,transcriber's ,notes3 ,text enclosed by underscores is in italics4 ,additional ,transcriber's ,notes are at the end4 99 99 99 99 99 ,,twenty-,,five ,,years ,,in ,,the ,,west4 ,,by ,,erasmus ,,manford ,,chicago3 ,e4 ,,manford1 ,,publisher4 #ahfg4 99 99 99 99 99 ,,to ,,my ,,christian ,,friends ,,in ,,the ,,west1 ,,with ,,whom ,i ,,have ,,lived ,,and ,,labored ,,many ,,years1 ,,this ,,volume ,,is ,,dedicated ,,the ,,author4 ,,contents4 ,,chapter ,i4 ,,page #i4 ,parentage and ,childhood2 8,lord0 ,timothy ,dexter2 ,at ,school2 ,in ,haverhill2 ,shoemaking2 ,early ,aspirations2 ,converted2 ,must be a ,minister2 ,on a ,plank2 ,attend ,school2 ,a ,long ,walk2 ,studies with ,j4 ,c4 ,waldo and ,dr4 ,cobb2 ,first ,preaching2 ,with ,w4 ,s4 ,balch2 ,first ,tour2 ,first ,debate2 ,came out ,second ,best2 ,talk with an ,englishman about ,american ,coarseness2 ,conversation on ,slavery2 ,in ,maryland2 ,talk with an ,episcopal ,clergyman concerning ,endless ,woe not being ,taught in the ,old ,testament2 ,traveling and ,preaching on the ,eastern ,shore2 ,return to ,baltimore2 ,a ,storm2 ,where ,truth ,flourishes and ,where it ,does ,not2 ,another ,location2 ,self and ,faith ,abused2 ,preach in ,harper's ,ferry1 ,charleston1 ,winchester1 ,va42 ,a ,hard ,battle2 ,cross the ,alleghany ,mountains4 ,,chapter ,,ii4 ,,page #cc4 ,in ,pittsburg2 ,s4 ,a4 ,davis1 ,wife and ,daughter2 ,the ,west2 ,preach in ,pennsylvania and ,ohio2 ,western ,reserve2 ,talk with a ,bigot2 ,conversation on a ,steamboat2 ,forbidden to ,preach2 ,grave ,creek2 ,a ,mound2 ,my ,study2 ,what is ,salvation8 ,proceedings in ,bainbridge2 ,mud2 ,in ,cincinnati2 ,general ,harrison2 ,in ,rising ,sun2 ,patriot2 ,preach in ,louisville1 ,ky42 ,e4 ,m4 ,pingree2 ,on the ,mississippi ,river2 ,preach in a ,steamboat2 ,in ,new ,orleans2 ,battle ,ground4 ,,chapter ,,iii4 ,,page #dg4 ,a ,sea ,voyage2 ,a ,meeting at ,sea2 ,tornado2 ,strange ,vessel2 ,in ,texas2 ,travel to ,houston2 ,hard ,fare2 ,the ,country2 ,sleeping on the ,ground2 ,very ,thirsty2 ,must have ,water2 ,colorado ,river2 ,sound ,asleep on its ,banks2 ,cross the ,river on ,logs2 ,corn ,cake2 ,a ,surprise2 ,in ,houston2 ,general ,houston2 ,the ,attorney-,general of ,texas2 ,san ,jacinto ,battle ,ground2 ,a ,pandemonium2 ,buck ,wheat ,cakes2 ,embark for ,new ,orleans2 ,a ,condemned ,vessel2 ,on ,allowance2 ,in ,new ,orleans2 ,a ,contrast2 ,ague and ,fever2 ,up the ,mississippi4 ,,chapter ,,iv4 ,,page #ee4 ,labors of ,e4 ,b4 ,mann2 ,n4 ,wadsworth2 ,owner of a ,horse2 ,preach in ,indiana and ,kentucky2 ,a ,profane ,life2 ,general ,clarke2 ,atheism2 ,the ,eyeless ,fish2 ,a ,presbyterian ,minister's ,wisdom2 ,no ,hell1 ,no ,heaven2 ,travel in ,ohio2 ,another ,preacher ,replies2 ,labors in ,dayton2 ,d4 ,r4 ,biddlecom2 ,george ,messenger2 ,r4 ,smith's ,somersault2 ,j4 ,a4 ,gurley2 ,george ,rogers2 ,start for ,indiana2 ,battle in ,harrison2 ,universalism an ,old ,doctrine1 and of ,god2 ,partialism an ,old ,doctrine1 but of ,satan2 ,grove ,meeting2 ,father ,st4 ,john3 ,badly ,treated2 ,john ,o',kane on his ,creed2 ,in ,indianapolis2 ,a4 ,longley2 ,a ,horse2 ,questioned by a ,methodist2 ,in ,terre ,haute2 ,very ,unpopular4 ,,chapter ,v4 ,,page #gd4 ,journey in ,ohio2 ,intemperance2 ,general ,baldwin2 ,in ,columbus2 ,death ,penalty2 ,how to ,deal with ,offenders2 ,preach in ,newark and ,zanesville2 ,hell ,discussed2 ,mrs4 ,frances ,d4 ,gage2 ,invited to ,settle in ,marietta2 ,w4 ,h4 ,jolly1 ,in ,chillicothe2 ,opposition in ,richmond2 --4 ,webber2 ,in ,kentucky2 ,dr4 ,chamberlin2 ,opposition in ,lexington2 ,is ,universalism ,infidelity8 ,a ,slanderous ,story by a ,d4,d42 ,in ,paris2 ,excursion to ,patriot2 ,a ,discussion2 ,daniel ,parker2 ,cure the ,ague2 ,good ,health4 ,,chapter ,,vi4 ,,page #hg4 ,a ,journey ,east2 ,talk with a ,baptist ,minister2 ,preach in ,delaware and ,centerville1 ,ohio2 ,w4 ,y4 ,emmett2 ,doors ,closed2 ,a4 ,bond2 ,a4 ,b4 ,grosh2 ,in ,new ,england2 ,on the ,sea2 ,a ,storm2 ,methodist ,preacher ,frightened2 ,blow the ,trumpet2 ,in ,philadelphia2 ,in ,delaware2 ,in ,pittsburg2 ,return to ,cincinnati2 ,go to ,chicago2 ,bad ,roads2 ,in ,richmond2 ,talk with a ,quaker2 ,a ,spirit ,returns to ,earth2 ,a ,spirit ,out of the ,body2 ,a ,strange ,sight2 ,preach in ,god's ,temple2 ,preach in ,chicago2 ,preach in ,joliet2 ,aaron ,kinney1 an ,early ,preacher2 ,bill of ,fare2 ,hard ,luck in ,magnolia2 ,why ,preach2 ,in ,hennepin2 ,political ,humbugs2 ,opposition in ,washington2 ,justice of ,god2 ,in ,pekin and ,tremont2 ,frozen2 ,a ,preacher ,replies4 ,,chapter ,,vii4 ,,page #ajc4 ,located in ,lafayette2 ,the ,christian ,teacher ,commenced2 ,a ,circuit2 ,society ,organized2 ,meeting-house ,built2 ,all ,alone2 ,conflict in ,frankfort2 ,old ,testament ,doctrine of ,punishment2 ,debate ,proposed in ,frankfort2 ,discussion in ,independence2 ,character of my ,sermons2 ,slander ,refuted2 ,debate in ,burlington2 ,endless ,woe2 ,some ,voting2 ,the ,use of ,discussion2 ,a ,traveler4 ,,chapter ,,viii4 ,,page #aai4 ,debate in ,lafayette2 ,die in ,adam2 ,alive in ,christ2 ,this ,world and ,world to ,come2 ,battle ,ground2 ,in ,monticello2 ,a ,reply2 ,a ,preacher ,whipped2 ,d4 ,vines2 ,s4 ,oyler2 ,i4 ,m4 ,westfall2 ,b4 ,f4 ,foster in ,indiana2 ,revival ,poetry2 ,ladoga ,camp-,meeting2 ,worship2 ,in ,michigan ,city2 ,an ,episcopal ,preacher2 ,a ,wet ,ride2 ,debate in ,dayton2 ,discussion in ,jefferson2 ,everlasting ,punishment2 ,end of the ,world2 ,second ,coming of ,christ2 ,eternal ,life2 ,meaning of ,everlasting4 ,,chapter ,,ix4 ,,page #adj4 ,questioned ,j4 ,o',kane in ,dayton2 ,he ,beat a ,retreat2 ,he ,replied in ,crawfordsville2 ,three ,resurrections1 ,national1 ,moral1 and ,immortal2 ,conversation in ,west ,lebanon2 ,everlasting1 ,forever2 ,kingdom of ,god2 ,sin1 ,error1 ,suffering not ,endless2 ,in ,southern ,indiana2 ,why ,live a ,christian ,life8 ,bigotry in ,breckenridge2 ,discussion with ,mr4 ,dickerson2 ,calvinism2 ,arminianism2 ,universalism2 ,debate in ,chambersburg4 ,,chapter ,x4 ,,page #afa4 ,move to ,terre ,haute2 ,lecture in ,fort ,wayne2 ,a ,discussion ,there2 ,dr4 ,thompson2 ,visit ,illinois2 ,opposition2 ,discussion in ,charleston2 ,prayed ,for2 ,called ,infidel2 ,debate in ,green ,castle2 ,conditions of ,salvation2 ,god's ,will2 ,all are ,spirits2 ,form of the ,teacher ,changed2 ,j4 ,burt and ,j4 ,h4 ,jordan1 ,editors2 ,oliver ,cromwell2 ,foundation of ,character2 ,in ,many ,places2 ,a ,celebration2 ,meeting in the ,rain2 ,fourth of ,july ,celebration2 ,debate in ,martinsville4 ,,chapter ,,xi4 ,,page #agb4 ,journey into ,northern ,illinois2 ,temperance ,lecture2 ,result of ,temperate ,drinking2 ,married2 ,homeward ,bound2 ,high ,waters2 ,difficult ,traveling2 ,trouble in ,crossing ,streams2 ,a ,cold ,bath2 ,end of the 8,bridal ,tour02 ,a ,hard ,ride2 ,debate with ,e4 ,kingsbury2 ,in ,northern ,indiana2 ,conversation with an ,indian2 ,dark ,man and ,dark ,night2 ,explanation of ,hebrews ix4 #bg1 #bh2 ,end of the ,world2 ,the ,earth and ,man4 ,,chapter ,,xii4 ,,page #aic4 ,discussion in ,franklin2 ,justice of ,god2 ,what the ,gospel ,is2 ,society ,organized2 ,discourse on ,total ,depravity2 ,conversation with a ,presbyterian ,minister on ,christian ,rewards2 ,talk with a ,catholic2 ,a ,methodist2 ,a ,presbyterian2 ,a ,campbellite2 ,salvation2 ,a ,mormon ,sermon2 ,reply to ,it2 ,a ,journey to ,louisville and ,cincinnati4 ,,chapter ,,xiii4 ,,page #bac4 ,move to ,indianapolis2 ,extensive ,traveling2 ,henry ,ward ,beecher2 ,a ,fossiled ,calvinist2 ,supposed to be an ,orthodox ,preacher2 ,debate in ,new ,philadelphia2 ,strife ,between the ,north and ,south2 ,the ,old ,convention ,dead2 ,the ,new ,convention ,organized2 ,discussion in ,springfield1 ,ill42 ,abraham ,lincoln2 ,god is ,love2 ,is ,merciful2 ,is ,just2 ,is ,holy2 ,travel in ,illinois2 ,conversation with a ,presbyterian ,clergyman on the ,origin of ,hell2 ,in ,iowa ,city1 and ,other ,places in ,iowa2 ,home ,again2 ,w4 ,j4 ,chaplin2 ,discussion with ,benjamin ,franklin2 ,debate in ,covington2 ,discussion with ,mr4 ,russell2 ,publish the 8,one ,hundred and ,fifty ,reasons02 ,review of 8,universalism ,against ,itself02 ,publish ,another ,book2 ,olive ,branch ,discontinued2 ,travel ,far and ,near4 ,,chapter ,,xiv4 ,,page #bca4 ,conclude to go to ,st4 ,louis2 ,commence the ,golden ,era2 ,association in ,crawfordsville2 ,debate in ,dayton2 ,man in ,god's ,image2 ,god the ,father of ,all2 ,man ,immortal2 ,man a ,spirit2 ,high ,waters2 ,in ,st4 ,louis2 ,why ,moved to ,st4 ,louis2 ,but ,few ,friends2 ,first ,journey in ,missouri2 ,wet1 ,hungry1 ,out in the ,cold2 ,in ,troy2 ,in ,ashley2 ,four ,brothers2 ,in ,louisiana2 ,opposition in ,london2 ,in ,hannibal2 ,good ,friends2 ,questioned in ,palmyra ,about ,slavery2 ,conversation on ,judgment2 ,in ,memphis2 ,questioned2 ,a ,presbyterian ,preacher ,replied2 ,was to ,debate in ,newark2 ,covered with ,ice2 ,missouri ,river2 ,discussion in ,georgetown2 ,in ,southern ,missouri2 ,questioned in ,warsaw2 ,in ,jefferson ,city2 ,hard ,work in ,danville2 ,return to ,st4 ,louis4 ,,chapter ,,xv4 ,,page #bea4 ,the ,golden ,era ,issued ,semi-,monthly2 ,the ,missourians2 ,slave ,holders2 ,travel in ,southern ,missouri2 ,if ,endless ,woe is ,true all ,nature would ,weep2 ,region of ,iron2 ,dunkards in ,millersville2 ,in ,southern ,illinois2 ,philosophy of ,christ ,being the ,savior of the ,world2 ,refuse to ,debate2 ,discussion in ,carlyle2 ,inspiration2 ,our ,name2 ,partialism ,approaches ,infidelity2 ,three ,downward ,steps2 ,reply to a ,sermon2 ,hayne's ,sermon2 ,mr4 ,lewis ,debating on his ,knees2 ,written ,discussions with two ,methodist ,ministers2 ,in ,northern ,missouri2 ,a ,preacher ,replies2 ,a ,log ,cabin2 ,talk with a ,slave2 ,thomas ,abbott2 ,negroes ,hung2 ,the ,golden ,era2 ,mrs4 ,manford ,lecturing2 ,let ,woman ,work2 ,a ,circuit in ,missouri2 ,travel in ,cold ,weather2 ,debate in ,quincy4 ,,chapter ,,xvi4 ,,page #bgg4 ,the ,golden ,era2 ,extensive ,traveling2 ,in ,missouri and ,kansas2 ,talk with a ,deist in ,jefferson ,city2 ,moses2 ,the ,prophets2 ,replied to in ,pisgah2 ,talk with a ,rum-seller2 ,in ,kansas ,city2 ,in ,wyandotte2 ,conversation with a ,clergyman ,concerning ,christ and his ,work2 ,lectured in ,leavenworth2 ,destruction of ,man's ,enemies2 ,in ,st4 ,joseph2 ,the ,mercy of ,god2 ,in ,kingston2 ,rich ,man and ,lazarus4 ,,chapter ,,xvii4 ,,page #bic4 ,the ,rebellion ,commenced2 ,what ,senator ,douglas ,said2 ,defenders of our ,country2 ,camp ,jackson2 ,rebel ,flag2 ,great ,expectations2 ,subscribers ,lost2 ,money ,lost2 ,all but ,two of the ,religious ,journals ,stopped2 ,could do but ,little in ,missouri2 ,society in ,st4 ,louis2 ,g4 ,s4 ,weaver ,left2 ,the ,unitarian ,society2 ,published ,pamphlet on ,water ,baptism2 ,discussion with ,b4 ,h4 ,smith2 ,extracts from the ,discussion4 ,,chapter ,,xviii4 ,,page #cae4 ,discussion in ,pontiac2 ,the ,apostle's ,faith2 ,his ,argument in ,romans2 ,extensive ,traveling2 ,in ,kansas and ,missouri2 ,price's ,raid2 ,in ,ohio and ,indiana2 ,dark ,night and ,walk in ,toledo2 ,conversation on ,destructionism2 ,the ,victory2 ,the ,death2 ,president ,lincoln2 ,debate in ,milford1 ,ohio2 ,the ,restitution an old ,doctrine2 ,the ,sentiment ,wide ,spread2 ,at ,work in ,iowa2 ,laborers ,there2 ,murderers ,saved and the ,murdered ,lost2 ,intellectual and ,moral ,growth2 ,what ,man ,was2 ,what ,he is to ,be2 ,the ,victory2 ,spiritualism2 ,immoral ,preaching2 ,saved ,without ,repentance2 ,preaching a ,means of ,salvation2 ,a ,methodist ,minister ,believes2 ,the ,suicide4 ,,chapter ,,xix4 ,,page #cdf4 ,last ,campaign2 ,in ,galesburg1 ,ill42 ,the ,united ,states ,convention2 ,lombard ,university2 ,other ,schools2 ,journey to ,missouri2 ,in ,macon ,city2 ,in ,brookfield2 ,st4 ,joseph and ,other ,cities2 ,grove ,meeting2 ,on the ,missouri ,bottom2 ,beautiful ,country2 ,preach in ,fillmore and many other ,places2 ,return ,home2 ,anti-,orthodox ,preaching2 ,funeral ,sermons2 ,death2 ,life2 ,conclusion4 ,,chapter ,i4 ,,parentage ,,and ,,childhood--,,lord ,,timothy ,,dexter--,,at ,,school--,,in ,,haverhill--,,shoemaking--,,early ,,aspirations--,,converted--,,must ,,be ,a ,,minister--,,on ,a ,,plank--,,attends ,,school--,a ,,long ,,walk--,,studies ,,with ,j4 ,c4 ,,waldo ,,and ,,dr4 ,,cobb--,,first ,,preaching--,,with ,w4 ,s4 ,,balch--,,first ,,tour--,,first ,,debate--,,comes ,,out ,,second ,,best--,,talk ,,with ,,an ,,englishman ,,about ,,american ,,coarseness--,,conversation ,,on ,,slavery--,,in ,,maryland--,,talk ,,with ,,an ,,episcopal ,,clergyman ,,concerning ,,endless ,,woe ,,not ,,being ,,taught ,,in ,,the ,,old ,,testament--,,traveling ,,and ,,preaching ,,on ,,the ,,eastern ,,shore--,,returns ,,to ,,baltimore--,a ,,storm--,,where ,,truth ,,flourishes ,,and ,,where ,,it ,,does ,,not--,,another ,,location--,,self ,,and ,,faith ,,abused--,,preaches ,,in ,,harpers ,,ferry1 ,,charleston1 ,,winchester1 ,,va4--,a ,,hard ,,battle--,,crosses ,,the ,,alleghany ,,mountains4 ,having been often solicited1 by my friends1 to publish an account of my travels and labors in the ,west1 after much hesitation and doubt1 ,i have concluded to accede to their wishes4 ,but before doing so1 ,i will say a little about my early life4 ,newburyport1 ,mass41 is my native place4 ,my father1 whose full name ,i bear1 was from ,denmark2 my mother from ,amsterdam1 ,holland4 ,i was the first born of a family of three boys1 one of whom1 ,frederick1 many years since passed the way of all the earth4 ,the other1 ,james1 resides in ,texas4 ,my father was a sailor1 and was lost at sea in a terrific storm1 when ,i was seven years old4 ,i have a faint recollection of seeing him two or three times1 and the only memento ,i have of him1 is a large pitcher he had manufactured in ,liverpool with his name and the picture of a ship on one side1 and my mother's maiden name and a picture representing ,liberty1 ,peace and ,independence1 on the opposite side4 ,my mother was left in indigent circumstances1 with not a relative in the ,new ,world1 save her three helpless boys4 ,she married some years after my father's death1 and resided till her death1 which took place two years since1 in ,princeton1 ,mass4 ,i have then a father1 mother and one brother on the other side of the river1 and one brother on this side1 and not many years can elapse ere the whole family will be reunited in the land beyond the flood4 ,i well remember the spot where all of us once lived1 although ,i have not been in ,newburyport for thirty years4 ,it was on ,high street1 between the ,court ,house and the residence of 8,lord0 ,timothy ,dexter4 ,to me1 that street seemed a paradise1 and it was1 and still is1 a magnificent thoroughfare4 ,it is on high ground1 runs parallel with the ,merrimac river1 overlooks the harbor1 and is bordered with rows of grand trees1 with fine residences embowered in lawns and flower gardens4 ,in this charming locality1 ,i spent the first decade of my life4 ,here ,i ran1 played1 and frolicked with my brothers1 and other little associates4 ,the ,mall around the ,court ,house1 the pond in the rear1 and a neighboring cemetery1 were places of frequent resort4 ,on ,sunday1 ,i attended ,dr4 ,morse's church1 where1 ,i am told1 ,i was christened by the good doctor1 who was an ,episcopalian4 ,but the bud came near being suddenly blasted4 ,an old-fashioned cent which ,i put into my mouth1 slipped down my throat1 and was extracted with much difficulty4 ,i distinctly remember the circumstance4 ,when the copper was taken out1 blood flowed copiously from my mouth4 ,my poor mother was much frightened1 and ,i suffered for a short time severely4 ,if my father had lived1 ,i should probably have been a sailor4 ,he was first mate of the ship in which he made his last and fatal voyage1 and was to have been promoted to captain on his return4 ,i have ever loved the sea1 and a ship is a thing of beauty in my eye4 ,but it was written that the solid earth1 not the treacherous deep1 should be the field of my operations4 ,one word about ,lord ,timothy1 just referred to4 ,he was a very eccentric man1 had many soft spots on his head1 but knew enough to accumulate a large fortune4 ,he built a magnificent residence1 which he adorned in a very extravagant manner1 with sculpture and pictures4 ,he was very vain of his house and wealth4 ,it is said that a stranger1 passing his house1 was attentively observing it1 when ,dexter1 who was sitting at a window1 remarked3 8,do you not think this is paradise80 8,i should10 replied the man1 8if ,i did not see the devil at the window40 ,he was dubbed 8,lord0 for his vanity and ostentation1 and the title delighted him as much as 8,corsica0 prefixed to ,boswell1 delighted the well known biographer of that name4 ,i commenced attending school at an early age1 but have no pleasant memories of school-hours in my native town4 ,my teacher would read a chapter in the ,bible1 and make a long prayer every morning1 and then whip and pound his pupils till the time for his evening devotions4 ,if ,i escaped a day without two or three hard thrashings1 ,i deemed myself very fortunate1 and ,i think ,i was as dutiful as school boys generally were of my age4 ,he was doubtless a believer in total depravity1 and was sure that nothing but blows and knocks would make a good impression on our corrupt hearts4 ,from my tenth to my eighteenth year1 ,i resided in ,haverhill1 ,mass41 with ,s4 ,george4 ,he was a farmer and shoemaker--made shoes in the winter1 and tilled the soil summers1 and ,i worked on his farm and in his shop1 except winters1 when ,i attended school4 ,i remember my first attempt at horseback riding4 ,i went to live with him in the spring1 and he soon put me on a horse to ride when ploughing corn4 ,the beast was contrary and spirited4 ,he would go like jehu a few rods1 and then stop short1 and ,i would go over his head on to the ground4 ,but ,i was as spunky as the horse1 and would scramble up1 and tell ,mr4 ,g4 to put me on again4 ,i was always eager to remount the beast1 although he threw me twenty times a day4 ,since then1 ,i have rode over the ,western country horseback1 and consider myself a good horseman4 ,i have said ,i worked in ,mr4 ,g4's shoe shop2 yes1 and learned to make cheap shoes1 but always despised the business1 and never more than half learned the trade4 ,my aspiration was to be a merchant4 ,oh1 if ,i could only be a merchant how happy ,i would be6 ,i dreamed1 and planned1 and built air-castles--would weep over my 8lapstone10 for being doomed to work at that hateful trade4 ,when ,i was about sixteen years old1 the ,boston ,trumpet1 a ,universalist paper1 published by ,thomas ,whittemore1 led me to look into ,universalism1 for up to that time ,i knew nothing of its principles or history4 ,mr4 ,george's family1 and all my associates1 attended the ,congregational church in the neighborhood1 and no body seemed to call in question the infallibility of the sermons we heard every ,sunday4 ,but the ,trumpet opened a new world to my view1 changed all my aspirations1 and ,i was really born again4 ,i thought no more of being a merchant--that seemed a contemptible calling1--but must be a preacher4 ,i devoured the paper1 read the ,bible1 and had many hard fought battles with my comrades4 ,i loved them1 loved the world1 and was sure1 if ,i could get the ears of mankind1 ,i could convert all nations and people4 ,the world seemed to be a musical instrument1 tuning the praises of its almighty ,author4 ,thomas ,farnsworth was then preaching in ,haverhill1 four miles from where ,i resided1 and ,i called on him several times1 and he urged me to prepare for the ministry1 but ,i never intimated to him that ,i had such an intention4 ,i kept that to myself4 ,i was always fond of reading1 and my new faith quickened my love for it4 ,i perused religious books1 romance1 history1 but poetry was especially my delight4 ,i remember with what enthusiasm ,i read portions of ,dr4 ,young's 8,night ,thoughts40 ,his grand and solemn thoughts and diction stirred my soul to its lowest depths4 ,i even wrote what ,i called 8poetry10 but ,i am thankful that none of it survives4 ,i have never attempted the 8divine art0 since those early days1 although phrenologists tell me ,i ought to be something of a poet1 as my 8ideality0 is large4 ,when in ,haverhill1 ,i came near losing my life4 ,i never could swim1 but with a plank three feet long1 one end pressing against my body1 ,i could paddle far from shore into deep water1 without any fear4 ,on one occasion1 when indulging in one of my aqueous excursions1 while in deep water1 a comrade1 who was ignorant of my helpless condition when off the plank1 took it from me1 when down ,i went1 but by the aid of other boys ,i reached the shore1 and ,i never went into deep water again on my frail craft4 ,in my boyhood1 ,i was subject to violent attacks of colic and sick headache1 but otherwise my health was good4 ,my physical frame was small and of fine texture1 and consequently ,i was not very strong1 and could not cope with boys generally of my age in athletic exercises4 ,when ,i was eighteen years old1 ,i left old ,haverhill1 and repaired to ,princeton1 where ,i attended school one year1 and made considerable progress in ,english branches4 ,but my purse being nearly empty1 ,i was obliged to replenish it before ,i could further prosecute my studies2 and having no one to aid me1 ,i went to ,boston1 hoping something would there turn up in my favor4 ,i knew no one in that city1 and no one knew me1 and soon became satisfied ,i had better try my fortune elsewhere4 ,i noticed in a city paper1 that school teachers were wanted in ,eastern ,new ,york1 and ,i resolved to go there and seek a school1 although ,i had only three dollars in my pocket1 and it was one hundred and eighty miles to the place of destination2 but my empty purse did not prevent my making the journey4 ,on foot and alone1 ,i traveled the whole distance4 ,although my feet were sore1 and my bones and muscles ached1 ,i pursued my weary march1 and finally reached the neighborhood of ,bethlehem--,i think that was the name of the place4 ,i found myself in the midst of a ,german settlement1 with a people of unknown tongue1 and of manners and customs all new to me4 ,i remained there but a few days1 became distressingly homesick1 and resolved to return to ,boston4 ,repaired to ,albany1 where ,i sold my watch to pay traveling expenses1 went on a steamboat to ,new-,york city1 and from thence to ,boston by sea4 ,this was my first tour2 this was the beginning of my ramblings1 but it was rather an unpropitious beginning4 ,when ,i went on this school-hunting expedition1 my intention was1 after securing a school1 to devote my leisure hours to study1 and if opportunity offered1 to speak occasionally in public1 and thereby prepare myself for what ,i deemed the chief business of my life4 ,but that ,dutch ,bethlehem broke up all my calculations1 and ,i returned disgusted1 but not discouraged4 ,in a few days ,i walked out to ,lynn1 the great shoe manufacturing town of ,new ,england1 where nearly all the men1 women and children are shoemakers1 and recommenced cobbling1 earning enough to defray current expenses1 and continued my studies4 ,j4 ,c4 ,waldo was then pastor of the ,universalist church in ,lynn1 and ,i soon introduced myself to him1 and made known my intentions of preparing for the ministry1 and he kindly offered me the use of his books1 and such instruction as ,i might need in prosecuting my object4 ,i remained in ,l4 six months1 working1 reading and writing1 when ,mr4 ,waldo advised me to go to ,malden1 and study with ,sylvanus ,cobb4 ,to ,malden ,i repaired1 and made arrangements with ,mr4 ,c4 to reside in his family1 and devote all my time to study4 ,a new era in my life had now opened1 and my hopes were buoyant4 ,i could give all my time and thought to study1 and ,i made the best use of my advantages4 ,mr4 ,cobb was a prominent man in the denomination1 an able minister1 a fair scholar1 and consequently well qualified to give instruction4 ,to that excellent man1 and his accomplished lady1 ,i am under great and lasting obligations4 8,i was a stranger and they took me in40 ,may ,god ever bless them4 ,they now reside in ,boston4 ,mr4 ,cobb1 or rather1 ,dr4 ,cobb1 for he is now a ,d4 ,d41 for many years published the ,christian ,freeman1 is the author of a ,commentary on the ,new ,testament1 and of several other useful books4 ,his son1 ,sylvanus ,cobb1 ,jr41 who is a well known literary writer1 was a boy when ,i was in ,mr4 ,c4's family1 and the twins1 ,cyrus and ,darius1 now ministers1 and who fought for the ,stars and ,stripes1 during the late rebellion1 were born while ,i was a member of the household4 ,he had three other students while ,i was with him--,a4 ,p4 ,cleverly1 ,g4 ,hastings1 and ,c4 ,s4 ,hussey4 ,we had fine times2 we talked1 read1 wrote and declaimed4 ,when we wanted to ventilate our logic1 we repaired to a neighboring grove1 where we made the welkin ring with our eloquence4 8,the ,orthodox10 said ,a4 ,p4 ,cleverly1 on one of these occasions1 8will come to you with their creed in one hand1 and damnation in the other1 and say to you1 take this or take that1 but one of them you must and shall have40 ,on ,monday we generally went to ,boston1 two miles distant1 and at the ,trumpet office would usually see ,hosea ,ballou1 ,h4 ,ballou1 #b;d1 ,walter ,balfour1 ,thomas ,whittemore1 ,sabastian ,streeter1 ,henry ,bacon1 ,t4 ,b4 ,thayer1 all noted men1 but most of them are now dwellers of the spirit land4 ,the departed did a noble work on earth1 and long will they be remembered4 8,blessed are the dead that die in the ,lord40 ,when ,i had been with ,mr4 ,cobb about three months1 he went to the state of ,maine1 and left me to preach for him one ,sabbath4 ,my heart jumped when the first bell on ,sunday morning told me to prepare for my first pulpit services2 but ,i went through the exercises of the day without much embarrassment4 ,my texts were3 8,god is love0--8,they hated me without a cause40 ,when ,mr4 ,c4 returned1 he seemed well satisfied with my effort1 for he had heard his friends speak of it1 and gave me words of encouragement4 ,while with him1 ,i preached in ,lynn1 ,haverhill1 and several other places1 but devoted most of my time to hard study4 ,after being with ,mr4 ,cobb six months1 ,i put myself under the instruction of ,william ,s4 ,balch1 then residing in ,claremont1 ,n4 ,h41 and pastor of the church in that place4 ,i found him to be a noble man and shall ever remember his many acts of kindness with gratitude4 ,although ,i was in his family1 and received his instruction most of the time during six months1 he would receive no compensation4 ,he now resides in ,galesburg1 ,ill41 and although years are pressing hard upon him1 he is as faithful in the discharge of his ministerial duties as when in early manhood4 ,when with him1 ,i took my first preaching tour1 and had my first debate4 ,i went up the ,connecticut river into ,canada1 and preached in most of the towns on both sides of the river4 ,i performed the journey on foot1 and must have walked about two hundred miles4 ,in one town where ,i had an appointment1 a ,methodist minister had one at the same place and hour4 ,we both met in the pulpit4 ,he did not wish to speak1 as he was unwell1 he said1 and desired me to occupy the time4 ,i objected1 for ,i was afraid of him2 but as he insisted that ,i should go ahead1 ,i delivered my discourse4 ,my text was3 8,for if the word spoken by angels was steadfast1 and every transgression and disobedience received a just recompense of reward1 how shall we escape if we neglect so great a salvation which at the first was spoken by the ,lord1 and confirmed unto us by them that heard him40 ,heb4 ii4 #b1 #c4 ,as soon as ,i was through1 he seemed to be well enough1 took my text1 and made a long reply to my feeble effort4 ,he handled me rather rough1 but ,i did the best ,i could in the way of a rejoinder1 but felt that ,i had come out second best4 ,it was not manly in him1 an experienced preacher1 to attack a boy as he did2 but ,i suppose he had rather encounter a boy than a man4 ,soon after returning from this journey1 ,i noticed a statement by ,otis ,a4 ,skinner1 a minister in ,baltimore1 ,md41 in one of our denominational papers1 that several young men were wanted to preach in ,maryland1 and ,mr4 ,balch advised me to go there4 ,heeding his advice1 ,i went by stage across the ,green ,mountains to ,albany1 thence to ,new-,york4 ,in the latter place1 ,i had the following conversation with an ,englishman1 right from his foggy island3 8,i do not like this country10 said he4 8,why not80 ,i inquired4 8,i have many reasons4 ,one is1 the people are not refined enough4 ,i did not encounter as much coarseness during the thirty years ,i lived in ,england1 as ,i have in this country the past six months40 8,you have been very unfortunate in the company you have kept4 ,there are coarse people in all countries1 and a man can eat and sleep with them all his lifetime if he chooses4 ,but that there are more coarse people in this country than in ,england1 ,i am sure is an error4 ,but what do you mean by coarseness80 8,i mean that the peasants do not pay proper respect to gentlemen40 8,yes1 yes2 ,i understand you4 ,why1 sir1 we have no peasants in this country2 all are gentlemen40 8,i abhor such a democratic notion4 ,only see how rudely your people talk about the ,president of the ,united ,states4 ,he is called ,mr4 ,jackson1 ,old ,jackson1 ,old ,hickory4 ,in ,europe1 we call the king1 ,his ,majesty4 ,don't you see the difference80 8,i see the difference4 ,the people of this country have little respect for titles1 and ,i am thankful for it2 but they have great respect for man2 so much that they deem every man a sovereign2 and ,i hope they will never make such fools of themselves as to single out one of their number1 perhaps the biggest gump in the land1 and bow down and worship him1 and like cringing slaves1 call him #8,his ,majesty4' ,god only is worthy the title of ,majesty40 ,in the cars near ,baltimore1 ,i had some conversation with a lawyer1 concerning slavery4 8,are you going ,south80 he inquired4 8,to ,maryland4 ,am from the ,east1 and was never as far south or west before40 8,as you are going into a slave-holding state1 ,i should like to know your views of slavery40 8,in principle ,i think it is wrong2 but ,i know little of its practical effects4 ,i shall be better able to judge of it practically at some future time40 8,morally ,i regard it wrong2 nearly all the ,southern people so view it4 ,but that slavery is a benefit to the blacks1 there can be no doubt4 ,as an evidence of this1 contrast the condition of the negroes in ,africa with their condition in the ,southern states4 ,in this country they are far better off than their brethren are in ,africa40 8,they doubtless are in some respects1 but ,i am not sure that slavery has improved them4 ,living in this country1 and associating1 to some extent1 with a superior race1 has improved them2 but ,i cannot admit that slavery has done it4 ,you admit slavery to be an evil1 and we have the best authority for asserting1 that an evil tree cannot produce good fruit4 ,it seems to me that you condemn slavery in principle and practice when you admit it to be an evil4 ,what effect do you think it has on the whites80 8,decidedly a beneficial effect4 ,there is more refinement and high-toned character in the slave states than in the free states4 ,the people in the ,south have leisure to cultivate the better sentiments of their nature40 8,i repeat1 you must be mistaken4 ,if slavery is a upas tree--is an evil as you admit--it cannot produce such heavenly fruit4 ,it is not true that the ,southern people are more intelligent1 moral and refined than the ,eastern people4 ,statistics1 from which there can be no appeal1 show that there are more school houses1 academies1 colleges and meeting houses in the ,east1 than in the ,south1 in proportion to the population4 ,there are more persons in ,virginia1 the best of the slave states1 who cannot read or write1 than there are in six of the most ,eastern states4 ,facts are against you40 ,i proceeded to ,baltimore1 and ,s4 ,p4 ,skinner1 who afterwards resided1 preached and published the ,new ,covenant1 in ,chicago1 advised me to go to the eastern shore of ,maryland4 ,this portion of the state1 and part of ,delaware1 lies between the ,chesapeake and ,delaware bays4 ,most of this neck of land is level and sandy1 having been1 at a comparatively recent period1 reclaimed from the sea4 ,went in a small vessel to ,centerville4 ,while running down1 ,i had some conversation1 on religious subjects1 with an ,episcopal clergyman4 8,the doctrine of endless punishment is taught in the ,old ,testament40 8,that is your opinion1 but some of the wisest and most learned men of your school differ from you4 ,i will read some extracts from their writings on this subject4 ,your ,bishop ,warburton1 in his ,divine ,legation of ,moses1 says3--#8,in the ,jewish ,republic1 both the rewards and punishments promised by heaven were temporal only4 ,such as health1 long life1 peace1 plenty1 and dominion1 etc4 ,disease1 premature death1 war1 famine1 want1 subjections1 and captivity1 etc4 ,and in no one place in the ,mosaic ,institutes is there the least mention1 or any intelligible hint1 of the rewards and punishments of another life4' 8,milman1 in his ,history of the ,jews1 testifies thus3--#8,the sanction on which the ,hebrew ,law was founded is extraordinary4 ,the lawgiver 7,moses7 maintains a profound silence on that fundamental article1 if not of political1 at least of religious legislation--rewards and punishments in another life4 ,he substituted temporal chastisements and temporal blessings4 ,on the violation of the constitution followed inevitably blighted harvests1 famine1 pestilence1 defeat1 captivity2 on its maintenance1 abundance1 health1 fruitfulness1 victory1 independence4 ,how wonderfully the event verified the prediction of the inspired legislator6 how invariably apostasy led to adversity--repentance and reformation to prosperity6' 8,dr4 ,paley1 another great man of your church1 admits the same3--#8,this 7,mosaic7 dispensation dealt in temporal rewards and punishments4 ,in the #bhth of ,deuteronomy you find ,moses1 with prodigious solemnity1 pronouncing the blessings and cursings which awaited the children of ,israel under the dispensation to which they were called4 ,and you will observe1 that these blessings consisted altogether of worldly benefits1 and these curses of worldly punishments4' 8,jahn1 the best of authority says3--#8,we have not authority1 therefore1 decidedly to say1 that any other motives were held out to the ancient ,hebrews to pursue good and avoid evil1 than those which were derived from the rewards and punishments of this life4' 8,this is the testimony of able and learned men who have made the ,bible their life-study4 ,notwithstanding they believed in eternal woe1 they candidly admit that it is not taught by the great ,lawgiver1 ,moses1 or the prophets40 8,they do seem to think that doctrine is not taught in the ,old ,testament1 and ,i admit their judgment is entitled to much respect4 ,i will look into the subject40 8,i am glad to hear you express such a purpose4 ,and ,i am sure that you will agree with those wise men1 after a careful examination4 ,if they are correct1 and the dogma in question is true1 is it not amusing that the ,old ,testament writers say nothing about it8 ,if they had believed in eternal punishment1 they surely would have spoken of it in distinct terms1 and warned their countrymen of their danger4 ,you believe in ceaseless woe1 and you preach it faithfully1 earnestly4 ,you are right2 you act according to your convictions4 ,and were ,moses and the prophets less faithful and earnest8 ,but they did not speak of it1 and the inference is1 they had no faith in the doctrine4 ,but1 sir1 if that dogma is true1 would not ,god have forced those inspired men to proclaim it to a dying world8 ,would ,god have permitted the ,jews to be ignorant of so important a matter8 ,what6 thousands of immortal spirits daily dropping into a fiery gulf1 and not a word of warning given8 have no intimation of such a place till they find themselves in its fathomless vortex8 ,believe this who can1 ,i cannot40 ,i spent six months in this part of ,maryland1 traveling and preaching all the time4 ,my head-quarters were at ,salisbury1 and from thence ,i went east1 west1 north and south1 sometimes on foot1 and sometimes on horseback4 ,the liberal faith ,i advocated was almost totally unknown in that region4 ,o4 ,a4 ,skinner1 who had resided in ,baltimore1 once traveled through there1 and delivered a few discourses1 but ,i found not more than a dozen persons1 who knew or cared any thing about liberal christian sentiments4 ,it was any thing but a favorable field for one so young and inexperienced as ,i was1 to operate in4 ,i was tired of traveling1 and desired to settle where ,i could devote my time to two or three places1 that ,i might have an opportunity to study1 for ,i well knew my literary needs1 and as such arrangements could not be effected in that region1 ,i resolved to try some other locality4 ,that my well intended labors had much effect1 is more than ,i can affirm1 as ,i have heard but little of the religious sentiments of the people since ,i left there4 ,much of the ,eastern ,shore is a very poor country1 and were it not for the fish and oysters that abound in ,chesapeake bay1 part of that region would be an uninhabited desert1 at least1 till the soil was improved1 for the farmers in those days merely scratched over the ground1 and exhausted it more and more every year4 ,slave labor and scratch culture1 ,i have observed1 generally go together4 ,and1 ,i think it is a fact1 that poor soil1 unless there are counteracting causes1 such as commerce and manufacturing1 produces weak heads and sterile hearts2 and it is also a fact1 that the rich sentiments of our faith will not flourish permanently in physical or moral deserts4 ,the apostles of our ,lord spread the gospel among the ignorant and brutal nations of the earth1 but how soon was it corrupted4 ,their 8darkness comprehended it not10 and there was soon developed a wretched compound of light and darkness1 error and truth1 sin and virtue1 life and death1 heaven and hell1 and this compound corresponded with the intellectual and moral culture of the people4 ,since ,luther's day1 the process of disintegration has been going on1 and it will1 ,i trust1 continue till the dross shall be all separated from the gold1 and the former burned with unquenchable fire4 ,i returned to ,baltimore in ,december1 #ahcf4 ,encountered a terrific storm on the ,bay1 which came near sending the vessel and all on board to the bottom4 ,it raged during a bitter cold night1 the wind was directly ahead1 and most every wave swept the deck fore and aft4 ,the owner was on board1 the steersman was his negro slave1 and he stood to his post like a man the whole of that boisterous and cold night4 ,in the morning we anchored in a sheltered situation1 and during the day reached ,baltimore4 ,spent several weeks traveling and preaching in the vicinity of the city1 and from thence went to ,hagerstown1 ,md41 which ,i made my home for six months4 ,samuel ,a4 ,davis had labored in the vicinity some time previous1 as a missionary1 but receiving little encouragement1 had moved to ,pittsburg1 ,pa4 ,i preached in ,hagerstown1 ,woodville1 ,frederick1 ,sharpsburg1 and many other places1 in many of which ,i was the first to proclaim our beautiful faith1 and encountered all sorts of opposition4 ,our ministers who have always labored where our cause is well established1 have no idea of the mean and contemptible opposition a laborer encounters in a new field1 where hardly any one knows any thing of our faith or its history4 ,at the close of a sermon ,i delivered in ,frederick1 a clergyman of the place1 arose and poured forth the vials of his wrath4 ,he said ,universalism was the lowest grade of infidelity1 that the blasphemies of ,tom ,paine were purity itself compared to it2 and that ,universalists were the scum of society1 that the grog-shops1 gambling dens1 jails and penitentiaries were full of them4 ,hosea ,ballou and ,walter ,balfour died drunkards1 and they were the best men the sect ever had4 ,the fellow overshot the mark1 and disgusted the people with himself2 and the mild remarks ,i made after he got through1 turned the tide in my favor4 ,ever after1 ,i had large congregations in ,frederick4 ,i spoke several times in ,charleston1 ,va41 where ,john ,brown was hung2 also in ,harper's ,ferry1 the place he so easily captured1 and in ,winchester1 where several battles1 during the late rebellion1 were fought4 ,in ,smithfield1 ,va41 ,i had an exciting season4 ,went there an entire stranger1 and delivered a discourse in a school-house1 the first sermon on the great salvation ever delivered in the place4 ,as soon as ,i said amen1 up jumped three men to reply4 ,it was with difficulty they agreed on which should first speak4 ,they finally settled that matter1 and then gave me particular attention4 ,each of them occupied about half an hour1 and as the night was short1 for it was an evening meeting1 it was midnight when they got through4 ,i notified the people that ,i would notice the arguments of the speakers the next evening4 ,the novelty of my faith1 and the attention ,i received from three of the most prominent men of the town1 caused intense excitement1 and the whole village1 and the region round about1 attended the next meeting4 ,my three opponents1 one doctor and two lawyers1 were on hand1 with paper and pencil1 which was ominous of another attack4 ,i noticed the arguments and proofs of the gentlemen1 and replied to them in the best way ,i could4 ,one of them had charged me with denying a judgment day4 ,i stated that ,i believed in a judgment day1 yea1 in many judgment days4 ,the ,bible speaks of numerous judgment days1 but they are all this side of the end of the world4 ,when ,adam and ,eve were condemned and driven out of ,eden's bowers1 it was a judgment day to them4 ,when ,cain was banished to the land of ,nod1 it was his judgment day4 ,when the wrath of heaven burst on the world and destroyed all but ,noah's family1 it was a terrible judgment day4 ,the ,sodomites experienced the horrors of a judgment day when they were destroyed by fire4 ,the ten tribes of ,israel1 when they were banished to the far ,east1 never to return1 knew something of a day of judgment4 ,when ,babylon1 ,nineveh1 and other mighty cities of the old world were destroyed1 they suffered the desolations of judgment days4 ,when ,jerusalem was trodden under foot by the ,babylonian power1 and when subsequently it was burned up1 ploughed up1 and drenched with the blood of its citizens1 did it not suffer1 what the sacred writers call1 days of darkness1 of gloom1 of judgment8 ,the world has been crowded with judgment days3 all nations and people have sadly experienced their sorrows4 ,the ,christian dispensation is also termed a day of judgment4 ,it commenced when the kingdom of ,god was established on earth by the ,son of the ,highest1 and will continue1 till ,jesus shall return the kingdom to ,god the ,father1 as recorded in #ast ,corinthians #aeth chapter1 when ,god shall be all in all4 ,it commenced amid sin1 error1 suffering and death1 and when it shall end those evils will be known no more1 but truth1 virtue1 life and immortality will be the universal and everlasting boon of ,adam's race4 ,as soon as ,i got through1 a lawyer commenced reading a long chapter of quotations from the ,bible1 to prove that there was a devil4 ,he had prepared it with much care1 and read it loud and emphatically4 ,it was supposed that a preacher or two in town helped him to his texts1 and comments4 ,when he closed1 a doctor commenced an harangue1 but ,i begged him to hold on till ,i had disposed of his brother's sermon4 ,i told the people that ,i believed in many devils--lying1 slanderous1 revengeful1 cruel1 superstitious1 sectarian devils2 that every man was his own devil1 and if any of my hearers should become vile and degraded1 if they would look into a mirror1 they would see a devil4 ,but ,i had no faith in the devil the lawyer had been preaching about4 ,as soon as ,i had finished my remarks1 the doctor resumed his speech4 ,he launched into the parable of the ,rich ,man and ,lazarus1 and did a large amount of special pleading1 to show that the hell spoken of in that passage was a place of eternal woe4 ,when he was through1 ,i asked him if he would answer a few questions4 ,he replied that he would4 8,do you regard that passage to be a literal relation of facts80 8,i do40 8,hell is there called a place4 ,do you suppose it is a place having length1 width and height80 8,yes40 8,it is said to contain fire4 ,do you believe it contains fire80 8,i do1 for the passage says so40 8,the rich man and ,lazarus were within speaking distance of each other--they talked together4 ,do you think that heaven and hell are so near each other1 that the saved can see the damned1 and hear their groans and lamentations80 8,i am not bound to answer that question40 8,but you promised to answer my questions40 ,several voices--8,you must answer0--8,you are getting into a tight place40 8,well1 if ,i must answer it1 ,i will say1 ,yes40 8,one more question4 ,could you be happy in heaven if you should see all the dear ones you now love1 roasting in hell8 ,will you answer80 8,to be candid1 ,i do not see how ,i could be happy40 8,i thank you for your candor4 ,according to your interpretation of the passage1 and it is the common interpretation1 heaven and hell1 the latter a region of quenchless fire1 are neighbors1 within speaking distance of each other1 and mankind are to be torn asunder--part driven into hell1 and part sent to heaven--husbands and wives divided1 parents and children1 brothers and sisters divided1 part in heaven and part in hell1 and those in heaven will know that half of the world are in hell1 that their near and dear friends are there4 ,now1 it is utterly impossible for there to be any happiness in heaven1 when such a world of woe is within sight and hearing4 ,the passage must be a parable--figurative language4 ,jesus often spake in parables4 ,it is in connection with several parables1 and like them is figurative4 ,but ,i have not time this evening to give an explanation of it1 but on to-morrow1 ,sunday1 at eleven o'clock1 will give what ,i regard to be the true exposition of that important passage40 ,the discussion had a sensible effect on the hearers2 some rejoiced and some were mad4 ,one old gentleman1 with streaming eyes1 thanked me for what he had heard4 ,but others were so enraged1 that some of my friends feared that violent hands would be laid on me1 ere ,i should reach the hotel1 and ,i heard several cry1 8,search his saddle-bags6 he is a d----d abolitionist6 get a rail60 ,the next day my meeting was in a grove1 for no house1 that could be obtained1 would hold half of the people who came out4 ,my youth1 the novelty of my faith1 and the controversy1 drew an immense concourse4 ,the people listened with attention and respect1 and the meeting was not disturbed by any opposition4 ,i went to the village a stranger to all1 but when ,i left1 which was the next day1 ,i had many friends4 ,i often preached in ,harpers ,ferry1 and generally had large congregations4 ,the town site1 and its surroundings1 are well known to be remarkably picturesque4 ,the ,shenandoah and ,potomac1 rapid streams1 here unite1 and roar and plunge through the chasm they have made through the ,blue ,ridge4 ,the rocks on both sides are several hundred feet high1 and nearly perpendicular4 ,thomas ,jefferson said it was worth a voyage across the ,atlantic to see this wonderful work of nature4 ,near ,hagerstown1 ,i had a little controversy with a ,campbellite preacher4 ,we both had an appointment in a barn1 and the people were eager to hear both of us speak4 ,he delivered a discourse on his peculiar views--dwelt long on the importance of water baptism1 which he affirmed was a condition of salvation4 ,in my discourse1 ,i paid particular attention to his water-cure notions1 and showed that if he was correct1 none could be saved without being baptized in water1 and therefore most of mankind would be lost forever1 as but a small portion of our race are immersed4 ,in his reply he said he did not believe in endless misery1 but in annihilation1 and admitted that he had no evidence of the salvation of a soul1 old or young1 in a christian or a heathen land1 without water baptism4 ,what a gospel6 ,i rejoined4 ,instead of bringing life and immortality to light1 it proclaims eternal death to nearly the whole world2 instead of being good news to our race1 it is a howl of everlasting despair2 instead of being a blessing to the world1 it is an unmitigated curse2 instead of its proclaiming that ,god is the loving ,father of mankind1 it announces that ,he is full of partiality and hatred towards most of ,his creatures4 ,never again prostitute that blessed word1 gospel1 by calling your partial1 cruel and revengeful system by that dear name4 ,there is not as much gospel in your creed as there is brain in a mosquito's head4 ,one evening1 ,i accompanied a friend to a ,methodist meeting2 the congregation was large1 and a 8revival0 was raging in its midst4 ,the first speaker spoke well and sensibly1 but his words fell on dull ears and cold hearts4 ,the second speaker was a regular son of thunder1 and he did thunder1 and storm1 and quake1 and he made some of his hearers do the same4 ,when he got through with his 8exhortation10 he kneeled and said1 8,let us pray40 ,he prayed1 and half of the assembly prayed with him4 ,he raised his voice1 and they raised theirs2 he screamed like a maniac1 and they did the same2 he jumped up and down1 and they jumped up and down4 ,i looked on with utter amazement1 having never witnessed such a scene before4 ,as soon as he had finished this part of the performance1 he told all to rise to their feet1 who wanted to go to heaven4 ,i was the only one who did not stand up4 8,rise to your feet10 said he1 8or you will be damned40 ,i kept my seat1 and though strongly tempted to rebuke him1 ,i said nothing4 ,near ,charleston1 ,va41 ,i attended1 for the first time1 a ,methodist camp-meeting1 and have not since been anxious to renew my acquaintance with such gatherings4 ,it was held in a beautiful grove1 and there were present some two thousand people1 black and white4 ,during the services1 the whites were seated in front of the speaker's stand1 and the negroes in its rear4 ,the speakers would talk awhile to their white brethren1 and then turn on their heels and give the black brethren a broadside1 and the latter always responded to the condescension of the preachers with a hearty shout4 ,the night was the hour of promise2 then they were almost sure of being blessed with copious showers of 8grace40 ,sunlight1 it seems1 is not favorable to its descent2 it comes more plentifully with moonshine4 ,the night ,i was on the ground1 there were all sorts of manifestations of the 8spirit40 ,some laughed1 others cried1 groaned1 and threw themselves on the ground4 ,i noticed one poor fellow trying to climb a tree1 and ,i asked him where he was going4 8,to heaven10 said he1 and he kept scratching the tree with his finger and toe nails1 for he was bare-footed4 ,the preachers and the hearers generally1 seemed to think all that hopping1 jumping1 shouting and screaming1 was the work of ,god in converting the souls of the people4 ,every good thing can be abused1 and thus become an evil4 ,religious excitement1 when kept within due bounds1 is productive of much good1 but when it overleaps all bounds1 and becomes temporary insanity1 as it did on this occasion1 it is prostituted to a very bad purpose4 ,i spent a short time in the 8preacher's tent0 where the following conversation ensued3 8,john ,wesley was opposed to such excitement as you have here40 8,you are mistaken10 replied the ,presiding ,elder2 8that man of ,god was in favor of it1 for he knew it was the work of the spirit of ,god1 and ,i warn you to flee from the wrath to come1 before it shall be eternally too late40 8,do not get excited1 my friend4 ,let us see what ,wesley says about what you call the work of the ,holy ,spirit4 ,in one of his volumes he speaks of the doings of ,satan thus3--#8,satan strives to push many of them to extravagance4 ,this appears in several instances3 8#8#a4 ,frequently three or four1 yea1 ten or twelve1 pray aloud together4 8#8#b4 ,some of them1 perhaps1 may scream altogether1 as loud as they can4 8#8#c4 ,some of them use improper1 yea1 indecent expression in prayer4 8#8,several drop down as dead1 and are as stiff as a corpse2 but in a while they start up and cry1 8glory1 glory60 perhaps twenty times together4 ,just so do the ,french prophets1 and very lately the ,jumpers in ,wales1 bringing the real work into contempt4 8#8,scream no more at the peril of your soul4 ,god now warns you by me4 ,i never scream1 ,i never strain myself2 ,i dare not1 ,i know it would be a sin against ,god and my own soul6 8#8,some very unstill sisters1 who always took care to stand near me1 and tried who could cry loudest1 since ,i have had them removed out of my sight1 they have been as quiet as lambs4 ,the first night ,i preached here1 one half of my words were lost through the noise of their outcries2 last night1 before ,i began1 ,i gave public notice that whosoever cried as to drown my voice1 should1 without man's hurting or judging them1 be gently carried to the farthest corner of the room1 but my porters had no employment the whole night4 8#8,there is a fervor which has passed for devotion1 but it is not true1 not scriptural devotion4 ,it is loud shouting1 horrid1 unnatural screaming1 repeating the same words twenty or thirty times1 jumping two or three feet high1 throwing about the arms and legs1 both men and women1 in a manner shocking not only to religion1 but to common decency4 8#8,i dislike1 8#8#a4 ,speaking or praying of several at once4 8#8#b4 ,praying to the ,son of ,god only1 or more than to the ,father4 8#8#c4 ,the use of improper expressions in prayer4 8#8#d4 ,the using poor1 flat1 bald hymns4 8#8#e4 ,those never kneeling in prayer4 7,they sat on the floor47 8#8#f4 ,your using postures or gestures highly indecent4 8#8#g4 ,your screaming1 so as to make the words unintelligible4 8#8#h4 ,your affirming people will be justified or sanctified just now4 8#8#i4 ,the affirming they are where they are not4 8#8#aj4 ,the bidding them1 8,i believe40 8#8#aa4 ,the bitterly condemning any that oppose1 calling them wolves1 etc41 and pronouncing them hypocrites1 or not justified6' 8,these are ,wesley's words1 and you have been doing here nearly all he so severely rebukes4 ,what you call the work of ,god1 he calls the work of ,satan40 8,let us pray10 said the ,elder1 with an awful groan4 ,and such a prayer6 ,it was not praying1 but rather the ravings of a mad man1 and the crowd raved with him4 ,he called me the devil1 and said ,i had slandered the sainted ,wesley1 and had come there to stop the work of ,god4 ,he beseeched the ,lord1 either to convert my soul or send me to hell4 ,when he was through1 ,i told him that his performance was more like the ravings of a maniac1 than the simple prayer of a ,christian1 and bid him good by4 ,after spending six months in this region1 traveling and preaching constantly1 and seeing but slim prospect for establishing our cause permanently there1 and receiving hardly any compensation for all my hard labor1 and many privations1 ,i resolved to go to ,pittsburg1 ,pa4 ,the truth is1 ,i was much discouraged4 ,i had labored one year in ,maryland1 and found but few sympathizers with me or my faith1 and had not received fifty dollars for all my toil4 ,i was tired of traveling1 and longed for an abiding place where ,i could preach without being constantly on the wing1 and where ,i could pursue my studies4 ,i was not avaricious1 but thought1 as ,i devoted all my time to the ministry1 ,i ought to be comfortably supported4 ,i regretted having come to the state1 and certainly should not have been there1 had ,i known the religious character of the people1 and how few friends we had in that region4 ,,chapter ,,ii4 ,,in ,,pittsburg--,s4 ,a4 ,,davis1 ,,wife ,,and ,,daughter--,,the ,,west--,,preaches ,,in ,,pennsylvania ,,and ,,ohio--,,western ,,reserve--,,talk ,,with ,a ,,bigot--,,conversation ,,on ,a ,,steamboat--,,forbidden ,,to ,,preach--,,grave ,,creek--,a ,,mound--,,my ,,study--,,what ,,is ,,salvation8--,,proceedings ,,in ,,bainbridge--,,mud--,,in ,,cincinnati--,,general ,,harrison--,,in ,,rising ,,sun1 ,,patriot--,,preaches ,,in ,,louisville1 ,,ky4--,e4 ,m4 ,,pingree--,,on ,,the ,,mississippi ,,river--,,preaches ,,in ,a ,,steamboat--,,in ,,new ,,orleans--,,battle ,,ground4 ,i went to ,pittsburg by stage1 stopped at several places on the road1 and delivered my message4 ,arriving in that city1 ,i became acquainted with ,s4 ,a4 ,davis1 pastor of the church there1 and publisher of the ,glad ,tidings1 a paper devoted to the good cause4 ,his church was numerically feeble1 for liberal principles had just begun to take root in that city as in the ,west generally4 ,mr4 ,davis worked hard in the double capacity of pastor and editor4 ,he was a pleasant speaker1 fair writer1 and a very excellent man4 ,his wife1 who long since went to the better world1 possessed much talent1 and wrote clever articles for the ,glad ,tidings4 ,he now resides in the ,east1 and is still in the ,master's service4 ,his daughter1 ,minnie ,davis1 is one of the best female writers in the denomination4 ,she has written several excellent books1 and contributes liberally to our periodical literature4 ,i had crossed the mountain barrier between the ,east and the ,west1 and was then in the ,mississippi ,valley--merely though on its border4 ,its hills and vales1 its forests and prairies1 its rivers and lakes1 were all before me towards the setting sun4 ,compare the ,west then to the ,west now4 ,never since earth's foundation was laid1 has any country exhibited such rapid progress in so few years4 ,the ,west has made a thousand years growth in twenty-five years4 ,and is it destined to continue to grow at that rate8 ,the signs of the times indicate that it is even so4 ,the most vivid imagination can form but a faint conception of the future greatness of the ,west4 ,columbus1 romantic and extravagant as were his visions1 could not have dreamed of half the glory of the future ,west4 ,here fiction has already become fact1 and dreams realities4 ,i effected arrangements to travel and preach in ,pennsylvania and ,ohio1 for ,i soon learned that our friends were few in the ,west1 and that ,i should have to travel extensively4 ,i submitted to my fate and went to work4 ,visited several places in ,pennsylvania1 but meeting with little encouragement1 ,i passed into ,ohio1 where ,i found more friends4 ,preached in many places in the ,western ,reserve1 generally had large congregations1 and found many devoted believers in the ,great ,salvation4 ,a large portion of the population of the ,reserve were from the ,eastern states1 and they brought industrious habits1 correct moral principles1 and liberal religious sentiments with them--the right kind of soil for ,universalism to grow in4 ,but where wheat grows1 there grows chaff1 and ,i encountered some intolerable bigotry in that region4 ,in ,ashtabula a vinegar-faced gentleman accosted me thus3 8,i understand you are a ,universalist preacher40 8,you have been correctly informed4 ,universalism is only another name for the gospel4 #8,a rose1' you know1 #8by any other name would smell as sweet4'0 8,sweet6 ,universalism the gospel6 ,it is neither sweet nor the gospel4 ,it is a loathsome spawn from hell1 the meanest of all the devil's mean works1 and you ought not to be allowed to teach it to immortal souls4 ,i would put a stop to such preaching had ,i the power40 8,very likely you would1 for you look like a villain4 ,the mark of the beast is on you1 and you would1 doubtless1 like to be about your master's business4 ,the world has been cursed a long time with the spirit you possess1 and with men of your character1 and that spirit1 and that breed are not yet dead4 ,bigots and hypocrites like you1 nailed the ,savior of man to the cross1 stoned ,stephen1 murdered the apostles1 and crucified1 burnt1 hung1 beheaded1 and quartered1 the saints of ,god in all ages40 8,if ,i believed as you do1 ,i would take my fill of sin40 8,you are full of sin now40 8,what do you preach for80 8,to reform such men as you4 ,you may think you are a ,christian of the first water1 but you know nothing about ,christianity4 ,the name of its ,author is ,love1 and ,christianity corresponds1 letter and spirit1 with that blessed word4 ,but what do you know about love8 and what does your fiery creed know about love8 ,but you know what hate means1 and you would pursue all with fire and sword who do not kneel at your shrine4 ,i pray ,god that you may be converted1 that you may know the meaning of love1 mercy1 goodness1 justice1 know that they do not signify hatred1 cruelty1 vengeance1 and that ,god is served when we obey the law of love1 not when we hate and devour each other40 ,on board of a steamboat1 on the ,ohio river1 ,i participated in the following conversation3 8,i am free to acknowledge1 that ,i cannot reconcile endless misery with the goodness of ,god1 and yet ,i have to believe in that doctrine40 8,others have admitted the same4 ,the celebrated ,dr4 ,samuel ,johnson1 the great moralist of the last century1 admitted that ,god cannot be infinitely good to the victims of ceaseless woe--so ,boswell tells us4 ,we judge of a person's character by his works4 ,if his works are evil1 we infer his character is evil2 if his works are good1 we infer that his character is good4 ,we are safe in judging of ,god's character by the same criterion4 ,if he has built an everlasting hell1 and will consign his own offspring to its dismal vaults1 to be the victims of ,almighty wrath1 world without end1 and all for the errors of a day1 it is utterly impossible for ,him to be good1 much less1 infinitely good4 ,goodness seeks the welfare1 not the ruin1 of the subjects of its power40 8,but your argument1 if it is sound1 proves1 that ,god is not infinitely good1 for the world is full of misery4 ,all1 the old and the young1 the good and the bad1 suffer40 8,true1 there is much suffering beneath the sun1 but ,i think it can be reconciled with the goodness of the ,creator4 ,consider1 first1 how short is our stay on earth4 ,some are here a few hours1 others a few days1 and none but a few years4 ,suppose there were nothing in this world but suffering1 but if an eternity of bliss awaits us on the other side of the river1 all the sufferings of earth would afford no evidence that ,god is not good4 ,for every tear1 every sigh1 every woe1 we should have millions of ages of happiness4 ,but with very few exceptions1 if there are any1 all in this world1 enjoy far more than they suffer4 ,there are more muscles in the face for laughing than for weeping1 which proves that it is the will of our ,creator that there should be more happiness in our cup than sorrow4 ,as there is more sunshine than storm1 so more joy than grief falls to the lot of mortals4 ,but this should also be considered1 most of the suffering men endure1 they bring on themselves by their ignorance or willfulness4 ,this is a beautiful world1 a garden of ,eden1 and if we observe the laws of the ,creator1 taste not of the forbidden fruit1 but partake only of fruit from the tree of life1 there would be but little suffering in this world40 8,but we are informed1 that man was forbidden to partake of the tree of life40 8,adam and ,eve were forbidden while they were unrepentant and sinful1 and so are all while they possess such a character4 ,we cannot serve ,god and ,baal4 ,if we serve the one we despise the other4 ,we cannot possess a sinful character1 and a virtuous character1 cannot partake of the tree of evil and of good at the same time4 ,we are driven from the one when we partake of the other4 ,but if we flee from the deadly shades of the upas1 touch not1 taste not1 handle not its poisonous fruit1 the tree of life will be accessible to us4 ,we are told that the leaves of the tree are for the healing of the nations1 7,rev4 xxii4 #b17 showing1 that it is now within our reach4 ,yes1 if we approach it with pure motives1 clean hands1 and reverent steps1 we can1 even now1 pluck its fruit and live4 ,but a flaming sword prevents access to it while we are morally low1 debased1 groveling40 8,that is a new view of the subject2 ,i will think about it40 8,as all suffering in this world is of short duration1 and as we voluntary bring most we do suffer on ourselves1 and as we have reason to trust it will all1 by our ,heavenly ,father1 be overruled for good1 and be succeeded by an eternity of blessedness1 ,i cannot see that the few tears1 and aches of this brief life militate against the goodness of the ,creator4 ,i am sure1 when we shall have passed through the strifes and conflicts of this world1 and can see the past in the light of their results1 in the light of eternity1 we will exclaim1 #8,love and mercy pursued us all the days of our lives4' ,but misery without mitigation or end1 without one ray of hope1 nothing but an eternity of gloom1 and the most intense agony1 can never be reconciled with infinite goodness40 ,a few miles below ,pittsburg1 in ,virginia--,i now forget the name of the place--,i stopped one ,saturday evening1 and told the people ,i would speak to them the next day1 if they would give me a hearing4 ,a citizen invited me to his house1 and ,i delivered a discourse on ,sunday morning1 to a large assembly4 ,in the middle of the afternoon1 some ten or a dozen persons entered the house where ,i was stopping1 and after being seated1 the following ensued3 8,are you the man who preached in the school house this morning80 8,yes40 8,well1 we have called to let you know that you must not hold another meeting in this town40 8,why not8 ,what is the matter1 gentlemen80 8,your doctrine is dangerous2 it is infidelity1 and we want no more of it40 8,did any of you hear my discourse to-day80 8,no1 and we don't want to hear such stuff40 8,how then do you know it is dangerous and infidel80 8,we are not here to have a controversy with you1 but to notify you that you cannot occupy the school house this evening40 ,my host here informed the gentlemen1 that he had an interest in that house1 and that ,i should preach in it if ,i desired to4 8,this gentleman10 said he1 8is a stranger in this place2 ,i heard his sermon in the morning1 and although ,i know nothing about ,universalism1 he uttered not a word ,i consider dangerous or infidel40 8,when you reflect10 ,i remarked1 8on the mean business you are here on1 you will be heartily ashamed of yourselves1 and your conduct4 ,you admit you did not hear me1 and yet you are loud and angry in your condemnation4 ,i am a stranger in this place1 and to you2 ,i have never harmed a hair of your heads1 and yet you treat me with savage rudeness4 ,is this ,virginia hospitality8 ,what do you suppose ,i teach80 8,we understand you teach1 that there is no ,god1 no ,savior1 no hell1 and that the good and the bad1 go to heaven together40 8,you have been misinformed4 ,my advice to you is1 to acquaint yourselves with the principles you so rudely condemn1 for you are as ignorant of them as the ,hottentots are of ,english grammar40 8,we have no more to say to you1 except to repeat1 that you must not again preach your abominations in this town40 8,i expect to hold a meeting in town this evening1 and hope you will attend1 and learn something of the gospel of ,jesus40 ,exit the inquisitors4 ,i held a meeting according to appointment1 but that company of bigots kept out of the way4 ,they found1 however1 they could neither rule me or the town1 for ,i had a much larger congregation after their visit than before4 ,lectured in ,wellsville1 and a ,methodist minister replied in a good natured manner1 and we parted in friendship4 ,proceeded down the ,ohio river to ,wheeling1 where ,i lectured several times1 in a ,baptist meeting-house1 and then went to ,graves ,creek1 on the ,virginia side of the river1 and there spent two weeks1 speaking most every day in town or country4 ,c4 ,g4 ,cox resided there1 and preached occasionally4 ,my sojourn in this place is a green spot in my memory1 for ,i found some excellent friends1 which was really cheering after meeting with so much opposition4 ,there is an artificial mound here1 some eighty feet high1 of a conic shape1 and very steep4 ,when1 or by whom it was made1 whether by the ,indians1 or a race who preceded them1 is unknown1 and the mystery will probably never be solved4 ,a few years since a shaft was extended through the base of the mound1 and a broken arch and some human bones were found in the center1 indicating that it was a monumental structure4 ,a great portion of my traveling at this period was on foot4 ,i often walked twenty or twenty-five miles in a day1 and delivered a long discourse at night4 ,traveling in this hard way1 and preaching most every day1 ,i had but little time to read or write4 ,when a traveler asked ,wordsworth's servant1 to show him his master's study1 he answered1 8,here is his library1 but his study is out of doors40 ,so1 like him1 my study was out of doors4 ,the ,bible was my constant companion1 and the portions of it that most interested me1 were the ,new ,testament1 the ,psalms1 the book of ,job1 the ,proverbs and ,ecclesiastes4 ,when weary1 ,i would sit by the wayside1 and study the ,book of ,life1 and on resuming my march1 would reflect on what ,i had read1 or arrange a sermon4 ,my discourses were seldom written1 neither were they wholly extemporaneous1 for ,i often repeated portions of them4 ,i journeyed to ,steubenville1 ,ohio1 where ,i spoke twice2 then to ,marietta1 and from thence to ,chillicothe1 as ,i was then bound for ,cincinnati4 ,in ,chillicothe1 ,i remained a week1 and lectured four times4 ,while in this place1 ,i had the following conversation with a ,presbyterian clergyman3 8,what do you mean by salvation80 8,i mean1 deliverance from evil tendencies1 thoughts1 habits1 purposes1 and all of their long train of results4 ,this is a perfect salvation4 ,it can be only partially enjoyed in this world1 at best2 it will require the grace1 light and wisdom of eternity to perfect the work4 ,it may be commenced here1 but cannot be consummated in this lower world4 ,and this is what the ,new ,testament means by salvation4 #8,thou shalt call his name ,jesus1 for he shall save his people from their sins4' ,matt4 i4 #ba4 #8,behold the ,lamb of ,god1 who taketh away the sin of the world4' ,john i4 #bh4 #8,unto you first1 ,god having raised up his ,son ,jesus1 sent him to bless you1 in turning every one of you from his iniquities4' ,acts iii4 #be4 #8,there shall come out of ,zion the deliverer1 who shall turn away ungodliness from ,jacob2 for this is the covenant unto them1 when ,i shall take away their sins4' ,rom4 xi4 #bg4 #8,there is no condemnation to them that are in ,christ ,jesus4' ,rom4 viii4 #a4 #8,who gave himself for us1 that he might redeem us from all iniquity1 and purify unto himself a people zealous of good works4' ,titus ii4 #ad4 #8,because the creature meaning mankind shall be delivered from the bondage of corruption into the glorious liberty of the children of ,god4' ,rom4 viii4 #ba4 ,these scriptures clearly teach what is gospel salvation4 ,the recipients of it are liberated from the bondage of sin and error2 the #8chains of darkness' are broken1 and they enjoy a glorious liberty1 a glorious deliveration1 a glorious salvation40 8,true1 that is salvation2 but the ,bible also speaks of salvation from hell40 8,the only passage in the ,bible where deliverance from hell is spoken of reads thus3--#8,for great is thy mercy towards me2 and thou hast delivered my soul from the lowest hell4' ,psalms lxvi4 #ac4 ,here is hell1 the lowest hell1 and the writer speaks of salvation from it2 but this hell is on earth1 and the deliverance is a present deliverance4 ,david had sinned1 and he expressed his sins and their consequences by the term1 hell2 but he repented1 reformed1 obtained forgiveness1 and was delivered from the lowest hell into which he had been plunged4 ,and it was the mission of ,jesus to save the world from just such a hell1 and from no other40 8,but the ,bible speaks of salvation from hell in the future world--an endless hell40 8,the ,scriptures no where locate hell in the immortal world4 ,it is a condition of moral corruption1 and1 the world knows by sad experience1 that condition is experienced in this life4 ,the terms1 #8eternal hell1' #8everlasting hell1' #8endless hell1' do not once occur in the good book4 ,but if gospel salvation is deliverance from such a wretched place1 it is remarkable that the sacred writers say nothing about it4 ,the truth is1 ,god never made such a horrible place as theologians denominate hell1 and consequently nobody is exposed to its fiery surges1 and all this talk about salvation from it1 is simply idle talk4 ,but men do cherish evil thoughts1 purposes1 habits1 and the salvation the ,bible contemplates is deliverance from those real evils4 ,here is a trinity of evils1 and to sever them from our souls and from our life2 to purify our thoughts1 correct our habits1 and rightly direct our purposes1 should be the end and aim of life4 ,but to spend life's golden moments1 trying to dodge imaginary evils1 evils which exist only in our creeds1 and thereby make ourselves miserable1 is foolish1 is suicidal4 ,the only hell we need fear is within our own souls1 not without1 and away in yonder world2 and if half the effort was made to save the world from that hell1 that is made to save it from imaginary torments beyond the grave1 much more would be accomplished for humanity40 ,proceeded to ,bainbridge1 where ,i spent several days1 and delivered four sermons to an excited people4 ,the doctrine of the ,restitution was hardly known there1 even by name1 but all classes attended my meetings to hear the youthful speaker1 and to learn something of his strange doctrine4 ,some were mad and some were glad4 ,one minister treated me very kindly1 and assisted several times in the services1 but another was boiling over with rage1 but he heard me through4 ,at the close of the second discourse1 he jumped to his feet1 and told the people that the speaker believed in no hell or devil1 and for my part1 he added1 ,i would as soon deny that there is a ,god or a heaven4 ,i kindly informed him that he was mistaken1 that he had not understood me2 that ,i believed in all the hells and devils the ,bible speaks of1 and no more2 that possibly we might differ relative to the ,bible meaning of those subjects1 and that it was very uncharitable to assert that ,i denied the ,bible because ,i differed from him in understanding it4 ,doing that is not denying the ,bible1 but simply differing from the gentleman4 ,he then dashed into ,revelation to prove that the devil was a huge monster1 almost equal to the ,almighty1 had his throne in the infernal regions1 where he reigned1 8monarch of all he surveyed10 and that his eagle eye1 from the center of hell1 beheld this earth and all therein1 and he not only attended to his infernal duties at home1 but was constantly besieging every man1 woman and child of earth1 and never forsook a soul till it was fairly within the gates of the ,new ,jerusalem4 ,i replied1 that there was this difference between the speaker and myself--he was a ,pagan and ,i was a ,christian2 ,i believed in one ,god1 and he1 at least1 in two--the ,god of heaven1 and the god of hell4 ,and ,i exhorted him to abandon his ,paganism and embrace ,christianity4 ,he cooled down some1 and at the close of the meeting gave me his hand4 ,i entered ,bainbridge a total stranger1 and departed from it with the blessings of many4 ,i went to ,cincinnati by stage1 and oh1 what roads6 ,there were no railroads then1 not even turnpikes4 ,it was mud1 mud1 mud1 nothing but mud2 stiff1 black1 deep mud4 ,i forget how many times the stage broke down1 how many horses were killed1 or how many times all hands had to get out into the ocean of mud1 and pry the stage out of the mud4 ,but ,i do remember1 that when we reached ,cincinnati1 the horses1 driver1 stage and passengers1 were covered with rich ,buckeye mud4 ,mr4 ,west was then preaching in the ,queen city1 in a small house1 on ,walnut street1 and ,mr4 ,tizard and ,george ,rogers were publishing the ,star in the ,west4 ,cincinnati then contained only twenty-five thousand inhabitants1 but now its population is fully two hundred thousand4 ,still1 it was then the city of the ,west4 ,st4 ,louis and ,chicago were then mere villages1 now each of them is equal to ,cincinnati in population4 ,surely1 western cities are great growers4 ,preached several times in ,c41 and made many pleasant acquaintances4 ,i was urged to remain and labor in the vicinity1 but ,i had resolved to go ,south1 and no persuasion could change my purpose4 ,i had to learn my mistake by experience4 ,i went on foot1 down the ,ohio river4 ,stopped at ,north ,bend1 saw ,general ,harrison1 who then resided there1 and spent several hours in his company4 ,he was very kind and social4 ,he told me he had thought much about religion1 believed in its reality and usefulness1 that he could not subscribe to the eternity of punishment1 but did not know about the salvation of all2 but added the ,general1 8,i believe ,god is just1 wise1 good and merciful1 and that all will end well1 but what that end is to be ,i know not4 ,i must wait for the developments of the great teacher--death40 ,soon after1 he was elected ,president of the ,united ,states4 ,i saw him several times during the presidential campaign2 heard him make his ,dayton speech to congregated thousands1 and read with tearful eyes1 the announcement of his death1 one short month after his inauguration1 and have since lingered around his grave1 on the banks of the ,ohio4 ,i next went to ,rising ,sun1 ,ind41 where ,i preached every day for a week4 ,this was my first advent into ,indiana4 ,since then1 ,i have traveled through its length and its breadth1 and preached in nearly every town within its borders4 ,much interest was manifested in the meetings at ,rising ,sun1 and large congregations attended4 ,one man1 ,i was informed1 a member of some orthodox church1 who attended one of the meetings1 became so excited1 during the service1 that he ate all the tobacco he could find in his pockets--three large plugs4 ,since then1 a society has been organized there1 and a church built4 ,perhaps the good seed sown then1 in after years yielded some fruit4 ,seven miles down the river is ,patriot1 where ,i stopped ten days1 and delivered five discourses4 ,the principal families of the place were of the liberal faith1 excellent people1 and practical ,christians4 ,they loved the truth1 loved to talk about it1 and loved to attend the services of the sanctuary4 ,that place was an oasis in the desert--no controversy1 no denunciation1 but peace1 love and harmony reigned4 ,a fine meeting-house was built soon after ,i was there1 and the society prospered for several years4 ,but pecuniary misfortunes overtaking some of the leading members1 and the business of the town diminishing1 nearly broke up the society4 ,after a pleasant sojourn with the ,patriot friends1 ,i went to ,louisville1 ,ky41 where ,i preached several times in a large hall4 ,i had not been in ,kentucky before1 but since then have traveled extensively in that state4 ,in this city1 ,e4 ,m4 ,pingree lived1 studied1 labored and died4 ,he died young1 in the midst of usefulness1 loved and honored by all who knew him4 ,he was a strong man1 gathered many friends around him1 and built up what seemed to be a permanent society1 but it did not prosper long after his death1 and is now extinct4 ,gad ,chapin was in ,l4 on my first visit1 and is there still--a patriarch in our ,israel4 ,at ,louisville ,i took passage on the steamer 8,commercial0 for ,new ,orleans1 fifteen hundred miles down the ,ohio and ,mississippi rivers4 ,nothing of much interest occurred on the voyage4 ,i delivered three discourses1 at the request of the captain and passengers1 on three subjects--,judgment1 ,punishment1 ,salvation--and theological points were the principal subjects of discussion the ten days occupied in going to ,new ,orleans4 ,the merits and demerits of ,universalism were pretty freely canvassed by all1 from the captain to the barber4 ,captain ,rudd1 the commander1 was of the liberal faith4 ,i met him in after years in ,st4 ,louis1 where he died of yellow fever4 ,he was a good officer1 and a generous friend4 ,i arrived at ,new ,orleans in ,january4 ,ten days had transported me from winter to summer weather2 from where the earth was bound in chains of ice1 and covered with snow1 to where mother earth was teeming with vegetable life1 and covered with a carpet1 in which were blended the tints of the rainbow4 ,jack ,frost was busy1 biting ears and fingers1 in ,louisville1 but in ,new ,orleans gnats and musquitoes were fully as eager to bite at every exposed point4 ,i heard ,dr4 ,clapp1 but he had not then embraced the better faith1 and ,i formed no acquaintance with him4 ,i traveled all over the city1 and visited the battle ground where ,general ,jackson gave the ,english such a drubbing4 ,i wanted to preach on the spot1 but could not find a door of entrance4 ,no one seemed to care for any thing but money1 and dissipation4 ,mammon and ,bacchus were the gods mostly worshiped4 ,the churches on ,sunday were nearly empty1 but the theaters1 museums1 gambling dens1 and grog-shops1 were crowded4 ,there were doubtless some righteous men there1 but to a stranger1 they seemed to be as scarce as they were in ,sodom of old4 ,,chapter ,,iii4 ,a ,,sea ,,voyage--,a ,,meeting ,,at ,,sea--,,tornado--,,strange ,,vessel--,,in ,,texas--,,travels ,,to ,,houston--,,hard ,,fare--,,the ,,country--,,sleeping ,,on ,,the ,,ground--,,very ,,thirsty--,,must ,,have ,,water--,,colorado ,,river--,,sound ,,asleep ,,on ,,its ,,banks--,,crosses ,,the ,,river ,,on ,,logs--,,corn ,,cake--,a ,,surprise--,,in ,,houston--,,general ,,houston--,,the ,,attorney ,,general ,,of ,,texas--,,san ,,jacinto ,,battle ,,ground--,a ,,pandemonium--,,buck ,,wheat ,,cakes--,,embarked ,,for ,,new ,,orleans--,a ,,condemned ,,vessel--,,on ,,allowance--,,in ,,new ,,orleans--,a ,,contrast--,,ague ,,and ,,fever--,,up ,,the ,,mississippi ,,river4 ,desiring to see more of the world1 ,i embarked for ,matagorda1 ,texas1 on board of a brig1 bound for that place4 ,a steam tug towed us to the ,balize1 and we were soon winding our way towards the destined port4 ,there were many emigrants on board1 going to ,texas1 to make themselves homes4 ,as soon as it became known that ,i was a clergyman1 ,i was invited to hold services4 ,i stood on the quarter-deck1 my hearers1 numbering about one hundred1 gathered around me--some on deck and some in the rigging4 ,my text was1 8,and he arose1 and rebuked the winds1 and the sea1 and