greatly beloved by a large number of friends1 and his pastorates were a joy to him and of much profit to the churches4 ,he was an evangelist in the true sense of the word4 ,his career was short1 as he was cut off by consumption1 at ,cambridgeport1 and was buried at ,waltham1 in #ahch4 ,but his pathway was an illuminated one1 and its light lingers in many memories4 ,he departed at the early age of twenty-three4 ,rev4 ,,merritt ,,sanford1 born in ,readsboro1 ,vt41 and religiously educated in the ,methodist church1 became by attentive reading and much anxious thinking a believer in that divine goodness which will bring all souls at last in conformity to its will4 ,with but ordinary means of education in country schools1 he grew1 by close mental application to study1 to be a scholar of very considerable acquirements1 and entered the ministry at the age of twenty-three4 ,he was minister in ,new ,hampshire1 ,vermont1 ,connecticut1 and ,massachusetts4 ,he was a quiet but forcible preacher1 because of the soundness1 strength1 and aptness of his discourses4 ,he was continually growing mentally and spiritually1 was deeply conscientious and devout1 and left a fragrant memory wherever he sought to do his work4 ,he closed his earthly life after a short illness1 in ,warren1 ,mass41 in ,may #ahdi1 aged #cg4 ,rev4 ,,alexander ,r4 ,,abbott1 who was somewhat advanced in life when he gave himself to the ministry1 was a native of ,east ,livermore1 ,me4 ,his early life was that of a hard toiler1 his advantages for obtaining an education were limited1 but his thirst for knowledge overcame his early deficiencies4 ,with little if any aid from others1 he became proficient in ,french and ,latin and the mathematics1 and for many years was successfully employed in teaching4 ,his first sermon was preached while residing in ,lowell1 ,mass41 in #ahdd1 and his ordination took place in the following year4 ,his first settlement was in ,bath1 ,n4 ,h4 ,for a time he was employed as a missionary1 to preach in destitute places within the limits of the ,boston ,association4 ,afterwards he was settled successively in ,newburyport1 ,mass41 ,pawtucket1 ,r4 ,i41 ,gardiner1 ,me41 ,south ,dedham1 ,mass41 ,hudson1 ,n4 ,y41 and ,rockland1 ,me4 ,he was an indefatigable student1 and a clear1 strong preacher4 ,no useless verbiage encumbered his discourses4 ,he grappled with the hardest questions in theology1 and brought light out of them4 ,his last sermon before the ,maine ,convention is remembered as a clear and masterly treatment of one of the problems which has greatly occupied the religious thought of the day4 ,he stirred the consciences of his hearers4 ,he was outspoken as an anti-slavery man1 when to be so was to incur the hostility of men of both political parties1 and endanger his success in the places of his settlement4 ,the temperance cause always found in him a firm1 consistent1 and able advocate4 ,and while he was thus efficient in performing the more rugged duties of his calling1 he was equally well-fitted1 by the tenderness of his heart1 for the more sympathetic offices of the ministry4 ,the death of ,mr4 ,abbott1 at ,rockland1 ,me41 in #ahfi1 was occasioned by disease of the heart1 aggravated by the fracture of a limb4 ,he was conscious and composed to the last4 ,rev4 ,,henry ,c4 ,,leonard came into the ministry at ,haverhill1 ,mass41 where he had studied under the direction of ,rev4 ,henry ,bacon4 ,he was born in ,northwood1 ,n4 ,h41 ,april #be1 #ahah1 and died at ,pigeon ,cove1 ,mass41 ,march #g1 #ahhj4 ,his earliest labors were on ,cape ,ann1 at ,gloucester and in other neighboring places4 ,he was afterwards settled four years in ,east ,thomastown 7now ,rockland71 ,me4 ,he then removed to ,orono in #ahdg1 where he remained about eight years1 and then went to ,waterville1 in #ahed4 ,at the breaking out of the war1 in #ahfa1 he closed his labors in ,waterville1 and accepted the position of chaplain in the ,third ,maine ,infantry4 ,he was afterwards transferred to the ,maine ,eighteenth ,infantry1 and then to the ,first ,maine ,regiment of ,heavy ,artillery1 where he remained1 greatly beloved by officers and soldiers1 till his term of service expired in #ahfd4 ,he was publicly pronounced by ,gen4 ,howard the most faithful chaplain he ever saw4 ,in #ahfe he took charge of the ,universalist ,society in ,albany1 ,n4 ,y41 where he remained three years4 ,he moved to ,philadelphia in #ahfi1 and was pastor of the ,lombard ,st4 ,church two years4 ,he then returned to his home at ,pigeon ,cove1 ,mass41 intending to remain there permanently4 ,but he was called to be pastor at ,deering1 ,me41 and was ,professor of ,belles-lettres at ,westbrook ,seminary at the same time4 ,his last pastorate1 at ,annisquam1 ,mass41 began in ,december1 #ahge4 ,he preached for the last time ,sept4 #bh1 #ahgi4 ,he was for a time editor of the ,gospel ,banner and of the ,universalist4 ,he published a volume of sermons entitled ,a ,sheaf from a ,pastor's ,field2 also a little work called ,pigeon ,cove and ,vicinity4 ,mr4 ,leonard was a writer of rare accomplishments4 ,had he chosen literature for a profession1 and cultivated more fully his rare poetic gifts1 his name might have been prominent among the writers of the country4 ,he was an enthusiastic lover of nature1 and delighted to dwell in her outer temple4 ,he had a sunny nature1 and wherever he lived1 won hosts of friends by his geniality and radiant joyousness of heart4 ,the truest1 most cultivated and intelligent of all denominations welcomed him to their companionship1 and recognized the purity of his life1 the elevation of his thought1 and his rare intellectual endowments4 ,rev4 ,,abraham ,,norwood began preaching in ,annisquam1 ,mass41 and was ordained in #ahcc4 ,he had been a student with ,rev4 ,sylvanus ,cobb1 in ,malden4 ,he was a member of the ,congregationalist ,church in early life2 but1 finding himself dissatisfied and troubled with his theology1 he gave much attention to the study of the ,bible1 and became thereby a firm believer in ,christian ,universalism4 ,he had a clear and vigorous intellect1 and great aptness in setting forth his opinions4 ,he was settled in ,south ,dennis and ,marblehead1 ,mass41 in ,fiskville1 ,r4 ,i41 in ,canton1 ,mass41 and in ,salisbury1 from #ahde to #ahee4 ,he then went to ,meriden1 ,conn41 and acted as ,state missionary1 with rare fidelity1 for six years4 ,he was widely known in ,connecticut1 and1 after the close of his regular ministerial labors1 served the town of ,meriden in several positions of trust4 ,he was warmly interested in education1 and a faithful and devoted laborer in the ,temperance cause4 ,besides his work as a preacher and pastor1 he wrote and published two books1--,the ,book of ,abraham1 and ,the ,pilgrimage of a ,pilgrim4 ,while marked with the quaintness of the author1 they are direct and telling in their setting forth of ,christian truth4 ,rev4 ,,charles ,,spear was a remarkable man2 a printer by trade1 a philanthropist by nature1 a self-sacrificing ,christian by divine grace4 ,he was quiet and unostentatious1 but persistent as fate in his work4 ,he was a ,massachusetts man4 ,he commenced life in humble condition1 and his constant liberality to every object and form of distress kept him poor4 ,his high religious zeal and strong philanthropy forced him into the ministry1 and into ministrations especially connected with human degradation and suffering3 the abandoned1 the outcast1 the down-trodden1 the intemperate1 and especially the prisoner1 were his parishioners4 ,his absence of mind1 forgetfulness of self1 and disregard of 7if not inability in7 pecuniary matters1 often subjected him to painful embarrassments when from home2 but that ,providence on which he relied for aid as for guidance1 always provided friends and means to deliver him4 ,mr4 ,spear's work on ,capital ,punishment1 and his larger one on the ,titles of ,jesus1 are readable and valuable books4 ,besides these1 his literary labors produced ,voices from ,prison1 and a periodical called 7like himself7 ,the ,prisoner's ,friend1 extended through several years4 ,had he belonged to almost any other denomination than the ,universalist1 he would have been much more widely known and more highly praised during life1 and his death would have been announced and his funeral attended with greater eulogy and higher honors4 ,previous to his death he had been chaplain in the ,st4 ,elizabeth ,hospital in ,washington1 ,d4 ,c41 where he died in ,april1 #ahfc4 ,his wife was a faithful helper in his hospital work4 ,his funeral services in ,washington were attended by a ,presbyterian 7,dr4 ,sunderland74 ,the body was removed to ,boston for burial4 ,rev4 ,,james ,w4 ,,putnam1 who died in ,danvers1 ,mass41 where he had been a beloved and successful pastor1 was a man of admirable qualities4 ,he was just past forty when he departed4 ,rev4 ,dr4 ,miner said of him1 in an address on the funeral occasion1 that he had known the deceased twenty-four years before1 when a pupil in ,new ,hampshire1--a boy in years1 but a man in character3-- ,as a pastor for sixteen years in one parish1 where he constantly grew in strength1 in the affections of his people1 in the opportunities for public usefulness1 serving not only his parish1 but the town1 the sure test of his worth is to be seen4 ,his character was so well rounded1 so complete1 so efficient in all particulars1 that no one trait seemed to predominate over another4 ,he was very modest and unassuming4 ,when ,tufts ,college conferred an honorary degree upon him1 it was so unexpected that1 though he saw the statement in the papers1--saw his own name1--he did not suspect that it meant himself1 but some other person6 ,he had given the highest evidence of his hold upon his people4 ,twice he represented the town in the legislature1 an experience which often breaks the pastoral relation and sows the seed of disaffection4 ,but he came back from that official service to a united parish4 ,his settlement in ,danvers was his only one4 ,calls to other parishes with strong financial inducements were declined4 ,he felt that the pastoral relation should be broken as seldom as possible1 a consideration which1 if more generally regarded1 would be of great blessing to many churches4 ,rev4 ,,james ,w4 ,,dennis was pastor in ,stoughton1 ,mass41 for ten years4 ,he was justly and highly esteemed4 ,much afflicted with a painful and fatal disease1 he had great conflict of mind because of his inability to meet all his duties as he desired2 the sympathies of his people were strongly enlisted in his behalf1 and they shared with him in some measure his trials4 ,he died in the triumphs of the unfailing hope of the ,gospel1 and was buried by his friends of the church in the cemetery which his own words had helped to consecrate4 ,it was an affecting sight1 writes one1 speaking of his funeral obsequies1 and a sure testimony of the profound esteem in which he was held4 ,little children1 tearful women1 and strong men were bowed in deepest grief4 ,i shall never forget the appearance of one old patriarch who approached the coffin with tottering steps1 laid his hand upon the head of the deceased1 and then placing it upon his own forehead1 turned away with an expression of the deepest sadness1 as though he had lost a treasure never to be replaced in this world4 ,i saw him again at the cemetery1 standing at the door of the sepulchre1 with eyes suffused1 his gray hairs fluttering in the wind1 and his head bowed in the attitude of prayer4 ,mr4 ,dennis died in #ahfc1 aged thirty-eight4 ,rev4 ,,henry ,b4 ,,soule was of ,dover1 ,duchess ,co41 ,n4 ,y4 ,he was another instance of the pursuit of knowledge under difficulties in his youthful days4 ,he was determined to educate himself1 and through much anxiousness and privation and toiling he found his way in #ahce to ,clinton ,liberal ,institute in ,new ,york1 where he was afterwards a tutor4 ,the next year he was encouraged to prepare for the ministry by his kind and honored friend1 ,rev4 ,s4 ,r4 ,smith4 ,his first work as a pastor was at ,fort ,plain1 ,n4 ,y4 ,he was subsequently at ,troy1 ,utica1 and in #ahdd removed to ,boston and became assistant pastor with ,rev4 ,hosea ,ballou4 ,here he proved himself adequate to his position4 ,his sermons were forcible1 well arranged1 and calculated to convince the understanding and enlist the affections4 ,a year's pastorate in ,gloucester was a happy one4 ,then he was minister in ,hartford1 ,conn41 where his first sermon was preached to forty-one1 his second to sixty-four hearers1 and his last to a crowded house4 ,in #aheb his ministry in ,lyons1 ,n4 ,y41 commenced4 ,at the end of its first month he had suddenly departed1--a victim of that fearful disease1 small-pox4 ,but his bright life shed its radiance back upon many souls who had been blest by his ministries1 and his name has since been an honored one in our churches4 ,his widow1 who survived him1 has won an honorable reputation in our church by her literary publications1 and by her devotion to our missionary interests under the auspices of the ,woman's ,centenary ,association1 of which she was the first president1 and in whose employ she has for three years labored faithfully as a missionary in ,scotland4 ,an interesting biography of her husband was prepared by her and given to the public in #aheb4 ,rev4 ,,obadiah ,h4 ,,tillotson1 of ,new ,hampshire1 was an active worker in the ministry2 a successful pastor in ,worcester1 ,mass41 ,hartford1 ,conn41 ,northfield1 ,vt41 and in other places4 ,he departed this life in #ahfc4 ,he was a ready speaker1 and was ardent and resolute in his ministerial work4 ,his ability1 writes a friend1 as a public debater was signally shown in a protracted discussion 7in ,worcester7 with a religious opposer who was put forward to defeat him if possible4 ,four nights the contest went on1 and the result was a complete success4 ,he more than met the expectations of his friends1 and the opponent afterwards acknowledged that of all his contests 7and he was a gladiator7 ,mr4 ,tillotson was the strongest opponent he had ever met4 ,there was much of sunshine in his soul1 and it beamed out upon others in his social life4 ,for a time he studied and practised law1 but his old love for the ministry returning1 he entered it again with renewed zeal1 and continued earnest and faithful in its work unto the end4 ,,chapter ,,xv4 ,,sketches ,,of ,,ministers--continued4 ,thus bravely live heroic men1 ,a consecrated band2 ,life is to them a battle-field1 ,their hearts a holy-land4 ,,tuckerman4 ,a highly-esteemed minister of our faith1 and a vigorous and stirring advocate of ,christian reform1 was ,rev4 ,,elhanan ,w4 ,,reynolds4 ,although his career as minister and author was not long1 the most valuable years of his life were given to the work of promulgating the ,gospel4 ,he was settled as pastor in ,java1 ,sherman1 ,buffalo1 ,jamestown1 ,watertown1 and ,lockport1 ,n4 ,y42 in ,norwich1 ,conn42 and ,lynn1 ,mass4 ,he was a highly acceptable preacher1 and wielded a fruitful and facile pen4 ,his little volume1 ,the ,records of ,bubbleton ,parish1 is one of much interest in showing as it does the trials of ,christian ministers and parishes because of the discordant elements in them1 and in the vividness with which some of the characters in the particular parish at ,bubbleton are drawn4 ,but his best work1 and one that evinces unmistakably the strong qualities of the writer's intellect and the soundness of his orthodoxy in morals1 is his volume entitled ,the ,true ,story of the ,barons of the ,south2 or1 the ,rationale of the ,american ,conflict1 issued in #ahfb4 ,it is a compact but lively presentation of the origin and growth of ,american slavery1 from its inception with the ,virginian colonists to the breaking out of the war of the ,rebellion4 ,it is an unequivocal statement of facts1 and an irresistible appeal to ,americans for the overthrow of the gigantic abomination of slavery1 and the defence and maintenance of that freedom signified in the immortal ,declaration sent out by our ,revolutionary fathers from this nation1 to all the other nations of the earth4 ,it is one of the trumpet-calls to duty among the many that gave inspiration and life to that desperate strife which sent ,american slavery to the receptacle of things lost on earth4 ,mr4 ,reynolds is worthy of honorable remembrance as one of the heroes of that strife4 ,a discriminating writer has said of him3 ,as a preacher he was strong and often brilliant2 as a scholar his explorations were extensive1 and his acquisitions the gold refined from innumerable heaps of dross1 patiently searched out2 and as a writer he was master of a style which would have been his passport to the first literary circles of ,america4 ,he died at ,milwaukee1 ,wis41 ,august #ca1 #ahfh1 aged thirty-nine years4 ,rev4 ,,nathaniel ,,gunnison1 a native of ,new ,hampshire1 was ordained to the ministry in #ahcg4 ,he had entered it through much painstaking1 and was thoroughly in earnest in his work4 ,he was pastor in ,new ,hampshire1 ,massachusetts1 and ,maine1 and for eight years in ,halifax1 ,n4 ,s41 in which place he met with marked success4 ,at one time the bishop of the ,episcopalian church assailed him1 and1 not having a correct knowledge of our doctrines1 laid himself open to a searching review from ,mr4 ,gunnison4 ,the controversy was a prolonged one1 both oral and written1 and the result was that the ,episcopal church lost ground and members1 and the ,universalist church realized a corresponding increase4 ,the civil war in our country broke out towards the close of ,mr4 ,gunnison's pastorate4 ,halifax being in strong sympathy with the ,south1 he stood almost alone in his defence of the ,north1 and gave offence to some of the leading members of the society by his zealous exertions for the ,north while acting as ,deputy ,consul of the ,united ,states4 ,he subsequently removed to ,maine1 where he died of paralysis in #ahga1 while in the midst of his active labors4 ,his son1 ,rev4 ,a4 ,gunnison1 of ,brooklyn1 ,n4 ,y41 pays this touching tribute to his honored parent3-- ,at the age of fifty-seven1 the pastor of whom we speak was paralyzed4 ,upon the early morning of the ,sabbath1 the secret blow fell upon him1 but yet he went to his work1 and with half his body dead went through his ,sabbath service4 ,then came the weary months of battling with death4 ,disease was stayed by the vigor of an unconquerable will1 and dragging his heavy limb1 with right arm lifeless at his side1 he took up again the burden of his work4444 ,the other day1 in the lumber of a storage room1 we found the old trunk which contained the sermons of this veteran preacher1 and there upon the top a package of huge ,,mss4 written in rude fashion1 unlike the singularly clear penmanship of the remaining mass4 ,these were the sermons written after the fell shock came to him1 for at fifty-eight years of age1 finding that never again could the accustomed hand hold the pen1 the old man had with his left hand learned to write1 and until the last1 week by week1 the fresh sermon came quick and vital from a brain which would not cease to work4 ,his busy ministry of thirty-four years was a ,christian success4 ,rev4 ,,john ,,mather ,,austin was1 on his mother's side1 a descendant of the ,mathers distinguished in early colonial times1 of which ,cotton ,mather is best known in history4 ,he was born in ,redfield1 ,oswego ,co41 ,n4 ,y41 ,sept4 #bf1 #ahje1 and died in ,rochester1 ,dec4 #bj1 #ahhj4 ,the first fifteen years of his life were spent in ,watertown1 ,n4 ,y41 to which place his parents moved during his infancy4 ,he learned the art of printing in early life1 and while employed in it in ,troy1 ,n4 ,y41 he became a member of the ,universalist society in that place4 ,his interest in religious truth became here stimulated to activity1 so that he studied for the ministry1 and received fellowship at the ,hudson ,river ,association in #ahcb4 ,his first pastorate was in ,montpelier1 ,vt41 his next in ,south ,danvers 7now ,peabody71 ,mass41 when1 after a pastorate there of nine years1 he was settled in ,auburn1 ,n4 ,y41 in #ahdd4 ,in #ahea he resigned his pastorate in ,auburn1 and took the editorship of the ,christian ,ambassador1 then published at that place4 ,in #ahfa ,hon4 ,william ,h4 ,seward1 ,secretary of ,state during the administration of ,president ,lincoln1 and a firm friend of ,mr4 ,austin1 tendered him the consulship of the ,west ,indies1 which was declined4 ,the consulship of ,prince ,edward's ,island was afterwards offered him1 which was also declined4 ,in #ahfc a commission was sent him1 signed by ,secretary of ,war ,stanton1 by which he was appointed paymaster in the army with the rank of major4 ,mr4 ,austin was reluctant to relinquish his work in the ministry1 but after much persuasion he entered the governmental service and remained until #ahff1 when he was mustered out4 ,after leaving the army he resumed his labors in the ministry1 preaching occasionally until #ahge1 when the disease began to develop which ultimately caused his death4 ,for many years ,mr4 ,austin was probably the most prominent preacher in ,central ,new ,york4 ,he was a profound theologian1 and a preacher and debater of great power4 ,his theological discussion at ,genoa with ,rev4 ,mr4 ,holmes of the ,methodist church gave him a wide notoriety4 ,so ably conducted was it on the part of ,mr4 ,austin that1 it was said1 many who heard him were converted to his views4 ,secretary ,seward at one time began to write a life of ,john ,quincy ,adams1 which was neglected and finally abandoned for want of time to complete it4 ,at the request of ,mr4 ,seward1 ,mr4 ,austin undertook and finished the work4 ,he was the author of several books of merit2 among them1 ,a ,voice to the ,young1 ,austin on the ,attributes1 ,golden ,steps for the ,young1 and ,a ,voice to the ,married4 ,mr4 ,austin had excellent traits of character4 ,his mind was keenly logical1 his emotional nature was deep and strong1 and his social qualities were eminently attractive4 ,rev4 ,,tobias ,h4 ,,miller4 ,a rare man was he1 of clear intellect1 unfailing memory1 tenderest sympathies1 always thinking1 always ready to talk1 and always talking well4 ,he was deeply religious1 but his religion was of the cheerful1 hopeful kind4 ,he was born and had his early rearing in the old town by the sea#df--,portsmouth1 ,n4 ,h41 and was blessed with the watchful care of a pious and faithful mother4 ,he was early instructed in the ,puritanic orthodoxy of ,new ,england1 and grew up to be an approved expounder of it4 ,for a time he was editor of the ,observer1 the ,orthodox weekly journal of ,new ,hampshire1 and was a kind of active adjutant-general of the forces of that division of the church militant in his native ,state4 ,he was always to be trusted in his work1 and was held in high esteem by all his brethren as by all who best knew him4 ,in later life his ,scriptural investigations led him to accept the doctrine of ,universalism as the truth of ,god1 in which doctrine he continued as an acceptable preacher to the end of his days4 ,his espousal of ,universalism did not lessen the respect of his former brethren for him4 ,they never seemed to doubt the purity of his motives nor the excellency of his ,christian character4 ,he stood in their pulpits from time to time during his later years4 ,he was a devoted ,christian reformer4 ,he became interested in the ,washingtonian temperance movement in ,portsmouth in #ahda1 and whenever opportunity offered gave his word and work to promote the cause of total abstinence from all intoxicants4 ,in the anti-slavery agitation his voice was raised for freedom1 and soon after the ,proclamation of ,emancipation made by ,president ,lincoln he repeated1 in the ,universalist pulpit in ,portsmouth1 an address which he wrote and delivered nearly thirty years before on the subject of slavery1 which showed how accurately he had forecast the future and how his early auguries had been fulfilled4 ,being a practical printer1 soon after his arrival at manhood1 while in ,newburyport in the office of the ,herald1 he formed the acquaintance of ,john ,g4 ,whittier and ,william ,lloyd ,garrison4 ,with the latter he stood side by side at the printer's case1 and a strong life-long friendship grew up between them4 ,mr4 ,garrison says of him3-- ,he was a very ,benjamin ,franklin for good sense and axiomatic speech1 in spirit always as fresh and pure as a new-blown rose4 ,his nature was large1 generous1 sympathetic1 self-denying1 reverent4 ,from his example ,i drew moral inspiration1 and was signally aided in my endeavors after ideal perfection and practical goodness4 ,he was as true to his highest convictions of duty as the needle to the pole4 ,mr4 ,miller was a terse and ready writer4 ,a journalist speaks of him as one who with a stroke of his pen would illumine dark themes and confound vain philosophers1 and who blended the clear vision of a ,franklin with the modesty of a child4 ,he was born ,aug4 #aj1 #ahja1 and died in ,portsmouth1 ,march #cj1 #ahgj4 ,rev4 ,,martin ,j4 ,,steere was originally from ,rhode ,island4 ,he was for nearly twenty years a minister of marked ability and excellent reputation in the ,free ,baptist ,church1 and for some time the editor of its weekly journal1 ,the ,morning ,star4 ,given to scriptural investigation1 he anxiously1 but slowly and cautiously1 reasoned himself into ,universalism4 ,convinced that this was the ,new ,testament ,gospel1 it was his desire to make known the pre-eminent faith to others who might be seeking religious truth4 ,he soon issued his ,footprints ,heavenward2 or1 ,universalism the ,more ,excellent ,way2 a volume in the form of letters1 addressed to his former brethren in the ministry1 relating his travail of mind in search of ,christian truth1 and stating some of the evidences which led him to see the truth as it is in ,jesus4 ,the work has been read with interest and profit by many4 ,in #ahei ,mr4 ,steere received the fellowship of the ,universalist ,church1 and subsequently had pastorates in ,maine1 ,massachusetts1 and ,connecticut4 ,he was a vigorous thinker1 plain1 direct1 and impressive in his discoursing1 and deeply devotional in spirit4 ,one who knew him has written3 ,the continued tone of his spirit was restorative to the perplexed and desponding2 his piety was cheerful1 his deportment humble4 ,his religion was his life4 ,his death1 in the triumph of ,christian faith1 occurred at ,athol1 ,mass41 in ,january1 #ahgg4 ,rev4 ,,franklin ,s4 ,,bliss was born ,sept4 #cj1 #ahbh1 in ,cheshire1 ,mass41 and died ,march #bc1 #ahgc1 in ,greensboro1 ,n4 ,c41 whither he had gone for the benefit of his health4 ,at the age of ten he removed with his family to ,lanesboro1 ,mass41 where two years afterwards his mother died4 ,at the age of eight an illness so affected his eyes that he became nearly blind1 and when he began to regain his sight his hearing became impaired4 ,at the age of sixteen1 finding he could see by using very powerful glasses1 he applied himself to close study4 ,being soon prostrated1 twice by fever1 the foundation was laid for infirmities which attended him ever after4 ,he became a believer in ,universalism while on a sick bed1 but did not avow his sentiments until some time afterward1 when he resolved to enter the ministry4 ,his family were at first strongly opposed to this course on his part1 but they all afterwards became pleased with his success and reputation as a ,gospel minister4 ,after some time spent in school-teaching1 in #ahec he entered the ,liberal ,institute at ,south ,woodstock1 ,vt4 7then under the charge of ,rev4 ,j4 ,s4 ,lee71 at which time he was described as a pale-faced1 feeble-looking young man1 but with a firm will and settled purpose to do the most and the best that was possible under the circumstances4 ,his decision of character1 concentration of purpose1 and love for the work of his chosen profession1 overcame all impediments1 compensated for lack of health1 and rendered him eminently successful and useful as a ,gospel minister4 ,he was ordained at ,enfield1 ,n4 ,h41 in #ahee1 in which place he ministered for two years4 ,subsequently he removed to ,barre1 ,vt41 where he labored for fifteen years1 with exemplary fidelity and abundant success4 ,in him we have a striking instance of the inward force of ,christian character to overcome bodily infirmities and accomplish wonders in that ministry whose most eminent apostle said1 ,i can do all things through ,christ who strengtheneth me4 ,in the winter of #ahga1 ,mr4 ,bliss sought release from pastoral labor and care1 and for some time tried a southern climate for aid4 ,but the hope proved illusory4 ,his earthly work was done1 and well done4 ,a friend with him at the departure writes3 ,i wish you could have witnessed his last days--and his beautiful death4 ,it was glorious4 ,rev4 ,,russell ,,tomlinson had a long and unbroken pastorate of twenty-seven years in ,plymouth1 ,mass4 ,he was born in ,newtown1 ,conn41 ,oct4 #a1 #ahjh1 and died in ,plymouth1 ,march #d1 #ahgh4 ,in his early ministry he entered the field as a missionary in ,western ,new ,york1 where he labored for two years1 travelling on horseback hundreds of miles1 and preaching wherever opportunity offered1 receiving slender compensation for his services1 and often none at all4 ,he was settled at ,le ,roy1 ,buffalo1 ,ridgeway1 and ,rochester1 ,n4 ,y41 before his removal to ,plymouth4 ,he resigned his charge in the latter place in #ahff1 and thenceforth devoted himself to the practice of medicine of the ,homopathic ,school1 to which he had previously given much study1 obtaining a fair practice and a good reputation4 ,mr4 ,tomlinson was a very positive man1 of strong will and inflexible purpose4 ,he was of such dignified demeanor that strangers were likely to suppose him cold and austere in his nature2 but those who knew him intimately speak in highest terms of his kind and tender heart1 that was instant in response to any appeal from the unfortunate1 the sick1 or afflicted4 ,after his decease1 instances of his unostentatious charity came to light that were never suspected by his nearest friends4 ,he was strongly interested in the temperance reform1 and was through life an earnest and unflinching worker in that cause4 ,he was interested and active in educational enterprises1 serving for many years on the school board of ,plymouth1 and under ,governor ,boutwell he was appointed a member of the ,school ,board of ,massachusetts4 ,he was a preacher of no ordinary talent1 an honest and devout ,christian1 a faithful worker in the ,church1 to the end that he might induce men to become followers of ,him whose religion is not in the letter that killeth1 but in the ,spirit that giveth life4 ,rev4 ,,de ,,witt ,,clinton ,,tomlinson was born in ,gaines1 ,orleans ,county1 ,n4 ,y41 ,aug4 #bd1 #ahbd1 and died at ,wedron1 ,ill41 ,july #bg1 #ahha4 ,he prepared for the ministry at ,clinton1 ,n4 ,y41 under the supervision of ,rev4 ,dr4 ,t4 ,j4 ,sawyer1 and began to preach in #ahdf4 ,he had twelve pastorates in ,new ,york and at the ,west1 also one in ,boston1 ,mass41 during twenty years of his ministry4 ,he was at ,chicago1 ,ill41 in #ahhj1 and maintained his residence there until his death4 ,he was a vigorous1 fervent1 and faithful man4 ,with a physique that seemed to defy fatigue and disease1 he was able to do a vast amount of pastoral and other work4 ,he had a peculiar aptness for the financial work of the church4 ,he was employed in soliciting aid successively for the ,canton ,theological ,school1 for the ,murray ,fund1 and for ,buchtel ,college in ,ohio1 and his labors for each were successful4 ,his last employment was as ,state ,superintendent for ,illinois1 in which he was engaged nearly up to the time of his death4 ,in the midst of his strength and usefulness1 he was stricken with disease at a grove meeting1 where1 although slightly indisposed1 he preached what proved his last sermon4 ,his work had been well done4 ,rev4 ,,levi ,c4 ,,marvin1 born in ,alstead1 ,n4 ,h41 in #ahjh1 was one of those energetic men who achieve their position in life by their own unaided efforts4 ,his first work in a literary course beyond the common schools was done in an academy in ,chesterfield1 ,n4 ,h41 in the fall of #ahbh4 ,the next year he is a teacher in ,rhinebeck1 ,n4 ,y4 ,in #ahca1 being invited by ,rev4 ,i4 ,d4 ,williamson to enter his household1 as a student of theology1 he accepted1 and after some months commenced preaching4 ,he was ordained in #ahcd4 ,the next year he removed to ,newark1 ,n4 ,j41 where he had a pastorate of more than three years1 when he went to ,missouri1 and took up his residence in ,arrow ,rock1 ,saline ,county4 ,a few years later found him a resident of ,booneville1 ,cooper ,county1 where he held a discussion with ,rev4 ,mr4 ,slocum1 a ,presbyterian4 ,the discussion embraced twelve lectures on each side1 and extended with unabated interest through six weeks4 ,in #ahdh he removed to ,jacksonville1 ,ill41 where he had a discussion with ,rev4 ,c4 ,w4 ,lewis1 ,methodist4 ,in #ahej he became a resident of ,springfield1 ,ill41 where he made the acquaintance and secured the warm personal friendship of the late ,president ,lincoln4 ,from that place1 in #ahef1 he returned to ,missouri1 and made in ,clinton his permanent home4 ,after his return he had two public discussions3 one at ,springfield1 ,ill41 with ,rev4 ,mr4 ,johnson1 ,campbellite1 and the other at ,georgetown1 ,mo41 with ,rev4 ,w4 ,w4 ,suddath1 ,presbyterian4 ,mr4 ,marvin was an exceedingly hard toiler4 ,much of his ministry was spent as an itinerant1 with but small remuneration1 so that extra efforts in teaching school were necessary on his part4 ,his moral uprightness1 his genial nature and social qualities were of the highest order1 and secured him many friends4 ,during the rebellion he was a strong ,union man1--the only man in the county where he lived who gave a vote for ,abraham ,lincoln for ,president4 ,his efforts in behalf of the ,union awakened a bitterness of feeling often endangering his person and life4 ,during that period he was for two sessions a member of the ,legislature of ,missouri4 ,at one session he was chosen ,speaker of the ,house4 ,at the same time his brother1 ,hon4 ,a4 ,c4 ,marvin1 was a member of the ,senate and acting ,lieutenant-,governor4 ,on one occasion the two houses met for the transaction of some special business1 when the unusual scene occurred of two brothers presiding over the joint session4 ,he was a strong1 pure-minded1 and conscientious ,christian reformer1 religiously