pocket; and are ever and anon pushing a text of scripture down your throat; and they are always talking about "THE BOOK."

William. I believe they are great book men! And they pretend to be very zealous for all the commandments. But I have no faith in them. I would rather hear our good Elder Thomas one hour than hear them a year.

"In this manner the first day is sanctified to the Lord and regarded as his by many professors. And these are spirituallyminded, regenerated worshippers of God, sound in faith and wholesome doctrine. If the Saviour's words be true, that "out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh," what shall we say of such Elders and Deacons and Christians as those, and what estimate shall we form of their worship on the Lord's day! If such worshippers can please the Lord and be edified in their meetings, then have the Apostles exhorted us in vain, that "to be carnally-minded is death, and to be spiritually-minded is life and peace."

"The present is not an age given to devotion. Men have not time to meditate, to pray, to examine themselves. They have too many newspapers to read, too many political questions to discuss, too much business to transact, too many doctrines to debate, too many faults and errors to censure-and too little taste for commmunion with God. In such circumstances, under such influences, who can be fitted for the spiritual society of heaven! who can grow in favor with God, and in the knowledge of Jesus Christ our Lord!"

The above scene in the meeting-house yard at P-a, on the Lord's day morning, is, it may be said, a strong case-rather exaggerated. But I know that many such scenes weekly transpire; and that multitudes of religionists spend the Lord's day mornings and evenings going to, and coming from, the place of worship, no better than did Elder Thomas and Deacon Thompson and their brethren as above reported.

No religious offerings, services, or worship can be acceptable to the Lord without the proper preparation of heart; and it is out of the question for any person to rush from the midst of worldly thoughts, words, and actions, into the presence of the Lord, either acceptably or profitably. This is to offer the sacrifice of fools, rather than reverently and acceptably to worship the Lord. It would be well if Christians would remember that our God is a consuming fire, a jealous God, and seeks to be worshipped in spirit and in truth, and that it is an abomination to draw near to him with the lips and to honor him with our tongues when our hearts are far from him.

A. C.

Discussion of Universalism.

MR. SKINNER TO MR. CAMPBELL.

No. XXIX.

UTICA, July 9, 1838. Dear Sir---IN addition to the arguments already before our readers in favor of the final salvation of all men, I present you with the following further scriptural reasons for entertaining this faith.

2. Because David, an inspired Prophet of the Most High, declares unequivocally that "all the ends of the world shall remember and turn unto the Lord, and all the kindreds of the nations shall worship before thee. For the kingdom is the Lord's, and he is the governor among the nations." Ps. xxii. 27, 28. Here notice that by the expression, "all the ends of the world," is meant all people in all parts of the earth; and lest the universality of the language should still be questioned, he repeats the substance of it as applying to all nations in still stronger terms; and lest a single soul of the human family should be left out, he says, "all the kindreds of the nations." By the expression, "shall remember," it is implied that they had not yet remembered; and by "shall worship before thee," is implied ultimate, hearty and sincere reconciliation and devotion. The Psalmist assigns the best of all possible reasons for this result, viz. that "the kingdom is the Lord's and He is the governor among the nations." Had the kingdom been the devil's and he the governor among the nations, no such happy result could have been anticipated; and there would have been some plausible ground for your gloomy doctrine of endless damnation.

3. Because David also declares of Christ, that "He shall have dominion from sea to sea, and from the river unto the ends of the earth;" -that "all kings shall fall down before him; all nations shall serve him." Ps. lxxii. 8, 11. What expressions of greater universality than the above, could the Psalmist have used, had he intended to teach the salvation of all men?

4. Because the Psalmist further declares, "All nations whom thou hast made shall come and worship before thee, O Lord, and shall glorify thy name.' ." Ps. lxxxvi. 9. Now as there is no nation but what God has made, and all nations that he has made shall come and worship before him in such a manner as to glorify his name, there is no other conclusion to which we can come but this, that all shall experience a saving conversion and become participants of salvation.

5. Because God declares by the Prophet Isaiah, "Look unto me, and be ye saved all the ends of the earth; for I am God and there is none else. I have sworn by myself, the word is gone out of my mouth in righteousness, and shall not return, that unto me every knee shall bow, every tongue shall swear, surely shall say, In the Lord have I righteousness and strength." Isa. xlv. 22--24. Who shall gainsay the irrevocable oath of the immutable Jehovah? His word and his oath are pledged, and "it is impossible for God to lie."