there was a great calm40 ,i commenced by speaking of the storms to which the sea is subject1 and then spoke of that ,,one1 who has perfect control of its mountain waves1 and of the hurricane that lashes the mighty deep into such fury4 ,one word from ,him turned the headlong tornado into a calm1 and the angry surges into repose4 ,life is a sea1 and we are all voyagers1 sailing from port to port4 ,sometimes we have fair weather1 and sometimes foul weather4 ,to-day the sun may shine bright1 and the air be as gentle as an infant's breath1 and our bark may glide smoothly along1 like a vessel on the mirrored deep2 to-morrow1 clouds and darkness may gather around1 the storms of human passion1 or of adversity may threaten the destruction of us and ours1 and in despair we may give up all as lost4 ,but let us remember1 through the whole journey of life1 that there is ,one who controls the storms of life as well as the storms of the ocean1 and to every troubled heart he does or will say1 8,peace--be still40 ,a hymn was sung1 in which nearly all1 sailors and passengers1 participated4 ,in an hour after services1 a small cloud was observed in the west4 ,the captain1 knowing what it betokened1 ordered the vessel put in trim for a gale4 ,in a few minutes1 the wind was howling through the rigging1 and the vessel plunging from wave to wave1 as if eager to flee from the wrath of the storm-king4 ,the gale continued above an hour1 when the wind abated1 the clouds dispersed1 the sun shone bright1 and the sea soon became as smooth as a mirror4 ,that latitude1 at that season of the year1 is subject to such gusts of passion4 ,a few nights after1 when ,i was sound asleep on the quarter-deck1 for it was too hot to rest below1 one of these gales crossed our track1 and a huge wave breaking over the vessel1 dashed me across the deck1 when ,i scrambled up1 and ran into the cabin1 not fancying so unceremonious a sea-bath4 ,one night1 a man jumped overboard1 and was lost--he must have been insane4 ,friends at home probably waited with alternate hope and fear for his return1 and1 perhaps1 never knew of his sad fate4 ,at that time1 ,mexico and ,texas were at war1 and armed vessels were in the gulf looking after prizes4 ,one day1 a large ship was observed in the distance1 bearing down upon us1 without showing colors4 ,our captain was alarmed4 ,with a pale face1 he eyed the stranger through his telescope4 ,we were all fearful it was a ,mexican armed vessel1 and that we should be taken into ,matamoras2 but we were finally relieved by the ship showing ,english colors1 tacking eastward and leaving us4 ,we sailed up the ,matagorda bay a few miles1 but the water being shallow1 ,i got on board a lighter1 and went to a village1 the name of which ,i do not now remember4 ,when ,i landed in ,texas1 ,i supposed ,i had delivered my last sermon4 ,i had become tired of wandering about the world1 and had had no opportunity to settle before ,i had concluded to quit the ministry4 ,but going to ,texas at that early day to find a home1 was certainly a wild and foolish project2 and ,i had been there but a short time1 when ,i repented in sackcloth and ashes1 for having taken the step ,i had1 and resolved to return to the ,united ,states1 and continue in the ministry4 ,i immediately commenced making preparation to go to ,houston by the land route1 and thence to ,new ,orleans by water4 ,the distance to ,houston was one hundred and sixty miles1 and ,i resolved to go there on foot4 ,being informed that there were but few inhabitants on the road1 and most of them in a starving condition1 as the ,mexican army had the season previous passed through that region1 ,i carried food to last me to the end of my land journey4 ,no tea1 coffee1 sugar1 salt or flour could be obtained for love or money4 ,every body lived on fresh beef1 without salt1 pepper or butter1 save here and there an aristocrat who had a little corn meal in his larder4 ,i bought some beef1 cut it in slices1 and dried it in the sun4 ,with a good supply of dried beef1 and nothing else1 a tin canteen1 a blanket and a staff1 ,i commenced my journey1 on foot and alone1 through the wild prairies of ,texas4 ,i found the country to be nearly all prairie1 the surface quite level1 and the soil rich and deep4 ,the forest trees were generally covered with ivy1 which gave them a melancholy appearance4 ,live oaks abounded in some localities4 ,alligators flourished in the streams1 and ,indians1 snakes1 tarantulas and horned toads on the land4 ,i often traveled a day without seeing a human being or his habitation4 ,when night came on1 ,i would stop1 eat my dried beef1 drink some water1 which ,i had carried1 perhaps1 all day1 and then roll myself in my blanket1 lay on the ground1 and go to sleep1 not knowing that there was a human being within miles of me4 ,i was four weeks in going to ,houston1 and did not sleep in a house one night during that time4 ,i well remember how ,i suffered one day from thirst4 ,it was a very warm day1 and my little stock of water was exhausted at my morning repast4 ,i expected to find more of the blessed beverage about noon in a small grove4 ,i reached the spot1 but no water was there2 the bed where there had been a stream was dry and hard4 ,it was a sore disappointment1 for ,i was very thirsty4 ,as ,i could not eat my dry beef without water1 ,i pressed towards the ,colorado river1 which seemed to be about fifteen miles distant1 for ,i could see the timber bordering on the stream4 ,i reached the timber a little after dark1 but how far it was to the river1 ,i knew not4 ,i plunged into the forest in the direction ,i knew the stream must lay1 as it ran southward4 ,the moon1 which had just risen1 was my only guide1 for be it known1 ,i was on no road4 ,it proved to be about four miles to the river1 and how ,i got through1 ,i know not4 ,there was no path1 the thick foliage of the forest admitted but little moonlight1 and the underbrush1 vines and branches of trees1 made the whole distance a perfect thicket4 ,but ,i went through with a rush1 regardless of scratches1 snakes1 or anything else1 for water ,i must have4 ,about ten o'clock1 ,i reached the bank of the river1 reflecting the full moon1 which had been my guide through the dense forest2 and never did a traveler on the ,arabian desert behold the long sought pool with more delight4 ,it seemed to be my friend1 my savior2 and if ,i had been an idolator1 ,i should have fallen down and worshiped it4 ,i filled my canteen1 and drank till ,i was satisfied4 ,i then bathed my head1 face1 hands and feet in the glorious river4 ,on the bank ,i partook of my humble repast--dried beef and water--with a thankful heart4 ,with my blanket around me1 ,i laid down on the ground and slept1 never better1 till the hot morning sun1 shining in my face1 awaked me1 when it was about two hours' high4 ,i have often wondered how ,i dared to sleep that night1 knowing as ,i did1 that there were alligators in the river1 and bears1 wolves1 and poisonous reptiles in the woods4 ,in the morning1 ,i again partook of beef and water1 with an excellent relish4 ,but a new difficulty now presented itself4 ,a deep river was before me1 without a bridge or a boat1 and ,i could not swim4 ,but cross the stream ,i must by some means4 ,in the first place1 ,i explored the river1 up and down1 several miles1 hoping to find some one to aid me1 but not a sign of a human being1 or human habitation could ,i discover4 ,i resolved to attempt to cross the river on a log1 and after much hard work succeeded in getting two logs of sufficient size1 into the water1 fastened them together with strips of my blanket1 and with pole in hand1 launched into the river4 ,the stream being quite rapid1 my frail craft floated down about one mile1 but ,i safely landed on the opposite shore without much trouble4 ,after wandering in the canebrakes two hours1 ,i struck a road1 and thanked ,god and took courage4 ,i soon came to a house1 and had the good fortune to obtain a quart of corn1 which ,i ground in an old coffee mill1 and made some excellent corn bread of meal and water4 ,i passed through ,san ,felipe1 where was once a village1 but only its ruins then remained1 for the ,mexicans had destroyed it4 ,waking one morning about sunrise1 ,i was amazed by the presence of six naked ,indians1 squatted in the grass around me4 ,i jumped to my feet2 they saw that ,i was astonished1 but ,i noticed they smiled4 ,taking courage by that friendly token1 ,i walked up to them1 and extended my right hand4 ,they offered me the pipe of peace1 which was gladly accepted4 ,they did not understand a word of ,english1 nor ,i a word of ,indian4 ,we talked1 however1 in gestures4 ,they remained an hour1 when we separated in friendship4 ,when within thirty miles of ,houston1 ,i sold my watch for fifteen dollars1 expecting that ,i should need the money to help pay expenses to the ,states4 ,after receiving the money1 ,i heard a woman remark1 8,it will do him no good1 for he will spend it all for liquor in ,houston40 ,i suppose she would have thought ,i lied1 if ,i had told her that ,i had never drank a glass of liquor4 ,arriving at ,houston1 ,i renovated self and clothing1 for both were rather dilapidated4 ,samuel ,houston was then president of ,texas4 ,i was in company with him several times1 and dined once in the log-cabin1 where he boarded4 ,he was a good talker1 but an awful swearer4 ,oath after oath rolled from his tongue without an effort4 ,it is said that ,general ,jackson was an eloquent swearer1 but ,i have doubts of his beating ,general ,houston in that department of eloquence4 ,i witnessed his departure for the interior of ,texas1 to treat with some ,indian tribes4 ,the ferryman did not handle the boat to suit the president1 and he poured battery after battery of oaths on the poor fellow's head4 ,on leaving1 he embraced1 after the ,french fashion1 his friends1 who had followed him to the boat4 ,i was on the ,san ,jacinto battle ground1 a few miles from the city4 ,it was a short but decided contest4 ,the ,mexican forces were totally routed1 and ,santa ,anna taken prisoner4 ,that battle crowned ,houston with glory and honor in ,texas4 ,the town of ,houston1 when ,i was there1 was a moral desert4 ,vice of most every name and grade reigned triumphant--it was a hell on earth4 ,the ,attorney-,general of ,texas1 while ,i was there1 roamed the streets half of one night1 drunk1 and hatless1 coatless1 bootless1 daring any one to fight with him4 ,the people laughed about it as if it was a trifling matter1 and of common occurrence4 ,it is to be hoped that the morals of that place have improved4 ,wishing to go to ,new ,orleans by water1 ,i went in a lighter down ,buffalo bayou to ,galveston bar1 where the steamer was anchored4 ,the passage down occupied three days1 and that vessel was a perfect pandemonium--the officers and hands were quarreling or fighting most of the time4 ,dirks and pistols were freely used4 ,buckwheat cakes and fat hog-sides were served to us three times a day4 ,and oh1 what cakes6 ,the cook baked them about an inch thick1 without any rising properties1 and put them on the table stone cold4 ,fine cakes--thick1 cold and solid4 ,i finally reached the steamer1 and the captain promised us a quick passage and good fare4 ,but ,i soon learned1 when it was too late1 that the boat was an old1 rotten1 condemned hulk2 that provisions were scarce1 and that the captain was a scamp4 ,time and again the engine broke1 or some of the running gear4 ,water and food soon being exhausted1 we were allowed one pint of water and one ,boston cracker per day4 ,the fuel being all consumed1 we had to burn part of the boat to get into port4 ,we were a week in going from ,galveston bar to the mouth of the ,mississippi river1 when the trip should have been made in thirty-six hours4 ,fortunately we had pleasant weather1 for one such squall as we had going out1 would have sent the whole concern to the bottom of the gulf4 ,when ,i returned to ,new ,orleans it was mid-summer1 and the city presented a very different appearance from what it did when ,i was there the previous winter4 ,then business was at its zenith1 now at its nadir2 then the hotels1 streets and marts of trade were crowded1 now there was plenty of room2 then steamboats and vessels were receiving and discharging freight for and from every clime1 now the shipping was very meager2 then the weather was pleasant1 now the heat was scorching1 burning1 melting2 then it was healthy1 now the yellow fever and almost every other fever1 was raging4 ,exposure and hard fare in ,texas1 ultimated in ague and fever4 ,i had several chills while in ,houston2 when at sea beyond the land breeze1 ,i was free from them2 but as soon as ,i inhaled the air from shore1 they returned with increased violence1 and it was two years before ,i entirely regained my former good health4 ,i was soon on board of a steamer bound for ,cincinnati1 and after a voyage of two weeks1 landed at ,leavenworth1 ,ind41 where ,i remained three months doctoring for the ague4 ,,chapter ,,iv4 ,,labors ,,of ,e4 ,b4 ,,mann--,n4 ,,wadsworth--,,owner ,,of ,a ,,horse--,,preach ,,in ,,indiana ,,and ,,kentucky--,a ,,profane ,,life--,,general ,,clarke--,,atheism--,,the ,,eyeless ,,fish--,a ,,presbyterian ,,minister',s ,,wisdom--,,no ,,hell1 ,,no ,,heaven--,,travel ,,in ,,ohio--,,another ,,preacher ,,replies--,,labors ,,in ,,dayton--,d4 ,r4 ,,biddlecom--,,george ,,messenger--,r4 ,,smith',s ,,somersault--,j4 ,a4 ,,gurley--,,george ,,rogers--,,start ,,for ,,indiana--,,battle ,,in ,,harrison--,,universalism ,,an ,,old ,,doctrine1 ,,and ,,of ,,god--,,partialism ,,an ,,old ,,doctrine1 ,,but ,,of ,,satan--,,grove ,,meeting--,,father ,,st4 ,,john--,,badly ,,treated--,,john ,o',,kane ,,on ,,his ,,creed--,,in ,,indianapolis--,a4 ,,longley--,a ,,horse--,,questioned ,,by ,a ,,methodist--,,in ,,terre ,,haute--,,very ,,unpopular4 ,partially recovering1 ,i resumed my former work of traveling and preaching4 ,e4 ,b4 ,mann resided near ,leavenworth1 and labored in the counties in ,indiana and ,kentucky1 bordering on the ,ohio river4 ,he also distributed a large number of denominational books4 ,his circuit1 which was about two hundred miles round1 he traveled on horseback1 once a month4 ,he was not graced by education or refinement1 yet his labors were blessed with a good degree of success4 ,he is now dead1 and his mortal remains repose near ,leavenworth1 the center of his labors for many years4 ,i lectured in ,l4 and vicinity three weeks1 and then proceeded to ,louisville1 ,ky4 ,n4 ,wadsworth was then residing there1 and publishing a paper called ,the ,berean2 and at his earnest solicitation1 ,i spent three months in obtaining subscribers for it4 ,mr4 ,w4 was formerly a ,methodist minister1 but then cherished a more liberal faith4 ,his talent was above mediocrity1 his acquirements fair1 was a good man1 and devoted to the cause he espoused1 and the profession of his choice4 ,he was small in stature1 and feeble in health--too small and feeble for his large and active mind4 ,a year after1 he moved to ,troy1 ,mo41 his periodical was discontinued1 and he died of consumption1 after laboring there with excellent success1 about one year4 ,his widow resides there still1 and although she has changed her name1 the home of brother and sister ,sydnor is ever a welcome retreat for our ministers4 ,it has been my privilege to spend many pleasant hours in their company4 ,the humble grave of my early friend is in the ,troy cemetery2 and ,i have read the brief monumental inscription on the cold marble at its head1 through tearful eyes4 ,i bought a horse of ,mr4 ,wadsworth1 and agreed to pay him in obtaining subscribers for his paper4 ,it was the first horse ,i ever owned1 and ,i felt quite rich1 and very independent4 ,i preached in most of the towns within fifty miles of ,louisville1 in ,kentucky and ,indiana4 ,in ,salem1 ,ind41 ,i delivered a series of sermons4 ,a merchant there told me that his counting-room was his chapel1 his ledger his ,bible1 and money his religion4 ,he was then doing a large and lucrative business4 ,a few years after1 he had no counting-room1 no ledger1 no money1 and died a miserable death--the natural result of so profane a life4 ,general ,clarke1 an old ,indian warrior1 resided near ,salem4 ,he attended my meetings1 and ,i was often at his house4 ,he said he had helped steal ,kentucky and ,indiana from the ,indians4 ,he was an intelligent man1 but a zealous ,atheist4 ,he admitted that faith in a ,god of goodness1 wisdom and justice1 and in the immortal blessedness of mankind1 was more satisfactory1 and yielded more happiness than ,atheism2 and if such exalted and benevolent sentiments had received his attention ere his present views had become permanently established1 he might have embraced them1 but now he was too old to learn4 ,i used to rejoin1 that his admission was fatal to his creed4 ,if a belief in ,god and immortality confers more happiness than the denial of a ,god1 and a hereafter1 that was the best evidence that ,atheism was false1 and religion truth1 for truth always confers more happiness than error4 ,virtue is truth and vice is falsehood1 because the former is adapted to our nature1 and makes us happy1 while the latter is a violation of our nature1 and darkens and deforms the mind4 ,for the same reason your theory1 ,i would add1 must be false1 and mine correct4 ,not 8too old to learn10 ,general4 ,your body is frail--it has been dying these many years1 but your mind is vigorous4 ,why stop learning8 ,if religion is true1 death1 that is fast destroying your body1 will not invade your mind--that will live to learn forever4 ,near ,salem was a cave1 containing water1 in which were fish without eyes4 ,god creates no superfluities4 ,the fish of every sea1 lake1 river1 have eyes1 because there is light in those waters1 but the beams of the sun had never penetrated that cavern1 therefore eyes were useless1 and hence the denizens of that eternal dungeon1 have no visional organ4 ,nothing is created in vain2 every thing answers some useful purpose in the economy of the ,creator4 ,here is a solid foundation on which to rest4 ,in ,bedford1 ,ind41 a ,presbyterian minister abruptly attacked me at the close of a discourse4 8,if the pains of the damned will cease10 said he1 8so will the joys of the saved2 for the words that express the misery of the one1 express the happiness of the other40 ,never1 ,i replied1 was a man more mistaken4 ,the ,bible speaks of endless life1 but not a word about endless death4 ,the terms1 8endless death10 8endless misery10 8endless woe10 8endless damnation10 8endless hell10 found in the creeds of men1 do not once occur in the ,bible4 ,read all that ,moses and the prophets1 ,jesus and the apostles1 said or wrote1 and you will not find those terms once1 not even once1 in the ,old or ,new ,testaments4 8,endless0 life is a ,bible term1 but those other endlesses are wretched fictions4 ,the ,bible says1 8,o hell1 ,i will be thy destruction20 but where does it say1 8,o heaven1 ,i will be thy destruction860 ,finding but few persons of the liberal faith in the vicinity of ,louisville1 ,i concluded to go to ,ohio4 ,preached in ,cincinnati1 ,mount ,healthy1 ,hamilton1 ,oxford and ,middletown4 ,in the latter place a clergyman attended my meetings1 and at the close of every sermon entered his solemn protest against what had been said4 ,he was a ,german1 and in one of his harangues said1 8,this fellow believes the fire will be squenched1 and ,i believe the fire will not be squenched40 ,but he became so interested1 that he proposed traveling with me a few weeks1 but not caring about his company1 ,i did not accept of his proposition4 ,proceeded to ,dayton2 and having reference to no one1 ,i called on the sheriff1 and engaged the ,court-house for the next day--,sunday4 ,wrote some notices of the proposed meeting1 and while putting them up in different parts of the town1 a gentleman introduced himself1 who proved to be the mayor of the city4 ,he kindly informed me of a man of my faith1 on whom ,i called1 and was received with a hearty welcome4 ,i delivered two discourses on ,sunday1 and on ,monday morning was preparing to leave town1 when several friends called on me1 and urged me to remain1 at least1 a few months4 ,the town1 they said1 had just been scourged by a crazy revival1 and if ,i should tarry there awhile1 they were sure a good society would be established4 ,i told them ,i could not remain1 as ,i was under obligation to travel to extend the circulation of ,the ,berean1 and must soon have1 at least1 seventy subscribers1 to discharge my obligation to its publisher4 8,if that number should be obtained in this town1 will you tarry with us80 queried the gentlemen4 ,i replied1 that ,i would4 ,notice was given that there would be a meeting that evening4 ,i delivered a discourse1 and at the close of it1 a friend informed the congregation1 that ,i had consented to remain three months1 if seventy subscribers should be obtained in town for ,the ,berean2 and in a few minutes the required number were secured4 ,we soon organized a society1 a choir1 and our meetings were well attended during my sojourn in that pleasant town4 ,i wrote two sermons every week1 and committed them to memory--did not take the manuscript into the desk with me4 ,the society paid me one hundred dollars for my services4 ,my health not being good1 ,i declined remaining after the three months had expired ,i stipulated to remain4 ,the society1 after ,i left1 built a meeting-house1 and prospered for several years4 ,i am not informed of its present condition4 ,while residing in ,dayton1 ,i visited ,springfield1 ,centerville1 and many other places within twenty or thirty miles of the city1 in all of which ,i delivered my message4 ,in the former place1 ,george ,messenger1 a minister of the ,common ,salvation1 was residing1 and the society was building a meeting-house4 ,d4 ,r4 ,biddlecom1 well known in the ,west as a minister of the ,restitution1 visited me while ,i resided in ,dayton4 ,he was then traveling and scattering the good seed broadcast over the land4 ,he now lives in ,dayton1 and is still engaged in the good work4 ,taking leave of my dear friends in ,dayton1 ,i proceeded to ,cincinnati4 ,stopped in ,mason1 and delivered four sermons4 ,here ,i met ,robert ,smith1 a singular kind of a man1 but of considerable ability4 ,he deemed it wrong to pray in public1 baptize1 or partake of the eucharist4 ,some of his views being offensive to our people1 he was often coldly treated4 ,this offended him1 and he subsequently joined the ,reformers1 prayed in public1 eat bread and drank wine every ,sabbath1 and taught that immersion in water is a condition of salvation4 ,when ,i returned to ,cincinnati1 ,j4 ,a4 ,gurley was publishing the ,star in the ,west in that city4 ,he was an active and enterprising man1 possessed respectable talent1 and was a forcible speaker4 ,he was a popular preacher in the ,west1 as long as he continued in the ministry4 ,he made himself a beautiful home near ,cincinnati1 and lived under his own vine and fig-tree4 ,having made two or three hundred thousand dollars--on paper--by ,chicago town-lots1 he abandoned the ,star and the ministry1 and jumped into the muddy pool of politics4 ,he was a member of ,congress two terms1 and when he died1 was governor of ,arizona4 ,here ,i met for the first time1 ,george ,rogers1 a well known minister of our faith1 and the author of several acceptable books4 ,during his brief ministry1 he traveled extensively in the ,south and ,west1 publishing the glad tidings of life and immortality4 ,he was a little man physically1 but a great man intellectually and morally2 his voice was feeble1 but his words were weighty4 ,he broke down a good constitution by hard labor1 and died in the prime of life4 ,mr4 ,rogers had recently traveled in the interior and western portions of ,indiana1 and advised me to spend a few months in those sections of that state4 ,in a few days ,i was on the road1 bound for ,indiana4 ,it was then the middle of ,may1 #ahch1 and ,i did not expect to return till the latter part of autumn4 ,mounting my faithful horse1 ,i rode to ,harrison1 where ,i preached in the evening4 ,as soon as ,i had said amen1 ,george ,campbell1 a ,reformer1 expressed a desire to reply4 ,he was told he would be heard with attention4 ,among other things he remarked1 8,that ,universalism is a new doctrine1 and therefore cannot be the gospel1 for that is old--most eighteen hundred years old40 ,i replied1 that it was as old as revelation2 and that several of its distinguishing features were revealed to our first parents by the ,creator4 ,to them he said1 8,in the day you sin you shall surely die40 ,they did sin1 and they died the death threatened4 ,st4 ,paul calls it a 8death in trespasses and in sins20 8to be carnally minded10 he says1 8is death10 and he terms this death the wages of sin4 ,this is the death--a moral death--that ,god threatened the primitive pair2 and if we sin we die the same death--no mistake about that4 ,mark also the important fact1 that they were to suffer this punishment in ,,the ,,day they sinned4 ,it was not to be deferred till the next day1 next year1 or next world1 but in the day1 when and where they sinned1 they were to begin to suffer the penalty of transgression4 ,it is as true now as it was six thousand years ago1 that in the day we sin we are punished2 it is as true in this town as it was in the ,garden of ,eden1 that in the day we sin we are punished2 it is as true of us as it was of ,adam and ,eve1 that in the day we sin we are punished4 ,truth is eternal2 the laws of ,god are unchangable1 the same yesterday1 to-day and forever4 ,as sin and its penalty were chained together in the beginning1 it is thus now1 and ever will be thus4 ,here then1 in the beginning1 we are taught the certainty of punishment--8in the day you sin you shall be punished20 and here also we are taught1 that punishment is immediate--in the day they sinned the penalty was to overtake them4 ,these ancient truths we believe and preach--they are portions of the gospel4 ,but my friend1 ,mr4 ,campbell1 denies all this4 ,he contends that punishment is not certain1 is not immediate2 that a person may sin three-score years and ten1 without being punished1 for remember1 he denied that ,god judges in the earth2 he said1 that was a new doctrine1 one of our heresies1 it was not taught in the ,bible4 ,he also teaches1 that a man1 after spending seventy years in crime of the blackest dye1 can1 by complying with certain conditions1 escape all punishment in eternity1 and occupy as high a seat in heaven as ,st4 ,paul or ,st4 ,john4 ,in a word1 ,mr4 ,c4 denies squarely and fully the everlasting truth of the ancient record1 that 8in the day you sin you shall be punished40 ,but the gentleman is not the first to make that denial1 and this is not the first place where this truth has been called a lie4 ,he has an ancient precedent1 he is following an old leader1 has taken lessons from an old master4 ,the serpent preached in ,eden's garden just what the gentleman has been preaching here to-night1 with so much zeal4 8,ye shall not surely die10 said his snakeship2 ,god will not surely punish you2 there is a way to escape4 ,besides1 don't believe a word of it1 that you will be punished in the day you sin4 ,mr4 ,c4 has taken the serpent's text this evening1 and ,i give him credit for sticking to the text of the father of lies4 ,our doctrine1 then1 relative to punishment1 is not new1 neither is ,mr4 ,campbell's doctrine1 concerning punishment1 new4 ,but ours and his came from different sources2 one is of ,god1 who is the author of truth1 the other is of the serpent1 the father of lies4 ,they are both ancient doctrines1 but judge ye which is true4 ,the doctrine of salvation--universal salvation--is not a new thing1 either1 under the sun1 as ,mr4 ,c4 affirmed4 ,immediately after sin1 and its dire results1 entered into the world1 and while the first sinners were yet trembling with guilt in the blissful garden1 it was revealed to them that the seed of the woman should bruise the serpent's head4 ,it is generally considered that 8the seed of the woman0 was the future ,christ1 whose advent occurred four thousand years afterwards4 ,this seed was promised through the ,jewish patriarchs--8,in thee and in thy seed shall all nations of the earth be blessed40 ,and ,st4 ,paul distinctly asserts1 that ,jesus is here intended4 8,now to ,abraham and his seed were the promises made4 ,he saith not1 ,and to seeds1 as of many2 but as of one1 ,and to thy seed1 which ,,is ,,christ40 ,gal4 iii4 #af4 ,the seed1 then1 promised to our first parents1 and to the patriarchs1 was ,jesus ,christ4 ,he was to bruise the serpent's head4 ,serpent1 in the ,bible1 is a symbol of sin4 ,as a serpent is a low1 vile and cruel reptile1 so vice is low1 vile and cruel4 ,it worms its slimy folds into our thoughts1 purposes1 character1 and life1 and is sure to poison every thing it touches4 ,but ,jesus ,christ is to bless all nations1 by bruising the serpent's head4 ,when we wish to kill a snake1 our blows are aimed at his head2 so ,jesus is to crush the head of the serpent1 that is1 destroy sin1 and thus bless all nations1 as the patriarchs were promised4 ,three vitally important truths1 then1 were revealed to mankind in the morning of creation4 #ast4 ,punishment for transgressing is certain4 #b;d4 ,it is immediate4 #c;d4 ,sin and its results are temporary1 for it is the purpose and promise of ,god that the seed of the woman shall make an end of sin1 and thus bless all the nations of the earth4 ,as soon as ,mr4 ,campbell's discourse was disposed of1 a ,presbyterian minister1 by the name of ,thomas1 spent half an hour in trying to prove that countless millions of ,adam's race would be the victims of ,almighty wrath1 world without end4 ,i replied to him1 and when we got through it was midnight4 ,the congregation was large1 and was so deeply interested that nearly all remained till that late hour4 ,the next ,sunday1 ,i delivered two discourses in the ,snow ,settlement1 to immense assemblies4 ,the meetings were held in a grove1 and a wagon was my pulpit4 ,in ,brookville1 ,i also spoke to the people4 ,father ,st4 ,john1 a venerable man1 resided there1 and for many years occasionally dispensed the word of life4 ,his silvery locks are now in the grave1 but his soul1 ,i trust1 is with ,god4 ,spent several days in ,west ,union1 and although ,i told the people that ,god was their ,father1 ,friend and ,benefactor1 some treated me with bitter malignity--threatened to drive me out of town1 and even to horse-whip me4 ,since then1 a better spirit has prevailed4 ,there is now a society and meeting in that place4 ,let not the reformer despair if his mission is rejected2 every crucified truth will rise again1 and go on conquering and to conquer4 ,spent a ,sunday in ,connersville1 preached twice1 and heard ,john ,o',kane1 a noted minister among the ,reformers1 once4 ,he has1 since then1 held several oral debates with our ministers4 ,not knowing much about the faith of his sect1 ,i asked him the following questions1 and received the subjoined answers3 8,what must we do to be saved80 8,believe in ,christ1 repent of our sins1 and be baptized40 8,what do you mean by baptism80 8,immersion in water40 8,do you mean to say1 that no one can be saved without immersion80 8,there is no promise that any one can40 8,that is not answering my question4 ,do you contend that there is no salvation without water baptism80 8,the ,new ,testament gives us no assurance1 that a soul can be redeemed without baptism40 8,but what is ,,your opinion80 8,no matter what my opinion may be40 8,cannot the heathen be saved without being baptized80 8,i have nothing to do with the heathen40 8,cannot children1 dying in childhood1 be saved without being baptized80 8,yes40 8,then you admit that one third of mankind are saved without baptism4 ,but you just said1 that baptism was a condition of salvation1 and that you had no evidence a soul could be saved without complying with that condition4 ,your system contradicts itself4 ,if ,god can save one third of mankind without baptism1 can he not save the remaining two thirds without baptism80 8,i have no evidence that he will40 ,since ,i had this conversation with ,mr4 ,o',kane1 ,i have often come in contact with persons of his denomination1 and they all contradict themselves as he did4 ,they all assert1 that water baptism is a condition of salvation1 without any qualification or exception4 ,but after they have laid down this platform1 ask them if the salvation of children depends on being baptized1 and they will say1 nay4 ,ask them if the heathen can be saved without baptism1 and they will give an evasive answer4 ,i spoke in several of the towns on the ,national road1 between ,richmond and ,indianapolis1 and generally had fair congregations4 ,in the latter place1 the capital of ,indiana1 ,i delivered several sermons in the ,court-house1 but found only two families of the liberal faith--,c4 ,vanhouton and ,a4 ,longley4 ,the latter was doing business in town1 and preaching in the neighboring villages on ,sundays4 ,he still resides in ,indiana1 and is still preaching the gospel4 ,he is a worthy man1 and a sincere and devout ,christian4 ,he has been a minister of the gospel about forty years4 ,my horse being lame1 ,mr4 ,vanhouton furnished a colt1 that had never been rode1 in its stead2 but ,i soon broke him1 and he carried me on my mission very pleasantly4 ,when ,i returned him1 five months afterwards1 he jumped with delight4 ,i love a horse1 love to ride and take care of him4 ,he is a noble animal1 and merits kind treatment from man4 ,but he is often savagely abused4 ,i always want to kick the fellow1 who ill treats a horse4 ,he has a bad heart4 ,i lectured in ,greencastle several days4 ,a ,methodist minister1 desiring to know more about our faith1 questioned me thus3 8,do you believe in the ,trinity80 8,no2 ,i believe in one ,god1 and no more40 8,what do you think of the person of ,christ80 8,he was a created1 subordinate1 and dependent being2 the ,son of ,god1 the ,son of man40 8,for how many did he die80 8,he tasted death for every man1--#8,gave himself a ransom for all4'0 8,did he make a vicarious atonement80 8,no4 ,he came to teach us that ,god is our ,father1 ,judge and ,savior2 that we are immortal beings1 shall live forever1 and that we should love ,god1 and our fellow men40 8,but did he not come to reconcile ,god to the world80 8,it was the mission of ,jesus to reconcile man to ,god1 by the influence of truth1 and his own noble example4 ,god is right1 man is wrong1 and ,jesus preached1 lived and died1 to advance man in all things pure and good--to make man ,godlike1 and hence it is said1 that #8,god is in ,christ reconciling the world to himself4'0 8,do you believe in experimental religion80 8,religion does no good unless we individually experience its blessings4 ,it is not an abstraction1 a speculation1 but a reality1 something to be known1 felt1 experienced2 it is a life40 8,do you believe in conversion80 8,yes2 conversion from error to truth1 from sin to holiness1 from depravity to purity1 from a disloyal to a loyal life4 ,but this conversion begins1 progresses and is consummated in perfect harmony with the laws of the mind4 ,it is as natural a process as is the growth of the body40 8,do you believe in a hell80 8,the word hell in the ,bible has several distinct signification4 #ast4 ,it often means the grave4 #b;d4 ,temporal destruction4 #c;d4 ,moral degradation4 #dth4 ,the state of the dead4 ,but hell in no sense is endless in duration40 8,do you believe in a general judgment80 8,in a general and everlasting judgment4 ,all are now judged by the eternal laws of ,god1 and we rise or fall1 are happy or miserable1 as we obey or disobey them4 ,this judgment is also everlasting4 ,through all time1 and through all eternity1 happiness will result from obeying the laws of ,god1 and misery from disobeying them4 ,entering the spirit world1 will not change our natures1 and the laws of the ,creator are the same there as here40 8,but do you not believe in a day of judgment80 8,yes2 in a day and in days of judgment4 ,judgment commenced six thousand years ago1 and it is not yet closed4 #8,all ,god's ways are judgment1' the ,bible teaches us4 ,particular calamities befalling nations and cities1 are called judgment days4 ,the gospel dispensation is termed a judgment day40 8,but do you not believe in a judgment day at the end of time1 when the immortal destiny of each of ,adam's race will be immutably fixed for eternal weal or woe80 8,no1 sir2 ,i can find no reason1 or philosophy1 or scripture for such a notion4 ,the destiny of each individual will not be determined at the end of time1 but it was determined in the purpose of ,god from all eternity4 ,man is immortal1 and is destined to become more and more ,godlike1 intellectually and morally1 as the eternal ages roll along40 8,are wicked men punished80 8,in the language of the ,bible1 ,i believe1 that #8,he that doeth wrong shall receive for the wrong he hath done1 and there is no respect of persons4' #8,though hand join in hand1 the wicked shall not go unpunished4' #8,god is not mocked2 whatsoever a man soweth1 that shall he also reap4 ,he that soweth to the flesh1 shall of the flesh reap corruption4'0 8,you deny though1 everlasting punishment40 8,i believe in everlasting punishment in the ,bible sense of the word1 but not in the present popular sense4 ,punishment is as lasting as sin2 but the ,bible no where teaches that sin and wrong are immortal40 8,how long do you suppose punishment will continue80 8,i know not how long4 ,if you can inform me how long men will be corruptible1 earthy1 sensual1 ,i will tell you how long they will suffer40 8,do you think that in the other world all will be equally happy80 8,there will1 doubtless1 be different degrees of purity1 virtue and happiness1 on the other side of the grave4 ,there must be a moral connection between this life and the life to come4 ,as we end here we shall begin there4 ,character belongs to the soul1 and the death of the body will not make a wise man of a fool1 or a saint of a sinner40 8,do you believe in the resurrection of the body80 8,i believe in the resurrection of man1 the inner man1 that which now lives1 thinks1 and acts1 but not of the body1 these bones and muscles1 this flesh and blood4 ,this body connects the spirit with the material world1 but when it shall be withdrawn from this outer sphere1 and live wholly in the interior world1 it will have no farther use of this physical frame4 ,it will be clothed there with a body adapted to that heavenly home40 8,where is heaven80 8,heaven is not a place1 but a condition--a condition of wisdom1 purity1 holiness4 ,heaven reigns in that soul1 which is loyal to ,god4 ,there is a difference between heaven and the spirit world4 ,the latter is a place--it may be boundless space4 ,men may exist in that world without knowing much of heaven1 as they do exist in this world without much heavenly mindedness40 8,well1 you entertain curious views4 ,i do not see how you can reconcile them with the ,bible40 ,i journeyed on to ,terre ,haute1 where ,i delivered several discourses4 ,this was then a pleasant village1 but now it is a large and flourishing town1 and one of the most beautiful places in the ,west4 ,its spacious streets1 flanked on each side by trees1 shrubbery1 lawns1 flower gardens and elegant dwellings1 give it a charming appearance4 ,it stands on the east bank of the ,wabash river1 and on the margin of a rich and beautiful prairie4 ,subsequently a society was organized1 and a meeting-house built1 but for various reasons1 which ,i need not name1 our cause1 for many years1 has been in a feeble condition in that city4 ,it has recently revived under the auspices of the ,northwest ,conference1 and an able minister1 ,h4 ,jewell1 is settled in the place4 ,i rode to ,vincennes1 seventy miles down the river1 and preached in several villages and neighborhoods1 in not one of which the doctrine of the ,restitution had before been proclaimed4 ,the people generally attended my meetings1 but ,i found but few believers in the ,great ,salvation4 ,returning to ,terre ,haute1 ,i went up the ,wabash river1 and preached in ,clinton1 ,eugene1 ,perryville1 ,attica1 and ,west ,point1 places ,i have often since visited4 ,the religious principles ,i advocated were new to nearly all the inhabitants of the ,wabash ,valley1 where ,i was traveling4 ,there was here and there a believer1 but nearly all the people knew nothing of ,universalism4 8,why10 said a man to me1 8you do not believe in the ,bible1 do you80 ,when ,i informed him that ,i did1 he was much astonished2 and he was perfectly amazed when he was told that ,i found my faith in the ,good ,book4 8,i don't know what you preach for10 said he1 8if all will be saved2 and as to praying1 of course1 you don't pray40 ,this man's knowledge of our faith was the knowledge nearly all the people of that region had of it4 ,i was regarded as an infidel1 a wolf1 a blasphemer1 an emissary of ,satan4 ,women crossed the street when they saw me coming1 as if ,i was a walking pestilence2 children passed me as if they were afraid1 and men looked suspicious when they came in contact with me4 ,but it was not thus with all--far from it4 ,most of those ,i met with1 though they knew nothing of ,universalism1 treated me kindly1 and listened respectfully to what ,i had to say4 ,i spent one month in ,lafayette and ,dayton1 places seven miles apart4 ,a ,methodist clergyman1 by the name of ,smith1 attended my first meeting in ,lafayette1 and gave notice that he would reply in the evening1 and invited me to attend and reply to him if ,i saw proper4 ,each of us spoke several times1 but ,i was far from being satisfied with my defense4 ,i considered it a failure1 though my friends seemed to think ,i did well4 ,mr4 ,smith was a pretty sharp man1 an experienced preacher1 and accustomed to speaking without preparation4 ,he knew he had the advantage of me1 and so followed me up for several ,sabbaths1 and seemed determined to drive me out of the country1 or shut my mouth4 ,we had five distinct encounters1 and in the outcome he got the worst of it1 for he spent his strength in the beginning of the contest1 while ,i grew stronger as the discussion progressed4 ,two years after ,i located in ,lafayette1 organized a society1 commenced the publication of ,the ,christian ,teacher1 and several years after a meeting-house was erected4 ,in the interim of the discussions with ,mr4 ,smith1 ,i preached in ,dayton4 ,here a school teacher tried two or three times to demolish me1 but ,i survived his attacks4 ,i found some excellent friends in this place1 a society was formed1 and a few years after a temple was erected4 ,preaching1 debating1 conversation1 visiting and riding1 occupied nearly all my time1 and what reading ,i did was chiefly on horseback4 ,if ,i had five or fifty miles to ride1 ,i improved the occasion by reading some useful book4 ,i would pass travelers and farm-houses unnoticed4 ,i recollect1 after spending a day in riding and reading1 ,i put up at a farm-house1 and told the good woman ,i wanted no meat1 tea or coffee for supper4 8,what do you want80 said she1 with amazement4 8,a little bread and milk1 if you please1 and a whole candle1 as ,i wish to write this evening40 ,the candle was furnished1 a pig's face1 a cold hoe-cake1 and a bowl of sour milk4 ,she went to the neighboring village1 ,martinsville1 and reported that there was a crazy man at her house4 ,proceeding on my journey1 with book in hand1 ,i rode to ,logansport1 where ,i lectured twice4 ,have preached there often since4 ,we have now an elegant meeting-house in this pleasant and flourishing town1 built by a bequest of ,colonel ,pollard1 who for many years was a prominent merchant of the place4 ,he will long be remembered with gratitude for his noble gift4 ,though dead he yet speaks4 ,men of wealth1 in disposing of their possessions1 would do well to remember religious societies1 benevolent and literary institutions1 and those tried and faithful men who have grown gray in the service of humanity4 ,such men devote their time and talent to the world1 and old age often finds them poor in this world's goods4 ,let the rich1 when dying1 consider them1 and the cause for which they have given their all4 ,near ,plymouth were congregated six hundred ,pottowattamie ,indians1 preliminary to moving them to the distant ,west4 ,i spent several hours with them4 ,asked the chief where they were going4 8,i don't know40 8,do you wish to remain here80 8,oh yes1 oh yes4 ,i leave the bones of my fathers here2 but where will my bones1 and those of my children be laid8 ,no matter1 no matter4 ,the ,indians are doomed40 ,a father and mother buried their child with their own hands4 ,not a word was uttered1 not a tear was shed4 8,lo1 the poor ,indian60 ,in a few more years the sun will rise on the last original owner of our national domain4 ,our swords and our vices have been doing their work of death ever since the ,indians welcomed the ,pilgrims on ,plymouth ,rock1 and they are rising in judgment and condemning us4 ,it seems to be a law of nature1 that a subjugated people must either blend with their conquerors or be annihilated4 ,the ,indians will not unite with us1 and destruction is their doom4 ,the weak1 if they attempt to stand alone1 fall4 ,their only chance of salvation is in the alliance of the strong4 ,lectured in ,laporte and ,door village1 and then proceeded to ,michigan ,city1 where ,i also held meetings4 ,i also spoke in ,south ,bend4 ,a ,presbyterian clergyman opened his battery on me from his pulpit1 which has been called the coward's castle4 ,he said ,universalism was false for the following reasons3 #ast1 ,it conflicts with the justice of ,god2 #b;d1 ,with the mercy of ,god2 #c;d1 ,with the love of ,god2 #dth1 ,with reason2 #eth1 ,with sound philosophy2 #fth1 ,with the law of ,god2 #gth1 ,with the gospel of ,jesus ,christ2 #hth1 ,with the ,bible doctrine of sin2 #ith1 ,of punishment2 #ajth1 ,of faith2 #aath1 ,of rewards2 #abth1 ,of heaven2 #acth1 ,of hell2 #adth1 ,because it is a new doctrine2 #aeth1 ,the devil's doctrine2 #afth1 ,a wicked doctrine2 #agth1 ,a licentious doctrine2 #ahth1 ,wicked men and devils preach it4 ,i replied to his long tirade4 ,our people now have a society1 meeting-house1 and a settled minister in ,south ,bend4 ,there is also a society and meeting-house four miles from there1 at ,mount ,pleasant4 ,i pursued my weary way1 on horseback1 to ,chicago1 through swamps1 over sand ridges1 fighting mosquitoes1 fleas1 gnats and bedbugs4 ,i used to think in those days that the region between ,michigan ,city and ,chicago was abandoned in disgust ere it was half finished4 ,and the few inhabitants on the route were on a par with the country4 ,they lived in a wretched manner1 in log cabins on sand ridges1 surrounded by swamps and stagnant pools4 ,since then1 railroads have improved the country and the people4 ,spent three weeks in ,chicago1 and preached three ,sabbaths in an old court-house to large congregations4 ,chicago then contained about five thousand inhabitants1 and was rather a hard looking place4 ,there were no bridges across the river1 no paved streets1 no railroads1 and but little business was done1 and its citizens did not dream of the splendid career that was awaiting their humble town4 ,i found some zealous friends of our cause1 but there was no organization1 and they had never held regular meetings4 ,while ,i was there1 ,i visited most of the ,universalist families1 and was urged to settle in ,chicago1 but ,i told my friends that it was my mission 8to go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature40 ,leaving ,chicago1 ,i turned my horse towards ,cincinnati1 and passed through ,logansport1 ,lafayette1 and ,indianapolis4 ,i would ride all day and deliver a long discourse at night4 ,returned to ,cincinnati the last of ,december1 after an absence of six months2 and during that time ,i had traveled twelve hundred miles--all on horseback--delivered one hundred and ten discourses1 and received for compensation1 one hundred and fifty dollars4 ,,chapter ,v4 ,,journey ,,in ,,ohio--,,intemperance--,,general ,,baldwin--,,in ,,columbus--,,death ,,penalty--,,how ,,to ,,deal ,,with ,,offenders--,,preach ,,in ,,newark ,,and ,,zanesville--,,hell ,,discussed--,,mrs4 ,,frances ,,gage--,,invited ,,to ,,settle ,,in ,,marietta--,w4 ,h4 ,,jolly--,,in ,,chillicothe--,,opposition ,,in ,,richmond-- --4 ,,webber--,,in ,,kentucky--,,dr4 ,,chamberlin--,,opposition ,,in ,,lexington--,,is ,,universalism ,,infidelity8--,a ,,slanderous ,,story ,,by ,a ,d4,d4--,,in ,,paris--,,excursion ,,to ,,patriot--,a ,,discussion--,,daniel ,,parker--,,cure ,,the ,,ague--,,good ,,health4 ,in a few days ,i commenced a journey through ,ohio on my ever faithful horse4 ,lectured in ,mason on temperance4 ,i have seen the blasting effects of rum drinking1 but neither my body or my soul was ever polluted by a glass of distilled liquor4 ,cannot distinguish the different kinds of spirits1 and have no inclination to know more about them4 ,rum selling1 and rum drinking1 are abominations that make desolate the hearts and homes of multitudes2 and it is amazing that sensible men will rush headlong to destruction with the bottle in their hands and their eyes wide open4 ,the guilty parties in this wretched business are1 #ast1 ,the manufacturers2 #b;d1 ,the sellers2 #c;d1 ,the drinkers2 #dth1 ,the authorities that license the traffic2 #eth1 ,the communities who empower the authorities to license4 ,most of the people are guilty1 and all suffer more or less1 directly or indirectly4 ,but let the friends of temperance labor in season and out of season1 to reform the people1 and banish the curse from the land4 ,their noble work will not be in vain2 ,god will crown it with success4 ,i also delivered several sermons near ,edwardsville4 ,general ,baldwin resided near there--a reliable friend of liberal principles4 ,he was an intelligent and influential man1 and devoted to our cause4 ,he was one of the first to make an effort to establish ,universalism in ,southern ,ohio4 ,although a layman he often spoke in public in its defense4 ,subsequently he moved to ,illinois2 but he carried his religion and zeal with him4 ,he died full of years1 and went down to an honored grave4 ,spoke in ,columbus on religion1 and delivered a discourse against the death penalty4 ,universalism repudiates the taking of life4 ,it is wrong for an individual to kill a man2 it is wrong for a state to kill a man4 ,but taking of life may sometimes be justifiable4 ,is this a contradiction8 ,a wretch enters my house at midnight1 and attempts to murder my family4 ,either he must be disabled1 or he will kill the whole household4 ,in attempting to disable him ,i take his life4 ,am ,i not justified1 although ,i have violated the command1 8,thou shalt not kill80 ,an army marches through the land1 and takes provisions for man and beast1 without permission of the owners4 ,are they not justified1 although they have violated the command1 8,thou shalt not steal80 ,a vessel enters a port laden with food2 the inhabitants are starving1 but the owner refuses to sell or give to the starving citizens4 ,are they not justified in helping themselves1 although in doing so they commit theft8 ,they must either steal or die2 and of the two evils they choose the least4 ,it is wrong to steal1 but it is a greater wrong to die if one can avoid it4 ,so it is wrong to kill a man1 but a greater wrong is committed when an assassin kills an innocent man4 ,but when a murderer is in custody1 the safety of no one requires that his life shall be taken4 ,put him in prison1 and keep him there till he becomes a safe man in the community1 and if he never reforms1 keep him there for life4 ,the world's mode of dealing with offenders is radically wrong2 there is too much of the leaven of revenge in it4 ,they should be treated as morally insane1 rather than as criminals4 ,our penitentiaries should be converted into moral reform schools1 and transgressors should be put there1 and retained there1 till well qualified persons1 who scrutinize their conduct every day1 pronounce them regenerated4 ,and he1 who may be sent there for stealing one dollar1 should remain there till he is no longer a thief1 and if he resists all efforts to reform him1 keep him there as long as he lives4 ,it is better for him1 and for society1 that he should be thus excluded from the world4 ,man has no right to punish his brother man2 ,god has established laws1 and if they are violated punishment is sure to follow2 and it is our duty to reform the erring4 ,this mode of treatment accords with the gospel1 and the spirit of ,christ1 but the penitentiary1 the gallows1 and the guillotine1 correspond with the spirit of ,orthodoxy4 ,when a great crime is committed our blood boils1 and we cry aloud for vengeance2 but a little correct reflection on such occasions will do us no harm4 ,the criminal inherited a bad moral organization1 and was1 perhaps1 surrounded by evil associates from the cradle to manhood4 ,all this should be considered in dealing with the fallen2 but the law of man sees it not1 considers it not4 ,he is deemed equally as blamable as his associate in crime1 who was brought up under the most favorable circumstances4 ,but there is a great difference between the criminality of the two4 ,the latter sins against much more light than the former1 and is a greater criminal in the sight of ,god4 ,most of offenders come into this world 8half made up10 and are educated in crime from infancy upward4 ,let the state take them under its special care and keeping2 protect society from their depredations1 and strive to make better men and women of such unfortunates4 ,preached in ,newark and ,zanesville4 ,in the former place a preacher deemed it his duty to oppose me1 but he did it in a very gentlemanly manner4 ,the subject of my discourse was hell1 and the following was the gist of it3 #ast4 ,the ,bible no where asserts that hell is beyond the grave1 and in the immortal world4 ,on the contrary1 it teaches that it is on the earth4 ,the lawgiver1 ,moses1 locates it here4 8,for a fire is kindled in my wrath1 and shall burn unto the lowest hell1 and shall consume the earth with her increase1 and set on fire the foundations of the mountains4 ,i will heap mischief upon them2 ,i will spend my arrows upon them4 ,they shall be burned with hunger1 and devoured with burning heat1 and with bitter destruction2 ,i will also send the teeth of beasts upon them1 with the poison of serpents of the dust4 ,the sword without1 and terror within1 shall destroy both the young man and the virgin1 the suckling also with the man of gray hairs4 ,i said1 ,i would scatter them into corners1 ,i would make the remembrance of them to cease from among men4 ,to me belongeth vengeance and recompense2 their foot shall slide in due time3 for the day of their calamity is at hand1 and the things that shall come upon them make haste40 ,moses here tells his countrymen what would be the consequences if they should be unfaithful to the trust committed to them4 ,the ,lord would 8hide his face from them10 8vengeance would overtake them10 8the day of their calamity would be at hand10 8they would be scattered into all parts of the earth10 8the sword without and terror within would destroy them10 they would be 8burnt with hunger40 ,all these calamities are expressed by the words1 8lowest hell20 and the history of that remarkable nation shows that the prophecy has been fulfilled4 ,that nation has been cast down to the lowest hell4 ,david testifies that the results of sin are not far off4 8,the pains of hell got hold of me2 ,i found trouble and sorrow40 ,jesus said to the scribes and ,pharisees1 8,ye serpents1 ye generation of vipers6 how can ye escape the damnation of hell40 ,matt4 xxiii4 #cc4 ,and then he adds1 8,all these things shall come upon this generation40 #b;d4 ,hell is no where in the ,bible said to be endless2 and who has a right to assume that it is endless in duration8 ,popes1 bishops and councils have threatened the world with endless torment1 if it did not bow to their yoke1 but thank ,god our destiny is not in their hands4 #c;d4 ,we have no information of the creation of such a place as ,orthodoxy proclaims4 ,we read of ,god creating the heavens and the earth1 and all therein1 but not a word about his building a vast prison in which to torment countless millions of his creatures world without end4 ,it is blasphemy to charge the ,god of love with such work4 ,god is good1 and all his works are good4 ,when creation was finished all things were pronounced good4 ,an eternal hell then is no part of ,god's work4 ,let this be remembered4 #dth4 ,the ,new ,testament never speaks of any one being saved from hell4 ,it was the mission of ,jesus to save us from sin1 from darkness1 from a lost condition1 from slavery1 from the present evil world1 but there is not an intimation in the ,new ,testament that ,god sent his ,son to save us from a hell of his own creating4 #eth4 ,the word hell in the ,bible does not signify1 according to good authority1 a place of ceaseless woe4 ,dr4 ,adam ,clarke1 the well known commentator1 says3 8,the word hell1 used in the common translation1 conveys now an improper meaning of the original word2 because hell is only used to signify the place of the damned4 ,but as the word hell comes from the ,anglo-,saxon helan1 to cover1 to hide1 hence the tyling or slating of a house is called1 in some parts of ,england1 7particularly ,cornwall17 heling1 to this day2 and the covers of books1 7in ,lancashire17 by the same name40 ,this admission is fatal to the common received views of hell4 #fth4 ,the word hell in the ,old ,testament1 is taken from the ,hebrew term sheol1 and learned men of all schools admit1 that it signifies the state of the dead in general1 without regard to their condition4 ,dr4 ,george ,campbell remarks as follows3 8,sheol in itself considered1 has no connection with future punishment40 ,dr4 ,whitby1 a profound ,english scholar tells us1 that 8,sheol throughout the ,old ,testament signifies not a place of punishment1 or of the souls of bad men only1 but the grave only1 or the place of the dead40 ,other critics admit the same4 #gth4 ,in the ,new ,testament1 the word hell is translated from the ,greek term hades1 and as that is the ,greek rendering of the ,hebrew sheol1 its meaning is the same as its corresponding word4 ,hence ,dr4 ,campbell says1 8,hades occurs eleven times in the ,new ,testament1 and is rendered grave once1 and hell ten times4 ,in my judgment1 it ought never in ,scripture to be rendered hell1 at least in the sense wherein that word is universally understood by ,christians4 ,in the ,old ,testament the corresponding word is sheol1 which signifies the state of the dead in general1 without regard to the goodness or badness of the persons1 their happiness or misery4 ,it is very plain that neither in the ,septuagint version of the ,old ,testament1 nor in the ,new1 does the word hades convey the meaning which the present ,english word hell1 in the ,christian usage1 always conveys to our minds4 ,the attempt to illustrate this would be unnecessary1 as it is hardly now pretended by any critic that this is the acception of the term in the ,old ,testament40 #hth4 ,the word hell in the ,new ,testament in twelve instances1 is taken from the ,greek term gehenna1 and ,orthodox scholars thus define that word3 8,gehenna is a ,hebrew word denoting a place near ,jerusalem1 in which the ,israelites1 giving themselves up to idolatry1 sacrificed children to a heated image of ,moloch1 which represented the form of an ox4 ,this place1 the valley of ,hinnom1 the ,jews afterwards so detested1 that they were accustomed to cast into it the unburied carcasses of those whom they desired to punish with unusual severity4 ,it is called a gehenna of fire1 because ,josiah1 in order to render the valley of ,hinnom more odious1 commanded that filth and dead carcasses should be cast into it2 for the burning of which there was kept a perpetual fire40 #b ,kings xxiii4 #aj1 et seq4 ,this is the testimony of ,dr4 ,rosenmuller1 and it is the testimony of all the learned1 belong to what denomination they may4 ,this is the literal meaning of the word1 twelve times rendered hell in the ,new ,testament4 ,figuratively1 it refers to the temporal desolation that was soon to befall the ,jewish nation4 ,the damnation of gehenna overwhelmed ,jerusalem1 the whole land1 and the people4 ,jesus told his countrymen that they had filled up the measure of their iniquity1 that the vials of wrath and fiery indignation were about to be poured upon them1 that on them would come all the righteous blood their nation had spilt4 ,when these things shall come to pass1 said ,jesus1 8there shall be great tribulation1 such as was not since the beginning of the world to this time40 ,he told them over and over1 that all these things would come on that generation4 ,theologians now locate all that in yonder world4 ,they might as well assert1 that the ,ohio valley is the name of a place beyond the grave1 and the destruction that befell the ,indians therein is immortal woe in a post mortem hell4 ,the gentleman said ,i was partly right and partly wrong4 ,i met him several years after1 and he was then preaching the annihilation of the wicked4 ,he had made some progress1 for it is certainly better to burn men to ashes than to burn them forever4 ,i lectured in ,mc,connersville1 and became acquainted with ,mrs4 ,frances ,gage1 who since then has been before the public as a writer and lecturer on temperance and woman's rights4 ,notwithstanding her limited education1 she writes good poetry and prose1 and is a superior lecturer4 ,she is a noble woman1 and devotes her life to noble purposes4 ,spent several days in ,marietta1 a beautiful town on the ,ohio river4 ,i was urged to remain there1 and the society offered me five hundred dollars per year1 a liberal salary for the times1 but ,i declined4 ,i was fearful that ,i could not sustain myself in preaching at one place all the time4 ,the friends there had no idea but ,i could1 but ,i fancied that ,i knew myself better than they did4 ,preached in ,belpre4 ,stopped with ,general ,putnam1 a descendent of the revolutionary hero of that name--a splendid man1 and a devoted believer in the restitution of all things4 ,here ,i also met with ,w4 ,h4 ,jolly1 an early pioneer preacher4 ,he traveled most of the time through the wilderness of ,ohio1 preaching in private houses1 school-houses1 barns1 and wherever he could have a hearing4 ,he received but a small compensation1 his whole soul was in the work1 and he was dearly beloved by his fellow believers4 ,he died soon after ,i saw him1 but he is still remembered as a devoted and good man4 ,he had a daughter1 a young lady1 who wrote well for our periodicals4 ,she afterwards married1 and ,i do not know what has become of her4 ,i preached in ,richmond and ,chillicothe4 ,in the former place the meetings caused considerable excitement1 which brought out a preacher against me4 ,he abused me1 my faith1 and every body that entertained it4 ,he was a regular blackguard1 and a son of thunder4 ,my clothes being rather seedy1 the friends1 as a compensation for my labor1 presented me with a new suit1 and ,i went on my way rejoicing4 ,a clergyman of the liberal faith1 by the name of ,wood1 resided and preached in ,richmond4 ,he1 however1 soon after left there1 moved to ,patriot1 ,ind41 ceased to preach1 was1 for one or two sessions1 a member of the ,indiana ,legislature1 and finally died insane4 ,he was a worthy man1 but was too easily discouraged to be a minister in the ,west in those days4 ,delivered lectures in several places in ,highland county4 ,became acquainted with a brother by the name of ,webber1 who soon after commenced preaching4 ,after laboring about ten years in ,ohio1 he moved to ,scotland county1 ,mo41 where he died1 after traveling and preaching in that state two or three years4 ,his lone grave is on the wide and wild prairie4 ,the last time ,i saw it a frail fence enclosed his resting place1 and that1 ere this1 has probably disappeared4 ,i returned to ,cincinnati ,may1 #ahci4 ,had been absent five months1 delivered ninety-three discourses1 and traveled six hundred miles4 ,the succeeding nine months were spent in ,ohio1 ,indiana and ,kentucky4 ,delivered a series of discourses in ,warsaw1 ,ky41 which awakened much interest4 ,dr4 ,chamberlin1 a wealthy and influential citizen of that place1 had recently embraced the better faith4 ,he had been a member of the ,campbellite church1 and all who knew him1 freely admitted that his new faith had made a new man of him4 ,it expanded his soul1 and opened his hand and his purse4 ,his wealth1 time and talent1 and the latter was of a superior order1 were devoted to the upbuilding of the truth4 ,he distributed hundreds of volumes of our denominational books through ,kentucky1 and was ever ready to aid every effort to advance the good cause4 ,he subsequently moved to ,burlington1 ,iowa1 donated to every ,universalist society in ,iowa one hundred and sixty acres of land1 and1 ,i think1 gave the ,lombard ,college1 in ,galesburg1 ,ill41 ten thousand dollars in cash1 besides many valuable books and a collection of ,american antiquities4 ,lectured three times in ,lexington1 ,ky4 ,one of the ministers in town delivered a philippic against the new faith2 said ,universalism was a species of infidelity4 ,i asked1 what is there infidel about it8 ,it asserts1 that there a ,god1 who rules in heaven and on earth1 and in who we live1 move and have our being4 ,is that infidelity8 ,it teaches that ,jesus ,christ is the ,son of ,god1 and ,savior of the world4 ,is that infidelity8 ,it declares that ,god will surely and fully reward every virtue1 and surely and fully punish every vice4 ,is that infidelity8 ,it proclaims that man is an immortal being1 and destined to advance onward and upward forever and ever4 ,is that infidelity8 ,it asserts1 that our greatest happiness consists in communing with ,god1 and leading a pure and virtuous life4 ,is that infidelity8 ,portions of your system1 sir1 are worse than infidelity4 ,you are a ,calvinist1 and in the language of ,john ,wesley1 8,you may call me an infidel1 a ,turk1 a ,mahomedan1 but don't call me a ,calvinist4 ,i had rather believe in no ,god than believe he is an almighty tyrant40 ,you believe in a burning hell in which ,god will plunge most of the dead1 to be his victims eternally4 ,is there any thing in the baldest infidelity half as infernal as that8 ,you believe that ,god creates us all totally depraved1 not capable of thinking a good thought or performing a good act1 and if we do not change our nature1 he will roast us in hell forever4 ,and then to cap the climax of infamy1 you teach that ,god decreed from all eternity1 that the victims of perdition should be born totally depraved1 should live a wicked life1 and in the end should fall into the bottomless pit4 ,if your creed is religion1 give me infidelity4 ,to exchange the latter for the former1 would be exchanging heaven for hell4 ,i also lectured several times near ,lexington1 at the request of a venerable man by the name of ,taylor1 a relative of ,president ,taylor4 ,several years after1 ,i heard ,dr4 ,young1 a ,methodist minister1 tell the following story in his pulpit at ,st4 ,louis1 about ,mr4 ,taylor and an imaginary clergyman3 8,there lived an old and rich man near ,lexington1 ,ky41 by the name of ,taylor1 who was a ,universalist4 ,some time since1 he sent to ,cincinnati for a preacher of his choice to come and preach for him1 and the preacher having performed his labor1 ,mr4 ,t4 paid him one hundred dollars4 ,all right2 preachers should be paid for their work like other folks4 ,some time after1 the preacher visited him again1 by ,mr4 ,t4's request1 and he again paid him one hundred dollars4 ,he did right10 added ,dr4 ,young4 8,when the preacher was about departing1 he told the old man he needed five hundred dollars1 and would be much obliged if ,mr4 ,taylor would lend him that sum for a short time4 ,he lent it to him1 and to this day the debt has not been cancelled4 ,the old man renounced his ,universalism1 and died a ,methodist4 ,if any of you doubt the truth of this story1 ,i tell you it is as true as the gospel1 for ,i know all about it40 ,i called on the gentleman the next day and asked him if he was acquainted with ,mr4 ,taylor4 8,no40 8,do you know any of his relatives80 8,no40 8,but you said yesterday that you knew all about this matter40 8,brother ,kavanagh told it to me1 and he learned it from a brother in ,kentucky40 8,now1 sir1 ,i knew ,mr4 ,taylor1 and ,i suppose that ,i am the preacher you referred to1 and ,i pronounce the whole story1 save that ,mr4 ,t4 was a ,universalist1 and that ,i preached in his neighborhood1 false40 8,oh1 this took place a long time ago1 before your day40 ,i took occasion to lecture him for telling slanderous tales about the living or the dead on mere hearsay4 ,mr4 ,taylor took me to ,richmond1 where ,i spoke twice4 ,two men came to me at the close of one of the meetings2 their hearts were full4 ,they thanked ,god that the scales had fallen from their eyes1 and that they beheld the gospel in all its heavenly beauty4 ,i also preached in ,paris1 ,flemingsburg1 and many other places in ,kentucky4 ,in one place1 ,i remember that in the middle of a sermon ,i had a hard ague chill1 and had to stop half an hour1 when ,i resumed my discourse4 ,the new meeting-house in ,patriot1 ,ind41 was to be dedicated1 and a large party of ,cincinnatians employed a boat to take them down and back4 ,it was a delightful excursion4 ,we had music and dancing1 talking and promenading4 ,george ,rogers and ,e4 ,m4 ,pingree were of the party--both are now in heaven1 ,i trust4 ,we three did the preaching4 ,j4 ,l4 ,johnson was installed pastor of the church4 ,he had been a ,methodist1 his faith was now enlarged1 but he retained many of his old notions1 and all his ,orthodox phraseology1 and consequently he had poor success4 ,he soon left us and returned to his mother church4 ,about this time ,i attended a discussion in ,new ,richmond1 ,ohio1 between ,robert ,smith1 and a ,mr4 ,fisher1 a ,methodist layman4 ,mr4 ,f4 was an able man1 and better qualified to defend his cause than three fourths of the preachers of his order4 ,both being strong men1 the discussion was very interesting4 ,daniel ,parker resided there1 and had long been in the ministry4 ,he called himself a ,restorationist1 and would not associate with ,universalists4 ,i suppose his views corresponded with those of ,elhanan ,winchester4 ,he was a disorganizer1 would not form societies1 but was a very sincere1 devout and good man4 ,he preached one evening1 and in the midst of his sermon he buried his face in his hands1 and wept like a child4 ,i recollect that he said in his sermon1 that he had never believed in ,universalism one minute in all his life4 ,in his old age1 ,i have understood1 he joined the ,baptist church4 ,my health continued feeble1 not having recovered from the ague engendered in the ,south1 but it did not confine me in-doors a day4 ,i had a slight chill every day1 succeeded by an inward fever1 which kept me in a debilitated condition4 ,occasionally though ,i had a violent shake4 ,often when riding1 ,i would have an attack of the ague1 when ,i would stop two or three hours1 and then resume my journey4 ,i took all sorts of medicines1 but nothing did me any good4 ,it finally occurred to me that breakfast might have some connection with my ague1 as it returned every morning soon after eating4 ,i refrained from partaking of breakfast for a week1 and the ague did not trouble me4 ,two or three times afterwards my morning ague returned1 but abstaining from breakfast always prevented a relapse4 ,i was soon entirely free from it1 and since then1 with the exception of two attacks of bilious fever1 one in ,st4 ,louis1 and one in ,chicago1 brought on in both cases by walking and riding in the blazing sun1 and preaching too much1 ,i have enjoyed perfect health4 ,i certainly have reason to be thankful for the good health ,i have enjoyed1 and for innumerable other blessings1 temporal and spiritual4 ,,chapter ,,vi4 ,a ,,journey ,,east--,,talk ,,with ,a ,,baptist ,,minister--,,preached ,,in ,,delaware ,,and ,,centerville1 ,,ohio--,w4 ,y4 ,,emmett--,,doors ,,closed--,a4 ,,bond--,a4 ,b4 ,,grosh--,,in ,,new ,,england--,,on ,,the ,,sea--,a ,,storm--,,methodist ,,preacher ,,frightened--,,blow ,,the ,,trumpet--,,in ,,philadelphia--,,in ,,delaware--,,in ,,pittsburg--,,returned ,,to ,,cincinnati--,,go ,,to ,,chicago--,,bad ,,roads--,,in ,,richmond--,,talk ,,with ,a ,,quaker--,a ,,spirit ,,returns ,,to ,,earth--,a ,,spirit ,,out ,,of ,,the ,,body--,a ,,strange ,,sight--,,preach ,,in ,,god',s ,,temple--,,preach ,,in ,,chicago--,,preach ,,in ,,joliet--,,aaron ,,kinney1 ,,an ,,early ,,preacher--,,bill ,,of ,,fare--,,hard ,,luck ,,in ,,magnolia--,,why ,,preach--,,in ,,hennepin--,,political ,,humbugs--,,opposition ,,in ,,washington--,,justice ,,of ,,god--,,in ,,pekin ,,and ,,tremont--,,frozen--,a ,,preacher ,,replies4 ,george ,rogers had traveled in the ,southern states1 and was urged either to return or send some one to preach to the people4 ,he could not go1 and at his solicitation1 ,i consented to journey in ,kentucky1 ,tennessee1 ,mississippi1 ,alabama1 ,georgia1 ,north and ,south ,carolina2 and from thence ,i purposed going by sea to ,boston1 ,mass4 ,february1 #ahdj1 with horse and buggy1 ,i started from ,cincinnati on what ,i expected would be a long and hard journey1 through a thinly settled region1 and among strangers4 ,crossed the ,ohio river1 and traveled about ten miles on a splendid pike4 ,but at the end of the pike the sublime and ridiculous joined hands4 ,horse and buggy plunged from the hard1 dry and smooth road into an ocean of mud and water4 ,this enlightened me concerning the condition of the roads generally1 and after floundering in the mud awhile1 ,i succeeded in getting back to dry land1 and returned to ,cincinnati1 and abandoned my contemplated southern journey4 ,i then resolved to go ,east through ,ohio1 ,pennsylvania1 ,new ,york and ,massachusetts1 and in a few days after ,i recrossed the ,ohio river1 ,i was on my way1 on horseback1 to the noted city of ,boston4 ,i performed the whole journey1 about one thousand miles1 on horseback1 and it occupied six weeks4 ,i went ,east to visit my mother1 and hurried through as fast as possible4 ,but ,i could not travel very fast1 as the roads were in a bad condition1 and the weather was often stormy4 ,preached in ,woodstock1 to large assemblies4 ,spent three days very pleasantly in visiting kind friends1 and in talking to the people4 ,a society was subsequently formed and a meeting-house erected4 ,cyrus ,f4 ,wait1 then a youth1 attended my meetings4 ,he soon after commenced preaching1 and labored faithfully in the ministry till #ahfe1 when he laid down his armor and ascended to his ,god4 ,he lived and labored in ,woodstock most of the time he was in the ministry1 was an efficient preacher and an excellent man4 ,i delivered several sermons in ,delaware1 and had the following conversation with a ,baptist clergyman3 8,you preached in town last night1 did you80 8,yes40 8,if you are right1 ,i cannot be wrong40 8,if ,i am right in my religious views1 you are radically wrong in yours1 for ,i expect we essentially differ4 ,if my views of ,god1 ,christ1 heaven1 hell1 man1 rewards and punishments1 are correct1 you are in error1 of course1 wherein you differ from me4 ,any one with half an eye1 and that nearly out1 can see that40 8,well1 ,i am safe if ,universalism is true40 8,you are in a lost condition if it is true4 ,he only is safe whose life is in harmony with the truth4 ,your mind1 ,i perceive1 from your conversation1 is darkened by a false theology4 #8,know the truth1' said ,jesus1 #8and the truth shall make you free4' #8,sanctify them through thy truth1 thy word is truth4' ,jesus attached great importance to receiving the truth4 ,you are walking in darkness1 and see that you do not stumble4 ,truth is a lamp to the feet1 and a guide to the soul4 ,we cannot walk safely without that light40 8,but ,i shall be saved as well as you if ,universalism is of ,god40 8,you will be saved when your soul shall be sanctified by the truth1 and not till then4 ,universalism promises no salvation1 in this world or the world to come1 without purity of heart4 ,let that be remembered40 8,but ,i thought you believed we should all be saved any how40 8,you thought wrong4 ,there is only one way to be saved1 and that is1 by having our souls baptized with the truth4 ,those thus baptized are saved1 heaven now reigns in their souls1 the kingdom of ,god1 which is righteousness1 joy and peace in the ,holy ,spirit1 is within them4 ,that is the salvation ,jesus lived1 labored and died to bless man with40 ,delivered a discourse in ,circleville1 and formed the acquaintance of ,w4 ,y4 ,emmett4 ,he has long been known in ,ohio as a faithful minister of the ,new ,testament4 ,his father was a ,methodist clergyman1 but the son has greatly improved on the theology of the father4 ,there are three steps from extreme error1 in religion1 to truth--,calvinism1 ,arminianism1 ,universalism4 ,perhaps ,br4 ,emmett's grand-father was a ,calvinist4 ,passing on1 ,i lectured several times in ,ashtabula1 but sectarianism taking alarm1 all doors were closed against me1 and ,i proceeded to ,conneautville4 ,ammi ,bond resided there4 ,he has recently died4 ,his ministry was confined1 chiefly1 to the northeast part of ,ohio1 and to contiguous portions of ,pennsylvania4 ,his personal appearance was attractive2 had a well formed head1 a ,grecian face1 and the soul within corresponded with the outer man4 ,from here ,i proceeded more rapidly on my journey4 ,called on ,a4 ,b4 ,grosh1 ,utica1 ,n4 ,y41 who was then publishing ,the ,gospel ,advocate4 ,he possesses fine ability1 and is1 every way1 a noble man4 ,crossed the ,hudson river1 at ,troy1 and after six weeks traveling reached ,princeton1 ,mass41 where my mother resided4 ,visited my old home in ,haverhill1 and shed a tear over my brother's grave in ,plaistow1 ,n4 ,h41 attended a ,conference meeting in ,boston1 and then sailed from ,boston for ,philadelphia1 in the brig ,mary ,ann1 commanded by ,captain ,chase4 ,we encountered a tremendous storm--an equinoctial storm--which made the vessel roll and plunge at a fearful rate1 and set the sailors to telling stories of shipwrecks1 ghosts1 and home4 ,the captain1 who was a member of one of our societies on ,cape ,cod1 related the following of a ,methodist preacher3--,the previous season there was a terrible storm off that coast1 and many vessels were lost4 ,a friend of his1 who ran a vessel between ,new ,york and ,boston1 was out in it1 and during the hardest of the gale1 in a pitch-black night1 he was trying to weather ,cape ,cod1 to get into a sheltered position4 ,he had a ,methodist preacher on board4 ,about midnight1 when it was dark as ,egypt1 the wind howling1 the waves dashing1 and the vessel plunging1 he went into the cabin dripping with salt water1 when the preacher said1 8,captain1 how are we getting along80 ,the captain replied1 8,we are drifting towards the shore very fast1 and we shall all be in heaven before morning40 8,god forbid10 said the clergyman4 ,this reminds me of a courageous preacher in ,indiana4 ,some boatmen1 after toiling all night in a flat-boat on ,white river1 tied up their craft1 and sought a place to rest4 ,they selected a barn for that purpose4 ,over its floor was a scaffold covered with hay1 on which they laid their weary bodies to repose4 ,being much fatigued they slept sound and long4 ,when they awoke1 they found that there was a congregation worshiping on the floor below1 for it was ,sunday morning4 ,the preacher was in the midst of his theme--the judgment day1 that day for which all days were made4 ,he had got to where the saints were about to be raised1 and he1 of course1 was one of them4 8,o-ah10 said he1 8,i want to go-ah2 ,i am tired-ah of this wicked-ah world-ah20 and looking straight at the roof of the barn1 he cried as loud as he could scream1 8,gabriel-ah1 ,gabriel-ah1 blow-ah that trumpet-ah1 that ,i-ah may leave-ah this ungodly-ah world-ah1 and go to heaven-ah4 ,i-ah say-ah1 ,gabriel-ah1 blow-ah that-ah trumpet-ah this-ah minute-ah40 ,the boatmen had a tin horn1 and one gave a loud blast1 which made every worshiper bound to his feet4 ,the preacher stopped short1 cast one agonizing glance upward1 and then leaped through and over his flock out of the barn1 and ran home as fast as his legs would carry him4 ,one old lady1 in her haste to get out of the way of ,gabriel1 broke a limb4 ,in ,philadelphia ,i was introduced to ,asher ,moore1 a well known minister in the ,east4 ,z4 ,fuller1 for many years an influential clergyman in that city1 had recently died4 ,being anxious to return to my western field of labor1 ,i tarried but a few hours in ,p4 ,proceeded over the mountains to ,pittsburg1 by railroad and stage1 where ,i delivered several discourses4 ,from thence ,i went in a steamboat to ,cincinnati2 and in a few days1 was on the road to ,chicago4 ,a journey to ,chicago from ,cincinnati was not as easily1 or as quickly made in those days as it is now4 ,instead of a few hours1 it took about two weeks of hard traveling to perform the journey4 ,instead of a smooth1 iron road1 it was about the roughest and softest road ever traveled by man or beast4 ,parts of it were railway1 but the rails were unhewed logs1 and laid across the track1 which endangered the horse's legs and carriage wheels4 ,portions of the year it was hard to find the bottom of the mud4 ,it was indeed a rough and terrible road most of the way through2 and the driver had to keep both eyes open to avoid stumps1 holes and quagmires1 and often with good eyes1 and they used to the best advantage1 he did not escape shipwreck4 ,preached in ,richmond1 ,ind41 four times4 ,this is a ,quaker town4 ,had a long conversation with a preacher of that order4 8,you do not pray in public80 8,no2 ,christ enjoined secret prayer40 8,true2 but he prayed in the presence of others1 and on the cross prayed in the presence of thousands1 #8,father1 forgive them for they know not what they do4' ,the seventeenth chapter of ,john is a prayer uttered in the presence of his disciples4 ,the apostle ,paul1 on one occasion1 kneeled on the sea shore in the midst of a large assembly1 and vocally invoked the divine blessing4 ,and most of good men and good women in all ages and in all climes1 whether ,christian or ,pagan1 have sanctioned the practice4 ,the tongue loves to speak what the heart feels1 and a prayer straight from the heart1 often has more influence on an assembly than a good sermon4 ,of course1 it is a great sin to pray or preach #8to be seen of men1' but praying and preaching with the spirit and the understanding1 are heaven-appointed means to christianize the soul4 ,there is1 doubtless1 much hypocritical praying as well as