and politically4 ,his last days of long confinement and much pain were cheered with the hopeful light and comfort of that ,gospel which he so loved to commend to his fellow-men4 ,he died ,july #e1 #ahgh4 ,rev4 ,,giles ,,bailey1 born in ,acworth1 ,n4 ,h41 in #ahae1 was a diligent scholar and an able preacher4 ,he acquired considerable knowledge of the classics1 receiving instruction from ,hon4 ,horace ,maynard4 ,at the age of seventeen he began a successful career as a school teacher in ,vermont and ,new ,hampshire1 and was through life warmly interested in educational movements4 ,after pursuing his theological studies with the late ,rev4 ,lemuel ,willis1 he was ordained in ,winthrop1 ,me41 in #ahdj4 ,he was settled in ,winthrop for two years1 then moved to ,brunswick1 where he remained seven years1 then lived three years in ,oldtown1 three in ,dexter1 two in ,claremont1 ,n4 ,h42 then returned to ,maine1 and lived eight years in ,gardiner and two in ,belfast1 and finally1 in the fall of #ahfi1 he removed to ,reading1 ,pa41 where after nearly nine years of faithful labor1 he closed a noble and useful life4 ,adherence to right and principle was a marked feature in the character of this good minister of ,jesus ,christ4 ,he was strongly interested in all reform movements1 and the energetic boldness of his position on the anti-slavery question is well remembered by his associates4 ,his addresses on that subject were so filled with burning indignation and tender pathos1 that all hearts were stirred by his eloquence4 ,in addition to his regular work as a preacher and pastor1 he was a frequent and valuable contributor to our denominational papers4 ,he wrote1 many years ago1 a series of letters over the signature of ,lucius1 for the ,christian ,ambassador1 which attracted much attention4 ,they revealed unusual literary ability and grasp of thought1 and excited much curiosity in regard to their authorship4 ,for a time he occupied the editorial chair of the ,universalist4 ,he has left a clean1 manly1 and luminous record4 ,rev4 ,,john ,e4 ,,palmer1 who lived to the great age of ninety years1 was a native of ,portsmouth1 ,n4 ,h4 ,he was by trade a printer1 and became a convert to the doctrines of the ,christian ,baptists1 under the ministrations of the noted ,elias ,smith4 ,he began to preach in the fellowship of that sect1 and was ordained in #ahji4 ,the earlier years of his ministry were spent in ,warren1 ,n4 ,h41 and ,danville1 ,vt4 ,it was while living in the latter place that he outgrew his early belief in endless punishment1 and came to an undoubting faith that ,god will have all men to be saved4 ,he was suddenly arrested by a circumstance which called his attention to a comparison of his own faith with that of the more excellent way in which afterwards his footsteps were directed4 ,a very respectable young man1 who had never been converted1 while on a fishing excursion1 was drowned4 ,it was a deeply afflictive blow to the surviving family and friends4 ,mr4 ,palmer knew that he should be called upon to preach the funeral sermon4 ,he was greatly distressed4 ,what could he do8 ,the apostles1 he saw1 had a faith which enabled them to comfort those who were in any trouble1 by the comfort wherewith they themselves were comforted of ,god4 ,had he that faith8 ,he says3 ,i slept not a wink that night4 ,i walked the house1 ,i read my ,bible1 ,i prayed for light2 and ,i never preached the doctrine of endless woe again4 ,in #ahai ,mr4 ,palmer was called to the charge of the ,universalist ,society in ,barre1 ,vt41 where he labored for eighteen years1 scattering the seed of truth over a wide region1 for he was an indefatigable missionary all through his life4 ,on leaving ,barre1 he lived two years in ,waitsfield1 ,vt41 and then gave himself to missionary work in ,northern ,vermont and ,new ,hampshire4 ,one who was well acquainted with his ministry writes of him3-- ,we can vouch for the devout1 evangelical spirit of his services1 the logic of his sermons1 the perspicuity of his style1 his fluency of speech1 the impressiveness of his delivery4 ,he spoke always extemporaneously1 but his discourses were always coherent1 sound1 and clear4 ,there was an evident sincerity and earnestness in the man that attracted the hearer's attention1 and there was a natural tremulousness in his voice that gave a peculiar pathos to his discourses4 ,there were in his words a certain indefinable grace and force which are the gift of ,god1 and not communicable by art or learning4 ,he was a man of deep religious feeling4 ,though he had decided opinions1 yet he was the soul of candor and forbearance in his treatment of 'those of the contrary part4' ,he was a faithful and true witness4 ,rev4 ,,william ,w4 ,,wilson was of ,stoddard1 ,n4 ,h41 born in #ahai4 ,an accident1 by which he lost one of his hands at the age of thirteen1 turned his attention to books and study4 ,he was educated in the ,orthodox faith1 as it is called1 but was awakened to a special interest in the subject of religion by listening to the preaching of ,rev4 ,j4 ,v4 ,wilson 7not a relative7 in his native town4 ,acquiring an academic education1 and becoming a believer in ,christian ,universalism1 he began to preach at the age of twenty-two4 ,he was ordained in #ahdb at ,laconia1 ,n4 ,h41 preaching in that town about two years4 ,he was afterwards two years in ,centre ,harbor1 four years in ,west ,haverhill1 ,mass41 five years in ,dover1 ,me41 and in ,southbridge1 ,mass41 eight years4 ,in #ahfg he went to ,chatham1 ,mass41 but was compelled by ill-health to resign his charge4 ,in #ahgj he removed to ,oxford1 ,mass41 but after two years was again compelled to rest4 ,in #ahgc he was stricken with a partial paralysis1 and from that time1 though not entirely helpless1 was unable to go on with his ministerial work4 ,however1 he never ceased to take a deep interest in the welfare of his parish and of the denomination4 ,he was a great sufferer during the last days of his life1 but was constantly hopeful in the light of his holy faith4 ,he departed this life ,june #ai1 #ahgd4 ,he was quite well known to our clergymen in ,new ,england1 and beloved and honored for his many virtues and for his faithful ministry4 ,he was a ,christian reformer1 was genial and utterly sincere in all his work1 and leaves a fragrant and blessed memory4 ,rev4 ,,william ,r4 ,,chamberlin1 born in ,brookfield1 ,n4 ,h41 ,nov4 #b1 #ahaf1 was a man of marked ability1 and a very acceptable preacher4 ,in early manhood he was a successful school-teacher4 ,he was ordained as a preacher in ,dighton1 ,mass41 in #ahdg1 and was induced to go to ,abington1 ,va41 and engage in missionary work in that ,state4 ,for two years he preached in the ,virginia backwoods1--in its highways and byways1 in school-houses1 mills1 and log cabins1--enduring great hardship1 encountering many dangers1 risking his life from violence1 and depending for support solely on ,divine ,providence4 ,in the autumn of #ahdi he went to ,cincinnati1 ,o41 and for twelve years was employed as a book-keeper4 ,but though engaged during the week in secular pursuits1 his activity in behalf of his faith did not in the least decline4 ,he connected himself with the ,second ,universalist ,church in that city1 and for three years was superintendent of its ,sunday school4 ,subsequently he became superintendent of the school at the ,first ,church1 and held the position for seven years4 ,it was in this capacity that he was eminently useful and happy4 ,his influence over children was unbounded2 they were irresistibly drawn to him4 ,he had a most fertile imagination1 and was ever ready with stories such as children love to hear4 ,he laughed and wept by turns1 and with these emotions the school was always in close sympathy4 ,he had all the gifts of an improvisatore of the olden time4 ,uneasy in his work out of the ministry1 in #ahfg he laid aside his accountant's pen1 and entered it again4 ,he was settled successively at ,mendota1 ,ill42 ,vinton1 ,council ,bluffs1 and ,dubuque1 ,iowa2 and at ,clinton1 ,n4 ,y41 at which last place he closed his earthly life4 ,his work in ,clinton was very successful4 ,he attached his people to him by his amiable disposition1 his unselfish spirit1 and devotion to his work4 ,his sermons were always compact and often highly polished4 ,intellectual and cultivated people always admired and enjoyed them4 ,when in #ahgc he went on a kind of missionary tour to ,england and ,scotland1 wherever he preached1 his sermons were highly spoken of1 and it is known that they impressed on those who heard them a high idea of ,american ,universalism4 ,for the last three or four years of his life he was a great sufferer from an incurable disease1 but he worked steadily on until nearly the end4 ,his last service was held in his own house1 in ,march1 #ahgf1 when he arose from his sick-bed and gave the right hand of fellowship to twenty-one persons1 baptizing seven1 and consecrating the babe of a friend4 ,the announcement of his physician that his end was near he hailed with joy1 and thus entered into the heavenly rest4 #df ,see ,harper's ,monthly ,mag4 for ,october1 #ahgd4 ,,chapter ,,xvi4 ,,sketches ,,of ,,ministers--continued4 ,like angels sent from fields above1 ,be yours to shed celestial light4 ,a4 ,,balfour4 ,rev4 ,samuel ,c4 ,loveland resided nearly all his lifetime in ,vermont4 ,he was born in ,gilsum1 ,n4 ,h41 in #aghg4 ,his opportunities for schooling while young were but few1 but he improved them1 as he had a strong desire for study4 ,he wished to be eminent as a scholar and linguist1 but from force of circumstances was self-taught4 ,his parents had become deeply interested in the doctrine of ,universal ,salvation about the time of ,mr4 ,winchester's return from ,england1 who preached a few times in the region where they lived1 and was followed soon by several others4 ,he early participated with them in their religious views and feelings1 and in due time became anxious to enter upon his studies for the ministry4 ,to this end he began the study of ,greek4 ,but as there were no books in those days with ,english notes and definitions1 it became requisite first to study ,latin4 ,finding a part of an old ,latin ,bible1 with a grammar and dictionary he plodded on through several chapters4 ,by close application he was able generally to read out a whole verse in half a day4 ,words that he could not trace were carefully noted down for further developments to bring to light4 ,at length he was enabled to read the ,greek ,testament4 ,he received fellowship at the ,general ,convention at ,cavendish1 ,vt41 #ahab4 ,he afterwards studied ,hebrew1 and prepared and published1 at great labor1 a ,greek and ,english lexicon of the ,new ,testament4 ,the degree of ,a4 ,m4 was conferred on him by ,middlebury ,college4 ,he afterwards made himself quite well acquainted with several other languages1 ,chaldee1 ,syriac1 ,arabic1 c4 ,at one time he published a work in defence of ,universalism entitled ,the ,christian ,repository1 which was commenced at ,woodstock1 ,vt41 in #ahba4 ,the work afterwards passed into other hands1 and was for years the weekly ,universalist journal of the ,state4 ,in the latter part of his life he commenced a reply to an infidel work by ,robert ,taylor of ,england1 entitled ,the ,diegesis1 in the columns of the ,star in the ,east1 issued at ,concord1 ,n4 ,h4 ,a few ably written chapters were issued1 when he was forced to relinquish the work in consequence of failing health4 ,in #ahbg and onward he became interested in political affairs1 which for a time lessened his influence as a preacher4 ,but he was conscientious in this step4 ,his course was successful and honorable4 ,he represented the town of ,reading1 ,vt41 in the ,state legislature1 and his county in the council2 he was a judge of the county court1 and held several other offices of honor and responsibility4 ,during the last ten or more years of his life he devoted his whole time to his books and the ministry4 ,he died at ,south ,hartford1 ,n4 ,y41 of paralysis1 ,april #h1 #ahed1 leaving the record of a true and noble ,christian life4 ,rev4 ,,david ,,pickering was a native of ,richmond1 ,n4 ,h41 the birthplace of the elder ,hosea ,ballou4 ,he joined the ,freewill ,baptists at an early age1 and was very active in their meetings and in the promotion of their church interests4 ,he was led to embrace the doctrine of ,universalism under the preaching of ,rev4 ,paul ,dean1 in ,barre1 ,vt4 ,he entered the ministry in #ahji1 a very acceptable and much admired preacher4 ,his first settlements were in ,shrewsbury1 ,vt41 and ,lebanon1 ,n4 ,h4 ,he was afterwards in ,hudson1 ,n4 ,y41 and in #ahbc took charge of the ,first ,universalist ,society in ,providence1 ,r4 ,i41 where he remained eight or ten years4 ,as a preacher and writer he had few equals4 ,he compiled and published a hymn-book1 and conducted and edited with much ability a ,universalist paper1 entitled ,the ,christian ,telescope1 from #ahbd to #ahbh2 also one volume of ,the ,gospel ,preacher in #ahbh4 ,while in ,providence1 he delivered a course of lectures in favor and in defence of ,revealed ,religion1 which were issued in book form1 and are very creditable to the author1 and a valuable contribution to the ,christian ,evidences4 ,rev4 ,james ,wilson1 pastor of the ,broad ,street ,congregational ,church in ,providence1 had made some very severe statements against ,mr4 ,pickering's ministry1 and advised his people by all means to keep themselves away from it4 ,when1 however1 this volume was published1 he read it attentively1 and took occasion to say to his congregation that1 whereas he had warned them against the preaching of ,mr4 ,pickering1 he wished to call their especial attention to this book1 and assured them that the reading of it would be really profitable to them4 ,mr4 ,pickering was very agreeable in social life1 and had many warm friends4 ,he had some severe trials in his last days1 and departed this life in ,ypsilanti1 ,mich41 ,jan4 #f1 #ahei4 ,from #ahcj to #ahdf ,rev4 ,,george ,,rogers was an active itinerant and sometimes pastor in different ,states of the ,union4 ,he was at first with the ,methodists1 and came into the ,universalist ministry1 in the vicinity of ,philadelphia1 in #ahcj1 preaching his first ,universalist sermon in the ,lombard ,street ,church1 where ,rev4 ,a4 ,c4 ,thomas was pastor4 ,he was for a time settled in ,brooklyn1 ,pa41 then he itinerated in the ,states of ,new ,york and ,connecticut2 and afterwards journeyed ,west1 and ministered to the ,universalist ,society in ,cincinnati1 ,ohio4 ,here the field of his labors widened indefinitely4 ,his ,memoranda1 a volume full of incident and adventure1 issued in #ahde1 gives us the account of his varied experiences in city1 town1 country place1 and wilderness2 from ,new ,england to ,new ,orleans1 from ,pennsylvania to the then farthest ,west1 preaching the ,gospel of ,god's impartial grace in all available places and at all available times2 holding discussions1 meeting rebuffs of bigotry and the pitiable opposition of ignorance and sectarian hate2 but in all and through all self-possessed1 patient1 never losing heart in the mission on which he was persuaded his heavenly ,father had sent him4 ,his ,memoranda is an admirable book for the family library4 ,mr4 ,rogers had great aptness in adapting himself to circumstances in his pioneer work4 ,sometimes a belated hearer would drop in when he was half through a discourse1 and interrupt him with the honest question as to his text and topic1 that he might better apprehend the speaker's message2 a request which the preacher would very kindly answer1 and then proceed with his discoursing4 ,once1 when preaching in ,lexington1 ,ky41 he was greatly disturbed by people going out after he had begun his sermon4 ,suddenly stopping in his discourse1 he said3 ,my friends1 ,i have always noticed that people who go out of church during service1 as a rule have more brains back of their ears than they have in front of them2 and if you don't believe it1 just notice the next person that goes out6 ,it is needless to say that no persons put their heads up for examination after that4 ,under similar circumstances1 when once preaching in ,baltimore1 he said3 ,my friends1 if any person here tonight finds himself in better society than he is accustomed to keep1 ,i hope he will try to endure it until the services are out6 ,as in the former instance1 this sharp rebuke was effectual4 ,it is seldom that profanity receives so sharp and witty a reproof as was administered by ,mr4 ,rogers to a ,tennessee boatman4 ,one day1 when seeking for a place where he could safely ford a small river1 he sought information from a person whom he saw upon the opposite side1 and the following dialogue ensued3-- ,rogers4--,hollo1 stranger6 ,can you tell me if there is any place about here where ,i can safely ford8 ,stranger4--,go to hell6 ,rogers4--,what is that you say8 ,stranger4--,go to hell6 ,rogers4--,what8 ,where is that place you speak of8 ,i am a stranger in these parts2 can ,i reach it tonight8 ,this witty retort so amused the stranger that he courteously told ,mr4 ,rogers that he was the ferryman1 and that if he would drive back to the ferry he would take him across4 ,when subsequently he offered the ferryman the accustomed toll1 it was flatly refused4 ,no1 said the ferryman1 ,i take no toll from you4 ,you are the funniest man ,i ever rowed across this drink4 ,i take no toll from you4 ,thus a witty answer turned away wrath4 ,he was in presence a modest1 meek man1 with thin voice as a speaker1 but clear and profound in his discoursing1 and in religious debate wary1 keen and pointed in his reasoning1 and1 like ,apollos1 mighty in the ,scriptures4 ,soon after his last visit to ,new ,england1 in #ahdf1 his death took place in ,cincinnati4 ,rev4 ,a4 ,c4 ,thomas1 who was present at his departure1 writes3 ,the valley of death was radiant by reason of the glory beyond4 ,we conveyed his body to the quiet burial ground in ,delhi1 near ,cincinnati4 ,i had introduced him to the ,universalist ministry1 and it fell to my lot to deliver the funeral sermon4 ,a monumental obelisk was placed on his grave4 ,among the active ministers of ,universalism in the ,southern ,states from #ahca to #ahge was ,rev4 ,,lewis ,f4 ,w4 ,,andrews1 ,m4 ,d41 a son of ,rev4 ,john ,andrews1 an eminent minister and journalist of the ,presbyterian ,church4 ,he was favored by his father with the advantages of a classical education1 and received the degree of ,doctor of ,medicine at ,transylvania ,university1 ,lexington1 ,ky4 ,he practised as a physician in ,cleveland1 ,ohio1 and in the region round about ,pittsburg1 ,pa4 ,his attention was first called to the claims of ,universalism on hearing a sermon by ,rev4 ,j4 ,c4 ,waldo1 in ,augusta1 ,ky4 ,mr4 ,andrews had requested the preacher to discourse on the parable of the ,sheep and ,goats4 ,he did not suppose the minister able to give a reasonable interpretation of it in the light of the ,universalist faith4 ,he was greatly disappointed1 however1 and though he came a doubter1 he remained to accept thankfully and joyfully the doctrine of the preacher1 for he professed to have been converted by that sermon4 ,he soon afterwards1 by the aid of ,rev4 ,mr4 ,waldo1 then of ,cincinnati1 entered the ministry1 and in #ahcb became pastor of the ,second ,universalist ,church in ,philadelphia4 ,in #ahcd he travelled extensively in the ,south1 visiting ,new ,orleans1 ,mobile1 and ,montgomery4 ,in the last-named city he gathered a society and started the ,gospel ,evangelist1 a paper which was subsequently moved to ,charleston1 ,s4 ,c41 and ,dr4 ,andrews became pastor of the ,universalist ,society in that city4 ,in #ahcf-g he was senior editor of the ,southern ,pioneer and ,gospel ,visitor1 then published in ,baltimore1 ,md41 it having been founded in #ahcb by ,rev4 ,o4 ,a4 ,skinner4 ,after this removal to the far ,south1 ,dr4 ,andrews published the ,evangelical ,universalist4 ,like that persistent itinerant1 ,george ,rogers1 he journeyed extensively in the ,southern ,states1 preaching wherever a door of opportunity was opened to him4 ,the ,universalist ,register said of him3 ,in labors abundant1 in long and frequent missionary journeys1 and in the midst of opposition and great tribulations1 he1 like our other ,southern preachers1 had to fight his way in the promulgation of the doctrine of a world's salvation4 ,dr4 ,andrews was steadfast in his ,universalism to the last4 ,he was generous1 free-hearted1 liberal1 almost to a fault4 ,his prodigal generosity tended to improvidence4 ,the marked trait of his mind was activity4 ,all he could know he grasped at a glance4 ,hence1 though not profound1 he was ready for all encounters4 ,he died suddenly at his home in ,americus1 ,ga41 ,march #af1 #ahge1 in the seventy-third year of his age4 ,rev4 ,,charles ,w4 ,,mellen was a worthy minister and pastor in ,massachusetts for twenty-seven years4 ,simple and unostentatious in his manners1 he was thoroughly consecrated to his work4 ,a clear and strong writer and impressive speaker1 his discourses were characterized by sound sense and earnestness4 ,he worked from love of his calling4 ,he was hopeful and active in the temperance and anti-slavery reforms1 and was a son of consolation in his ministries with the sorrowing1 afflicted1 and bereaved1 who looked to him for sympathy4 ,he passed from this life in ,taunton1 ,mass41 while pastor there1 in #ahff1 aged forty-eight4 ,rev4 ,,henry ,a4 ,,eaton came into the ministry after having been a devoted and faithful member of the ,universalist ,sunday-school in ,malden1 ,mass41 during the pastorate of ,rev4 ,j4 ,g4 ,adams4 ,he was born in ,south ,reading 7now ,wakefield71 ,mass41 ,nov4 #bg1 #ahbe1 the youngest of seven children1 and lost his mother at an early age4 ,he was an apt scholar1 but at sixteen was compelled to earn his livelihood1 which he did by serving in a store for two years1 and afterwards by setting up for himself in ,newburyport4 ,resolving to enter the ministry1 he left his secular employment1 and spent some time in ,dr4 ,t4 ,j4 ,sawyer's ,theological ,class in ,clinton1 ,n4 ,y41 and studied also with his brother1 ,rev4 ,e4 ,a4 ,eaton1 until he preached his first sermon4 ,he first settled in ,hanson1 ,mass41 afterwards at ,east ,bridgewater1 ,milford1 ,east ,cambridge1 and ,waltham1 ,mass41 and in ,meriden1 ,conn4 ,overworking and injured health compelled most of these changes1 for in each place he was much esteemed for his labors and beloved by many friends4 ,the illness and decease of his worthy wife1 at ,east ,cambridge1 and his devoted attention to her night and day1 exhausted his vital powers1 and bronchitis1 followed by hmorrhage from the lungs1 finally compelled him to abandon the ministry4 ,he retired to ,worcester1 and engaged in business for the support of himself and children1 struggling manfully with various difficulties4 ,having provided for his children1 and arranged all his affairs1 he calmly met death1 cheered and strengthened by the unfailing hope of the ,gospel1 ,may #bf1 #ahfa1 in the thirty-sixth year of his age4 ,he was a man of deep consecration1 of most attractive social qualities1 whose memory will be sacredly cherished by those who best knew him4 ,his only son1 ,rev4 ,charles ,h4 ,eaton1 is the successor of ,rev4 ,dr4 ,chapin in the ministry of the ,fourth ,universalist ,church in ,new ,york city4 ,rev4 ,w4 ,a4 ,p4 ,,dillingham was a son of ,maine1 and a graduate of the ,harvard ,divinity ,school4 ,he had pastoral settlements in ,augusta1 ,waterville1 ,dover1 and ,norridgewock1 ,me41 and ,portsmouth1 ,n4 ,h4 ,for a time he became interested in the ,swedenborgian ,church1 and entered its ministry1 but without changing his views as to the final destiny of men4 ,while in this connection1 he writes3 ,i never preached the eternity of the hells1 nor any doctrine inconsistent with the divine benevolence1 and ,i never heard ,universalism or ,universalists attacked or spoken of in derogatory terms as to their moral influence by some church people1 without putting in a square defence of those whom ,i knew only to respect1 and who had treated me with a consideration beyond my deserts4 ,in due time he returned to his own church1 with the honest confession that he had found no better1 more conscientious1 spiritual1 intellectual1 or tolerant people than those he had left4 ,while in ,waterville1 he represented the town for two years1 and was chosen ,speaker of the ,house of ,representatives the second year4 ,other positions of public trust were held by him1 all of which he honored4 ,he was active in business1 fervent in spirit1 and devoutly religious4 ,few men had better qualities for a public speaker4 ,with a tall1 dignified1 imposing presence1 and a voice of extraordinary compass1 richness1 and power1 his speech was impressive and effective4 ,he was suddenly stricken down with acute pneumonia1 and died in #ahga1 aged forty-six4 ,a comparatively brief but very active ministry was that of ,,john ,,glass ,,bartholomew1 ,d4 ,d4 ,he was born in ,pompey1 ,onondaga ,co41 ,n4 ,y41 ,feb4 #bh1 #ahcd4 ,he had the benefit of a good common school and academical education1 was a lover of books and of intellectual effort4 ,his parents being ,universalists1 he was sent to the ,clinton ,liberal ,institute1 and after a time prepared himself for the ministry4 ,he first preached in his native town in #ahec to great acceptance1 those who heard him being quite convinced that he had not mistaken his calling4 ,after preaching for a few years in ,upper ,lisle1 ,broome ,co41 in ,oxford1 ,chenango ,co41 ,n4 ,y41 and in the city of ,aurora1 ,ill41 he became pastor of the ,universalist ,society in ,roxbury1 ,mass41 where his ministry continued from ,july1 #ahfj1 to ,january1 #ahff4 ,during this pastorate the parish was carried prosperously through a season of peculiar trial1 and the membership of both the church and society considerably increased4 ,in the year last named he accepted the invitation of the ,greene ,avenue ,church1 ,brooklyn1 ,n4 ,y41 to become their minister4 ,the expectations of those who had called him were high1 and his pulpit efforts fully met them1 but adverse circumstances prevented that prosperity all were desiring4 ,the church building was inadequate to the occasion1 and a failure to unite with a remnant of the old ,church of the ,restoration so disheartened the minister that he turned to a new field of work to which he had been invited in ,auburn1 ,n4 ,y4 ,his ministry here was highly successful4 ,his influence reached beyond the city in which he labored1 rendering his work peculiarly attractive4 ,he subsequently removed to ,syracuse1 where for some months he highly enjoyed his pastorate4 ,his biographer1 ,dr4 ,i4 ,m4 ,atwood1 writes of him3 ,crowds flocked to his ministrations1 and he seemed animated by extraordinary energies4 ,but gradually he became aware of some insidious malady repeating its attacks on his vigorous constitution4 ,he sought various means to master it1 but in vain4 ,once or twice he rallied1 under new treatment and diet1 and came up surprisingly4 ,he made a visit of two weeks to his old friends in ,roxbury and ,boston1 but was all the time failing1 and with difficulty reached his home in ,newark1 ,n4 ,j41 where he departed for the better life1 ,april #ad1 #ahgd4 ,his mind was on his work to the last1 but the unfailing hope cheered and sustained him4 ,he was a preacher of remarkably magnetic power4 ,one of the most noted of ,christian ministers in the present century was ,rev4 ,,edwin ,,hubbell ,,chapin1 ,d4 ,d41 ,,ll4 ,d41 of the ,universalist ,church4 ,he was born in ,union ,village1 ,washington ,county1 ,n4 ,y41 ,dec4 #bi1 #ahad1 and died ,dec4 #bf1 #ahhj1 in the city of ,new ,york4 ,in his childhood he became a resident1 with his parents1 of ,vermont1 where he received his academic course of studies in ,bennington4 ,his father1 a rigid ,calvinist1 trained his son in the traditional theology of their ancestors2 but the creed proved too narrow for him to be satisfied with it4 ,in #ahcf1 while with his father 7an artist71 who was on a professional visit to ,utica1 ,n4 ,y41 he first had access to a collection of books teaching a more consistent interpretation of the ,scriptures1 which he read with avidity4 ,he attended the church of our larger faith there1 and in due time became convinced that ,christian ,universalism was the ,gospel of the ,new ,testament4 ,after attending to the study of the law for a short time1 he gave it up1 and accepted the position of associate editor of the ,evangelical ,magazine and ,gospel ,advocate4 ,his powers as a speaker and thinker soon becoming evident1 he was urged to enter the ministry1 which after much serious and anxious reflection he concluded to do1 and began his preparation accordingly4 ,his first sermon was delivered in a barn at ,litchfield1 and he continued preaching in the vicinity until his ordination in #ahcg4 ,in ,may1 #ahch1 he became pastor of the ,independent ,christian ,church1 composed of ,universalists and ,unitarians1 in ,richmond1 ,va4 ,in #ahci1 on his way to the meeting of the ,general ,convention1 ,mr4 ,chapin attended the funeral of ,rev4 ,thomas ,f4 ,king1 at the ,universalist ,church in ,charlestown1 ,mass41 where ,mr4 ,king had been pastor4 ,complying with an invitation to preach in the church in the evening1 the result was an invitation for him to supply the pulpit for three months4 ,in ,december1 #ahdj1 he was installed as pastor there4 ,he was next invited to become colleague of the venerable ,hosea ,ballou1 in the ,school ,street ,church1 ,boston1 and was installed there ,nov4 #bh1 #ahde4 ,finally1 he became pastor of the ,fourth ,new ,york ,society1 and remained so until his death4 ,he first occupied the pulpit of the ,murray ,street ,church1 but this proving too small1 the society moved to ,all ,souls ,church in ,broadway1 where it grew to such proportions that a new and costly edifice was erected at the corner of ,fifth ,avenue and ,forty-fifth ,street1 dedicated ,dec4 #b1 #ahff1 and named the ,church of the ,divine ,paternity4 ,during the years of his matured strength he ministered to his people1 while thousands of every name and creed came from near and far to listen to his eloquent words4 ,here on ,palm ,sunday1 ,march #ba1 #ahhj1 he preached the last time on earth4 ,and here on ,december #cj was gathered the most august assembly that ever sought to honor the memory of an ,american clergyman1 every ,christian sect of the city being represented at the altar by its ablest divines1 while great numbers of men and women of all denominations turned away unable to gain admittance to his obsequies4 ,in the other churches where he had been pastor1 memorial services were held4 ,the public life of ,dr4 ,chapin was one of incessant action4 ,he was not merely a church preacher4 ,as another has written of him3-- ,his was a divided throne between the pulpit and the platform4 ,for many years he was active in the temperance and other reforms1 and his magnetic eloquence made him sought by all associations of the kind that desired the presence of a crowd and a stirring and persuasive appeal4 ,then for five-and-twenty years he was one of the most prominent of a long catalogue of lecturers whom every lyceum must hear4#dg ,in his memorial address in ,boston1 ,dr4 ,miner thus alluded to the aptness and force of his appeals3-- ,i remember on one occasion1 in the suburbs of ,boston1 when1 after discussing in a somewhat general way the great waste occasioned by intemperance1 he asked his auditory to reflect upon the waste that would be involved in gathering up the cereals of the ,commonwealth1 converting them into whiskey1 taking the whiskey down to the end of ,long ,wharf1 knocking in the heads of the barrels1 and spilling the whole into the dock2 and1 said he1 'would it be any less a waste if you were to strain that whiskey through human stomachs1 and spoil the strainer8' ,what more telling exhibition of the vital diabolism of the whole business of making and drinking whiskey than is involved in that simple illustration4 ,the address of ,dr4 ,chapin before the ,peace ,congress at ,frankfort-on-the-,main1 in #ahej1 surpassing every other of the occasion in eloquence and power1 made his name known through ,europe1 and placed him among the greatest orators in the world4 ,his religious character was deep and strong1 an embodiment of consecration to ,christian principle4 ,the volumes containing ,dr4 ,chapin's sermons1 orations1 and addresses are so many1 and their character in substance and style so uniformly attractive1 that we hardly dare venture on quotations from them1 even if space were allowed us4 ,as a specimen1 however1 we present his strong and glowing words in conclusion of his ,fourth of ,july oration1 in #ahed1 at the ,crystal ,palace1 in ,new ,york city4 ,men constitute eras4 ,washington himself was the embodiment of the ,revolution1 and may fitly personate to other men and other ages the principles of that movement4 ,but let not even the greatness of ,washington overshadow the merits of the least of those who labored and sacrificed in that early struggle4 ,come up before us to-day from many a battle-ground1 from many a post of duty2 from the perilous enterprise and the lonely night-watch6 ,the pageant of this hour sinks from my sight4 ,this temple of industry1 with all its emblems of civilization1 dissolves into thin air4 ,these tokens of a great and prosperous people pass away4 ,this magnificent city dwindles to a provincial town4 ,i am standing now upon some village green1 on an early summer morning1 when the dew is on the grass1 and the sun just tips the hills4 ,i see before me a little band clothed in the garb that is now so venerable4 ,there are the cocked hat1 the continental coat1 the well-worn musket4 ,they have turned away from their homes2 they have turned from the fields of their toil2 they have heard the great call of freedom and of duty1 and before ,god and man they are ready4 ,hark6 it is the tap of a drum1 and they move forward to the tremendous issue4 ,that drum-beat echoes around the world6 ,that movement was the march of an irresistible ,idea--the ,idea of the spiritual worth and the inalienable rights of every man2 out of which grow the stability of nations1 and the unity of the world4 ,a more positive and thorough expositor of the doctrine of ,universalism could not be heard from the pulpit than ,dr4 ,chapin4 ,this has been acknowledged on all hands by those who were most constant and attentive listeners to him4 ,but