6. Because St. Paul reiterates the same sentiment and applies its consummation to the dominion of Christ. After speaking of the humiliation and obedience of Christ, he says, "Wherefore God also hath

highly exalted him and given him a name which is above every name; that at (in) the name of Jesus every knee should bow of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth; and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord to the glory of God the Father." Philip. ii. 9--11.

7. Because the same Apostle also says, (1 Cor. xii. 3.) that “no man can say that Jesus is the Lord but by the Holy Ghost." Hence, as all shall confess him Lord, and that "to the glory of God the Father," it is evident that the divine spirit must then be and abide with each and all.

8. Because God promised that in the seed of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, all the nations, and families, and kindreds of the earth should be blessed: "In thee shall all families of the earth be blessed." "All the nations of the earth shall be blessed in him." "In thy seed shall all the nations of the earth be blessed." "In thee and in thy seed shall all the families of the earth be blessed." "In thy seed shall all the kindreds of the earth be blessed." Gen. xii. 3; xviii. 18; xxvi. 4; xxviii. 14; Acts iii. 25. If there be on the face of the earth a solitary individual who is not of any nation, or any family, or who is not a kindred of the earth, then that individual may not be included in the gospel covenant; otherwise he must be blessed in Christ, if God's oath and promise be true.

9. Because Christ was the promised seed of the Patriarchs in whom this blessing was to be bestowed and shared, and therefore the blessing was of a spiritual instead of a temporal nature, and clearly implied the salvation of those that were to be blessed. "Now to Abraham and his seed were the promises made. He saith not, And to seeds, as of many; but as of one, And to thy seed, which is Christ." Gal. iii. 16.

10. Because God has made in Zion a feast of fat things for all people. "And in this mountain shall the Lord of hosts make unto all people a feast of fat things, a feast of wines on the lees; of fat things full of marrow, of wines on the lees well refined. And he will destroy in this mountain the face of the covering cast over all people, and the veil that is spread over all nations." Isa. xxv. 6, 7. It matters not, so far as the result is concerned, how thick the face of the covering or how dense the veil of darkness that may now obscure the mental vision of individuals or nations. It shall be pierced by the potent beams of the great Sun of Righteousness: yea, it shall be utterly destroyed and known no more forever: and all people and nations shall see as they are seen and know as they are known, and thus partake of the feast of fat things for all people.

11. Because Jesus, the promised Messiah, the seed of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, in whom all nations, families, and kindreds of the earth were to be blessed, has given "himself a ransom for all, to be testified in due time"-"by the grace of God has tasted death for every man"-"is a propitiation for the sins of the whole world"-and is called "the Lamb of God who taketh away the sin of the world." John i. 29; 1 Tim. ii. 6; Heb. ii. 9; 1 John ii. 2.

12. Because by his death he was to conquer and destroy death, and him that had the power of death. "Forasmuch, then, as the children are partakers of flesh and blood, he also himself likewise took part of the same; that through death he might destroy him that had the power

of death, that is the devil, and deliver them who through fear of death were all their lifetime subject unto bondage." His triumph over death is to so complete that the challenge may be triumphantly given, "O Death, where is thy sting? O Grave, where is thy victory?" Heb. ii. 14, 15; 1 Cor. xv. 55.

13. Because God hath promised not only the destruction of death and every thing that can disturb or mar the felicity of his children, but also that he will wipe away all tears from off all faces. "He will swallow up death in victory, and the Lord God will wipe away tears from off all faces, and the rebuke of his people shall he take away from off all the earth; for the Lord hath spoken it." "And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow nor crying; neither shall there be any more pain; for the former things are passed away." Isa. xxv. 8; Rev. xxi. 4.

14. Because God is to write his law in every heart and put it in every mind he is to be the God of all, and all are to be his peoplehe is to be with and bless all-all are to know, love, and serve him. Jer. xxxi. 33, 34; Heb. viii. 10, 11; Ps. lxxii. 8, 11; Rev. xxi. 2, 3.

15. Because to know and love God and Jesus Christ, as we have assurance that all shall do at last, is life eternal-is equivalent to, and synonymous with, salvation. "This is life eternal that they might know thee, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom thou hast sent." "Every one that loveth is born of God and knoweth God-God is love, and he that dwelleth in love dwelleth in God, and God in him," and this is salvation. John xiv. 23; xvii. 3; 1 John iv. 7, 16.