preaching1 but the abuse of a good thing is not a valid reason for its abandonment4 ,you oppose singing1 ,i understand4 ,why do you80 8,the ,friends in their worship are governed by the spirit1 and singing is an art1 taught and learned1 hence they exclude it from their worship40 8,learning to read is an art1 and yet you read the ,bible4 ,speaking correctly is an art1 but you cultivate correct speaking in your meetings4 ,the spirit does not teach you how to read or how to speak4 ,music is a science of which ,god is the author1 and in studying music we learn of the wisdom of ,god1 and in singing we sing his praise4 ,a good hymn sung correctly is a sermon and a prayer2 it unites the hearts of all who hear1 and stirs the soul to its depths4 ,why do you all wear the same style of dress80 8,because we abhor fashions40 8,but it seems to me that your people are great lovers of fashion4 ,there is a ,quaker fashion1 and you all1 men1 women and children1 stick to it through thick and thin4 ,if one of your members deviates from your fashion he is dealt with as an offender4 ,you do not run after every fashion1 but you adopt the fashion of the times of ,charles ,,ii41 and will make no improvement4 ,i despise fashion more than you do1 for ,i consult my own taste1 and not the frivolous whims of crack-brains in the nineteenth or sixteenth century40 ,a gentleman here told me a singular story4 ,a physician and a lawyer lived in ,richmond2 they were intimate friends1 and spent much time together4 ,both were zealous infidels1 and they promised each other1 that the one that should die first1 if he lived after death1 would return to his friend left on earth if he was able to do so4 ,the physician died1 but the survivor thought not of the promise1 for he was sure death had spared nothing of his friend4 ,several months after the physician's death1 the lawyer was astonished to see his departed friend enter his office4 ,he slowly approached the couch on which he was lying1 for it was night1 and reminded him of their mutual promise2 said he had made several efforts before to visit him but failed2 told him that both of them were mistaken about death2 that the man did not die2 he only put off the body and entered on a higher sphere of existence1 and that most of mankind were in error concerning the second stage of life1 that being much more like this world than many imagined4 ,after an affectionate adieu1 he disappeared1 promising to return1 if possible1 but he saw him no more4 ,the gentleman related the circumstance to his friends1 and they1 of course1 laughed at him1 and said he was crazy or asleep1 whereupon he went before a magistrate and testified under oath1 that what he related was strictly correct4 ,he was ever after a believer in immortality2 he said he knew there was a future life1 for he had seen one from the land beyond the vale4 ,a gentleman in ,ohio related to me the following3 ,he ran a flouring mill1 located at the foot of a hill1 on the top of which was his residence4 ,his aged father often spent an hour or two in the mill4 ,one day he observed him enter the building1 with staff in hand1 and after remaining a few minutes1 walked out4 ,nothing was said by either party1 and several times they passed within three or four feet of each other4 ,stepping to the door soon after the old gentleman went out1 he saw his father slowly ascending the hill to the house4 ,he immediately had occasion to go to the house1 and not seeing his father1 inquired for him1 and was informed that he was lying down4 ,he went into his room and found him asleep1 and was told he had been on the bed a full hour4 ,another intelligent friend related the following3 ,his family and another family occupied one house in an ,ohio town--the former the front1 and the latter the rear part of the building1 and a gate1 two feet from the front door1 was the entrance to the rear of the house4 ,the gate swung hard on its hinges1 and with much noise4 ,about ten at night1 my informant1 from his front door1 observed a person on the sidewalk approaching the house2 having a peculiar appearance1 he requested his wife to step to the door and see who it was4 ,to both he seemed a stranger1 and both remarked that he made no noise walking on the stone pavement4 ,when opposite the gate1 and two feet from where they were standing1 he turned and passed through the gateway to the rear of the building out of sight4 ,supposing the gate was open1 as the traveler did not stop to open it1 the gentleman stepped aside to close it1 when1 to his atonishment1 he found it shut4 ,on opening the gate he found that it made as loud a report1 and required as much effort as usual4 ,not being able to account for all this1 he inquired of his neighbor if any one had called1 and was answered1 nay4 ,that night a woman in the rear part of the building died4 ,it is quite fashionable to cry humbug and delusion1 when such stories are related2 but ,i do not raise that cry1 neither have ,i a satisfactory explanation of them to offer4 ,the history and tradition of all nations and people are full of what seems to be the supernatural2 and if that part is all false1 how can we credit the balance of their history8 ,but most people1 after all1 have1 at least1 some vague impressions1 that the departed have something to do with the world they once inhabited4 ,and why should they not8 ,i had an appointment in a ,methodist meeting-house in ,washington2 and while the congregation was assembling1 the pastor of the church told us we could not occupy the house2 such abominable sentiments should not be promulgated in the ,methodist meeting-house4 ,i told the congregation1 as we were not allowed to occupy the ,methodist house1 we would adjourn to the house of the ,lord--a beautiful grove4 ,this being an unexpected reply1 and part of the congregation being rather pleased1 the preacher good-naturedly said ,i might say what ,i pleased in the ,methodist house4 ,visited many places where ,i had before spoken1 and reached ,chicago1 ,august1 #ahdj1 where ,i preached three ,sabbaths1 and then proceeded to ,joliet4 ,lectured there three times4 ,we have now a society in that place1 and a splendid meeting-house4 ,aaron ,kinney then resided in ,joliet1 and preached there and in the region round about4 ,he subsequently moved to ,farmington1 ,ill41 where he and his wife died4 ,he was one of the first ministers of our faith in ,illinois1 and he labored under many disadvantages4 ,liberal ,christians were few in number1 for the country was thinly populated1 and he consequently was poorly supported4 ,but he persevered in the good work till death closed his labors4 ,delivered one discourse in ,peru1 but did not find a soul that sympathized with me4 ,the congregation was large1 but all seemed to be afraid of me4 ,i was informed of a friend1 who resided a few miles below on the canal1 which was then being excavated4 ,spent one night with him2 and although he seemed to be a good kind of a man1 he lived like a hog4 ,the bill of fare for the night was1 #ast1 ,a hot night2 #b;d1 ,a dirty bed2 #c;d1 ,an army of bed-bugs2 #dth1 ,ditto1 fleas2 #eth1 ,ditto1 musquitoes4 ,i was glad to leave the dirty hole4 ,reached ,magnolia in the night2 and after being refused lodging at half of the houses in the village1 a poor drunken man took me in4 ,he treated me to the best his cabin afforded1 which was poor enough4 ,found some friends the next day1 and delivered several discourses before ,i left town4 ,a preacher could not let me pass without a hit4 8,if this man10 said he1 8is correct1 he is a fool for traveling about this new country preaching4 ,if ,i believed as he does1 ,i would never preach again40 8,my friend10 ,i replied1 8,i preach the truth4 #ast1 ,because it is the truth2 #b;d1 ,because ,i love the truth2 #c;d1 ,because truth benefits man4 ,but you seem to have more regard for party than for truth4 ,anything that is not found there you care nothing about1 let it be ever so valuable4 ,you need to be baptized with the spirit of truth1 for you have been baptized only with the spirit of some party4 ,jesus1 whom you profess to follow1 but really run away from1 was an ardent lover of the truth4 ,he toiled1 bled and died for the truth4 ,he cared nothing about party1 but he was as true to the truth as the needle is to the pole4 ,he never varied from it one iota in the darkest hour of his life4 ,when ,i hear men talk as you have to-day1 ,i know that they know nothing of the spirit of ,christ40 ,lectured in ,hennipen several times4 ,dr4 ,pulsifer had recently moved there from the ,east1 and took much interest in getting up the meetings4 ,have often been there since1 and always found him to be a faithful friend4 ,i met here several families which had formerly resided in the ,east1 and were there regular attendants at the sanctuary1 but had not heard a discourse on the ,restitution for several years2 and it made their hearts leap with joy to attend a meeting of their choice4 8,thank ,god10 said one lady1 8for the blessed privilege of hearing the gospel of our salvation once more1 before ,i go hence4 ,the ,lord be with you2 and may you long live to proclaim the unsearchable riches of ,christ to fallen1 sinful man40 ,during this year was the noted presidential campaign1 when ,general ,harrison and ,martin ,van ,buren were candidates for the ,white ,house1 and the whole country was in an uproar4 ,the air was vocal with 8,tippecanoe and ,tyler too10 and log cabins1 and cider barrels were moving in all directions at the beat of the drum4 ,the ,democrats disdained such humbuggery1 and lost the day1 but after that they were not a whit behind the ,whigs in all sorts of tomfoolery4 ,whisky1 beer1 and such senseless exhibitions1 often command more votes than a just cause4 ,this is a lamentable and humiliating fact1 and the evil will continue till intelligence and virtue are the ruling spirits of the land4 ,meeting a boy eight or ten years old in the road one day1 he cried1 8,hurrah for ,harrison40 ,wanting some amusement1 ,i said1 8,you rascally tory60 8,well1 then10 said he1 as quick as lightning1 and jumping from the ground1 8hurrah for ,dick ,johnson and his black ones40 ,that was a poser for a ,democrat1 for ,richard ,m4 ,johnson1 who was the candidate for the ,vice ,presidency on the ,democratic ticket1 was the father of several darkies4 ,if that boy is living1 he is doubtless now one of our stump orators4 ,i made no reply to the little politician1 but left him alone in his glory4 ,lectured in ,washington4 ,a preacher delivered a discourse against the ,great ,salvation4 ,his chief argument was based on what he termed 8the justice of ,god40 ,the justice of ,god requires the endless punishment of the wicked4 ,some of my remarks in reply were as follows3 ,what the preacher calls justice is injustice1 is malignity1 dark1 cruel1 infernal malignity4 ,because frail1 finite man1 worm of the dust1 steps aside from the line of duty1 and thereby harms himself1 and no one else1 the ,creator of heaven and earth must pounce upon him with the wrath and vengeance of a thousand tigers1 and pursue him from the cradle to the grave1 from the grave to the resurrection1 from the resurrection to the infernal regions1 and there commission the devil and all his crew to keep up the chase through the length and depth of hell forever and ever4 ,why1 justice would turn pale at such injustice4 ,but to make out that such cruelty is pure justice1 the preacher said that man violates an infinite law1 and therefore justly merits everlasting hell-torments4 ,then the transgression of any law of ,god deserves endless woe4 ,breaking a bone1 cutting the flesh1 eating improper food1 are violations of ,god's laws1 and according to the preacher1 richly deserve ceaseless punishment4 ,a child or a man steals a pin2 that is a violation of the divine law1 and both merit eternal suffering4 ,if disobeying of ,god's law merits infinite punishment1 then obeying of it merits infinite happiness4 ,what then becomes of the ,bible doctrine that 8eternal life is the ,,gift of ,god80 ,rom4 vi4 #bc4 ,if the gentleman is correct1 there are no degrees in crime1 guilt or punishment4 ,there cannot be if every infringement of ,god's law is an infinite offense4 ,he who steals a pin1 and he who murders a man1 commit crimes of equal magnitude1 and both are equally guilty1 and deserve equal punishment4 ,if one sin merits infinite punishment1 ten thousand sins can merit no more1 and ,god will punish a man for one sin just as long as he will for a million of sins4 ,all mankind sin1 and therefore all mankind deserve endless punishment4 ,who then can be saved1 if the preacher is right8 ,but1 said he1 ,jesus has made an atonement for the sins of the world1 has satisfied divine justice1 and sinners can escape the penalty due their crimes4 ,how is that8 ,the justice of ,god satisfied with the sacrifice of ,christ8 ,did ,jesus suffer the penalty man merits8 ,did he suffer infinite misery1 the few hours he was on the cross8 ,did he suffer all the pain that all mankind deserve for breaking the law8 ,the preacher must reply1 yes4 ,if ,jesus satisfied justice for the 8sins of the whole world1 original and actual10 as his creed--the ,methodist creed--asserts1 then will not all be saved8 ,is not ,god bound to save all for whom ,christ made an atonement8 ,if the gentleman is correct--if the law is infinite1 if the penalty is infinite1 if all deserve endless hell-torments1 and if ,jesus has made 8an atonement1 a perfect satisfaction for the sins of the whole world1 original and actual10 all are bound to escape1 and reach heaven4 ,but let the law of ,god be infinite or finite1 man's guilt is in proportion to his knowledge of right and wrong4 ,an idiot may kill a man1 but he is not guilty1 for he knows no better4 ,an intelligent person would be deeply guilty for such a deed4 ,our guilt1 then1 and the punishment we merit1 are in exact ratio with our knowledge of right and wrong4 ,these facts upset the preacher's whole theory of infinite sin and punishment4 ,justice does not require so much pain for so much sin4 ,to demand that would be vengeance1 retaliation1 an eye for an eye1 a tooth for a tooth1 just what ,jesus condemns4 ,exercising justice is giving all parties their due--restoring the equilibrium1 making the crooked straight1 the rough smooth1 causing all flesh to see the salvation of ,god4 ,it is not destruction1 but restoration2 it does not hurl men from ,god1 but draws them to him2 it consigns us not to hell1 but exalts us to heaven4 ,this view of justice harmonizes with the mercy and goodness of ,god1 and refutes the line of the poet1 that 8,a ,god all mercy is a ,god unjust40 ,lectured in ,pekin three times4 ,we have now a good society and meeting-house in this place4 ,it was then a small village1 now it is a large town4 ,proceeded to ,tremont1 where ,i spent several days1 and lectured four times4 ,at a subsequent visit to this place1 ,i had an appointment in ,washington1 twelve miles north1 on a cold ,december ,sunday morning4 ,the thermometer was below zero1 the snow deep1 and the wind blowing hard from the north4 ,started on horseback1 and was soon very cold4 ,i walked1 ran1 kicked1 and thrashed my arms1 but this exercise fatigued me1 and ,i remounted my horse1 and soon became very comfortable1 and congratulated myself that ,i should get through without further trouble4 ,a hole being in one of my gloves1 ,i noticed that one of my fingers looked rather pale1 and ,i was not long in discovering that ,i was actually freezing4 ,it was then two miles to a house1 and when ,i reached it ,i hesitated about stopping1 ,i felt so comfortable4 ,i finally went into the house1 and soon found that my fingers1 ears1 nose1 and face were badly frozen4 ,remained there till the next day1 but if ,i had not stopped1 ,i should probably have frozen to death1 as it was several miles to a house1 and across an open prairie4 ,spoke again in ,washington4 ,the preacher ,i replied to a few days before1 was still howling about the abominations of ,universalism1 but ,i said no more to him4 ,went to ,bloomington1 preached three times1 and got into a controversy4 ,the preacher was a strong believer in water baptism--contended that there was no salvation without it4 ,i told him that his creed damned nearly all mankind2 that a person might love ,god and his fellow men1 like ,john1 believe the whole gospel1 like ,paul1 repent of his sins1 like ,peter1 but unless he was immersed in water1 in the name of ,christ1 he would be lost forever2 if he was correct1 heaven would be almost empty1 hell crowded2 ,christ redeem but a small portion of mankind1 while the devil would be crowned with nearly all4 ,the wise and benevolent ,author of our being bases salvation on principles1 not on rites--not on going into water1 eating wafers1 drinking wine1 or offering incense4 ,love is the fulfilling of the law4 ,god is love1 his will is love1 his power is love1 his spirit is love1 his work is love1 his law is love1 his gospel is love1 and our whole duty is included in love to ,god1 and love to man4 ,the great need of the world is1 more love1 and less show and profession2 more purity of the heart1 and less washing of the hands2 more soul religion1 and less materialistic religion4 ,i proceeded to ,urbana4 ,met a man hobbling along on one leg4 ,he had heard me preach somewhere1 and abruptly said3 8,if all are to be saved1 what is the use of being religious80 8,i see you have only one leg4 ,i suppose you would like to have two sound limbs40 8,that ,i should4 ,i would freely give my farm for a leg made of flesh and bone1 instead of this concern made of wood1 iron and leather40 8,you remarked a moment since1 that you hoped you were a ,christian1 and expected to go to heaven when you left this world4 ,do you expect to be a one-legged cripple in heaven80 8,of course not2 all will have perfect bodies there40 8,well1 then1 what is the use of your troubling yourself about your lameness in this world2 you will be all right in heaven2 you can hobble out your three score years and ten1 and then all be well with you40 8,but that is no reason why ,i should not have a sound body in this world4 ,i want to enjoy all the blessings ,i possibly can in this world40 8,my friend1 you have answered your question4 ,you want a whole limb in this world1 if you do expect one in the next4 ,so1 we should be religious in this world if we do expect to partake of ,god's blessing in heaven1 for a religious life only is a happy life1 a heavenly life40 ,i then proceeded to ,perrysville1 ,ind41 in the western part of the state4 ,this was the end of my journey1 as ,i did not return to ,cincinnati4 ,i had traveled full eight hundred miles since ,i left ,cincinnati1 and delivered eighty-eight discourses4 ,,chapter ,,vii4 ,,located ,,in ,,lafayette--,,the ,,christian ,,teacher ,,commenced--,a ,,circuit--,,society ,,organized--,,meeting-,,house ,,built--,,all ,,alone--,,conflict ,,in ,,frankfort--,,old ,,testament ,,doctrine ,,of ,,punishment--,,debate ,,proposed ,,in ,,frankfort--,,discussion ,,in ,,independence--,,character ,,of ,,my ,,sermons--,,slanders ,,refuted--,,debate ,,in ,,burlington--,,endless ,,woe--,,some ,,voting--,,the ,,use ,,of ,,discussion--,a ,,traveler4 ,a new era now commenced in my life4 ,i made ,lafayette1 ,ind41 the center of my operations1 and commenced the publication of the ,christian ,teacher1 a monthly publication of twenty-four pages1 at one dollar per year4 ,the first number was issued ,april1 #ahda4 ,there were then two other denominational publications in the ,west--the ,star in the ,west1 a weekly1 in ,cincinnati1 ,ohio1 and the ,philomath ,encyclopedia1 a monthly1 in the eastern part of ,indiana1 the ,better ,covenant and the ,new ,covenant had no existence1 and the ,glad ,tidings and the ,berean were discontinued4 ,there was a large field for a publication of that kind1 and ,i thought it would do a good work4 ,when the first number was issued1 ,i had two hundred subscribers1 and at the close of the first volume1 eight hundred subscribers4 ,i owned no printing materials1 but had the work done at the office of the ,lafayette ,journal1 published by ,major ,seaman1 a zealous ,methodist1 and an honorable man4 ,he has been in his grave these many years4 ,in addition to getting out the magazine1 ,i traveled extensively this year1 preaching1 and obtaining subscribers for the journal4 ,wherever ,i went ,i had no difficulty in introducing it1 humble and imperfect as it certainly was4 ,but ,i was not able to make many such long journeys as ,i had heretofore1 for ,i had to be in ,lafayette monthly to read proof and mail the ,teacher4 ,i also established a circuit which ,i traveled monthly4 ,it included ,lafayette1 ,dayton1 ,yorktown1 ,west ,point1 ,perrysville1 ,jefferson1 ,independence1 ,rainsville1 ,thorntown1 ,crawfordsville1 ,ladoga1 ,terre ,haute1 ,lockport1 and perhaps two or three other places4 ,the distance round was about three hundred miles4 ,in ,perrysville a society was organized this year1 and a meeting-house commenced4 ,there was also one formed in ,terre ,haute1 and preparations made to erect a house of worship4 ,in ,lafayette1 ,dayton1 and ,yorktown1 there were also societies established4 ,as ,i was the only minister in western ,indiana1 where this work was going on1 ,i had my hands full4 ,the first time ,i visited ,frankfort1 ,i preached in a vacant lot by the way-side1 as no house could be obtained4 ,the ,presbyterian clergyman1 ,mr4 ,taylor1 told his congregation that he had rather the cholera would come to town than a preacher of my stamp4 ,a few months after1 he attended one of my meetings1 and replied to my discourse4 ,my subject was the ,old ,testament doctrine of punishment1 and ,i discoursed as follows3 #a4 ,as the ,old ,testament contains a record of ,god's first revelations to man1 it is reasonable to expect1 that the whole truth concerning the consequences of wrong doing would be there clearly stated4 #b4 ,as that book speaks of the creation of mankind1 and of the introduction of sin into the world1 infinite wisdom must surely tell the whole truth concerning sin's direful results--tell when and where1 punishment is inflicted1 and how long it is to continue4 #c4 ,the ,old ,testament contains the law of ,god4 ,jesus said1 8,the law came by ,moses40 ,examine the statutes of any state1 published by its law-makers1 and you will find that the same page that contains the law also contains the penalty1 the whole penalty1 for transgressing that law4 ,is this right1 or is it wrong8 ,if it is right for human legislators to write the law and the penalty in the same book1 and on the same page1 is it not right for the ,divine ,legislator do the same8 ,would not a king be justly deemed a fool1 or a tyrant1 who1 in publishing his laws to his subjects1 should be silent concerning the penalty1 or make known only a part of it8 ,has ,god revealed the moral law1 and is he silent concerning the penalty for transgressing that law8 ,is man wiser than ,god8 ,does the wisdom of earth exceed that of heaven8 ,all admit1 that part1 at least1 of sin's penalty is revealed in the ,law ,book1 but many deny that the whole of it is therein revealed4 ,but why this partial revelation8 ,why was the world for four thousand years in the dark concerning the penalty of sin8 ,for the forty centuries before ,christ1 was a vast stream of human beings plunging headlong into a bottomless pit1 and not a warning given of their impending fate1 till they heard the stunning roar of the infernal cataract8 ,this is affirmed by many learned divines4 ,they admit that the ,old ,testament does not teach eternal punishment1 but at the same time they contend1 that from ,adam to ,christ1 the penalty for transgression was eternal punishment1 and consequently all nations and people were during that time exposed to that terrible storm of wrath4 ,away with such blasphemous imputations4 ,wisdom1 goodness1 justice1 assure us1 that the great ,lawgiver kept nought back of sin's penalty1 but revealed the truth1 the whole truth1 and at the same time he gave the law4 ,and here it is in such plain language that a child can understand it4 ,i will read from ,deuteronomy xxviii43 8,it shall come to pass1 if thou wilt not hearken unto the voice of the ,lord thy ,god1 to observe to do all his commandments and statutes which ,i command thee this day1 that all these curses shall come upon thee1 and overtake thee3 ,cursed shalt thou be in the city1 and cursed shalt thou be in the field4 ,cursed shall be thy basket and thy store4 ,cursed shall be the fruit of thy body1 and the fruit of thy land1 the increase of thy cattle1 and the flocks of thy sheep4 ,cursed shalt thou be when thou comest in1 and cursed shalt thou be when thou goest out4 ,the ,lord shall send upon thee cursing1 vexation and rebuke in all that thou settest thine hand unto to do4444 ,he shall smite thee with consumption1 and with a fever1 with blasting and mildew2 and the ,lord shall make the pestilence cleave unto thee1 until he shall have consumed thee from off the land whither thou goest to possess it40 8,moreover1 all these curses shall come upon thee1 and shall pursue thee till thou be destroyed2 because thou hearkendst not unto the voice of the ,lord thy ,god1 to keep his commandments and his statutes1 which he commanded thee4 ,because thou servedst not the ,lord thy ,god with joyfulness1 and with gladness of heart1 for the abundance of all things1 therefore shalt thou serve thine enemies which the ,lord shall send against thee1 in hunger1 and in thirst1 and in nakedness1 and in want of all things4 ,and thine enemy shall besiege thee in all thy gates1 until thy high and fenced walls shall come down1 wherein thou trustedest4 ,thou shalt beget sons and daughters1 but thou shalt not enjoy them2 for they shall go into captivity4 ,and thou shalt become an astonishment1 a proverb1 and a byword1 among all nations whither the ,lord shall lead thee40 ,this language cannot be misunderstood4 ,no lawgiver ever stated the penalty for transgression in plainer terms4 ,the ,jews1 if they sinned1 were to suffer in body and mind1 in head and heart1 at home and abroad1 till they were consumed from the land4 ,but beyond the land there is not an intimation that endless woe would be their doom4 ,that the apostle ,paul understood the consequences of sin to be temporal1 is evident from these words1 8,for if the words spoken by angels was steadfast1 and every transgression and disobedience received a just recompense of reward2 how shall we escape if we neglect so great a salvation80 ,heb4 ii4 #bc4 ,the apostle here speaks of past wickedness1 and says it ,,had ,,received ,a ,,just ,,recompense ,,of ,,reward1 and the countless millions of the dead consequently were not ,,to ,,be receiving it through the ceaseless ages of eternity4 ,they had received a just recompense of reward1 and were at rest4 ,all the moral elements of the law are as much in force to-day as they were when they were revealed to ,moses1 and the penalty is the same now as it was then4 ,good men are blessed now1 and wicked men are cursed now4 ,goodness blesses the one1 and vice curses the other4 ,it is as true now of all who have lived1 that they have received a just recompense of reward1 as it was in ,st4 ,paul's day and generation4 ,the ,old ,testament1 from beginning to end1 reiterates the same lesson concerning the present blasting effects of vice in all its varied forms4 ,mr4 ,taylor1 in reply1 admitted that the ,old ,testament teaches1 that the wicked in part are punished in this world1 that they have a foretaste of hell this side of the grave1 a morsel of what is in reservation for them beyond the tomb4 ,he also admitted1 that ,moses did not teach endless punishment1 but the prophets did teach it1 though not in as clear language as did ,christ and the apostles4 ,a future life was only partially revealed during the ,law ,dispensation2 it was reserved for the ,son of ,god to fully bring life and immortality to light4 ,so with regard to hell2 it was obscurely revealed by the prophets1 but clearly revealed by the ,savior of man4 ,i rejoined thus3 8,hell obscurely revealed by the prophets60 ,and yet1 ,mr4 ,taylor tells us1 that from ,adam to ,christ1 multitudes were daily dropping into the infernal regions4 ,hell should have been revealed more distinctly than death or the grave1 for it might have been shunned if timely warning had been given4 ,only think of a ,god of love imparting existence to human beings1 knowing1 that by day and by night1 from the cradle to the grave1 they were in imminent danger of falling into a fathomless gulf1 there ever to writhe in immortal agonies1 and having his omniscient eye on them during the whole of their earthly pilgrimage--yet only ,,obscurely ,,hint to them of their danger4 ,what kind of a ,god1 sir1 do you worship8 ,but then heaven1 he says1 was only obscurely revealed under the law4 ,i am amazed that a good1 intelligent and learned man should deceive himself by such sophistry4 ,it may be consistent for a parent in his last will and testament to withhold knowledge of a great good for a given period from his children1 but he must be a monster to withhold for a moment knowledge of an impending evil1 especially if he knows they may escape it by timely warning4 ,it was nearly midnight when the discussion closed1 and ,i spent the rest of the night at his house1 by his request4 ,the next morning1 he prayed that ,i might be converted to the knowledge of the truth1 and then proposed a public discussion in ,frankfort4 ,the propositions were agreed on1 but the time was not specified1 and ,i never could1 subsequently1 induce him to name the date for the debate to commence4 ,he put me off from time to time1 and finally the matter was dropped4 ,about this time1 ,i had a discussion in ,independence1 ,ind41 with ,mr4 ,campbell1 a ,methodist minister1 and that was my first regular oral debate4 ,i had often had skirmishes1 but this was my first regular pitched battle1 and ,i went into it with much fear and trembling4 ,i had confidence in the truth1 but feared ,i should fail in defending it4 ,and to this day1 ,i never commence a discussion without similar fears2 but when ,i get excited1 and have the measure of my man1 ,i feel tolerably bold4 ,the subject of discussion was endless punishment4 ,mr4 ,campbell was a ,scotchman1 and pretty wiry4 ,the discussion elicited much interest1 and large assemblies listened to it4 ,the following is the substance of one of my speeches3 ,the consequences of sin were revealed to our first parents in the following words3 8,and the ,lord ,god took the man1 and put him in the garden of ,eden to dress it1 and to keep it4 ,and the ,lord ,god commanded the man1 saying1 ,of every tree of the garden thou mayest freely eat1 but of the tree of knowledge of good and evil1 thou shalt not eat of it2 for in the day thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die40 ,gen4 ii4 #ae-ag4 ,here is the first commandment1 and the first penalty1 and we may expect that a wise1 just and merciful ,god would inform our race in its very infancy1 of the whole results of wickedness4 ,if eternal woe is the penalty1 it should have been then and there1 at the very gate of ,eden1 proclaimed in distinct and unmistakable language4 ,this the welfare of man1 in time and in eternity1 required4 ,if man's everlasting weal or woe depends on his choosing evil or good in this world1 that tremendous fact should have been announced in ,eden in such thundering tones1 that its echo would reverberate down all the succeeding ages1 through every valley1 across every plain1 over every mountain1 so that all the living1 yea1 the dead1 should hear it4 ,if belief in endless woe is the conservative of virtue1 and the denial of it infidelity1 that dogma should have been proclaimed so loud and so distinct1 it should have been so stamped on every heart1 that a blazing hell and terrible devils1 would have been the first thoughts of childhood1 and not to be forgotten till the eyes were closed in death1 and the heart ceased to beat4 ,but what saith the passage3 8,in the day thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die40 ,is that all the penalty8 ,every word of it4 ,not a syllable about endless death1 endless misery1 endless hell4 ,mr4 ,campbell1 who authorized you to put endless before death8 ,you add to the word of ,god1 and you know what is said of those who do that wicked thing4 ,the punishment was that they should die4 ,the ,bible speaks of national death1 temporal death1 death to sin1 and death in sin4 ,but here it cannot mean national death1 or death to sin2 neither can it mean temporal death1 for ,adam lived hundreds of years after he sinned4 ,reference1 without doubt1 is to death in sin1 a moral death--death to purity1 innocence1 virtue1 happiness1 which is symbolized by his being driven out of the garden4 ,we were all in that garden once4 ,jesus took little children in his arms and blessed them1 saying3 8,of such is the kingdom of heaven40 ,but ,adam was cast out1 and most of us share the same fate4 ,adam in ,eden represents our childhood1 and out of it our sinful state4 ,this death in sin1 which ,adam suffered1 and multitudes of others suffer1 is often spoken of in the ,bible4 ,said ,jesus1 8,let the dead bury the dead20 that is1 let the dead in sin bury the temporally dead4 8,you hath he quickened who were dead in trespasses and sin4444 ,even when we were dead in sin hath he quickened us together with ,christ40 ,eph4 ii4 #a1 #e4 ,this moral death means a great deal4 ,it includes sin itself1 and all its moral consequences--degradation1 debasement1 condemnation1 darkness1 hell1 and ultimates often in temporal ruin4 ,this soul-debasement results in jails1 penitentiaries and gallows2 in slavery1 war and tyranny2 in premature graves1 desolated cities1 and ruined nations4 ,but where and when was the penalty to be inflicted8 ,mark the words3 8,,in ,,the ,,day thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die40 ,sin and its penalty are bound--chained together4 ,it does not read that they would not be punished till the judgment day1 thousands of years hence1 at the end of time4 ,that is ,mr4 ,campbell's theory2 but the truth is1 that sin and punishment go hand in hand1 at all times1 and in all places1 and if he can prove eternal sinning1 ,i will prove eternal suffering4 ,notice also1 that the punishment was sure4 ,in the day thou sinneth thou shalt surely die4 ,if you jump into the sea1 and cannot swim1 you must suffer the consequences2 if you swallow a dose of poison1 and it penetrates your vitals1 you must abide the result2 so he who transgresses the moral law of ,god1 must suffer its blasting1 damning effects4 8,ye shall surely die40 ,repentance may mitigate the result in part1 but the curse cleaves to the sinner till there is an entire transformation of character4 ,but the penalty is not endless1 else who can be saved from sin8 ,it was not termed endless when it was first revealed1 neither is it called endless in any part of the ,bible4 ,the gentleman will have to hunt up evidence outside of the book to make out endless woe for the sins of this life4 ,mr4 ,campbell replied3 8,that the death threatened ,adam1 was death temporal1 death spiritual1 and death eternal2 and although it was not termed eternal in the passage1 it was clearly implied there1 and distinctly taught all through the ,bible40 ,i answered3 ,here are two assumptions4 #a4 ,that the death was threefold4 ,there is no such intimation in the passage or elsewhere in the ,bible4 #b4 ,that the death is eternal4 ,it is not so termed from ,genesis to ,revelation4 ,but ,i have not room for more of that discussion4 ,mr4 ,campbell seemed satisfied with his defense of ceaseless woe1 and we parted in friendship4 ,i got along better with this discussion than ,i expected1 and was more willing afterwards to engage in such debates4 ,many well meaning persons oppose the public discussion of religious subjects2 they think it does no good1 but much harm2 but they do not properly discriminate between the abuse and proper use of discussion4 ,that it may be1 and often is abused1 there can be no doubt2 but what good thing can be named1 that is not liable to be abused8 ,and it seems that the best of ,god's blessings1 when improperly directed by erring men1 are the greatest curses4 ,fire1 water1 air1 steam1 electricity1 when legitimately employed1 are vast benefactors to man1 but when illegitimately employed1 they deal death and destruction all around4 ,man1 when he answers the end of his being1 is almost an angel1 but when his noble faculties are prostituted to base purposes1 he becomes a fiend4 ,the gospel is the power of ,god unto salvation1 to all who cherish it deep in their hearts1 but in the hands of wicked men it may deluge the world with blood and tears4 ,so religious discussion1 where truth and error grapple1 if conducted with proper motives1 and in the right spirit1 is a lever of reform2 it opens the eyes of the blind1 unstops the ears of the deaf1 and often takes away the heart of stone and gives a heart of flesh2 hence reformers in all ages have courted discussion4 ,socrates was a famous debater1 ,jesus traveled from town to town1 and ,paul from nation to nation1 discussing with the people1 and turning the world upside down4 ,luther1 by his controversial tongue and pen1 sent the ,pope of ,rome1 and the ,catholic ,church1 headlong to the gates of their long home4 ,after that tongue was silent1 and that pen dry1 they rallied1 and prolonged their existence4 ,let every subject of human thought be discussed freely1 but kindly1 honestly1 wisely4 ,it will do no harm1 but much good4 ,but ,i have observed that it is the advocates of established theories1 exclusively1 that oppose discussion4 ,they do not want their slumbers disturbed by noisy debate2 they might wake up and see and hear something new4 ,cry aloud1 reformers1 and spare not2 do not be afraid of making a noise in the sleepy hollows of the earth4 ,say to all1 ,awake1 think1 investigate1 judge4 ,the divine injunction is1 8,prove all things1 and hold fast that which is good20 8,come1 let us reason together40 ,there was so much opposition to liberal principles1 that the people wanted doctrinal and explanatory discourses1 but ,i always dwelt more or less on the moral and the spiritual4 ,mere doctrinal and explanatory discourses1 without showing the moral and spiritual bearing of truth1 do but little good4 ,in almost every place ,i visited1 the preachers were fighting our faith1 and slandering its advocates1 and our friends wanted me to repel these assaults1 which gave my sermons a controversial character1 and some times a peppery flavor4 ,but ,i always kept the great truth prominent in my ministrations1 that heaven and everlasting life can be enjoyed in this world2 that we should lay hold on them2 lay up treasures where moth and rust cannot corrupt1 and where thieves cannot break through and steal4 ,and ,i had the satisfaction of knowing that not only many minds were enlightened by truth divine1 but many hearts were improved by its saving influence4 ,and here ,i am reminded of another outrageous attack of a ,methodist preacher1 ,mr4 ,cooper1 on ,universalists1 in ,independence4 8,they are10 said he1 8the vilest of the vile4 ,the jails1 penitentiaries1 rum holes1 gambling dens1 are full of them4 ,they defy heaven and blaspheme ,god4 ,this is their general character40 ,i replied3 ,this is all slander1 and this lying priest knows it4 ,he knows that he bears false witness against his acquaintance1 his neighbors1 the citizens of this place4 ,he sins willfully1 maliciously1 and he had better not let the sun go down on his wrath4 ,all who live in this community know that he poured out this day vials of falsehood2 they know that some of the best citizens of this county are of the faith he condemns2 they know also1 that the wicked places he speaks of1 in this community1 are not filled with persons of our faith4 ,he cannot name a grog-shop keeper in this county1 who professes to be a ,universalist2 but ,i can name several advocates of eternal punishment1 and some of them were once members of his church1 who are in that kind of business2 and for every gambler here1 who ever thought of calling himself a ,universalist1 ,i can name ten who will swear over their cards and bottles1 that there is an endless hell2 and for every ,universalist he may produce1 who uses profane language1 ,i can produce ten advocates of eternal punishment1 who blaspheme ,god and heaven daily by their profanity4 ,i want no better evidence of the immoral tendency of partialism than the speaker has given to-day2 and ,i am sure that publicans and sinners will enter the kingdom of heaven before characters of his stamp4 ,i do not pretend1 that all who call themselves by our name are ,christians in life and practice4 ,are all the believers in immortal woe ,christians8 ,history says1 no2 every man and woman living on earth will say1 no4 ,the persecutors and murderers of ,christ and his apostles2 those who pursued the ,christians in the first and second centuries of the ,christian ,era1 with fire and sword1 were zealous advocates of eternal burnings4 ,the ,catholics who tortured1 hung1 beheaded1 quartered1 millions of ,christians and ,pagans1 were all staunch believers in hell4 ,presbyterians1 ,episcopalians1 ,puritans1 and ,independents1 who hung ,quakers1 burned witches1 and persecuted and murdered each other1 and the ,catholics1 were unwavering in the fiery faith4 ,ninety-nine one hundredths of all the thieves1 murderers1 pirates1 gamblers1 rum-sellers1 rum-drinkers1 are believers in eternal woe4 ,these are facts1 which history and observation substantiate4 ,if ,universalism had been believed1 and preached as long and as generally as eternal punishment has been1 and if mankind were no better than they are now1 ,i1 for one1 would be ashamed to boast of its good moral influence4 ,i do not say that all the advocates of eternal punishment are reprobates4 ,there are noble and pure ,christians in all denominations1 many of them1 more of that character than otherwise1 but faith in hell has yet the first ,christian to make4 ,believers in that cruel dogma1 many of them1 are ,christians in spite of their faith in it4 ,the tendency of faith in hell is downward1 while the innate goodness of their hearts1 and the many truths they cherish1 direct them heavenward4 ,i do not contend that all believers in the ,restitution are practical ,christians4 ,would to ,god they were1 but ,i know they are not4 ,but give this divine philosophy time to do its work in the world2 give it time to germinate1 root1 bud1 blossom1 and yield its fruit1 before you condemn it4 ,belief in vengeance has had ample time to develop itself in human character1 and it has produced its like the world over4 ,give the doctrine of ,,love and ,,justice an opportunity to yield its legitimate fruit before you cast it out as evil4 ,besides1 the immoral men1 who hang at our skirts1 were cradled1 educated1 and grew to manhood1 not under the influence of our benevolent faith1 but under the guns of ,orthodoxy1 and it1 if any creed1 is responsible for their character4 ,but because ,universalism does not do in a day what ,orthodoxy has failed to do in years1 it is said to be immoral in its tendency6 ,about this time1 ,i had a discussion in a grove near ,burlington1 ,ind41 with ,harper ,hanna1 a ,methodist minister1 which continued four days4 ,i had not been in the neighborhood before the discussion commenced1 neither had a discourse on the ,restitution been delivered there1 consequently1 the people were totally in the dark concerning our faith1 and strongly prejudiced against it4 ,on the other hand1 ,mr4 ,hanna was in the midst of his friends1 and had all their prejudices in his favor4 ,it was a daring thing to debate under such circumstances1 but ,i went through with it1 and had the satisfaction of knowing that ,i did not labor in vain4 ,i had afterwards monthly appointments in the neighborhood4 ,it was amusing to see the people scan me1 and watch every motion4 ,if ,i had been an elephant1 ,i would not have been a subject of more curiosity4 ,the themes of discussion were endless punishment and universal salvation4 ,in my first speech ,i said3 ,put a man in prison and keep him there one year--that would be a severe penalty4 ,keep him there ten years--that would be an awful infliction4 ,keep him there his whole natural lifetime--that would be dreadful beyond description4 ,but what is one year1 what are ten years1 yea1 seventy years of imprisonment1 compared to endless suffering in hell8 ,let all the suffering of head and heart1 soul and body1 that all mankind have endured in all ages1 and all climes1 be combined in one pang1 and that one pang would not amount to as much woe as one soul will suffer if doomed to endure ceaseless misery4 ,the fires in which the damned will live and move1 will be in full blast when this earth shall be gray with age1 when the flames of the mid-day sun shall flicker like the dying taper in its socket1 yea1 they will continue to burn deep into the souls of countless millions while heaven shall stand and ,god exist4 ,that is endless misery2 and that is what ,mr4 ,hanna affirms1 and is trying to prove1 will be the doom of a large part of mankind4 ,it is a dreadful work to charge the ,god of heaven with doing2 to stand up in this beautiful world1 amid the manifestations of ,god's love1 and charge the ,author of all these blessings1 with inflicting an eternity of woe on worms of the dust4 ,i believe in punishment--in righteous1 just punishment--but ,i do not1 dare not1 believe1 that the ,father of all mercies1 and whose name and nature is love1 will1 for the sins of a day1 doom innumerable multitudes of his offspring to blow the fires of hell forever4 ,at the close of the debate1 he adopted a little expedient1 that he was sure would be a perfect success--to him4 ,he wanted the assembly to decide by vote1 which party had triumphed in the discussion4 ,being in the midst of his friends1 and relying on the prejudices of the people1 he doubted not that an overwhelming majority would crown him victor4 ,i was of the same opinion for the same reasons1 and hence opposed his crafty maneuver4 ,but being determined that the assembly should vote that he was the hero of the day1 he requested all to rise who thought ,harper ,hanna has sustained his propositions4 ,about one fourth of the congregation heeded his call4 ,he looked the picture of amazement at so few voting that he was the conqueror4 8,get up10 said he1 8you misunderstand me20 and he again called on all to rise1 who thought ,harper ,hanna had sustained his cause4 ,not another one was added to his voting friends4 ,finding he could drum up no more1 he requested all to stand up1 who thought ,mr4 ,manford had proved that ,universalism was the gospel4 ,two thirds of the assembly bounded to their feet4 ,poor ,hanna turned pale as death1 and uttering not a word1 sunk into his chair4 ,on my way back to ,lafayette1 ,i rode in company with a man who had heard of the debate1 but did not know me4 8,there has been a discussion10 said he1 8in ,burlington1 on ,universalism40 8,did you attend80 8,no2 it is wrong to hold such discussions4 ,universalism is a lie1 and every ,christian should call it a lie1 and have nothing to do with it1 or its advocates4 ,it is the devil who induces ,christians to debate with ,universalists4 ,it is one of his schemes to lead souls down to hell4 ,several of my neighbors came home from the discussion1 advocating that wicked doctrine4 ,they were ,christians1 but ,i fear they are ruined4 ,two of them say they shall withdraw from our church4 ,mr4 ,hanna did wrong in debating with that ,manford4 ,he has introduced a viper into this county1 and ,i fear some are already stung to death4 ,well1 ,i did my duty4 ,i stayed at home1 and did all ,i could to keep my neighbors at home4 ,but they were possessed with a desire to hear the debate1 and the result is even worse than ,i expected4 ,our minister is going to try to undo the evil in our neighborhood4 ,next ,sunday he will preach a sermon against ,universalism40 8,did your minister attend the discussion80 8,he did2 and he says he went there to learn what could be said in favor of such a doctrine4 ,he is sure he can convince all that it is as false as sin4 ,one of my neighbors says he shall send for ,manford to reply to him4 ,but he cannot preach in our church4 ,he may be sure of that40 ,,chapter ,,viii4 ,,debate ,,in ,,lafayette--,,die ,,in ,,adam--,,alive ,,in ,,christ--,,this ,,world ,,and ,,world ,,to ,,come--,,battle ,,ground--,,in ,,monticello--,a ,,reply--,a ,,preacher ,,whipped--,d4 ,,vines--,s4 ,,oyler--,i4 ,m4 ,,westfall--,b4 ,f4 ,,foster ,,in ,,indiana--,,revival ,,poetry--,,ladoga ,,camp-,,meeting--,,worship ,,god--,,in ,,michigan ,,city--,,an ,,episcopal ,,preacher--,a ,,wet ,,ride--,,debate ,,in ,,dayton--,,discussion ,,in ,,jefferson--,,everlasting ,,punishment--,,end ,,of ,,the ,,world--,,second ,,coming ,,of ,,christ--,,eternal ,,life--,,meaning ,,of ,,everlasting4 ,soon after this1 ,i had an oral debate in ,lafayette1 with ,mr4 ,jeffries1 ,protestant ,methodist1 of that place1 which continued four days4 ,one of my principal proof-texts was #a ,corinthians1 #aeth chapter4 ,i spoke as follows3 ,this is one of the longest chapters in the ,new ,testament1 and in it the apostle discourses on very important subjects--on life and death1 mortality and immortality1 the earthy nature and heavenly nature4 ,there are two general statements in this chapter4 #ast4 ,we must all die in ,adam4 #b;d4 ,we shall all be made alive in ,christ4 ,i will notice these statements in the order ,i have named them4 #ast4 ,we must all die4 8,as in ,adam all die40 ,this does not say we must die because a man by the name of ,adam did so and so1 six thousand years ago4 ,adam is a ,hebrew word1 and signifies man4 ,job says1 8,man that is born of a woman is of few days and full of trouble40 ,in the original it reads1 ,adam1 instead of man4 ,that ,adam simply means man1 or mankind1 is evident from the account of the creation of our race1 in ,genesis4 8,let us make man 7,adam7 in our image1 after our likeness1 and let them have dominion40 ,here the plural verb shows that the word ,adam is employed collectively1 meaning mankind4 8,and ,god created the man 7the ,adam7 in his own image3 in the image of ,god created he him2 male and female created he them40 ,here both the application of 8male and female0 to the ,adam1 and the plural pronoun at the end of the verse shows that the man is used generically1 and that it is equivalent to the first of mankind4 ,the word ,adam1 then1 was not a proper name1 but an appellative noun for the human species2 its application to the first man1 as his proper name1 was subsequent and secondary4 ,hence when the apostle says1 8,as in ,adam all die10 he means1 ,as in the ,adamic nature1 the earthy1 corruptible1 mortal nature1 all die4 ,adam means mortal man1 and all mankind die in that nature4 #b;d4 ,the other statement is contained in the same verse--8,even so in ,christ shall all be made alive40 8,made alive in ,christ10 is contrasted with 8die in ,adam20 and as ,adam means the earthy nature1 so ,christ means the heavenly nature4 ,here is universal death in the earthy nature1 and universal life in heavenly nature4 ,all die on earth and all shall live in heaven4 ,but in the ,adamic nature is the germ of the ,christ-like nature1 as in the corn is the germ of the future stock4 ,in this chapter the apostle gives this beautiful analogy thus3 8,but some man will say1 ,how are the dead raised up8 and with what body do they come80 ,in answering these questions the apostle shows1 that the germ of the heavenly man is in the earthy man4 8,thou fool6 that which thou sowest is not quickened except it die40 ,the seed corresponds to the mortal body2 the germ corresponds to the spirit in man2 and as the sowing of the seed develops the germ into a beautiful and vigorous plant1 to bask in the sunshine1 inhale the air1 and drink the dews of heaven1 so the death of the mortal body quickens the indwelling spirit1 and it enters with renewed vigor on its immortal and heavenly life4 ,the seed then is an emblem of man2 its resurrection an emblem of man's resurrection4 ,who can deny a resurrection when the world is so full of emblems pointing man to that great fact in his own destiny4 8,so10 says the apostle1 referring to this beautiful illustration1 8is the resurrection of the dead0--all the dead1 all who die in the earthy nature4 ,in the words1 8,it is sown10 the writer seems to refer to the seed sown in the ground1 still making it an emblem of man4 ,mankind sown in corruption1 dishonor1 are raised incorruptible1 glorious4 ,the second body is more glorious than the first1 as the rose is more glorious than the seed4 ,these citations show what the apostle means by the words1 8made alive in ,christ20 and remember1 that all who die in the ,adamic nature are thus to be made alive4 8,then cometh the end1 when he shall have delivered up the kingdom to ,god1 even the ,father10 etc4 7,see verses #bd-bh74 ,here we learn what is to be destroyed4 #a4 8,all rule40 #b4 8,all authority40 #c4 8,all power40 #d4 8,death40 ,and mark you1 that death is the ,,last enemy4 ,my friend asserts1 that death is ,,not the last enemy1 but that beyond death1 and ,,in ,,hell1 there are legions of enemies to be the everlasting tormentors of countless millions of mankind4 ,if the gentleman is correct1 death is not the last enemy1 but rather the first real enemy1 and opens the door to the fires1 furies1 and demons of perdition1 which will burn and lash their victims world without end4 ,let it also be noted1 that the last enemy is to be ,,destroyed4 ,the apostle continues his statements concerning the subjugation of all things to ,god thus3 8,and when all things shall be subdued to ,god1 then shall the ,son himself be subject to him1 that put all things under him that ,god may be all in all40 ,this is the ,,end to which mankind are tending1 and this consummation will surely be realized4 ,all sin1 error1 suffering and death1 shall be abolished2 all mankind subdued to ,god1 and ,god ,,all ,,in ,,all4 ,the sum of this chapter then is this--all mankind are mortal1 corruptible1 and must die2 death is destruction to the body1 but life to the soul2 glory1 honor and immortality1 are the rich inheritance of mankind4 8,the apostle10 replied ,mr4 ,j41 8teaches the resurrection of the body1 not of the spirit1 and ,i admit that he teaches the resurrection of all the dead1 and when that shall be effected the absent spirits will claim their long lost bodies40 ,i rejoined3 ,the gentleman tells us1 that the writer of this chapter teaches the resurrection of the bodies of all the dead4 ,if he is correct1 ,god will raise the bodies of saints and sinners1 ,jews and ,gentiles1 incorruptible1 glorious1 heavenly1 and when that shall be done1 he will unlock hell1 and take the deformed1 corrupt1 wretched spirits1 that have been imprisoned in that foul dungeon for thousands of years1 and perhaps millions of ages1 and put them into those beautiful1 glorious1 heavenly bodies4 ,that would be a union of perfect purity with total depravity1 a marriage of heaven and hell1 and two bodies so totally unlike would fly asunder like fire and water4 ,the truth is1 the apostle speaks not of the resurrection of this mortal body1 these bones and muscles1 this flesh and blood1 but of the man--the inner1 spiritual1 real man4 ,this body is necessary1 while we are denizens of earth4 ,by means of it the spirit is connected with the outer world1 but when we shall be dwellers of the spirit land1 we shall have no further use of these mortal tabernacles4 ,in his first speech on the proposition relating to endless punishment1 ,mr4 ,jeffries boasted that he should make short work of me and of my faith4 8,i have10 said he1 8one text to quote1 and one question to ask4 ,the text is ,matthew xii4 #ca1 #cb4 #8,wherefore ,i say unto you1 ,all manner of sin and blasphemy shall be forgiven unto men2 but the blasphemy against the ,holy ,ghost shall not be forgiven unto men4 ,and whosoever speaketh a word against the ,son of man1 it shall be forgiven him3 but whosoever speaketh against the ,holy ,ghost1 it shall not be forgiven him1 neither in this world1 neither in the world to come4' ,and this is the question3 ,if the sin against the ,holy ,ghost was not to be forgiven in this world1 or in the world to come1 where will it be forgiven8 ,i once had a debate with ,jonathan ,kidwell1 and ,i cited this verse1 and asked this question1 and it brought the discussion to a close1 for ,mr4 ,kidwell could neither answer the question nor explain the passage so as to save ,universalism from total destruction4 ,the debate was to continue four days1 but it lasted twenty minutes40 ,i responded as follows3 ,the gentleman pretends that he once 8used up0 one man by one question1 and one text1 and he expects to demolish me in the same easy and summary manner2 but the sequel may show that he is over sanguine4 ,i will show that the passage on which he so confidently relies to sustain his monstrous proposition1 affords it no aid whatever4 #a4 ,if the words1 8this world and the world to come10 mean this life and the life to come1 as my friend supposes1 then all sin1 save the one sin against the ,holy ,ghost1 may be forgiven in the future state4 ,the passage reads1 8,all manner of sin and blasphemy shall be forgiven unto men40 ,the parallel passage 7,mark iii4 #bh7 reads thus3 8,all sins shall be forgiven unto the sons of men1 and all blasphemies wherewithsoever they shall blaspheme40 ,it is as clear as daylight1 from these passages1 that all sins1 except the one specified1 can be forgiven 8in this world or the world to come40 ,if the gentleman is right in his application of the passage1 all sins but one1 may be forgiven in the future state of being1 and his creed is consequently false1 for it asserts that ,god will not permit a sin to be forgiven on the other side of the river1 but every sin the soul harbors when it shuffles off its mortal coil1 becomes fossilized1 immortal as ,god himself4 ,he must either abandon his text or his unforgiving creed4 #b4 ,the gentleman relies on the word1 shall--the sin against the ,holy ,ghost shall not be forgiven4 ,that word occurs twice in the passage1 and ,i wish to call his special attention to where it occurs the second time4 ,,all ,,sins ,,shall ,,be ,,forgiven4 ,if shall is to be understood in the absolute sense in one place1 it must in the other1 and then the passage means1 that all sin1 except that one against the ,holy ,ghost1 ,,shall be forgiven somewhere1 either in this world or the world to come4 ,the passage1 then1 instead of blasting our blissful hope and cherished faith1 that all sin and wrong will ultimately end1 strikes a death-blow at the gentleman's creed concerning the immortality of wickedness of every name and grade4 #c4 ,it is by no means certain1 that 8this world and world to come10 means this life and life to come4 ,the most learned men of all schools tell us1 that the passage should be translated1 this age and age to come1 meaning the ,jewish age or dispensation1 and ,christian age or dispensation4 ,dr4 ,adam ,clarke takes this view of the words3 8,though ,i follow the common translation1 yet ,i am ,,fully ,,satisfied the meaning of the words is1 neither in this dispensation1 viz41 the ,jewish1 nor in that which is to come1 viz41 the ,christian4 ,olam ha-bo1 the world to come1 is a constant phrase for the times of the ,messiah1 in the ,jewish writings40 ,bishop ,pearce says1 8,rather1 neither in this age1 nor in the age to come20 meaning the ,jewish and ,christian dispensations4 8,ah60 said he1 in his next speech1 8if the sin against the ,holy ,ghost was not to be forgiven in the ,jewish age or ,christian age1 when was it to be forgiven8 ,the ,jewish age commenced in the days of ,moses and ended when ,christ was crucified2 the ,christian age commenced then1 and will not end till death shall be swallowed up in victory4 ,when and where can that sin be forgiven8 ,will ,mr4 ,manford answer that question80 ,reply4 ,the ,jewish and ,christian ages belong to this stage of existence1 and when the ,jordan of death shall be passed1 we shall not be living in the ,jewish age or ,christian age1 but in the spirit age1 spirit world1 and the passage does not intimate that sin or any other sin cannot be forgiven there4 ,the truth is1 that the wisdom1 the light1 the glory of the spirit world will soon transform every soul into its image4 ,when the sun crosses the equator1 on the twentieth of ,march1 how dead the vegetable kingdom lies1 horror wide extends his desolate domain4 ,but the sun soon begins to impart his renovating grace to root and seed1 and the result is1 a general resurrection on hill1 dale and plain4 ,nothing can resist his influence2 all vegetation comes forth to newness of life4 ,so the wisdom and love of heaven1 corresponding to the light and heat of the sun of this world1 illuminates and warms every soul1 and quickens each and all into newness of life4 ,say not1 then1 that sin cannot be put away from the soul on the other side of the river4 ,we should not cheat ourselves by delaying to live a ,christian life till middle age1 or till we enter the spirit land1 but in the words of ,dr4 ,watts1 8,while the lamp holds out to burn1 ,the vilest sinner may return40 ,the lamp of life will burn forever1 and the time or place will never be known1 where and when1 the sinner cannot return to truth1 to virtue--to ,god4 ,every tree and shrub is invigorated and developed by the sun's life-giving beams1 so the great spiritual ,sun does not shine in vain2 every soul will be blessed by his divine emanations4 ,in the language of the ,bible1 8,all nations whom thou hast made shall go and worship before thee ,o ,lord1 and glorify thy name40 8,you forget10 said my opponent1 in his last speech on the above passage1 8that those who committed the sin against the ,holy ,ghost1 were in danger of eternal damnation40 ,no1 sir1 ,i have not forgotten that2 neither have ,i forgotten1 that if the sin named is absolutely never to be forgiven1 the sinner who commits it is not in danger of suffering damnation1 but is sure of suffering it1 just as sure as he has sinned4 ,there is no remedy1 his doom is sealed4 ,these words1 then1 clearly imply1 that the punishment named may be arrested4 ,this is an important consideration4 ,again1 the word1 eternal is from the same ,greek term that world is1 and ,dr4 ,clarke1 as we have seen1 says it means age1 and learned men of all denominations admit it signifies age1 time1 life-time4 ,i have now noticed every point the gentleman made on this noted passage1 and it is evident that it affords the dogma of immortal wretchedness no support4 ,i delivered several lectures at the ,tippecanoe battle ground1 and became acquainted with many persons1 who have ever since been steadfast friends4 ,this place is six miles north of ,lafayette4 ,there is a marsh on one side1 and a small stream1 with a narrow bottom1 covered with thick woods1 on the other4 ,the distance from the swamp to the stream is about three hundred yards1 and on this narrow belt of ground ,general ,harrison's army was encamped1 and the battle fought4 ,no military man1 ,i suppose1 would deem that a safe camping-ground in an enemy's country4 ,but ,harrison did not expect the ,indians would fight1 but rather treat for peace2 but he should have been more cautious4 ,he repelled the attack1 with heavy loss to his army1 but if he had been defeated1 his force would have suffered sorely1 for the ,wabash river was in his rear1 only one mile distant1 and that without bridge or boats4 ,i also preached in ,monticello1 and was replied to by a ,methodist minister4 ,my text was1 8,go ye into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature4 ,he that believeth and is baptized shall be saved1 and he that believeth not shall be damned40 ,the gospel1 ,i said1 comprises the theological and moral doctrines that ,jesus taught4 ,he told men1 that ,god was the ,father of the spirits of all flesh2 that the high and the low1 the rich and the poor1 the wise and the ignorant1 the black and the white1 the slave and his master1 were alike the children of ,god1 and belong to and compose one family2 that the physical1 intellectual1 and moral bounties of ,god's store-house were accessible to all1 and that the ,master of the feast invites all to partake freely and live4 ,he had doomed none1 and never would doom any1 to eternal starvation4 8,ho1 every one that thirsteth1 come ye to the waters1 and ye that have no money1 come1 buy wine and milk without money and without price40 ,if we are wise and partake of this feast of fat things1 we live1 are blessed with salvation1 and the kingdom of ,god1 which is righteousness1 joy and peace in the holy spirit1 reigns in the soul4 ,but if we shun the rich provisions of the ,father's board1 walk on the other side1 choose darkness1 error and sin1 rather than light1 truth and virtue1 woe be to us4 ,every heavenly principle1 every law of ,god condemns us1 till we set our faces heavenward1 and turn our steps upward4 8,there was not10 said the preacher1 8one particle of gospel in that sermon4 ,mankind were lost and ruined by the fall of ,adam2 the seal of eternal damnation was burnt deep into the hearts of all1 by ,adam's apostasy1 and ,god became incarnate to make it possible for man to be saved4 ,those who believe in the incarnate ,god are saved from hell1 from the wrath of ,god1 and the curse of the fall2 but those who reject the crucified ,jesus1 are lost beyond redemption1 and the seal of damnation will burn deeper and deeper into their immortal souls2 they will be abandoned by ,god1 ,christ1 angels1 and all the saints will say1 amen40 ,he was one of the most orthodox preachers ,i ever heard4 ,when in the pulpit1 he was always harping on the mysterious jargons of ,orthodoxy1 with his face elongated1 and a countenance bordering on despair2 but out of the pulpit he was a boy1 and a foolish boy too4 ,when preaching in ,logansport1 shortly after ,general ,tipton died1 a noted citizen of that place1 he cried1 8,there1 ,general ,tipton1 that old sinner1 is dead and gone to hell40 ,a son of ,mr4 ,tipton1 soon after1 met the preacher on a long bridge at ,logansport1 and with a whip gave him a pretty hard thrashing4 ,he begged for mercy1 and promised not to talk in that style any more4 ,during the first two years ,i resided in ,lafayette1 ,i seldom met a minister of my faith4 ,there were only two others in ,indiana at that time1 and they were in remote parts of the state1 and being aged men did not preach much1 but after that time ,i had more ministerial associates4 ,d4 ,vines1 of ,frankfort1 spoke some in public1 and received ,letter of ,fellowship4 ,his intentions were good1 but his qualifications meager4 ,he subsequently became a ,swedenborgian1 or a ,spiritualist1 and ,i have lost sight of him4 ,samuel ,oyler1 of ,jefferson1 also entered the ministry4 ,he preached three or four years in the south part of the state1 and then came out a lawyer1 and1 ,i understand1 he succeeds well in that profession4 ,i4 ,m4 ,westfall1 of ,thornton1 left the ,methodist church1 of which he was a lay-member1 and commenced preaching without any preparation1 save strong faith and ardent zeal4 ,he possessed a good mind1 and soon became a popular speaker4 ,he remained in ,indiana about one year1 and then moved to ,iowa ,city1 ,iowa4 ,he continued in the ministry till recently4 ,at the present time he resides in ,minnesota1 and is practising medicine4 ,at ,perrysville1 where ,i had preached monthly for two years1 a meeting-house was erected1 and a society organized4 ,being in ,oxford1 ,ohio1 ,i met with ,b4 ,f4 ,foster1 a young man1 who had just commenced preaching1 and prevailed on him to move to ,perrysville1 and take charge of the society in that place4 ,he1 however1 soon left ,p4 and located in ,terre ,haute1 where our friends were building a fine meeting-house4 ,he has resided in ,indiana ever since1 and is a popular and useful minister4 ,he has been for many years pastor of the society in ,indianapolis1 and at the present time he is ,state ,librarian4 ,an ,association1 embracing the country from ,terre ,haute to ,lafayette1 called the ,wabash ,valley ,association1 was organized4 ,the meeting that organized it was held in ,perrysville1 and it was an enthusiastic gathering4 ,seven or eight societies were represented1 all recently formed4 ,many went on horseback1 in wagons and carriages1 thirty1 forty1 and fifty miles4 ,our friends were alive with zeal1 and did not mind traveling fifty miles to a good meeting4 ,the ,united ,brethren held a noisy meeting in ,warren county1 and the following lines were very popular with the ,brethren1 and they often sung them3 ,the devil is mad1 ,and ,i am glad1 ,glory1 ,o hallelujah4 ,the devil may pout1 ,but ,i will shout4 ,glory1 ,o hallelujah4 ,i noticed this meeting1 and quoted their popular hymn in the ,teacher1 and the ,brethren in that county were very indignant4 ,at their next meeting one of their preachers took up the matter4 8,that little ,universalist preacher10 said he1 8that lives in ,lafayette1 and prints that ,universalist paper1 is mad because we sing about his daddy40 ,i attended1 on a dark and gloomy night1 a fanatical camp-meeting of the ,methodists1 near ,ladoga4 ,it was held in a dense forest4 ,when a mile from the camp1 ,i heard the noise of the nocturnal worshipers4 ,arriving on the ground1 the scene that opened to the vision1 beggared description4 ,the whole camp seemed to be in an uproar4 ,preachers were preaching1 exhorters exhorting1 singers singing1 shouters shouting1 and jumpers were jumping4 ,some seemed to be suffering intense agony1 others as happy as clams at high water4 ,some kept their seats1 while others were hopping1 skipping and jumping like chickens with their heads cut off4 ,one man ran past me without looking to the right or left4 8,where are you going80 said ,i4 8,to glory40 ,a preacher screamed as loud as his lungs would allow1 8,the devil is in the camp1 and must be driven out4 ,get the horn1 form in line1 march round the ground three times1 blow the horn1 the devil must be driven out1 the walls of ,jericho shall fall40 ,the procession was formed1 the horn was blown1 and the march was made4 ,whether ,satan left the camp1 and the said walls fell at this demonstration1 the master of the ceremony did not see proper to inform us4 ,i left the ground about midnight1 when the excitement was under full headway1 and my reflections while walking back to the village were as follows3 ,is this the proper way to worship ,god8 ,does he require us to make fools of ourselves1 and act like bedlamites8 ,is religion fanaticism8 ,is regeneration an hallucination8 ,i will not believe a word of it4 ,religion consists in love to ,god and man4 ,noise1 uproar1 fanaticism are not worship1 are not religion1 are not regeneration4 ,god speaks to the soul with the still small voice of inspiration and intuition1 and the truly pious make but little outward demonstration4 ,empty wagons make much noise1 heavy laden ones pass our streets without hardly being heard4 ,but then ,i do not wonder at the noise1 lamentation1 agonizing1 and every other extravagance1 of these people4 ,they think ,god is frowning on this world1 that his wrath is kindled to its hottest pitch1 that he has already banished most of the dead to the infernal regions1 and that during every moment of time crowds are driven from earth to hell1 and that we all stand on the very brink of a bottomless pit4 ,no wonder the victims of this terrible belief are nearly insane4 ,strange they are not all raving mad4 ,o ,god1 enlighten their minds concerning thee1 whom to know is life eternal4 ,i visited ,michigan ,city by request1 and delivered four discourses4 ,the ,episcopal clergyman of the place1 took the trouble to go around town1 and destroy all the notices of the meetings that were tacked up1 and to tell the people not to go near me4 ,but large congregations attended1 and all seemed much interested4 ,in one of my lectures ,i gave a history of the 8rise and progress0 of the ,episcopal ,church4 ,stated that it was conceived in sin and brought forth in iniquity2 that ,henry ,,viii41 universally admitted to have been the most beastly monarch that ever reigned in ,england1 was the first ,episcopalian1 and the father of the sect2 that church from ,henry's day to this day has been a proud1 arrogant1 insolent1 overbearing concern2 in ,england it draws half of its support from unwilling pockets1 from those who belong to other communions2 that it cares not who starves provided its priests1 bishops1 and lords live in indolence1 race horses1 chase foxes1 and drink brandy2 it never took but one short step from the ,catholic ,church1 the mother of harlots1 and it was now creeping back into the arms of its old mamma2 but there are some live men and women in the church1 and they deplore the stupidity1 coldness and old hunkerism of the lifeless body to which they are bound4 ,the distance from ,lafayette to ,michigan ,city1 is about one hundred miles1 and for fifteen miles on each side of the ,kankakee river1 there was not1 in those days1 a house4 ,it commenced raining on my way to ,michigan ,city1 when ,i had reached the south margin of that wilderness of prairie1 and it poured down in torrents till ,i made the first house1 thirty miles distant4 ,it was a swamp nearly all the way1 and the flood of that day made the road1 such as it was1 nearly impassable4 ,i sometimes thought ,i should have to return2 but about ten at night ,i reached a cabin1 drenched with rain1 covered with mud1 and as hungry as a bear4 ,a ,presbyterian elder1 by the name of ,smith1 was eager for a debate1 and he was gratified4 ,we occupied the ,presbyterian church in ,dayton1 and the poor elder did one pretty hard day's work4 ,he was frightened out of most of his wits2 his nerves were unstrung1 and his hand so trembled he could not hold his ,bible to read his texts4 ,i pitied him1 but dealt as hard blows as ,i could strike4 ,he was disgusted with himself1 and proposed1 a few weeks after1 to try again1 hoping to do better4 ,we spent two days at ,rossville1 near his home1 and he then willingly retired without further debating4 ,a few days after this affair1 ,i spent four days in discussion with ,mr4 ,coon1 a ,scotch ,presbyterian1 and ,calvinistic 8up to the hub40 ,he was a prominent man in his church1 intelligent1 and well educated4 ,he subsequently published a book of three or four hundred pages1 against the doctrine of the ,restitution1 and in defense of eternal punishment4 ,the discussion was held in ,jefferson2 and though the weather was intensely cold1 a large number attended4 ,mr4 ,coon was a strong man1 and all were anxious to hear4 ,he had thoroughly prepared himself for the work4 ,it required two or three men to carry his books to and from the church4 ,i had my ,bible1 and perhaps two or three other books4 ,he talked ,english1 and ,greek1 and ,latin1 and ,hebrew4 ,mr4 ,taylor1 a ,presbyterian minister1 who had just closed an eight days' debate with ,john ,o',kane1 of the ,campbellite ,church1 was one of the moderators1 and he prayed for ,mr4 ,coon1 imploring the ,lord to help him on that important occasion4 8,these shall go away into everlasting punishment1 but the righteous into life eternal10 7,matt4 xxv4 #df17 was one of his proof-texts4 8,it is evident10 said he1 8that this passage teaches the endless punishment of the wicked1 for the following reasons3 #a4 ,it relates to what would transpire at the end of the world4 ,this1 and the preceding chapter1 is an answer to the questions1 #8,what shall be the signs of thy coming1 and of the end of the world8' ,matt4 xxiv4 #c4 #b4 #8,these' were to go into everlasting punishment when ,christ would come the second time1 and that event was to take place at the end of the world4 #c4 ,everlasting is from the same ,greek word that is rendered eternal1 and consequently the everlasting punishment is to continue as long as the eternal life4 ,if one will end so will the other end4 #d4 ,the best scholars tell us1 that the ,greek word here rendered everlasting and eternal1 signifies endless duration40 ,i replied3 ,mr4 ,coon tells us1 that his text was to be fulfilled at the end of the world spoken of in ,matthew xxiv4 ,he is doubtless correct4 ,now1 learned men of all denominations tell us1 that world there means the ,jewish ,dispensation1 and the end of the world the end of that ,dispensation4 ,most of them translate the passage1 8end of the ,,age40 ,it is so rendered by ,doddridge1 ,macknight1 ,whitby1 ,pearce1 ,le ,clerc1 ,hammond1 ,wakefield and ,kenrick--all learned men1 and save one or two1 advocates of endless misery4 ,the word1 world is often used in this sense in the ,new ,testament4 8,now once in the end of the world hath ,christ appeared to put away sin by the sacrifice of himself40 ,heb4 ix4 #bd4 ,christ did appear at the end of the ,jewish ,dispensation for that purpose4 ,the ,jews divided time into two ages--the age before ,christ1 and the age after ,christ4 ,the first age ended1 as ,paul says1 8when ,christ appeared40 ,the end of the world1 then1 took place eighteen hundred years ago1 and then the gentleman's text was fulfilled4 #b4 ,when ,christ was to come the second time1 some were to go away into everlasting punishment4 ,when was he thus to come8 ,in this same discourse ,jesus speaks of that coming1 and affirms1 that it would take place in that generation4 8,and then shall appear the sign of the ,son of man1 444 and they shall see the ,son of man coming40 ,he then states when he would come3 8,this generation shall not pass till all these things be fulfilled40 ,matt4 xxiv4 #cj1 #cd4 ,on another occasion1 addressing his disciples1 he said1 8,but when they persecute you in this city1 flee ye into another2 for verily ,i say unto you1 ye shall not have gone over the cities of ,israel till the ,son of man be come40 ,matt4 x4 #bg4 ,he would come so soon that the disciples would not be able to visit all of ,israel's cities4 ,at another time he said1 8,for the ,son of man shall come in the glory of his ,father1 with his angels2 and then he shall reward every man according to his works4 ,verily ,i say unto you1 ,there be some standing here1 which shall not taste of death1 till they see the ,son of man coming in his kingdom40 ,matt4 xvi4 #bg1 #bh4 ,he was to come the second time before some who heard these words would die4 ,he intimated that the apostle ,john would live to witness this coming4 8,peter seeing ,john1 saith to ,jesus1 ,lord1 what shall this man do8 ,jesus saith to him1 ,if ,i will that he tarry till ,i come1 what is that to thee8 ,then went this saying abroad among the brethren1 that the disciple would not die2 yet ,jesus said not to him1 ,he shall not die2 but1 ,if ,i will that he tarry till ,i come1 what is that to thee40 ,john xxi4 #ba-bc4 ,it requires considerable effort to misunderstand these plain declarations4 ,jesus told his hearers1 that he would come the second time1 #a4 ,in the generation in which he lived2 #b4 ,so soon the disciples would not have time to visit all ,judah's cities2 #c4 ,before some he addressed would die2 #d4 ,that ,john1 the beloved disciple1 might live to see him come4 ,in the face of all this testimony1 ,mr4 ,coon tells us1 that coming is yet a future event6 ,but the truth is1 that coming took place at the beginning of the ,christian ,dispensation1 at the ushering in of the ,gospel ,age1 at the setting up of the kingdom of ,god4 ,the revelator1 who was the disciple ,john1 says1 he 8saw the holy city1 new ,jerusalem1 coming down from ,god out of heaven40 ,rev4 xxi4 #c4 ,judaism had passed away1 ,paganism was dead1 and a new order of things had commenced--old things had passed away1 all things had become new4 ,the world had entered on a new era4 ,this is what ,christ meant by his coming in power and glory4 #c4 ,the gentleman truly says1 that everlasting and eternal are from the same original word4 ,he then assumes that 8eternal life0 in his text means endless blessedness1 and then infers1 that 8everlasting punishment0 means endless wretchedness4 ,his assumption and inference are alike fictions4 ,according to the ,new ,testament1 the ,christian1 in this world1 is in possession of eternal or everlasting life4 8,he that believeth on me ,,hath ,,everlasting ,,life40 8,verily1 verily1 ,i say unto you1 he that heareth my word1 and believeth on him that sent me1 ,,hath ,,everlasting ,,life1 and shall not come into condemnation1 but ,,is ,,passed from death unto life40 ,john v4 #bd4 8,this is ,,life eternal1 that they might know thee the only true ,god1 and ,jesus ,christ whom thou hast sent40 ,john xvii4 #c4 ,eternal life is gospel life--spiritual life1 and every ,christian man and woman is now in possession of this life4 ,when a person is alive to every thing holy and good1 possesses the spirit of ,christ1 and lives the life of ,christ1 it may be truly said of him1 he 8,,hath everlasting life40 ,so1 when a man's character is the reverse of this1 when he is a son of error and sin1 it may be truly said of him1 he ,,hath everlasting punishment4 ,if everlasting life can be enjoyed here1 cannot everlasting punishment be suffered here8 ,again1 a person may be a ,christian to-day1 and consequently in possession of everlasting life2 but his love may wax cold1 he may become a sinner1 an unbeliever1 an infidel2 he will then be no longer in possession of everlasting life4 ,so1 an infidel and a sinner of to-day may become a saint1 like ,st4 ,paul2 he then passes from death to life1 from suffering everlasting punishment to the possession of everlasting life4 ,but1 by everlasting punishment1 ,jesus had direct reference to the temporal desolation that was soon to befall his countrymen at the end of the ,jewish ,dispensation4 ,the kingdom was to be taken from them1 and they were to be cast out into outer darkness1 till the fullness of the ,gentiles should come in4 #d4 ,mr4 ,coon informs us1 that the ,greek terms1 aion1 aionios1 mean endless duration4 ,these are two forms of one word4 ,aion is a noun1 and ios added to it1 forms the adjective4 ,this word occurs in these two forms three times in the twenty-fourth and twenty-fifth chapters of ,matthew4 ,in the twenty-fourth chapter1 the disciples inquired of ,jesus1 8,what shall be the sign of thy coming1 and of the end of the world80 ,these two chapters answer these two questions4 ,now1 world is from aion1 the same word rendered everlasting1 and eternal1 in the text4 ,there was then to be an end to aion4 ,mr4 ,coon tells us1 that this word means duration without end1 and in the same speech cites the same word to prove that it 7aion7 is to end6 ,one passage explains the other4 ,in one place ,jesus speaks of aionios punishment1 without stating whether he means endless or limited time2 in the other place the apostles inquire concerning the end of the aion1 and ,jesus in answering their question1 tells them1 that it shall end1 8but10 he