the great aim of his ministry was to make men know and feel the power of the inner life of the ,gospel4 ,he distinctly states this in the first published volume of his discourses3-- ,the great end of preaching is to reform the life1 to reconcile man to duty and to ,god4 ,the great principle to be propagated and established in the souls of men is not this or that particular ism1 but the spirit of ,christ4 ,without this no denomination can be right1 no society can flourish1 no soul can live4 ,mr4 ,chapin was a poet as well as an orator4 ,some of his hymns1 long used in our church services1 are of great merit1 having the beauty of ,moore with the spiritual fervor of ,charles ,wesley4 ,the writer takes pleasure in transcribing one of them for these pages1 which was written from a sense of duty1 and at the close of a very hot day in ,july1 when we had been very diligently at work on the new ,hymn ,book1 compiled by us jointly for ,mr4 ,abel ,tompkins1 publisher1 in #ahde4 ,we were about to make up the last package of matter for the press4 ,the writer had prepared one or two hymns expressly for the book1 while such of ,mr4 ,chapin's as had a place in it1 were selected from papers and church service programmes of the time4 ,he was urged to write one then wanted for the miscellaneous department of the book1 the subject to be1 ,during or ,after a ,destructive ,storm4 ,wearied as he was1 he consented1 and standing at the desk1 wholly absorbed in his theme1 soon brought out the following1 which speaks for itself3-- ,amid surrounding gloom and waste1 ,from nature's face we flee1 ,and in our fear and wonder haste1 ,o nature's ,life1 to thee6 ,thy ways are in the mighty deep1 ,in tempests as they blow2 ,in floods that o'er our treasures sweep2 ,the lightning and the snow4 ,though earth upon its axis reels1 ,and heaven is veiled in wrath1 ,not one of nature's million wheels ,breaks its appointed path4 ,fixed in thy grasp1 the sources meet ,of beauty and of awe2 ,in storm or calm1 all pulses beat ,true to the central law4 ,thou art that law1 whose will thus done1 ,in seeming wreck and blight1 ,sends the calm planets round the sun1 ,and pours the moon's soft light4 ,we trust thy love2 thou best dost know ,the universal peace1 ,how long the stormy force should blow1 ,and when the flood should cease4 ,and though around our path some form ,of mystery ever lies1 ,and life is like the calm and storm ,that checker earth and skies1-- ,through all its mingling joy and dread1 ,permit us1 ,holy ,one1 ,by faith to see the golden thread ,of thy great purpose run4 ,the closing of the life of this eminent man was in accordance with his whole ministry4 ,at his funeral services in the ,church of the ,divine ,paternity1 ,rev4 ,dr4 ,armitage1 of ,new ,york city1 in a most impressive address to the congregation1 took occasion to speak of an interview with him in his extreme weakness3-- ',doctor1 do you realize now the sweetness of the promise of ,christ in your broken condition8' ,he looked at me with the simplicity of a babe2 but ,i saw a tear moisten his eye and a little tremulousness mingled with his voice1 and he said1 ',my dear brother1 what should ,i do without ,christ4 ,christ is everything to me now4' ,so he spoke of the loving ,redeemer4 ,i said1 ',well1 then1 may ,i have this consolation1 ,doctor1 of knowing that you1 who have been in the ministry so long1 labored so hard1 done so much to lift up other minds and pour consolation into disconsolate hearts1 that you to-day realize the same breadth and fulness and sweetness of consolation in ,christ that you have ministered to others8' ,he simply made this answer3 ',doctor1 ,christ to me is all in all4' ,i asked him if it would be pleasant to have a word of prayer4 ,he made an effort to rise1 as if he greeted the proposition with great joy4 ,i said1 ',no1 ,doctor1 you can't rise2 do nothing2 lie quietly1 and ,i will kneel at your side with my hands in yours4 ,let us give each other to ,god our ,father to-day4' ,he said1 ',well1 we will4' ,i bent at his side1 and with such simplicity and brotherly love and confidence in ,god as ,i could summon1 sought the blessing of heaven upon him4 ,he joined in the prayer2 he buried his brow in one hand1 and held my hand with the other4 ,he seemed to glow with love4 ,i asked the ,lord to give him strength1 and1 if possible1 to spare him to the church1 and presented those wishes at the ,throne of ,grace which any of your hearts would prompt under similar circumstances4 ,at the close of a brief prayer1 as ,i said1 ',lord1 ,lord1 grant these things to thy servant1 for ,jesus ,christ's sake1' holding my hand with a firm grip1 and lifting up his eyes towards heaven1 in the same ringing1 fervent1 strong voice that you have heard so often from his lips1 his whole nature said1 ',amen4' ,in #ahef ,harvard ,college conferred upon him the honorary degree of ,doctor of ,divinity1 and ,tufts ,college that of ,doctor of ,laws in #ahgh4dh ,during twenty-five years ,rev4 ,,joseph ,d4 ,,pierce was pastor of the ,universalist ,church in ,north ,attleboro1 ,mass4 ,he was born in ,north ,scituate1 ,mass41 ,nov4 #ae1 #ahae1 and died in ,north ,attleboro1 ,nov4 #af1 #ahhj4 ,during his minority his educational advantages were limited to the public schools4 ,after serving an apprenticeship as a carpenter1 he entered the ,derby ,academy in ,hingham4 ,he taught in the public schools1 devoting his leisure to reading and study4 ,resolved on entering the ministry1 he began his preparatory studies with ,rev4 ,hosea ,ballou1 #b;d1 in ,medford1 ,mass4 ,his first sermon was preached in ,east ,boston1 in #ahci4 ,he then supplied the pulpits in ,south ,dedham and ,east ,boston for a year1 and was ordained in #ahda4 ,he was first settled at ,hartland1 ,vt41 where he also taught school1 remaining until ,may1 #ahde1 when he was called to ,north ,attleboro4 ,after a pastorate here of one year1 failing health induced him to abandon regular preaching and engage in teaching4 ,he became principal of the ,attleboro ,academy1 continuing to some extent his pastoral work1 and occasionally supplying at ,west ,wrentham4 ,in #ahej he took charge of the ,universalist parish in ,claremont1 ,n4 ,h41 where he preached1 teaching school also most of the time for five years4 ,he also served as a member of the school committee in that town1 and discharged the duties of his office with such marked ability and benefit to the schools that1 upon hearing of his intent to remove to ,massachusetts1 a deacon of the ,baptist ,church said1 ,we cannot get along without him4 ,by a unanimous invitation from the parish in ,north ,attleboro1 he was again settled there in #ahee1 where he remained until his death4 ,he was representative of ,attleboro in the ,state ,legislature for #ahfh1 and served his constituents with credit4 ,he was an untiring student1 logical in thought and method1 and an effective preacher4 ,he had great modesty1 and never sought for oratorical display4 ,his heart and hand were given to every good work4 ,he was feeble in health1 and endured much physical suffering4 ,he once said that he had not known a waking hour free from pain for fifteen years1 yet his religious trust and unsubdued spirit sustained him through a life of unremitting toil4 ,rev4 ,,thomas ,j4 ,,carney1 of ,dresden1 ,me41 was a minister of varied experiences1 and a useful laborer in the ,gospel field4 ,he was taught the gospel of universal grace and salvation in the home of his childhood4 ,he travelled over the ,states extensively in youth1 and visited the ,west ,indies1 and afterwards studied for the ministry4 ,the last years of his life were spent as pastor and missionary in ,michigan1 ,wisconsin1 and ,illinois4 ,he extended his journeyings and missionary work to ,missouri and ,kansas1 and visited ,new ,mexico4 ,he was a man of strong convictions1 and an earnest advocate of the doctrine which he loved4 ,he made many friends1 and well deserved them4 ,four church edifices are standing as monuments of his faithfulness4 ,he was fatally injured by a fall from his horse1 and died at ,buffalo1 ,ill41 in #ahga4 ,his wife was1 before her marriage1 ,miss ,julia ,a4 ,fletcher1 a well known and very acceptable writer in our church and to the public4 ,rev4 ,,james ,,munroe ,,cook was born in ,marcellus1 ,onondaga ,county1 ,n4 ,y41 ,nov4 #bd1 #ahah4 ,he was a favorite in the family circle1 and kindly regarded by his schoolmates and teachers4 ,at an early age he was a diligent student of the ,scriptures1 and before he was fifteen years of age was not unfrequently engaged in defending the doctrine which he afterwards preached1 and laboring to show to unbelievers its consistency and attractiveness4 ,in #ahcg he came to ,rochester1 ,n4 ,y41 and commenced his studies for the ministry with ,rev4 ,george ,sanderson4 ,he was a diligent student1 and had a remarkably retentive memory4 ,his first sermon was preached in ,gates1 near ,rochester1 in ,october1 #ahcg4 ,he had pastorates in ,chili1 ,churchville1 ,perrinton1 and ,victor1 ,n4 ,y4 ,in ,november1 #ahde1 he entered upon his duties as pastor of the ,second ,universalist ,society in ,providence1 ,r4 ,i4 ,through discouraging circumstances in the beginning of his work here1 he went forward with great faith and earnestness1 and realized a successful ministry4 ,his pastorate in ,providence continued four years1 when1 in ,november1 #ahdi1 he took charge of the ,universalist ,society in ,baltimore1 ,md4 ,his good reputation in ,providence had preceded him1 and he was warmly welcomed by his new friends4 ,they were highly pleased with his pulpit ministries1 and the services in the church were well attended1 and his popularity in the city was increasing4 ,but the society had a heavy debt upon it1 and looked to ,mr4 ,cook as the chief instrumentality in the removal of it4 ,he saw what was before him1 and realized the discouraging magnitude of the work4 ,but he would not shrink from what was expected of him1 and entered upon the effort with a bravery that overcame all obstacles1 and secured the end desired1--the removal of the debt4 ,but1 alas6 the strain had been too great2 his strength gave way1 and in the midst of his usefulness he was called to the higher life4 ,he died in calm resignation1 and in strongest hope of entering his final and immortal home4 ,of his ministry1 ,rev4 ,dr4 ,thomas ,whittemore1 at the time of his death1 in #ahej1 wrote3-- ,as a preacher he excelled in certain respects4 ,he was a man to move the masses4 ,he spoke without writing1 and delivered his message of divine truth with great power4 ,he aimed not at elegant words and polished sentences1 but to speak the truth in demonstration of the spirit4 ,he aimed to reach the heart4 ,he would keep the attention of a thousand people fixed intently upon his theme through a long discourse4 ,his sermon1 delivered in the ,warren ,street ,church1 during the session of the ,united ,states ,convention in ,boston1 in #ahde1 is an illustration of the truth of what we say4 ,there an immense auditory listened to him with the greatest interest for a long time1 for they were unconscious of its rapid flight4 ,they caught his feelings1 they rejoiced with him1 they wept with him1 and at the close the general expression of the people was1 'that was the ,gospel1 that came from the preacher's heart and reached our hearts4' ,cut off in the midst of his years1 his memory is a blessing for what he was enabled during his short life to accomplish4 #dg ,rev4 ,dr4 ,t4 ,j4 ,sawyer4 #dh ,for a more particular acquaintance with the life and character of ,dr4 ,chapin1 the reader is referred to the excellent ,memoir of him by ,rev4 ,s4 ,ellis1 ,d4 ,d41 just issued by the ,universalist ,publishing ,house4 ,,chapter ,,xvii4 ,,sketches ,,of ,,ministers--continued4 ,as ye go1 preach1 saying1 ,the kingdom of heaven is at hand4--,,jesus4 ,a fervent and devoted servant of the ,christian ,master was ,rev4 ,a4 ,w4 ,,bruce4 ,born in ,bennington1 ,vt41 he was taught the ,methodist faith1 and held it until his nineteenth year1 when by his own diligent investigations he became a believer in ,universalism4 ,after practising as a physician for a short time1 he entered the ministry1 and became an indefatigable and successful worker therein4 ,he was ordained in #ahdc1 had settlements in ,new ,england and in three of the ,western ,states1 and died in ,lafayette1 ,ind4 in #ahga1 leaving a good name in the churches and with all who knew of his work for human reform1 and were co-operators with him4 ,rev4 ,,frederick ,a4 ,,hodsdon was a native of ,berwick1 ,me4 ,in his childhood his parents removed to ,kenduskeag1 where his early years were mostly spent4 ,when but eighteen years of age1 he was the subject of religious impressions1 and gave himself by personal consecration to the service of ,christ4 ,he became a ,universalist in spirit as well as in belief1 and resolved to devote his life to the ministry4 ,he was a student with ,rev4 ,j4 ,b4 ,dods and ,rev4 ,s4 ,cobb1 ,d4 ,d4 ,his first settlement was in ,readfield1 ,me41 his next in ,danvers1 ,mass41 his third in ,goffstown1 ,n4 ,h41 and from his labors here there came the church now existing in ,manchester4 ,he was next in ,kenduskeag1 his old home1 where he purchased a place of residence1 and was for a time pastor of the society there4 ,in #ahci he preached the sermon at the dedication of the ,universalist church in ,belfast1 and was unanimously invited to become pastor of the society2 but was obliged to decline on account of previous engagements4 ,a few years after he accepted a second invitation to the place1 where his ministry was very prosperous4 ,in #ahdi he acted as ,general ,agent for the ,maine ,universalist ,missionary1 ,educational1 and ,tract ,societies4 ,in #ahej he accepted a call to ,new ,haven1 ,conn41 where his labors were highly successful4 ,failing health compelled him to resign his charge1 and return to his home in ,maine4 ,he did not however1 relinquish the work of the ministry1 but preached at times in different places1 until1 on recovering his strength1 he was induced to become again minister of the society in ,belfast1 where he continued for most of the time until he was obliged to abandon the active work of his calling4 ,he was for a little time ,chaplain of the #bdth ,maine ,regiment1 and minister to the ,second ,society in ,portland4 ,before his departure he had a long and painful sickness1 through which his strong faith sustained him4 ,he died ,aug4 #ai1 #ahfi1 aged #fd years4 ,mr4 ,hodsdon was one of the most faithful and honored of our ministers4 ,his convictions were strong1 his motives the purest1 his preaching clear1 earnest1 and convincing4 ,a devout man himself1 he made others devout and prayerful4 ,the cause of vital religion prospered under his ministry4 ,of attractive and commanding personal appearance1 courteous in manners and ,christian in spirit1 he won the hearts of old and young1 and made hosts of friends wherever he resided or was known4 ,the savor of his noble life still lingers in the churches which enjoyed his ministrations4 ,rev4 ,,ezekiel ,w4 ,,coffin was one of the truly faithful of the ministerial fraternity4 ,he came from ,gilead1 ,me41 where he was born ,august #ad1 #ahaj4 ,his parents were ,methodists1 but in his youth his attention was called to the doctrines of ,universalism by the preaching of ,rev4 ,sylvanus ,cobb4 ,he afterwards resolved to devote himself to the ministry4 ,he was a student with ,rev4 ,mr4 ,averill of ,eddington1 ,me41 and was ordained ,june1 #ahdj4 ,he was first settled at ,centre ,harbor1 ,n4 ,h41 for four years2 then at ,weymouth1 ,mass41 then at ,canton ,st4 ,church1 ,boston2 afterwards at ,north ,attleboro1 ,annisquam1 ,beverly and ,shirley1 ,mass41 ,jaffrey1 ,n4 ,h41 ,bryant's ,pond1 ,me41 ,orange1 ,mass41 ,west ,concord1 ,vt41 and ,bernardston1 ,mass4 ,his ministerial life included about forty-three years4 ,those who knew ,mr4 ,coffin bear ample testimony to his many excellent traits1 both as a minister and a man2 that he lived the doctrine which he taught1 and that in his last sickness he gave the whole community a lesson of patience and resignation in suffering4 ,his illness extended over a period of three and a half years1 and was very painful2 but he never lost his faith and courage4 ,after he had become so helpless that he could not walk1 or even stand1 he still continued his work4 ,faithful friends bore him in his chair to the pulpit on each returning ,sunday1 and for more than two years he thus1--like ,father ,murray in his last preaching days1--delivered his testimony while sitting4 ,weak in body1 but strong and upraised in spirit1 he gave his testimony to his people inspired with that glorious apostolic assurance1 ,for all flesh is as grass1 and all the glory of man as the flower of grass4 ,but the word of the ,lord endureth forever4 ,and this is the word which by the ,gospel is preached unto you4 ,rev4 ,,edward ,,augustus ,,drew was for a few years a useful minister4 ,he was born in ,plymouth1 ,mass41 ,nov4 #bb1 #ahde1 and died in ,lynn1 ,mass41 ,oct4 #aa1 #ahgd1 in the twenty-ninth year of his age4 ,he was very studious from early life4 ,graduating from the ,high ,school in his native town1 he entered ,tufts ,college in the autumn of #ahfc4 ,to assist in defraying his expenses1 he was obliged to teach during the winters1 and by his ambition and perseverance he took many prizes1 besides graduating at the head of the class of #ahfg4 ,he then became a teacher of the ancient languages in the ,medford 7,mass47 ,high ,school1 where he remained two years4 ,in #ahfi he became ,principal of the ,green ,mountain ,institute1 now known as the ,green ,mountain ,perkins ,academy1 at ,south ,woodstock1 ,vt4 ,he afterwards took the position of ,chase ,classical ,instructor at ,dean ,academy1 which he occupied until the summer of #ahga1 when the conviction that he should enter the ministry induced him to enter ,tufts ,divinity ,school1 where he graduated in ,june1 #ahgb4 ,he was first settled as pastor of the ,universalist ,church in ,newburyport1 ,mass41 and in one year afterwards became pastor of the ,second ,universalist ,society in ,lynn1 where he remained until his death4 ,his labors were blessed with excellent results1 but his course was impeded by failing health4 ,another has written of him3-- ,he was highly appreciated and esteemed as a preacher of the ,gospel4 ,his manner was pleasing1 his language well chosen1 his thoughts clearly presented1 his illustrations appropriate1 often the fruit of his scholarly reading and taste2 and there was a blending of the doctrinal1 practical1 and spiritual in his discourses that made his preaching both instructive and inspiring1 and adapted to interest and benefit all classes of hearers4 ,outside of his own church he was greatly esteemed and beloved4 ,rev4 ,,norris ,,coleman ,,hodgdon was born in ,epping1 ,n4 ,h41 ,aug4 #bb1 #ahah4 ,his means of education in the beginning of life were limited1 but he was fond of books and study1 and earnest and persevering in his search for knowledge4 ,after becoming a conscientious believer in the faith of ,universalism1 he made every effort to strengthen his own convictions1 and to awaken the attention of others to the claims of ,christian truth4 ,he preached his first sermon ,july #bc1 #ahda4 ,he then preached a short time in ,baltimore1 ,md41 ,philadelphia1 ,new ,york1 and ,brooklyn2 went to ,maine in #ahdc1 and was ordained in ,paris1 ,december #bh1 of the same year4 ,he preached in that vicinity for a short time1 and then awhile in ,ludlow1 ,vt4 ,he was afterwards settled in ,east ,randolph1 ,chester1 ,jacksonville1 and ,vernon1 ,vt41 in ,kingston1 ,n4 ,h41 ,harvard1 ,south ,dedham1 ,marlborough1 and ,foxborough1 ,mass4 ,his last settlement was for one year in ,pittsfield1 ,me4 ,while living in ,vernon1 ,vt41 he compiled and published a book called ,a ,denominational ,offering from the ,literature of ,universalism4 ,it contains extracts from different writers in exposition and enforcement of the doctrine and spirit of ,universalism1 and has been well received4 ,while attending a meeting near ,wilton1 ,me41 in #ahgg1 he was stricken with paralysis1 from which he rallied1 and was able for a while to read and write and visit his friends4 ,he moved to ,benton after his illness1 where he passed the last years of his life4 ,he was a faithful1 earnest man and minister4 ,rev4 ,s4 ,p4 ,,landers1 of ,central ,new ,york1 entered the ministry in #ahcf4 ,he was for a little time in ,andover1 ,mass41 and in #ahda began his work as pastor in ,worcester1 where he laid the foundation of the ,universalist church in that city4 ,he afterwards resided in ,west ,cambridge 7now ,arlington71 preaching on ,sundays1 and devoting his other time chiefly to his favorite pursuit1 horticulture1 and to the interests of a private seminary established by members of his own household4 ,he was highly esteemed for his many virtues4 ,his whole family1 writes his daughter1 are ,universalists1 and have been since ,universalism as such has been known in the land4 ,in his native town 7,afton1 ,n4 ,y47 half the ,universalists are named ,landers1 or are related to them4 ,rev4 ,,john ,,nichols1 of ,cohasset1 ,mass41 had pastorates in different places in ,massachusetts1 and in ,claremont1 ,n4 ,h4 ,he was pastor in ,holliston nine and in ,beverly ten years1 and while in the former place represented the town in the ,legislature of #ahdh-i4 ,he was a pure-minded1 warm-hearted1 toiling man4 ,in every one of his settlements he wrought a good work1 and the influence of his character and deeds made not only the minister1 but the cause he represented1 respected4 ,he was in sympathy with every moral reform1 but was called suddenly away4 ,while preaching his last discourse in ,beverly1 he was stricken with paralysis1 from which he never recovered1 his farewell sermon being thus his farewell to earthly scenes4 ,rev4 ,,robert ,,killam was another faithful1 modest1 and earnest man4 ,his pastorates were in three considerable towns in ,massachusetts4 ,he closed his earthly work in ,west ,scituate in #ahff1 aged seventy-six4 ,he was a ,bible ,christian1 a plain and clear expositor1 practical in his preaching as in his daily conduct4 ,another writes of him3 ,he early saw and illustrated the duty of applying the ,gospel to all the affairs of life4 ,he joined the advancing hosts in the grave questions which have convulsed the nation1 his countenance aglow with youthful fire when he argued the equal rights of man4 ,rev4 ,,charles ,,henry ,,webster was born in ,georgetown1 ,mass41 ,dec4 #e1 #ahag4 ,he was from early life fond of books and study1 and determined if possible to obtain a liberal education4 ,but at the age of eighteen1 while attending school at ,bradford 7,mass47 ,academy1 he was accidentally injured in one of his eyes1 and did not fully recover for some years4 ,he was afterwards able to prepare for the ministry at ,clinton1 ,n4 ,y41 and was first settled at ,beverly1 ,mass42 afterwards at ,east ,lexington1 ,south ,dedham1 ,east ,boston1 ,chicopee1 ,mass42 at ,auburn and ,lewiston1 ,me42 at ,collinsville and ,granby1 ,conn4 ,at the last-named place he lived nine years1 acting for two years as ,state ,missionary4 ,in ,december1 #ahfd1 he was appointed chaplain of the #bith ,maine ,regiment1 and served to the close of the war4 ,his son1 a young man of much promise1 died of wounds received in the service4 ,mr4 ,webster's first wife was ,miss ,mary ,buckminster1 of ,georgetown1 ,mass42 his second1 ,mrs4 ,m4 ,c4 ,granniss1 a lady long and favorably known to the denomination by her contributions to the ,ladies' ,repository and other periodicals4 ,upon his second marriage he went into secular business1 still continuing to preach as opportunity offered4 ,he died of pneumonia1 after great suffering1 ,march #h1 #ahgg1 in his sixtieth year4 ,he was one of the true and brave spirits who endured obloquy and repudiation by family and friends because of his fidelity to his religious convictions1 and was made more than victor in his persistent and devoted life4 ,rev4 ,,asa ,p4 ,,cleverly did good service in the ministry4 ,ordained in #ahcd1 he became the pastor of societies in ,massachusetts and ,new ,hampshire4 ,he had not the wide recognition of some ministers1 but his character was pure1 and the best results of faithful ,christian exertion were found in every parish in which he labored4 ,the pastors following him had cause to speak in praise of the good works of their predecessor4 ,he died in ,boston in #ahga1 aged sixty-four4 ,rev4 ,,thomas ,j4 ,,whitcomb was born in ,hanover1 ,mass41 ,june #d1 #ahja1 and died in ,canisteo1 ,steuben ,county1 ,n4 ,y41 ,feb4 #i1 #ahgg4 ,he attended for a while the academy in the neighboring town of ,hingham1 and studied for the ministry with ,rev4 ,paul ,dean1 in ,boston4 ,he was ordained in ,washington1 ,n4 ,h41 in ,june1 #ahbg4 ,in #ahcj he was at ,hudson1 ,n4 ,y41 and was afterwards located at ,schenectady1 ,victor1 ,cortland1 ,newport1 ,springville1 ,buffalo1 and ,alexander1 ,n4 ,y41 and1 in #ahdd-df1 at ,hightstown1 ,n4 ,j4 ,in #ahfh he went to live in ,cambridgeboro'1 ,crawford ,county1 ,pa41 where he resided four years4 ,he then removed to ,canisteo1 and remained there until his death4 ,he has left an excellent name as a citizen1 minister1 and pastor4 ,rev4 ,dr4 ,le ,fevre1 who knew him well1 says3-- ,brother ,whitcomb was not what is termed a sensational preacher1 nor did he possess rhetorical powers1 but he was a good preacher1 and left on his hearers the conviction of his earnestness and devotedness4 ,as a disciple of the ,master1 he followed his direction ',go preach the ,gospel6' ,that was the sum and substance of his message4 ,in his pastoral relationship he was very efficient4 ,rev4 ,,george ,w4 ,,whitney1 born in ,nashua1 ,n4 ,h41 ,march #bg1 #ahdc1 was another of our worthy ministers called away from his earthly work in the prime of his usefulness4 ,he received his early religious training in the ,congregational ,church1 when after his eighteenth year becoming an attendant at the ,universalist ,church1 of which ,rev4 ,j4 ,o4 ,skinner was pastor1 he embraced the doctrines there taught1 and subsequently entered upon the study of divinity4 ,his first sermon was preached on the day of his majority1 at ,west ,windsor1 ,vt41 where he preached part of the time in #ahfe4 ,he was afterwards located as pastor in ,westminster1 ,beverly1 and ,quincy1 ,mass41 and in #ahgh assumed the pastorate of the parish in ,augusta1 ,me41 remaining here until the progress of his disease 7consumption7 forced him to resign4 ,he preached his last sermon ,jan4 #i1 #ahha1 concluding a rich and successful ministry4 ,he had the inborn elements of a ,christian minister4 ,he was a logical1 ready1 and gifted speaker1 but his great strength lay in his earnest and sympathetic nature1 which found out the best qualities in his hearers and roused them to action4 ,when conscious that his life-work was ended1 he saw the approach of death with calmness2 his sufferings seemed but to develop greater spirituality4 ,in one of his last letters to a friend1 he says3 ,never until these days of trial and sickness has the spiritual and divine been so real1 or my faith in another life so strong4 ,he died in ,waltham1 ,mass41 ,may #bf1 #ahha4 ,rev4 ,,robinson ,,breare came into our ministry from ,england4 ,he was in early life a member of the ,wesleyan ,church there4 ,in #ahcb he was inducted into the ministry of that church1 having been examined by the ,rev4 ,richard ,watson1 the author of ,watson's ,institutes4 ,in #ahci he was sent as a missionary to ,halifax1 ,n4 ,s4 ,in #ahda1 while engaged in the work of a revival in his church1 a ,universalist book was put into his hands1 and after a careful reading of it1 and long and prayerful inquiry and meditation1 he became a believer in the ,gospel of ,god's impartial grace and salvation4 ,and there in ,halifax1 in the face of persecution by his former parishioners1 in spite of the severance of all former friendships1 he began1 in painfulness and trial1 the work of building up the ,universalist ,church4 ,from that time1 the work has gone steadily forward4 ,our church in ,halifax is as true and substantial as any that exists in the ,province4 ,mr4 ,breare remained in ,halifax until the first church was built4 ,he then came to ,massachusetts1 where he labored from #ahdd to #ahec4 ,in this last-named year he came to ,ohio1 where he successfully canvassed for the ,star in the ,west4 ,afterwards1 for two years1 he was employed as missionary by the ,ballou ,association4 ,in #ahef he came into ,gallia ,county1 where he lived during the remainder of his days1 having his home at last in ,wilkesville1 ,vinton ,county4 ,he was loved and honored wherever known1 and no man1 it would seem1 could have had a more complete consecration than he to the ,christian cause4 ,with his immovable faith in ,universalism1 he united the enlightened and fervent zeal of a true ,christian revivalist4 ,,chapter ,,xviii4 ,,sketches ,,of ,,ministers--continued4 ,workman of ,god6 ,o lose not heart1 ,but learn what ,god is like2 ,and in the darkest battle-field ,thou shalt know where to strike4 ,,lyra ,,catholica4 ,rev4 ,zadoc ,h4 ,howe1 of ,maine1 after receiving an academical education in ,readfield1 ,me41 prepared for the ministry1 and was ordained in #ahdf4 ,after a service of some years in his native ,state1 he removed to ,monroe1 ,madison ,county1 ,wis41 where1 after preaching a year and a half1 he was compelled by failing health to suspend his labors4 ,a severe bronchial trouble1 making public speaking difficult1 was the cause of frequent removals4 ,for the last six or seven years of his life he was postmaster of ,monroe4 ,during the war of the ,rebellion he was appointed chaplain of the #eth ,wisconsin regiment1 but was obliged after a few months to resign4 ,he was a gentle and pure-souled man1 with keen intellectual powers4 ,one who knew him well1 has written of him3-- ,in theology1 as in his theories of reform in general1 he was very radical1 holding firmly and conscientiously to the naturalistic views of the so-called liberal wing of the theologians1 and did not feel himself in complete harmony with the policy of the ,universalist denomination4 ,yet embracing with his whole heart its fundamental and distinguishing tenets1 his soul was all aflame with noble and generous impulses4 ,rev4 ,,willard ,c4 ,,george was one of the preachers of ,maine1 having had pastorates there in ,bremen1 ,dresden1 and ,calais4 ,he was one of the most modest of men1 of feeble voice1 but a speaker who was very acceptable to his hearers1 because of the good thoughts brought out in his discoursing4 ,convinced that his health required a change of occupation1 he adopted the medical profession1 making a visit to ,europe to gain information from foreign sources that might aid him in his new vocation4 ,on his return home he published a book of his travels and observations abroad4 ,he was a successful practitioner in several places1 and finally returned to his native town1 ,norway1 ,me41 where he died in ,october1 #ahfi1 aged fifty-seven4 ,he was not only a sound theologian1 but was well versed in the physical sciences1 upon which he frequently lectured4 ,he never abandoned his purpose to return to the ministry as soon as his health would allow4 ,he was a devoted ,christian1 and gave his life to much of the good work which ,christianity requires4 ,rev4 ,,mark ,,powers began his preparation for the ministry with ,rev4 ,l4 ,h4 ,tabor1 then of ,west ,charleston1 ,vt41 in ,february1 #ahed1 and in ,july1 #ahee1 was ordained at ,washington1 ,vt41 where for four years he lived1 preaching there and at ,strafford1 twenty miles distant4 ,he afterwards removed to ,strafford1 where he continued to preach for six years1 making in all ten years of labor in the latter place4 ,he then removed to ,gaysville1 ,vt41 where he continued for four years1 and from thence to ,west ,concord1 which was his last settlement4 ,in ,strafford he induced the ,universalists to buy out the ,free ,will ,baptists1 who claimed to own one half of the meeting-house1 and to repair it1 and was thus instrumental in giving them a house of their own1 and freeing them from the constant annoyance to which a union house had subjected them4 ,essentially the same thing was accomplished while he lived in ,gaysville1 while the effort there resulted also in a better edifice4 ,in ,west ,concord1 his ministry1 though short1 was successful4 ,his sermons were sound1 his spirit excellent1 and the result of his teaching every way good4 ,in the autumn of #ahgj ,mr4 ,powers attended the ,centenary ,convention at ,gloucester1 ,mass41 where he was taken with a hmorrhage of the lungs from which he never recovered4 ,he died in ,june1 #ahgb4 ,rev4 ,,lewis ,,leonard ,,record was born in ,minot 7afterwards ,auburn71 ,me4 ,he graduated at ,bowdoin ,college in #ahde4 ,in #ahej he was ordained1 and was settled as a preacher in ,houlton1 ,me41 in ,scituate and ,anisquam1 ,mass4 ,in #ahfc he went into the army as chaplain of the #bc;d ,massachusetts regiment of volunteers1 and served eleven months4 ,while with the army in ,north ,carolina he was attacked with the yellow fever1 from the effects of which he never recovered4 ,when his strength was somewhat restored1 he engaged in missionary work1 and did good service1 especially in ,biddeford and ,saco1 ,me41 preparing the way for a new house of worship in that locality4 ,in #ahgj he moved to ,marlboro'1 ,n4 ,h41 where he labored earnestly and successfully until ,july1 #ahga1 when he was compelled to desist from labor1 and from that date he steadily declined until his death1 which took place in ,marlboro1 ,dec4 #g1 #ahga1 in the fifty-sixth year of his age4 ,at his burial the clergymen of different denominations in the town acted as pall-bearers4 ,he was highly respected1 and his whole being was consecrated to the cause of the ,gospel4 ,rev4 ,,henry ,h4 ,,baker was born in ,minot1 ,me41 ,nov4 #bd1 #ahaa1 and died of paralysis in ,rochester1 ,n4 ,y41 ,sept4 #bh1 #ahha4 ,he was aided by friends in obtaining an education with the expectation that he would become a ,methodist preacher2 but being converted to ,universalism in his school days1 he was unable to comply with their wishes1 and desired to enter the ministry of his newly-adopted faith4 ,being restrained from this by the fear of alienating his friends1 he determined to study medicine2 but after devoting a year to this1 he yielded to his stronger impulse1 and by advice of ,rev4 ,d4 ,t4 ,stevens1 then of ,lewiston ,falls1 ,me41 abandoned medicine and began the study of divinity4 ,he was ordained in #ahda4 ,his first pastorate was over the societies of ,windham and ,gray1 ,me41 where he preached on alternate ,sundays for two years4 ,he was afterwards settled over the parishes in ,elliot and ,kittery1 ,me41 in ,essex and ,georgetown1 ,mass41 in ,ludlow1 ,vt41 in ,hammond1 ,fort ,plain1 ,st4 ,johnsville1 ,fordsbush1 ,argusville1 and other neighboring towns1 ,n4 ,y41 one year in ,orange1 ,mass41 and six years in ,middleport1 ,n4 ,y4 ,after this he lived in ,rochester and preached in ,conesas1 when his health declined1 and he preached only occasionally as his health would permit4 ,he was a member of the ,massachusetts ,legislature from ,georgetown while he lived there in the winter of #ahej-a4 ,he was an earnest1 sincere1 and faithful servant of the ,christian ,master4 ,rev4 ,,james ,w4 ,,ford was born in ,orford1 ,n4 ,h41 in #agif1 and died at ,kendall's ,mills1 ,me41 ,dec4 #af1 #ahfa1 aged sixty-five4 ,he was educated for the medical profession1 and gained a good reputation as a physician1 having served in that capacity in ,westbrook and ,waterville1 ,me4 ,his love of ,universalism1 however1 gradually led him into the ministry4 ,he appears as a new minister in #ahda1 at ,claremont1 ,n4 ,h4 ,he was at ,morristown1 ,vt41 from #ahdb to #ahdd2 at ,glover1 ,vt41 #ahdd to #ahdg2 at ,winchester1 ,n4 ,h41 #ahdg to #ahea2 at ,springfield1 ,vt41 #ahea2 at ,springfield1 ,mass41 #aheb and #ahec2 at ,holyoke1 ,mass41 #ahed-e2 at ,norway1 ,me41 #ahef to #ahfj2 at ,kendall's ,mills from #ahfj until his decease4 ,wherever he resided he was respected as a physician and minister4 ,after an illness of several months he passed away quietly and peacefully1 leaving a family and numerous friends to cherish his memory4 ,he was buried with ,masonic honors1 and two ,methodist clergymen assisted in the funeral services4 ,rev4 ,e4 ,h4 ,,lake was born in ,haverhill1 ,mass41 and moved to ,lynn when fifteen years old4 ,he soon became constant at church and active in conference meetings4 ,in #ahci1 when only seventeen1 he commenced preparing for the ministry1 and soon after began preaching in school-houses in the surrounding towns4 ,he was afterwards settled successively in ,middleton and ,bridgewater1 ,mass41 and ,east ,kingston and ,westmoreland1 ,n4 ,h4 ,about #ahej he removed to ,south ,carolina on account of failing health1 and travelled extensively in that ,state1 ,north ,carolina1 ,virginia1 ,georgia1 ,florida1 and ,mississippi4 ,he wrote much for the ,universalist paper of that region1 held several public discussions1 published a book1 and did the full work of a very strong man4 ,he was a ready speaker1 earnest1 keen1 yet pleasant1 and had a retentive memory4 ,he was difficult to manage in controversy1 but was always orderly1 respectful1 and kind to his opponent4 ,he had purchased a small farm of #ajj acres in ,magnolia1 ,n4 ,c41 where he resided with his family4 ,he had seemed to be on the borders of the grave with consumption for two years1 but still kept actively engaged in his profession1 and died while on a visit to ,rev4 ,a4 ,bosserman1 then just released from prison in ,richmond1 in the autumn of #ahfb1 aged about forty years4 ,rev4 ,l4 ,b4 ,,mason died in ,may1 #ahfd1 in ,madison1 ,wis4 ,he was favorably known as a minister and highly esteemed in ,new ,england4 ,he was at one time pastor of the ,second ,universalist ,church in ,lowell1 ,mass4 ,from this city he moved to ,haverhill1 ,mass41 and was pastor of the ,universalist ,church in that place several years4 ,from ,haverhill he was called to the pastorate of ,st4 ,paul's ,church in ,chicago4 ,he became proprietor and editor of the ,new ,covenant1 and conducted the paper with much ability and discretion4 ,after the breaking out of the ,rebellion1 he became chaplain of the #abth ,wisconsin ,regiment1 but the hardships and exposure incident to the position were too much for his frail constitution1 and he was compelled to resign his office in the autumn of #ahfc1 after having faithfully served his regiment from the day of its organization4 ,his men loved him devotedly1 and testified to his faithfulness as a chaplain4 ,but he came home quite broken in health1 though afterwards preaching and working when many men of feebler determination would have been utterly discouraged4 ,on one or two occasions he fainted in the pulpit when officiating1 but still persisted in his work till within a few weeks of his decease4 ,rev4 ,,lafayette ,,barstow died in ,orono1 ,me41 ,nov4 #aj1 #ahfe1 aged forty-three years4 ,in his youth he was connected with the ,universalist ,church in ,chicopee1 ,mass41 where he won the confidence and respect of his brethren4 ,in #ahej he went to ,oregon1 where he remained several years4 ,returning to the ,east1 he entered ,tufts ,college1 and was afterwards called to the pastorship of the ,universalist ,society in ,orono1 ,me41 where he labored with diligence and success for eight years1 closing his only pastorate with his earthly life4 ,ex-,governor ,washburn1 for several years one of his parishioners1 wrote in regard to his death and the loss to the ,orono ,society and to the denomination3-- ,in the community where he lived his place will not be easily supplied4 ,he had become1 as it were1 an integral part of the life of ,orono4 ,his well-known form will be missed upon the street1 the light of his genial face1 radiant with spiritual beauty1 will be a joy in its homes no more1 but his memory will be sweet and precious to all1 of whatever religious name or party1 who have known him intimately4 ,rev4 ,,stillman ,,barden was a fervent and devout man4 ,born in ,stoddard1 ,n4 ,h41 he commenced his ministry in #ahci1 and labored with but little cessation for twenty-six years4 ,most of his ministry was in ,massachusetts4 ,he was settled as pastor in ,south ,reading1 ,orleans1 ,beverly1 ,marblehead1 and ,rockport4 ,his whole ministerial1 domestic and social life1 was one of ,christian fidelity4 ,not preaching to large congregations of people1 never receiving a large salary1 he was1 nevertheless1 truly successful in securing the best results of the ministry4 ,his religion was intensely practical4 ,he was active in the cause of ,temperance1 and the ,anti-slavery cause had not a well-wisher more ardent or conscientious4 ,he loved the prayer and conference meeting1 and was always ready with a warm and suggestive word to give it effect4 ,he was much interested in the science of mineralogy1 and had gathered quite a large and valuable cabinet of choice specimens4 ,he died in ,rockport1 ,mass41 ,aug4 #g1 #ahfe1 aged fifty-three years4 ,rev4 ,,timothy ,j4 ,,tenney was a native of ,weare1 ,n4 ,h41 and came into the ministry from the instruction of ,rev4 ,t4 ,f4 ,king1 of ,portsmouth1 ,n4 ,h41 in #ahcd4 ,in #ahcf he moved to ,maine1 where in ,fryeburg and neighboring towns he labored successfully for nearly four years4 ,he was afterwards minister in ,norway and ,denmark1 and then in ,st4 ,johnsbury and in ,glover1 ,vt41 where he closed his earthly career4 ,so good was his health generally that he failed in no one instance to meet his appointments on account of illness1 until at the very last of his days4 ,he died in ,glover1 ,vt41 ,oct4 #h1 #ahed4 ,he was an able and devoted minister of the ,new ,testament1 a conscientious and faithful man1 true to his own convictions4 ,he was a ,christian reformer1 always the active friend of ,temperance1 ,freedom1 and ,peace4 ,his son1 ,rev4 ,c4 ,r4 ,tenney1 is at present pastor of the ,universalist ,church in ,stoughton1 ,mass4 ,rev4 ,,orren ,,perkins1 born at ,savoy1 ,mass41 ,aug4 #aa1 #ahbc1 preached his first sermon at ,south ,adams1 and was ordained at ,bernardston1 by the ,winchester ,association1 in ,june1 #ahdg4 ,he was settled at ,bernardston four years2 afterwards had a short pastorate at ,wilmington1 ,vt41 and then moved to ,winchester1 ,n4 ,h41 where he remained twelve years4 ,for five of those years he was a member of the ,state ,legislature1 being three years in the ,house and two in the ,senate4 ,he was also for ten years ,state superintendent of schools4 ,later1 he took charge of the ,academy at ,cooperstown1 ,n4 ,y41 with which he was connected some years4 ,he was settled at ,west ,concord1 ,vt41 the last two years of his life1 and left there for ,chicago1 where he was to be employed in editorial work on the ,star and ,covenant4 ,he had a peculiarly sensitive and nervous temperament2 and during the last few years was subject to great depression of spirits1 caused by the loss of his property and the almost total failure of his voice4 ,a gloomy cloud hung over him3 he felt that his usefulness was at an end1 and his mental anguish became insupportable4 ,in a moment of frenzied despair his mind1 affected by hereditary insanity1 gave way1 and he freed himself from the earthly life4 ,he was much beloved1 and his life was blameless4 ,he was an accurate scholar1 a very successful teacher1 and an able and interesting writer4 ,he died at ,chicago1 ,ill41 ,oct4 #cj1 #ahhj4 ,he leaves a widow1 ,mrs4 ,sarah ,m4 ,perkins 7one of our woman preachers71 and three daughters4 ,rev4 ,,charles ,,heman ,,dutton was born in ,ogden1 ,genesee ,county1 ,n4 ,y41 ,oct4 #e1 #ahbc1 and died in ,hamilton1 ,ohio1 ,july #ag1 #ahgg1 in his fifty-fourth year4 ,his family removed to ,rochester1 ,n4 ,y41 when he was seventeen years old2 and he was a student in the ,rochester ,collegiate ,institute4 ,his thoughts at an early age had been turned to the ministry through the preaching of ,rev4 ,j4 ,m4 ,cook4 ,his studies preparatory to the ministry were very meagre2 a few months were spent with ,rev4 ,mr4 ,hammond of ,rochester1 and a few more with ,rev4 ,s4 ,r4 ,smith1 then of ,buffalo4 ,he was licensed as a preacher in #ahdc1 when he was scarcely twenty years old4 ,he was pastor in ,essex1 ,canton1 ,marblehead1 and ,lowell1 ,mass4 ,afterwards he resided in ,rochester and ,leroy1 ,n4 ,y41 in ,springfield1 ,marietta1 and ,hamilton1 ,ohio1 in which last-named place he died4 ,he was credited1 in the various places of his residence1 with a vigorous intellect1 superior pulpit talents1 gentlemanly manners1 and the conscientious and faithful performance of his duties as a minister of the ,gospel4 ,his ,christian faith grew stronger and stronger as the outward man failed4 ,thirty years since1 there was a minister of the ,universalist faith in ,new ,hampshire and ,vermont1 a plain1 blunt man1 with no pretensions to a classical education1 but speaking in words of most expressive ,english1 with the ,bible at his tongue's end1--,rev4 ,,robert ,,bartlett4 ,he was one of the pioneers1 who preached the ,gospel as opportunity occurred1 in any place--school-house1 barn1 parlor1 kitchen1 church1 or in the open field4 ,he was always astir1 and always full of his theme1 the ,gospel of ,universal ,grace and ,salvation4 ,in the country places1 rather than in cities1 he seemed most at home4 ,once1 it is said1 when appointed to preach an occasional ,convention sermon1 at the yearly assembling1 in a large and beautiful church1 he seemed in his simplicity and modesty so overpowered by the thought of the occasion as to be able to make only a faint demonstration of his speaking powers4 ,but in his usual ,sunday services in the rural places and with plainest surroundings1 he would preach the word of the primitive ,gospel in demonstration of the spirit and with power4 ,he is remembered1 by not a few who have heard him1 as such a preacher4 ,in recent time ,mr4 ,bartlett disappeared from public notice2 his work being done1 and the infirmity of years resting upon him4 ,he recently departed this life in ,boston1 ,january1 #ahhb1 aged nearly ninety4 ,the funeral was attended by ,dr4 ,miner1 who in his youth had often listened to his preaching4 ,the remains were taken for burial to ,laconia1 ,n4 ,h4 ,,chapter ,,xix4 ,,sketches ,,of ,,ministers4--continued4 ,now then1 we are ambassadors for ,christ4--#b ,,cor4 v4 #bj4 ,rev4 ,rufus ,spur ,pope1 pastor of the ,first ,universalist ,society in ,hyannis1 ,mass41 died in that place ,june #e1 #ahhb4 ,he was born in ,stoughton1 ,mass41 ,april #b1 #ahji4 ,his father removed from ,stoughton to ,dorchester1 and thence to ,marlboro1 where the son spent his youthful days in agricultural pursuits4 ,he received his education in the common schools and in the ,marlboro ,academy4 ,while young he was drawn toward the ministry1 and his love for it continued to the end4 ,he spent some time in theological studies with the late ,rev4 ,sylvanus ,cobb1 ,d4 ,d41 in ,malden2 and in #ahcc preached his first sermon1 in ,south ,dedham4 ,besides his settlement in this place1 he had pastorates in ,milford1 ,sterling1 and ,hardwick1 covering a period of ten years4 ,in #ahdc the society in ,hyannis invited him to be their pastor4 ,accepting the call1 he labored in this place faithfully thirty years4 ,after closing his work here1 he ministered to the church in ,orleans three years1 and briefly supplied some other parishes4 ,his health has been gradually failing for some years4 ,mr4 ,pope was a public man in more than one sense4 ,he served ,barnstable for years very faithfully and acceptably as one of its school committee1 and was for two years representative from the town in the ,state ,legislature4 ,he filled for some time the office of ,register of ,probate for ,barnstable ,county1 and was for several years postmaster of ,hyannis4 ,he was an active and much respected member of the ,masonic fraternity4 ,rev4 ,,william ,m4 ,,de ,,long was born in ,pittsfield1 ,otsego ,county1 ,n4 ,y41 ,sept4 #b1 #ahae1 and died in ,binghampton1 ,n4 ,y41 ,oct4 #cj1 #ahgg1 aged sixty-two years4 ,he was the youngest of a family of five brothers and nine sisters4 ,when he was nine years old the family moved to ,hastings1 ,oswego ,county4 ,his mother became entirely blind by an inflammation in her eyes1 and by reason of afflictions1 of hard times and many children to provide for1 the family was reduced to abject poverty4 ,the father died soon after removing to ,hastings1 and the family was broken and scattered4 ,the mother moved to ,clark's ,mills1 near ,utica1 where she died in #ahcj1 when ,william was fifteen years old4 ,he lived a year in ,sanquoit1 with a friend of the family1 and while there heard ,rev4 ,w4 ,bullard and ,rev4 ,dolphus ,skinner preach a few ,universalist sermons1 in which young ,de ,long became deeply interested1 as well as in reading the ,magazine and ,advocate1 and for this reason was dismissed from the machine-shop at ,unadilla ,forks by its proprietor1 a ,mr4 ,abel ,stillman1 who1 however1 reconsidered his unreasonable conduct1 and reinstated ,mr4 ,de ,long1 who worked there long enough to acquire the money to pay for a year's tuition at ,hartwick ,seminary4 ,he afterwards attended the ,new ,berlin ,academy4 ,his faith in ,universalism grew with his increased facilities for study1 and in ,august1 #ahce1 he preached his first sermon4 ,he was ordained ,july #bj1 #ahcg1 and preached under different engagements at ,lebanon1 ,oran1 and ,binghampton1 in ,new ,york4 ,in #ahda he joined ,rev4 ,george ,rogers in a missionary tour through ,ohio and ,indiana4 ,for many years he itinerated over a large circuit in ,new ,york and ,pennsylvania4 ,he was twice married1 first to ,miss ,mary ,ann ,ashcroft1 who died in #ahgj1 and in #ahga to ,miss ,mary ,jane ,swart1 an acceptable preacher of the ,universalist faith1 who survives him4 ,there is a good account of her in ,our ,woman ,workers1 by ,mrs4 ,hanson4 ,in #ahgc ,mr4 ,de ,long began to suffer from a paralytic affection1 from which he could get no relief4 ,these sentences1 written and signed by him a short time before he had lost the power of guiding his pen1 show the strength of his faith3 ,i know that ,god is1 that my ,redeemer liveth1 and that we have a house not made with hands1 eternal in the heavens4 ,this is the source of my consolation4 ,rev4 ,w4 ,b4 ,,linnell was born in ,birmingham1 ,england1 in #ahjd1 and died in ,indianapolis1 ,ind41 ,sept4 #f1 #ahfh4 ,his first settlement in the ministry was in ,springboro1 ,ohio1 in #ahdd1 where he continued for seven years4 ,he afterwards had a settlement in ,fairfield1 ,ind42 ,mt4 ,pleasant1 ,ia42 and ,oquawka1 in which last place he remained until the breaking out of the war4 ,he then enlisted in the service of his adopted country as chaplain of the #ajth ,illinois regiment4 ,health failed him1 and he returned to his home1 after enduring the hardships of camp life for nearly a year4 ,after recovering his health1 he took charge of the church in ,vevay1 ,ind4 ,he was one of the pioneers of ,universalism in the ,west1 and did good service as a ,christian minister4 ,having much of the missionary spirit1 his appointments were always numerous1 and they were made many weeks ahead4 ,as a preacher1 though not particularly brilliant1 he was always efficient4 ,he inherited the traditional shrewdness and humor of the ,yorkshire people1 who were his ancestors1 in such a degree as to make him a marked character among his brother ministers4 ,he was kind and tender-hearted to a fault1 yet his will was unbending1 and when his mind was once made up it was difficult to change him4 ,rev4 ,,joshua ,,britton came from ,westmoreland1 ,n4 ,h41 where he was born ,aug4 #ad1 #ahjc4 ,his early life was spent upon a farm1 where he had but limited opportunities for attending school4 ,but he diligently improved those that offered1 and at the age of eighteen began a successful career as a teacher1 which extended over ten years1 pursuing his studies at the same time1 and still adding to his stores of knowledge4 ,he had from youth a serious and devout mind1 and was always a regular attendant on public worship4 ,he was inclined to the faith of the ,presbyterian ,church until about the age of twenty-three1 when he had opportunities for hearing the doctrines of ,universalism advocated and defended by the late ,rev4 ,dolphus ,skinner1 and others4 ,he became deeply interested1 and his intelligent mind eagerly drank in the new views presented4 ,his faith grew stronger with the lapse of time1 and he finally resolved to enter the ministry4 ,he preached his first sermon in #ahca1 and was ordained at ,burlington ,flats1 ,n4 ,y41 ,june #f1 #ahcb4 ,he was settled over parishes in the ,state of ,new ,york till #ahci1 when he was in ,chesterfield1 ,n4 ,h41 for a year4 ,he spent the next ten years in ,dudley and ,north ,chatham1 ,mass42 then three years in ,stoddard and ,richmond1 ,n4 ,h4 ,he removed to ,vermont in #ahec1 and preached in ,brattleboro1 ,west ,concord1 ,lyndon1 and ,bradford for the next fifteen years1 when he went to ,fort ,atkinson1 ,wis41 which was his home for the remainder of his life4 ,he was a faithful and excellent pastor2 he had a mild and loving heart1 and won many friends4 ,if not one of the greatest ministers intellectually1 he was one of the best spiritually1 and his life was a pure and useful one4 ,he died at ,fort ,atkinson1 ,wis41 ,oct4 #cj1 #ahgh4 ,an instance illustrative of the orderly habits of the man was1 years ago1 related to the writer4 ,the books in his library were always exactly in their places1 and the backs of them in a straight line4 ,at one time an exchange minister1 who had the free use of the library during a ,sunday's tarrying1 had failed to replace the volumes he had taken down according to the rules of the proprietor4 ,when ,mr4 ,britton entered the study on his return home1 while his brother was yet there1 the first kindly salutations were scarcely over when the projecting volumes were all noted and quickly adjusted by their owner4 ,a singular and timely suggestion4 ,rev4 ,,george ,,messenger was originally from ,berkshire1 ,mass41 removing from thence to the ,state of ,new ,york1 and afterwards1 in #ahch1 to ,springfield1 ,ohio1 where he ever after lived1 a widely known and highly respected citizen4 ,he was licensed as a preacher at ,madison1 ,n4 ,y41 in #ahbd1 and ordained1 at ,eatonsbush1 ,n4 ,y41 ,oct4 #ab1 #ahbf4 ,he was an itinerant preacher1 and much interested in the prosperity of the church where he resided4 ,as one of the trustees of ,buchtel ,college1 he gave much of his time and attention to the supervision of the erection of the college building4 ,for the last few months of his life he was very hard at work at ,akron1 and while thus engaged contracted a sickness which terminated in death4 ,it may be said of him1 wrote the editor of ,the ,star in the ,west1 that he died a martyr to the work which had enlisted his sympathies1 namely1 establishing ,buchtel ,college on a permanent basis4 ,he subscribed largely and liberally to the fund for its erection1 and was an unceasing worker in its behalf4 ,his widow1 since his death1 has been a substantial helper to the institution4 ,she endowed the chair of ,mental and ,moral ,philosophy1 in memory of her husband1 to the amount of #be1jjj2 and has also contributed largely to the expenses of the institution1 and given again and again for various special purposes4#di ,rev4 ,,john ,,temple ,,goodrich1 of ,middlefield1 ,otsego ,county1 ,n4 ,y41 born in #ahae1 studied theology with ,rev4 ,stephen ,r4 ,smith4 ,in #ahcf1 when less than twenty-one years of age1 he was settled as a preacher in ,oxford1 ,chenango ,county1 ,n4 ,y41 where he remained about twelve years4 ,in #ahej he was called to the pastorate of the ,universalist ,church at ,canton1 ,n4 ,y41 where he remained for five years1 doing good work there and in neighboring places4 ,an affection of his throat induced him to accept a call to ,reading1 ,pa41 where he labored two years1 and where his influence was strong and extended as it had been elsewhere4 ,after this he was persuaded to return to ,canton1 and take the agency of the new ,theological ,school and ,college projected at that place1 and served in that capacity for five years1 successfully1 preaching in the mean time in ,canton and elsewhere4 ,it was largely through his efforts that the ,new ,york ,legislature appropriated #be1jjj to the ,canton schools4 ,released from this work1 he became pastor of the ,eighth ,street ,church1 ,philadelphia1 where he remained four years1 when he left them out of debt and himself out of health4 ,after an interval spent in travelling1 he went to ,wilmington1 ,del41 and supplied that missionary station for about two years4 ,while he lived in ,canton1 he held an oral discussion with ,rev4 ,mr4 ,wheeler1 ,baptist1 which continued several evenings1 and was a marked success on the part of ,mr4 ,goodrich4 ,in ,wilmington he held a written controversy with ,rev4 ,mr4 ,hoffman1 a ,presbyterian minister1 a success also4 ,years before this1 he had held a written and oral discussion with ,rev4 ,mr4 ,dyer1 a ,presbyterian1 of ,preston1 ,n4 ,y41 which gave the cause of ,universalism an impetus in that place4 ,mr4 ,goodrich was not combative1 and would not seek a controversy1 nor would he shrink from one if duty called him to engage in it4 ,he was devotedly attached to his family1 and was anxious to close up his secular concerns1 and settle down over some parish where the labor required was such as his health would enable him to perform4 ,with this intent he left home on the #beth of ,september1 #ahga2 went to ,fulton1 then to ,watertown1 to ,rochester1 and to ,chicago1 where he was seen by acquaintances1 and where his name was entered on the register of the ,metropolitan ,hotel1 for room ,no4 #cf1 on the #eth of ,october1 and where it afterwards remained1 with bill unsettled4 ,he1 with many others1 perished in the dreadful conflagration at that time4 ,rev4 ,,franklin ,,charles ,,flint was born in ,nelson1 ,n4 ,h41 ,june #af1 #ahcf1 and died in ,shrewsbury1 ,mass41 ,march #bc1 #ahgf4 ,in #ahdj his family moved to ,hancock1 ,n4 ,h41 and in #ahdb to ,shrewsbury1 ,mass41 where he worked on his father's farm and attended a district school4 ,at an early age he was quite studious1 and desired a classical education4 ,he went through his preparatory course at ,thetford 7,vt47 ,academy1 and in #aheg entered ,amherst ,college4 ,but1 after spending two years there1 he left1 entered at ,tufts1 and graduated in #ahfa1 the third in a class of twelve1 with a philosophical oration4 ,he was enabled to work his way through college by gaining1 in a competitive examination1 one of the scholarships granted by the ,state of ,massachusetts to ,tufts ,college1 and by what he could earn in teaching school during his vacations4 ,upon graduating1 he took charge of the high school in ,westboro1 ,mass41 and in the mean time turned his attention to theology4 ,he preached his first sermon at ,groton 7now ,ayer ,junction74 ,in #ahfc he preached in ,dana and vicinity1 teaching meanwhile a select school4 ,in #ahfd-e he taught a select school at ,hyannis1 ,mass41 and afterwards was assistant in the academy at ,dudley4 ,in #ahfe he removed to ,chatham1 on ,cape ,cod1 where he was ordained1 ,july #ca1 #ahff4 ,in #ahfg he became pastor of the ,universalist ,society in ,southbridge1 ,mass41 where he proved himself a faithful minister1 a useful member of the school committee1 an efficient worker in the temperance cause1 and by his active interest and co-operation in every good work1 and by his frank and genial manners1 won the respect and good will of the people in and out of his parish4 ,in #ahgd he took charge of the ,willow ,park ,seminary1 at ,westboro1 ,mass41 but resigned after one year4 ,he preached for short periods at ,oxford and ,rockport4 ,in #ahgd he prepared for the press a memoir of the late ,rev4 ,w4 ,w4 ,wilson1 one of his predecessors in the pastorate at ,southbridge4 ,in #ahge he took charge of the ,universalist ,society in ,attleboro1 ,mass41 but failing health compelled him to resign the position in ,march1 #ahgf4 ,his people voted him leave of absence1 hoping he might recover1 and he went to his father's in ,shrewsbury1 but he rapidly grew worse1 until death came to his relief4 ,his record is with that of the faithful in ,christ ,jesus4 ,rev4 ,,hope ,,bain was a ,scotchman by birth1 from ,aberdeen4 ,his father1 once an officer in the ,british navy1 removed with his family to ,maryland1 and died in ,baltimore in #ahab4 ,the son served during the war of #ahab1 young as he was 7fifteen71 as a member of a ,baltimore company of volunteers attached to the #eth regiment1 and was in the battles of ,bladensburg and ,west ,point4 ,he was at first a ,presbyterian1 and member of that church for many years4 ,in #ahcj he was appointed an agent to labor in ,west ,tennessee1 and in the valley of the ,mississippi1 for the ,american ,sunday-,school ,union4 ,he became a ,universalist in #ahdg1 and was ordained a preacher at ,norfolk1 ,va41 in #ahdh4 ,he was for fifteen years a teacher in ,virginia4 ,he moved to ,north ,carolina1 in ,december1 #ahea1 and preached1 before the war of the ,rebellion1 in twenty-six counties1 and1 after the war1 in six other counties4 ,his last sermon was in ,goldsboro1 in #ahge4 ,anticipating his approaching departure1 he said that at the age of eighty-one he could not expect to remain here much longer1 nor did he desire to4 ,he was nearing a home where he should be united to loved ones gone before4 ,he was widely known in ,north ,carolina4 ,he was a ,union man in the strictest sense1 thoroughly loyal to the government during the late war1 which alienated from him many of his former associates and hearers1 but he never wavered in devotion to his country1 and to the cause of the ,christian ,gospel4 ,although without pecuniary resources1 he continued to preach wherever there was an opening1 and with little or no remuneration labored faithfully and steadfastly in the ministry as long as health and strength lasted4 ,his faith uplifted and sustained him as he passed from these earthly scenes4 ,rev4 ,,woodbury ,m4 ,,fernald was for several years a prominent preacher with the ,universalists4 ,he was born in ,portsmouth1 ,n4 ,h41 ,march #ba1 #ahac1 and died in ,boston1 ,mass41 ,dec4 #aj1 #ahgc4 ,he was ordained at ,portsmouth1 ,n4 ,h41 in #ahcf4 ,in #ahch he was pastor at ,cabotville 7now ,chicopee71 ,mass4 ,in #ahdj and #ahda he was located at ,newburyport1 and while there published a volume entitled ,universalism against ,partialism1 an able statement of the contrast set forth4 ,he was next in ,stoneham as pastor for three years4 ,in #ahed he removed to ,boston1 and becoming interested in the works of ,swedenborg and the writings of ,andrew ,jackson ,davis1 he was after a while ordained as a ,swedenborgian minister4 ,he was so fascinated by the ,new ,church doctrines as to become alienated from his former associates and lost to their ministry4 ,he published1 in #ahed1 a ,compendium of the ,theological and ,spiritual ,writings of ,swedenborg1 and in #ahei1 ,god in ,his ,providence1 in which he implicitly renounced the notion of the eternity of ,hell1 and put forth a ,universalist view of human destiny1 turning ,swedenborg's principles against the ,seer's own conclusions1 and making those principles the ground of an assurance of ,universal ,restoration4 ,he published afterwards other works1 evincing much ability4 ,his sincerity was never doubted4 ,rev4 ,,caleb ,,perin ,,mallory was a minister of the ,universalist faith in ,canada during most of his life4 ,he died at ,huntingville1 ,p4 ,q41 ,july #ac1 #ahhb1 aged seventy-one4 ,he was born in ,eaton1 ,c4 ,e4 ,his early training was under the influence of the theology after the kind taught by ,calvin and ,arminius4 ,being of a thoughtful and studious disposition1 however1 he came to see in the teachings of the ,new ,testament strong and unmistakable evidences of the ,gospel of ,universalism4 ,when about thirty years old he appeared before the public as an advocate of it4 ,rev4 ,l4 ,h4 ,tabor1 who officiated at the funeral1 gave the following account3-- ,as nearly as ,i can learn1 he preached some three years in various places to good acceptance1 and was ordained at ,glover1 ,vt41 ,sept4 #ai1 #ahdc1 and in just one year from the time of ordination 7,sept4 #ai1 #ahdd71 was installed at the request of several brethren residing in as many of the eastern townships over which he was installed4 ,for several years he preached regularly at ,huntingville and other places in the vicinity1 and for over forty years had attended funerals and weddings1 baptizing children and adults as the disciples of ,jesus1 the ,saviour of the world4 ,he was a ,christian reformer1 ready for every good word and work4 ,no one man could have been taken from that community whose departure will be felt more4 ,and when we saw the multitude that gathered at his burial1 with weeping eyes1 we were led to say1',behold1 how they loved him4' ,it was said1 by good judges1 that there were a thousand people at his funeral1 some coming the distance of fifty miles4 ,brother ,mallory was a man of great energy of character1 often travelling and preaching under such adverse circumstances as would have discouraged others of less inherent power4 ,his compensation for services has been comparatively small1 but1 sustained by the ministry of the reconciliation1 he fainted not1 occupying till the ,master came4 ,in the yearly ,universalist ,register1 the names of nearly thirty women are given as ministers1--evangelists or with pastorates1--in the ,universalist ,church4#ej ,among the number of those who have served in this capacity1 the record is made of the death of the following3-- ,mrs4 ,,elvira ,j4 ,,powers4 ,she came into the ministry from the ,canton ,theological ,school as a licentiate of the ,new ,york ,convention4 ,at the end of six months she was compelled to give up her work on account of ill-health1 and was not able afterwards to resume it4 ,during the war of the ,rebellion1 in the office of nurse1 she rendered good service1 and wrote an interesting book of her experiences1 entitled ,hospital ,pencillings4 ,a friend and former pastor speaks of her personal worth in very strong terms4 ,in fidelity to her conviction of duty1 in her industry1 zeal1 and integrity1 in her constant sacrifice of the superficial and temporal for the profound and eternal1 her life was a great success4 ,she died in ,worcester1 ,mass41 ,sept4 #ba1 #ahga4 ,rev4 ,,fanny ,,upham ,,roberts1 daughter of ,frederic and ,hannah ,r4 ,cogswell1 both of whom were preachers in the ,christian ,connection1 was born in ,south ,berwick1 ,me41 in ,june1 #ahcd4 ,she joined the ,congregational ,church in ,northwood1 ,n4 ,h41 and was for some time a superintendent of a ,baptist ,sunday-school4 ,she had1 however1 from a child been acquainted with the ,universalist faith4 ,in #ahgj she began to give lectures in public on lyceum topics1 and not long afterwards commenced preaching in ,kensington1 ,n4 ,h41 and ,wells1 ,me4 ,in the spring of #ahga she removed to ,kittery1 ,me4 7where she had been ordained71 and preached there until ,april1 #ahge1 when from loss of voice she resigned her post1 and went to ,minnesota1 hoping to regain her health4 ,but the change of climate failed to arrest her disease1 and she steadily declined until death came to her relief4 ,she died in ,winona1 ,minn41 ,aug4 #bf1 #ahge4 ,her friends testify to her vigor of mind1 her goodness of heart1 and the graceful modesty and sweet womanly dignity that ever shone out in her life4 ,an intelligent member of the ,universalist congregation of ,portsmouth1 ,n4 ,h41 once informed the writer that in listening to her discourses1 as he did occasionally1 he was forcibly reminded of the logical clearness and strength of the elder ,ballou4 ,rev4 ,,prudy ,,le ,,clerc ,,haskell was born in ,louisville1 ,ky41 ,feb4 #f1 #ahdd1 and died in ,oxford1 ,o41 ,dec4 #bg1 #ahgh4 ,in her youthful days she was thoughtful1 intelligent1 and studious4 ,her parents were ,universalists in sentiment1 and her mind was impressed by the influences of their religious faith4 ,an only brother1 who had intended to enter the ,universalist ministry1 died in a ,southern prison during the war1 and she felt herself called to take the place which he would have filled4 ,she was ordained at ,madison1 ,ind41 ,oct4 #ad1 #ahfi1 where she preached two years1 and succeeded in gathering the scattered remnants of a former congregation into a living form4 ,she then went to ,mt4 ,pleasant1 ,iowa1 and labored there successfully for two years1 greatly endearing herself to the people2 but the climate proving unfavorable to her1 she was obliged to leave and return to the home of her parents in ,aurora1 ,ind4 ,she was afterwards settled at ,mt4 ,carmel1 ,ind41 at ,jeffersonville and ,newtown1 ,o41 and at ,covington1 ,ky4 ,she was an attractive and interesting