16. Because the very judgments. punishments, and chastisements which God inflicts on mankind, so far from being designed to injure, are especially designed for their benefit-to humble, subdué, correct and amend; and therefore cannot be in contravention of his numerous promises of universal salvation. "Is the law against the promises of God? God forbid!" "For whom the Lord loveth he chasteneth, and Scourgeth every son whom he receiveth. If ye be without chastisement whereof all are partakers, then are ye bastards and not sons. Furthermore, we have had fathers of the flesh who corrected us, and we gave them reverence: shall we not much rather be in subjection to the Father of spirits and live? For they verily chastened us after their pleasure; but he [God] for our profit, that we might be partakers of his holiness. Now no chastening for the present seemeth to be joyous, but grievous; nevertheless, afterward it yieldeth the peaceable fruit of righteousness unto them which are exercised thereby." "The Lord will not cast off forever; but though he cause grief, yet will he have compassion according to the multitude of his mercies. For he doth not afflict willingly nor grieve the children of men." "If his children forsake my law, and walk not in my judgments, if they break my statutes and keep not my commandments; then will I visit their transgressions with the rod and their iniquities with stripes. Nevertheless, my loving kindness will I not utterly take from him, nor suffer my faithfulness to fail. My covenant will I not break, nor alter the thing that is gone out of my lips." Gal. iii. 21; Heb. xii. 6--11; Lam. iif. 31--33. See also Isaiah liv. 1-8, and lvii. 16--21, and Matth. xxiii. 34-36; Psalm xxxix. 30-34. Thus, whatever iniquities may be committed, and whatever judgments or punishments God may see fit to inflict

on mankind, they cannot nullify his promise, or cause him to break his oath and covenant, in which he has pledged his veracity to bless in Christ all the nations, families, and kindreds of the earth.

17. Because the righteousness in Christ, and the justification of man unto life through him are to be as universal as the reign and condemnation of sin. "As by the offence of one, judgment came upon all men unto condemnation, even so by the righteousness of one, the free gift came upon all men unto justification of life. For as by one man's disobedience many were made sinners, so by the obedience of one shall many [hoi polloi, the many, the multitude, or the mass of mankind] be made righteous." Rom. v. 18, 19. This you allow to be a proper antithesis, and contend that "the words on both sides are to be taken in the same extent of meaning." How then can you avoid the conclusion that all are to be made righteous in Christ?

18. Because, although sin greatly abounds and subjects its infatuated votaries to great and protracted miseries, yet the Apostle declares that "where sin abounded, grace did MUCH MORE abound; that as sin hath reigned unto death, even so might grace reign, through righteousness, unto eternal life by Jesus Christ our Lord." Rom. v. 20, 21. From this testimony it must be clear, that grace shall not only reign as extensively as sin has, that is, universally among men, but more powerfully, more effectually, and more lastingly. But if it does not, and if it should not remove and do away all the evils of sin, and bestow greater good than was previously enjoyed, then it cannot be true that grace abounds "much more than sin."

19. Because the same creature, (that is the whole creation,) that was subjected to vanity, frailty, and bondage, shall be emancipated into the glorious liberty of the sons of God. "For the creature was inade subject to vanity, not willingly, but by reason of him who hath subjected the same in hope; that the creature (ktisis, creation,) itself also shall be delivered from the bondage of corruption into the glorious liberty of the children of God." Rom. viii. 20, 21.

20. Because Christ is repeatedly called the Saviour of the world— and he cannot be the Saviour of the world if only a part of the world is ever saved. "We have heard him ourselves and know that this is, indeed, the Christ, the Saviour of the world." "And we have seen and do testify that the Father sent the Son to be the Saviour of the world." John iv. 42; 1 John iv. 14.

21. Because Christ is the seed of the woman which was to bruise the serpent's head, figuratively representing the destruction of evil; and it is expressly declared of him that "for this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that he might destroy the works of the devil." 1 John iii. 8.

22. Because Christ prayed not only for his friends and disciples in a special manner, but also for the world, for which he gave himself a ransom, not excepting his very murderers John xvii. 2, 9, 21, 22, 23;

Luke xxiii. 34.

23. Because Christ never prayed against, but in accordance with the will of God, and he declares that he "knew that the Father always heard him when he prayed." Matt. xxvi. 42; John xi. 41, 42; xviii. 11.

24. Because we have the promise of the fulness of the Gentiles coming in, and all Israel being saved. "It is a light thing that thou