adds1 8the end is not yet40 ,many things would transpire before that event would occur4 8,he that endureth to the end shall be saved4444 ,and the gospel of this kingdom shall be preached in all the world for a witness to all nations2 and then shall the end come4444 ,verily1 verily1 ,i say unto you1 this generation shall not pass1 till all these things be fulfilled40 ,matt4 xxiv4 #f1 #ac1 #ad1 #cd4 ,we have1 then1 the word of ,jesus for it1 that aion1 and consequently1 aionios1 everlasting punishment1 may end4 ,i will give the true definition of aion1 according to learned men--all believers in endless woe3 ,,schleusner4--8,any space of time1 whether longer or shorter1 past1 present1 or future1 to be determined by the persons or things spoken of1 and the scope of the subject--the life or age of man2 any space in which we measure human life1 from birth to death40 ,,donnegan4--8,aion1 time2 a space of time2 lifetime and life2 the ordinary period of man's life2 the age of man2 man's estate2 a long period of time2 eternity4 ,aionios1 of long duration2 eternal1 lasting1 permanent40 ,,schrevelius4--8,aion1 an age1 a long period of time2 indefinite duration2 time1 whether longer or shorter1 past1 present or future2 life1 the life of man4 ,aionios1 of long duration1 lasting1 sometimes everlasting1 sometimes lasting through life40 ,this is the definition learned men give the word4 ,i will now show that the ,bible attaches the same meaning to it4 #ast4 ,everlasting4 8,and ,i will give unto thee and thy seed1 all the land of ,canaan1 for an everlasting possession40 ,gen4 xvii4 #h4 8,and ,i will make of thee a multitude of people1 and will give this land 7,canaan7 to thy seed after thee1 for an everlasting possession40 ,gen4 xlviii4 #d4 ,now1 was this possession to be endless8 ,no1 for it ceased long ago6 ,but let me read still more3 8,unto the utmost bounds of the everlasting hills0--8,the everlasting mountains were scattered40 ,hab4 iii4 #f4 ,the gentleman believes that the everlasting hills and mountains will all be destroyed when the world comes to an end6 8,for their anointing shall surely be an everlasting priesthood40 ,exod4 xl4 #ae4 8,and he 7,phinehas7 shall have it1 and his seed after him1 even the covenant1 for an everlasting priesthood40 ,num4 xxv4 #ac4 8,and this shall be an everlasting statute unto you1 to make an atonement for the children of ,israel once every year40 ,lev4 xvi4 #cd4 ,was the priesthood to be of endless duration8 or has it not long since been abolished by the priesthood of ,christ8 ,such1 my friends1 is a sample of the ,bible use of this word4 #b;d4 ,forever4 8,he 7,solomon7 shall build me an house1 and ,i will establish it forever40 #a ,chron4 xvii4 #ab4 ,this house although established forever1 was long since torn down and destroyed6 8,for the land which thou seest1 to thee 7,abram7 will ,i give it1 and to thy seed forever40 ,gen4 xiii4 #ae4 8,you will keep it 7the passover7 a feast by an ordinance forever40 ,exod4 xii4 #ad4 ,was the observance of the passover to be of endless duration8 8,they shall be your bondsmen forever40 ,lev4 xxv4 #df4 ,were they to be bondsmen throughout duration8 8,i went to the bottom of the mountains2 the earth with her bars was about me forever0--that is1 three days6 ,jonah ii4 #f4 8,the righteous shall inherit the land1 and dwell therein forever40 ,ps4 xxxvii4 #bi4 ,are the righteous to dwell in a land endlessly8 8,and his master shall bore his ear through with an awl1 and he shall serve him forever10--that is1 as long as he live4 ,exod4 xxi4 #f4 8,and they shall dwell in the land that ,i have given my servant ,jacob1 wherein your fathers have dwelt1 and they shall dwell therein1 forever2 and my servant ,david shall be their prince forever40 ,ezek4 xxvii4 #be4 ,this needs no comment4 8,but ,judah shall dwell forever1 and ,jerusalem from generation to generation10--from genea to genea4 8,for ,i have told him that ,i will judge his house forever1 for the iniquity which he knoweth40 ,will the ,almighty be endlessly judging the house of ,eli8 ,and if to judge forever does not mean endless judgment1 why should to punish forever mean endless punishment8 ,can any one tell8 ,paul1 writing to ,philemon1 says of ,onesimus1--8,for perhaps he departed for a season1 that thou shouldst receive him forever0--not endlessly1 surely6 ,this noted passage1 then1 affords no evidence that punishment will be inflicted duration without end4 ,dr4 ,samuel ,johnson1 the great moralist and writer of the last century1 speaking of this passage1 and others of like character1 says3 8,they may admit of a mitigated interpretation40 ,the discussion continued four days--closed ,saturday evening4 ,i delivered a practical discourse on ,sunday morning1 made no reference to the debate1 and at the close organized a society4 ,mr4 ,coon preached in the afternoon1 and the discussion was his text4 ,he misrepresented me1 the good faith1 and poured out volleys of abuse on all who did not subscribe to his fire and brimstone creed4 ,i replied in the evening1 and handled ,calvinism without gloves1 but he kept out of the way4 ,,chapter ,,ix4 ,,questioned ,j4 ,o',,kane ,,in ,,dayton--,,he ,,beat ,a ,,retreat--,,he ,,replied ,,in ,,crawfordsville--,,three ,,resurrections1 ,,national1 ,,moral1 ,,and ,,immortal--,,conversation ,,in ,,west ,,lebanon--,,everlasting1 ,,forever--,,kingdom ,,of ,,god--,,sin1 ,,error1 ,,suffering ,,not ,,endless--,,in ,,southern ,,indiana--,,why ,,live ,a ,,christian ,,life--,,bigotry ,,in ,,breckenridge--,,discussion ,,with ,,mr4 ,,dickerson--,,calvinism--,,arminianism- -,,universalism--,,debate ,,in ,,chambersburg4 ,when in ,dayton on one occasion to fill an appointment1 ,i heard ,j4 ,o',kane preach an excellent sermon--it was all ,universalism4 ,his subjects were the ,mosaic and ,christian covenants4 ,moses was the head of the first1 and ,christ the head of the second covenant2 the blessings of the first were temporal1 and were designed only for the ,jews2 the blessings of the second were spiritual1 including the forgiveness of sin and life everlasting1 and were designed for all nations4 ,the whole ,jewish nation was blessed temporally1 and all nations1 families and kindred would be blessed spiritually4 ,he dwelt long and emphatically on these points--proved and illustrated them in a very satisfactory manner4 ,my friends evidently thought that was pretty good ,universalism1 as it certainly was4 ,but ,i was satisfied that it was all a blind1 and ,i resolved to quiz him a little4 ,as soon as he was through1 ,i asked the privilege to propound a few questions1 and stated ,i should be much pleased if he would answer them4 8,ask as many questions as you please1 and ,i shall be sure to answer them10 said he1 in not a very agreeable tone4 8,i understood you to say that the blessings of the ,christian covenant are for all mankind1 and that all nations1 families and kindreds of the earth would surely participate in those blessings4 ,did ,i understand you correctly80 8,yes1 sir40 8,i also understood you1 that the blessings of said covenant are spiritual--the forgiveness of sin and life everlasting4 ,did ,i understand you correctly80 8,you did40 8,once more4 ,do you believe that all nations1 families and kindreds will be blessed by having their sins forgiven1 and with life everlasting80 8,suppose ,i don't10 said he1 in an angry tone4 8,but why equivocate8 ,you have just said you did believe this40 8,you don't know what ,i said40 ,mr4 ,o',kane was in a pretty tight place1 for it was well known1 that he was a staunch advocate of eternal woe4 ,why he delivered such a discourse was best known to himself4 ,perhaps he hoped to catch some of our brethren by pretending to be with them in faith4 ,subsequently1 he replied to a discourse ,i delivered in ,crawfordsville1 from these words3 8,marvel not at this2 for the hour is coming in the which all that are in their graves shall hear his voice1 and they shall come forth2 they that have done good1 unto the resurrection of life2 and they that have done evil1 unto the resurrection of damnation40 ,john v4 #bh1 #bi4 ,there are1 ,i remarked1 three distinct resurrections spoken of in the ,bible--a temporal1 a moral1 and an immortal resurrection4 ,when the ,bible speaks of a resurrection1 we must learn from the context of the passage1 which of those resurrections is intended4 ,i will briefly notice some passages where these three resurrections are spoken of4 ,in ,ezekiel1 thirty-seventh chapter1 the prophet is writing of the return of the ,jews to ,palestine from ,babylon1 where they had been enslaved for seventy years4 ,the chapter is headed--8,the resurrection of dry bones40 ,i will cite the whole passage3 8,the hand of the ,lord was upon me1 and carried me out in the spirit of the ,lord1 and set me down in the valley which was full of bones1 and caused me to pass by them round about2 and1 behold1 there were very many in the open valley2 and1 lo1 they were very dry4 ,and he said unto me1 ,son of man1 can these bones live8 ,and ,i answered1 ,o ,lord ,god1 thou knowest4 ,again he said unto me1 ,prophesy upon these bones1 and say unto them1 ,o ye dry bones1 hear the word of the ,lord4 ,thus saith the ,lord ,god unto these bones3 ,behold1 ,i will cause breath to enter into you1 and ye shall live2 and ,i will lay sinews upon you1 and will bring up flesh upon you1 and cover you with skin1 and put breath in you1 and ye shall live2 and ye shall know that ,i am the ,lord4 ,so ,i prophesied as ,i was commanded2 and as ,i prophesied1 there was a noise1 and behold a shaking1 and the bones came together1 bone to his bone4 ,and when ,i beheld1 lo1 the sinews and the flesh came up upon them1 and the skin covered them above2 but there was no breath in them4 ,then said he unto me1 ,prophesy unto the wind1 prophesy1 ,son of man1 and say unto the wind1 ,thus saith the ,lord ,god3 ,come from the four winds1 ,o breath1 and breathe upon these slain1 that they may live4 ,so ,i prophesied as he commanded me1 and the breath came into them1 and they lived1 and stood up upon their feet1 an exceeding great army40 ,ezek4 xxxvii4 #a-aj4 ,now mark the explanations3 8,then he said unto me1 ,son of man1 these bones are the whole house of ,israel2 behold1 they say1 ,our bones are dried1 and our hope is lost3 we are cut off for our parts4 ,therefore prophesy and say unto them1 ,thus saith the ,lord ,god3 ,behold1 ,o my people1 ,i will open your graves1 and bring you into the land of ,israel4 ,and ye shall know that ,i am the ,lord1 when ,i have opened your graves1 ,o my people1 and brought you up out of your graves4 ,and ,i shall put my spirit in you1 and ye shall live1 and ,i shall place you in your own land2 then shall ye know that ,i the ,lord have spoken it1 and performed it1 saith the ,lord40 ,ezek4 xxxvii4 #aa-ad4 ,this was a temporal resurrection1 and included also a moral resurrection4 ,it was the return of 8the whole house of ,israel0 to 8the land of ,israel from ,babylon40 ,when in ,babylon1 they were said to be in their graves1 their hope was lost1 but they were to come up out of the graves1 and be restored to their beloved country4 ,the same events are also predicted in ,daniel xii4 #b4 8,and many of them that sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake1 some to everlasting life1 and some to shame and everlasting contempt40 ,the connection shows this to be the same kind of a resurrection spoken of in ,ezekiel4 ,that all this was to take place within a few years1 is evident from the following consideration3 #a4 ,the previous verse reads thus3 8,and at that time shall ,michael stand up1 the great prince which standeth for the children of thy people3 and there shall be a time of trouble1 such as never was since there was a nation even to that same time2 and at that time thy people shall be delivered1 every one that shall be found written in the book40 ,dan4 xii4 #a4 ,this prince ,michael was a ruler in ,persia1 while the ,jews were in ,babylon4 ,he is spoken of in two other places in that book4 8,but the prince of the kingdom of ,persia withstood me one and twenty days2 but1 lo1 ,michael1 one of the chief princes1 came to help me2 and ,i remained there with the kings of ,persia4 ,but ,i will show thee that which is noted in the scripture of truth2 and there is none that holdeth with me in these things1 but ,michael your prince40 ,dan4 x4 #ac1 #ba4 ,it is clear from these quotations1 that ,michael was a prince of ,persia1 and that he was living when the ,jews were in ,babylon4 ,mark also1 that the resurrection1 there spoken of1 was to occur in ,michael's lifetime1 when ,michael 8would stand up10 and consequently it must have taken place long ago4 #b4 ,the question was asked1 7verse #f7 8,how long shall it be to the end of these wonders80 and the answer given was1 8,it shall be for a time1 times and half a time10 7verse #g47 ,in verse #ab1 the period intended by these 8times0 is stated to be 8one thousand three hundred and thirty-five days10 making a little more than four years4 8,time10 singular1 means one year1 8times10 plural1 three years1 8half a time10 six month4 ,the resurrection1 then1 referred to1 was to take place between four and five years from the time the prophet saw the vision--another evidence that this resurrection was realized in the return of the ,jews to ,palestine from the land of their captivity4 #c4 ,daniel was to live to witness the transpiring of this event4 8,go thy way10 said the angel to ,daniel1 8till the end be2 for thou shalt rest1 and stand in thy lot at the end of these days40 7,verse #ac47 ,it then seems certain1 that this resurrection was to take place within a few years after ,daniel had a vision of it4 ,two men1 at least1 then existing1 were to live to witness the event--,michael1 a prince of ,persia1 and ,daniel1 a prophet of the ,lord1 and to behold it they had to live only about four years and a half longer4 ,the nation was raised from its grave1 from the dust of the earth1 and those who were loyal through the dark night of bondage1 returned to the land of promise with glory and honor2 but those who were traitors during the times that tried men's souls1 returned with shame and contempt4 ,the ,bible also reveals an immortal resurrection4 ,says ,jesus1 whose mission it was to bring life and immortality to light1 8,in the resurrection they neither marry nor are given in marriage1 but are as the angels of ,god in heaven4444 ,god is not the ,god of the dead1 but of the living1 for all--the dead--live unto him40 ,matt4 xxii4 #cj1 #cb4 ,this is not a physical1 temporal1 or moral resurrection1 merely1 but a resurrection to eternal life1 and a blissful immortality4 ,the apostle ,paul 7#a ,cor4 xv47 dwells long and emphatically on this glorious resurrection4 8,as in ,adam10 says he1 8all die1 even so in ,christ shall all be made alive4444 ,it is sown in corruption1 it is raised in incorruption2 it is sown in dishonor1 it is raised in glory2 it is sown in weakness1 it is raised in power2 it is sown a natural body1 it is raised a spiritual body4 ,there is a natural body1 and there is a spiritual body40 8,for this corruptible must put on incorruption1 and this mortal must put on immortality4 ,so when this corruptible shall have put on incorruption1 and this mortal shall have put on immortality1 then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written1 ,death is swallowed up in victory4 ,o death1 where is thy sting8 ,o grave1 where is thy victory8 ,the sting of death is sin2 and the strength of sin is the law4 ,but thanks be to ,god1 which giveth us the victory through our ,lord ,jesus ,christ40 #a ,cor4 xv4 #bb1 #dc1 #dd1 #ec-eg4 ,the terms in these passages clearly indicate1 that the immortal resurrection is the subject of discourse2 and that all mankind are interested in it4 ,it is not a resurrection from the grave1 or from the dust of the earth1 for the immortal spirit which now tabernacles in the flesh1 never dies1 except morally1 never descends to the grave or dust1 except figuratively1 but as the wise man says1 8,dust shall return to the earth as it was2 and the spirit shall return unto ,god that gave it40 ,eccles4 xii4 #g4 ,the body only dies1 it returns to the dust--the spirit never2 it returns to ,god4 ,hence my text must refer to some other kind of a resurrection1 for it speaks of coming up out of graves1 and the connection makes it certain that a moral resurrection is intended4 ,immediately preceding the text1 ,jesus says1 8,as the ,father raiseth up the dead and quickeneth them2 even so1 the ,son quickeneth whom he will40 ,there is here a comparison between what ,god was doing1 and what ,christ was doing4 ,god was raising the dead from mortality to immortality1 and ,jesus was raising the morally dead and quickening them by his spirit4 ,he continues to speak of the moral resurrection he was then effecting3 8,verily1 verily1 ,i say unto you1 ,he that heareth my word1 and believeth on him that sent me1 hath everlasting life1 and shall not come into condemnation2 but is passed from death unto life40 ,those whom ,christ had quickened by the truth were in possession of 8everlasting life10 had actually 8passed from death to life0--of course1 no other than a moral resurrection is intended4 ,he continues3 8,verily1 ,i say unto you1 ,the hour is coming1 and ,,now ,,is1 when the dead shall hear the voice of the ,son of ,god2 and they that hear shall live40 ,sinners1 the morally dead1 were then hearing his voice and coming forth to life4 ,this is ,,now going on1 said ,jesus4 ,then he adds3 8,marvel not at this3 for the hour is coming1 in the which all that are in the graves shall hear his voice1 and they shall come forth2 they that have done good1 unto the resurrection of life2 and they that have done evil1 unto the resurrection of damnation40 ,the connection decides that ,jesus was speaking of the moral resurrection he was then effecting among the lost sheep of the house of ,israel4 ,during ,christ's ministry the gospel was proclaimed only to the ,jews1 and they only came forth and were blessed by its quickening power2 but soon the gospel was to be preached to 8all nations10 8to every creature40 ,said ,jesus to the disciples1 just before he returned to ,god1 8,go ye into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature4 ,he that believeth and is baptized shall be saved1 but he that believeth not shall be damned40 ,mark xvi4 #ae1 #af4 ,this is the same subject spoken of in my text4 ,when the disciples went into the world in obedience to their master1 they found mankind dead in trespasses and sins1 buried in the graves of moral degradation1 even in the dust of the earth4 ,they preached the gospel to the dead nations--some who heard it1 came forth to life1 to salvation1 entered the kingdom of ,god1 which is righteousness1 joy and peace in the holy spirit4 ,others1 who heard it1 came forth to condemnation1 and this is explained thus3 8,he that believeth not shall be damned20 8,he that doubteth ,,is damned20 8,,having damnation because they cast off their first faith20 8,he that believeth not is condemned ,,already40 ,similar results have followed the proclamation of the truth in all ages and climes4 ,let the truth be proclaimed fully and plainly in an ignorant and vicious community1 and some with joy will receive it1 and partake of its blessedness2 others will rise up in opposition to it1 condemn it1 and wax worse and worse4 ,this was the substance of the discourse1 but much more was said in defense of the various points here briefly stated4 ,mr4 ,o',kane replied1 but ,i have room for only one of his criticisms4 8,the speaker said1 that in the immortal resurrection1 the dead are not said to be raised from the graves1 and hence in ,john v4 #bh1 #bi1 ,christ does not speak of such a resurrection1 for he there tells us1 that the dead shall be raised from the graves4 ,now1 it happens1 that in the very chapter the gentleman informs us teaches the immortal resurrection1 the apostle ,paul does teach that the dead on that occasion will be raised from the grave4 #8,so1' says he1 #8when this corruptible shall have put on incorruption1 and this mortal shall have put on immortality1 then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written1 ,death is swallowed up in victory4 ,o death1 where is thy sting8 ,o grave1 where is thy victory8' ,now which is correct1 ,mr4 ,manford or the apostle ,paul1 for they contradict each other40 ,i replied1 ,mr4 ,o',kane has my thanks for pointing out what he deems an error in my discourse4 ,the word graves in ,john v4 #bh1 is from muemeia1 which signifies grave1 the receptacle of dead bodies1 but the word grave in ,corinthians1 is from hades1 which means1 not the grave1 but the state of the dead4 ,the meaning of the two terms are very different4 ,one signifying the place where dead bodies are deposited1 but the other1 the state of the dead4 ,now the body is not buried in hades1 but it is buried in muemeia1 and at the immortal resurrection the dead come not from muemeia1 but from hades1 the state of death4 ,my remark then was strictly correct1 that at the immortal resurrection nothing is said about the dead being raised from the grave1 muemeia4 ,the state of the dead is designated by hades1 and that state or condition may continue but a moment4 ,the term has no reference to time or place1 but merely to death4 ,when a person dies1 his condition is represented by hades1 and when the spirit returns to ,god1 it is delivered from hades1 meaning the state of death4 ,when the spirit ascends to ,god1 it can exclaim1 8,death is swallowed up in victory4 ,o death1 where is thy sting8 ,o grave1 where is thy victory8 ,thanks be to ,god who giveth us the victory40 8,victory1 victory1 victory60 they exclaim1 as they burst the shackles of hades1 or the state of the dead1 and join the immortal band in the land of the blessed4 ,i delivered two discourses in ,west ,lebanon1 and spent most of one day in conversation with ,mr4 ,cooper1 a ,methodist minister4 ,said ,mr4 ,cooper1 8,you say1 forever and everlasting in the ,bible signify limited duration4 ,the ,bible speaks of the #8everlasting ,god1' and the #8everlasting life' of the saints4 ,now1 according to your definition of these words1 ,god will exist only for a limited period1 and the redeemed in heaven will exist only for a limited period4 ,your definition dethrones ,god1 and blots out heaven40 8,not so fast1 my friend4 ,true1 the primary meaning of those words is duration1 indefinite duration1 but how long cannot be determined by the words1 but by the subjects of discourse4 ,when the ,bible speaks of the #8everlasting hills1' #8everlasting priesthood of ,aaron1' #8the everlasting possession' of ,judea by the ,jews1 #8the everlasting doors' of the temple1 #8the servant serving his master forever1' you readily admit that those words in those places mean limited time4 ,you admit this1 because the subjects of discourse are limited in their duration4 ,but when those words are applied to ,god1 and man's immortal inheritance1 they signify unlimited duration1 because of the subjects to which they are applied4 ,but why should everlasting and forever1 when applied to punishment1 bear the meaning they do when related to ,god and immortal life1 rather than the signification they bear when applied to the priesthood1 the hills1 or the temple80 8,i admit1 that when those words are applied to man in this world1 they signify limited time1 but when the ,bible speaks of man being punished forever1 and suffering everlasting punishment in the immortal world1 they must mean the same they do when it speaks of the everlasting blessedness of the saints in heaven1 and joys forevermore at ,god's right hand4 ,take1 for instance1 the words of ,christ1 #8,these shall go away into everlasting punishment1 but the righteous into life eternal4' ,now this life and this punishment pertain to the immortal world1 and one will continue as long as the other40 8,but it is by no means certain1 that ,jesus refers to heaven or hell beyond the grave4 ,the connection clearly shows1 that ,christ had reference to the blessedness of the subjects of the gospel kingdom1 and the wretchedness of those out of that kingdom1 out of the ark of safety4 ,in the connection of the passage1 he says1 #8,come ye blessed of my ,father1 inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world4' ,the life spoken of in your text is the life1 the blessedness of this kingdom1 and the ,new ,testament certainly teaches1 that the kingdom is established in this world4 ,when ,john commenced his ministry he said1 #8,repent1 for the kingdom of ,god is at hand4' ,when ,jesus began his work1 he repeated what ,john had said before him1 #8,repent1 for the kingdom of ,god is at hand4' ,soon after this ,jesus said1 #8,if ,i cast out devils by the spirit of ,god1 then the kingdom of ,god is come unto you4' ,again said ,jesus1 #8,the law and the prophets were until ,john2 since that time the kingdom of ,god is preached1 and every man presseth into it4' ,near the close of our ,lord's ministry the ,pharisees inquired of him when the kingdom would come1 which he and ,john sometime before said was at hand4 ,now1 observe his reply3 #8,neither shall ye say1 lo here1 or lo there1 for behold the kingdom of ,god is within you1' or about1 or among you1 as some1 and very correctly1 translate the passage4 ,the apostle ,paul defines this kingdom thus3 #8,the kingdom of ,god is not meat and drink1 but righteousness1 joy and peace in the holy spirit4' ,these citations inform us where and what this kingdom is4 ,it is the kingdom of truth and righteousness1 that ,jesus built up in this world eighteen hundred years ago4 ,it is called the kingdom of ,god because its principles are all divine2 because the ,son of ,god is its king1 and to distinguish it from the political kingdoms of earth4 ,in this world there are three kingdoms1 and three lifes corresponding with those kingdoms3 #ast1 ,the kingdom of nature2 and the life corresponding with it is physical life2 #b;d1 ,the civil kingdom2 and the life corresponding with it is political1 or civil life2 #c;d1 ,the kingdom of ,god1 and its life is spiritual life4 ,you perceive1 then1 that in the passage you cite1 ,jesus refers not to heaven or hell beyond the grave1 but to the blessedness of that kingdom he labored to build up in this world4 ,when the ,new ,testament speaks of the immortal world1 and heavenly blessedness1 it employs different terms4 ,when ,jesus speaks on those sublime themes1 he says1 #8,in the resurrection they neither marry nor are given in marriage1 but are as the angels of ,god in heaven2' and the apostle ,peter calls immortality #8,an inheritance1 undefiled1 and fadeth not away2' and the apostle ,paul says1 #8,this mortal shall put on immortality1 and as we bear the image of the earthy we shall also bear the image of the heavenly4' ,remember then1 that a future state of joy or sorrow was not the theme of ,jesus on this occasion40 8,but1 sin1 according to the ,bible1 will continue as long as virtue1 misery as long as happiness1 death as long as life1 and therefore forever and everlasting when applied to one class must mean as long as when applied to the other class40 ,but my friend1 are you sure1 that sin1 error1 misery1 and death1 will continue as long as virtue1 truth1 happiness1 and life8 ,i take it1 that nothing is immortal save what harmonizes with the divine character4 ,for a wise purpose1 things may have a temporary existence1 that are antagonistic to ,god's character4 ,they may answer some useful end in the economy of the universe2 but when that end shall be gained1 they will disappear4 ,the earthquake rends the earth1 the lightnings flash1 the storm howls1 the rain falls1 for useful purposes1 and those attained1 they cease2 and their temporary existence1 as they result in immense good1 is reconcilable with infinite goodness4 ,but an everlasting earthquake from pole to pole1 eternal lightning1 blowing and raining1 would be antagonistic to infinite wisdom and goodness4 ,so1 moral storms and earthquakes answer a useful purpose in this world1 and when that end shall be realized1 they will cease4 ,but the existence of sin and wrong eternally would conflict more with the wisdom and goodness of ,god1 than everlasting temporal evils1 as the former blast the soul1 while the latter only blast the body4 ,as earthquakes are less frequent than they were in the past ages1 and now seldom do much harm1 and will probably continue to diminish1 and finally cease to rend the earth1 so moral evil is slowly losing its sway1 and its strength will doubtless continue to grow less and less1 till righteousness shall cover the earth as the waters cover the deep4 ,by beautiful analogies we are taught in the ,bible1 that all sin and wrong will end4 8,and it shall come to pass1 that he that is left in ,zion1 and he that remaineth in ,jerusalem1 shall be called holy1 even every one that is written among the living in ,jerusalem3 when the ,lord shall have washed away the filth of the daughters of ,zion1 and shall have purged the blood of ,jerusalem from the midst thereof by the spirit of judgment1 and by the spirit of burning4 ,and the ,lord will create upon every dwelling place of mount ,zion1 and upon her assemblies1 a cloud and smoke by day1 and the shining of a flaming fire by night3 for upon all the glory shall be a defense40 ,isa4 iv4 #c-e4 8,the wolf also shall dwell with the lamb1 and the leopard shall lie down with the kid2 and the calf and the young lion and the fatling together2 and a little child shall lead them4 ,and the cow and the bear shall feed2 their young ones shall lie down together2 and the lion shall eat straw like the ox4 ,and the sucking child shall play on the hole of the asp1 and the weaned child shall put his hand on the cockatrice' den4 ,they shall not hurt nor destroy in all my holy mountain3 for the earth shall be full of the knowledge of the ,lord1 as the waters cover the sea40 ,isa4 xi4 #f-i4 8,for my thoughts are not your thoughts1 neither are your ways my ways1 saith the ,lord4 ,for as the heavens are higher than the earth1 so are my ways higher than your ways1 and my thoughts than your thoughts4 ,for as the rain cometh down1 and the snow from heaven1 and returneth not thither1 but watereth the earth1 and maketh it bring forth and bud1 that it may give seed to the sower1 and bread to the eater3 so shall my word be that goeth forth out of my mouth2 it shall not return unto me void1 but it shall accomplish that which ,i please1 and it shall prosper in the thing whereto ,i sent it4 ,for ye shall go out with joy1 and be led forth with peace2 the mountains and the hills shall break forth before you into singing1 and all the trees of the field shall clap their hands4 ,instead of the thorn shall come up the fir tree1 and instead of the briar shall come up the myrtle tree2 and it shall be to the ,lord for a name1 for an everlasting sign that shall not be cut off40 ,isa4 lv4 #h-ac4 ,these are elegant passages1 perfect word-painting1 and you see they teach the end of all wrong1 and the universal reign of truth and all righteousness4 ,about this time ,i made a long journey south--down the ,wabash river to ,terre ,haute1 thence to ,indianapolis1 ,richmond1 ,madison1 and the ,green ,river region1 in ,kentucky4 ,the distance to and from was nine hundred miles1 was absent three months1 and delivered seventy-three sermons4 ,the whole journey was performed by my favorite mode of locomotion--on horseback4 ,i spoke in many places where the faith ,i advocated had not before been publicly defended1 and1 of course1 met with much opposition4 ,in ,portland1 a preacher in the midst of my sermon said1 8,that is a lie60 and left the house in a great rage4 8,stop60 said ,i1 8my friend1 and sustain1 if you can1 your charge4 ,i will yield the floor40 8,i will have nothing to do with you2 and ,i warn you to flee from the wrath to come40 ,in ,boston1 near ,richmond1 an old lady called aloud for eggs with which to shower me4 ,but none were furnished4 ,in ,perrysville1 an old toper went staggering out of the house1 muttering1 8,it's good to live by1 but it's not good to die by40 ,in ,shelbyville1 a man at the close of a discourse remarked1 that he could see no good reason for living a christian life if ,universalism is true4 8,my friend10 ,i replied1 8will you answer me a few questions8 ,if you were sure of heaven would you put out your eyes8 run hot lead into your ears8 ,would you not rather wish to see and hear in this world80 8,yes40 8,if you were sure of being saved1 would you not eat when hungry1 and drink when thirsty80 8,yes40 8,if you were certain of going to heaven1 would you not love your wife1 children1 father1 mother1 brother and sister80 8,yes40 8,if you expected to go to heaven when you die1 when you are sick would you not want to recover80 8,yes40 8,if you were sure of being a happy man next year1 would you not want to be happy this year80 8,yes40 8,if you were certain of enjoying good health in old age1 would you not like to have good health now80 8,yes40 8,if you were sure of being a true ,christian ten years hence1 would you not desire to be a ,christian this year80 8,yes40 8,my friend1 you have answered your own question as ,i would1 and as any one would1 save a fool4 ,if eternal life is to be our portion in the other world1 we should lay hold of it in this world4 ,if a heavenly feast awaits us on the other side of the river1 why not partake of the heavenly feast on this side8 ,but this1 ,i suppose1 puzzles you2 you think the ,christian is no better off in this world than the sinner2 that he treads a thorny path1 and is crushed by a heavy yoke1 hence the question1 ,why live a christian life1 if after all1 ,i am sure of heaven8 ,the truth is1 the good man1 and only the good man1 is truly blessed in this world4 ,he enjoys heaven now in anticipation of one beyond the grave4 ,this blissful hope transforms his character into the heavenly image4 ,but there is another reason why we should live ,christians if heaven is sure4 #8,godliness hath the promise of the life that now is1 and of that which is to come4' ,he who lives a godly life is not only well paid for it in this world1 but he enters the other world with capabilities for happiness far exceeding that man who spends this life in sin and folly4 ,this is an important consideration4 ,there are then1 at least1 two reason why we should be ,christians in this world if ,god has promised that all shall finally be redeemed4 #ast1 ,we are happier in this world for it2 #b;d1 ,we shall be happier in the next world for it40 ,in ,breckenridge1 ,ky41 bigotry would not allow me to speak in defense of the truth4 ,one preacher took special pains to have every door closed against me1 but sin only triumphed for a season2 for when ,i returned a house was obtained1 and ,i delivered a long sermon on the sin of bigotry4 ,showed that it was the same thing the world over1 in all ages and climes1 in christian and heathen lands2 that it was as cruel as an hyena1 bloody as a wolf1 and remorseless as a tiger2 that it had drenched the earth with gore1 and covered its surface with the slain of human kind2 that it had slain ,jesus1 the prophets and apostles1 and was still at its wicked work2 and the only reason why bigots are not now crucifying1 beheading1 hanging1 quartering and burning the saints of the ,lord was1 the laws of the land will not let them indulge in such amusements1 but they were doing all they dare do--they were stabbing character1 suppressing free thought1 and persecuting the saints of ,god4 ,i considerably extended my acquaintance by this journey1 and obtained many subscribers for the ,teacher4 ,soon after my return1 ,i had a debate with ,mr4 ,dickerson1 of ,park county1 ,ind4 ,he was a ,scotch ,presbyterian--a ,calvinist1 and the bluest of the blue4 ,he contended stoutly1 that all ,god wills to save1 and that ,christ died for1 will be saved2 but1 said he1 ,god wills to save only the elect1 and ,christ died only for the elect1 and he supposed that they compose about one tenth of mankind4 ,in one of my speeches1 ,i remarked3 ,mr4 ,dickerson comes out plainly1 boldly1 independently1 in favor of old-fashioned ,calvinism4 ,he has no faith in the modern improvements of ,calvinism2 he takes it as it flowed from the pen of ,john ,calvin4 ,he tells us1 that ,god wills1 purposes the salvation of only part of mankind4 ,if he is correct1 it seems to me1 the ,bible needs revising1 for it certainly teaches that it is the will and purpose of ,god that all mankind shall be saved4 ,the apostle ,paul expressly says1 8,god will have all men to be saved1 and to come to the knowledge of the truth40 #a ,tim4 ii4 #d4 8,having made known unto us the mystery of his will1 according to his good pleasure1 which he hath purposed in himself2 that in the dispensation of the fullness of times he might gather together in one all things in ,christ1 both which are in heaven1 and which are on earth2 even in him40 ,eph4 i4 #i1 #aj4 ,in these passages the purpose of ,god in the creation of man is clearly revealed4 ,it is his will1 pleasure and purpose to save all1 to bless all in ,christ4 ,does all mean part8 ,is the ,bible a riddle8 ,if so1 let us finish the riddle by saying virtue means vice1 truth error1 happiness misery1 love hatred1 life death1 salvation damnation1 heaven hell1 ,christ ,belial1 and ,god means devil4 ,this would be carrying out the interpretation ,calvinism gives the ,bible4 ,how a man1 standing in the midst of ,god's works1 and with the ,bible in his hand1 can for a moment assert1 that the ,author of all these glories all around1 can will and purpose the eternal wretchedness of nine tenths of mankind1 is a problem of intellectual blindness ,i cannot solve4 ,before ,i can subscribe to such a creed my reason must be destroyed1 my conscience deadened1 my eyes put out1 my ears stopped1 and my heart become as hard as adamant4 ,the gentleman says1 this is an evidence of my carnal mindness2 and if ,i could see with spiritual eyes--he must mean ,calvin's eyes1 the eyes that beheld ,michael ,servetus1 burning on a pile of green wood--,i should be charmed with the beauties of ,calvinism4 #b4 ,it was the mission of ,jesus to do the will and purpose of ,god1 and ,i have proved that it is ,god's will and purpose to save the world--not one here and there--but the world4 ,hence the joyous language of the angels when they announced his birth3 8,fear not3 for behold1 ,i bring you good tidings of great joy1 which shall be to all people4 ,for unto you is born this day in the city of ,david a ,savior1 which is ,christ the ,lord4 ,and suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising ,god1 and saying1 ,glory to ,god in the highest1 and on earth peace1 good will toward men40 ,luke ii4 #aj1 #aa1 #ac1 #ad4 ,this language does not comport at all with the theory that it was the mission of ,jesus to bless only one tenth of mankind4 ,john1 directing attention to ,jesus1 said1 8,behold the ,lamb of ,god1 which taketh away the sin of the world40 ,john i4 #bi4 ,said ,jesus1 concerning his mission1 8,and ,i1 if ,i be lifted up from the earth1 will draw all men to me40 ,john xii4 #cb4 ,the apostles understood it to be the mission of ,jesus to save the world--not one tenth of our race4 8,we have seen and do testify that the ,father sent the ,son to be the ,savior of the world40 #a ,john iv4 #ad4 8,he gave himself a ransom for all1 to be testified in due time40 #a ,tim4 ii4 #f4 8,and he is the propitiation for our sins3 and not for ours only1 but also for the sins of the whole world40 #a ,john ii4 #b4 8,and1 having made peace through the blood of his cross1 by him to reconcile all things unto himself2 by him1 ,i say1 whether they be things in earth1 or things in heaven40 ,col4 i4 #bj4 8,god was in ,christ1 reconciling the world unto himself40 #b ,cor4 v4 #ai4 ,but why cite more testimony8 ,i could fill my hour with quotations from the ,new ,testament1 showing that ,christ's mission was not a partial one1 but that it embraced all the sons and daughters of earth4 ,he was born the ,savior of the world1 and he lived1 died1 arose1 ascended1 and still is1 the ,savior of the world4 ,that truth corresponds with his spirit1 his labors1 his moral precepts1 his principles and his prayers4 ,calvinism crucifies the true ,christ1 and sets up an impostor1 an anti-christ1 in his stead4 ,it also denies the true ,god1 and substitutes a monster4 ,this speech kindled the ire of ,mr4 ,dickerson4 ,he denounced me in unmeasured terms1 and marshaled all his strength in defense of ,calvinism4 ,he was familiar with its strongest arguments1 and he paraded them to the best advantage4 ,he said ,universalism is ,arminianism gone to seed1 and he denounced both systems with much bitterness4 ,this led me to remark--,i believe in all the truth there is in ,arminianism and ,calvinism1 and there is some truth in both systems4 ,calvinism says1 that all ,god wills to save will surely be saved--not one lost4 ,very good2 ,i can say1 amen to that4 ,arminianism says1 that ,god wills the salvation of all4 ,very good2 ,i can say1 amen to that4 ,i will put these two truths1 and the sequence from them1 in the form of a sylogism3 #a4 ,arminianism--,it is ,god's will1 that all men shall be saved4 #b4 ,calvinism--,god's will shall be done4 #c4 ,conclusion--,all will be saved4 ,i cast aside the dross of ,calvinism and ,arminianism1 and retain the pure gold of both systems4 ,he pitched into my sylogism rough shod1 and in reply1 ,i gave him several from the ,bible4 #a4 ,it is the will of ,god that all men shall be saved4 ,proof3 8,who will have all men to be saved40 #a ,tim4 ii4 #d4 #b4 ,god's will is to be done4 ,proof3 8,he doeth according to his will in the armies of heaven1 and among the inhabitants of the earth2 and none can stay his hand1 or say unto him1 what doest thou80 ,dan4 iv4 #ce4 8,he doeth all things after the council of his own will40 ,eph4 i4 #aa4 #c4 ,conclusion--,all will be saved4 #a4 ,god purposes the salvation of all men4 ,proof3 ,eph4 i4 #i1 #aj1 above quoted4 #b4 ,god's purpose will be effected4 ,proof3 8,as ,i have purposed so shall it stand--for the ,lord hath purposed1 and who shall disannul it80 ,isa4 xiv4 #bd1 #bg4 8,i have spoken it1 ,i will also bring it to pass2 ,i have purposed it1 ,i will also do it40 ,isa4 xlvi4 #aa4 #c4 ,conclusion--,all will be saved4 #a4 ,all were given to ,christ4 ,proof3 8,thou has given him power over all flesh1 that he may give eternal life to as many as thou has given him40 ,john xvii4 #b4 #b4 ,all shall be saved who were given to ,christ4 ,proof3 8,all that the ,father giveth me shall come to me1 and he that cometh to me ,i will in no wise cast away40 ,john vi4 #cg4 #c4 ,conclusion--,all will be blessed with eternal life4 ,about this time1 ,i held an oral discussion in ,chambersburg1 ,fountain county1 with a ,baptist minister--have forgotten his name4 ,i arrived in due time1 but my opponent did not make his appearance4 ,there was a large assembly1 in a beautiful grove2 and after waiting about one hour1 another minister took his place1 and the discussion proceeded4 ,he made one speech1 and while ,i was replying the expected man made his appearance4 ,when ,i was through he proposed1 that each of us make one speech1 and then close the debate2 but ,i insisted that we should occupy two days according to agreement4 ,he was rather a weak brother2 but he knew the book of ,revelation from ,a to izzard1 and all the other mysterious portions of the ,bible4 ,he could tell how deep was the 8bottomless pit10 how large was the 8red dragon10 how big was his 8head10 8horns10 and 8crown20 could give the exact length of his 8tail10 that cast to earth the 8third part of the stars of heaven40 ,he was deeply versed in all that kind of lore1 but drank shallow draughts of useful knowledge or common sense4 ,but a large number attended the discussion1 and ,i had an excellent opportunity to talk to the people4 ,,chapter ,x4 ,,moved ,,to ,,terre ,,haute--,,lectured ,,in ,,fort ,,wayne--,a ,,discussion ,,there--,,dr4 ,,thompson--,,visited ,,illinois--,,opposition--,,discussion ,,in ,,charleston--,,prayed ,,for--,,called ,,infidel--,,debate ,,in ,,green ,,castle--,,conditions ,,of ,,salvation--,,god',s ,,will--,,all ,,are ,,spirits--,,form ,,of ,,the ,,teacher ,,changed--,j4 ,,burt ,,and ,j4 ,h4 ,,jordan1 ,,editors--,,oliver ,,cromwell--,,foundation ,,of ,,character--,,in ,,many ,,places--,a ,,celebration--,,meeting ,,in ,,the ,,rain--,,fourth ,,of ,,july ,,celebration--,,debate ,,in ,,martinsville4 ,in #ahdc1 ,i moved the ,teacher to ,terre ,haute1 ninety miles down the ,wabash river1 as ,i deemed that place a better location than ,lafayette for its publication4 ,also made that town my head-quarters4 ,the country north and west of ,lafayette1 in those days1 was thinly settled1 but in the southern portion of the state1 there was a denser population1 hence a better field in which to circulate the ,teacher4 ,i still continued my monthly circuit on both sides of the ,wabash river1 from ,terre ,haute to ,lafayette1 preaching in twenty different places4 ,b4 ,f4 ,foster was pastor of the ,terre ,haute society1 and a meeting-house was being erected in that place4 ,but soon my services were so urgently demanded west and south of ,terre ,haute1 that ,i dropped some of the places on the circuit1 and supplied the wants of friends elsewhere4 ,i did so with much reluctance1 as there was no one to take my place4 ,there were then thirteen societies within that circuit where there was not one when ,i first visited that region1 and one meeting-house was finished1 and two being built4 ,at the earnest solicitation of ,dr4 ,thompson1 of ,fort ,wayne1 ,i visited that place1 and delivered a series of discourses4 ,these were the first sermons on the ,restitution ever delivered in that town1 and they caused much excitement4 ,an ,episcopal clergyman proposed debating with me1 and we accordingly spent two days in discussion4 ,the assemblies were large1 and1 ,i trust1 much good was effected4 ,dr4 ,thompson was a prominent citizen of ,fort ,wayne1 and an intellectual and christian man4 ,three years after1 while a candidate for ,congress1 he died1 lamented universally where he was known4 ,while on that journey1 ,i preached in ,huntington1 ,wabash1 ,peru1 and several other places1 where ,universalism was hardly ever heard of before4 ,i took a trip westward into ,illinois1 and preached in ,elbridge1 ,paris1 ,grand ,view1 ,brewetts' ,creek1 ,bloomfield1 ,oakland1 ,charleston1 ,shelbyville1 ,cold ,springs1 ,marshall and ,greenup4 ,in not one of these places had the people heard a discourse in defense of 8the restitution of all things10 and1 of course1 my preaching was a great curiosity4 ,in ,paris1 a minister lifted up his warning voice1 but would not let me occupy his house to reply4 ,he wanted his people to hear his side only4 ,i1 however1 made an expose of his sermon in the ,court-house1 to a large assembly1 and obtained a large number of subscribers for the ,teacher4 ,in ,oakland1 ,i found some excellent friends1 and subsequently preached there monthly for two years4 ,in ,charleston1 the meetings stirred up sectarianism to its depths1 and a preacher by the name of ,tichner dared me to debate with him4 ,not being badly frightened by his bluster1 ,i agreed to debate with him four days4 ,the first proposition was1 8,immortal blessedness is conditional60 ,in my first speech in the morning1 ,i showed the result of the position1 that immortal blessedness is conditional in the sense ,mr4 ,tichner intended4 ,if he is correct1 ,i remarked1 but a small portion of mankind will ever partake of that blessedness4 #a4 ,all children1 dying in childhood1 are lost1 as they comply1 in this world1 with no conditions4 #b4 ,idiots neither believe nor obey the gospel in this world--comply with no conditions here--and will never1 consequently1 partake of immortal blessedness4 #c4 ,all who lived and died before ,christ's advent1 complied with no gospel condition1 hence all those countless millions are lost--forever lost4 #d4 ,pagans1 ,jews1 ,mahometans1 since ,christ's day1 have all gone down to their graves1 without faith in ,christ or the gospel1 and therefore they are all lost beyond redemption4 ,my friend is a ,campbellite1 and will not admit that any comply with gospel conditions1 who are not immersed in water--down then goes ,catholics1 ,methodists1 ,presbyterians1 ,episcopalians1 yea1 all who are not immersed4 ,if he is correct1 only one here and there will be saved1 while the mass of mankind1 nearly all1 will be doomed to suffer immortal agony1 for one of his propositions affirms the endless punishment of the unsaved4 ,the gentleman may not believe all this--,i cannot say how that is--but ,i am dealing with his proposition2 and it involves the ruin of nearly all mankind4 ,i once heard him deliver a sermon on the conditions of salvation1 and in that discourse he did not intimate that one could be saved without immersion4 ,his creed unchurches all but his little sect1 and sends all to perdition but his party4 ,he had another speech to make before adjournment1 and he occupied only half of his allotted time1 but said not a word about what ,i had shown to be the result of his proposition4 ,in my reply1 ,i called attention to my former speech1 and to the fact that no attempt had been made to refute it1 and remarked1 that the gentleman must either show that my deductions are false1 or abandon his proposition4 ,he must do one or the other4 ,he dared me to debate with him1 boasted that he would annihilate my faith the first day before noon1 and many of his friends are here to see him do it4 ,we adjourned till two o'clock in the afternoon4 ,met according to adjournment4 ,mr4 ,tichner and his friends were in trouble4 ,they knew not what to do4 ,they saw that ,i had their man in my grasp1 and meant to hold him4 ,i looked on1 but said nothing4 ,finally1 one of his brethren came to me1 and admitted that ,i had the advantage of brother ,tichner1 and wished me to release him4 ,the preacher looked blue2 he did not know which way to turn4 ,i pitied him1 and proposed that we drop the first proposition1 which we were to debate two days1 and take up the second proposition--8,will all mankind enjoy immortal blessedness80 ,he readily consented1 and the discussion then went on4 ,mr4 ,tichner and his friends were much mortified at the result of the debate4 ,he soon ceased preaching1 went to ,california1 and made shipwreck of his faith and character4 ,i lectured in ,greenup2 and while there1 a preacher prayed the ,lord1 either to convert the ,universalists1 or send them to hell1 and he did not seem to care which disposition was made of them4 ,a ,presbyterian minister in ,grand ,view1 delivered a labored sermon against 8,infidelity in all its forms10 and1 of course1 8the grace of ,god which bringeth salvation to all men10 was one of its worst 8forms40 8,that phase of infidelity10 said he1 8is the best baited of the whole batch4 ,read not their books1 their papers1 their ,teacher--hear not their preachers1 talk not on that subject with any of the believers in that damnable system4 ,pray for them1 but don't talk with them4 ,it is a heresy hot from hell1 and have nothing to do with it40 ,a ,methodist divine in ,shelbyville1 gave notice that he would1 the ,lord permitting1 preach a sermon against ,universalism1 the next ,sunday4 ,but notwithstanding this opposition1 ,i thanked ,god and took courage4 ,many rejoiced in the testimony they heard1 and resolved that their lives should correspond with the purity of their new faith4 ,being in ,green ,castle1 ,ind41 ,i heard a discourse by ,james ,mathes1 concerning the conditions of salvation1 and at its close1 ,i delivered1 at his request1 a short sermon4 ,without controverting any of his positions1 ,i attempted to show1 that all mankind would finally comply with gospel conditions of salvation4 ,when ,i got through1 he proposed a debate on the subject of my discourse4 ,in due time we met in ,green ,castle1 and devoted two days to the investigation of that subject4 ,mr4 ,mathes was1 and still is1 a prominent man in his denomination4 ,he said in the discussion1 8,there are three conditions of salvation3 #ast1 ,faith2 #b;d1 ,baptism2 #c;d1 ,repentance4 ,he1 and he only1 who complies with these conditions1 is entitled to salvation40 ,i answered1 ,if the gentleman on the other side is correct1 but a small squad of mankind will be saved1 for he earnestly denies1 that any one can comply with one of the conditions named1 in the other world4 ,we must believe1 repent1 be immersed in this world1 or be lost forever2 no opportunity for salvation will be granted beyond the grave2 ,god's mercy is confined to this life1 but his vengeance will extend through eternity2 his mercy is only the evanescent spark of a flint1 but his wrath will burn forever2 this life is only the infancy of our existence1 but his creed makes it the hinge on which our destiny turns2 now1 man is a moral agent1 but death will destroy that agency1 and he will be compelled to lie down in sin and darkness through the eternal ages2 death bounds ,god's mercy--beyond it1 the righteous will need no mercy1 and the wicked will be allowed none4 ,i cannot subscribe to such a partial1 malignant and cruel creed4 ,i believe in conditions of salvation1 and that a soul will never be deprived of complying with those conditions4 ,the conditions1 in sum and substance1 are1 knowledge of the truth1 and love to ,god1 and love to man2 and no one can be saved in this world or in the next world without that knowledge and love4 ,that is the strait and narrow way2 there is no other way to be saved in time or eternity4 ,true1 all do not possess that knowledge1 or exercise that love in this world1 but as the light and heat of the sun are not confined to this world1 but extend to all the worlds in the solar system1 so ,god's mercy is not exhausted on earth1 but extends to all time1 and to all worlds4 ,it is certainly ,god's will that all shall be saved and come to the knowledge of the truth4 7#a ,tim4 ii4 #d47 ,the gentleman1 though1 denies that truth in toto4 ,true1 he admits1 that it is ,god's will that you1 and ,i1 and all who now live on earth1 shall be saved1 but he contends that all the sons of error and sin1 as soon as they leave this world1 are deprived of all power1 of all opportunity1 to reform their lives1 and must lie down in sin and error eternally4 ,but mark the text1 8,god will have all men to be saved1 and come to the knowledge of the truth40 ,it is ,god's will now that all shall be saved4 ,god is unchangeable2 he is the same yesterday1 to-day and forever4 ,men may change their will1 purpose1 but his will1 his purpose1 is the same through all time1 through all eternity4 ,it was ,god's will six thousand years ago1 that all should be saved2 it is ,god's will now that all shall be saved2 it will be ,god's will six thousand years hence1 yea1 through the eternal ages1 that all men shall be saved1 and come to the knowledge of the truth4 ,as it is ,god's will now1 that all shall be saved1 all are now capable of salvation--none are reprobated1 none are cast away2 and as it always will be ,god's will that all shall be saved1 all ever will be capable of salvation--none will be reprobated1 none cast away4 ,what is true of ,god's nature1 character1 and will now1 ever will be true of ,god's nature1 character and will1 hence the golden gates of salvation ever will be open to mankind4 ,we read that the heavenly city has gates all around it1 on the east1 west1 north and south1 and that they are never shut by day or by night4 ,i know it is a very common notion1 and ,mr4 ,mathes preaches it1 that the ignorant and vicious will have no opportunity to become wiser or better in the other world2 that as they breathe their last breath1 and heave their last sigh1 they will be compelled to remain forever4 ,and to prove this monstrous dogma1 ,i have heard persons repeat such home-made texts as these3 8,as the tree falls so it shall lie20 8,as death leaves us1 so judgment finds us20 8,if you die in your sins1 where ,i go ye cannot come40 ,i need not inform you1 that these are all spurious texts4 ,perhaps it will be asked1 does not the ,bible say1 8,there is no repentance in the grave80 ,nothing of the kind is in the ,good ,book4 ,and even if it were there it would not contradict my position4 ,what is in the grave8 ,nothing but the body1 and that cannot repent1 in the grave or out of it1 dead or alive4 ,where is the spirit when the body is mouldering in the grave8 ,the wise man informs us1 8,dust returns to dust as it was1 and the spirit returns to ,god who gave it40 ,this is the destiny of all4 ,the body is from the earth1 the spirit from ,god1 and when the copartnership between the body and the spirit are dissolved1 the body descends1 and the spirit ascends2 the one to its mother-earth1 and the other to its ,father-,god4 ,man is a spirit2 ,christ and the apostles talked to spirits2 ,i am addressing spirits2 all revelation--its precepts and promises--are addressed to spirits2 and when the great ,gentile apostle said1 8,god will have all men to be saved1 and come to the knowledge of the truth10 he was speaking of all spirits1 whether in this world or in the eternal world1 whether in the body1 or in the house not made with hands4 ,i repeat1 wherever a spirit exists unsaved1 it is ,god's will that he shall be saved1 and ,god will even work in all to will and to do his pleasure4 ,mr4 ,mathes admits1 that it is ,god's will that sinners shall be saved while they are in this world1 but he contends that it is his will that sinners in the spirit world shall not be saved4 ,now why this difference8 ,why is it ,god's will that ,i shall now be saved1 and at the same time his will that ,i shall not be saved beyond the grave1 if ,i should there need salvation8 ,is not reformation of character a good thing any where and every where8 ,i take it1 that ,god's government is the same in all worlds1 and at all times4 ,it is perfect1 and therefore uniform and unchangeable4 ,he now requires all1 and ever will require all1 to learn the truth1 and walk in the ways of life1 and therefore he never will compel a soul to lie down in sin1 darkness and death1 one moment1 in time or eternity4 ,when the third volume of the ,teacher commenced1 it was changed to a quarto form1 and issued semi-monthly1 instead of monthly2 and ,james ,burt and ,j4 ,h4 ,jordan1 became associate editors4 ,mr4 ,burt was recently from the ,east1 where he had preached several years4 ,he was a good writer1 and a worthy man4 ,he was connected with the paper one year1 when his name1 at his request1 was dropped1 and he ceased preaching4 ,mr4 ,jordan was not a minister1 but a school teacher4 ,he subsequently became a physician1 and at the present time1 is editor and publisher of the ,indianapolis 7,ind47 ,gazette1 a daily and weekly paper1 conducted with vigor and ability4 ,he wields a strong pen1 and is an influential writer4 ,for several years1 ,dr4 ,jordan assisted me in issuing the ,teacher1 and his contributions were always perused with much interest4 ,i opened a new field about this time1 in the southern part of ,indiana4 ,lectured in ,bowling ,green4 ,oliver ,cromwell resided there--a descendant of ,england's great ,protector4 ,he was an aged man1 intelligent1 and an ardent defender of the liberal faith4 ,he said the ,protector was his great-great grandfather4 ,a zealous ,methodist class leader tried to reply to one of my sermons4 8,if your faith is correct1 why all this labor8 ,why form societies1 build meeting-houses1 support ministers1 or try to serve the ,lord in any way80 ,i answered thus3 ,i understand from the gentleman's remarks1 that he supposes that the fear of hell1 and the hope of heaven1 are the only reasons why we should attend to the duties of life2 and according to the confession of sectarians generally1 these are the moving causes of all their christian efforts2 hence their first and last objection to ,universalism is1 that it removes all inducements to live a virtuous life4 ,this degrading objection is in the mouth of nearly all1 from the doctor of divinity to the most humble member4 ,if we take them at their word1 they organize churches1 build meeting-houses1 employ ministers1 send missionaries to the heathen1 to escape hell and reach heaven2 they pray1 preach1 attend meetings1 go among the heathen1 to escape hell and reach heaven2 they deal justly1 love mercy1 and walk humbly before ,god1 to escape hell and reach heaven4 ,according to their own confession1 these are the only motives that urge them onward in their christian course4 ,now1 this is all wrong2 they build on a false1 dangerous foundation2 they build on the sand2 they are influenced1 governed solely by selfish considerations4 ,they work for pay1 and pay they will have or turn rebels4 ,piety with them is a ticket past hell into heaven4 ,now1 this is a wretched foundation for a christian life4 ,in truth1 character built on such a basis1 is hay1 wood and stubble1 and liable to be consumed at any moment1 hence so much back-sliding among ,orthodox church members4 ,they stand on slippery places4 ,universalism lays a better foundation1 presents better motives for living a christian life4 ,it makes a reasonable appeal to man's hopes and fears1 but its strong foundation is in principle4 ,it teaches that we should revere the truth1 and practice righteousness1 because we love truth and righteousness2 should love ,god and man because of the goodness of ,god and the goodness in man2 be truthful because we love the truth1 and deal justly with our fellow men because we love justice and righteousness4 ,when character is built on such a foundation1 it is as permanent as the everlasting hills4 ,it takes time to form character of this kind1 but when the work is done1 it is well done4 ,such persons do not need conversion at every camp-meeting in their county4 ,lectured in ,spencer1 ,gosport1 ,bloomington1 ,martinsville1 ,morgantown1 ,franklin1 ,columbus and ,nashville4 ,in all these places the liberal faith had not before been preached4 ,but ,i found in most of them an elect few who had long cherished it amid all sorts of opposition4 ,faithful souls6 ,they were true to their convictions1 though standing alone1 targets for bigots to shoot at4 ,in ,bloomington ,i lectured several times1 and a minister tried to point out my errors1 as he termed the noblest and most glorious of truths4 ,mr4 ,labertew1 a merchant1 and zealous friend1 resided there4 ,he subsequently built a meeting-house at his own expense2 but there not being sufficient number of believers to act with him in keeping up meetings1 he sold it4 ,held a meeting in ,gosport2 the house was full1 and several hundred were out of doors2 and although the rain poured down in torrents1 they remained through the services4 ,here ,i subsequently had many conflicts with those of the partial faith4 ,near ,nashville ,i attended a ,fourth-of-,july celebration4 ,after the dinner was over1 and the patriotic speeches made1 ,i gave the people a sermon4 ,lectured in ,martinsville in the ,court-house2 a clergyman replied1 and arrangements were made for me to have a debate in that place with ,mr4 ,scott1 a ,methodist presiding elder4 ,it was to continue four days4 ,he had recently debated with ,j4 ,mathes1 and coming out of it victorious1 all were sure he would make short work of me1 and my faith4 ,but they were disappointed4 ,mr4 ,scott got mad1 and left the rostrum1 declaring that he would discuss no more with me4 ,but the moderators persuaded him to continue the allotted time4 ,after he got through1 another minister tried his hand at the work1 but many thought he fared worse than his predecessor4 ,weighing about two hundred and fifty pounds1 and as fat as butter1 he kept in good humor4 ,lectured in ,columbus and ,franklin4 ,in both places ,i soon after had discussions4 ,this was a laborious journey1 for it was war1 war1 from the beginning to the end of it4 ,,chapter ,,xi4 ,,journey ,,into ,,northern ,,illinois--,,temperance ,,lecture--,,result ,,of ,,temperate ,,drinking--,,married--,,homeward ,,bound--,,high ,,waters--,,difficult ,,traveling--,,trouble ,,in ,,crossing ,,streams--,a ,,cold ,,bath--,,end ,,of ,,the 8,,bridal ,,tour0--,a ,,hard ,,ride--,,debates ,,with ,e4 ,,kingsbury--,,in ,,northern ,,indiana--,,conversation ,,with ,,an ,,indian--,,dark ,,man ,,and ,,dark ,,night--,,explanation ,,of ,,hebrews ,,ix4 #bg1 #bh--;,,end ,,of ,,the ,,world--,,the ,,earth ,,and ,,man4 ,in ,june1 #ahdd1 with buggy and two horses1 ,i commenced a journey into the northern part of ,illinois4 ,preached in ,newport1 ,ind41 and became acquainted with several devoted believers in the ,restitution4 ,lectured on temperance in ,perrysville4 ,related the following sad story of a family1 educated to the 8temperate use0 of liquor3 ,the husband and father was wealthy1 educated1 and occupied a prominent position in the community in which he resided4 ,in his days of vigor1 he held important political and military stations2 was an officer in the last war with ,great ,britain1 and after its termination1 honorably occupied a seat in the legislative hall of his native state4 ,he was what is called a 8temperate drinker40 ,his children were instructed by precept and example to be temperate drinkers4 ,the decanters were ever full of the choicest liquors1 and all daily partook of the sparkling beverage4 ,all of them despised intemperance1 and hated the sight of a drunkard4 ,the two sons married into families equal to their own2 and the daughter1 an accomplished lady1 was wedded to the man of her choice4 ,the father1 with joy beheld his interesting family settled around him1 highly respected for their intellectual and moral qualities1 and bountifully blessed with the good things of this world4 ,he was comforted with the reflection that his declining years would be blessed by virtuous children4 ,my informant1 who had spent his childhood and youth in the town where this family lived1 after several years absence1 returned to the home of his early life4 ,he repaired to the residence of the venerable man1 where he had spent many happy hours in bygone days4 ,enquired for beloved names1 for the sons and daughter1 the associates of the morning of his life4 ,the aged father burst into tears2 he wept aloud2 he wrung his hands with anguish4 ,the tale was all horror that the trembling lips of the old man related4 ,the daughter had disgraced herself by intemperance1 and was mouldering in a premature grave4 ,the two brothers were ruined by rum-drinking4 ,a short time before1 the wife of one of them1 after enduring the brutal treatment of her husband for years1 had fled from him while he was in a drunken fit1 and plunged into a pond1 and was drowned1 to escape from wretchedness1 and the monster4 ,the wife of the other had left him2 she would no longer live with the brute4 ,one of the sons was at home1 but intemperance had made him a cripple and an idiot4 ,the mother of the family had long since sunk into a welcome grave1 overwhelmed with sorrow4 ,the father was descending with grief into the grave4 ,his expectations were blasted2 his hopes were cut off4 ,his family1 in which was centered his affections1 and from whom he expected support and consolation1 were miserably destroyed--part sunk into a dishonored grave1 to hide their shame1 and the remainder1 outcasts in the world4 ,the misfortunes of this family1 in all probability1 originated in temperate drinking4 ,the seed of sin and death was sown by the father1 while the children were under his roof4 ,a taste for intoxicating drinks was there acquired1 and cultivated1 and when they left home1 they continued to cherish it1 till by degrees it became the ruling passion4 ,the parents and children reaped a fearful reward4 ,what an awful sin for parents thus to vitiate the taste of their children6 ,let them take warning4 ,they will as surely reap the reward of their evil doing1 as there is a ,god in heaven4 ,for so great a sin to go unpunished nature's laws must be reversed4 ,delivered two sermons in ,rainsville4 ,urged my brethren to live as becometh believers in the best religion ever entertained by men or angels4 ,it is all truth and righteousness1 and our character and life should be truthful and righteous4 ,it is better to be an ,orthodox christian1 than a ,universalist sinner4 ,we might as well be without the knowledge of the truth1 as to hold it in unrighteousness4 ,the gospel blesses those only who practice it2 to such only it 8is the power of ,god unto salvation40 ,had a meeting in ,montgomery1 ,ill41 and at the close a ,baptist preacher sung out a reply4 ,it was decidedly funny4 ,i will not attempt to repeat it1 for ,i cannot do justice to the subject4 ,forded the ,kankakee river where the city of ,kankakee now stands1 but there was no city there then--nothing but a wild prairie4 ,the river was deep--deeper than ,i expected--and there was imminent danger of horses1 buggy1 and all1 being washed down stream4 ,some men on the shore watched me with much interest1 but they could have rendered me no assistance if ,i had gotten into difficulty1 as there was no boat near4 ,lectured in ,bourbonais ,grove4 ,it is a ,french village1 and ,i put up with the principal man of the settlement4 ,he was a ,catholic1 but said he believed what ,i preached4 ,on ,july #c;d1 in ,wilmington1 ,ill41 was married to ,miss ,h4 ,bryant1 by ,rev4 ,w4 ,h4 ,dean1 of ,joliet4 ,this lady is a native of ,new ,york1 and for a year or two previous to this date1 was one of the ,principals of a seminary in ,warrenville1 ,ill4 ,left ,wilmington with my charge1 to return to ,terre ,haute4 ,but the windows of heaven opened1 and the fountains of the great deep were broken up4 ,the summer of #ahdd will long be remembered in the ,west1 as the summer of floods1 tornadoes1 thunder and lightning4 ,the whole country was inundated1 and traveling was very dangerous business4 ,we came near being swept away1 on crossing a rapid stream1 the first day of our journey4 ,arriving at the ,kankakee river1 we found it past fording1 and nothing but a small skiff with which to cross the stream4 ,the carriage was taken to pieces1 and carried over in parcels1 and the horses swam the river4 ,a few miles south we encountered ,beaver ,creek--then a mighty river4 ,again the buggy was ferried over by piece-meal1 and the horses swam at the side of the frail bark1 ,i holding them by their heads4 ,every slough was a river1 which we had to ford or swim4 ,a few miles from the ,iroquois river1 when far from a house1 a terrible storm burst on our heads4 ,there was no shelter1 and for about one hour we were exposed to one of the most violent storms ,i ever witnessed4 ,the wind blew a tornado1 the thunder crashed fearfully1 the lightning flashed sheets of fire1 the rain and hail poured down in torrents1 and to add to the terror of the scene1 the trees came crashing to the ground1 all around us4 ,we finally reached a house on the bank of the river1 and were right glad to have a roof between us and that wild elemental war4 ,there we had to remain several days1 as it was impossible to proceed till the waters abated4 ,but ,i was very restless1 as ,i had an engagement in ,oakland1 ,ill41 and had barely time to reach there without any detention4 ,i had agreed to have a discussion in that place with ,e4 ,kingsbury1 a ,presbyterian minister of ,danville1 but that last storm prevented my filling the engagement4 ,the bridge across the ,iroquois river being washed away by the flood1 the carriage was again taken to pieces1 and ferried over1 while the horses swam to the opposite shore4 ,but one of them came near drowning1 as he became entangled in the top of a tree that had drifted down2 he was finally rescued1 and we were soon on the way to encounter more trouble4 ,reached the ,wabash river bottom1 opposite ,montezuma1 and found it all inundated--the water from one to three feet deep4 ,when about half way across1 in attempting to cross a low place on a corduroy bridge1 all under water1 and not visible1 the water being so dirty1 we missed the middle of the corduroy1 and carriage1 horses1 bride and bridegroom1 went over the side into the mud and water4 ,the bride1 a perfect hero1 stood in the mud and water three feet deep1 holding the frightened horses1 while the bridegroom transferred the baggage from the buggy to the trunk of a fallen tree1 which happily was not far distant4 ,we finally got out of the slough1 in a pretty bad plight though1 and crossed the river on to dry land1 and the next day reached ,terre ,haute--thus ended our bridal tour4 ,mr4 ,kingsbury1 named above1 gave notice that he should deliver a discourse near ,oakland1 against the doctrine of the ,restitution1 and added1 that he was willing ,i should reply1 if ,i thought proper1 at the close of his sermon4 ,i was in ,covington1 ,ind41 the day before he was to deliver said discourse1 and being detained in crossing the ,wabash river till near sundown1 ,i rode most of the night1 and reached the appointed place a few minutes after he had dismissed his congregation4 ,i rode seventy miles1 between four o'clock ,thursday1 and twelve o'clock ,friday1 without any refreshment1 and with about two hours rest4 ,the congregation was called together4 ,mr4 ,kingsbury furnished me notes of his sermon1 and ,i spoke two hours in reply4 ,he replied1 and ,i spoke another hour4 ,we subsequently spent four days in discussion in ,oakland4 ,mr4 ,kingsbury not being perfectly satisfied with his effort proposed a written debate4 ,he agreed to furnish twelve letters for the ,teacher4 ,he wrote five1 and then gave up the controversy4 ,i again visited ,northern ,indiana2 and even extended my journey into ,michigan1 preaching wherever ,i could gather a congregation4 ,had some conversation with an intelligent ,indian near ,peru1 on the ,upper ,wabash4 8,i no believe in your ,bible1 or your ,jesus ,christ--not a word of it40 8,well1 my friend1 do you believe in a ,god1 and a hereafter80 8,that ,i do4 ,i believe in the ,great ,spirit1 and that he will take good care of all his children4 ,no man ever killed him1 as your ,bible says1 man killed ,god4 ,he is away beyond the reach of arrow or cross4 ,who brought ,god to life if he was killed8 ,you tell if you can40 8,the ,bible does not say that ,god was slain4 ,he is a ,great ,spirit1 and in him we all live1 move and have our being4 ,you say truly1 that man cannot harm him4 ,jesus ,christ was not ,god1 but rather a divine man2 and he was sent here by the ,great ,spirit to instruct us in wisdom's ways4 ,but do you not think ,god has sent prophets to this world to instruct his children80 8,i do4 ,my nation has had prophets4 ,they taught us to use the bow and arrow2 and how to raise corn1 potatoes1 and tobacco4 ,we bless the ,great ,spirit for those prophets40 8,god is no respecter of persons4 ,he has sent other nations prophets1 and ,jesus ,christ is one of the wisest and best he ever gave the world4 ,he taught that ,god is a spirit1 and that we should worship him in spirit and in truth2 that we are all his children2 that he loves all1 is good to all1 and ever will be the ,father and friend of man4 ,do you object to that80 8,all good1 but the missionaries no talk so4 ,they say ,jesus is ,god1 and that he was killed to save man from his own wrath4 ,i no understand such stuff1 and ,i no want to4 ,i no believe ,god is mad1 or that he was killed to be made good-natured40 8,we perfectly agree on that subject4 ,if you will examine the ,new ,testament1 you will find that it teaches that ,jesus ,christ was a prophet of the ,great ,spirit1 and that he was sent to this world to tell us how to live4 ,he came not to quench the wrath of ,god1 or to put out the fires of hell1 but to direct our wayward feet in the path of life and salvation4 ,his is a glorious work1 and we are assured he will do it well4 ,your nation has likely had prophets1 but acquaint yourself with this one ere you reject him40 8,you tell me new things4 ,i will read the ,new ,testament40 ,the country south of ,fort ,wayne is flat1 wet1 and in those days was covered with a dense forest1 and the settlers' cabins were far apart--in some places1 miles apart4 ,i remember1 when on this journey1 of traveling a whole day without passing more than half a dozen houses4 ,it was a dark1 gloomy1 foggy1 rainy autumnal day1 and the roads were in a wretched condition1 in many places nearly impassable1 the mud and water being so deep4 ,when it was nearly dark1 ,i met an ugly looking fellow1 with a gun on his shoulder2 and while inquiring of him about the road1 ,i heard a distant noise1 which seemed to be from some one in distress4 ,i called his attention to it1 and proposed that we ascertain what was the matter4 ,he seemed to take no interest in the subject1 and walked off in the opposite direction4 ,i told him he was an inhuman creature1 and that ,i should try to learn who was making that noise1 for some body was surely in trouble2 and immediately left the road1 and plunged into the thick woods1 in the direction whence the mournful sound proceeded4 ,about a quarter of a mile from the road1 ,i came to a small opening in the forest1 where was a cabin1 and in front of the cabin was a fire1 and at the side of the fire was a young woman ironing clothes1 and singing a mournful air as loud as she could scream4 ,this was the noise ,i took to be cries of distress4 ,i learned from her1 that the fellow ,i had just seen was her husband1 and that they had been married about two weeks1 after three weeks acquaintance4 ,i told her about meeting him in the road1 and that ,i believed he was not there for a good purpose1 and1 moreover1 that ,i was fearful she had married a scamp4 ,learning from her that it was ten miles to the nearest house1 ,i bid her good-by1 for ,i did not care about stopping long in that locality4 ,while leading my horse back to the road1 for the underbrush was so thick ,i could not ride1 ,i heard several times a slight noise in the woods near me1 but paid no particular attention to it4 ,after much difficulty1 and many scratches1 ,i regained the road4 ,but had proceeded but a short distance when ,i became satisfied that the man ,i had just seen was following me1 for ,i could distinctly hear footsteps in the woods a few rods at the left4 ,the night being very dark ,i could not see him1 could hardly see my horse2 and the mud being deep1 and the horse tired1 ,i could travel only at a slow gait4 ,i stopped my horse1 and peered into the dark1 but nothing could be seen4 ,the rascal came to a halt when ,i stopped4 ,i dismounted on the right side of the horse1 having him between me and the villain4 ,stood there1 perhaps1 fifteen minutes1 without either party making the least noise1 expected every moment to hear the crack of his gun4 ,he finally made tracks from me as fast as he could run1 and ,i remounted my horse and proceeded on my journey4 ,he doubtless intended to rob me1 steal my horse1 and perhaps do worse2 but presuming ,i was armed--but ,i was not--and seeing ,i was pretty resolute1 he did not dare attack me without being sure of decided advantage4 ,being on that road again soon after1 ,i learned that he had fled to parts unknown1 leaving his wife1 to escape being arrested for some crime4 ,the next day ,i reached ,anderson1 and delivered five discourses before ,i left4 ,at the close of one of the sermons1 a ,methodist minister replied4 ,he dwelt long on the words of the apostle ,paul1 8,as it is appointed unto men once to die and after that the judgment40 ,heb4 ix4 #bh4 ,i answered3 ,if the gentleman is correct in his understanding of this passage1 it demolishes one tenet of ,orthodoxy4 ,the passage asserts1 that 8it is appointed unto men once to die40 ,now1 the creeds tell us1 that temporal death is not of divine appointment1 but rather contrary to the divine will4 ,man1 say the creeds1 was created immortal1 and it was the will of ,god that he should not die2 it was the divine appointment1 that he should live forever4 ,but in an evil hour1 ,adam1 the first man1 sinned1 and brought temporal death on himself and on all his posterity1 contrary to the divine appointment4 ,if partialism is right here1 this passage does not refer to temporal death2 and if it does refer to temporal death1 it is wrong in denying that temporal death is of divine appointment4 ,to what 8men0 does the text refer8 for it does not say all men are appointed to die4 ,read the second verse following3 8,for the law having a shadow of good things to come1 and not the very image of the things1 can never with those sacrifices which ,,they offered year by year continually make the comers thereunto perfect40 ,the pronoun 8they0 in this verse1 as any one can see1 refers to the 8men0 spoken of in the text4 ,the apostle says1 8they10 that is1 the 8men10 8offered sacrifices40 ,now1 all men do not offer sacrifices1 neither are they required to4 ,but under the ,jewish law1 a certain class of men were appointed to offer sacrifices for the sins of the people4 ,they were the priests1 and it is to them1 and to them only1 the text refers4 ,according to the grammatical structure of the text and context1 the 8men0 were a class whose business it was to offer sacrifices4 ,it is certain1 then1 that the apostle does not speak of all men1 but of a certain class of his countrymen4 ,and this is confirmed by the fact1 that in the ,greek1 the article tois is before the word men1 and that article means the or these4 ,retaining the article1 the passage reads1 8,and as it is appointed unto these men once to die40 ,what men8 ,why1 the men appointed by the ,jewish law to offer sacrifices4 ,but did these men 8die0 in their sacrifices8 ,yes1 in the sense here intended4 ,for the meaning of the apostle we must heed the connection in which the passage occurs4 ,in the #afth and #agth verses1 speaking of the first testament of the ,jewish covenant1 the apostle says1 8,for where a testament is1 there must of necessity be the death of the testator1 for a testament is of force when men are dead2 otherwise it is of no strength at all while the testator liveth40 ,it is so now--no will1 or testament1 is in force till the testator is dead4 ,well1 ,moses was the testator of the ,jewish covenant1 and we know that was in full force before ,moses died temporally4 ,what kind of a death1 then1 does the apostle mean8 ,read on3 8,for when ,moses had spoken every precept to all the people0--that is1 given them the whole covenant--8according to the law1 he took the blood of calves and goats1 with water and scarlet wool1 and myrrh1 and sprinkled both the book0--that contained the covenant--8and all the people saying1 ,this is the blood of the testament which ,god hath enjoined unto you40 ,this sacrifice which ,moses then offered in the presence of the people1 is what the apostle calls the death of the testator4 ,he did not1 of course1 die temporally1 but he shed blood1 offered sacrifice1 and thereby sealed the covenant1 and that he terms the death of the testator4 ,well1 we know that the ,jewish priests were set apart1 8appointed0 to 8die0 for the people in the same sense ,moses died to seal the covenant4 ,the language