preacher1 and very popular as a pastor4 ,while residing in ,covington1 she was united in marriage to ,mr4 ,cassius ,l4 ,haskell1 who afterwards entered the ministry4 ,she had been married but a single year when her earthly life ended4 ,the remembrance of an evening with her at a meeting in ,mt4 ,carmel1 ,o41 is very vivid in the mind of the writer4 ,she had been deeply interested in a new church organization there1 and had induced a good number of young believers to become members4 ,her welcome and counsel to them were pervaded with the ,christian spirit4 ,living ,ministers4 ,it has been thought advisable to append to this record of the departed the names of a few of the living ministers1 now advanced in years1 who have earned an honorable reputation by their works during the time included in the survey here taken4 ,it would have been agreeable to the writer if the number of such could have been increased1 but this was forbidden by the limits prescribed to this volume4 ,besides1 as already stated1 it will be understood that this historical sketching is by no means exhausted2 that there is another and a larger roll of those passed on1 who have done faithful service in the redeeming army1 as there is a noble company of the living who are yet adding their good work to the history of the church1 and whose names and deeds may in some future day be truthfully and gratefully given to an appreciative public4 ,for this brief review we are able to take of the faithful dead and living1 let us be thankful4 ,one of the most aged living ministers of the ,universalist ,church is ,rev4 ,,clement ,,fall ,,le ,,fevre1 ,d4 ,d41 of ,milwaukee1 ,wis4 ,he was born in ,berkhamstead1 ,county of ,hertfordshire1 ,england1 ,nov4 #ab1 #agig4 ,he was christened in the parish church1 as was the poet ,cowper1 who was a native of the same county4 ,the father of ,mr4 ,le ,fevre was a clergyman and graduate of ,oxford ,university1 and was acquainted with the distinguished poet1 and always held his works in high estimation4 ,in #ahad ,mr4 ,le ,fevre had a commission in the ,british navy as second lieutenant of the ,royal ,marines1 and was appointed to a frigate and sailed for ,halifax4 ,his war record was a short one1 however1 for with the peace of #ahae he was put on half-pay4 ,he was never in any engagement with the enemy1 and1 as he writes1 my sword was never stained with ,american blood1 and theirs was never stained with mine1 and that ,i consider the better4 ,having no particular employment1 he was for some time adrift as to a life-calling1 but subsequently inclined to his father's profession1 and in nautical phrase bore up for a parson4 ,his father was educating some young men for the ,universities1 and the son joined in their classes4 ,having by this means obtained some knowledge of ,latin and ,greek1 he received ordination1 and was adopted by the ,society for the ,propagation of the ,gospel in ,foreign ,parts4 ,this was in the year #ahba4 ,his appointment was to a church in ,canada1 in the diocese of ,quebec1 where he remained until the close of the year #ahbi1 when1 rejecting the doctrine of the ,trinity and endless punishment for the sins of this life1 he withdrew from the ministry and communion of the ,church of ,england4 ,he next removed to ,new ,york1 and made his home at ,hempstead1 ,l4 ,i41 the native place of his wife2 and here and at several places on the island and in the city of ,new ,york he frequently preached4 ,in #ahcj he received fellowship of the ,universalists1 at the ,new ,york and ,philadelphia ,association1 met at ,new ,brunswick1 ,n4 ,j4 ,he was next pastor four years in ,troy1 ,n4 ,y41 six in ,new ,york city1 four in ,hudson1 and six in ,milwaukee1 ,wis4 ,in the last-named place he purchased a farm and settled down for the enjoyment of a permanent home4 ,although having no special pastorate1 he has been doing much missionary work1 has constantly attended the meetings of the church1 and often written for its publications4 ,his health at this present writing is quite firm for one of his years1 a slight failure of eyesight and a partial paralysis of the right hand being his principal infirmity4 ,mr4 ,le ,fevre enjoys a deservedly high reputation4 ,his pulpit talents have always been appreciated by his congregations4 ,his discourses have indicated a keen and well-balanced mind1 logical force1 and ripe scholarship4 ,in social life he has always exerted a salutary influence2 his wit and humor being admirable accompaniments of his gentlemanly dignity and sympathetic spirit4 ,he has proved a valuable acquisition to the church whose pleasure it is to make this truthful record of him4 ,illustration3 ,lucius ,r4 ,paige4 ,rev4 ,,lucius ,,robinson ,,paige1 ,d4 ,d41 is1 with two exceptions1#ea the oldest living minister in the ,universalist ,church4 ,he was born in ,hardwick1 ,mass41 ,march #h1 #ahjb1 and was educated in the public schools of his native village4 ,on reaching his majority he began his work as a preacher1 and did some effective missionary work as a layman4 ,in #ahbe he was ordained1 and was settled at ,springfield1 ,mass41 where he remained four years4 ,during this time1 his faith being assailed by two ministers of the ,methodist church1 ,rev4 ,timothy ,merritt and ,rev4 ,wilbur ,fisk1 ,mr4 ,paige entered into a controversy with them1 and proved himself an able advocate and defender of the ,christian ,gospel4 ,the debate still exists in pamphlet form1 and is one of the most pithy and searching that can be found4 ,the spirit and behavior of the bigoted opponents of ,universalism are strikingly illustrated1 as well as the readiness and efficiency of the assailed one to meet and to deal with them4 ,mr4 ,paige was next minister in ,rockport1 and removed from there to ,cambridgeport1 where he was installed pastor of the ,first ,universalist ,society ,july #h1 #ahcb4 ,he held this position until #ahci1 after which he took no pastorate1 but continued to preach frequently for more than twenty years afterwards1 and has been active in the ministry until within a few years4 ,in #ahcc he published his ,selections from ,eminent ,commentators1 a work showing most conclusively the admission on the part of orthodox writers of the very ground taken by ,universalists in their explanation of many passages of ,scripture supposed to stand in opposition to ,universalism4 ,it was a strong call upon all candid inquirers after ,christian truth1 and has made its impress in the progress of ,christian thought since it was issued4 ,in #ahch he published ,questions on ,select ,portions of the ,gospels1 designed for ,sunday schools and ,bible classes4 ,his greatest work1 however1 is his ,commentary on the ,new ,testament1 the first volume of which was published in #ahdd1 and the last in #ahgj4 ,the work is the result of sound judgment1 careful research and close thought1 and is a monument of the steady and untiring industry of the writer4 ,it has been highly acceptable to those on whose behalf it was prepared4 ,while engaged upon it1 he also contributed to the denominational papers1 and gathered materials for the history of ,cambridge1 which was published in #ahgg4 ,he has also been actively engaged in secular pursuits4 ,he was town clerk from ,march1 #ahci1 to ,january1 #ahdj1 and from ,march1 #ahdc1 to ,may1 #ahdf1 and city clerk from ,may1 #ahdf1 to ,october1 #ahee1 and representative in the ,general ,court in #ahgh and #ahgi4 ,he was treasurer of the ,cambridgeport ,savings ,bank from ,april1 #ahee1 to ,april1 #ahga1 and has been cashier and president of the ,cambridge ,bank4 ,he received the degree of ,a4 ,m4 from ,harvard in #ahej1 and ,d4 ,d4 from ,tufts in #ahfa4 ,although he has retired from business1 during the past few years ,dr4 ,paige has given much attention to the preparation of a history of his native town1 ,hardwick1 and after many years of hard work the task is completed and the manuscript is now ready for the printer4 ,he is a member of the ,massachusetts ,historical ,society1 and one of the oldest on the roll2 also of the ,american ,antiquarian and ,phi ,beta ,kappa societies4 ,as a ,mason he has stood high4 ,he joined the ,order in ,little ,falls1 ,n4 ,y41 in #ahbd1 became ,worshipful ,master of the ,hardwick ,lodge in #ahbf1 having previously been exalted to the ,royal ,arch degree at ,greenwich1 and having joined the ,knights ,templars in #ahbd4 ,he is now the oldest ,past ,commander of the ,knights ,templars within the jurisdiction of ,massachusetts and ,rhode ,island4 ,he became ,steward of the ,most ,worshipful ,grand ,lodge of ,massachusetts in #ahdh1 and deacon in #ahej4 ,the year following he was elected right worshipful deputy grand master4 ,upon retiring from that position1 he became a permanent member1 and is now the oldest surviving permanent member of the ,grand ,lodge4 ,in #ahfa he received the thirty-third degree ,scottish1 and was at once admitted a member of the ,supreme ,council4 ,here he served as ,secretary two years1 and ,minister of ,state three years4 ,he is now1 as he has been for nineteen years past1 resident representative of the ,supreme ,council of ,belgium4 ,one of the most noticeable events in the life of ,dr4 ,paige was that of the celebration of his eightieth birthday1 in the vestry of the ,universalist ,church in ,cambridgeport1 on the evening of ,march #h1 #ahhb4 ,a large company was assembled1 and after a feast at the tables1 very impressive exercises followed4 ,rev4 ,o4 ,a4 ,safford1 pastor of the ,universalist ,church1 presided1 and introduced ,dr4 ,paige to the company1 who heard from him a very appropriate and affecting address4 ,the assembly was then addressed by ,mayor ,fox of ,cambridge1 ,rev4 ,dr4 ,mc,kenzie of the ,congregational church1 ,rev4 ,drs4 ,sawyer1 ,adams1 ,miner1 and ,capen1 ,rev4 ,c4 ,a4 ,skinner1 ,j4 ,a4 ,jacobs1 ,esq41 the city clerk1 and ,capt4 ,j4 ,w4 ,cotton4 ,a letter1 expressive of his sincere and hearty respect for ,dr4 ,paige1 was read from ,professor ,longfellow4 ,a handsome illustrated copy of ,longfellow's ,poems was presented to the doctor1 bearing this inscription3 ,presented by a few old friends1 with their congratulations and best wishes on the #hjth anniversary of his birthday4 ,illustration3 ,a4 ,a4 ,miner4 ,j4 ,h4 ,daniels ,pr4 ,boston4 ,on ,monday1 ,may #a1 #ahhb1 the ,columbus ,avenue ,universalist ,church celebrated the thirty-fourth anniversary of the pastorate of ,rev4 ,,alonzo ,,ames ,,miner1 ,d4 ,d41 ,,ll4 ,d41 who entered upon his duties as a colleague of the late ,rev4 ,hosea ,ballou1 pastor of the ,second ,universalist ,society in ,boston1 in place of ,rev4 ,dr4 ,e4 ,h4 ,chapin1 called to ,new ,york4 ,mr4 ,miner was born in ,lempster1 ,n4 ,h41 ,aug #ag1 #ahad4 ,his ancestors on both sides were distinguished by good sense and firm physical constitutions4 ,his remote ,american forefather1 ,thomas ,miner1 landed at ,boston in the same year with the elder ,winthrop 7#afcj71 and removed to ,connecticut with the company of the younger ,winthrop about #afdf4 ,his grandfather1 ,charles ,miner1 served in the ,revolutionary ,war1 and removed to ,new ,hampshire soon after its close4 ,thomas ,miner1 his ancestor1 was a descendant of ,henry ,bulman of the ,mendip ,hills1 ,somersetshire1 ,england1 who furnished ,edward ,,iii41 when on his way to embark for the wars of ,france1 with an escort of one hundred men1 selected from his servants and from the men employed in his mines4 ,for this service the king honored him with a coat of arms1 and changed his name to ,miner4 ,dr4 ,miner was so feeble in his youth that it seemed doubtful whether he would grow up into mature life4 ,but good care and judicious training wrought a change for the better1 which was doubtless aided by a vigorous will4 ,his education was gained at village schools and academies in ,new ,hampshire and ,vermont4 ,he began teaching between terms when he was sixteen years of age1 and in #ahce took entire charge of the ,scientific and ,military ,academy at ,unity1 ,n4 ,h4 ,his first discourse in the pulpit was delivered in ,february1 #ahch4 ,in #ahci he received ordination1 and was settled in ,methuen1 ,mass4 ,in #ahdb he removed to ,lowell1 where he became an efficient yoke-fellow with the pastor of the ,first ,universalist ,church1 and where they made good proof of their ministry in the pulpit and through the press4 ,dr4 ,miner remained in ,lowell as pastor of the ,second ,society until the removal of ,rev4 ,e4 ,h4 ,chapin from ,boston to ,new ,york1 when he was called to take his place as colleague with ,rev4 ,hosea ,ballou at the ,universalist ,church in ,school ,st4 ,on the death of ,mr4 ,ballou1 he became pastor of the church1 which office he still retains4 ,his health failing him partially in #ahea1 he visited ,europe1 and on his return found that his church edifice had been remodelled during his absence1 at a cost of #bj1jjj4 ,subsequently1 in #ahgb the building in ,school ,street was put to secular uses1 and the edifice now occupied on ,columbus ,avenue was erected at a cost of #aej1jjj4 ,during his long pastorate1 two colleagues have been settled with him1 ,rev4 ,roland ,connor1 for a short time1 and ,rev4 ,henry ,i4 ,cushman1 now pastor of the ,first ,universalist ,church in ,providence1 ,r4 ,i4 ,in #ahfb1 after the decease of ,rev4 ,dr4 ,ballou1 ,president of ,tufts ,college1 ,dr4 ,miner was chosen to this office1 and took upon himself its duties in connection with his work as pastor in ,boston4 ,his energy seemed adequate to this double task for a time1 until it became evident to him and his friends that the interests of both college and parish required his main attention to be given to but one of them4 ,he chose the parish1 to the great satisfaction of its members1 and ,rev4 ,e4 ,h4 ,capen1 one of the alumni of the college1 was elected its president4 ,through his past life-course ,dr4 ,miner has been one of the most indefatigable of toilers4 ,as a ,christian minister and reformer he is widely known4 ,his pulpit talents are of the highest order4 ,his clear1 strong1 and readily modulated voice1 his sharp logic1 often on fire1 his good scholarship1 his aptness not only in making his points1 but in the elucidation of them2 his thorough acquaintance with the evidences of his faith1 and especially with the scriptural proofs of it2 his directness in striking at the wrong1 as he perceives it1 with most telling blows1 and his uncompromising adherence to what he considers the right1 are sure to gain him a respectful and serious hearing wherever he comes before the public4 ,his many published discourses evince his power as a theologian1 and his little volume1 ,the ,old ,forts ,taken1 embodies a searching review of some of the over-confident statements of ,rev4 ,joseph ,cook on the religious signs of the times4 ,it would have been well for ,christian truth1 and for some of the churches professing it1 whose representatives so readily applauded many of the stirring and sensational words of ,mr4 ,cook at the moment of their utterance in ,boston1 could they have listened also to a close and rigid questioning of them by ,dr4 ,miner4 ,the ,universalist ,church generally1 we think1 would be quite willing to abide by the presentation of its faith and the claims of it1 by him4 ,at a conversation circle1 embracing members of the ,radical ,club1 held in ,boston within a few years1 where all shades of religious opinion were represented1 the question ,is ,christianity a ,finality8 or1 in substance1 can any religion superior to it be given to man8 was proposed for consideration4 ,after various discussions on the subject from the purest orthodoxy to the most radical liberalism1 ,dr4 ,miner1 who had come in while the subject was under discussion1 was invited by the chairman to speak4 ,his statements were very readily made1 viz4 that the ,christianity of the ,new ,testament included the best religion conceivable by man1 meeting his deepest spiritual wants1 answering his highest aspirations after the purest life here1 and his most anxious hopes respecting the future of himself and the race4 ,all this is presented1 and its complete fulfilment with all souls assured through ,christ1 the promise of whose mission is1 that ultimately ,god shall be all in all4 ,if ,christianity is true1 therefore1 it will have no successor4 ,the discussion was at an end4 ,as a ,christian reformer ,dr4 ,miner has gained a deserved prominence4 ,he has been outspoken on the subject of ,capital ,punishment1 advocating its abolishment1 and in the ,anti-slavery war proved himself one of the veterans4 ,it is in the ,temperance reform1 however1 that he has taken a strong and marked interest4 ,as an advocate of ,prohibition he is one of the leaders in the land4 ,the pamphlet on ,prohibition1 published in #ahfg1 containing his arguments on the subject before the ,massachusetts ,legislative ,committee in the ,representatives' ,hall1 is one of the most readable documents of the times4#eb ,his ready answers to the questions proposed to him1 and his telling questions pressed upon the advocates of liquor license laws1 on that occasion1 evinced a mastery of the situation not often realized4 ,in temperance conventions and conferences he has often some searching criticisms on the city officials in their evasions of the laws respecting the liquor traffic2 and on every available occasion when called to speak on the moral needs of the ,state and the moral responsibility of the people1 he is quite sure to give a few ringing notes emphasizing the temperance reform4 ,dr4 ,miner has been for ten years past ,president of the ,massachusetts ,temperance ,alliance4 ,as an educator ,dr4 ,miner has done good work4 ,he began it early1 and has never lost interest in it4 ,as president of the college1 a member of the ,state ,board of ,education1 and ,chairman of the ,board of ,visitors of the ,normal ,art ,school1 he has been true to it constantly4 ,his business talent is well known4 ,he is a safe and far-seeing financier1 to whom the interests of the busy movers on 'change are somewhat familiar4 ,in all financial plans and operations demanding his action he is especially and effectively at home4 ,he is ,president of the ,universalist ,publishing ,house1 and is still one of the trustees of ,tufts ,college4 ,the degree of ,d4 ,d4 was conferred upon him by ,harvard ,college1 and that of ,,ll4 ,d4 by ,tufts soon after his resignation of the presidency of that institution4 ,he was one of the ,hundred ,boston ,orators2 having been called to deliver the oration before the authorities and citizens of ,boston1 ,july #d1 #ahee4 ,the positiveness and persistence of ,dr4 ,miner have sometimes had the effect to alienate rather than conciliate those who might conscientiously differ from him in their convictions of right and duty4 ,it is to be lamented1 however1 that where we find one possessing his degree of positiveness in what he believes to be right1 we are more or less troubled on every side by those who are only half-men because of the low policies and expediencies by which they are governed4 ,his confidence in the right seems instinctive2 as he says1 ,a mountain can be tunnelled2 a principle never4 ,a ,boston secular journal just now speaks of him3-- ,his honesty nobody has ever questioned4 ,if he hit hard1 he hit where he believed hard hitting was warranted and indispensable4 ,it is fortunate for the world1 perhaps1 that he took a liberal side in theology4 ,had he been a ,calvinist1 he would have been as uncompromising as any one of those ,puritan inflexibles who drove ,baptists into ,rhode ,island and ,quakers into eternity2 had he embraced ,catholicism1 heretics would have fared the worse for it1 and he could hardly have found his fitting place anywhere short of the college of cardinals1 with its possibilities toward the chair of ,st4 ,peter4 ,by the same qualities that make him a terror to his enemies1 he binds his followers to him with hooks of steel4#ec ,illustration3 ,thomas ,j4 ,sawyer4 ,f4 ,t4 ,stuart ,boston4 ,rev4 ,,thomas ,,jefferson ,,sawyer1 ,d4 ,d41 was born in ,reading1 ,windsor ,co41 ,vt41 ,jan4 #i1 #ahjd4 ,his father was one of the earliest settlers of the town1 having removed with his father's family from ,pomfret1 ,conn4 ,the son enjoyed very good advantages for acquiring a common-school education1 and at the age of eighteen had gained such a mastery of the branches then taught in such schools as to become a teacher1 in which capacity he served three or four months every year until he entered his profession4 ,he entered ,middlebury ,college in the autumn of #ahbe1 having completed his preparation after he was twenty-one1 and graduated in #ahbi4 ,as there were no theological schools to aid him1 he went to study with ,rev4 ,william ,s4 ,balch1 then at ,winchester1 ,n4 ,h41 who was soon called to ,albany4 ,mr4 ,s4 remained in ,winchester through the winter1 preaching occasionally1 reading the ,iliad of ,homer1 and studying such theological works as he had opportunity to find4 ,in ,april1 #ahcj1 he went to ,new ,york1 and took charge of a small society there in ,grand ,street4 ,the chapel in which he preached had been built and was for several years occupied as an ,episcopal church4 ,it was afterwards purchased by the ,universalists4 ,in #ahcb ,mr4 ,sawyer entered upon his ministry with his people in a new place1 a church on ,orchard ,street4 ,the church was built three or four years before by a small society of the ,reformed ,dutch ,church1 from which the property fell into the hands of two enterprising builders who had been the contractors for it when it was erected4 ,it was rented to ,mr4 ,sawyer for two years4 ,he was then a young minister of scarcely two years' standing in ,new ,york1 and had entered the ministry only two years and a half before4 ,he had been married six months and had no cash investment4 ,four members of his congregation became his security for the payment of the rent1 and he in turn pledged for their security the whole income of the church1--pew-rents1 collections1 and all4 ,under the circumstances he was assuming quite a responsibility4 ,the income of the society had been small1 and its receipts now were not equal to the rents alone4 ,besides1 ,universalism in ,new ,york had suffered greatly through the defection of ,abner ,kneeland1 and the consequences of his lamentable course were still fresh in the memory of all4 ,divisions and heart-burnings still existed1 and the prospect was not greatly encouraging to the new adventurers4 ,yet it was seen that1 if success was to be realized1 a new movement1 as independent as possible of the old issues1 must be made4 ,hence this piece of wise policy in securing a new location1 and beginning church-life under new auspices4 ,it was a bold step1 but a good ,providence had directed it4 ,mr4 ,sawyer writes of it3-- ,i well remember the joy we all experienced when we entered the ,orchard ,street ,church4 ,the transition from the little ,grand ,street chapel which we had previously occupied was striking enough4 ,the church was large1 very large1 to my unpractised eyes4 ,true1 it had no side galleries1 as it had afterwards1 and was in every respect inferior to what it became1 but ,i doubt if ,solomon1 when he first entered his majestic temple1 felt more deeply impressed with its greatness or its awful sanctity than ,i did on the day when we first occupied this church4 ,it seemed to me a goodly place1 where1 as ,i hoped1 ,universalism was to be revived and restored in that great city4 ,there were prophecies of failure on the part of some friends1 but the persistence and faithfulness of the young pastor 7encouraged by his companion1 whose whole heart was in her husband's work7 and his brave adherents1 by ,god's blessing1 wrought success4 ,in #ahcb the city of ,new ,york was visited fearfully with the cholera4 ,it was suggested by some that the church should be closed during the epidemic1 and the members of the congregation were one day desired to remain after service to express their opinions on the subject4 ,many were about to leave the city1 and thought the church might be closed for two or three months and the pastor dismissed to the country4 ,at last ,captain ,packard1 a somewhat eccentric but warm-hearted and worthy man1 rose and said that he should remain in the city1 and if ever he needed the support and consolations of religion1 it was during such seasons as they had already entered4 ,if the pastor felt alarmed and desired to leave1 he of course would not complain1 yet he should greatly desire to come up to the house of his heavenly ,father to listen to his word and worship at his altar4 ,this settled the question1 and the ,orchard ,street ,church was open regularly1 morning and afternoon1 through the whole of that gloomy and trying season4 ,and in this case1 as always1 the path of duty proved in the end the path of greatest advantage4 ,many--perhaps a large part--of the churches in the city were closed1 and the pastors gone4 ,the minds of the people were seriously impressed1 and the ,gospel of infinite grace proved itself well fitted for such an emergency4 ,the ,universalist church was uniformly well attended1 and great good was accomplished by its ministrations4 ,the society continued to increase4 ,old friends1 whom circumstances had alienated or caused to stand aloof from the movement1 returned one after another and forgot their former difficulties and discontent4 ,the best of feeling existed among the members and greatly encouraged all hearts4 ,though the ,reformed ,dutch ,church gave up their new house on ,orchard ,street1 yet no sooner had it come into the possession of ,universalists than the members of that communion began to express a most lively concern for the interests of religion4 ,dr4 ,sawyer writes3-- ,the ',christian ,intelligencer1' their religious journal1 soon began to pay some attention to ,universalism2 and ,dr4 ,brownlee1 one of the boldest1 if not one of their ablest1 men and ministers1 commenced a course of lectures against the doctrine4 ,the lectures were repeated in the ,dutch churches in the city1 and briefly reported in the ',intelligencer4' ,an attempt was made to get them repeated in the ,orchard ,street ,church1 but failed4 ,the ,doctor was quite too busy to permit it4 ,his lectures were regarded by his friends as exceedingly able and altogether irrefutable4 ,he possessed a great deal of assurance1 and made assertions with vast boldness and emphasis4 ,as a reasoner he was but a third or fourth rate man4 ,the ad captandum was his forte1 and among those who knew nothing of ,universalism1 and undoubtingly believed in endless misery1 his reasons were satisfactory if not convincing4 ,the lectures were closely examined by ,mr4 ,sawyer before large congregations4 ,it was a grand opportunity1 and he improved it4 ,this review was afterwards given to the public through the press4 ,the attack intended to check the spread of ,universalism served to increase and strengthen it4 ,during ,mr4 ,sawyer's subsequent pastorate of thirteen and a half years1 other controversies followed4 ,with ,rev4 ,mr4 ,slocum1 a ,presbyterian clergyman1 he held a discussion that occupied fourteen evenings1 and added twenty families to the ,universalist congregation4 ,he answered ,rev4 ,mr4 ,remington1 a ,methodist clergyman1 and reviewed ,rev4 ,dr4 ,parker's lectures on ,universalism4 ,these lectures of ,mr4 ,parker had been preached and published in ,rochester some years before1 and were1 without essential alteration1 repeated in several churches in ,new ,york4 ,mr4 ,sawyer happened to possess the ,rochester copy of the production1 and very much to the astonishment of many he replied to the learned ,doctor's lecture on the very evening after he had delivered it in the immediate neighborhood in the morning4 ,another debate was also held by ,mr4 ,sawyer with ,rev4 ,mr4 ,hatfield1 the substance of which was published in a small volume entitled ,universalism as it is4 ,it was a rule with this sentinel on the ,universalist watch-tower in that city never to allow any antagonist of the faith1 whose position and character deserved attention1 to pass unnoticed or unanswered4 ,the ,orchard ,street ,church was emphatically a success4 ,after ,mr4 ,sawyer left it in #ahde1 it enjoyed the effective pastorates of ,rev4 ,otis ,a4 ,skinner1 since deceased1 and ,cyrus ,h4 ,fay 7still useful and honored among our older ministers71 and others4 ,it has probably done more for the diffusion of ,universalism than any other single society in the ,state4 ,all the societies in its immediate neighborhood1 ,bleecker ,street1 ,murray ,street1 ,fourth ,street1 ,brooklyn1 and ,williamsburg1 were first formed by members of ,orchard ,street1 and may be regarded as offshoots from that parent stock4 ,it labored not merely for itself1 its own ease or aggrandizement1 but for the good of the cause1 a veritable missionary institution4 ,in the autumn of #ahde ,mr4 ,sawyer removed with his family to ,clinton1 ,oneida ,co41 ,n4 ,y41 and took charge of the ,clinton ,liberal ,institute4 ,he succeeded in converting it into a ,universalist school1 and opened in connection with it a primitive theological school from which he sent out about twenty-five students1 more than twenty of whom are still in the ministry well and successfully employed4 ,at the close of #aheb he returned to ,new ,york1 and1 having preached for what was formerly called the ,dry ,dock ,society a year1 he returned to his old parish and continued with it until the spring of #ahfa1 when1 on the breaking out of the ,rebellion1 and the volunteering of his oldest son on his farm at ,clinton1 and on account of parish affairs in that distracted time1 he resigned and went to ,clinton1 where he remained1 preaching for the parish there until ,january1 #ahfc1 when he again returned to ,new ,york1 and took the editorial charge of the ,christian ,ambassador4 ,this paper was founded by ,philo ,price in #ahca1 under the name of ,the ,christian ,messenger1 of which ,mr4 ,sawyer was the theological editor for several years4 ,it passed under several names1 and is now published at ,boston as the ,christian ,leader1 united with the ,universalist weekly formerly issued in this city4 ,in the autumn of #ahfe he removed his family from ,clinton to ,star ,landing1 ,n4 ,j41 and took possession of a farm he had just purchased there4 ,here he remained1 managing the farm and preaching occasionally1 until the autumn of #ahfi1 when he came to ,college ,hill1 ,mass41 and assumed the duties of ,professor of ,systematic ,theology in the ,divinity ,school1 to which he had some time before been elected4 ,he was one of the original trustees of ,tufts ,college1 having called the educational convention held in ,new ,york in #ahdg1 which resulted in the establishment of the college4 ,he was also chiefly instrumental in calling the first meeting in ,new ,york city to consider the necessity of establishing a theological school1 which resulted in the founding of the ,canton ,theological ,school and the ,st4 ,lawrence ,university1 of which he was also one of the original trustees1 and for several years ,president of the ,board4 ,he received the honorary degree of ,s4 ,t4 ,d4 at ,cambridge1 in #ahej4 ,among the published works of ,dr4 ,sawyer are his ,letters to ,dr4 ,w4 ,c4 ,brownlee and to ,rev4 ,stephen ,remington in review of their ,lectures against ,universalism2 the ,occasional ,sermon delivered before the ,united ,states ,convention of ,universalists in ,new ,york1 ,september1 #ahda2 ,endless ,punishment1 its ,origin and ,grounds ,examined1 with other discourses1 #ahde2 ,review of ,rev4 ,e4 ,f4 ,hatfield's ,universalism as it is1 #ahda2 ,two ,discussions with ,rev4 ,isaac ,wescott on ,universal ,salvation2 ,who is ,our ,god8 ,the ,son or the ,father8 a ,review of ,rev4 ,henry ,ward ,beecher1 #ahei2 a preface to the ,philadelphia edition of ,petitpierre on ,divine ,goodness1 in #ahdc2 ,endless ,punishment in the ,very ,words of ,its ,advocates1 ,boston1 #ahgi2 an article in the ,north ,american ,review1 one of a series on the subject of ,endless ,punishment1 in the ,march and ,april numbers of #ahgh4 ,besides the ,occasional ,sermon already noted1 he has preached two others before the ,united ,states ,convention1 one in ,middletown1 ,conn41 and the other at ,rochester1 ,n4 ,y41 in #ahgf4 ,from the beginning ,dr4 ,sawyer has taken a deep interest in the literature of ,universalism4 ,he has written much for the ,quarterly and for the other church periodicals4 ,he was instrumental in originating the ,universalist ,historical ,society1 which has now a very valuable library at ,tufts ,college4 ,dr4 ,sawyer has been an incessant and faithful toiler2 and in all his work1 whether as preacher or teacher1 has sought the promotion of the ,gospel of ,universal ,grace4 ,his adherence to the work and advancement of the ,universalist ,church has been steady and unfaltering1 and his defence of the ,christian ,revelation as an authoritative dispensation from ,heaven through ,jesus ,christ1 clear and unequivocal1 in admirable contrast with the flippant rationalism and scepticism which have in too many instances found expression under the names of ,liberal ,christianity and ,free ,religion4 ,there is a church edifice in ,new ,york city in #abgth ,street1 near ,lexington ,avenue1 which represents the ,second ,universalist ,society of ,new ,york1 organized in #ahbh4 ,it was completed two years ago1 and is called the ,sawyer ,memorial ,church4 ,illustration3 ,tho ,b4 ,thayer4 ,f4 ,t4 ,stuart ,boston4 ,among the older living ministers who have made themselves specially and constantly useful in the ,universalist ,church during the last half-century1 no one is deserving of more grateful notice than ,rev4 ,,thomas ,,baldwin ,,thayer1 ,d4 ,d4 ,he was born in ,boston1 ,sept4 #aj1 #ahab4 ,having received the usual rudimentary training and experience of boyhood1 he successively passed through the grammar schools of his native city1 and at an early period in youth he entered the ,latin school under the direction of ,mr4 ,b4 ,a4 ,gould4 ,the young student had testimonials that his diligence was observed with marked approval4 ,he entered college at ,cambridge1 where by permission he was to pursue his studies for the first year1 without college rooms1 under the tutorship of ,mr4 ,f4 ,p4 ,leverett1 the distinguished author of the ,latin lexicon4 ,for certain reasons he was induced at the end of his first year to abandon a collegiate course1 and from the duties of a college student he very soon entered the ,hawes ,grammar-school in the capacity of an assistant4 ,soon after this1 ,mr4 ,leverett1 resigning his position as