subsisted with no idea less than that. Any other conception of the great end to which God is and was pointing the forces of his sovereign grace could not have filled the mighty heart of the first philanthropist. We look into that heart, and we see that every throb is the pulsation of the life which Universalism gives, the love of God for our undivided race.

"The vitality of any system for the moral benefit of mankind lies in the idea of the leader; and an intimation of Universalism, as the vitality of the Gospel, is given in all those instances of benevolence, enlarging as the work of reform is carried on, which makes the histories of philanthropic enterprises so interesting.

"I never doubted the doctrine of endless punishment,' said a good man, with a powerful intellect, 'till I became interested in the temperance reform. Then I saw men, by the power of kindness, brought up from the depths of moral

(degradation; and I felt that if the resources of human love

could do so much, the Almighty must have greater resour(ces than we dream of for the recovery of the impenitent.

My labors increased with my faith in God's benevolence.' So John Newton, when told that there was no encouragement in his day for missionary effort, replied,/'I never doubted God's power and grace to convert any one since he converted me.' Here the vitality of the man's work was in the idea of grace which he cherished. The greater the idea, the more breadth it received, the more extensive became the field of practical operation, and the more determined the spirit of effort. We find an illustration of our proposition in the fact that many hearts have confessed that they felt for years a strange spirit of love breathing upon them from the New Testament, inclining them to

Universalism, but against which they struggled as a suggestion of Satan; and when they at last yielded to the faith of universal salvation, it was because they could not resist the overwhelming spirit of love. A life came to them that made them alive unto God as the universal Redeemer; and that life so entered into every dead affection and torpid sympathy, that they could not but own, 'This, this is the glory of the Gospel!' Hence, many have confessed to us that for years they were like the disciples of Emmaus, with hearts burning with strange fire,- a greatness of warmth was there which they did not understand, and its source and tendency were known only when Jesus made himself known to them as the risen Redeemer of the world. also, a patriarch in our Israel was wont to tell all who conversed with him about his faith, 'I was always a Universalist; but I never found it out till I was sixty years old!' O God! how different would those sixty years have been, in the spiritual experience of that man, had he known in childhood what was the real meaning of that life which was in him! How earnestly should such teach their children to pray, 'Satisfy us early with thy mercy, that we may rejoice and be glad all our days'!

So,

"Here, then, is the great need, to see clearly that Universalism is the vitality of the New Testament, that we may receive the true life. How, then, shall we proceed? The way is plain. We have only to ask, What is the essential principle of the Gospel?' This, whatever it is, must be the interpreter of all 'texts' and 'passages,' and must be to us the grand guide in all our explorations into the kingdom of truth. What is the essential principle of the Gospel? What is absolutely necessary to fill out the language of the inspired writers when they speak of the fulness of the

blessing of the Gospel of Christ'? A grand expression, deprived of the idea essential to fill it out and justify its language, is like a full, round face reduced by fever, so that we see a haggard countenance with lingering suggestions of how beautiful it once appeared. Let the vitality that once gave that face its beautiful richness operate again, and you will see an image of what the sublime language of the New Testament, touching the extent of the redemption in Christ, is, when, after it has been narrowed and thinned by partialism, it is filled up by the glorious idea of unlimited salvation! Hence the grand definition of the ministry of reconciliation is, 'God was in Christ reconciling the world unto himself.' If this be so, what can be the vitality of the New Testament but that great purpose which ordained the coming of Christ, and instituted all the offices of his church and the truth? Everything in the development of the Gospel is but the manifestation of God's love to the world, - universal love. That love animated Christ; it was his life; it is the life of his religion; and just in proportion as we receive it, do we receive of the vitality of the New Testament, and enter into the experience of Universalism. The full development of this principle can issue only in universal salvation. Its operation was declared by the Redeemer in explicit terms: 'And I, if I be lifted up, will draw all men unto me.' The magnet ceases not to throw out its mysterious power to draw from the atmosphere of the needle manufactory every particle of steel dust to its point; and the glittering cloud there gathered is not more demonstrative of the invisible and wonderful power of the magnet, than the work of the Redeemer shall find the demonstration of its perfection in a redeemed world.” (20)

IN HARMONY WITH GOD's word.

"Should we examine this all-embracing call of God on the principles of Universalism, his word and works would harmonize, his means and ends meet, his unerring wisdom be luminously displayed, and his all-encircling love fix the confidence and warm the affections of a rebel world. "For this system contends, in the language of inspiration, that all things, consequently all men, are created for God's pleasure; that his pleasure is, that all should come to the knowledge of the truth and be saved, and that, therefore, it is consistent with his original purpose to call, 'Look unto me, and be ye saved, all the ends of the earth.'

"Were part of the human family created for God's displeasure, and were that displeasure that they should never come to the knowledge of the truth and be saved, there could be no propriety in commanding all to repent and live; for, should they comply, the intention of God would be defeated. For as he is in one mind, and none can turn him; as he is not man that he should lie, nor the son of man that he should repent: having spoken, he will not go back, having purposed, he will accomplish. Hence his primal must be his everlasting design. The Scripture asserts that it is impossible for God to lie; but should he call all the ends of the earth to salvation, without intending to bestow it on all those whom he calls, he cannot be free from duplicity. And should he design to confer it on all whom he invites, his pleasure can never be accomplished till they are all happy. We hence infer that God's character suffers when this call is explained on Calvinistic or Arminian principles; and that, unless we adopt the

exegesis of Universalism, we make him either weak or cruel, and therefore undeserving of trust, or unworthy of imitation."

"" (86)

"Universalism occupies the only ground in relation to the existence, object, and end of evil, on which it is possible to establish a philosophy of creation consistent with the perfection of God; the only ground that makes faith in God a freedom and a joy.

"That God was not compelled to create this earth and its inhabitants; that he was not forced into the act by any influence or power outside of himself, is certain. That he clearly foresaw the sin of man, and all the evil and suffering that would follow the act of creation, is also certain. This being the case, it is certain that he voluntarily determined out of himself, from his own will and pleasure, to create just such a world as we have here, and just such beings as men, physically and morally." (30)

That doc

"Universalism is based on the will of God. trine is true, because God wills that all men shall be saved, and come unto the knowledge of the truth. If God willed the contrary, all men could not be saved. God's will is absolute. Who will deny this fact? Who will say the will of God can be thwarted, or set aside, or successfully resisted? Will any man take that ground? It would seem that no man could do so. Does the Bible say, in any part

6

of it, that the will of God can be successfully resisted? Does not the whole tenor of the Scripture show that God's will is the mainspring of the universe? Of old time the nations knew that God spake and it was done; he commanded and it stood fast.' God never intended that anything should actually be done, at any time, that was not done at that time.