with reference to ,moses dying in his sacrifice1 explains what is meant by the words1 8it is appointed unto men once to die0--they died as ,moses died4 ,there is reference here to the ,annual ,atonement of the ,jews4 ,on that great occasion1 the priest1 who was the most conspicuous personage1 appeared before the assembled congregation--that appearing was typical of ,christ's first coming4 ,the priest then offered sacrifice for the sins of the ,jewish nation--that was typical of the death of ,christ for the world4 ,the priest then disappeared1 and entered into the 8,holiest of all0--that was typical of ,christ entering into paradise4 ,in due time the priest reappeared to the people--that was typical of ,christ's resurrection--his 8second appearing40 ,the priest at his second appearing before the people1 passed judgment on them1 which was1 that their sins were forgiven--and that was typical of the judgment passed on all who trust in the risen ,savior4 ,they behold him the second time1 the risen1 the glorified ,savior1 without sin unto salvation4 ,his first appearing1 was when he came in the flesh2 his second appearing1 when he showed himself to the world in his spiritual and glorified condition1 and all who confide in the risen ,redeemer1 as the way1 the truth1 and the life1 are blessed with life and salvation4 ,to them he 8appears the second time without sin unto salvation40 ,i also delivered several discourses in ,franklin4 ,a ,millerite1 at the close of one of them1 attempted to show that the ,new ,testament teaches1 that this earth will be destroyed4 ,his chief reliance was on ,matt4 xiii4 8,that passage10 said he1 8speaks of the end of the world1 the harvest1 and the furnace of fire4 ,it is not figurative language4 ,this world is to be burned up1 and then the wicked will be cast into a lake of fire4 ,i do not know when all this will take place4 ,it may occur to-day1 to-morrow1 this year1 next year2 ,i know not the hour1 day or year1 but ,i do know that dreadful day of destruction will surely come1 sooner1 or later40 ,i replied3 ,the passage in ,matt4 xiii4 affords the gentleman's destructive theory no aid whatever4 ,learned men of all denominations tell us1 that the 8end of the world10 in that passage1 is the end of the ,jewish world1 or age2 that ,christ had no reference to the destruction of this material earth4 ,bishop ,pearce renders the original1 8,end of the age1 viz3 that of the ,jewish dispensation40 ,dr4 ,hammond translates it thus3 8,conclusion of the age40 ,dr4 ,cappe says1 the words mean1 8,the accomplishment of the age1 which in scripture language1 uniformly relates to the ,mosaic economy40 ,this interpretation is fully sustained by the ,new ,testament4 ,speaking of ,jesus1 the apostle ,paul says3 8,for then must he often have suffered since the foundation of the world3 but now once in the end of the world hath he appeared to put away sin by the sacrifice of himself40 ,heb4 ix4 #bf4 ,at the end of what world was ,christ sacrificed8 ,not the end of this earth surely1 for it has survived his death most two thousand years4 ,according to the gentleman's logic1 this earth was all burned up eighteen hundred years ago1 and it is all delusion that it now exists1 turns on its axis1 and revolves around yonder sun4 ,in another place the apostle represents the end of the world as having taken place in his day3 8,and they are written for our admonition1 upon whom the ends of the world are come40 #a ,cor4 x4 #aa4 ,if the apostle ,paul was right1 my friend here is miserably deluded4 ,the ,mosaic world1 or era1 did end in the apostolic age1 and it is to that the ,new ,testament always refers when it speaks of the end of the world4 8,the harvest10 says ,jesus1 8is the end of the world40 ,in the ,bible1 the end of an era1 a city1 or nation1 is called its harvest4 ,of the destruction of the city of ,babylon1 it is said1 8,for thus saith the ,lord of ,hosts1 the ,god of ,israel1 ,the daughter of ,babylon is like a threshing floor1 it is time to thresh her2 yet a little while1 and the time of her harvest shall come4444 ,and ,babylon shall become heaps1 a dwelling place for dragons2 an astonishment1 and a hissing1 without an inhabitant40 ,jer4 li4 #cc1 #cg4 ,the end of that city is called its harvest2 so the end of the ,jewish dispensation is called its harvest4 ,the ending of the ,jewish age and nation1 was to involve the ruin of multitudes of that people4 ,jesus often warned them of that coming calamity2 told them1 that unless they reformed they would all perish in the approaching storm4 ,that national desolation is called 8wrath to come10 8damnation10 8everlasting punishment10 8furnace of fire40 8,whose fire is in ,zion1 and his furnace in ,jerusalem40 ,isa4 xxxi4 #i4 8,son of man1 the house of ,israel is to me become dross3 all they are brass1 and tin1 and iron1 and lead1 in the midst of the furnace2 they are even the dross of silver4 ,therefore thus saith the ,lord ,god2 ,because ye are all become dross1 behold1 therefore ,i will gather you into the midst of ,jerusalem4 ,as they gather silver1 and brass1 and iron1 and lead1 and tin1 into the midst of the furnace1 to blow the fire upon it1 to melt it2 so will ,i gather you in mine anger and in my fury1 and ,i will leave you there1 and melt you4 ,yea1 ,i will gather you1 and blow upon you in the fire of my wrath1 and ye shall be melted in the midst thereof4 ,as silver is melted in the midst of the furnace1 so shall ye be melted in the midst thereof2 and ye shall know that ,i the ,lord have poured out my fury upon you40 ,ezek4 xxii4 #ah-bb4 ,these passages illustrate the meaning of 8furnace of fire20 they tell us where it is--in ,jerusalem1 not in eternity1 as the gentleman imagines4 ,in the text the wicked ,jews are called 8tares20 in the above quotations they are termed 8dross10 8dross of silver10 8lead10 8iron10 8tin40 ,at the end of the ,jewish state1 the righteous1--the gold and wheat of the nation1--were saved1 but the 8tares10 the 8dross0 were destroyed by famine1 pestilence1 and the sword4 ,this passage1 then1 certainly has no reference to the destruction of this earth1 nor to any calamity to man beyond the grave4 ,although ,i find no evidence in the ,new ,testament of the destruction of this earth1 ,i conclude from analogy1 that it is destined to be destroyed4 ,everything that lives on the earth has its birth1 maturity1 and death4 ,this is true of every plant1 animal and man4 ,and is it not so of the earth8 ,the matter that composes it may be eternal1 but there was doubtless a time in the distant past when this globe had no existence4 ,it is supposed that the sun once occupied all the space in which the solar planets are now revolving1 and that those planets1 with their satellites1 were then parts of the sun2 but by the operation of the laws of the ,creator1 governing that immense mass of matter1 portions of it became detached from time to time1 and commenced their revolution on their axis1 and around the mother globe4 ,those detached portions are now the planets which belong to the solar system4 ,if this hypothesis be correct1 the earth had a beginning4 ,it has passed through wonderful changes since the day of its birth2--it has condensed1 cooled1 and become fit for the growth of vegetation1 and for the habitation of animals and man4 ,and will it not in time lose its vitality like a decrepit old man1 and finally die1 and return to the sun whence it came8 ,is not this to be the fate of all the planets8 ,and will not the sun himself lose his life1 luster and glory1 and fall into the vortex whence he came8 ,and will not this decomposed matter again be vitalized1 and form other globes8 ,and is not birth1 growth1 death1 and decomposition going on1 not only among plants1 animals1 and men1 but in all departments of the material universe8 ,and has not this process been everlastingly going on8 and will it not continue to go on forever and ever8 ,lectured in ,columbus several times2 and in going there got rather a cold bath4 ,came to a stream1 and being informed by a man living on its bank1 that the water was shallow1 plunged into it without any hesitation1 but soon found that it was past fording and very rapid4 ,when ,i reached the opposite shore was wet through1 and the weather being very cold1 my clothes were soon frozen from head to foot4 ,rode several miles in that condition1 and when ,i reached ,columbus1 which was in the night1 was about as cold as a living man can be4 ,a preacher replied to me in a very bitter spirit1 and ,i took occasion to exhibit some of the contradictions of his brethren1 thus3 ,it is believed1 that ,jesus ,christ is the ,savior of the world1 but that nine tenths of the world will be forever lost4 ,it is believed1 that ,jesus tasted death for every man1 but that millions will receive no benefit from it4 ,it is believed1 that ,jesus will reign till he has subdued all things to ,god1 but that a majority of mankind will be eternally unsubdued4 ,it is believed1 that all war is unchristian1 but that ,god will keep up a war in hell forever4 ,it is believed1 that capital punishment is wrong1 but that ,god will inflict capital punishment on all who leave this world unregenerated4 ,it is believed that we ought to overcome evil with good1 but that ,god will overcome it by inflicting an infinite evil4 ,it is believed1 that it is the duty of man to labor in season and out of season to regenerate his fellow man1 but that ,god will defeat his labors by placing multitudes where salvation never can be attained4 ,it is believed1 that all mankind are brethren1 but that a devil will sever that brotherhood1 and drag most of our race into the infernal regions4 ,it is believed1 that we should love our fellow men1 but that ,god hates nearly all of them with infinite hatred4 ,it is believed1 that we should imitate ,god1 but if we did so1 provided the creeds are true1 we should be incarnate fiends4 ,it is believed1 that there is only one ,god1 but that there are three ,gods4 ,it is believed1 that man is by nature religious1 but that he is by nature totally depraved4 ,these1 and many others1 are the contradictions of what is called ,orthodoxy4 ,can that religion be of heaven which so abounds with absurdities and contradictions8 ,i subsequently had a discussion in this place with ,j4 ,wright1 a ,campbellite minister4 ,salvation1 said ,i1 in one of my speeches1 is the theme of the ,bible--of ,moses1 the prophet1 ,jesus and the apostles4 ,but what is salvation from8 ,mr4 ,wright says1 it is from a future endless hell1 from the wrath of ,god1 and the power of satan4 ,he described in burning words the horrors of that infernal pit he wants to save us from4 ,he described it beautifully1 and ,i noticed that some of his brethren seemed to be delighted with the charming picture he presented4 ,they1 doubtless1 are sure of a comfortable seat in the heavenly mansion1 having had their sins washed away in yonder stream1 and expect to have the supreme satisfaction of seeing us1 sinners1 writhing in the flames of hell1 the victims of devils1 and the cursed of ,god4 ,they laugh now in anticipation of this great joy to come4 ,i envy them not their spirit nor their hopes4 ,but what is salvation really from8 ,according to the ,bible1 it is deliverance from sin1 error1 condemnation1 moral death4 8,for the grace of ,god that bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men1 teaching us that1 denying ungodliness and worldly lusts1 we should live soberly1 righteously1 and godly1 in this present world2 looking for that blessed hope1 and the glorious appearing of the great ,god and our ,savior1 ,jesus ,christ2 who gave himself for us1 that he might redeem us from all iniquity1 and purify unto himself a peculiar people1 zealous of good works4 ,these things speak1 and exhort1 and rebuke with all authority4 ,let no man despise thee40 ,titus ii4 #aa-ae4 ,this is a clear statement of salvation4 ,it is deliverance from 8all iniquity0--soul-purification--and is effected by the grace or truth of ,god1 teaching us to 8deny ungodliness and worldly lusts1 and live soberly1 righteously and godly0 amid the evils of this world4 8,these things speak and exhort10 adds the apostle4 ,let this be remembered by those who assert that a present salvation is nothing1 is not worth striving for1 if there are not eternal fires beyond the grave to escape4 8,let no man despise you40 ,remember this1 ye who despise the message of him1 who urges a present salvation1 but knows nothing of salvation from the wrath of ,god1 nor the torments of perdition4 ,the first time salvation is referred to in the ,bible1 it relates to deliverance from iniquity4 8,i will put enmity between thee and the woman1 and between thy seed and her seed2 it shall bruise thy head1 and thou shalt bruise his heel40 ,gen4 iii4 #ae4 ,here we have the cheering assurance1 that sin1 symbolized by the serpent1 shall be crushed1 ruined1 destroyed1 and ,adam's race1 consequently1 delivered from its blasting1 deadly embrace--but not a word about salvation from the future hell ,mr4 ,w4 talks so eloquently about4 ,in ,mal4 iii4 #b1 #c1 the mission of ,jesus is clearly stated3 8,but who may abide the day of his coming8 and who shall stand when he appeareth8 for he is like a refiner's fire1 and like fuller's soap3 and he shall sit as a refiner and purifier of silver3 and he shall purify the sons of ,levi1 and purge them as gold and silver1 that they may offer unto the ,lord an offering in righteousness40 ,jesus is the refiner2 truth is the fire2 man1 created in the image of ,god1 is the gold2 the dross is man's falsities4 ,as the refiner with his fire separates the gold from the dross1 saves the one and destroys the other1 so ,jesus1 by the word of truth1 the gospel of our salvation1 purifies our souls1 separates the earthy from the heavenly1 saves the one and destroys the other4 ,not a word here about deliverance from the flames of hell1 or the wrath of ,god4 ,the earthly father of this soul-refiner was instructed to call his name ,jesus1 because he would 8save his people from their sins20 and during his ministry on earth1 ,jesus labored to that end4 8,reform60 cried he1 8for the kingdom of heaven is at hand10--not the kingdom of hell1 mark you4 ,we should reform1 live pure and right1 from heavenly considerations--not from motives of an infernal nature4 ,nineteen twentieths of the sermons of this age would not be uttered if all the preachers understood that text4 ,at last1 the great ,reformer died1 and the apostle tells us why he died4 8,he died for all1 that they which live should not henceforth live unto themselves1 but him who died for them and rose again40 #b ,cor4 v4 #ae4 ,jesus lived1 labored1 died1 and rose again1 that we might 8live unto him40 ,but we are told by the popular creed1 that it was the end and aim of ,jesus1 whether living or dying1 to placate the wrath of ,god1 and save us from a burning hell4 ,after the ,master's death1 the apostles continued his work1 and it is well known that they labored faithfully for the present salvation of their fellow men4 ,the chief of them said1 8,jesus1 whom we preach1 warning every man1 and teaching every man1 in all wisdom that we may present every man perfect in ,christ ,jesus40 ,col4 i4 #bh4 ,he preached to make men perfect in gospel virtues--not to redeem them from a fabled world of woe4 ,the apostle's words to his pupil1 ,timothy1 are very comprehensive3 8,all scripture is given by inspiration of ,god1 and is profitable for doctrine1 for reproof1 for correction1 for instruction in righteousness3 that the man of ,god may be perfect1 thoroughly furnished unto all good works40 #b ,tim4 ii4 #af1 #ag4 ,the object of all heavenly influences is summed up in these brief words4 ,to perfect our character1 and cause us to abound in good works1 is the ultimate of revelation4 ,and how much more rational is this than the popular notion1 that it is a device to satisfy justice1 appease heaven's wrath1 and rescue us from hell's flames4 ,the discussion was to have continued four days1 but ,mr4 ,wright's friends closed it on the evening of the second day4 ,he remarked to an acquaintance of mine soon after this1 that he had rather debate with a ten-acre field full of sectarians1 than with one ,universalist4 ,from ,columbus ,i journeyed to ,nashville1 and delivered three discourses4 8,it is too good to be true10 said a preacher1 at the close of one of the sermons4 ,i remarked1 ,that is the strongest objection ,i know of to this soul-cheering faith4 ,that ourselves1 relatives1 friends1 all mankind1 are the children of ,god2 that he loves us with a love many floods cannot quench2 that we have all commenced a life that is never to end1 and are destined to grow wiser1 and better1 and happier1 forever and ever2 that we shall again meet the loved and lost of earth1 and with hand in hand1 and soul linked to soul1 forever tread the courts of the ,new ,jerusalem--that all this is our glorious future1 ,i admit is hard to believe4 ,that we are born to so rich and glorious an inheritance is hard to believe4 ,there are many other blessings our heavenly ,father has provided for us1 we might think the same of under certain circumstances4 ,had it been our sad lot to have been confined to this date in a dungeon1 never to have known father1 mother1 brother1 sister1 never to have seen the face of a friend1 or to have heard the voice of love1 never to have seen the green earth1 the bright sun1 or blue sky1 and told to-day for the first time1 that the beautiful earth and star-spangled sky exist as we now behold them1 full of beauty for the eye1 music for the ear1 and love for the heart1 and that in a short time we should exchange our dark1 damp1 cold cell for this glorious world1 where we should meet father1 mother1 brother and sister1 would we not be apt to exclaim1 8,it is too good to be true60 ,a man who has been an ,atheist all his life1 never heard of a ,god1 or of a future life1 when told for the first time that there is a ,god who governs the world1 and guides the destinies of men1 and that he is immortal and will live forever1 ,i say when these facts are first revealed to him1 he would likely say1 8,it is too good to be true40 ,a family that has ever been doomed to want1 sickness1 disappointment1 and sorrow in every form1 when informed that a kind friend has deeded them a comfortable home1 and provided for their future support and happiness1 and that within a few days they will come in possession of all these blessings1 when informed of this they would probably unbelievingly exclaim1 8,it is too good to be true40 ,i am not at all surprised to hear people1 who all their life-time have lived in the shade and gloom and sorrow of a dark1 repulsive1 and cruel theology1 say1 8,universalism is too good to be true40 ,there is such a vast difference between that partial1 gloomy creed1 and 8the grace of ,god which bringeth salvation to all men10 ,i do not wonder they think the latter too good to be true4 ,it is certainly true1 that we do not merit1 by any act of ours1 such blessings1 and are lost in wonder when we reflect on the immense provisions our heavenly ,father has provided for us1 and nothing short of the best of evidence makes us rest in our glorious hope4 ,but our hope is based on a sure foundation--on the character1 purpose1 and promises of ,god4 ,on this divine trinity we found our faith1 and rejoice with joy unspeakable1 and full of glory4 ,but the doctrine of endless misery is too bad to be true4 ,the theory1 that consigns countless millions of mankind to the wrath of ,god1 and the flames of hell1 is altogether too bad to be true4 ,before ,i can subscribe to such a monstrous creed1 ,i must believe ,god to be the worst being in the universe--has no love1 mercy1 justice1 goodness1 but is the very essence of cruelty and malignity2 ,i must believe all this ere ,i can1 for a moment1 harbor the thought that he can be the author of ceaseless suffering4 ,but while ,i have reason to rejoice in his goodness1 ,i will cling to the faith the gentleman thinks is 8too good to be true40 ,,chapter ,,xii4 ,,discussion ,,in ,,franklin--,,justice ,,of ,,god--,,what ,,the ,,gospel ,,is8--,,society ,,organized--,,discourse ,,on ,,total ,,depravity--,,conversation ,,with ,a ,,presbyterian ,,minister ,,on ,,christian ,,rewards--,,talk ,,with ,a ,,catholic--,a ,,methodist--,a ,,presbyterian--,a ,,campbellite--,,salvation--,a ,,mormon ,,sermon--,,reply ,,to ,,it--,a ,,journey ,,to ,,louisville ,,and ,,cincinnati4 ,while ,i resided in ,terre ,haute1 ,i had a debate in ,franklin1 ,ind41 with ,a4 ,l4 ,edmonds1 on the final destiny of man4 ,the discussion continued four days4 ,mr4 ,edmonds dwelt long and emphatically on the ,justice of ,god--claimed that it required the endless wretchedness of offenders4 ,i replied as follows1 and he dropped that subject3 ,it is said that ,justice requires the endless suffering of some men4 ,that1 although the goodness1 mercy1 and benevolence of the ,deity may be in favor of the ultimate happiness of all men1 yet his justice requires that the wicked1 who die in their sins1 should be doomed to suffer unending torment4 ,the system of faith into which is incorporated1 as one of its parts1 the doctrine of endless punishment1 suspends the final state of men upon the condition they are in when they leave this world4 ,the question is not how they have lived1 but how they have died4 ,this is the point--the pivot--upon which is made to turn the immortal destinies of men4 ,no matter how sinful a man may live all his life--8though as wicked as ,cain1 and corrupt as ,mary ,magdalene with her seven devils10 if he only repent1 believe in the ,lord ,jesus--join the church--or1 in fine1 8get religion0 just before he dies1 all will be well with him--his reward will be heaven4 ,while on the other hand1 no matter how moral1 upright and godly a man may live1 though he may have known and obeyed the ,scriptures from his youth up to a good old age1 discharged all his duties as a humble and faithful ,christian1 and been the means of blessing hundreds of his fellow beings1 both temporally and spiritually2 yet1 8if he fall from grace10 and become a sinner1 even but one day before his death1 and die in that state1 he1 poor old man1 must go to hell6 ,this is a briefly drawn picture of the system advocated by that class of men which seem to be such sticklers for justice4 ,if any should say such a system is opposed to reason1 the ,bible1 and every principle of justice and rectitude1 all ,i have to say is1 ,i can't help it4 ,but it is nevertheless a true and faithful representation1 so far as it goes1 of the orthodox plan of salvation and damnation--8nothing extenuated1 nor aught set down in malice40 ,nor all its advocates can do1 will ever be sufficient1 to make the system appear anything different from this representation4 ,indeed1 ,i do not think they will try to do it1--they believe and understand it1 as ,i have described it4 ,let it stand so then1 as good and wholesome ,orthodoxy1 while ,i instance a few cases for illustration1 that we may be the better enabled to see some of the monstrosities and legitimate conclusions which must forever follow from the above admitted premises4 #a4 ,charles and ,henry were brothers--twin brothers2 they lived together until they had attained their twentieth year1 when ,charles died2 and as he had made no profession of religion1 he was sentenced to endless pains4 ,had ,henry died at the same time1 he would have shared a similar doom1 for he was as destitute of religion as his brother2 luckily for him1 however1 he lived until his seventieth year1 during the whole of which time he was in an unconverted state1 except the last six months2 for the last six months he had lived a pious life1 and consequently was admitted1 after his death1 to heaven4 8,the punishment of sin10 saith my friend1 8does not take place here1 but is deferred until the sinner reaches the spiritual world40 ,consequently1 ,henry received no punishment in this world1 for his long career of sinfulness2 and it will not be pretended that he received it after he arrived in heaven--he was therefore not punished at all4 ,but how fares it with his brother ,charles8 ,he1 poor fellow1 must welter in quenchless flames1 for the crimes of his brief existence4 ,has ,god rendered to these twins according to justice8 #b4 ,two young men attempt the murder of a man for money1 and while engaged in the foul deed1 one of them is killed accidentally1 by his comrade1 from the discharge of a pistol1 and1 of course1 goes immediately to hell--to an endless hell8 ,the other succeeds in assassinating his victim--takes his money1 which is sufficient to purchase a vessel2 one is procured1 and after obtaining a crew to his mind1 he launches forth upon the 8great deep10 an abandoned pirate4 ,hark6 do you hear those cries which float upon the night air of the ,south ,sea8 ,they come from a ship in distress4 ,hark again6 those were the cries of women2 the young mother1 and the 8gay guiltless0 maiden are there4 ,the youth and the man of gray hairs--but the sounds of lamentation have ceased--all is over with them4 ,the pirate ship has been there1 and the unfortunate have all been doomed2 for alas1 they had no religion4 ,forty years pass1 and the pirate is arraigned before a tribunal of justice--is condemned--and confesses that1 besides the innumerable abominations he has committed in his long life of wickedness1 he has been accessory to the murder of four hundred persons6 ,what must be done with him8 hell is too good for him6 ,yes1 hell is too good for him1 and1 of course1 he must go to heaven4 ,a few days are given him--he repents--and swings from the gallows off to glory4 ,there1 from his exalted station of bliss1 he looks down into the abodes of the damned1 and sees scores of immortal1 wretched beings1 sent there by his own hands4 ,among his unfortunate victims1 he sees the innocent girl of sixteen1 and the gray-headed father--and there1 too1 is his first companion of crime1 who fell ere he completed his first deed of wickedness4 ,is this justice8 the justice of an infinitely just ,god8 ,oh mockery6 #c4 ,two men--,a and ,b--avowed enemies1 meet in the street4 ,each is armed with a rifle1 and each makes ready to dispatch his enemy4 ,a presents his gun--it snaps2 the cap was out of order4 ,in an instant ,b takes a deadly aim1 his rifle discharges1 and ,a is a dead man4 ,b is arrested1 condemned and dies2 but1 as in all such cases1 he repented in time to secure heaven1 as a reward6 ,now if ,a's gun had not missed fire1 he would have killed ,b1 and1 of course1 sent him to hell1 while he might have repented and gone to heaven4 ,but he1 poor fellow1 must go to hell1 merely for the want of a good cap6 ,the most abandoned wretch that ever disgraced humanity1 can1 according to this bankrupt system1 obtain an easy passport to heaven1 by a few minutes repentance just before he dies1 while the moral1 good1 virtuous1 humane1 yea1 the faithful ,christian--the laborer in the cause of his ,master--though he hath worn out a long life in warning his fellows1 and inducing them to reform2 though he has1 according to ,orthodoxy1 been the means of converting hundreds to the belief and practice of the ,christian religion1 yet1 if in an evil hour1 he be drawn from the path of rectitude--become a sinner1 and die suddenly1 without time to repent1 he goes to an endless hell6 ,oh1 what justice6 what consistency6 ,orthodoxy1 thou art not a jewel6 ,orthodoxy may sing her siren song the world over1 it will not alter facts2 men are punished here for their sins2 and the worst of it all is1 that these poor wretches1 who have been deceived by the song1 and thereby led into sin1 still receive their punishment before they die1 and often without knowing that it is the reward of their own doings6 ,they will charge their suffering to a cruel fate1 hard fortune1 or some other cause1 not knowing that the hand of a just ,god is upon them6 ,but whether men believe it or not1 if they do wrong1 they must and will receive their reward2 and if their experience fails to undeceive them1 it may serve to convince those who live after them1 that there 8is a ,god who judgeth in the earth10 and that 8he cannot do iniquity40 ,i closed my last speech on the last proposition as follows3 ,i am now nearly through with my part in this debate4 ,i have presented the gospel to you the past four days as ,i truly believe it4 ,the word gospel signifies good news2 and it is good news from ,god to man1 from heaven to earth4 ,it tells us1 #a4 ,that ,god is the ,father of mankind4 8,have we not all one ,father80 ,addressing ,pagans in ,athens1 the ,gentile apostle said1 8,we are the offspring of ,god40 ,jesus instructs us to pray1 8,our ,father1 who art in heaven40 ,and he also teaches that our heavenly ,father's love for us far exceeds the earthly parent's love for his offspring4 ,and the ,god who inspired him and his apostles to utter such noble sentiments1 hath said1 8,the mother may forget her child but ,i will not forget you40 ,is not this good news to the sons and daughters of earth8 ,we are passing away from our earthly friends1 and they are daily leaving us2 and is it not a blessed assurance that we have an ever living and ever present ,friend1 who will never leave nor forsake us8 ,is not this hope good to live by--good to die by8 #b4 ,this same gospel also proclaims the good news of eternal life and a blissful immortality for mankind4 ,we are the children of ,god1 created in his image1 partake of his immortal nature2 and1 commencing our existence in the bud of being1 in the cradle of all life1 are destined to manifest more and more the divinity of our nature1 as the eternal ages bear us onward and upward4 #c4 ,and from these cardinal truths1 the ,new ,testament draws the logical inference1 that we should love the ,lord our ,god with all our heart1 soul and strength1 and our fellow men as ourself4 ,god is the ,father of all1 and his love extends to all1 and hence we should be loving and dutiful children4 ,we all belong to one family1 are members of one household1 and hence we should be kind1 forbearing1 and forgiving to each other4 ,this is the gospel in letter and spirit1 in theory and practice2 and nothing but this is the gospel4 ,it is all embraced in the word love--a little word1 but the length1 breadth1 and depth of the universe are required to express its meaning4 ,god is love1 his purpose is love1 and love will bless his children while immortality endures4 ,but there is not a drop of love1 nor a note of glad tidings in my opponent's creed4 ,it proclaims it to be the purpose of the ,almighty to consign millions of mankind to regions of eternal sorrow1 darkness and death2 and those who may escape that dreadful doom1 unless they have hearts of demons1 will forever deplore the sad fate of their earthly associates--those they were required to love as themselves4 ,the words love1 goodness1 mercy1 justice1 gospel1 good news1 glad tidings1 should be all stricken from the ,bible1 if ,mr4 ,edmonds' creed is true1 and words that savor of fire and brimstone1 should take their places4 ,yea1 the sun1 moon and stars1 the refreshing shower1 the genial breeze1 and productive earth1 should all tell us of fire and fury1 instead of love1 goodness and justice1 if eternal woe is to be the doom of half of mankind4 ,if this terrible dogma is true1 it seems to me1 that on the blazing disc of the sun should be written in characters as black as midnight--endless woe2 on the pale face of the moon1 and on every twinkling star--endless woe1 that all might read their doom from night to morn1 from morn to night2 and that every breeze that blows1 should scream in our ears so loud that the dead might hear--endless woe4 ,but thank heaven1 ,god is love1 the gospel is good news1 and these malignant creeds are false4 ,a large number of clergymen of different orders attended the discussion1 and they held evening meetings during the progress of the debate1 but all parties were silent on the subjects that were discussed during the day4 ,the disputants were kind and courteous towards each other1 and their christian spirit pervaded the hearers of all creeds4 ,a society was organized in ,franklin the day after the debate closed1 it being ,sunday1 and ,i preached in the place monthly for one year4 ,but the distance was too far for me to continue the visits1 and as no one could be obtained to take my place1 meetings were suspended4 ,the good cause has suffered all over the ,west for want of competent ministers to supply the wants of the people4 ,if a dozen faithful pastors had been located in ,indiana in those days1 liberal societies would now have been well organized and permanently established all over the state4 ,in ,franklin1 ,columbus1 ,martinsville1 ,gosport1 ,bloomington1 ,greencastle1 ,ladoga1 ,crawfordsville1 ,perrysville1 ,covington1 ,lafayette1 ,fort ,wayne1 ,richmond1 ,madison1 and in many other places where we have no organizations1 flourishing and influential societies would now be established4 ,but ministers could not be obtained1 and hence much of the labor of the missionary was of but little avail4 ,having a paper on my hands1 ,i was obliged to travel far and near to sustain it1 and could not devote much time at any one place4 ,a few days after this discussion1 ,i delivered several sermons in ,edinburg2 and one of them was preached in the ,methodist meeting-house1 and the subject1 at the request of the pastor1 was 8,total ,depravity40 ,the following is the gist of the discourse3 ,i will first show by the advocates of total depravity1 what they mean by it4 ,the 8,presbyterian ,confession of ,faith0 thus defines it3 8,the sinfulness of estate whereinto man fell1 consisteth in the guilt of ,adam's first sin1 the want of that righteousness wherein he was created1 and the corruption of his nature1 whereby he is utterly indisposed1 disabled1 and made opposite to all that is spiritually good1 and wholly inclined to all evil1 and that continually40 ,the 8,shorter ,catechism0 says3 8,the sinfulness of that estate whereinto man fell1 consists in the guilt of ,adam's first sin1 the want of original righteousness1 and the corruption of his whole nature40 ,the 8,baptist ,philadelphia ,confession0 tells us that 8,our first parents1 by this sin1 fell from their original righteousness and communion with ,god1 and we in them1 whereby death came upon all1 all becoming dead in sin1 and wholly defiled in all the faculties and parts of soul and body40 ,the 8,methodist ,discipline0 says3 8,original sin standeth not in the following of ,adam1 7as the ,pelagians do vainly talk7 but it is the corruption of the nature of every man1 that is naturally engendered of the offspring of ,adam1 whereby man is very far gone from original righteousness1 and of his own nature inclined to evil1 and that continually40 ,john ,calvin1 in his explanation of this doctrine1 says3 8,original sin seems to be the inheritable perverseness and corruption of our nature1 poured abroad in all parts of the soul1 which first makes us deserving of ,god's wrath1 and then also bringeth forth those works in us1 called in ,scripture1 the works of the flesh4 ,these two things are distinctly to be noted1 that is1 that1 being thus in all parts of our nature perverted and corrupted1 we are now1 even for such corruption1 only holden worthy of damnation10 etc4 ,w4 ,w4 ,perkins3 8,in reprobate infants1 the execution of ,god's decree is this3 as soon as they are born1 for the guilt of original and actual sin1 being left in ,god's secret judgment unto themselves1 they dying are rejected of ,god forever40 ,twiss3 8,every man that is damned1 is damned for original as well as actual sins1 and many thousand infants1 only for original40 ,arthur ,hildersham3 8,there is in them 7infants7 a natural proneness1 disposition and inclination to every thing that is evil2 as there is in the youngest lion1 or of a bear1 or of a wolf1 unto cruelty1 or in the egg of a cockatrice1 before it is hatched4 ,you have heard it evidently proved1 #a4 ,that all infants are sinners and deserve damnation4 #b4 ,that many infants have been vessels of wrath and fire-brands of hell40 ,here we have a full1 clear1 perfect definition of total depravity1 as held by ,presbyterians1 ,baptists and ,methodists4 ,it is here taught that all mankind are by nature1 8utterly indisposed1 disabled1 and made opposite to all that is good1 and wholly inclined to all evil40 ,every human being1 according to this theory1 that ,god ever made1 is 8wholly inclined to all evil0--to lying1 cheating1 stealing1 murdering1 etc41 etc41 etc4 ,all men1 then1 by nature are liars1 thieves1 and murderers4 ,this is the character of every infant when it is born into this world4 ,mark the words1 8,there is in infants a natural proneness1 disposition and inclination to every thing that is evil2 as there is in the youngest lion1 or of the bear1 or of the wolf1 unto cruelty1 or in the egg of the cockatrice before it be hatched10 and hence the writer adds1 8#a4 ,all infants are sinners1 and deserve damnation4 #b4 ,that many infants have been vessels of wrath and fire-brands of hell40 ,if these are correct views of human nature1 for six thousand years ,god has been creating totally depraved beings--thieves1 liars1 assassins1 murderers4 ,god is the source whence all crime flows1 for he creates all mankind villains2 gives them all an 8inclination to all evil40 ,and this is not the worst of it--all deserve everlasting damnation1 because ,god created them inclined to villainy of every name and grade4 ,the definition of depravity given above1 means all this1 says all this1 and to be a true ,presbyterian1 ,baptist1 or ,methodist1 one must believe all this4 ,but we ask1 who really believes a word of it8 ,who believes that ,god is the monster these creeds represent8 ,who believes that he has cursed us all with an infernal nature1 and will then damn millions forever and ever1 for being cursed with such a nature8 ,where is the mother who really believes that her infant is totally depraved1 wholly 8inclined to all evil10 8a fire-brand of hell10 and 8deserves damnation80 ,people may subscribe to such horrid notions1 preach them1 and try to defend them1 but who really1 heart and soul1 believes them8 ,if mankind believed that their fellow men were totally depraved1 it would destroy all confidence between man and man4 ,who would trust a fellow that he believed was by nature 8wholly inclined to all evil80 ,who would employ such a physician1 lawyer or clerk8 ,who would trust such a banker1 or commission merchant8 ,who would ride on a railroad1 or sail in a vessel1 that he believed was run by such wretches8 ,if men really believed in total depravity1 they would tremble with fear by day and by night4 ,they would shun each other as they shun a deadly serpent4 ,and if that dogma is true1 there would be no virtue1 truth1 purity in the world1 but crime of every name and grade would reign supreme4 ,god would not be known1 and a devil would be universally worshiped4 ,and then what wonderful transformations1 according to the creeds1 have sin and grace wrought in human nature4 ,god created man perfect in holiness and righteousness4 ,human nature was then all divine2 not a spot nor a blemish in it4 ,every faculty of the mind was in perfect harmony with every other faculty4 ,angelic harmony reigned in the soul4 ,but the devil in the shape of an ugly serpent1 in one moment1 ruined the best1 the most perfect of ,god's works1 and for the creation of which he had exercised his greatest skill4 ,and how easy it was effected4 ,one temptation was presented and the work was done4 ,why1 even some of those who are said to be totally depraved1 and fire-brands of hell1 often resist temptation4 ,but mother ,eve1 holy and divine as she was1 succumbed at the first attack1 and soon caused her heroic husband to do likewise4 ,this one sin transformed ,adam and ,eve into devils1 and caused all their progeny down through a thousand generations to be born devils1 8vessels of wrath10 8fire-brands of hell10 and 8wholly inclined to all evil40 ,their nature became entirely changed--changed from angelic purity to total depravity4 ,according to this theory1 sin is far more potent than grace4 ,one sin committed by one person1 ruined countless millions--unborn countless millions of mankind2 but the grace of ,god in one soul sanctifies only that one soul1 and perhaps not that one permanently2 he may fall from grace4 ,one sin ruined the world1 but all the power1 wisdom1 and grace of heaven will fail to redeem it4 ,and then by doing so and so1 it is said another change is wrought in our nature--we are restored to the divine likeness1 to the purity and holiness ,adam enjoyed before his fall4 ,this theory of the change of man's nature from purity to depravity1 and from depravity to purity1 is all a fiction4 ,if the nature of man can change from the divine to the infernal1 why not change from a man to a horse8 ,the truth is1 the nature of nothing changes from ,god down to the worm4 ,every mineral1 plant and animal has received a definite nature1 and never changes one iota4 ,so with men1 their nature is unchangeable--soul and body then are the same yesterday1 to-day and forever4 ,the body may be diseased to-day1 but by proper means it may be restored to health1 but its nature is not changed4 ,so the mind1 the soul1 may be disordered1 and by moral means may be restored to a healthy condition1 but its nature is not changed4 ,i am aware that several passages of ,scripture are adduced to sustain this terrible theology of innate total depravity1 and ,i will briefly show that they refer to nothing of the kind4 #a4 8,behold1 ,i was shapen in iniquity1 and in sin did my mother conceive me40 ,psalm4 li4 #e4 ,there is nothing here about total depravity1 or about our nature being 8wholly inclined to all evil40 ,all inherit tendencies to evil and to good1 for mankind are imperfect4 ,we inherit these tendencies1 not from ,adam1 but from our immediate parents4 ,such biases are constitutional1 not down deep in man's nature4 ,besides1 we are not to understand these words strictly literal4 ,david uttered them in a season of great debasement4 ,they are hyperbolical like the following3 8,i am poured out like water2 and all my bones are out of joint2 my heart is like wax2 it is melted in the midst of my bowels40 8,and my bones are consumed40 8,all my bones shall say1 ,lord1 who is like unto thee40 8,i am a worm and not man40 ,all this is to be understood figuratively4 #b4 8,who can bring a clean thing out of an unclean thing8 ,not one40 ,job xiv4 #d4 ,of course1 the moral character of many is unclean1 but what does that prove about their nature8 ,it does not intimate that any one is born unclean4 #c4 8,and ,god saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth1 and that every imagination of the thought of his heart was only evil continually40 ,gen4 vi4 #e4 ,this simply means that the antediluvians were a very wicked people2 not that they were born totally depraved1 for in the #abth verse it is said1 that 8all flesh had corrupted his way10 which it could not have done if the ,creator had made 8all flesh0 totally corrupt at its birth4 ,they were corrupt by practice1 not by nature4 #d4 8,the heart of man is deceitful above all things and desperately wicked2 who can know it80 ,jer4 xvii4 #i4 ,the prophet is speaking of the sin of ,judah4 ,in the first verse he says1 8,the sin of ,judah is written with a pen of iron1 and with the point of a diamond2 it is graven upon the table of their hearts1 and upon the horns of your altars40 ,it was not the sin of ,adam entailed upon them1 it was their own sin1 the sin of ,judah4 ,they had corrupted their hearts1 had departed from virtue's ways1 and had become 8desperately wicked40 ,we see nothing here about being created totally depraved4 #e4 8,they are all gone out of the way1 they are together become unprofitable2 there are none that doeth good1 no1 not one40 ,rom4 ii4 #ab4 ,this passage clearly proves that men1 in the days of ,st4 ,paul1 had corrupted themselves1 not that they were born totally corrupt4 ,they had 8gone out of the way10 not born 8out of the way40 ,they had 8become unprofitable10 not born 8unprofitable40 8,their throat is an open sepulcher1 their mouth is full of cursing and bitterness1 their feet is swift to shed blood40 ,verses #ab1 #ad1 #ae4 ,is this true of infants8 ,we know it is not4 ,he is not speaking then of man's condition by nature but by practice4 ,in the preceding chapter the apostle says1 8,for when the ,gentiles1 which have not the law1 do by nature the things contained in the law1 these1 having not the law1 are a law unto themselves1 which shows the works of the law written in their hearts40 ,wicked as men were in those days1 8deceitful0 as were their hearts1 and 8desperately wicked10 the law of ,god was written in their hearts1 and they often did by nature1 proving that their nature was not totally depraved1 8the things contained in the law40 ,these are the principle passages that the advocates of total depravity cite to sustain their theory2 but it is evident they fall far short of proving any thing of the kind4 ,they prove1 what all know to be true1 that mankind have voluntarily corrupted themselves--some more and some less4 ,none are perfect1 none are totally depraved1 and there are all grades and degrees1 from the best man to the worst man4 ,and as we corrupt ourselves1 we can reform ourselves4 ,corruption and purity1 right and wrong1 evil and good1 life and death1 salvation and damnation1 heaven and hell1 are set before us1 and we have the ability to turn from the wrong and lay hold on the good4 ,but the terrible theory1 that we inherit by nature1 corruption1 evil1 death1 damnation1 and hell1 from ,adam1 that they permeate our very nature1 corrupt the very springs of our life1 constituting us 8fire-brands of hell10 and that nothing but a miracle by ,almighty ,god can purify us1 and save us from endless burnings1 ,i reject as utterly false and monstrous4 8,there's the marble1 there's the chisel2 ,take them1 work them to thy will2 ,thou alone must shape thy future1-- ,heaven give thee strength and skill40 ,while in ,edinburg1 ,i had some conversation with a ,presbyterian minister on religious subjects4 8,why10 said he1 8you contend that ,christians are rewarded in this world for their piety and virtue4 ,i dissent from you4 ,the ,bible teaches me1 that ,christians are crushed to earth by the cross they bear4 ,sinners have no such burden to carry40 ,i remarked3 8,it is true that the early ,christians1 by their enthusiasm in the ,christian cause1 often incurred the wrath of ,jews and ,pagans1 and were sometimes roughly handled4 ,but this was not done because they were good men and women1 but because they were deemed enemies of truth and righteousness--fanatics of a dangerous creed and party4 ,the world did not know that it was opposing ,god's noblemen1 and the highest religious and moral truths1 hence ,christ1 when in the agonies of death from the hands of the unbelieving multitude1 cried1 #8,father1 forgive them1 for they know not what they do4' ,the trials1 hardships and persecutions they suffered1 were incidental to the times1 and are not the legitimate results of a holy life4 8,and here you mistake1 my friend4 ,you suppose that the suffering they endured are the natural sequence of a divine life4 ,in that you greatly err4 ,the advocates of any unpopular cause1 let it be good or bad1 right or wrong1 are sure to encounter opposition4 ,especially was this so in the early days of the ,christian era4 ,the nations of the earth1 in those times1 were ignorant1 intolerant1 cruel1 and bloody--much more so than at the present time4 ,the early ,christians laid hold of the religious creeds of their day with a strong hand1 tore them to atoms1 and scattered them to the four winds4 ,this was more than the adherents of those creeds could bear1 and according to the intolerant and cruel spirit of the times1 they pursued the enemies of their ancient faith with fire and sword4 ,the ,christian cause was unpopular2 the ,christians were an insignificant minority1 and the dominant party could not brook their zeal for what they regarded to be a wretched delusion4 8,christianity is now popular among the civilized nations of the earth1 and its advocates are very differently situated from what they were eighteen hundred years ago4 ,there is now no cross for them to bear1 as that term was understood in the apostolic times4 ,those who come nearest to bearing it in this country1 are those who #8trust in the living ,god as the savior of all men4' ,they are often contemptuously1 cruelly treated by the dominant parties2 but thank ,god1 if they are inclined to revive the old persecutions1 they have not the power to do so4 ,but the truly good in all ages and climes1 are blessed1 let their outward circumstances be what they may4 ,virtue is a divine fount1 whence flows the elixir of life2 a tree whose fruit heals the nations4 ,the good man's soul is in harmony with truth and righteousness2 he lives an harmonious1 heavenly life40 8,but ,i cannot see that there is as much difference in the happiness of saints and sinners1 as there is in their character4 ,the latter seem to enjoy themselves quite as well as the former1 and sometimes even better40 8,if the ,bible is any authority1 you are much mistaken4 ,the wicked1 in that book1 are said to be #8servants1' #8captives1' #8strangers1' #8foreigners1' #8wandering prodigals2' ,christians are said to be #8children1' #8freemen1' #8fellow-citizens of the household of ,god1' #8obedient children at home4' ,the wicked are represented as #8bearing a heavy burden1' #8weary1' #8condemned1' #8dead1' #8blind1' #8hungry1' #8poor1' #8thirsty1' #8miserable2' but ,christians as #8entering into rest1' being #8justified1' #8alive1' seeing #8the ,son of righteousness1' #8eating the bread of ,god1' drinking #8the water of life1' possessing #8all things1' and rejoicing #8in the hope of the glory of ,god4' ,the difference between the two classes is clearly expressed thus3 #8,there is no peace to the wicked'--#8,great peace have they that love thy law4' 8,truly hath the poet said3 8#8,heaven is not a region in the air1 ,nor hell a gulf we know not where2 ,but heaven is where love and wisdom dwell1 ,their absence 'tis that makes a hell4 ,love absent--hatred enters in1 ,guilt and revenge1 and every sin2 ,its smoke of torment still ascends-- ,the deathless worm that never ends1-- ,till 8death itself shall die40' 8,the outer life of the good and bad1 may be much alike1 but their inner life is vastly different4 ,into one the sunshine of heaven is poured1 and perpetual summer reigns2 into the other1 darkness has free access1 and winter storms ever howl40 ,returning to ,terre ,haute on horseback1 had some interesting talk with my fellow travelers4 ,the first was a ,catholic4 8,what shall ,i do to be saved80 ,i inquired4 8,believe in the ,holy ,catholic ,church1 and obey it in all things40 8,but cannot one be saved without being a ,catholic8 ,if one believes in ,god1 ,christ1 and obeys the divine law1 cannot he be saved if he is not a ,catholic80 8,it is possible he may be2 but it is not safe to rest one's eternal all on such ground4 ,the church is the door into heaven1 and ,i have no evidence a soul can be saved without passing through that door4 ,you ,protestants have great expectations of reaching heaven1 but ,i am fearful most of you will land where #8the worm dieth not1 and the fire is not quenched4'0 ,the landlord of the house where ,i dined1 was a zealous ,methodist4 8,what shall ,i do to be saved80 ,i asked4 8,believe in the ,lord ,jesus40 8,what must one believe concerning him80 8,that he is the second person in the adorable trinity1 and willing and able to save all who come to him40 8,cannot one be saved without believing that ,jesus is the second person in the trinity80 8,no4 ,if you do not believe that1 you are an infidel1 and no infidel can be saved40 8,do you think ,catholics can be saved80 8,my bar-room will hold all the ,catholics who will be saved4 ,and as for their popes1 bishops and priests--,i would not give a fig for their chance4 ,infidelity is bad enough1 but popery is worse40 ,in the afternoon1 ,i fell in company with a ,presbyterian1 and asked him1 8,what ,i should do to be saved80 8,believe in ,christ40 8,what must ,i believe concerning ,christ80 8,that he will save all he died for40 8,how many did he die for80 8#8,are there few that be saved8' #8,strive to enter in at the strait gate1 for narrow is the gate and strait is the way that leadeth to life and few there be that find it4' ,these scriptures teach that only a small part of mankind are embraced in the covenant of grace40 ,soon after parting with this man1 ,i fell in company with a ,campbellite1 and ,i asked1 8,what must one do to be saved80 8,believe1 be baptized1 and repent40 8,do you mean that no one can be saved hereafter1 without faith1 baptism1 and repentance in this world80 8,i have no evidence that any can40 ,alas6 ,i mentally exclaimed1 how selfish1 contracted and partial are the creeds of men4 ,the ,catholic consigns all to hell outside of his church2 the ,methodist sends all to perdition who do not believe that ,jesus is the eternal ,god2 the ,presbyterian condemns all to everlasting burnings1 but the elect few2 the ,campbellite has no hope for any beyond the grave1 who do not adhere to his creed1 and take water4 ,the truth concerning salvation1 is all embraced in a few words4 ,jesus said1 8,thou shalt love the ,lord thy ,god with all thy heart1 soul1 and strength1 and thy neighbor as thyself40 ,and one of his apostles testifies that 8,love is the fulfilling of the law40 ,whoever lives in harmony with this law is saved1 let his faith be what it may1 and let him belong to what party he may1 or to no party4 ,this is my faith with reference to salvation1 and does it not infinitely better correspond with reason1 and the character of ,god1 than the narrow contracted systems just stated by their advocates8 ,where ,i stopped over night1 ,i heard a ,mormon deliver a discourse in defence of ,mormonism4 ,he was an able man1 well educated2 and he proved as clear as mud that the ,latter-,day ,saints are heaven's peculiar favorites4 ,every good ,mormon1 when he dies1 we were told1 is transported to one of the stars1 and becomes its king1 and will there reign over its inhabitants in regal splendor forever and ever4 ,but anti-,mormons are consigned to the infernal regions of ,pluto1 to be his subjects eternally4 ,he also told us1 that ,christ would come to this earth personally within a few years4 8,i expect10 said he1 8to live to witness his second advent4 ,he will be a ,mormon1 and will empower us to destroy the ,gentiles2 and when the work shall be well done1 the ,saints will possess the land4 ,i warn you to flee from the wrath to come2 accept of mercy while mercy is offered you2 for when ,jesus comes1 he will shut the door1 and your doom will be sealed40 ,he pretended to be able to work miracles1 and an old gentleman in the congregation arose and wished him to restore his sight4 8,do you believe ,i can80 asked the speaker4 8,i will believe you can when you do the work10 the old gentleman replied4 8,but do you believe now that ,i can80 8,no1 sir40 8,then ,i will not restore your sight40 ,as soon as he was through the crowd cried1 8,manford6 ,manford6 ,manford60 ,i begged to be excused1 but the people insisted that ,i should pitch into ,mormonism1 and ,i finally spent an hour in reviewing it1 and the discourse just delivered4 ,i commenced by remarking1 that ,i wished to make one statement1 and to ask the speaker one question4 ,jesus told his disciples on one occasion1 that some of them would live to see him come the second time1 7,matt4 xvi4 #bh7 and he intimated to ,peter that ,john would be living when he would come4 7,john xxi4 #bc74 8,now you10 addressing the preacher1 8told us1 that coming has not taken place1 but will take place in a short time4 ,the question ,i wish to ask is this3 8,is ,john now living80 8,he is10 replied the ,mormon4 8,where is he80 ,i inquired4 8,up ,north1 somewhere4 ,we know he is living1 for we have a document signed by him40 8,will you please show me that document40 8,it is not in my possession2 our prophet has it40 ,i then gave the history of the rise and progress of ,mormonism2 exposed its knavery1 imposture1 polygamy4 ,the ,mormons present became very angry1 and one coarse-looking fellow shook his fist in my face4 ,that was the first and last time ,i ever came in contact with ,mormons4 ,i was probably too severe in my remarks2 but ,i was so disgusted at the man's defense of ,mormonism1 ,i gave free utterance to my indignation4 ,self and ,mrs4 ,manford journeyed to ,cincinnati4 ,we traveled in a buggy1 and had a delightful jaunt1 as the weather was pleasant1 the roads good1 and friends plentiful--all except the last1 in striking contrast with the other journey we took--the bridal tour4 ,we were absent three weeks1 and ,i preached nearly every day4 ,attended the annual meeting of the ,indiana ,state ,convention1 where we met many friends from different portions of the state4 ,then proceeded to ,louisville1 ,ky41 and attended the annual convocation of the ,kentucky ,state ,convention4 ,from thence journeyed to ,cincinnati1 where ,i bought printing materials for the ,teacher1 and then returned home4 ,,chapter ,,xiii4 ,,moved ,,to ,,indianapolis--,,extensive ,,traveling--,,henry ,,ward ,,beecher--,a ,,fossiled ,,calvinist--,,supposed ,,to ,,be ,,an ,,orthodox ,,preacher--,,debate ,,in ,,new ,,philadelphia--,,strife ,,between ,,the ,,north ,,and ,,south--,,the ,,old ,,convention ,,dead--,,the ,,new ,,convention ,,organized--,,discussion ,,in ,,springfield1 ,,ill4--,,abraham ,,lincoln--,,god ,,is ,,love--,,is ,,merciful--,,is ,,just--,,is ,,holy--,,travel ,,in ,,illinois--,,conversation ,,with ,a ,,presbyterian ,,clergyman ,,on ,,the ,,origin ,,of ,,hell--,,in ,,iowa ,,city1 ,,and ,,other ,,places ,,in ,,iowa--,,home ,,again--,w4 ,j4 ,,chaplin--,,discussion ,,with ,,benjamin ,,franklin--,,debate ,,in ,,covington--,,discussion ,,with ,,mr4 ,,russell--,,publish ,,the 8,,one ,,hundred ,,and ,,fifty ,,reasons0--,,review ,,of 8,,universalism ,,against ,,itself0--,,publish ,,another ,,book--,,olive ,,branch ,,discontinued--,,traveling ,,far ,,and ,,near4 ,in #ahdf1 ,i moved to ,indianapolis1 the capital of ,indiana4 ,it being in the center of the state1 and the most important town therein1 ,i deemed it a better locality in which to publish the ,teacher than ,terre ,haute4 ,it continued to be issued twice a month1 ,dr4 ,j4 ,h4 ,jordan assisting2 and ,mrs4 ,manford writing editorial1 helping mail the paper1 and keeping the books4 ,i was often absent1 but the faithful doctor and the 8better half0 always sent the ,teacher out regularly on its mission4 ,its circulation rapidly increased after this change of base2 and being in the geographical center of the state1 ,i could reach all parts of it with less travel than before4 ,i still continued to make the saddle my home a considerable portion of the time4 ,visited and preached annually1 more or less1 in nearly every county in the state1 and ,indiana covers a large territory1 being two hundred and fifty miles north and south1 and one hundred and fifty east and west4 ,i also extended my peregrinations into ,ohio1 ,kentucky1 ,illinois1 ,iowa and ,michigan4 ,friends of liberal principles were every where multiplying1 more and more interest was taken in the good cause1 and my congregations were generally increasing4 ,i was much encouraged1 although my labor at home and abroad was much augmented4 ,i often wished ,i could divide myself into a dozen parts1 that ,i might be in as many places at once4 ,there were but few of the liberal faith in ,indianapolis4 ,about the time ,i moved there1 ,b4 ,f4 ,foster commenced preaching in the city1 in the old ,court ,house--a dirty and out of the way place4 ,but few attended his meetings1 and after one year's effort to establish a congregation1 he returned to ,madison1 where he had previously resided4 ,c4 ,cravens subsequently made a feeble effort in the same direction1 and failed4 ,after ,i left1 ,mr4 ,foster returned1 and resumed his labors1 and has been successful in establishing a good society4 ,henry ,ward ,beecher was pastor of one of the ,presbyterian societies part of the time ,i resided there1 and ,i found him to be a liberal and jovial fellow4 ,orthodoxy evidently did not trouble him then any more than it does now1 and his hearers sometimes doubted his soundness on the 8fine points40 ,he would occasionally preach politics2 and his sharp thrusts would send his democratic church members headlong out of the house4 ,i once asked him if he believed the ,creator would eternally punish us for the sins of this life1 and he evaded giving a direct answer4 ,there was another ,presbyterian preacher in ,indianapolis by the name of ,gurley--a fossiled ,calvinist4 ,he and ,beecher subscribed to the same creed1 but in faith and spirit they were as far apart as the poles4 ,i attended his meeting once1 and he thought he would give me a hard hit4 8,i will relate10 said he1 8how a noted ,universalist died4 ,ethan ,allen1 a revolutionary soldier1 was on his death bed4 ,when well1 he was loud in defense of ,universalism4 ,but when he came to die it failed him4 ,his daughter asked him just before he breathed his last1 if she should cherish the faith he had taught1 or that her mother had taught her4 ,believe as your mother believes1 said the dying man40 ,i met him the next day1 and told him that ,ethan ,allen was an avowed ,deist4 8,it is the same thing10 said he4 8,if you think so1 you need not be alarmed about your salvation1 for all now admit that children and idiots are safe40 ,this is the same ,gurley who has figured in ,washington as chaplain of ,congress4 ,soon after moving to ,indianapolis1 ,i had a discussion in ,new ,philadelphia1 in the southern portion of ,indiana4 ,in going there1 ,i stopped over night in a little village2 told the landlord of the inn that ,i would speak to the people if he would give notice4 ,as my host was a ,methodist1 the people inferred the preacher was one of his brethren4 8,the ,lord is good unto all1 and his tender mercies are over all his works10 was my text1 and ,i dwelt on the evidences of ,god's goodness in nature1 providence1 and the ,bible4 ,i emphasized the conclusion1 that as ,god is unchangeable he always will1 in this world and the world to come1 through all time and through all eternity1 be good unto all1 and his tender mercies be ever over all his works4 ,as ,god is good to all1 he blesses all now1 and as he always will be good to all1 he ever will bless all mankind4 ,i did not say that all would be saved1 only that ,god would ever bless mankind4 ,i requested a man1 who ,i was told was a ,methodist1 to close the meeting4 ,before praying he remarked1 8,my brethren1 we have heard the gospel to-night in all its fullness4 ,glory to ,god for such truths4 ,they are the bread of life4 ,may we all feast on them and live forever40 ,another said1 8,i bless ,god for what we have heard this evening4 ,i have been so near heaven1 ,i have felt like taking the shoes from my feet4 ,bless ,god for the word of life40 ,i spent the night with a ,methodist brother1 and he doubtless thought ,i was a ,methodist4 ,i practiced no deception--told the truth clearly1 boldly4 ,no one questioned me concerning my denominational relations1 and ,i said nothing on that subject4 ,the nature of the soul is in harmony with truth and righteousness1 and when the wisdom of heaven is unfolded1 it is intuitively responded to by men of all creeds1 provided their prejudices are not aroused by offensive names1 or by unpopular truths stated in too pointed terms4 ,if ,i had told the people ,i was a ,universalist1 the whole discourse would have been pronounced heresy4 ,at another time1 ,i was traveling on ,sunday2 coming to a meeting-house where a congregation was assembling1 ,i dismounted1 and took a seat with the congregation4 ,i knew no one1 and ,i suppose no one knew me4 ,the expected preacher did not appear1 and some one arose to dismiss the assembly4 ,i told the people ,i was a minister and would deliver a discourse if they wished me to4 ,all seemed gratified to hear a stranger1 and ,i talked nearly two hours to about five hundred people4 ,i pursued the same course ,i did on the other occasion--said nothing about other people's faith1 called what ,i preached the gospel4 ,i counted some twenty ,universalists in the congregation2 at least1 ,i judged they were such from expressions of their countenances when ,i came out were pretty clear on ,universalist ground4 ,i spent the rest of the day with a ,presbyterian deacon1 and he evidently did not suspect ,i was a heretic4 ,the discussion in ,new ,philadelphia continued two days4 ,my opponent was a ,presbyterian minister4 ,we had some skirmishing before the regular battle commenced4 ,i delivered a discourse on ,saturday evening1 and he replied4 ,he spoke on ,sunday morning1 and ,i replied in the afternoon4 ,monday and ,tuesday we met face to face1 and discussed six hours each day1 when he retreating left me in possession of the field4 ,the discussion caused much excitement1 for the liberal faith was unknown to most of the people--they had no idea that any thing could be said in its favor4 ,one man offered to bet his farm that ,i would not be able to make a second speech4 ,a good society could have been established there1 but no minister could be obtained4 ,the strife between the ,northern and ,southern people1 which ultimated in the late rebellion1 disturbed the ,universalist denomination in ,indiana long before the war commenced4 ,the contention though was not about slavery1 but grew out of the antagonism between people from those two sections of country4 ,southern and ,central ,indiana was settled chiefly by emigrants from the ,south1 and unfortunately they cherished prejudices against the ,yankees4 ,the ,indiana ,state ,convention would not join the ,united ,states ,convention1 because it was controlled by ,northern people4 ,jonathan ,kidwell1 who had long been preaching in the ,west1 resided in ,indiana1 was from ,kentucky4 ,in his younger days he was a ,methodist minister2 then a ,new ,light2 and finally became a ,universalist4 ,he possessed much intellectual power1 and was well read on many subjects1 although not versed in the technicalities of knowledge4 ,he had long resided in ,indiana1 and was well known4 ,some forty years ago1 he had a discussion in ,indianapolis with a ,methodist minister4 ,it was published by ,mr4 ,k41 and widely circulated4 ,he had been editor of the ,star in the ,west1 and while ,i resided in ,indiana1 he published a monthly magazine1 called the ,philometh ,encyclopedi4 ,he was1 as remarked1 from ,kentucky1 pro-slavery1 and had but little love for ,yankees4 ,soon after ,i settled in ,lafayette1 he commenced a war on ,eastern preachers1 calling them 8silk-stocking gentry10 sent out ,west to enlighten the heathen4 ,he complimented me by calling me a 8,texan ranger10 8a conspirator10 and a 8little bishop40 ,many of the ,universalists in the state were anxious to be connected with the ,united ,states ,convention1 but ,mr4 ,kidwell and his friends always opposed such union4 ,this difference disturbed the harmony of some of our associational and conventional meetings1 and did much mischief in the state generally4 ,i was young1 and doubtless indiscreet in some statements ,i published in the ,teacher1 but ,mr4 ,k4 was very coarse and abusive in his attacks4 ,the ,state ,convention met in ,terre ,haute while ,i resided there1 and one of ,mr4 ,kidwell's friends reported that he had fifty charges against me1 which he intended to lay before the council4 ,when motion was made to adjourn1 ,i stated what ,i had heard1 and demanded a presentation of the charges threatened4 ,this brought ,g4 ,c4 ,mc,cune to his feet1 and some one proposed the matter be left to six persons1 each party choosing three1 and their decision with regard to the charges be final4 ,both parties consented4 ,i selected my men1 but the other party did nothing4 ,the year after1 the ,convention met in ,dublin2 one of ,mr4 ,k4's friends proposed that ,i be disfellowshiped on the ground that ,i pretended to have received a ,letter of ,fellowship in the ,east when ,i had not1 and was therefore an impostor4 ,the resolution was laid on the table4 ,i then came out with a long article in the ,teacher about my troubles in ,indiana1 and ,mr4 ,kidwell made that article the basis of charges which he presented to the ,convention the next year4 ,it met that year in ,laconia1 in the extreme southern portion of the state1 and the council was composed chiefly of delegates from some dead societies in that locality4 ,the result was as ,i expected1 and rather hoped would be--the council voted me guilty of the charges4 ,but that act killed the ,convention4 ,the ,white ,river1 ,wabash and ,upper ,wabash ,associations immediately withdrew from it1 and in a few months a new ,convention was organized in my parlor in ,indianapolis1 and it soon joined the ,united ,states ,convention4 ,the old ,convention met once or twice and then died2 and about the same time ,mr4 ,kidwell departed this life1 full of years2 and soon after1 his printing office1 which was then run by ,e4 ,m4 ,knapp1 was destroyed by fire4 ,after the new order of things was inaugurated1 peace and harmony reigned in our councils1 and the good cause was more prosperous4 ,liberal sentiments were making some progress in central ,illinois1 and ,i was invited to visit that region and hold a discussion in ,springfield with a ,methodist preacher4 ,i had never been in that portion of the state1 and it was a long journey there1 for there was no railroad connecting those two capitals in those days4 ,in going to ,springfield1 ,i stopped at ,mt4 ,pulaski1 ,ill41 and delivered several discourses4 ,it is on a high mound1 in the midst of vast prairies--a beautiful situation4 ,here ,i met1 for the first time1 ,d4 ,p4 ,bunn1 who resided in the place and preached there1 and in the region all around4 ,he still lives in a neighboring town1 ,decatur1 and is yet faithfully discharging his ministerial duties4 ,he is an excellent man1 a faithful minister1 and dear friend4 ,he has labored long and hard in the moral field1 and ,god has blessed him and his labors4 ,mr4 ,bunn accompanied me to ,springfield4 ,arriving there1 ,i found that the preacher who had agreed to debate with me1 was not inclined to keep his promise1 and ,mr4 ,lewis1 the most noted controversalist in that section1 was chosen to take his place4 ,he was a ,methodist minister of much ability1 and very zealous in his cause4 ,he had recently had a discussion with ,mr4 ,bunn1 and was pretty well posted concerning ,universalism4 ,we debated four days in the ,representatives' ,hall of the capitol1 in the presence of vast assemblies4 ,the discussion produced much excitement in ,springfield1 and all parties attended it4 ,i remember seeing ,mr4 ,lincoln there punctually every day and every night4 ,he often nodded his head to me when ,i made a strong point4 ,little did ,i think1 or he think1 what was to be his future position and history4 ,in my first speech1 ,i offered some arguments in favor of the restitution of all things4 ,god is love4 ,the ,bible says1 8,god is love20 and all ,god's works say1 he is love4 8,could we with ink the ocean fill1 ,and were the skies of parchments made1 ,were every blade of grass a quill1 ,and every man a scribe by trade2 ,to write the love of ,god above ,would drain the ocean dry1 ,nor could the scroll contain the whole ,though stretch'd from sky to sky40 ,as love is the moral nature of ,god1 well might the great ,gentile apostle exclaim1 8,i am persuaded that neither death1 nor life1 nor angels1 nor principalities1 nor powers1 nor things present1 nor things to come1 nor height1 nor depth1 nor any other thing1 shall separate us from the love of ,god1 which is manifested in ,christ ,jesus our ,lord40 ,rom4 viii4 #ch1 #ci4 ,can love so broad1 so deep1 so high1 so vast1 so enduring1 so mighty1 consign countless millions of its creations to interminable agony8 ,can an ocean of love be the source of an ocean of woe8 ,can the best tree bear the worst fruit8 ,can the purest fountain emit the most deadly poison8 ,as ,god is love1 while man exists1 he must be his friend1 his benefactor1 his savior4 ,all creeds say ,god is love4 ,the old ,pagans extolled ,jupiter1 called him the great1 the magnificent1 the glorious ,jupiter1 but according to their mythology1 he was a beastly monster4 ,so modern theologies say ,god is love1 but they attribute to him passions and deeds the devil might envy4 ,god is love1 and all his purposes1 and all his works perfectly harmonize with infinite love4 ,universal blessedness is the sequence of the proposition--,god is love4 ,as ,god is love1 he is just--just in all his purposes1 in all his works4 ,would it be just to force into existence man or angel1 knowing that existence would prove an endless curse8 ,force man into this world1 force him through this world1 force him into the grave1 force him into the spirit-world1 force him into an endless hell6 ,that is the programme of heaven1 concerning millions of mankind1 according to popular creeds4 ,man is the victim of all this1 if ,mr4 ,lewis is right4 ,is there any justice in this8 ,the whole scheme is black with crime1 and reeking with vengeance1 as it culminates in the ruin of the universe4 ,justice does no such work4 ,justice is universal right1 and it labors to bring about right2 and justice will not be satisfied till all mankind are right--right in character1 in condition1 in life4 ,universal salvation is the sequence of the proposition--,god is just4 ,god is merciful4 ,mercy is only another manifestation of love1 and leads to the same result4 ,the ,bible says much about the mercy of ,god--he is of 8great mercy10 8plenteous in mercy10 8rich in mercy40 ,his mercy is said to be universal--8his tender mercies are over all his works40 ,his mercy is everlasting--8the mercy of the ,lord endureth forever40 ,the mercy of the ,lord then is great1 universal and everlasting4 ,it is by the mercy of ,god we are now blessed2 as his mercy is universal1 there is no place in the universe where his mercy will not reach us2 and as it is eternal1 the time will never come when he will not bless us4 ,universal blessedness then1 is the sequence of the proposition--,god is merciful4 ,god is holy4 ,holiness is a characteristic of love4 ,holiness delights in holiness1 in purity1 in happiness4 ,good men are holy in a finite degree1 and they pray1 and plan1 and labor1 to extend holiness4 ,god is holy in an infinite degree1 and he purposes universal holiness4 ,will he then ever place any of us where we cannot be holy1 but must lie down in depravity1 in corruption1 in sin1 forever and ever8 ,mr4 ,lewis affirms that he will thus dispose of millions of mankind4 ,but that is impossible1 as ,god is a holy being4 ,here is a man2 and because his children are disobedient1 he digs a dungeon1 chains them in its darkness1 feeds them on bread and water2 but this is not enough2 he enters that dungeon morning1 noon and evening1 and beats them half to death4 ,he continues this barbarous treatment for days1 weeks1 months1 years1 yea1 as long as they live4 ,would you call that the work of holiness8 ,god1 it is said1 will deal infinitely worse than that inhuman wretch4 8,far in the deep where darkness dwells1 ,a land of horror and despair1 ,justice has built a dismal hell1 ,and laid her store of vengeance there40 ,into this infernal dungeon1 we are told1 the ,creator will thrust countless millions of mankind1 swing the door upon them1 and there they must remain the helpless victims of every vile passion1 not for a day1 but to all eternity2 all grace1 mercy1 love1 withdrawn from them2 deprived of all opportunity1 of all power1 all means to reform their lives1 and doomed by the holy ,god to be unholy through the eternal ages4 ,say not this is the work of holiness2 say not the holy ,god will do what would be so unholy1 so diabolical4 ,as long as ,god is holy he will seek the holiness of his creatures1 and as he is infinitely and everlastingly holy1 in all places and in all times he will seek man's holiness and happiness4 ,universal salvation is the sequence of the proposition--,god is holy4 ,i spoke on ,sunday after the discussion closed1 in the ,hall1 and the spacious room was crowded to its full capacity4 ,mr4 ,bunn afterwards labored in ,springfield1 then ,l4 ,c4 ,marvin and ,j4 ,marvin1 his brother2 then ,a4 ,bosserman1 and at the present time1 ,h4 ,r4 ,nye is the pastor of the society4 ,our friends have a good meeting-house1 and liberal principles have a strong hold in the capital of ,illinois4 ,i journeyed to ,alton1 passing through ,carlinville1 ,brighton1 over the prairie where ,girard and ,virden now stand4 ,there was nothing there then but wild prairie4 ,from ,alton ,i proceeded to ,jerseyville1 a small burg then1 but now a beautiful town1 and delivered my message4 ,thence to ,exeter1 ,naples1 and on to ,macomb1 through ,rushville4 ,in all these places ,i spoke to the people4 ,in ,macomb we now have an excellent society and a fine meeting-house4 ,have often lectured there since my first visit4 ,had some talk here with a ,presbyterian clergyman by the name of ,chase1 ,i think4 8,you do not believe in hell2 but that is as clearly revealed as heaven40 8,you are mistaken4 ,i do believe in the hell the ,bible speaks of1 and which wicked men experience4 ,but ,i have no faith in the hell of human creeds4 ,god never revealed it2 it was developed from the darkness of ,paganism40 8,you cannot prove that40 8,i think ,i can4 ,nearly all learned men of all denominations admit1 that the ,old ,testament does not reveal an endless hell4 ,but from ,moses to ,christ the ,pagans believed in it4 ,as heaven had not revealed such a place1 the vain imaginations of men were the father and mother of it4 ,hesiod1 a ,greek poet1 who lived eight hundred years before ,christ tells us1 that hell is so far from heaven1 that it would take a mass of iron eighteen days to fall from the latter to the former place4 ,the gate of hell was supposed to be guarded by a dog having fifty heads1 and to make escape impossible1 the horrid place was surrounded by a river of fire1 called ,phlegethon4 ,virgil1 another ,heathen poet says3 8#8,here rolls the roaring1 flaming tide of hell1 ,and thundering rocks the fiery torrent swell4' 8,the punishment of hell is thus described by the same writer3 8#8,here sits in bloody robes the ,fury fell1 ,by night and day to watch the gates of hell4 ,here you begin terrific groans to hear1 ,and sounding lashes rise upon the ear4 ,on every side the damned their fetters grate1 ,and curse1 'mid clanking chains1 their wretched fate4' 8,one sinner is bound to a wheel of fire on which he must revolve eternally4 ,another is tortured with endless hunger and thirst2 he is in a lake of pure water up to his chin1 with the most delicious fruit a few inches from him1 but he cannot get a drop of water nor a particle of food into his mouth4 ,danaus' forty-nine daughters1 for murdering their husbands1 were doomed to fill a leaky tub with water1 drawn from a well with a sieve4 ,another victim of the gods was chained to a rock1 and vultures fed on his heart and entrails1 which grew as fast as devoured4 ,virgil1 also thus enlightens us concerning some of the inhabitants of hell3 8#8,at hell's dread mouth a thousand monsters wait2-- ,grief weeps1 and ,vengeance bellows in the gate2 ,base ,want1 low ,fear1 and ,famine's lawless rage1 ,and pale ,disease1 and slow1 repining ,age2 ,fierce1 formidable ,fiends the portals keep1 ,with ,pain1 ,toil1 ,death1 and ,death's half-brother1 ,sleep4 ,there ,joys1 embittered by ,remorse1 appear1 ,daughter of ,guilt2 here storms destructive ,war4 ,mad ,discord there her snaky tresses tore2 ,here stretched on iron beds the ,furies roar2 ,and close by ,lerna's hissing monster stands ,briareus dreadful with a hundred hands2 ,there stern ,geryon raged2 and all around ,fierce ,harpies screamed1 and direful ,gorgons frowned4' 8,this1 sir1 was the ,pagan hell--believed by ,pagans1 preached by ,pagan priests1 hundreds of years before ,jesus ,christ brought a future life to light4 ,did he teach an endless hell8 ,if so1 he taught ,paganism1 not the wisdom of ,god4 ,have ,i not proved that the dogma of endless punishment originated in ,heathen darkness8 ,you admit that it is not taught in the ,old ,testament2 that the ,jews did not believe in it in the days of ,moses or the prophets4 ,but the ,pagans did believe in it in those days1 therefore it was not revealed from heaven1 but was the product of their own deformed minds40 8,christians do not believe in the ,pagan hell1 but in the ,christian hell2 the ,pagans corrupted the truth40 8,the hell of modern creeds is as horrible as the hell of ,paganism4 ,i will give you some description of hell by ,christian authors1 and you will admit that ,i am correct4 ,rev4 ,isaac ,ambrose1 an ,english divine1 and a man of great talent1 contends that the ,heathen did not represent hell bad enough4 ,alluding to the ,pagan poets just quoted1 he says3 8#8,let poets feign of ,tantalus's tortures1 ,prometheus's vultures1 ,ixion's wheels1 and ,charon's rowing2 these are far short to express the pains of those that rage in hell4 ,there plagues have no ease1 cries have no help1 time has no end1 place no redemption4 ,it is the dark prison where the ,tares the damned are chained1 and the wicked bound in fetters of fire and darkness4 ,are there not wonderful engines1 sharp and sure instruments of revenge8 fiery brimstone1 pitchy sulpher1 red-hot chains1 flaming whips1 scorching darkness8 ,will you any more8 ,the worm is immortal1 cold intolerable1 stench unendurable1 fire unquenchable1 darkness palpable4444 ,what music affords the place but roaring and crying and howling8 ,cursing is their hymns1 wailing their tunes1 blasphemies their ditties1 tears their notes1 lamentations their songs1 screeching their strains2 these are their morning and evening songs4 ,what mean these chains and whips1 and links and scourges8 iron chains1 whips of steel1 fiery links1 knotty scourges4 ,furies shake their bolts to frighten souls2 the irons strike through their ears1 and the hooked engines tear out their bowels1 as if the torment of the damned were the delight of devils4' 8#8,oh1 what a bed is this for delicate and dainty persons2 no feathers1 but fire2 no friends1 but furies2 no ease1 but fetters2 no light1 but smoke2 no clock nor chimes to pass away the night1 but timeless eternity4 ,a fire1 intolerable2 a fire1 burning1 never dying6 ,oh1 immortal pains6444 ,what torment1 what calamity can be compared to the shadow of this8 ,the wicked shall be crowded together like brick in a fiery furnace4 ,there is no servant to fan cold air on their tormented parts--not so much as the chink where the least puff of wind might enter to cool them4' 8,another ,orthodox