principal of the ,latin ,school in ,boston1 opened a private institution1 mainly with a view to prepare students for college1 and invited his former pupil to become his assistant1 which invitation ,mr4 ,thayer accepted4 ,it was while connected with this school that his purpose to devote himself to the work of the ministry was formed4 ,his first engagement to preach was with the ,universalist ,society in ,south ,dedham 7now ,norwood71 where he supplied the pulpit for several months4 ,this made his work quite arduous4 ,his duties in his school and those in the growing parish kept him constantly and closely employed4 ,in ,june1 #ahcb1 ,mr4 ,thayer received ,letters of ,fellowship from the ,boston ,association1 and was ordained by the same body in the following ,december4 ,in ,april1 #ahcc1 he accepted an invitation from the ,first ,universalist ,society in ,lowell1 and entered upon a pastorate there1 which he kept for twelve years4 ,while in this city1 as another has written3-- ,encouraged by the large congregations which regularly attended on his preaching1 he was moved to consider whether it were not possible to meet the inquiring spirit of the people by a course of sermons under circumstances which would give opportunity to present the leading doctrines of ,universalism to a larger number of persons than could be accommodated in a church4 ,this thought was communicated to some of the leading members of the society1 and after due consultation1 followed by prompt action1 it led to the experiment of a series of sermons in the capacious ,city ,hall4 ,the immense room was filled with attentive hearers throughout the entire course4 ,he then proposed that1 in conjunction with his own labors in the church1 regular preaching should be held four or five ,sundays in the ,city ,hall1 and that a subscription of fifty cents from each person friendly to the project should defray the expenses incident thereto4 ,rev4 ,j4 ,g4 ,adams was engaged to supply the specified time4 ,the result was that to this day the meetings have never been discontinued4 ,the germ was originated1 which1 under the ministry of ,rev4 ,zenas ,thompson1 developed into the ,second ,society1 now worshipping in the beautiful edifice on ,lowell ,street4#ed ,from ,lowell ,mr4 ,thayer removed to ,brooklyn1 ,n4 ,y41 in #ahde4 ,his six years in this city were years of great usefulness to his church and beyond its limits4 ,he connected himself with the ,odd ,fellows1 and became editor of the ,golden ,rule1 a paper published in the interest of the fraternity4 ,in #ahdg he gave a series of lectures on ,social ,progress1 which were reported in part for the ,n4 ,y4 ,tribune1 as also a series of lectures on the ,dangers of ,city ,life1 especially in reference to young men4 ,he was active in advocating social reform1 the efforts for juvenile vagrants1 and for the moral elevation of the poor4 ,dr4 ,thayer has remarkable qualifications for a ,christian minister1 teacher1 pastor1 and writer4 ,his sermons are always alive with thought1 easily and earnestly delivered1 doctrinally strong and clear1 practically pointed1 and plain2 a mixture often of forcible preaching 7not reading7 from manuscript1 and freest extemporaneous outpouring1 sweet and fresh with the heavenly fragrance of the ,gospel4 ,in his ,scripture readings at the opening of the church service1 he is usually very acceptable to the hearers1 interspersing the reading with explanatory words and brief practical inferences4 ,dr4 ,thayer is well known as an author4 ,in the early days of his ministry he published a volume entitled ,christianity against ,infidelity1 an able and a timely offering to the public1--a strong and candid appeal to the reader in behalf of the ,christian ,gospel from the ,universalist standpoint4 ,the work was some years afterwards enlarged1 embracing the objections to historical ,christianity by ,strauss and ,renan1 and replies to them4 ,a republication of this work would be timely now1 in this season of theological thought1 of religious drifting and doubt1 of indifference and scepticism4 ,his ,theology of ,universalism is a work of great merit1 as also his admirable volume ,over the ,river4 ,they deserve a place in the library of every minister1 and should find a home in every ,universalist family4 ,his most valuable work1 however1 has been done as editor of the ,universalist ,quarterly4 ,his qualifications for this service are striking4 ,in addition to the able discussions in the publications from the pens of other authors1 the department containing the editor's outlook into the religious world1 his notes and comments on the times1 and his discriminating notices of new publications1 is of itself a rich and welcome entertainment to all who are familiar with the pages of the ,quarterly1 a review reflecting great honor upon the ,universalist ,church1 and which the ,universalist fraternity cannot afford to lose or neglect4 ,after closing his ministry in ,brooklyn1 ,dr4 ,thayer had a second pastorate in ,lowell with his old society1 during which a severe calamity came to him4 ,he was thrown from a carriage by a frightened horse1 and so badly injured that for some time his survival seemed very doubtful4 ,his many friends were deeply anxious1 and the strain upon his physical system was intense4 ,but through all this terrible sorrow his faith and hope sustained and inspired him1 and the lessons of his sickness and ,christian endurance were to many souls more impressive than any they had ever received from his pulpit ministrations4 ,it was a cheering event to hosts of friends that he was gradually restored to the calling he so much loved1 though with the effects of the accident upon him which must go with him through life4 ,he afterwards removed to ,boston1 and was for a few years the much-esteemed pastor of the ,shawmut ,universalist ,church in this city4 ,since his resignation there he has frequently supplied pulpits in the vicinity of ,boston1 always to great acceptance4 ,at the present time he is engaged principally in his work with the pen4 ,notwithstanding the unquestionable qualifications of ,dr4 ,thayer as a public speaker1 he is usually inclined to distrust himself1 but no one of our ministers1 when called upon to present any question of importance at the public assemblings of the church1 is more acceptable than he4 ,his lively musical notes of ,christian truth and earnestness are sure to awaken a response in the souls of the listeners4 ,rev4 ,,william ,,stevens ,,balch1 of ,elgin1 ,ill41 is one of the oldest of the ,universalist ministers now in active service4 ,he was born in ,andover1 ,vt41 ,april #ac1 #ahjf4 ,he received fellowship as a minister1 of the ,general ,convention at ,saratoga1 ,n4 ,y41 in ,september1 #ahbg1 and ordination in ,claremont1 ,n4 ,h41 in ,june1 #ahbh4 ,his first location was in ,windham ,county1 ,vt41 boarding in ,dummerston1 preaching in neighboring towns one ,sunday in each month1 travelling on foot to the several stations1 and receiving the payment of five dollars per ,sunday4 ,he remained there preaching in nearly every town in that region1 until invited to his first settlement in ,albany1 ,n4 ,y41 ,january1 #ahca4 ,being after a time worn down with over-exertion1 he felt obliged to leave1 and was settled next in ,watertown1 ,mass41 to which place he had been invited before going to ,albany4 ,his health soon improved1 and he found himself in the receipt of a salary of #dej4 ,but again his health failed1 and he was induced to remove to ,claremont1 ,n4 ,h41 in ,april1 #ahcb4 ,he preached there half the time1 and supplied in ,hartland and ,springfield1 ,vt41 and ,newport1 ,n4 ,h41 until a new church in ,claremont was finished4 ,here he was very actively employed1 not only as a pastor1 but in doing missionary work in every direction4 ,in ,september1 #ahce1 at the ,general ,convention held in ,hartford1 ,conn41 he was recommended by ,rev4 ,dolphus ,skinner to a committee of the society in ,providence1 ,r4 ,i41 which was there to find a preacher not committed to ,restorationism or ,ultra-,universalism1 in reference to which isms the parish was quite divided4 ,mr4 ,balch consented to supply three ,sundays1 not as a candidate1 for he desired to live in the country4 ,he was1 however1 invited and urged to settle there1 which he did1 after some hesitancy1 in ,march1 #ahcf4 ,his ministry proved a successful one4 ,in two years the large church was crowded1 and a second society was formed in the city4 ,in #ahdb he was invited to go as a candidate to the church in ,bleecker ,st41 ,n4 ,y4 ,he declined1 but soon after received a call to become the pastor there4 ,having become interested in what was known as the ,dorr movement1 and freely expressing his wish to have a ,republican form of government by a ,constitution1 and seeing a political storm brewing1 he accepted the call from ,new ,york1 and settled there in ,november1 #ahdb4 ,in #ahdh he visited ,europe1 intending to go to ,palestine4 ,the troubles of that year made it difficult to go further than ,rome4 ,in #aheb he was asked by two men1 not of his church1 with whom a third joined1 to go abroad if he wished1 with full permission and means to journey as far and stay as long as he pleased4 ,he was wise enough to accept the generous offer1 and travelled extensively in ,europe1 extending his journey to ,palestine1 across the ,desert1 and through ,egypt to ,nubia4 ,after seventeen years' hard work in preaching1 lecturing1 and writing on religious and moral reform topics1 he became quite worn down1 and resolved to take life a little more leisurely for his body's sake1 an exceedingly difficult course for him4 ,he went to ,ludlow1 ,vt41 in #ahei1 preaching there half the time1 and supplying other places1 lecturing1 and really working as hard as when in ,new ,york city4 ,he then had another removal1 to ,galesburg1 ,ill41 where he preached five years1 and again resolved to retire1 and removed to ,hinsdale in #ahgj4 ,but he still preached4 ,in #ahga he was urged to come to ,elgin1 ,ill41 where the minister's work was still before him4 ,in #ahgg he entered the plea of old age and resigned1 purposing a visit to ,california4 ,meantime he was invited to preach a ,sunday in ,dubuque1 ,iowa4 ,the result was another pastorate4 ,he refused to settle1 but consented to supply a few ,sundays until the society could obtain a pastor4 ,he continued three years and three months1 not removing his family1 but staying there4 ,his ministry gave great encouragement to the church in ,dubuque4 ,in #ahhj ,mr4 ,balch visited ,california2 in #ahhb the ,city of ,mexico2 and last winter ,florida4 ,at the present time his health is quite firm4 ,as he writes of himself1 ,i am comfortably situated1 use no glasses except in dim light2 and am fairly content in contemplating the past1 still busy with the present1 and hopeful of a happy and immortal future4 ,when in ,providence1 ,r4 ,i41 ,mr4 ,balch gave a course of ,lectures on ,language1 which were published in #ahch4 ,he also wrote a ,grammar of the ,english ,language1 explained according to the ,principles of ,truth and ,common ,sense1 published by ,b4 ,b4 ,mussey1 ,boston1 and passing through four editions4 ,in #ahdi his volume ,ireland as ,i saw it was issued1 and in #ahha ,a ,peculiar ,people1 the first edition of which sold in eight weeks4 ,he is the author of a ,sunday-,school ,manual1 published in #ahcg4 ,the business capacity of ,mr4 ,balch was evinced in his raising funds for the ,theological ,school at ,canton1 ,n4 ,y41 taking charge of the location1 plan1 and rearing of the buildings1 and selection of a principal4 ,he afterwards completed the raising of a large fund for the institution1 obtaining also #aj1jjj for the library1 and securing the valuable libraries of ,dr4 ,credner1 and ,rev4 ,s4 ,c4 ,loveland4 ,he devoted much time to the business of making the ,christian ,ambassador of ,new ,york a denominational paper1 and placing it on a sound financial basis4 ,his work in these particulars was well and faithfully done4 ,mr4 ,balch has always been a very ready and popular speaker with the masses4 ,the graces of oratory he has not sought1 but his talking power seems inexhaustible4 ,although in favor of fraternal organization for the good of the cause1 yet his ideas in reference to creeds and to centralized authority are not accordant with those of many others of his brethren1 who hold in high estimation the work he has done in the spirit and in the truth of the ,gospel4 ,illustration3 ,w4 ,h4 ,ryder4 ,black4 ,phot4 ,h4 ,w4 ,smith4 ,among the long and successful pastorates in the great city of the ,west1--,chicago1--we may note that of ,rev4 ,,william ,,henry ,,ryder4 ,he is a ,new ,england man1 having been born in ,provincetown1 ,mass4 7the son of ,capt4 ,godfrey ,ryder71 ,july #ah1 #ahbb4 ,during the early life of the son it was supposed that he would become one of the fraternity of seamen1 as his worthy father had been4 ,but this seems not to have been the ,providential intent4 ,the parent did his part in sending the lad to sea in a vessel bearing his own name1 ,william ,henry1 but the experience of a shipwreck cured the young sailor of what nautical tastes he might have possessed1 and turned his attention in another direction4 ,he became anxious for the life of a student1 and in his eighteenth year entered ,pembroke1 ,n4 ,h41 ,academy4 ,he was a diligent and progressive scholar1 and while at this institution decided as to the profession upon which he afterwards entered4 ,at the age of nineteen he preached his first sermon in ,manchester1 ,n4 ,h41 and during the year following he preached frequently in ,concord1 in the same ,state4 ,leaving the school in ,pembroke1 he entered ,clinton ,liberal ,institute 7,clinton1 ,n4 ,y471 then in care of a learned and efficient teacher1 ,dr4 ,clowes4 ,he preached frequently during his stay there4 ,in the autumn of #ahdc1 soon after he was twenty-one1 he was invited to take charge of the ,universalist ,society in ,concord1 ,n4 ,h41 to which place he removed1 and in ,november of that year was united in marriage with ,miss ,caroline ,frances ,adams1 who has proved a worthy and faithful helper to him in all the experiences connected with his profession4 ,his ordination took place in ,december1 #ahdc4 ,his ministry here was successful4 ,the society had been formed under the ministry of ,rev4 ,j4 ,g4 ,adams while doing missionary work in ,new ,hampshire1 in #ahcd4 ,faithful men and women had kept it alive through changes and vicissitudes until it realized a new prosperity under ,mr4 ,ryder1 which has continued to the present time4 ,after two and a half years of successful labor here1 he accepted a call to the neighboring city of ,nashua1 a larger and more promising field1 which he occupied to good effect4 ,while giving great satisfaction to his people1 he became deeply impressed with the conviction that his ability to serve the church in the capacity of a ,christian teacher according to his own ideal would be made greater by a more thorough course of study than he had yet been able to take1 or than he could take with the cares of a pastor upon him4 ,he therefore determined to spend a year and a half abroad in study and observation4 ,resigning his charge in ,nashua1 he sailed from ,new ,york to ,england4 ,landing at ,kinsale1 ,ireland1 and exploring the lake region of ,killarney1 he passed on to ,dublin1 and crossed the channel into ,england1 where he tarried awhile1 visiting places of historic interest1 and making the acquaintance of several persons who were specially interested in his own faith and profession4 ,while in ,london and vicinity1 he was cordially greeted by the ,unitarian ministers there1 and preached in two of their churches4 ,he soon crossed to the ,continent and came to ,berlin1 where he applied himself diligently in a course of study under ,german instructors for seven months4 ,he next extended his travels to ,palestine1 visiting ,jerusalem and many other noted places there4 ,he also visited ,athens1 ,constantinople1 ,cairo1 the ,pyramids1 ,malta1 ,naples1 ,rome1 ,florence1 ,geneva1 and ,paris1 from which last-named place he went again to ,berlin4 ,he was absent a year and a half4 ,soon after his return to his native land he was called to the pastorate in ,roxbury1 ,mass4 ,here he had a successful ministry of ten years1 not only fully sustaining the high reputation which the church had long enjoyed1 but giving it new inspiration and vigor by the high and truly evangelical tone of his ministry4 ,in #ahfj he was called to that great city of the ,west1 ,chicago1 then twenty-seven years old1 and containing #aej1jjj people4 ,he took charge of ,st4 ,paul's ,church at a time when just such a helper and director as he proved to be was needed4 ,his discriminating mind and firm will and patience and steadiness of action1 worked effectively in building up the cause of ,universalism in his own church1 and giving it an honorable reputation in that great and growing city4 ,and out of the city and through the ,state and the whole ,west the influence of his teaching and work as a representative of the ,universalist ,church has been justly acknowledged4 ,he has done work for the ,christian cause that deserves to be kept in perpetual remembrance4 ,in the pulpit1 as a pastor1 as an earnest worker in all matters affecting education1 reform1 and the public weal1 he has been found constant and faithful4 ,in #ahfj ,harvard conferred upon him the degree of ,a4 ,m41 and in #ahfc ,lombard ,university the degree of ,doctor of ,divinity4 ,in #ahfh he made a second visit to ,europe1 and brought home many treasures of art which were subsequently destroyed by fire in the two great conflagrations with which ,chicago was visited4 ,the fire that destroyed ,st4 ,paul's and his own beautiful residence on an adjoining lot imposed great responsibilities upon him1 which he assumed and discharged with admirable skill4 ,he visited ,new ,england and returned with #dj1jjj with which to repair the shattered fortunes of ,st4 ,paul's ,church2 and such has been his administrative skill1 that1 notwithstanding the heavy financial reverses to which the parish was subsequently subjected1 their grand church1 worth #bjj1jjj1 is now without an incumbrance4 ,dr4 ,ryder himself suffered great loss by the fires1 but it is pleasant to record what one who knows says of him1 that he is still in possession of 'enough and to spare4' ,dr4 ,ryder's life has been crowded with duties4 ,as a preacher and pastor and man of business he has made his mark on public opinion and human life during the forty years just closing4 ,he has thoroughly identified himself with the faith and work of the ,universalist ,church4 ,as an expositor of its faith he has always been clear and positive1 and as an advocate of its work unmistakably emphatic4 ,organized church work1 ,state work1 national work1 mission work--home and foreign1 he has continually urged4 ,the zealous and faithful women-workers of the church have always found in him a warm1 hearty1 and outspoken advocate on all occasions when and where his word of good cheer has been asked4 ,as a preacher1 another has thus truthfully spoken of him3-- ,he has rare power4 ,a model pulpit voice1 deep1 sonorous2 a manner of wonderful impressiveness2 a personality behind his words that makes every word tell2 and long years of sagacious work without mistakes re-enforcing what he says1 so that it is safe to say that no man's word in any ,chicago pulpit1 on any question before the people1 goes as far as his in impressing the public mind4#ee ,dr4 ,ryder has what another has termed an impressive presence1 not in bodily size1 but in a pleasant dignity which is attractive rather than imposing4 ,an indication of cool self-confidence is in every word and action4 ,he is thoroughly in earnest as a public speaker1 and as thoroughly sincere and fearless in maintaining what he believes to be the right of the subject under consideration4 ,a capital instance of this quality in him was given in the discussion of a topic that came up at the ,united ,states ,convention during its session in ,lynn in #ahge4 ,he had been invited to speak of ,the ,needs and ,methods of ,spiritual ,awakening1 and used great plainness and force of speech in reference to what he deemed some of the spiritual failures of professed ,universalists which needed amendment4 ,his matter was well considered1 and his words were stirring and strong4 ,an attempt was made to pass a vote of censure4 ,he had discharged a duty laid upon him1 and deserved the thanks of his hearers1 even though they had not assented to a word he uttered1 if they were convinced--as doubtless all were--that he honestly believed what he said and discharged a conscientious duty4 ,his defence and vindication of himself were admirable4 ,the attempt to censure so significantly failed that the author of the resolution very readily withdrew it4 ,a chronicler of the occasion wrote that it was worth a long journey to listen to that outpouring4 ,during the war ,dr4 ,ryder was a strong helper of the ,union cause1 active1 eloquent1 and untiring in his support of the government in manifold ways4 ,in addition to his other agreeable personal characteristics1 ,dr4 ,ryder is well known to those most intimate with him as a genial1 courteous1 and warm-hearted friend and companion4 ,all his pastorates bear testimony to the love which the children and youth bore him1 because of the interest in their welfare which he so constantly manifested4 ,in ,april1 #ahhb1 ,dr4 ,ryder resigned his position as pastor in ,chicago1 and has since1 with his companion1 made a voyage to ,europe4 ,it is not his intention to take upon him the duties of another pastorate1 but he will doubtless be always in readiness to aid as he may the interests of the church to whose prosperity his life thus far has been so constantly devoted4 ,the ,birthplace of ,hosea ,ballou4 ,in concluding the accounts of ministers here given1 it seems appropriate to add a brief reference to an event of recent occurrence1 to which the attention of the ,universalist public had been specially called4 ,we refer to the meetings held under the direction of the ,cheshire ,association1 on ,friday1 ,saturday1 and ,sunday1 the #ahth1 #aith1 and #bjth of ,august1 #ahhb1 in ,richmond1 ,n4 ,h41 the birthplace of ,rev4 ,hosea ,ballou1 and in honor of this distinguished and venerated man4 ,during these days1 discourses were preached by ,rev4 ,quincy ,whitney1 ,rev4 ,s4 ,s4 ,fletcher1 ,rev4 ,dr4 ,s4 ,h4 ,mc,collester1 ,rev4 ,dr4 ,a4 ,a4 ,miner1 and ,rev4 ,dr4 ,g4 ,h4 ,emerson4 ,multitudes were in attendance1 and the occasion was deeply impressive1 and is significantly historical4 ,appended to a special account of the great gathering1 ,dr4 ,emerson1 editor of the ,christian ,leader1 presents the following description of the birthplace of ,mr4 ,ballou4 ,we are glad to give it a place in this volume3-- ,stratford-upon-,avon has its one interest for the great world in the happy fortune of giving to every age the ,bard who1 in the faculty for putting an almost inspired wisdom into verse that is not simply matchless1 but at a vast altitude above that of every other poet who has spoken the ,saxon tongue1--,william ,shakespeare4 ,the little town of ,ayr would be nothing but a ,scottish post-village but for the circumstance that ,robert ,burns first breathed within its borders4 ,but first ,stratford and then ,ayr1 for the ,english-speaking world1 rise to an importance simply unique1 above every hamlet upon the ,british ,isles1 ,london and ,edinburgh hardly excepted4 ,those who with us fully believe that the future is to honor ,hosea ,ballou with a niche in the temple of fame1 as the peer of the elder ,edwards1 and as hardly the second of ,franklin1 who find in the ',treatise on the ,atonement' the quarry where ,bushnell has polished a few boulders1 will further agree with us that the gazetteer of the coming century will put into conspicuous type1 and honor with some detail of description1 the ,new ,hampshire farming town where ,hosea ,ballou was born4 ,the compiler of ,lippincott's did not know its claim to distinction1 when he summarily disposed of ,richmond1 ,n4 ,h41 as 'a post-township in ,cheshire ,co41 #ec miles ,s4 ,w4 of ,concord4' ,in a recent attendance upon the grove meeting1 not the least among the inducements to make the journey was the opportunity to see the homestead where ,hosea ,ballou first took the breath of life1 and to explore some of the vales and hills his boy feet must have trod more than a century ago4444 ,as we enter this little village1 a church at our right1 half a century old1 is the ,universalist church1--the members of which have nearly all left1 to be good parishioners at ,winchester1 ,keene1 and other more thriving and distant neighborhoods4 ,a little farther on1 at our left1 is a 'meeting-house1'--it is true to that classic cognomen4 ,it is black with age4 ,it seems hardly strong enough to keep timber1 board1 and shingle together4 ,it cannot be less than a century and a half old4 ,the very sight of it takes us back to a former and very primitive age4 ,the glass is held to the sash by bits of tin1--the putty got tired long ago and 'let go4' ,we cannot enter1 but we can look through the windows4 ,on the north side is the great1 square pine pulpit1 possibly one that never knew the smell of paint4 ,the square pews have high seats from which only tolerably long limbs can touch the knotty floor4 ,there is no grace of form1 no cunning device of architect1 nothing to woo a trained fancy4 ,in and of itself1 it is a hulk that only cumbers the ground4 ,why1 then1 did we look often1 long1 and spell-bound upon this wretched old rookery1 and see therein a fascination not to be noted in the ,capitol at ,albany or the mammoth and costly post-offices of ,new ,york and ,boston8 ,the answer is in the history4 ,more than a century ago1 ,rev4 ,maturin ,ballou preached regularly from that pine pulpit4 ,among the regular auditors1 possibly the most thoughtful of them all1 his little legs dangling from the rough benches1 sat his little son--,hosea4 ,on the morning of ,sunday1 our friend and host1 ,mr4 ,l4 ,martin1 says to his pastor of many years1 the ,rev4 ,e4 ,davis3 ',take my horse and carriage1 and show these people where ,hosea ,ballou was born4' ',these people' include ,dr4 ,miner1 ,rev4 ,mr4 ,stone1 of ,canton1 ,rev4 ,q4 ,whitney1 and the editor of the ',christian ,leader4' ,mr4 ,davis knows the way1 but in ,mr4 ,bowen1 who owns the farm contiguous to the once ,ballou territory1 he finds and calls a pilot and village antiquarian4 ,perhaps a mile east of the ,keene and ,richmond road1 a mile and a half from the ,universalist church on the hill1 right at the foot of ',grassy ,hill1' we find a strictly modern house1 and a very old barn1 and a much older corn-house1--less now by a good sample than it was before we saw it4 ,it is a one-story house1 with modern windows1 and three small chimneys4 ,mr4 ,bowen explains3 ',that house contains the frame within which ,hosea ,ballou was born1 and the form of the interior is substantially the same4' ,he was confident that the three chimneys were the same in material as the one big chimney of the old structure4 ,of the corn-house near by1 ,mr4 ,bowen says3 ',that is just the same1 only it is older and is now going to decay4' ,knoll1 stream1 valley1 plain1 and high hill to the east1--in the woods of which run the fence or wall that bounded the ,ballou farm3 upon these time can have wrought but little change4 ,we saw them upon that ,sunday morning as ,hosea ,ballou saw them1--as child1 as boy1 as youth1 as man4 ,from that quiet spot1 so rural1 so out of the way1 so completely in the backwoods1 almost hidden by precipice and hill1 came the acorn1 the oak whereof is now strong and vigorous1--we trust with healing in its leaves4 ,the little boy entering that corn-barn to get fodder for his father's horse1 cows1 and oxen1--is that the same whose stalwart form first rose before us in the ,school ,street pulpit forty years ago2 whose eloquent tongue set the blood thrilling in our youthful veins2 whose majestic bearing seemed to us--what it was--that of an ,apostle8 ,it has been our good fortune to look upon the ,forum where ,cicero declaimed in orations that yet thrill2 to traverse the ,colosseum where ,trajan had a private box2 to walk the streets of ,pompeii whose pavements were trodden by resident ,greeks and strangers centuries before the advent of ,jesus4 ,but there is an ample niche in our memory left4 ,we place therein1 to recall reverently1 gratefully1 and with weird association1 our visit1 on the morning of ,august #bj1 #ahhb1 to the birthplace of ,hosea ,ballou1 ,richmond1 ,n4 ,h41 'twelve miles from ,keene1 due south4' ,the town of hill1 vale1 and forest is largely deserted by man4 ,farms that once waved with corn are now covered with forests of pine4 ,the locomotive has never been seen--hardly heard--within its borders4 ,but its history is precious4 ,for what it was1 for what it bequeathed1 it shall live in history and in song4 #di ,our ,woman ,workers1 p4 #cec4 #ej ,the first ,universalist woman who appeared in the pulpit as a preacher of the ,gospel was ,miss ,maria ,cook1 who preached before the ,western ,association in ,bainbridge1 ,n4 ,y41 in ,june1 #ahaa4 ,she is spoken of by ,rev4 ,stephen ,r4 ,smith1 in his ,historical ,sketches 7,vol4 ,i4 pp4 #ca1 #cb74 ,notwithstanding the good impressions made by her as a speaker1 there were those who deemed so extraordinary an undertaking as an evidence of mental alienation6 ,a more enlightened and candid judgment in reference to this subject has since prevailed4 #ea ,rev4 ,thomas ,g4 ,farnsworth of ,waltham1 ,mass41 ordained in #ahbb1 and ,rev4 ,alvin ,dinsmore of ,woodland1 ,cal41 ordained in #ahbc4 #eb ,argument on the ,right and ,duty of ,prohibition4 ,by ,a4 ,a4 ,miner1 ,april #b1 #ahfg4 #ec ,boston ,transcript of ,may #a1 #ahhb4 #ed ,rev4 ,g4 ,h4 ,emerson1 ,d4 ,d41 ,ed4 in ,christian ,leader4 #ee ,rev4 ,j4 ,w4 ,hanson1 ,d4 ,d4 ,,chapter ,,xx4 ,,educational ,,aids4 ,the ,universalists1 like some others of the ,christian sects in ,america1 were at first destitute of the educational forces which have so signally aided and strengthened the more popular churches of the land4 ,they had no colleges1 no academies1 or theological schools at their command4 ,although some of their ministers were very respectable scholars1 giving good evidence of their literary attainments in their pulpit instructions1 and now and then an uncommon genius would appear1 making his talents specially available as a writer or preacher1 the larger number were more notable mainly for their plain good sense1 their reasoning powers1 their very intimate acquaintance with the ,scriptures1 and their aptness in the use of them in the defence and advocacy of their faith4 ,these last named qualifications gave the ,universalist minister a vantage-ground in the elucidation of his faith1 which often rendered it impossible for a theological opponent1 however well trained as a scholar1 to sustain himself in an attempted vindication of his opinions4 ,if1 therefore1 ,christian truth could be thus clearly and impressively set forth by those of but limited educational resources1 how much more effective might it prove if thoroughly prepared and armed with a ripe and ready scholarship8 ,this consideration1 as was to have been expected1 in due time moved some of the wisest and best friends of the ,universalist ,church to take steps towards the accomplishment of this object4 ,and not for the ministry only was this advantage sought4 ,those who were needed to sustain the ministry were equally involved in the attainment of it4 ,every ,christian sect has been elevated and sustained in a great measure by giving its support to educational institutions1--the college1 the divinity school1 the academy4 ,if an educated ministry is one of the great aids in sustaining ,christian truth and the ,christian ,church1 so is an educated laity4 ,both would have their religion represented and upheld by the highest educational supports and influences of modern civilization4 ,besides1 ,christian ,universalism is a child of the light4 ,it is not of the night nor of darkness4 ,it would send out its inquiries everywhere into the universe in its readiness to prove all things and hold fast that which is good4 ,it would stand face to face with all the questionings that come up in science1 history1 philosophy1 fully persuaded that all these1 truthfully consulted1 will more and more confirm its great doctrines of ,god1 the divine law and its operations1 the divine purposes and their fulfilment1 the reign of righteousness and its final triumph over all evil1 as made known through ,christ1 the ,head1 ,guide1 and ,emancipator of ,man4 ,hence it could not be otherwise than that the enlightened ,universalist should be the earnest advocate and friend of educational institutions4 ,a notable evidence of this interest was seen in the instituting of ,tufts ,college in ,medford1 ,mass4 ,it was a timely generosity that gave it being on that pleasant hill which the centuries had piled and planted to be the candlestick on which ,charles ,tufts should set the light of this institution4#ef ,it was incorporated in #aheb1 and opened for students in #ahee4 ,its prosperity has been of steady growth1 its funds have multiplied and its endowments increased2 the last report of the ,president 7,e4 ,h4 ,capen1 ,d4 ,d47 showing it to be no longer an experiment1 but a power4 ,the aggregate assets of the college at the present time1 including the buildings and one hundred and twenty acres of land1 are not less than #a1jjj1jjj4 ,with a ,faculty of great practical efficiency1 and with the close personal intercourse of teachers and pupils1 no institution of the kind in ,america affords better facilities for a thorough education4 ,in connection with the college is the ,divinity ,school1 with its able and devoted instructors4 ,a professorship in the school was endowed by ,charles ,packard1 ,esq41 of ,boston4 ,an elegant chapel near the main college building is soon to be ready for use1 at a cost of #be1jjj1 the gift of ,mrs4 ,mary ,t4 ,goddard1 of ,newton1 ,mass4 ,lombard ,university1 at ,galesburg1 ,ill41 is another institution1 founded by ,benjamin ,lombard1 of ,galesburg4 ,the university building is of brick1 three stories high1 with spacious rooms4 ,it has libraries of about #e1jjj volumes2 an extensive mineralogical cabinet1 including a rare collection of shells2 a valuable philosophical and chemical apparatus1 and a permanent fund of about #ajj1jjj4 ,young men and women are admitted alike to all classes and all courses of study4 ,rev4 ,n4 ,white1 ,ph4 ,d41 is ,president1 as also of the ,theological ,department in connection with the university4 ,all departments of the university are open to the students of theology without charge4 ,st4 ,lawrence ,university is at ,canton1 ,st4 ,lawrence ,co41 ,n4 ,y4 ,it has two fully organized departments4 #a4 ,the collegiate1 comprising the usual four years' classical course1 and a four years' scientific course4 ,rev4 ,a4 ,g4 ,gaines is president and ,craig ,professor of ,intellectual and ,moral ,philosophy4 ,young men and women are admitted to the institution on the same conditions4 #b4 ,the theological1 of which ,rev4 ,i4 ,m4 ,atwood1 ,d4 ,d4 7the successor of the late ,dr4 ,fisher7 is president4 ,competent and faithful teachers are in both schools4 ,the location and surroundings of the school are favorable to uninterrupted study4 ,a good number of well-educated and useful ministers have gone out from ,canton4 ,another college worthy of special attention is ,buchtel1 ,akron1 ,summit ,co41 ,ohio4 ,it was founded by the ,universalist ,state ,convention of ,ohio1 and was named in honor of ,hon4 ,john ,r4 ,buchtel1 its most generous and devoted benefactor1 and was opened to students of both sexes1 ,sept4 #aa1 #ahgb4 ,the curriculum of study embraces3 #a4 ,a complete classical course of four years2 #b4 ,a thorough philosophical course of four years2 #c4 ,a full scientific course of four years4 ,there is also a preparatory course of three years for each of the above courses4 ,rev4 ,o4 ,cone is president of ,buchtel1 who has a company of able teachers with him4 ,there are thirty-two perpetual scholarships of #a1jjj each2 and four professorship endowments 7two for women71 two of #be1jjj1 and two of #bj1jjj each4 ,the outlook from the institution was never more promising than at present1 and its friends were never more devoted to its interests4 ,its generous founder has lived to see this child of his many anxieties and strong affection one of the great joys of his lifetime2 and he richly deserves it4 ,the college was lately freed from debt4 ,its total capital is #bij1jjj4 ,clinton ,liberal ,institute has been of good service4 ,it was founded in ,clinton1 ,n4 ,y41 in #ahca1 and removed to ,fort ,plain1 ,n4 ,y41 in #ahgi1 and came into possession of the buildings and grounds formerly known as the ,fort ,plain ,seminary and ,collegiate ,institute4 ,it was the first academic institution set up by ,universalists1 and has had a steady success from the beginning4 ,charles ,v4 ,parcell1 ,a4 ,m41 is president1 and has with him a full corps of competent teachers4 ,the amount of its property is #ajj1jjj4 ,one of the most convenient and beautiful educational buildings in ,new ,england is ,dean ,academy1 at ,franklin1 ,mass4 ,it was incorporated in #ahfe1 and derives its name from the late ,dr4 ,oliver ,dean of ,franklin4 ,the edifice with the outbuildings is valued at #bjj1jjj1 is lighted with gas and heated by steam1 and has every modern improvement and convenience for the comfort of the pupils4 ,its principal is ,lester ,l4 ,burrington1 ,a4 ,m41 ,chase ,professor of ,latin and ,greek4 ,the institution is well endowed and is increasing in prosperity4 ,it is an honor to the ,universalist denomination as well as to its venerable founder1 and deserves to be widely patronized and vigorously sustained4 ,the edifice stands upon land once owned by the distinguished ,orthodox divine1 ,dr4 ,nathaniel ,emmons1 formerly the minister of the town4 ,goddard ,seminary is situated in the beautiful village of ,barre1 ,vt41 six miles from ,montpelier4 ,the school is for both sexes1 and offers three complete courses of study1 viz4 the college preparatory1 of three years2 the ladies' collegiate1 of four years2 the ,english course1 of four years4 ,the seminary is well supplied with anatomical models1 skeletons1 charts1 globes1 stereopticon1 table and gas microscope1 and apparatus for the illustration of physiology1 astronomy1 philosophy1 and chemistry4 ,the cabinet contains an excellent collection of minerals1 fossils1 and natural history specimens1 and superior facilities are offered for the study of natural science4 ,illustration3 ,thos4 ,a4 ,goddard4 ,h4 ,w4 ,smith4 ,this institution bears the name of one whose generous encouragement was given it in the beginning1--,mr4 ,thomas ,a4 ,goddard4 ,he was a member of the ,second ,universalist ,church in ,boston1 and during the long pastorate of ,rev4 ,hosea ,ballou was the faithful superintendent of its ,sunday-school4 ,prosperous in business1 he was always liberal in his contributions to the church and its charities1 which in a large city were ever making appeals to him4 ,from the time of the first movements for the founding of ,tufts ,college1 he was among its most interested and generous helpers1 and was one of the first treasurers of the institution4 ,when1 a few years since1 the infant seminary at ,barre became embarrassed1 a devoted friend1 acting as its agent1 determined to make a vigorous effort in its behalf4 ,he came to ,massachusetts1 and calling on ,mrs4 ,goddard1 whose husband had aided the school in the beginning1 the result was ,goddard ,seminary4 ,westbrook ,seminary and ,female ,college is a boarding-school for young men and women1 near ,portland1 in ,deering 7post-office ,stevens ,plains71 ,me4 ,the institution began to be talked of as early as #ahcj4 ,a generous citizen of ,westbrook1 ,mr4 ,zechariah ,stevens1 had resolved to donate land ample enough for the school buildings and the needed adornment around them4 ,how his gift has been improved1 the present attractive appearance of the seminary declares4 ,the institution was chartered in #ahca1 and opened in #ahcd4 ,it has had friendly aids from time to time1 one of them being ,hersey ,hall1 the gift of ,gen4 ,s4 ,f4 ,hersey of ,bangor4 ,common and higher ,english courses1 a college preparatory1 and two collegiate courses for ladies are provided4 ,the school-building contains the chapel1 recitation-rooms1 library1 laboratory1 and cabinet of minerals4 ,rev4 ,j4 ,p4 ,weston1 ,d4 ,d41 is president of the institution4 ,green ,mountain ,perkins ,institute is situated in the village of ,south ,woodstock1 ,vt4 ,it was incorporated in #ahdh1 and has since been in successful operation4 ,the school is for both sexes1 and offers three complete courses of study4 ,the classical1 of three years1 includes ,greek and ,latin sufficient to prepare students for admission to any ,new ,england college4 ,the ladies' collegiate for four years is offered to those wishing to take an extended course in ,latin1 ,french1 and ,german1 and higher ,english4 ,the school has gained a good reputation4 ,in this presentation of the principal educational institutions founded and sustained mainly by the ,universalist public1 it is seen what influences may go out from them to the honor of the ,universalist ,church1 the promotion1 of literary culture1 scientific enlightenment1 and ,christian civilization4 ,it may be well here1 as we speak of educational aids1 to recognize the instrumentality of the ,sunday-school1 which has found such a good degree of encouragement from the friends of ,christian ,universalism4 ,it has been an outgrowth of the increased conviction among them of the duty of instructing the rising generation in the truth and life of the ,gospel4 ,from the beginning of the present century in ,america this work has been recognized1 the ,universalists in ,philadelphia and ,boston manifesting their special interest in it4#eg ,growth in this work has been gradual but encouraging1 and the ,sunday-school is now one of the cherished institutions of the ,universalist ,church4 ,its interests are widely and earnestly discussed1 and the means for its advancement through the children's paper and teachers' ,helper promise good results1 if wisely utilized in the future4 ,although still needing improvement1 the ,sunday-school may be regarded with this church1 as with others bearing the ,christian name1 as an indispensable aid in the moral advancement and religious culture of the children and youth on whom will rest the responsibilities of the church in the years to come4 ,the ,sunday-school cause was never more generally and unitedly encouraged by ,universalists than at the present time4 ,another educational aid worthy of note is that to be found in the circulation of the literature of the church2 its periodicals1 books1 pamphlets1 and tracts4 ,these have thus far done excellent work in reaching and awaking interest in religious truth where the living preacher has not gone4 ,a hundred-fold more can this be done by a just appreciation of this great instrumentality1--the ,press4 ,it is always a power in the advocacy of any cause2 it will be in its tendency to deepen and strengthen the loyalty of ,universalists to the church they represent4 ,an active and clear-sighted agent of one of our ,western colleges just now writes3-- ,in my work for the college1 the closest readers of our church papers are the ones who have responded most readily to the call for help4 ,loyalty to our church among them is the rule1 while among those who do not take a paper1 he is the exception1 only1 who responds to the call4 ,nothing else can be so powerful an ally of the preacher in keeping the people informed of our schools and colleges and all other interests2 and that ,universalist family which refuse to take a church paper for the pittance which our ,western organ costs1--four cents a week1--not only lose much of interest and enjoyment1 but thereby advertise their own indifference to the best interests of the church4 ,strenuous efforts should1 for these reasons1 be put forth by the ministry and other agencies to place a church paper in every ,universalist home throughout the land4#eh ,the appeal here made will apply to any locality4 ,and more than this4 ,these readers of the church publications are themselves to seek a larger distribution of this means of ,divine enlightenment to others4 ,ignorance of ,christian truth at home and abroad1--in our own land and in lands less blessed with heavenly knowledge1--is constantly calling for this educational work on the part of those who are permitted to live in the light and cherish the hopes of the ,gospel of ,god's impartial and efficient grace4 #ef ,wilmot ,l4 ,warren1 ,esq42 ,address before ,alumni1 ,june #bj1 #ahhb4 #eg ,see an article in the ,universalist ,quarterly for ,october1 #ahhb1 entitled ,the ,universalist ,origin of ,american ,sunday-schools1 by ,rev4 ,richard ,eddy4 #eh ,read at the ,ohio ,convention1 by ,w4 ,f4 ,crispin1 ,financial ,agent for ,buchtel ,college4 ,,chapter ,,xxi4 ,,the ,,laity4 ,all the members have not the same office4 ,one body in ,christ1 and severally members one of another4--,,rom4 xii4 #d1 #e4 ,although in the biographical sketches contained in this volume those of the ministry are made conspicuous1 the writer is sensitively aware of the fact that many devoted and honorable laymen1 who have faithfully and essentially sustained the ministry1 are equally worthy of record for their works' sake4 ,a separate volume1 such as we are not able to make up1 would be required to do them justice4 ,we take occasion1 however1 to speak a word in way of sincere and grateful tribute to these good and strong helpers1 through whom the ministry has received inspiration and strength4 ,no sect can live mainly on the dignity1 or piety1 or learning1 or good reputation of its ministry4 ,leaning too much on these1 it will grow formal and cold2 will fail to become an active force among the masses1 in the midst of the opposing hosts of this great world around it4 ,to sustain a ministry as a kind of moral or spiritual convenience1 to wait upon it chiefly to be entertained1 or to be satisfied with the respectable precision with which its functions are performed1 and thus to keep in good standing with the ,christian community and the observant world1 is different entirely from the intent of that great spiritual enterprise which the ,new ,testament upholds4 ,it was a significant saying of the rebuilders of the ancient temple1 that the people had a mind to work4 ,leaders1 priests1 prophets1 master-builders were aided by others on every hand1 and so the work went successfully on4 ,it must be thus in the uprearing and strengthening of the walls of the ,christian ,zion4 ,with the diversities of gifts1 there is to be the one spirit1 one will and endeavor1 and the one glorious end constantly in view4 ,the direction of the apostle to the ,church at ,rome gives us the true idea3 ,we1 being many1 are one body in ,christ1 and every one members one of another4 ,he used the well-known illustration of the limbs and members of the human body to describe the several offices and functions in the ,church2 setting the right estimate on the diversity and unity of those who composed it1 giving to all their places and to each its share of the essential life-work to be done4 ,of the true and faithful women-workers of the ,universalist ,church we have freely spoken2 to the fidelity of the good and faithful men we would as readily testify4 ,names we may not mention1 for1 these once given1 we should be unable to decide where to close the record4 ,but this we can say1--and every faithful minister will bear witness to the truth of our statement1--that among his experiences none have been more uplifting than those connected with the co-operation of true souls who have waited on his ministry1 and given their ready counsel and sure and steady support4 ,the minister of the city with his incessant toils and cares1 the country pastor in his quiet rounds of duty1 or the missionary-evangelist having his preaching-stations at long distances from each other1 all have been doubly blessed in their anxious and unremitting toils in the ,lord's field by the cordial smiles and welcome greetings and generous encouragements of the lay friends who1 by spirit and action1 have been all the time bidding them ,god-speed on their way4 ,how shall they hear without a preacher8 is a very sensible ,new ,testament question4 ,how shall the preacher be sustained and blessed by his hearers8 is another of equal weight and timeliness4 ,a society or church is to be formed2 a ,sunday-school organized2 ways and means instituted to secure a financial basis to carry on the work of the church4 ,where rests the responsibility1 and where the directing and sustaining force1 but in the few1 perhaps1 who are to be depended upon in every such movement1 and who give confidence and courage to others who are gladly willing to do their parts with them4 ,a low tide comes in society affairs2 adversities have been realized1 and the faint-hearted are prophesying failure4 ,who but the few stand-bys are among the hopeful and helping2 those always readiest with their money1 always in their places at the worship service1 or in the conference meeting or the ,sunday-school8 ,what would be the courage of the minister but for this loyal church-guard ever to be depended on8 ,a church edifice is to be built1 or a church debt cancelled8 ,who shall lead in the business8 the minister8 ,yes1 if he can more conveniently than any other one4 ,but what shall his lead be without followers8 ,on whom does he most rely8 ,on those laymen who are only waiting for his word to begin the work4 ,their generous zeal will awaken new interest in others1 and this striving together of minister and people will insure success4 ,a pastor is out on a mission of private charity4 ,the case of a poor widow1 or sick and needy husband and father1 or some suffering and desponding one needing help and comfort1 is tugging at his heart-strings1 and the immediate resources of his pocket are not equal to the demand4 ,what then8 ,he knows just where to go1 directly1 quietly1 to the counting-room1 or store1 or farmhouse of that layman whose religion makes him glad to do good and to communicate1 and whose worldly store gives him opportunity thus to bless himself as he confers a blessing on others4 ,a college needs an additional endowment4 ,money is required4 ,the president or some other friend of the institution goes forth in confidence that1 on a truthful representation of the needs1 certain ones will listen with interest and liberally respond to the call1 and1 as the annual report at the next ,commencement declares1 he is not disappointed4 ,he has consulted the laymen4 ,the ,general or ,state ,convention makes its annual call upon the parish for its apportioned contribution to the funds for the general work of the church1 and its extension beyond existing parish lines2 for missionary operations in the waste places1 that they may be blessed with the light and joy of the ,gospel4 ,who will be sure to meet truly and promptly this call8 ,the loyal layman who has made himself acquainted through the church journals and from his minister in the pulpit with the just and holy demands of this enterprise1 and who has never indulged himself in laying back from it1 saying1 ,we have enough to do to meet our own parish expenses6 ,no1 he and such as he now cheer the heart of his minister1 and make glad sister parishes1 and add credit to the whole church4 ,a blessing like this cannot be too highly prized1 cannot awaken too strong a thanksgiving4 ,a faithful ministry the church must have or fail4 ,but this ministry1 to be strong and prevail1 must have for its fresh inspiration the hopeful eyes and ready hands and throbbing hearts of a constant and loyal laity4 ,,chapter ,,xxii4 ,,the ,,present ,,outlook4 ,no man can be assured of his own salvation1 except he see the same salvation in the same ,saviour for all men1 as well as for himself2 which is to love his neighbor as himself4--,,richard ,,coppin4#ei ,that the errors connected with what has been deemed the ,orthodoxy of the past are passing away is undeniable4 ,we have been noting this on every page of this volume4 ,the ,christian pulpit and the religious and secular press are bringing out new confirmations of it continually4 ,take two indications2 first1 the emphatic utterances coming from the ,episcopal ,church in ,england and ,america4 ,it is ,rev4 ,charles ,kingsley who writes3 ,i preach to you a ,son of ,god who has declared everlasting war against disease1 ignorance1 sin1 death1 and all which makes men miserable4 ,those are his enemies1 and he reigns and will reign1 till he has put all enemies under his feet1 and there is nothing left in ,god's universe but order and usefulness1 health and beauty1 knowledge and virtue1 in the day when ,god shall be all in all4 ,it is ,canon ,farrar at ,westminster ,abbey who is awaking deep interest in his vigorous exposures of the hideousness of the old ideas of a wrathful ,god who would punish some of his simple offspring hereafter without relief and without end4 ,his volumes entitled ,eternal ,hope and ,judgment and ,mercy1 are full of references to the opinions of others in the past1 who have opposed these errors1--although most of them are not new to readers and students of ,universalist literature1--and are among the harbingers of that coming day when the absurdities which he assails shall be numbered among the things that were4 ,his admissions of the force of the arguments of ,universalist writers are such as will awaken new inquiry in many directions1 notwithstanding he takes occasion to affirm of himself most distinctly1 ,but ,i am not a ,universalist4 ,we can only say that1 if he is not1 he is doing no small share of a work which will tend to make others avowers and defenders of this faith4 ,others of the ministry in ,england1 like the late ,dr4 ,maurice1 ,rev4 ,frederick ,robertson1 and ,rev4 ,stopford ,brooke1 have given their testimonies in behalf of these higher and clearer views of ,christian theology4 ,in ,america1 such men as ,drs4 ,holland and ,phillips ,brooks1 are advocates of the improved theology1 the last-named explicitly affirming his faith in the final salvation of all souls4 ,dr4 ,heber ,newton1 rector of the ,anthon ,memorial ,episcopal ,church at ,new ,york1 in his sermon on the death of the late ,rev4 ,dr4 ,chapin1 said that-- ,dr4 ,chapin1 knowing the feeling of the church against the new ism1 boldly became its preacher1 for he recognized its great and noble mission4 ,that sin had its recompense1 he never doubted1 but his doctrine of ',god is love1' was so eloquently preached that the theologians reconsidered their doctrines of retribution4 ,even the ,episcopal ,church1 he says1 in recently reviewing the articles1 struck out the one about eternal punishment4 ,when ,universalism began its mission1 religion so to speak1 had become ossified and rigid1 and it was necessary1 to meet the advanced thought of the age1 that some change be made in it4 ,the force that wrought this change1 developed outside of the ,orthodox ,church1 and it has been instrumental in banishing much of the barbarism and cruelty of expression which ,christians borrowed from the ,pagans4 ,the ,presbyterian and ,methodist ,churches have had their experiences in the agitation of these questions involving the acceptance or rejection of the leading points of theology held by them in the past4 ,but the freest and boldest utterances on this subject seem to have come from the ,congregationalist ,churches4 ,members of the ,beecher family have been quite conspicuous in their allusions to the old and abhorrent doctrines of ,calvinism2 as for instance1 ,mrs4 ,stowe1 in her ,minister's ,wooing and ,old ,town ,folks2 her sister ,catherine1 in her emphatic saying1 that1 as this theology is set forth1 there must be an awful mistake somewhere2 ,dr4 ,edward ,beecher1 in his ,conflict of ,ages 7a work ably reviewed by ,rev4 ,moses ,ballou72 and ,rev4 ,henry ,ward ,beecher1 who has just now affirmed that he will never more preach the horrible doctrine of endless punishment4 ,after repeating a statement he had made1 that the dogma of endless suffering is the cause of increasing infidelity1 ,dr4 ,edward ,beecher says1 that ,universalism is no longer restricted within denominational lines1 but is now diffused more widely than some suspect1 that the preaching of the doctrine is largely neutralized by a latent ,universalism within the walls of evangelical churches1 that some of the clergy dare not investigate the dogma 7endless suffering7 in an impartial1 scientific method1 lest they bring themselves into conflict with the creed they are expected to defend2 and closes thus3 ,meanwhile the creed-doctrine of an endless punishment is seldom discussed from the pulpit1 and never willingly heard by the pews4 ,significant indeed is the closing of his volume on the ,scriptural ,doctrine of ,retribution3 ,even admitting that the doctrine of eternal punishment is the word of ,god1 it seems to be forgotten that allegations may be attached to it that shall make it to be not the word of ,god1 but the greatest falsehood in the ,universe4 ,at the ,congregationalist ,convention in ,boston in #ahfe the difficult problem came up to be solved1 how they could state what they themselves had come to believe1 without appearing to deny what the fathers believed4 ,assembled at the old ,burial ,hill of the ,pilgrims in ,plymouth1 they affirmed their adherence to the substance of the ,westminster and ,saybrook ,confessions of ,faith4 ,to clothe this substance in verbal forms1 making it a true statement of the old theology of ,puritanism1 and at the same time a living thing of to-day1 would seem to be an undertaking resulting in as great a confusion of tongues as in any instance recorded in the history of the past4 ,to keep intact the theology of the past in their churches is an impossibility4 ,for1 let us understand that the most thoughtful among the theologians of nearly all the churches are now beginning to feel the force of the question hitherto hushed down1 as it has been boldly asked or even whispered in the face of the theology of the past3 ,what is the ,divine responsibility in the creation of man8 ,it is the question asked by ,hosea ,ballou1 in his youth1 of his father1 a ,baptist minister3 ,would it be an act of goodness on my part to create a human being1--had ,i the power1--knowing that his existence would prove an endless curse to him8 a question which the father was unable to answer1 and which the son did not press strongly upon him4 ,this question1 though familiar enough to ,universalists and long made a ground of argument concerning human destiny1 has usually been evaded by the supporters of the popular theology1 as beyond the reach of human reason4 ,they have regarded the inquiry as to the responsibility of ,god in the creation of man as irreverent on the part of his feeble offspring4 ,but the question has been considered and earnestly examined1 and the discussion of it has elicited the most outspoken opinions as to the result of the investigation4 ,rev4 ,w4 ,w4 ,patton1 ,d4 ,d4 of ,howard ,university1 has recently spoken very definitely on this subject1 although he acknowledges that it has not been a legitimate one to be decided upon by the theologians of his school4 ,he affirms that the ,divine reason like our own 7we being made in the ,divine image7 includes the eternal1 unchangeable1 and imperative idea of right1 the practical synonym of which is love1--love being that which always1 everywhere1 and in all beings1 expresses the right or sums up duty4 ,he reaches the conclusion that ,god chooses love as the rule of his activity1 that when he creates rational sensitive beings1 by that very fact he put himself voluntarily into a relation which calls upon him to act upon the principle of love1 which gives them a right to expect that he will so act4 ,it is an answer to the question of ,abraham1 ,shall not the judge of all the earth do right8 and of ,paul1 ,is ,god unrighteous8 ,in agreement with this reasoning of ,dr4 ,patton1 is that of ,rev4 ,john ,miller of ,princeton1 ,n4 ,j41 who just now affirms3-- ,a deformed ,god is a great light gone out from any religion1 and is the chief ally of infidelity4 ,god is not to be worshipped because he is powerful1 any more than ,satan is2 but because he is moral4 ,if he wrongs me in bringing me into being1 he is no sovereign to me4#fj ,in the same strain comes this testimony from ,miss ,elizabeth ,stuart ,phelps1 of ,andover1 in a late number of the ,north ,american ,review3-- ,the ,bible meets us squarely upon the deepest and the highest question which the finite intellect has the right to ask3 ,what1 having made us at all1 is ,god's moral attitude toward us8 ,when he thrust into space this quivering ball of pain and error1 did he mean well enough by it to justify the deed8 ,profounder than all our philosophy1 wiser than all our protest1 comes the sublime and solitary answer3 ',he so loved the world that ,he gave his only ,son4' ,this magnificent reply1 which theology has distorted out of its grand and simple proportions1 to which science has refused its supreme reasonableness1 the true human heart and the clear human head have accepted4 ,the contortions of faith and the malice of doubt have almost equally united to shake the hold of this great re-assurance upon the world4 ,the world will have it in spite of both4 ,the world will have it1 because it is the best it can get2 and by all the iron laws of common sense it will keep the best till ,god or man can offer it something better4 ,even so4 ,amen6 ,at the present time the orthodoxy of ,andover ,theological ,institution is assuming new and strange aspects4 ,during the recent discussions respecting the invitation to ,dr4 ,newman ,smyth to accept a professorship at the institution1 this avowal on the part of the professors still in their places there is given to the public3-- ,it cannot be denied that the doctrines of eternal punishment and of the judgment have lost their proper place in the teachings of the pulpit4 ,that method alone can restore them to a reflective age which refuses to put into them more than our ,saviour left in them1 and which brings them into accord with the knowledge of divine truth which the spirit of ,christ is ever developing in his ,church4 ,christianity educates men to ever higher1 broader1 more truthful conceptions of ,god4 ,the questionings of to-day in ,christian hearts respecting the doctrine of eternal punishment are a consequence of the elevating and spiritualizing power of the ,gospel4 ,the ,church should seek out positions that can be held4 ,it should be in advance of its enemies4 ,this change1 it is affirmed by the ,andover professors1-- 444 is a natural development of principles which the ,new ,england theology has especially cultivated4 ,these principles have gained their rights only by hard conflicts4 ,at every stage the cry of heresy has filled the air1 but they have won the day4 ,they have banished the dogmas of guilt for ,adam's sin1 of infant damnation1 of passive regeneration1 of the universal perdition of the heathen4 ,they have been attended all along by concessions1--concession of the dogmas that all men sinned in ,adam1 that ,adam was their federal head1 that the death of ,christ was only for the elect2 concession that 'elect infants' who die in infancy include all such2 that we cannot fix the time when moral agency begins2 that none who die before this point is reached are excluded from salvation2 and so on1 through ever-advancing modifications4 ,the path of ,new ,england theology is thus strewn with concessions1--concessions to an advancing knowledge of ,god's ,word1 concessions to truth6#fa ,very explicit language1 surely4 ,and yet1 in direct conflict with it1 there is the fact that the ,andover creed1 to which all professors of the institution must give their assent1 involves the doctrines of the ,trinity and ,vicarious ,atonement2 that by nature every man is personally depraved1 destitute of holiness1 alike opposed to ,god2 and that1 previously to the renewing agency of the ,divine ,spirit1 all his moral actions are adverse to the character and glory of ,god2 that1 being morally incapable of recovering the image of his ,creator1 which was lost in ,adam1 every man is justly exposed to eternal damnation2 so that1 except a man be born again1 he cannot see the kingdom of ,god2 that ,god of his mere good pleasure1 from all eternity1 selected some to everlasting life1 and that he entered into a covenant of grace1 to deliver them out of this state of sin and misery by a ,redeemer4 ,yes1 the ,andover creed declares there is a final separation from the love of ,god1 which cannot wrest the erring soul from the grasp of death1 cannot bridge the grave1 cannot descend into the depths and bring up to life and light its own offspring4 ,christ himself may declare1 ,i will draw all men unto me2 the ,andover creed says1 ,no6 ,no salvation for the soul that has entered death's dark realm4 ,no matter that ,christ has the keys of hell1 he cannot rescue6 ,no matter that the time has been foretold when death and the grave shall be destroyed1 when there shall be an end of sin1 when pain shall no longer pierce and tears no longer flow2 in opposition to all this the ,andover creed tells us1 as an essential part of ,christian faith1 as one of the inspiring strains of the ,gospel message1 that the wicked whom ,christ came to save1 will awake to shame and everlasting contempt1 and with devils be plunged into the lake that burneth with fire and brimstone for ever and ever4 ,how are these theological contradictions to be explained8 ,infidels are sneering at this double-dealing2 honest ,christians are asking1 ,what is to be the issue of this conflict8 ,why do not these religious leaders state plainly where they stand1 and what they would have the churches accept and affirm as the truth of ,god8 ,the question has been aptly asked1 ,is the moral sense at ,andover ,institution paralyzed8 ,the situation is perfectly clear to every honest barber1 shop-keeper1 or shoemaker1 and it makes a hundred infidels where the ',age of ,reason' makes one4#fb ,it is a matter for congratulation that the ,christian world has been moved1 that its thought has been so largely modified1 and that it is our great honor to stand at the centre1 however men may hesitate to acknowledge it1 towards which these lines of influence are tending4#fc ,but why1 we must ask1 are not these professed friends of ,christian truth in all the churches more in readiness to acknowledge this indication1 and plainly state what they think of it8 ,why hesitate and stand in the shadow of their old errors1 when it is so clearly evident that they can be no longer successfully maintained1 and which do not represent their real opinions8 ,why not say outright1 ,we were mistaken in accepting and teaching these doctrines of total depravity1 election1 and reprobation1 infant and endless damnation1 and have come to see that ,god is the ,father of all men1 and that in all his dealings with his children he will act in strict conformity with his paternal justice and love8 ,are we to conclude that there is with them the plague of a confused moral sense1 which hinders the honest and prompt avowal1 on their part1 of the truth of that ,gospel of ,divine grace that bringeth salvation to all men8 ,to avoid the admission of the truth of ,universalism1 there are not a few who seem disposed to tarry at the half-way ground of the doctrine of the annihilation of the wicked1 as though in these desperate cases of sinfulness the saving resources of the ,infinite love were exhausted1 and ,god could make no better disposition than this utter destruction of those created in his own image1 and capable of knowing1 serving1 and enjoying him forever4 ,strange that ,god's children can so limit his saving love and power6 ,is there any instance of sinfulness that cannot be reached by that grace which so much more abounds than any transgression of men8 ,another conclusion which inquirers reach is that of the indefiniteness in which this question of the ultimate results of the ,divine government is involved4 ,as though1 on a subject of such unspeakable interest as this to every mortal1 there could be indefiniteness in a ,revelation involving the truth of man's origin1 duty1 and destiny6 ,why not indefiniteness in this ,revelation as to the being of a ,god and his attributes1 as to man's whole duty1 as to the objects of ,christ's mission1 as to the immortal existence of any souls8 ,no6 the eminent ,christian apostle will teach us all better1 as he does in his lofty assurance of the extent of ,god's claims on his children and his paternal interest in them3 ,for ,i am persuaded that neither death nor