poet waxes eloquent in describing the infernal regions3 8#8,pale phantoms1 hideous specters1 shapes which scare ,the damned themselves1 and terrify despair1 ,gorgons and harpies1 and chimeras dire1 ,and swarms of hissing serpents1 hissing fire4' 8,dr4 ,trapp thus writes of the rivers of hell and their fiery tide3 8#8,fires spout in cataracts1 or in furies flow-- ,in bubbling eddies roll the fiery tide1 ,and sulphurous surges on each other ride4' 8,the ,orthodox ,pollock gives this idea of hell3 8#8,wide was the place1 ,and deep as wide1 and ruinous as deep4 ,beneath1 ,i saw a lake of burning fire1 ,with tempest tost perpetually1 and still1 ,the waves of fiery darkness 'gainst the rocks ,of dark damnation broke1 and music made ,of melancholy sort1 and over head1 ,and all around1 wind wared with wind1 storm howled ,to storm1 and lightning1 forked lightning1 crossed1 ,of sullen wrath4' 8,the ,pagan account of hell is tame compared to the ,orthodox representation of it4 ,a ,methodist elder1 a short time since1 in ,lafayette1 ,ind41 told his hearers1 that hell was so hot1 that if a soul was taken out of it and put into a red hot smelting furnace1 he would freeze to death in five minutes40 8,i will not talk with you2 for you are making sport of a very serious subject40 8,i am merely relating the common view of hell1 as it is preached all over the land40 8,i do not believe in such a hell2 neither do ,i preach it4 ,the wicked will be banished from the presence of ,god1 there to remain forever40 8,make hell as mild as you please2 put out all its fires1 throw away all its brimstone1 chains and pitchforks1 and say1 it is only a condition of sin1 darkness1 mental anguish1 and moral death1 and it then is awful beyond imagination4 ,fire1 red hot wheels1 boiling lead1 as means of torture1 give only a faint conception of the horrors of such a state1 if it is to continue forever4 ,as ,john ,wesley said1 #8,what is gained if there is no material fire in hell1 when all admit1 that if there is no material fire there1 there is something worse4'0 ,from ,macomb ,i proceeded to ,burlington1 ,iowa1 and thence to ,iowa ,city4 ,here ,i lectured several times4 ,i4 ,m4 ,westfall was residing and preaching there4 ,it was then a small town1 but now it is a large and flourishing place4 ,our society owns a meeting-house1 and other valuable property4 ,lectured in ,west ,liberty1 ,tipton1 ,rochester1 ,muscatine1 ,washington1 ,davenport1 and some other places in ,iowa1 and then returned to ,indianapolis by the most direct route4 ,this was a long and laborious journey2 traveled about one thousand miles1 and delivered many discourses1 one third of which were in places where the people were entirely ignorant of our faith1 and in the rest they knew but very little concerning it4 ,a short time before the new ,convention was organized1 ,i was in ,north ,manchester1 in the northern part of ,indiana1 where a youth introduced himself to me1 as ,william ,j4 ,chaplin1 and said he had walked fifteen miles to attend my meeting4 ,he also stated that he was studying theology1 and intended to be a minister4 ,i encouraged him in his purpose1 and shortly afterwards he delivered his first sermon4 ,he has been in the ministry ever since1 and has labored extensively1 faithfully1 and effectually1 in ,indiana1 ,ohio1 ,michigan1 and ,illinois4 ,at the present time he resides at ,dowagiac1 ,mich41 and devotes most of his time to the profession of his choice4 ,about this time ,i had an oral discussion with ,benjamin ,franklin1 on three subjects--,the ,general ,judgment--,universal ,salvation--,endless ,misery4 ,we discussed each proposition six hours4 ,the debate was published by both parties1 and makes a book of three hundred and fifty-nine pages4 ,it has had a wide circulation--three edition having been issued4 ,mr4 ,franklin is1 for he is still living1 an influential minister1 editor and author1 in his denomination4 ,he has resided in ,cincinnati many years1 and publishes a large weekly religious paper in that city4 ,i also had a debate in ,covington1 ,ind41 with ,mr4 ,french1 a ,baptist clergyman1 which continued four days4 ,he was pastor of the ,baptist church in that place1 and his people had immense faith in his ability to demolish the doctrines of the ,restitution4 ,but he labored under a great disadvantage1 as he could not extemporize2 and how he wrote his speeches was a mystery to me2 he must have worked hard during the intermissions4 ,but his labor and wit did not save him4 ,his friends were disappointed with his effort1 and he soon after left ,covington4 ,the discussion was held in the ,baptist meeting-house1 and very large congregations listened to the arguments1 pro and con4 ,soon after this1 ,i spent four days in discussion in ,park county1 ,ind41 with ,mr4 ,russell1 a ,campbellite minister4 ,the neighborhood was chiefly of the preacher's faith2 ,i put up with one of his brethren while the debate was progressing4 ,they all treated me kindly1 and we parted in friendship4 ,mr4 ,r4 now resides in ,iowa1 and is a noted man in his denomination4 ,in the midst of this arduous labor1 ,i wrote and published the 8,one ,hundred and ,fifty ,reasons for ,believing in the ,salvation of ,mankind10 about twenty thousand copies of which has been distributed1 and ,i think it has done a good work4 ,alexander ,hall1 of ,ohio1 published a book1 denominated 8,universalism ,against ,itself10 which was extensively circulated in the ,west4 ,he has since turned infidel1 and says he wrote the book to please the ,orthodox2 he was probably an infidel when he wrote it4 ,but his hypocrisy not then being known1 and as the book might deceive some of its readers1 ,i employed ,dr4 ,jordan to answer it in the ,teacher4 ,his review occupied a portion of the ,teacher for one year1 and when it was finished1 it was published in book form1 making a volume of nearly four hundred pages4 ,an edition of two thousand copies has been sold4 ,it is a strong and vigorous work1 and completely answers most of the objections urged in all quarters against the ,universalist construction of the ,bible4 ,i also published a little book of two hundred pages1 called 8,truth vs4 ,error10 composed of selections from some of our best writers4 ,one thousand copies of it were distributed4 ,in #ahdh1 ,i commenced issuing the paper weekly1 calling it the ,western ,olive ,branch4 ,soon after1 ,i unwisely moved it to ,cincinnati1 hoping it would have a more general circulation if it was published in the 8,queen ,city0 of the ,west4 ,but unfortunately1 ,i had a partner1 ,h4 ,torry1 who proved to be a dead weight on my hands1 and to throw him off ,i had to dispose of the paper1 which ,i did1 to ,j4 ,a4 ,gurley1 and he connected it with the ,star in the ,west4 ,after this brief partnership of a few months1 resulting thus disastrously1 ,i returned to ,indianapolis1 and devoted all my time and attention to preaching4 ,when this transfer was made1 the circulation of the ,olive ,branch was thirty-three hundred1 and it had been published nearly nine years4 ,i was sorry to give it up1 but deemed it best to do so under the circumstances4 ,the succeeding eighteen months1 ,i was from home most of the time1 traveling in ,indiana1 ,illinois1 ,kentucky1 ,michigan and ,ohio1 preaching wherever ,i could have a hearing4 ,on horseback ,i went from ,cincinnati to ,lake ,erie1 and from ,lake ,erie to ,cincinnati2 lectured in ,springfield1 ,dayton1 ,columbus1 ,upper ,sandusky1 and in many other places4 ,i also journeyed west as far as ,st4 ,louis1 and northwest to ,iowa ,city4 ,,chapter ,,xiv4 ,,concluded ,,to ,,go ,,to ,,st4 ,,louis--,,commenced ,,the ,,golden ,,era--,,association ,,in ,,crawfordsville--,,debate ,,in ,,dayton--,,man ,,in ,,god',s ,,image--,,god ,,the ,,father ,,of ,,all--,,man ,,immortal--,,man ,a ,,spirit--,,high ,,waters--,,in ,,st4 ,,louis--,,why ,,moved ,,to ,,st4 ,,louis--,,but ,,few ,,friends--,,first ,,journey ,,in ,,missouri--,,wet1 ,,hungry1 ,,out ,,in ,,the ,,cold--,,in ,,troy--,,in ,,ashly--,,four ,,brothers--,,in ,,louisiana--,,opposition ,,in ,,london--,,in ,,hannibal--,,good ,,friends--,,questioned ,,in ,,palmyra ,,about ,,slavery--,,conversation ,,on ,,judgment--,,in ,,memphis--,,questioned--,a ,,presbyterian ,,preacher ,,replied--,,was ,,to ,,debate ,,in ,,newark--,,covered ,,with ,,ice--,,missouri ,,river--,,discussion ,,in ,,georgetown--,,in ,,southern ,,missouri--,,questioned ,,in ,,warsaw--,,in ,,jefferson ,,city--,,hard ,,work ,,in ,,danville--,,returned ,,to ,,st4 ,,louis4 ,having disposed of the paper ,i had published for several years1 ,i resolved to move to ,st4 ,louis1 and establish one in that city4 ,accordingly1 in the fall of #ahej1 ,i went to ,st4 ,louis and issued the first number of a magazine of twenty-four pages1 called the ,golden ,era4 ,i proposed publishing it monthly1 at one dollar per year4 ,returning to ,indianapolis1 ,i remained there till the succeeding spring1 and then left that place for the new home on the banks of the 8,father of ,waters40 ,we1 that is1 ,mrs4 ,manford1 baby ,mae1 and self1 with horse and carriage1 proceeded to ,crawfordsville1 ,ind41 where we attended the annual meeting of the ,upper ,wabash ,association4 ,dr4 ,i4 ,d4 ,williamson was present1 and all were much edified with two or three excellent discourses by that gifted clergyman4 ,josiah ,davis was then residing and preaching in ,crawfordsville4 ,for many years he was a prominent minister of the ,united ,brethren ,church2 but his faith had gradually enlarged1 and for three years previous to this date1 he had been an ardent defender of the doctrines of the ,restitution4 ,proceeded to ,dayton1 and there spent four days in discussion with ,mr4 ,russell--the same man ,i had previously debated with in ,park county4 ,one of his propositions affirmed that the 8wicked will be destroyed10 and by that he meant1 annihilated1 soul and body4 8,man10 he said1 8by nature is all mortal2 and immortality is only conferred in the resurrection on those who are regenerated in this world40 ,i combatted this materialistic position thus3 ,as ,i read the ,bible1 man is a child of ,god1 created in his image1 and is therefore a spirit1 endowed with an immortal nature4 ,the account we have of the creation of our race runs thus3 8,and ,god said1 ,let us make man in our image1 after our likeness4444 ,so ,god created man in his own image1 in the image of ,god created he him40 ,gen4 i4 #bf1 #bg4 8,in the day that ,god created man1 in the likeness of ,god made he him40 ,gen4 v4 #a4 ,it is also said1 8,whoso sheddeth man's blood1 by man shall his blood be shed2 for in the image of ,god made he man40 ,gen4 ix4 #f4 ,in the first book of the ,bible1 then1 it is repeated four times1 that man was created in the image of ,god4 ,some tell us1 that image was lost in ,adam1 and that all his posterity have been created in the image of the infernal1 but this is not the theology of the ,new ,testament4 ,the apostle ,paul says1 8,forasmuch as man ,,is the image and glory of ,god40 #a ,cor4 ii4 #g4 ,and another apostle testifies to the same1 8,therewith bless we ,god1 even the ,father2 and therewith curse we men1 which ,,are made in the similitude 7or image7 of ,god40 ,james iii4 #i4 ,we may then safely affirm1 that mankind from the morning of creation to the present time1 have been created in the image and glory of ,god4 ,the fish of the sea1 the fowls of the air1 the beasts of the forest1 were all created--but not in the image of ,god4 ,man only is thus distinguished4 ,the record cannot mean1 that the body is in the image of ,god1 for ,god is a spirit4 ,the body rather is in the image of the earthy4 8,and as we have borne the image of the earthy40 #a ,cor4 xv4 #di4 ,but the body is not the whole of man4 ,there is a thinking1 reasoning1 willing1 propelling power within this physical organism4 ,it is designated by various names in the ,bible4 ,it is called a 8spirit10 the 8inward man10 8the mind40 ,it is doubtless this inward man that is created in the image and glory of ,god4 ,as we have seen1 the apostle asserts1 that the outer man1 the body1 is in the image of the earthy4 ,what does he mean8 ,doubtless that all the elements1 laws1 forces1 of the physical universe are represented1 imaged in man's physical form2 hence1 wise men in ancient and modern times have regarded man physically as an epitome1 microcosm of the outer universe4 ,it is then the inward man1 the spirit1 that is in the image and glory of ,god1 and consequently all the elements of the ,great ,spirit are represented1 imaged in man's spiritual organism1 but in a finite degree4 ,god is a spirit1 an immortal spirit1 a being of infinite wisdom1 love and power4 ,man's spirit being in his image1 and partaking of his glory1 must possess all these qualities1 but in a finite degree4 ,he is a finite spirit1 a spark from the central sun1 and partakes of the immortality1 wisdom1 love and power of ,god4 ,the objector has said1 8,i know man has a body for ,i see it2 but ,i do not see the spirit you talk about1 and cannot believe it has an existence40 ,do you not see that this statement lands you in ,atheism8 ,you believe there is a physical universe for you can see it1 or at least1 part of it4 ,but you cannot see ,god1 therefore1 according to your reasoning1 there is no ,god4 ,the apostle ,paul did not reason in this unphilosophical manner4 ,he said1 8,the things that are seen are temporal2 the things that are unseen are eternal40 ,as ,god is an invisible spirit1 and the inward man is in his image1 of course it must be invisible to mortal eyes4 ,the truth is1 all the controlling forces of the universe are as invisible to our material vision1 as are ,god and the spirits which are in his image4 ,the laws of gravity1 of repulsion1 of cohesion1 are all invisible2 but they are at work in all things1 from a pebble to the sun4 ,we cannot see them1 but we experience their effects every moment of our existence4 ,we cannot see electricity1 but we behold it rend the mountain oak1 and melt the hardest metal2 we cannot see the atmosphere1 but we behold it prostrate the forest1 and dash to atoms the work of man2 we cannot see steam1 but we see its effect--it drives the heavy train on its iron track1 and propels the giant ship across the ocean against wind and tide4 ,so we cannot see ,god1 only as we behold him in all his works4 8,god hath a being1 and that we may see ,in the fold of the flower1 the leaf of the tree2 ,in the sun of the noon-day1 the star of the night1 ,in the storm-cloud of darkness1 the rainbow of light1 ,in the waves of the ocean1 the furrow of land1 ,in the mountain of granite1 the atom of sand2 ,turn where we may1 from the sky to the sod1 ,where can we gaze that we see not a ,god80 ,we cannot see the spirit that inhabits this mortal body1 but we can behold its work4 ,it builds up and controls the body2 gives strength to the muscles1 vigor to the hand1 brightness to the eye1 manliness to the form1 and genius to the brain4 ,it constructs our railroads1 steamships1 and performs all the works of art4 ,it employs human bone and muscle2 but they are only its servants2 the indwelling spirit plans all1 executes all4 ,what the spirit is to the body1 ,god is to the universe4 ,i can as easily comprehend the ,great ,spirit as ,i can my own spirit2 ,i can as easily understand how ,god can be present in the whole universe1 as ,i can understand how my spirit can be present in the whole body4 ,take the spirit from the body and the body dies2 take ,god from the universe and the universe would die--become an immense corpse4 ,when we know our spirit1 we know ,god2 when we know our body1 we have a philosophy of the universe4 ,man1 then1 is godlike in his nature2 he is a spirit1 has the attributes of a spirit1 one of which is immortality4 ,if ,god is immortal1 man is1 as he is in the image of ,god4 ,i see no way to avoid the conclusion1 if the premise is admitted1 and if we deny that1 we discard the plain teachings of the ,bible4 ,what has been said concerning man being in his nature in the divine image1 is confirmed by the scriptural testimony1 that ,god is the ,father of mankind4 8,have we not all one ,father80 ,mal4 ii4 #aj4 8,for to us there is but one ,god the ,father40 #a ,cor4 viii4 #f4 8,one ,god and ,father of all40 ,eph4 iv4 #f4 ,jesus instructs us to pray1 8,our ,father who art in heaven40 8,o ,god1 the ,god of the spirits of all flesh40 ,num4 xvi4 #bb4 ,this is repeated 7,num4 xxvii4 #af7 and the apostle ,paul 7,heb4 xii4 #i7 quoting it substitutes 8,father of spirits0 for 8,god of spirits40 ,as ,god is the ,father of mankind1 we are his children--his offspring1 hence the declaration1 8,inasmuch as we are the offspring of ,god40 ,acts xvii4 #bi4 ,children always partake of the nature of their parents4 ,as ,god is the 8,father of spirits10 we must partake of his spiritual nature--be in his immortal image4 ,this body is of mother-earth and partakes of earth's perishable nature2 the spirit is of ,father-,god1 and partakes of his immortal nature4 ,and when death severs the connecting link between body and spirit1 the earthy returns to the earth whence it came1 and the spirit to ,god whence it came4 ,if these premises are correct--if the spirit of man is in the image of ,god1 if ,god is the 8,father of spirits10 it follows that man1 with other rich endowments1 is blessed with an immortal nature1 and ,mr4 ,russell's position1 that man is all mortal is incorrect4 ,this heaven-endowed spirit is often spoken of in the ,bible4 ,when man was created1 it is said that ,god breathed into his body1 and he became a 8living soul40 ,we are also told that he formeth the spirit of man within him2 7,zech4 xii4 #a7 that 8the body without the spirit is dead40 ,we read of 8the spirits in prison20 ,jesus on the cross gave up his spirit to ,god1 committed his spirit to ,god2 when he appeared to his disciples they thought they saw a spirit2 but he told them that a spirit hath neither flesh nor bones4 ,we are informed that the ,sadducees believed in neither angels nor spirits1 but the ,pharisees believed in both2 and when the latter heard the apostle ,paul say1 that the risen ,christ had appeared to him1 they said1 if a spirit had appeared to him1 they ought not to fight against ,god4 ,from all this testimony1 we learn that ,god is the ,father of mankind1 and that consequently we partake of his nature--are created in his image2 and as ,god is a spirit1 man is a spirit2 as ,god is immortal1 man is immortal4 ,man's moral character may or may not be godlike1 in the divine image4 ,the ,christian only is said to be in ,god's moral image1 to be a partaker of the divine character2 but it is the nature of man ,i speak of at this time1 not his moral character4 ,children always are of the nature of their parents1 but their moral character may be very different4 ,so mankind1 being the children of ,god1 partake of his divine nature1 but their moral character may be ungodly4 ,and it is the purpose of heaven that man's nature shall unfold till his moral character shall be in harmony with the divine as his nature now is4 ,corrupt as may be man's moral character1 he still retains the image and glory of ,god his ,father in his soul1 but in various degrees of distinctness4 ,some1 by the great apostle1 are compared to the sun1 others to the moon1 and others still to the stars1 7#a ,cor4 xv47 and we are taught by the wise man that this divine glory will grow 8brighter and brighter to the perfect day40 ,from ,dayton ,i proceeded to ,joliet1 ,ill41 about one hundred and forty miles distant4 ,there had recently been heavy rains1 and the bridges on the ,illinois' rivers were nearly all swept away or much damaged1 and ,i had to swim my horse across the streams1 or repair the broken bridges to get my precious charge over the turbulent waters4 ,we had some dangerous passes through the streams1 and over the frail bridges ,i had repaired4 ,in pulling the carriage over one bridge ,i came within an hair's breadth of being pushed into the creek1 and the buggy falling on me4 ,the flood of this year was not quite equal to the flood of #ahdd1 spoken of in a previous chapter1 but it probably did more damage1 as the country was more improved4 ,when ,i reached ,alton1 some of its streets were navigable for skiffs1 and the levee at ,st4 ,louis was all submerged4 ,but after much hard traveling and toiling we made ,joliet2 and from thence ,i went to ,st4 ,louis alone1 leaving ,mrs4 ,manford to spend the summer with her sisters in ,joliet and ,lockport4 ,st4 ,louis at that time contained eighty thousand inhabitants1 and was rapidly increasing in population1 in business1 and in wealth4 ,at the present time it contains two hundred and ten thousand inhabitants--an immense increase in fifteen years4 ,it is built on the west bank of the ,mississippi river1 eighteen miles below the junction of the ,missouri river with the 8,father of ,waters40 ,the ground on which this noble city stands1 is high and rolling1 its streets are well paved1 and the buildings generally are of a substantial character1 being mostly of brick4 ,its beautiful site1 its central location1 its sixteen hundred miles of river navigation1 its railroads extended or being extended in all directions1 the vast agricultural region of which it is the center1 the immense mineral and coal fields at its door--these advantages all combined must ultimately make ,st4 ,louis one of the largest cities of the world4 ,several spasmodic efforts had been made to establish a ,universalist society in ,st4 ,louis4 ,j4 ,libbey1 ,g4 ,t4 ,flanders1 ,n4 ,m4 ,gaylord had preached there1 but for two or three years previous to my removal to ,st4 ,louis all effort in that direction had been abandoned4 ,i lectured in the city occasionally2 a society was organized1 and the next year ,g4 ,s4 ,weaver from ,ohio became pastor of the society4 ,i had moved to ,st4 ,louis to publish a paper there1 and to travel and preach in ,missouri and in the neighboring states4 ,an immense field was before me1 a vast amount of labor was to be performed1 and ,i went to work with a resolute heart4 ,in all ,southern ,illinois we had not a minister1 a meeting-house1 nor a society1 and1 of course1 our friends were few and unknown4 ,it was the same in ,missouri1 with two or three exceptions4 ,there were a society and preacher just emerging from ,dunkardism1 in the southern part of the state4 ,in ,troy we had a meeting-house1 but the society was dead4 ,in the southwest part of the state ,l4 ,c4 ,marvin had labored some1 but then he was not residing in ,missouri4 ,leaving ,mrs4 ,manford in charge of the paper1 in ,september ,i commenced a long and laborious journey through ,missouri1 among entire strangers1 expecting to be absent three months4 ,crossed the ,mississippi river at ,alton1 four miles above where the ,missouri flows into it1 to go to ,cottleville1 thirty miles distant1 where ,i had my first appointment4 ,the rain poured down in torrents nearly the whole day1 and to add to my troubles ,i got lost in the woods and swamps at the junction of the two rivers4 ,regaining the road1 ,i traveled till dark1 and finding that ,i could not reach ,cottleville that night1 made application at a dozen houses for lodging1 but all said1 8,no2 we are full40 ,the night being intensely dark1 the rain falling fast1 and the roads in a horrible condition and unknown to me1 ,i resolved to go no farther4 ,stopped at a house1 called the man thereof to the door1 and solicited a resting place till morning4 8,we have no room2 they will keep you at the next house40 8,what are you in this country8--heathens8 ,at ten or fifteen places ,i have been refused admittance1 each telling your story1 that ,i could be accommodated at the next house4 ,whether you take me in or not1 ,i shall go no farther till morning4 ,i am wet1 and cold1 and tired4 ,it is so dark ,i cannot see my horse1 the road is nearly impassable1 and ,i am a stranger in the country2 ,i know no one1 and no one knows me4 ,if you will not shelter me in your house1 ,i will sit under this tree till morning1 for ,i am determined to proceed no farther to-night40 8,oh1 well10 said he1 8come in1 come in2 we will do the best we can for you40 ,arrived at ,cottleville the next morning1 and spoke to the people in the evening4 ,the next day proceeded to ,troy1 and on the succeeding day delivered three discourses4 ,found a respectable number of friends there and in the vicinity1 and obtained forty subscribers for the ,golden ,era4 ,as elsewhere remarked1 ,n4 ,wadsworth resided and preached in ,troy a year or two previous to his death1 and ,i found many who blessed his memory for the beautiful truths he had taught them4 ,have frequently spoken in this place since that first visit1 and have some highly esteemed friends there4 ,mrs4 ,manford often retreated to it from the scorching sun of ,st4 ,louis4 ,lectured in ,prairieville1 ,louisville1 and then proceeded to ,ashley1 where ,i spoke several times4 ,there were four brothers by the name of ,hendricks residing near this village--all elderly men1 of considerable wealth1 and had long been citizens of the county4 ,if the world were composed of men of the sterling worth of those brothers1 there should be no need of 8camp or court40 ,it has been my sad duty to perform the funeral service for two of those brothers1 and for the wife of one of the survivors4 8,blessed are the dead1 who die in the ,lord10 and the living who make virtue their choice4 ,lectured in ,bowling ,green1 and then in ,louisiana1 a beautiful town on the ,mississippi river4 ,w4 ,k4 ,kennedy1 a noble man1 and ever my steadfast friend1 resided in this place4 ,he served his country through the great rebellion1 and soon after he returned home was murdered1 as is supposed1 on the ,mississippi river4 ,preached in ,frankfort1 and passed on to ,london4 ,as soon as it became known ,i was to lecture in ,london1 a man went post haste to ,hannibal1 nine miles distant1 and brought out a preacher to reply4 ,the moment ,i was through he opened on me pell mell1 without regard to sense or syntax4 ,he evidently believed it was thunder that killed1 not lightning4 ,he knew nothing about the liberal faith1 but thought he had perfect knowledge of it4 ,in noticing his noisy harangue1 ,i cut him right and left1 and he very considerably 8subsided40 ,drove to ,hannibal and lectured four times4 ,have often preached in that place1 and have some dear friends there4 ,the ,browns1 the ,westfalls1 and others1 ,i shall esteem as long as this heart beats4 ,the latter have a charming home on the bluff overlooking the ,mississippi river1 embowered in trees1 vines and shrubbery4 ,all the fruits of this latitude grow to perfection and in wonderful profusion on their grounds4 ,there are the apple1 pear1 cherry--the best varieties--plum1 peach1 grape1 and berries of all kinds4 ,it is1 especially1 a delightful summer home1 and ,mrs4 ,manford frequently fled to it from the melting sun of ,st4 ,louis4 ,a certain doctor of ,hannibal published some very coarse and false articles in a ,st4 ,louis paper about ,universalism3 and ,i replied to him in such a manner that he armed himself to shoot me when ,i was in the town to fulfill an appointment1 but his friends kept him from me till ,i had left1 and he had cooled off4 ,i knew nothing of the wrath of this second ,achilles till ,i returned to ,hannibal a month after4 ,i was not blameless1 but hardly merited being shot4 ,lectured in ,palmyra1 in the ,court-,house full of men--one woman only being present4 ,a preacher said he had one or two questions to ask4 8,state your questions and ,i will try to answer them40 8,are you from the ,east80 8,i have the honor of being a son of old ,massachusetts40 8,are you an abolitionist80 8,yes1 sir2 ,i believe in the abolition of the devil and all his works40 8,that is not what ,i mean4 ,are you a political abolitionist80 8,i think every wrong in politics should be abolished1 and finally will be40 8,but are you for abolishing slavery in ,missouri1 and the other ,southern states80 8,i believe negro slavery to be wrong in morals and in politics1 and a curse to the white man and the black man2 but it is sustained by the laws of the land1 ,i do not expect to do anything unlawful against it4 ,but what is your object in questioning me in this public manner80 8,i wanted to know your sentiments40 8,you have them on slavery2 and now ,i will give them concerning yourself4 ,my opinion of you is1 that you are a very meddlesome and officious fellow40 ,although1 probably1 nearly all present were intensely proslavery1 for ,palmyra was always strong in that direction1 they generally condemned the preacher for his impertinence1 and treated me kindly4 ,i journeyed to ,tully and lectured several times4 ,had the following conversation with a church member3 8,you told us last evening1 that the common theory of a judgment day1 at the end of time1 was a delusion4 ,the ,scriptures certainly teach what you were pleased to term a delusion40 8,do you think that ,god judges in the earth80 8,i do4 ,we are in his presence every moment of our earth-life1 and he judges between the good and the bad2 the righteous are exalted1 and the wicked are debased4 ,the ,bible expressly says1 #8,there is a ,god who judgeth in the earth4'0 8,very good4 ,you also contend1 that at death we are sent to heaven or hell4 ,of course this is not done till we are judged4 ,civil tribunals do not hang a man and then judge him4 ,he is judged first4 ,the ,divine ,judge surely does not consign any to hell without a previous judgment4 ,i have heard ministers of your faith at funerals tell the mourners1 that the departed have gone to the bar of ,god to give an account of the deeds done in the body1 and that justice will be meted out to them4 ,do you believe that we go at death to the bar of ,god80 8,that is a solemn truth1 and we should have that judgment in all our thoughts from the cradle to the grave40 8,you think1 ,i suppose1 that there is to be a judgment day at the end of the world40 8,i certainly do2 and that is what ,i understood you to deny40 8,according to your theology ,god will judge the world three times4 #a4 ,all are judged in this world1 you assert4 #b4 ,all are judged at death4 #c4 ,all will be judged at the end of the world4 ,here are three distinct judgments4 ,i1 on the other hand1 contend1 that ,god judges us but once1 and that will continue as long as we live4 ,his law is stamped on the soul1 and our eternal life will only increase its impression1 its vividness1 and by that immutable law1 ingrained in the soul1 we are now judged1 and ever will be judged4 ,if our character is in harmony with that law1 peace1 bliss1 heaven is our portion4 ,if we are disloyal to that law1 we are crushed on the iron track4 ,and what is true now ever will be true--obedience ever will lead to heaven1 and disobedience to hell4 ,instead of their being three judgments1 there is only one2 and instead of three seasons of judgment1 the true judgment is eternal4 ,i believe1 then1 in an everlasting and universal judgment40 8,i should like to hear a discourse on that kind of a judgment1 for it is a new idea to me40 8,i will deliver a discourse on that subject this evening40 ,traveled to ,memphis1 where ,i spoke six times4 ,delivered a discourse on the occasion of the death of ,c4 ,s4 ,webber1 who had departed this life about one year previous4 ,he was from ,ohio1 and had labored in ,missouri two years4 ,the good cause lost an active and efficient laborer in his death4 ,he was untiring in his efforts1 and it was his delight to proclaim the unsearchable riches of heaven4 ,at a subsequent visit to this place1 a clergyman arose in the congregation1 and propounded some thirty or forty questions1 which he had written for the occasion1 and desired me to answer them1 which ,i did as ,i best could4 8,you teach that punishment is designed to reform the sinner4 ,what evidence is there that you are correct80 8,every sorrow1 every pain1 resulting from transgression1 is a voice of ,god telling the offender that he has done wrong1 has violated a law of the ,creator1 and is on the open road to ruin1 and urges him to retrace his steps4 ,it is a thunder-clap from the ,almighty1 reverberating through the soul and body of the transgressor1 telling him of his prodigality1 warning him to flee from the wrath to come1 and begging him to return to truth and duty4 ,pain is as clearly and as certainly the voice of ,god condemning vice1 and urging the offender to abandon the forbidden path1 and walk in virtue's ways1 as any word ever spoken by a living prophet4 ,it is ,god speaking directly to man1 face to face4 8,happiness also being the natural and sure result of virtue1 is a divine approbation of the christian life2 it is the voice of ,god sanctioning virtue and encouraging the good man in righteousness4 ,and this approbation of virtue1 and condemnation of vice1 is a revelation to man in all climes and ages4 ,it is older than the written ,bible1 and is proclaimed to all the sons and daughters of earth1 #8,day unto day uttereth speech1 and night unto night showeth knowledge4 ,there is no speech nor language1 where their voice is not heard4' ,ps4 xix4 #b1 #c4 8,true1 it is often drowned in the clamor of passion1 disregarded by the ignorant1 and unheeded by the thoughtless2 but its testimony against all wrong1 and for all right1 constantly sounding in the ears1 and being telegraphed through the soul and body of every human being1 has ever more or less curbed the passions of the vicious1 and promoted righteousness4 ,happiness is man's end and aim4 ,for that he toils from the cradle to the grave2 and he is assured from his own experience1 which is the revelation from ,god to man ,i have been speaking of1 that vice surely brings misery1 and virtue surely brings happiness4 ,this fact in every one's experience has every where lessened vice and increased virtue1 notwithstanding passion1 ignorance1 false philosophy1 and false religion--flesh and the devil--have blasphemously called it delusion1 irreligion1 infidelity40 8,you remarked in your first discourse1 that there is an analogy between the earth and man4 ,is not that infidelity80 8,i can see no infidelity in it4 ,it is best not to be afraid of the truth4 ,that there is a striking analogy between man's physical organism1 and the earth of which it is a product1 is certainly correct4 #a4 ,the rock of the earth corresponds to the bones in the human frame4 #b4 ,the dust covering the rocky skeleton of the earth corresponds to the flesh spread over these bones4 #c4 ,the veins of water meandering through the earth answer to the purple currents coursing every part of the body4 #d4 ,the earth has internal fires1 the body has internal heat4 #e4 ,the hair of the head1 which is a vegetable1 corresponds to the vegetable growth covering the earth4 #f4 ,the earth is even sometimes sick1 like man1 and is only relieved by vomiting forth its feverish contents4 #g4 ,the earth is surrounded by an atmosphere2 philosophers tell us1 that every man is enveloped in an atmosphere1 emenating from his body4 #h4 ,the earth was once in a ruder condition than it is now2 man was once coarser1 more brutal than he is at the present time4 #i4 ,man had a beginning--#8in the beginning ,god made the heavens and the earth4' #aj4 ,this mortal body must die1 be decomposed1 return to the source whence it came2 will not this earth die1 be decomposed1 and return whence it came8 ,the gentleman may call this infidelity if he pleases4 ,he can then finish the chapter of folly by calling summer1 winter2 heat1 cold2 light1 darkness2 truth1 error2 virtue1 vice2 and ,god1 devil40 ,a ,presbyterian minister replied to one of my discourses1 and after answering his objections1 ,i proceeded southward1 and lectured in ,sand ,hill1 ,milford1 ,edina and ,newark4 ,subsequently ,i had an appointment to debate four days with a man in ,newark4 ,he was to try to sustain this proposition--8,universalism is no better than infidelity40 ,but it being impossible for me to reach there at the appointed time1 the discussion did not take place1 and ,i never could induce him afterwards to discuss that proposition4 ,i delivered a series of discourses in ,newark soon after this disappointment1 and thus noticed the gentleman's proposition3 ,mr4 ,matlock1 ,i understand1 when he was here to debate with me1 told you in what respect 8,universalism is no better than infidelity40 ,universalism1 he made out1 agrees in one or two points with infidelity1 therefore he wisely concluded that the whole system is no better than infidelity4 ,let us see what ,campbellism is according to this rule4 ,mormonism says1 there is a ,god1 and that he will torment millions of mankind eternally2 ,campbellism says the same1 therefore ,campbellism is no better than ,mormonism1 and ,mr4 ,matlock might as well go to ,salt ,lake and marry a dozen of his ,mormon sisters4 ,paganism says1 there is a burning hell for the wicked2 ,campbellism says there is a burning hell for the wicked1 therefore ,campbellism is no better than ,paganism1 and ,mr4 ,matlock had better sacrifice his jackass to appease the wrath of his offended ,god4 ,catholicism teaches1 that the unbaptized will all be lost2 ,campbellism teaches the same1 therefore ,campbellism is no better than ,catholicism1 and ,mr4 ,matlock had better join the 8mother church10 migrate to ,rome1 and sanctify himself by kissing the great toe of 8his holiness10 the pope4 ,atheism tells us1 that man is mortal and must die2 ,campbellism tells the same2 ,campbellism1 then1 is no better than ,atheism4 ,but no system can be farther from infidelity than ,universalism4 ,it is all aglow with wisdom1 justice1 mercy1 goodness1 holiness1 truth and virtue4 ,it teaches1 that there is a ,god who rules in heaven and on earth1 that man is in his image1 and in imitating him we derive our chief good1 and that we are destined to approximate his adorable perfections forever and ever4 ,a person must have a dark and deformed mind1 who can denounce that spiritual system1 and brand it with infidelity4 ,at another time in going from ,newark to ,edina1 the rain poured down in torrents till ,i was about half way through1 when the wind suddenly changing to the north1 and the thermometer fell in one hour to four degrees below zero4 ,when ,i reached a haven ,i was encased in a thick coat of ice1 and could not get out of the saddle without assistance4 ,the next day ,i rode thirty miles over the prairie in the face of a northwest wind1 that cut like a razor4 ,from ,newark ,i proceeded to ,shelbyville1 and spoke several times4 ,have often lectured there since4 ,thence to ,paris1 ,middle ,grove1 ,columbia1 in all of which towns ,i had large congregations4 ,lectured in ,fayette1 and then crossed the ,missouri river1 one hundred and sixty miles from ,st4 ,louis1 and preached in ,booneville1 a beautiful town on the bank of 8,big ,muddy10 as the ,missouri is often called4 ,this is a mighty river4 ,its waters1 from hundreds of fountains in the ,rocky ,mountains1 after dashing through deep gorges1 tumbling over vast precipices1 and winding over the immense deserts of the far west1 all combine and make one of the largest rivers in the world4 ,although it is here a wide1 deep and rapid stream1 it is nearly two thousand miles to where it pours its vast contents into the salt sea4 ,the bluffs on each side of it1 two or three hundred feet high1 are about seven miles apart1 and show what this river has been doing these many years4 ,the clay and rock that once filled that vast channel1 seven miles wide1 three hundred feet deep1 and thousands of miles long1 has all been floated away in its ceaseless and resistless tide--carried south1 and helped to redeem ,louisiana and ,mississippi from ocean's dominions4 ,about the finest country in the world is bordering on this river in the state of ,missouri4 ,on the north side of the river1 from ,iowa to where it connects with the ,mississippi river1 and on the south side from ,nebraska1 through ,kansas to ,jefferson ,city1 ,mo41 the land is rolling1 well timbered1 and the soil rich1 warm and deep4 ,tobacco1 hemp1 the cereals1 the grasses1 and the fruits of the temperate climate1 grow here abundantly1 and as near perfection as in any country4 ,mighty cities will be built on the banks of this great river1 a dense population will throng its shores1 and civilization will here attain its highest degree of glory4 ,journeyed to ,georgetown1 and lectured several times2 a man replied1 ,i rejoined1 when he said no more4 ,proceeded to ,calhoun and preached twice2 thence to ,clinton where ,i spoke three times4 ,this was the limits of my journey south4 ,i was in the southwest part of ,missouri4 ,the country was thinly settled1 and the adherents of the liberal faith were very scarce4 ,l4 ,c4 ,marvin had resided in ,booneville1 and preached some in this region1 but there was no organization1 and little was known of our faith4 ,still my congregations were large1 and the people listened respectfully4 ,this is an excellent field for a missionary4 ,it is a beautiful country1 and will soon be densely settled4 ,traveled east to ,warsaw1 on the ,osage river1 and delivered my message4 ,one preacher replied1 and another asked many questions1 so ,i had about as much as ,i could attend to4 ,the latter inquired1 if we organize churches1 build meeting-houses1 and ordain ministers2 and was much surprised when informed of the number of our churches1 meeting-houses and ministers4 8,do you profess to be ,christians80 said he4 ,when ,i replied1 yea1 he added1 8,well1 ,i did not know that40 ,proceeded to ,jefferson ,city2 reached there about dark1 wet and cold1 for it had rained all day4 ,stopped at a hotel1 and inquired if there was an appointment for me2 the landlord thought there was at the ,court-house4 ,hastened to the place without supper1 as ,i had no time to attend to that1 and found the ,court-house lighted1 and seven or eight very respectable appearing men in the large room4 ,no more came1 and ,i delivered a long discourse to that small crowd4 ,when ,i was through1 ,i mentioned the paper ,i was publishing in ,st4 ,louis1 and every man present subscribed for it2 and ,i found that they were some of the notables of the state--the lieutenant-governor1 secretary of state1 treasurer of state1 auditor of state1 post-master of the town1 and two lawyers4 ,the next day crossed the ,missouri river to its north side1 and rode to ,fulton1 where ,i lectured1 and then proceeded to ,danville4 ,here ,i meet with opposition4 ,when ,i had taken my seat in the ,court-house1 a man arose in the congregation1 and wished me to take for my text1 the parable of the rich man and ,lazarus4 ,i spoke one hour on that subject1 although ,i had rode all day on horseback4 ,as soon as ,i was through with my discourse on that text1 another wanted an explanation of the 8lake of fire0 and 8second death40 ,i accommodated him1 when a third one replied to what ,i had said on both passages4 ,i spoke another hour1 and was glad to have some rest4 ,rode next day to ,warrenton1 thirty miles1 and lectured1 and by request1 told the people all ,i knew about the devil4 ,one man in the house seemed to think ,i had not done that character justice1 and so he added what ,i omitted with reference to his being1 history1 works1 character and future prospects4 ,he made him out to be a very powerful being1 more than a match for the ,almighty1 and the author of all the sin and woe of this world4 ,i asked the preacher1 whence the devil derived all his power to do so much mischief1 and he would not condescend to inform me4 ,i asked him why ,god did not kill the devil if he was such an enemy to him1 and he said that was an infidel question4 ,i told the people ,i had not a particle of faith in the devil of the ,methodist creed1 for the gentleman was of that order4 ,it represents him as a god--the god of hell--and the good book does not require faith in such a god4 ,but there are devils many1 that have a real existence4 ,every evil thought1 purpose1 passion2 every error we cherish1 and every wicked act we do1 is a devil1 for each and all of them are enemies to our peace1 happiness and prosperity4 ,instead of preaching devils1 let us go to work and kill those first in our own heart1 and then aid our neighbors in exterminating those in their hearts4 ,this would be dealing with devils to a good purpose4 ,after riding two more days ,i reached home4 ,had been absent three months1 delivered eighty-four discourses1 and rode about eight hundred miles4 ,i was well pleased with my journey1 for ,i had made many acquaintances1 obtained a large number of subscribers for the paper1 and had accomplished1 ,i thought1 some good4 ,mrs4 ,manford issued the ,october and ,november numbers of the paper in my absence4 ,,chapter ,,xv4 ,,the ,,golden ,,era ,,issued ,,semi-,,monthly--,,the ,,missourians--,,slave ,,holders--,,travel ,,in ,,southern ,,missouri--,,if ,,endless ,,woe ,,is ,,true ,,all ,,nature ,,would ,,weep--,,region ,,of ,,iron--,,dunkards ,,in ,,millersville--,,in ,,southern ,,illinois--,,philosophy ,,of ,,christ ,,being ,,the ,,savior ,,of ,,the ,,world--,,refuse ,,to ,,debate--,,discussion ,,in ,,carlyle--,,inspiration--,,our ,,name--,,partialism ,,approaches ,,infidelity--,,three ,,downward ,,steps--,,reply ,,to ,a ,,sermon--,,hayne',s ,,sermon--,,mr4 ,,lewis ,,debating ,,on ,,his ,,knees--,,written ,,discussions ,,with ,,two ,,methodist ,,ministers--,,in ,,northern ,,missouri--,a ,,preacher ,,replies--,a ,,log ,,cabin--,,talk ,,with ,a ,,slave--,,thomas ,,abbott--,,negroes ,,hung--,,the ,,golden ,,era--,,mrs4 ,,manford ,,lecturing--,,let ,,woman ,,work--,a ,,circuit ,,in ,,missouri--,,traveling ,,in ,,cold ,,weather--,,debate ,,in ,,quincy4 ,when the second volume of the ,golden ,era was commenced1 it was issued semi-monthly1 and changed to a quarto form4 ,its circulation rapidly increased1 but ,i found it rather hard to pay expenses1 for ,st4 ,louis was1 and still is1 a very dear place in which to live or do business4 ,labor1 rent1 paper1 commanded high prices1 and living expenses were about double they were in ,indianapolis4 ,if the people with whom ,i labored had not liberally compensated me1 ,i could not have kept square with the world4 ,but ,i found the ,missourians to be hospitable1 generous and liberal2 and ,i shall ever remember with gratitude the many kindnesses ,i have received from their hands4 ,i differed from many of them concerning slavery1 and they knew it2 but ,i am not conscious of any ill treatment from any one on that account4 ,we often canvassed our differences1 but in the kindest spirit on both sides1 and some of my best friends were extensive slave holders4 ,many good people suppose that every slave holder was a semi-savage2 but that is a great mistake4 ,some of the best men and women ,i was ever acquainted with owned slaves4 ,they thought slavery was the normal condition of the black man1 that ,god made him for servitude to the white man4 ,they were educated to regard slavery in this light4 ,their churches1 their pastors1 their school teachers1 so taught them4 ,slavery1 then1 was not wrong1 but according to the laws of ,god4 ,those who know any thing of man well know that the most moral1 most ,christian people1 may cherish intellectual errors without being morally corrupted4 ,but slavery is now dead1 and ,i have met but few in ,missouri who are not glad of it4 ,although in their estimation1 slavery was right enough1 it was unprofitable1 perplexing1 and the bone of contention in the nation1 and they are glad the cause of so much strife is no more4 ,if slavery could be restored in ,missouri to-day by the vote of the people1 not one in twenty would vote--restore it4 ,during the second year ,i was in ,st4 ,louis1 ,i traveled through ,southern ,missouri1 ,southern ,illinois1 and into the south part of ,indiana4 ,this journey occupied six weeks4 ,lectured in ,potosi1 forty miles south of ,st4 ,louis4 ,a clergyman replied in a very bitter tone4 ,i had spoken of the terrible doctrine of endless woe1 and remarked1 that if it was a fact in ,god's universe1 it seemed to me1 that all nature would utter cries of woe4 ,he was offended at the remark4 ,i repeated1 that if nine tenths of the inhabitants of ,god's universe are to howl eternally in hell1 nature1 being all alive with goodness1 would utter cries of woe4 8,the woods would begin and tell it to the doleful winds2 ,and doleful winds1 wail to the howling hills2 ,and howling hills1 mourn to the dismal vales2 ,and dismal vales1 sigh to the sorrowing brooks2 ,and sorrowing brooks1 weep to the weeping streams2 ,and weeping streams1 awake the groaning deep4 ,the heavens1 great archway of the universe1 ,would put sackcloth on2 and ,ocean1 clothe herself ,in garb of widowhood1 and gather all ,her waves into a groan1 and utter it1 ,long1 loud1 deep1 piercing1 dolorous1 immense40 ,but instead of this universal wailing of woe1 all nature is praising ,god for his goodness to the children of men4 ,oh1 what mockery all this would be1 if cries of agony1 and wails of despair are to ascend forever6 ,i cannot subscribe to such a creed if ,i would1 and would not if ,i could4 ,journeyed to ,iron ,mountain1 and lectured once4 ,here is the far famed ,iron ,mountain1 three hundred and twenty-eight feet high1 and at its base covers an area of five hundred acres4 ,how far downward the ore extends is not known1 but an artisan well1 one hundred and fifty feet deep1 at the base of the hill1 does not reach the limits of the iron4 ,its average yield in the furnace is fifty-six per cent4 ,near the surface the ore is found in pebbles or lumps1 varying in size4 ,below1 it becomes more compact and massive4 ,six miles south1 are other deposits of iron ore1 not less rich1 and1 in all probability1 not less extensive4 ,one of these is ,pilot ,knob1 five hundred and eighty-one feet high1 with a base of three hundred and sixty acres4 ,sixty per cent4 of this ore is iron4 ,one mile from ,pilot ,knob is ,shepherd ,mountain1 six hundred and sixty feet high1 and covers eight hundred acres4 ,this hill is penetrated with veins or dykes of iron ore1 running in different directions4 ,the ores obtained therefrom1 are the magnetic1 the specular1 and a mixture of the two4 ,the iron yield at the furnace is about the same as that of the other hills4 ,there are known to be other very valuable deposits of iron ore in this vicinity1 besides those ,i have named2 and likely there are others not yet discovered1 in the adjacent hills4 ,there are also rich deposits of lead and zinc in different localities in ,southern ,missouri4 ,vast deposits of coal are likewise found in nearly all parts of the state4 ,the truth is1 ,missouri1 in mineral wealth1 exceeds any other state in the ,union2 and the day will surely come when her immense resources will be developed4 ,passed on to ,millersville1 where ,i found a large settlement of ,dunkards1 who had gradually emerged into ,universalism4 ,soon after my visit they dissolved their connection with that sect4 ,they migrated from ,north ,carolina to that section while it belonged to ,spain4 ,a brother by the name of ,hendricks preached with them till he died2 then another brother of the settlement1 ,j4 ,h4 ,miller1 was set apart for the ministry1 and he dying a year since1 --4 ,miller occupies his place as teacher4 ,they do not go abroad for ministers1 but select one of their number for the ministerial office1 and he officiates till he is called home1 and then another is chosen from the community as his successor4 ,this1 probably1 was the apostolic method2 and these excellent people1 in christian virtues1 and in simplicity of manners1 come as near the original ,christians as any since the first century of the ,dispensation of ,grace4 ,when the rebellion raged in the land1 to a man and woman1 they were true to their country2 and being in a very exposed position1 they suffered sorely4 ,i was in the neighborhood several times during the war2 and at one time some rebels threatened to hang me1 but they were told that if an hair of my head was hurt1 an hundred men would instantly shoulder their muskets1 and rid the settlement of rebels forever4 ,crossed the ,mississippi river at ,cape ,girardeau1 one hundred and fifty miles below ,st4 ,louis1 and traveled through the southern portion of ,illinois to ,mt4 ,vernon1 ,ind41 on the ,ohio river4 ,was one week between those points1 and lectured ten times4 ,found but few who knew anything about the doctrines of the ,restitution1 and could not learn that a discourse had ever been before delivered in all that region in their defense4 ,of course the prejudices of the people were strong against me1 but large numbers attended my meetings1 and ,i was kindly treated4 ,robert ,dale ,owen attended one of them1 and expressed himself favorably4 ,at ,elizabethtown a lawyer wished to know the philosophy of ,christ being the ,savior of the world4 ,i replied thus3 ,jesus ,christ was a man1 a mere man1 nothing but a man4 ,but what is a ,,man8 ,he is the last1 the best1 the crowning work of ,god--the ultimate of the universe1 made in the 8image and glory of ,god40 ,jesus is called in the ,bible1 8,the man1 ,christ ,jesus40 ,he was the man of men1 a perfect man1 fully developed in all his spiritual faculties--head and shoulders above his brothers4 ,go into a corn-field1 and you will find one ear larger than any other ear2 it is only though an ear of corn4 ,go to the forest1 and you will find one tree larger than any other tree2 it is only though a tree4 ,so1 ,christ was a man1 but he was the largest man1 spiritually1 that ever lived2 and that fact makes him our teacher1 our savior4 ,he cannot be otherwise4 ,we cannot teach him2 he must teach us4 ,he is our heaven-appointed teacher1 and all he said1 and all he did1 is the natural result of his spiritual pre-eminence4 ,if this is correct his divine mission is based in nature1 is based on the throne of ,god1 and the gates of hell can never prevail against it4 ,he will continue his work till all are taught1 all are enlightened1 all are saved4 ,greece and ,rome had their wise men2 but who of the best of them taught and lived as ,jesus did8 8,thou shall10 said he1 8love the ,lord thy ,god with all thy heart1 soul and strength1 and thy neighbor as thyself2 bless and curse not2 return good for evil2 do by others as you would have others do by you40 ,he not only taught this with his lips1 but his works1 his character1 his soul1 his life1 were in perfect harmony with such wisdom4 ,he was godlike1 thought ,god's thoughts1 spoke ,god's words1 and did ,god's works4 ,heaven and earth will ever proclaim him--8the ,savior of mankind40 ,delivered several discourses in ,mt4 ,vernon1 a pleasant town on the ,ohio river1 and then proceeded to ,evansville1 where ,i also lectured4 ,a preacher here replied in a very abusive manner1 and ,i paid but little attention to him4 ,this offended the gentleman1 and he dared me to a discussion4 ,i refused to have anything to do with him1 as ,christ had said1 8,cast not your pearl before swine40 ,returned to ,st4 ,louis through ,booneville1 ,vincennes1 ,lawrenceville1 ,olney1 ,salem1 ,carlyle1 and lectured in all those places4 ,about this time ,i had a discussion in ,carlyle1 ,ill41 with ,mr4 ,stafford1 a ,presbyterian clergyman4 ,we were to continue the discussion four days1 but he brought it to a close at the end of the second day by going home1 as he said1 to find a calf that had jumped out of the lot4 ,whether he found the calf ,i cannot say1 as he did not return to report his success4 ,he knew nothing of the liberal faith1 save what he had learned from its enemies1 and was poorly prepared to meet the arguments in its favor4 ,he charged our people with denying the ,bible1 and ,i replied1 ,we do not deny the ,bible4 ,we believe it contains a record of ,god's revelation to man4 ,we do not say that every book1 chapter1 verse and letter1 from ,genesis to ,revelation1 is inspiration4 ,the ,bible makes no such pretention4 ,considerable part of the ,old and ,new ,testaments is historical2 and intelligent and well informed men1 can write history correctly without inspiration1 especially if they are eye-witnesses of what they relate4 ,jesus ,christ1 8the author and finisher of our faith10 was guided and illuminated by the ,holy ,spirit4 ,his soul was in perfect harmony with the ,great ,soul of the universe1 hence he said1 8,i and my ,father are one40 8,he who hath seen the ,son hath seen the ,father also20 hence1 truth1 from the ,fountain of truth1 flowed into his soul as naturally as water flows into a sponge2 hence to do his ,father's will was his meat and drink2 hence the wisdom he uttered was the wisdom of ,god4 ,he is then the ,way1 the ,truth1 and the ,life2 the ,teacher and ,savior of man4 ,he is a medium through which ,god speaks to1 and blesses the world4 ,moses1 the prophets1 and the apostles1 were also divinely illuminated1 but not in the same degree ,jesus was1 for he was blessed with the spirit 8without measure40 ,jesus is the central figure among those anointed men4 ,he was 8in the form of ,god10 and in the 8express image of his person10 by nature and by character4 ,he is a sun1 but they are stars4 ,you may call this denying the ,bible1 if you please1 but ,i am sure this affirms the ,bible4 ,he found fault with our name--,universalist--said it was not scriptural4 ,i remarked1 ,it is admitted the word is not in the ,bible2 but the idea often occurs in that book4 #a4 ,god is the universal ,father of mankind--8have we not all one ,father80 #b4 ,he is a universal ,savior--8the ,savior of all men40 #c4 ,jesus is a universal ,savior--8the ,father sent the ,son to be the ,savior of the world40 #d4 ,god's will is for universal salvation--8who will have all men to be saved40 #e4 ,god's grace brings universal salvation--8for the grace of ,god which bringeth salvation to all men40 #f4 ,there will be a universal ingathering into ,christ--8gather together all things in ,christ40 #g4 ,there is to be a universal deliverance from earthly corruption--8the creation shall be delivered from the bondage of corruption into the glorious liberty of the children of ,god40 #h4 ,universal righteousness will finally prevail--8by the obedience of one shall many--the mass--be made righteous40 #i4 ,universal reconciliation shall finally be effected--8,god is in ,christ reconciling the world unto himself40 #aj4 ,there shall ultimately come a period of universal praise to ,god1 and confession to ,god's glory4 7,phil4 ii2 ,rev4 v4 #aa74 ,there will be a universal blessing of the nations1 families and kindred--8all nations1 families and kindred of the earth shall be blessed40 #ab4 ,there is to be a universal resurrection to a heavenly condition--8in ,christ shall all be made alive40 ,there is propriety1 then1 in the name4 ,the ,arminians were once called ,universalists1 because they believed in a universal atonement4 ,we believe in a universal atonement1 and in the universal efficacy of that atonement4 ,in ,europe1 very learned men1 men who master all the sciences1 are called ,universalists4 ,it is an honorable name1 then1 a learned name1 an appropriate name for those who recognize ,god as a universal ,father and ,savior1 ,christ as a universal ,redeemer1 and who rejoice in the hope of the universal destruction of sin1 suffering and death1 and the universal reign of truth1 virtue1 life and salvation4 ,universal means catholic4 ,our church1 then1 is the true ,catholic ,church--all of ,adam's race will finally be members of it1 and partake of its blessings4 ,what is called the ,catholic ,church is a very partial church4 ,notwithstanding the propriety of our name1 ,i seldom use it--it sounds a little too sectarian for my taste4 ,some of my brethren are so in love with it1 they hitch it to almost every thing4 ,that may be all right2 but ,i am not so deeply in love with the name as some seem to be4 ,i had rather be called a godly man than a ,universalist1 whether ,i deserve the appellation or not2 and ,i had rather hear my church called 8the church of ,god10 than a ,universalist church4 ,returning to ,st4 ,louis1 ,i lectured in ,lebanon1 and a man said the sentiments ,i advocated lead through ,deism to ,atheism4 ,how is that8 ,i replied4 ,i am with the ,new ,testament in believing in a ,god for ,,all1 and a ,savior for ,,all4 ,is there any ,deism or ,atheism in that8 ,orthodoxy is the first step downward1 for it teaches a ,god for ,,all1 but a ,savior for ,,part4 ,it makes the first departure from the gospel4 ,deism is another step in the same direction1 for it says a ,god for all1 but a ,savior for ,,none4 ,atheism is at the foot of the ladder1 for it proclaims a ,god for ,,none1 a ,savior for ,,none4 ,there are1 then1 three downward steps from ,christianity or ,universalism1 to ,atheism--,,all--,,part--,,none4 ,orthodoxy is the half-way house between ,universalism and ,infidelity4 ,being requested to visit ,florence1 up the ,illinois river about one hundred miles1 to hear a discourse against ,universal ,salvation1 and to reply if it was proper1 ,i arrived by packet on ,sunday at eleven o'clock1 soon after the preacher had commenced his sermon4 ,he spoke three hours1 and made out1 he supposed1 a pretty strong case4 ,after one hour's intermission1 ,i replied to the discourse1 which also occupied three hours4 ,the preacher1 and his congregation1 heard me through2 and at candle lighting of the same day1 ,i delivered another discourse in the same place4 ,in my answer to the gentleman's discourse ,i offered twenty-five objections to endless misery1 and twenty-five objections to his view of a great judgment day2 gave twenty-five proofs and arguments1 that virtue and vice are rewarded in this world2 furnished twenty-five reasons from ,scripture for believing in the final salvation of mankind4 ,a few days after this1 ,i lectured in ,naples1 ,ill41 and while the congregation were singing the second hymn1 a ,methodist preacher passed me a tract1 which ,i had seen before4 ,many years ago1 immediately after ,hosea ,ballou had delivered a discourse in some town in ,vermont1 ,samuel ,haynes1 a ,congregationalist clergyman1 a gentleman of color1 and pastor of a white congregation1 and of considerable education1 ability1 and much wit1 arose and preached a sermon from the words of the serpent to mother ,eve1 8,ye shall not surely die40 ,the thing was afterwards published and scattered far and near4 ,the tract the preacher gave me was ,haynes' sermon4 ,the serpent is represented as a ,universalist preacher1 and his words1 8,ye shall not surely die10 as the essence of ,universalism4 ,being in a humor for it1 ,i took parson ,haynes' text for my text that evening1 followed his arrangement1 adopted some of his language1 and put the 8boot on the right foot10 ,i spoke as follows3 ,the ,holy ,scriptures are a peculiar fund of instruction4 ,they inform us of the origin of creation2 of the primitive state of man--his ignorance1 folly and degradation4 ,it appears that he was placed in the garden of ,eden1 with full liberty to regale himself with all the delicious fruits that were to be found1 except what grew on one tree2 if he ate of that he should ,,surely die on the ,,day of transgression1 7,gen4 ii4 #ag17 was the declaration of the ,almighty4 ,mark the language--he was not to be punished in the next world1 but in this world1 and on the day1 at the very time he sinned4 ,let this be remembered1 for it is ,god's truth4 ,happy were the human pair amid this delightful paradise1 until a certain preacher endeavored to convince them that they could sin without suffering ,,immediate punishment1 without being punished on the ,,day of transgression4 ,we may attend to the character of the preacher2 to the doctrine inculcated2 to the hearers addressed2 to the mediums or instruments of the preaching4 ,i4 ,as to the ,,preacher1 ,i would observe1 he is said by the ,bible1 to be the lust of the flesh4 8,let no one say when he is tempted1 ,i am tempted of ,god1 but man is tempted when he is drawn away of his own lust and enticed40 ,james i4 #ac1 #ad4 ,he is also called the carnal mind1 and that is ever at enmity against ,god4 ,read the seventh and eighth chapters of ,romans carefully4 ,in ,genesis1 lust--the carnal mind--is personified and called a serpent1 and in other parts of the ,bible termed satan1 devil and adversary1 for those terms mean a deceiver1 an opposer1 and that is the character of the tempter in the human breast4 ,this was the tempter that led the first pair astray4 ,but to be a little more particular1 let it be observed1 #a4 ,he is an old preacher4 ,he lived about one thousand seven hundred years before ,abraham--about two thousand four hundred and thirty years before ,moses--four thousand and four years before ,christ4 ,it is now five thousand eight hundred and fifty-four years since he commenced preaching4 ,by this time he must have acquired great skill in the art4 #b4 ,he is a very cunning1 artful preacher4 ,the serpent1 his prototype1 is said to possess much wisdom and cunning4 ,when ,elymus1 the sorcerer1 came to turn away people from the faith1 he is said to be full of all subtlety1 not only because he was an enemy of all righteousness1 but on account of his cunning and craftiness4 ,he manifests his cunning by preaching to the world1 that they shall not surely be punished on the ,,day of transgression4 ,that is a very pleasing doctrine to the wicked4 ,they love to be told that the time of retribution is ,,far ,,in ,,the ,,distance1 especially as that future punishment can all be escaped by taking the benefit of a spiritual bankruptcy1 any hour before they die4 ,yes1 he is a cunning preacher4 #c4 ,he is a very laborious1 unwearied preacher4 ,he has been in the ministry almost six thousand years1 and yet his zeal is not in the least abated4 ,the apostle ,peter compares him to a roaring lion1 roaming about seeking whom he may devour4 ,he is far from being circumscribed within the narrow limits of parish1 state or continental lines2 but his haunts and travels are very large and extensive4 ,wherever the doctrine prevails that the wicked are not punished ,,when and ,,where they sin1 the tempter is preaching the same sermon he preached to mother ,eve4 #d4 ,he is a heterogeneous preacher1 if ,i may so express myself4 ,he mixes truth with error1 in order to make it go well1 or to carry his point4 ,nobody would bite at his hook if there was no truth on it4 ,he quotes fluently from the ,bible1 but then we must receive his interpretation4 ,if we dissent from it1 all hell is in an uproar1 and we must be kicked out of his church1 and out of the world1 if possible4 ,thousands have been burned at the stake1 because they would not receive his interpretation of the ,bible4 ,he admits we have reason1 but then it is carnal and not to be trusted2 we must believe without the reason why4 ,he admits there is one ,god1 but there are three persons in the ,godhead2 that is1 one makes three1 and three one4 ,christ is the ,son of ,god1 and at the same time the ,father2 ,god is infinite in wisdom1 power and goodness1 but ,christ came to reconcile him to us2 ,god wishes to save all mankind but cannot2 ,god can save all mankind1 but wishes to damn some to glorify his justice2 ,god's justice requires the endless damnation of all men1 but his mercy pleads for the salvation of all1 and yet ,god's attributes all harmonize4 ,men are born totally depraved1 and utterly incapable of doing anything acceptable to ,god1 yet it is the duty of men to repent and turn to ,god2 ,christ has made an atonement for the sins of the whole world1 but half of the world will be damned eternally for their sins2 ,god is a universal ,father1 ,god is love1 and yet will mock and laugh at the eternal groans and pains of his children2 heaven is the perfection of love1 but the saints will shout glory1 when they see their fathers1 and mothers1 and children1 damned4 ,yes1 he preaches truth as well as error4 #e4 ,he is a very presumptuous preacher4 ,notwithstanding ,god had declared on one occasion1 in the most plain and positive manner1 8,on the ,,day thou eatest thereof1 shall thou surely die10 yet this audacious wretch had the impudence to confront ,omnipotence1 and say1 8ye shall not surely die0--on the ,,day of transgression--and he is still repeating the old sermon through the length and breadth of the land4 #f4 ,he is a very successful preacher4 ,he draws a great number after him4 ,no preacher can command hearers like him4 ,he was successful with our first parents--with the old world4 ,noah once preached to the world that the judgments of heaven would shortly come on wicked men1 but the tempter repeated his old sermon1 and he made more converts than ,noah did4 ,so it was with the cities of the plains4 ,lot preached to them2 the substance of which was1 8,up1 get out of this place3 for the ,lord will destroy this city40 ,gen4 xix4 #ad4 ,but the old declaimer told them1 no danger1 no danger2 ,god will not punish men in this world1 and therefore will not destroy this city1 to which they generally gave heed1 and ,lot seemed as one who mocked4 ,they believed the ,orthodox preacher and were consumed4 ,the father of lies is a very successful preacher4 ,he not only made converts of ,adam and ,eve1 the ,antediluvians and ,sodomites1 but he has proselyted most of the world4 ,nearly all mankind contend that ,god's judgments are not in the earth4 ,dr4 ,franklin was about right when he said a lie would travel all over the country1 while truth was putting on his boots4 ,,ii4 ,let us attend still more to the ,,doctrine inculcated by this preacher4 ,ye shall not surely die on the day of transgression4 ,bold assertion1 without a single argument to support it4 ,the death contained in the threatening was1 doubtless1 moral death4 ,they did die to their former innocence1 to the sweet communion which they had before enjoyed with the ,father1 to all the enjoyments of their beautiful garden of fruits and flowers4 ,the ,bible says1 8,to be carnally minded is death20 it is termed a 8death in trespasses and sins20 8,the wages of sin is death20 8,you hath he quickened who were dead20 8,we know we have passed from death unto life40 ,this is the death threatened1 and the ,almighty assured ,adam that he would suffer it on the ,,very ,,day he sinned4 ,but the preacher said1 ,no1 all is false1 there is no punishment in this world1 no hell1 the wages of sin is not death4 ,,iii4 ,we will now take notice of the hearers addressed by this preacher4 ,this we have in the context4 ,and the serpent said unto the woman1 8,ye shall not surely die40 ,that ,eve had not so much experience as ,adam1 is evident2 and so she was not equally able to withstand temptation4 ,this was doubtless the reason why the tempter chose her1 with whom he might hope to be successful4 ,probably he took the time when she was separated from her husband4 ,that this preacher has always had the greatest success in the dark and ignorant parts of the earth1 is evident2 his kingdom is a kingdom of darkness4 ,he is a great enemy of light4 ,he will not permit his disciples to hear a religious or philosophical discourse1 read a religious or philosophical book or paper1 that contradicts his creed--they must be like the old knight1 read only one side of the guide-board1 and if they happen to get an idea the old creed don't sanction1 they are called heretics4 ,they may think1 but not out of a given circle2 they may reason1 provided they reason as the preacher does4 ,and the consequence is1 that where the people think1 reason and read least1 ,orthodoxy has its truest adherents1 and where the people think1 reason and read most1 the doctrine of ,holy ,writ is most prevalent1 8,behold the righteous shall be recompensed in the earth1 much more the wicked and sinner40 ,prov4 xi4 #ca4 ,,iv4 ,the instruments or mediums made use of by the preacher1 will now be considered4 ,every person1 creed and institution1 that propagates the doctrine that men shall not surely die on the day of transgression1 is an instrument of the father of lies4 #a4 ,calvinism1 ,arminianism1 ,mormonism1 ,catholicism1 ,mahommedanism and ,heathenism1 tell us that this world is not one of retribution1 that ,god does not here reward virtue or punish vice4 ,they unite in teaching that this life is a state of probation1 of trial1 and of course no one is punished till his probation ends1 his trial is closed4 ,this is the deceiver's first sermon gone to seed4 #b4 ,the preachers of all these isms are also his instruments4 ,they are faithful to their father's cause1 and he is much attached to them4 ,if one opposes their creed1 some of them will at once exhibit the spirit of the devil4 #c4 ,the earth is deluged with books1 pamphlets and papers1 teaching that men shall not be punished on the day of transgression4 ,,inferences4 #a4 ,that the devil is not dead1 but still lives1 and is able to preach as well as ever1 ,ye shall not die on the day of transgression4 #b4 ,orthodoxy is no new fangled scheme1 but can boast of great antiquity4 #c4 ,see a reason why it ought to be rejected because it is an ancient devilish doctrine4 #d4 ,see a reason why satan is such a mortal enemy to the promises of the ,bible1 for it says1 8,christ came to destroy the devil40 ,heb4 ii4 8,will make an end of sin40 ,dan4 ix4 8,behold the ,lamb that taketh away the sin of the world40 8,he is the propitiation for our sins1 and not for ours only1 but for the sins of the world40 #e4 ,he hates the gospel1 because it is 8good news1 glad tidings0--is the 8glorious gospel of the blessed ,god0--8gospel of the grace of ,god0--8gospel of our salvation0--8gospel of peace40 #f4 ,he hates the true ,christ1 because he will save the world from sin1 error1 and death4 8,we have seen and do testify that this is the ,christ the ,,savior of the ,,world40 ,when the world shall be saved1 satan's occupation will be gone4 #g4 ,see whence it was that satan exerted himself so much to convince our first parents there was no punishment in this world1 because the denunciation of the ,almighty was true1 and he was afraid that ,adam and ,eve would continue in the belief of it1 and so not believe in endless punishment in eternity--his favorite doctrine4 ,if there was no proof of present punishment1 satan would not be so busy in trying to convince men that there was none4 #h4 ,we infer that ministers should not be proud of their preaching4 ,if they preach the true gospel1 they only in substance preach ,christ's sermons4 ,if they preach1 8,ye shall not surely die on the day of transgression10 they only make use of the devil's old notes that he delivered about six thousand years ago4 #i4 ,it is probable that ,orthodoxy will still prevail1 since this preacher is still alive1 and not in the least superannuated2 and every effort against him only enrages him more and more1 and excites him to new inventions and exertions to build up his cause4 ,to close the subject4 ,as the author of this discourse has spoken of the character of satan1 he trusts no one will feel himself personally injured by this short sermon4 ,but should any imbibe a degree of friendship for this aged deceiver1 and think that ,i have not treated this ,orthodox preacher with that respect and veneration he justly deserves1 let them be so kind as to point it out1 and ,i will most cheerfully retract2 for it has ever been a maxim with me1 8,,render ,,unto ,,all ,,their ,,due40 ,this was too much for the three preachers present so they left in a hurry1 when ,i reached the 8inferences40 ,as they were marching out1 ,i remarked1 8,the wicked flee when no man pursueth40 ,they intended an insult by throwing that tract in my face2 but the new dress in which ,i returned their tract kindled their wrath2 and leaving the house as they did1 was an acknowledgment1 that they were defeated4 ,the congregation fully appreciated the 8situation10 and two or three zealous hearers clapped their hands as the preachers were departing4 ,mr4 ,lewis1 with whom ,i debated in ,springfield1 sent me word1 that if ,i should visit ,jerseyville1 ,ill41 his church would be at my service4 ,accordingly1 ,i made an appointment in that place1 and ,mr4 ,lewis took a seat with me in the desk4 ,i told him ,i was perfectly willing he should make any strictures on my discourse he might see proper4 8,oh1 no10 said he1 8,i have invited you into my pulpit1 and it would not be proper for me to reply to your discourse40 ,in my sermon1 ,i said nothing about other creeds1 but presented my own faith in as clear a light as possible4 ,mr4 ,lewis1 at my request1 made the closing prayer1 and such a prayer was never before or since heard1 ,i think4 ,he took up my discourse1 item by item1 systematically1 and replied to it4 ,he would first tell the ,lord what the speaker had said on a given point1 and then say1 8,o ,lord1 thou knowest that is not true1 for by the mouth of the prophet ,isaiah1 thou said0--and then he would quote from the ,bible4 ,having argued that point to his satisfaction1 he would take up another subject2 and so on till he got through with my discourse4 ,having finished his reply1 ,i told the congregation ,i did not like that way of debating2 but he said1 8,i would as soon debate on my knees as on my feet40 ,before ,i left town1 we made arrangements for a written discussion in the ,golden ,era4 ,he was to write twelve letters2 but1 having written six of them he sickened and died4 ,i called on him during his sickness1 at ,jacksonville1 and he said1 8,brother ,manford1 if ,i do not go to heaven this time1 ,i will not work as hard as ,i have done4 ,i have broken myself down by hard work--by trying to save souls40 ,soon after this1 a ,methodist clergyman of ,indiana1 by the name of ,mahan1 proposed having a written discussion in the ,golden ,era4 ,he agreed to write twelve letters2 but six or seven exhausted his resources4 ,subsequently1 he tried his hand at discussion with ,b4 ,f4 ,foster1 in the ,herald1 and was handsomely defeated4 ,i made a long journey through ,northern ,missouri into ,iowa2 thence to ,st4 ,joseph2 then down to ,western1 ,kansas ,city1 ,independence1 ,lexington1 ,booneville1 back to ,st4 ,louis4 ,traveled twelve hundred miles1 all on horseback1 and lectured most every day4 ,in most of the towns and villages on this route ,i had no references1 and generally wrote to the postmasters to make appointments4 ,the principles of the liberal faith were entirely new to most of the people1 and as notices of my meetings were published pretty extensively1 large numbers attended1 some going ten1 twenty1 and thirty miles4 ,i had much controversy in public1 and many conversations in private1 concerning the new doctrines4 ,found some who received them with glad hearts1 and many others who were disposed to investigate before they condemned4 ,received but little compensation for my labor and time1 but obtained many subscribers for the paper4 ,have room for only a few of the incidents of this journey4 ,in ,kirksville1 a minister asked many questions1 and finally came to the sage conclusion1 that reason was carnal1 that ,i was an emissary of the devil1 and that he would say no more to me2 but gave notice1 that he should reply to my discourse the next ,sunday4 ,in ,greentop1 found a settlement of believers from ,tennessee4 ,they were excellent people2 often visited them in subsequent years2 but the war dispersed them1 and ,i understand1 they are scattered over the plains of ,nebraska4 ,kirksville1 near by1 was one of the battle-fields of the rebellion2 rebel ,porter's forces were there routed and ruined1 and the town was much injured4 ,colonel ,linder1 one of my friends1 was an active man in the ,union cause4 ,i traveled on what was called the 8,mormon ,trace10--a road from ,nauvoo to ,st4 ,joseph1 the route the ,mormons journeyed when they went from ,nauvoo to ,salt ,lake4 ,it was generally through a wild region1 but the face of the country was rolling and pleasant4 ,about sundown one day1 ,i rode up to a cabin and inquired the distance to the next house4 8,ten miles40 8,will you keep me to-night80 8,i reckon so2 the old woman is powerful sick2 ,i have a heap of ailments in my cabin40 8,are there any settlements up the creek80 8,oh1 yes2 right smart sprinkling40 ,there were fifteen men and women belonging to the house1 and how we were all to be disposed of that night1 was rather a puzzler to me1 as there were only two rooms in the cabin2 but there was really no difficulty on that score4 ,the principal room answered four valuable purposes1 although it was not more than twenty feet square--it was a kitchen1 dining-room1 sitting-room1 and bed-room4 ,true1 there were only two bedsteads in it1 but when bed time arrived1 the floor was covered with blankets1 which afforded ample sleeping accommodations4 ,i was conducted into the 8parlor bed-room10 which was entirely void of all 8modern improvements40 ,it was made of round logs1 without any weather-boarding1 plastering1 ceiling1 or 8chinking20 the stars could be seen through its sides and roof1 while its floor was clay1 covered about six inches deep with water4 ,in one corner of the pen some stakes were driven into the mud1 rails fastened to them1 on which a straw bed was laid1 with a blanket or two4 ,that was my bed2 no1 not mine1 but our bed2 for soon a big fellow stretched himself on one side of me1 and he was followed by another1 who laid about six feet of flesh and bone across the foot of the bed4 ,i was tired1 and slept first-rate all night1 and crawled out of the den in the morning much refreshed4 ,mine host said he had been on the frontier all his life2 did not own the land he occupied--was a squatter--and wanted to sell his 8improvements10 to go farther west1 where he could hunt bear and buffalo4 ,he said he was a ,baptist2 and when ,i told him of my faith1 he declared he did not want to go to heaven if all sinners are to go there4 8,but no sinners will go there2 they will be regenerated40 8,don't tell me that2 the reprobates will not be regenerated2 their doom is sealed4 ,i have grace in my soul1 and know ,i am right40 ,when ,i offered to pay him for keeping me1 he replied1 8,you are welcome2 the fare was hard1 but if you come this way again1 give me a call40 ,a day or two after this1 ,i rode with a negro a few hours4 ,he was returning from visiting his wife and children4 8,why do you not live with your family80 8,master won't sell me to my wife's master1 so ,i live twenty miles from her40 8,how often do you see her80 8',bout once a month40 8,did you ever have another wife80 8,yes2 but her master died1 and she was taken south1 and the children40 8,have you heard since of her1 and the children80 8,no2 don't know whar they are2 may be dead40 8,perhaps this wife and these children will be sold south40 8,i hope ,i may die if they be40 8,why do you not buy your freedom80 8,master won't sell me4 ,i offered him a thousand dollars1 and pay him in five years1 but he would not sell me4 ,black men can't do anything40 8,are you treated well80 8,yes2 but ,i work hard2 but ,i would not mind that if my family were with me40 8,where are you from80 8,virginia2 left thar many years ago40 8,where are your parents80 8,sold south1 long ago40 8,where are your brothers and sisters80 8,don't know whar