life1 nor angels1 nor principalities1 nor powers1 nor things present1 nor things to come1 nor height1 nor depth1 nor any other creature1 shall be able to separate us from the love of ,god1 which is in ,christ ,jesus our ,lord4#fd ,everlasting thanks to heaven for the definiteness respecting this great question1 which the advocates of ,christian ,universalism have constantly maintained4 ,these hesitancies1 haltings1 evasions1 policies1 will have their day1 and through them and after them the truth of the ,gospel will find its open avowal and vindication4 ,here is the prophecy1 years since made by one of the ablest and worthiest of ,christian ministers4 ,whoso readeth1 let him understand4 ,a few generations more1 and the system you have advocated will be among the things that are only remembered4 ,you will abandon it1 but by degrees2 as the truth increases you will begin by first exploding the old notion that infants are damned1 and by avowing the salvation of all who die in early life4 ,then you will proceed to reject so much of your doctrine as to allow that a very small part of mankind1 here and there an individual1 will be sent to hell4 ,and continuing the work1 you will at length determine that even these will there suffer no other pain than the remorse of conscience2 next1 that their remorse will be no greater1 in degree1 than what is experienced in this world4 ,and finally you will give up the remainder1 first1 in confidential whispers among yourselves1 and then1 after the common people shall have generally led the way1 you will come out boldly1 and preach ,god as the ,father of all and the ,saviour of all4#fe ,many a one not now ready to acknowledge the claims of the faith of the ,universalist ,church has this1 mainly1 as his reason for it1 that it has not been for centuries past the popular faith of the churches in ,christendom4 ,there are great numbers of ,christians who have in reality no more plausible reason why they are not better acquainted and more in love with this faith4 ,whenever they have heard it spoken of it has been in such words as to lead them to regard it as a modern innovation4 ,beyond this they have not looked4 ,convinced of this1 they have not desired to look farther4 ,but they should4 ,a faith making such pretensions and appeals ought to be looked after4 ,men are not wise and humane2 they are not lovers of their race and its truest well-wishers in the ,christian sense2 they are not in readiness to rejoice in view of the widest and most thorough dispensation of ,divine grace1 in the most extensive and effectual work of salvation through the ,one ,lord ,jesus ,christ1 while they regard with indifference the affirmation which the ,gospel makes of this very work with all souls4 ,is it true8 ,this ought to be the eager inquiry of everyone professing faith in the significance of the second commandment1 ,thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself4 ,where this love pervades the heart1 will not that heart seek every evidence that can be offered in proof of this most desirable of all results1 the reconciliation of all souls to the ,divine administration1 the ,divine love regenerating1 uplifting1 and glorifying all ,god's offspring8 ,we press these questions home1 without a word of apology1 to every lover of ,christ and the ,christian cause4 ,if these hesitating ones of whom we speak would take up the examination1 they would find that some of the clearest and noblest minds of the past have given their assent to this very faith1 and that the doctrines in opposition to it are not to be regarded as past questioning when they have been sanctioned by generations involved in as much mental and moral darkness as most of those which have preceded us4 ,christ came to teach positive truth1 and his religion invites the largest and freest inquiry as to its claims4 ,and so this theology of the past will be investigated4 ,it is undergoing the process now in minds and in the midst of institutions where this old conviction of the superiority and sacredness of the past has been revered as it never can be again4 ,all the sects are more or less affected with this contagion of inquiry4 ,it will not be suppressed4 ,to silence it for a season is but allowing it to accumulate greater force with which it shall again make itself manifest4 ,said a speaker1 a few years since1 in a ,methodist ,conference in ,new ,york city3-- ,what reason can be given for the difference in manifestation of conviction of sin between our day and the times of our fathers8 ,whereas we used to preach to sinners that an endless hell awaited all who died in their sins1 we now leave the fact almost wholly out of sight4 ,we say we believe that when men thus die they go to a place of everlasting burnings1 where the ,almighty tortures them alive as long as he the ,almighty lives4 ,if we believe this1 why do we not preach it now8 ,why do not our editors write about it1 and our bishops thunder it from their pulpits till the people tremble8 ,a brother minister present took exception to these remarks4 ,he thought that the ,christians made by what were termed the reformed methods of the day are as abundant in good works1 and their lives redound to the glory of ,god full as much as was the case under the machinery of fifty years ago4 ,we do not propose to go back on the operation of the ,holy ,spirit to-day1 because he acts now in ways different from those of old4 ,a sensible conclusion4 ,the churches are growing1--growing out of unreasonable doctrines which had their origin in the darkness of the olden time1 and which must vanish away as the full day of ,christian truth comes in to gladden the waiting world4 ,christianity will stand all this controversy4 ,it was made to4 ,it is not only the wisdom and the love1 but the power of ,god1 and that endures and triumphs4 ,it needs of itself no alteration4 ,while it can suit itself to all the shifting phases of human history1 it is of itself1 like its author1 without variableness or shadow of turning4 ,it has the same fulness and adaptiveness now that it ever had4 ,says ,rev4 ,mr4 ,spurgeon3-- ,men in the days of ,whitfield looked back to the days of ,bunyan1 and men in the days of ,bunyan wept because of the days of ,wyckliffe1 ,calvin1 and ,luther2 and men then wept for the days of ,augustine and ,chrysostom2 men in those days wept for the days of the apostles2 and doubtless men in the apostles' days wept for the days of ,jesus ,christ2 and1 no doubt1 some in the days of ,jesus ,christ were so blind as to wish to return to the days of prophecy1 and thought more of the days of ,elijah than they did of the most glorious days of ,christ4 ,some men look more to the past than to the present4 ,rest assured that ,jesus ,christ is the same that he was yesterday1 and will be the same forever4 ,verily so2 and what he is1 it is our business in the present to ascertain4 ,how much of his fulness may we now be able to comprehend8 ,and so again we say1 the world moves1 the church moves1 the spirit of the ,all-wise and ,almighty is moving upon the heart of humanity4 ,man advances4 ,this is the ,divine process4 ,for long centuries there may be but little1 comparatively1 accomplished2 then a new activity will be realized4 ,we do not expect to go back to the ,dark ,ages again4 ,the very last half-century1 as we have seen1 has been more marked with progress than any other before in the world's history4 ,our own nation has given signal evidence of this4 ,our ,declaration of ,independence has an increased luminousness at the present hour4 ,that the next half-century will have equal advancement1 we are not sure2 but all signs are hopeful that there will be more growth1 continued improvement4 ,one thing seems evident in reference to our own nation1 which is1 that the religion of the ,gospel is needed in it more than ever before1 to meet its increasing needs1 and to give it strength of character and permanent life4 ,truer words were never spoken than those by the orator at the ,yorktown ,centenary celebration during the past year3-- ,no advanced thought1 no mystical philosophy1 glittering abstractions1 no swelling phrases about freedom1--not even science1 with all its marvellous inventions and discoveries1--can help us much in sustaining this republic4 ,still less can any ,godless theories of creation1 or any infidel attempts to rule out the ,redeemer from his rightful supremacy in our hearts1 afford us any hope of security4 ,in that way lies despair6 ,commonplace truths1 old familiar teachings1 the ten commandments1 the sermon on the mount1 the farewell address of ,washington1 honesty1 virtue1 patriotism1 universal education1 are what the world most needs in these days1 and our own part of the world as much as any other part4 ,without these we are lost4 ,with these1 and with the blessing of ,god1 which is sure to follow them1 we may confidently look forward4#ff ,if we are reading the signs of the present and the indications of the future aright1 we readily conclude that it is but early day yet in the history of humanity1--we mean in its moral and spiritual history4 ,gross darkness1 fearful wrong1 appalling sin yet afflict and demean it4 ,if we have the gain of the past to encourage us1 if we would be aids in the world's progress1 the new instrumentalities of the present which we possess must be used as though we had full faith in their power1 that is1 in the ,divine indications that are in them4 ,if the true millennium is yet afar off1 it is advancing4 ,so should we be1 not as children of the night1 nor of any darkness of the past1 but of the ,christian day1 which has had its heavenly breaking1 and whose rising bids us to be risen also1 and to be moving on6 ,we are debtors to the past1 how great we can never fully realize4 ,we are equally debtors to the future4 ,what can we now do for its largest blessing1 its permanent life8 ,seeing that these errors1 delusions1 and wrongs of the past are to be dissolved1 what is the work of the ,universalist ,church now and in the time to come8 ,the answer is ready4 ,it is to magnify its office1 to extend the spirit and life of its holy faith4 ,it is false to its trust if it fail to do this4 ,it is to advance1 strong in the ,lord1 and in the power of his might4 ,to boast of its grand conceptions of truth1 its reasonable interpretations of the ,bible1 of its pre-eminence in any way1 and still to have no quickening power in the work it is called to do1 is not to seek advancement and success1 but to court disappointment and failure4 ,this highly-favored church1 then1 should offer to the acceptance of the world1-- #a4 ,a positive faith4 ,at this peculiarly transitional time in the ,christian ,church history1 great watchfulness and discrimination are needed on the part of those who are regarded by the majority of the churches as liberal ,christians1 because this word liberal is often quite vague in its meaning and covers very many phases of belief and unbelief1 scepticism1 and credulity4 ,a candid and able writer of the ,unitarian fraternity has just given to the public these very timely and wholesome suggestions3-- ,liberal ,christians will make a fatal mistake if they dream of gaining strength and influence by statements so nebulous and so universally inclusive that even those who deny all spiritualities can ally themselves with them1 and speak from their pulpits4 ,if they intend to form a debating club or a school of philosophy1 they might naturally and wisely pursue such a policy4 ,but if they wish to form a church1 with a faith to offer to the world1 and a positive and definite work for a definite end1 such a course is self-destructive4 ,the effort of liberal ,christianity should have been to strengthen the things that remain4 ,instead of that1 its work has tended too much to minimize faith and to maximize doubt4 ,everything has become the subject of dissection1 almost nothing the object of enthusiasm and trust4 ,that religious body whose supreme function is criticism1 however skilful it may be in special work1 will never be a regenerating power in human society4#fg ,well said4 ,and this leads us to speak directly and freely on the subject of creeds as connected with all ,christian churches1 and especially as involving the policy and duty of the so-called ,liberal churches4 ,we know that at the present time many are cutting themselves away from old creeds1 such as have held them and their ancestors before them2 when there is more religious inquiry abroad than ever before1 and when it is becoming quite fashionable to speak lightly of all creeds1 and to intimate that1 on the whole1 the church and the world may get along about as well without them as with them1--perhaps much better without them4 ,it is well1 as this impatience of creeds is increasing1 to think soberly1 if possible1 on the whole matter4 ,what is a creed8 ,let us begin at the beginning1--the dictionary4 ,creed comes from the ,latin credo1 and signifies to believe4 ,it is a summary of ,christian belief1 or of the articles of faith4 ,any profession of that which is believed2 a statement of the articles of belief1 as the creeds of political parties4 ,all religionists have creeds of some kind2 from the most liberal to the most exclusive of them4 ,take the most radical free religionist you can find1 and ask him1 immediately after you have heard him berating creeds and adjudging all as bigots who would be bound by them1 what he believes1 and as surely as he says anything1 he will state to you what4 ,and this is his creed1 whether he calls it so or not4 ,he might as well deny that he has a head by calling it something else1 or by not allowing it to have any name4 ,a creed he has1 if he believes anything4 ,the same of all men4 ,what1 then1 is the objection to creeds8 ,why1 that the ,church has been full of bad creeds1 narrow creeds1 unreasonable creeds1 contradictory creeds1 creeds dishonorable to ,god and to humanity4 ,there is no doubt of this2 and the evil still abounds4 ,but what then8 ,away with all creeds8 ,you cannot do it4 ,a creed you will have1 at last1 after all you have thought and said and done against having one4 ,it is inevitable4 ,most of the creeds of the ,church1 for centuries past1 have contained doctrines revolting to the common sense and to the holiest affections of mankind4 ,the ,church and the world are outgrowing them1 and they must be put away4 ,there will be no rest nor peace for those who hold and defend them until they are put away4 ,but what more8 ,will there be nothing instead of these falsehoods1 in the forms of human creeds8 ,are there no ,,truths to take the place of them8 ,every reasonable mind concludes that there are4 ,better views of ,god and man will be taken1 more reasonable and scriptural doctrines will be accepted1 and these will go to make up the new creeds4 ,if these new creeds have errors in them1 then there will be new siftings in the controversies that will be continued on the old apostolic principle1 ,prove all things2 hold fast that which is good4 ,notice2 to be continually questioning is not the great object of ,christian investigation4 ,there is something to be held fast4 ,it is that truth which will commend itself to every man's conscience in the sight of ,god4 ,this will constitute the perfected ,christian creed at last1 just as surely as that every knee shall bow1 and every tongue confess that ,jesus is ,lord1 to the glory of ,god the ,father4 ,because the churches have not yet the right creed is no reason why they may not be seeking for it1 and may not one day find and adopt it4 ,we do not mean1 of course1 that all minds can be alike1 but that all minds will unite in acknowledging certain truths1 such as the ,divine ,paternity1 the ,human ,brotherhood1 the necessity of personal holiness1 the divine and human mission of ,jesus1 the immortality1 holiness1 and happiness of mankind4 ,if these are truths1 as we believe they are1 they will constitute a part1 at least1 of the ,christian creeds of the churches4 ,to what1 then1 does this sweeping denunciation of creeds amount8 ,may not much of it be of very questionable utility and soundness8 ,we know that good and wise men talk thus4 ,but are good and great men1 even1 always sure of being right in their statements and conclusions8 ,one of our distinguished public men1 ,mr4 ,wendell ,phillips1 said in his discourse on ,christianity a battle1 not a ,dream1 that the ,new ,testament was nothing but the ,new ,testament1 and that nothing like a creed could be tortured out of it1--nothing like ,universalism1 ,catholicism1 or ,unitarianism4 ,we have as little faith in the torturing process as he2 but we utterly deny that a ,universalist creed cannot be clearly and undeniably found in the ,new ,testament4 ,we have already stated a part of it4 ,if the ,fatherhood of ,god1 the ,brotherhood of the race1 the unceasing obligation of man to love ,god and his fellow-creatures1 the lordship and mission of ,christ the ,saviour of the world1 the immortality of all mankind1 are not positive doctrines of the ,new ,testament1 then no doctrines1 no precepts1 no principles can be proved from it4 ,this is the very question at issue between ,universalists and those who deny that their faith has its foundations in the ,new ,testament4 ,we are ready to stand on this issue with all who will meet us there as honest inquirers after truth4 ,a gifted and highly honored member of the fraternity of ,friends took occasion some time since to speak lightly of an attempt on their part to tinker a creed for themselves4 ,and why might they not do it8 ,if not satisfied with their present statement of faith they have a right to search for that which will enable them to make a better one4 ,tinkering6 ,what are we all doing in our investigations and conclusions but just this8 ,rather poor workmen1 most of us2 but here1 in this great workshop ,god has given us1 we have a right to keep hammering and welding away1--a right and a duty to see how perfect a piece of work we may show as the result of our patient and persistent labor4 ,newton deemed himself but a picker-up of pebbles1 while the great ocean of truth lay all unexplored before him4 ,our best searching will only give us indications of that truth which is infinite4 ,yet this is no reason why we should not be looking for it1 and stating it when we think we have found it4 ,god will accept even our homeliest work1 when honestly done4 ,when done beneath his laws1 ,even servile labors shine4 ,so1 in reason's name1 do not let us be afraid of tinkering on creeds1 any more than we should be ashamed to be diggers1 hammerers1 furnace-workers and explorers in the fields of science4 ,truth will come of it all2 truth that shall be worked into a good creed at last4 ,universalists have a creed4 ,its articles1 we believe1 are reasonable and uncontradictory1 commending themselves to the clearest intellect and to the holiest affections of mankind4 ,their principal creed or ,confession is a short one1 yet remarkably comprehensive4 ,it can be and is enlarged1 and in this form adopted in many of the churches4 ,the world asks what ,universalists believe4 ,they have been in existence as a sect long enough to tell them2 and ought to be in readiness to do this4 ,yea1 anxious to do it1 because of their convictions of the need of this truth in the understandings and hearts of men4 ,our ,unitarian neighbors have been much troubled with the fact that many of their own people1 especially their younger ones1 have not known what ,unitarians believed1--what were the articles or doctrinal statements of their creed4 ,just one thing1 surely1 that they and others ought to know4 ,if ,universalists have had any defect of this kind1 it should cease to be with them1 especially if they have definite convictions of ,christian doctrines such as the ,divine ,paternity1 the ,brotherhood of ,man1 ,christ1 the ,holy ,spirit1 ,regeneration1 ,retribution1 ,forgiveness1 ,atonement1 ,salvation1 ,immortality4 ,if they have not definite convictions respecting them1 let them say so1 honestly1 as in the hearing of all men4 ,otherwise1 let them have a positive creed to state and defend4 ,a positive creed1 we say4 ,for1 to have a creed made up of statements that are questionable in the minds of its defenders1 is to have anything but a ,new ,testament--a truly ,christian creed4 ,the ,apostles had no such creed4 ,their creed reads thus3 ,to us there is one ,god1 the ,father1 of whom are all things1 and we by ,him4--,christ is made unto us wisdom1 righteousness1 sanctification and redemption4--,now is ,christ risen1 and become the first fruits of them that slept4--,god will have all men to be saved and to come unto the knowledge of the truth4 ,god shall be all in all4 ,with them these were not questions open for self-settlement in their minds1 but truths of which they were thoroughly convinced1 and in the promulgation of which they were most thoroughly in earnest4 ,this is the ,christian ministry now needed1 not a ministry made up of inquirers and sceptics mainly1 who are ever learning and never able to come to a knowledge of the truth1 but of those who have settled convictions of what the truth of ,god is1 and who are in readiness to state and maintain a creed which they believe to be every way in accordance with reason1 with the ,scriptures1 and in answer to the most earnest and anxious inquiries of the human soul4 ,but creeds are binding1 says one4 ,of course they are if we believe them to be the truth1 and are truthful ourselves in the acceptance and use of them4 ,but how are creeds binding8 ,erroneous1 evil creeds bring the souls who hold them into bondage4 ,we understand this4 ,but what about true and good creeds8 ,it appears to us that these give liberty1 aye1 the largest liberty4 ,jesus says1 ,ye shall know the truth1 and the truth shall make you free4 ,who says1 in the light of this statement1 that the truth of ,christ adopted in a creed tends to bondage8 ,god's truth1 dear reader1 is binding on you1 and on us all1 according to our convictions of it4 ,what freedom do you desire8 ,that which will give you indulgence in perpetual scepticism1 unsettlement in regard to anything8 ,call you this liberty8 ,we regard it as about the worst of bondage2 because we are thus in uncertainty2 we have no permanent habitation in ,god's love and life4 ,we have1 indeed1 the poor liberty of an outcast1 but not that of a child at home4 ,this last is a liberty which a creed embracing ,christian truth will allow us4 ,we want no greater4 ,it will help us in all our interpretations of ,god and ,his works and ways in the universe which is open before us4 ,two considerations1 then1 we may bear in mind2 one is1 that of the reasonableness and propriety of ,christian creeds4 ,this indiscriminate denunciation of them is not wise4 ,it is one of the flurries of the present age1 but will not endure the long run of theological investigation4 ,creeds may not all be written1 but they will exist1 even with those who denounce them4 ,the logic of fact and human experience effectually settles this1 so that a further superfluity of breath on this subject does not seem to be really needed4 ,a faith in the unseen that is most in accordance with nature1 human intuitions1 sound philosophy1 and the ,word of ,god1 is the one after which all souls may rightfully seek4 ,next1 of the ,universalist creed1 let us understand that it is not only a theological affirmation1 but a constant teacher of the most thorough virtue1--a call to the purest1 highest1 and most heavenly life4 ,the ,universalist ,church needs nothing so much as to be vitalized by its spirit2 the world needs nothing more than this vitality for its present salvation4 #b4 ,and this leads us to speak1 briefly1 of the true ,christian life which this ,church should seek to commend to the world4 ,here is the ,apostle's direction which opens to us most clearly the practical influence of the faith of the gospel3 ,for the grace of ,god that bringeth salvation to all men hath appeared1 teaching us that1 denying ungodliness and worldly lusts1 we should live soberly1 righteously1 and godly in this present world4#fh ,it is the indwelling heavenly love1 the love which ,christianity is ever indicating and proving1 that will find its expression in the true ,christian believer4 ,it is the practical interpretation of that text from ,john1 ,we love him because he first loved us4#fi ,it is the faith with works1 proving its spiritual vitality4 ,it is at war with sin and wrong2 it comprehends the scriptural statement1 ,the fear of the ,lord is to hate evil4 ,and it realizes how evil is to be overcome and put away4 ,it aims to live here and now as it becomes the soul born of ,god to live1 soberly1 righteously1 godly4 ,what words more expressive of its life can be given8 ,they sum up the whole of the ,christian life4 ,this religion which the ,christian ,gospel recommends is reverential and worshipful4 ,the flippant inquiry of atheism of olden or modern time1 ,what is the ,almighty that we should pray to him or serve him8 it answers1 rationally and emphatically1 ,the ,lord he is ,god2 serve him with gladness2 for he is good1 his mercy is everlasting1 and his truth endureth to all generations4 ,worship is the natural utterance of the true believer as he looks upward to the ,father4 ,forms of worship are means by which his adoration finds expression4 ,monotony1 routine1 repetitions1 drony formality1 will not be in the offering1 for the reason that his whole soul is seeking ,god1 and finds the enjoyment of his holy presence and ineffable light4 ,this religion is affectional and emotional4 ,it is intellect awakened into love2 it is sober thought seeking most earnest expression2 it is logic on fire4 ,those who have no taste for the emotional in religion have only a partial conception of the most effective expression which the ,christian religion seeks1 and in which it may properly and profitably indulge4 ,the needy1 empty-souled1 impulsive world-masses are not to be reached and warmed1 uplifted and inspired1 by clearly exact and well-stated and well-worked-out theological problems4 ,the multiplication table is true1 and useful1 but we do not look for any spiritual inspiration in it4 ,the religion that has most blessed the world is a religion that appeals to and draws out the affections2 that1 while it repudiates imprudent zeal and fanaticism1 insists on that earnestness which everywhere meets us in the ,new ,testament ,gospels and apostolic records and epistles2 which reaches men's hearts and convinces them of their need of heavenly aid2 awakens the question asked by the converted soul1 ,lord1 what wilt thou have me to do8 and realizes the significance of those apostolic declarations1 ,be filled with the spirit1 speaking to yourselves in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs1 singing and making melody in your hearts unto ,god the ,lord2 giving thanks always for all things unto the ,father1 in the name of our ,lord ,jesus ,christ4 ,all this signifies living interest1 fervor of spirit1 emotional1 wakeful expression4 ,this religion is1 moreover1 eminently practical4 ,it is not only ready to say1 ,lord1 ,lord6 but to do the ,lord's work as well4 ,it forecloses this inconsiderate criticism sometimes heard1 ,why all this wordy demonstration and noise about religion8 ,good works are of a thousand times more avail2 the best religion is to do good4 ,true1 indeed1 and this is what ,christianity is constantly teaching4 ,no one taught it more forcibly than ,jesus himself4 ,the parable of the ,good ,samaritan is emphatic on this point1 that the reputed unbeliever who did good was worthy of more praise than the most punctilious professor of religion who was deficient in the essentials of the ,christian kingdom1--,justice1 ,mercy1 and ,love4 ,what doth it profit1 though a man say he have faith and have not works8 ,can faith save him8 ,for as the body without the spirit is dead1 so faith without works is dead also4#gj ,but good works do not exclude these other manifestations of the true religion4 ,these ought ye to have done1 and not to leave the other undone4 #c4 ,once more3 this religion is reformatory and progressive4 ,reformation and progress are words always indicative of the ,christian dispensation with man2 the call to holiness and the response to it1 growth in ,god's grace1 new achievements1--never resting in present attainments1 but ever striving with fresh inspiration for new accomplishments in the heavenly course4 ,most religions 7especially under the ,christian name7 have some of these characteristics2 but the religion nearest to that which ,christ taught and exemplified will have them all4 ,to secure the highest blessings of the ,christian kingdom1 the churches must be based on the principles1 and conform to the requirements1 of this kingdom4 ,the ,universalist ,church must4 ,its true prosperity has been and will be in accordance with its fidelity in this particular4 ,one of its earnest preachers of the present time has truly said3-- ,opinions as faith will never serve to build up any ,christian character4 ,there is not a saved soul in any paradise anywhere which was ever saved by any opinion4 ,it is only when opinions become faith--become rooted forces of the soul--that they have any effect4#ga ,it should have the ,christian missionary inspiration and action1 should open its eyes to the magnitude and glory of the missionary outlook which no faith short of that of ,christian ,universalism presents to every lover of this humanity now groaning in bondage1 and waiting for the manifestation of the sons of ,god4 ,it should rise to a new and grander conception than has been realized by those who have borne to souls in the darkness of heathenism the limited doctrines of human wisdom4 ,go ye ,,into ,,all ,,the ,,world1 and preach the ,gospel ,,to ,,every ,,creature4 ,to no other church in ,christendom does this great text of the ages speak more explicitly than to the ,universalist4 ,it has the truth of the ,human ,brotherhood1 which all the world should understand and embrace1 for which all heathendom is waiting1 and to which in the long run it will come if this favored church is true to its heavenly calling4 ,that it may be thus true1 it is not to deceive itself with any false ideas of the leavening process which is to go on in other churches1 while it is inclined to do the least and not the most to keep the leaven in healthy and constant operation4 ,when ,rev4 ,otis ,a4 ,skinner was canvassing ,new ,england to raise the first one hundred thousand dollars for ,tufts ,college1 he was met with such suggestions as this from certain ones who professed friendliness to the success of his movements3 ,is it really necessary to make this attempt to build a new college8 ,why not keep quiet1 and wait until the time comes when ,harvard ,college will fall into our hands8 ,supposing such short-sightedness and apathy had prevailed1 where would ,tufts ,college with all its benefits have been to-day8 ,universalists should be about their own church missionary business4 ,it is theirs1 and no others are called upon to do it for them4 ,dr4 ,edward ,beecher1 in his ,records of the ,church in the ,third ,century1--many of whose members were avowed believers in the final reconciliation of all souls1--states that they were among the most zealous and devoted ,christians of that age in personal piety and in active missionary labors4 ,they sent out the ,gospel to the remotest shores of the then known world4 ,here is the same world to be reached by the messengers of this very ,gospel to-day4 ,how shall they hear without a preacher8 and how shall they preach except they be sent8 ,no corner of the earth is exempt from the benefits of this message2 no means should be left unemployed to send it forth4 ,are ,universalists acquainted as they might be with the missionary work that has been already done by the other churches around them8 ,are they familiar with their reports and other publications involving the missionary enterprise1 showing what good they have accomplished in opening the ,christian ,scriptures and aiding a ,christian civilization in other lands8 ,do they realize that if these missionaries have propagated errors in theology1 they have cleared the way in part for a better dispensation of ,divine ,truth by the translations of the ,bible into other languages1 which they have made8 ,these are important considerations1 and ,universalists will do well to act upon them4 ,as the ,lord liveth1 the now open questions will one day be settled1 and settled on the side of the ,divine ,beneficence4 ,the love of ,god in ,christ has come into the world1 and will not go out of it until its work is here done2 love that is long-suffering1 that rejoiceth not in iniquity1 but rejoiceth in the truth2 that beareth1 believeth1 hopeth1 and endureth all things1 and that never faileth2 love that will bring the last lost one home1 that will obliterate all the hells1 and people all the heavens in the universe4 #ei ,these significant words of an advocate of ,universalism more than two centuries ago are in striking agreement with those of an advanced orthodox thinker of the present time4 ,it should never be forgotten that in the ,biblical philosophy of salvation the life of the individual is bound up with the life of the whole1 and reaches its fulness and completion only in the liberty for which the whole creation waits4--,the ,orthodox ,theology of ,to-day2 by ,rev4 ,newman ,smyth1 ,d4 ,d4 #fj ,article in the ,universalist ,quarterly1 for ,july1 #ahhb1 ,the ,divine ,responsibility1 by ,rev4 ,c4 ,w4 ,biddle4 #fa ,published opinions of the ,professors of ,andover ,theological ,seminary1 ,april #aj1 #ahhb4 #fb ,christian ,leader4 #fc ,rev4 ,a4 ,a4 ,miner1 ,d4 ,d4 #fd ,rom4 viii4 #ch4 #fe ,rev4 ,hosea ,ballou1 ,d4 ,d4 ,reply to ,dr4 ,hawes's ,arguments against ,universalism4 ,it was nearly a half-century ago that these words were written4 ,and now at this very time there comes this echo of them in confirmation of the truth of the prophecy3 ,little by little the pulpit shrinks from the medival theology4 ,ministers first gloss it by new interpretations1 then they prudently hold it in suspense1 then doubt it1 then cast it away4 ,rev4 ,h4 ,w4 ,beecher1 in ,north ,american ,review1 ,july1 #ahhb4 #ff ,oration of ,hon4 ,robert ,c4 ,winthrop at ,yorktown1 ,va41 ,october #ai1 #ahha4 #fg ,rev4 ,f4 ,b4 ,hornbrooke1 in ,unitarian ,review1 ,august1 #ahhb4 #fh ,titus1 ii4 #aa1 #ab4 #fi #a ,john1 iv4 #ai4 #gj ,james1 ii4 #ad1 #bf4 #ga ,rev4 ,james ,pullman1 ,d4 ,d4 ,university ,press3 ,john ,wilson and ,son1 ,cambridge4