they are2 sold to a trader40 8,do you belong to any church80 8,i belong to the ,methodist church1 and try to preach40 8,how often do you preach80 8,most every ,sunday40 8,in how many places80 8,four places40 8,are you paid for preaching80 8,the black people pay me a little40 8,do you think your white master will go to heaven80 8,why1 yes40 8,do you think slavery is right80 8,i can't think it is40 8,how then can you think slave-holders can be saved80 8,i don't know how1 but ,i sort of think some of them will be saved40 8,would you not save all white men and all black men if you could80 8,that ,i would40 8,will not ,god save them all80 8,why1 no40 8,then you are better than ,god1 are you80 8,why1 master1 who ever heard of ,god saving all men8 ,now1 ,i think of it1 a man is to preach in ,gentryville to-night1 who preaches that very doctrine1 and ,i am bound to hear him40 8,what do the people say about him80 8,they say he is a bad man1 and ,i believe he is1 or he would not preach such a doctrine40 ,here the negro left me to go to his home1 and ,i saw him at the window of the school-house that evening1 the picture of astonishment4 ,met him in the street the next day1 and he said1 8,master1 forgive me for what ,i said yesterday40 ,lectured in ,weston1 and became acquainted with ,thomas ,abbott1 who was residing and preaching in that place4 ,he subsequently moved to ,st4 ,louis1 and for several years past has resided in ,mt4 ,vernon1 ,ind4 ,he obeys the injunction1 8,go and preach40 ,he does go1 far and near2 he labors in season and out of season1 in his ,master's service4 ,he has also become a noted debater1 and has had great success in preaching and debating4 ,on the other side of the ,missouri was ,kansas ,territory1 inhabited then only by ,indians1 but now is a populous state1 with several large cities4 ,while ,i was in ,lexington on this journey1 or at a subsequent time1 two negroes were hung for murdering their owner4 ,he had whipped them unmercifully1 and they killed him for it4 ,they rode from the prison to the gallows1 through the principal streets of town1 in a wagon1 on their coffins2 white hoods were on their heads1 white frocks were thrown over their shoulders1 and large ropes were around their necks4 ,on the road to the gallows1 the poor creatures sang as loud as they could scream1 8,i am bound for the kingdom2 ,will you go to glory with me80 ,this scene1 take it all in all1 was the most abominable1 outrageous1 and disgusting exhibition ,i ever witnessed4 8,what do you think of that80 said ,i to a ,methodist preacher1 who was looking on with a satisfied air4 8,the majesty of the law must be sustained40 ,that same fellow was a hot headed rebel when the war broke out4 ,his name was ,kavanagh2 he formerly resided in ,indiana4 ,the town was full of negroes2 but they were silent2 ,i saw tears in many of their eyes4 ,after publishing the ,golden ,era four years1 ,i disposed of it to ,thomas ,abbott1 and he soon after connected it with the ,gospel ,herald1 a paper published in ,indianapolis1 ,ind4 ,it was being issued weekly when it was sold2 but ,i found1 by experience1 that a weekly paper of our denomination could not be sustained in ,st4 ,louis1 the expense of publishing1 and of living being so high4 ,while ,i issued the paper1 ,i received hardly any compensation for all my toil2 and ,mrs4 ,manford did all her work gratuitously1 and ,i could not have hired a person to do what she did for less than five hundred dollars per year4 ,the ,golden ,era had done a good work1 and it was like parting with a dear friend to dispose of it4 ,its circulation when it went out of my hands1 was thirty-five hundred1 ,i think4 ,its name had become quite popular4 ,captain ,bursie1 who was a subscriber1 named his splendid new steamer1 8,the ,golden ,era10 and ,bridges ,brothers1 of ,st4 ,louis1 who were also subscribers1 called a cooking stove they patented1 8,the ,golden ,era40 ,but ,i did not cease working for the good cause when the paper was disposed of2 ,i rather worked harder than ever4 ,for about two years ,i was absent most of the time1 preaching in ,missouri1 ,illinois1 ,iowa and ,indiana4 ,mrs4 ,manford was also in the field lecturing1 not on theology1 but on temperance1 the elevation of woman1 and general education4 ,she delivered some excellent lectures on those subjects in ,louisiana1 ,hannibal1 ,macomb1 and other places4 ,let woman speak as well as man in the lecture-room1 and even in the pulpit2 let her speak on all subjects of human interest4 ,as she belongs to the human family1 she is as much interested as man in all intellectual and moral subjects4 ,and heaven1 having gifted her with a soul1 instinct with wisdom1 purity and goodness1 she is well qualified to instruct and moralize her race4 ,i know it is quite fashionable for men to flatter women by calling them their 8better half10 8angel10 but to be indignant and disgusted if they aspire to a position outside of the kitchen or nursery4 ,such men are very polite to women in the street and drawing-room1 but are wrathy if they will not be their drudges or play things4 ,as woman is a citizen of the world as well as man1 she is entitled to all the rights and privileges he is entitled to4 ,the world should be open to her intellectual and moral activities1 that she may make the best use of her time and talent4 ,let her 8sue and be sued10 buy and sell1 vote at the polls1 and be president of these ,united ,states1 if she can get votes enough4 ,england's best rulers have been queens1 and why would not ,american women make good presidents8 ,antiquated1 and barbarous laws and customs1 that have for ages degraded woman1 are being modified or abandoned2 and the day is not far distant when she will fill the place in society that ,god designed1 and humanity requires4 ,but it must not be expected that she will come from the wash-tub1 or band-box1 in the one place a slave1 and in the other a pet1 prepared fully for her new position and responsibilities4 ,she may long make many blunders1 and for a time illy perform her part1 all of which many self-conceited1 and self-appointed1 8lords of creation0 will point to and triumphantly exclaim1 8,did ,i not tell you women were only fit for man's convenience80 ,i spent three months in the southwest part of ,missouri1 traveling on a circuit ,i established in that region4 ,preached monthly in twenty-five places1 and rode from ten to forty miles nearly every day4 ,tried to get a minister to continue the work but failed4 ,good societies could have been established in ,booneville1 ,georgetown1 ,calhoun1 ,clinton1 ,oseola1 ,leesville1 ,warsaw1 ,pisgah1 ,rocheport--places ,i visited4 ,i also spent six months traveling and preaching in the northern part of the state4 ,visited twenty-two places monthly for six months1 and rode most every day4 ,spent three days each month at home4 ,i also failed in my effort to induce a minister to locate in that region4 ,clergymen of the liberal faith1 residing in the free states1 were averse to moving into ,missouri1 it then being a slave state4 ,they were not only generally opposed to slavery1 regarding it as 8the sum of all villainy10 but they had no faith our cause could be permanently established among slave-holders4 ,they thought that human slavery and ,universalism were eternally and universally at war with each other4 ,the winters of #ahee and '#ef were about the coldest ever experienced in the ,west1 and ,i spent both winters in ,iowa1 traveling and lecturing4 ,often rode on horseback all day when the thermometer was far below zero1 and delivered a long discourse at night4 ,the ,iowa prairies are cold places in a cold day1 especially to one whose face is northward4 ,if ,i had twenty1 thirty1 or forty miles to ride1 ,i always made it a rule not to go near a fire till ,i had finished my day's travel4 ,some men ,i have rode with1 must warm themselves by a fire1 whenever they get a little cold1 and swallow perhaps a dram of liquor2 and ,i noticed that they always suffered much more from cold than ,i did4 ,the best method for a traveler1 in an arctic day1 to get up an internal heat1 is1 not by whisky1 not by sitting by a fire a few moments1 but by thrashing his arms1 swinging his legs1 or running a short distance by the side of his horse4 ,i had a public discussion in ,quincy1 ,ill41 with a ,methodist preacher1 which continued four days4 ,large numbers attended1 and much good was effected4 ,the day after the discussion closed1 which was ,sunday1 a society was organized1 and soon after a meeting-house was erected4 ,the society prospered for awhile1 under the ministry of ,j4 ,h4 ,hartzell1 now of ,buffalo1 ,n4 ,y4 ,but he leaving1 it was finally disbanded1 and the meeting-house sold1 and many of its members united themselves with the ,unitarian society of the place4 ,quincy is a flourishing town1 on the east bank of the ,mississippi river1 and is growing rapidly in importance4 ,the river will probably be bridged there within a few years4 ,,chapter ,,xvi4 ,,the ,,golden ,,era--,,extensive ,,traveling--,,in ,,missouri ,,and ,,kansas--,,talk ,,with ,a ,,deist ,,in ,,jefferson ,,city--,,moses--,,the ,,prophets--,,replied ,,to ,,in ,,pisgah--,,talk ,,with ,a ,,rum-,,seller--,,in ,,kansas ,,city--,,in ,,wyandotte--,,conversation ,,with ,a ,,clergyman ,,concerning ,,christ ,,and ,,his ,,work--,,lectured ,,in ,,leavenworth--,,destruction ,,of ,,man',s ,,enemies--,,in ,,st4 ,,joseph--,,the ,,mercy ,,of ,,god--,,in ,,kingston--,,rich ,,man ,,and ,,lazarus4 ,as ,i have said in a previous chapter1 the ,golden ,era1 after it passed out of my hands1 was merged into the ,gospel ,herald1 a paper published in ,indianapolis1 ,ind41 and ,st4 ,louis was without a denominational paper4 ,this was not contemplated when ,i disposed of that paper4 ,mr4 ,abbott was confident1 that with my assistance as editor1 it could be sustained in ,st4 ,louis2 but experience taught him otherwise4 ,although being well satisfied that a weekly paper could not be supported in ,st4 ,louis1 ,i was confident that a monthly magazine could be1 and hence in #aheg ,i commenced a monthly periodical1 called ,manford's ,monthly ,magazine4 ,it contained twenty-four pages1 and the price was one dollar per year4 ,by the close of the first volume ,i had two thousand subscribers--a pretty good beginning4 ,mrs4 ,manford was co-editor1 book-keeper1 and generally assisted in mailing the magazine4 ,i resolved to again canvass ,missouri1 ,illinois1 ,iowa and ,indiana1 for the benefit of the new journal2 and from #aheg to the spring of #ahfa1 ,i was a large portion of the time on the wing4 ,the ,magazine was popular with our people1 and ,i had no difficulty in obtaining subscribers4 ,the articles were chiefly doctrinal1 explanatory1 and answers to the ten thousand objections usually offered to the liberal faith4 ,during the first year of its publication1 ,i took a horseback journey up the ,missouri river into ,kansas1 and was absent nearly all winter4 ,at a hotel in ,jefferson ,city ,i had the following conversation with a ,deist3 8,i believe the ,old ,testament is full of lies1 fables and absurdities4 ,i would as soon believe #8,guliver's ,travels' to be divine as the old ,bible40 8,you are too fast1 my friend4 ,without pretending that the ,old ,testament is perfect1 ,i find many excellencies in that book4 ,that ,moses1 the principal character of it1 had a deep insight into many spiritual realities1 must be conceded by every candid person4 ,he was born1 brought up1 educated1 and lived till he was eighty years old1 in the midst of the grossest superstition4 ,the ,egyptians deified the bull1 the cat1 the snake1 the crocodile2 and many of their other religious notions corresponded with such debased superstitions4 ,moses boldly denounced the whole of their mythological abominations2 and declared that there was only one ,god1 and that he was a spiritual being1 and ruled in heaven and on earth4 ,the ,egyptians believed in a formal judgment for every soul after death2 ,moses taught that ,god judgeth in the earth4 ,the ,egyptians maintained that there was a hell for some and a heaven for others over the river of death2 ,moses taught on all occasions that virtue is rewarded1 and vice is punished1 in this world4 ,these four tenets are the ground-work1 the basis1 of ,moses' system4 ,he introduced certain forms and ceremonies to be practiced1 till a superior ,,light would bless the world1 and his countrymen be more advanced in civilization1 and when that ,light came they were laid aside4 ,but his doctrines of one ,god1 who rules the universe1 and rewards virtue and punishes vice1 are not obsolete4 ,they are eternal truths1 and you say you believe them4 ,you are then a disciple of ,moses1 fool as you say he was4 ,that ,moses did not know the whole truth1 and nothing but the truth1 is readily admitted2 that all he said and did were not divine1 is also admitted2 and it is also conceded that sometimes his spirit did not seem to harmonize with the forgiving spirit of ,christ4 ,but with all his imperfections1 he was a man among men2 he was the tallest man of his day1 and his brow was bathed in the rising sun1 when the world was yet shrouded in darkness40 8,to that view of ,moses ,i do not much object4 ,but what is called the history of the ,jews1 is contradictory1 and often much exaggerated40 8,there may be errors in the ,bible history of the ,jews1 but the main statements are doubtless correct4 ,the writers thereof make no pretention to inspiration1 that ,i know of4 ,you do not reject the history of the ,united ,states1 because some of the writers thereof contradict each other40 8,well1 there are the pretended prophets2 do you think they were ,god's prophets80 8,many events they predicted have taken place4 ,i believe1 sir1 that ,god has had prophets in all ages and climes4 ,all history1 ancient and modern1 is full of the supernatural element4 ,it is found in ,grecian1 ,roman1 ,european1 and ,american histories4 ,it is found in the life of ,socrates1 ,plato1 ,origen1 ,joan of ,arc1 ,swedenborg1 ,stirling1 ,lavater1 ,oberlin1 ,wesley1 ,luther1 ,murray1 and in the life of innumerable other worthies of whom the world is not worthy4 ,we find them among the despised and forsaken4 ,they have been spit upon in all the streets in the world4 ,they have been burned at the stake as enemies of ,god and man4 ,but they cared for none of these things2 they knew that they were walking in the light of heaven1 and all the powers of darkness could not terrify their brave souls4 8,we pity the ,indian prince's ignorance of the fact that water by cold is converted into solid ice4 ,he was sure that such a phenomena was unnatural1 and #8contrary to all human experience4' ,we know though that it is done2 and if we know anything of the history of mankind1 we must admit that it teaches that supernaturalism has been prevalent at all times4 ,but if we pronounce this revelation of the historic page1 delusion1 to be consistent we should call all history imposition1 for the supernatural is as well attested as any statement of history4 ,the truth is1 there is an unseen hand directing all the affairs of the universe2 and man1 whether living or dying1 in time or in eternity1 is constantly controlled1 more or less1 by that invisible power4 ,it is man's natural condition to be in alliance with the spiritual4 ,when he is material in all his hopes and aspirations1 coarse and brutish1 he is in an unnatural condition1 and the spirit of ,god almost parts with him1 and leaves him nearly alone in his sins4 ,but the pure and good are exalted to heavenly places1 commune with the spirits of the just1 and are enveloped in an halo of glory4 ,some rise so high1 that the hand of ,god is on their brow1 and then they see visions1 dream dreams1 heal the sick1 raise the dead1 and cast out devils4 ,such are ,god's prophets2 such were the ,jewish prophets1 and the world in all ages has been blessed with the divine utterances of such godly men and women4 ,although their brows were immersed in the sun-light of heaven1 their feet were on this earth1 and hence we may expect to find their revelations sometimes tinged with the darkness of earth40 ,lectured in ,pisgah1 and a man gave notice that he should reply the next ,sunday4 ,i begged of him to offer his objections while ,i was in town2 he would not consent to1 but said1 8,on next ,sunday ,i will show that you deny the ,bible1 and teach a bundle of lies40 8,name one lie ,i have uttered to-night40 8,you can not get me into a controversy now40 ,preached in ,booneville1 and then proceeded to ,marshall1 where ,i spoke twice4 ,had some talk with a rum-seller4 8,do you think it right to poison and impoverish all you can80 8,i don't poison or impoverish40 8,you don't6 ,every dram you sell poisons and impoverishes somebody4 ,the body is the habitation built for the soul1 made in the image and glory of ,god to dwell in2 and it is your business from early morn to late at night1 to stand in your den and deal damnation to ,god's noble work4 ,what abominable business for a man to engage in6 ,what a life to live6 ,what prostitution of time and opportunities6 ,i should think you would be fearful that the indignant earth would open its jaws and crush you to atoms40 8,if your doctrine is true ,i am safe40 8,as my doctrine is true ,i would not stand in your shoes for all of this world4 ,you are a curse to yourself1 your family1 and this town4 ,the fires that are consuming you1 are scorching all with whom you come in contact40 8,but you preach that all will be saved1 and of course ,i am included40 8,you will not be saved in this world1 nor in the world to come1 till you repent of your sins in sackcloth and ashes1 and by the grace of ,god are thoroughly regenerated4 ,you will have to work out your own salvation2 and judging from your business1 that you occupy a very low plane in this world1 morally and spiritually1 ,i fear you will fill a low one in the other land1 and will have to work long and hard ere you will know much about heaven4 ,i advise you not to credit the slang of ,orthodox preachers1 that according to ,universalism all will be saved any how4 ,we believe in nothing of that kind4 ,the pure and good only are saved in this world1 and the pure and good only will be saved in the immortal world4 ,now1 my friend1 permit me to give you one word of advice--sell no more liquor1 drink no more liquor1 engage in some honest calling1 and live soberly1 righteously and godly the remainder of your days4 ,by doing so1 you will live better1 die happier--you will know something of heaven in this world40 ,lectured in ,miami1 then crossed the ,missouri river to ,dewitt1 where ,i spoke several times4 ,a society was subsequently formed there1 but the war broke it up4 ,held meetings in all the towns on both sides of the river to ,st4 ,joseph4 ,in ,kansas ,city lectured five times4 ,this is destined to be a large place4 ,it occupies a central position1 and right in the way of trade and travel4 ,it is on the bank of the ,missouri river1 and the ,pacific railroad passes through the town4 ,other roads are contemplated1 some or all of which will doubtless be built4 ,it is also in the midst of one of the finest agricultural regions of the world4 ,lectured in ,wyandotte1 ,kansas4 ,this town joins ,kansas ,city1 and like two drops1 they will become one--commercially1 at least4 ,its site is magnificent1 the ground gradually ascending from the river1 and ere long it will be a rich and populous place4 ,an ,episcopal minister asked me various questions concerning the doctrine every where spoken against4 8,do your people think ,jesus ,christ was a human being80 8,we think he was4 ,he certainly possessed a human constitution and organization2 was subject to hunger and thirst2 was weary and cold1 and was liable to the pains and agonies #8flesh is heir to4' ,he grew from childhood to youth1 and thence to manhood4 ,hence the ,new ,testament says1 #8,for we have not a high priest which cannot be touched with the feelings of our infirmities2 but was in all points tempted like as we are1 yet without sin4' ,heb4 iv4 #ae4 #8,but made himself of no reputation1 and took upon him the form of a servant1 and was made in the likeness of men3 ,and being found in fashion as a man1 he humbled himself1 and became obedient unto death1 even the death of the cross4' ,phil4 ii4 #g1 #h4 #8,and the word was made flesh1 and dwelt among us4' ,john i4 #ad4 ,he was a man1 and would have died ultimately had he lived in an age of justice and toleration40 8,what was the object of his death80 8,i will answer in the language of the ,bible4 #8,for ,christ also hath once suffered for sins1 the just for the unjust1 that he might bring us to ,god4' #a ,peter iii4 #ah4 #8,for it became him1 for whom are all things1 and by whom are all things1 in bringing many sons unto glory1 to make the captain of their salvation perfect through sufferings4' ,heb4 ii4 #aj4 #8,for if1 when we were enemies1 we were reconciled to ,god by the death of his ,son4' ,rom4 v4 #aj4 ,jesus came1 not to appease ,god's wrath1 or to quench the fire of hell4 8',twas not to quench eternal fire1 ,that ,jesus came and spilt his blood1 ,not to appease his ,father's ire1 ,but to reconcile the world to ,god4' 8,his noble example in dying for man1 has strengthened the martyr's faith on many a scaffold1 and when chained to many a fiery stake4 ,and he died like them1 a martyr to truth and righteousness4 ,he taught love to ,god and man2 he lived what he taught1 and he died confirming his teaching and his life4 ,that precept1 that life1 and that death1 have been a power in the world for eighteen hundred years1 and they will be a power in this world in all coming time40 8,but the ,bible talks about man being saved by the blood1 or death of ,christ4 ,do you think there was no special efficacy in his blood and death80 8,we say that our fathers died to save us from the oppression of ,great ,britain4 ,in the same sense ,christ died to save us from the bondage of sin1 and to cleanse us from all allegiance to despotism4 ,blood from any one's veins can only cleanse in a figurative sense4 ,it is the truth which ,jesus taught that cleanseth the soul2 and as his blood was shed in attestation of the truth1 the ,bible refers figuratively to that blood as the efficient cause of our deliverance and salvation4 ,in this sense he #8bore our sins and our iniquities1' was #8wounded for our transgressions1' and #8by his stripes we are healed4'0 8,there are men in high places in our church who entertain similar views1 but in my estimation1 they are erroneous4 ,i accept the creed of the church1 that ,jesus was ,god1 and of all the sequences of that proposition40 ,proceeded to ,leavenworth1 where ,i delivered four discourses4 ,this was then a small town1 but is now a large city1 and destined to be a very important one4 ,we ought to have a minister at work there4 ,a large congregation could soon be gathered4 ,there are many influential families who would give such a man their hearty support4 ,while here ,i heard the following conversation in an adjoining room at an hotel3 8,did you attend the ,universalist meeting last night80 8,no2 ,i have no faith in the creed of that church4 ,what was the preacher's text80 8#8,i am not ashamed of the gospel of ,christ1' were the words4 ,i must confess1 ,i was much interested4 ,it was the first ,universalist sermon ,i ever heard1 and ,i am inclined to think it was the first gospel sermon ,i ever heard4 ,i have1 all my life1 heard about the abominations of ,universalism1 and ,i supposed it was a mass of corruption4 ,but if that man last night preached ,universalism1 ,i don't know but ,i must be a ,universalist40 8,what did he say that took you so80 8,among other things he said1 salvation was not from hell1 but from sin1 from error1 from mental darkness2 that ,jesus came not to save us from eternal burnings1 but to make us good fathers1 mothers1 brothers1 sisters1 children1 neighbors1 friends1 citizens4 ,there is good sense in that40 8,what did he say about the gospel80 8,that it is good news from ,god to man--that all sin1 suffering and death will be ultimately abolished1 and that ,god will be all in all4 ,he said1 that the meaning of the word gospel is good news1 and that the whole system corresponds with the signification of the word40 8,did he say anything about hell8 ,of course he did not1 as there is no hell in his faith40 8,he did not say much on that subject1 but gave notice that this evening he would give the ,bible doctrine of hell1 and you had better go and hear what he has to say4 ,the ,orthodox view of religion never satisfied me1 and ,i am bound to look into this new faith40 ,a society was organized at the close of one of the meetings1 and this man united himself with it4 ,spent two days in ,weston1 ,mo41 and preached twice4 ,agreeably to request1 ,i delivered a discourse on the destruction of the enemies to ,god and man1 and took for my text1 8,the last enemy1 death1 shall be destroyed40 #a ,cor4 xv4 ,i remarked1 #a4 ,sin is an enemy to man1 but that is to be destroyed4 8,behold the ,lamb of ,god1 that taketh away the sin of the world40 8,for this purpose was the ,son of ,god manifested that he might destroy the works of the devil40 ,sin1 then1 is to be destroyed4 #b4 ,the devil is to be destroyed4 8,forasmuch as the children are partakers of flesh and blood1 he also took part of the same2 that through death he might destroy him that hath the power of death1 that is1 the devil40 ,thus1 the devil1 and all his works1 are to be destroyed4 #c4 ,pain is an enemy to man1 and that is to be destroyed4 8,there shall be no more pain1 neither shall there be sorrow nor crying1 for the former things are passed away40 ,how false is the doctrine of endless suffering1 endless sorrowing1 endless weeping4 #d4 ,hell is an enemy2 but the ,scriptures teach1 that it is to be destroyed4 8,o1 hell1 ,i will be thy destruction40 ,and an apostle asks the triumphant question1 8,o death1 where is thy sting8 ,o grave1 7hades or hell7 where is thy victory80 #e4 ,death is also an enemy1 and it is to be destroyed4 ,we read1 8,he will swallow up death in victory1 and the ,lord ,god will wipe tears from all faces40 8,there shall be no more death20 and the text asserts that1 8,the last enemy1 death1 shall be destroyed40 ,but how can death be destroyed if millions of mankind are to be eternally the victims of death8 ,in the language of ,dr4 ,adam ,clarke1 8,death is conquered1 hell disappointed1 the devil confounded1 and sin totally destroyed4 ,amen6 ,hallelujah6 ,the ,lord ,god1 omnipotent reigneth6 ,he shall reign forever and ever60 ,notwithstanding this distinct and emphatic testimony1 it is contended by many people1 with the ,bible in their hands1 that sin1 pain1 death1 hell1 and the devil1 will eternally prey on countless multitudes of our race2 and if you intimate to them that those enemies to our peace and hope will be destroyed1 they cry1 delusion1 imposture1 infidelity4 ,but ,i trust in ,god1 and believe in the divine promise of the end of all evil1 and the bringing in of 8everlasting righteousness40 ,i also lectured in ,st4 ,joseph three evenings4 ,at the close of one of my meetings1 a preacher remarked1 8,you have been talking about the mercy of ,god1 but will not ,god's wrath last as long as his mercy80 ,i replied1 without stopping to inquire what is meant by the wrath or anger of ,god1 the ,bible emphatically declares that 8,his anger endureth for a moment1 but his mercy from everlasting to everlasting40 ,again1 8,he retaineth not his anger forever1 because he delighteth in mercy40 8,i will not contend forever1 neither will ,i be always wroth40 ,why not8 8,because the spirit would fail before me1 and the souls which ,i have made40 ,can you give as good a reason why he will be always wroth1 why he will contend forever1 as he has why he will not8 ,pain tends to destroy the sufferer4 ,let a person endure intense agony1 and if medical aid does not relieve him1 death will soon step in and deliver the sufferer4 ,this is a merciful provision of our heavenly ,father1 to prevent very protracted suffering4 ,the passage just cited teaches1 that ,god will not permit any one to suffer long because that suffering would end his existence4 8,the spirit would fail before me1 and the souls ,i have made40 ,the soul could not endure endless wrath2 it would fail1 or cease to be4 ,jeremiah asks the question1 8,will he reserve his anger forever8 ,will he keep it to the end80 ,now observe the answer1 8,i am merciful saith the ,lord1 and will not keep anger forever40 ,again it is said1 8,for his anger endureth for a moment1 weeping may endure for a night1 but joy cometh in the morning40 ,the prophet ,isaiah records1 8,in a little wrath ,i hid my face from thee for a moment2 but with everlasting kindness will ,i have mercy on thee1 saith the ,lord40 ,again it is said1 8,the ,lord will not cast off forever1 but though he cause grief1 yet he will have compassion according to the multitude of his tender mercies40 ,we read the following1 8,my mercy will keep forevermore40 8,for the ,lord is good2 his mercy is everlasting40 ,in one ,psalm it is twenty-six times asserted that 8,the mercy of the ,lord endureth forever40 ,hence it is said1 8,god is rich in mercy40 8,plenteous in mercy40 ,we also read of his mercy in the plural form4 ,they are said to be 8great10 8manifold10 and 8over all his works40 ,the apostle ,paul believed in ,god's mercy1 for he says1 8,for he hath concluded them all in unbelief1 that he might have ,,mercy ,,on ,,all60 ,from all this precious testimony1 ,i conclude that the 8wrath of ,god10 let it mean what it may1 will continue but a moment1 while his mercy is as endless as his own existence4 ,the mother may forget the son of her love1 but ,god will never forget the souls he has made4 ,god is merciful to us to-day1 he will be to-morrow1 and forever4 ,no circumstance or place can turn his love into hatred1 his goodness into cruelty4 ,his mercy blesses us in this world1 and it will bless us in the world to come4 ,death cannot change the great love ,god has for the soul4 ,delivered a series of discourses in ,kingston1 on the following subjects3--8,the ,character of ,god0--8,man as he ,is and is to ,be0--8,rewards and ,punishments0--8,the ,future ,life0--8,the ,restitution40 ,our faith was new to the people1 as a discourse in its defense had not been before delivered in the county4 ,a ,baptist minister replied to one of the sermons2 he had traveled ten miles to attend the meeting4 ,he dwelt on the ,rich ,man and ,lazarus4 ,denied it being a parable1 and said it was a literal account of two men in this world1 and world to come--one in heaven and the other in hell--and that their fate in eternity would be the fate of all mankind--part would ascend to heaven1 and the balance would sink into the regions of eternal fire4 ,i replied as follows3 ,if the gentleman is correct in asserting that the text is to be understood literally1 the following are ,,facts1 concerning the ,hereafter3 #a4 ,hell is a place1 not a state or condition1 but a place2 has a local habitation as well as a name2 has length1 width1 depth and highth2 in fact1 is the penitentiary of the universe4 ,hell is called in the passage1 8this place of torment40 #b4 ,hell is a fiery furnace4 ,the rich man says1 8,i am tormented in these flames10 and begs for a drop of water to cool his tongue4 #c4 8,this place of torment10 this region of fire1 is within speaking distance of heaven4 ,abraham and the rich man had a talk on some interesting topics4 ,heaven and hell1 then1 are neighbors4 ,they are located side by side2 the division fence being a gulf4 #d4 ,if the fate of those two men is to be the fate of all mankind1 the world is to be divided4 ,parents and children1 husbands and wives1 brothers and sisters1 friends and neighbors1 are to be eternally separated--part to be in heaven1 and part in hell4 ,now1 ,i want to know if there could be any happiness in such a heaven4 ,could parents be happy seeing their children in hell1 as ,abraham saw the 8rich man80 ,could children be happy1 beholding the mother who bore them1 and the father who loved them1 writhing in the liquid flames1 the cursed of ,god1 and the sport of devils8 ,could the wife behold the beloved partner of her life1 suffering immortal agony in the fiery furnace1 and rejoice and sing praise8 ,i read a few days since a ,presbyterian ,sabbath ,school report1 and the writer states1 that 8heaven will be made up of remnants of ruined families40 ,nearly every family will be ruined--a remnant only will escape the dreadful wreck4 ,to expect happiness in such a heaven1 would be like expecting oranges to grow on icebergs4 ,but if the gentleman is right in his interpretation of the passage before us1 there is just such a heaven1 and just such a hell2 and about every family will be irredeemably ruined1 and eternally divided4 ,the nearest approach to such a shocking scene1 is a band of naked and painted savages1 laughing and dancing around the blazing stake1 at which their victims are burning4 ,there is your heaven1 and your hell1 on a small scale4 ,but to prevent the denizens of heaven becoming insane at such a frightful spectacle1 it is said1 their memory will be destroyed2 they will not remember they ever had dear friends on earth4 ,yes1 and they will have to have their eyes put out1 for ,abraham could see the rich man4 ,they will also have to be as deaf as adders1 else the cries1 groans and lamentations of hell will ever be sounding in their ears4 ,but it must be evident to every reflecting mind1 that the text is not to be understood literally1 but figuratively4 ,it is doubtless a parable1 a fable1 and its moral is one of the most interesting and instructive lessons in the ,new ,testament4 ,i have not room here for the interpretation ,i gave the passage2 but the preacher1 at the close1 admitted that the view presented seemed reasonable1 and was1 perhaps1 correct4 ,a rum-seller here told me1 that he had been through religion1 and was satisfied it was all humbug4 ,i told him that he would1 perhaps1 be improved if religion should go through him4 ,i also lectured several times in ,chillicothe4 ,my subjects were1 8,sin0--8,death0--8,hell0--8,salvation40 ,one man remarked to me1 after hearing the discourse on ,sin1 8,jesus says1 #8,if you die in your sins1 where ,god and ,christ are1 ye cannot come4'0 8,my friend1 there is no such passage in the ,bible40 8,ah1 but there is10 said he2 8,i have read it many a time40 8,but you are mistaken4 ,the passage you quoted at1 reads thus3 #8,then said ,jesus again unto them1 ,i go my way1 and ye shall seek me1 and ye shall die in your sins2 whither ,i go ye cannot come4' ,john viii4 #ba4 ,you perceive the true reading is very different from your version4 ,these words were addressed to the ,jews4 ,a short time afterwards he had occasion to address his disciples2 and mark what he said to them4 #8,little children1 yet a little while ,i am with you4 ,ye shall seek me2 and as ,i said to the ,jews1 ,whither ,i go ye cannot come1 so say ,i unto you4' ,john xiii4 #cc4 ,now1 if ,jesus when he told the ,jews that they could not go to him1 meant they should not inherit immortal blessedness1 he must have meant the same when he addressed the disciples1 for you perceive1 he said precisely the same to them4 ,but nothing of the kind was intended when he addressed friend or foe4 ,he only meant in both cases1 that they could not much longer follow him from place to place1 as they had been in the habit of doing4 ,he was about to depart from this world1 and they would have to remain on earth4 8,many of the ,jews did die in their sins1 but it does not thence follow that they are condemned to sin forever4 ,because a man sins this year it does not follow he will sin all his life-time4 ,god is not so in love with sin that he will compel a soul to sin eternally because this life was mis-spent4 ,what would be thought of a farmer who compelled a man to cut down every tree in his orchard because he had cut down one tree8 ,and will the ,god of wisdom and goodness1 compel all to sin eternally who die sinners8 ,if yea1 then nearly all mankind will be forever lost1 for nearly all die sinners in some degree4 ,the law is1 #8,thou shalt love the ,lord thy ,god with all thy heart1 soul and strength1 and thy neighbor as thyself4' ,now1 who obeys that law8 ,but few indeed1 ,i fear4 ,nearly all mankind1 then1 will be forever lost if there is no redemption for those who die sinners4 8,but the good ,book teaches1 that sin will not debase the soul always2 but rather that there is to be #8an end of sin4' ,dan4 ix4 ,transferring all sin and all sinners to hell would not exactly be destroying sin nor converting sinners to ,god4 ,it would simply be removing sin and sinners to another locality--that is all4 ,transporting all the drunkards from ,st4 ,louis to ,chicago1 would not be destroying intemperance4 ,it would only be removing the curse from one place to another--nothing more4 ,but when the ,bible talks about sin being destroyed1 making an end of sin1 it means just what it says4 ,it does not mean that it will not be destroyed1 will not end its reign40 ,from ,chillicothe ,i journeyed to ,dewitt4 ,i well remember of traveling that road at another time4 ,it was one of the hottest days of summer1 and ,i rode on horseback1 from early morn till late at night1 in the blazing sun1 without a particle of food4 ,about mid-day1 ,i called at a house to get a drink of water1 and the good woman conducted me to the back porch where were two buckets of ice and water--one bucket for the white folks1 and the other for the negroes1 and told me to keep myself to the refreshing contents of the former4 ,never shall ,i forget that blessed bucket1 and its thrice blessed treasure4 ,i thought of the spring in the desert1 gushing forth its cooling draught2 of 8,the old oaken bucket1 ,the moss covered bucket1 ,the iron bound bucket1 ,that hung in the well10 ,and of ,jesus resting1 as ,i was resting1 at the ,samaritan well4 ,after traveling about one week more1 ,i reached home after a long absence2 having delivered seventy-five discourses1 and rode some seven hundred miles--all on horseback4 ,,chapter ,,xvii4 ,,the ,,rebellion ,,commenced--,,what ,,senator ,,douglas ,,said--,,defenders ,,of ,,our ,,country--,,camp ,,jackson--,,rebel ,,flag--,,great ,,expectations--,,subscribers ,,lost--,,money ,,lost--,,all ,,but ,,two ,,of ,,the ,,religious ,,journals ,,stopped--,,could ,,do ,,but ,,little ,,in ,,missouri--,,society ,,in ,,st4 ,,louis--,g4 ,s4 ,,weaver ,,left--,,the ,,unitarian ,,society--,,published ,,pamphlet ,,on ,,water ,,baptism--,,discussion ,,with ,b4 ,h4 ,,smith--,,extracts ,,from ,,the ,,discussion4 ,while sitting at the breakfast-table1 at a boarding-house in ,st4 ,louis1 on the morning of the #adth of ,april1 #ahfa1 it was announced through the morning paper1 that the ,south ,carolinians had fired on ,fort ,sumter4 ,i remarked1 8,the rebels will rue that traitorous deed40 ,the landlady took fire1 and with eyes darting vengeance1 said1 8,we are ,southrons40 8,if you are ,southrons you need not be rebels40 ,the whole city was wild with excitement4 ,americans had fired on their own flag1 civil war was inaugurated2 but how far it would extend1 and what would be the result1 were problems the wisest could not solve4 ,would the whole land be desolated8 ,would treason1 with fire and sword1 march through the length and breadth of the country1 scattering death and destruction1 where peace1 harmony and happiness had so long prevailed8 ,was the sun of the ,great ,republic about to set1 and set in blood1 fire and desolation8 ,was our glorious ,union about to be rent asunder by profane hands8 ,where would the division end8 ,would it be torn in two1 twenty1 or thirty parts8 ,no wonder loyal men and women were excited and alarmed4 ,a day or two after the announcement of that insane act of ,south ,carolina1 ,i heard a man on ,fourth street read a private dispatch he had just received from ,senator ,douglas at ,washington1 8,tell my friends they must sustain the government40 ,it made my heart leap for joy1 and ,i exclaimed to a by-stander1 8,god bless ,douglas40 8,god d---- him10 said an enraged 8,southron40 ,in a few days more1 ,president ,lincoln's call for volunteers was published2 and then the drum began to beat2 and the farmers1 mechanics1 merchants1 doctors1 lawyers1 preachers1 all over the land1 left their homes and enrolled themselves1 8,,defenders ,,of ,,our ,,country40 ,and many a prayer went up to heaven for their protection and success4 ,when ,general ,lyon1 a few weeks after1 marched five thousand loyal soldiers through the city and captured 8,camp ,jackson10 the union portion of the population were delighted1 but the rebels were dismayed4 ,for weeks a rebel flag had been hanging over a building on the corner of ,pine and ,fifth streets1 the head-quarters of treason1 and several leading papers in the city working to get ,missouri out of the ,union4 ,these treason plotters1 north and south1 east and west1 had great expectations4 ,one of them said to me1 8,we shall succeed4 ,the ,south will sustain itself4 ,the ,north will not fight4 ,and having the mouth of the ,mississippi river1 the ,south will compel the ,western ,states to join them2 we shall have a strong and magnificent government1 and the ,eastern ,states may go to destruction for ought we care40 ,i replied3 8,three or four years of war will open your eyes1 if you shall have any then to open1 with regard to the ,north and the ,south4 ,do not delude yourself with the fancy1 that the northern people will not fight for the right2 you will find that they will fight1 and as men hardly ever before did fight4 ,it is true they greatly prefer the arts of peace2 but when their country is in danger1 the country for which their fathers bled and died1 you will find that the spirit of '#gf is not degenerated4 ,you do not know what you are about2 you are insane4 ,you are disturbing a lion1 and by and by he will spring to his feet and crush you to death40 ,but after the ,camp ,jackson affair1 and the citizens were taught by several bloody lessons1 to let the soldiers pass through the streets undisturbed1 we had peace and safety in ,st4 ,louis4 ,the rebel element was strong1 but it was harmless amid a preponderance of loyalty1 supported by an army of the 8boys in blue40 ,but in ,missouri1 outside of ,st4 ,louis1 with the exception of here and there a place where soldiers were stationed1 there was but little peace1 or safety4 ,i had nearly three thousand subscribers in ,missouri1 and the ,southern ,states1 when the war commenced1 and ,i lost all the ,southern1 and nearly all the ,missouri subscribers1 by the mails being discontinued1 and by the general confusion that reigned4 ,my loss was1 at least1 five thousand dollars4 ,three religious periodicals--,methodist1 ,baptist and ,presbyterian--were discontinued at the beginning of the strife4 ,the former was suppressed by ,general ,lyon1 for its treasonable utterances4 ,the ,magazine and the ,central ,christian ,advocate1 were the only religious journals that survived the outbreak4 ,the ,magazine was pretty badly crippled1 and but for the aid it received from the loyal states1 it would have succumbed4 ,i traveled and preached but little in ,missouri during the war4 ,most of the men were in the army1 north or south2 some left the state1 and the few who remained did not think much about religion4 ,the society in ,st4 ,louis went to the shades4 ,mr4 ,weaver left the year before the war1 and located in ,lawrence1 ,mass41 where he has been remarkably successful4 ,he is a noble man1 and an excellent pastor and preacher4 ,before a successor to him could be obtained1 the war broke out1 and that killed the society4 ,our cause was always feeble in ,st4 ,louis4 ,the ,unitarian society was old1 numerous1 well established1 and rich2 but instead of aiding us by its sympathy and co-operation1 it stood off as cold as an iceberg4 ,i hear much of the love ,unitarians bear for us1 but have never seen much evidence of their love4 ,they doubtless would like to have ,unitarians and ,universalists unite1 but it must be like the marriage of man and woman1 according to ,blackstone1 the twain must be one1 and that one1 ,unitarian4 ,we are fine fellows if we will allow ourselves to be swallowed1 head and heels1 without kicking4 ,about this time1 ,i published a pamphlet entitled 8,seventy-two ,reasons why ,salvation is not by ,water ,baptism40 ,the ,reformers1 or ,campbellites1 a numerous and growing sect in the ,west and ,south1 contend1 as is well known1 that immersion in water is a condition of salvation4 ,this pamphlet is designed to refute that strange notion4 ,the following is the twenty-eighth 8,reason03 8,then said ,peter unto them1 ,repent1 and be baptized every one of you in the name of ,jesus ,christ1 for the remission of sins2 and ye shall receive the gift of the ,holy ,ghost40 ,acts ii4 #ch4 ,if 8baptized0 here refers to water baptism1 it is the only place in the ,new ,testament where it is connected with 8remission of sin40 ,and shall all that ,christ and his apostles have said about sin being removed by grace1 hope1 faith1 repentance1 be set aside1 because in one instance baptism and remission of sins are mentioned in connection with each other8 ,but even in this passage ,peter tells his hearers to repent 8for the remission of sins10 and there is common sense in that exhortation4 ,repentance means to reform1 to cease doing evil and learn to do well1 and when that is done1 of course1 our sins are remitted4 ,if a drunkard repents1 reforms1 the sin of intemperance is remitted1 and so of all other sins--when we abandon them1 they abandon us4 ,if we resist the devil he will flee from us4 ,that is what forgiveness1 pardon1 and remission of sin means4 ,and that is what ,peter means in the above words1 as is evident from his address to the people in ,acts iii4 #ai4 8,repent ye1 therefore1 and be converted1 that your sins may be blotted out40 ,here baptism is left out1 clearly showing that the author1 in the other place1 did not mean that water puts away sin4 ,the same is taught by ,jesus4 8,and that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in his name among all nations1 beginning at ,jerusalem40 ,luke xxiv4 #dg4 ,nothing about water4 ,the apostle ,paul teaches the same truth4 8,whom ,god hath sent forth to be a propitiation through ,,faith in his blood1 to declare his righteousness1 for the ,,remission ,,of ,,sins40 ,rom4 iii4 #be4 ,here again baptism has no credit for remitting sin2 it is done through faith4 ,again this apostle says1 8,this is the covenant that ,i will make with them after those days1 saith the ,lord1 ,i will put my law into their hearts1 and in their minds ,i will write them3 and their sins and iniquities will ,i remember no more4 ,now where ,,remission of these is1 there is no more offering for sin40 ,heb4 x4 #af1 #ag1 #ah4 ,of course1 when the law of ,god reigns supreme in men's hearts1 their sins are remitted1 whether they have been baptized or not4 ,it is the law of love that banishes sin1 not water baptism4 ,it is evident from the above testimony1 that water baptism has nothing to do in putting away sin1 and that the ,reformers have departed far from the truth in their notions about the saving influence of water baptism4 ,and here is another error they commit4 ,they are forever telling us that the kingdom of ,god was set up on 8the day of ,pentecost40 ,their notion runs about thus--,jesus ,christ set up his kingdom on 8the day of ,pentecost40 ,the key thereof being given to ,peter1 he unlocked it on that occasion1 and commenced baptizing men and women into the kingdom4 ,baptism is the door4 ,not a living man1 woman1 or child was inside the door when ,peter opened it4 ,on this theological curiosity we have a few words to offer4 #a4 ,we have not a particle of evidence that the kingdom of ,god was set up on that occasion4 ,peter1 who was the sole speaker1 said not one word about the kingdom of ,god1 not one word about its keys1 not one word about unlocking it1 not one word about baptism being the door into the kingdom1 not one word about immersing anybody into it4 ,if the august kingdom of the living ,god was really set up1 opened1 dedicated1 and ,jesus commenced his reign on 8the day of ,pentecost10 it is very remarkable that there is not one word said about any of these important matters by the great apostle4 ,our ,reformers draw largely on their imagination for their facts when they expatiate about ,pentecost4 #b4 ,water baptism is the door into the kingdom1 is it8 ,the kingdom1 then1 which is purely a spiritual institution1 has a material door6 ,what an idea6 ,and it was reserved for the nineteenth century to make that wonderful discovery4 #c4 ,if our friends are right in their curious notions1 we should like to be informed how the first one got into the kingdom4 ,when ,peter opened it not a soul was inside1 and no one could get in without being baptized4 ,now1 we should like to have one of their wise men tell us how the first one got inside4 ,did ,peter baptize him in8 ,but ,peter was an 8outsider40 ,and will our friends pretend that one out of the kingdom could lawfully initiate one into it8 ,this1 though1 must have been done1 or some one must have slipped inside without immersion1 and then went to work in good earnest putting others through the watery door into the spiritual kingdom4 #d4 ,if our friends are right1 not one of the twelve apostles entered the kingdom of ,god1 for they were not baptized before1 at1 or after ,pentecost4 ,not even ,mathias1 who was chosen after the resurrection of ,christ1 was baptized4 ,they did not enter through this singular door4 ,how then can they be saved8 ,soon after this pamphlet appeared1 ,i made arrangements with ,b4 ,h4 ,smith1 pastor of the ,reformers' church in ,st4 ,louis1 to have a discussion in the ,magazine on the efficacy of water baptism4 ,he proposed affirming that 8,water ,baptism is a ,condition of ,salvation40 ,he was to write twelve letters4 ,he wrote seven and then laid aside his pen1 and ,i could never induce him to write any more4 ,the following is part of my reply to his first letter3 ,you advocate a proposition that consigns nearly all mankind to hopeless ruin4 ,you affirm that water baptism is a condition of salvation1 and consequently that there is not1 and cannot be1 any salvation without immersion in water4 ,your brethren1 generally1 adopt the same theory4 ,rev4 ,alexander ,campbell1 well known to be a prominent man in your fraternity1 distinctly avows your position4 ,speaking of the 8act of faith0 which he declares to be immersion in water1 he says1 8,whatever the act of faith may be1 it necessarily becomes the line of demarkation between the two states before described4 ,on this side1 and on the other side1 mankind are in quite different states4 ,on one side they are pardoned1 justified1 sanctified1 reconciled1 adopted and saved3 and on the other1 they are in a state of condemnation4 ,this act is sometimes called immersion1 regeneration1 conversion40 7,christian ,system1 page #aic47 ,this 8act of faith10 you see1 is immersion in water1 and is called 8regeneration10 and 8conversion40 ,on one side1 that is1 all who are immersed1 are 8saved1 pardoned1 justified1 sanctified1 reconciled1 adopted10 but those on the other side1 that is1 not immersed in water1 are condemned1 lost1 unpardoned1 unsanctified1 etc4 ,in one word1 immersion is the line between heaven and hell1 between the saved and the damned1 between those ,god loves and those he hates4 ,on page #aig1 he says that 8,immersion is inseparably connected with the remission of sins10--8no person was said to be converted until he was immersed2 and all persons who were immersed1 were said to be converted40 ,the same saving power is attached to immersion all through ,mr4 ,campbell's book4 ,but1 sir1 reason1 common sense1 common justice1 and every thing else that even squints toward the true and right1 condemn such a theory4 ,but as you appeal to the ,new ,testament to sustain your proposition1 ,i trust ,i can show you misunderstand its letter and spirit4 ,your doctrine of the purifying power of water baptism1 is rank ,heathenism4 ,the ,pagans1 publicly and privately1 used lustral water1 which they thought had the virtue of purifying the soul1 and of remitting the punishment of sins4 8,the ,indians10 writes father ,jesuit ,bonchet1 a missionary to ,india1 8say that in bathing--that is1 immersing--in certain rivers1 sins are entirely remitted2 and that their mysterious waters1 wash not only the bodies1 but also purify the souls in an admirable manner40 ,this testimony1 ,chateaubriand adds1 is confirmed by the 8,memoirs of the ,english ,society of ,calcutta40 ,the waters of the ,ganges are supposed by the ,hindoos1 to purify those who are immersed in them4 ,this sounds very much like your proposition4 ,the ,catholics1 like yourself1 have incorporated this item of ,heathenism into their faith4 ,their ,general ,catechism treats on baptism thus3 ,q4 ,what is baptism8 ,a4 ,a sacrament which cleanses from original sin1 makes us christians and children of ,god2 and heirs to the kingdom of heaven4 ,q4 ,does baptism also remit the actual sins committed before it8 ,a4 ,yes2 and all the punishment due them4 ,q4 ,is baptism necessary to salvation8 ,a4 ,yes2 without it1 we cannot enter the kingdom of ,god4 ,you agree exactly with the ,romish ,church4 ,both you and that church contend1 that baptism cleanses the soul1 makes us christians1 children of ,god1 heirs of heaven4 ,you say1 that 8baptism is a condition of salvation10 and the ,pope says1 8baptism is necessary to salvation40 ,the ,pagans call the baptismal water1 8lustral water20 the ,catholics1 8holy water10 and your people1 8regenerating water40 ,mr4 ,campbell says1 8,no one acquainted with ,peter's style1 will think it strange that ,paul represents as saved1 cleansed1 or sanctified by water--may not he then call that water1 of which a person is born again1 the water1 or bath of regeneration40 7,christian ,system1 page #bfe47 ,you will observe that you1 the ,catholics and ,pagans1 are beautifully harmonious concerning the saving power of water4 ,the savages of the ,west1 appear to be strictly ,orthodox in their notions concerning the regenerating influence of water4 ,in the early settlement of the ,west1 two whites were captured by a band of ,indians2 and when on the bank of the ,ohio1 they were led into the river and immersed by their savage captors4 ,the chief then informed his prisoners1 that this immersion had changed their characters--that they were no longer pale faces1 but ,indians1 and were members of the tribe4 ,we smile at the red man's absurdity1 but let us be careful and not be equally absurd4 ,this is the first account we have of a western stream being deemed a 8bath of regeneration20 but since then another people have christened all the rivers1 creeks and ponds in the ,west1 8baths of regenerations40 ,in the course of the correspondence1 ,i offered the following objections to his theory3 #a4 8,ye are the children of the prophets1 and of the covenant which ,god made with our fathers1 saying unto ,abraham1 and in thy seed shall all the kindreds of the earth be blessed4 ,unto you first1 ,god having raised up his ,son1 ,jesus1 sent him to bless you1 in turning every one of you from his iniquities40 ,acts iii4 #be1 #bf4 ,this is from ,peter's sermon1 delivered on ,solomon's porch1 and from which you have quoted in your argument4 ,your position is1 that salvation is only for those who are immersed1 and as but a very small part of mankind are immersed1 but a small part of mankind will be blessed with salvation4 ,but the above passage promises blessedness to 8all the kindreds of the earth10 and we are informed what that blessing is--8,turning away every one of you from his iniquities40 ,that is the blessing1 and it is promised to all mankind4 ,mr4 ,campbell1 in the book from which ,i have before quoted1 page #ace1 admits the universality of the promise1 and says that the 8blessing is spiritual and eternal40 ,how he or you can restrict salvation to the few who are immersed1 with this passage before your eyes1 and this admission1 is a mystery4 #b4 ,if you are correct1 but a small portion of mankind will be saved--only those who are immersed in water4 ,every child1 dying in childhood1 every idiot1 every ,jew1 every ,mohammedan1 every ,pagan1 every ,catholic1 every ,episcopalian1 every ,methodist1 every ,presbyterian1 must go to hell1 if you are right4 ,you deny salvation to every body who is not baptized4 ,if you are correct1 hell will be crowded1 and heaven almost empty4 ,my ,god6 what a theory6 #c4 ,according to your proposition1 a person may spend three score years and ten in crime of the blackest dye2 may trample under foot the laws of both ,god and man1 and receive little or no punishment in this world2 and by being immersed the last hour of his wicked life1 his sins are all washed away1 and he occupy as high a seat in heaven as ,st4 ,john or ,st4 ,paul4 ,now1 the ,bible teaches that every transgression and disobedience shall receive a just recompense of reward4 7,heb4 ii4 #b47 8,he that doeth wrong shall receive for the wrong which he hath done2 and there is no respect of persons40 ,col4 iii4 #be4 ,your theory makes a 8respect of persons20 it says that the immersed 8shall ,,not receive for the wrong which they have done10 but that wrath and vengeance will be meted out forever and ever on the unimmersed4 8,for the ,son of man shall come in the glory of the ,father with his angels2 and then shall he reward every man according to his works40 ,matt4 xvi4 #bg4 ,mr4 ,smith affirms1 that heaven will render to the unimmersed 8according to their works10 but the immersed will be saved from the just punishment of their sins4 8,for we must all appear before the judgment seat of ,christ1 that every one may receive the things done in his body1 according to that he hath done1 whether good or bad40 #b ,cor4 v4 #aj4 ,mr4 ,smith denies that ,god will punish the immersed for the wicked deeds they have done4 ,in fact1 his theory asserts that ,god will not punish them at all1 but saves them from the penalty of their sins4 ,this1 also1 is a very serious objection to your proposition1 and ,i hope it will receive from you something besides a laugh4 #d4 ,a wretch murders in cold blood a thousand unbaptized1 good men1 and1 according to your proposition1 not one of them can be saved--they die unwashed of their sins and must be lost4 ,as soon as he has killed their bodies1 and sent their souls to hell1 he attends ,mr4 ,smith's meetings1 on ,olive street1 listens to one of his excellent exhortations to come forward and be immersed into the fold of ,god4 ,he gives you his bloody hand1 makes the good confession1 and is immersed at the levee--the very spot where he murdered the men1 and some of their dead bodies are still at his feet4 ,his sins are all forgiven1 his soul is pure1 and he is an heir of heaven4 ,but in going back to the sanctuary1 he stumbles over one of the dead bodies of his victims1 falls to the ground and breaks his neck4 ,he complied with the 8conditions of salvation10 and his sanctified soul is wafted right to heaven4 ,but the thousand victims of his wickedness1 not having been immersed1 although they were righteous men1 are lost forever4 ,according to ,mr4 ,smith's theory1 just such a series of events may occur4 ,one man may kill a thousand men2 their souls may all go to hell2 and the murderer1 by faith and immersion1 may be saved from all the consequences of deeds that have sent thousands to perdition4 ,the murdered in hell1 and the murderer in heaven4 ,the outrage and injustice of this is a formidable objection to your proposition4 ,admit this is an extreme case2 but ,i want to know how you will dispose of it8 ,a case much like this occurred in ,st4 ,louis soon after this was written4 ,a condemned murderer 8believed10 and was marched from his cell to the ,olive ,street church1 and was there immersed1 and then marched to the gallows1 via the prison1 and if ,mr4 ,smith is right1 thence to heaven1 while his victim likely was sent to hell4 #e4 ,one sin may ruin a soul forever without immersion1 but a million sins are harmless if followed by immersion4 ,to illustrate3 a man commits one sin1 and dies without being immersed4 ,you say1 he cannot be saved1 for immersion is a condition of salvation4 ,another commits a million of sins1 and is immersed immediately after committing the last one1 and1 having complied with the conditions of salvation1 he is saved4 ,can you see any equity in this8 ,even if it is possible for a child1 dying ere it attains the age of accountability to be saved1 suppose it lives to commit one sin1 and dies without being immersed1 according to ,mr4 ,smith1 it cannot be saved4 ,it sinned once and died without immersion1 died with that sin unforgiven1 and consequently it cannot be saved4 #f4 ,a serious objection to ,mr4 ,smith's view of baptism1 is its arbitrary character4 ,there is naturally no power in water1 or immersion in water1 to cleanse the soul2 and making its salvation depend on the body being dipped in water1 sets aside all natural and spiritual laws4 ,all ,god's commands1 in the ,new ,testament1 are based in sound philosophy1 and are in perfect harmony with all nature2 nothing is arbitrary2 all is natural and philosophical4 ,but the doctrine of salvation by immersing the body in water1 is in direct variance with ,god's method of government1 and therefore must be false4 #g4 ,if ,mr4 ,smith is right1 a wonderful miracle is wrought whenever he or his brethren immerse a man or woman in water4 ,mr4 ,campbell says1 8,i am bold to affirm that every one of them who1 in the belief of which the apostle spoke1 was immersed did1 in the very instant in which he was put under the water1 receive the forgiveness of his sins40 7,christian ,baptist1 pages #daf1 #dag47 ,the believer is cursed with all his sins1 exposed to the wrath of ,god and the flames of hell1 till the very instant he is put under water4 ,when under the water his sins are all forgiven1 his soul is purified1 his nature is changed1 ,god becomes his friend1 and the door of heaven is opened to him4 ,all this takes place during the brief time he is under the water4 ,what a miracle6 ,there is nothing in the catalogue of miracles equal to it4 ,and then such wonderful miracles are being wrought day and night in every stream and pond in the land4 ,if there is any truth in this theory1 ,mr4 ,smith has performed far more miracles than ,jesus ,christ ever did4 ,his brethren often laugh at the ,methodists1 for their notions about the operations of the spirit1 and tell them they suppose a miracle is wrought1 whenever a soul is converted2 but ,mr4 ,smith and his friends believe in greater wonders than the ,methodists do1 and those too that are not half as reasonable and philosophical4 #h4 ,this theory suspends salvation on the will and act of another man4 ,to illustrate3 ,mr4 ,smith convinces one of his hearers of the truth of the gospel1 and he makes application to be immersed that his sins may be pardoned4 ,mr4 ,smith does not doubt his faith1 but refuses to immerse him--has an old grudge against him--and the man dies the next day1 dies unforgiven1 and enters into the presence of his ,god with all his sins on his soul4 ,now1 ,mr4 ,smith1 by not doing his duty1 has sent that man to hell4 ,it may be said1 that ,mr4 ,smith will be sent there too for this sin of omission2 but that would not help the poor man who went there before him4 ,if this doctrine is correct1 thousands may be lost by others refusing to immerse them4 ,again3 a son or a daughter becomes a penitent believer1 and desires to be immersed1 but the father forbids it1 and the youth dies unimmersed1 and consequently goes to perdition4 ,it may be replied1 that ,god does not require impossibilities1 and in those cases he will take the will for the deed4 ,but ,mr4 ,smith affirms1 there is no salvation without baptism4 ,if ,mr4 ,smith is right1 all such unfortunate persons are lost4 #i4 ,this system enjoins an impossibility1 and then damns a man for not performing it4 ,on the desert a man becomes a penitent believer1 but dies ere he can reach water in which to be immersed4 ,a traveler in the arctic regions makes the good confession1 but freezes to death before he can melt water enough to be dipped in4 ,all such souls are lost1 for ,mr4 ,smith and ,mr4 ,campbell tell us1 there is no salvation on the desert1 nor in the polar regions1 without immersion4 ,and this is called the glorious gospel of the blessed ,god6 ,a solitary traveler in an uninhabited region1 exclaims from the heart1 8,i believe that ,jesus ,christ is the ,son of ,god10 and wills to be immersed2 but he is in a bad fix4 ,there is no one within an hundred miles to immerse him1 and he cannot immerse himself4 ,he makes a desperate effort to find somebody to immerse him1 as the salvation of his soul depends on his success4 ,but his effort is fruitless1 his exertion brings on a fever1 and he dies alone on the desert4 ,according to ,mr4 ,smith1 he goes into the other world a sinner1 and as there is no water there to be immersed in1 he must be immersed in hell-fire1 not for a moment1 but for all eternity4 #aj4 ,it encourages superstition by attaching an extravagant importance to immersion4 ,it elevates an ordinance far above every ,christian virtue2 above faith1 hope1 charity1 love4 ,in fact1 it makes almost a god of water baptism4 #aa4 ,mr4 ,smith's superstitious notions of baptism lead directly to infant baptism--are the father and mother of infant baptism4 ,speaking of the origin of infant baptism1 the learned historian and critic1 ,salmasins1 says1 8,an opinion prevailed that no one could be saved without being baptized1 and for that reason the custom arose of baptizing infants40 ,professor ,hahn testifies to the same3 8,infant baptism arose from false views of original sin1 and of the magical power of consecrated water40 7,prof4 ,hahn's ,theology1 page #eef47 ,another noted critic says3 8,the immediate occasion of infant baptism it cannot be denied was its extravagant ideas of its necessity to salvation40 7,dressler's ,doctrine of the ,sacrament of ,baptism47 ,it is evident1 then1 that ,mr4 ,smith's idea of water baptism is the legitimate parent of infant baptism2 and it is a mystery to me that he and his brethren do not baptize infants to save their souls4 ,according to ,mr4 ,campbell they need salvation4 ,hear him3 8,our nature was corrupted by the fall of ,adam before it was transmitted to us2 and hence the hereditary imbecility to do good1 and that proneness to do evil1 so universally apparent in all human beings4 ,all inherit a fallen1 consequently a sinful nature40 7,christian ,system1 pages #bh1 #bi47 ,now1 as there is no salvation without baptism1 why not baptize infants8 ,will it not save little sinners as well as large ones8 ,it would not astonish me to learn that ,mr4 ,smith is immersing infants4 ,i wonder he has not been doing it these many years4 #ab4 ,according to my friend's theology1 a man may be full of faith1 and love1 and good works1 but if he has not been immersed in water he is in a lost and ruined condition1 and on the broad road to everlasting destruction4 ,his faith1 and love1 and good works1 avail nothing without immersion4 ,stating such a proposition in simple language is enough to condemn it4 #ac4 ,this theory is worse than infidelity4 ,thomas ,paine1 the noted infidel1 says1 8,i believe that religious duties consist in doing justice1 loving mercy1 and endeavoring to make our fellow creatures happy40 7,age of ,reason1 page #f47 ,according to the theory in question1 our ,creator has no respect for these religious duties1 unless we are immersed in water4 ,he will neither bless us with salvation in time or eternity1 if we religiously perform all these duties1 unless we are immersed4 ,with all due respect to my friend1 ,i must say1 that of the two systems1 ,paine's is the best1 as far1 at least1 as religious duties are concerned4 ,my correspondent will doubtless reply1 that he believes in the duties ,paine names1 and urges his fellow men to observe them4 ,no doubt of it2 but then he spoils his faith and exhortation1 by telling his hearers1 that the observing of them will avail nothing in the way of salvation without immersion in water4 #ad4 ,this theory is worse than ,calvinism4 ,with all its cruelty and savagism1 it does not make our salvation depend on immersion in water1 whether there is any water to be immersed in or not1 whether our health will admit of immersion or not2 whether we can find one qualified to immerse or not1 and whether if we find such an one he will accommodate us or not4 #ae4 ,we have not a particle of evidence that one of the twelve disciples of our ,lord was immersed4 ,matthew1 one of the number1 thus records the call and acceptance of several of that chosen band4 8,and ,jesus1 walking by the sea of ,galilee1 saw two brethren1 ,simon and ,peter1 and ,andrew his brother1 casting a net into the sea3 for they were fishers4 ,and he said unto them1 ,follow me1 and ,i will make you fishers of men4 ,and they straightway left their nets and followed him4 ,and going on from thence he saw two other brethren1 ,james the son of ,zebedee1 and ,john his brother1 in a ship with ,zebedee their father1 mending their nets2 and he called them4 ,and they immediately left the ship and their father1 and followed him40 ,matt4 iv4 #ah-bb4 ,in the tenth chapter we are informed of the other disciples being called4 ,there is not the slightest intimation in the ,new ,testament that one of the disciples was immersed when they were chosen by the ,master1 or at any subsequent time4 #af4 ,my friend maintains1 that immersion is the door to discipleship1 to the kingdom1 to salvation1 pardon1 heaven4 ,if he is right1 is it not remarkable that there is not a particle of evidence1 that one of our ,lord's disciples entered that door8 ,when some of them were called1 they were on the shore of the sea1 but not a word is recorded of their being immersed to prepare them for their mission4 ,never afterward did they speak or write of being immersed1 nor did any others refer to it4 ,the unavoidable inference is1 that they were not baptized in water1 and so according to ,mr4 ,smith1 their sins were never forgiven1 they were not saved1 never members of the kingdom of ,god4 ,but let ,mr4 ,smith and his friends ponder well the fact1 that men in those days could be disciples of ,jesus without immersion4 ,why not now8 #ag4 ,this theory is immoral in its influence1 as it affirms that the unimmersed are under no obligation to do any thing which implies spiritual life4 ,the following are ,mr4 ,campbell's remarkable words3 8,no prayers1 songs of praise1 no acts of devotion in the new economy1 are enjoined on the unbaptized40 7,christian ,baptist1 page #dci47 ,if ,mr4 ,campbell is right1 it is a great sin for any one who has not been immersed in water to perform any of these acts4 ,ministers1 then1 of all denominations1 except immersionists and their congregations1 spend each returning ,sabbath1 not in serving ,god1 but in open rebellion against him4 ,christians1 all over the world1 morning1 noon and evening1 in offering their prayers to ,god1 and singing his praise1 are guilty of heinous sins4 ,they do what they have no right to do4 ,their prayers1 their songs1 and all their devotions1 are so many sins against heaven1 and for which1 by and by1 they will be turned into hell4 ,such teachings can have no other than an immoral influence4 #ah4 ,on page #bjd1 of 8,christian ,system10 ,mr4 ,campbell has the following curious remark3 8,and we know so much of human nature as to say1 that he that imagines himself pardoned1 will feel as happy as he that really is so40 ,this is in reply to an objection1 that according to his theory1 no one can be saved1 pardoned1 without immersion in water4 ,his reply is1 that there is no evidence such can be saved2 but they can imagine themselves saved1 pardoned2 can fool themselves into the idea that they are pardoned1 yet full of sin all the time1 and will be just as happy as they would be if their sins were all forgiven1 and their souls pure as the angels4 ,where he got his mental philosophy ,i know not1 but surely not from the ,bible4 ,according to this wisdom1 a man1 drunk and wallowing in the gutter1 if he imagines himself a sober man and virtuous citizen1 8will feel as happy as he that really is so40 ,or a murderer1 with innocent blood on his hands1 and murder in his heart1 if he only imagines he is innocent1 8will feel as happy as he that really is so40 ,all such absurd notions proceed from the position of my friend1 that there is no salvation1 no forgiveness1 without immersion in water4 #ai4 ,the ,scriptures teach that all sin is to be forgiven4 8,all sins shall be forgiven unto the sons of men40 8,every plant which my heavenly ,father hath not planted1 shall be rooted up40 ,the angel told ,joseph1 8,thou shalt call his name ,jesus1 for he shall save his people from their sins40 ,matt4 i4 #ba4 ,john1 the forerunner of ,jesus1 pointed to him and said1 8,behold the ,lamb of ,god1 which taketh away the sin of the world40 ,john i4 #bi4 ,many more passages might be cited1 showing that all sin is to be forgiven1 abolished1 taken away1 made an end of4 ,now1 my friend's theory is1 that no sin can be forgiven without the aid of water baptism4 ,but only a small portion of mankind are immersed1 and therefore1 if he is right1 all those scriptures which teach the extinction of sin1 are so many mistakes4 ,if all sin is to be forgiven1 ,mr4 ,smith is mistaken4 #bj4 8,and we have seen1 and do testify1 that the ,father sent the ,son to be the ,savior of the world40 #a ,john iv4 #ad4 ,the men of ,samaria1 after hearing ,jesus speak of his mission1 went away and said1 8,we have heard him ourselves and know that this is the ,christ1 the ,savior of the world40 ,john iv4 #db4 ,if ,christ was sent by the ,father to save the world1 and if he saves only the few who are immersed in water1 instead of saving the world1 he will save but a very small part of it2 instead of doing his ,father's business1 he will leave most of it undone4 ,how can you reconcile these precious promises with your very partial salvation8 #ba4 8,now is the judgment of this world2 now shall the prince of this world be cast out1 and ,i1 if ,i be lifted up from the earth1 will draw ,,all ,,men to me40 ,john xii4 #ca1 #cb4 ,according to my friend1 we can go to ,christ only through immersion1 and as but a small part of all men are immersed1 the conclusion is1 that only a small part of mankind can go to ,christ4 ,but this conclusion from ,mr4 ,smith's premises contradicts the ,savior4 ,jesus says1 he will draw all men to him4 ,it is clear that my friend's theory contradicts the letter and spirit of the ,new ,testament4 #bb4 8,as in ,adam all die1 even so in ,christ shall all be made alive40 #a ,cor4 xv4 #bb4 ,when ,jesus shall have made an end of sin1 saved the world1 drawn all men to him1 then will all who die in ,adam be in ,christ4 ,but ,mr4 ,smith contends that no one can get into ,christ1 save by immersion4 ,that is a fundamental point with him2 but as ultimately all men are to be in ,christ1 he must be mistaken4 ,try1 my friend1 to reconcile your faith with that glorious passage4 ,nearly all mankind die without being water-immersed into ,christ4 ,all children1 idiots1 ,jews1 ,pagans1 ,catholics1 ,episcopalians1 ,presbyterians1 ,methodists1 ,lutherans1 ,friend ,quakers1 ,unitarians1 ,universalists1 and hosts of other ,christians1 live and die without being immersed into ,christ1 and it follows from your proposition1 they never can be in ,christ2 never can be saved from their sins4 ,none of these1 you assert1 have their sins forgiven in this world4 ,pray1 tell what will become of us all8 ,you have evaded this question long enough4 ,i have urged you to let us sinners know what is to be our fate beyond the grave4 ,we know what is the condition of all these classes in this world1 according to ,mr4 ,smith's theory--they are all sinners1 all condemned1 all out of ,christ1 all out of the kingdom1 children of the devil1 without ,god and without hope in the world4 ,now1 it surely is not impertinent to insist that ,mr4 ,smith tell us1 plainly and without equivocation1 what is to be the doom of these countless millions beyond the grave4 ,i charge his system with involving the endless sinfulness and wretchedness of all these multitudes of ,adam's race4 ,if ,i am mistaken1 let him show wherein ,i am4 ,let us have no more of this dodging4 ,it looks bad1 very bad1 on the part of my friend1 to evade this point as he has done4 #bc4 ,the apostle ,paul writes1 8,christ sent me not to baptize1 but to preach the gospel40 #a ,cor4 i4 #ag4 ,this is surely a remarkable declaration1 if water baptism is a soul-saving institution4 ,if he had believed that water baptism is a condition of salvation1 would he have said he was not sent to baptize8 ,according to ,mr4 ,smith's understanding1 where ,paul speaks about 8obeying the gospel10 he means baptism4 ,if ,mr4 ,smith is right1 ,paul was not sent to induce men to obey the gospel4 ,again3 ,paul labored for the conversion of souls1 and ,mr4 ,smith says1 conversion is baptism4 ,then the apostle was not sent to be instrumental in converting men4 ,if the gentleman is correct1 the great apostle was not sent to labor for men's salvation1 or their conversion1 or to induce them to obey the gospel4 ,this all follows1 if water baptism is a condition of salvation1 for ,paul declares1 that he was not sent to baptize2 that is1 was not sent to do the very thing that must be done to insure salvation4 ,this declaration of the apostle1 that he was not sent to baptize1 is a perfect refutation of ,mr4 ,smith's proposition1 that water baptism is a condition of salvation4 #bd4 ,in looking over ,mr4 ,campbell's 8,christian ,system10 page #fj1 ,i find the following wonderous things1 said to be consummated by dipping a man or woman in water3 8,the change which is consummated by immersion1 is sometimes called in sacred style1 #8being quickened1' #8made alive1' #8passed from death to life1' #8being born again1' #8having risen with ,christ1' #8turning to the ,lord1' #8being enlightened1' #8conversion1' #8reconciliation1' #8repentance unto life4'0 ,in another place1 he asserts the subject comes out of the water as 8pure as an angel40 ,but mark1 no one can be thus purified1 quickened1 made alive1 etc41 without water baptism1 and yet1 ,st4 ,paul says1 he was not sent to baptize4 ,if that apostle believed in baptism1 as ,mr4 ,smith does1 would he have made that remark8 #be4 ,mr4 ,campbell again says1 8,baptism is designed to introduce the subjects of it into the participation of the blessings of the death and resurrection of ,christ40 8,to the believing penitent1 it is the means of receiving a formal1 distinct1 and specific absolution1 or release from guilt40 7page #eh47 ,baptism is ,,the ,,means by which ,god designs to confer all these immortal and heavenly blessings on men1 and yet one of his greatest apostles declares1 he was not sent to baptize2 that is1 was not sent to use the means by which alone men can participate in these blessings4 #bf4 ,hear ,mr4 ,campbell again3 8,the converts made to ,christ1 by the apostles1 were taught to consider themselves pardoned1 justified1 sanctified1 reconciled1 adopted1 saved40 7page #ahg47 ,he then devotes several pages to show that the immersed only are in this condition1 or state4 ,only those who submit to the act1 as he terms it1 of immersion1 are in this new and changed condition1 and yet the chief of the apostles tells the world1 he was not sent to baptize2 that is1 was not sent to do the act which alone can put men into a saved state or condition4 ,,chapter ,,xviii4 ,,discussion ,,in ,,pontiac--,,the ,,apostle',s ,,faith--,,his ,,argument ,,in ,,romans--,,extensive ,,traveling--,,in ,,kansas ,,and ,,missouri--,,price',s ,,raid--,,in ,,ohio ,,and ,,indiana--,,dark ,,night ,,and ,,walk ,,in ,,toledo--,,conversation ,,on ,,destructionism--,,the ,,victory--,,the ,,death--,,president ,,lincoln--,,debate ,,in ,,milford1 ,,ohio--,,the ,,restitution ,,an ,,old ,,doctrine--,,the ,,sentiment ,,wide ,,spread--,,at ,,work ,,in ,,iowa--,,laborers ,,there--,,murderers ,,saved ,,and ,,the ,,murdered ,,lost--,,intellectual ,,and ,,moral ,,growth--,,what ,,man ,,was--,,what ,,he ,,is ,,to ,,be--,,the ,,victory--,,spiritualism--,,immoral ,,preaching--,,saved ,,without ,,repentance--,,preaching ,a ,,means ,,of ,,salvation--,a ,,methodist ,,minister ,,believes--,,the ,,suicide4 ,in the spring of #ahfa1 ,i resolved to move to ,chicago1 and publish the ,magazine1 in that city4 ,the war was still raging1 and ,i was apprehensive it would linger several years longer4 ,i could do nothing in ,missouri1 and most of my subscribers were nearer ,chicago than ,st4 ,louis4 ,accordingly1 in ,may of said year1 we bid adieu to the city which had been our home for many years1 and took up our abode in the 8,garden ,city0 of the ,west4 ,i had been there but once since #ahdj1 and what a change had taken place6 ,its population at the present time1 is about two hundred thousand1 but in #ahdj it did not number more than six thousand inhabitants4 ,and it will doubtless continue to make rapid strides in its onward march4 ,its lake navigation almost connecting it with the ,atlantic ocean2 its railroads extending in all directions through the most productive agricultural region of the world1 must concentrate immense wealth and business in ,chicago4 ,our denomination has two church edifices in ,chicago1 and two large societies4 ,dr4 ,w4 ,h4 ,ryder is pastor of the first society1 and ,t4 ,e4 ,st4 ,john of the second4 ,till recently1 ,j4 ,h4 ,tuttle had charge of the second society4 ,there is also a denominational paper there--,the ,new ,covenant--published by ,d4 ,p4 ,livermore4 ,it has1 ,i understand1 an extensive circulation4 ,there are far more of the liberal faith in this northern region than as far south as ,st4 ,louis4 ,a large portion of the people are from the ,eastern ,states1 and they brought with them rational views of the ,bible and religion4 ,we have meeting-houses and societies all over this northern section1 also ministers at work instructing the people1 and uniting and concentrating their efforts4 ,soon after moving to ,chicago1 ,i had an oral discussion in ,pontiac1 ,ill41 with ,elder ,brooks1 on ,endless ,misery and ,universal ,salvation4 ,in one of my speeches1 ,i remarked3 ,the apostle ,paul was certainly a believer in the salvation of all men4 ,some of his statements of this doctrine are remarkably lucid1 comprehensive1 and weighty4 ,take1 for instance1 the fifth chapter to the ,romans4 #a4 ,in the eighteenth verse he says3 8,therefore1 as by the offence of one1 judgment came upon all men to condemnation2 even so1 by the righteousness of one the free gift came upon all men unto justification of life40 ,what is this 8free gift0 to all men8 ,answer3 8,for the wages of sin is death2 but the gift of ,god is eternal life40 ,rom4 vi4 #bc4 ,eternal life1 then1 is given1 made sure1 to all men4 ,not to one here and there2 to this sect or that sect2 this nation or that nation2 but to ,,all ,,men4 ,let this be remembered4 #b4 ,in the next verse of said chapter1 he continues3 8,for as by one man's disobedience1 many were made sinners2 so by the obedience of one shall many be made righteous40 ,by 8many0 here he means the same as by 8all men10 in the preceding verse1 the terms being varied to avoid tautology4 ,parkhurst1 in his ,greek ,lexicon says1 8,the word many in this verse1 signifies the many2 that is1 the mass1 the multitude2 the whole bulk of mankind40 ,dr4 ,macknight1 a ,presbyterian critic1 writes1 8,for as the word many in the first part of the verse1 does not mean some part of mankind only1 but all mankind1 from first to last1 who without exception are constituted sinners2 so the many1 in the latter part of the verse1 who are said to be constituted righteous through the obedience of ,christ1 must mean all mankind1 from the beginning to the end of the world1 without exception40 ,the statement of the apostle is this--all mankind are sinners1 and all mankind shall be righteous4 ,can universal salvation be expressed in clearer terms8 #c4 ,he continues his argument3 8,where sin abounded1 grace did much more abound2 and as sin hath reigned unto death1 even so1 might grace reign through righteousness unto eternal life1 by ,jesus ,christ our ,lord40 ,verses #bj1 #ba4 ,sin abounds universally1 but grace is much more to abound4 ,the grace of ,god is not only to banish sin from every soul1 but to bless every soul forever and ever4 ,but how can grace abound more than sin1 if millions of mankind are to be victims of sin eternally8 ,will the grace of ,god1 resulting in eternal life1 abound in such souls8 ,a valuable building is on fire2 the fire abounds in every part from base to attic4 ,the engines rush to the spot and pour water all over the building1 and extinguish the devouring flames4 ,in this case where fire abounded1 water much more abounds4 ,but if the water failed to extinguish the fire in one half of the building1 would water have abounded more than fire8 ,so1 if the grace of ,god puts out the fires of sin in only half of the universe1 will grace abound more than sin8 ,how is that1 ,elder ,brooks8 #d4 ,the whole creation to be delivered4 8,for the creature was made subject to vanity1 not willingly but by reason of him who hath subjected the same in hope2 because the creature itself shall be delivered from the bondage of corruption into the glorious liberty of the children of ,god40 ,rom4 viii4 #bj1 #ba4 ,the word1 8creature10 here means mankind2 the ,greek whence it is taken1 is rendered 8creation0 in the twenty-second verse4 ,the words1 8every creature10 in the commission of ,christ to his apostles1 are from the same term4 8,go ye into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature40 ,mark xvi4 #ae4 ,dr4 ,macknight and other good critics tell us1 that the word rendered1 creature1 signifies1 8every human creature2 ,,all ,,mankind40 ,dr4 ,thomas ,white1 an ,english divine of the ,episcopal ,church1 translates the text thus3 8,for ,,the ,,creation was made subject to vanity1 not willingly1 but by reason of him who hath subjected it2 in hope that ,,the ,,creation ,,itself also shall be delivered from the bondage of corruption1 into the glorious liberty of the sons of ,god40 ,mankind1 then1 are to be delivered from corruption--from moral and physical corruption--into the glorious liberty of the children of ,god4 ,the apostle says1 this universal deliverance ,,shall be effected1 and ,i believe him4 #e4 ,god will have mercy on all4 8,for ,i would not1 brethren1 that ye should be ignorant of this mystery1 lest ye should be wise in your own conceits2 that blindness in part is happened to ,israel1 until the fulness of the ,gentiles be come in4 ,and so all ,israel shall be saved2 as it is written1 ,there shall come out ,sion the ,deliverer1 and shall turn away ungodliness from ,jacob3 for this is my covenant unto them1 when ,i shall take away their sins4 ,as concerning the gospel1 they are enemies for your sakes3 but as touching the election1 they are beloved for the fathers' sakes4 ,for the gifts and calling of ,god are without repentance4 ,for as ye in times past have not believed ,god1 yet have now obtained mercy through their unbelief3 even so have these also now not believed1 that through your mercy they also may obtain mercy4 ,for ,god hath concluded them all in unbelief1 that he might have mercy upon all4 ,o the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of ,god6 how unsearchable are his judgments1 and his ways past finding out8 ,for who hath known the mind of the ,lord8 or who hath been his counsellor8 ,or who hath first given to him1 and it shall be recompensed unto him again8 ,for of him1 and through him1 and to him1 are all things2 to whom be glory for ever4 ,amen40 ,rom4 xi4 #be-cf4 ,jews and ,gentiles include all mankind4 ,the apostles tell us1 that the blindness of the ,jews is to continue 8,till the fulness of the ,gentiles be come in10 and then 8,all ,israel shall be saved40 8,for ,god hath concluded them all--,israelites and ,gentiles--in unbelief that he might have mercy on all40 ,and then he adds1 8,for of him1 and through him1 and to him are all things1 to whom be glory forever4 ,amen40 ,no terms can express more forcibly the proposition ,i affirm on this occasion4 ,in the next verse1 the apostle adds1 8,i beseech you therefore by the mercies of ,god1 that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice1 holy1 acceptable unto ,god1 which is your reasonable duty40 ,in the previous part of his letter to the ,romans1 as ,i have shown1 he writes of the mercies of ,god for mankind4 #a4 8,the free gift came upon all men unto justification of life40 #b4 8,many10 that is1 the mass1 all mankind1 8shall be made righteous40 #c4 8,where sin abounded1 grace did much more abound40 #d4 ,the whole creation shall be delivered from the bondage of corruption4 #e4 ,god will bring all the ,gentiles1 and all the ,jews1 into the kingdom2 will 8,,have ,,mercy ,,on ,,all2 for of him and through him1 and to him are ,,all ,,things40 ,his next words are1 8,i beseech you therefore by the ,,mercies of ,god10 etc4 ,it is sometimes said by the opposers of ,universal ,grace1 that it has an immoral influence4 ,but the great apostle beseeches men in consideration of its truth1 to live holy1 godly lives4 ,he does not say1 as some have profanely said1 8,if ,god's mercy will save the world1 we have nothing to do2 let us then eat1 drink and be merry2 lie1 steal1 and murder4 ,it is all right2 ,god will save us any how40 ,let every believer in the universal mercy of ,god aim to live a life 8holy and acceptable to ,god10 which is his reasonable duty4 ,these are the statements of the apostle to the ,gentiles concerning the extent of salvation2 and ,i1 and no other one1 can employ language expressing more clearly the ,universalist faith4 ,that gifted man was certainly a believer in the 8,restitution of all things40 ,since ,i have been in ,chicago1 ,i have traveled and lectured on nearly all the railroads running out of the city2 have labored not only in ,illinois1 but in ,indiana1 ,ohio1 ,iowa1 ,missouri and ,kansas4 ,i was at work in ,kansas and ,missouri when ,price made his late raid into the latter state4 ,that was in the fall of #ahfd4 ,was in ,leavenworth when the state militia were called out to resist the invaders4 ,the people of ,kansas expected no mercy at their hands should they enter the state2 ,leavenworth1 especially1 would be sure to feel their wrath4 ,the streets of the city were guarded1 and orders issued1 to arrest every straggler who was without a pass4 ,cannon were mounted on the surrounding hills1 and every man who could shoulder a musket was required to report for duty4 ,i was tempted to go1 armed and equipped1 to the 8front10 but recollecting ,i had not fired a gun for twenty years1 ,i concluded ,i could not do much execution1 and so set my face homeward4 ,but how to get across the river into ,missouri1 was the question1 as no one was allowed to go over without a pass1 and ,i had no pass1 and probably could not get one4 ,i1 however1 rode boldly to the ferry as if ,i was on important business1 and was passed over without being questioned4 ,but when near ,weston1 ,i was stopped by the picket2 but the officer of the day soon coming along1 took me to head-quarters1 where ,i obtained a pass to ,st4 ,joseph4 ,leaving my horse with a kind friend1 ,i went to ,st4 ,joseph by rail1 and thence to the ,mississippi river1 two hundred miles across the state4 ,considerable portion of the way being infested with bushwackers1 there were thirty soldiers on the train to protect us from those bloody scoundrels4 ,the guards fired on two horsemen1 who seemed to be fleeing from the rushing train4 ,both fell1 and as ,i learned afterward1 they were killed1 and were ,union men4 ,the conductor thought they were bushwackers1 and that class of fighters were shot down like mad dogs1 as they deserved to be4 ,only a few days before1 and a few miles from that spot1 ,bill ,anderson's bloody crew stopped a train1 and murdered in cold blood twenty-one of the passengers4 ,all armed stragglers on the prairies1 were suspiciously regarded in that locality1 after that terrible crime was perpetrated4 ,macon ,city was alive with business1 fifteen hundred soldiers being there digging ditches1 throwing up breastworks1 and making every other necessary preparation to resist an attack1 which was daily expected4 ,i went to ,st4 ,louis1 and found the citizens very indignant at the way ,general ,rosecrans was managing affairs4 ,half of a general1 with the force at ,rosecrans' command1 would have driven ,price out of the state at the beginning of the invasion1 when he was yet in the south-east corner of it4 ,but ,rosecrans' head being full of whisky and popery1 he let the rebels do about as they pleased4 ,they overran the best portion of the state1 and did an immense amount of harm4 ,i spent three weeks1 in the business of my life1 between ,chicago and ,toledo1 ,ohio4 ,lectured in many places ,i had not before visited1 and much extended my acquaintance4 ,had an appointment in ,east ,toledo1 a suburb of ,toledo1 and about three miles from it4 ,it was a dismal night1 and the road out there was a dismal road4 ,i started after dark1 on foot and alone1 to fill the appointment4 ,the weather was cold1 the night dark1 and the rain pouring down in torrents4 ,there being no sidewalk1 and the mud deep1 ,i had an interesting walk4 ,arriving at the meeting-house1 ,i found it dark1 and the door locked2 and after shivering in the wet and cold outside one hour1 and not a soul joining me1 ,i returned whence ,i came4 ,i suppose no one expected ,i would be on hand such a night4 ,the next day on the cars1 ,i had the following conversation with a fellow passenger3 8,i do not believe in eternal punishment4 ,i believe ,god will destroy the wicked1 soul and body1 root and branch40 8,when will he do all this80 8,at the resurrection4 ,then ,god will raise saint and sinner1 take the righteous to himself1 and burn the wicked to ashes40 8,i congratulate you on the improvement you have made on old ,orthodoxy4 ,it is certainly better to burn sinners up1 then burn them eternally40 8,i do not believe any one in this world has a spark of immortality in him4 ,we are born mortal1 live mortal1 and unless we comply with certain conditions1 we never can be immortal4 ,immortality is conditional1 and unless we comply with those conditions1 we shall be consumed in the conflagration40 8,what are those conditions80 8,faith in ,christ1 is one of them40 8,will all be destroyed except those who exercise faith in ,christ8 ,is that your theory80 8,yes40 8,then nearly all mankind will be burned up4 ,the countless millions who lived before ,christ's advent--the good and the bad--all consumed in one pile4 ,all the ,pagans1 ,mohammedans1 and ,jews who have lived since his birth will share the same fiery fate4 ,all idiots1 all children who have died such1 will be consumed with them4 ,your creed is the gospel of destruction1 almost universal destruction40 8,i did not say all them would be destroyed40 8,i admit you did not say so in so many words1 but no other inference can be drawn from your position4 ,you said no one would be blessed with immortality and eternal life1 who did not have faith in ,christ in this world4 ,the child1 the idiot1 the ,pagan1 the ,mohammedan1 all lack such a faith here1 and the inference is1 they will all be destroyed4 ,you are ashamed to admit in so many words such a horrid idea to me1 but that is your faith40 8,you do not understand me1 and you cannot convince the people of the ,white ,house that all will be saved40 8,i understand you and your fiery faith perfectly well4 ,it is worse than ,atheism1 for it asserts that death is the end of man1 while your creed asserts1 that nearly all mankind will be raised from the dead on purpose to burn them up4 ,atheism is a hundred fold better than your theory4 ,it is amazing to me1 that a man with the ,bible in his hands1 and ,god all round him1 can entertain such a terrible theory4 ,you have eyes1 but you see not2 ears1 but you hear not2 understanding1 but understand not4 ,read the words of truth emblazoned on ,god's word and works1 accept their teachings1 and abandon your fiery creed1 your worse than atheistical dogma40 ,spent one month on the ,illinois ,central railroad1 and went south as far as ,du ,quoin1 about three hundred miles1 and lectured in most of the important towns1 on and near the road4 ,when in ,mattoon and ,charleston1 the glorious news arrived of the evacuation of ,richmond1 and the surrender of ,lee4 ,up went the banners1 and loud were the hosannas4 ,every body were in the street1 shaking hands1 and with smiling faces4 ,the terrible war was over1 the government was triumphantly sustained1 and the soldier boys would soon return4 ,no wonder the people were happy4 ,i was in ,ashley1 ,april #adth4 ,some one said1 8,have you heard the news80 8,what news80 8,mr4 ,lincoln was murdered last night60 8,it cannot be so10 ,i replied2 8it is doubtless a false report80 ,but in a few moments1 the passenger train came down with its engine draped in black4 ,that confirmed the heart-rending report4 ,as the train approached the depot no one spoke--no one could speak4 ,the people turned homeward with meditative steps and down cast look4 ,all over the land1 from the ,atlantic to the ,pacific1 in city and country1 where the sad tidings was conveyed1 the people were struck dumb4 ,mr4 ,lincoln's character had been tested by the most difficult circumstances1 and he had proved himself to be a wise1 noble1 far-seeing man4 ,every body had confidence in him--in his judgment1 his uprightness1 his patriotism4 ,he was deemed the ,savior of his country4 ,no wonder the people were 8stricken1 smitten and afflicted40 ,and then1 the awful news was so different from what the people had just been feasting on4 ,this was victory1 victory1 victory4 ,the enemy was subdued1 and the country saved4 ,that was death1 death1 death4 ,the great1 the good1 the beloved ,president1 was murdered1 and that1 too1 in the very hour of his triumph4 ,i was at ,du ,quoin the next day2 and it was reported of three men in town1 that they had said1 8,lincoln was served right10 and forthwith some soldiers1 who were at home on a furlough1 started post-haste1 and brought them into town4 ,they would have been hung1 if it had been proved they dropped those obnoxious words4 ,i had a discussion in ,milford1 ,ohio1 with ,john ,sweeney of ,chicago1 which continued four days4 ,he was pretty well posted on doctrinal points1 and did some good work for his cause4 ,the discussion was conducted pleasantly1 and ,i trust profitably to the hearers4 ,he said1 that the idea of the salvation of all men was new in the world2 had been entertained but a few years4 ,in my reply ,i remarked3 ,the gentleman greatly errs in asserting that the idea of the final purification and salvation of all souls1 is a new thought in this world4 ,the apostle ,peter informs us1 that the 8,restitution of all things was spoken by the mouth of all ,god's holy prophets since the world began40 ,acts iii4 #ba4 ,it is as old1 then1 as inspiration1 as revelation4 ,and far back in the depths of the past1 hundreds of years before ,christ1 and outside of the ,jewish nation1 the 8,restitution of all things0 was cherished by many of the wise and good4 ,upper ,india was doubtless one of the first abodes of mankind after the flood1 ,noah or some of his children1 having settled there4 ,in the sacred books of the early inhabitants of that country1 the redemption of all souls is distinctly stated4 ,budhism1 a sort of ,protestant ,reformation of the old faith of the people1 avows the same destiny for mankind4 ,padmahani1 the ,son of the ,supreme ,god1 made a vow not to return to heaven until all beings should be brought through him to salvation4 ,true1 they were to pass through many terrible hells--first1 a hell of snakes1 then came thirty-two principal hells1 and then one hundred and twenty minor hells4 ,the road to heaven1 according to that old theology1 was certainly hard to travel2 but ,i suppose one had better go to heaven through all those hells than not get there at all4 ,the author of the 8,friend of ,india10 gives the following as the views of many of the present inhabitants of that country4 8,according to the ,brahmos1 ,god is a loving ,father1 and men are his children2 to secure happiness1 men must avoid sin and subdue the sins to which they are prone4 ,they must fulfil all human duty1 and especially devote themselves to works of benevolence among the ignorant and poor4 ,for the wrong they do1 they will suffer punishment2 but their sufferings are remedial1 and will purify the soul from all its errors4 ,meditation and prayer are to be employed for the same end2 and to assist their followers in this duty1 a little book has been published1 which is extensively used40 ,in ,egypt1 the land of ancient wisdom1 many of the priests1 ,dr4 ,enfield thinks1 entertained a belief in the salvation of all men4 ,see his 8,history of ,philosophy10 ,book ,i1 chapter #h4 ,in the old ,persian mythology1 the same idea is contained4 ,it has a ,god and a ,savior2 and the latter will finally restore all from the power of satan4 ,for three or four hundred years after ,christ1 many of the leading ,christian writers were believers in the 8,restitution of all things40 ,says ,clement1 ,president of the theological school in ,alexandria1 the most noted school of the second and third centuries3 8,how is he a ,savior and ,lord1 unless he is the ,savior and ,lord of all8 ,he is certainly the ,savior of those who have believed3 and of those who have not believed he is the ,lord1 until by being brought to confess him they shall receive the proper and well-adapted blessing for themselves40 8,the ,lord is the propitiation not only for our sins1 that is1 of the faithful1 but also for the whole world2 therefore he indeed saves all1 but converts some by punishments1 and others by gaining their free-will1 so that he has the high honor that unto him every knee should bow1 of things in heaven1 on earth1 and under the earth2 that is1 angels1 men1 and the souls of those who died before his advent40 ,clement's great pupil1 ,origen1 was a noted advocate of ,universal ,salvation4 ,he says3 8,we assert that the ,word who is the wisdom of ,god1 shall bring together all intelligent creatures1 and convert them into his own perfection1 through the instrumentalities of their free-will and their own exertions4 ,and the consummation of all things will be the extinction of sin2 but whether it shall then be so abolished as never to revive again in the universe does not belong to the present discourse to show4 ,what relates1 however1 to the entire abolition of sin and the reformation of every soul1 may be obscurely traced in many of the prophecies2 for there we discover that the name of ,god is to be invoked by all1 so that all shall serve him with one consent1 that the reproach of contumely is to be taken away1 and that there is to be no more sin1 nor vain words1 nor treacherous tongue4 ,this may not indeed take place with mankind in the present life1 but be accomplished after they shall have been liberated from the body40 ,a century later1 ,gregory1 ,bishop of ,nyssa1 advocated the same faith in the plainest terms3 8,what therefore is the scope of ,st4 ,paul's dissertation in this place8 ,that the nature of evil shall at last be wholly exterminated1 and divine1 immortal goodness embrace within itself every rational creature2 so that of all who were made by ,god1 not one shall be excluded from his kingdom40 ,diodorus1 ,bishop of ,tarsus1 in ,silicia1 ,a4,d4 #cgh1 was of that faith4 8,the wicked10 he says1 8are to suffer1 not eternal torment1 but a punishment proportioned in length to the amount of their guilt2 after which1 they are to be happy without end40 ,about the same time1 lived ,fabius ,manus ,victorinus4 ,he maintained1 that 8,christ will regenerate all things2 through him all things will be purged1 and return to eternal life40 ,other learned1 good1 and influential men in those early days1 believed in and taught this truth4 ,i will name ,titus1 ,bishop of ,bostia2 ,basil the ,great1 ,bishop of ,csarea2 ,didymus the ,blind1 and the learned and powerful ,jerome4 ,in fact1 most of the ,christians1 ,orthodox and anti-,orthodox1 in the first age of the ,christian ,era1 entertained this faith4 ,the writers of those times speak of this faith as if it was not questioned2 they offer no labored argument in its defence1 and when they do refer to it1 it is only incidentally4 ,but darkness was rapidly covering the earth1 and gross darkness the people4 ,the enlightened and benevolent doctrine of the ,restitution was not adapted to the savagism of the dark ages that was then threatening the world1 and so in the year of our ,lord #eec1 at ,constantinople1 by the ,fifth ,ecumenical ,council1 it was condemned4 ,from that period till the ,reformation of the fourteenth century1 the religions of the world corresponded with the ignorance and brutality that prevailed4 ,our wise1 benevolent1 and pure faith1 not harmonizing with the savagism of the times1 had but few adherents4 ,but in the great religious awakening of the fourteenth century1 it was again entertained1 and has been ever since gradually gaining in favor4 ,in ,a4,d4 #afej1 ,gerard ,winstonley1 an ,englishman1 in a book called1 8,mystery of ,god10 thus writes1 8,the whole creation of mankind shall be delivered from corruption1 bondage1 death1 and pain40 ,he was persecuted for his faith1 and thrown into prison4 ,at the same time lived and labored ,william ,earbury1 an eminent preacher among the ,independents4 ,he was a defender of the same faith4 ,he asked1 8,what gospel1 what glad tidings is it to tell the world1 that none can be saved but the elect and believers8 ,christ came to save only the lost1 giving the word of life to all men1 that they might believe1 a shutting all up in unbelief1 that he might have mercy on all40 8,for the ministry of ,god shall be finished1 fully known1 and the angel swears by ,god1 that time shall be no more2 for all shall be taken up into eternity1 unto ,god himself1 and ,god shall be all in all40 7,terror of ,tythes1 pages #age1 #bdd47 ,another noble defender of the ,restitution in those times1 was ,richard ,coppin4 ,he was charged with blasphemy for believing in ,universal ,salvation1 and he replied1 8,whatever is the will of ,god is not blasphemy to affirm4 ,the will of ,god is the salvation of all men1 therefore to say that all men shall be saved is not blasphemy40 7,truth's ,triumph1 page #g47 ,he confounded his opposers in discussion1 and that so enraged them1 they had him imprisoned4 ,this took place in #afef4 ,at this time a book by an unknown author appeared1 with this title3 8,of the ,torments of ,hell2 ,the ,foundation2 ,and the ,pillars ,thereof ,discovered1 ,searched1 ,shaken and ,ruined4 ,with infallible proof that there is not to be punishment for the wicked after this life2 for any to endure that shall not end40 ,the author was certainly a man of ability1 and much reading4 ,he gives ,orthodoxy some pretty hard hits4 ,this was written over two hundred years ago4 ,at the same time lived ,jeremy ,white1 a chaplain to ,protector ,cromwell4 ,he published a book called1 8,the ,restitution of ,all ,things3 or1 a vindication of the goodness and grace of ,god1 to be manifested at last in the recovery of the whole creation out of their fall40 ,he was truly a christian man2 his soul was imbued with the spirit of his faith4 ,dr4 ,thomas ,burnet of that age1 was of like faith1 and ,lord ,macauley1 in his 8,history of ,england10 says he was a 8clergyman of eminent genius1 learning and virtue40 ,in one of his works he writes1 8,i know not by what means it happens at present1 that some divines of a cruel and fiery temper are extremely pleased with eternal and infinite punishment1 and can hardly endure to have the point fairly examined and debated on both sides40 ,there are some of that kind in the world now4 ,william ,whiston1 the well known translator of ,josephus1 was an unbeliever in endless misery4 ,he wrote a book entitled1 8,the ,eternity of ,hell ,torments ,considered40 ,archbishop ,hare says1 he was 8a fair1 unblemished character2 all his life he cultivated piety1 virtue and good bearing40 ,he succeeded ,sir ,isaac ,newton as ,professor of ,mathematics1 at ,cambridge4 ,in his book he offers some cogent arguments against eternal woe1 but ,i have not time to state them on this occasion4 ,r4 ,roach1 another ,english clergyman1 who flourished over an hundred years ago1 say1 8,then will the general redemption be accomplished1 and the mediating office of the great ,high ,priest be at an end1 for he will then deliver up the kingdom thus completed to his ,father1 that #8,god may be all in all4'0 ,bishop ,warburton1 the celebrated author of the 8,divine ,legation of ,moses10 had no faith in ceaseless woe4 ,he justly calls the preachers of that doctrine1 8unmerciful doctors10 8merciless doctors40 ,but ,i have not time to cite any more ,english testimony1 that the doctrines of the ,restitution have been long entertained by many of the purest1 best1 and most learned of that nation4 ,i will cross over into ,germany1 and see if these sentiments have not been entertained in that enlightened land4 ,as early as #aeij1 ,samuel ,huber1 ,professor of ,divinity1 in ,wittemburg1 was a believer in the ,restitution1 according to ,spauheim1 ,professor of ,divinity at ,geneva3 8,we think10 says the latter1 8the opinion of ,huber on this subject absurd1 who about the close of the last century1 began to publish and defend a universal election of all men in ,christ to salvation40 ,at the same early day our righteous faith had a talented1 learned and pious advocate in ,john ,william ,petersen4 ,he was ,professor of ,poetry at ,rostock1 in #afgg4 ,he was also superintendent at ,lubic and ,lunenburg1 and court preacher at ,lutin4 ,in #agjj1 he published a work in three volumes1 in defense of the ,restitution1 which was extensively read1 and caused much excitement in ,germany4 ,at the same time was published a book which has been widely circulated and extensively read4 ,it is entitled1 8,the ,everlasting ,gospel10 by ,paul ,seigvolk4 ,it clearly and forcibly advocates the salvation of mankind4 ,it was very popular in ,germany1 and has been republished at various times in different parts of ,europe4 ,it was also published in this country as early as #agec4 ,that our divine faith was widely diffused in those days1 we learn from many other sources4 ,in the ,analytical ,review1 an ,english periodical published in #aghj1 we find the following3 8,the doctrine of the final happiness of mankind1 which present the prospect of the termination of all evil1 and of a period in which the deep shades of misery and guilt1 which have so long enveloped the universe1 shall be forever dispelled1 is so pleasing a speculation to a benevolent mind1 that we do not wonder it meets with so many advocates4 ,from the earliest period1 we doubt not the belief of it has been secretly entertained by many1 who1 in the face of opposition and danger1 had not the resolution to avow it4 ,now1 however1 it has broken through every restriction1 and walks abroad in every form that is adapted to convince the philosophic1 to arouse the unthinking1 and to melt the tender40 ,these books1 and others of like character1 were extensively circulated in ,germany1 and called the attention of the public to the benevolent faith advocated with so much learning and piety4 ,an exciting controversy was the result2 and learned men on both sides put forth all their strength for and against this controverted doctrine4 ,but ,i have not time to say more about the history of ,universalism in ,germany4 ,ever since the ,reformation1 that faith has been gaining adherents1 and at the present time1 it is almost universally entertained by the ,protestants of that country4 ,says ,dr4 ,dwight1 in 8,travels in ,north ,germany10 8,the doctrine of endless punishment is almost universally rejected4 ,i have seen but one person who believed it40 ,not only in ,germany and ,england1 but in ,holland1 ,switzerland1 ,france1 ,scotland1 and in other parts of ,europe1 the doctrine of ,universal ,salvation prevailed at an early day1 and at the present time is widely diffused4 ,it exists more or less in all the ,protestant denominations4 ,there is no sect in ,europe called ,universalist1 but the sentiment is found in all sects1 and encounters very little opposition4 ,i also spent three weeks in the north part of ,iowa4 ,lectured in ,lyons1 ,marshalltown1 ,newton1 ,iowa ,city1 ,washington1 and in many other places4 ,t4 ,c4 ,eaton1 who resides in ,des ,moines1 has labored very successfully in the interior of that state4 ,he has long been in the ,west--has resided in ,ohio1 ,indiana1 ,illinois1 as well as in ,iowa--and wherever he has lived1 has always been a faithful laborer in the ,master's vineyard4 ,j4 ,p4 ,sanford1 is in ,marshalltown1 and is an eloquent speaker1 and laborious worker4 ,some fifteen years since1 ,i was introduced to him in ,bentonsport1 ,iowa4 ,he was then a ,methodist1 and asked many questions concerning the liberal faith4 ,six months afterward he commenced preaching1 and has been in the ministry ever since4 ,he was in the army two years during the late rebellion1 and was captain1 colonel1 chaplain4 ,he has traveled some in ,europe1 and1 it is said1 delivers some interesting lectures concerning 8the old country40 ,he is also a noted masonic lecturer4 ,in ,newton met ,a4 ,c4 ,edmonds1 who resides and preaches in the place4 ,he has spent several years in ,california and ,oregon1 traveling and preaching2 has also published a denominational paper in those states4 ,our people have a meeting-house1 also a society1 in ,newton4 ,in ,iowa ,city1 the ,universalists own a church edifice1 and ,j4 ,kinney is pastor of the society4 ,he is an excellent man1 and the good cause prospers under his ministry4 ,i have labored in ,iowa1 more or less1 most every year1 for a long time1 and until lately my journeys were made on horseback4 ,in this way ,i have traveled over about two thirds of the state4 ,iowa abounds in good soil1 and will1 in a few years1 be a rich and populous country4 ,now is the time to establish our beautiful faith in that young and vigorous state4 ,it will improve the people spiritually and morally1 while they are making themselves pleasant homes1 and developing the resources of the land4 ,said a man to me in ,marshalltown3 8,do you think the assassin ,booth can be saved80 8,jesus said1 #8,i came to seek and save the lost4' #8,they that are whole need not a physician1 but they that are sick4' ,and the apostle ,paul teaches1 that ,christ came to save the chief of sinners4 ,as it was the mission of our ,savior to save the lost1 the morally sick1 the chief of sinners1 ,i dare not say1 that even ,booth cannot be saved4 ,but if ,orthodoxy is true1 ,i had rather have ,booth's chances for heaven than ,mr4 ,lincoln's4 ,the latter received his death wound without a moment's warning1 and was not conscious an instant after the fatal bullet struck his head4 ,he belonged to no church1 was not a professor of religion2 and so according to ,orthodoxy1 died impenitent1 unregenerated1 a sinner1 and must be lost eternally4 ,but ,booth lived one or two hours after he was wounded1 and was perfectly conscious to the last moment of his life4 ,and who knows but he repented of his great crime before he expired8 ,and if he did1 according to ,orthodoxy1 he went straight to heaven4 ,but if there is any truth in ,orthodoxy1 ,mr4 ,lincoln had no chance whatever1 for he died #8impenitent4' ,if ,partialism is true1 as a general rule1 murderers are saved1 while the murdered are lost1 for in nine cases of every ten1 the latter1 being killed suddenly1 without any intimation of their doom1 and so have not time to say #8,lord save me1' are eternally lost2 while the former1 the murderers1 having timely warning of their fate1 and special effort being made for their regeneration1 almost invariably swing from the gallows soundly converted1 and so go from the gibbet to immortal glory4 ,it takes ,orthodoxy to translate the bloody criminal into a saint1 and fit him for heaven between his monstrous crime and the halter2 but ,universalism is required to save the murdered1 the victim of his iniquity4 ,while ,i was residing in ,st4 ,louis1 a wretch by the name of ,lamb1 held with his own hands1 his young and confiding wife in the ,mississippi river1 till she was dead4 ,he was arrested1 confessed his guilt1 and was hung2 and on the gallows said1 #8,i have a hope within me that bears me up--a hope that ,i shall live with ,god1 and be happy with him1 and that ,i shall sing his praise4 ,i die with a trust in ,god4' ,and ,dr4 ,anderson1 a ,presbyterian1 his spiritual adviser1 published in the papers that he was #8satisfied of the reality of ,lamb's penitence4' ,behold the abominations of ,orthodoxy6 ,that woman belonged to no church1 had not #8got religion1' and so was banished from the murderer's hands to the devil1 to be the victim of his diabolical cruelty eternally4 ,but the incarnate fiend1 whom the law called her husband1 was transported a few months afterward1 from the gallows to the third heaven1 according to ,orthodoxy40 ,in one of my sermons in ,washington1 ,i spoke as follows3 ,as man is susceptible of physical improvement1 is he not also of intellectual and moral8 ,cannot the soul develop1 grow1 as well as the body8 ,what a vast difference there is between the infant mind and that mind which has devoted years to intellectual and moral culture8 ,the soul is a germ2 and as the germ in the seed1 under favorable circumstances1 will bud1 blossom1 and yield a rich harvest1 so this spiritual germ1 if no obstructions interdict1 will develop its heavenly proportions to perfect manhood4 ,the race1 like each individual1 has its childhood1 its youth1 and perfect manhood4 ,one individual is a representative of the race4 ,as one progresses the rest may4 ,suppose every human being who walks the earth for five hundred years1 should make intellectual and moral improvement1 the great end and aim of his life1 all other pursuits subordinate to that one1 what would be the consequence8 ,would not ,americans and ,europeans1 at the expiration of that time1 be as far in advance of their present condition as they are now in advance of the ,new ,hollanders1 ,hottentots1 and inhabitants of the ,south ,sea ,islands8 ,undoubtedly they would4 ,the whole race would then be in the kingdom of ,god4 ,sin would no longer be nurtured on earth4 ,there would be no soil for it to grow in4 ,the long hoped for1 and prayed for1 ,millenium would be ushered in--all would know the ,lord from the least to the greatest--the lion and the lamb would lie down together4 ,this glorious era is predicted by ,holy ,writ1 and ,god's elder ,scriptures4 ,revelation and nature unite in testifying that mankind1 ,god's noblest and best work1 and for whom the universe was made1 are susceptible of infinite improvement1 that they will shine brighter and brighter to the perfect day4 ,it may require more than five centuries to produce such results2 it probably will2 but eternity is before us4 ,our race is in its dawn only4 ,the morning twilight has just appeared4 ,the darkness of barbarism still lingers in the horizon4 ,the chains of intellectual and moral despotism are still clanking in our midst4 ,but the race1 as well as the individual1 will reach noon-day4 ,the sun of righteousness will mount the zenith1 and disperse all darkness and melt all chains4 ,such characters as ,moses1 ,homer1 ,plato1 ,lord ,bacon1 ,shakspeare1 ,newton1 ,napoleon1 ,franklin1 ,washington1 ,jefferson1 ,clay1 ,webster1 ,beecher1 ,chapin1 and a multitude of others in ,,intellect2 and such as ,socrates1 ,st4 ,john1 ,st4 ,paul1 ,melancthon1 ,howard1 ,channing1 ,oberlin1 ,speer1 and others too numerous to mention1 in ,,moral ,,worth1 indicate the intellectual and moral heights all may ultimately attain4 ,they stand out in bold relief from the mass of mankind1 indicating the capabilities of human nature4 ,they are pioneers in the intellectual and moral field1 and the ground they occupy will ere long be occupied by all4 ,they are beacons on the rushing stream of life to pilot humanity into the celestial haven4 ,the history of the earth and all therein and thereon1 as revealed by science and history1 illustrates the law of progress4 ,this earth has been a theater of life for innumerable ages--how long it is not for us to know4 ,many of the remains of the old world are embedded in the crust of the earth2 and from them we learn1 that from the first appearance of life in the vegetable form1 up to man1 there has been a regular progressive development4 ,the order seems to have been about thus3 #a4 ,gross matter2 #b4 ,mineral2 #c4 ,marine ,plants2 #d4 ,fish2 #e4 ,reptiles2 #f4 ,birds2 #g4 ,marsupial2 #h4 ,mamalia2 #i4 ,,man1 the flower1 the crown1 the lord of creation4 ,all these classes are interlinked1 one hand reaching up1 and the other down1 and all are ascending in the line of the spiral1 up to man4 ,every succeeding class is superior to the preceding1 from the first to the last1 and each class is moving onward4 ,the last type of the vegetable kingdom is infinitely superior to the first1 and so of all the other classes4 ,and man of the sixtieth century is far superior to man of the first century4 ,no miracle was wrought in bringing any of these species into existence4 ,no law of nature was violated1 or suspended2 but all1 from the lowest grade up to man1 were brought on to the stage of life according to perfect and immutable laws1 emenating from the great ,fountain of the ,universe4 ,mankind in their infancy were ignorant creatures2 as much below the ,indians of the ,rocky ,mountains1 intellectually and morally1 as they are below us4 ,they wandered1 naked1 in clans1 like the ,indians of the ,west1 subsisting on fish1 reptiles1 and such animals as they could kill with their simple weapons1 and on the spontaneous fruit of the earth1 without shelter by night1 or protection from the burning sun or pelting storm4 ,many centuries after this period1 about the time the city of ,babylon was founded1 although great advancement had been made1 yet the mass of the people were as ignorant as are the aborigines of ,america4 ,there were a few highly developed minds1 but the great body of the people were enveloped in mental darkness1 of which we can form but faint conception--fit materials for tyrants and leaders to make machines of1 and they freely used them for such sacrilegious purposes4 ,they were subject to their leader's will2 were his bone and sinew2 his battle axe and shield4 ,he was the head1 they the body4 ,at his will they suffered and toiled1 lived and died1 and when their oppressors' earthly career closed1 they erected pyramids to perpetuate his fame and their degradation4 ,no effort was made to enlighten and moralize the mass of mankind1 for their masters well knew that ignorant men made the best tools4 ,no advancement would have been made under such unfavorable circumstances had not growth been natural to man4 ,if we trace the history of mankind during the rise and progress of the ,chaldean1 ,babylonian1 ,persian and ,roman empires1 up to the time ,christ was on earth1 we find1 that although ignorance and degradation are prominent features of the civilization of those times1 yet our hearts are made glad with clear evidence of human progress4 ,every subsequent generation was wiser and better than the previous one4 ,true1 the advancing tide was slow1 the current sluggish2 sometimes obstacles would arrest its progress1 and even force it back toward its source1 but nature would then redouble her efforts1 and sweep away all obstacles1 and press forward with her immortal freight to sunnier skies and fairer climes4 ,when the ,christian ,era opened1 it was the golden age of antiquity4 ,the purity of our ,savior's life1 his deep and fervent love for mankind1 the beauty and life-giving energy of the precepts and truths he uttered1 together with the goodness1 zeal and extensive labors and sufferings of his apostles and their associates1 gave the human mind an impetus it had not before known4 ,the apostles and their coadjutors traversed the ,roman empire1 which embraced most of the known world1 and denounced ,paganism1 and every species of immorality1 and called on the nations of the earth to worship the one living and true ,god1 who made and governs the universe4 ,they proclaimed1 in obedience to their divine ,master1 that ,god was the ,,father ,,of ,,all ,,mankind2 that the latter compose one great ,,brotherhood1 and are destined for ,,immortality1 ,,progression and ,,happiness2 and from these cardinal truths they drew these inferences1 and enforced them with holy life and eloquent speech--that men should exercise brotherly kindness1 general benevolence and charity1 and aid each other in traveling the heavenly road4 ,those holy men did not labor in vain4 ,the human soul was quickened into higher life by the germinating power of truth2 and had the gospel been retained in its purity1 and had the social and political condition of mankind been in a higher sphere of development1 and had those favorable conditions continued to the present time1 long ago the ,millenium would have been ushered in4 ,but the gospel was corrupted2 the social and political condition of mankind1 although in advance of any previous period1 was in a deplorable state4 ,the ,roman heart was rotten1 the ,roman empire was corrupt1 and before ,christianity was proclaimed in it to much extent1 the empire was tottering on its throne1 and shaking from center to circumference2 and these precursors of still greater evils filled the world with terror and confusion4 ,the ,pope supplanted ,christ1 and ,catholicism1 ,christianity2 and the ,roman empire1 by political earthquakes1 was shaking on its sandy foundation4 ,and to add to the terrors and disasters of the times1 floods of barbarians came rushing from the north1 and the ,saracens from the east1 like the lava from ,vesuvius1 that overwhelmed ,herculaneum and ,pompeii1 and buried the empire and civilization beneath the flood1 and almost extinguished the light and life of ,christianity4 ,those were the darkest days the world had seen for many a century4 ,human progress then received a check from which it was a long time in recovering2 but the innate tendency of human nature to move onward finally overcame the mountains that human folly had thrown in its way1 and after the lapse of several centuries it emerged into the light of science and religion4 ,the morning twilight which succeeded that long night of anarchy1 priestly rule and superstition1 dawned on the world in the fourteenth century4 ,intellect1 which had slumbered for ages1 began to throw off its lethargy4 ,universities sprang up in ,europe4 ,science1 literature and religion began to be studied4 ,old theories were looked into and questioned2 and then the martyr's fires were rekindled by the conservatives of that age2 for every age has a class who love to stand up to their ears in mud at their old landmarks1 and threaten all with temporal ruin or eternal damnation1 or both1 who make an effort to get out of the filth into the pure air and sunshine of heaven4 ,this old hunkerism ,i abhor1 whether in church1 state1 or literature4 ,it would repress the energies of the world4 ,our motto should be--go where the stream of truth bears us1 regardless of consequences2 they should not be feared4 ,error and ignorance only are real and fearful enemies4 ,those early pioneers in the domain of truth1 paid dear for their independence and wisdom2 many of whom were burned at the stake or incarcerated in dungeons4 ,but the truths they uttered were not so easily forced out of the world4 ,a pious poet of those times1 speaking of the disinterment and scattering of ,wickliffe's ashes on the ,avon1 utters this prophetic language3 8,the ,avon to the ,severn runs1 ,the ,severn to the sea1 ,and ,wickliffe's ashes shall be strewn ,wide as the waters be40 ,the martyrs of truth fertilize our soil4 ,the fires that consumed their bodies lighten our skies4 ,the clanking of their chains1 and the groans they uttered1 are yet sounding in our ears1 and inspire us with indignation against despotism of every name and kind4 ,they did as much for human progress by suffering and dying in its cause as they did by the pen1 speech1 or holy life4 ,their tears and their blood form a river which has been meandering through the heart of humanity down to the present time2 and all along its margin1 little rills have been pouring into it from the hearts and eyes of those who have been persecuted for righteousness' sake4 ,and the stream that was once small has become large1 and will increase every day as it flows on1 imparting vitality to the great heart of humanity4 ,revere those great men4 ,and although they may not have known the whole truth1 yet they were far in advance of the age in which they lived1 were true friends of man1 and we owe them a lasting debt of gratitude4 ,and what shall ,i say of the present condition of the enlightened nations of the earth8 ,the truth is1 never before did man attain the intellectual and moral eminence he now enjoys2 never before was the human mind so active or making such rapid strides4 8,the world is entering on a new moral cycle4 ,the great heart of humanity is heaving with hopes of a still brighter day4 ,the instincts of our nature prophesy its approach1 and the best intellects of our world are struggling to turn that prophecy to fulfilment4 ,thoughts of freedom1 duty1 benevolence1 equality and human brotherhood agitate the nations of the earth2 and neither the ,pope with his ,cardinals and ,jesuits1 nor the kings with their ministers1 can repress it4 ,were these thoughts imprisoned in the center of the earth1 they would burst its granite folds1 speed onward in their career and fill their destiny4 ,they are imbued with a deathless vigor4 ,they must prevail1 or the idea of a ,moral ,governor of the universe is impossible1 and the divine truths of the gospel a fable40 ,old ideas are being modified1 or laid aside without a memento to keep them in remembrance1 and new ones from the heavenly mint are taking their places4 ,the pruning-hook and plough-share are making sad havoc of grey-bearded theories4 ,but we must not for a moment suppose that the worshipers of antiquated institutions and ideas1 will yield in this struggle without a desperate effort to preserve their idols4 ,and no doubt the cry will be raised as of old1 8,great is ,diana of the ,ephesians20 and multitudes will shout1 8,crucify1 crucify1 all who are not of our party40 ,all who have eyes must see that changes are taking place every where4 ,men may shut their eyes and prophesy that all things will continue as they are2 but as ,galileo said of the earth1 after renouncing his philosophy to save his life3 8,,it ,,revolves ,,still20 so whether we believe it or not1 the human mind is outgrowing and leaving old errors1 which had their origin in barbarism1 and is advancing into the region of truth and reality4 ,but the old heavens and earth will not pass away without great noise--not until the elements shall be melted with fervent heat1 by the ,sun of righteousness4 ,the nations of the earth have long fought with steel and bullet1 but now the great battle of ideas is being fought4 ,the old and the new1 the past and the present1 the kingdom of ,god and the kingdom of satan1 have entered the list2 and as sure as the rising sun dispels the darkness1 chill1 and dampness of night1 as sure as day succeeds night1 will truth triumph over error in this conflict4 ,the hay1 wood and stubble will be consumed1 but the silver and gold will pass the fiery ordeal4 ,had some conversation with a ,spiritualist4 ,the ,bible1 in his estimation1 is full of lies and absurdities1 as unreliable in its religious instruction as an almanac in its weather prognostics4 ,but all ,spiritualists do not go to that extreme2 many of them entertain sincere respect for that book1 and love to cultivate the religious sentiment4 ,i have a great deal of faith in that kind of ,spiritualism4 ,the old prophets1 ,christ and his apostles1 and multitudes of the wise and good in all ages1 have been ,spiritualists of that character4 ,such kind of ,spiritualism is only another name for ,christianity4 ,but with the irreverent and ungodly sort of ,spiritualism1 ,i have no sympathy4 ,i believe it to be blasting and damning in its influence1 and will ultimately land its believers in rank ,atheism4 ,it has already made shipwreck of many a man and woman1 and its dreadful work in that direction will fearfully increase unless there should be a return to reason4 ,i attended a revival meeting while on this journey1 and witnessed some extraordinary doings4 ,there was shouting1 ranting1 screaming1 jumping1 crying and laughing4 ,the preacher told us1 that the lowest and vilest could be instantly translated into saints4 ,i remembered the old song ,i had heard on such occasions3 8,come dirty1 come filthy1 come ragged1 come bare3 ,you can't come too filthy--come just as you are40 ,the preacher did not intend to promote immorality1 but no doubt this telling people1 that unwashed scoundrels at the end of a long life in every crime can be instantly transformed into saints of the first water1 and so escape all punishment for a misspent life1 has a very immoral influence4 ,a hardened sinner may to-day right-about face1 and resolve to travel upward hereafter1 but he has a long journey before him4 ,but if he pursues it1 he will finally reach the heavenly city1 and walk its golden streets4 ,a man at the meeting asked me if a person could be 8saved without repentance and regeneration80 ,i replied3 8,you might as well ask if a man can see without eyes1 hear without ears1 think without a head1 talk without a tongue1 or walk without legs4 ,you misunderstand salvation4 ,it is not from an outward hell1 but from ignorance1 error1 sin1 and all their debasing effects4 ,he who has thoroughly repented1 or reformed1 which is the same thing1 is saved1 not will be2 a regenerated soul is saved1 not will be saved at some future period1 and in some other world4 ,repentance and regeneration sweep and garnish the soul1 make it a fit habitation for the heavenly guest--salvation4 ,jesus said1 #8,repent1 for the kingdom of ,god is at hand4' ,it is always #8at hand1' ready to be established in every reformed1 regenerated heart40 ,said another1 8,if ,universalism is true1 what is the use of preaching80 8,why1 my dear sir10 ,i answered1 8preaching is one means by which salvation is effected4 ,god works by means4 ,by means of the sun he lightens and warms the earth2 by means of the rain he cools and purifies the atmosphere1 fertilizes the soil1 and fills our fountains with living water4 ,by means of natural laws he controls every globe1 and every particle of matter in the universe4 ,so1 by wise and righteous instrumentalities1 he blesses man spiritually1 and will continue to bless him forever and ever4 ,and the proclamation of truth and righteousness1 through the christian ministry1 is one means appointed by heaven to this blessed end4 ,eighteen hundred years ago ,jesus said1 #8,know the truth1 and the truth shall make you free2' and he consecrated men1 and commissioned them1 to #8,go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature4' ,it is freedom now that we need2 it is salvation now1 that the proclamation of the truth produces4 ,as the presence of ,jesus brought salvation into ,zaccheus' house1 so the preaching of the gospel brings a present salvation to the soul4 ,give up the wretched delusion1 that the chief end of preaching is to save us from a hell beyond the grave4 ,it is for no such a purpose4 ,its object is to enlighten and purify man now1 that he may be happy in this world40 ,in ,kimball1 ,i delivered a discourse2 and at its close a ,methodist minister told the congregation that he1 heart and soul1 believed in the 8,restitution of all things20 and that he would not part with that faith for the world4 ,he said it was the joy of his life2 it made him a better man2 it prepared him to live1 and he trusted that it would be his stay and his hope in the hour of death4 ,i stopped in ,moline1 ,ill41 and delivered one discourse4 ,this is a manufacturing place1 at the head of ,rock ,island1 and exhibits much thrift and enterprise4 ,said a man to me in the town3 8,the ,bible says1 no self-murderer shall enter the kingdom of ,god4 ,what do you do with that passage80 8,that is home-made scripture10 ,i replied2 8there is nothing of the kind in the ,bible4 ,besides1 there never was1 and never will be1 a self-murderer4 ,to murder is to #8kill with malice aforethought4' ,a man may commit suicide1 but that is not murder1 for he does not do it with malignity or malice toward himself4 ,for the poor suicide ,i have much sympathy4 ,who can estimate the agony he suffered1 to escape which1 he took his own life8 ,have charity for such a poor unfortunate2 speak not harshly of him2 condemn him not4 ,jesus would weep over his grave1 and say1 #8,father1 forgive him4' ,the apostle ,john says1 #8,whoso hateth his brother is a murderer1 and ye know1 that no murderer hath eternal life abiding in him4' #a ,john iii4 #ae4 ,this speaks of the present condition of the murderer--not his everlasting condition4 ,no murderer hath eternal life abiding in him4 ,of course he has not1 or he would not be a murderer4 ,eternal life is ,christ-life1 heaven-life2 a life of love to ,god1 and good will toward man4 ,a murderer is selfish1 cruel1 bloody1 revengeful4 ,a murderous character1 and a christian character1 cannot exist in one soul4 ,but the murderer may reform4 ,paul was a persecutor1 assisted in murdering ,stephen of blessed memory1 but he reformed4 ,jesus on the cross prayed ,god to forgive his murderers40 8,but then suppose he dies a murderer1 what will become of him80 8,if the murderer can reform before he dies1 why not after he dies8 ,does reason1 wisdom1 goodness1 the ,bible say1 that if a man leaves this world a sinner1 he will be compelled to be a sinner eternally8 ,that is an assumption of ,orthodoxy2 but it never was proved1 and never will be4 ,why does the ,bible say1 #8,god will have all men to be saved1' if it is his purpose that all who leave this world sinners never shall be saved8 ,why does he call on all to repent1 if he intends1 that all who die impenitent never shall reform8 ,it is a dreadful thing to live or die a murderer2 but the mercy of ,god can save him in this world1 and that same mercy can save him in the future world40 ,,chapter ,,xix4 ,,last ,,campaign--,,in ,,galesburg1 ,,ill4--,,the ,,united ,,states ,,convention--,,lombard ,,university--,,other ,,schools--,,journey ,,to ,,missouri--,,in ,,macon ,,city--,,in ,,brookfield--,,st4 ,,joseph ,,and ,,other ,,cities--,,grove ,,meeting--,,on ,,the ,,missouri ,,bottom--,,beautiful ,,country--,,preach ,,in ,,fillmore ,,and ,,many ,,other ,,places--,,returned ,,home--,,anti-,,orthodox ,,preaching--,,funeral ,,sermons--,,death--,,life--,,conclusion 4 ,my last long campaign was in ,missouri and ,illinois4 ,left ,chicago1 accompanied by ,mrs4 ,manford1 ,tuesday night1 ,september #af1 #ahff1 and by sunrise the next morning we were in ,galesburg1 ,ill41 one hundred and sixty miles southward4 ,the ,united ,states ,convention of ,universalists was holding its annual session in that place1 and we tarried till its close4 ,met many clergymen from the ,east and ,west ,i had not before seen2 and had the satisfaction of shaking hands with ,w4 ,s4 ,balch1 with whom ,i studied many years before1 but had not beheld his face since ,i left his sanctum in ,claremont1 ,n4 ,h41 to come ,west4 ,he is now pastor of the ,universalist society in ,galesburg4 ,years have changed the outer man1 somewhat1 but the inner man seems to be as vigorous1 generous and brotherly as ever4 ,brother ,balch has noble qualities of head and heart2 and he has ever been faithful and successful in his high calling4 ,the ,lombard ,university is located in ,galesburg2 and although 8,university0 is rather a big name for such an institution--the ,west is fond of high sounding names--it is an excellent school1 and is doing a great work4 ,it combines an academy and college2 its doors are open to both sexes1 they having equal privileges4 ,this is as it should be4 ,the old custom of educating girls and boys apart is all wrong4 ,they learn faster together than if educated separately4 ,a healthy rivalry is induced1 each sex being anxious to secure the approbation of the other2 besides1 associating together1 not less in the school-room than at home tends to refine and invigorate both sexes4 ,the property of this institution is one hundred thousand dollars1 and about as much more has recently been subscribed for its benefit4 ,it is destined to exert a vast influence in the ,west in favor of liberal principles4 ,the denomination has several other excellent institutions of learning in the ,united ,states4 ,there is ,tufts ,college1 located in ,medford1 ,mass41 four miles from ,boston4 ,its funds and real estate are worth eight hundred and five thousand dollars4 ,it has a library embracing ten thousand volumes4 ,in ,canton1 ,n4 ,y41 we have two schools--the ,st4 ,lawrence ,university1 and ,theological ,school4 ,the ,university has property worth one hundred and four thousand dollars4 ,we also have an academy in ,clinton1 ,n4 ,y41 called the ,clinton ,liberal ,institute4 ,it has property amounting to fifty thousand dollars4 ,we likewise have a school in ,westbrook1 ,me41 three miles from ,portland4 ,it is one of the best institutions in the state1 and its permanent fund is thirty thousand dollars4 ,the ,green ,mountain ,institute is located in ,woodstock1 ,vt4 ,a fine farm is connected with the school1 and the average attendance is about one hundred4 ,in ,glover1 ,vt41 the ,orleans ,liberal ,institute is located4 ,from seventy to one hundred pupils attend it1 and its friends intend to increase its usefulness4 ,there are three other educational institutions being established by the denomination4 ,one in ,jefferson1 ,wis4 ,it has so far progressed1 that one term has been held4 ,a fine academy building will soon be erected4 ,in ,barre1 sixteen miles from ,montpelier1 the capital of ,vermont1 our brethren are establishing a school4 ,fifty thousand dollars have already been subscribed4 ,in ,franklin1 ,mass41 a first class academy will soon be in operation4 ,dr4 ,dean1 its founder1 donated sixty thousand dollars1 and the trustees have raised forty thousand more4 ,a magnificent building is nearly finished on a beautiful site1 with ample grounds4 ,this is a pretty fair record for so young a denomination as ours2 and all this has been accomplished in about thirty-five years4 ,but our work is only fairly begun in the educational field4 ,more schools must be established2 and those already in operation must be strengthened1 and their usefulness increased4 ,proper education improves the head and the heart1 and qualifies us to act with dignity and success our part on the stage of life4 ,september #bjth4 ,mrs4 ,manford returned to ,chicago1 and at #e o'clock ,p4 ,m41 ,i took cars for ,quincy1 one hundred miles south2 and the next morning was steaming across the ,missouri prairies to ,macon ,city1 sixty miles west of the great river4 ,most of the country is prairie1 high1 dry and rolling1 with good soil1 but thinly settled4 ,saw large herds of cattle1 horses1 mules and sheep1 feeding on the vast savannas4 ,lectured in ,macon ,city4 ,a good congregation would immediately be gathered here1 if a minister could be obtained4 ,two lawyers1 especially1 expressed much anxiety for such an arrangement4 ,macon is at the crossing of the ,hannibal and ,st4 ,joseph1 and ,north ,missouri railroads1 and is bound to be an important town4 ,september #bb;d4 ,rode to ,brookfield1 forty miles west4 ,crossed the dividing ridge between the ,mississippi and ,missouri rivers1 two of the great rivers of the world4 ,most of the country is hilly1 timber is plenty1 and the soil middling4 ,brookfield is exactly midway between the two rivers4 ,the railroad company has its machine shops here1 and the town is in a flourishing condition4 ,the country around is beautiful and productive4 ,it is a charming locality for a home4 ,rode into the country the next day1 ,sunday1 eight miles1 and talked to the people2 returned in the afternoon1 and lectured to a fair congregation4 ,september #beth4 ,proceeded to ,chillicothe1 forty miles toward the setting sun1 and delivered my message4 ,this is a fine town1 and improving rapidly4 ,we ought to have a church here1 and could soon have one if proper effort was made4 ,we always have large congregations here4 ,i4 ,m4 ,westfall1 several years since1 had a discussion in this place with a ,methodist minister1 and he made the dry bones shake4 ,september #bgth4 ,journeyed to ,st4 ,joseph1 about seventy miles4 ,this is the largest town in ,north ,missouri4 ,it is located on the east bank of the ,missouri river2 has quite a city appearance2 the streets are paved1 and the business houses are chiefly brick1 and of a substantial character4 ,this1 and three other towns within seventy-five miles1 are striving for the mastery--,kansas ,city1 ,leavenworth and ,lawrence4 ,time only will determine which will win4 ,but there is bound to be one large commercial center somewhere in this region4 ,which of the four will be that city8 ,i refer to #ahge for an answer4 ,september #bhth4 ,rode to ,savannah1 thirteen miles northward1 and lectured in the evening4 ,r4 ,k4 ,jones1 an active and enterprising man1 preaches here monthly4 ,expect to spend three weeks traveling where there are no railroads2 and as ,i have no conveyance of my own1 shall depend on a kind ,providence1 and good friends for transportation4 ,september #bith4 ,rode horseback to ,fillmore1 ten miles2 a sprightly boy went with me to lead the horse back2 and on the next day1 ,sunday1 was conveyed by a friend1 to ,mound ,city1 eighteen miles1 where ,i delivered a long discourse at eleven o'clock1 in a beautiful grove1 and in the evening spoke in a school-house1 four miles distant4 ,october #ast4 ,rode a borrowed horse twelve miles1 and lectured at night4 ,was sick two days from excessive speaking4 ,met a woman who heard me in ,ohio twenty-five years ago4 ,am now sixty miles above ,st4 ,joseph1 on the ,missouri river bottom4 ,the soil is as rich as was that of the far-famed valley of ,egypt4 ,most of the bottom is prairie1 and the land dry1 warm and easily tilled4 ,it is a charming region--beautiful beyond description4 ,a few miles west1 the ,missouri bluffs in ,kansas and ,nebraska are visible4 ,although barely able to sit on the horse1 ,i rode twelve miles4 ,october #dth4 ,the ride did me good--am all right again4 ,went in a buggy to ,oregon1 twelve miles1 and heard an excellent discourse by ,r4 ,k4 ,jones4 ,about one year previous1 ,i delivered three discourses in this town1 the first of the kind heard there1 and they caused considerable excitement2 whereupon ,mr4 ,smith1 a ,presbyterian clergyman1 proposed debating1 to which ,i consented4 ,we settled the preliminaries2 but ,mr4 ,smith's ardor for the discussion soon abated1 and the subject was dropped4 ,but another party is now trying to get up a discussion with me1 and they are corresponding with ,mr4 ,summerhill1 of ,cincinnati1 ,ohio1 a noted minister in his order1 about engaging in it4 ,october #eth4 ,went to ,fillmore--rode part way1 and walked part way--and lectured in the evening4 ,a society will probably soon be organized here1 as we have a goodly number of friends within a few miles of the place4 ,at a previous visit to this town1 a preacher replied to my discourse4 ,there were several clergymen of different denominations present1 and they delegated this one to be spokesman4 ,but he yielded so much that his colleagues were disgusted and said1 8he might as well have proclaimed himself a ,universalist40 ,october #gth4 ,a friend conveyed me on ,sunday morning1 to ,whitesville1 eighteen miles1 where ,i spoke on that day twice4 ,here also a society could be formed4 ,october #hth4 ,a gentleman and lady took me in a buggy to ,rochester1 sixteen miles1 where ,i spoke to a large congregation1 but found only a few who sympathized with me4 ,october #ith4 ,a kind friend conveyed me to my next appointment1 in ,maysville1 twenty-five miles eastward4 ,he took his three boys with him1 he said1 that they might see the country for they were all recently from ,ohio4 ,men and boys were delighted with the country we passed over1 as well they might be1 for it is a lovely land--high1 rolling1 rich prairie4 ,a large number attended the meeting4 ,probably not a dozen present had before heard a discourse on the ,restitution4 ,i hope some good seed was sown1 and1 that it will germinate1 bud1 blossom1 and yield a rich harvest4 ,october #ajth4 ,rode twenty-five miles to-day1 and preached at night1 and the next day4 ,these were the first sermons on our faith ever heard in ,gallatin4 ,a ,congregationalist minister gave notice that he should reply to them1 two days subsequently4 ,in a conversation with him he remarked1 that his denomination were the 8liberals of the evangelical school40 ,they may be in the ,west1 but they certainly are not in the ,east4 ,their creed is cold1 cruel1 intolerant1 ,calvinism4 ,there is not a particle of liberality or generosity in it4 ,it is as rigid as iron bars1 and cold as icebergs4 ,october #abth4 ,rode horseback sixteen miles1 to ,bancroft1 and lectured4 ,although our liberal faith had not before been publicly taught here1 ,i found many friends4 ,a large family by the name of ,hendricks1 all formerly ,dunkards1 reside here1 and they are devoted believers in the ,restitution4 ,most of that denomination1 ,i have met with1 agree with us in the final redemption of humanity1 and they are generally truly christian people4 ,elhanan ,winchester once said1 8,if ,god has a people on earth1 it is the ,dunkards40 ,october #acth4 ,a friend took me to ,trenton1 eighteen miles1 where ,i delivered three sermons4 ,they were the first of the kind in the town1 or county1 and large numbers attended4 ,a preacher did his best to keep the people away1 but he was nearly deserted1 for the people were bound to hear the 8new doctrine40 ,i here met a man by the name of ,john ,murray1 who said he was a distant relative of the sainted ,rev4 ,john ,murray4 ,when ,i was in ,iowa ,city recently1 ,i found a man by the name of ,winchester1 who is a relative of ,rev4 ,elhanan ,winchester1 of blessed memory4 ,they have good blood in their veins4 ,october #aeth4 ,conveyed to ,lindville1 fifteen miles1 and preached at night4 ,the people here had not before heard one of our faith4 ,some believed1 and some disbelieved4 ,october #afth4 ,rode fourteen miles on horseback1 and walked six miles4 ,came to a stream where there was no bridge1 and pulling off boots and socks1 waded through1 and passed on to fill my appointments4 ,lectured twice in this place1 ,milan1 to full houses4 ,october #ahth4 ,went to ,greencastle1 fifteen miles1 and lectured twice4 ,there is a small society in this village1 and two brother preachers are residing near by--,w4 ,brise and ,g4 ,s4 ,ayers4 ,it is to be hoped they will hereafter devote more of their time to the ministry4 ,october #bjth4 ,lectured in ,unionville twice1 and once in the neighborhood2 and the next day was conveyed by a friend to ,lancaster1 twenty miles still farther onward1 where ,i also spoke twice4 ,the next day1 rode to ,memphis1 or rather rode and walked1 twenty-five miles1 where ,i spoke twice1 and once in the country4 ,from thence was conveyed by a friend to ,bentonsport1 ,iowa1 where ,i took the cars and went home4 ,i recently heard a discourse by one of our ministers1 and he gave ,orthodoxy an awful cudgeling4 ,i do not like that kind of preaching4 ,it is too much of the meat-axe order4 ,the christian minister should preach the gospel in all its fulness--present it in its doctrinal1 moral1 and spiritual aspect4 ,but cutting1 slashing1 and banging1 at this creed1 and that creed1 at this sect and that sect1 is not exactly preaching the gospel4 ,it may be the minister's duty1 now and then1 under peculiar circumstances1 to handle other creeds without gloves2 but let him remember and do his duty in this respect in a loving spirit4 ,but there should be but little of this kind of controversial sermonizing4 ,telling people of the beauty and glory of truth and virtue1 and urging a practical knowledge of the same1 is far better than to be fighting ,orthodoxy4 ,it must be admitted1 that some of the fathers of our denomination1 in this respect1 have set a bad example4 ,they had too much of the ,ishmaelite spirit1 and many of us have imbibed of it copiously4 ,true1 they were assailed by slander and falsehood1 in private and in public1 at home and abroad1 when they went in1 and when they went out2 and it required a copious infusion of the ,divine ,spirit to be perfect lambs under such circumstances4 ,and our people in the ,west and ,south1 especially the ministers1 are still pursued with the same maliciousness1 injustice and cruelty1 and it requires remarkable good nature to be thus treated without striking back4 ,but some of us have rather overdone this matter of 8using up0 ,orthodoxy4 ,not1 it is to be hoped1 that we have been actuated by the fiendish spirit of some of our enemies1 but we spend too much precious time1 and waste too much material1 on their creeds4 ,better present the truth in its native beauty and grace1 and the world will soon fall in love with it1 and take it to it's heart4 ,i had been at home but a few days1 when ,i was called to the southern part of ,illinois1 to deliver two funeral discourses4 ,one of them was on the occasion of the death of ,mrs4 ,middleworth1 an estimable woman1 cut down in the vigor of womanhood1 and in the midst of usefulness4 ,a large number attended the service2 some came as far as fifteen miles4 ,surely1 if ever we need consolation1 it is when death enters our abode1 and snatches therefrom a dear friend4 ,sensitive ties are then severed1 and affection's nerves receive a dreadful shock4 ,the death of a friend is like an untimely frost on an orange grove2 it may indeed kill but one1 but it blights the whole grove4 ,but death is no new thing under the sun4 ,for six thousand years mankind have been dying4 ,it is estimated that sixty persons die every minute4 ,every hour in the day1 week1 month1 year1 century1 thousands of human beings breathe their last breath1 and heave their last sigh4 ,all over the world are dying scenes1 and funeral scenes4 ,an army of the living are employed to bury an army of the dead4 ,and this sad work has been going on for sixty centuries4 ,how true are the words of the wise man3 8,one generation passeth away1 and another generation cometh40 ,death and the grave are never satisfied4 ,the high and the low1 the old and the young1 the saint and the sinner1 must alike be prostrated in death when the king of terror hurls his unerring dart4 ,as ocean wave succeeds wave1 so generation of men succeed generation1 and each in its turn is borne to1 and dashes and dies upon the fearful shore of time4 ,every thing on earth speaks of mutation and death4 ,the lofty marble monument1 erected to commemorate human genius2 the stately palace of wealth1 pomp and greatness1 are being crumbled to dust by the busy and untiring hand of time4 ,saith the ,bible1 8,all flesh is grass40 ,as the grass withereth1 and the flower fadeth1 so with mortal man4 ,the decree has gone forth from the court of heaven1 and cannot be revoked1 8,dust thou art1 and unto dust shalt thou return40 ,no appeal is admitted2 no reversal of the judgment need be expected4 ,die we all must6 ,but how little is this dreadful fact realized by many6 ,how many spend life as if they believed it would never end6 ,to the accumulation of earthly treasures1 or the advancement of ambitious schemes1 multitudes devote all their energy1 all their talent1 all their precious time4 ,unwise men6 ,god made us for more noble pursuits2 and he who devotes all of life's blessed moments to the accumulation of earth's perishable treasures1 answers not to the end of his being1 is not a friend to himself1 but rather his own greatest enemy4 ,but when the decrees of the ,almighty shall be executed2 when dust shall have returned to dust1 and ashes to ashes1 shall we be no more forever8 ,will death never yield his prey8 ,shall we share the fate of the beetle and the worm8 ,will the tender ties of love and affection1 which are severed by the cold hand of death1 with weeping eyes and bleeding heart1 never be reunited8 ,and when we consign our dear friends to the grave1 shall we never more behold them8 ,never more enjoy their society1 which society made a heaven of earth8 ,and when we shall bid farewell to earth1 and close our eyes in death1 shall we be annihilated8 ,some there are1 who answer these important questions in the affirmative4 ,some there are1 who tell us1 that death is an eternal sleep1 that the grave and the worm will devour our all2 that we are like the bubble on the wide ocean1 seen for a moment1 and then disappear to be known no more forever4 ,but thank ,god1 we have reason to hope for better things4 ,we have reason to hope that there is a life beyond this life1 a world beyond this world1 where friends will meet1 where the great family of ,god will meet1 to part no more2 that on the blissful plains of immortality1 the severed links of humanity will be welded in an immortal chain1 never more to be severed4 ,while in the neighborhood where this service was held1 ,i delivered two other discourses1 to great congregations4 ,from thence ,i went to ,dudley1 and delivered another funeral discourse1 on the occasion of the death of ,mrs4 ,sutherland1 a devoted believer in our most holy faith1 and an excellent woman4 ,it is sometimes said by the opposers of the ,great ,salvation1 that it is good to live by1 but not to die by4 ,but it seems to me1 that what is good to live by1 must be good to die by1 for what prepares us to live1 prepares us to die4 ,when the opposer tells me1 that my religion 8is good to live by10 ,i thank him for such testimony in its favor2 but ,i cannot return the compliment1 cannot admit that his creed1 let it be what it may1 if it denies the essential features of the ,restitution1 8is good to live by40 ,is ,atheism1 which denies a ,god1 and orphanizes the world1 8good to live by80 ,is ,deism1 that denies a ,savior1 and doubts an hereafter1 8good to live by80 ,is ,partialism1 that represents ,god as cruel1 revengeful and unjust2 as loving some and hating others2 blessing some and cursing others1 world without end1 8good to live by80 ,men can live with such creeds in their heads1 as they can live on horse ham and mule stake2 but it is living at a poor dying rate4 ,but then1 this faith so full of grace 8is not good to die by40 ,but why not8 ,it represents ,god as a universal ,father1 ,christ a universal ,savior1 and heaven the home to which all are tending4 ,is not faith in such a ,god1 such a ,savior1 and such a ,destiny1 good in the hour of death8 ,the truth is1 nothing but this can afford peace and consolation in that dark and solemn hour4 ,atheism1 ,deism1 ,partialism1 are found wanting in man's dying moments1 as when in the possession of health and vigor4 ,true1 many close their eyes in death with blissful hopes1 who do not accept the faith of ,god's ,universal ,grace1 and for this reason--in their dying hour they gaze entirely on the bright side of their creed1 for it has a bright side as well as a dark side4 ,they think they can read their 8title clear to mansions in the skies10 hence depart in peace4 ,but if they looked for an instant on the dark side of their faith2 if they considered that they may be mistaken with regard to their own salvation1 and instead of going to heaven may go to hell4 ,and then1 around their dying couch are their near and dear friends2 and for aught they know1 all of them in a few years will be lifting up their eyes in eternal torment1 and begging for a drop of water to cool their flaming tongues--if the dying deemed this possible1 and it is possible if ,orthodoxy is true1 would not the thought turn joy into the bitterest sorrow1 and songs of praise into howls of despair8 ,but the truth is adapted to all stages and conditions of humanity4 ,it is our counselor1 guide1 and hope1 in the strength and vigor of manhood2 our staff in sickness and old age2 our all when our eyes are closing in death1 and the grave is opening at our feet4 ,after speaking in five other places in the south part of the state1 ,i returned home2 and had been there but two days1 when a telegraphic despatch summoned me to attend the funeral of ,mrs4 ,jameson1 in ,marshall county1 ,ill41 over one hundred miles distant4 ,when turning away from her grave1 her husband remarked3 8,there is buried one of the best women that ever lived40 ,that is the best eulogy that can be pronounced over the grave of the dead4 ,the departed suffered for months1 by day and by night1 the most excruciating physical agony1 but not a murmur dropped from her lips4 ,she knew that sickness was unto death1 and she welcomed the approach of the angel of deliverance4 ,a good life and a christian faith1 are blessed friends in the sunset of life4 ,as ,i am writing about the last page of this book1 a letter1 with a black border1 from a woman in ,missouri is received1 announcing the death of her husband1 and requesting me to attend his funeral4 ,it was his desire1 she writes1 that ,i should do so1 and ,i must respect his dying wish4 ,the common view of death1 ,i am satisfied1 is too dark and gloomy4 ,when we look upon the cold and rigid form1 the closed eyes and pale brow1 of the dead1 a sense of gloom1 and a vague feeling of fear comes over us2 but we should remember1 that the being that lately animated that now lifeless body1 is a resident of the 8house not made with hands1 eternal in the heavens40 ,but we are oppressed too much by what we see1 and have not faith enough in the reality of a life in heaven4 ,and hence it is1 that in the chamber of death1 at the time of the ,holy ,passover1 bitter sobbings are heard1 in the place of song of rejoicing2 and hence it is that the coffin1 our second cradle1 is followed to the grave by those who are arrayed in gloomy habiliments expressive of grief and sorrow4 ,to those who have passed into the house of 8many mansions10 death must appear in a very different light4 ,the two grand eras in our life below1 its beginning and its close1 birth and death1 must be viewed by them as really beautiful and equally divine4 ,the departed know by experience what death is4 ,they have tasted the cup1 and know that it contains1 not a poisonous draught1 but the wine of life4 ,they know that this is a world of shadows1 not the world above4 ,when the hour of death arrives1 the couch of the dying is surrounded by invisible friends1 as by those who still abide in the flesh2 and one hand of the dying is held by those to whom he is now to bid adieu2 and the other is taken by those whom the eye of flesh can no longer see4 8,on the one side1 there is weeping and almost despair2 on the other1 the joyful hymn of welcome4 ,surely tears are a relief to men in this mortal state2 and ,i would not even seem to say that they are wrong4 ,i say only this1 that the occasion of our most intense grief1 would be no occasion of grief1 were death understood by us as it is by those who know by experience--by that holy experience--what it is4 ,were we able to follow1 with open eyes1 those who are dear to us1 as they pass away1 and see them as they are in the ,better ,land1 and know how they are surrounded and employed1 we should not mourn as we now do when friends depart1 nor should we feel any temptation thus to mourn1 and the fear of death would be wholly unknown to us40 ,this1 ,i believe1 to be the correct view of death2 and its general prevalence would dispel the gloom that now hangs over the grave1 and save the world many tears and griefs4 ,the day will come when the inhabitants of the earth1 having a proper estimate of death1 and the hereafter1 will wonder that we regarded death with the gloomy apprehension we do4 ,when that day blesses the world1 there will be no more death1 as most of mankind now regard it4 99 99 99 99 99 ,to conclude3 ,i have innumerable reasons to be grateful to ,almighty ,god1 that ,i have lived so long1 enjoyed almost uninterrupted good health1 had so many friends1 and been permitted to labor in the gospel ministry4 ,truly1 the ,lord has blessed me all the days of my life4 ,i have never had but two spells of sickness1 and they were induced by hard labor in hot weather4 ,notwithstanding my extensive traveling1 ,i have never met with the slightest accident1 and ,i have journeyed by sea and land1 in sailing vessels and steamboats1 on railroads and on horseback1 in stages1 and in wagons of all descriptions4 ,have traveled in dangerous localities by day and by night1 but a penknife is the largest weapon ,i ever carried4 ,one more personal remark--,i never snuffed1 chewed1 or smoked tobacco2 neither did ,i ever poison my body or my soul with a glass of liquor--do not know whisky from brandy1 and do not covet the knowledge4 99 99 99 99 99 ,transcriber's ,notes3 ,punctuation has been made consistent4 ,variations in spelling and hyphenation were retained as they appear in the original publication1 except that obvious typographical errors have been corrected4 ,the following changes were made3 p4 #ajg3 as inserted 7now as it was7 p4 #aaj3 partially obscured word mporal assumed to be temporal 7in temporal ruin47 p4 #bii3 art changed to act 7the act of7